1
00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine

2
00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747
Speaker 1: from news Talk ZEDB.

3
00:00:12,707 --> 00:00:15,867
Speaker 2: Your Whites have lost narrowly to Poland in the first

4
00:00:15,867 --> 00:00:19,427
Speaker 2: of two friendlies in the latest FIFA window in Europe,

5
00:00:19,907 --> 00:00:24,387
Speaker 2: and there is the full time we saw Barren beazes

6
00:00:24,467 --> 00:00:27,987
Speaker 2: Man go down by one golds and now that was

7
00:00:28,027 --> 00:00:31,587
Speaker 2: on Friday morning, a one nil loss to thirty sixth

8
00:00:31,707 --> 00:00:35,627
Speaker 2: ranked Poland. Your Whites incidentally are currently one hundred and

9
00:00:35,747 --> 00:00:38,947
Speaker 2: third in the world for what that's worth, So a

10
00:00:39,067 --> 00:00:42,347
Speaker 2: narrow loss to a much more highly ranked opponent. Your

11
00:00:42,387 --> 00:00:45,587
Speaker 2: Whites have now relocated to Oslo where they will meet

12
00:00:45,627 --> 00:00:50,027
Speaker 2: world number thirty one Norway on Wednesday morning. All Whites

13
00:00:50,027 --> 00:00:53,347
Speaker 2: defender finn sermon is whether thanks for joining us, Finn,

14
00:00:53,547 --> 00:00:56,067
Speaker 2: appreciate your time. What are the main things the review

15
00:00:56,547 --> 00:00:59,947
Speaker 2: of that narrow one nil loss to Poland has thrown up.

16
00:01:01,507 --> 00:01:04,827
Speaker 3: Thanks having me on Barny the review we looked at

17
00:01:04,827 --> 00:01:08,787
Speaker 3: a few different things. One of them was that we

18
00:01:08,947 --> 00:01:11,787
Speaker 3: kind of we're continuing to get the ball forward and

19
00:01:12,187 --> 00:01:14,947
Speaker 3: progress the ball. We just need to be better and

20
00:01:15,307 --> 00:01:19,947
Speaker 3: better in the final third, create some better or clearer

21
00:01:20,067 --> 00:01:23,547
Speaker 3: chances and and honestly just yeah, try to shoot more

22
00:01:23,587 --> 00:01:26,467
Speaker 3: and create more opportunities for us to actually put the

23
00:01:26,467 --> 00:01:28,907
Speaker 3: ball on the back of the neck, because that's almost

24
00:01:29,067 --> 00:01:31,827
Speaker 3: the one thing that's kind of missing right now, is that.

25
00:01:32,267 --> 00:01:34,707
Speaker 2: I mean, I know your brief as a defender really

26
00:01:34,747 --> 00:01:36,347
Speaker 2: so I guess you'll leave that to the guys further

27
00:01:36,467 --> 00:01:39,387
Speaker 2: up the pitch. But for those players, the players in

28
00:01:40,067 --> 00:01:43,347
Speaker 2: the opposing penalty area, is that something that is I

29
00:01:43,347 --> 00:01:45,587
Speaker 2: don't know, challenging to work on. How do you work

30
00:01:45,587 --> 00:01:47,747
Speaker 2: on being more clinical in front of goal?

31
00:01:49,267 --> 00:01:52,787
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's partly it's both a team thing

32
00:01:52,947 --> 00:01:54,987
Speaker 3: and a kind of individual thing. I think it's up

33
00:01:55,027 --> 00:01:57,507
Speaker 3: to the team to, you know, kind of progress the ball,

34
00:01:57,547 --> 00:02:00,947
Speaker 3: and it's up to especially defenders to help us progress

35
00:02:00,987 --> 00:02:01,267
Speaker 3: the ball.

36
00:02:01,707 --> 00:02:03,747
Speaker 4: I'm forwards up the pitch, and then.

37
00:02:03,827 --> 00:02:05,707
Speaker 3: I guess when it comes into the attack third sort

38
00:02:05,707 --> 00:02:08,147
Speaker 3: of stuff, that's uh, those players with the with the

39
00:02:08,147 --> 00:02:10,427
Speaker 3: talent and creativity, they kind of they kind of take

40
00:02:10,467 --> 00:02:13,747
Speaker 3: over and that's kind of that's where they shine. And

41
00:02:13,907 --> 00:02:15,987
Speaker 3: listen to the thing is these guys are all all

42
00:02:16,027 --> 00:02:19,187
Speaker 3: our players in that attacking third have got quality and

43
00:02:19,187 --> 00:02:21,987
Speaker 3: and creativity and have goals in them and so it's.

44
00:02:21,827 --> 00:02:22,587
Speaker 4: Just about.

45
00:02:23,787 --> 00:02:25,747
Speaker 3: Us working and working as a team to to put

46
00:02:25,747 --> 00:02:28,267
Speaker 3: players in the best vision to score and then getting

47
00:02:28,267 --> 00:02:28,787
Speaker 3: the ball there.

48
00:02:29,147 --> 00:02:31,147
Speaker 2: Do you feel as though, you know, once that sort

49
00:02:31,187 --> 00:02:33,507
Speaker 2: of thing clicks at the attacking end, that you'll be

50
00:02:33,547 --> 00:02:36,787
Speaker 2: able to turn these these close losses into into draws

51
00:02:36,827 --> 00:02:39,307
Speaker 2: or even wins, which of course you'll need if you're

52
00:02:39,307 --> 00:02:40,667
Speaker 2: going to get out of the group at the World

53
00:02:40,707 --> 00:02:41,387
Speaker 2: Cup next year.

54
00:02:42,707 --> 00:02:47,187
Speaker 3: Yeah, I definitely think so, because we've shown that we can,

55
00:02:47,667 --> 00:02:50,827
Speaker 3: you know, I like, someone can control games with both

56
00:02:50,867 --> 00:02:54,347
Speaker 3: with the ball and without the ball, and we're we're not.

57
00:02:54,427 --> 00:02:58,667
Speaker 3: It's not like where we lost five mil against Poland.

58
00:02:58,707 --> 00:03:02,107
Speaker 3: You know, so one nil, we score a goal earlier

59
00:03:02,147 --> 00:03:05,387
Speaker 3: in that game or before they score, and the result

60
00:03:05,627 --> 00:03:08,067
Speaker 3: could be completely different. So yeah, I have full I

61
00:03:08,107 --> 00:03:12,347
Speaker 3: have full confidence that when we do start turning these

62
00:03:12,947 --> 00:03:17,107
Speaker 3: these kind of games and moments into into some more goals,

63
00:03:17,147 --> 00:03:19,267
Speaker 3: it'll it will only help our results positively.

64
00:03:19,707 --> 00:03:21,467
Speaker 2: Apart from the goal. You can say that, how did

65
00:03:21,507 --> 00:03:24,027
Speaker 2: you write the defensive performance against Poland?

66
00:03:25,067 --> 00:03:26,907
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I thought I thought we were decent.

67
00:03:26,987 --> 00:03:30,067
Speaker 3: I think that it's always difficult. I mean, any national

68
00:03:30,107 --> 00:03:32,347
Speaker 3: team game is difficult because you're kind of not used

69
00:03:32,387 --> 00:03:34,507
Speaker 3: to playing with each other and when you get limited

70
00:03:34,507 --> 00:03:38,107
Speaker 3: time on the training on the training training ground. But

71
00:03:38,627 --> 00:03:41,227
Speaker 3: I honestly think that we as a kind as a

72
00:03:41,267 --> 00:03:43,387
Speaker 3: back forward, as a defense, as a team, we we

73
00:03:43,387 --> 00:03:45,667
Speaker 3: we do understand each other quite well. And you know,

74
00:03:45,707 --> 00:03:48,387
Speaker 3: we defended. I think we defended decent. We limited them

75
00:03:48,427 --> 00:03:52,627
Speaker 3: to kind of mainly mainly shots outside the box and

76
00:03:52,627 --> 00:03:57,947
Speaker 3: and and low kind of opportunity chances. The goal they took,

77
00:03:58,067 --> 00:04:00,747
Speaker 3: they took tickel extremely well. You know, bar down is

78
00:04:01,067 --> 00:04:04,067
Speaker 3: not a bad finish. So that was a little bit disappointing,

79
00:04:04,107 --> 00:04:07,827
Speaker 3: But honestly, I don't think it was the bad performance defensively.

80
00:04:08,707 --> 00:04:11,307
Speaker 2: You talked about the combinations that you're forging there and

81
00:04:11,307 --> 00:04:14,627
Speaker 2: and you're limited time together. You've partnered both Michael Boxel

82
00:04:15,027 --> 00:04:18,307
Speaker 2: and Tyler Binden in recent matches for New Zealand. How

83
00:04:18,387 --> 00:04:21,387
Speaker 2: different are they as central defensive partners.

84
00:04:24,067 --> 00:04:25,147
Speaker 4: They're a little bit different.

85
00:04:25,867 --> 00:04:30,547
Speaker 3: It's kind of hard to hard to explain it. Tyler

86
00:04:30,667 --> 00:04:32,867
Speaker 3: is probably a little bit more use to playing on

87
00:04:32,907 --> 00:04:36,027
Speaker 3: the left than box he is, but he does. Boxy

88
00:04:36,027 --> 00:04:38,227
Speaker 3: does a great job when he does play there. Anyway,

89
00:04:38,307 --> 00:04:40,987
Speaker 3: I think box He's probably got a little bit more

90
00:04:41,747 --> 00:04:45,707
Speaker 3: I don't know how say, like speed and physicality than Tyler,

91
00:04:45,827 --> 00:04:49,187
Speaker 3: So there's that kind of aspect to it. But I

92
00:04:49,267 --> 00:04:54,427
Speaker 3: mean they're both fantastic players and I enjoyed playing with

93
00:04:54,467 --> 00:04:58,667
Speaker 3: both of them. And I know that bays Or he

94
00:04:58,707 --> 00:05:01,827
Speaker 3: always tells us that it's a difficult decision of who

95
00:05:01,907 --> 00:05:04,867
Speaker 3: kind of who plays out of the three or four

96
00:05:04,907 --> 00:05:09,067
Speaker 3: or five of us center backs. So yes, it's kind

97
00:05:09,067 --> 00:05:11,947
Speaker 3: of it's up to him, not to me, indeed.

98
00:05:11,947 --> 00:05:14,107
Speaker 2: And no Nando Pineker on this two of course, as

99
00:05:14,107 --> 00:05:16,867
Speaker 2: he recovers from a from a knock. But there is

100
00:05:16,907 --> 00:05:19,547
Speaker 2: a new face in the squad. Another center about George Stranger,

101
00:05:19,787 --> 00:05:22,227
Speaker 2: who's playing his football in Scotland. I'm not sure you've

102
00:05:22,267 --> 00:05:25,227
Speaker 2: ever played alongside George, so how do you integrate him

103
00:05:25,227 --> 00:05:28,587
Speaker 2: into your defensive system so if he's needed, he's ready

104
00:05:28,587 --> 00:05:28,827
Speaker 2: to go.

105
00:05:30,267 --> 00:05:32,827
Speaker 3: Yeah, I've not played with George before and I've not

106
00:05:32,867 --> 00:05:34,707
Speaker 3: met him before, so it was it was called meeting

107
00:05:34,747 --> 00:05:37,467
Speaker 3: him and he's a real nice guy. So I've enjoyed

108
00:05:37,787 --> 00:05:41,147
Speaker 3: training with him and hanging out with him. Yeah, I

109
00:05:41,147 --> 00:05:43,387
Speaker 3: think it's just we do have a limited time on

110
00:05:43,427 --> 00:05:45,307
Speaker 3: the pitch, but when we do get on the pictures

111
00:05:45,667 --> 00:05:48,707
Speaker 3: is talking to him and kind of explaining I guess

112
00:05:48,827 --> 00:05:52,067
Speaker 3: how I play and how we kind of try to

113
00:05:52,067 --> 00:05:55,747
Speaker 3: defend as a team, and just just talking communicating with

114
00:05:55,827 --> 00:05:59,067
Speaker 3: him kind of what we've been doing and what we've

115
00:05:59,067 --> 00:06:02,587
Speaker 3: been doing as a group for the last two three years,

116
00:06:03,907 --> 00:06:07,507
Speaker 3: and then also understanding what he likes and how he defends.

117
00:06:07,547 --> 00:06:10,907
Speaker 3: So's it's always good to get a perspective and and

118
00:06:11,027 --> 00:06:12,547
Speaker 3: just try to all get on the same page about

119
00:06:12,547 --> 00:06:13,267
Speaker 3: what we're trying to do.

120
00:06:13,787 --> 00:06:16,627
Speaker 2: So you look forward to Norway now on Wednesday, you

121
00:06:16,667 --> 00:06:18,907
Speaker 2: have the task of trying to contain one of the

122
00:06:18,907 --> 00:06:22,667
Speaker 2: world's best strikers in Earling Harland. How much do you

123
00:06:22,747 --> 00:06:24,267
Speaker 2: relish a challenge like that?

124
00:06:26,267 --> 00:06:30,307
Speaker 4: I think I think all of us relish that challenge.

125
00:06:30,347 --> 00:06:34,347
Speaker 4: I think from a personal point of view, it's it's

126
00:06:34,587 --> 00:06:35,947
Speaker 4: only it's only.

127
00:06:35,827 --> 00:06:38,067
Speaker 3: Really an opportunity. Like I say, a challenge is a

128
00:06:38,067 --> 00:06:42,627
Speaker 3: good thing. It's one of the best strikers in the world,

129
00:06:42,707 --> 00:06:45,707
Speaker 3: and so that's that's gonna be a challenge for any defender.

130
00:06:45,747 --> 00:06:47,027
Speaker 3: You know, you can see you see what it does

131
00:06:47,067 --> 00:06:51,027
Speaker 3: to Premier League and Champions League defenders. So it's kind

132
00:06:51,027 --> 00:06:53,947
Speaker 3: of not not that there's no pressure on it, but

133
00:06:54,347 --> 00:06:56,947
Speaker 3: it's it's kind of a yeah, like I said, just

134
00:06:56,987 --> 00:07:00,907
Speaker 3: the opportunity to go up against a fantastic player and

135
00:07:00,907 --> 00:07:01,867
Speaker 3: and someone that.

136
00:07:02,627 --> 00:07:05,067
Speaker 4: You probably don't go up against every every single week.

137
00:07:06,027 --> 00:07:08,787
Speaker 2: And in that regard, was it a little bit disappointing

138
00:07:08,827 --> 00:07:11,747
Speaker 2: you didn't get the chance to test yourself against Polish

139
00:07:11,787 --> 00:07:15,907
Speaker 2: superstar Robert Lewandowski on on Friday. He just he was

140
00:07:15,907 --> 00:07:17,907
Speaker 2: an unused substitute for Poland.

141
00:07:19,307 --> 00:07:22,227
Speaker 3: Yeah, it would have been cool to play against him,

142
00:07:22,227 --> 00:07:25,067
Speaker 3: whether he's he played a full ninety or just came

143
00:07:25,107 --> 00:07:27,147
Speaker 3: off the bench. So that was, I guess a little

144
00:07:27,147 --> 00:07:30,587
Speaker 3: bit disappointing. But you can only play who's who's in

145
00:07:30,587 --> 00:07:33,027
Speaker 3: front of you, right, so whoever they put out is

146
00:07:33,027 --> 00:07:34,507
Speaker 3: always as a good challenge.

147
00:07:34,947 --> 00:07:37,827
Speaker 2: The team obviously has has eyes on the World Cup

148
00:07:37,907 --> 00:07:40,427
Speaker 2: next year. Every time you get together, I presume there's

149
00:07:40,667 --> 00:07:42,427
Speaker 2: a bit of edge there, you know. Do you do

150
00:07:42,507 --> 00:07:45,467
Speaker 2: you talk much about the World Cup next year when

151
00:07:45,467 --> 00:07:46,467
Speaker 2: you're together in camp?

152
00:07:49,027 --> 00:07:50,867
Speaker 4: Yeah, we we talk about it as a team.

153
00:07:50,907 --> 00:07:53,307
Speaker 3: I think it's it's it's always in the kind of

154
00:07:54,427 --> 00:07:55,747
Speaker 3: I don't know, has that in the back of our

155
00:07:55,747 --> 00:07:58,147
Speaker 3: minds because that is what we're kind of what we're building,

156
00:07:58,587 --> 00:08:02,067
Speaker 3: what we're building towards and where we're where we're headed,

157
00:08:02,587 --> 00:08:04,787
Speaker 3: So kind of all of this, all of these tours,

158
00:08:04,947 --> 00:08:07,867
Speaker 3: all of these international windows are a lead up to

159
00:08:08,787 --> 00:08:11,827
Speaker 3: that will cut. So yeah, we talk about it, and

160
00:08:11,827 --> 00:08:15,027
Speaker 3: then amongst the amongst the boys, there's starting to be

161
00:08:15,067 --> 00:08:17,347
Speaker 3: a little bit more and more more chat about it

162
00:08:17,387 --> 00:08:20,587
Speaker 3: and kind of excited to see the draw and see

163
00:08:20,627 --> 00:08:22,947
Speaker 3: where we might be playing and that sort of stuff.

164
00:08:23,187 --> 00:08:26,107
Speaker 2: Indeed, and at club level, fin you've played ninety minutes

165
00:08:26,147 --> 00:08:28,787
Speaker 2: and pretty much every game this season for Portland Timbers.

166
00:08:28,827 --> 00:08:32,107
Speaker 2: You've been well, I rusted on starter pretty much for

167
00:08:32,187 --> 00:08:34,827
Speaker 2: the team. How do you evaluate your growth as a

168
00:08:34,827 --> 00:08:37,667
Speaker 2: player since your move to the US, and in particular

169
00:08:37,747 --> 00:08:38,747
Speaker 2: in twenty twenty five.

170
00:08:40,787 --> 00:08:43,067
Speaker 3: I mean, I've absolutely loved it this year. To be honest,

171
00:08:44,467 --> 00:08:49,227
Speaker 3: I felt like I do feel like I've grown week

172
00:08:49,267 --> 00:08:52,307
Speaker 3: to week, month to month at the club that I'm at.

173
00:08:52,387 --> 00:08:54,907
Speaker 3: You know, I love playing for Portland and I've got

174
00:08:54,987 --> 00:08:58,627
Speaker 3: fantastic staff there who look after me well and also

175
00:08:59,987 --> 00:09:04,227
Speaker 3: continue to push me every single week to continue to improve.

176
00:09:05,547 --> 00:09:07,587
Speaker 3: I think in twenty twenty five, like you say, I've

177
00:09:07,667 --> 00:09:10,067
Speaker 3: I've played a lot and that's that's been great for

178
00:09:10,187 --> 00:09:14,067
Speaker 3: my my my development, and you know, throughout the year,

179
00:09:14,107 --> 00:09:17,187
Speaker 3: I started to get more and more kind of responsibility,

180
00:09:17,267 --> 00:09:19,627
Speaker 3: and I don't know if onus is the right word,

181
00:09:19,707 --> 00:09:24,467
Speaker 3: but like there's more pressure on my performances and more

182
00:09:24,667 --> 00:09:27,467
Speaker 3: just yet more responsibility, which.

183
00:09:27,227 --> 00:09:28,547
Speaker 4: Has been awesome for me.

184
00:09:28,587 --> 00:09:30,427
Speaker 3: You know. I love that and I want to take

185
00:09:30,427 --> 00:09:33,507
Speaker 3: that on. So you know, it's it's been great. It's

186
00:09:33,547 --> 00:09:34,547
Speaker 3: been a good year so far.

187
00:09:34,587 --> 00:09:35,107
Speaker 4: From Portland.

188
00:09:35,147 --> 00:09:39,107
Speaker 3: We're heading into the playoffs, so the next the next

189
00:09:39,387 --> 00:09:40,867
Speaker 3: few games are going to be big for us.

190
00:09:41,067 --> 00:09:43,107
Speaker 2: Good stuff and the new A League season about to

191
00:09:43,107 --> 00:09:45,427
Speaker 2: start back here. I know you've got other other things

192
00:09:45,467 --> 00:09:48,787
Speaker 2: on your mind with the MLS playoffs and such like,

193
00:09:48,867 --> 00:09:51,027
Speaker 2: but will you still keep an eye on what happens

194
00:09:51,067 --> 00:09:51,987
Speaker 2: at Wellington Phoenix.

195
00:09:53,067 --> 00:09:55,147
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think I always will. I think I always will.

196
00:09:55,587 --> 00:09:59,867
Speaker 3: I'm excited to watch the first game against Perth because

197
00:10:00,027 --> 00:10:03,587
Speaker 3: obviously my got my Wellington Wellington mates and then also

198
00:10:03,587 --> 00:10:05,667
Speaker 3: a few boys in the Perth team who I'm quite

199
00:10:05,667 --> 00:10:08,307
Speaker 3: close with, like Sutzon Scottie.

200
00:10:07,987 --> 00:10:11,627
Speaker 4: So yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited to watch that and

201
00:10:11,827 --> 00:10:13,107
Speaker 4: see how the next go the season.

202
00:10:13,867 --> 00:10:15,947
Speaker 2: Great to get the chance to chat, Thanks indeed for

203
00:10:16,027 --> 00:10:19,027
Speaker 2: your time. I look forward to seeing you take on

204
00:10:19,107 --> 00:10:22,787
Speaker 2: Earling Harland and Norway on Wednesday morning, New Zealand Time.

205
00:10:22,827 --> 00:10:23,747
Speaker 2: Really appreciate the chat.

206
00:10:23,947 --> 00:10:25,187
Speaker 4: Thanks Barny, appreciate it.

207
00:10:25,227 --> 00:10:26,867
Speaker 2: No, I appreciate you joining us fun. Thanks to date

208
00:10:26,907 --> 00:10:28,707
Speaker 2: Finn summon there out of the All Whites camp. So

209
00:10:28,787 --> 00:10:31,747
Speaker 2: five am Wednesday morning, New Zealand Time is when they

210
00:10:31,747 --> 00:10:34,787
Speaker 2: have their next match up against, as I say, Norway

211
00:10:34,867 --> 00:10:36,427
Speaker 2: and Earling Harland.

212
00:10:36,907 --> 00:10:40,107
Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live

213
00:10:40,187 --> 00:10:43,507
Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow

214
00:10:43,547 --> 00:10:45,147
Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio