Speaker 1: Football Fever with News Talks DB's voice of Football Jason
Speaker 1: Paine and Bonny Jensen. Yes, I Needa is welcome into
Speaker 1: Football Fever as we cover off all things A league
Speaker 1: men's and women's and our national teams. It's a busy
Speaker 1: old time for football at the moment. I'm Jason Pine.
Speaker 1: Bonnie Jensen is here on about two hours sleep.
Speaker 2: Hello Bonnie, Hey Bunny, how are you? Lots of soccer football,
Speaker 2: isn't there.
Speaker 1: There's a lot on and we've both been trying to
Speaker 1: keep our eyes on all of it. You've had some
Speaker 1: time in Australia, which I know you enjoyed. But I
Speaker 1: suppose we should, as we normally do, do this chronologically.
Speaker 1: So let's start with the Wellington Phoenix women who went
Speaker 1: to Sydney FC and well bottom of the table the
Speaker 1: sky Blues and a late, late, late goal by Sydney FC.
Speaker 1: Princess Abanie off the bench and in the eighth minute
Speaker 1: of at a time scored a goal to give Sydney
Speaker 1: FC the two to one win. It doesn't it doesn't,
Speaker 1: you know, put a big hole in Wellington Phoenix's top
Speaker 1: six answers. But our draw would have been nice. This
Speaker 1: is all going to come down to the wire, isn't
Speaker 1: it for the Wellington Phoenix Woman?
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I know going into this game. I had actually
Speaker 2: watched Sydney FC the week prior in Newcastle and I
Speaker 2: was sure the Phoenix would get up over them, just
Speaker 2: the way the Phoenix had been playing all season. I
Speaker 2: looked at the odds as well, and they had the
Speaker 2: Phoenix as massive underdogs. I thought, surely not based on
Speaker 2: the two teams current forms. But yeah, it was a
Speaker 2: real shame for them not to get anything from that
Speaker 2: game in Sydney, again, given how they've been recently playing,
Speaker 2: and they kind of did need it in terms of
Speaker 2: their playoff berth. But in saying that, Piney, yes, you're
Speaker 2: right that the competition's really close and it doesn't seem
Speaker 2: to have hurt them too much given the other results.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it is still in their hands. It is still
Speaker 1: in their hands. Even though they are in eighth spot
Speaker 1: on the table. There are only two points outside the
Speaker 1: top six and the teams who are sixth and seventh,
Speaker 1: the Central Coast Mariners and Canberra United. The Phoenix have
Speaker 1: to play both of them in the next four games,
Speaker 1: which is the rest of the regular season, so they
Speaker 1: kind of hold their destiny in their own hands. It
Speaker 1: makes this coming weekend against the Mariners, it's almost like
Speaker 1: a cup final, isn't it. The Phoenix on twenty three
Speaker 1: points the Mariners on twenty five. If the Phoenix were
Speaker 1: to win that game, and we know they're very very
Speaker 1: good at home, if they were to win that game,
Speaker 1: they'd jump above the Mariners, possibly into the top six,
Speaker 1: depending on the results in the games involving Brisbane and Canberra.
Speaker 1: But it's almost, as I say, it's almost cup final
Speaker 1: like before we get to that. The game on the weekends,
Speaker 1: late goal in the first half put Sydney FC ahead,
Speaker 1: Mania Elliott drew them level and at the end it
Speaker 1: felt like they were just just looking to hang on
Speaker 1: for the point and couldn't quite do it. I don't know.
Speaker 1: I was quite surprised by Sidney actually. I thought if
Speaker 1: you didn't know, you wouldn't know that they were in
Speaker 1: the sort of the bottom part of the table.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so. I firstly want to say, I
Speaker 2: really like the way Meniah Elliott's playing. I think since
Speaker 2: she's had the last couple of football firms call up,
Speaker 2: she's you know, maybe grin a little bit standing a
Speaker 2: little bit taller. She obviously scored that goal, but she
Speaker 2: had another couple of really really good opportunities. I think. Yeah,
Speaker 2: that Tiana Jaber read card in the second half kind
Speaker 2: of you know late in the second half kind of
Speaker 2: had the Phoenix holding on and that's where they you know,
Speaker 2: kind of lost formation as you do with a player down,
Speaker 2: and that's how they go and concede that goal. So yeah,
Speaker 2: not not ideal, but yeah, as I mentioned before, Sydney FC,
Speaker 2: it was it was surprising that they came out on top.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right. Yeah, the red card to Towna Jaba
Speaker 1: with five minutes to go, Yeah, took the nixt down
Speaker 1: to ten and at that stage I think they would
Speaker 1: have settled for a point absolutely, But well it's two
Speaker 1: things really, they've dropped the points over there and Tiana Jaber,
Speaker 1: who has been a mainstay in their side. We'll also
Speaker 1: miss the Mariners game. We don't know about the health
Speaker 1: or otherwise of Mackenzie Bowrie, who had who again didn't
Speaker 1: feature on the weekend. So if there's no Tiana Jaber
Speaker 1: and no McKenzie bowrye that's that's a big part of
Speaker 1: the of the you know, of the defense taken out
Speaker 1: of a really important game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. That is huge. And if I were
Speaker 2: the Phoenix just watching that back that red card this morning,
Speaker 2: If I'm the Phoenix, I'm absolutely contesting it. I don't
Speaker 2: know how what the success rate of these things are
Speaker 2: being overturned in the Woman's league, especially without var But yeah,
Speaker 2: I didn't think that was a second yellow. Just just
Speaker 2: the way the foul happened, I would be contesting it.
Speaker 2: Especially with mac Barry out. They're going to need Tianna Jabers.
Speaker 2: She's been so good and saying that though, you know,
Speaker 2: like they are really good at home, the Wellington Phoenix
Speaker 2: and if you know you mentioned a Cup final, it
Speaker 2: is kind of like that. And if I'm a Phoenix
Speaker 2: fan living in Wellington this weekend, like you're getting to
Speaker 2: pott into a park because it is it is a
Speaker 2: really important game and that filling those stands could make
Speaker 2: a different.
Speaker 1: I absolutely totally agree. I think the club should do
Speaker 1: everything it can this week, you know, ahead of this
Speaker 1: weekend's game, to get as many people along as they
Speaker 1: possibly can. The men don't have a game because it's
Speaker 1: the International window. The All Whites play on Friday night
Speaker 1: and then you know, make a weekend of it all
Speaker 1: whites on Friday night and then get out to body
Speaker 1: to a Parker on Saturday afternoon and cheer these women,
Speaker 1: you know, to what would be a really really crucial
Speaker 1: three points. I'm just looking at what they would do
Speaker 1: if there's no Bowie. We know there's no Jaber. Mia
Speaker 1: McCutcheon could I guess feasibly drop into into a central
Speaker 1: defensive role alongside Olivia Cally. They've got Zoey mcmeekon, of course,
Speaker 1: who could play their Lara Walls being good, so they
Speaker 1: could cobble together a back four. But without Jaber and Bowie,
Speaker 1: I think it just lose a little bit of that
Speaker 1: kind of I don't know, and that's probably the wrong word,
Speaker 1: but a bit of that mongrel, you know, just a
Speaker 1: bit of that no nonsense defending.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely they are going to have to have a
Speaker 2: massive reshuffle if they are without them. You know, maybe
Speaker 2: they'll look at going three at the back. But in
Speaker 2: saying that, they don't, I guess have their out and
Speaker 2: out center backs. But definitely one for Paul Temple to
Speaker 2: be picking his brain on. And you're right, Piney, like
Speaker 2: there are no men's games this weekend and the Wellington
Speaker 2: Phoenix men. It might sound harsh, but they're out of
Speaker 2: their playoff run, you know, like they've not had a
Speaker 2: great season, and all focus should be on this women's team,
Speaker 2: that they could make history here by making the playoffs
Speaker 2: this season and they've had a bloody good run and
Speaker 2: that they're going to have a bloody good shot at it.
Speaker 2: So yeah, I think the club should be really really pushing,
Speaker 2: pushing this marketing and getting people down there.
Speaker 1: Yep, let's hope they get a big crowd on Saturday,
Speaker 1: and it doesn't take a lot to fill up body
Speaker 1: to a park. If a couple of thousand turn up,
Speaker 1: that will be a really intimidating home crowd and away
Speaker 1: crowd for the Mariners. Paul Temple said after the game
Speaker 1: he thought they were robbed in terms of the possession.
Speaker 1: The Knicks had sixty center possession, sixty percent of possession,
Speaker 1: nineteen shots to nine. Eighteen year old Jasmine Black and
Speaker 1: gol for Sydney had a ready good game. She made
Speaker 1: a number of saves. But you know, you can talk
Speaker 1: about being robbed. I understand the you know, the philosophy,
Speaker 1: but when you have nineteen shots and you score only
Speaker 1: one goal. I think you have to look inward, don't you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, And Paul Temple's kind of you know, made not
Speaker 2: made excuses, but jumped around their lack of results over
Speaker 2: and Aussie and I feel like, yeah, they are becoming excuses.
Speaker 2: And as you say, Piney, they have to look within
Speaker 2: and they've got to be converting these goals. You know,
Speaker 2: we've talked about the amount of chances a list of
Speaker 2: Winhams created this season and not scored many at all.
Speaker 2: So yeah, they are going to have to flick that switch.
Speaker 2: And it's they're quickly running out of time.
Speaker 1: The away record just continues to really hamper them, doesn't it.
Speaker 1: Eleven away games this season, two wins, a drawer, and
Speaker 1: eight losses. So they just can't find a way. And historically,
Speaker 1: I know this takes in, you know, the entire life
Speaker 1: of this football club, but they've had thirty nine away matches,
Speaker 1: the Phoenix women, and they've won just eight of those,
Speaker 1: drawn two and lost twenty nine of thirty nine away games.
Speaker 1: You just got to find a way to pick up
Speaker 1: points more consistently on the road.
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm not making excuses for them, but you
Speaker 2: do have to look at the fact that they are
Speaker 2: coming from Wellington, which is, you know, away games are
Speaker 2: naturally harder for the Kiwi teams. I mean, maybe Perth
Speaker 2: is a so very hard to come from, but in
Speaker 2: the women's game in particular, they are only part time,
Speaker 2: and you do have to go back to maybe the
Speaker 2: resources aren't there and the amount of times, you know,
Speaker 2: the amount of length they're you know, how far ahead
Speaker 2: of match day minus one are they flying over the
Speaker 2: resources as I mentioned, and things like that. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I wonder if you kind of have to go back
Speaker 2: to that and maybe that's why it's affecting the Phoenix
Speaker 2: so much. But in saying that, we can't make excuses and.
Speaker 1: All they can do now is focus forward. They've got
Speaker 1: four games to go, three of them are at home.
Speaker 1: The most crucial game I think of all of them
Speaker 1: as this coming weekend, as I've set a couple of times,
Speaker 1: so if you're in the region, get down at the
Speaker 1: pottydo a park when the Wellington Phoenix Women take on
Speaker 1: the Central Coast Mariners four o'clock Saturday. A win would
Speaker 1: be a huge boost to their chances of making the
Speaker 1: top six for the first time. This is football fever.
Speaker 1: Let's go to the A League Men's and start at
Speaker 1: go Media Stadium. Yesterday, Auckland FC two the Central Coast
Speaker 1: Mariners two. A third straight draw for Auckland FC, and
Speaker 1: for the second time in consecutive home matches they have
Speaker 1: conceded late, late goals at home to draw and soft
Speaker 1: goals too. I thought that equalizer yesterday was another soft
Speaker 1: goal to concede in the ninetieth minute at two one ahead.
Speaker 2: Are they flapping painty?
Speaker 1: No, No, I wouldn't. I would not use that as
Speaker 1: the adjective. I know we can talk a little bit
Speaker 1: about whether they are stumbling a little bit, whether they
Speaker 1: are just having just the odd little shake. I don't
Speaker 1: think the wheels are coming off. I don't think they're
Speaker 1: flopping yet, Bonnie.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they have conceded some very very sloppy goals.
Speaker 2: And you know, what we talked about for most of
Speaker 2: the season is how tight their defense has been and
Speaker 2: the lack of goals they're conceded. You do wonder if
Speaker 2: they're getting a little bit too complacent. Maybe they're focusing
Speaker 2: too much on that attacking end, which they struggled with,
Speaker 2: you know early on. It's kind of now for Auckland,
Speaker 2: they see that the tables have turned and then they're
Speaker 2: not really struggling up the attacking end, but down the
Speaker 2: other end they're conceding these really sloppy goals and it's
Speaker 2: unlike them. It's uncharacteristic and they're going to need to
Speaker 2: sharpen it up. But hopefully with Dan Hall back and
Speaker 2: Nando that will put that puzzle back together.
Speaker 1: There's a selection issue now for Steve Corriker two with
Speaker 1: Dan Hall back, and he was only supposed to play
Speaker 1: an hour yesterday, but you know, he played the entire
Speaker 1: game and had to chat to him afterwards and he said, yeah,
Speaker 1: I came through akam a bit sore. But he does
Speaker 1: have a week off now because of the international break.
Speaker 1: But I think he just showed the quality that he
Speaker 1: brings to this team. Yes they did concede late, and
Speaker 1: yes he was on. But when Nando comes back from suspension,
Speaker 1: which is in the next game three into two, doesn't
Speaker 1: go Nando, Pineker, Tommy Smith, Dan Hall they can't all
Speaker 1: play because I you know, he's not going to change
Speaker 1: the formation. He's not going to drop Sarki or Devrees.
Speaker 1: So I just wonder whether it's Tommy Smith who doesn't
Speaker 1: have a chair when the music stops.
Speaker 2: You know, yeah, it definitely is Tommy Smith. And I
Speaker 2: don't think he you know, I think Tommy is wise
Speaker 2: enough and looks at this team bigger picture to know
Speaker 2: that he probably is the one going back to the bench,
Speaker 2: and maybe that's not a bad thing. You know, they
Speaker 2: are starting to concede these late, sloppy goals, and if
Speaker 2: we go back to the start of the season, they
Speaker 2: used to bring Tommy on as the closing you know,
Speaker 2: to close out these matches. So maybe that's that's what
Speaker 2: they look to do, and then they bring him on
Speaker 2: twenty twenty ten minutes to go, and that's what needs
Speaker 2: to happen. But yeah, you can't not start Dan Hall
Speaker 2: and you can't not start Nando, can you.
Speaker 1: No? I agree. You know, when they played together for
Speaker 1: six games at the start of the season, they won
Speaker 1: all six and conceded one goal in those six games.
Speaker 1: So look, Dan Hall, if he hadn't broken his ankle,
Speaker 1: would have continued to play. There's absolutely no doubt about it.
Speaker 1: So yeah, he is a starter, Nan, that Parniker is
Speaker 1: a starter, and you're right, boyd I think you know
Speaker 1: Tommy Smith did a really good job as closer. I
Speaker 1: don't think he liked the I don't think he liked
Speaker 1: the job he was handed, but he was experienced enough
Speaker 1: and wise enough to know that that was his role
Speaker 1: at that time. Since Dan Hall broke his ankle, he's
Speaker 1: played every game. But yeah, I get the feeling you're right.
Speaker 1: I think Steve Coriker will go back to that center
Speaker 1: back pairing that served him so well in the first
Speaker 1: six games of the season. Louis Vastrata was suspended yesterday
Speaker 1: as well after his red card in the last game.
Speaker 1: So no Nando, no Louis. But I thought the Mariners
Speaker 1: were really good value in this game. I think they
Speaker 1: totally deserved a point. Really, they conceded early because you
Speaker 1: may mind nodding home a really nice cross from Jesse Randall,
Speaker 1: who's growing into the season just quietly. But the Mariners
Speaker 1: I think then probably had the better of the game,
Speaker 1: certainly enough possession, They scored a goals week wise at
Speaker 1: one all and then call and Elliott off the bench.
Speaker 1: He is a guy, Kallen Elliott, who has done everything
Speaker 1: asked of him in whatever role he has been asked
Speaker 1: to do something. And if you know what I mean,
Speaker 1: five starts eight off the bench. Whenever he comes on,
Speaker 1: he makes a difference. Cracking goal he got yesterday just
Speaker 1: a shame it wasn't the winning goal.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was awesome. I can't speak more highly of
Speaker 2: Kallin Elliott. He's like Tommy Smith, I guess, kind of
Speaker 2: respected his role off the bench and he knows he's
Speaker 2: never going to start over Hiroki sak when Hiroki's fit.
Speaker 2: But he's done a job and if he's not scoring
Speaker 2: cracker goals like he did on the weekend, he's you know,
Speaker 2: contributing really really nicely to the team. And yeah, I
Speaker 2: think he hasn't been hard done by. But it is
Speaker 2: tough for him because, you know, put him down in
Speaker 2: the Wellington Phoenix. If he went back there, he'd be
Speaker 2: starting every game, you know. So yeah, it is tricky
Speaker 2: for him, but good on him.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think it speaks a lot about his
Speaker 1: mentality that he's just willing to do whatever. He's had
Speaker 1: a pretty tough last couple of years. He's hardly kicked
Speaker 1: a ball after he left the Phoenix and what are
Speaker 1: still slightly murky circumstances around why he left, what deal
Speaker 1: he was offered what deal he you know, he wanted
Speaker 1: all that sort of stuff. He went away, didn't play
Speaker 1: for anybody, has come back to Walkland FC, and I
Speaker 1: think resurrected his career. He's got to be he's got
Speaker 1: to be close to that backup right back spot on
Speaker 1: the All Whites. I think as well, even though he's
Speaker 1: not playing regularly, that Stormroo's got that role at the moment.
Speaker 1: But I think if Callum continues to play their way
Speaker 1: he is and there's nothing to suggest that he won't.
Speaker 1: I think he's he's got to be back and Darren
Speaker 1: Baisley's plans for hopefully the World Cup next year. Anyway,
Speaker 1: Aaron has came in without a winning seven games, but
Speaker 1: they were worth their point. They were well worth their point.
Speaker 1: So like you look at the table now and Western
Speaker 1: United straight away after this game beat the Newcastle Jets
Speaker 1: six two crazy, four points behind. They do have one
Speaker 1: more game played, so Auckland FC got a game in hands.
Speaker 1: But I don't know, are you starting to look over
Speaker 1: your shoulder a little bit nervously if you're Steve Corriker.
Speaker 2: Well you do wonder Piney you mentioned, you know Central
Speaker 2: Coast They deserved a point. They played really well, got
Speaker 2: up for the occasion. You wonder if Auckland f C
Speaker 2: let them do that. You know, why are they dropping
Speaker 2: points to teams like the Mariners, like Newcastle the week before,
Speaker 2: so much lower than them down on the table. So
Speaker 2: it is a little bit concerning. I don't think they
Speaker 2: have played their best football the last couple of weeks
Speaker 2: Auckland f C. I think they should be worried. At
Speaker 2: the same time, maybe it's the perfect timing for it.
Speaker 2: You know, they're all but guaranteed to spot in the playoffs.
Speaker 2: They need to have these little hurdles so they can
Speaker 2: learn from it and play the best foot will save
Speaker 2: the best football for that knockout stage.
Speaker 1: The other thing that I think these late goals have
Speaker 1: done is taken away a sense of unbeatability. That's not
Speaker 1: a word, but I hope you get the gist of
Speaker 1: Auckland at home. I think teams used to think in
Speaker 1: the first half of the season, we're not going to
Speaker 1: get anything going to Auckland. Now, Adelaide have come back
Speaker 1: from two knil down, three one down and four three
Speaker 1: down to get a point. The Mariners have come from
Speaker 1: one kneel down and two one down to get a point.
Speaker 1: If we go forward to finals football, which we almost
Speaker 1: certainly will have in Auckland, if a team goes one
Speaker 1: kneel down against Auckland FC, no longer will they think,
Speaker 1: you know what, we can't get back into this game,
Speaker 1: because there is now a demonstration, more than one demonstration
Speaker 1: of teams who have done that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, Painey. You know it's given other teams
Speaker 2: hope that they can can get up over Auckland and
Speaker 2: saying that may maybe it's kind of keeping keeping these
Speaker 2: these teams guessing. And I guess you do have to
Speaker 2: look at it trying to be optimistic, saying, you know,
Speaker 2: Auckland f C can learn from this, and they have
Speaker 2: been still very impressive at home. And I remember what
Speaker 2: Steve Coraker said early on in the season. You know
Speaker 2: you can't win them all. And I don't think you
Speaker 2: know any team has gone unbeaten at home for a
Speaker 2: whole season. So yeah, maybe it is just a little
Speaker 2: hurd I hope.
Speaker 1: Have you seen what the last game of the season is,
Speaker 1: the last game of the regular season for Auckland f C.
Speaker 2: No tell me Painty.
Speaker 1: Away at Western United. Oh No, So look if Western
Speaker 1: United can stay in touch and Western United's next four games.
Speaker 1: They've got Perth Glory at home, should win that. They
Speaker 1: go to the Wanderers, that's tough. They go to Brisbane,
Speaker 1: should win that. They've got Sydney FC at home, should
Speaker 1: probably win that. If Western United keep on playing the
Speaker 1: way they are, then they could well welcome Auckland f
Speaker 1: C to wherever that what's the name of their home
Speaker 1: grounds aren't eat Iron Park Fields and tarneat the wind
Speaker 1: swept Tarny on that last day and being with the
Speaker 1: chance of taking it. Because you look at Auckland's remaining
Speaker 1: games by comparison, They're away at Prisbon. Should win that,
Speaker 1: but then the Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC Melbourne victory.
Speaker 1: They've got Perth at home, you know the way Perth game,
Speaker 1: they should win that. Okay, but you know what I mean,
Speaker 1: there are games in there that aren't foregone conclusions. When
Speaker 1: there's only a four point gap. Look, I still think
Speaker 1: Auckland FC have enough to win the Premiers played. I
Speaker 1: think if they win their game in hand and go
Speaker 1: seven points clear that that's tough for any team to
Speaker 1: pull back. But where you know, a month ago we
Speaker 1: were just about ready to give it to them. Now
Speaker 1: there's just a little shred shred of doubt about it,
Speaker 1: you know.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. And do you know what I'm worried about? Party?
Speaker 2: I mean, you can't live in fear, but I am
Speaker 2: a little bit worried about this upcoming all that's window
Speaker 2: with so many of New Yorkland f Sea boys in
Speaker 2: that camp, and you just hate for one of them
Speaker 2: to get injured. But anyway, I'm not going to JINKXE,
Speaker 2: but I do think Party we should arrange a football
Speaker 2: feed a trip to that Western United game.
Speaker 1: Do you want to go to tarnit? I'm Barkfields.
Speaker 2: I'm talking to the boss when I get out of
Speaker 2: this podcast, and I'm going to arrange this trip for us.
Speaker 1: How could Western United be in LA? You know, he's
Speaker 1: a team that hasn't really done that well last couple
Speaker 1: of seasons. I really like John Elouisi. I really like
Speaker 1: him just he seems like just a good football man.
Speaker 1: And to see his Western United side, you know, they
Speaker 1: went to Newcastle who they were seven unbeaten, and they thought, bugger,
Speaker 1: that will put six past them.
Speaker 2: And I watched Newcastle the week before against Auckland f
Speaker 2: C and in Newcastle, and I'm really impressed with the
Speaker 2: way they're playing. I did not expect that result and yeah,
Speaker 2: I message you planning, I'm quite scared of this Western
Speaker 2: United team. Good on them. I mean they beat Auckland four. Now,
Speaker 2: remember like obviously they went and Auckland f C responded
Speaker 2: to that. But they are they are proving they can
Speaker 2: get up for these big matches and kind of flick
Speaker 2: a switch like Auckland f C can do, I guess,
Speaker 2: and put a lot past another team.
Speaker 1: It's a great point because if they had to come
Speaker 1: to you know, to go Media stadium, they have no fear.
Speaker 1: I'll just say, la, last time we were here we
Speaker 1: won four. Now, so yeah, it'll be different of course
Speaker 1: in finals football because they may well meet in the finals.
Speaker 1: You know. It's it's such a it's a really interesting
Speaker 1: table and just just bring it up here. Now. Auckland FC,
Speaker 1: like I say, with a four point lead over Western
Speaker 1: United thirty eight, but then Western Sydney Wanderers thirty four,
Speaker 1: Melbourne City thirty four, Melbourne Victory thirty three, Adelaide United
Speaker 1: thirty three, Sydney FC thirty and there's seventh and then
Speaker 1: a couple of points back to MacArthur, who I just
Speaker 1: don't see making it in Newcastle, and then the rest.
Speaker 1: So from from two down to seven, those those six
Speaker 1: teams are separated by just eight points. A lot of
Speaker 1: them had to play one another, you know, jockeying for position.
Speaker 1: Like I thought Adelaide United were going to be Auckland's
Speaker 1: closest challenges. They're sixth, you know they've got They've dropped
Speaker 1: down to sixth now, so you.
Speaker 2: Know, yeah, yeah, it is. It is crazy. I'm trying
Speaker 2: to think who you'd want to play in a playoff
Speaker 2: semi final. But maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves here.
Speaker 2: It's too far away.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it is too far away. Let's just
Speaker 1: look forward to what is next for Auckland FC, the
Speaker 1: international break where they can lick their wounds and make
Speaker 1: some plans and guys like Dan Hall and others can
Speaker 1: rest up and get ready. They face Brisbane raw away
Speaker 1: on March thirtieth. That is a Sunday night. So Brisbane
Speaker 1: are starting to find a little bit of form. They've
Speaker 1: been terrible for most of the year, but they beat
Speaker 1: Perth on the weekend and I think for the first
Speaker 1: time all season are off the bottom of the ladder,
Speaker 1: Auckland f C would still expect to go there and
Speaker 1: win the game, but that is the next assignment. And
Speaker 1: as you say, Bonnie, I'm sure Steve Coricker will be
Speaker 1: hoping that there's no injuries that come from the six
Speaker 1: players that he's sending off into the All Whites today
Speaker 1: football fever. And so to the Wellington Phoenix men who
Speaker 1: had a very rare Sunday night game. It was a
Speaker 1: nine o'clock kickoff on Sunday evening last night and got
Speaker 1: a one old draw Sydney FC to break a four
Speaker 1: game losing streak. After seven minutes, I thought to myself,
Speaker 1: this is going a very familiar way, Adrian segacicic scoring.
Speaker 1: It looked like same old, same old. But then I
Speaker 1: actually thought the Wellington Phoenix grew into the game and
Speaker 1: played probably as well as they have for a long
Speaker 1: long time. Cost of barbarusis with a goal, great pass
Speaker 1: from Chico Geraldes. Flag went up but overturned and then
Speaker 1: they kind of, you know, they held on. They didn't
Speaker 1: have much of the possession of the second half. Josh
Speaker 1: all Away Emmy back into goal with LB Kelly healed
Speaker 1: suffering a shoulder injury. Thought Josh had a good game,
Speaker 1: made some big saves. Got to be a confidence boost
Speaker 1: for the Phoenix after four straight losses.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. I was flying out of Brisbane so didn't get
Speaker 2: to watch the game, but yeah, it was stoked for
Speaker 2: the Knicks. It's definitely a point they need, and to
Speaker 2: do it against a team like Sydney, you know, over
Speaker 2: and Sydney is really reassuring. The fact that what I'm
Speaker 2: looking at the stats now positions seventy three to twenty seven.
Speaker 2: The fact that the Phoenix were able to hold on
Speaker 2: is pretty as you know, a relief for them and
Speaker 2: must be a confidence booster, as you say, Piney, and
Speaker 2: I feel like Costa as well. He needed something. He's
Speaker 2: been in a bit of a scoring drought this season.
Speaker 2: I'm not sure we can put all of that that
Speaker 2: blame on him, you know, it's the lack of support
Speaker 2: underneath him. But he's got to take some confidence from that.
Speaker 2: Is he's kind of you know, pushing to secure a
Speaker 2: starting All White spot.
Speaker 1: Yeah, six games without a goal, so that that is
Speaker 1: a drought by his standards. Over the last two seasons,
Speaker 1: he's been prolific hasn't he so so yeah, to not
Speaker 1: score in half a dozen games, during which time in
Speaker 1: those those six games, Wellington only scored three goals total.
Speaker 1: So yeah, Costa getting on the scorse get nice finished
Speaker 1: too in a really nice pass from Geraldes as I say, so, yeah,
Speaker 1: just kind of steadies the shipper. But I think, as
Speaker 1: you say, the Phoenix aren't going to make the top six.
Speaker 1: I think even the most optimistic of Phoenix fans would
Speaker 1: accept that they can can't make up a thirteen point
Speaker 1: gap in the space of six games to get themselves
Speaker 1: into the six. But what they can do is finish
Speaker 1: the season with you know, with a bit of credit
Speaker 1: in the bank. Again, goal scoring is just a problem.
Speaker 1: That shot that Costa had was the only one on
Speaker 1: target for the Phoenix. Last night Sydney had twenty one
Speaker 1: shots to Wellington's four, so they continued to be outplayed
Speaker 1: in those metrics. But it was a step in the
Speaker 1: right direction. I think, you know, to get a point
Speaker 1: to stop the flow of losses, and they can now
Speaker 1: take a week off as well with the international break
Speaker 1: and look forward to finishing the season, you know, in
Speaker 1: a positive frame of mind.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And I do want to point out the
Speaker 2: Yellow Fever again, who were there in full force and
Speaker 2: numbers on Sydney watching back the highlights this morning, and
Speaker 2: I was so impressed with the amount that traveled over.
Speaker 2: Obviously the women also played in Sydney, so maybe that
Speaker 2: was part of it. Killing two birds. But Harrison, I
Speaker 2: went to the Auckland f C game, as I mentioned
Speaker 2: in Newcastle the week before. I think there were four
Speaker 2: fans for Auckland f C fans so including me. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I was impressed by that. And I am really impressed
Speaker 2: that the Yellow Fever is sticking by the Knicks because
Speaker 2: I'm again looking very far forward. But I'm confident and
Speaker 2: optimistic about next season given the amount of opportunities these
Speaker 2: young players have been given by chief.
Speaker 1: Ye. I guess you have to give Auckland FC the
Speaker 1: chance to build a fan base, don't. You'd have only
Speaker 1: just arrived really, Whereas you know, the Phoenix have been
Speaker 1: around for eighteen years and in fact Yellow Fever celebrated
Speaker 1: their eighteenth birthday on the weekend on Saturday night watching
Speaker 1: the Wellington Phoenix women's game, which was I'm sure a
Speaker 1: bit of a dampner right near the end, but yeah, no,
Speaker 1: I think I think over the years ahead, Auckland f
Speaker 1: C will start to build a traveling fan base. The
Speaker 1: only downside, or one of the downsides from the Phoenix
Speaker 1: game Alex Rufe picked up a yellow card late on,
Speaker 1: but of a silly one too, kind of got in
Speaker 1: a skirmish with Ryan Grant. The game kind of lost
Speaker 1: a bit of shape near the end and it just
Speaker 1: got a bit sort of niggly, and Alex Rufer got
Speaker 1: a yellow card, which is now five yellow cards for him,
Speaker 1: so he's going to miss the next game, which is
Speaker 1: a home clash against the Western Sydney Wanderers. A real
Speaker 1: shame that Alex Rufer, having missed a lot of the
Speaker 1: season anyway with illness, is now and that was the
Speaker 1: last game he had to not get one before the
Speaker 1: threshold goes up twenty games. After twenty games, the threshold
Speaker 1: goes from five yellow cards to eight yellow cards. So
Speaker 1: all he had to do was get through yesterday and
Speaker 1: in the eighty fifth minute he got a yellow card
Speaker 1: which ruled him out of the next game, which is
Speaker 1: such a shame anyway. That's by the bye. Final word
Speaker 1: on the A League over the weekend. Thirty three goals
Speaker 1: across the six games that we saw in the A
Speaker 1: League over the weekend, which is a record for a
Speaker 1: single round of A league men's football. So plenty of
Speaker 1: entertainment in the A League mens across the weekend football
Speaker 1: for football fever, Let's go to our national sides, the
Speaker 1: All Whites. The final for the World Cup next year
Speaker 1: starts on Friday night. They take on Fiji at Sky
Speaker 1: Stadium at seven o'clock. Tahiti against New Caledonia in the
Speaker 1: early game at three, the winners playing the final at
Speaker 1: Eden Park on Monday night. The winner of that goes
Speaker 1: to the World Cup next year. The All Whites should
Speaker 1: do this comfortably, shouldn't they?
Speaker 2: You hope?
Speaker 1: So?
Speaker 2: But yeah, Like I'm just looking at the squad now
Speaker 2: and it's so it's so strong, Like I'm so excited
Speaker 2: for the All Whites if they are to make this
Speaker 2: World Cup and you know how even more experience I'll be.
Speaker 2: And I was chatting to a mate over the weekend
Speaker 2: after watching Franny Francis Devreese put more and more balls
Speaker 2: into the box for Auckland f and I'm just so
Speaker 2: excited to see him deliver them into Chris Wood.
Speaker 1: Yes, I think a lot of people are looking forward
Speaker 1: to seeing something like that. I look, I must be honest,
Speaker 1: I'm not sure Francis de Breeze is going to get
Speaker 1: a game.
Speaker 2: I think that would be so silly though.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I I just feel as though Darren Baisley
Speaker 1: is just going to leave nothing to chance here. He's
Speaker 1: just going to name his strongest site. And while Franny's
Speaker 1: been playing well in the A League, he's no Libby Cacacci.
Speaker 1: I just feel as though Darren Baseley is going to
Speaker 1: name his strongest team and at the moment, Francis Devrees
Speaker 1: isn't in it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll see maybe maybe halftime swap.
Speaker 1: Well potentially that's what they may do. Look if they
Speaker 1: if they're three or four Nilla head maybe or the
Speaker 1: other thing they could do. And I think we've mentioned
Speaker 1: this is EMPELI have been playing Libby Cacatchi in an
Speaker 1: advanced position, you know, higher up on the left, so
Speaker 1: he could I suppose play play Devrees at left back
Speaker 1: and Libby further forward. But you know, then you're leaving
Speaker 1: out a guy like Eli just who's played more for
Speaker 1: the Whites in the last year than anybody else. So
Speaker 1: I kind of feel as though, you know, Darren Baisley
Speaker 1: is a very very loyal coach, which makes his selections
Speaker 1: interesting in a couple of areas. What's he going to
Speaker 1: do in goal? For example, by you know, Alex Paulson
Speaker 1: is continuing to mount a pretty good case, but Max
Speaker 1: Crokum is still the number one, number one in the
Speaker 1: eyes of Darren Basley, or has been up until the
Speaker 1: most recent window.
Speaker 2: Yes, I think he won't play Alex Paulson. He's proven
Speaker 2: that he's quite loyal to Croakim and as you say,
Speaker 2: won't leave anything to chance. But I kind of feel like,
Speaker 2: by you know, I don't think playing Franny or Francis,
Speaker 2: sorry I keep calling him by his nickname, playing Francis
Speaker 2: or playing Alex Paulson is leaving it to chance. You know,
Speaker 2: I think both of them arguably are good enough for
Speaker 2: the starting eleven, and you do want your eleven best
Speaker 2: players on the field, so it will be interesting. I
Speaker 2: do like the kind of suspense that they're not knowing.
Speaker 2: It's great that there's a competition, and yeah, it's going
Speaker 2: to be it's going to be exciting to watch and
Speaker 2: I hope there's a lot of goals. But equally, it
Speaker 2: would be great to see these these other Oceanian nations
Speaker 2: kind of get up for the occasion as well.
Speaker 1: Which I think they will. Fiji unfortunately don't have Roy Krushner,
Speaker 1: which you know, he was the one guy who could
Speaker 1: really have troubled New Zealand. Even at the age of
Speaker 1: what is he now, Roy about thirty five thirty six,
Speaker 1: still runs around like a twenty three year old, but
Speaker 1: is injured and can't play this game, which is such
Speaker 1: a shame for Fiji. I get the feeling that they
Speaker 1: will park a big bus in front of their goal
Speaker 1: on Friday night and you know, and just try for
Speaker 1: as long as they can to keep the game at nilall.
Speaker 1: Now that's a tactic that works while it is nil all.
Speaker 1: But if the All Whites were to score a goal
Speaker 1: and you know, or whinever in the game. But let's
Speaker 1: say they scored a goal or a couple in the
Speaker 1: first half, then Fiji have to chase the game. And
Speaker 1: I'm not sure that they have the ability to really
Speaker 1: trouble in New Zealand. So it might be a bit
Speaker 1: of a tough watch initially on Friday nights, as Fiji
Speaker 1: do all they can to you know, to try and
Speaker 1: keep the all Whites at bay. But New Zealand will
Speaker 1: be ready for that. I flew back from Walkland this morning,
Speaker 1: myself and the coaching staff were all were all on
Speaker 1: the same flight as me, all on their laptops, Bonnie.
Speaker 1: I don't know what they were doing, whether they were
Speaker 1: watching Netflix or whether they were doing tactical analysis. But
Speaker 1: they are leaving nothing to chance. You know. Yes, they should,
Speaker 1: on the face of things, win these two games comfortably,
Speaker 1: and I hope they do, but they're leaving nothing to chance.
Speaker 2: I think they'll take a lot of confidence in the
Speaker 2: fact the games are in New Zealand. You know, it's
Speaker 2: a whole different story going over to Fiji or to
Speaker 2: another one of the islands to play over there. So yeah,
Speaker 2: that absolute the favorites. There's no reason they should be
Speaker 2: losing any of these games. They should walk into into
Speaker 2: the World Cup pretty easily. However, what when was it
Speaker 2: twenty eleven or something when Fiji got got and over them.
Speaker 1: Fiji haven't beaten them for a while, but there was
Speaker 1: the horror and Honiara in twenty twelve where New Zealand
Speaker 1: didn't win the of Nations Cup, which was a bit
Speaker 1: of a low point. Fiji haven't beat in New Zealand
Speaker 1: for a while, but they have done it. Glenn Moss
Speaker 1: got sent off. I think the last time that that
Speaker 1: Fiji beat the All Whites in two thousand and eight.
Speaker 1: I think it was I know this because Jacob Spoony
Speaker 1: came on for Glenn Moss when he got sent off.
Speaker 1: Roy Christner got a couple of goals that day in
Speaker 1: Fiji won two nil. Look, I don't see anything like
Speaker 1: that happening. I honestly believe that this should be pretty
Speaker 1: comfortable for New Zealand. Again, all they have to do
Speaker 1: is win the two games. But but as you say, Bonnie,
Speaker 1: when you look at the squad, they, if I'm honest,
Speaker 1: you could pick the second eleven from that squad and
Speaker 1: they should still do it comfortably.
Speaker 2: They shoulder. I'm just really excited for the footy. I yeah,
Speaker 2: I hope you know, just the way of you know,
Speaker 2: the way currently Chris Wood's playing the Auckland f C Boys,
Speaker 2: the other you know, the likes of Libby and Elijah,
Speaker 2: Elijah justin playing like all that is really really exciting.
Speaker 1: The other thing that Darren Baseley was doing this morning
Speaker 1: when I saw him at the airport, was checking in
Speaker 1: on the health of some of his players who had
Speaker 1: played overnight, because that's the other thing they can't control,
Speaker 1: is because these guys all played over the weekend in
Speaker 1: their various club competitions, and you know, if they get
Speaker 1: injured or picked up a knock, they wouldn't be on
Speaker 1: the plane. But he confirmed to me that everybody had
Speaker 1: come through. Okay, he's expecting everybody to arrive. The last
Speaker 1: of them are late late on Tuesday, so the first
Speaker 1: time they'll be together as a complete squad is Wednesday.
Speaker 1: The game is Friday night, and then they're jumping on
Speaker 1: a charter flight after the game on Friday. They're not
Speaker 1: going to overnight it in Wellington. They're going to get
Speaker 1: on a charter, which I think will be what if
Speaker 1: the game kicks off at seven, they wouldn't be out
Speaker 1: to the airport to what ten ten thirty, So a charter,
Speaker 1: but it means they get to walkland late on Friday night,
Speaker 1: they can wake up in Auckland on Saturday, have the
Speaker 1: whole weekend and Monday to prepare for the finals. So
Speaker 1: I don't mind it that there's a bit of extra
Speaker 1: resource going in there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I like it. I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to it as well. Just before you're
Speaker 1: coming up, painting coming up. Yes, I'll be there. I'll
Speaker 1: be there on Friday night in Wellington and i'll be
Speaker 1: there on Monday night at Eden Park, So looking forward
Speaker 1: to that. Just before we go, the football Ferns have
Speaker 1: a game coming up against Chinese Taipei in early April
Speaker 1: Tuesday the eighth, so about a month or so away.
Speaker 1: The squad that's been named has two new Caps, Adelaide
Speaker 1: United goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins and University of Denver goalkeeper Alena Santos.
Speaker 1: I have not heard of Alena Santos.
Speaker 2: I have not heard of either of them until Claudia
Speaker 2: Jenkins the switch from Adelaide Adelaide it was or she
Speaker 2: plays for Adelaide Rights at Adelaide that reason, So I
Speaker 2: hadn't heard of either of them until that news broke.
Speaker 1: I have to say though, because we've been talking about
Speaker 1: how goalkeeper is a bit of a problem depth wise
Speaker 1: for New Zealand when we've got vic Essen obviously anelite
Speaker 1: without a club at the moment. Brianna Redwoods, Georgia Candy
Speaker 1: or Jo Candy came in for the last one. Maybe
Speaker 1: they've just seen out like a you know, a bunch
Speaker 1: of carrier pigeons to all parts of the world saying
Speaker 1: are you a goalkeeper and do you qualify to play
Speaker 1: for New Zealand and a leader sentos are sent back
Speaker 1: a message saying I am and I'd be keen to play.
Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe maybe it is interesting. I do still you know,
Speaker 2: hope or you know, believe that an elite will still
Speaker 2: be the number one, looking forward to that twenty twenty
Speaker 2: seven World Cup and saying that, you know, we don't
Speaker 2: know anything about these these goalkeepers other than the fact
Speaker 2: that Claudia Jenkins I believe has helped Adelaide and the
Speaker 2: Woman's A League to quite a good run and they're
Speaker 2: kind of the next best under Melbourne City. So yeah,
Speaker 2: it will be interesting to see how these new goalkeepers go.
Speaker 1: Yeah, she started every game, so you have to say, well,
Speaker 1: if you're looking for somebody who has started every game
Speaker 1: and you know, or somebody who's playing regularly and I
Speaker 1: think that's a big, a big part of it, then
Speaker 1: you and you're right currently third in the A League
Speaker 1: Women's with a good goal difference, just behind the two
Speaker 1: Melbourne clubs, so we'll probably play finals. So yeah, good
Speaker 1: to have some some fresh faces in there. Also already
Speaker 1: pleased to see Grace Swishnski back in there. She's playing
Speaker 1: in the United States at the moment, hasn't been part
Speaker 1: of a national side for a while, had that ACL
Speaker 1: injury that she had to recover from. So yeah, I
Speaker 1: think Michael Maine is just kind of giving different players
Speaker 1: a go, isn't he. It even says that in the
Speaker 1: in the press release that was sent out, it says
Speaker 1: the changes to the squad that faced Costa Rica reflect
Speaker 1: a continued drive to examine more players in the environment
Speaker 1: to build depth across the pitch aid of the next
Speaker 1: Women's World Cup cycle. So I for that, you know,
Speaker 1: even for stating that rationale, I don't mind it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, for stating that, I think that's good this time around.
Speaker 2: And maybe they've done that because he copped a bit
Speaker 2: of a bit of slack from from the last squad
Speaker 2: he named and amissing who was at c J Bot,
Speaker 2: Rebecca Stett and Katie Bowen kind of with no reason
Speaker 2: attached to it. So this time the fact that he's
Speaker 2: labeled it that is positive. I hope that he's reassuring
Speaker 2: those players that you know, he still sees them in
Speaker 2: the future and sees them heading into this next cycle,
Speaker 2: but he knows enough about them because I feel like
Speaker 2: those those three players, or at least CJ. Bott and
Speaker 2: Katie Bowen, deserve and absolutely need to be in the mix.
Speaker 1: I think Stottie as well. I think she's still got
Speaker 1: a lot to offer as well. I think all three.
Speaker 1: I see Mascy Fraser has dropped out of the squad.
Speaker 1: The players have dropped out again. Reading from the press
Speaker 1: release says haven't been selected due to injury, managing playing time,
Speaker 1: and a desire to test other players. I would have
Speaker 1: liked to see Macy beck and you sent me a
Speaker 1: message yesterday she started for Utah. You said she looked
Speaker 1: a lot happier in herself, and I feel like Macy
Speaker 1: Fras is somebody who should be part of every Foon squad.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I think so as well, especially that you know
Speaker 2: she's starting to build confidence back under under Michael Maine
Speaker 2: and back at back at Utah. So I would have
Speaker 2: liked to have seen her there. But maybe it is
Speaker 2: one of those things that she's just easing back into
Speaker 2: it and not overloading her commitments to kind of cause
Speaker 2: you know, a burnout or you know those injuries she
Speaker 2: faced late last year and ruled her out from football completely.
Speaker 2: So I yeah, I hope that's that's what that's about.
Speaker 2: Or maybe Michael Maine sees her as I know enough
Speaker 2: about her, she's a solid in this in this roster
Speaker 2: and not going anywhere.
Speaker 1: Yep, I'll look for somebody else. That's a that's a
Speaker 1: good point. Just yeah. Obviously, the combination with Maya harn
Speaker 1: that led to that goal against Costa RecA was was
Speaker 1: already cold and I hope we get the chance to
Speaker 1: see that again at some stage in future squads. Okay, Bonnie, Well,
Speaker 1: that's us for today. Heaps to talk and heeps to
Speaker 1: look forward to. So Friday night All Whites against Fiji
Speaker 1: and Wellington Saturday afternoon it is the Wellington Phoenix woman
Speaker 1: and I'm going to call it a must win game
Speaker 1: against the Mariners at Potty Or Park four o'clock. And
Speaker 1: then Monday night at Eden Park the All Whites with
Speaker 1: the final push we hope towards the World Cup in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty six. So might we might delay football fever
Speaker 1: by a day? Come to your next Tuesday with the
Speaker 1: with the result of that, the women's game and other
Speaker 1: football matters. Does it fit with your very busy work
Speaker 1: life and travel schedule.
Speaker 2: Yes it does. Party, and It's actually my birthday on Monday,
Speaker 2: so I'm probably going to go to the All Whites
Speaker 2: for my birthday party, so that's really cool for me.
Speaker 1: All Right, Well, I have a chat to the commentators
Speaker 1: and see if they can give you a shout out
Speaker 1: on your birth on your twenty first birthday, look forward
Speaker 1: to look forward to that, and look forward to chatting
Speaker 1: to you the day after that birthday next Tuesday. It
Speaker 1: works for you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks Budie.
Speaker 1: This is football Fever.