Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks, enb's voice of Football, Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonnie Jensen. Hello and welcome into a fresh
Speaker 1: episode of the Football Fever podcast. We're here with FIFA
Speaker 1: Plus stream New Zealand Football live and free on FIFA
Speaker 1: plus dot com. I'm Jason Pine, Bonnie Jensen, sair too.
Speaker 2: Hello, Yo, Parney, how are you very good?
Speaker 1: Thanks? Lots to talk about, heaps to talk about, actually
Speaker 1: all sorts going on around the national teams, around the
Speaker 1: A League teams, around the game in general. Want to
Speaker 1: start with the Football Ferns. We're recording this on Thursday,
Speaker 1: and in the last few hours we've had the Football
Speaker 1: Ferns squad confirmed for Paris. Quick look through it for you.
Speaker 1: Are Vick Essen and and Elite are the goalkeepers McKenzie Barry,
Speaker 1: cj Bott, Katie Bow and Elie Green, MICHAELA. Moore, Ali
Speaker 1: Riley and Rebecca Stott. The defenders Kate Taylor will call
Speaker 1: her a midfielder Millia Stein Metz, Macy Fraser and Katie Kitching.
Speaker 1: And the attacking players Millie Cleg, Jackie Hand Grace, Jarlay,
Speaker 1: Gabby Rennie and India Page. Riley. The traveling reserves, Claudia Bunge,
Speaker 1: Mikayla Foster, Annalie Longo, and Murphy Sheef. I think we
Speaker 1: should start with the traveling reserves. I didn't expect Mickey
Speaker 1: Foster to be a traveling reserve. I expected her to
Speaker 1: be arreusted on member of this eighteen. What's gone on there?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 3: I feel the same, Piney, And you know, we've been
Speaker 3: talking all morning about the traveling reserves and they never
Speaker 3: get this much limelight. Yeah, a complete shock that both
Speaker 3: Mickey Foster and also Claudia Bunge are in there. I
Speaker 3: feel like those two have been kind of, you know,
Speaker 3: proving themselves over the last few years and almost deserving
Speaker 3: of a starting spot in this team, let alone, you know,
Speaker 3: a spot in that eighteen. So very surprising there. It's
Speaker 3: clear that obviously Michael Maine or Yetka kum Kova, whoever
Speaker 3: we made these selections, probably both of them preferred the
Speaker 3: likes of MICHAELA. Moore, McKenzie Berry, Ali Green over them,
Speaker 3: which is very interesting to me.
Speaker 1: Just on the coaching thing. So as we know, I
Speaker 1: think since we last spoke on the podcast, klem Kov
Speaker 1: stepping aside from her role as Football Fern's coach for
Speaker 1: the Paris Olympics. Michael Mayne will coach the side as
Speaker 1: he did against Japan recently. That would lead me to
Speaker 1: think that he's picked this team.
Speaker 3: Well you'd think so, but I think players were told
Speaker 3: a few weeks ago when at that time Yitku was
Speaker 3: still involved. In Listening to the audio today from the
Speaker 3: press conference, it was made up over basically since the
Speaker 3: World Cup, Michael Mayne said they had time to kind
Speaker 3: of review all things possible and assess people's performances over
Speaker 3: that period. So yeah, very interesting call. I would you know,
Speaker 3: maybe had Michael Maine had that official head coach title,
Speaker 3: would he have done things differently?
Speaker 2: I'm not sure.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I guess he would have had to have
Speaker 1: given it the final sign off. If I'm Michael Maine,
Speaker 1: if I put myself in his position, I've been basically
Speaker 1: at the eleventh hour throwing in his head coach against Japan.
Speaker 1: As we know, he found out when he got there
Speaker 1: for those for those internationals who were they in Spain
Speaker 1: or something like that, he found out when he got
Speaker 1: there that he was going to be head coach. Then
Speaker 1: there was the investigation was concluded, and yet ka Klum
Speaker 1: Kova was cleared and was supposedly coming back as head
Speaker 1: coach of the national side, and now we find out
Speaker 1: that actually, no, that's not the case. She hasn't been sacked,
Speaker 1: she hasn't resigned. The wording of the press release was
Speaker 1: this is not the right time for her to return.
Speaker 1: Goodness only knows what that means, because nobody at New
Speaker 1: Zealand Football seems willing or able to comment on it.
Speaker 1: But back to Michael Maine. If I'm him and I'm told, okay,
Speaker 1: you're now taking this team to the Olympics, I'm saying, okay, well,
Speaker 1: I'm picking.
Speaker 3: The team just like caring all that Pioneers an absolute
Speaker 3: shambles sake. You know, it's far from ideal from an
Speaker 3: Olympic build up, and it's it's frankly embarrassing. I don't
Speaker 3: know if that's harsh to say, but the fact that
Speaker 3: we're talking about this for a national team heading to
Speaker 3: the Paris Olympics. Yes, they're not likely medalists at all,
Speaker 3: but you know, it's not a good look in terms
Speaker 3: of especially not a good loot considering we hosted a
Speaker 3: World Cup last year. You know we're meant to be
Speaker 3: ahead of the game and be professional in all aspects. Anyway, Yes,
Speaker 3: I agree Michael Maine should have the final say, and yeah,
Speaker 3: I hope for his sake that he did.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so maybe he has, so maybe he's OK. Let's
Speaker 1: just assume for the sake of argument that this is
Speaker 1: Michael Main's side. Okay, I still don't understand the omission
Speaker 1: of MICHAELA. Foster Claudia Bunge. I kind of get Mikayla
Speaker 1: Moore's clearly been preferred to her, but I don't think
Speaker 1: Mikayla Moore is going to play anyway. The center back
Speaker 1: pairing is Rebecca Stott and Katie Bowen. They are the
Speaker 1: first choice center back combination, and Claudia Bunge has been
Speaker 1: backing those two up for a while, hasn't she. I
Speaker 1: think she's the future because both Rebecca Stott and Katie
Speaker 1: Bowen are coming towards the end, so Claudia Bunge will
Speaker 1: clearly play a lot of games for New Zealand. The
Speaker 1: Mikayla Foster one does puzzle me, though, especially given the
Speaker 1: fact that I think Ellie Riley might be injured at
Speaker 1: the moment she.
Speaker 3: Is injured at the moment she hasn't played for Angel
Speaker 3: City in the NWSL in weeks, So, you know, you
Speaker 3: put it down to the fact that Michael Maine has
Speaker 3: taken Allie Riley purely as a leader. In her experience,
Speaker 3: She's been to the Olympics before and she is.
Speaker 2: A great leader. I'll give her that.
Speaker 3: You know, I think her time on the field is
Speaker 3: going to be limited. She's hasn't got many more years
Speaker 3: left in her at this level. But she is a good,
Speaker 3: good leader and she's got experience. I'll give her that.
Speaker 3: But in terms of you know, all coaches they want
Speaker 3: to pick their best, their fittest team, right surely MICHAELA foster.
Speaker 3: She just got named. I mean, you know, I know
Speaker 3: this is kind of a fan voted thing, but she
Speaker 3: just played for the A Legal Stars team and you know,
Speaker 3: we don't know where she's going next, but I'm pretty
Speaker 3: sure there's club's calling up for her. She's a bloody
Speaker 3: good player. Can I even say that?
Speaker 1: You can? You can? That sort of language is allowed
Speaker 1: on the Football Fever podcast. CJ Bot's the first choice
Speaker 1: right back. So if we go c J Bott, Katie Bowen,
Speaker 1: Rebecca Stott, Allie Riley fit presumably is the first choice
Speaker 1: left back. Ali is more of a right back, isn't she?
Speaker 1: For memory? So who's the backup left back of Elie
Speaker 1: Riley isn't fit?
Speaker 2: Is it? Mackenzie Barry?
Speaker 1: Could? Will we Mackenzie Barry?
Speaker 3: That's the thing, you know, Mackenzie Barrier. She had a
Speaker 3: really really good season and she can play that center
Speaker 3: back role as well, so she's versatile in that respect,
Speaker 3: But so is Mickey Foster. She can also play in
Speaker 3: the midfield, or you could put her up on the
Speaker 3: wing if you wanted. So I guess it depends what
Speaker 3: Michael Maine wants. It's still a very very interesting call,
Speaker 3: all right.
Speaker 1: The other omission from the entire squad which really raised
Speaker 1: the eyebrows was Hannah Wilkinson not included in the eighteen,
Speaker 1: not included in the traveling reserves, so basically not involved
Speaker 1: in this campaign. The hero of the went over Norway
Speaker 1: on opening night at the FIFA World Cup last year.
Speaker 1: I must say, and you and I have talked about
Speaker 1: this a lot on the podcast, this is not greatly
Speaker 1: upsetting to me. I think Hannah Wilkinson for a long
Speaker 1: time has not delivered on the promise that she has
Speaker 1: and had earlier in her career. In many ways, it's
Speaker 1: kind of a brave call.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's a statement move, especially if Michael
Speaker 3: Maine has done this good on them. I agree with you, Piney.
Speaker 3: I think you know, her time playing at this level
Speaker 3: is very limited and she hasn't performed. I think obviously
Speaker 3: she's done so much for the game in New Zealand.
Speaker 3: She was that goal at the World Cup. You know,
Speaker 3: regardless of how their World Cup ended, that was a
Speaker 3: special moment that we're gonna you know, that's.
Speaker 2: Gonna live with her forever. It's gonna live with all
Speaker 2: of us.
Speaker 3: But in terms of right now, in the future of
Speaker 3: this team, I don't think she's it. The only thing
Speaker 3: that does confirm concern me a little bit is who
Speaker 3: they're going to play at a number nine, because there's
Speaker 3: obviously Grace Jarley and I've been rooting for her in
Speaker 3: that position first while it has to be, but she
Speaker 3: hasn't played that well there and she hasn't had an
Speaker 3: exceptional recent A league season, So it will be interesting
Speaker 3: to see how they kind of shape that front line.
Speaker 3: Maybe they'll look at someone like Milli Cleik there, or
Speaker 3: they'll do a four four two and have two forwards. Yeah,
Speaker 3: that's gonna be interesting to see the shaup.
Speaker 1: It feels like in the first choice eleven, Jackie Hand
Speaker 1: India Page Riley are both in it in some capacity.
Speaker 1: So if we'll go four to three to three for example,
Speaker 1: Jackie Hand and India Page Riley is your wide attackers.
Speaker 1: I like the idea of Grace Jarlay and then you've
Speaker 1: got Millie Cleik and Gabby Rennie is back in the
Speaker 1: squad as well after being in good goal scoring form
Speaker 1: for her finish club. Yes, so you're right. Hannah Wilkinson
Speaker 1: has led this line for so long that now without
Speaker 1: her there it does cause a change. Annalie Longo a
Speaker 1: traveling reserve. We spoke about her in the podcast couple
Speaker 1: of weeks ago, weren't sure if she was playing, then
Speaker 1: found out that she was. I think the last game
Speaker 1: of football Annali Longo played was at the back end
Speaker 1: of the Phoenix season, or actually about two thirds of
Speaker 1: the way through when she picked up that injury. So
Speaker 1: good to see her back another bit of experience, certainly
Speaker 1: as part of the widest squad.
Speaker 3: Yeah, she'll be great. She'll be like Alie Riley. You know,
Speaker 3: bringing experience.
Speaker 2: So that's great.
Speaker 1: No Daisy Cleverly, No Daisy.
Speaker 2: I'm gutted for her.
Speaker 3: Obviously she's a mate, but also I think she would
Speaker 3: have been a great option to bring without being biased,
Speaker 3: she's obviously got experience at this level, but she's still young.
Speaker 3: She can kind of play in that holding six midfielder
Speaker 3: or an eight. So yeah, another interesting call there, but
Speaker 3: maybe a bold one by Michael Main.
Speaker 1: So let's look at the eleven and what it might
Speaker 1: look like. I think we both like an elite even
Speaker 1: though the Keston is a very good goalkeeper as well.
Speaker 1: They're pretty close to one another. But let's say analyte
Speaker 1: and goal c j Bot, Katie Bowen, Rebecca Stott and
Speaker 1: Allie Riley have fit Malia Steinmetz, Macy Fraser, Katie Kitching,
Speaker 1: Jackie Hand, India Page Riley and Grace Jarlay. Is that
Speaker 1: the eleven?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I like it.
Speaker 3: Otherwise I look at you know, maybe a diamond midfield
Speaker 3: and putting India Page Riley back in you know, a
Speaker 3: deeper role and then Grace Jarlay and Jackie Hand leading
Speaker 3: the line, or maybe look at Millie Kleig as well,
Speaker 3: give her another shot she's unreal in that recent tour.
Speaker 1: Yep okay, So we look forward to seeing how they go.
Speaker 1: They've got a warm up game and then they're into
Speaker 1: it in Paris. Three really tough group games. That is
Speaker 1: going to take every ounce of talent, commitment and defensive
Speaker 1: steel to be honest, for New Zealand to find their
Speaker 1: way out of that group. Just on the men's side,
Speaker 1: we were under the understanding that was going to be
Speaker 1: named today as well. That's been delayed and we're hearing
Speaker 1: that's because certain clubs are not releasing their players. This
Speaker 1: is not an official fee for window. It is the
Speaker 1: off season for the European leagues, but we're getting towards
Speaker 1: the start of the preseason. So I guess if you
Speaker 1: start to speculate about the players who are at the top,
Speaker 1: you know, who are in the top leagues in Europe,
Speaker 1: you land on guys like Chris Wood. Marco Staminich is
Speaker 1: also at Forest now of course, although out on loan.
Speaker 1: Libby Cacaci is at Seriar Club, Matt Garbett at his
Speaker 1: Dutch club. It would be such a shame, you know,
Speaker 1: with a really good cohort of under twenty three players
Speaker 1: for some of the good ones and the overraye players
Speaker 1: to be denied or for New Zealand to be denied
Speaker 1: their services in Paris.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'd be gutted if, you know, someone like or
Speaker 3: Marco missed out, especially because Marco is eligible to players
Speaker 3: as an under twenty three and you know, I kind
Speaker 3: of understand with someone like Chris Wood who is so
Speaker 3: key for his club, whereas Marco's just fresh and he's new.
Speaker 3: I guess maybe that's the reason why they don't want him,
Speaker 3: you know, popping off for a month. But yeah, I'd
Speaker 3: be gutted for Marco, especially because we kind of need
Speaker 3: him in the midfield.
Speaker 2: He's so good. So yes, it's goin to be interesting.
Speaker 1: I guess I kind of just assumed wrongly as it
Speaker 1: turned out that anyone under twenty three would just automatically
Speaker 1: be released. But that's not the case obviously. The other
Speaker 1: guys actively ds is it Fulham they're also a Premier
Speaker 1: League club. Maybe they've got different rules around around their
Speaker 1: players as well. And the other one who would have
Speaker 1: been released but now is in doubt is Tim Payne.
Speaker 1: He picked up that hamstring injury in the IFC Nations Cup,
Speaker 1: so now I'm not exactly, because I think he would
Speaker 1: have gone as one of the overage players to cover that. Yeah,
Speaker 1: but I just don't think there's another right back. I mean,
Speaker 1: the best underage right back I can think of is
Speaker 1: Matt Sheridan and he didn't even go to the Nation's
Speaker 1: Cup in Vanuatu. So I think Darren Basley was sizing
Speaker 1: up Tim Payne as one of his overage players because
Speaker 1: he covers center back as well. You know, hamstrings, you
Speaker 1: know what hamstrings alike? Yeah, you know you don't want
Speaker 1: to get onto those, you know, don't want to bring
Speaker 1: come back to early from those.
Speaker 3: So and the Phoenix were pretty strict on, you know,
Speaker 3: sending out players to to you know, national duty last year.
Speaker 3: So I don't see Chief he wanting to be, you know,
Speaker 3: mucking around with Tim Payne.
Speaker 1: Indeed, So a later date is when the men's team
Speaker 1: will be named. We look forward to when that later
Speaker 1: date is football fever with Jason Vine and Bonnie Jensen
Speaker 1: just on the OFC Nations Cup. They are whites, some
Speaker 1: very very functional, very very efficient in winning the OFC
Speaker 1: Nations Cup group matches won three nil and four nil.
Speaker 1: They won the semi final five nil and then the
Speaker 1: final against the hosts Vanuatu three nil. They expected or
Speaker 1: were expected, to dominate the tournament, even in tricky conditions
Speaker 1: they did, didn't concede a goal. They left Prett happy,
Speaker 1: wasn't they?
Speaker 2: How good was Libby?
Speaker 1: Oh?
Speaker 2: Just over it?
Speaker 1: Just a demonstration of how far he's come.
Speaker 3: I was walking around the office when because the games
Speaker 3: are on quite good timing, and I was like, I
Speaker 3: used to go to national football camps with him. I
Speaker 3: know him, I know his family. They have a restaurant
Speaker 3: in the heart, like, you know, like he's going to
Speaker 3: be so famous soon. He's he was just so good,
Speaker 3: you know, on and off the ball. I just, you know,
Speaker 3: look at him dribble up the park and I know
Speaker 3: the easier games. And that's why I want to see
Speaker 3: him at the Olympics so badly, because you know, I
Speaker 3: have to admit I don't watch his club games the
Speaker 3: whole time. So yeah, to see more of him, you know, soon,
Speaker 3: would would be really good.
Speaker 1: I think he's almost now certain to go to the Olympics.
Speaker 1: In fact, I think he might be captain of this
Speaker 1: team well, depending on what happens with Chris Wood and
Speaker 1: whether he's released by Nottingham Forest of Woods. There Woods
Speaker 1: captain is captain of the All Whites, but Libby captain
Speaker 1: the team in Vanuatu. He's a senior player. I think
Speaker 1: Liby Kakuts you might be might be your Ollie White's captain.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd like it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And a lot of those guys who are there
Speaker 1: will get aimed and Darren Baseley squad, no doubt. And
Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed watching Finn Sermon and Tyler Binden together. Yes,
Speaker 1: they weren't necessarily tested greatly, but you know, obviously, you
Speaker 1: know two guys who could play a lot of football
Speaker 1: together for New Zealand. Alex Paulson behind them and goal
Speaker 1: Sam Sutton, Lucas Kelly Healed. Others who came on, Jesse Randall,
Speaker 1: Oscar van HadAM For and Conchi. A lot of guys
Speaker 1: over there who are under twenty three who are gonna
Speaker 1: turn up in Paris.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I thought it was interesting as well.
Speaker 3: Alex Paulson what played one game two game one? Yeah,
Speaker 3: and I thought it was interesting that I thought maybe
Speaker 3: Bays would try and use him more, especially to connect
Speaker 3: with Finn and Tyler heading into the Olympics.
Speaker 2: Again, there wasn't much action down that end.
Speaker 3: Maybe that's why they didn't use him, just to kind
Speaker 3: of rest him. But I would have liked to see
Speaker 3: him more. And maybe maybe he's not the preferred number one.
Speaker 1: And I think that's it. I think at the moment
Speaker 1: he isn't I think Max Crokham is the number one
Speaker 1: number one, don't you think because he's played, He played
Speaker 1: the semi and the final, so surely yeah he is.
Speaker 3: But weren't you kind of on the bandwagon that maybe
Speaker 3: Alex Paulson is a number one?
Speaker 1: Yes? I was, Yes, I was, I was. I mean
Speaker 1: he's about to go to Bournemouth. You know Max crokem though,
Speaker 1: you have to say, until you do something wrong, you
Speaker 1: don't get dropped. You know, he rotated them. He had
Speaker 1: Paulson in the first game, didn't he and then Crocan
Speaker 1: played the second paul game and then the semi. In
Speaker 1: the final, Ollie stiled, didn't you to look at right?
Speaker 1: And he is a guy who twelve months ago we
Speaker 1: were saying, well it is our number one. Now you know,
Speaker 1: of course Alex Paulson's had the twelve months of his
Speaker 1: life so and I mean we're so well served for
Speaker 1: goalkeepers at the moment. You know, we'll get to Nick sarnever,
Speaker 1: but later on he's just got a new club. You know,
Speaker 1: there's a bunch of younger keepers coming through. The Phoenix
Speaker 1: need a new keeper, and there's been a bit of
Speaker 1: chat about a nineteen year old who's been playing in
Speaker 1: the Netherlands, which we'll get to as well. So yeah,
Speaker 1: lots of goalkeeping options. Only one player played all played
Speaker 1: all four games, in every minute of all four games,
Speaker 1: and that was Alex Rufer. I like the fact that
Speaker 1: he just turned up there and just continued as a
Speaker 1: league form.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I spoke with Alex in one of the media opportunities
Speaker 3: throughout the week and he said, you know what a
Speaker 3: year you've had, And is the goal of his the
Speaker 3: twenty twenty six World Cup. Obviously it would be for
Speaker 3: most of those guys, but he said, yeah, I want
Speaker 3: I want my jersey, I want to be in that
Speaker 3: team and I want to be in the starting leven.
Speaker 3: He was adamant. He was like, I'm going to be
Speaker 3: in that team. So good on him, and I mean,
Speaker 3: if he keeps trending the way he is, there's no
Speaker 3: doubt he'll be there again.
Speaker 1: There's some stiff competition in there. You look at guys
Speaker 1: who weren't there, Joe Bell, Marco Starminitch, Matt Garbett of course,
Speaker 1: you know, and others as well. Cam Howse and I
Speaker 1: thought had a pretty good tournament, you know, prove that
Speaker 1: he is well and truly up to international level. We're
Speaker 1: looking forward to seeing how he goes with Auckland FC.
Speaker 1: So I think, yeah, guys just did what was required.
Speaker 1: And I've heard people say, oh, yeah, but it was
Speaker 1: only it was only the Pacific nations. That's not the
Speaker 1: All Whites formed. They can only play with in front
Speaker 1: of them.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, exactly.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it wasn't wasn't an ideal tournament, But in terms
Speaker 3: of serving a it's a really good purpose heading into
Speaker 3: the Olympics. And I like the fact that the team
Speaker 3: got to kind of get together, even for the staff
Speaker 3: as well, just to get into good habits heading into
Speaker 3: like an event where they could probably get out of
Speaker 3: the group if they worked hard.
Speaker 1: YEP. I think that that will absolutely be the aim
Speaker 1: of the Oli Whites now is to get out of
Speaker 1: that group at the Olympic Games in Paris. This is football,
Speaker 1: Let's go to Auckland f C. Four new signings this
Speaker 1: week with one more to come on Tuesday. That was
Speaker 1: supposed to be made today, but as I understand that
Speaker 1: the player they're going to announce is unwell, so they've
Speaker 1: decided actually well rather than announce, and when he's not
Speaker 1: very well and can't do any media or wait. But
Speaker 1: Dan Hall, the Central Coast Mayor, and his defender Callan Elliott,
Speaker 1: formerly of the Wellington Phoenix of course, Scott Galloway, who
Speaker 1: also had time at the Phoenix but comes from Melbourne City.
Speaker 1: And Joey Champness, who's he seems like a bit of
Speaker 1: a teems like a bit of a globe, is it?
Speaker 1: A wanders around the globe, occasionally playing football, occasionally making music.
Speaker 1: He's there joining Tommy Smith, Max Martha Jesse, Randal Francis Devarice,
Speaker 1: Michael Vaut and Cam Howison, plus the six scholarship players
Speaker 1: and in this other player who haven't talked about yet
Speaker 1: who is to come in next week.
Speaker 3: They're building nicely, Pinney, the rivalry is starting now. I
Speaker 3: text you earlier in the week and I said, Auckland
Speaker 3: Nef's going to be the first expansion team to win
Speaker 3: the A League, and you said, calm down.
Speaker 1: I said, well, the Western Sydney wonders that when they
Speaker 1: came in they won it the first attempt. So but no,
Speaker 1: but you look at it and you say they've done really,
Speaker 1: really well. The caliber of players they've picked up in
Speaker 1: a good, solid A league, players or you know, players
Speaker 1: who have played internationally in good leagues around the place.
Speaker 1: Once their imports come, and Hiroki Saka, who we've talked
Speaker 1: about before in the podcast, the Japanese International about to
Speaker 1: be unveiled, we understand as the first of their imports.
Speaker 1: They're on record as saying we're going to use all five.
Speaker 1: This is going to be a good squad.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3: And I feel like a lot of these players, especially
Speaker 3: that the Kiwis, are players that are wanting to prove themselves.
Speaker 3: Maybe they didn't get it as much of an opportunity
Speaker 3: at the Phoenix, where this is only our second professional team.
Speaker 2: They're just coming.
Speaker 3: They want to come out and you know, have fun
Speaker 3: and play in their hometown and just you know, make
Speaker 3: a statement. So I'm really looking forward to how this
Speaker 3: team's going to end up. Yeah, as you say, they're
Speaker 3: looking really good at the moment.
Speaker 1: Of course, this came off the back of the news
Speaker 1: this week out of APL confirming that club distributions have
Speaker 1: been reduced. This is the money that the APL that
Speaker 1: runs the A leagues gives to the clubs and usually
Speaker 1: that money is used to cover the salary cap. However
Speaker 1: that distribution has been reduced to just five hundred and
Speaker 1: thirty thousand Australian dollars. That is a cut of almost
Speaker 1: one and a half million from last season and at
Speaker 1: its height it's less than three million or three million
Speaker 1: less rather than what they got six years ago when
Speaker 1: Football Australia was in charge so effectively. Because each of
Speaker 1: the A League clubs has to spend there's a there's
Speaker 1: a salary cap floor that you must reach, and then
Speaker 1: there's a salary cap obviously upper that you can't go past.
Speaker 1: But to reach the floor of the men's and women's sides,
Speaker 1: each of the club is going to have to find
Speaker 1: over two million Australian dollars just to pay their players.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a shame because I feel like that there
Speaker 3: was I mean, I'm looking on this side of the
Speaker 3: Tasmim war, but I feel like last season was a
Speaker 3: really successful season and there was some record breaking crowds
Speaker 3: and things like that. So it's a real shame it's
Speaker 3: heading this way. And you know, it panics me for
Speaker 3: the women's game as well, because they're the ones that
Speaker 3: hurt the most from these financial decisions. So yeah, I'm
Speaker 3: hoping that, you know, we keep seeing this league progressing
Speaker 3: because it seems to be a great pathway for people
Speaker 3: heading over to Europe.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, and I think you know, obviously from the Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix point of view, they showed last season what can
Speaker 1: be done with academy product coming through, so you know
Speaker 1: they'll continue to do that. You can also see why
Speaker 1: they haven't re signed Oscars of Varda because they just
Speaker 1: couldn't afford.
Speaker 3: To No, exactly, he's not worth it. As well, we've
Speaker 3: got Coster.
Speaker 1: Okay, well, I wasn't going to go that far, but
Speaker 1: I quite would have quite liked for Oscars of Arda
Speaker 1: to a state. But I wonder about Boji ar Kraiev, now,
Speaker 1: you know, and the money that he would have been
Speaker 1: demanding or not demanding, but you know what he would
Speaker 1: have been after after a really good season. And I
Speaker 1: wonder whether, you know, with this this much much lower
Speaker 1: distribution from apl whether whether the Phoenix might reluctantly say
Speaker 1: you know what, Beka, we can't afford to meet your
Speaker 1: salary requirements, so we're going to have to say goodbye.
Speaker 3: Well hopefully it's a case of that. Other A League
Speaker 3: teams as well aren't going to be spending big bucks.
Speaker 3: You know, they'll have more than the Phoenix do, but
Speaker 3: you know we wouldn't lose them to those rival clubs.
Speaker 3: That would be the ideal.
Speaker 1: So just to just to clarify that she the owners,
Speaker 1: if they want to, can spend up to the salary cap.
Speaker 1: It's just that not all owners will feel the feel
Speaker 1: the design to do that. I think Bill Foley will
Speaker 1: at Auckland. I don't think there's any issue there, but
Speaker 1: some of the others who have been losing money year
Speaker 1: after year after year, including those at Wellington Phoenix, might
Speaker 1: be very reluctant to just pour more money into what
Speaker 1: has become a bit of a bottomless pit. And he's
Speaker 1: so prize money. The money you get is from ticket
Speaker 1: sales and sponsorship and stuff like that. So I just
Speaker 1: wonder whether they'll, yeah, just they just have to cut
Speaker 1: their cloth to suit.
Speaker 3: Really, Yeah, you just got to hope that the Phoenix
Speaker 3: are going to write off their momentum from from last
Speaker 3: season and keep the crowds going. And I hope Wellington Wellingtonians.
Speaker 2: Get up for it.
Speaker 3: I feel like people will in Auckland. I just have,
Speaker 3: you know, a good vibe that they're going to be
Speaker 3: selling out and we know, yeah, surely Bill Foley isn't
Speaker 3: too worried about money at this point.
Speaker 1: Now, I think you're right, and I hope they do.
Speaker 1: That's what you want. And again, I just can't wait
Speaker 1: for the first derby, which is likely to be in Auckland,
Speaker 1: isn't it. I imagine that's the way they'd structure the draw.
Speaker 3: So I think I think it's planned for Wellington really.
Speaker 3: I think last I heard Wellington had you know, you know,
Speaker 3: they because they're the existing team, they get to host
Speaker 3: it first.
Speaker 2: So we'll see.
Speaker 1: Okay, we'll see. They'll obviously play each other at least twice,
Speaker 1: and I would say three times a twenty six game season. Again,
Speaker 1: I think, although no, actually no, that'll just be just
Speaker 1: be home and away, won't it with the with the
Speaker 1: thirteen teams now, So yeah, we'll wait and see anyway,
Speaker 1: but those derbies will be terrific. The women, the Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix woman Maddy unaspect, Mayra's gone to Melbourne City. What
Speaker 1: do you make of that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, real shame.
Speaker 3: I wonder if they're going to be you know, as
Speaker 3: a bit of a trade for Hannah Wilkinson.
Speaker 2: No, I don't think so, surely not.
Speaker 1: Well, oh Hannah's looking for a club, yeah.
Speaker 3: And she's just left Melbourne City. But yeah, it's a
Speaker 3: real shame. Maddy unaspect, mar it was so good, so
Speaker 3: good for this club. I think it was the boost
Speaker 3: that that woman's team needed this season. She has such
Speaker 3: a good finisher, you know, the fans loved her. So
Speaker 3: real shame to see her go. But yeah, I guess,
Speaker 3: you know, a good season she was worth a bit more.
Speaker 1: I think that's the third time in three seasons the
Speaker 1: Phoenix have lost their top goalscorer at the end of it.
Speaker 1: Grace Jarla, Millie Clegg and now Muddy n to speak
Speaker 1: my but you know, it is what it is, and
Speaker 1: football's like this, isn't it that players come, players go.
Speaker 1: Emma Main has resigned. I think she had a good
Speaker 1: season last year, didn't she. Yeah.
Speaker 3: Well, if you remember back Prionly when we did our
Speaker 3: season awards, I think we both said that Emma Main
Speaker 3: was one that we didn't want the Phoenix to lose,
Speaker 3: and so I'm really glad she's sticking around because I
Speaker 3: think she's got a lot more to offer this team.
Speaker 1: Indeed, we wait for more signing news. I'm not sure
Speaker 1: if you noticed this and the Football Ferns release where
Speaker 1: they you know, they tell you the players club and
Speaker 1: Annalie Longo had Wellington Phoenix alongside their soda McKenzie Barry obviously,
Speaker 1: but Mickey Foster is still unattached. Did you say that?
Speaker 3: Yeah, she's been unattached for a while. She's still not
Speaker 3: obviously resigned, and I believe if they're not in contract,
Speaker 3: it says unattached because I hit up the Wellington Phoenix
Speaker 3: your manager and have it last time. So I think
Speaker 3: she's She surely would have had a lot of offers.
Speaker 3: As I mentioned before, she's playing at Auckland United, just
Speaker 3: local club league in Auckland at the moment. But yeah,
Speaker 3: i'd say she'll be I feel like she might' head
Speaker 3: over to Aussie but I don't know.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you who the Phoenix should go after to
Speaker 1: replace money and I speak my as Grace Charlay. Yes,
Speaker 1: she's unattached now she's left Perth Gloria, right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and she didn't have a great season at Perth,
Speaker 3: so yeah she might come back.
Speaker 1: Who would you choose out of Grace Jarlie and Hannah Wilkinson.
Speaker 2: Christ Charlie obviously, so with Michael Maine.
Speaker 1: Clearly exactly right, exactly right. So yeah, maybe there's some
Speaker 1: phone calls happening between Paul Temple and the representatives of
Speaker 1: Grace Charlie to get her back to Wellington Phoenix football fever.
Speaker 1: Just finally a couple of our key he's overseas if
Speaker 1: that one Twitter rumor I picked up on a goalkeeper
Speaker 1: by the name of Dublin Boone. What a great name
Speaker 1: from Dutch Side Road to JC. He moved to Rhode
Speaker 1: a lot last year coming through. He came through the
Speaker 1: ranks at christ Church Club. Nomad's made three appearances off
Speaker 1: the bench for Rhoda. But the rumor is that Dublin Boone.
Speaker 1: I'm going to enjoy saying that in commentary a nineteen
Speaker 1: year old as signed for Wellington Phoenix. I must admit
Speaker 1: I'd never heard of him.
Speaker 2: No, never heard of him as well? Are they keeping
Speaker 2: Jack Duncan?
Speaker 1: I don't know whether they will.
Speaker 3: Yeah, because that you know, I was excited. I'd heard
Speaker 3: so many good things about him, that he was such
Speaker 3: a great guy, and I think that's all true, you know,
Speaker 3: And I was excited for him to get a shot.
Speaker 3: He'd never got one shot because Alex Porson was just
Speaker 3: too good. But who knows. He may have been better
Speaker 3: than Alex. I mean not that that's you know, I
Speaker 3: feel like you can't get much better than Alex, but
Speaker 3: you know, maybe he would have been.
Speaker 2: So I was excited to see him playing. I hope
Speaker 2: he does stick around.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I know he's not definitely resigned and not definitely released,
Speaker 1: but yeah, Lbie Kelly healed as the goalkeeper they do
Speaker 1: have on their books, twin brother of Lucas, but very raw.
Speaker 1: But then so was Alex Paulson. So yeah, if they
Speaker 1: can get to Dublin Boone and LB Kelly hilt. I mean,
Speaker 1: as we said before, clubs have to cut their cloth
Speaker 1: to suit now, and this league for two or three
Speaker 1: seasons might just become not a development league necessarily, but
Speaker 1: one where young players are given chances. A couple of
Speaker 1: kiwis around the world. We need to mention Nick Shone
Speaker 1: I mentioned him before. He's got a new club, Northampton
Speaker 1: Town mid table League One side, so good to see
Speaker 1: Nixon f pick up a new deal. Norman Garbett, who
Speaker 1: was the brother of Matt Garbett and a star of
Speaker 1: the recent Under twenty World Cup. He scored that goal.
Speaker 1: I can't remember who it was against, but he's definitely
Speaker 1: scored a goal. Norman Garbett. He's joined Irish Premier League
Speaker 1: side dun Dork FC until the end of the season.
Speaker 1: Logan Rocheson got a couple of goals for f C
Speaker 1: Noah in Armenia in their latest friendly and a pinnicker
Speaker 1: back on the grass. He's been out since early April.
Speaker 1: Good to see him back with slogo Rovers also in
Speaker 1: Ireland as he continues his recovery. Bonnie, I think that's
Speaker 1: it for Football Fever. It is so busy at the
Speaker 1: moment with all sorts of things happening, So I guess
Speaker 1: we'll reconvene in a week or so when we should
Speaker 1: have a men's side for the Olympics and maybe some
Speaker 1: more signings or resignings for our A league side. Any
Speaker 1: final words for the Football Fever audience today.
Speaker 2: Oh well, I guess you know.
Speaker 3: Heading into the Paris Games, the big news of the
Speaker 3: week was Alex Morgan being dropped off the US woman's
Speaker 3: national team roster. She's been such an icon of the
Speaker 3: game and it was really sad to not see her
Speaker 3: name because I'm obviously a bit of a fangirl. But
Speaker 3: you're probably a fan too, surely, Piney.
Speaker 1: Well, I met her before the World Cup last year,
Speaker 1: and like everybody on the road, no, no, but no,
Speaker 1: I just well, I mean, obviously she's what a player. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I wouldn't say I was star struck by her necessarily,
Speaker 1: but I was really impressed by her. Is it true
Speaker 1: that you got up at two in the morning to
Speaker 1: listen to the announcement of that team.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I got up and just send an alarm and
Speaker 3: popped on to Instagram to see the squad and assess
Speaker 3: it honestly, Parney, like, I really loved that team. I
Speaker 3: could probably talk to you more about the team than
Speaker 3: I got the football fans, which is a bit of
Speaker 3: a concern. But anyway, Yes, Alex Morgan left off a
Speaker 3: bit of a shame for the fans in Paris. But
Speaker 3: that team's looking good, so watch out for the US.
Speaker 1: They've got their new coach in Chelsea.
Speaker 2: She's so good. Yeah, that's the other thing.
Speaker 3: I'm excited for that team because she's such a character
Speaker 3: and she's the Imma Hayes era, kind of like what
Speaker 3: we've got in the All Blacks at the moment with
Speaker 3: the Scott Robertson era. Anyway, I'm getting off track.
Speaker 1: No, not at all, Not at all. It's a football podcast.
Speaker 1: We can talk any kind of football you like. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to seeing Would they be favorite for
Speaker 1: the Olympics.
Speaker 2: No, I think Spain still are. They're just so good.
Speaker 3: And what's really exciting Piney is Emma Hayes obviously coached
Speaker 3: Chelsea for years but was never able to beat Barcelona
Speaker 3: in the Champions League, and Barcelona are made up of
Speaker 3: so many of that Spanish winning World Cup teams. So
Speaker 3: she said, you know, now that i'm you know, coaching
Speaker 3: the US, that's my one goal is to beat the Spanish.
Speaker 3: So I'm looking forward to that match up. Hopefully they
Speaker 3: line up on the road to the final.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, well, the Olympics are going to be yeah, going
Speaker 1: to be great. We're going to enjoy watching the New
Speaker 1: Zealand sides while they're still in and then we can
Speaker 1: just jump across and all become United States fans, boys
Speaker 1: and girls, and watch them if they to see if
Speaker 1: they can imagine the final United States Spain Final. Good
Speaker 1: would that be?
Speaker 2: All right?
Speaker 1: That is football Fever for another week. We're back. I
Speaker 1: guess when the team is named next week. I don't
Speaker 1: that we have to stick necessarily to a particular day
Speaker 1: of the week, but when the men's Ollie White Side
Speaker 1: is named, will do another podcast and break all that
Speaker 1: down for you. So we'll see you then the FFV
Speaker 1: with Pinny and Bonny