Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks, Enby's Voice of Football, Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Money Chanson. Hello there, and welcome into a
Speaker 1: special Tuesday edition of Football Fever. We held off by
Speaker 1: twenty four hours so we could take in the Wellington
Speaker 1: Phoenix against MacArthur last night to bring you a full
Speaker 1: suite of Auckland FC, the Wellington Phoenix Women and the
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix men. Three from three body were three wins
Speaker 1: to talk about.
Speaker 2: I know, Piney, I mean, I asked for nine points
Speaker 2: last week on the podcast and all three teams delivered,
Speaker 2: So super super happy about that, and I think it's
Speaker 2: what each each team needs at this point about halfway
Speaker 2: through the season.
Speaker 1: Look absolutely bang on. They all sort of came into
Speaker 1: their games in in varying states of form, but you're
Speaker 1: so right. Each of the wins was a real boost
Speaker 1: to each of the team. So let's do it as
Speaker 1: we did last week chronologically, starting with FC who on
Speaker 1: Saturday afternoon, late afternoon welcomed Melbourne City to go Media Stadium.
Speaker 1: At that time, Melbourne City were top of the table,
Speaker 1: hadn't conceded a goal in the calendar year of twenty
Speaker 1: twenty five. I think three games without conceding, and half
Speaker 1: an hour in it was nil all I thought to myself,
Speaker 1: this is going to be a real arm wrestle. And
Speaker 1: then bang, bang bang, Auckland f C scored three goals.
Speaker 1: I'm not exactly sure where to start here. Maybe we
Speaker 1: start with Guijiemo Myi's goal. What an absolute belter of
Speaker 1: a goal to open the scoring.
Speaker 2: It was absolutely unreal and I happen to be right
Speaker 2: behind the goal down by whether the food trucks are
Speaker 2: in their pop up beach that Auckland f C have
Speaker 2: and just that strike was incredible and couldn't believe it,
Speaker 2: and it kind of you know, goosebumps overcame me and
Speaker 2: Yazy ran to the corner and celebrated. It was unreal
Speaker 2: and it was kind of like just the turning point
Speaker 2: that Auckland f C needed that yes they can actually
Speaker 2: score goals despite the lack of them recently, that yeah,
Speaker 2: this is this is exactly the statement they needed.
Speaker 1: Indeed, you were like said, Melbourne City hadn't conceded in
Speaker 1: the calendar year, Auckland FC, he hadn't scored in the
Speaker 1: calendar year and goal is draw on New Year's Day
Speaker 1: against Melbourne victory then that one loss away at Perth
Speaker 1: last time out. So look, there was talk of a
Speaker 1: form slump, and I guess when you win your first
Speaker 1: six games and then you only win one of the
Speaker 1: next five, that chat is going to happen. But look,
Speaker 1: I someone said to me are Auckland FC back. I
Speaker 1: don't think they ever really went away, did they.
Speaker 3: I mean think they're.
Speaker 1: Always there or thereabouts in the top sort of two
Speaker 1: or three in the table. But then Nanda Pineker's goal
Speaker 1: and Max Marta just before halftime. Interesting actually in the
Speaker 1: in terms of the team that Steve Coriker selected for
Speaker 1: this one, the starting eleven. Be keen on your thoughts
Speaker 1: on this, with Max mart and Jesse Randall both coming
Speaker 1: into the starting side, Liam Gilly and dropping out. That
Speaker 1: was the first time he hadn't started all season. What
Speaker 1: did you make of Max and Gizumo my starting in
Speaker 1: the same eleven.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I really liked it.
Speaker 2: I thought, you know, they needed a change up top,
Speaker 2: and we couldn't quite put our finger on what that was,
Speaker 2: whether that was personnel or structure. Obviously he's gone for
Speaker 2: both with well, Corac has gone for both in terms
Speaker 2: of putting two two out and out forwards alongside each other,
Speaker 2: and I think personally they worked really well together and
Speaker 2: obviously both of them got on the on the score sheet,
Speaker 2: and Max Mutter in particular really needed it, I guess
Speaker 2: in terms of making a statement and showing that he
Speaker 2: you know, potentially belongs and the starting lineup. I'd like
Speaker 2: to see maybe Jesse Randall get a few more opportunities,
Speaker 2: but he'll grow into it, you know. You look at
Speaker 2: someone like Liam Gillian and other youngster who has taken
Speaker 2: the opportunities throughout the season. It is tough for someone
Speaker 2: like Gillian though, who has been so on form but
Speaker 2: just hasn't found the goal, you know, the score sheet yet.
Speaker 2: So it will be interesting to see what Steve Coracer
Speaker 2: does next week tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Indeed. Yeah, well, I'm like you, I'd like to see
Speaker 1: more of Jesse Randall just to see, you know, what
Speaker 1: he actually has in his longer I think a bit
Speaker 1: like Liam Gillian. The step up from national league to
Speaker 1: a league is significant.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 1: Jesse Randal was tearing it up in the National League
Speaker 1: for Wellington Olympic, just like Liam Gillian was for Auckland City,
Speaker 1: you know, and it is a step up and interesting
Speaker 1: to see Liam Gillian drop out at the starting eleven.
Speaker 1: He did come come on off the bench in the
Speaker 1: second half. Let's go back to the goals though, Nanto
Speaker 1: Pinaker man, he has been a terrific acquisition, hasn't he,
Speaker 1: Nando Pinaker. I mean we always knew he was a
Speaker 1: good defender, but three goals as well.
Speaker 3: He must be loving it.
Speaker 2: It's exactly what you want from from a center back,
Speaker 2: you know, not just a great defender, but someone that's
Speaker 2: attacking minded and can take those opportunities. And he's scored,
Speaker 2: you know, goals for the side now in big moments,
Speaker 2: so you're really really pleased Fernando, and he's kind of
Speaker 2: making more and more of a case for himself for
Speaker 2: the national team. The All Whites as well, who have
Speaker 2: a bunch of center backs kind of eyeing up that
Speaker 2: spot for the twenty twenty six World Cup.
Speaker 1: Yeah. On his side, I guess he's naturally left footed,
Speaker 1: you know, you compare it to guys like Finn Sermon,
Speaker 1: Tyler Binden, Michael box All they're all right side of
Speaker 1: center backs. Tommy Smith are left side at tene back
Speaker 1: who is obviously playing alongside now to Pineker at the
Speaker 1: moment with Dan Hall still had angine. I thought Kellen
Speaker 1: Elliott had a good game. No Hiroki Sakai with concussion.
Speaker 1: I thought Kellen Elliott every time he's been called upon
Speaker 1: has done a really good job. It must be hard
Speaker 1: being the understudy to the captain who's played seventy five
Speaker 1: games for Japan and been to three World Cups. But
Speaker 1: I thought Kellen Elliott had a good game too.
Speaker 2: Oh really yeah, really really well for him. Just stoked
Speaker 2: for him again. Every time he comes on, he does
Speaker 2: a job. You know, the team is clearly missing Hiroki
Speaker 2: when he's not there, and they have every week he's
Speaker 2: not been there. But Callan I think is a great
Speaker 2: understudy for him and does his job and he knows
Speaker 2: his role. He knows that, you know, Hiroki when his
Speaker 2: fit is going to start over him and that's okay,
Speaker 2: and just to take his opportunities when he can. But
Speaker 2: I think that was the promising thing on Saturday Piney
Speaker 2: that even though they didn't have Hiroke Auckland, NEFC was
Speaker 2: still able to attack and progress forward, particularly against a
Speaker 2: strong side, and that's something they haven't shown in the past.
Speaker 1: And we saw the first first appearance for Marley Francois
Speaker 1: as well. I thought he was going to score this
Speaker 1: first touch at the end there, what an opportunity. He
Speaker 1: just didn't.
Speaker 3: He just didn't.
Speaker 1: I don't know, just wasn't. I looked like he was
Speaker 1: a guy who lacked confidence. You know, he was running
Speaker 1: towards goal and maybe he hasn't played for a while, but
Speaker 1: he was slid in perfect opportunity. Imagine scoring with your
Speaker 1: first touch.
Speaker 3: I know, imagine that.
Speaker 2: And yeah it was so close as well, but maybe yeah,
Speaker 2: as you say, nerves kind of got the better of him.
Speaker 2: He was heading right into the port as well, so
Speaker 2: he would have certainly felt that pressure. But promising you
Speaker 2: know again that in his first opportunity the game.
Speaker 3: It's a good one.
Speaker 1: Did you see near the end as well? Liam Gillian
Speaker 1: who had come off the bench and Nada Moreno who
Speaker 1: had also come off the bench very late in the game.
Speaker 1: Gillian got the ball. It was kind of a two
Speaker 1: on one situation. Liam Gillian could have squared the ball
Speaker 1: to Moreno who was completely unmarked and would have had
Speaker 1: a tappen and elected to shoot himself. Patrick Beach and
Speaker 1: Golf for Melbourne said he made the save and Nada
Speaker 1: Moreno was absolutely filthy on Liam Gillian and still unhappy
Speaker 1: after the final whistle. Did you see that?
Speaker 2: I didn't see it, Piney, you mentioned it to me
Speaker 2: over the weekend. I didn't see it. But I kind
Speaker 2: of feel like that's a bit harsh of Nate Modano.
Speaker 2: You know, players kind of make decisions in the moment,
Speaker 2: and yes, Liam is probably looking back in hindsight thinking
Speaker 2: he should have passed it, But I don't think it's
Speaker 2: something to necessarily hold a grudge over. And I'm sure
Speaker 2: Moddno if he was in that position, he probably would
Speaker 2: have gone for the shot as well, if he was
Speaker 2: on the same goal drought as Lee Gillian was.
Speaker 1: I just think he just wants that first goal, doesn't
Speaker 1: he Because every game he doesn't get it, it just
Speaker 1: gets talked about more and more. I think Liam Gillian's
Speaker 1: made a really good fist of his first season as
Speaker 1: a as a fully fledged professional footballer. I wasn't really
Speaker 1: surprised to see him drop out of the starting eleven.
Speaker 1: I think Steve Kyriker perhaps just wants to take a
Speaker 1: little bit of pressure off and maybe he thinks, hey,
Speaker 1: come on and score a goal, which he almost did.
Speaker 1: I'm still yet to be convinced about Nada Moreno. If
Speaker 1: I'm honest, I'm a huge fan of Louis Vastrata. I
Speaker 1: think he's a terrific player. Gizmo Mai the same, Felipe Gagos,
Speaker 1: the same, Hiroki Saki. Obviously, I think of the imports,
Speaker 1: Nada Moreno is the one who still has a little
Speaker 1: bit of a question mark for me.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't think he's quite fit enough. I think
Speaker 2: he is better as coming off the bench, and yeah,
Speaker 2: he's quite like all over the place. I feel like
Speaker 2: he can't quite fit into a structure that that Coroca
Speaker 2: wants to go with.
Speaker 3: Ain't that where I felt?
Speaker 2: I was kind of quite harsh on on Logan Rogerson's
Speaker 2: performances to begin with this season, But I think he's
Speaker 2: proven he's quite a workhorse, and he kind of goes
Speaker 2: under the radar a little bit, but he actually does
Speaker 2: his job really well and he's set up a couple
Speaker 2: of nice goals this season, obviously also on the score sheet.
Speaker 2: So I wouldn't mind Rogerson, you know, earning that spot,
Speaker 2: that starting spot over over Madina.
Speaker 1: That was the first time the season Logan Rogerson's played
Speaker 1: ninety minutes he started the first six or seven games.
Speaker 1: He may have he may have played ninety minutes in
Speaker 1: one of the previous games, but usually either you know,
Speaker 1: comes off or comes off the bench. I think I'd
Speaker 1: like to see Max Marta and Gizumo Maie again tomorrow
Speaker 1: night against Adelaide. I think they played well. I think Marta,
Speaker 1: you know, as a physical presence, it does change the
Speaker 1: way they play because you know, previously Gizu my mine
Speaker 1: is very much the center forward with the likes of
Speaker 1: and we don't know about Jake Brimmer and whether he's
Speaker 1: available tomorrow night or not. There's Brummer and then you've
Speaker 1: got your wide guys like you know, I'm not a
Speaker 1: Gillian A. Rogerson, whoever it is. But with Mutter and
Speaker 1: my it's very much more a double pronged attack. And
Speaker 1: they say you shouldn't change your winning side. A three
Speaker 1: nail win be hard to drop Mutter.
Speaker 2: Now, yeah, it would be. And I think Craca will
Speaker 2: stick with stick with the pair all going well, you know,
Speaker 2: if they're all healthy. But it will be interesting when
Speaker 2: Hiroki is back how that will change the dynamic of
Speaker 2: the wingers, because obviously Hiroki likes to bomb on and
Speaker 2: if you know, the two wingers are put whoever that
Speaker 2: may be, Randal and Rogerson are pushed out even wider
Speaker 2: because there are two fords. You know, it might leave
Speaker 2: not enough space for Hiroki to overlap. But again we're
Speaker 2: getting quite technical here. It will will make things interesting
Speaker 2: when they've got a full squad obviously as well. It
Speaker 2: was great to see Cam Howison get minutes for the
Speaker 2: first time in a while and he hopefully will be
Speaker 2: ready to start soon in the midfield.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Great to see him back, wasn't it. I don't
Speaker 1: think we've seen him just trying to work out the
Speaker 1: last game he played. I think it might have even
Speaker 1: been the derby, the second derby in early December. I
Speaker 1: don't think we've seen him since then. So yeah, great
Speaker 1: to see him back. Dan Hall still on target for
Speaker 1: a return, probably in the next maybe a month, might
Speaker 1: be a bit early, but maybe sometime at the back
Speaker 1: end of February and into early March, and there's still
Speaker 1: plenty of football to be played, you know, from March onwards,
Speaker 1: so hopefully Dan harsep But that's another thing too, Bonnie,
Speaker 1: is that when players have dropped out of this team,
Speaker 1: somebody else has just stepped up, and you know, Dan
Speaker 1: Hall was such a huge part of this team up
Speaker 1: to and including the win in the second derby and
Speaker 1: then obviously the ankle break which has seen him out.
Speaker 1: But you know, the sark I played a bit there.
Speaker 1: Tommy Smith has slotted into center back. Now, when you
Speaker 1: lose high quality players, it seems as though Auckland FC
Speaker 1: have the squad to cover well.
Speaker 2: They've made it work, but I think it did take
Speaker 2: a little bit of time, and that obviously went through
Speaker 2: their like kind of happened across their goal drought and
Speaker 2: their up and down kind of results their big loss
Speaker 2: as well. I think it took them a while to
Speaker 2: adjust when they lost their key players and Dan Hall,
Speaker 2: HEROKEI and you know Cam Howison. But I feel like
Speaker 2: they finally have clicked and worked out what works for them,
Speaker 2: who they can bring off the bench. You know, Tommy
Speaker 2: Smith was the best center back replacement, but it took
Speaker 2: Steve Kroker a while to give him a shot there.
Speaker 2: So yeah, really, Glad, I think it's quite crucial that
Speaker 2: they've they've finally got what works and found what works
Speaker 2: at this point in the season.
Speaker 1: I love how Tommy Smith is completely embraced being an
Speaker 1: Auckland FC player. I mean, here's a guy that's been
Speaker 1: around for twenty years playing professional football. He's like a
Speaker 1: teenager in his first professional season. At the end of
Speaker 1: games when they win, he's down there celebrating with the port,
Speaker 1: he's leading the chance, he's taken the selfie so much
Speaker 1: so that we needed him on the Sky broadcast because
Speaker 1: he's captain to do the postmatch. We had to wait
Speaker 1: for about five minutes to get him over there, which
Speaker 1: I totally rate. You know, I know that there are
Speaker 1: broadcast responsibilities, but the very fact that he's just like
Speaker 1: a he is, He's like a teenage kid out there.
Speaker 1: Tommy Smith. I love it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he is loving.
Speaker 2: And I was at the game with my thirteen year
Speaker 2: old cousin and I was reminding him that Tommy Smith
Speaker 2: was actually Chris Wood's best man and he was quite
Speaker 2: star struck by that. That. You know, Tommy Smith is
Speaker 2: you know, friends and played with the big guns around
Speaker 2: the world, but yet is showing up to Auckland each
Speaker 2: week and playing a great game. So yeah, pretty cool
Speaker 2: for him.
Speaker 1: The other anecdote I heard about Tommy Smith and Guziu
Speaker 1: MAMAI actually is after the game, you know, all the
Speaker 1: kids line up and slightly bigger kids for autographs and selfies,
Speaker 1: and both Tommy Smith and Guziu Mamai had media responsibilities afterwards,
Speaker 1: but both stayed out there well well after full time,
Speaker 1: signing and getting photos and even apologizing to the kids
Speaker 1: for keeping them waiting. You know, that just is the
Speaker 1: measure of those two guys, And I think a lot
Speaker 1: of the people, a lot of the players in that squad,
Speaker 1: just their qualities as human beings. I mean, you know,
Speaker 1: Tommy Smith's dad himself, He's got a couple of kids
Speaker 1: who walked out with him, Keegan and Molly walked out
Speaker 1: with him on the weekend. Gizimo Maier seems like he's
Speaker 1: just absolutely loving life at Auckland as as well. So yeah,
Speaker 1: I just think it said a lot about them that
Speaker 1: they you know that they have a lot of time
Speaker 1: for the fans. So that took them to the top
Speaker 1: of the league, but only for a couple of hours,
Speaker 1: because a couple of hours later, Adelaide United had a
Speaker 1: three two win over Melbourne. Victory went back to the top.
Speaker 1: Adelaide United twenty seven points, Auckland FC twenty six points,
Speaker 1: they clash tomorrow night in Adelaide. What as I understand
Speaker 1: that the game is going to be almost another sellout.
Speaker 1: It's a great place to watch football. Cooper Stadium, rectangular,
Speaker 1: enclosed inhospitable to away teams. This is going to be
Speaker 1: another huge test for Steve Corey, because mean I think.
Speaker 3: Oh so exciting.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll be a huge test for them, and yeah,
Speaker 2: I'm really interested to see how they go. They've they've
Speaker 2: had a tough kind of up and down run and
Speaker 2: that they had been a little bit inconsistent, but on
Speaker 2: Saturday it kind of proved.
Speaker 3: That, yeah, they are the real deal.
Speaker 2: So really really interested that their tab current odds have
Speaker 2: Adelaide at one ninety five and Auckland f C at
Speaker 2: three fifty. I feel like it's a little bit more
Speaker 2: even than that. So yeah, we'll be really interested to see.
Speaker 3: How they go.
Speaker 1: Three fifty is long on Auckland f C. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: feel like that's worth a little punt. I know, you
Speaker 1: and I aren't allowed to bet on football, even the
Speaker 1: fact we work in the industry, but yeah, we're you know'fitely.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it definitely is. And three seventy five for a
Speaker 2: drawer as well.
Speaker 1: Not bad there, That's not bad at all. So this
Speaker 1: is the first time these two teams have met this season,
Speaker 1: I think, I don't think. Yeah, Auckland haven't played Adelaide yet,
Speaker 1: so a good opportunity to see, you know, the two
Speaker 1: top teams at the moment play a bit of midweek
Speaker 1: a league football tomorrow night the ff Fee with Finy
Speaker 1: and Bonny. So that was Auckland FC. Let's go to
Speaker 1: Sunday when the Wellington Phoenix women were back at a
Speaker 1: place which has been very good to them and they've
Speaker 1: been very good too, Pottida Park where they won a
Speaker 1: fourth straight home game, this one against the Newcastle Jets.
Speaker 1: They were too nil down ended up winning it three
Speaker 1: to two. Can we start at the end where Mania
Speaker 1: rally it's just planted one and in the ninety eighth
Speaker 1: minute from a corner it's gone in.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so good.
Speaker 2: I think they made the most of that Wellington wind
Speaker 2: I heard it was quite windy down there on the
Speaker 2: day and you know, not taking away anything from Mena's
Speaker 2: corner cack, but unreal for her and obviously super sub
Speaker 2: came on. That was her second goal of the day
Speaker 2: and yeah, certainly making a statement and another good win
Speaker 2: for the Phoenix.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you who stood out for me in this
Speaker 1: game was Annale Longo. Again. I think she's just been
Speaker 1: so good for this team week I know, and I
Speaker 1: feel like it bears repeating, because you know, you look
Speaker 1: for the standout players and you know she Obviously, they
Speaker 1: go into the sheds at halftime to nil down and
Speaker 1: you need a response, and she comes down and she
Speaker 1: sets up the first goal early in the second half
Speaker 1: of Manaia by bursting down the left wing, putting a
Speaker 1: cross in and Mania Elliott stoops and heads at home.
Speaker 1: But it's her goal. I've watched this goal a couple
Speaker 1: of times just to make sure that my eyes aren't
Speaker 1: deceiving me. But her goal. She gets the ball midway
Speaker 1: between her own penalty area in halfway, looks up, starts
Speaker 1: the move and then just absolutely guns it into the
Speaker 1: penalty area. When the shot comes in that is powered
Speaker 1: by the Newcastle goalkeeper, she is the furthest advanced. She
Speaker 1: just absolutely guns it. I mean, you know she's not
Speaker 1: she's not a teenager anymore, but she's still extremely fit
Speaker 1: and she's there to tap in. I just think she's
Speaker 1: been so integral to this team this season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, she has been, and she's been leading by example plenty,
Speaker 2: which I've mentioned as well, just you know, on and
Speaker 2: off the ball, what she's doing with that team is
Speaker 2: clearly working, and she's kind of having you know, an
Speaker 2: unreal season. I think, one of her better seasons that
Speaker 2: she's had in years. And I do wonder, Parney, do
Speaker 2: you reckon she's going to get a Ferns call up?
Speaker 1: It has to, absolutely has to. I think she's one
Speaker 1: of the first names that Michael Main puts on his
Speaker 1: team sheet, don't you.
Speaker 2: Well I do, but it's kind of like it's the
Speaker 2: start of a new cycle. You know, Annalie's obviously one
Speaker 2: of the one of the older players in the group,
Speaker 2: and I'm kind of like, what more could.
Speaker 3: She do for the Ferns.
Speaker 2: You know, she's probably not going to be around for
Speaker 2: the next World Cup, is she. So it is a
Speaker 2: tricky one, but I think right now maybe she is
Speaker 2: what the football Ferns need to rally them when it's
Speaker 2: been a pretty you know, up and down roller coaster
Speaker 2: of the last months.
Speaker 1: I think you still need some glue and with you know,
Speaker 1: as you say, with players leaving the team, you know,
Speaker 1: with players who have been around for a long time
Speaker 1: no longer there, and you know the likes of Alie
Speaker 1: Riley and Rhea Perceval and others. I think you still
Speaker 1: need some glue. You still need some experienced players. And look,
Speaker 1: if you're picking on forom I, I just don't see
Speaker 1: how you can leave her out.
Speaker 3: No, exactly.
Speaker 1: It was an important one too for the Phoenix women
Speaker 1: in that you know, it keeps them sort of in
Speaker 1: and around the top six. I think it has them fifth, Yeah,
Speaker 1: has them fifth at the moment. I mentioned last week
Speaker 1: on the podcast, it was around about this time last
Speaker 1: season that the Phoenix started to wobble. They were up
Speaker 1: in the top four. In fact, they were third after
Speaker 1: they beat Newcastle. Actually, oddly enough, just before Christmas they
Speaker 1: were up to third place. But then after that they
Speaker 1: went loss loss loss loss, win loss loss loss, So
Speaker 1: seven losses in the next eight games, and that really
Speaker 1: put paid to their season. By the end of February
Speaker 1: and March, they were down in tenth place and they
Speaker 1: could never recover. Does it feel like they were a
Speaker 1: top six side to you.
Speaker 3: I was gonna ask you the same.
Speaker 2: I think it does, and I think yes, hearing those
Speaker 2: results that you know, what happened this time last season
Speaker 2: is very, very scary, But I feel like they're a
Speaker 2: better team and in a better place, you know, not
Speaker 2: necessarily points wise, but they're in a better place as
Speaker 2: a collective and as a group and in terms of
Speaker 2: their death than what they were last year. So I'm
Speaker 2: far more confident that they can go on and secure
Speaker 2: that top six side. And I feel like, I think
Speaker 2: I've mentioned this before on the podcast there they're trying
Speaker 2: to make a statement before this new Auckland FC women's
Speaker 2: team comes in, So I hope they can. I hope
Speaker 2: they can make the playoffs for the first time.
Speaker 1: I hope they can too. Alyssa Winham captain the side
Speaker 1: and her fiftieth A League women's appearance for Wellington after
Speaker 1: Mackenzie Bowry, the second player to achieve that. I thought
Speaker 1: it was a really nice moment before the game when
Speaker 1: her dad, Craig came out wearing a replica jersey with
Speaker 1: Dad fifty on the back, a framed picture of Alyssa
Speaker 1: and a bunch of flowers. When he brought the bunch
Speaker 1: of flowers out, I thought, what's he gonna do? What's
Speaker 1: she going to do with those, she's she's got to
Speaker 1: play a game. So he gave her the flowers. They
Speaker 1: had a fight, and then he took the flowers back,
Speaker 1: so it was obviously your pre arranged. But yeah, I
Speaker 1: just think, you know, a little Winham. It's well documented
Speaker 1: she's been through some ups and downs. She has has
Speaker 1: suffered from a lack of confidence in the past, but
Speaker 1: I don't know. This season, I just think, you know,
Speaker 1: she she has got a bit more about her. Lovely
Speaker 1: to see her bring up the fifty, you know, I
Speaker 1: think she's got a big part to play in the
Speaker 1: second half of this season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, she definitely does. I think she's embracing her role
Speaker 2: in the team. She looks so much more confident on
Speaker 2: the ball and kind of moving into those attacking opportunities.
Speaker 2: I think, you know, she's scored quite a few, she's
Speaker 2: scored some goals this season, but I think she's you know,
Speaker 2: we're waiting for her to unlock a few more because
Speaker 2: she puts herself in great positions and she's she's come
Speaker 2: close so many times quite a few assists as well,
Speaker 2: So I would like to see, you know, that kind
Speaker 2: of aspect unlock her game. But other than that, I think,
Speaker 2: you know, it's so good to see her confidence improve.
Speaker 2: And again another one knocking on the door of the
Speaker 2: football ferns.
Speaker 1: Just before we move on to what's next for the
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix woman Devin Jackson, who's been who's obviously a
Speaker 1: key we at the Newcastle Jets, has been playing really
Speaker 1: really well, had to come off with what has transpired
Speaker 1: to be and horrendous injury. What can you tell us
Speaker 1: about that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so Devin had kind of a head knock with
Speaker 2: Olivia Kelly. I think it was of the Phoenix just
Speaker 2: they both went up for a ball and kind of
Speaker 2: an unfortunate knock and on the side of Devon's face
Speaker 2: and she kind of went down for ages before she
Speaker 2: eventually walked off herself. But she's turns out she's broken
Speaker 2: her cheekbone and eye socket in multiple places. I've never
Speaker 2: heard of that injury before, but it just looks absolutely terrible.
Speaker 2: I've seen a photo of it and one side of
Speaker 2: her face has completely swollen. She's still duck and Wellington,
Speaker 2: I believe, before she flies back to Newcastle. They kind
Speaker 2: of had to wait for the swelling to go down
Speaker 2: before it was safe for her to fly. But yeah,
Speaker 2: really really unfortunate for her. Not sure what it means
Speaker 2: in terms of the rest of the season, but I
Speaker 2: believe she will have an operation when she gets back
Speaker 2: to Ossie.
Speaker 1: That's terribly bad luck for Devin Jackson too, because she's
Speaker 1: been playing well. I reckon she would have been in
Speaker 1: and around that Football Ferns mix, you know, it just
Speaker 1: really really I mean, there's never a good time to
Speaker 1: shatty your cheekbone, but you know, with a couple of
Speaker 1: Ferns games coming up, she could well have been in
Speaker 1: Michael Main's sites for those games.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I agree. I think she'd been playing
Speaker 2: really well for Newcastle and obviously had a good season
Speaker 2: with Canberra last year, but kind of kind of seems
Speaker 2: to be on a different level with Newcastle scoring and
Speaker 2: assisting a lot more goals this season and certainly knocking
Speaker 2: on the door of the Football Ferns as they kind
Speaker 2: of go into this new cycle.
Speaker 3: So yeah, really gutted for her.
Speaker 2: I mean, yes, it's not a broken league, which might
Speaker 2: take a little bit longer to recover for a footballer,
Speaker 2: but yeah, we'll see how that kind of transpires.
Speaker 1: But no good, no good at all for Devin Jackson.
Speaker 1: All right. So for Wellington Phoenix are the women's side.
Speaker 1: Next up Sunday night they take on Actually it's a
Speaker 1: really interesting little three game streets for them. Here they've
Speaker 1: got the Central Coast Mariners who are currently sixth the
Speaker 1: Phoenix are fifth. That game is away on Sunday night,
Speaker 1: seven o'clock New Zealand time at the terrifically named woy
Speaker 1: Woy Oval in woy Woi, New South Wales. So after
Speaker 1: woy Woi they go. Then they are away again to
Speaker 1: the fourth placed Brisbane Raw and then at home on
Speaker 1: the eighth of February Saturday, the eighth against the second
Speaker 1: place Melbourne Victory. So three big, big games coming up
Speaker 1: for the Phoenix women.
Speaker 3: Yeah, really tough one.
Speaker 2: But I think even if they can just get a
Speaker 2: point or to make the most of that home game
Speaker 2: against Melbourne Victory, but yeah, we'll be tough. And I
Speaker 2: think even if they they go down and you know,
Speaker 2: don't get any points from these next three games, just
Speaker 2: you know, ensure good performances so they don't kind of
Speaker 2: lose that momentum and positivity that they've they've had, you
Speaker 2: know so much so recently.
Speaker 1: Yep, So fourth win on the trot at home as
Speaker 1: I say, club record for the Wellington Phoenix Women. Good
Speaker 1: to see them come from behind, come from turn all
Speaker 1: down to one at three to two at the end,
Speaker 1: so a real confidence boost for them as they continue
Speaker 1: to push for a place in the top six. This
Speaker 1: is football, So two up to down. Two wins Auckland
Speaker 1: FC and the Wellington Phoenix Women which just left the
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix Men, who had a rare Monday night game
Speaker 1: last night at Campbelltown Stadium against MacArthur in the eve
Speaker 1: of the departure. Another injury blow for Wellington Phoenix with
Speaker 1: Matt Sheridan ruled out with concussion, joining a growing injury list.
Speaker 1: On top of that, of course, David Ball has left
Speaker 1: the club. Muhammed al Tay during the week left the club.
Speaker 1: He's turned up at the Western Sydney Wanderers chief chief.
Speaker 1: He said in his pregame media conference. If somebody can run,
Speaker 1: they'll probably start. That's where we're at. That's where we're
Speaker 1: at now. And we saw Luke Super get a starting
Speaker 1: debut last night. It wasn't necessarily a cobbled together side,
Speaker 1: but you know a lot of a lot of key
Speaker 1: players missing. But here we are the day after looking
Speaker 1: back on a Phoenix win two to one. What were
Speaker 1: your overall views on this?
Speaker 2: We're back, piety, we are back. So so stoked for them.
Speaker 2: I couldn't believe it watching the match last night, I
Speaker 2: was just kind of holding on, crossing my fingers, waiting
Speaker 2: for the waiting for the clock to tick down, as
Speaker 2: they had had that lead, what they held it for
Speaker 2: a good twenty minutes or so, twenty five minutes or so,
Speaker 2: and I was just hoping and praying they could close
Speaker 2: it out.
Speaker 3: And they did.
Speaker 2: And yes, a very very young, very inexperienced side, as
Speaker 2: you say, but they got the job done. And hope
Speaker 2: they're so proud of themselves because yeah, a massive, massive
Speaker 2: effort over there.
Speaker 1: Oh they'll be feeling so much better about life waking
Speaker 1: up this morning, you know, in you know, in Australia,
Speaker 1: jumping on a plane coming home to a beautiful Wellington day,
Speaker 1: I can report, you know, life will just seem a
Speaker 1: whole lot rosier with the three points they're now just
Speaker 1: they're up to it's ninth on the table, but only
Speaker 1: four points outside the top six, and they have a
Speaker 1: game in hand on the teams that are currently in
Speaker 1: fifth and sixth position. So when the game in hand,
Speaker 1: you're one point outside the top six and there's still
Speaker 1: half a season to go, so one result immediately makes
Speaker 1: things look a whole lot. Rosier. This off the back
Speaker 1: of course of a nilil draw last time out against
Speaker 1: Sydney FC, A free scoring Sydney FC side. They they
Speaker 1: needed that after you know, five losses in the previous
Speaker 1: six matches. Let's break this down last night. The first
Speaker 1: half MacArthur should have been really out of sight at halftime,
Speaker 1: if we're honest, they had so much more of the ball.
Speaker 1: Some of the Phoenix defending was was suboptimal. Andy Harper
Speaker 1: and commentary was absolutely giving it to Wellington Phoenix and
Speaker 1: the way they were defending. Jake Holman with a goal.
Speaker 1: But at halftime it was still only one nil, so
Speaker 1: the Phoenix were in in with a chance of something
Speaker 1: in the second half. All of a sudden, Kazuki Nagasawa
Speaker 1: scores a goal six minutes later, cost of Barbarusis has
Speaker 1: brought down scores from the penalty spot. We'll talk about
Speaker 1: his hundred goals in a moment, and the game's turned
Speaker 1: on its head. You know, at halftime it would never
Speaker 1: have predicted a Phoenix win.
Speaker 3: Oh no, absolutely not.
Speaker 2: And you know, alb Kelly healed and goal like outrageous,
Speaker 2: He's unreal and to you know, stop nine shots on
Speaker 2: target and they were pretty you know, pretty good saves
Speaker 2: as well keep the Phoenix in it. And I think
Speaker 2: that was you know, nothing against kind of the import
Speaker 2: josh olawa Emi, but I think that's what they were
Speaker 2: missing this season without Alex Paulson, you know, someone who
Speaker 2: could stand up in big moments and keep your side
Speaker 2: in it with individual plays. And I think, you know,
Speaker 2: by Albi who's so young and just being given a shot,
Speaker 2: making those key saves really obviously help help the team
Speaker 2: kind of rally and give them that momentum and confidence
Speaker 2: they needed and just that the three points. You know,
Speaker 2: the win yesterday was so much more than a win.
Speaker 2: They've been so down've been riddled with injuries, and you know,
Speaker 2: I think they they definitely needed it and they had
Speaker 2: their energy pinty, which we talked about how they don't
Speaker 2: look like they want to win, but last night, for
Speaker 2: some reason they did. They had kind of a new, yeah,
Speaker 2: kind of step in their game.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I couldn't agree more. Definitely, after halftime. I think
Speaker 1: one of the big turning points of the game was
Speaker 1: bringing Finn row Conci on actually at halftime. You know,
Speaker 1: Luke Super, you know, tried hard, did what he could,
Speaker 1: but they bring Conchion and kind of swift shift formation.
Speaker 1: You know, they had Super and barbarusis almost as a
Speaker 1: front two in the first half. Conchi comes on and
Speaker 1: they kind of go to like a four to two
Speaker 1: three one without getting too technical about it, but I
Speaker 1: think Finn Roy Konchi just added some physicality and just
Speaker 1: a bit of steel in there and things started to
Speaker 1: change a little bit. Corbyn Piper was getting forward a
Speaker 1: lot more and they kind of targeted the right hand side,
Speaker 1: and you know, I just think the second half was
Speaker 1: a was a such a much better performance. Thirty shots
Speaker 1: MacArthur had to Wellington's nine. But it speaks of the
Speaker 1: efficiency when two of those shots from from Wellington go
Speaker 1: on the back of the net. The goal that Naga
Speaker 1: Sauer scored, what about the back I'll assist from a
Speaker 1: dickie you seek. It's just outrageous.
Speaker 3: That whole setup.
Speaker 2: I can't remember who it was the exact personnel, but
Speaker 2: I remember from kind of that halfway point when they
Speaker 2: first started that that play towards goal was just it
Speaker 2: was just outrageous and yeah that back heel, Piney. Surely
Speaker 2: it's in goal of the week or Assist of a
Speaker 2: week if that's even a thing. But yeah again and
Speaker 2: key little moments like that in games can just shift
Speaker 2: your mindset completely, like what Albie might do in goal,
Speaker 2: or like what happens up the other end, so you know, massive,
Speaker 2: massive play and then obviously Costs are going down in
Speaker 2: the box. I thought absolute penalty. You would agree, I'm
Speaker 2: sure Piney, yeah, absolutely, yeah, yeah, And it was a classy,
Speaker 2: very intelligent play by Costed to earn that penalty, I thought.
Speaker 1: And to score the penalty has one hundredth a league
Speaker 1: men's goal. It's what a milestone. I'm just so stoked
Speaker 1: the cost of that. He's forged the career that he has,
Speaker 1: you know, living in Wellington and I remember when Costa
Speaker 1: first sort of started to be talked about as he
Speaker 1: was so young, sixteen seventeen years old playing for Team
Speaker 1: Wellington in the National League. I might have mentioned this
Speaker 1: on the podcast before. I remember Mick Waite, who was
Speaker 1: coaching Team Wellington at the time, former All Whites coach said,
Speaker 1: this kid is going to be something, and he has.
Speaker 1: He's forged this terrific career in the A League and
Speaker 1: at times further afield as well, a renaissance at the
Speaker 1: end of his career. Look a couple of years ago,
Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure people weren't expecting this from Costa. In fact,
Speaker 1: I remember the season before last, people were calling for
Speaker 1: him to be to be released. You know that he
Speaker 1: wasn't doing what the team needed up front, he wasn't
Speaker 1: scoring the goals. But last season, obviously we know how
Speaker 1: effective he was. He's continued it on this season. One
Speaker 1: hundred goals. So he joins Jamie McLaren, Bess r. Barisha
Speaker 1: and Bruno fauna Roli. It's not bad company to be
Speaker 1: and you know, to be up there and he still
Speaker 1: feels to me like he's got a lot more gas
Speaker 1: in the tank.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, And look at these two. You know, Costa
Speaker 2: barbarusis Annale Longo, the two seasoned veterans, Yes, representing New
Speaker 2: Zealand carrying these two Phoenix sides. Almost yes, stoked for
Speaker 2: Costo as you say, you said it all perfectly pinting,
Speaker 2: but yeah, absolute legend. And you know, I want to
Speaker 2: see him continuing in this form through to the World
Speaker 2: Cup next Yeah.
Speaker 1: Surely without doubt. I mean again, if you reward form,
Speaker 1: then Darren basically has to put Costa Barbarusis in his
Speaker 1: and his sides for the upcoming ofc Nations Cup, Semis
Speaker 1: and hopefully Final. He has to be in there. Only.
Speaker 1: The very only small, small downside was Costa Barrusas scoring
Speaker 1: his one hundredth goal at ten point thirty on a
Speaker 1: Monday night New Zealand time pure a league, isn't it?
Speaker 1: It will to be much better at sky Stadium, but
Speaker 1: it is what it is.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it would have been much better, but yeah, you
Speaker 2: can imagine the yellow fever a would have been so.
Speaker 3: But there was a good, good content engines of them
Speaker 3: there in the crowd.
Speaker 1: I thought, yeah they were, No, there's always a little
Speaker 1: corner of yellow as they call themselves, supporting and yeah
Speaker 1: they were enjoying themselves, getting the shirts off and such like.
Speaker 1: Interested to know what you think they now do with
Speaker 1: Josh all Away, Emmy, you know he's an import. He
Speaker 1: takes up an import spot. He came on a one
Speaker 1: year deal and after just two matches they said no,
Speaker 1: we want to extend. So after the first couple of games,
Speaker 1: the drawer against Western United and the win against Perth Glory,
Speaker 1: they extended his contract until the end of next season.
Speaker 1: Now it feels to me as though Lbie Kelly Heeled
Speaker 1: is your number one. You can't have an import as
Speaker 1: a reserve goalkeeper, can you.
Speaker 2: Look, I'm not gonna beat around the bush Pioneer. They've
Speaker 2: got to get rid of him. They've got other spaces
Speaker 2: they need for with that import spot. Alb Kelly Healed
Speaker 2: is clearly doing the job. And yes, you know, it'd
Speaker 2: be great to have someone more experience between the sticks,
Speaker 2: but look at what happened to Alex Paulson. You know,
Speaker 2: when the opportunity so, yeah, they need a center back
Speaker 2: or they need another forward, and I think that should
Speaker 2: be a priority for Chief if they you know, if
Speaker 2: they can or if the opportunity presents to kind of
Speaker 2: show olaway Amy the doors.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know whether it will happen this season.
Speaker 1: You know, you still need to back up if elb
Speaker 1: Kelly Heild was to get injured, you need somebody to go.
Speaker 1: And the other keeper in the squad is Dublin Boone,
Speaker 1: who was you know, a real young woman. Kelly Heild's young, obviously,
Speaker 1: but I'm not sure whether you'd want to get by
Speaker 1: just with Kelly Healed and Dublin Boone. But I feel
Speaker 1: the same way as you. I think at the end
Speaker 1: of this season, if you're contemplating another season where one
Speaker 1: of your imports is not playing, then you have to
Speaker 1: do something about that. I feel for Josh Oloway Yemmy,
Speaker 1: he's a he's a He's a terrific guy. He's he's
Speaker 1: clearly embraced being part of this club. But he's just
Speaker 1: not able to do with his feet what Gian Calotaliano
Speaker 1: needs his goalkeeper to do. Elbi Kelly Healed is so
Speaker 1: much more assured with ball at feet and chief. He
Speaker 1: even made that point last night after the game. So yeah,
Speaker 1: there's some interesting conversations to be had there. I get
Speaker 1: the feeling that they'll find a way at the end
Speaker 1: of this season to part ways. And but for the
Speaker 1: remainder of this season, as long as Kelly LB Kelly
Speaker 1: Heil doesn't have a catastrophic drop and form or get injured,
Speaker 1: I think it's his goalkeeping spot, isn't it.
Speaker 3: Yeah? It is? Why not? You know?
Speaker 2: Olawa Amy, Yes, he's not great with his feet, but
Speaker 2: he's also kind of had some key game changing errors,
Speaker 2: which is an ideal for a goalkeeper. But as you say, Piney,
Speaker 2: I don't think it should be an issue to kind
Speaker 2: of see him see him go and in that contract earlier,
Speaker 2: because no keeper wants to sit on the bench, do they?
Speaker 3: So, I mean no player does.
Speaker 2: Really, but yeah, it is hard for a keeper to
Speaker 2: kind of get off off the bench like other players.
Speaker 2: So yeah, shouldn't be an issue showing in the doors.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, he came. He came to Wellington to get
Speaker 1: game time. You know, that was the stated aim and
Speaker 1: you know, for the first eleven games of the season
Speaker 1: that's exactly what happened. But you know, just like any
Speaker 1: other position on the field, you know, you're at the
Speaker 1: mercy of your own form. And I thought it was
Speaker 1: a gutsy move actually from Gihon Callotaliana to make the change.
Speaker 1: In the midweek game against Sydney FC, bringing lb Kelly
Speaker 1: held in kept a clean shed on Dave Berwin had
Speaker 1: an assured debut Man of the match last night with
Speaker 1: eight or nine saves at one point in the first half.
Speaker 1: He made three or four saves in about sixty seconds.
Speaker 1: I'm not sure what his defenders were doing in front
Speaker 1: of him, but these shots were raining in on his
Speaker 1: goal and LB Kelly held was standing firm. He seems
Speaker 1: like a confident kid, which you have to be a
Speaker 1: guest to be a footballer, and especially a goalkeeper at
Speaker 1: this level. So yeah, there's a little bit of thinking
Speaker 1: to do there, I think for the recruitment team at
Speaker 1: Wellington Phoenix next up the Mariners in christ Church, first time.
Speaker 1: The Phoenix have played an A League match in christ
Speaker 1: Church for nine years, so they're back down to the
Speaker 1: Garden City. Of course, Auckland is no longer an option
Speaker 1: to take away games too with Auckland FC and Trench
Speaker 1: there now, so marin is next and then Brisbane Raw
Speaker 1: at Sky Stadium on White Tonguey Day the sixth of February.
Speaker 1: I feel as though two very winnable games last night
Speaker 1: could be a turning point for the upswing and fortunes
Speaker 1: for this team.
Speaker 3: I hope.
Speaker 2: So, but what's the timeline Piney of you know, an
Speaker 2: Alex ruf of Tim Payne type precent.
Speaker 1: That's a very good question, Bonnie, A very good question. Look,
Speaker 1: Alex Rufus is an illness. So, I mean, that's so
Speaker 1: hard to judge. Tim Payne's got the foot injury again.
Speaker 1: You can only sort of, I guess, speculators to when
Speaker 1: when one or both might be back. This Marco roehas
Speaker 1: as well. We're told that his injury is a sort
Speaker 1: of a eight to ten week proposition. But yeah, getting
Speaker 1: a roof of back, getting Tim Payne back, getting at
Speaker 1: some stage Rowhars back, it would just make such a difference,
Speaker 1: wouldn't it.
Speaker 2: It would and for them to come and now off
Speaker 2: the back of this world and bring a bit of
Speaker 2: leadership and kind of rally the group when there's these
Speaker 2: these young guns who have been holding the fort and
Speaker 2: doing a pretty good job I mean for the last
Speaker 2: two weeks anyway, So yeah, I would it would be
Speaker 2: good ideal timing for them to start making their way
Speaker 2: back into the team. But in the meantime, if it's
Speaker 2: not this week, yeah, we want to see much of
Speaker 2: the same. And I do like raw Conchi up there
Speaker 2: with Costa Barbarusis he kind of performed that nice role
Speaker 2: of a link between the midfield and Ford's.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think he might start in christ you John Saturday.
Speaker 1: He started the first three games of this season and
Speaker 1: then sort of almost disappeared without trace. I know he
Speaker 1: had an injury, but after the first derby in Wellington
Speaker 1: he wasn't seen. In fact, I don't know that he's
Speaker 1: played at all until No, he hasn't. That was the
Speaker 1: last time we saw him was on the second of
Speaker 1: November in the first derby. Here we are on the
Speaker 1: twentieth of January and we finally see him again. As
Speaker 1: as I said, and I reckon he might. I reckon
Speaker 1: they might start with kind of what they finished with
Speaker 1: last night, or certainly the way they started the second
Speaker 1: half with Conchi into that midfield. I get the feeling
Speaker 1: that might be what they do against the Mariners on Saturday.
Speaker 1: So looking forward to being in christ Church. I'm sure
Speaker 1: the Phoenix are too. For the first time in a
Speaker 1: long time, football fever. Just to finish news this week
Speaker 1: about Maya Hahn, can you give us the background to this.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Maya Hahn has switched allegiances back to New Zealand
Speaker 2: from Germany. She obviously could represent both of those countries,
Speaker 2: and she went to the Under seventeen World Cup. I
Speaker 2: want to say twenty eighteen. I think it was when
Speaker 2: New Zealand finished third and it was that massive, historic, great,
Speaker 2: great bronze medal Matchep. But yeah, so she then after that,
Speaker 2: I believe she moved over to play professional football in Germany.
Speaker 2: She made kind of the widest squad for the Germany
Speaker 2: N twenty women's team. I didn't get any game time,
Speaker 2: I don't believe, but has played professional football over there
Speaker 2: and then now obviously it feels like, you know, maybe
Speaker 2: it's not working out, or you know, Germany's such a
Speaker 2: great national football team, maybe has more of an opportunity to,
Speaker 2: you know, go to these pinnacle events with New Zealand.
Speaker 2: And she wouldn't be She wouldn't be a bad I
Speaker 2: was going to say signing, but she wouldn't be a
Speaker 2: bad player. You know, she's still quite young to bring
Speaker 2: in as the football firms start this new cycle.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, I think she's an indigne share. I mean, I
Speaker 1: think she's good enough player to certainly be in the conversation.
Speaker 1: She's at Potsdam in Germany, which is where Suya hering,
Speaker 1: the other Kiwi who has recently come on to where
Speaker 1: Radar is playing. So yeah, maharn, she was talked about
Speaker 1: a lot growing up. You're right, she was part of
Speaker 1: that team that got the bronze medal in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 1: She came through the Ola Football Academy, started playing then
Speaker 1: when she was eight years old. He has always been
Speaker 1: one of those who growing up people were saying, oh,
Speaker 1: you know, she's too good for to play with the girl,
Speaker 1: she needs to play with the boys. You know, she's
Speaker 1: at the very least worth a look in the national soide.
Speaker 1: I don't think she would have. I don't think she
Speaker 1: would have changed allegiance if she hadn't got the nod
Speaker 1: from someone at New Zealand Football that she was going
Speaker 1: to get a crack oh exactly.
Speaker 2: I think I think now is probably the perfect time
Speaker 2: for her to come in. I don't I haven't seen
Speaker 2: her play in a long time. I actually grew up
Speaker 2: playing with her for hut Valley High School when we
Speaker 2: got fourth at nationals back in the day. But yeah,
Speaker 2: she was a great player growing up. I'm not sure
Speaker 2: if she would have, you know, been in the mix
Speaker 2: for the recent kind of twenty twenty three World Cup,
Speaker 2: twenty four Olympics, but I think now is probably the
Speaker 2: perfect time to bring her in. She plays with a
Speaker 2: similar style like Macy Fraser, you know, very technical and
Speaker 2: a very tricky, smart player like that, So yeah, I would.
Speaker 2: I'd like to see her come in and see what
Speaker 2: she can do. Again, haven't seen much of her because
Speaker 2: she's obviously been over in Germany.
Speaker 1: Well, we'll wait and see when the Football Ferns are
Speaker 1: selected for their next matches, which are in February against
Speaker 1: Costa Rica. I think that's the next time they have
Speaker 1: matches together. From memory, they'll come together and maybe Maya
Speaker 1: Hahn might get the opportunity to be a part of that.
Speaker 1: All right, So that is football fever for today. Looking
Speaker 1: ahead Tomorrow night, Wednesday, it is Auckland FC away at
Speaker 1: Adelaide United. Get in front of your TV for that one.
Speaker 1: That is set to be an absolute cracker. It's a
Speaker 1: nine to thirty kickoff New Zealand time. Then on Saturday
Speaker 1: in christ Church the Wellington Phoenix Men up against the
Speaker 1: Central Coast Mariners. That's five o'clock. And then on Sunday
Speaker 1: evening it is the Wellington Phoenix women also against the
Speaker 1: Mariners over in Australia. That is a seven o'clock kickoff
Speaker 1: New Zealand time. So let's hope when we reconvene next week.
Speaker 1: Bonnie that it's another three victories we can chat about
Speaker 1: for the for the three for the Free three New
Speaker 1: Zealand based A league.
Speaker 3: Sides banging on team Let's Go
Speaker 1: Football Fever with Jason Fine and Bonnie Jensen