Speaker 1: Welcome to Football Fever. Hello there, Welcome to the start
Speaker 1: of a new week. Welcome into the start of May.
Speaker 1: Welcome to a fresh episode of the Football Fever podcast.
Speaker 1: I'm Jason Pine with Bonnie Jensen alongside the A League
Speaker 1: men's regular season is done, All done, Bonnie, How was
Speaker 1: your weekend?
Speaker 2: Oh? Not too bad, Piney, I guess the results weren't
Speaker 2: great in terms of A league kiwimen's football, but just
Speaker 2: really looking forward to to finals footy in the next month,
Speaker 2: which will hopefully be a big one for Auckland FC.
Speaker 1: Indeed, the top six are confirmed, we'll get into the
Speaker 1: elimination finals and what might lie ahead for Auckland FC shortly.
Speaker 1: But let's have a look at how they went over
Speaker 1: the weekend. As you say, the results certainly went against
Speaker 1: the grain as far as Auckland f C are concerned.
Speaker 1: Saturday night Western United four, Auckland f C two and
Speaker 1: Western United were three MILLI hit at one stage. Third
Speaker 1: loss of the season for Auckland FC. There's second to
Speaker 1: Western United, so I think we've got a bit of
Speaker 1: a bogie team in our midstier. Auckland f C's unbeaten
Speaker 1: street stops at fourteen matches. Look, a lot of people
Speaker 1: have said to me, hey, is this just they knew
Speaker 1: that won? The Premiers played that a few days, enjoying that,
Speaker 1: celebrating that this didn't really matter. You write it off?
Speaker 1: Is that the way you look at it?
Speaker 2: I think so, especially when you go from a sold
Speaker 2: out go Media stadium and playing in front of so
Speaker 2: many fans here in Auckland and games prior to that
Speaker 2: that had been so important to then going over to
Speaker 2: Western United, who would have had well five six thousand
Speaker 2: people in the crowd of that and probably yeah, just
Speaker 2: a bit of a write off game. I think what
Speaker 2: was disappointing for me, well, I didn't watch the game
Speaker 2: in full because I have to admit I was out
Speaker 2: at a party. I feel like some of the attitude,
Speaker 2: you know that the heads were down, the attitude maybe
Speaker 2: a little bit too arrogant. However, yes, we're going to
Speaker 2: look at it. You know, they needed to lose at
Speaker 2: some point, they needed to break that losing streak, and
Speaker 2: good they do it now and not in the playoffs.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I don't think it really has a terminal
Speaker 1: effect on them. I guess that remains to be seen.
Speaker 1: But when they've been so successful and when there was
Speaker 1: nothing on this game as far as table position was concerned.
Speaker 1: The only thing you would say is that if you
Speaker 1: believe in momentum, and some people do and some people don't.
Speaker 1: But if you believe in momentum, then the momentum of
Speaker 1: fourteen unbeaten matches has been broken. But I don't think
Speaker 1: that necessarily means, does it that you just don't come
Speaker 1: out the other side and start a different kind of
Speaker 1: momentum going into the finals.
Speaker 2: What I do wonder is why Kraka stuck with his
Speaker 2: same kind of starting eleven he's played with for the
Speaker 2: last few weeks. I know we spoke about it last
Speaker 2: week that you know, there's too long of a gap
Speaker 2: to be resting players because they do have the buy
Speaker 2: next week and they want to build that momentum, as
Speaker 2: you say, Poney, But I do wonder if maybe giving
Speaker 2: some of those younger players a start, they might have
Speaker 2: seen a different attitude to a bit of a fight
Speaker 2: from the team with a point to prove. You know,
Speaker 2: the likes of Liam Gilliam wasn't in the squad again,
Speaker 2: Jesse Randall came off the bench. But I just wonder
Speaker 2: if some new faces maybe would have given them that boost.
Speaker 2: I mean, luckily there were no injuries that I know
Speaker 2: of yet, but yeah, that was interesting to me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he had a couple of options, didn't he, Steve Corriker.
Speaker 1: He could do what he did and go with the
Speaker 1: same team and continue to build what he hoped would
Speaker 1: be momentum. Or as you say, he could have freshened
Speaker 1: things up. They could have given guys, you know, a
Speaker 1: bit of a break, even a guy like Philippe Guygos,
Speaker 1: you know, who didn't play last week because of the
Speaker 1: injury he picked up against Melbourne victory. He could have
Speaker 1: easily said to Philipe guy Goss, look, take another week off.
Speaker 1: He's not going to be set back at this stage
Speaker 1: of the season. He's got his base fitness, he's not
Speaker 1: going to be set back. And as it was, he
Speaker 1: came off at halftime anyway, So yeah, look, he could
Speaker 1: have given guys who actually came off the bench a start.
Speaker 1: He could have started Moreno, he could have started Randall
Speaker 1: as you say, he could have brought in guys who
Speaker 1: hardly have any hardly had any football at all in
Speaker 1: and there wouldn't have been any downside. I don't think
Speaker 1: to that. It wasn't as though it was a must
Speaker 1: win game. So but Steve Corek has obviously decided, look,
Speaker 1: this is the way I'm going to do it. He
Speaker 1: lives and dies by his decisions, you know so, and
Speaker 1: I guess if you flip it, these players now have
Speaker 1: a bit of a bit of a point to prove
Speaker 1: next time they go out, which will be an away
Speaker 1: semi final in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2: I would have liked to have seen Michael Vowed at
Speaker 2: least get some minutes there. I feel like he was
Speaker 2: a little bit probably ripped off at the start of
Speaker 2: the season signing thinking he was going to be the
Speaker 2: number one. Obviously Alex Paulson took that and rightly so,
Speaker 2: but it would have been good to see him get
Speaker 2: a run because I doubt they'll try him in the playoffs, unless,
Speaker 2: of course, there is an injury to Pulse in touch
Speaker 2: would but Piney, do you think that is they're starting eleven?
Speaker 1: It's a good question. I think it depends on who
Speaker 1: they play. I think if they play Melbourne victory in
Speaker 1: the semi finals, he might do what he did in
Speaker 1: the game over there only two or three weeks ago,
Speaker 1: and they when they played the back five when they
Speaker 1: brought Callon Elliot in they had Sarki, Pinicker, Hall, Devrees
Speaker 1: and Elliott. I wonder if they play Melbourne Victory, it
Speaker 1: might be one of those horses for courses things where
Speaker 1: they know that worked against Victory last time. Other than that,
Speaker 1: the only thing I'd say would be would be you know,
Speaker 1: are they all in on Marley Francois. It feels as
Speaker 1: though Steve Corrikett is pretty much all in on him.
Speaker 1: He's started five of the last six games. Now I
Speaker 1: wonder whether it's perhaps you know, a Moreno rather than
Speaker 1: a Francois that you might see the mata my thing.
Speaker 1: I think he again is all in on that. He's
Speaker 1: not going to drop the strata. The back five are
Speaker 1: pretty set. What would you be doing?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I probably would start Medano. Like looking at that
Speaker 2: goal he's scored on the weekend for Auckland FC, like
Speaker 2: another absolute banger. And yes he was he was out injured,
Speaker 2: but yeah he's he's such a goal scorer and well,
Speaker 2: yes you could look at it and bring him off
Speaker 2: the bench and have have that super sub there like
Speaker 2: he again proved at the weekend. You want to start
Speaker 2: your best, your best to live in, no matter what
Speaker 2: position they play. I am in my opinion, So yeah,
Speaker 2: I feel like Marley Frants. I've said it, I've said
Speaker 2: it before, I'll say it again. He hasn't done enough
Speaker 2: for me to deserve that starting spot.
Speaker 1: I think if you take all position out of it,
Speaker 1: the strongest eleven is Paulson, Sychai, Pinecker, Hall Devrees, the Strata,
Speaker 1: Guy Goss, Moreno, Rogerson Marta. My now, that's tough on
Speaker 1: Jake Brummer, who I think is just on the fringes
Speaker 1: there of that, maybe he and Guy Goss, maybe a
Speaker 1: Cam Howison. But that's the way for me.
Speaker 2: It's for me it's Brimmer instead of Max Mutter. And
Speaker 2: is that link between the front three and the midfield.
Speaker 1: Yep, yep, that's another way. Yep, another way could do it. No,
Speaker 1: And it wasn't that long ago that he did that
Speaker 1: Max Marter didn't play. Was that that was the game
Speaker 1: against Victory. Actually when when Max Marter didn't play, he
Speaker 1: might have been carrying an injury. But as you say,
Speaker 1: Brimmer played that day and Guy Goss as well as
Speaker 1: the back five, So he's got a few little little tweaks.
Speaker 1: I think you can probably write down eight or nine
Speaker 1: of the players who will start, and then it's what
Speaker 1: you do around that, plus what you do with your bench.
Speaker 1: So yeah, I guess they can't really specifically plan until
Speaker 1: they know who they're playing, and that won't be until
Speaker 1: after after Saturday night. Just on Western United, Auckland FC
Speaker 1: cannot meet Western United again unless it is than the
Speaker 1: Grand Final. I just wonder in a Grand final, which
Speaker 1: if it is Auckland f C, Western United would be
Speaker 1: in Auckland, whether Western United would just come and completely
Speaker 1: without fear having beaten Auckland four to two on the weekend,
Speaker 1: having beaten them four nil in Auckland in round nine.
Speaker 1: Are they a bogie team? Are they the team that
Speaker 1: you are worried most about if you're Auckland FC.
Speaker 2: No, I am not. I don't fear Western United. I
Speaker 2: think looking actually at the five teams under Auckland FC,
Speaker 2: they would bet the team I'd want to meet the most. Really, yeah,
Speaker 2: I feel Adelaide United are arguably more of a bogie team.
Speaker 2: Piney because of those two incredible draws we had against
Speaker 2: the side that Adelaide United seemed to stand up against
Speaker 2: Auckland f C and then Melbourne victory. I've said it before,
Speaker 2: so good in the final series always got PTSD from
Speaker 2: the match against the Phoenix. Last season, Western Sidney a
Speaker 2: on a roll and Melbourne City a Melbourne City. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I feel like Western United the team I'd want to
Speaker 2: play the most.
Speaker 1: Well, okay, that's an interesting way of looking at it,
Speaker 1: especially given the results. But you're so right Adelaide United,
Speaker 1: where they fell off a cliff, didn't they We've talked,
Speaker 1: they did about this after that four all draw, and again,
Speaker 1: at the risk of repeating ourselves, we both said that
Speaker 1: could be a Grand final Adelaide United. You know, Auckland
Speaker 1: FC could be a Grand Final. It's not going to be.
Speaker 1: There's no way it can be. Because if Adelaide United
Speaker 1: were to beat Western United on Friday night as the
Speaker 1: lowest qualifier, they would face Auckland FC in the Semis.
Speaker 1: But I think, you know, everyone expected Sydney FC to
Speaker 1: get the points, the point in fact they needed in
Speaker 1: the last two games to sneak into the top six
Speaker 1: didn't happen, so Adelaide un noted. I mean, they were
Speaker 1: probably planning mad Monday today, you know. Instead, instead they're
Speaker 1: starting a week with a knockout game at the end
Speaker 1: of it, and you know what, they could go to
Speaker 1: Western United and win that game Adelaide.
Speaker 2: Well, that's what I'm thinking, Pointe, And I think I
Speaker 2: said it after that that Fairest Wheel game where they
Speaker 2: had the Fairest Wheel and they had that four all
Speaker 2: draw that I can already picture it. Now. We go
Speaker 2: away to Adelaide in the first round of the semi finals,
Speaker 2: and then they come back and both games are deadlock,
Speaker 2: so we have to go to a penalty shootout. I
Speaker 2: can already see it now. So yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2: I'm a bit nervous. Well that's good.
Speaker 1: That's anario as possible. Bonnie. You're right, it's six all
Speaker 1: between these two teams. I've had two cracking games, you know,
Speaker 1: the one over in Adelaide where what Logan Rogers's scoring
Speaker 1: about the one hundredth minute or something to make that
Speaker 1: to all and then as you say, the four all,
Speaker 1: which was back and forth and back and forth and
Speaker 1: for you, round and round on the Fairest Will as
Speaker 1: you wrote that piece for the Herald. Okay, well, let's
Speaker 1: have a look at what might happen in these in
Speaker 1: these elimination finals, then Friday night, Western United will host Adelaide.
Speaker 1: Saturday night, Western Sydney will host Melbourne Victory. So the
Speaker 1: lowest ranked winner will play Auckland FC. The highest ranked
Speaker 1: winner will face Melbourne City in the semi finals. Who
Speaker 1: do you think will win? So are you are you
Speaker 1: backing Adelaide to beat Western United on Friday night?
Speaker 2: It's in Western United day?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I think I think Western United get up,
Speaker 2: get up for that one and then the other game
Speaker 2: Melbourne Victory. I just think they're too good in this
Speaker 2: time of the year.
Speaker 1: Okay, Well, in that scenario then it would be Melbourne
Speaker 1: Victory who Auckland FC would face home and away. So
Speaker 1: your PTSD right got the order right, would kick in
Speaker 1: well and truly. Yeah. So the team that Auckland cannot
Speaker 1: play in the semis is Western United. They can play
Speaker 1: Adelaide United or Western Sydney or Melbourne Victory. So if
Speaker 1: you're picking Melbourne Victory to win on Saturday night and
Speaker 1: Western United to win on Friday, then we are in
Speaker 1: store for a home and away semi final series against
Speaker 1: Melbourne Victory.
Speaker 2: What do you think, Parney, what do you think is
Speaker 2: going to happen?
Speaker 1: I think Western United will bet Adelaide as well, much
Speaker 1: as I would love Adelaide to go through because I
Speaker 1: just have really enjoyed the way they play, and I
Speaker 1: think it would be almost a bit of a chance
Speaker 1: for Carl Vett to give the powers that be at
Speaker 1: that club a bit of a middle finger. You know,
Speaker 1: they've sacked him effectively, or they haven't renewed him beyond
Speaker 1: the sea. Imagine if they beat Western United in the
Speaker 1: in the elimination final, get through to the semis. You
Speaker 1: know they're and I've said, thanks Carl, but we're going
Speaker 1: to go in a different direction. You know, I got
Speaker 1: no skin in that game, you know, so, but I
Speaker 1: think Western United will probably win. I think Western Sydney
Speaker 1: Melbourne victory is an absolute corn flip and absolutely and
Speaker 1: is set up for an epic epic game out at
Speaker 1: Combak Stadium on Saturday night. Whoever comes through that will
Speaker 1: be a worthy semi finalist. Obviously. I think they're both
Speaker 1: very dangerous sides. Melbourne victory, we know, you know, with
Speaker 1: their attacking threats, but you know, Western Sydney wanderers with
Speaker 1: you know, with Nicholas Milanovitch and bojed Ar Krajev Brandon Barrello,
Speaker 1: they too are very dangerous. Having said all of that, Bonnie,
Speaker 1: whoever Auckland face. Auckland have the best defense in the league,
Speaker 1: so they have shown over twenty six games that they
Speaker 1: can repel the best attacks in the league.
Speaker 2: But Pineyer defense wins, lead goals, win grand finals.
Speaker 1: Yes, you're right there, You're right there, and then you say, okay,
Speaker 1: well gives you momi nd Modino.
Speaker 2: Ten different goal scorers or something. I think that's the
Speaker 2: that's the stat.
Speaker 1: Well, I mean, rather than talking vagaries next Monday, we
Speaker 1: can talk in absolutes. We can review these two elimination
Speaker 1: finals next week on the pod and look forward to
Speaker 1: specifically who Aukland FC will play. Now, what we do
Speaker 1: know is that the home semi final home and away
Speaker 1: the home semifinal will be at six o'clock New Zealand
Speaker 1: time on the night of Saturday May twenty fourth. Now
Speaker 1: believe tickets for members might go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, today, today,
Speaker 1: I believe it all right, and then general sale. I
Speaker 1: would not wait around if you are looking for a
Speaker 1: ticket for that game. There is absolutely no doubt it
Speaker 1: will sell out, may even sell out this week, so
Speaker 1: i'd get your tickets if you are keen to go
Speaker 1: six o'clock Saturday, May twenty fourth. Now the Grand Final venue,
Speaker 1: We've talked about this a bit. The A League media
Speaker 1: release yesterday said the final is going to be on
Speaker 1: Saturday May thirty one. If it is on that date,
Speaker 1: it can't be at Eden Park because the Blues are
Speaker 1: playing there that same day. But then there was a
Speaker 1: graphic that came out later from the A League that
Speaker 1: said the Grand Final is May thirty one to June one,
Speaker 1: so across that weekend, so it could be someday. Have
Speaker 1: you got any gut feel on where it's going to
Speaker 1: be You've got the inside information of where this game,
Speaker 1: if it is a Grand Final of Auckland's going to be.
Speaker 2: I don't have any inside information other than that it's
Speaker 2: going to be decided in the next week. If it
Speaker 2: is in fact going to be in Auckland, obviously we
Speaker 2: won't know that till down the track. But I just feel,
Speaker 2: which is full speculation, that it'll absolutely be at Eden
Speaker 2: Park for two for three reasons. Firstly, I think you
Speaker 2: mentioned it to me Piney that Gosford didn't have another
Speaker 2: option last year or Central Coast didn't have another option
Speaker 2: last year other than Gosford, they wouldn't have traveled to Sydney,
Speaker 2: whereas Auckland do have another stadium option. The A League
Speaker 2: will want to make as much money as possible and
Speaker 2: Auckland FC have been consistently selling out, selling out their
Speaker 2: stadium or close to it, so I'm confident they'll be
Speaker 2: able to sell out Eden Park. And thirdly, I think
Speaker 2: the Australians secretly hate the Kiwis and they want to
Speaker 2: give New Zealand as much of a disadvantage as possible
Speaker 2: in the final.
Speaker 1: Wow. Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't say it like that,
Speaker 1: but if you think that's an underlying thing, you.
Speaker 2: Think like they don't want Auckland to win it, do they?
Speaker 1: Well, I don't know. I mean I think if you
Speaker 1: ask a few supporters of Australian clubs, they think that
Speaker 1: Auckland f C have been have been disproportionately glazed by
Speaker 1: the by you know, the Australian Football media, the APL
Speaker 1: and everybody else. Over the season. It seems like every
Speaker 1: social media post for a while was Auckland f C.
Speaker 1: But look, it's going to come down to the the
Speaker 1: balances this apill want to make, as you directly pointed out,
Speaker 1: as much money as possible. Therefore they want the bigger venue.
Speaker 1: But Auckland f C, for whatever power they have in
Speaker 1: this conversation, want to have it at go Media because
Speaker 1: that is their home, that is their fortress. It's just
Speaker 1: which which argument or whether that Auckland f C argument
Speaker 1: is compelling enough for apl to settle for less money
Speaker 1: from ticket sales. That's really what it comes down to.
Speaker 2: I think the only way that Auckland f C will
Speaker 2: get it across the line is if they know Go
Speaker 2: Media offer to put up a temporary stat and on
Speaker 2: that on that north side, or maybe remove the slide
Speaker 2: that they've had and feel kind of general admission tickets
Speaker 2: on that grassy bank. I'm not sure exactly how it
Speaker 2: will work, but I think also a massive thing is
Speaker 2: having it on that Saturday. That might play in their favor,
Speaker 2: because yeah, it'll it'll attracts such a bigger crowd being
Speaker 2: on a Saturday than it would that it would on
Speaker 2: the Friday or the Sunday.
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, we wait and see, and as you say,
Speaker 1: they can't wait until after the semi finals. It might
Speaker 1: not matter because Auckland might not make it. They have
Speaker 1: to make a decision, as you say, probably in the
Speaker 1: next week or so, just to say, okay, if Auckland
Speaker 1: f C host heres where it's going to because the
Speaker 1: venue has to get ready for it, right. You can't
Speaker 1: just pull these things together in four or five days.
Speaker 1: It's all ahead of us. Auckland FC, we know, have
Speaker 1: the weekend off though, and next week it around about
Speaker 1: this time we will know the winners of the two
Speaker 1: elimination finals and therefore Auckland FC's opponent in their home
Speaker 1: and away semis. This is what Lord well from the
Speaker 1: highs of finals football to the lows of what we
Speaker 1: saw last night at sky Stadium, Wellington Phoenix nil Perth
Speaker 1: Glory two. Now, this game was rescheduled from Friday night
Speaker 1: Perth couldn't get to Wellington because of some horrendous weather
Speaker 1: at the back end of last week in the Capitol.
Speaker 1: The game was rescheduled to yesterday. Adam Taggart with both goals,
Speaker 1: one in each half, both very good finishes. He's a
Speaker 1: quality player. A somewhat fitting end to a very very
Speaker 1: disappointing Wellington Phoenix season. Just the one shot on target
Speaker 1: all evening Perth had nine. By comparison, fourth straight defeat
Speaker 1: to end the season. They've lost to the bottom two
Speaker 1: sides in successive weeks without scoring a goal, eleventh on
Speaker 1: the table, fourteen points outside the top six. Whichever way
Speaker 1: you cut and slice a Bonnie, this was a very
Speaker 1: very meek end to what has been a terribly disappointing season.
Speaker 2: Pretty underwhelming, wasn't it. I think from the performance on
Speaker 2: the pitch it echoed kind of their attitudes and their
Speaker 2: decline throughout the season. Also the fans that was not
Speaker 2: many people there. I do understand it had been a
Speaker 2: pretty shitty weather week in Wellington and probably was a
Speaker 2: cold Sunday night, But yeah, not a non an ideal
Speaker 2: way to end the season whatsoever. And you can just
Speaker 2: tell the attitudes and in the players they're just they're done,
Speaker 2: they're checked out. I can't say the same for the
Speaker 2: coaching staff, but I do wonder if maybe they jumped
Speaker 2: the gun a little bit re signing chiefye so soon.
Speaker 1: Well, that is a discussion point. I think that has
Speaker 1: been talked about a lot since he was re signed
Speaker 1: ten days ago. You know, there's certainly no indication from
Speaker 1: the Wellington Phoenix players they were in any way playing
Speaker 1: for their coach or anything like that, not that they
Speaker 1: have to, but the last couple of games, it's just
Speaker 1: such a with nothing on the line, Bondy, you know
Speaker 1: that the finals were out of reach. They were playing,
Speaker 1: as I say, the bottom two sides in Brisbane and Perth.
Speaker 1: You know, why not just have a crack, why not
Speaker 1: just give it a go. And it's just I just
Speaker 1: just looked like the tanks were empty, and you know,
Speaker 1: physically and mentally for the side, the body language was terrible.
Speaker 1: You know, there was nothing in the way of a spark. Really,
Speaker 1: only a couple of players, you know that I can
Speaker 1: think of last night really tried to inject themselves with
Speaker 1: any vigor. It was just a really really meek end
Speaker 1: to a you know, to to the seat. They just
Speaker 1: they just stumbled across the finish line.
Speaker 2: You know, oh, absolutely piny and everything. And I think
Speaker 2: I've pointed out the senior players a lot this season
Speaker 2: and in terms of you know, they haven't really stood
Speaker 2: up and shown with their body language that you know,
Speaker 2: to kind of give this team any hope. But perhaps
Speaker 2: that was a bit unfear of me. Even last night.
Speaker 2: I noticed a lot of the younger players, you know,
Speaker 2: walking and like walking on the field and into positions
Speaker 2: and just really really lazy attitudes. Again, apologies if that's
Speaker 2: too harsh, but that's just how it felt. And even
Speaker 2: then when you listen to to Chiefy after the game
Speaker 2: and the press conference that you you were at Piney
Speaker 2: and even his attitude was was very unmotivated, and yeah,
Speaker 2: you got to respect them. It's it's hard to go
Speaker 2: out there and do that, but especially with nothing on
Speaker 2: the line. But it's their job. They're paid. They paid
Speaker 2: good money to be able to be in that position,
Speaker 2: so I think, yeah, it's very disappointing. And the fact
Speaker 2: that they've got to go now play in the Australian
Speaker 2: Cup is what later this month is a bit like, oh,
Speaker 2: I bet they bet they're so checked out.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I just think they need space from it all.
Speaker 1: The contrast is so stark to last year. I mean
Speaker 1: you talk about the rain and the wind and that
Speaker 1: sort of thing, and I think back to last season
Speaker 1: that game against Melbourne victory, not the semi final, but
Speaker 1: the one at the back end of the regular season
Speaker 1: where Finn Sermon got the goal right at the end
Speaker 1: it was pouring down that night. It was an awful night,
Speaker 1: and yet people still turned up because of what the
Speaker 1: Phoenix were all about last season. Even yesterday at the
Speaker 1: start of the game when the team ran out and
Speaker 1: the you know, Adam Cooper, our good mate on the
Speaker 1: ground announcing, tried to say, yeah, give it, you know,
Speaker 1: give it up for your Wellington Phoenix and there was
Speaker 1: literally no there, Bonnie. You know it was And I
Speaker 1: think back a year to those packed stands, the semi
Speaker 1: final with a sollout Zavada's goal, all of that, and
Speaker 1: you can't help but compare, you know what, how how
Speaker 1: much that has changed in the space of just twelve months,
Speaker 1: how different it could be. And this isn't rare in
Speaker 1: the A League. You know, teams go through peaks and troughs,
Speaker 1: but after the huge highs and positivity of last year
Speaker 1: to you know, to what we've we've had to endure. Really,
Speaker 1: I mean one win in twelve home games this season,
Speaker 1: no wins at home in twenty twenty five. Last season
Speaker 1: they lost only one regular season game at home. You know,
Speaker 1: the contrast could not be any startup. You're right, they
Speaker 1: go to Darwin to play in the Australia Cup on Wednesday.
Speaker 1: That's next Wednesday. Then they'll break until preseason starts on
Speaker 1: the first of July. They seriously need a refresh of
Speaker 1: some sorts. So I've got a couple of questions for
Speaker 1: you around this. Do you think cost of Barbarusis will stay.
Speaker 2: I think he should. I wonder if maybe this season
Speaker 2: has just burnt him ound and he won't. But I
Speaker 2: think in terms of if he wants to put his
Speaker 2: best foot forward for the All Whites and the World
Speaker 2: Cup next year, he should stay where he's guaranteed minutes
Speaker 2: and you know, leads, leads the goal the goal scoring.
Speaker 1: Yep. I agree totally with that. He knows that if
Speaker 1: he stays, he basically plays every game as he has
Speaker 1: this season and has the opportunity to get a lot
Speaker 1: of minutes in front of the national coach. I just
Speaker 1: think that the other part of that is that he
Speaker 1: can't afford I don't think in his mind to be
Speaker 1: part of another season like the one we've just had
Speaker 1: in terms of, you know, what it's meant for his psyche,
Speaker 1: his motivation levels, just you know, being part of a
Speaker 1: team that hasn't for the back end of the season
Speaker 1: really challenged at all. Like, I absolutely hope he stays.
Speaker 1: I think other teams would take him, you know, But
Speaker 1: I think there is that degree of uncertainty for Costa.
Speaker 1: If he goes somewhere else, does he absolutely guarantee himself
Speaker 1: a starting spot for the vast majority of the season.
Speaker 1: And that's probably what he has to weigh up at
Speaker 1: the moment.
Speaker 2: And let's not forget as well, he is what thirty five,
Speaker 2: He probably you know, he's probably got his eyes on
Speaker 2: this World Cup, no doubt, but after that, I can't
Speaker 2: see him continuing playing for very much longer. So would
Speaker 2: to move whereas his family will live, you know, would
Speaker 2: to move across the ditch be the best thing for
Speaker 2: him at this time in his career, in his life.
Speaker 2: I'm not sure, But maybe that's the thing. Maybe he
Speaker 2: wants to go even further afar and make a bit
Speaker 2: more money.
Speaker 1: He's still very fit and even at thirty five, But
Speaker 1: I wonder whether his footballing focus at the moment is
Speaker 1: just between now and the end of the World Cup
Speaker 1: next year. So he's thinking in terms of a fourteen
Speaker 1: fifteen month proper position, and I hope that he comes
Speaker 1: to the conclusion that the best way to ensure he's
Speaker 1: in the World Cup squad with plenty of minutes under
Speaker 1: his belt is to stay in Wellington. He'd have to
Speaker 1: be convinced by Chiefee and by Sean Gill, the Director
Speaker 1: of football, that there is a plan for next season
Speaker 1: to lift them out of what's been a dreadfully inconsistent
Speaker 1: and disappointing campaign this time around. If they can convince
Speaker 1: him that there is some light at the end of
Speaker 1: what's been a dark tunnel, then I think he will
Speaker 1: stay for the reasons that you say. You know, you
Speaker 1: don't want to be uprooting your family. He's moved a
Speaker 1: lot in his career. You know, this is his third
Speaker 1: stint in Wellington. I mean different when he was younger
Speaker 1: and didn't have a wife and children, but he does now.
Speaker 1: You know, they're settled here. So yeah, I mean I
Speaker 1: feel like I need to draw him aside and try
Speaker 1: and sell Wellington to him.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, that's what I was going to say, Poney,
Speaker 2: have you got any insight in terms of what he
Speaker 2: might do or win? A decision at least will be made.
Speaker 2: He wouldn't have long to decide, would he.
Speaker 1: No. I think his contract will put it this way,
Speaker 1: you're paid up until the end of your contract, and
Speaker 1: I believe that's May thirty one. It could be June,
Speaker 1: it could be June thirty. Anyway, he's currently under contract
Speaker 1: until the end of this current A League season, whatever
Speaker 1: the date might be. If he doesn't sign an extension,
Speaker 1: then he stops getting paid basically, So yes, the answer
Speaker 1: is he would have to give them an answer. I
Speaker 1: think now that the season's done. He's always said during
Speaker 1: the season or the last bit of the season. Now
Speaker 1: I'm going to leave that until the end of the season.
Speaker 1: I'm focusing on the season at the moment. I make
Speaker 1: a decision at the end, So that's come now that
Speaker 1: time is now, you know, forget the Australia Cup. You
Speaker 1: know thing. I wonder whether we might get a decision
Speaker 1: this week even or in the next week to ten days.
Speaker 1: I'm sure there'll be other teams in for him, no question,
Speaker 1: quality quality a league player. Three hundred and fiftieth game
Speaker 1: last night in the A League. Only five other players
Speaker 1: have done that. Still banging in the goals, back to
Speaker 1: back double figure goal seasons for Costa.
Speaker 2: Look, yeah, does he come to Auckland. Imagine the scenes
Speaker 2: on Paulson two point zero?
Speaker 1: Would they want? Would they want? Costa?
Speaker 2: Well, the only person you'd probably start him over is
Speaker 2: someone like Logan Rogerson, because he wouldn't start over Mike.
Speaker 2: I guess he'd probably start over Maxmutter.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it would be I feel like if
Speaker 1: I'm Terry mcflinn, I'm at least picking up the phone.
Speaker 2: Oh, surely I might call Cherry after this and ask him, all.
Speaker 1: Right, well, maybe you can report back or we're doing
Speaker 1: at the moment. I don't have any inside information, no, none.
Speaker 1: I haven't spoken to Costa about it. I don't have
Speaker 1: any any line into him at all. I just hope
Speaker 1: that he stays. Let's go to the imports. Josh Olaway,
Speaker 1: Yemmy Kazuki Nagasawa, and hideki A Shiga are all signed
Speaker 1: for next season. Now. The question was put to Chiefy
Speaker 1: at the press conference last night. Are all of the
Speaker 1: imports definitely coming back? We know Scott Woton isn't, so Olowa,
Speaker 1: I mean, Nagasawa is Shiga? Are all of the imports
Speaker 1: coming back? And he said potentially? So. I mean it's
Speaker 1: a very very vague answer, right, So that means that
Speaker 1: in the follow up question from Phil Rollo it staff
Speaker 1: was so not certainly and chief he said, well, nothing
Speaker 1: certain in football. I think they're trying to find a
Speaker 1: way out of one or more of these contracts.
Speaker 2: Oh they've got to piney like looking at the season
Speaker 2: they've had. They absolutely have to and surely you know
Speaker 2: Olawa Amy is not going to want to sit on
Speaker 2: the bench for another season because I think if if
Speaker 2: he does, you know, if he does stay, he is
Speaker 2: sitting on the bench. There's there's not a lot between
Speaker 2: him and Kelly hild So why wouldn't you start the younger,
Speaker 2: younger one who is an academy player. In terms of
Speaker 2: the two Japanese imports, the yeah, I don't know. Again,
Speaker 2: they haven't had probably as many minutes as they would
Speaker 2: have liked. So a tricky wimp. I don't know how
Speaker 2: how all that stuff works and how easy it is
Speaker 2: for the Phoenix to get out of those contracts.
Speaker 1: You're like, I guess you have to pay them out.
Speaker 1: That's how it works. I think if you want to,
Speaker 1: if you want to extricate yourself from a contract and
Speaker 1: terminate it by mutual consent, I think you have to
Speaker 1: pay out the remainder of the contract, so you know
Speaker 1: they've got And with josh Olawami, I mean he doesn't
Speaker 1: want to sit on the bench, but the Wellington Phoenix
Speaker 1: don't want an import sitting on the bench, either goalkeeper
Speaker 1: or otherwise. Your imports have said this so often. Your
Speaker 1: imports have to be starting players, you know. They you
Speaker 1: cannot afford to have your precious five import spots taking
Speaker 1: up space on a bench. They need to be pushing
Speaker 1: for the starting side or regulars and the starting side.
Speaker 1: And again to compare with Auckland, all five imports have
Speaker 1: been really really successful. I think one day will come
Speaker 1: back into the side and so all five of them
Speaker 1: will be in that starting side. And that's the way
Speaker 1: that you have to you know, you have to have
Speaker 1: to look at this. Would josh Alawayami, Kazuki Nagasawa, Hadecki
Speaker 1: Ishiga make any other A League men's side as an import?
Speaker 1: They might, but I'm not sure one hundred percent sure
Speaker 1: that they would. So yeah, look there's some discussions to
Speaker 1: be had there. There's not a lot of regal room
Speaker 1: otherwise because there's if they do stay and cost of stays,
Speaker 1: then I think that's twenty signed for next season, you
Speaker 1: can only have twenty three, so any refreshing of the
Speaker 1: squad it becomes a little bit more difficult. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I also found last night listening to that press conference
Speaker 2: audio when Chief he said in response to that question
Speaker 2: about the wiggle room in terms of the players locked in,
Speaker 2: and he did focus on the fact that the academy
Speaker 2: players will all be a little older and a little
Speaker 2: wise in next season, so that should hopefully boost up
Speaker 2: the squad. And I thought that was a bit short minded,
Speaker 2: short sighted of Chief He to say. I think if
Speaker 2: he's hoping those academy players, and you know, a lot
Speaker 2: of them have done a right and stepped up, the
Speaker 2: likes of Isaac Hughes and Matt Sheeron and Corbyn Piper,
Speaker 2: if he's focused on those younger boys, I think that's
Speaker 2: a little bit concerning because I think they're going to
Speaker 2: need a little bit more than that to see, you know,
Speaker 2: stark improvement next season.
Speaker 1: Interesting times ahead, a lot to work on for jian
Speaker 1: Calo Italiano and his coaching staff over the next few months.
Speaker 1: Players back, as I say, after the Australian Cup on
Speaker 1: July the first for pre season training, the Wellington Phoenix
Speaker 1: awards night. The official awards night is tomorrow night. We
Speaker 1: thought we'd get in early and give out our awards.
Speaker 1: I've asked you to come up with a Player of
Speaker 1: the Year and a Young Player of the Year. So
Speaker 1: who is your player of Player of the Y for
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix.
Speaker 2: It was really quite hard to pick, but I'm just
Speaker 2: gonna have to go with Costa Barbarusis. I think he
Speaker 2: did a lot with what he could. I spoke a
Speaker 2: lot throughout the season. There was not a lot, not
Speaker 2: much of a link between the midfield and Costa, but
Speaker 2: the fact he's still got ten goals off was was
Speaker 2: somewhat impressive and obviously scored the first goal that Auckland
Speaker 2: f C conceded.
Speaker 1: I had had Costa, but I've gone with Scott Wooton.
Speaker 1: I thought, you mate, Yeah, I just think in the
Speaker 1: midst of what has been a really challenging time, I
Speaker 1: just think we can weak out. He he fronted up
Speaker 1: and sort of you know, tried to hold together and
Speaker 1: at times very inexperienced a defensive line with you know,
Speaker 1: chopping and changing of goalkeepers, of fallbacks of players sitting
Speaker 1: in front. You know, he had to sort of I
Speaker 1: guess guide the likes of Hughes and Sheridan and others
Speaker 1: through his experience. So I've gone Scott Wooton and we
Speaker 1: know that he's leaving the club. We know he and
Speaker 1: Sam Sutton, I mean still not official, but they are
Speaker 1: going to Perth. But I've taken Scott Wotton as player
Speaker 1: of the year Young player of the Year. I can
Speaker 1: first here if you like, I've gone and.
Speaker 2: Shall we say it at the same time?
Speaker 1: Okay? Three to one Corbyn Piper. I don't think there's
Speaker 1: any argument there as to a young player and Rookie
Speaker 1: of the year. I mean, one of the bright spots
Speaker 1: of a dark season, Corbyn Piper coming and he was
Speaker 1: asked to play another position last night he was up
Speaker 1: at center forward. I think he's played every position apart
Speaker 1: from goalkeeper and if Chief is head here to take
Speaker 1: the gloves he probably would.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, no's He's done well and I was excited
Speaker 2: about that signing at the start of the season. I
Speaker 2: think he was snubbed by Auckland FC and they might
Speaker 2: be regretting that decision. I'm still not sure what Corbyn
Speaker 2: Piper's future looks like where the national team is on
Speaker 2: the cards for him, But yeah, I think Wellington will
Speaker 2: be a great place for him for the next couple
Speaker 2: of seasons, and yeah, I hope he only only continues
Speaker 2: to grow.
Speaker 1: All right, just before we leave the Phoenix, what is
Speaker 1: the position if you're in the recruitment team at Wellington Phoenix,
Speaker 1: if you're looking ahead to next season, what is the
Speaker 1: position or maybe even a couple of positions that you
Speaker 1: think are most in need of strengthening at the club.
Speaker 2: I think center backs both obviously Scott Wooton going and
Speaker 2: then I just don't think Isaac Hughes or Matt Sheridan
Speaker 2: a scene near enough or experienced enough to be playing
Speaker 2: that center back. I you know, got on them. They
Speaker 2: stepped up this year when they needed to, but they
Speaker 2: need more experience in those positions. And with Tim Pain
Speaker 2: there as well, you know what what a back line
Speaker 2: that could be. The other position again I mentioned it
Speaker 2: just before, is that attacking midfield role where I'd love
Speaker 2: to see a really strong attacking midfield midfielder to help
Speaker 2: kind of bridge that gap between Alex Rufer and Costa.
Speaker 1: I had exactly the same positions written down. Yeah, that
Speaker 1: the creative for midfielder, you know, they hoped it would
Speaker 1: be Marco Rojas, right. That's they signed Marco at the
Speaker 1: start of the season with every intention of him being
Speaker 1: the creative force in the middle of the park. He
Speaker 1: was only fit enough to start two games and take
Speaker 1: part in seven games across the season before being released
Speaker 1: from his contract early, so that clearly didn't work. But
Speaker 1: you know, that creativity that we got from Ben Olden
Speaker 1: bogged our cry Eve in particular last year just has
Speaker 1: been severely lacking this year. And yeah, Costa Barbarusis for
Speaker 1: the most part has had to live off scraps. So yeah,
Speaker 1: an attacking midfielder, and I think you're looking for an
Speaker 1: import attacking midfielder and probably an import center back as
Speaker 1: well to replace Scott Wooten. You know, defense wins championships,
Speaker 1: as they say, Bonnie, and I think they probably need
Speaker 1: to need to replace Scott Wharton as well as look
Speaker 1: for something a bit further up the park. Hey, Ninja
Speaker 1: A League semi finals, the Women's A League competition. We've
Speaker 1: had the first leg of these and a very good
Speaker 1: day out for Claudia Bunge.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, unreal for Claude obviously football Ferns center back.
Speaker 2: She her Melbourne Victory team beat Adelaide United away in
Speaker 2: the in the first semi three to one. They went
Speaker 2: one kneel down, but Claudia Bunge scored two goals to
Speaker 2: take it to three to one. So yeah, really really
Speaker 2: incredible if it there. And then also Melbourne City drew
Speaker 2: with Central Coast Mariners to all. Melbourne City obviously is
Speaker 2: home to also fellow football Ferns center back Rebecca Stott.
Speaker 1: I thought that was a good result for Central Coast,
Speaker 1: you know, because Melbourne City had been excellent. They didn't
Speaker 1: lose all season to all draw to take to Melbourne City,
Speaker 1: I'm going to gives them a bit of hope, doesn't it.
Speaker 1: And Melbourne Victory looks secure going to Adelaide with that
Speaker 1: three one lead. H sorry, coming back home with that
Speaker 1: three one lead. Claudia Bunch might get an aggregate hat
Speaker 1: trick across the two games. I'm not sure there's even
Speaker 1: such a thing, but yeah, well under Claudia Bunch, maybe
Speaker 1: it'll be Claudia Bunge and Rebecca Stott facing off in
Speaker 1: the Grand Final. And Grace Neville's been promoted Bonnie.
Speaker 2: Yes, they were promoted to the Woman's Super League. The
Speaker 2: London City Lioness's team who play in the Women's Championship.
Speaker 2: The Woman's Super League is obviously the equipped woman's equivalent
Speaker 2: to the Premier League, so huge for that club. I
Speaker 2: think it's the first time they've ever gone up to
Speaker 2: that top division. So it'd be great to see Grace
Speaker 2: and Nevillan and amongst the likes of you know, Sam
Speaker 2: Kerr and Alicia Russo playing Arsenal and Chelsea and things
Speaker 2: like that.
Speaker 1: Very cool for Grace, never well known to her. And
Speaker 1: just a word on Tyler Binden. His Reading side couldn't
Speaker 1: quite make it into the playoffs, but he's off to
Speaker 1: Nottingham Forrest now of course, and he goes as Redding's
Speaker 1: Player of the Year. He was awarded that in the
Speaker 1: last couple of days. So congratulations to Tyler Binden with
Speaker 1: known for a long time, well quite a while anyway,
Speaker 1: how good a player he is and could possibly be.
Speaker 1: And yeah, reading a bit of the stuff online from
Speaker 1: Reading fans, a number of them saying, look, he's the
Speaker 1: best defender we've ever had. The kid's only nineteen, for goodness,
Speaker 1: so crazy. He could be anything. He could be anything.
Speaker 1: So we look forward to tracking his progress as well.
Speaker 1: That is us on Football Fever for today. A week
Speaker 1: from now, when our next episode comes out, we'll know
Speaker 1: who Walkland the FC are facing in their home and
Speaker 1: away semi finals, so we'll be able to do some
Speaker 1: some more detailed analysis on strengths, weaknesses, threats and things
Speaker 1: like that. Bonnie, have an excellent week and we'll we'll
Speaker 1: check in again about the same time next Monday.
Speaker 2: We'll see it in Piney
Speaker 1: Faver