Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks MB's voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonnie Jensen. Hello and welcome into Football Fever
Speaker 1: with FIFA Plus stream New Zealand football live and free
Speaker 1: on FIFA plus dot com. I'm Jason Pine Bonnie Jensen
Speaker 1: here as well. We are nearly there, Bonnie, it is
Speaker 1: almost time for us to start watching some A League football.
Speaker 1: How are you feeling?
Speaker 2: Two sleeps?
Speaker 1: Piney.
Speaker 2: I just can't believe it. I'm you know, we've had
Speaker 2: a lot of football in the break, but nothing like
Speaker 2: the A League. Nothing beats it. And I'm super excited
Speaker 2: that we've now got two teams to talk about.
Speaker 1: All right, well, let's talk about those two teams, starting
Speaker 1: with the Auckland FC. Their first ever game in the
Speaker 1: A League men's competition is against Brisbane raw Go Media
Speaker 1: Mount Smart Stadium, five o'clock on Saturday. You live in Auckland.
Speaker 1: What sort of buzz is there around about this team?
Speaker 2: I feel like it's huge. They've been They've gone hard
Speaker 2: on the launch, There's no doubt about it. They've gone
Speaker 2: hard on the rivalry. They're really starting to ramp it
Speaker 2: up this week. You get the sense going out to
Speaker 2: the team you know, they're really excited and so are
Speaker 2: the community. Speaking when Becker their CEO, they're confident they're
Speaker 2: going to sell out the game, which is which is huge.
Speaker 2: You know, we talked about it a lot, but selling
Speaker 2: out a league game in the round robin kind of
Speaker 2: sets teams up for success financially anyway. So yeah, huge,
Speaker 2: huge buzz. They've been given away free shirts on the
Speaker 2: street and yeah, just really excited, you know, bring on Saturday.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you have to admire and applaud their marketing push,
Speaker 1: even from down here in Wellington. Obviously I'm not in
Speaker 1: and around the streets of Auckland where a lot of
Speaker 1: this activation is happening. But their social media stuff has
Speaker 1: been very good. They've yeah, they they've really built a
Speaker 1: sense of excitement and you look, I can't wait to
Speaker 1: be there at Mount Smart on Saturday for the opening game.
Speaker 1: A full house there.
Speaker 2: What is that?
Speaker 1: Twenty three twenty five.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we were trying to work this out before. I
Speaker 2: think probably more like twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven.
Speaker 2: I feel like Mount Smart holds up to thirty I'm
Speaker 2: not quite sure, but yeah, around that I'm understanding. They've
Speaker 2: now hit twenty thousand tickets.
Speaker 1: Sold amazing, amazing. The forecast is pretty good for Saturday.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it looks overcast. I mean, it's too hard to tell.
Speaker 2: In Auckland it's four seasons in one day. But right
Speaker 2: now it's looking overcast, which in my opinion, it's perfect
Speaker 2: football conditions.
Speaker 1: As long as it's not windy. And it doesn't get
Speaker 1: that windy in Auckland compared to Wellington, does it. At
Speaker 1: the times I've been to Mount Smart albeit they've been
Speaker 1: fairly rare, there hasn't been even if there has been
Speaker 1: a breeze, it doesn't seem to affect things. As you say,
Speaker 1: good footballing where the five o'clock is a good time.
Speaker 1: You know, the days are getting a little bit longer now,
Speaker 1: but I guess by the time the game finishes the
Speaker 1: lights will be in effect. Yes, so much hype around
Speaker 1: this game, celebrities and attendance. What are you hearing as
Speaker 1: far as who's coming? Have you heard any whispers about
Speaker 1: who might be in the and the corporate box or
Speaker 1: the corporate areas where I presume you'll also be on
Speaker 1: behalf of Football Fever? Yeah?
Speaker 2: No, definitely hearing obviously. Will Ali Williams and Anna Mobra
Speaker 2: will Will no doubt be there supporting their new team.
Speaker 2: Tim Brown. I'm not sure about Steven Adams, he's obviously
Speaker 2: come on board, but hearing also Bill Foley, the owner,
Speaker 2: he'll be there and as well as the Prime Minister,
Speaker 2: so I think it's I think it's going to be
Speaker 2: a pretty big deal. The other news is that we're
Speaker 2: hearing that the Go Media Stadium have finally got their
Speaker 2: second screen up and for anyone that's been to a
Speaker 2: Warriors game will know that's that's huge. So there'll be
Speaker 2: other ways to view the match and view the highlights
Speaker 2: and the replays and things like that. So yeah, it's
Speaker 2: shaping up to know what is going to be an
Speaker 2: exciting match. I just hope there's lots of goals, you know,
Speaker 2: for the fans. And I know that the port fans
Speaker 2: are coming in strong from the Tylers Street Sports Spa
Speaker 2: down in Britamark. They're going to be catching the train
Speaker 2: and doing a big march, and it's it's just all.
Speaker 1: Go, how good, how good? You know, just so exciting,
Speaker 1: you know. I get the feeling. Allie Williams will have
Speaker 1: sent out a few messages. He'd have a pretty good
Speaker 1: contact book of former All Blacks, some of those some
Speaker 1: of those players. He won the World Cup within twenty eleven.
Speaker 1: I mean, what chance Dan Carter turns up? For example,
Speaker 1: ihod to whisper that Dan Carter might be at the game.
Speaker 2: Bonny, imagine, imagine that it'll be epic. No, I hope
Speaker 2: people get up for this. And you know, again, I
Speaker 2: don't think people realize, like, you know, unless you're a
Speaker 2: major football fan, how big this will be. We had
Speaker 2: obviously the fief Woman's World Cup last year, which was
Speaker 2: a huge moment in football. But I really hope this
Speaker 2: is the start of something new. And obviously the hype
Speaker 2: comes this weekend but continues on and at the same
Speaker 2: time continues on for the Phoenix because we can't forget
Speaker 2: what they have done for the A League and for
Speaker 2: football in New Zealand. And Yeah, I hope the excitement
Speaker 2: spreads across both both teams.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like the Phoenix have flown very much
Speaker 1: under the radar at the start of the season, probably
Speaker 1: becausearticularly in the last week or so, Auckland FC have
Speaker 1: just been everywhere. And that's great, you know, and you know,
Speaker 1: the Phoenix are what they are. They're very comfortable with
Speaker 1: where they are, had a terrific season last season. They're
Speaker 1: ready to go against Western United on Sunday, also a
Speaker 1: home game. They've got a reasonably friendly first couple of
Speaker 1: games against against Western United then away at Perth Glory,
Speaker 1: two games which are very winnable for them before the
Speaker 1: first derby. I mean, you can only imagine what that
Speaker 1: first derby's going to be like in the build up
Speaker 1: to that. But yeah, let's go back to Auckland. They
Speaker 1: have named their leadership group. Hiroki Sakai will lead the team.
Speaker 1: He is the captain, the inaugural captain of this football club.
Speaker 1: His vice captains Tommy Smith and Jake Brimmer. Any surprise
Speaker 1: when those three names were the ones that were read out.
Speaker 2: Not really, I mean where we've discussed this, Piney, but
Speaker 2: obviously that their language barrier with Hiroki was one question mark.
Speaker 2: But as you know, we'll catch up with them soon.
Speaker 2: But as he mentioned, you know, he hopes to express
Speaker 2: his leadership through his playing style and football is a language,
Speaker 2: so no doubt he'll be able to lead this team
Speaker 2: with good confidence. And Steve Corker told me he actually
Speaker 2: just pretends he doesn't speak that very good English to media,
Speaker 2: but in the dressing room he's he's full noise. One
Speaker 2: of those I was like, yeah, maybe. I was like,
Speaker 2: maybe they've done this as like a plan, as a tactic,
Speaker 2: so that we don't ask the hard hitting questions and
Speaker 2: pre match press conferences.
Speaker 1: Well it's here some of Hiroki Saka. You spoke to
Speaker 1: him shortly after it was announced that he would be
Speaker 1: the captain of the side, and you asked him how
Speaker 1: it feels to be the man chosen to wear the
Speaker 1: armband in the club's inaugural season.
Speaker 3: Yeah, of course, I'm so happy and I'm very honored
Speaker 3: the fast of captain.
Speaker 2: Yeah did you expect it?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Yeah, fifty to fifty.
Speaker 2: How did you react when they told you?
Speaker 3: Honestly, I'm so surprised because I'm I'm Japanese, so I'm
Speaker 3: not Secureey Pray has so but coach they said like this,
Speaker 3: So I respect to coach and they respect coaching stuff
Speaker 3: as well. So I do ye as the captain's Hannah person.
Speaker 2: What's your leadership style? How do you like to be
Speaker 2: a leader? Yeah?
Speaker 3: I said, My English is not rentes, so I just
Speaker 3: show them, you know, the performance. My performance is most important,
Speaker 3: I think, so I show them on the pitch for
Speaker 3: young prayers. I don't know. It's support as well. And
Speaker 3: also I have a two big great base captain, so
Speaker 3: maybe they support to support me and they can't help
Speaker 3: me as well.
Speaker 1: I think he lands on a really good point there.
Speaker 1: It's just performances. That's how he leads. I think his
Speaker 1: English is okay, Yeah, what you're saying. I think he's
Speaker 1: whether he's foxing. I don't know you was you were
Speaker 1: facing him, Whether he's foxing and pretending he's not as good,
Speaker 1: But I think he's pretty good. But he'll get out
Speaker 1: there and lead by his actions.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And I love what he said. He's got
Speaker 2: two big, great players underneath him and Tommy Smith and
Speaker 2: Jake Brimmer, so yeah, no, it's a good selection.
Speaker 1: I think so. And also it's a guy who's going
Speaker 1: to play every week. You know, he is an undoubted,
Speaker 1: rusted on starter in this team, will play every week
Speaker 1: at presumably right back to start with. He may at
Speaker 1: times turn up in the center of defense. You know,
Speaker 1: huge footballing pedigree, highly respected I'm sure amongst the playing
Speaker 1: group for what he's done. And I would imagine inside
Speaker 1: that playing group he has tremendous influence, even though English
Speaker 1: isn't his first language. I don't know. I just having
Speaker 1: not even met the guy, and you might be able
Speaker 1: to speak to this. It just feels like he's got
Speaker 1: and this is the wrong word for it because it's
Speaker 1: a New Zealand word, it feels like he's got mana.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, Piney, I completely agree. In speaking to him.
Speaker 2: I've been lucky enough to speak with him a few
Speaker 2: times now. I actually got to go up to lunch
Speaker 2: with him at a Japanese restaurant here at one point.
Speaker 2: He feels really proud to be here in New Zealand
Speaker 2: and he has a lot of respect for the country.
Speaker 2: He's already enrolled his kids in schools. I think they
Speaker 2: got to remu Era Primary. I can't don't quote me
Speaker 2: on that one, but yeah, he's got As I say,
Speaker 2: he's got a huge respect for New Zealand. He's excited
Speaker 2: to be here. It is an honor for him. So
Speaker 2: really looking forward to it. And just to confirm as
Speaker 2: well as Steve Corriker did mention about, you know, Hiroki
Speaker 2: can play multiple positions, but right now, as you say,
Speaker 2: they see him at the right back position.
Speaker 1: All right, So one of those two vice captains, one
Speaker 1: is Tommy Smith, the other is Jake Brimmer. You also
Speaker 1: spoke to Jake and asked how he feels about the
Speaker 1: extra responsibility handed to him as being vice captain or
Speaker 1: one of the two vice captains of the side.
Speaker 4: It's an honor. Like I said before, it's a privilege
Speaker 4: to be named vice captain his football club, obviously being
Speaker 4: a new team, it's a privilege really that you get
Speaker 4: identified to be a captain of the club. And you know,
Speaker 4: I wish both Heroki and Tommy all the best, and
Speaker 4: you know we're here to help Barroki as well. For me,
Speaker 4: there's no reason why not. Everyone could be a leader,
Speaker 4: and you know, obviously he wears the armband on the day,
Speaker 4: but we're here for him and to help him as
Speaker 4: much as possible as well.
Speaker 2: How did Steve ask you and did you expect that?
Speaker 4: Look, I've always identified myself as a leader and someone
Speaker 4: that wants to help the younger boys, so I was
Speaker 4: sort of I wouldn't say expecting it, but I definitely
Speaker 4: knew i'd be a candidate for the job, and it
Speaker 4: was just yeah, it was a real honor to be
Speaker 4: picked and to be named as vice captain and I
Speaker 4: hope that I can, you know, do exactly what he
Speaker 4: wants me to do.
Speaker 2: You've spent a bit of time in the A League
Speaker 2: and you've been with this team for a while now.
Speaker 2: Do you think they're really comes Saturday to compete?
Speaker 4: Yeah, most definitely. I think from day one with Steve
Speaker 4: coming in, you know, he's picked players that want to win,
Speaker 4: They want to be successful and want to win trophies.
Speaker 4: So I think, you know, all the hard work we've
Speaker 4: done this preseason is an opportunity for us on Saturday
Speaker 4: to just go out there and get the result that
Speaker 4: we want.
Speaker 1: Yeah, how do.
Speaker 2: You expect Brisbane to shape up? Is it always kind
Speaker 2: of that uncertainty person?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it is a very uncertain predicament. I think,
Speaker 4: you know, any team you play for a Round one,
Speaker 4: everyone's going to be up for it. But we know
Speaker 4: we've done the work and come around one that we'll
Speaker 4: be ready to get a result.
Speaker 1: That is Jake Brimmer I like him too straight away
Speaker 1: having not met him, but I love the fact that
Speaker 1: he didn't shy away from the fact that he was
Speaker 1: a candidate for the vice captaincy. You know, Key, we's
Speaker 1: would have gone, oh, you know, well, I didn't really know.
Speaker 1: He's got a bit of Ossie brashness about him.
Speaker 4: I like it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I agree as well. I was going to
Speaker 2: say the exact same thing. The way he had that
Speaker 2: confidence to go, I was kind of expecting it, you know.
Speaker 2: I like that confidence. He mentioned it as well. Steve
Speaker 2: Corick has picked winners. You can you can sense that
Speaker 2: he wants something out of the season. So yeah, I
Speaker 2: like the attitude of Jake Brimmer.
Speaker 1: Okay, So they'll play Brisbane Raw five o'clock Saturday, when
Speaker 1: the team sheet arrives an hour or so before, which
Speaker 1: is when it normally arrives in the media. Have a
Speaker 1: crack at what you reckon. The starting eleven will be.
Speaker 2: Okay, I reckon it'll be Ap and goal Alex Paulsen
Speaker 2: and goal Herokei, Dan Hall, Nando Pinneker, Francis Derees. It'll
Speaker 2: be a midfield of the two you're gonna have to
Speaker 2: remind me of their names, Piney, the two Europeans.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the two imports. We've got Carligos and Vestrata. The
Speaker 1: two other two yep.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it'll be those two. They're in kind of a
Speaker 2: six roll just sitting in front of them will be
Speaker 2: or rather to the side of them will be Liam
Speaker 2: Gillian and Logan Rogerson, so kind of a four to four,
Speaker 2: and then in front of front of them will be
Speaker 2: Jake Brimmer and then Gmo Make and.
Speaker 1: The up the top. Okay, so nada Moreno, we don't
Speaker 1: expect them to be in the squad. The Colombian winger.
Speaker 2: No confirmed that with with Steve Croker, he said he's
Speaker 2: not quite ready. He only just kind of arrived a
Speaker 2: week or so ago and he still has a couple
Speaker 2: of niggles, I believe. So no, not in the squad,
Speaker 2: which I think is probably a good call. They clearly
Speaker 2: had an alright thing going in pre season, and why
Speaker 2: change that right before your first week?
Speaker 1: A couple of questions then about that team. So no,
Speaker 1: Cam Howison, which you and I have talked about a
Speaker 1: lot on the podcast, I think I think Carlie Oss.
Speaker 1: I think he might be Chilean actually, and for Starte,
Speaker 1: who is Belgian, I think they play, which is a
Speaker 1: little bit unfortunate for Cam Howison because he probably plays
Speaker 1: in a similar position but probably misses out. If you're
Speaker 1: looking for those two white plays, you've gone Gillian and Rogerson,
Speaker 1: So what about Champness and Jesse Randall and also Max Marta.
Speaker 1: Does Max Marta kind of have to buite his time
Speaker 1: behind youumo my up top?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's exactly the case. The only probably
Speaker 2: question there is Liam Gillian does he start? There's also
Speaker 2: the likes of Randallers as well that could come in
Speaker 2: there another young player, But I think Liam Gillian has
Speaker 2: been really impressive. He's been impressive at a national league
Speaker 2: level with Auckland City over the last couple of years,
Speaker 2: and from what I've seen in pre season, he's been
Speaker 2: pretty stand out. And I'm not Internet sleuth, but I
Speaker 2: did did see the happy Birthday post that Auckland FC
Speaker 2: posted today and they said you can see Liam in
Speaker 2: action live on Saturday. So I'm like, if that's not
Speaker 2: a tap, I don't know what is.
Speaker 1: Maybe you're reading a bit too much into it, but
Speaker 1: I don't mind it. I don't mind it, Okay. I mean, look,
Speaker 1: if it is that, then there's some good players to
Speaker 1: come off the bench. Champness, we know what a spark
Speaker 1: plug he can be. We know Jesse Randall has done
Speaker 1: very well at domestic level. Can he make the step up.
Speaker 1: Even at the back you've got Devres and Hiroki Suckle,
Speaker 1: which I totally agrees the way I'll go. That has
Speaker 1: Callan Elliott and Scott Galloway on the bench. Tommy Smith
Speaker 1: one of the vice captains probably not going to start.
Speaker 1: So yeah, there's that they have done a terrific job,
Speaker 1: Auckland FC of building a squad with depth and all positions.
Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, I'm very much looking forward to seeing
Speaker 1: how they go. All right, score prediction.
Speaker 2: Two one AUCKLANDC.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think they win their first game, Bruce, but
Speaker 1: I think are a pretty friendly first up opponent. Without
Speaker 1: wanting to put the mockers on them, I think, yeah,
Speaker 1: I think Auckland f C should get off to a
Speaker 1: winning start. I've got them winning three to one. This
Speaker 1: is football and no sooner it's Saturday done and dusted
Speaker 1: than we're putting our eyes on Sky Stadium in Wellington.
Speaker 1: Isn't it great that every weekend now and we have
Speaker 1: two games to look out with New Zealand size, plus
Speaker 1: when the women start as well, it'll be it'll be
Speaker 1: a football feast for sure. The Phoenix open their season
Speaker 1: at home to Western United at four o'clock on Sunday,
Speaker 1: As I say, it feels like they've kind of gone
Speaker 1: under the radar a little bit by comparison to the
Speaker 1: club from up the road. What are your expectations of
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix, you know, in broad terms this season after
Speaker 1: the season they had last year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they definitely have flown under the radar, as you say, Piney,
Speaker 2: but they've definitely done that on purpose. I think they're
Speaker 2: just letting Auckland their seas soak up all this noise
Speaker 2: and all this attention and just you know, let the
Speaker 2: reality hit them on the field, which is probably not
Speaker 2: a bad strategy. At the same time, I do wish
Speaker 2: or hope the Phoenix could have brought a little bit
Speaker 2: more attention to themselves based on that season they had
Speaker 2: last last year, which was unbelievable. I hope they can
Speaker 2: ride off that success. It will be difficult with a
Speaker 2: massive change to the roster, but yeah, I hope they're
Speaker 2: competitive and I would love to see them in the
Speaker 2: playoffs again.
Speaker 1: It must be HARDA because there's such a long off season.
Speaker 1: You know, they had such a big season last year,
Speaker 1: but the nature of the A League is a long
Speaker 1: off season plus a turnover of squad. Is there actually
Speaker 1: any momentum at all to be gained from last season?
Speaker 1: I guess what you'd say is there are a lot
Speaker 1: of players still in that team who last season they
Speaker 1: had to get used to Chief. Ye, it was his
Speaker 1: first year as coach. They're a lot further down that
Speaker 1: line now. A lot of the players who are still there,
Speaker 1: who were there last year, have had a season with
Speaker 1: Chief under their belts, and while he said that he
Speaker 1: wants to tweak the playing style, it won't all be
Speaker 1: new to all of them. Yeah.
Speaker 2: No, you're exactly right. I rate Chief as a coach.
Speaker 2: It was his first season last year, which is even
Speaker 2: more impressive to consider what he did. As you say,
Speaker 2: he'll be building off that momentum, so will the players
Speaker 2: that have stuck with him. I really rate him as
Speaker 2: a coach and can't see what he can can't wait
Speaker 2: to see what he does this season. I've said to
Speaker 2: you Piney off the mic that I back him as
Speaker 2: the next football fan's coach. That's how much I rate
Speaker 2: this guy. So yeah, I'm excited to see what he
Speaker 2: can do.
Speaker 1: Well, maybe that's a conversation for another podcast as well.
Speaker 1: At the moment, I'm sure he's got his eyes only
Speaker 1: on only on Wellington Phoenix. One of the players returning
Speaker 1: and a big part of this team is all Whites
Speaker 1: and Phoenix right back Tim Payne. I spoke to him
Speaker 1: just a couple of hours ago to see how he
Speaker 1: was feeling. Eat of the new season.
Speaker 5: Fizzy, I think because the word I'd use to describe it. Yeah,
Speaker 5: preseason is always quite long. It's been a little bit
Speaker 5: better this year with a few international games that keep
Speaker 5: in mind off the regular trainings. So yeah, it's just fizzing.
Speaker 5: Can't wait to get started on Sunday.
Speaker 1: New goalkeeper behind you. How hard do you work as
Speaker 1: a defensive unit to establish a connection with Josh pretty quickly?
Speaker 5: Yeah, with a lot of work is done on how
Speaker 5: we defend. I think it's a collective thing from the
Speaker 5: whole eleven players, you know, and Griff's really works us
Speaker 5: hard at our roles and responsibilities of when we get
Speaker 5: into that box. And I think it was a massive
Speaker 5: strength of ours last year, so that shouldn't change and
Speaker 5: hopefully we can continually do that this year.
Speaker 1: And you have at times played center back, but is
Speaker 1: that an option for you this year with Finn Sermon
Speaker 1: going or Are you just a right back now?
Speaker 4: I hope not. No.
Speaker 5: Look, obviously I can and if that's the position that
Speaker 5: we find ourselves in, I can do that. But yeah,
Speaker 5: I think right back to my position.
Speaker 4: That's right.
Speaker 5: Kennon influenced the team the most.
Speaker 1: There you go, that's Tim Payne back for another crack.
Speaker 1: Not keen to play center back there, but obviously a
Speaker 1: huge part of this team. Shall I give you my
Speaker 1: predicted lineup for Sunday? Yes? Go on, piney okay. So
Speaker 1: Josh Ollaway mme is the new goalkeeper obviously, so he
Speaker 1: is the number one. Tim Payne at right back. I
Speaker 1: think Sam Sutton at left back. Scott Wharton is one
Speaker 1: of the center backs that The main question is who
Speaker 1: plays in the position that Finn Sermon occupied for basically
Speaker 1: all of last season alongside Scott Woarton. I get the
Speaker 1: feeling Isaac Hughes might get the first opportunity to do that.
Speaker 1: I think Chief will player back for That's just a guess,
Speaker 1: but I think that's what he'll do. Alex Rufer in
Speaker 1: front of the BA with Paolo Retrae alongside the first
Speaker 1: of the Japanese players, Kazuki Nagasawa slightly ahead, and then
Speaker 1: we've got Costa barbarusis Hidiki Ashiga, and I actually think
Speaker 1: David Ball might might start, even though there's been a
Speaker 1: talk about him not really you know, having a big
Speaker 1: role to play in the team this year, or as
Speaker 1: big a role I wonder with Marko Rojas not there,
Speaker 1: whether David Ball slots in. The other possibility is Stefan Kolakowsky.
Speaker 1: So that's kind of how I feel like they'll line up.
Speaker 1: It's not really, you know, it's it's not a heck
Speaker 1: of a lot different from last year, although in other
Speaker 1: ways it is a lot different because of the departure
Speaker 1: of guys like Zavada, krajev Old and Sermon and Paulsen
Speaker 1: and Goal obviously.
Speaker 2: No, it's yeah, definitely a shake up in some key positions,
Speaker 2: as you say, in Golf and Sermon. In the midfield.
Speaker 2: We saw Alex Ruff play that loan number six for
Speaker 2: a lot of a lot of the matches, and he
Speaker 2: won't by the sounds of it, this season, so that'll
Speaker 2: be a little bit of an adjustment. But yeah, I'm
Speaker 2: confident under Chief. He's he's a smart man. I'm sure
Speaker 2: he's got a plan.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm thinking he has too. All right. Score prediction
Speaker 1: for Wellington Phoenix against Western United one all one.
Speaker 3: All.
Speaker 2: I know I'm not being negative, but I just feel
Speaker 2: like have they have they ever had like a good
Speaker 2: start to the A League campaign.
Speaker 1: Well, that's a good that's a good point. Actually, they
Speaker 1: don't often win their opening game. It it happens fairly really,
Speaker 1: and I must admit Western United if the Phoenix have
Speaker 1: fln under the radar Western United to have and doing
Speaker 1: a little bit of reading about them in prep for Sunday,
Speaker 1: there's you know, there's not a heck of a lot
Speaker 1: out there about Western United. They've got a couple of
Speaker 1: new players and John y Luisi is still the boss.
Speaker 1: So yeah, Look, I beg the Phoenix to win their
Speaker 1: opening game at home. I've got them winning it to nil. Unreal.
Speaker 2: I hope they do. I hope both Auckland FC and
Speaker 2: the Phoenix win their three games before they meet.
Speaker 1: Two games, two games yet.
Speaker 2: Two games before they meet in the derby. That would
Speaker 2: be unreal ideal scenario for hopefully that game in Wellington
Speaker 2: to sell out.
Speaker 1: What I said before, I think the Phoenix's first two
Speaker 1: games are friendlier than than Auckland's. I think Auckland with
Speaker 1: Brisbane they should be fine. But then Sydney FC come
Speaker 1: to Auckland next Sunday. They're one of the you know,
Speaker 1: in fact, I think they are the bookie's favorites to
Speaker 1: win the whole thing, so you know, and Stevie Coricker
Speaker 1: obviously be well up for that, being you know, Sydney
Speaker 1: player and coach formerly. So yeah, look, I'm like you.
Speaker 1: If we get to round three and both the Phoenix
Speaker 1: and Auckland FC have six points from their two games
Speaker 1: and go ahead to head in that derby, yeah, set
Speaker 1: to be set to be quite the spectacle football for
Speaker 1: football Fever, just before we move on from the A League,
Speaker 1: we are going to give you our most important player,
Speaker 1: Golden Boot winner, Breakout Star and finishing position in the
Speaker 1: regular season for both of these two teams. So let's
Speaker 1: start with most important player. Who usual most important player
Speaker 1: for Auckland f C.
Speaker 2: I've got Alex Paulson, which I don't know, you know
Speaker 2: that I rate him as a goalkeeper and I don't
Speaker 2: know if that's biased, but I think he kept the
Speaker 2: Phoenix in it for much longer than maybe they were
Speaker 2: anticipated to be last season, and I just hope he
Speaker 2: is just as important for Auckland f C as well.
Speaker 1: I've got Jake Brimmer as my most important player, just
Speaker 1: like the way he goes about things, knows a lot
Speaker 1: about this league, drives the team through words and actions.
Speaker 1: Vice Captain c We heard him before, So Jake Brimmer
Speaker 1: for me. For Wellington Phoenix, my most important player is
Speaker 1: Alex Rufer. I think he had a terrific season last campaign,
Speaker 1: has grown into the role of captain, is now starting
Speaker 1: regularly for the All Whites, and with players having departed
Speaker 1: in positions around him, I feel like Rufe is going
Speaker 1: to be the most important for the Phoenix.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I also picked Alex Ruth for the exact same
Speaker 2: reasons Piney and also josh Oliwami and goal again for
Speaker 2: the same reason that I picked Alex Paulson for AFC.
Speaker 2: The goalkeeper kept the Phoenix in it a lot last year,
Speaker 2: and I think they're going to rely on their keeper
Speaker 2: a lot again this season.
Speaker 1: Golden Boot for Auckland FC. GMO my I've got him
Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, well, sure, well he is. He's going
Speaker 1: to get the chance to start at center ford, isn't
Speaker 1: he so, so I guess he gets first crack at it.
Speaker 1: I've got Gmo my as well, so interested to see
Speaker 1: how he shapes up. As we've said a lot of times,
Speaker 1: you really don't know from important players until they've played
Speaker 1: four or five games whether they're any good or not,
Speaker 1: or whether they you know, I'm sure he's a good player,
Speaker 1: but whether he suits the A league, does he fit
Speaker 1: him with his new teammates, does he mesh well with
Speaker 1: those around him? All that stuff. Look, I hobe Hobey
Speaker 1: scores a handful of goals. I'm sure we both do.
Speaker 1: But yeah, Gmo MI for me. What about for the Phoenix?
Speaker 2: For the Phoenix, I've got Stephen Colo Costs. How you saying?
Speaker 1: That's how you say? Yeah?
Speaker 2: That guy? I think Chief. He is pretty confident in
Speaker 2: bringing him in and thinks he'll be one of the
Speaker 2: best players in the league. So I'm back in Chief.
Speaker 1: Okay, I've got Costa barbarusis to be Golden Boot again again.
Speaker 1: Going off last season's form where he had a terrific
Speaker 1: season in front of goal, I'm backing him to continue
Speaker 1: along that line. It feels like like cost has just
Speaker 1: got a new lease on life at the sort of
Speaker 1: the you know, the back end of his career. He's
Speaker 1: back in the All Whites, a lot of goals last season,
Speaker 1: targeting the World Cup. Yeah, I think he's going to
Speaker 1: be very influential. And let's not forget it turned down.
Speaker 1: The opportunity to move to Auckland was off at a
Speaker 1: contract at Auckland f C. Turned it down. So yeah,
Speaker 1: so I think Costa for me will be the main
Speaker 1: source of goals for Wellington. All right, breakout star for
Speaker 1: Auckland f C.
Speaker 2: Auckland f C. I've picked Liam Gillian. I've mentioned him
Speaker 2: a couple of times on this podcast. Yeah, he impresses
Speaker 2: me heaps and I think he's going to be a
Speaker 2: staf for Auckland f C, hopefully this season but if not,
Speaker 2: definitely next season.
Speaker 1: I've got Liam Gillian as well, but I wanted to
Speaker 1: mention Francis Devrees and it's not necessarily a breakout star
Speaker 1: as such. He's never played in the A League, has
Speaker 1: been around football in this country and overseason and the
Speaker 1: All Whites, but I just get the feeling he has
Speaker 1: something a bit special in his locker, in a left
Speaker 1: back spot where he could get up and down quite
Speaker 1: a bit. So yeah, I agree with Liam Gillian, but
Speaker 1: i think Francis Devrees. I'm looking for a big season
Speaker 1: from him as well.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Well, I actually was going to almost put Francis Devrees
Speaker 2: as my golden boot for Auckland FC. I hear me out.
Speaker 2: I just think he's he can get up the field,
Speaker 2: as you say, and he's got such a good boot
Speaker 2: on him. He's so good from a dead ball, so yeah,
Speaker 2: and back post runs and things like that. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I rate him as well as a player. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Well, if he's on penalties as well, he could be
Speaker 1: on penalties true, so there's another Yeah, I mean it
Speaker 1: would be I think I think if your left back
Speaker 1: as your golden boot, then perhaps there's perhaps there's some
Speaker 1: thinking to do further forward. But I like the way
Speaker 1: you're thinking. All right, breakout, breakout staff for Wellington Phoenix.
Speaker 2: I've got Oscar van Hattam and I can't remember if
Speaker 2: you just put him in your starting.
Speaker 1: Lineup, didn't you know? I didn't.
Speaker 2: No, Yeah, So I picked Oscar just based on the
Speaker 2: fact that I really was enjoying his stylo play towards
Speaker 2: the end of the season last year for the Phoenix,
Speaker 2: and I think, without being old there, he's really got
Speaker 2: an opportunity to kind of step up and be that
Speaker 2: next young player that everyone's talking about. I think he's
Speaker 2: a smart player, and he came off the bench and
Speaker 2: knew his responsibility and had his energy about him. So yeah,
Speaker 2: looking forward to seeing what he does with the Knicks.
Speaker 1: I've gone with Luke brook Smith, who is a scholarship
Speaker 1: player in the same area of the park as Oscar
Speaker 1: van HadAM, one of a number of young players along
Speaker 1: with Gabrielle Sloan Rodriguez, Luke superk Oscar van Hadham himself
Speaker 1: of course, who will look to provide the impact. I've
Speaker 1: just seen a couple of bits from Luke brook Smith
Speaker 1: in pre season games that have really impressed me. With
Speaker 1: his energy, his courage and the fact that he does
Speaker 1: and look faced by anything. I think he might be
Speaker 1: a guy to keep an eye on. Luke brook Smith
Speaker 1: as my potential breakout star for the Phoenix. All Right,
Speaker 1: regular season finishing position for Auckland FC, number five, I've
Speaker 1: got I've got them sixth, so we've both got them
Speaker 1: in the top six. Wellington Phoenix UH ninth eighth, eighth
Speaker 1: outside the playoffs. Sorry, Piney, I've got them fifth.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 1: Interesting? Yeah, Yeah, look, I I mean, and we can
Speaker 1: go back a year and everybody had the Phoenix in
Speaker 1: the in the bottom two. I think this is this
Speaker 1: is arguably I think it's as good as squad as
Speaker 1: last season, you know, on the on paper anyway, Again,
Speaker 1: again it will depend on the imports, largely on a
Speaker 1: Siga and Nagasawa, how they go. Where the Costa can
Speaker 1: you know, recreate his form, where the Josh Ella Wemy
Speaker 1: is good in goal, all that sort of stuff. But yeah,
Speaker 1: I think they're both top six sides. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Well I would rather be proved wrong than prove right, Piney,
Speaker 2: So I'm hoping they get up there and we see
Speaker 2: a repeat of last year.
Speaker 1: All right. So I've written down eighth for you, yeah,
Speaker 1: in fifth for me, and I've got Auckland FC sixth
Speaker 1: and you've got them fifth. Yeah, all right, we'll see
Speaker 1: how we go. We can always revisit mid season, and
Speaker 1: in fact, we probably should make an appointment mid season
Speaker 1: to revisit our predictions and see see how they're going.
Speaker 1: Other games and a League Men's Round one all starts
Speaker 1: tomorrow night, Friday night. Repeat of last year's Grand Final
Speaker 1: Mariners victory nine thirty five. Then Auckland FC Brisbane five
Speaker 1: o'clock Saturday, the Jets against Melbourne City seven o'clock Saturday,
Speaker 1: and the third of a triple header is the Sydney
Speaker 1: Derby Western Sydney against Sydney FC nine thirty on Saturday night.
Speaker 1: One matter and Douglas Costa making their A League men's
Speaker 1: debuts for the Wanderers and Sydney FC respectively. What a
Speaker 1: battle that promises to be Phoenix Western United four o'clock
Speaker 1: on Sunday and MacArthur against Perth at six o'clock Sunday
Speaker 1: to wrap round one football fever right other matters to
Speaker 1: cover off all whites. A three nil went over Tahiti
Speaker 1: in their first World Cup qualifier, a four nil win
Speaker 1: over Malaysia in a friendly at Albany the other night.
Speaker 1: What did you make of their performances in totality across
Speaker 1: those two games.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was good. I think the game against Malaysia
Speaker 2: in particular was a good start. They were very attacking,
Speaker 2: had a lot of opportunities on goal. I just rate
Speaker 2: Eli just so much. I think he's going to be
Speaker 2: so key in this next cycle for New Zealand building
Speaker 2: towards the World Cup. But as a whole. I think
Speaker 2: New Zealand do have quite a long way to go
Speaker 2: in terms of being competitive come twenty twenty six at
Speaker 2: the World Cup. They're going to need to be far
Speaker 2: more clinical in front of goal.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Tahiti they just sat, didn't they They
Speaker 1: had such a low block on what was by all
Speaker 1: accounts a dreadful pitch over there. But you know, you've
Speaker 1: you've got a factor these things in when you're play
Speaker 1: in the islands. Not that they'll have to any more
Speaker 1: obviously with the remaining qualifiers, but I just think, you know,
Speaker 1: Tahiti SATs so deep that you know, it took a while,
Speaker 1: and I think it was probably quite a good thing that,
Speaker 1: you know, New Zealand scored in an early goal, Otherwise
Speaker 1: it might have got a bit desperate in the second
Speaker 1: half if it had still been nil all. And look,
Speaker 1: though I don't think there's any doubt that they'll qualify
Speaker 1: comfortably out of Oceania for the World Cup. Then it's
Speaker 1: a matter of getting good games in the windows between
Speaker 1: that qualification, which will be sort of early next year
Speaker 1: and through to the World Cup in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1: They must have games against quality sides, so that they
Speaker 1: can get used to playing against a much better grade opposition.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly right. I think we've almost found the right balance.
Speaker 2: I didn't like how the All Whites were constantly constantly
Speaker 2: playing you know, top ranked sides, even sides within the
Speaker 2: top twenty, and I just think that's too much of
Speaker 2: an ask for this New Zealand side when they're trying
Speaker 2: to build and they're trying to get minutes and still
Speaker 2: trying to find their starting eleven and things like that.
Speaker 2: But I feel like Malaysia might be too much of
Speaker 2: a gap down. It's a hard ask, you know, like
Speaker 2: these New Zealand football are trying to find available teams
Speaker 2: and teams that want to travel to New Zealand, or
Speaker 2: where's it going to be cheap for us to travel
Speaker 2: to and things like that, But playing a team similarly
Speaker 2: ranked to us will be ideal when it comes to
Speaker 2: building towards twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1: Yeah. And the other thing is you can't just order
Speaker 1: a team, can you. You can't just look down the
Speaker 1: FIFA rankings, Zako, let's have a game against these guys.
Speaker 1: You know, it doesn't work that way. There's a lot
Speaker 1: of planning and stuff that goes into it, and you're right,
Speaker 1: the balance does need to be struck between you know,
Speaker 1: playing teams. Although they did well against the United States,
Speaker 1: but if you're playing teams in the top twenty all
Speaker 1: the time, then it's likely that you'll have few confidence
Speaker 1: builders in that time. It's a lot harder. But on
Speaker 1: the other side of the coin, if you want to
Speaker 1: win games at a World Cup, you are going to
Speaker 1: have to beat teams like that. So yeah, it's a
Speaker 1: fine balance to strike. What is most important is that
Speaker 1: they have games. You know, I think that's just utterly
Speaker 1: crucial that they have games because beyond November. They played
Speaker 1: Vanawatu on the fifteenth November in Hamilton, then Somemore at
Speaker 1: Mount Smart on Monday the eighteenth, Then it's forward to
Speaker 1: the Semis in the final of the World Cup qualifiers,
Speaker 1: which is sort of February March of next year, and
Speaker 1: then beyond that there's that there's a program to be built,
Speaker 1: and hopefully what is happening at the moment is that
Speaker 1: piece that that that that program is being built. Now
Speaker 1: that you know that that we're looking ahead and saying, right,
Speaker 1: these guys need games. If not in every window, then
Speaker 1: a lot of the windows between then and the World
Speaker 1: Cup in twenty.
Speaker 2: Six Yeah, surely, and I would expect them to be
Speaker 2: playing in almost every window, if not every window that
Speaker 2: the football fans did as they built towards their home
Speaker 2: World Cup, and they did again as well building towards
Speaker 2: the other pinnacle event being the Olympics. So I see
Speaker 2: the same for the All Whites, especially now that their
Speaker 2: ticket to the World Cup is all but guaranteed.
Speaker 1: All right, So that is that is on the all watch.
Speaker 1: Just before we move off our national teams. You wrote
Speaker 1: a terrific piece in the New Zealand Herald these last
Speaker 1: couple of days, which is featured online and in the
Speaker 1: paper about Yipka Klimkova's reign as football Ferns coach. People
Speaker 1: can read it at enzidherld dot cot ont enz or
Speaker 1: buy the paper. I think it's in today's paper Thursday's
Speaker 1: paper and read it just in broad brushstrokes. What's the
Speaker 1: summary of what you wrote?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so Elevin players came forward and spoke to me
Speaker 2: anonymously just about their experiences and the team over the
Speaker 2: last couple of years playing under Gittka, and the main
Speaker 2: kind of consensus was from the players that spoke to
Speaker 2: me was that Yika was quite experienced as a coach.
Speaker 2: There was it was exhausting. Players were having to lead meetings,
Speaker 2: and they went through a lot of emotional turmoil and
Speaker 2: they would be, you know, in a training session, and
Speaker 2: a training session would break down and yet Cara reportedly
Speaker 2: wouldn't know how to deal with it and things like that.
Speaker 2: They also struggled a lot at the World Cup and
Speaker 2: felt that was a missed opportunity in terms of the
Speaker 2: success that they could have had at a home tournament,
Speaker 2: particularly around that Switzerland game, and a note that got
Speaker 2: passed around with a real lack of direction from the
Speaker 2: coaching staff. So yeah, definitely it's probably one to go
Speaker 2: and read it. So there's a lot there, but yeah,
Speaker 2: it was I think the main thing I took away
Speaker 2: is that you know, we can sit here and be
Speaker 2: pundits on football and call out players for performances and
Speaker 2: things like that, but you don't really know what's going
Speaker 2: on behind the scenes and these national teams, so really
Speaker 2: good insight.
Speaker 1: Indeed. Okay, I have a read of that indied Herald
Speaker 1: dot cot On in z Or in today's paper Football Fever.
Speaker 1: Just a couple of things to tick off Keep's overseas.
Speaker 1: Not too many men playing in this international window, because
Speaker 1: well because it was an international window, not too many
Speaker 1: men playing for their clubs. Although Kyle Adams captain Louisville
Speaker 1: City to the USL Players Shield for the best record
Speaker 1: in the regular season of the USL, which is the
Speaker 1: one below the MLS across the Eastern and Western conferences.
Speaker 1: They won the Player Shield a couple more regular season
Speaker 1: games before the playoffs. Speaking of Louisville, their women's team
Speaker 1: has Millie Clegg Plague for the yet or not.
Speaker 2: No, Millie clig Clik has not had her debut yet,
Speaker 2: which is a real shame. But I mean the team
Speaker 2: is a good team and they're currently in their final
Speaker 2: push for the NWSL playoff spot. So I don't see
Speaker 2: the coach kind of playing around with rosters and giving
Speaker 2: people minutes, you know, just Willie Nali. So no, she's
Speaker 2: still waiting for a spot as they are trying to
Speaker 2: make their day. Oh their you know, the playoff spot.
Speaker 1: Okay. And in New Zealand under seventeen women at the
Speaker 1: World Cup in the Dominican Republic. They had their first
Speaker 1: game this morning, a four one defeat by Nigeria, they
Speaker 1: played the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Are we expecting what
Speaker 1: are we expecting from this team? Yeah?
Speaker 2: I think it's hard. We saw the under twenties really
Speaker 2: struggle at the World Cup. Obviously, we know the struggle
Speaker 2: that the football Ferns have hard for them as well.
Speaker 2: There's a good bunch of young players and you know,
Speaker 2: quite a few playing for the Phoenix or scholarship players
Speaker 2: at least, so that's really promising. They lost for one
Speaker 2: to Nigeria this morning. Not ideal, but yeah, it's a
Speaker 2: tough ask. It's hard to know in these age groups.
Speaker 2: But hopefully we see some stars come out of it
Speaker 2: and you know, push on to the senior women's team.
Speaker 1: Let's hope. So all right, and we've run out of
Speaker 1: time for national league. But it's round four this weekend
Speaker 1: of both the women's and men's national leagues, so plenty
Speaker 1: of football to keep your eyes on domestically, but all
Speaker 1: eyes I think on Saturday eight on go Media Mount
Speaker 1: Smart Stadium for Auckland f C's opening game, and then
Speaker 1: Sky Stadium Sunday for the opener for Wellington Phoenix in
Speaker 1: this A League men's season. Enjoy the next couple of days, Bonnie,
Speaker 1: We'll see you at Mount Smart On Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 2: Go to one party, looking forward to it.
Speaker 1: The f F with Piny and Bonny