Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks nb's voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonny Jensen. Hi there and welcome into a
Speaker 1: fresh episode of Football Fever. This is your weekly podcast
Speaker 1: covering off all things to do with New Zealand football,
Speaker 1: including the A League men's and women's competitions, keep's overseas
Speaker 1: and our national teams. I'm Jason Pine Hello, Bonnie Jensen.
Speaker 2: Kyota Piney.
Speaker 1: It's Derby Week, Derby week it is. We're looking forward.
Speaker 1: In fact, I don't know whether we should look back
Speaker 1: at all, though maybe we should just look forward to
Speaker 1: Saturday at Mount Smart. We will do that across the podcast.
Speaker 1: Obviously high excitement in the fan bases of both Auckland
Speaker 1: FC and Wellington Phoenix for Derby number three on Saturday
Speaker 1: at Go Media. As we build towards it, though, let's
Speaker 1: look back over the weekend. We're both the teams played
Speaker 1: as to the Wellington Phoenix women. We might as well
Speaker 1: do this in chronological order, starting on Friday night, the
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix men trying to break their Amy Park who
Speaker 1: Doo and were unable to. They now haven't won there
Speaker 1: in twenty three games A one newl lost to Melbourne
Speaker 1: victory on a sometimes wet Friday night. Your overall thoughts
Speaker 1: on this.
Speaker 3: One, Yeah, I mean it's so hard to critique this
Speaker 3: team Piney, who were quite you know, quite young and
Speaker 3: quite an experience and injury ridden to some extent. Obviously
Speaker 3: great to see Tim Payne and Alex Rufer back, but yeah,
Speaker 3: it's it's pretty dire for the team this season.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a really hard watch. I just thought
Speaker 1: they were, particularly in the first half, very passive. Not
Speaker 1: a shot on goal in the first half, only four
Speaker 1: overall in the whole game. Victory had sixteen by comparison,
Speaker 1: even when the starting eleven came out, and I know
Speaker 1: it wasn't set up this way, but there were seven
Speaker 1: players in the starting eleven also seven of the outfield
Speaker 1: ten who you could class as defenders Tim Payne, Scott Wolton,
Speaker 1: Isaac Hugh, Sam Sutton, Matt sheer In, Corbyn Piper and
Speaker 1: Lucas Kelly Healed. Although Sheridan, Piper and Kelly Hill did
Speaker 1: play further forward. I would have liked to see Nathan
Speaker 1: Walker out there. I thought he was good against the
Speaker 1: Mariners down in christ Church in the game down there.
Speaker 1: It just didn't feel as though there was any attacking
Speaker 1: intent at all, particularly in the first half. In fact,
Speaker 1: none really until they were one nil down.
Speaker 3: No, there's no spark in this team this season, which
Speaker 3: is such a shame given what they had last last season,
Speaker 3: you know, and I hate to keep continue referencing that
Speaker 3: successful season they had, but you're right, Piney, it was
Speaker 3: a very defensive minded set up and why they've got
Speaker 3: the likes of Matt Sheridan, who he does an alright
Speaker 3: job at the midfield. But you know, when you've got
Speaker 3: an import like Nagasa on the bench or Nathan Walker,
Speaker 3: a young kid who's just got a mind to go forward,
Speaker 3: it is concerning. And I know maybe they were going
Speaker 3: over to Melbourne to try and see your point or
Speaker 3: a clean sheet at least, and they came close to that,
Speaker 3: but it's not kind of the mindset you want for
Speaker 3: a team that is chasing or should be chasing a
Speaker 3: playoff spot.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I get the strategy, but I just think more
Speaker 1: and more Phoenix fans are now becoming a negative about it.
Speaker 1: The strategy is to be type defensively, and they are.
Speaker 1: They're good defensively. They're the third best defensive side in
Speaker 1: the competition. That's a tick. But the problem is when
Speaker 1: you fall behind and you've shown next to no attacking intent,
Speaker 1: then you know, it just becomes very, very hard to
Speaker 1: get back into the game. I liked the fact that
Speaker 1: he brought on Nathan Walker and Luke Brooksmith and they
Speaker 1: you know, they started to look like they could create
Speaker 1: some things. And cost of Barbaruss has had a good opportunity,
Speaker 1: and so did Brooksmith himself. But I would just love
Speaker 1: to see that happen from the start exactly.
Speaker 3: And you know, it's kind of a matter of what
Speaker 3: if it had rowhas been for the whole season and
Speaker 3: been a support to play alongside alongside Costa. He's so
Speaker 3: isolated up there on his own and such a good
Speaker 3: striker to kind of have a bit of a wasted
Speaker 3: season as he's as he's having, I feel like Chief
Speaker 3: he still can't get his head around this midfield to
Speaker 3: support Costa underneath. But yeah, I like what Nathan Walker
Speaker 3: does when he comes on, same with Luke Brooksmith, and
Speaker 3: I want to shout out again alb Kelly Heilden goal
Speaker 3: because he's actually you know, helping the Phoenix defensively.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I mean he's been playing well. I think defensively,
Speaker 1: like I say, they've been good. You look at them
Speaker 1: and I thought Isak Hughes had another quite solid game.
Speaker 1: Scott Wotson is always going to provide that for you.
Speaker 1: Like I say, they're good defensively. But if we go
Speaker 1: back up top, just four goals in their last seven games. Now,
Speaker 1: one of those was a penalty and two were from corners.
Speaker 1: So just one goal from open play in seven games.
Speaker 1: It tells the tail of a side that just isn't
Speaker 1: creating anywhere near enough to win matches and to get
Speaker 1: themselves into the top six. Conversation.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think you look at the difference last
Speaker 3: year they were scoring a few more goals, but the
Speaker 3: Phoenix have never been a super clinical side. Obviously Costa
Speaker 3: was scoring in big moments, but they did have that
Speaker 3: defense defense down the other end, the likes of Alex
Speaker 3: Paulson and goal and we mentioned, you know how good
Speaker 3: their defense has been this season all things considered. But
Speaker 3: I do you know think the goal they conceded against
Speaker 3: Melbourne probably wasn't the tidies they were. It is a
Speaker 3: bit of it looked like a bit of mixed communication
Speaker 3: at the back between Hughes and pain and it's just
Speaker 3: those little errors letting this side down at the moment
Speaker 3: from getting points away and at home.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, the goal came from a from a it
Speaker 1: was an attacking move by Wellington. They're at the other
Speaker 1: end and then they lost the ball in the opposition
Speaker 1: the area. Melbourne victory broke quickly cross into the area.
Speaker 1: Nicos Virgos headed home the goal after fifty seven minutes
Speaker 1: and from there, like I say, it did actually put
Speaker 1: a bit of a spark under Wellington. They gave it
Speaker 1: a bit of a crack after that, weren't able to
Speaker 1: score a goal and therefore came away with no points.
Speaker 1: To add insult to injury, Sam Sutton was booked right
Speaker 1: at the end in the eighty ninth minute and that
Speaker 1: is his fifth yellow card of the season, which means
Speaker 1: he'll miss the derby. You know, he's been very good.
Speaker 1: I think Sam Sutton this season he's kind of made
Speaker 1: that left back spot his own. Last year he's kind
Speaker 1: of in and out of there with Lucas Kelly Held
Speaker 1: also playing there. But I think Sam Sutton's been good.
Speaker 1: But five yellow cards means he's probably going to miss
Speaker 1: what he is. He's going to miss one of the
Speaker 1: biggest games of the season.
Speaker 3: It's crazy that we think of Sam Sutton as one
Speaker 3: of the most experienced and key players in this Wellington
Speaker 3: Phoenix side, and you know he rightly deserves it, but
Speaker 3: it just shows that the back of depth this squad
Speaker 3: has an experience this season and you're right, Piney, Sam
Speaker 3: Sutton's been so good. So it is a shame for
Speaker 3: him to miss the derby, missed the occasion for himself
Speaker 3: as a Kiwi footballer, but also it's a shame for
Speaker 3: the Phoenix because they're really going to need him against Auckland.
Speaker 1: Indeed, well they won't have him and they will have
Speaker 1: though by the looks of things. Alex Rufer back on.
Speaker 1: It was great to see him play his first minute
Speaker 1: since the back end of December, twenty three minutes off
Speaker 1: the bench. Hopefully he can start in the derby. Tim
Speaker 1: Payne played ninety minutes after returning the previous game for
Speaker 1: twenty five against Brisbane. So good to have Alex Rutherer
Speaker 1: and Tim Payne back there. And a new signing as well,
Speaker 1: Portuguese attacking midfielder Francisco Chico. They call him Giraldez. He's
Speaker 1: on loan at Wellington for the rest of this season.
Speaker 1: By the sounds of it, will play some part in
Speaker 1: the derby. I think Phoenix fans are just very keen
Speaker 1: to see what he can do in an attacking sense.
Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's a big ask to say, say, look,
Speaker 1: come in and change the season for the team. But well,
Speaker 1: when you sign an attacking midfielder and you don't get
Speaker 1: a lot of goals, I think Phoenix fans should be
Speaker 1: right the optimistic about what he can provide.
Speaker 2: Oh I am.
Speaker 3: And it's that link, that key link you need between
Speaker 3: your defensive end to the attacking end, and that's what
Speaker 3: I think is the main thing that Phoenix are missing
Speaker 3: right now for support underneath Costa. So I'm very optimistic
Speaker 3: and yeah, no doubt, as you say, the fans will
Speaker 3: be too.
Speaker 1: Okay, So next up is the derby. We'll get to
Speaker 1: that in the moment. Just a word on Amy Park.
Speaker 1: I was lucky enough to be at this game. Actually
Speaker 1: on Friday, I had a weekend over in Melbourne. Amy
Speaker 1: Park is a great venue. It's a really really good
Speaker 1: place for a football game. It's rectangular, it's easy to
Speaker 1: get to it. You know, Melbourne's pretty compact when it
Speaker 1: comes to its sporting precinct. Amy Park is not far
Speaker 1: from the MCG, not far from the from Rod Laver Arena,
Speaker 1: the tennis center there as well, so it's a real
Speaker 1: sporting precinct. I really liked being at Amy Park. It's
Speaker 1: a cool ground, but for the Phoenix a bit of
Speaker 1: a it's not a happy hunting ground at all. As
Speaker 1: I say, they haven't won there in twenty three games,
Speaker 1: so it leaves them tenth nineteen points with eleven games
Speaker 1: to go. There's six points outside the top six, but
Speaker 1: they have a game in hand over Sydney FC, who
Speaker 1: are sixth on twenty five and also a game in
Speaker 1: hand on Western United who are fifth on twenty six points.
Speaker 1: And other words, with thirty three points still on the table,
Speaker 1: the top six is still alive. But at the risk
Speaker 1: of repeating ourselves, Bonnie, they simply have to start scoring
Speaker 1: goals to pick up points.
Speaker 3: They do, but I am quite optimistic there Pine when
Speaker 3: you say there's eleven games leave to play. For some reason,
Speaker 3: I thought we were nearing closer to the end of
Speaker 3: the season, so there's still a bit of time. And
Speaker 3: who knows what Chico can do when he comes in.
Speaker 3: But yeah, they're going to need to start scoring.
Speaker 1: Yeah they are. It's as simple as that. They are
Speaker 1: going to have to start score and goals to make
Speaker 1: progress up the table. It's you know, it's a truism
Speaker 1: of football from you know, from every corner of the globe.
Speaker 1: You've got to score goals. Yes, defense wins championships. And
Speaker 1: we're going to talk a bit about Auckland FC's defense
Speaker 1: in a moment. But for Wellington Phoenix right now, they
Speaker 1: need points and they need them in clumps and to
Speaker 1: get those points they need to score some goals. So
Speaker 1: next up for them the Derby, more on that in
Speaker 1: the moment. Then Melbourne City at home, Western United away
Speaker 1: and Sydney FC away. Look, all the games are difficult now,
Speaker 1: but at least in the Phoenix's favor, they're playing teams
Speaker 1: who are above them on the table. Therefore they can
Speaker 1: you know, with wins, they can help to overhaul those
Speaker 1: those teams or start to overhaul them. But also you know,
Speaker 1: stymy those teams above them from picking up points themselves. Look,
Speaker 1: the A league with the top six format, you stay
Speaker 1: in the game mathematically anyway until late in the season.
Speaker 1: So look, while it's not home for absolute must win conversations. Now,
Speaker 1: this is certainly the point of the season where the
Speaker 1: Phoenix have to start picking up some points and do
Speaker 1: that by scoring some goals. This is football fever. So
Speaker 1: let's go to Auckland f C, who having no problem
Speaker 1: picking up points. Another three for them out at tarn
Speaker 1: Eat that's Western Melbourne. Saturday afternoon. They beat Western United too,
Speaker 1: nil revenge for the four nil last before Christmas, which
Speaker 1: is looking more and more like an absolute outlier, just
Speaker 1: an aberration in this Auckland FC season. How windy was
Speaker 1: it over there? It just looked awful to play and
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, as a player, you'd much rather
Speaker 1: play in the rain than in the wind, wouldn't you.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you definitely would much rather play football in the rain.
Speaker 3: I love playing football in the rain, you know, the
Speaker 3: balls quick. Anyway, it looked very windy, looked like they
Speaker 3: were in the middle of a desert and quite cold
Speaker 3: as well. I think it was about fourteen degrees.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it looked like a bit of a well, not
Speaker 1: a great a great venue for playing football, although Western
Speaker 1: United have made it a bit of a fortress, but
Speaker 1: didn't seem to worry Auckland Warry Auckland f C too much.
Speaker 1: No Louis Vastrata. He was suspended for this one, having
Speaker 1: picked up his fifth yellow card last time out. But
Speaker 1: Philippe guy Goss came back in and they didn't miss
Speaker 1: a beat. Nanda Pineker, who who had that ankle injury
Speaker 1: in the last game against MacArthur. We weren't sure how
Speaker 1: long he was going to be out for that turned
Speaker 1: out the answer was he wasn't out at all, so
Speaker 1: he was back in there. Gizumo Mai and Max Marta
Speaker 1: with the goals and then they closed it up in
Speaker 1: the second half. Just a very workman like performance again
Speaker 1: from this Auckland team.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a bit of a statement when I
Speaker 3: had my hesitations about how they would go given that
Speaker 3: defeat before Christmas, and you know we spoke about at
Speaker 3: the time Piney, how good Western United are, and yeah
Speaker 3: it was. I think it was a clinical game from
Speaker 3: Auckland f C. Given they didn't have a lot of
Speaker 3: the position. It was tough conditions. But you know, they
Speaker 3: prove what they've struggled to do that they can actually,
Speaker 3: you know, score when they need to, and they scored
Speaker 3: early goals for once or you know, first half goals.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been a rarity, hasn't it. Yeah, scoring in
Speaker 1: the first half, and when you're two nil up and
Speaker 1: then you've got the wind as well at your back,
Speaker 1: you can kind of just manage the game out, which
Speaker 1: is what they did. You're right about the possession. Western
Speaker 1: United had two thirds of the possession and seventy percent
Speaker 1: of the possession in the second half. Apart from the
Speaker 1: two goals that Auckland got, they had no other shots
Speaker 1: on target. Alex Paulson had to make three, you know,
Speaker 1: pretty good saves from Western United's attacks. But you look
Speaker 1: at it and you say, you take a two nil
Speaker 1: win any day, any day of the any day of
Speaker 1: the week, in any league in the world. If you
Speaker 1: can win two nil away from home, you just take it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you win it. Scrappy, you know that. It's
Speaker 3: it's bodies on the line type situation and finding incredible
Speaker 3: goals like Gmo mis one and just incredibly another incredible
Speaker 3: performance from Alex Paulson. I think he's just such a
Speaker 3: good goalkeeper and I think Auckland f.
Speaker 2: C oh a lot of their success.
Speaker 3: Obviously, we know how good they are defensively, to Alex
Speaker 3: Paulson and that he's going to be missed next season.
Speaker 3: But yeah, I'm happy. I'm sure Steve Corik is happy
Speaker 3: with the one. It's not a not a clean performance,
Speaker 3: but they got the job done on the road.
Speaker 1: Another clean sheet nine and sixteen games now best defense
Speaker 1: in the A League. Just twelve goals conceded in sixteen games,
Speaker 1: and you remember four of those were in that one
Speaker 1: game against against Western United, So what's that eight goals
Speaker 1: in the other fifteen games. It's a remarkable defensive performance.
Speaker 1: You're right about Alex Paulson. Look, I think a lot
Speaker 1: of people had their reservations when he signed for Bournemouth
Speaker 1: and then got loans back to Walkland FC, what that
Speaker 1: would mean for him. But I reckon what they've said
Speaker 1: to him is go back, play well and then come
Speaker 1: back to Bournemouth. Well he has come back. He's playing
Speaker 1: brilliantly and I think you're right, Bonnie Hill. Well, at
Speaker 1: the end of the season he'll go back to Bournemouth,
Speaker 1: Michael Vaude will come into the team. But yeah, Paulson
Speaker 1: best keeper in the league. I don't think there's any argument.
Speaker 3: No, he's so good and you know, you look at
Speaker 3: the Phoenix goal that they conceded on the weekend, and
Speaker 3: you do kind of wonder maybe Alex Paulson would get
Speaker 3: to that, or a lot of the goals the Phoenix
Speaker 3: have conceded this season that have lost them points.
Speaker 2: Alex Paulson probably would have saved that.
Speaker 3: So yeah, I think, I mean, all around, all across
Speaker 3: the board, the Auckland FC players are doing what they
Speaker 3: need to, whether it's Nate Armadeno coming off the bench
Speaker 3: and scoring or Alex Paulson on the other end, but
Speaker 3: very very good keeper and they're going to miss him
Speaker 3: next season.
Speaker 1: They well a couple of other bits and pieces around
Speaker 1: this game. They're away record now Auckland FC is pretty impressive,
Speaker 1: as is their home record, but away from home they've
Speaker 1: played eight one to five, drawn to and lost just one.
Speaker 1: That was the loss over in Western Australia against Perth Glory.
Speaker 1: Only Adelaide have a better away record. All sorts of
Speaker 1: suggestions at the start of the season. Weren't there about
Speaker 1: a lucky draw for Auckland They had all these home
Speaker 1: games in a row. People say, wait till they have
Speaker 1: to go away to teams or they are they're actually
Speaker 1: they're doing okay. You know, there they are putting to
Speaker 1: bed any suggestions of a lucky draw. Auckland FC could
Speaker 1: win the whole thing.
Speaker 3: Oh, I know, I thought. That's when I came into
Speaker 3: work this morning. I was like, are they actually going
Speaker 3: to win it? Obviously it's what They're five points clear
Speaker 3: now at the top of the table, Adelaide behind them,
Speaker 3: who they'll play in a fortnight. But it's becoming quite real.
Speaker 3: And yes, there's still what eleven games left this season,
Speaker 3: but you know, they seem to just grow each game
Speaker 3: and kind of proving the haters or any doubts.
Speaker 2: Completely completely wrong.
Speaker 3: And I also think, you know, they whether they even
Speaker 3: if they win the Premiers Play, which they're on track
Speaker 3: to do, they're so good in big moments, is no
Speaker 3: reason why they can't go all the way in the playoffs.
Speaker 2: So it is pretty exciting. We're not going to get
Speaker 2: ahead of ourselves, of.
Speaker 1: Course, no. But I was thinking exactly the same thing
Speaker 1: this morning when I was driving in. I don't know
Speaker 1: at what point in the season I thought to myself, look,
Speaker 1: we need to start thinking about Auckland f C as
Speaker 1: genuine title contenders for both the Premier's Plate and for
Speaker 1: the A League Championship. I think now was that time.
Speaker 1: They have thirty six points from sixteen games, five points
Speaker 1: clear as you say, Bonnie of second placed Adelaide, who
Speaker 1: they play in a couple of weeks, and if they
Speaker 1: win that then the distance becomes even bigger between the two.
Speaker 1: Just by means of comparison, after sixteen games last year,
Speaker 1: the Mariners, who finished top had twenty eight points. Auckland
Speaker 1: have thirty six at the same stage. And if we
Speaker 1: go back to the Western Sydney Wanderer's introduction into the
Speaker 1: A League, which is the one we have been comparing
Speaker 1: Auckland FC to. When Western Sydney came in to the
Speaker 1: league their first season twenty twelve thirteen, they won the
Speaker 1: Premier's Plate. They didn't win the Grand Final, but they
Speaker 1: won the Premier's Plate. After sixteen games in that season
Speaker 1: they had twenty six points. Auckland have thirty six points
Speaker 1: by every metric, by every comparison, Auckland FC are on
Speaker 1: track for something really special. And you talk about the
Speaker 1: big moments, they're all so terrifically difficult to beat at home.
Speaker 1: So if you finish top and you earn yourself home advantage,
Speaker 1: through the final series then they have to be favorite.
Speaker 3: It's actually pretty exciting though, are we now it's starting
Speaker 3: to talk about where they're going to play the final
Speaker 3: if they have to host it. Is it going to
Speaker 3: be at Eden Park? Is it going to be at Comdia?
Speaker 3: Definitely conversations. I'm sure you know, the board or the
Speaker 3: manager's Nick Becker CEO is probably starting to consider or
Speaker 3: put on as radar at least I think you know,
Speaker 3: obviously those points and those stats pioneer incredible, but for me,
Speaker 3: it's the form and it's the form on the pitch
Speaker 3: and the depth that they're starting to build and having
Speaker 3: options off the bench and players coming off the bench
Speaker 3: proving themselves that That's what really excites me is they
Speaker 3: learn from their lessons and you know they're they're growing.
Speaker 1: You look at the next few games as well. The
Speaker 1: derby will talk about that in the moment. Let's just
Speaker 1: leave that off to one side. Then Adelaide at home,
Speaker 1: who are a good team, but as I say, hard
Speaker 1: to beat Auckland at home. They're Newcastle away, they're eleventh
Speaker 1: Central Coast at home, they're ninth Brisbane away their bottom
Speaker 1: Western Sydney at home they're currently eighth, so by the
Speaker 1: time we get to early April, they might have signed
Speaker 1: the thing up.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's I think.
Speaker 3: You know, we talk about the derby this week and
Speaker 3: I'm pretty sure I said on the last podcast that
Speaker 3: I want Wellington Phoenix to win, but now I wonder
Speaker 3: if I've changed my mind. So I hope that, you know,
Speaker 3: Auckland f C can can go all the way and
Speaker 3: secure with the three points over a team like Adelaide.
Speaker 2: But yeah, it is.
Speaker 3: It is crazy how soon it is becoming. A lot
Speaker 3: of people are t all looking up here in Auckland. Naturally,
Speaker 3: the derby will be great, but it's next week's game
Speaker 3: against Adelaide that's more exciting because it is that top
Speaker 3: of the table clash. So yeah, definitely a big kind
Speaker 3: of fortnine in a few weeks coming for Auckland FC.
Speaker 3: And you're right pining it could be a done deal
Speaker 3: very very soon.
Speaker 1: Football Fever with Jason Vine and Bonnie Jensen. Okay, let's
Speaker 1: look at the derby. Form means nothing, absolutely nothing in
Speaker 1: any derby anywhere in the world. They'll tell you this.
Speaker 1: There only a week or so ago Everton played Liverpool
Speaker 1: A Liverpool a top of the Premier League, Everton somewhere
Speaker 1: down the bottom, but it didn't mean a thing. Everton
Speaker 1: scored a late goal to draw to two. Form means
Speaker 1: absolutely nothing going. And yes there is confidence and there
Speaker 1: is momentum in Auckland FC's camp, and there is not
Speaker 1: really that kind of momentum or confidence in the Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix camp. But Wellington Phoenix could easily go to go
Speaker 1: Media on Saturday and win this game.
Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, and they'll be riled up. You know, Alex
Speaker 3: Roufo will be back from injury, Tim Payne obviously a
Speaker 3: few games under his belt. Now, the younger players probably
Speaker 3: want to make a bit of a point and you know,
Speaker 3: pitch their case on why they deserve to be there.
Speaker 3: And I hope the Phoenix come up and they're hungry
Speaker 3: and they don't just bow down to these seemingly unbeatable
Speaker 3: Auckland is I hope for the fans, it's a high
Speaker 3: goal scoring game. And you know, I am still torn
Speaker 3: and I just said that I want Auckland to maybe win,
Speaker 3: but now I'm like, ah, but it would be great
Speaker 3: for the narrative if Wellington win at least one of
Speaker 3: the derby's.
Speaker 1: Who do you think will win.
Speaker 3: I think Auckland will and I think I'm drawing from
Speaker 3: the inspiration of the North London Derby and the Woman's
Speaker 3: Super League. This morning Arsenal versus Tottenham, and Arsenal, who
Speaker 3: are obviously the stronger team, came out and beat Tottenham
Speaker 3: five nil, and I fear it could be a similar story.
Speaker 1: See, I don't think it will be. I don't think
Speaker 1: that it'll be a blowout of that of that capacity,
Speaker 1: simply because Wellington's defense is pretty good, you know, they,
Speaker 1: like I said, like we've said a couple of times,
Speaker 1: they're the third best defense in the league. They don't
Speaker 1: tend to leak goals in big numbers. They you know,
Speaker 1: they haven't really been you know, you know, thrashed or
Speaker 1: smashed by anybody this season. It's just as we've talked
Speaker 1: about ad nauseum creating the chances. At the other end,
Speaker 1: I get the feeling this will be another KG affair,
Speaker 1: and it may be that way because John Klor Taliano
Speaker 1: might just stick to script and just set his team
Speaker 1: up to be hard to break down. Auckland FC have
Speaker 1: not been the greatest attacking side this season. Yes, they're
Speaker 1: top of the league, but you know, a large part
Speaker 1: of that, or certainly a significant part, is their defense.
Speaker 1: They haven't been a free scoring side this season. I
Speaker 1: think the fans can win the game. I really believe
Speaker 1: that they can, and I think for the narrative of
Speaker 1: the season, that would be amazing. We're the first one
Speaker 1: Auckland winning two Nila and Wellington. The second one was
Speaker 1: a cracking game at go Media which Auckland won two
Speaker 1: to one, cost of Barbarusa scoring later on for the
Speaker 1: Phoenix to make things interesting near the end. I honestly
Speaker 1: think Wellington can come up there and win the game.
Speaker 1: It's you know, it wouldn't be the biggest shock in
Speaker 1: the world.
Speaker 3: No, I don't think it would be. I think it
Speaker 3: would shake and rattle the Auckland f C camp just
Speaker 3: given you know what we just talked about and how
Speaker 3: they kind of are on the road to securing that
Speaker 3: Premierre's plate. I you know, I think if you're a
Speaker 3: neutral fan like like we're supposed to be, it would
Speaker 3: you can kind of see why you want Auckland to
Speaker 3: win and win comfortably and continue the momentum. But by
Speaker 3: any means, I don't think they can take the Wellington
Speaker 3: Phoenix easy. I think you know Wellington and what ranked
Speaker 3: eighth on the tenth on the table, and if they
Speaker 3: were looking at Brisbane Raw for example, who were tenth,
Speaker 3: they would probably take that game a little bit easier.
Speaker 3: But because it is Wellington, you treat them like a
Speaker 3: second place team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and what you said, well, there's no way in
Speaker 1: the world Welling and are coming up there to lie down.
Speaker 1: They're not going to They're not going to usher in
Speaker 1: Auckland f c's coronation is as the top side in
Speaker 1: New Zealand. There's no way in the world they will
Speaker 1: come up there with anything other than just a lion
Speaker 1: hearted desire to play party pooper, you know. And look,
Speaker 1: having said all of that, I think if you're hover
Speaker 1: above it, you say Auckland f C are favorites. There's
Speaker 1: no question about that. I think. I think you know,
Speaker 1: even the most you know, even the most one eyed
Speaker 1: of Phoenix fans, would would accept that they are not
Speaker 1: favorite going into this game. But I think that's what
Speaker 1: makes it even more, you know, a more compelling proposition
Speaker 1: that that you know, around the world every week in
Speaker 1: football matches, funny things happen, you know, funny things happen
Speaker 1: what if you know, what if how Chico comes in
Speaker 1: and proves to be you know, a real slippery proposition
Speaker 1: for Auckland f C's defense to deal with. What if
Speaker 1: Costa decides that it's this is his time to really
Speaker 1: you know, find some form. What if just something completely
Speaker 1: you know, you know, unbelievable happens and Lucas Kelly Heal
Speaker 1: gets a goal or something like that. I don't know.
Speaker 1: That's the thing is like you can talk about these
Speaker 1: storylines and you can say, well, that's completely you know,
Speaker 1: completely fanciful. But football just writes these storylines every week
Speaker 1: right around the world.
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, exactly, And that's what's so exciting about the
Speaker 3: derby and that's what we've never had in football in
Speaker 3: New Zealand, so it is, it is very exciting. And
Speaker 3: what I say about you know, Auckland f C eating
Speaker 3: the wind to continue on their momentum towards the Premier's plate,
Speaker 3: you could argue the same for the Phoenix. So we're
Speaker 3: trying to push a playoff spot and right there, right
Speaker 3: now they could do with a massive confidence boost and
Speaker 3: they're not going to get that as much as they
Speaker 3: will as they would have win against Auckland f C.
Speaker 1: That's it, Bonnie. You know, if they win this week
Speaker 1: and go on to make the six, they will look
Speaker 1: at that this week as a potential turning point. Oh right,
Speaker 1: you know they could. You know, they're not going to
Speaker 1: jump into the top six on the strength of one
Speaker 1: win alone this weekend. But what it will do is is,
Speaker 1: as you say, give them confidence, give them something to
Speaker 1: spring board off. If we look at I know we're
Speaker 1: jumping around a bit here, but if we look at
Speaker 1: at Wellington's next games. We already did that before. But
Speaker 1: Melbourne City, Western United, Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wonders. It's
Speaker 1: a hard road to hope for them, you know, but
Speaker 1: a win over Auckland away would give them the belief
Speaker 1: that anything is possible. Full house expected. I don't think
Speaker 1: you can get a ticket to this game. You might,
Speaker 1: there might be a few hundred floating around, but I
Speaker 1: think it'll all be absolutely chokers on the weekend. Had
Speaker 1: to look at the long range forecast, fine and twenty
Speaker 1: five degrees. One of those wonderful, humid Auckland days. That
Speaker 1: makes us all sweet, those of us coming from outside
Speaker 1: outside of Auckland, and even some of you who live
Speaker 1: in Auckland. Look, I just think it's I just hope
Speaker 1: it's a great occasion again the last one that Mount
Speaker 1: Smart was. I just hope this one is too.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I hope they treat it the same, even though
Speaker 3: you know, some fans might see it as despite everything
Speaker 3: we've just talked about, might see it as a write off,
Speaker 3: you know, Auckland at the top of the table, Phoenix
Speaker 3: near the bottom. I think it is still a very
Speaker 3: competitive match ahead and they do still, you know, treat
Speaker 3: it with the respect it deserves, like the skydivers coming
Speaker 3: in and the flyovers and whatnot. So yeah, it will
Speaker 3: be atn exciting occasion party. What do you think about
Speaker 3: Auckland FC raising the ticket price?
Speaker 1: I didn't know that that had happened.
Speaker 3: Yes, so they've bumped up the price for the derby,
Speaker 3: so it's more expensive. Obviously it's sold out now, but
Speaker 3: tickets were more expensive and not buy a whole lot,
Speaker 3: from about five to six dollars more for general admission
Speaker 3: and then it gets up to about twenty dollars more
Speaker 3: for the more premium tickets for the derby, So it's
Speaker 3: more expensive to go to the derby than it is
Speaker 3: to the game against Adelaide next week.
Speaker 1: It's market forces, isn't it. Supply and demand. You know,
Speaker 1: any business in the world will tell you that if
Speaker 1: something is in high demand, you can charge a bit
Speaker 1: more for it. I think if you bought a season
Speaker 1: ticket at the start of the season, you'd be laughing,
Speaker 1: wouldn't you, because you know you've you've paid, you've paid,
Speaker 1: you know your money, and you've got your ticket. I
Speaker 1: don't mind it, I must say. I know some people
Speaker 1: will say that's you know, that's that's taking advantage, but look,
Speaker 1: they're a business like any other business. Auckland FC. Yes
Speaker 1: they've got a billionaire owner, but I'm sure he still
Speaker 1: wants them to run the football club, you know, in
Speaker 1: in an economically effective fashion. I don't mind it. You know,
Speaker 1: once we get to the playoffs, I think apl set
Speaker 1: the ticket prices, so you know, I think season ticket
Speaker 1: holders get the first opportunity to buy them. But from
Speaker 1: my understanding, you know, your your season ticket doesn't get
Speaker 1: you finals tickets. It gets you the option and first
Speaker 1: option to buy them, but it doesn't it doesn't get
Speaker 1: included in your season ticket, if know what I mean.
Speaker 1: So I get the feeling apl Once we get to
Speaker 1: find the football will probably bump those prices up to
Speaker 1: what to similar to what you're talking about here for
Speaker 1: the remaining ones in the derby. So I've got no
Speaker 1: real I've got no real problem with it. Yeah, you know,
Speaker 1: I don't think it will matter. I think that's tool.
Speaker 1: They'll still pack it out on Saturday afternoon. We'll both
Speaker 1: be there five o'clock Go Media Stadium on Saturday. In fact,
Speaker 1: it's probably the only place to be on Saturday afternoon
Speaker 1: football fever. Let's move to the Wellington Phoenix Women who
Speaker 1: last night, late last night, New Zealand time. We're over
Speaker 1: in Perth playing Perth Glory. A two to one loss
Speaker 1: for the Wellington Phoenix Women. Perth won head after thirty
Speaker 1: one minutes. Olivia Ferguson scored her third goal of the
Speaker 1: season to make it one all at halftime, but Tiana
Speaker 1: Jaber with an own goal in the seventy first which
Speaker 1: eventually gave the Perth Glory side the win. I know
Speaker 1: I said this last week, and I know exactly what
Speaker 1: you're going to say, but I thought the Phoenix deserved
Speaker 1: to get something out of this, but they didn't.
Speaker 3: No, and that's the thing, like we can't keep saying
Speaker 3: they deserved it, because at the end of the day,
Speaker 3: they didn't get the win and they should have won.
Speaker 3: They're not clinical enough, you know, with the amount of
Speaker 3: opportunities that they're creating.
Speaker 1: They did create some opportunities, eleven shots on goal and
Speaker 1: Perth had the same. Possession was pretty even noehl saill Winham,
Speaker 1: which you know was always going to take away a
Speaker 1: little bit of creativity. But yeah, they I don't know
Speaker 1: that they're not frustrating to watch, but sometimes she just
Speaker 1: you watch them and you just wish there was just
Speaker 1: a slightly better end product for this team. I think
Speaker 1: Olivia Ferguson's a serviceable player, but she had a couple
Speaker 1: of really good opportunities. She did get a goal, but
Speaker 1: I feel like she should score more goals than she does.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I like Olivia Ferguson's mongrel.
Speaker 3: I think she's you know, she's driving for the ball
Speaker 3: and she's putting pressure on the backs and the goalkeeper
Speaker 3: when they kick out. And obviously she missed a cracker
Speaker 3: of a chance in the first half. She redeemed herself
Speaker 3: later on scoring that goal, but I feel like the
Speaker 3: Phoenix are potentially lacking a little bit of mongrel. I
Speaker 3: feel like there's a lot of individualistic type performances, you know,
Speaker 3: someone like Lara Wall and an incredible player, but potentially
Speaker 3: could link up with other players a little bit more.
Speaker 3: Annale Longo obviously great in that midfield. I feel like
Speaker 3: she's the only one really linking. But still, you know,
Speaker 3: too many defensive eras conceding those goals, and I think,
Speaker 3: you know, they could be a little bit more hungry.
Speaker 3: They know their position in the league, they know they're
Speaker 3: a good side, and Paul Temple's you know, explained in
Speaker 3: the past it's hard to win on the road and
Speaker 3: all that, but I don't think they can use that
Speaker 3: as an excuse anymore.
Speaker 1: Well, here's what they've done. That they've arrived at this
Speaker 1: point of the season with an opportunity now to make
Speaker 1: the top six, because as we've talked about it, probably
Speaker 1: for the last month and a half, March is going
Speaker 1: to be massive for this side. They find themselves eighth
Speaker 1: at the moment, four points outside the top six, only
Speaker 1: four points outside the top six, seven games to go,
Speaker 1: so still twenty one points on the table and there
Speaker 1: are only four points out there the top six. They
Speaker 1: get the chance, most of them to refresh now because
Speaker 1: there's an international break, and then in March they have
Speaker 1: four or five games at home. They play Adelaide at home,
Speaker 1: Western Sydney at home, then they're away at SYDNEYFC at
Speaker 1: home against the Mariners and Melbourne City. So they have
Speaker 1: a prime opportunity given the fact that at home they've
Speaker 1: averaged over two points a game with four wins, a
Speaker 1: drawing a loss, as opposed to on the road point
Speaker 1: seven of a point per game with two wins, of
Speaker 1: drawer and seven losses. They are an excellent team at home.
Speaker 1: They've given themselves the chance. Now. I guess the time
Speaker 1: for excuses is gone.
Speaker 3: I think with that lineup Parney, just looking at it,
Speaker 3: you know, I'd expect to draw against Adelaide in the
Speaker 3: next three games home and away, Western Sydney, Sydney FC,
Speaker 3: Central Coast, a win at all, you know, for all
Speaker 3: of those games, and Melbourne City will be tough. But
Speaker 3: at that point, hopefully they've built up a rhythm to
Speaker 3: at least compete against them and they are a good side.
Speaker 3: Maybe this international break players going off to the football
Speaker 3: ferns and you know, a bit of chance to rest
Speaker 3: and kind of rally is what the team needs.
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, it's going to be such an interesting watch
Speaker 1: during March when they have those four games at Pottydoor
Speaker 1: Parky in Melbourne City. I mean they're good. You just
Speaker 1: see Mardy unaspect my his goal. If we kid fun
Speaker 1: didn't my god, she's on you know man good Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix use her at the moment. You know, yes they're not.
Speaker 1: They're scoring goals, Wellington not at not at a flood.
Speaker 1: But you know their top scorer is Minigh Eily at
Speaker 1: Olivia Ferguson Andale Longo with three each. I mean Murty
Speaker 1: unexpecting On was only got six, but it's still you know,
Speaker 1: she's still very effective for a team that is leading
Speaker 1: the league. Looking forward. Actually you're see Maddy unexpect my
Speaker 1: back in back in Pottydoor at the back end of March.
Speaker 1: But look they they've given themselves the opportunity and look,
Speaker 1: I think if you said to Paul Temple you'll read
Speaker 1: which the end of February and the international break, four
Speaker 1: points outside the top six with seven games to go,
Speaker 1: he probably would have taken it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, and I do wonder why though Paul Temple
Speaker 3: isn't starting Emma Main. I think she she too, has
Speaker 3: scored a couple of goals for the Phoenix's season coming
Speaker 3: off the bench, and she even last season when she'd
Speaker 3: come off the bench, she was scoring goals.
Speaker 2: And that wouldn't.
Speaker 3: Hurt to change up that front line, especially when they're
Speaker 3: start needing to start, you know, be a little bit
Speaker 3: more clinical, so options there. But I would yeah, like
Speaker 3: them to finish games off.
Speaker 1: You know, I agree on him. I agree on Emma Main.
Speaker 1: I think she should come into the starting side. She's
Speaker 1: come off the bench in the last nine games. I
Speaker 1: think it's time to change that up. I think she
Speaker 1: comes in probably for Mania Elliott and you know links
Speaker 1: up with Jarlay and Ferguson, especially at home, Bonnie, when
Speaker 1: you want to get on the front foot. I like
Speaker 1: the idea of Jarlay, Maine and Ferguson starting together. Yeah,
Speaker 1: love it all right, Well, we'll send that off to
Speaker 1: Paul Temple. I he listens to the podcast, I'm pretty
Speaker 1: sure he'll get ball. Paul, we're lobbying for a main
Speaker 1: Jarley Ferguson front three.
Speaker 2: Let's see's get on the main train.
Speaker 1: Why not. You mentioned that most of the players will
Speaker 1: have the chance for a bit of a break, some won't. Mackenzie, Barry, Munaia, Elliott,
Speaker 1: Grace Jarlay Andale Longer now joined the Ferns. They have
Speaker 1: a couple of games against Costa Rica. Are this coming
Speaker 1: Sunday and the following Wednesday? And Tiana Jaber I love
Speaker 1: this called up for Lebanon. She's going to go. Yeah,
Speaker 1: she's going to go to Nepal to play in a
Speaker 1: four nation tournament and cat Man do. This is brilliant
Speaker 1: part of Lebanon's preparations for the upcoming Women's Asian Cup qualifiers,
Speaker 1: which are due to start in June. I think Tiana
Speaker 1: Jaber has been probably behind Annaly Longo, I think Wellington's
Speaker 1: most consistent player this season.
Speaker 3: Yeah, she's been really good. Obviously asad from that own
Speaker 3: goal that she conceded at the weekend, I think yeah,
Speaker 3: she's She's been solid at the back and arguably stronger
Speaker 3: than Onelike McKenzie berry, who's been a rock for the
Speaker 3: Phoenix for some time.
Speaker 1: Indeed, all right, so we wish the Wellington Phoenix women's
Speaker 1: players who are heading off on international duty all the best,
Speaker 1: so no game for them this weekend. So for the
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix Women, as I say, their next game will
Speaker 1: be on the second of March when they host Adelaide United.
Speaker 1: Who is Jose Bonnie are a good side there in
Speaker 1: third place at the moment, so maybe even just a
Speaker 1: point there would be a good start to what is
Speaker 1: shaping to be an extremely important calendar month of March
Speaker 1: as the Phoenix Woman look to make the playoffs for
Speaker 1: the first time. That's us on the podcast for today.
Speaker 1: Will continue to countdown towards the derby on Saturday, lots
Speaker 1: of content across news talks. He'd be in the New
Speaker 1: Zealand Herald as we are head into this one. Bonnie,
Speaker 1: have an excellent week and we'll catch up on a
Speaker 1: week from now reviewing whatever it is that happens in
Speaker 1: this derby on Saturday.
Speaker 2: Marty Wois Piney we'll see then.
Speaker 1: This is football Fever.