Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks MB's voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonny Jensen. Hello there and welcome into Football
Speaker 1: Fever another episode as we cover off all sorts of
Speaker 1: things to do with football here in New Zealand, across
Speaker 1: in Australia and around the world. I'm Jason Pine Bonne
Speaker 1: Jensen here too.
Speaker 2: Hello, Bonnie Sholder, Piney, how are you very good?
Speaker 1: A good weekend in terms of the volume of football.
Speaker 1: No wins though for the Wellington Phoenix women, the Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix men or Auckland FC, so you know, lots to
Speaker 1: discuss though as far as their performances are concerned, and
Speaker 1: I guess we might as well do it chronologically. Friday Night, Melbourne,
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix one. Melbourne victory one. The first time Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix have ever got a point in a women's game
Speaker 1: in the state of Victoria. They've been traveling to Melbourne
Speaker 1: for a while. Seven previous visits, seven losses are one
Speaker 1: all drawn. How happy you reckon they'll be with that?
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm really stoked for the team. When I saw
Speaker 2: the result come through, I can't say I watched it.
Speaker 2: I'm a terrible Football Fever co host but it was
Speaker 2: the night of our work Christmas party. But when I
Speaker 2: saw the result come through, I was absolutely stoked. I mean,
Speaker 2: going into that game, they had a tough ask. You know,
Speaker 2: Claudia Bunge plays at the back for Melbourne Victory. They've
Speaker 2: had a good season so far, you know, have won titles,
Speaker 2: so many titles there and yeah, I thought I thought
Speaker 2: the Phoenix were going to have a bit of a
Speaker 2: challenge on their hands. So to get a result like
Speaker 2: that and to score and you know as late as
Speaker 2: they did from a substitute coming on, yeah, absolutely brilliant,
Speaker 2: aren't come.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I look in terms of the table positions, I
Speaker 1: don't think anybody picked pick this, and especially to come
Speaker 1: from behind to grab the point. You're so right, Yeah,
Speaker 1: Claudia Bunch also a couple of Matilda's in that Melbourne
Speaker 1: Victory team, Alex cheddy X and the team Emily Gilnickx
Speaker 1: and the team they both started, you know, for Paul
Speaker 1: Temple's side to you know, to play the way they
Speaker 1: did and well, first of all, keep melbourn Victory to
Speaker 1: one goal. Given that, as I understand, looking at the
Speaker 1: stats from memory, I haven't got them in front of me,
Speaker 1: but I think Melbourne victory dominated possession, probably had more
Speaker 1: of the of the chances, but scored through a penalty
Speaker 1: in the fifty first minute. But off the bench a
Speaker 1: couple of players made a big impact. Emma Main and
Speaker 1: Mania Elliott were two of the subs that were sent
Speaker 1: on and they combined for the goal. Have you seen
Speaker 1: the goal? You must have seen the goal.
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, the goal is great and yeah, great impact
Speaker 2: those players had. And you know, I think Paul Temple's
Speaker 2: really found what works for his team. You know, last
Speaker 2: week we spoke about how Grace Jarlay didn't get the start.
Speaker 2: She obviously started this week and played all right by
Speaker 2: the looks of it. And then you know Emma Main,
Speaker 2: who had started early games. I think Mania Elliott did
Speaker 2: as well. Obviously Paul Temple sees them more as impact
Speaker 2: players and you know that they answered and they did
Speaker 2: that really nicely. What I really like about the team
Speaker 2: this year is, you know, compared with actually the last
Speaker 2: seasons that they've played in the past, they're quite an
Speaker 2: attacking side. You know, they're going for it a Lissa winnhim,
Speaker 2: you know, Grace Jarlay, the imports as well. It's really promising.
Speaker 2: And then they're not just having to sit back and
Speaker 2: defend all the time. So that's what I'm really enjoying
Speaker 2: about this woman's side this year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you're so right about the players coming
Speaker 1: in and out of the eleven as well and finding
Speaker 1: their right role within the side. Because yeah, Emma Main
Speaker 1: she started three games and come off the bench three times,
Speaker 1: Mania Elliott exactly the same. We've also seen Grace Jarlay
Speaker 1: come off the bench a couple of times. So I
Speaker 1: feel like Betanaka is the other one, the Japanese player
Speaker 1: who's joined the team this year. Three starts, three off
Speaker 1: the bench. I just wonder whether Paul Temple's still looking
Speaker 1: for his best eleven or actually what he's doing is saying, Okay,
Speaker 1: for this opposition, this is the best eleven and these
Speaker 1: are the best impact players.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, and whatever it is. However Paul Temple is
Speaker 2: looking at it, I think for the players on the
Speaker 2: receiving end, they're looking at it as a competitive squad. Yes,
Speaker 2: it might be harder to kind of gel as a
Speaker 2: group with the lineups kind of changing every week, but
Speaker 2: at least the players are all kind of fighting for
Speaker 2: their position and as Emma Main and who got the
Speaker 2: assistant and I came on and scored. You know that
Speaker 2: they proved exactly that that they want to fight for
Speaker 2: a starting spot. And yeah, it's positive that there. I mean,
Speaker 2: can we call it depth? I guess yes we can.
Speaker 2: It's positive that Paul Temple has options.
Speaker 1: Absolutely it's depth. Yeah, no, absolutely, you can call it
Speaker 1: that when players are coming on and making an impact
Speaker 1: like they are. There's a core of players who have
Speaker 1: started every week and look set to continue throughout the season.
Speaker 1: Kelleen of Vilao is clearly the number one goalkeeper, Mac Bowie,
Speaker 1: Tiana jaber Miya McCutcheon has started every week. I think
Speaker 1: Olivia Kelly will be a fixture in the back four
Speaker 1: as well or a back three, depending on what they do.
Speaker 1: But the other player I just want to mention is
Speaker 1: Annalie Longo. She is just a proper player in this team.
Speaker 1: Drives them forward, fully committed, leads by actions as well
Speaker 1: as by words, hugely experienced another really really good game
Speaker 1: from Annealie Longe. I mean, she's a standout player in
Speaker 1: this team. And you know, I reckon a huge part
Speaker 1: of what they're all about.
Speaker 2: You're right, Planey. She leads by example, and that's what
Speaker 2: Flee's done and obviously Flee is her nickname. That's what
Speaker 2: she's done all throughout her career as well, involved in
Speaker 2: christ Church and you know Canterbury United, Pride and the
Speaker 2: Football Federation down there, and she's always just working with
Speaker 2: the younger players and I think she's doing that exceptionally
Speaker 2: this season in terms of helping these younger players come through.
Speaker 2: And we've got a Ferns camp coming up in January,
Speaker 2: I believe, and you know, I would like to see
Speaker 2: the likes of Emma Maine, Alyssa Wynham and I Elliot
Speaker 2: knocking on the door of that because they're certainly putting
Speaker 2: their hands up and I think that's you know, being
Speaker 2: encouraged by Annalie Longo as a leader of this team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Alysa one of is. The other one I should
Speaker 1: have mentioned is as a player who started all six matches,
Speaker 1: if she can just find I think I said this
Speaker 1: last week, if she can just find some end product,
Speaker 1: some cutting edge. She creates a lot of things. She
Speaker 1: gets herself into good positions. If she could add goal
Speaker 1: scoring to her CV, she could really take a step
Speaker 1: up to the next level as well. And that might
Speaker 1: be football football ferns inclusion. So three games unbeaten now
Speaker 1: for the Phoenix, wins over Adelaide United and Brisbane Raw,
Speaker 1: followed by this draw against Melbourne victory. They're back home
Speaker 1: on Saturday Pottydoor Park. They're up to eighth on seven points,
Speaker 1: just one outside the top six now one point that is,
Speaker 1: and they face Sidney FC, which on the face of
Speaker 1: things seems like a difficult assignment, but Sidney having troubles
Speaker 1: of their own. They've only won one of their six games.
Speaker 1: They're down in eleventh place. Pretty good time for Phoenix
Speaker 1: to get Sydney FC.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is a good time. I was actually looking
Speaker 2: at the table before Pintey and I'm shocked that Sydney
Speaker 2: that low. That they won it last year. I feel no,
Speaker 2: maybe they didn't, Maybe there was a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2: But they're a good side and a perfect time for
Speaker 2: the Onton Phoenix to pounds.
Speaker 1: Absolutely. That's four o'clock on Saturday afternoon pottydo A Park
Speaker 1: as the Wellington Phoenix women look to continue what has
Speaker 1: been a really really good recent month or so unbeaten
Speaker 1: as I say, in their last three matches football Fever
Speaker 1: news talk to me. So that was Friday night. On Saturday,
Speaker 1: the Phoenix men took to Sky Stadium for a game
Speaker 1: against the visiting MacArthur side, looking to bounce back from
Speaker 1: Darby defeat. Unfortunately, they couldn't do that, going down two
Speaker 1: to one to MacArthur. What that meant was back to
Speaker 1: back losses for Wellington Phoenix for the first time since
Speaker 1: round twenty two and twenty three of the twenty twenty
Speaker 1: two to twenty three season. If you're following me, there
Speaker 1: are thirty nine matches since they last lost two in
Speaker 1: a row and three home games this season. They haven't
Speaker 1: won any of them, a drawing two losses. What did
Speaker 1: you make of this in overall terms?
Speaker 2: First of all, yeah, it's not a good result of
Speaker 2: the Phoenix. I was really hoping they could bounce back
Speaker 2: from their loss up in Auckland the week prior to
Speaker 2: lose to MacArthur, who are what we're kind of sitting
Speaker 2: mid mid table. They should have won, they should have
Speaker 2: won at home. But it seems to be the story
Speaker 2: of this season where they're not so great on New
Speaker 2: Zealand soil this year, and I just hope that it'll
Speaker 2: change for them. But it was interesting to see them
Speaker 2: go to a back four. Pinty. I think Chiefy must
Speaker 2: listen to the podcast because you asked for it last week.
Speaker 1: I'm almost certain Jianclo Italiano does not listen to the podcast.
Speaker 1: I know, I'm almost certain that he doesn't. And I'm
Speaker 1: almost and I'm equally certain that he has zero interest
Speaker 1: in what I think of the Phoenix site. That has
Speaker 1: become pretty obvious to me. Not that it matters. He
Speaker 1: doesn't have to pay attention to me. All he has
Speaker 1: to do is try and win the matches. He had
Speaker 1: to go to back four, though, which I liked Payne Wharton,
Speaker 1: Hughes Sutton. I like that Marco Rojas starting. I really
Speaker 1: liked that first time he started for the Phoenix in
Speaker 1: five and forty eight days. I thought Marco was really good.
Speaker 1: Got an hour or so out of him. I think
Speaker 1: if the Phoenix are to you know, to start, you know,
Speaker 1: turning things around, that's what it is. I mean, we've
Speaker 1: only had six or seven games only we need to
Speaker 1: get too down on the team. But if they are
Speaker 1: to start trending in the other direction, I reckon Marco
Speaker 1: Rojas is going to have a huge part to play
Speaker 1: in that.
Speaker 2: I was so excited to see him play and you know,
Speaker 2: jelling so well with cost especially. I don't know if
Speaker 2: anyone on the any football football fever fans remember me
Speaker 2: saying when I grew up watching the Phoenix, Leo BeRTOS
Speaker 2: was my favorite player. But then when Marco Rojas came along,
Speaker 2: I really felt bad to Leo BeRTOS because I switched
Speaker 2: my allegiance to Marco being my favorite player. And I was, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I was soaked to see him out there getting the
Speaker 2: start this week, and as you say, Piney, he's going
Speaker 2: to be dangerous for the nixt going forward.
Speaker 1: I just love to love seeing the combination between Marco
Speaker 1: Rojas and Costa Barbarusis and and the obvious example was
Speaker 1: the goal Thatton scored in the forty fourth minute. Marco
Speaker 1: gets a little ball, it's a little back he'll pass
Speaker 1: from Costa, goes through a gap between two players, takes
Speaker 1: another player out with a pass to Costa is peled
Speaker 1: out towards sort of the right hand side, and he
Speaker 1: drills it in the top corner near post. Pasted Philip
Speaker 1: kurto terrific goal. Seventeen goals in his last twenty eight
Speaker 1: A League games now for Costa, barbarusis he's having a
Speaker 1: terrific time of things in the twilight of his career
Speaker 1: ninety eight in the A League now, so he almost
Speaker 1: inevitably will bring up the one hundred at some stage.
Speaker 1: So that's the good stuff. Unfortunately for Wellington, either side
Speaker 1: of Costa's goal, they conceded to Isaac Hughes handball, one
Speaker 1: of the most blatant handballs I think I've ever seen.
Speaker 1: Early in the game the penalty awarded. Valiz jah Mahn
Speaker 1: initially had a spot kick saved by josh olaway Yemi
Speaker 1: before tucking away the rebound for one nil. Costa's goal
Speaker 1: made it one all at half time, and then Dean
Speaker 1: Bosny scored the winner for MacArthur after seventy five minutes.
Speaker 1: I'm not sure it was defended as well as Wellington
Speaker 1: would have hoped that it could have been. But really
Speaker 1: I just felt like this was a game that Wellington
Speaker 1: should have won and didn't get anything from.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, firstly, just speaking on Isaac Hughes, I
Speaker 2: really feel for him. Obviously, the week before he scored
Speaker 2: an own goal and now you know, giving away this
Speaker 2: hand well not ideal for the confidence, but I think,
Speaker 2: you know, overall we've seen chief he give these young
Speaker 2: players an opportunity and they're obviously going to grow from it.
Speaker 2: So I hope in terms of Hughes he can kind
Speaker 2: of keep his head up. Yeah, but I agree. I
Speaker 2: think there was a real lack of energy from the
Speaker 2: Wellington Phoenix. There seems to be kind of not a
Speaker 2: lot of drive from them. And whether that's because they're
Speaker 2: you know, big little brother has come in Auckland f C,
Speaker 2: I'm not sure, but you know, I think it's not
Speaker 2: that long ago that they had the best season in
Speaker 2: their lives and then they need to kind of draw
Speaker 2: inspiration from that and get back on track.
Speaker 1: I think it's also worth noting that it is quite
Speaker 1: a different side from last year, you know, and teams
Speaker 1: do take time to regadjust. And got some audio from
Speaker 1: Jianclovitaliano to play in a moment which talks in general
Speaker 1: terms about where he sees the growth areas being. But
Speaker 1: when you look at the players who have come out
Speaker 1: of that side, who were so important to them last season,
Speaker 1: and you start at the back with Alex Paulson, then
Speaker 1: you come forward and you say, well, there's no more
Speaker 1: Finn Sermon in the team and we know how good
Speaker 1: he was last year, Ben Old Bojidar Krajev is another one,
Speaker 1: Oscar Zavada, And then you look at the players who
Speaker 1: are there and remember last year Oscar van Hatam was
Speaker 1: giving Wellington terrific value off the bench. He wasn't even
Speaker 1: in the matchday squad on the weekend. I don't know
Speaker 1: what on earth has happened with David Ball. We haven't
Speaker 1: seen him since Round one. He hasn't been cited in
Speaker 1: a match day squad for the last month or so.
Speaker 1: I've got absolutely no idea what's going on there. So
Speaker 1: it is quite a different playing group with different cultures
Speaker 1: coming in a couple of Japanese players. Of course, we've
Speaker 1: got a new goalkeeper and that always sort of, you know,
Speaker 1: it takes a little bit of time to adjust to
Speaker 1: as well. So yeah, I just wonder whether they just
Speaker 1: need a little bit more time to you know, to
Speaker 1: really gel as a team and get their culture where
Speaker 1: it needs to be.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I completely agree, and I think it is a
Speaker 2: bit strange that those players, Oskar van Hattam David Ball
Speaker 2: haven't really been involved much this season. I'd also like
Speaker 2: to see chief the experiment a bit more. I mean,
Speaker 2: it's obviously not going to plan, so why not, you know,
Speaker 2: give that young Nathan Walker some more minutes or Corbyn Piper,
Speaker 2: who I understand was awesome in the Northern League, you know,
Speaker 2: earlier this year, and we haven't seen much of players
Speaker 2: like them, so why not give them a shot because
Speaker 2: it's not working at the moment anyway.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's I think just on Isaac Hughes as well.
Speaker 1: I think he will be persisted with and chief He
Speaker 1: even said that afterwards. You know, it has been a
Speaker 1: tough couple of weeks for him, you know, to to
Speaker 1: headline grabbing things. When you score an own goald and
Speaker 1: give away a penalty that that is going to grab
Speaker 1: the headlines for you. I think other than that, he's
Speaker 1: been reasonably solid. You know, he's certainly not at the
Speaker 1: level Finn Sermon was at last year, and I don't
Speaker 1: think you can expect him to be, but I think
Speaker 1: he will be persevered with. Just on the the comments
Speaker 1: from Chiefy after the game, he was asked about what
Speaker 1: the big growth areas in the side are for him,
Speaker 1: where he sees the biggest growth coming, and he gave
Speaker 1: an answer which sort of went into all sorts of
Speaker 1: different places. So here is Here is Jihan Calo Ataliano
Speaker 1: post match on Saturday.
Speaker 3: I think the most important is the team, the team
Speaker 3: values and the team culture. I think it's not so
Speaker 3: much that you know, you lose a lot. Look, you
Speaker 3: can lose. I've got no problem with losing. You know,
Speaker 3: if if a coach or a team has a certain
Speaker 3: way of playing and they played to that strength and
Speaker 3: they win, credit to them. What I can't forgive is
Speaker 3: where I think there's a lack of belief in the
Speaker 3: playing group and in the playing group now, once we
Speaker 3: concede it, I didn't think we're ever going to score
Speaker 3: like it was just a feeling. Last year had that
Speaker 3: feeling we're always in the game. So again, there needs
Speaker 3: to be a common thread within the whole playing group.
Speaker 3: Now that could be lack of maturity in terms of
Speaker 3: the new playing group. It could be that, you know,
Speaker 3: sometimes a senior players think that's just a carryover of
Speaker 3: last year and things are going to work. Unfortunately, that's
Speaker 3: not the way football works. You know, you consistently have
Speaker 3: to prove yourself. So again I'm going to go back
Speaker 3: take some steps We're going to reevaluate what our core
Speaker 3: beliefs are and what is going to push us to
Speaker 3: that next stage, because in the end, what I want
Speaker 3: to see is I can lose every game. You know,
Speaker 3: I've had seasons where I've had teams struggle to get
Speaker 3: a win, but the belief in the group was always
Speaker 3: there that you know, they were always going to try
Speaker 3: up until the ninetieth minute, and that's a feeling that
Speaker 3: is transmitted I think not only you know, within the
Speaker 3: playing group, but also to the fans itself. I think
Speaker 3: that's a big thing because they pay their money. They're
Speaker 3: hard money to come to the game. They keep the
Speaker 3: club afloat, and they want to see that the players
Speaker 3: are always giving one hundred percent. I'm not saying that
Speaker 3: we gave up today, far from it. I'm just saying
Speaker 3: that again, I don't think the real belief was there
Speaker 3: that we could get out, especially you know when we
Speaker 3: got to one or you know, even a halftime. In
Speaker 3: those moments, we needed to capitalize and we came out
Speaker 3: I don't want to say flat, but again, we're very
Speaker 3: slow to start again, and we lost a lot of
Speaker 3: easy ball and just simple things. Even in the second goal,
Speaker 3: like just the recoveries from certain players, we're not up
Speaker 3: to scratch. So again, you know, it's great learnings from
Speaker 3: me and the coaching staff. We have to go back,
Speaker 3: we have to reevaluate, we have to make sure that
Speaker 3: we're all in the same pace as if far we're
Speaker 3: going to make any progress as a team.
Speaker 1: All Right, lots to unpack there. He said lack of
Speaker 1: belief two or three times in there. So how do
Speaker 1: you assess their ability to gain that belief back?
Speaker 2: Well, I think the first, you know, important thing there
Speaker 2: is that Chief he acknowledges and you know, has figured
Speaker 2: out to some extent that that's what the issue is,
Speaker 2: that there's kind of a lack of belief for lack
Speaker 2: of fight from his players. It's now, you know, obviously
Speaker 2: up to the team to rally and work out between
Speaker 2: them to you know, get over this kind of lull
Speaker 2: that they're seemingly in. But also, you know, I would
Speaker 2: like to see Chief he make some big calls here
Speaker 2: and whether that is you know, giving those younger players
Speaker 2: I mentioned before a go, or maybe it's you know,
Speaker 2: making some big calls and sitting out some of the
Speaker 2: senior players that maybe aren't showing leadership. I'm not sure,
Speaker 2: but because it's not currently working, there's an opportunity for
Speaker 2: some change, whatever that might be.
Speaker 1: Do you think they've got the depth to do that?
Speaker 2: I mean, that's another tough call, but I mean and
Speaker 2: probably not. But you know, like I don't think, I
Speaker 2: don't think there's any harm in trying now because the
Speaker 2: results aren't coming, to try and switch up and see
Speaker 2: what will happen.
Speaker 1: So you you're talking about if you're talking about senior players,
Speaker 1: are you talking about the likes of Alex Rufer, Tim Pain.
Speaker 1: I think Scott would's probably been the best player all seasons.
Speaker 1: I don't think he is in danger of losing his place,
Speaker 1: particularly with a lack of depth that's center back. But
Speaker 1: are you talking about those sorts of players, Yeah.
Speaker 2: I think, you know, if they're not showing leadership, and
Speaker 2: obviously chief he will know better what's what's going on
Speaker 2: within the group. But if they're not showing leadership on
Speaker 2: and off the field, maybe it is a chance for
Speaker 2: someone like Moel Tay to come into the midfield and
Speaker 2: have a shot, because he was great for the Phoenix
Speaker 2: last year, you know, and there's obviously the likes of
Speaker 2: Nathan Walker, Corbyn Piper who I mentioned that could come
Speaker 2: on in that full back position, and you know, maybe
Speaker 2: he put a bit of pressure on these senior players
Speaker 2: like Tim Payne, like Alex Ruver, who are very comfortable
Speaker 2: in their position. Obviously they're all whites. Obviously they're good players.
Speaker 2: I'm not denying that, but you know, just create a
Speaker 2: bit of competitiveness and within that group. Like we talked
Speaker 2: about what's happening in the women's team right now.
Speaker 1: All right, we'll see what happens with the team selections
Speaker 1: in the time to come. The Phoenix still have ten
Speaker 1: points after seven games now, that's more than they had
Speaker 1: after seven games in twenty eighteen, nineteen twenty nineteen, twenty
Speaker 1: twenty twenty one to twenty two, and twenty twenty two
Speaker 1: to twenty three, and they made the finals in all
Speaker 1: of those seasons. It is still early. They've still got
Speaker 1: plenty of time. I feel like this team now is
Speaker 1: still a top six side. I'm just not sure they're
Speaker 1: a top four side.
Speaker 2: Oh, they'll be right up there for sure. You know,
Speaker 2: it's a long season. Piney and we mentioned Marco Rojas
Speaker 2: to his company. I would have loved to see him play,
Speaker 2: you know, start against Auckland last week. What he and
Speaker 2: Costa could have done. You know, they've got you know,
Speaker 2: they might not have the complete depth like a side
Speaker 2: like Auckland do, but they've got a lot of options.
Speaker 2: So I'm hoping they kind of rally and bring back
Speaker 2: that special spark they had last year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Marka was coming back from that injury,
Speaker 1: so I think they was still just a little bit
Speaker 1: reluctant to risk him from the start against Auckland. When
Speaker 1: he came on, I think he was good. He started,
Speaker 1: of course against MacArthur very good and said afterwards that he's,
Speaker 1: you know, getting up to the point where he might
Speaker 1: be you know, like a seventy five minute eighty minute prospect.
Speaker 1: I thought he was was Wellington's best player on the
Speaker 1: weekend for the time that he was out there. And yeah,
Speaker 1: looking forward to seeing a lot more of of Marco.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 1: One final piece of news before we leave the Phoenix.
Speaker 1: A media advisory came out today just a short time ago,
Speaker 1: actually before we started recording, saying that tomorrow Tuesday, the
Speaker 1: club will announce a major contract extension for a Phoenix
Speaker 1: men's player, b Marco.
Speaker 2: Rojas, maybe hopefully. I mean he's on fire. Would you
Speaker 2: say he's like kind of in the twilight of his career,
Speaker 2: He's kind of how old is Macho? Is he getting
Speaker 2: on a bit?
Speaker 1: I think he's thirty two, so that I mean, he
Speaker 1: seems to have been around forever, but that's because he
Speaker 1: came in as a seventeen eighteen year old. But yeah,
Speaker 1: he's currently just got the one year deal. So yeah,
Speaker 1: he feels most likely to me. Costa Barbarusis is another one.
Speaker 1: He's just killing. Yeah, yeah, well he scored.
Speaker 2: Maybe he's like all feeling it, you know, he's ready
Speaker 2: to go. Let's let's go again, you know.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well he because he too, is only signed for
Speaker 1: this current season. Others who are only signed for this
Speaker 1: current season and not beyond Oscar Van Hattam, Tim Payne,
Speaker 1: Sam Sutton, Scott Woodson, David Ball, Muhammad al Tay, Costa Barbarusis,
Speaker 1: Marco Rojas, Dublin Boone, Corbyn Piper, and Stefan Kolakowsky. When
Speaker 1: you're talking a major signing, you're probably looking at a
Speaker 1: Marco or a cost maybe a Tim Payne as a
Speaker 1: as a senior play though yeah, I don't I have
Speaker 1: absolutely no inside word on this, but I hope it's Marco.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I hope it's one of those those three Kiwi players.
Speaker 2: You know, you do wonder if maybe someone like Tim
Speaker 2: Paine might be in talks with with Auckland f C.
Speaker 2: You know, just can to move back home. But I
Speaker 2: think all three of those those Kiwi players would be
Speaker 2: targeting the World Cup in a couple of years, so
Speaker 2: want to be playing you know, the best football where
Speaker 2: they're playing right now, So maybe maybe they'll stick around.
Speaker 3: All right.
Speaker 1: Ten o'clock tomorrow morning is when that announcement will be
Speaker 1: made contract extension for a Phoenix men's players football fever.
Speaker 1: Let's go to Sunday at Amy Park, Auckland f C
Speaker 1: two Melbourne City two. Auckland lose their perfect winning record
Speaker 1: but stay unbeaten through seven games courtesy of a ninety
Speaker 1: fifth minute free kick from Nada Moreno topsy turvy game.
Speaker 1: This The first half was it wasn't anything to write
Speaker 1: home about. The second half it kind of sprang to life.
Speaker 1: Melbourne City went one up in the first half, Guijimo
Speaker 1: May equalized to make it one all after fifty three minutes.
Speaker 1: Then there was a quite pivotal period where Auckland had
Speaker 1: a goal ruled out for offside by var and then
Speaker 1: almost immediately Melbourne City went down the other end and
Speaker 1: compelled Nando Pine could have passed the ball back to
Speaker 1: Alex Paulson who somehow missed it and it rolled into
Speaker 1: his own net for two to one, and then Moreno's
Speaker 1: free kick at the end. It was all action in
Speaker 1: the second half. Do you reckon they'll be happy with
Speaker 1: a point Auckland.
Speaker 2: I think they will going into it. You know, they
Speaker 2: weren't the favorites going into the match, and you know,
Speaker 2: if you said to the players and Steve Coriker before
Speaker 2: the match that you were going to draw this game,
Speaker 2: I think they would have been pretty happy. But in
Speaker 2: terms of how the game played out, I think they'll
Speaker 2: probably be gutted they couldn't come away with the result.
Speaker 2: They were pretty poor in the first half and I
Speaker 2: think that was probably one of their worst halves of
Speaker 2: football they've played all season. But then that second half
Speaker 2: I think it was one of their best I've played
Speaker 2: all season. So I think, you know, on that note,
Speaker 2: they'll probably be gutted they couldn't come away with the
Speaker 2: three points.
Speaker 1: They were To be fair to them hit by injury
Speaker 1: leading into this game. They lost Dan Hall, who has
Speaker 1: broken his ankle at training and will be out for
Speaker 1: two to three months. Louis Vastrata, who went off in
Speaker 1: the game against the Phoenix the previous week with a
Speaker 1: back injury, was deemed not fit enough to play. He's,
Speaker 1: by the sounds of it, a week to week proposition
Speaker 1: and in a muckst aol Can Howison, who's played a
Speaker 1: part either off the bench or from the start in
Speaker 1: every game this season, is also out with a calf
Speaker 1: injury for four to six weeks. So we can talk
Speaker 1: about what that might mean going forward in a moment,
Speaker 1: but what it meant was a bit of a reshuffle.
Speaker 1: Hiroarchi Saki went into center back, call and Elliott into
Speaker 1: right back, and Finn McKenley got an A League debut
Speaker 1: in the center of the park. I really felt for
Speaker 1: Finn mcken lay. I know he's a good young kid.
Speaker 1: I just felt it was an occasion that was just
Speaker 1: a bit big for him. Yesterday.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was definitely an occasion a bit too big,
Speaker 2: as you say. It was a real tough ask to
Speaker 2: throw him in there. I know they were obviously lacking
Speaker 2: midfielders for Strata and Allison, will you know the o
Speaker 2: the first two options in the defending midfield role and
Speaker 2: so Finn was what was clearly the third. And yeah,
Speaker 2: I just don't think he was ready to start that game,
Speaker 2: and sadly for him, it kind of showed. He got
Speaker 2: pulled off at halftime. Unfortunately for him. You know, you
Speaker 2: can only hope that he gained a bit of confidence
Speaker 2: knowing that you know what the level is and where
Speaker 2: he needs to be at. But yeah, I'm not sure
Speaker 2: it works too well for AFC.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well he won't have to day boom again. He's
Speaker 1: got his daybo now. I'm sure he'll play a part
Speaker 1: in the in the weeks, months and years ahead. It's interesting, though,
Speaker 1: wasn't it. Maybe Auckland FC don't have depth because if
Speaker 1: it's not McKinley, who is it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I would have liked to have seen,
Speaker 2: you know, And they're obviously going to have to look
Speaker 2: at this now with Dan Hall out for that long,
Speaker 2: which I'm actually gutted about by the way, because I
Speaker 2: reckon Dan Hall was our best player. You're, you know,
Speaker 2: alongside Hiroki and Alex Paulson. But you know, maybe it's
Speaker 2: an opportunity to start Tommy Smith, He's an experience center back,
Speaker 2: and then you put someone like Hiroki Sakai into the
Speaker 2: number six position when he came in. When he was signed,
Speaker 2: he said he could play in that defensive midfield role. So,
Speaker 2: you know, because I think Hiroki was obviously solid at
Speaker 2: the back heyes today, but we were lacking his attacking
Speaker 2: presence up that right hand fullback. I thought Klin Elliott
Speaker 2: had another exceptional game. I believe he had great stats,
Speaker 2: but you know, we were missing Hiroki, and so maybe
Speaker 2: moving him into the midfield is an option and might
Speaker 2: help with that lack of depth they might have.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and what they do, You're right, They've got a
Speaker 1: they've got a very experienced center back in Tommy Smith.
Speaker 1: You're right. So yep, that's one, absolutely one option that
Speaker 1: I hadn't even considered. Sarkai could play in the six
Speaker 1: because if it's not the Strata or Howison, I don't
Speaker 1: I think we can probably agree McKinley's not quite ready.
Speaker 1: It would take a major shift in formation. For example,
Speaker 1: if you bring Nada Moreno into the side to start,
Speaker 1: it changes the whole way that they set up if
Speaker 1: you know they've got Gey Goss in there and Brimmer.
Speaker 1: If they bring in Moreno along with Rogerson, Gillian and
Speaker 1: my it almost becomes like a four to two four.
Speaker 1: But then to say, if you're right though, if you
Speaker 1: put Sarki in there, perhaps so it's Sarki, Gey Goos,
Speaker 1: Brimmer and then you stick with the three up top,
Speaker 1: then maybe that's the way Ford and Kellan Elliott. It's
Speaker 1: just a very competent a league fullback, you know, can
Speaker 1: get up and down. He did in his time for
Speaker 1: the Phoenix, So maybe that's what they do. But they're
Speaker 1: going to have to do something because you know, injuries
Speaker 1: hit teams. It's a it's a fact of professional sport
Speaker 1: that at times you have to have to go deeper
Speaker 1: into your squad. It's just been unfortunate that with the
Speaker 1: Strata and Howison both playing in effectively the same position,
Speaker 1: they've lost lost a couple of really really good options
Speaker 1: in central midfield and in deep lying central midfield.
Speaker 2: Yeah well, well all three of them really are in
Speaker 2: the center of the park. With Dan Hall as well,
Speaker 2: I think, you know, seeing another formation wouldn't be a
Speaker 2: bad idea this early on in the season. Obviously that
Speaker 2: kind of that you know, four three three with the
Speaker 2: two defense and midfielders that they've been playing with is
Speaker 2: working for them, but it's it's not going to work
Speaker 2: with the the players they've got available now. I would
Speaker 2: like to see Steve Coricer be bold and potentially changing
Speaker 2: up that front line and maybe a formation would would
Speaker 2: help that. I think I kind of feel frustrated for
Speaker 2: Liam Gillian. I think he's been exceptional and he showed
Speaker 2: that he got his All Whites call up. He's so
Speaker 2: good in that initial phase, breaking through from you know,
Speaker 2: the halfway line, having these incredible runs to the eighteen
Speaker 2: yard box. But then in that second phase it's it's
Speaker 2: kind of like, you know, I don't know if it's
Speaker 2: if it's Liam or whether it's the team around him,
Speaker 2: or even you know, the coaching stuff know what to
Speaker 2: do in that second phase, and Liam's not getting a
Speaker 2: lot of shots off. All the opportunities aren't being create created.
Speaker 2: You kind of look at the contrast of the Wellington
Speaker 2: Phoenix men with Marco and Costa, where they do create
Speaker 2: a lot more opportunities up the top, and it's a shame,
Speaker 2: you know, because Liam Gillian, he can score goals. He
Speaker 2: hasn't scored yet for Auckland FC, but he scored I
Speaker 2: think it's it was eight goals in twelve games for
Speaker 2: Auckland City earlier in the Northern League season. So you know,
Speaker 2: I think maybe a change information. I'm circling right back,
Speaker 2: but maybe a change information would help them kind of
Speaker 2: unlock more goals on those attacking players that they've got.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, em Gillian, I mean he must, whether he's
Speaker 1: thinking about it or not, he must be wondering where
Speaker 1: his first day league goals coming from. He's played seven
Speaker 1: games now, hasn't yet scored. As you say, he's been
Speaker 1: in and around positionally. It's not as though Steve Corricker
Speaker 1: doesn't have options up top. I don't know what's happened
Speaker 1: to Joey Champness. He has not featured in a match
Speaker 1: day squad, let alone got anywhere near the park this
Speaker 1: season Joey Champness, So I'm not sure what's going on there.
Speaker 1: Jesse Randall came off the bench in the first two matches.
Speaker 1: I think those are his only appearances. I'm not sure
Speaker 1: what's happened there. Louis Toomey seems to have overtaken both
Speaker 1: of those two. He's He's been used in an impact
Speaker 1: role in four of the last five matches, so maybe
Speaker 1: he's the man who who Steve Coriker sees as your
Speaker 1: impact name. Max Marter of course as well. He's got
Speaker 1: all sorts of options, you know, I honestly believe Nate
Speaker 1: dal Monano has to start. I've seen enough from him
Speaker 1: off the bench to want to see more from him.
Speaker 1: He came on at halftime yesterday. I kind of feel
Speaker 1: he has to start.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, And I think what what they should
Speaker 2: do is they should play with the back four they
Speaker 2: played with over the weekend. They can have Glagos in
Speaker 2: the as one as a central like the one man holder.
Speaker 2: They had been playing with the two sixes. But they
Speaker 2: should just have the one six and then maybe Middno
Speaker 2: and Brimmer in front in that attacking midfield role. I
Speaker 2: see that probably as the best way for next week.
Speaker 2: Rather than changing the whole formation. That would be you know,
Speaker 2: a slight tweak that they could do.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I like that because they're at home. You meant
Speaker 1: to you know, you meant to be more. You know
Speaker 1: you meant to step forward into home games, aren't you
Speaker 1: and show more intent. I like that. Yeah, guy, gos
Speaker 1: can sit deeper, brimmer, and then you've got effectively are
Speaker 1: playing for two four Then if you play Moreno Rogerson,
Speaker 1: Gillian and My that's for attacking players. You're probably just
Speaker 1: asking them, and they have been. Gillian in particular. He
Speaker 1: asked them to track back a little bit if need be,
Speaker 1: but I'm sure they can do that. So yeah, and
Speaker 1: they're playing Western United, who are eighth a team. I'm
Speaker 1: sure that they feel they have enough enough to get past.
Speaker 1: And then they're off to the Mariners the following Saturday,
Speaker 1: who are ninth. So you know, two games coming up
Speaker 1: where perhaps they don't have to be absolutely defensively, you know,
Speaker 1: really resilient. They can you know, they can get by
Speaker 1: against two of the teams who haven't exactly set the
Speaker 1: world on fire up top. Although having said that, Western
Speaker 1: United scored four goals the other day, so maybe they
Speaker 1: do have to have to have a bit of a
Speaker 1: think about it. Other parts of this game. The Alex
Speaker 1: Paulson mistake for the own goal. How much at fault
Speaker 1: do you think he.
Speaker 3: Is for that?
Speaker 2: I thought it was a bibble, poney, No, I think
Speaker 2: it was a mix of a bobble and probably a
Speaker 2: little bit of lack of concentrationiness his you know, whether
Speaker 2: the ball did bobble or not, Alex Paulson's body position
Speaker 2: wasn't completely behind the ball. He kind of just stuck
Speaker 2: his league out, which hell learned from. It's not ideal
Speaker 2: at all, but I think I must say, you know
Speaker 2: Auckland's mentality to come back twice in that game and
Speaker 2: to eventually get the result they did. Obviously they played
Speaker 2: honking in that first half. As I mentioned, you know
Speaker 2: whatever Steve Corriker said in the changing room. Once again,
Speaker 2: it's just elite and I think it's really really really
Speaker 2: cool to see this team. They're they're closers. I feel
Speaker 2: like they're professional closers. They can close out games. They
Speaker 2: didn't get the win, but for them to bounce back
Speaker 2: after Alex Paulson's blunder there was pretty impressive.
Speaker 1: Yeah, oh look, I agree, and he'll, I'm sure look
Speaker 1: back at it and what I think it did take
Speaker 1: a little bobble, you see, it has sort of bounced
Speaker 1: up a little bit, which hasn't helped him. But yeah,
Speaker 1: maybe he could be in slightly better position. I think
Speaker 1: the worst goalkeeping mistake is the one that allows Auckland
Speaker 1: to equalize right at the end. I mean, Nada, I
Speaker 1: don't know, has hit the free kick really well, but
Speaker 1: the goalkeeper should do better. It's straight at him. He
Speaker 1: really should stop that, so you know, maybe these two
Speaker 1: things cancel each other out. Just wanted to mention Francis
Speaker 1: Derees as well. What an absolute weapon on delivery from
Speaker 1: the left hand side. He's swung that one and that
Speaker 1: Marino is headed in which has been ruled out by
Speaker 1: var but you know the corner for Gugmo MAI's goal. Again,
Speaker 1: the marking's not great, but he's still got to put
Speaker 1: it there. He's just a weapon, isn't he.
Speaker 2: Francis, Oh, he's so good and yeah, just so happy
Speaker 2: for Frannie. I know him from Eastern Suburbs. He's actually
Speaker 2: coached me a little bit before and he's such a
Speaker 2: nice guy. So to see him just playing so well,
Speaker 2: it's really cool. I was surprised when when Steve Coroker
Speaker 2: actually brought him off because he's one of our most
Speaker 2: attacking players. He and Liam Gillian worked so well up
Speaker 2: that left hand side and obviously, as you say, Piney
Speaker 2: heat delivers some incredible ball, so I was kind of
Speaker 2: confused when Steve Coriker took him off. I think it
Speaker 2: was with about ten minutes to go. Maybe not that much,
Speaker 2: but yeah, maybe just resting him.
Speaker 1: Who knows. That was interesting. Well he brought Scott Galloway on,
Speaker 1: didn't he. I don't know. Maybe they see the numbers,
Speaker 1: don't they the GPS numbers. Maybe, I don't know.
Speaker 2: Maybe maybe it was like to change the formation and
Speaker 2: you know, maybe go for a more attacking three at
Speaker 2: the back type type style. I'm not sure, but it
Speaker 2: was interesting given he had kind of basically, you know,
Speaker 2: had two assists earlier in the game. But yeah, Franny's
Speaker 2: been one of their key players all season.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it was warm too, Maybe that was part of
Speaker 1: it as well. I know they were taking drinks breaks
Speaker 1: and stuff, so maybe the heat, wind and the humidity
Speaker 1: was playing a factor as well. So the men's table
Speaker 1: Auckland stay top nineteen points, Adelaide have seventeen. They're unbeaten
Speaker 1: as well. Melbourne victory sixteen, Melbourne City thirteen, MacArthur up
Speaker 1: to fifth place where that went over Wellington eleven points,
Speaker 1: and Wellington makeup the top six. They are in sixth
Speaker 1: on ten points. Auckland's this AX host Western United Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1: The Phoenix are off to Western Sydney on Sunday evening.
Speaker 1: And just a final note before we leave, the A
Speaker 1: League are combined fifty goals across the men's and women's
Speaker 1: surrounds this weekend. That is the most goals for a
Speaker 1: weekend of A League games ever, surpassing the previous record
Speaker 1: of forty nine, which was over the weekend of the
Speaker 1: first to the fourth of November so just a month ago.
Speaker 1: So goals certainly the order of the day in the
Speaker 1: A League this season. Football Fever with Jason Vine and
Speaker 1: Bonnie Jensen quick look at Kiewi's overseas, some a long
Speaker 1: way overseas, some not that far away. Can we start
Speaker 1: with Devin Jackson?
Speaker 2: Yeah, Devin Jackson scored for the Newcastle Jets and their
Speaker 2: big win over Sydney FC. They won two to one,
Speaker 2: scoring two late goals. Devon got the first one to equalize,
Speaker 2: so pretty cool there. And then in the sixty first
Speaker 2: game for her club, Lester cj Bott scored her first
Speaker 2: ever goal and Grace was Nesky scored her first goal
Speaker 2: for Lexington.
Speaker 1: Yep, good to see that. I was so pleased for
Speaker 1: Grace because she had that terrible injury, knee injury ACL
Speaker 1: I think to see her over in the US scoring
Speaker 1: was already cool. Lachland Bayless, who of course played for
Speaker 1: the Olie Whites in Paris earlier this year, got a
Speaker 1: cracking goal for Newcastle against Perth, who are just terrible
Speaker 1: this season, aren't they. Honestly, I'm just I really feel
Speaker 1: for those players, the coaching staff. I'm not quite sure
Speaker 1: what the way forward is for them. I'm sure that
Speaker 1: they'll work it out, but yeah. Lachland Bayless with a
Speaker 1: terrific goal for Newcastle against Perth over the weekend. And
Speaker 1: a bit of news that dropped this morning. Dearz Buckingham
Speaker 1: former under twenties coach, former Ollie White's coach, former All
Speaker 1: Whites coach or was it just the Oli Whites? Yeah,
Speaker 1: certainly in and around the national setup. No, he's never
Speaker 1: been All Whites coach, but he was certainly Olympic coach
Speaker 1: and under twenties coach and highly regarded he was with
Speaker 1: Oxford United, led them to promotion last season from League
Speaker 1: One up into the Championship via a playoff final, queuing
Speaker 1: scenes of delirium and great delight in and around Oxford. Well,
Speaker 1: here we are. It's not even Christmas and he's been
Speaker 1: given the sack by Oxford United. It is such a brutal,
Speaker 1: brutal business, you know, for someone to lead a team
Speaker 1: to promotion and then not even halfway through the season
Speaker 1: that follows be showing the door. The quest for instant
Speaker 1: results in this instant gratification that seems to exist around
Speaker 1: top football clubs is just as I say, totally brutal.
Speaker 1: I'm sure Jars Buckingham will pop up somewhere. He's a
Speaker 1: terrific coach, a great manager. Could he be the Football
Speaker 1: Ferns coach? Could he?
Speaker 2: I mean he hasn't really been involved in the women's game,
Speaker 2: and we do know it's a whole new ballpark. But
Speaker 2: I mean he is a good coach, and yeah, I've
Speaker 2: always quite highly rated him. It is a shame that
Speaker 2: he's left on these terms. But maybe there's a few
Speaker 2: options floating around, isn't there?
Speaker 1: Indeed, indeed we STI don't have any word on the
Speaker 1: new Football Firms coach. Maybe that'll come in the new year.
Speaker 1: But we'll keep you right up to date with it,
Speaker 1: all right, Bonnie, Well, another weekend in the books. We've
Speaker 1: got the women, the Phoenix Women, the Phoenix Men and
Speaker 1: the Auckland FC men playing this coming weekend. So I
Speaker 1: guess we'll reconvene a week from now, just before Christmas
Speaker 1: and wrap up the latest, the latest in football matters.
Speaker 1: Oh you have a great week you too. Parney The
Speaker 1: f F with Piny and Bonnie