Speaker 1: Football Fever with news Talks, enb's voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonnie Jensen.
Speaker 2: Hello and welcome into a fresh episode of Football Fever
Speaker 2: powered by FIFA Plus. Stream New Zealand Football live and
Speaker 2: free on FIFA plus dot com. I'm Jason pine Great
Speaker 2: pleasure to be back with a fresh episode. Bonnie Jensen
Speaker 2: is here too. We had a week off last week, Bonnie,
Speaker 2: a little less football to talk, but quite a bit
Speaker 2: to get stuck into today. How are you?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 3: Good, Thanks Piney, So good to be back. Obviously, you
Speaker 3: know it's ramping up now into the Olympics, so really
Speaker 3: looking forward to talking more football.
Speaker 2: Well, speaking of the Olympics, what we've decided to do
Speaker 2: today is start by predicting our football fern squad for
Speaker 2: the Olympic Games and eighteen strong squad. We did this
Speaker 2: with the the Ollie Whites a little while ago and
Speaker 2: we wait to see for July the second whether our
Speaker 2: predictions are right or not. So I've come up with
Speaker 2: eighteen players and four reserves. Is that what you've done?
Speaker 1: I have?
Speaker 3: I have?
Speaker 2: Good that we're on the same page, then good that
Speaker 2: the WhatsApp group is working well, okay, well, let's just
Speaker 2: work our way through and come up with our eighteen
Speaker 2: players that we think Yetka klim Kova will take to
Speaker 2: Paris in a couple of months. In fact, it's less
Speaker 2: than that. It's about six weeks away now, So let's
Speaker 2: just go through position by position. Bonnie and an eighteen
Speaker 2: person squad.
Speaker 4: Two goalkeepers, Yes, I've got two goalies.
Speaker 2: Pretty obvious.
Speaker 4: An Elite Vikersen.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I don't think there's any question there is there.
Speaker 2: I think that's probably the easiest part of all of this,
Speaker 2: is to name the two goalkeepers.
Speaker 4: Do you have as your number one?
Speaker 1: Though?
Speaker 2: Well, I think they'll work it out when they get there. Both.
Speaker 2: I think Analytes kind of had the gloves recently, hasn't
Speaker 2: she more often than Vackssen, But vick Ersen's been playing
Speaker 2: a lot for Rangers in the back end of her
Speaker 2: Scottish season. An elite. I haven't heard the latest around
Speaker 2: where the analyte is definitely staying at aston Villa. I
Speaker 2: think they're both great keepers. I don't think there's a
Speaker 2: wrong answer really there No.
Speaker 3: I think an elite is you know, it makes sense
Speaker 3: her being the younger one and she is the future
Speaker 3: of this team and saying that she started both games
Speaker 3: against Japan, and I don't think she played her best
Speaker 3: games or a few eras, and I think that showed
Speaker 3: her lack of experience. But in saying that, you know,
Speaker 3: that's why we need to give her more opportunities playing
Speaker 3: for New Zealand and that and that starting shirt.
Speaker 4: So yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 2: I know we're jumping around here, but did you name
Speaker 2: a third keeper in your four reserves?
Speaker 4: No? I did it? You didn't do that, Okay, yeah,
Speaker 4: I didn't think that.
Speaker 2: Well who would have? I don't want to put you
Speaker 2: on the spot, but who would it be if you did?
Speaker 4: Probably?
Speaker 3: I mean I'd like to see Brianna Edwards here, but
Speaker 3: I mean she's been a little bit off the radar
Speaker 3: with personal reasons, so I don't expect her to be there.
Speaker 3: And that's why maybe Aaron Naylor, I'd say.
Speaker 2: I think maybe Murphy Sheef would be one. It probably
Speaker 2: won't matter because unless there's an injury to one of
Speaker 2: the top two, those two will go. But yeah, I'm
Speaker 2: not sure what the situation is around Browner Ribards either.
Speaker 2: You know, at times magnificent for the Phoenix, but yeah,
Speaker 2: but in and out for reasons, we're not entirely one
Speaker 2: hundred percent sure off, so we'll just wait and see
Speaker 2: with that. All right, defenders, how many defenders have you got?
Speaker 4: I've got seven?
Speaker 2: I picked six, Okay, So have you gone with?
Speaker 3: Have you gone with c J Bott, Mikayla Foster, Ali Green,
Speaker 3: Ali Riley as the four kind of full bat roles,
Speaker 3: and then Katie Bowen, Rebecca Stott, and Cordia Bunge as
Speaker 3: center backs.
Speaker 2: All right, so I've got all six of those. Also,
Speaker 2: I've got six of your seven, so I've I've gone Bot, Bowen, Bunge, Foster, Riley, Stott.
Speaker 2: I haven't picked Ali Green in my squad, so I
Speaker 2: kind of feel like with c J. Bott, Mikayla Foster,
Speaker 2: Ali Riley, you've kind of got enough cover on both sides.
Speaker 2: Mikayla Foster can play both sides, Alie Riley can play
Speaker 2: both sides.
Speaker 1: C J.
Speaker 2: Bot to me, he's the Lockton right back, So I
Speaker 2: didn't really see the need for an Ellie Green. But
Speaker 2: I like what you've done there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I agree, and I know you know it
Speaker 3: gives you more kind of midfielders attackers to take, which
Speaker 3: I like what you've done there. But in saying that
Speaker 3: Ali Green looks pretty good and she's also quite an
Speaker 3: attacking player, so yeah, she's she did quite well in
Speaker 3: the last few camps, so I feel like they're just
Speaker 3: vibing with her at the moment.
Speaker 2: Okay, So I also cheated a little bit. I've kind
Speaker 2: of named a defender as a midfielder, so let's let's
Speaker 2: go to that. Yeah, well, just just to provide cover
Speaker 2: in an eighteen person squad. Really, but I've gone five midfielders.
Speaker 2: How many of you got one?
Speaker 4: Two, three, four?
Speaker 1: Five?
Speaker 2: Okay? Should I'll give you mine my five. I've picked
Speaker 2: Kate Taylor in midfield.
Speaker 4: What you had?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so she can also obviously cover center back if needed.
Speaker 2: So Kate Taylor, Malia Steinmetz, Daisy Cleverly, Macy Fraser, and
Speaker 2: Katie Kitching. My five? Who have you gone for?
Speaker 3: I've gone Malia Steinmetz, Katie Kitching, Macy Fraser, India Page Riley,
Speaker 3: and Daisy Cleverly.
Speaker 2: All right, so I've named India as a forward. So yeah,
Speaker 2: but no, that's cool. So you haven't got Kate Taylor
Speaker 2: in your squad?
Speaker 4: No, I've got her amongst the reserves.
Speaker 3: And that's why I like what you did with Ali Green,
Speaker 3: because I you know, maybe you take Kate Taylor as
Speaker 3: well and you get.
Speaker 4: Rid of Ali Green. I thought it would.
Speaker 3: I feel like it's between Daisy and Kate as to
Speaker 3: who they're going to take in the midfield. Obviously, Daisy's
Speaker 3: been around for years, Kate's up and coming in this team.
Speaker 3: So it, yeah, depends who you probably want to bring
Speaker 3: off the bench. Macy Fraser is another interesting one. We
Speaker 3: know how good she is and you know, on a
Speaker 3: good day she starts for this team one hundred percent,
Speaker 3: but she clearly has, you know, some some personal issues
Speaker 3: going on. She just left the recent camp. And with
Speaker 3: an Olympics where you can only take eighteen players, it's
Speaker 3: a pinnacle event. Are they going to want to be
Speaker 3: taking a player that's not one hundred percent mined in
Speaker 3: the game. And so that's another big call for yik.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's such a good point, and they'd have
Speaker 2: to be really, really sure that she was going to
Speaker 2: be available for the whole thing. I mean, it may
Speaker 2: only be the three group games. Let's be honest. It's
Speaker 2: a tough group that New Zealand have landed. And but
Speaker 2: you're right, with an eighteen person squad. You'd need to
Speaker 2: be rock solid in your assurance that all eighteen we're
Speaker 2: all in. I just think this could be Daisy Cleverly's time,
Speaker 2: you know where Rhea Percival is out of the picture now,
Speaker 2: so as Betsy has it. You know, two players who
Speaker 2: have been a big part of New Zealand's midfield, Annally
Speaker 2: Longo another one who has been beset by injury. With
Speaker 2: Daisy Cleverly playing you know regularly now in Denmark, I
Speaker 2: just wonder whether it might be might be her time
Speaker 2: to shine over the next little while.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree, And you can tell with these players,
Speaker 3: the more minutes of getting the more they kind of
Speaker 3: step up.
Speaker 4: You know.
Speaker 3: We talk about Gabby Rennie and how many goals she's
Speaker 3: scored for a club at the moment, and you can
Speaker 3: tell and the way she's playing, she's getting minutes. And
Speaker 3: I agree with the same as Daisy. And yes, Kate
Speaker 3: Taylor is an unbelievable player in the midfield and she's
Speaker 3: the future of this team. Another one, but I feel
Speaker 3: just more confident bringing someone like Daisy Cleverly off the
Speaker 3: bench to see out a game or you know, add
Speaker 3: a bit of leadership to this team, and yes, she
Speaker 3: hasn't got a whole lot of minutes in the past,
Speaker 3: but we're starting to see that ramp up with the
Speaker 3: likes of Rhea and Betsy and Annalie Away as you mentioned.
Speaker 2: All right, so that's the midfield. As I say, I've
Speaker 2: got India Page Riley as one of my five attackers.
Speaker 2: So I'm just trying to do the sums in my head.
Speaker 2: Do you have I've got four? You're four, that's right, okay,
Speaker 2: So I'll tell you what my five. India Page Riley
Speaker 2: is one, obviously, and the others I've gone for are
Speaker 2: Millie Clegg, Jackie Hand, Grace Jarlay and Hannah Wilkinson.
Speaker 4: M hmm.
Speaker 3: I've got the same obviously, minus India Page Riley.
Speaker 2: Yep. Okay, So we differ, really, we differ really in
Speaker 2: that you've picked Allie Green and I've picked Kate Taylor.
Speaker 2: Otherwise I think we're the same, aren't we?
Speaker 1: Yeap?
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly the same? Yeah, look at ass, but what
Speaker 3: about your reserves painting?
Speaker 2: Well, I did pick a keeper. I picked Murphy Sheef
Speaker 2: as the as the backup backup keeper. My other three
Speaker 2: I picked one in each position. I picked Mackenzie Bowriie
Speaker 2: as my backup defender, Gabby Rennie as my backup striker,
Speaker 2: and I've gone a bit wild card on my backup midfielder.
Speaker 2: I've gone with somebody who's uncapped. I've gone with Daisy
Speaker 2: Brazendale out of Wellington Phoenix. I just I really liked,
Speaker 2: don't laugh. I really liked what I saw from her
Speaker 2: during the season. I think, if we're going to regenerate
Speaker 2: and you know, and try some new things, and to me,
Speaker 2: I look around the other midfielders that are available and
Speaker 2: I think, well, you know, is there anybody really who
Speaker 2: states a case really strongly? Maybe I've forgotten somebody? Who
Speaker 2: have you gone with?
Speaker 3: I've got obviously I didn't add a keeper in, but
Speaker 3: I've got Kate Taylor, Grace nebl Gabby Rennie and Mac Barry.
Speaker 3: So that's kind of three defensivesh players. Yes, but that
Speaker 3: these these players are, you know, almost deserving of being
Speaker 3: in the team. They've had minutes for the fern SI
Speaker 3: I'd say they would be brought along. They're still young.
Speaker 3: That makes me leave out. I've a left out Murphy
Speaker 3: Sheef and Mikayla Moore from the last tour they're the
Speaker 3: only two that miss out.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've left Mikayla Moore out obviously as well. She's
Speaker 2: looking for a new club, isn't she. I sorry of
Speaker 2: the weekend that she will be leaving Glasgow, so's she's
Speaker 2: on the lookout for a new club. I just feel
Speaker 2: like there's enough defensive cover, especially if you take Mackenzie
Speaker 2: Barry as one of your one year four, because you
Speaker 2: know you've got Cadie Bow and Claudia Barnes, Rebecca Stott,
Speaker 2: Kate Taylor and Mackenzie Barry who can all cover center back.
Speaker 2: And yes, Mikayla Moore has given great service to New Zealand,
Speaker 2: and you have to say has bounce back really well
Speaker 2: from the disappointment of being left out of the World
Speaker 2: Cup squad last year. But yeah, I just can't find
Speaker 2: a place for her in my twenty two unfortunately.
Speaker 4: No, we've got too many to defend too many.
Speaker 2: So look that really it feels pretty locked in then,
Speaker 2: doesn't it. You know, unless Yitka is thinking in an
Speaker 2: entirely different way. I don't know that there's anybody we've forgotten.
Speaker 2: I don't think Analie Longo is going to be able
Speaker 2: to prove her fitness in time. I haven't heard anything
Speaker 2: to the contrue that she's playing any football at all
Speaker 2: to try and get fit for the Olympics. No, I
Speaker 2: don't think there's anybody we've forgotten. It seems like a
Speaker 2: fairly straightforward squad to choose apart from one or two positions.
Speaker 3: I mean in saying this, obviously we know what it's
Speaker 3: like with the football ferns. We know there's a whole
Speaker 3: different concept of kind of who you think will be picked,
Speaker 3: who you think should be picked. I would like to
Speaker 3: see Hannah Blake and Devon Jackson in the mix. I
Speaker 3: still completely rate both of those players, and in an
Speaker 3: ideal world, I see them either in the eighteen or
Speaker 3: definitely in and amongst the reserves. But they're just not
Speaker 3: talked about enough. And we've seen that Yika clearly you know,
Speaker 3: doesn't doesn't prefer them as players, which is absolutely fine.
Speaker 3: It's her choice, she's the expert. But yeah, in terms
Speaker 3: of players, miss, I think both of those those two
Speaker 3: would should you know, be involved in the future of
Speaker 3: this team and the lie long. I've heard inklings you
Speaker 3: know that that maybe she is targeting this return. But
Speaker 3: again I don't think she's made enough of a case.
Speaker 3: I don't think she's that much of a star these
Speaker 3: days that where we should be pushing to to or
Speaker 3: rushing her back for this event.
Speaker 2: The other one I kind of toyed with was Emma Main.
Speaker 2: I think she had she had a good season for
Speaker 2: Wellington Phoenix. And is you know somebody who could stay
Speaker 2: the case? Yeah, Devin Jackson, Hannah Blake. Look, yeah, all
Speaker 2: sort of a league women's players, aren't they? And is
Speaker 2: Hannah Blake still and later or is she is? She?
Speaker 2: Is she going to still be there next season? Do
Speaker 2: we know?
Speaker 3: I think so At this point, I'll have to go
Speaker 3: and do some digging. Maybe I'll try and get in
Speaker 3: touch and see what she's viping. Yeah, I feel like
Speaker 3: Devon as well as not sure where she's going to be.
Speaker 3: I also noticed that Grace Jarale is considered unattached. Maybe
Speaker 3: she could be heading back to the Phoenix.
Speaker 4: I'm not sure.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and the others. I'm just looking at some of
Speaker 2: the names who have played for New Zealand in recent
Speaker 2: times who we haven't talked about. Los Anton is another one. Again.
Speaker 2: I think she just gets forced out by a log
Speaker 2: jam at the back and players able to cover a
Speaker 2: bunch of different positions. Ruby Nathan is another one who's
Speaker 2: been in and around. Grace Wishnewski, we know, is only
Speaker 2: coming back from a long term injury and has also
Speaker 2: left Wellington, so she's looking for a new club.
Speaker 4: And for a Savander Man.
Speaker 2: Yes. Another one, Yes, and I think in the future
Speaker 2: she'll definitely be there. We'll talk about her in a moment.
Speaker 2: Ava Collins is the other one who's been in and around,
Speaker 2: but I just don't think it's a place for her
Speaker 2: at the moment either.
Speaker 3: No, especially at the Olympics, where like you have to
Speaker 3: pick eighteen players and lucky for the football Ferns, it's
Speaker 3: kind of pretty straightforward. You and I have very very
Speaker 3: similar squads that we've just named. But I you know,
Speaker 3: you know Piney that I am someone who's kind of
Speaker 3: obsessed with the US women's national team and I'm kind
Speaker 3: of following along at the moment. How Emma Hayes, their
Speaker 3: new coach, is going to pick their squad because their
Speaker 3: pool of talent is just so much bigger. So I mean,
Speaker 3: we're lucky in this sense that you know, not too
Speaker 3: many players miss out, but can't say the same for
Speaker 3: other nations.
Speaker 2: All right, July two is when the Football Ferns and
Speaker 2: the Ollie Whites will be named to contest the upcoming
Speaker 2: Paras Olympic Games. Football fever on my hard Radio. Let's
Speaker 2: go to the men's national side. The all Whites are
Speaker 2: in Vanawatu for the OFC Nations cut. Their campaign has
Speaker 2: been shortened already unfortunately by the withdrawal of New Caledonia,
Speaker 2: so only two teams to play in group play the
Speaker 2: Solomon Islands tomorrow, Vanawatu on Friday, and provide that they
Speaker 2: can finish in the top two of that three team group,
Speaker 2: which they absolutely should, I'll go through to the semis
Speaker 2: and then hopefully on to the final. In the group
Speaker 2: game that was played on Saturday, Vanawatu beat the Solomons
Speaker 2: one nil and the other group Fiji five one winners
Speaker 2: over Papua New Guni, Tahiti beating some more or two nils.
Speaker 2: So it feels like Fiji and Tahiti come through from
Speaker 2: the other side. So those are the two teams that
Speaker 2: New Zealand will probably have to negotiate in the semi
Speaker 2: final and the final. What should our hopes be for
Speaker 2: this tournament?
Speaker 3: Well, I was just kind of talking with some people
Speaker 3: in the office and you know, maybe this tournament wasn't
Speaker 3: the best one for us to go to to play,
Speaker 3: and I you know, the conditions over the ere obviously
Speaker 3: really intense, the facilities aren't amazing, and you know, just
Speaker 3: the timing of it heading into the Olympics where a
Speaker 3: lot of the Ollie Whites, the younger players have been
Speaker 3: named in this team.
Speaker 4: Is it a good decision? I'm not sure.
Speaker 3: I'm keen to hear how you feel, Piney, but in
Speaker 3: saying that, it's I believe it's a one that you know,
Speaker 3: hopefully boostuffy for rankings, which is something we really need.
Speaker 3: What over one hundred in the world, which I feel
Speaker 3: like doesn't really reflect the All Whites. So yeah, I'm
Speaker 3: hoping they go out and score a whole bunch of
Speaker 3: goals and Darren Baizley can finalize his last few Ollie
Speaker 3: Whites that he's still not sure about.
Speaker 2: Yeah, just on that. The reason they're there is for
Speaker 2: the ranking points. Because ranking points in competitive matches, which
Speaker 2: these are, they're not friendlies because you're playing for something
Speaker 2: their WAFC Nations Cup, they count for more. So that's
Speaker 2: the reason they're there. I actually, on the contrary, quite
Speaker 2: like the idea that they're together and a bunch of
Speaker 2: them who are going to be going to the Olympics
Speaker 2: are spending some time together. Because if there's one thing
Speaker 2: that has really afflicted New Zealand teams for a long
Speaker 2: time at all levels, really male and female, underage and senior,
Speaker 2: is the lack of time they get to spend together.
Speaker 2: And this has certainly been the case with your whites.
Speaker 2: They get together so infrequently that I just think they
Speaker 2: grab with two hands any opportunity to do so, whether
Speaker 2: it's an un frimely conditions or not. Even the chance
Speaker 2: to spend time off the pitch building relationships with one
Speaker 2: another I think is valuable. So yeah, I'm I'm I'm yeah, I'm.
Speaker 1: Pleased for that.
Speaker 2: I'm for it, and I'm looking forward to the games.
Speaker 2: And I think they have to go out there and
Speaker 2: just look to smash these teams. That's what they have
Speaker 2: to do. Just that looks like the football Ferns did
Speaker 2: in their Olympic qualifiers. Go out there and yes, the
Speaker 2: opposition we know are going to be you know, by
Speaker 2: comparison limited. So you go out there, you beat your
Speaker 2: chest to be you put your fur on the throat
Speaker 2: and you win these games comfortably. That's how how I
Speaker 2: would like to see them approach it. I think bes
Speaker 2: has got the opportunity to give a bunch of guys
Speaker 2: debuts and to give some guys gain time together ahead
Speaker 2: of the Olympic Games. I'll be interested, actually to know
Speaker 2: what you think our best eleven is in this in
Speaker 2: the squad. I think they'll probably all get games over
Speaker 2: the first He'll probably try and rotate, I would say,
Speaker 2: in the in the group games. But if you're picking
Speaker 2: a team for a final, for example, what what is
Speaker 2: your team for the for the from this twenty one
Speaker 2: man squad, what's your best eleven?
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, it was really tricky to pick, obviously, because
Speaker 3: we know Darren Baizy is going to use this tournament
Speaker 3: to rotate the squad and also see those under twenty
Speaker 3: one players heading into the Olympics. I do know Darren
Speaker 3: Baizley loves a back three, and it looks like he's
Speaker 3: taken three out and out center backs, so I don't
Speaker 3: know if he would do that. He'd like to preserve
Speaker 3: one on the bench in case of injury or something
Speaker 3: like that. So I'm saying that I've got Alex Paulson
Speaker 3: and goal obviously he plays for Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Speaker 4: We can't not pick him.
Speaker 2: Yet, well he will, it's on stage. I'm sure, yes,
Speaker 2: you're right, fair enough, okay, yeah, surely.
Speaker 3: And then I've got Tommy Smith and Tyler Bindon in
Speaker 3: center backs, and Libby Cacacce and Tim Payne as fullbacks.
Speaker 3: I've got a midfield three of Cam Hollison as Cam
Speaker 3: Housen and Alex Rufer Alex Rufer sorry as the sixth,
Speaker 3: and then cam Housen and Ben Old as the two eights,
Speaker 3: and then Costa on the wings, Mutter leading the line
Speaker 3: and Alex Greeve on the other one.
Speaker 2: Okay. Interesting we differ a little bit, well not, I
Speaker 2: mean probably more than we did in the football firms example,
Speaker 2: I've got Alis s Porson and goal obviously as well.
Speaker 2: I think Max Crokum has had a really good season
Speaker 2: and he probably is the he's the incumbent. But you've
Speaker 2: got to give Alex Paulson a cap at some stage.
Speaker 2: He's uncapped. But you say he said in the Premier League,
Speaker 2: I think he's probably the number one, or soon will
Speaker 2: be yeah, I've got I've gone for the back for pain,
Speaker 2: I've gone Sermon ahead of Smith in central defense. But
Speaker 2: that's not to say that Tommy Smith won't won't be
Speaker 2: able to provide. And I think he's only there for
Speaker 2: the first couple of games, or is that he arrives
Speaker 2: for the last couple because he's Chris Wood's best man,
Speaker 2: and the reason Chris Wood isn't here is he's getting married,
Speaker 2: and clearly if you're the best man, you've got to
Speaker 2: be at the wedding as well. So yeah, I think
Speaker 2: Tommy Smith is either there for the first couple or
Speaker 2: the last couple. I can't remember which it is, but yeah,
Speaker 2: but so i'd go Binden Sermon Cacacia left back. The
Speaker 2: only problem with Luby Carcacy in the first game is
Speaker 2: that I think he's still supp bended. Remember he got
Speaker 2: that red card right at the end of the game
Speaker 2: against t Nizia. He got sent off basically right as
Speaker 2: the players were coming together at the end of that
Speaker 2: game to almost, you know, almost in the handshakes. He
Speaker 2: got sent off. So I think he misses the first game.
Speaker 2: He'll clearly play in the final. But yeah, but that's
Speaker 2: just a word a word on Kakachi, but yeah, he's
Speaker 2: left back. I've gone Rufa Hallison Old as well as
Speaker 2: my midfield three. I like that a lot. Up front,
Speaker 2: I've gone Barbarusis Wayne and Eli Just. So I like
Speaker 2: the left hand side with Kacacchi and Just. They've built
Speaker 2: that combination over many many years now on the left
Speaker 2: side of New Zealand's New Zealand's formation. So I've gone Barbarusis,
Speaker 2: Wayne and Just. Yeah. So Marta, Grieve and Smith your picks.
Speaker 2: I've gone Sermon, Wayne and Just. But you know it's
Speaker 2: good to and then that leaves the likes of the
Speaker 2: guys we have mentioned, fin Conchi, Lucas, Kelly Healed, Sam Sutton,
Speaker 2: Oscar van Hatam, Jesse Randall. A number of those players
Speaker 2: I've just mentioned are under twenty three and so I'm
Speaker 2: sure as I say that, Basil want to give them
Speaker 2: some time.
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, exactly. It's it's so hard to perk. Obviously,
Speaker 3: you set our best lineup. That's what I went off,
Speaker 3: but I don't think that's what's gonna You know that
Speaker 3: they're not going to be fielded as a team. Maybe
Speaker 3: maybe in a final, but especially for these pool games. Yeah,
Speaker 3: I can see Darren Bezie wanting to, you know, get
Speaker 3: some combinations going. Obviously, the Olympics is the pinnacles at
Speaker 3: the moment.
Speaker 2: Yeah. So our first game or first game for New
Speaker 2: Zealand is Tuesday, that is against Vanuatu, as I say,
Speaker 2: and then they'll they'll turn around and play the play
Speaker 2: the Vanatu side on Friday. Then it's the Semis in
Speaker 2: the final in the following week. So let's hope that
Speaker 2: New Zealand can get through safely and win the OFC
Speaker 2: Nations Cup.
Speaker 1: Football fever on a hard radio ron.
Speaker 2: A few other things. I want to just kick around
Speaker 2: with you. Ben Old has been linked with a French club,
Speaker 2: the newly promoted League One side Saint Ettienn. This has
Speaker 2: been floating around over the last week or so. If
Speaker 2: you're Wellington Phoenix, are you happy to see Ben Old go?
Speaker 3: I mean, I'm a Wellington Phenix fan and no, but
Speaker 3: for a big enough fee surely, yeah. I think it's
Speaker 3: really it's a really good look for the club to
Speaker 3: have so many young players that they're they're kind of
Speaker 3: sending on and you know, you've got to support these
Speaker 3: players have been coming through the academy for better opportunities overseas.
Speaker 2: So surely I think they've almost put a marker in
Speaker 2: the ground, haven't they With Alex, With the likes of
Speaker 2: Alex Paulson and others who have gone before Ben Wayne
Speaker 2: the most recent example. I think you know, they've said
Speaker 2: we're not going to stand in the way of no
Speaker 2: players ambition. And we all know that Ben Old has
Speaker 2: a ceiling much higher than the A League. With all
Speaker 2: due respect to the A League, he was one of
Speaker 2: the best players the last season. I too would love
Speaker 2: to see him run around in a Phoenix shirt next
Speaker 2: season and tearing it up again. But I feel like
Speaker 2: maybe he's already at the level where he can go.
Speaker 2: So yeah, pretty strong mail about this. And it may
Speaker 2: be that, you know, we find out before the end
Speaker 2: of the international break or into the Olympic Games, that
Speaker 2: Ben Old is going to Paris for the Olympics, so
Speaker 2: he might just stay there. John't Blaker stayed dead the end,
Speaker 2: So yeah, maybe another hole for Chief in a film
Speaker 2: when he gets back on the women's side. Marissa VanderMeer
Speaker 2: has re signed. That's a good piece of business. She
Speaker 2: missed a large part of last season with the injury
Speaker 2: she picked up. Kate Taylor is departing though, What did
Speaker 2: you make of this news?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I obviously messaged you Parney going the Phoenix aren't
Speaker 3: going to have a team next year. I just feel
Speaker 3: like so many players or this, you know kind of
Speaker 3: there's stalwarts of all are all leaving and saying that
Speaker 3: mauricea Vandam she's a big signing or you know, a
Speaker 3: good player to keep around with the likes of Mackenzie
Speaker 3: Barry and Rebecca Lake. So we know that the defense
Speaker 3: is going to be good. But Kate Taylor, Yeah, I'm
Speaker 3: excited for her. She's done well for the football Ferns.
Speaker 3: She's done well the last couple of years. And you know,
Speaker 3: it'd be interesting to see whether she stays in the
Speaker 3: A League or you know, goes over to Europe like
Speaker 3: some of her football fans teammates have so came to hear.
Speaker 2: Would she leave Wellington for another A League women's team.
Speaker 4: I mean maybe Grace Charlie did it.
Speaker 2: And that was that was but that was the first
Speaker 2: season Phoenix. This is a different kettle of fish now right,
Speaker 2: this is a solid home based Phoenix team. Sure, if
Speaker 2: I'm Kake Taylor, why would I go, unless it was too.
Speaker 3: Like Sydney and Melbourne City though they have like top
Speaker 3: class conditioned, you know, facilities, and i'd say much higher standards.
Speaker 3: You know, with all due respect to the Wellington Phoenix
Speaker 3: is still a very new team. You know, it would
Speaker 3: it would definitely be a step up playing for one
Speaker 3: of those those top teams. But yeah, I mean, if
Speaker 3: she could get to Europe by all means go.
Speaker 2: You know, well, I look at the players who are
Speaker 2: playing We mentioned them a lot when we do our
Speaker 2: kis overseas on the podcast. You know, the ones who
Speaker 2: are playing in the second tier in England for example,
Speaker 2: one down from the Super League. I feel like Kay
Speaker 2: Taylor could slot in there easily. You know, She's she's
Speaker 2: good enough, She's she's now got a couple of positions
Speaker 2: that she can play at. She's she's got international experience
Speaker 2: now played over ten twelve times for New Zealand. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I think it would be almost for her. I feel like,
Speaker 2: why would she leave an A League club for an
Speaker 2: A League club as she unless it was for one
Speaker 2: that had had a much better you know, set of
Speaker 2: facilities or whatever. Speaking of going from an A League
Speaker 2: club to an A League club. Hannah Wilkinson has left
Speaker 2: Melbourne City. Could she come to the Phoenix?
Speaker 4: Could she? Maybe?
Speaker 3: I mean we're talking, you know, you said would one
Speaker 3: player leave an A league club for another a league club?
Speaker 3: But you're on different ends of your career when you're
Speaker 3: talking or comparing Kate Taylor and Hannah Wilkinson, I'd say,
Speaker 3: you know, she was on the cusp of missing out
Speaker 3: of my football Firms squad, and yeah, I'm not sure
Speaker 3: she's got a lot of you know, the highest level
Speaker 3: football left in her. Again, all due respect, she's been
Speaker 3: a legend of the game here in New Zealand. But yeah,
Speaker 3: maybe it'd be great to bring her back to the
Speaker 3: Wellington Phoenix.
Speaker 4: A bit of a marquee player.
Speaker 3: You might come back here every year and then go
Speaker 3: to Auckland FC when they get their women's team. Who knows,
Speaker 3: I might again have to do some digging.
Speaker 2: Well, we'll see what we can find out. We haven't
Speaker 2: heard anything definitive around mddy unaspect may yet. I feel
Speaker 2: like that's just a key piece of re signing for Wellington.
Speaker 2: If they can get murdy unaspect Meyer back, I think
Speaker 2: that'll that'll really, you know, give a lot of fans
Speaker 2: optimism for next season. You know, leading goal scorer, quality
Speaker 2: player international with Venezuela. You know. So yet the choice
Speaker 2: between mudy unspect Mya and Hannah Wilkinson, you chose spect
Speaker 2: my I think, but maybe they're just yeah. I look,
Speaker 2: I've heard nothing other than the fact that Annah Wilkinson's
Speaker 2: leaving Melbourne City, so you know where she ends up,
Speaker 2: I guess remains to be seen. A couple of pieces
Speaker 2: of news as well. Sky Stadium has been voted one
Speaker 2: of the top A League men stadiums the season by
Speaker 2: the players, rated first for pitch quality and second only
Speaker 2: behind Adelaide United's Cooper Stadium for atmosphere. So that's a
Speaker 2: feather in the cap of those who run sky Stadium.
Speaker 2: And just a rumor out of Auckland FC that was
Speaker 2: bubbling away last week. Japanese international right back Hiroki Sakai
Speaker 2: apparently is in the sites of Auckland FC. He's played
Speaker 2: seventy five times for the national team as recently as
Speaker 2: the last World Cup, is currently playing in the top
Speaker 2: Japanese league at Red Diamonds, so he can play center
Speaker 2: back as well as I understand it. So Hiroki Sakai
Speaker 2: set to be unveiled as perhaps the first marquee or
Speaker 2: import player for Auckland City in the next little while.
Speaker 1: Football fever on aheart radio.
Speaker 2: Let's finished as always with kiwis overseas. A number of
Speaker 2: our women still still playing or coming towards the end
Speaker 2: in some cases of their competitions around the place.
Speaker 3: Bonnie Yeah, Malia Steinmetz, I saw it all over social
Speaker 3: media HERFC Nordaland Champions Denmark. They won the competition over
Speaker 3: there with after a one all draw with their closest
Speaker 3: challenges Bronby in their final league match, and they now
Speaker 3: have the chance to do the double when they play
Speaker 3: Bromby again in the Danish Cup final later this week.
Speaker 3: Gabby Rennie scored her fourth goal piney, I saw you
Speaker 3: retweeted it on Twitter or x as we call it
Speaker 3: now for Aland United and a three all draw against
Speaker 3: in their latest league match in Finland. Millie Kleig's still
Speaker 3: waiting for a racing Louisville debut. I thought, surely after
Speaker 3: her football firm's goal, I thought she would get the
Speaker 3: caller Yeah. But however, Macy Fraser has played in two
Speaker 3: games now for Utah she's got another one this afternoon
Speaker 3: which I'll be tuning into. And she's looking good. She's
Speaker 3: looking real good, Piney. I'm excited for her.
Speaker 2: Yes, I am. I And yeah, I hope that you know,
Speaker 2: we don't know what's going on with Macy Fraser in
Speaker 2: terms of her reasons for withdrawing from certain squads and
Speaker 2: things like that, but I just hope that she has
Speaker 2: the opportunity and the wherewithal to realize her potential, because
Speaker 2: I think we can all agree that her potential is very,
Speaker 2: very high, that she could achieve, you know, a lot
Speaker 2: as a football player. And I've loved it that Utah
Speaker 2: have pretty much seen that straight away, and unlike Millie
Speaker 2: Kleig who's just waiting, she's been on the bench in
Speaker 2: the match day squad Millie Cleig at least half a
Speaker 2: dozen times without actually getting onto the grass.
Speaker 1: Right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I guess like you must say that Racing
Speaker 3: Louis Villa a stronger team in the NWSL. They're higher
Speaker 3: up on the table, they've got a good squad. We
Speaker 3: obviously know Abby u Sig is the former New Zealand captain,
Speaker 3: so yeah, she's got a lot of players to contend
Speaker 3: with US women's national team players. That being Utah are
Speaker 3: a new team and the competition, so hence why probably
Speaker 3: Macy's getting a few more opportunities. But you know, hats
Speaker 3: off to Macy because she's gone over there and you know,
Speaker 3: could be in her shell a little bit, take a
Speaker 3: bit of time to find her comfort zone. But she's
Speaker 3: just you know, gone in and come off the bench
Speaker 3: twice and kind of not been a game changer, but
Speaker 3: you know how her own and looked.
Speaker 4: Really really good. So yeah, I'm excited.
Speaker 3: You know that a player you know, can go from
Speaker 3: New Zealand can go over to the best league in
Speaker 3: the world and do that.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, they've got to get They've got some work
Speaker 2: to do. The currently bottom of the NWSL, which is
Speaker 2: not just grace because as you say, they're a new team,
Speaker 2: but just the one win, one drawer in ten defeats
Speaker 2: from their first twelve matches. They played BAFC this afternoon,
Speaker 2: who are third bottom, so it's a sort of a
Speaker 2: they're also.
Speaker 4: A new team, they're also a team in the league.
Speaker 2: Cool, all right, we'll look forward to that this afternoon.
Speaker 2: Just a quick word on Ollie White playing for Hakka
Speaker 2: in Finland in the latest Finnish Cup game. He came
Speaker 2: off the bench on about the hour mark, got a
Speaker 2: goal in the seventy eighth, another in the eightieth and
Speaker 2: then completed as hat trick of the eighty six minute
Speaker 2: as part of a five to one win for Haka
Speaker 2: in their latest Finish Cup match. So if your coach
Speaker 2: says go on and make a difference, going on and
Speaker 2: scoring a hat trick is about as good as you
Speaker 2: can go. So well done to Ollie White for that.
Speaker 2: For Football Fever for today, there was quite a bit
Speaker 2: to talk about, Bonnie, as it too now. So look,
Speaker 2: we will reconvene again next Monday, by which time New
Speaker 2: Zealand would have played their two group games at the
Speaker 2: OFC Nations Cup. That will be more key. He's playing
Speaker 2: around the world and who knows what sort of transfer
Speaker 2: news around the Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC will drop
Speaker 2: into our consciousness over the next seven days. Have a
Speaker 2: great week, Bonnie. We'll see you next Monday.
Speaker 4: You enjoy watching the Euro's piney, We'll see you then.
Speaker 1: Football Fever on iHeartRadio