1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,787 Speaker 1: from Newstalk ZEDB. 3 00:00:13,147 --> 00:00:16,547 Speaker 2: Next month, so basically September, New Zealand will compete at 4 00:00:16,587 --> 00:00:19,827 Speaker 2: the FIFA Futsal World Cup for the very first time, 5 00:00:20,187 --> 00:00:23,627 Speaker 2: having won the Oceania qualifying tenement back in October. 6 00:00:23,867 --> 00:00:30,827 Speaker 3: Ah, there's the Playerneers, the shot from edtamenovis goals Mike Hantamarov. 7 00:00:30,867 --> 00:00:34,147 Speaker 3: We're a play and a half right there. What a 8 00:00:34,267 --> 00:00:37,587 Speaker 3: score from Mike Hantamarov. 9 00:00:38,347 --> 00:00:39,547 Speaker 4: His first goal for. 10 00:00:39,627 --> 00:00:44,627 Speaker 3: New Zealand has come at a hugely important time and 11 00:00:44,747 --> 00:00:47,587 Speaker 3: how well did he execute that play? It's an absolute 12 00:00:47,667 --> 00:00:50,027 Speaker 3: heartbreaker for the Solomon Islands. 13 00:00:50,107 --> 00:00:53,587 Speaker 2: So New Zealand qualified. That's last October or October obviously. 14 00:00:53,627 --> 00:00:56,587 Speaker 2: Twenty twenty three. The twenty twenty four Footsal World Cup 15 00:00:56,627 --> 00:01:01,787 Speaker 2: is underway from September fourteen in Uzbekistan. Footsball White's head 16 00:01:01,787 --> 00:01:05,067 Speaker 2: coach is Marvin Eakins. He's named a squad of fourteen players. 17 00:01:05,387 --> 00:01:09,787 Speaker 2: Ten are based domestically, four of them are based internationally. 18 00:01:09,867 --> 00:01:12,787 Speaker 2: Marvin Ekins is with us. Were there any tough choices 19 00:01:12,867 --> 00:01:16,067 Speaker 2: you had to make, Marvin to finalize you're squad at fourteen? 20 00:01:16,947 --> 00:01:19,347 Speaker 5: Yeah, there's a group of three or four players that 21 00:01:19,787 --> 00:01:24,427 Speaker 5: have missed out that were right on the edge, and 22 00:01:24,787 --> 00:01:27,307 Speaker 5: they've kind of sacrificed a lot to give themselves the 23 00:01:27,307 --> 00:01:31,547 Speaker 5: best opportunity to be involved. Unfortunately, with the World Cup 24 00:01:31,787 --> 00:01:35,387 Speaker 5: we can only take fourteen players. Otherwise we would have 25 00:01:35,387 --> 00:01:38,627 Speaker 5: been nice have brought them along and had I guess 26 00:01:38,627 --> 00:01:39,907 Speaker 5: a bigger squad to choose from. 27 00:01:40,107 --> 00:01:43,027 Speaker 2: Tell us about the blend in your squad between youth 28 00:01:43,787 --> 00:01:45,947 Speaker 2: and experienced players. 29 00:01:47,147 --> 00:01:49,947 Speaker 5: Yeah, there is quite a blend. A large chunk of 30 00:01:49,947 --> 00:01:54,387 Speaker 5: the team that was around four years ago has generally 31 00:01:54,427 --> 00:02:00,227 Speaker 5: moved on, with Dolo Manquin the captain, still be involved, 32 00:02:00,227 --> 00:02:05,147 Speaker 5: Stephen Ashby and Mickey Mellabook, who was kind of a 33 00:02:05,227 --> 00:02:08,627 Speaker 5: late surprise. I guess this year being the right page 34 00:02:08,667 --> 00:02:12,427 Speaker 5: of forty one. And then at the other end, we've 35 00:02:12,467 --> 00:02:16,107 Speaker 5: got a letter of young players all under the age 36 00:02:16,147 --> 00:02:21,107 Speaker 5: of kind of twenty five, and yeah, there's some exciting 37 00:02:22,107 --> 00:02:24,027 Speaker 5: lads in there that I think will be keen to 38 00:02:24,187 --> 00:02:25,307 Speaker 5: take the opportunity. Yeah. 39 00:02:25,307 --> 00:02:26,787 Speaker 2: I was going to ask about n Keep because I 40 00:02:26,787 --> 00:02:30,147 Speaker 2: had him late thirty. So forty one, man, that's terrific. 41 00:02:30,827 --> 00:02:34,187 Speaker 2: You clearly value the experience that he brings, but also 42 00:02:34,587 --> 00:02:37,707 Speaker 2: you're confident that those forty one year old legs will 43 00:02:37,707 --> 00:02:38,387 Speaker 2: still be up to. 44 00:02:38,347 --> 00:02:40,307 Speaker 4: It, no doubt. 45 00:02:40,387 --> 00:02:43,387 Speaker 5: Mickey's the kind of guy if you know him, that 46 00:02:43,547 --> 00:02:46,867 Speaker 5: we'll be doing pull ups in his kitchen. So he's Yeah, 47 00:02:46,907 --> 00:02:49,627 Speaker 5: he's got the body of an eighteen year old, so 48 00:02:49,667 --> 00:02:52,307 Speaker 5: he's certainly looked after himself and being ready to go. 49 00:02:53,067 --> 00:02:54,867 Speaker 5: But he brings he's in a specialist position. He's in 50 00:02:54,907 --> 00:02:58,827 Speaker 5: the pivot role as well, and he's got a few 51 00:02:58,867 --> 00:03:01,707 Speaker 5: campaigns under his bout. So yeah, he's a good personality 52 00:03:01,747 --> 00:03:02,467 Speaker 5: to have around the team. 53 00:03:02,827 --> 00:03:04,147 Speaker 4: How much has the game changed? 54 00:03:04,187 --> 00:03:05,827 Speaker 2: I want to talk about the World Cup in a minute, 55 00:03:05,827 --> 00:03:08,507 Speaker 2: but how much is the game changed since you became 56 00:03:08,587 --> 00:03:10,867 Speaker 2: involved in it at the very top level. 57 00:03:13,267 --> 00:03:15,427 Speaker 5: It's been a good change, I think for us. What 58 00:03:15,507 --> 00:03:18,147 Speaker 5: we've found now is that a lot of the players 59 00:03:18,347 --> 00:03:21,987 Speaker 5: are just dedicating their time fully to futsal in the 60 00:03:22,027 --> 00:03:25,267 Speaker 5: sense that they're not also trying to deliver on a 61 00:03:25,267 --> 00:03:28,307 Speaker 5: football career as well, which is kind of how it 62 00:03:28,467 --> 00:03:32,347 Speaker 5: was in the past. And that's pretty massive for some 63 00:03:32,387 --> 00:03:34,587 Speaker 5: of these younger guys as well, to make that call 64 00:03:34,627 --> 00:03:37,827 Speaker 5: pretty early and try and pursue a career in futsal 65 00:03:37,907 --> 00:03:40,587 Speaker 5: and I think with that, we're starting to get people 66 00:03:40,587 --> 00:03:43,587 Speaker 5: that are students of the game, that are watching, learning 67 00:03:43,787 --> 00:03:46,827 Speaker 5: all the time, and it's starting to flow into I 68 00:03:46,827 --> 00:03:50,747 Speaker 5: guess that the high performance end because there is underneath 69 00:03:50,787 --> 00:03:54,547 Speaker 5: this group. I know there's a really good youth contingent 70 00:03:54,827 --> 00:03:57,187 Speaker 5: of players that will kind of be buying at these 71 00:03:57,187 --> 00:04:01,347 Speaker 5: players heels if they don't keep applying themselves and keep 72 00:04:01,347 --> 00:04:02,187 Speaker 5: pushing themselves. 73 00:04:02,507 --> 00:04:03,987 Speaker 4: So what does your crystal ball tell you? 74 00:04:04,027 --> 00:04:06,187 Speaker 2: Does it tell you that in I don't know, ten years, 75 00:04:06,187 --> 00:04:08,227 Speaker 2: may be maybe even not that long, that there'll be 76 00:04:08,627 --> 00:04:10,267 Speaker 2: football players who never. 77 00:04:10,147 --> 00:04:12,227 Speaker 4: Play eleven a side outside. 78 00:04:12,267 --> 00:04:14,027 Speaker 2: I mean, I look at a guy like Dylan Mallickum, 79 00:04:14,027 --> 00:04:16,547 Speaker 2: you know, and what he does on the grass in 80 00:04:16,667 --> 00:04:19,307 Speaker 2: an eleven a side environment. Do you think in the 81 00:04:19,347 --> 00:04:23,827 Speaker 2: future it might be that guys and women just play footsal. 82 00:04:25,067 --> 00:04:27,187 Speaker 5: I think it will have to be if the game 83 00:04:27,227 --> 00:04:30,107 Speaker 5: really wants to kick on, but not until they are 84 00:04:30,707 --> 00:04:32,747 Speaker 5: of a good age. I mean, when you're in those 85 00:04:32,787 --> 00:04:34,907 Speaker 5: teenage years, you should be cracking on with all the 86 00:04:34,947 --> 00:04:38,307 Speaker 5: different sports, right and football being one of those. I 87 00:04:38,347 --> 00:04:40,427 Speaker 5: think the big challenge that footsball will have is making 88 00:04:40,467 --> 00:04:44,947 Speaker 5: sure that we can offer careers for our athletes, because 89 00:04:45,027 --> 00:04:47,827 Speaker 5: it's especially in the football game. You've got the opportunity 90 00:04:47,827 --> 00:04:53,147 Speaker 5: of university scholarships in America, and I guess the opportunity 91 00:04:53,227 --> 00:04:55,627 Speaker 5: or the vision of going pro in the Premier League 92 00:04:55,907 --> 00:04:58,827 Speaker 5: as we've seen recently, so things like that can be 93 00:04:58,907 --> 00:05:02,787 Speaker 5: quite enticing. But I think what we're starting to see 94 00:05:02,787 --> 00:05:05,387 Speaker 5: now is that there are a handful of guys and 95 00:05:05,427 --> 00:05:09,267 Speaker 5: there will be more that are pushing overseas to try 96 00:05:09,307 --> 00:05:12,547 Speaker 5: and apply their trade, make a little bit of income 97 00:05:12,587 --> 00:05:15,107 Speaker 5: hopefully and eventually that becomes a little bit more lucrative. 98 00:05:15,547 --> 00:05:17,027 Speaker 2: Let's look at the World Cup. Then you're in a 99 00:05:17,067 --> 00:05:20,107 Speaker 2: group with Spain, Kazakhstan and Libya. You need to finish 100 00:05:20,187 --> 00:05:24,187 Speaker 2: top two or be one of the best third placed finishers. 101 00:05:24,507 --> 00:05:26,027 Speaker 2: How do you rate your chances of getting out of 102 00:05:26,067 --> 00:05:26,467 Speaker 2: that group? 103 00:05:27,627 --> 00:05:31,307 Speaker 5: Well, two European teams of Spain and Kazakhstan makes Nate's 104 00:05:31,347 --> 00:05:33,307 Speaker 5: life difficult. We have to be real. Spain will be 105 00:05:33,347 --> 00:05:36,067 Speaker 5: trying to win the whole thing and will be one 106 00:05:36,107 --> 00:05:41,387 Speaker 5: of the favorites to do so, and Kazakhstan are a 107 00:05:41,627 --> 00:05:46,147 Speaker 5: very very strong side and have some unique tactics that 108 00:05:46,227 --> 00:05:49,267 Speaker 5: will probably find a bit challenging once we get across there. 109 00:05:49,707 --> 00:05:52,747 Speaker 5: Libya is a bit of an unknown. They kind of 110 00:05:52,787 --> 00:05:55,747 Speaker 5: squeeze through, if I can say that through their qualifying 111 00:05:56,227 --> 00:06:01,307 Speaker 5: and upset Egypt when it matters and shows that, I 112 00:06:01,307 --> 00:06:04,587 Speaker 5: guess they've got something to them when it comes to 113 00:06:04,707 --> 00:06:08,067 Speaker 5: dealing with pressure. Certainly our game where we're targeting it's 114 00:06:08,067 --> 00:06:11,947 Speaker 5: the first one against Libya on the fifteenth, and I 115 00:06:11,987 --> 00:06:14,947 Speaker 5: think if we can get a positive result there, then 116 00:06:15,347 --> 00:06:18,827 Speaker 5: anything can happen in those games against Kazakhstan Spain. 117 00:06:19,067 --> 00:06:20,947 Speaker 2: Will do you have the opportunity, Marvin, for a decent 118 00:06:20,987 --> 00:06:22,067 Speaker 2: build up to the World Cup. 119 00:06:24,187 --> 00:06:27,427 Speaker 5: We're fortunate to have some games in Thailand and the 120 00:06:27,507 --> 00:06:30,747 Speaker 5: lead in which will get us four games against some 121 00:06:31,387 --> 00:06:35,667 Speaker 5: Asian opposition, which will be really useful. We don't get 122 00:06:35,667 --> 00:06:39,787 Speaker 5: many international games. I think every international sports team or 123 00:06:39,827 --> 00:06:43,627 Speaker 5: athlete is always wanting more initial games to test themselves, 124 00:06:43,667 --> 00:06:46,987 Speaker 5: and we've certainly wanted that over the last few years 125 00:06:46,987 --> 00:06:50,107 Speaker 5: to help us kind of build. So I think it's 126 00:06:50,147 --> 00:06:52,667 Speaker 5: going to be important to challenge us ours against the 127 00:06:52,827 --> 00:06:56,107 Speaker 5: likes of Thailand, who are one of the strongest Asian teams, 128 00:06:57,307 --> 00:07:00,267 Speaker 5: to kind of see how we could come across teams 129 00:07:01,147 --> 00:07:04,107 Speaker 5: and styles that are similar to Libya And. 130 00:07:03,987 --> 00:07:06,267 Speaker 2: How special is it to be part of the first 131 00:07:06,707 --> 00:07:09,667 Speaker 2: New Zealand side to go to a footsall World Cabino 132 00:07:09,867 --> 00:07:12,627 Speaker 2: the fotshell Ferns The women have just in the last 133 00:07:12,627 --> 00:07:15,627 Speaker 2: little while qualified for their first one and the Philippines 134 00:07:15,667 --> 00:07:18,507 Speaker 2: next year. But how cool is it to be the 135 00:07:18,547 --> 00:07:20,627 Speaker 2: first New Zealand side to go to a men's fotsill 136 00:07:20,667 --> 00:07:21,147 Speaker 2: World Cup. 137 00:07:22,267 --> 00:07:24,507 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's been for some of us. It's been quite 138 00:07:24,507 --> 00:07:27,387 Speaker 5: the journey. For myself since two thousand and eight. I've 139 00:07:27,387 --> 00:07:30,707 Speaker 5: been trying to get there, initially as a player and 140 00:07:30,747 --> 00:07:34,467 Speaker 5: more recently as a coach. But even before me, goalkeeper 141 00:07:34,507 --> 00:07:37,547 Speaker 5: coach Elias Billet, he was part of the twenty fourteen 142 00:07:37,987 --> 00:07:42,147 Speaker 5: they tried and missed out with Australia taking that one 143 00:07:42,187 --> 00:07:44,667 Speaker 5: when they were still in the Oceania region. 144 00:07:44,787 --> 00:07:46,467 Speaker 4: So it's been Yeah. 145 00:07:46,267 --> 00:07:48,427 Speaker 5: It's been a heca a right, with lots of heartbreaking, 146 00:07:49,627 --> 00:07:52,547 Speaker 5: lots of stories along the way. But I think in 147 00:07:52,627 --> 00:07:55,307 Speaker 5: the background what's been important in New Zealand is that 148 00:07:55,347 --> 00:07:59,267 Speaker 5: there's been a lot of development, a lot of opportunities 149 00:07:59,267 --> 00:08:02,907 Speaker 5: for kids to play and build up their hours playing 150 00:08:02,947 --> 00:08:05,747 Speaker 5: the game, and I think that's kind of led to 151 00:08:05,827 --> 00:08:09,347 Speaker 5: it was a matter of time for us to finally qualify, 152 00:08:09,867 --> 00:08:13,707 Speaker 5: and I think the guys know that generally that there's 153 00:08:13,707 --> 00:08:17,147 Speaker 5: a bigger picture here and how this could kick ONTs 154 00:08:17,347 --> 00:08:20,547 Speaker 5: I guess to the next step locally, but there's also 155 00:08:20,627 --> 00:08:22,667 Speaker 5: an element of these guys that put in a lot 156 00:08:22,667 --> 00:08:26,107 Speaker 5: of mahi themselves and have deserved this opportunity. So we 157 00:08:26,107 --> 00:08:27,987 Speaker 5: don't want them having the way to the country too 158 00:08:28,027 --> 00:08:29,827 Speaker 5: much on them or the way of footsal in the country, 159 00:08:30,667 --> 00:08:32,027 Speaker 5: but I think it will be in the back of 160 00:08:32,067 --> 00:08:32,827 Speaker 5: all their minds. 161 00:08:32,867 --> 00:08:33,307 Speaker 4: Wonderful. 162 00:08:33,307 --> 00:08:35,427 Speaker 2: Well, it's an exciting time for you, you support staff, 163 00:08:35,427 --> 00:08:37,707 Speaker 2: and for these fourteen players who are about to head 164 00:08:37,707 --> 00:08:40,147 Speaker 2: off to the FIFA Footsall World Cup and who'z Beekistan 165 00:08:40,387 --> 00:08:42,587 Speaker 2: Marvin all the best mate, Thanks for taking the time 166 00:08:42,587 --> 00:08:43,067 Speaker 2: for a chat. 167 00:08:43,347 --> 00:08:44,867 Speaker 4: Can't wait to see how it plays out for you. 168 00:08:45,707 --> 00:08:46,267 Speaker 5: Cheers, Bunny. 169 00:08:46,347 --> 00:08:46,867 Speaker 4: Thanks Marvin. 170 00:08:46,907 --> 00:08:49,507 Speaker 2: Marvin Ekean's their coach of the futsal White so our 171 00:08:49,587 --> 00:08:53,987 Speaker 2: men's national futsal team. If you're unfamiliar with it, just 172 00:08:54,027 --> 00:08:57,827 Speaker 2: think indoor football. That's basically what it is. 173 00:08:57,867 --> 00:08:58,507 Speaker 4: But it is. 174 00:08:59,227 --> 00:09:04,147 Speaker 2: Enormous, absolutely enormous around the world, gaining in popularity in 175 00:09:04,187 --> 00:09:07,867 Speaker 2: New Zealand as well. In fact for indoor football, for 176 00:09:07,907 --> 00:09:13,267 Speaker 2: futsal just going through the roof, and a lot of 177 00:09:13,267 --> 00:09:16,787 Speaker 2: it is not club based stuff, just a bunch of 178 00:09:16,787 --> 00:09:19,227 Speaker 2: friends playing, you know, on a Wednesday night in a 179 00:09:19,267 --> 00:09:21,707 Speaker 2: social league or something like that. But then there are 180 00:09:21,787 --> 00:09:25,987 Speaker 2: obviously elite pathways as well. And New Zealand football and 181 00:09:26,307 --> 00:09:28,907 Speaker 2: football associations all around the world are taking it a 182 00:09:28,947 --> 00:09:32,387 Speaker 2: lot more seriously because it is building their participation base. 183 00:09:32,787 --> 00:09:35,747 Speaker 2: They basically align the two football in its normal sense, 184 00:09:35,787 --> 00:09:38,547 Speaker 2: the outside version on grass or whatever it is, eleven 185 00:09:38,587 --> 00:09:41,987 Speaker 2: a side. Futsal is becoming a huge part of the 186 00:09:42,027 --> 00:09:44,867 Speaker 2: game here and all around the world. And the next 187 00:09:45,067 --> 00:09:47,547 Speaker 2: World Cup for men next month or starting on the 188 00:09:47,547 --> 00:09:50,347 Speaker 2: fourteenth of September. Incidentally, our women, as I mentioned to 189 00:09:50,347 --> 00:09:52,467 Speaker 2: Marven Ekins there, have also qualified for the World Cup 190 00:09:52,507 --> 00:09:54,267 Speaker 2: for the first time. In fact, it's the first ever 191 00:09:54,627 --> 00:09:57,347 Speaker 2: women's World Cup next year in the Philippines. I will 192 00:09:57,387 --> 00:09:58,587 Speaker 2: cover that off on the show tomorrow. 193 00:09:59,307 --> 00:10:02,507 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 194 00:10:02,587 --> 00:10:05,867 Speaker 1: to news Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow 195 00:10:05,907 --> 00:10:06,347 Speaker 1: the podcast. 196 00:10:06,347 --> 00:10:07,467 Speaker 5: I was done. I heard radio