Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks v's Voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonnie Jensen. Hello there and welcome into a
Speaker 1: fresh episode of Football Fever with FIFA Plus Stream New
Speaker 1: Zealand Football live and free on FIFA plus dot com.
Speaker 1: I'm Jason Pine. Bonnie Jensen's here too. We've held off
Speaker 1: until after the latest All Whites matches so that we
Speaker 1: can include those in our in our analysis.
Speaker 2: How are you, Bonnie Joda Parney? Not two bad things.
Speaker 2: I've been missing the A League men's action. I'm not
Speaker 2: gonna lie.
Speaker 1: I feel exactly the same way. Last weekend was kind
Speaker 1: of like, oh, we're we're at Awkar DEFC, We're at
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix. Where are they gonna have another game? Well,
Speaker 1: thankfully we don't have to wait too long because they're
Speaker 1: both in action and new night rounds, which we will
Speaker 1: get to. But can we start with the All Whites
Speaker 1: eight one win over Vanuatu an eight nil win over Samoa?
Speaker 1: I mean, comprehensive, utterly comprehensive on the scoreboard, overall thoughts
Speaker 1: on this international window for Darren Baseley side.
Speaker 2: What a differentnce it makes playing here and altt oh,
Speaker 2: you know, just the surfaces of the pitch just being
Speaker 2: so much nicer for this, you know ofc football. You know,
Speaker 2: no disrespect to playing over in the Islands. I think
Speaker 2: it's great to get the All Whites over there and
Speaker 2: players like Chris Wood. But in terms of for the
Speaker 2: All Whites and their preparation looking Ford to twenty twenty six,
Speaker 2: I think it was, yeah, pretty important because you know,
Speaker 2: they wouldn't have got wins like they did eight goals
Speaker 2: in both games had they played over there.
Speaker 1: I don't think, no, totally true. I was actually talking
Speaker 1: to a former All Whites international during the week about
Speaker 1: that very thing, and he made exactly that point that
Speaker 1: you know, playing here at home on on good playing
Speaker 1: surfaces in both Hamilton and in Auckland made all the
Speaker 1: difference that you know, it is a leveler over there,
Speaker 1: not just the surfaces but the heat and all that
Speaker 1: sort of thing. But yeah, look, I think I said
Speaker 1: before this window that you know, if you're the All
Speaker 1: Whites playing at home Oceania, you're the big fish. Get
Speaker 1: out there and beat your chest and win and win well.
Speaker 1: And look, sixteen goals across the two games, just the
Speaker 1: one conceded, which you know, much as I think the
Speaker 1: value WA two player who scored it would like to
Speaker 1: say that he was shooting. I'm reasonably positive he was
Speaker 1: crossing and it found its way into Max Crokhum's top corner.
Speaker 1: But really there's you know, there was a lot of goals,
Speaker 1: a lot of guys got games combinations forged. I think
Speaker 1: it's a massive tick, isn't it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, and not a lot to complain about really.
Speaker 2: I just there's so much depth in that side and
Speaker 2: that's probably the only thing to complain about. But maybe
Speaker 2: more for Darren Baizley is how he's gonna, you know,
Speaker 2: come close to picking a team when it gets to
Speaker 2: more important games, because yeah, a lot of those players
Speaker 2: are putting their hands up and it's great for the
Speaker 2: fans to watch. I think, you know, we're building more
Speaker 2: of a connection with Obviously there's players like Creswood that
Speaker 2: are just making waves at his own club. But you know,
Speaker 2: there's so many players sticking out now with the AFC team.
Speaker 2: You know, Francis Franny who's scored and he's been you know,
Speaker 2: a hero for this new AFC side, as well Liam
Speaker 2: Gillian getting minutes, Max Garbage and you know, just so
Speaker 2: many players standing out and I think it's really.
Speaker 1: Really positive just on Chris Wood, as I understand it.
Speaker 1: You might have been there, I'm not sure, but after
Speaker 1: the final whistle he was still out an hour later,
Speaker 1: signing autographs, you know, selfies. Here's one of the you know,
Speaker 1: our biggest player, our most important player, our biggest star,
Speaker 1: a Premier league star, making sure that everybody who wanted
Speaker 1: an autograph or a selfie got one. You know, I
Speaker 1: cannot overstate how impressive a guy Chris Wood is always
Speaker 1: available for the national team, leads the line, got five
Speaker 1: goals in these two games, so his on field influence
Speaker 1: is obviously huge. Forty one goals now for New Zealand.
Speaker 1: I think he's going to give the all time New
Speaker 1: Zealand goal scoring record held by Amber Hearn with fifty
Speaker 1: four a pretty decent crack over the next couple of years.
Speaker 1: But you know, a guy who is just such a
Speaker 1: leader in this team. But you mentioned the depth that
Speaker 1: has been built. Now when Darren basically comes to name
Speaker 1: a World Cup squad, and you know, without wanting to
Speaker 1: get too far ahead of ourselves, I think we can
Speaker 1: both probably agree that New Zealand will make the World
Speaker 1: Cup with Oceanny's direct entry. If it's twenty three or
Speaker 1: twenty six, that hasn't been confirmed yet. Some good players
Speaker 1: are not going to the World Cup.
Speaker 2: Oh, it's actually crazy, Like it's scary to think about
Speaker 2: when we're having to do football fever in two years
Speaker 2: time and we're having to try and you know, put
Speaker 2: our picks in. It's you know, we did it for
Speaker 2: the Football Ferns last year and it was kind of
Speaker 2: a bit more straightforward that was maybe more subjective in
Speaker 2: terms of who we think versus who got in. But
Speaker 2: this is going to be tough and it's a great
Speaker 2: problem to have, you know. I mean, we're complaining, but
Speaker 2: we're not so And just back on Chris Wood, I think,
Speaker 2: you know, we're so lucky to be living in an
Speaker 2: era where we get to watch and play and he's
Speaker 2: obviously shining at the moment. I mean, I didn't make
Speaker 2: it to this game in Auckland, but I went to
Speaker 2: the last one against Malaysia and the reason I was,
Speaker 2: I need to see Chris Wood live because I haven't before.
Speaker 2: And yeah, I've been telling all my friends the same thing.
Speaker 2: You know, he's a Premier League goal scorer and you
Speaker 2: don't want to miss him.
Speaker 1: The other thing that I thought was great was that
Speaker 1: he played against some more because he could easily not have. Right,
Speaker 1: they made a lot of changes, I think I think
Speaker 1: Bays made seven changes for that game. But obviously in
Speaker 1: discussion with Chris Wood, he said, Hey, wouldn't it be
Speaker 1: great if exactly as you said, some people can watch
Speaker 1: you play live. And you know, he played both games,
Speaker 1: you know, came off from the second half of both,
Speaker 1: by which stage he had got you know, two goals
Speaker 1: in the first game and three in the second. But
Speaker 1: he was out there. They could easily he could easily
Speaker 1: have gone home after the first game to get you know,
Speaker 1: a couple of extra days back in Nottingham. But no, no,
Speaker 1: he stayed and played. And yeah, just such an impressive guy.
Speaker 1: I reckon you can probably write down fifteen players who
Speaker 1: you know, injury permitting going to go to that World
Speaker 1: Cup and a squad. So I reckon there are and
Speaker 1: in the remaining positions, I reckon there are twenty five
Speaker 1: thirty guys with real designs on being part of that squad.
Speaker 1: Even you mentioned Francis Devrez there, you know. I was
Speaker 1: at Phoenix Media this morning. Sam Sutton missed this latest
Speaker 1: squad wasn't included in it, having been included in squads
Speaker 1: earlier this year, even you know, the games against Mexico
Speaker 1: in the US, he was involved in that squad. You know,
Speaker 1: he's absolutely desperate to get back in there and has
Speaker 1: a whole A League season now and I'm not saying
Speaker 1: he's head to head with Francis Devrees, but the two
Speaker 1: of them have we can weak out now the chance
Speaker 1: to impress Darren Basi with the performances in the A League.
Speaker 2: Oh, it's so exciting and it's going to be so
Speaker 2: dependent on how they perform over the next couple of
Speaker 2: years as well. You know, coaches, whether it's it's Darren
Speaker 2: Baizley or the team behind him, watching week and week
Speaker 2: out their club performances like that's going to be so
Speaker 2: important for those players. Another one to mention is obviously
Speaker 2: Cam Hollison as well. You know, another couple of great
Speaker 2: performances for AFC and he could be back and someone
Speaker 2: like Alex Rufer could be out.
Speaker 3: You know, anything could happen.
Speaker 2: So for these individuals, Yeah, the next eighteen months they're
Speaker 2: going to have to you know, and they'll be they'll
Speaker 2: be grinding. They're going to have to grind and that
Speaker 2: they'll know that. So yeah, head down, I reckon.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I have so much to play for, so much
Speaker 1: to play for, And I'll tell you what, no one's
Speaker 1: going to miss a miss a window, now, you know.
Speaker 1: I mean once they get past March where they have
Speaker 1: the semi final and the final to qualify for the
Speaker 1: World Cup. Between then and when the World Cup rolls
Speaker 1: around in June of twenty twenty six, was that fifteen
Speaker 1: months or so, you'd have to imagine the White will
Speaker 1: get together half a dozen times for windows. Nobody's going
Speaker 1: to say no. Everybody's going to want to come because
Speaker 1: there's no way you want to miss a window. And
Speaker 1: if somebody else dump into your place and play, well,
Speaker 1: so yeah, it's going to be an exciting time ahead.
Speaker 2: Well that's why you know, obviously Chris Wood putting his
Speaker 2: hand up and coming down to to play in this
Speaker 2: recent window.
Speaker 3: That's awesome.
Speaker 2: But also hats off to Nottingham as well, because I
Speaker 2: feel like Forrest could have gone. You know, I know,
Speaker 2: we're not releasing you for this window like some of
Speaker 2: these clubs did for what is Marco at the Olympics.
Speaker 2: You know, so players like that. I think, yeah, it's
Speaker 2: great he could have he came back for it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, that's absolutely right. Yet, because Nottingham Forrests are
Speaker 1: flying in the Premier League. The next time Chris Wood plays,
Speaker 1: he's going to be playing against Arsenal. Oh that's just magnificent,
Speaker 1: you know, from Samoa to Arsenal, you know, with no
Speaker 1: disrespect to some more. This is the rare if idea
Speaker 1: that Chris Wood operates. And now, so New Zealand play
Speaker 1: Fiji in the semi finals of World Cup qualifying that
Speaker 1: is on Friday, the twenty first of March in Wellington.
Speaker 1: If they win that, they will play the final at
Speaker 1: Eden Park three days later against the winner of New
Speaker 1: Caledonia and Tahiti that's the other semi and Wellington on
Speaker 1: the Friday. The winner goes to the World Cup, the
Speaker 1: loser goes to an intercontinental playoff. So yeah, all signs pointing.
Speaker 1: And with those games back here in New Zealand as well,
Speaker 1: with the good pitchers and all of that, like New
Speaker 1: Zealand will be headed to the World Cup in twenty
Speaker 1: twenty six. But yeah, lots of exciting football ahead for
Speaker 1: our national side. Football for the football fever. Let's go
Speaker 1: to the A League and the men's and the women's
Speaker 1: both have you night round this weekend. Every team is
Speaker 1: in Sydney across the weekend. The good weekend to be
Speaker 1: in Sydney to watch all of these games. Can we
Speaker 1: start with the men? I feel like I haven't seen
Speaker 1: Auckland FC for about two months. The last time they
Speaker 1: played was in the derby. They must have just wanted
Speaker 1: to get back out there straight away.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I remember Steve Craker saying to me at the time,
Speaker 2: you know, we want to keep going and particularly if
Speaker 2: we win this derby game, which they went on to do.
Speaker 2: They wanted to keep going and riding off that momentum.
Speaker 2: They had three from three wins. So yeah, hopefully the
Speaker 2: break has been you know, only good for them.
Speaker 3: You know, it might not be the case though, no.
Speaker 1: That because they not only did they have the international window,
Speaker 1: they had the buy as well. So by the time
Speaker 1: they played MacArthur Ron Sunday, it would have been over
Speaker 1: three weeks without a game, you know. But that's that's
Speaker 1: the draw. That is the draw, and I guess you
Speaker 1: get the chance to freshen up if that's what you're after.
Speaker 1: First time they'll play outside of New Zealand. They had
Speaker 1: the first two games of course at Mount Smart and
Speaker 1: then the Derby and Wellington, So the first time they'll
Speaker 1: travel across the Tasman to play MacArthur side, who are
Speaker 1: doing all right? Actually there's sixth Are you thinking though
Speaker 1: that that Auckland FC go four from four?
Speaker 2: I mean, I want to say that's the case, but
Speaker 2: I honestly don't think it's gonna, you know, maybe go
Speaker 2: as well as it has for them. It's hard to
Speaker 2: put a score prediction. Maybe something like a draw would
Speaker 2: be a safe bet. But I'm not confident that this
Speaker 2: break has been you know, good for them. They've been
Speaker 2: riding off this momentum as I just mentioned, and particularly
Speaker 2: with having two home games or three home games almost
Speaker 2: down in Wellington. If you include that, you know they've
Speaker 2: they've had a huge following in fan base. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I'm not sure going across the ditch playing their first
Speaker 2: away game after having a two week break is you know,
Speaker 2: I don't think that's playing in their favor of playing
Speaker 2: to their advantage.
Speaker 1: Well, if they are our momentum team and we're going
Speaker 1: to find that out, I guess one way or the other.
Speaker 1: At least now they know they've got a really big
Speaker 1: run of games, because between this game on Sunday against
Speaker 1: MacArthur and the back end of January, they've got eleven
Speaker 1: games in that two and a half months. I'm playing
Speaker 1: every week over the Christmas break, you know, you get
Speaker 1: games every couple of days during the Christmas New Year period.
Speaker 1: They've got Melbourne victory at home on New Year's Day.
Speaker 1: What a fixture that's going to be. The second Derby.
Speaker 1: Let's not forget that. I get. I mean as I'm
Speaker 1: hearing that game is just about already sold out the
Speaker 1: Mount Smart Derby on the seventh of December.
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm so excited for that. It's all we're talking
Speaker 2: about in the office party. I'm not sure if it's
Speaker 2: the same for you down in Wellington, but yeah, we're
Speaker 2: all excited and people are asking me, you know, where
Speaker 2: are you sitting, and well, I got to get my tickets.
Speaker 2: It's almost selling out, so yeah, everyone's definitely already talking
Speaker 2: about it. You know, we heard of all the shenanigans
Speaker 2: on before or after the game last time in terms
Speaker 2: of signage and fans and things like that, so it's
Speaker 2: just going to be more exciting.
Speaker 3: I hope, you know.
Speaker 2: I mean, we'll talk about it more on the podcast,
Speaker 2: not next week, week after, but yeah, that's certainly the
Speaker 2: one that Auckland f C.
Speaker 3: Will be targeting.
Speaker 1: All right, Let's go to the Phoenix, who off the
Speaker 1: back of what was a very disappointing result anyway in
Speaker 1: the derby, and as I understand it, those the players
Speaker 1: and coaches, they were just gutted by it, you know,
Speaker 1: more so than other losses that they might have suffered
Speaker 1: over time. Just you know, the emotion of the derby
Speaker 1: is real, it is real. But you have to give
Speaker 1: it to the Phoenix. They picked themselves up, dusted themselves off,
Speaker 1: went across to Gosford to take on the defending champion
Speaker 1: Central Coast Mariners and had a really good three mil
Speaker 1: win over there. Hideki Ashiga putting one of the top
Speaker 1: corner one of the best free kick goals in Phoenix history.
Speaker 1: Cost Of Barbarusa scored a goal, Sam Sutton got a goal.
Speaker 1: I thought, as far as bounce backability was concerned, this
Speaker 1: was exactly what the Phoenix needed to do.
Speaker 2: Huge and I completely agree. I raally like the way
Speaker 2: the Phoenix are playing this season. They haven't had the
Speaker 2: results come in like Auckland have. And yes they may
Speaker 2: have been gutted after that that derby, but I don't
Speaker 2: think Auckland would necessarily deserved winners. Maybe if you say,
Speaker 2: you know, they took their opportunities, they took their chances.
Speaker 2: But Wellington were good in that in that clash. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I'm glad they were able to pick their heads up
Speaker 2: and go and get a greener one like that did.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and for Josh Ollaway and important because as we
Speaker 1: know that the spotlight fell on him, the harsh glare
Speaker 1: of the spotlight fell on him, and the Derby with
Speaker 1: his mistake that led to Jake from his first goal,
Speaker 1: went over to Gosford, continued to play the same way,
Speaker 1: continued to play out and kept a clean sheet. You know.
Speaker 1: So it's just football, a It's such a funny old game.
Speaker 1: And in many ways I think the fact that the
Speaker 1: Phoenix had a game straight away probably helped them that
Speaker 1: they could, you know, they could put behind them the derby.
Speaker 1: Their most recent game is a win. Then of course
Speaker 1: they had the international break. Now on Sunday they play
Speaker 1: Melbourne Victory, a team that they know all about obviously,
Speaker 1: from the drama of the semi final last year Melbourne
Speaker 1: victory of flying top of the table under their new
Speaker 1: boss Patrick Usnorbo. You said Auckland might be happy with
Speaker 1: a drawer on Sunday. I wonder whether the Phoenix will
Speaker 1: be the same.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think if the Phoenix can get a result,
Speaker 2: whether that be a drawer or a win, ideally they're
Speaker 2: you know, they're making a statement for what they're about
Speaker 2: this season. And as again I mentioned, they haven't had
Speaker 2: a full run of wins like Auckland have, but they've
Speaker 2: had tougher fixtures. You know, this will be their third
Speaker 2: time going over to Australia. If I'm right, and if
Speaker 2: they can get a result that, yeah, they're definitely making
Speaker 2: a statement. They're here to compete this season and Auckland
Speaker 2: have had it easier, so yeah, I'm hoping they can
Speaker 2: get up for this one. And they were able to
Speaker 2: two against Central Coast, so why not against against Victory.
Speaker 1: The irony of the travelers that the Phoenix have played
Speaker 1: twice on the road and won them both two games
Speaker 1: at home are drawing a loss, So there are way
Speaker 1: forms actually been. It's a small sample size, I know,
Speaker 1: but there are wayforms actually been good this season, so
Speaker 1: they won't worry about going to your night round. I
Speaker 1: love your night round by the way, especially on Sunday
Speaker 1: where we get the chance to watch the Phoenix at
Speaker 1: three point thirty against Melbourne victory and then almost immediately
Speaker 1: Auckland FC against MacArthur. So back to back couch time
Speaker 1: Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 3: Bonnie, unreal.
Speaker 2: I might have to go and park up at the
Speaker 2: new sports bar in Auckland full time bar the Warriors
Speaker 2: one and just you know, get myself in a pause
Speaker 2: right in front of the big screen and watch it.
Speaker 1: I'm surprised that you haven't got like your own allocated
Speaker 1: seat there.
Speaker 2: Surely you are ill sort of an arrangement, Pinney. Don't
Speaker 2: you worry about that?
Speaker 1: Right? So that's the men playing the night round. Both
Speaker 1: games are on Sunday afternoon. The f with Bony and Bonnie.
Speaker 1: Can we stay in the A League and go to
Speaker 1: the Wellington Phoenix women three defeats in their first three games.
Speaker 1: The latest was a one nill defeat away at Newcastle.
Speaker 1: So they've had the lost to Western United four to two,
Speaker 1: a one nil loss to Canberra at home and then
Speaker 1: a one nil loss away to the Newcastle Jets. On
Speaker 1: top of that, Rebecca Lake is out for the season.
Speaker 1: She suffered an injury in the game against Canberra. She
Speaker 1: played on until halftime but then came off and it
Speaker 1: turned out to be quite bad ligament damage for Rebecca Lake,
Speaker 1: so a real shame for her. She missed the back
Speaker 1: end of last season with a high ankle sprain as well,
Speaker 1: so really not having a lot of joy. We already
Speaker 1: know Maurica van Damer is out for the season as well,
Speaker 1: and Imman Schabelle, the Algerian international, has come and gone
Speaker 1: without playing a game. That news came out this morning
Speaker 1: that her contract has been terminated by mutual consent. US
Speaker 1: defender Olivia Kelly has signed though, so she will be
Speaker 1: available presumably for this weekend, maybe the following week in
Speaker 1: the home game against Brisbane. But quite a bit of
Speaker 1: squad turmoil and only Longo as well with a severely
Speaker 1: bruised face. And you sent me a photo with us
Speaker 1: You should have sent me a warning and send me
Speaker 1: a photo trigger warning. This is going to really trigger you.
Speaker 1: So a lot of a lot of a lot of
Speaker 1: sort of squad turmoil at Wellington Phoenix Women's HQ.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's not ideal.
Speaker 2: I mean when you started that, you said the three
Speaker 2: defeats in three games. I mean, just on that, you know,
Speaker 2: that's that's not ideal. It's not a good start for them.
Speaker 2: But to have all these injuries really gut it because
Speaker 2: I think their squad was actually looking pretty good this year,
Speaker 2: in quite competitive considering all the names they lost after
Speaker 2: last season.
Speaker 3: So yeah, really gutted.
Speaker 2: As I say for them, I'm just hoping that they
Speaker 2: can somehow bounce back, because yes, they lost to Newcastle
Speaker 2: one now at the weekend, but I thought they're actually,
Speaker 2: you know, fairly competitive. Newcastle were definitely the better side,
Speaker 2: and thought they just to win. But I'm not minding,
Speaker 2: you know, the way they're trying to play, it's just
Speaker 2: not quite clicking yet.
Speaker 1: They're not shipping goals. I mean four in the first game,
Speaker 1: but that was that twenty minute period just before halftime.
Speaker 1: Just inexplicable defending. Take that away. They've conceded only the
Speaker 1: two goals in the last two games, and talk a
Speaker 1: bit more about that in a moment. But the problem
Speaker 1: reads the other end where they've got They've got the
Speaker 1: two goals against Western United. One was an own goal
Speaker 1: and one was a penalty. Nothing against Canberra, nothing against Newcastle.
Speaker 1: And then you look across and you see Mudy Unaspect
Speaker 1: by you know, scoring goals for fun for Melbourne City
Speaker 1: and you think, oh for old for Muddy Unaspect might
Speaker 1: have still be there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, And they just need to unlock someone like
Speaker 2: Grace Jarlaye, who's obviously a football fern we can't forget.
Speaker 2: Yeah she's played in the you know, just for other
Speaker 2: A League teams, but yeah, she's got experience. So they
Speaker 2: need to find a way to unlock someone like her.
Speaker 2: Emma Maine as well. I think it's coming for her.
Speaker 2: You can can feel it's she's going to be unleashed.
Speaker 2: And she actually scored in that game against Newcastle but
Speaker 2: it was called off side. So yeah, I think it's
Speaker 2: it's going to happen for the next chicks as I
Speaker 2: call them, but it's just not quite clicking yet. But
Speaker 2: I think Paul Temple will find a way to get
Speaker 2: them back on track.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree, I'd like to see, but more obviously
Speaker 1: of Olivia Ferguson as well, the English striker. We've seen
Speaker 1: her off the bench in the last two matches, so
Speaker 1: I think they're hoping that she will be the one
Speaker 1: and and alysta on them. I've got to say against Canberra,
Speaker 1: created a lot in that home game, hit the post,
Speaker 1: you know. And if she can add goal scoring as
Speaker 1: a string to her bow, then I think it will
Speaker 1: just make her such a way more potent proposition. I
Speaker 1: think she's playing well Alyssa Winham, you know, and I
Speaker 1: think she'll probably you know, play in that creative number
Speaker 1: ten role for the Phoenix for most of the season.
Speaker 1: I would just love to see her add you know,
Speaker 1: half a dozen goals that would really you know, elevate her.
Speaker 1: The goal that the Phoenix conceded against Newcastle, you know,
Speaker 1: wide out on the left, sort of speculator into the area.
Speaker 1: I know it's been dressed up on social media as
Speaker 1: a worldie of a goal. I think that's a goalkeeping error.
Speaker 2: I actually didn't like. I didn't mind vilal and goal
Speaker 2: for the Phoenix. I thought she she saved a lot
Speaker 2: of shots coming in from Newcastle, as I say, they
Speaker 2: were the better team. But yeah, I more think why
Speaker 2: was she given the time to take that strike from
Speaker 2: way out there? So yeah, she was the Newcastle captain.
Speaker 2: I think it was just had a lot of time
Speaker 2: to shoot or put across in that she did, So yeah,
Speaker 2: I agree it probably wasn't a worldie, but I do
Speaker 2: want to give a shout out to this Newcastle team
Speaker 2: and one player in particular, Gallagher. She has played in
Speaker 2: the NRLW, which is rugby league, and it's now playing
Speaker 2: a league football. I just feel like that's a crossover
Speaker 2: you don't often see. Maybe rugby union to rugby league,
Speaker 2: but not rugby league to football.
Speaker 1: No, I can't. I can't remember an instance of that.
Speaker 3: You're right crazy, it's a beast.
Speaker 1: Yeah, people codop all the time, but not from rugby
Speaker 1: league to football. I was totally unaware of that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, she was very impressive. I've obviously been talking to
Speaker 2: Devin Jackson, who plays for Newcastle. She obviously played against
Speaker 2: the Phoenix, but yeah, I was talking about this player
Speaker 2: and she's just unbelievable. I think I believe she was
Speaker 2: a young Matilda's captain, so she's played football growing up,
Speaker 2: played for the junior Matilda's and then switched to league
Speaker 2: and now she's back.
Speaker 3: I was just like, wow, yeah, in credible.
Speaker 1: Well it's not terminal for Wellington Phoenix and it's a
Speaker 1: long season. Let's hope that they can get back on
Speaker 1: track when they play their next game, which is against
Speaker 1: Adelaide United in New Night Round Friday night. So it's
Speaker 1: I think the first game of the round seven thirty
Speaker 1: New Zealand time. Adelaide have a couple of wins in
Speaker 1: a loss from their first three matches. Be a good
Speaker 1: time for Wellington Phoenix as women's side to get their
Speaker 1: first one on the board. This is football, Let's move
Speaker 1: on to other matters. Your article in the New Zealand
Speaker 1: Herald in the last couple of days with you chatted
Speaker 1: to Tom Somani, former Football Ferns coach, and he's come
Speaker 1: up with this idea of Bev Priestman as a candidate
Speaker 1: for the vacant Football Ferns role. Now now Beev Priestman
Speaker 1: has been basically sacked by Canada for drone gate during
Speaker 1: the Olympics. When I first saw this headline, and when
Speaker 1: you first alerted me to the fact that Tom Somanni
Speaker 1: had made this claim, I thought this was the most
Speaker 1: hair brained idea I'd ever heard. I thought it was
Speaker 1: the most ridiculous proposition that I'd heard for quite some time.
Speaker 1: And I've heard some ridiculous propositions in my time. Why
Speaker 1: on earth would New Zealand football want beev priestman.
Speaker 3: Plot to us? Am I right?
Speaker 2: I actually don't mind it, Piney. I'm opposite to you,
Speaker 2: and I think it's a great shout. Yes, obviously she
Speaker 2: authorizedly authorize the drones to fly over New Zealand spying
Speaker 2: on them at the Olympics. But she's a good coach
Speaker 2: and I don't think she is the only one or
Speaker 2: the only you know, manager that has been spying on
Speaker 2: other teams in their time.
Speaker 3: And she's she's.
Speaker 2: Not a you know she's she won the Olympics, Olympic
Speaker 2: gold medalists with Canada and Tokyo. She's obviously a good coach.
Speaker 2: She's been involved with the New Zealand set up. That
Speaker 2: was Tom Somani's main point is that she's used to
Speaker 2: I think she was the former director of football or
Speaker 2: the technical director. She has been involved in the junior
Speaker 2: set up here, so she knows New Zealand and. As
Speaker 2: Tom Somani pointed out in the article that that's the
Speaker 2: number one thing the football firms need is someone that
Speaker 2: understands the Kiwi culture and Beev obviously knows that.
Speaker 3: And as I mentioned, she's a good coach. I quite
Speaker 3: like it, all.
Speaker 1: Right, So that's the case for the defense and presented
Speaker 1: that case. Well, and you're right, there's no argument she's
Speaker 1: a good coach. She's got a track record of success
Speaker 1: as a coach. But at what point do you say, right,
Speaker 1: she cheated, it's not alleged, it's been proven what she did.
Speaker 1: She cheated, And if she is hiring to the New
Speaker 1: Zealand job, that narrative, well, I believe anyway, overshadow the
Speaker 1: Ferns for probably the first year or so, because every
Speaker 1: time it's like, you know, every time Bev Priestman's name
Speaker 1: is mentioned, people will immediately think of drones. They just will.
Speaker 2: I mean, yes they will, And I think that's absolutely right.
Speaker 2: But what if Bev Priestman comes in. Yes, maybe for
Speaker 2: the first month or two, that's the media headlines swirling,
Speaker 2: she takes, you know, some hard hitting questions from journalists
Speaker 2: and things like that. But then what if the team
Speaker 2: starts winning, everyone's going to forget about that and ignore it.
Speaker 2: And she seems like a person that could get this
Speaker 2: team back on track. No, they're not going to go
Speaker 2: in win the next World Cup.
Speaker 3: Let's be real.
Speaker 2: But you know, maybe she can get this team in line.
Speaker 2: Obviously the football firms have had their own shit going on,
Speaker 2: if I can say that word, and someone needs to
Speaker 2: come in and regroup them completely, players and staff alike.
Speaker 2: And you know, she seems like a person that could
Speaker 2: do that. But I completely agree party that the drone
Speaker 2: stuff is certainly awkward. And if we're being realistic here,
Speaker 2: I do not think New Zealand Football will hire her.
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, pre Olympics, if you'd said, Okay is going
Speaker 1: to go BEF priscetsman is going to be the next
Speaker 1: coach of New Zealand. Pre Olympics, I would have said,
Speaker 1: my god, what an appointment?
Speaker 3: What a score?
Speaker 1: What a score? Absolutely, because she is as before and
Speaker 1: you've said, highly credentialed. And look she hasn't you know,
Speaker 1: she hasn't been sacked for improper conduct. She hasn't been
Speaker 1: sacked for anything internal as far as her treatment of
Speaker 1: players is concerned. As far as I can say, it's
Speaker 1: just that you know, she stuck drones up to spy
Speaker 1: on opposition teams. It's a sackable offense. But is it?
Speaker 1: You know, I guess it's a matter of where do
Speaker 1: you draw the line as far as the as far
Speaker 1: as the things you're willing to accept from a person's
Speaker 1: past when you try to make them part of your future. That, yeah,
Speaker 1: really is the question New Zealand Football have to ask.
Speaker 1: And look, I'm a bit like you. I wonder whether
Speaker 1: they just won't. It would just be a bridge too
Speaker 1: far for them. I'll tell you I'd be talking to
Speaker 1: I'd be talking to Tom Somani.
Speaker 3: Yeah, odd to get him in? Yeah coach?
Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, Well I asked him that Piney and he
Speaker 2: said basically thanks, but no thanks. No, he didn't say
Speaker 2: it like that, but he said he's just too old
Speaker 2: basically No. He said he's at the end of his
Speaker 2: career and they need someone more, more dynamic, I think
Speaker 2: was his words, quote unquote.
Speaker 3: And yeah, I maybe I tend to agree with him.
Speaker 2: But the players that I have spoken to ten have
Speaker 2: said they absolutely love Tom Somani, So he would be
Speaker 2: great to bring in.
Speaker 1: Isn't either interim coach to the Matilda at the moment.
Speaker 2: He is? And what was so fun about talking to
Speaker 2: him is I was like asking about Sam Kerr and
Speaker 2: how her injury is going like you know that I've
Speaker 2: just basically, you know, second friends with Sam Kerr and
Speaker 2: I was like, oh, yeah, how's she going. He was, oh, yeah,
Speaker 2: she's not too bad. She's returning probably in January. So
Speaker 2: I was like, oh, great, good.
Speaker 1: To hear see Samku is going to be your mum
Speaker 1: as well. That's great news.
Speaker 3: We got great news.
Speaker 2: Really excited for her and Christi mwis obviously she's a
Speaker 2: midfielder Christie mus for the US women's national team. Really
Speaker 2: really exciting for them. So big, big news in the
Speaker 2: football world this week.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, well, we'll keep an eye on the whole. We
Speaker 1: still don't really have a time frame, do we around
Speaker 1: the new football Ferns coach. But yeah, I thought that
Speaker 1: was a really interesting article and yeah, be interesting to
Speaker 1: see whether it's something that potentially might come to pass.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't be betting anything at all on it, but
Speaker 1: it was a really really good conversation starter football football.
Speaker 1: It's got to keep these overseas. Tell us about this
Speaker 1: under twenty international who I'll freely admit I had never
Speaker 1: heard of, who made her debut for samp Doria the
Speaker 1: other day.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Kiara Bichelli, who debuted in the Italian Top Division
Speaker 2: for against Katie Bowen's team. I believe she played up
Speaker 2: here in Auckland, but yeah, really exciting to see top tier.
Speaker 2: I had no idea she was going over there, and
Speaker 2: it just seems like more and more young young kiwi's
Speaker 2: you know, skipping this that, you know, the A League
Speaker 2: Wellington Phoenix opportunity and by passing that and going straight
Speaker 2: to Europe, which is kind of promising, I know, yet
Speaker 2: care in New Zealand football put a big pressure on
Speaker 2: the football ferns to try and go even further than
Speaker 2: the A League or at least play in the A
Speaker 2: League and professional football before they would get any consideration
Speaker 2: for the senior national team.
Speaker 1: C Pinenberg got her first minutes the other day in
Speaker 1: the in the Dutch top flight for her fine old site.
Speaker 1: So good to see her getting some minutes over there.
Speaker 1: And we've talked about a couple of others as well.
Speaker 1: Now Claudia Bunge, she's come the other ways. Is you
Speaker 1: back at Melbourn Victory.
Speaker 2: Yes, she's returned to Melbourne Victory, which, yeah, I believe
Speaker 2: she wants to get back over to Europe obviously more
Speaker 2: competitive football depending on how you look at it. But
Speaker 2: she's she's had a cell start I think for the
Speaker 2: Victory and their second on the table behind Melbourne City
Speaker 2: where Rebecca Stop plays and assistant coach Gareth Turnbull is
Speaker 2: there as well. Kiwi I think could also be another
Speaker 2: consideration for the football fans role. Going back to that,
Speaker 2: maybe we see him return.
Speaker 1: Just as he said his name then I thought would
Speaker 1: he be an option? Would he be interested in that role?
Speaker 3: Well? I think maybe.
Speaker 2: I mean he is a Kiwi and you know it
Speaker 2: is certainly you know he's done well with the Melbourne
Speaker 2: Victory women's team. They wanted a couple of years ago
Speaker 2: the A League woman So yeah, I think so certainly
Speaker 2: someone to consider. He used to coach me at junior level,
Speaker 2: but yeah, I rate him as a coach certainly. Maybe
Speaker 2: also as well he coached for Auckland f C. Maybe
Speaker 2: something he could consider or Auckland f C might look
Speaker 2: at when they launched their women's team next year. He
Speaker 2: obviously is the assistant at Victory now maybe he wants
Speaker 2: to step up. Yeah, A few names to certainly consider.
Speaker 1: Good stuff and just one for the men. Matt Garbett
Speaker 1: named in the EAFC Team of the week. Obviously two
Speaker 1: big performances for the All Whites. In fact, I probably
Speaker 1: should have mentioned Matt Garbett when we were talking about
Speaker 1: the All Whites. I think across the two games he
Speaker 1: was probably the standout player. Even though Chris Wood got
Speaker 1: five goals, I think Matt Garbett probably set up about
Speaker 1: four of them and across the two games was very
Speaker 1: very good. So yeah, good to see him in the
Speaker 1: EAFC Team of the Week for nack Bread and for
Speaker 1: the New Zealand. Of course, can we finish with the
Speaker 1: National League. There's one round to go before the finals
Speaker 1: on Sunday, the first December. The Women's Grand Final is
Speaker 1: already locked in even before the final round of matches
Speaker 1: because Auckland United have twenty two points from their eight games,
Speaker 1: Waterside Krori eighteen points from their eight games. Both of
Speaker 1: those teams were unbeaten. They drew one all with one another.
Speaker 1: I think we all expected Auckland United to be there.
Speaker 1: Did I know you sort of? You were singing the
Speaker 1: praises of Waterside Carori preseason. You must have known something.
Speaker 1: The rest of us didn't really know. They're going to
Speaker 1: play the Grand Final.
Speaker 2: Well, I do remember we spoke about it in the
Speaker 2: first week of the National League and we spoke about
Speaker 2: that one all result, Piney, and you said, is this
Speaker 2: a surprise, Bonnie, and I kind of agreed with you.
Speaker 2: I was like, this is a bit shocking that these
Speaker 2: two sides drew one.
Speaker 3: All.
Speaker 2: I definitely didn't expect them. I expected Karrori to be competitive,
Speaker 2: but I would have picked Wellington United to be the
Speaker 2: more competitive team from Capitol. And yeah, they've certainly surprised me,
Speaker 2: I must admit, but I hope they get up for
Speaker 2: a day. I love to see a team outside of
Speaker 2: Auckland win it this year particularly, I just, you know,
Speaker 2: don't mind Auckland United, but I feel like they've won
Speaker 2: a lot of trophies recently. Let's give it to someone else.
Speaker 2: Same with the men as well. You know, we always
Speaker 2: see Auckland City win or a guest Wellington Olympics. So
Speaker 2: let's see someone else won it. And I hope that.
Speaker 2: I hope that's Waterside Crory.
Speaker 1: All right, well all get to the menu of you're right,
Speaker 1: But I mean Waterside Corory will go there with no
Speaker 1: fear the games at North Harbor Stadium, so I guess
Speaker 1: they're away, really to all intents and purposes, but that
Speaker 1: might galvanize them as they make the trip up. They've
Speaker 1: drawn one all with Auckland United, so there's no fear there. Yeah,
Speaker 1: it should be a cracking, a cracking women's final. That's
Speaker 1: one o'clock on Sunday, the first of December, as Auckland
Speaker 1: United looks to defend their title against Waterside Men's Grand
Speaker 1: Final at four o'clock is not decided. Four teams can
Speaker 1: still make the final depending on the results of the
Speaker 1: final round of matches. Birkenhead United have seventeen points, Auckland
Speaker 1: City have sixteen, Western Springs have fifteen, Napier City Rovers
Speaker 1: have fourteenth. So those four teams are all still in
Speaker 1: contention and none of them play one another in the
Speaker 1: final round. So I guess that that kind of hands
Speaker 1: things to Birkenhead United in Auckland City. They know if
Speaker 1: they both win, they're both in. I'm you know, I'd
Speaker 1: love to see Napier there because what Western Springs and
Speaker 1: Auckland Side as well, aren't they But I get the
Speaker 1: feeling it might be the top two. It might be
Speaker 1: Burkeo in Auckland City.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I would agree. Piney I'd love to see Napier
Speaker 2: City there, but I'm glad it's not another Auckland City
Speaker 2: Wellington Olympic Final. If I'm being really honest, I think,
Speaker 2: you know, probably the community of New Zealand community of
Speaker 2: football are probably sick of seeing those two teams in
Speaker 2: a lot of these finals.
Speaker 3: I know, I am.
Speaker 2: You know, all due respect to them, obviously they deserve
Speaker 2: to be there. They're great teams, but yeah, great to
Speaker 2: see the likes of Birkenhead, Western Springs Napier compete for
Speaker 2: one of these final spots.
Speaker 3: It will be cool as well. I mean, I guess for.
Speaker 2: Auckland City they've lost their skipper, Cam Hollison and obviously
Speaker 2: Liam Gillian to Auckland FC, so if they can kind
Speaker 2: of do it without them, it'll be cool for their
Speaker 2: players and a great lead into the Club World Cup
Speaker 2: next year that they'll have. But certainly interesting last round
Speaker 2: of the National.
Speaker 1: League book donwell, are they kind of highly regarded Birkenhead.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they've done well.
Speaker 2: They were good in the Northern League. I remember they
Speaker 2: took Auckland City to extra time in the Chatham Cup
Speaker 2: semi final. I think it was four to two in
Speaker 2: the end maybe four to three, But yeah, they've been
Speaker 2: competitive and they're a fun team to watch. I went
Speaker 2: out and commentated the Eastern Suburbs Birkenhead game a fortnight
Speaker 2: ago and it ended two all, which was a bit
Speaker 2: of an upset by Eastern Suburbs. But Birkenhead, they're certainly passionate,
Speaker 2: and they've got Monty Patterson at the top, who's place
Speaker 2: has played for New Zealand I believe in the past,
Speaker 2: or at least at the age group level. So yeah,
Speaker 2: they've got a couple characters who are yeah, kind of
Speaker 2: leading this team and certainly really competitive and would be
Speaker 2: exciting in the final.
Speaker 1: Tom Watch now. He was certainly a full or White.
Speaker 1: In fact, he was in the team that went to
Speaker 1: Peru for that at the continental playoff against Peru. The
Speaker 1: reason I know this is because I was on the
Speaker 1: same plane and halfway through the flight Monty Patterson came through.
Speaker 1: Must have lost a bet because he get to sing
Speaker 1: to the entire plane and and he did a pretty
Speaker 1: good job. He sung Halo. Is that a Beyonce song? Halo?
Speaker 3: I believe it is.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know how that song got chosen, but
Speaker 1: he held a note pretty well. Monte Patterson obviously know
Speaker 1: it'shere the back of the netters scoring goals for Birkenhead.
Speaker 2: So yeah, well, I think what's going to be interesting
Speaker 2: is next year's National League and the Northern League when
Speaker 2: the Auckland f C Academy come in. I hope they
Speaker 2: don't because I know it kind of caused a few
Speaker 2: riffles down in Wellington with the Wellington Phoenix Reserves poaching
Speaker 2: a lot of the younger talent coming through or maybe
Speaker 2: not even which just players wanting to go and play
Speaker 2: for the Phoenix Academy. But I hope that's not the
Speaker 2: case when Auckland f C get their academy team in
Speaker 2: and you know we do see the likes of Birkenhead competing,
Speaker 2: but you know, maybe a player like Monty Patterson might
Speaker 2: you know, consider jumping ship to Auckland f C and
Speaker 2: trying to make his way up in that. But you're
Speaker 2: going to be interesting when they come in.
Speaker 1: Indeed. All right, so final round match just cash Mere
Speaker 1: Tech Birkenhead Olympic against ap City Rovers, Western Springs, Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs and Auckland City against Coastal spirit.
Speaker 1: Those are the games to come across the weekend. All right, Bonnie,
Speaker 1: I think that brings us to the end of what
Speaker 1: has become a bit of a marathon football fever episode.
Speaker 1: Can't wait for a league to return, Exciting times in
Speaker 1: the world of football plenty to focus on, So I
Speaker 1: guess we should reconvene next week.
Speaker 3: I'll see you then, Piney the FF with Peny and
Speaker 3: Body