1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,787 Speaker 1: from Newstalk zed b. 3 00:00:12,947 --> 00:00:16,067 Speaker 2: Auckland FC have sealed top spot and the Premier's Plate 4 00:00:16,467 --> 00:00:20,027 Speaker 2: that after second placed Melbourne City drew nillall with Adelaide 5 00:00:20,147 --> 00:00:24,187 Speaker 2: United last night. That result leaves Auckland in an unassailable 6 00:00:24,227 --> 00:00:28,267 Speaker 2: position with just one match remaining this season for Melbourne City. 7 00:00:28,587 --> 00:00:32,147 Speaker 2: So this afternoon, regardless of the result against Perth Glory, 8 00:00:32,507 --> 00:00:35,707 Speaker 2: Auckland will lift the Premier's Plate in front of an 9 00:00:35,707 --> 00:00:39,587 Speaker 2: expected sold out home crowd at go Media Stadium. Club 10 00:00:39,667 --> 00:00:42,107 Speaker 2: CEO is Nick Becker, who joins us our on Weekend Sport. 11 00:00:42,107 --> 00:00:44,467 Speaker 2: Thanks for your time, Nick, and congratulations to you and 12 00:00:44,547 --> 00:00:48,707 Speaker 2: everybody involved in the football club. With the messages flying 13 00:00:48,747 --> 00:00:51,347 Speaker 2: around last night when the final still blew at Amy 14 00:00:51,387 --> 00:00:53,947 Speaker 2: Park at around what eleven thirty quarter to twelve or. 15 00:00:53,947 --> 00:00:56,947 Speaker 3: So, they were piney, thank you for having me on. 16 00:00:57,027 --> 00:01:00,827 Speaker 3: But yeah, it was a slightly odd way to clinch 17 00:01:01,187 --> 00:01:03,187 Speaker 3: the plate, but I guess it sort of just shows 18 00:01:03,627 --> 00:01:05,907 Speaker 3: we have been the best team across the whole season. 19 00:01:05,987 --> 00:01:08,907 Speaker 3: But but to be citty at home on the sofa 20 00:01:09,067 --> 00:01:13,147 Speaker 3: about midnight and finding out that we'd won it by 21 00:01:13,427 --> 00:01:16,027 Speaker 3: a draw between City and Adelaide was a bit odd, 22 00:01:16,067 --> 00:01:19,347 Speaker 3: but still that doesn't change the feeding, which is fantastic 23 00:01:19,387 --> 00:01:21,107 Speaker 3: and it's what we set out to do in our 24 00:01:21,147 --> 00:01:23,467 Speaker 3: first year and we've achieved and it's sort of blown 25 00:01:23,547 --> 00:01:24,027 Speaker 3: us all the way. 26 00:01:24,427 --> 00:01:27,547 Speaker 2: It certainly won't dilute the occasion this afternoon. Well, now, 27 00:01:27,547 --> 00:01:30,787 Speaker 2: can you confirm the plate itself will physically be at 28 00:01:30,787 --> 00:01:32,427 Speaker 2: go Media Stadium this afternoon? 29 00:01:33,187 --> 00:01:36,107 Speaker 3: Yeah, it'll be there for sure, and so it's going 30 00:01:36,147 --> 00:01:40,387 Speaker 3: to be presented by the apl A Leagues Chairman Stephen Conroy. 31 00:01:40,467 --> 00:01:43,747 Speaker 3: So he's flying over. I believe he arrives this morning 32 00:01:43,827 --> 00:01:45,867 Speaker 3: or maybe got in last night, and he'll be presenting 33 00:01:45,867 --> 00:01:48,867 Speaker 3: here to the team immediately up. So everybody who's coming 34 00:01:48,907 --> 00:01:51,347 Speaker 3: along I thoroughly encourage him to stay. And it also 35 00:01:51,427 --> 00:01:55,507 Speaker 3: looks like the rain might be easing out as well, 36 00:01:55,627 --> 00:01:57,267 Speaker 3: so that's also a bonus. 37 00:01:57,467 --> 00:02:00,067 Speaker 2: Yeah, did any part of you sort of hope that 38 00:02:00,107 --> 00:02:02,547 Speaker 2: Melbourne City would win last night so you could go 39 00:02:02,587 --> 00:02:05,707 Speaker 2: out there this afternoon and secure the plate with some 40 00:02:05,707 --> 00:02:06,307 Speaker 2: sort of result. 41 00:02:07,787 --> 00:02:10,347 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know what, I actually I had a gut feeders. 42 00:02:10,427 --> 00:02:12,467 Speaker 3: That shows how good my gut feeders are that they 43 00:02:12,507 --> 00:02:14,707 Speaker 3: would actually win and would have to would have to 44 00:02:14,787 --> 00:02:17,107 Speaker 3: get a result there and look, it doesn't matter at 45 00:02:17,187 --> 00:02:18,347 Speaker 3: the end of the day. I mean, the good thing 46 00:02:18,387 --> 00:02:20,547 Speaker 3: is we go into this game knowing that we were 47 00:02:20,587 --> 00:02:23,347 Speaker 3: finished top. Nobody can beat us the boys. I'm sure 48 00:02:23,387 --> 00:02:26,707 Speaker 3: we'll play with a lot of freedom and players premiers 49 00:02:27,027 --> 00:02:28,907 Speaker 3: against Perth. I'll still want to get a result there 50 00:02:28,907 --> 00:02:31,347 Speaker 3: and and have a kind of, you know, a to 51 00:02:31,867 --> 00:02:33,547 Speaker 3: get a bit of revenge from the fact that Perth 52 00:02:33,627 --> 00:02:35,227 Speaker 3: is one of the only two teams that beat us 53 00:02:35,227 --> 00:02:37,987 Speaker 3: this season and and be able to kind of, you know, 54 00:02:38,067 --> 00:02:39,707 Speaker 3: have a victory and lift that plate in front of 55 00:02:39,707 --> 00:02:41,267 Speaker 3: our home fans with the amazing feeling. 56 00:02:41,747 --> 00:02:44,547 Speaker 2: Why do you think this team has been so successful 57 00:02:44,547 --> 00:02:45,067 Speaker 2: this season. 58 00:02:48,307 --> 00:02:50,627 Speaker 3: There's there's no one thing. I think we kind of 59 00:02:50,667 --> 00:02:52,307 Speaker 3: set about right at the start. We had a plan, 60 00:02:52,547 --> 00:02:54,507 Speaker 3: I guess was the was the key part to it. 61 00:02:54,867 --> 00:02:56,507 Speaker 3: I think, you know, sort of having a really clear 62 00:02:56,587 --> 00:02:58,747 Speaker 3: vision of what we wanted to achieve. We got the 63 00:02:58,827 --> 00:03:02,107 Speaker 3: right people and from the start, you know, terramit Flin 64 00:03:02,147 --> 00:03:04,467 Speaker 3: come in as our directory of football immense the experience 65 00:03:04,547 --> 00:03:08,307 Speaker 3: and fantastics whom as well. He did a great job 66 00:03:08,347 --> 00:03:12,467 Speaker 3: and recruiting Steve Kaarroker, who we know as an amazing manager. 67 00:03:13,107 --> 00:03:15,987 Speaker 3: In my opinion, the best manager a Leavel without a doubt. 68 00:03:16,667 --> 00:03:18,667 Speaker 3: You know, he's won it before, he knows what it 69 00:03:18,667 --> 00:03:21,507 Speaker 3: takes to win it. So he had those two people 70 00:03:21,547 --> 00:03:23,027 Speaker 3: together and then we looked at weh knew what the 71 00:03:23,067 --> 00:03:26,187 Speaker 3: style we wanted to play. We recruited really well. We 72 00:03:26,227 --> 00:03:29,667 Speaker 3: worked really hard to find not only great footballers, but 73 00:03:30,067 --> 00:03:33,147 Speaker 3: great people as well. And I think there's also another 74 00:03:33,187 --> 00:03:36,027 Speaker 3: element of having a core of KWI players in the squad. 75 00:03:36,027 --> 00:03:38,507 Speaker 3: You know, we're in New Zealand team, majority of New 76 00:03:38,547 --> 00:03:41,267 Speaker 3: Zealand players in our squad, and they sort of set 77 00:03:41,307 --> 00:03:42,907 Speaker 3: the tone and sort of show what it was like 78 00:03:42,947 --> 00:03:45,827 Speaker 3: to be a key sports team, so that that happens 79 00:03:45,827 --> 00:03:46,667 Speaker 3: from the start as well. 80 00:03:47,147 --> 00:03:49,467 Speaker 2: You mentioned before that it was your stated aim to 81 00:03:50,147 --> 00:03:53,027 Speaker 2: you know, to be contenders straight away. You were bullish 82 00:03:53,067 --> 00:03:55,027 Speaker 2: about that. So was your owner Bill Foley or your 83 00:03:55,067 --> 00:03:57,747 Speaker 2: majority owner Bill Foley. Did you, in your heart of 84 00:03:57,787 --> 00:04:01,387 Speaker 2: heartsnak predict that you would do this in the club's 85 00:04:01,387 --> 00:04:01,947 Speaker 2: first season. 86 00:04:03,187 --> 00:04:07,427 Speaker 3: I you know what, as right at the start, I 87 00:04:07,507 --> 00:04:09,627 Speaker 3: was I was confident with pulled to get a good 88 00:04:09,627 --> 00:04:11,907 Speaker 3: squad would be competitive. You know, I knew that from 89 00:04:11,907 --> 00:04:15,867 Speaker 3: the start. But then as those games started rolling the 90 00:04:15,947 --> 00:04:18,947 Speaker 3: first six wins and then you know, we started just 91 00:04:19,067 --> 00:04:21,547 Speaker 3: getting results and getting results in the last minutes. You 92 00:04:21,627 --> 00:04:23,667 Speaker 3: just saw that the team were actually playing like a 93 00:04:24,947 --> 00:04:27,387 Speaker 3: proper unit and they played together, they played for each other. 94 00:04:27,987 --> 00:04:30,787 Speaker 3: I started to believe, you know, before Christmas, and then 95 00:04:30,827 --> 00:04:33,707 Speaker 3: I looked over at old step Kroker one day and 96 00:04:33,987 --> 00:04:36,267 Speaker 3: I could tell his I so he was like, we 97 00:04:36,307 --> 00:04:38,907 Speaker 3: can win this and instead of that, that feeling and 98 00:04:38,907 --> 00:04:42,067 Speaker 3: that kind of it all started to build. From Christmas 99 00:04:42,107 --> 00:04:43,747 Speaker 3: and into the new year. You know, we had a 100 00:04:43,747 --> 00:04:45,267 Speaker 3: bit of a blip with the Perth trip, but I 101 00:04:45,267 --> 00:04:47,587 Speaker 3: think that it was actually needed that set us up 102 00:04:47,587 --> 00:04:49,667 Speaker 3: for the for the strong finish that we've had. So 103 00:04:50,307 --> 00:04:52,307 Speaker 3: I mean, right at the start, Piney I was I 104 00:04:52,347 --> 00:04:54,987 Speaker 3: was hopeful. I wasn't I wouldn't have put the house 105 00:04:55,027 --> 00:04:58,427 Speaker 3: on it. But throughout the season it definitely built. It built, 106 00:04:58,427 --> 00:05:01,147 Speaker 3: it built, which is what what good teams do, I guess. 107 00:05:01,027 --> 00:05:03,867 Speaker 2: And you've set the standard off the field as well. 108 00:05:03,907 --> 00:05:06,267 Speaker 2: Your regular season average crowd is going to be in 109 00:05:06,427 --> 00:05:10,627 Speaker 2: the region of eighteen thousand, and I mean, having experienced 110 00:05:10,627 --> 00:05:14,147 Speaker 2: it a number of times myself, it's the best place 111 00:05:14,187 --> 00:05:16,507 Speaker 2: to be on the day of a home game. How 112 00:05:16,547 --> 00:05:20,027 Speaker 2: satisfying is what you've built off the field around this 113 00:05:20,067 --> 00:05:20,747 Speaker 2: football club. 114 00:05:21,627 --> 00:05:24,347 Speaker 3: Ah, the Aukan fans have been a revelation. They've been 115 00:05:24,587 --> 00:05:27,507 Speaker 3: absolutely amazing. The thing that's by mere way is there's 116 00:05:27,547 --> 00:05:30,427 Speaker 3: two parts, so it's one whole city of organ that's 117 00:05:30,427 --> 00:05:33,707 Speaker 3: got round it. So you've got such a wonderful, diverse crowd, 118 00:05:33,747 --> 00:05:36,267 Speaker 3: but you've got you know, your hard core support at 119 00:05:36,307 --> 00:05:39,227 Speaker 3: the heart of them support. But then the other thing 120 00:05:39,267 --> 00:05:41,267 Speaker 3: that blows me away is that the number of families 121 00:05:41,267 --> 00:05:43,507 Speaker 3: and the kids out of there and the fun and 122 00:05:43,587 --> 00:05:46,507 Speaker 3: joy that they bring to the games is it's just 123 00:05:46,787 --> 00:05:50,227 Speaker 3: you know, you can't buy that is just such an 124 00:05:50,307 --> 00:05:54,067 Speaker 3: amazing organic piece and it's something that we're super proud 125 00:05:54,107 --> 00:05:54,667 Speaker 3: of as a club. 126 00:05:55,027 --> 00:05:56,787 Speaker 2: What do you and Steve Curriker talk about when you 127 00:05:56,787 --> 00:06:04,067 Speaker 2: get together, great question, Well. 128 00:06:03,827 --> 00:06:06,227 Speaker 3: We'll talk a lot. I mean there's always something to 129 00:06:06,427 --> 00:06:09,907 Speaker 3: about with the with the squad, the players, the football 130 00:06:09,907 --> 00:06:11,627 Speaker 3: and stuff. But Steve's just a he's a good guy. 131 00:06:11,827 --> 00:06:13,987 Speaker 3: He's a passionate about football, but he's interested a lot 132 00:06:13,987 --> 00:06:16,147 Speaker 3: of things. He loves living here in Auckland. We often 133 00:06:16,187 --> 00:06:19,947 Speaker 3: talk about good places to eat, places where we've been like, 134 00:06:20,107 --> 00:06:23,867 Speaker 3: you know, it's he It's really nice to see both 135 00:06:24,027 --> 00:06:26,467 Speaker 3: Steve and Terry come over to Aukland and like really 136 00:06:27,347 --> 00:06:29,467 Speaker 3: embrace the sety and get around it. They love it here. 137 00:06:29,667 --> 00:06:30,827 Speaker 3: They're having a fantastic time. 138 00:06:31,227 --> 00:06:33,507 Speaker 2: And how much contact do you have with your majority 139 00:06:33,507 --> 00:06:34,387 Speaker 2: owner Bill Foley. 140 00:06:35,707 --> 00:06:38,707 Speaker 3: Bill's fantastic and Bill supports you know, I speak to 141 00:06:38,787 --> 00:06:42,067 Speaker 3: him probably at least twice a week. We've got you know, 142 00:06:42,107 --> 00:06:44,987 Speaker 3: some ball structured in every week. But if ever I've 143 00:06:45,027 --> 00:06:47,267 Speaker 3: got a question or a querium likewise, if he wants 144 00:06:47,147 --> 00:06:49,227 Speaker 3: to about the club. The great thing about him is 145 00:06:49,227 --> 00:06:50,747 Speaker 3: he just picks up the phone calls, you know, there's 146 00:06:50,747 --> 00:06:53,627 Speaker 3: no sort of mass groning around having to do this 147 00:06:53,747 --> 00:06:55,747 Speaker 3: or that. It's like he's already he's a really good, 148 00:06:55,867 --> 00:06:58,827 Speaker 3: straightforward man to deal with, and he's smart and he's 149 00:06:58,827 --> 00:07:00,947 Speaker 3: got a lot of experience, so he's he's he's a 150 00:07:00,947 --> 00:07:01,827 Speaker 3: great rock for us. 151 00:07:02,187 --> 00:07:05,147 Speaker 2: He won't presumably be here today, but do you do 152 00:07:05,227 --> 00:07:07,827 Speaker 2: you hope that he can make it across across during 153 00:07:07,827 --> 00:07:08,667 Speaker 2: the final series. 154 00:07:09,547 --> 00:07:12,627 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, he's actually in Bournemouth at the moment. They've 155 00:07:12,627 --> 00:07:16,907 Speaker 3: just announced the taking on the whole of Vitality Stadium. 156 00:07:16,947 --> 00:07:19,427 Speaker 3: I think it's a big game gets United, but he 157 00:07:19,587 --> 00:07:21,387 Speaker 3: is coming down to the finals. So we've got our 158 00:07:21,467 --> 00:07:24,027 Speaker 3: home semi final be on the Saturday, the twenty fourth 159 00:07:24,067 --> 00:07:26,547 Speaker 3: of May att Go Media, and then if we make 160 00:07:26,587 --> 00:07:27,747 Speaker 3: it through to the big Dance, it to be a 161 00:07:27,787 --> 00:07:28,547 Speaker 3: week later. 162 00:07:28,747 --> 00:07:31,387 Speaker 2: So here and that's I know there's been a little 163 00:07:31,387 --> 00:07:33,227 Speaker 2: bit of chat back and forth about this, but that 164 00:07:33,707 --> 00:07:36,427 Speaker 2: Grand Final, should you make it, will be at go 165 00:07:36,547 --> 00:07:37,507 Speaker 2: Media Stadium. 166 00:07:38,147 --> 00:07:41,267 Speaker 3: I certainly hope. So I don't actually get the final 167 00:07:41,307 --> 00:07:45,067 Speaker 3: call on it. I've given my input and the a 168 00:07:45,147 --> 00:07:48,347 Speaker 3: legally great at listening and taking our point of view 169 00:07:48,387 --> 00:07:51,227 Speaker 3: on board. Ultimately, it's their cool they managed the whole 170 00:07:51,267 --> 00:07:55,507 Speaker 3: final series. But I'd be fingers crossed and I'd certainly 171 00:07:55,547 --> 00:07:57,827 Speaker 3: hope to see it at go Media. It's been our 172 00:07:57,827 --> 00:08:00,507 Speaker 3: home ground all season. That's where we'll play our semi final, 173 00:08:00,587 --> 00:08:04,627 Speaker 3: and definitely the players and my finings of all the 174 00:08:04,627 --> 00:08:06,307 Speaker 3: fans want to be there as well. 175 00:08:06,867 --> 00:08:09,427 Speaker 2: Everything just seems to have gone so well. Have you 176 00:08:09,467 --> 00:08:10,507 Speaker 2: made any mistakes? 177 00:08:12,707 --> 00:08:16,987 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, we made plenty. We made plenty, But I 178 00:08:16,987 --> 00:08:19,467 Speaker 3: think you know you kind of You're always going to 179 00:08:19,467 --> 00:08:21,227 Speaker 3: make a lot of mistakes in your start up here 180 00:08:21,267 --> 00:08:25,027 Speaker 3: I mean the hardest bits for us were actually convincing 181 00:08:25,027 --> 00:08:28,147 Speaker 3: people were the real deal before we started playing, so, 182 00:08:28,547 --> 00:08:31,067 Speaker 3: you know, trying to get on commercial partners, trying to 183 00:08:31,267 --> 00:08:33,947 Speaker 3: you know, forecast what our retail sales will be. I mean, 184 00:08:33,947 --> 00:08:36,667 Speaker 3: I think my biggest mistake is was we ordered two 185 00:08:36,707 --> 00:08:39,627 Speaker 3: thousand jerseys at the start of the season. We went 186 00:08:39,667 --> 00:08:43,227 Speaker 3: on to sell over twenty thousand. So I say, that's 187 00:08:43,267 --> 00:08:45,907 Speaker 3: the right stinker. Don't you got. 188 00:08:45,827 --> 00:08:48,627 Speaker 2: A bad got a bad mistake to make those better 189 00:08:48,667 --> 00:08:50,467 Speaker 2: than the other way around, doesn't it? Imagine if you'd 190 00:08:50,547 --> 00:08:53,187 Speaker 2: ordered twenty that Imagine if you'd ordered twenty thousand and 191 00:08:53,307 --> 00:08:55,227 Speaker 2: only sold a couple of thousand, have been a lot worse. 192 00:08:57,267 --> 00:08:59,027 Speaker 2: So what do you reckon? It's going to be like 193 00:08:59,067 --> 00:09:02,747 Speaker 2: there this afternoon and you know, at around seven o'clock 194 00:09:02,787 --> 00:09:04,747 Speaker 2: this evening at full time when they're play tended over. 195 00:09:05,827 --> 00:09:07,907 Speaker 3: I think there's just going to be it's going to 196 00:09:07,907 --> 00:09:09,987 Speaker 3: be a massive celebration, right, and it's going to be 197 00:09:10,747 --> 00:09:13,707 Speaker 3: like the players will be so pumfort this is. And 198 00:09:14,227 --> 00:09:16,627 Speaker 3: we spoke to them to click to theirs and group 199 00:09:16,707 --> 00:09:18,667 Speaker 3: right at the start and sort of said, look, this 200 00:09:18,787 --> 00:09:21,907 Speaker 3: is the first year and the group of players are there, 201 00:09:22,387 --> 00:09:24,107 Speaker 3: you know, the be few that will move on. We 202 00:09:24,147 --> 00:09:26,387 Speaker 3: know Alice Polson's going back to Bournemouth and stuff like that. 203 00:09:26,427 --> 00:09:28,107 Speaker 3: So this is the only one season that they'll all 204 00:09:28,147 --> 00:09:30,707 Speaker 3: be together. Let's go ahead, let's go forward and achieve 205 00:09:30,787 --> 00:09:33,507 Speaker 3: something special. They've done that and so that's I think 206 00:09:33,547 --> 00:09:36,707 Speaker 3: that kind of feeling and emotion will come out tonight 207 00:09:36,787 --> 00:09:39,027 Speaker 3: after the game when we're listening that plate and you 208 00:09:39,227 --> 00:09:42,147 Speaker 3: just see a whole bunch of very very very happy 209 00:09:42,187 --> 00:09:44,707 Speaker 3: boys and rightly so they deserve to be. 210 00:09:44,947 --> 00:09:48,267 Speaker 2: Yeah, and thousands of very happy fans watching on as well. Nick, 211 00:09:48,307 --> 00:09:51,107 Speaker 2: thanks for taking the time on match day. Congratulations on 212 00:09:51,107 --> 00:09:53,067 Speaker 2: this achievement. I know you feel like there's more to 213 00:09:53,107 --> 00:09:55,227 Speaker 2: come over the next month or so. We'll send a 214 00:09:55,227 --> 00:09:56,827 Speaker 2: few hours all right, cheers Finally 215 00:09:57,547 --> 00:10:00,747 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine, listen live 216 00:10:00,867 --> 00:10:04,267 Speaker 1: to News Talk ZEDB weekends from midday, or follow the 217 00:10:04,267 --> 00:10:05,787 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.