The Wellington Phoenix women begin their highly anticipated new A-League season at Sky Stadium on Saturday afternoon, hosting Canberra United.
Ahead of the match, former Rangers players Tessel Middag and Victoria Esson joined Adam Cooper in the Newstalk ZB studio to preview the game.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
New head coach Bev Priestman has pulled together a roster
for the Wellington Phoenix women's campaign this year that is
stacked with international experience. Nine new signings have overhauled the
Phoenix's roster for this year, including the return of several
top New Zealand players have spent most of their professional
careers overseas. One of them football fans goalkeeper Vic Essen,
(00:21):
who's with us in the studio this morning alongside Dutch
international Tessel Madark. Both have joined the Phoenix from Rangers
in the off season and of course counting down to
kick off for their new season four o'clock today at
Sky Stadium against Canberra Unius. Vic teslil morning to you.
Thanks for coming in and Vic, I'll start with you.
After many years playing around the globe, how special is
(00:42):
it to be able to come home on a professional
contract and be representing the Phoenix this season.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, I'm mostly buzzing to be back here. When I
first left New Zealand, the opportunity wasn't here to play
professionally in this country. So it shows the growth of
football that there's opportunities now for younger and then also
older girls like myself to play for, to play nationally here,
and yeah, I can't wait to start the season and
(01:09):
try and put a little bit of practice into what
we've been working on for the last six to eight
works of pre season.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
And tessel for year. You've played at some of the
world's biggest clubs you know and England I X. Did
you ever ever imagine one day the capital of New Zealand,
somewhere at the other end of the world, playing playing
for the Newish professional tame.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Well, probably not. To be honest, I'm not sure I
had heard of the Wellington Phoenix growing up. I mean,
I was born in nineteen ninety two, so I don't
think the Phoenix was around at that time, So hopefully
I'm forgiven for that one. But yeah, I've to only
played in Europe so far. Did I know that life
would take me here? Probably not, But I also try
and take the opportunities that that football and life give me.
(01:49):
So when this opportunity arose, yeah, I was very excited
to join this team on the other side of the
world for me and I hope we can do something
cool here this season.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
House New Zealand. For you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So far, I've been loving it. I like Wennington as
a city as well. I'm a city girl, so I
like being close to you know, amazing coffee shops. I've
been told Slash, I've read in a tourist guide that
there's forty one independent coffee coffee like roast tries, even
not just coffee shops. There's plenty more than that. But
you know, I love good coffee. I like the vibes.
(02:22):
I love the fact that there's a harbor. Weather has
been a bit shaky, but it's been sunny. You know,
when the sun is out comes out, it's very hot.
So now I've absolutely been enjoying myself here for the
first eight weeks and yeah, I can't wait for yeah,
the rest of the season.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Butt, you tell Phoenix fans listening about your position, you know,
the role you've kind of been playing over the last
few years at Rangers, and how you looked like you
might be fitting into the bf's team here starting this weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah. So in the last few years the Rangers, I've
actually played as a central defender, so I can do
a bit of both, but originally a midfielder. Holding midfielder,
like to yeah, get on the ball, switch to play
use my riding my left foot play forwards when I can.
That's sort of the game I Yeah, I've learned to
play it when I grew up in amsdem on the
(03:07):
streets and then with the Dutch of Fay as well
with the way we want to play football. So hopefully
I can bring a bit of calmness into this league.
We had to buy in the first round, but it's
been very direct and transitional from what I've seen in
the Women's A League. So hopefully we can bring a
bit of calmness and composure in possession whilst also being
very direct ourselves when we have opportunities to break teams down.
(03:29):
And hopefully we can give a few good examples of
that against Camera.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
In that you've obviously spent a lot of time at
your various clubs. You have had some multiple seasons at
a lot of your clubs. How do you go about
preparing as a keeper for for a new club and
you see the defend us to be behind a new
way of playing.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, my magic number seems to be three, three years
in Texas, three nor and three in Scotland, so I
probably should have signed a three year deal with Phoenix
from the get go. But yeah. I think the more
places you play football, I think the better for your career.
You just get to experience different types of football, different
types of athletes, and I think with the mixture of
you know, for me America, Scandinavia, Germany and also the UK,
(04:08):
I think I'm used to a whole type of variational football.
You know, Rangers were lucky enough to be very strong
in that league, so it wasn't always a busy game
for me in goal, so I look forward to probably
the change here. I hope I'm not too busy, but
maybe a little bit more busy than at times in
Scotland would be great. But as Chess mentioned, the league
(04:29):
SEMs to be quite transitional, so I think I have
to be pretty switched on making sure that if the
balls down the other end, you know, within five seconds,
it could be could be down my end. So it's
been good for my focus.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah, is that what you're expecting as well? Tests with
style of play, I guess getting an indication after these
last couple of months of what Bev's keen on doing
this year. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
We have two friendly games against a league opposition in
Sydney when we went over there for a week's preseason
camp that give us a little taste I think of
what's to come. So it's definitely a completely different style
than Yeah then what I've played at previous clubs and
in the different leagues that I've played. So it's an
exciting challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing how we
(05:08):
can impose our style yeah against a different maybe type
of play.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Some players that have been in this team for several
years now, they haven't made the playoffs yet. How important
do you think it is for the Phoenix this year,
the squad that's been pulled together, the legacy that has
been created within this club, to go slightly better than
they have in previous years.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I think every year every team goes out there to
do well, and I would love it for this year
for us to be able to break through. I know
there's been a lot of disappointment in the previous years,
and credit to the girls who have been here for
many years. They've put their best foot forward and it
just hasn't happened. You know. It's a really tight league
and the difference of one or two results, or one
or two goals in the ninetieth minute can be the
(05:48):
difference between like maybe third place in eighth place, and
I think that's where they found themselves. They've started pretty
strong previously and it's just the back tail of the
season they've dropped off a little bit. And whether that's
fatigue from travel or just other teams have gone a
little bit better, that's all part of football. But I
think that's that's going to be our big focus this year,
is to try and start strong and then also to
finish strong on that back half the season where we're
(06:10):
typically seen to kind of tie off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
And with a lot of good players, a strong roster,
and a very highly respected coach, I guess there becomes
a bit of expectation as well from a team in
your career if you managed knowing that there's probably a
few people thinking they should make the playoffs this year.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah. Luckily, I'm used to being in sort of the
being a top dog. If you like playing for a
ex playing from men City, playing for Rangers. Clubs like that,
you're expected to win and they all have a very
rich traditional background and history of winning trophies, particularly with
Iox and Rangers, so you were expected to win. An
(06:47):
opposition would be extra motivated, an extra good on the
day to try and beat you. So I'm used to
the yeah, the weight of the expectations, but I also
know that, yeah, the more freely you can play, the better,
So not sort of let that weight of the expectations
get to you too much. And we still have a
lot to prove. We haven't even started our season yet officially,
(07:08):
so yeah, we just have to see how good of
a performance we can put off today and hopefully, yeah
take it from there.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Done much work on Canberra knowing what to expect, Yes
we have.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
So we have a clear game plan and yeah, hopefully
we can deliver on it.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Great and Sky Stadium for you, tiss brain new Is
it first time? First time playing there?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Absolutely, yes, I've been fortunate enough to play in a
few big stadiums, but it's all yeah, always extra exciting
to be able to play in a big stadium. Hopefully
as many people as possible can make it to the game.
If you're listening to this on a Saturday morning and
you don't know what you're doing at four pm, please
come out and watch us. The Men play after us
at seven pm. So it's a nice double header, but
you always bring something extra to play play in a
(07:50):
big stadium, the cake Tin as it's been called, So
you know, hopefully we can do some business there.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And what all that mean having support, not just like
it's this week, came right through the season. Tell us
how much of a difference that makes to the players
wanting to perform, having passion at the club when you
see the grand stands getting packed out.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So I've heard other teams struggle when they come to Wellington,
not just because of the win, but because of the fans.
I've heard people say the fans are quite mean, So
I'm glad that on my side and not against me.
Maybe I'll get some hard fans when I go over
to Ossie, but look, we really appreciate them. It's our
twelfth man, usually referred to in football, and it's so
important because not only does it cannot put off the
(08:28):
other team, it also helps to inspire us. And you know,
I think as female footballers as well, when you know
that you're playing for a greater cause, not just the
football yourself, but also to try and for young people
to try and aspire and be inspired by us and
see these opportunities there as well. I think that's the
other half of that that's really really important for us.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, it's so good having you both here, so good
having you as part of the Phoenix this season. I
know there's so much excitement around what you can bring
both of you to the team this year and the
rest of the squad. So all the very best getting
it under way successfully this week, and thanks for popping bye.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Thank you so much, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
New head coach Bev Priestman has pulled together a roster
for the Wellington Phoenix women's campaign this year that is
stacked with international experience. Nine new signings have overhauled the
Phoenix's roster for this year, including the return of several
top New Zealand players have spent most of their professional
careers overseas. One of them football fans goalkeeper Vic Essen,
(00:21):
who's with us in the studio this morning alongside Dutch
international Tessel Madark. Both have joined the Phoenix from Rangers
in the off season and of course counting down to
kick off for their new season four o'clock today at
Sky Stadium against Canberra Unius. Vic teslil morning to you.
Thanks for coming in and Vic, I'll start with you.
After many years playing around the globe, how special is
(00:42):
it to be able to come home on a professional
contract and be representing the Phoenix this season.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, I'm mostly buzzing to be back here. When I
first left New Zealand, the opportunity wasn't here to play
professionally in this country. So it shows the growth of
football that there's opportunities now for younger and then also
older girls like myself to play for, to play nationally here,
and yeah, I can't wait to start the season and
(01:09):
try and put a little bit of practice into what
we've been working on for the last six to eight
works of pre season.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
And tessel for year. You've played at some of the
world's biggest clubs you know and England I X. Did
you ever ever imagine one day the capital of New Zealand,
somewhere at the other end of the world, playing playing
for the Newish professional tame.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Well, probably not. To be honest, I'm not sure I
had heard of the Wellington Phoenix growing up. I mean,
I was born in nineteen ninety two, so I don't
think the Phoenix was around at that time, So hopefully
I'm forgiven for that one. But yeah, I've to only
played in Europe so far. Did I know that life
would take me here? Probably not, But I also try
and take the opportunities that that football and life give me.
(01:49):
So when this opportunity arose, yeah, I was very excited
to join this team on the other side of the
world for me and I hope we can do something
cool here this season.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
House New Zealand. For you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So far, I've been loving it. I like Wennington as
a city as well. I'm a city girl, so I
like being close to you know, amazing coffee shops. I've
been told Slash, I've read in a tourist guide that
there's forty one independent coffee coffee like roast tries, even
not just coffee shops. There's plenty more than that. But
you know, I love good coffee. I like the vibes.
(02:22):
I love the fact that there's a harbor. Weather has
been a bit shaky, but it's been sunny. You know,
when the sun is out comes out, it's very hot.
So now I've absolutely been enjoying myself here for the
first eight weeks and yeah, I can't wait for yeah,
the rest of the season.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Butt, you tell Phoenix fans listening about your position, you know,
the role you've kind of been playing over the last
few years at Rangers, and how you looked like you
might be fitting into the bf's team here starting this weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah. So in the last few years the Rangers, I've
actually played as a central defender, so I can do
a bit of both, but originally a midfielder. Holding midfielder,
like to yeah, get on the ball, switch to play
use my riding my left foot play forwards when I can.
That's sort of the game I Yeah, I've learned to
play it when I grew up in amsdem on the
(03:07):
streets and then with the Dutch of Fay as well
with the way we want to play football. So hopefully
I can bring a bit of calmness into this league.
We had to buy in the first round, but it's
been very direct and transitional from what I've seen in
the Women's A League. So hopefully we can bring a
bit of calmness and composure in possession whilst also being
very direct ourselves when we have opportunities to break teams down.
(03:29):
And hopefully we can give a few good examples of
that against Camera.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
In that you've obviously spent a lot of time at
your various clubs. You have had some multiple seasons at
a lot of your clubs. How do you go about
preparing as a keeper for for a new club and
you see the defend us to be behind a new
way of playing.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, my magic number seems to be three, three years
in Texas, three nor and three in Scotland, so I
probably should have signed a three year deal with Phoenix
from the get go. But yeah. I think the more
places you play football, I think the better for your career.
You just get to experience different types of football, different
types of athletes, and I think with the mixture of
you know, for me America, Scandinavia, Germany and also the UK,
(04:08):
I think I'm used to a whole type of variational football.
You know, Rangers were lucky enough to be very strong
in that league, so it wasn't always a busy game
for me in goal, so I look forward to probably
the change here. I hope I'm not too busy, but
maybe a little bit more busy than at times in
Scotland would be great. But as Chess mentioned, the league
(04:29):
SEMs to be quite transitional, so I think I have
to be pretty switched on making sure that if the
balls down the other end, you know, within five seconds,
it could be could be down my end. So it's
been good for my focus.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah, is that what you're expecting as well? Tests with
style of play, I guess getting an indication after these
last couple of months of what Bev's keen on doing
this year. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
We have two friendly games against a league opposition in
Sydney when we went over there for a week's preseason
camp that give us a little taste I think of
what's to come. So it's definitely a completely different style
than Yeah then what I've played at previous clubs and
in the different leagues that I've played. So it's an
exciting challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing how we
(05:08):
can impose our style yeah against a different maybe type
of play.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Some players that have been in this team for several
years now, they haven't made the playoffs yet. How important
do you think it is for the Phoenix this year,
the squad that's been pulled together, the legacy that has
been created within this club, to go slightly better than
they have in previous years.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I think every year every team goes out there to
do well, and I would love it for this year
for us to be able to break through. I know
there's been a lot of disappointment in the previous years,
and credit to the girls who have been here for
many years. They've put their best foot forward and it
just hasn't happened. You know. It's a really tight league
and the difference of one or two results, or one
or two goals in the ninetieth minute can be the
(05:48):
difference between like maybe third place in eighth place, and
I think that's where they found themselves. They've started pretty
strong previously and it's just the back tail of the
season they've dropped off a little bit. And whether that's
fatigue from travel or just other teams have gone a
little bit better, that's all part of football. But I
think that's that's going to be our big focus this year,
is to try and start strong and then also to
finish strong on that back half the season where we're
(06:10):
typically seen to kind of tie off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
And with a lot of good players, a strong roster,
and a very highly respected coach, I guess there becomes
a bit of expectation as well from a team in
your career if you managed knowing that there's probably a
few people thinking they should make the playoffs this year.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah. Luckily, I'm used to being in sort of the
being a top dog. If you like playing for a
ex playing from men City, playing for Rangers. Clubs like that,
you're expected to win and they all have a very
rich traditional background and history of winning trophies, particularly with
Iox and Rangers, so you were expected to win. An
(06:47):
opposition would be extra motivated, an extra good on the
day to try and beat you. So I'm used to
the yeah, the weight of the expectations, but I also
know that, yeah, the more freely you can play, the better,
So not sort of let that weight of the expectations
get to you too much. And we still have a
lot to prove. We haven't even started our season yet officially,
(07:08):
so yeah, we just have to see how good of
a performance we can put off today and hopefully, yeah
take it from there.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Done much work on Canberra knowing what to expect, Yes
we have.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
So we have a clear game plan and yeah, hopefully
we can deliver on it.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Great and Sky Stadium for you, tiss brain new Is
it first time? First time playing there?
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Absolutely, yes, I've been fortunate enough to play in a
few big stadiums, but it's all yeah, always extra exciting
to be able to play in a big stadium. Hopefully
as many people as possible can make it to the game.
If you're listening to this on a Saturday morning and
you don't know what you're doing at four pm, please
come out and watch us. The Men play after us
at seven pm. So it's a nice double header, but
you always bring something extra to play play in a
(07:50):
big stadium, the cake Tin as it's been called, So
you know, hopefully we can do some business there.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And what all that mean having support, not just like
it's this week, came right through the season. Tell us
how much of a difference that makes to the players
wanting to perform, having passion at the club when you
see the grand stands getting packed out.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So I've heard other teams struggle when they come to Wellington,
not just because of the win, but because of the fans.
I've heard people say the fans are quite mean, So
I'm glad that on my side and not against me.
Maybe I'll get some hard fans when I go over
to Ossie, but look, we really appreciate them. It's our
twelfth man, usually referred to in football, and it's so
important because not only does it cannot put off the
(08:28):
other team, it also helps to inspire us. And you know,
I think as female footballers as well, when you know
that you're playing for a greater cause, not just the
football yourself, but also to try and for young people
to try and aspire and be inspired by us and
see these opportunities there as well. I think that's the
other half of that that's really really important for us.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, it's so good having you both here, so good
having you as part of the Phoenix this season. I
know there's so much excitement around what you can bring
both of you to the team this year and the
rest of the squad. So all the very best getting
it under way successfully this week, and thanks for popping bye.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Thank you so much, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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