November 16, 2025 • 39 mins
Jason Pine and Michael Burgess unpack the under-strength All Whites' narrow 2-1 defeat to world #13 Colombia and look ahead to Wednesday's clash with Ecuador.
And the Wellington Phoenix play out a second straight 1-1 draw to open their A-League women's season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Football Fever, the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Paine
and insid Herald's Michael Burgers, powered by News Talk ZBI.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Another Monday agy they roll around quick, don't they? Another
weekend of football to dissect On Football Fever, I'm Jason
Pine with Michael Burgers from the New Zealand Herald, alongside
nothing in the A League men's burge but international men's
action and the women to dissect. How was your weekend?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Mate?
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Great?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Thanks here, the sun shining up here and a lot
of great sport on. It really feels like, I don't know,
Christmas is almost here, Summer is almost here.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So it's a good it's a good time.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We're right in the heart of football action on the
side of the world, of course, so let's get straight
into it. In fact, let's go to the other side
of the world, or certainly off these shores to the
All Whites' latest football friendly as they build towards the
World Cup next year. A two to one loss to Columbia,
who are ranked thirteenth in the world. Now I've sort
of seen a lot of people who have seen the
(00:59):
school and go oh man to one against Columbia, that's
a that's a pretty good score. And and I guess
you know the fact that they are so highly ranked
in the world rankings and such a proud football nation
would say a narrow loss does have a bit of
honor about it. But this was a game that the
All Whites probably could have could have got something out of,
(01:22):
certainly a draw.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Birge.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean, it's a real it's
a real sweet and sour feeling, isn't it. Because when
you're when you're won all in the eighty fifth minute,
you should hang on.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
That's that's sort of the the.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Golden rule of the team, like the Alwhites is a
fantastic opportunity, did so well to work themselves back into
the game. And all of us keep referring to the
World Cup next year. We'll let the World Cup next year.
These are the sort of games where if you hang
on for a point, you go through the second round.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
If you don't, you might be going home.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So you know, there's quite there's a lot to talk
about with this game, Pinty, but there's definite ramifications when
you have that kind of defeat.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I thought exactly what you just said. When that second
goal of Columbia's went in. I transfer, I picked this
game up and dropped it down at the World Cup
next year and thought exactly that your watch had a
point in their position, a hard fought point, but an
earned point. And then they didn't have a point because
of a defensive lap. So maybe we can start at
(02:24):
the end with Columbia's second goal, A long ball not
dealt with, should have been dealt with, should have been
dealt with. They should have been able to close it
out at one all.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, and it was a I mean both. We'll go
into the opening goal as well, which for me was
equally frustrating because it was just so uncessa I felt
Columbia's first goal but should have been dealt with. I mean,
it was a real shame for Finn Sermon because for me,
he was probably the outstanding All White on the park
across the rest of the match, just some vital blocks,
(02:56):
tackles and deceptions. Without him there, Columbia might have scored
a come more times, but he probably is a center back,
probably had to deal with that in terms of heading
it away. And then storm rou you know, his man
made a run from a long way back or a
long way to the side. But Stormroo's got to do
better there too. So yeah, really, just a really bad
(03:18):
goal to concede at a terrible time.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, if you include Max Crok and the goalkeeper, it's
effectively three on one. It's a hopeful long ball off
that isn't it. It's not as though New Zealand have
been cut open through midfield the balls delivered from Columbia's
own half. It's hopeful at best and should be dealt
with by two defenders if they're on the same wavelength
and a goalkeeper who who is communicating with them. Look,
(03:43):
I'm not describing any blame head to Max Crok, and
he was clearly apoplectic afterwards, and I think he probably
mirrored the feeling on the bench as well. But yeah, look,
can we call it naive? Can we call it a
lack of big match temperament? Can we just call it
one of those things? I look back at the games
that New Zealand have had since earning World Cup qualification.
(04:05):
They beat the Ivory Coast one nel, then losses to Ukraine,
two to Australia and to Poland are one all draw
with Norway and now this lost to Columbia. You know,
they're narrow defeats, but they're defeats nonetheless, and at a
World Cup a defeat means zero points.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah yeah, And at some stage that message has got
to get through because.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It is all about the results.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
And we've had so many encouraging performances and you've got
to check yourself sometimes because you're like, wow, the football
this team can play. Sometimes the fact, I mean even
two one to Columbia entirely respectable. They're an amazing team Columbia.
I love watching them play. But it's all about results
and you've got to find a way. And that's what
(04:51):
the twenty ten team did so well. And I guess
the question mark over this group is still the fact
that they haven't had jeopardy, that haven't had a jeopardy
of a qualifying route to get there. So that's when
you build that resilience, and that's I guess still the
question mark because there's been a pattern of really funny, unnecessary,
(05:16):
sloppy goals conceded intermix with a whole lot of really
good defending, you.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Know, yeah, yeah, And I do just to back to
the games that new Zealand Football have arranged for the
all whites to play. As you say, coming through World
Cup qualification in Oceania and having now direct entry into
the forty eighteen World Cup meant that there wasn't that
jeopardy in World Cup qualifying. They were really always going
to make it. There was that first half at Eden
Park against New Caledonia where there were a couple of nerves,
(05:42):
but really New Zealand were fairly untroubled unencumbered getting through.
So these are the kind of games that I'm so
glad they're guessing. But there are fewer and fewer of
them now and we haven't seen that performance. And yesterday
it was a great chance for it of a highly
ranked opponent that New Zealand went toe to toe with,
(06:02):
came back from a goal down to equal eyes against.
If they've been able to hold on, it would almost
in the I know, not on the scoreboard, but it
would have felt like a win, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I mean, especially when you look at New Zealand's record
against South America. It never never won a game against
South American team. It's so hard to beat anyone from
that continent, but especially Columbia at the moment they are.
They're Columbia, a team that that any team in the
world would be worried about playing. You know, Spain, England,
Argentina would be thinking shit, Columbia, Okay, there's got so
(06:34):
many threats.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So it would have felt like a win.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
It would have been noticed around the football world. So
it's just it's just a shame on on so many levels,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
It was even more credible too, given the fact that
New Zealand are missing some frontline players. No Chris would
Libby Cacacci, Ryan Thomas, Tim Paine, Alex Paulson or Callum
mcowartt I mean on a given day, that's starting players
who weren't there for for various reasons. Well actually all
the same reason injury has kept them out. So it
(07:08):
was it was. It was still a strong starting lineup
when you look at it, even without those six. When
you can go Crokum to Iloma, Box or Sermon, who
I agree was excellent Dvrees, Belstaarminitch sing Garbet justin barbarusis
it is still you know, a good starting eleven, which
is the demonstration of building depth. Columbia's first goal. Yeah,
(07:28):
it kind of. I mean I thought New Zealand actually
started well, we were down the other end. I think
we had a corner. We're like, okay, we're in this
game nice and early, and then bang, bang bang up
the other end in Columbia have scored.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, I mean, you're playing the you're playing the world number.
It just felt a bit naive again because you're playing
the World number thirteen, one of the best attacking teams
on the planet, and it's the third minute and you're
trying this really intense high press, crazy press.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
They didn't Columbi did anything fancy.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
It was a long diagon, a long ball, a nice
volley touch, Rodriguez gets it, pings it out to the
to the to the full back rushing on, and the
all it's completely caught out. You've got Garbette sort of
stuck on halfway, just stuck on halfway, Sings jogging back,
and I watched it five or six times to sort
of understand what had happened. But Columbia, at the time
(08:21):
that cross went across for the goal, they had four
players inside the New zeal On penalty area. That's how
swift they are at getting forward, and they had another
two outside the penalty area. Maybe it could have been
dealt with anyway the cross, but the fact that we
we we got undone so easily with the press and
took such a risk with the press just was flabbergasting.
(08:44):
When when you the longer you keep that game at
the law, the pressure starts to build on Columbia and
that just undid all.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It wasn't all of that was there a sense of
naivety and that birge do you think I mean they
knew who they were playing? You know Columbia, right, Columbia,
Like I say, they're a very very good football inside.
We've said a couple of times on the podcast, easily
qualified for the World Cup next year above Brazil, and
we all know how good they are, you know, should
there have been a more pragmatic approach? Look in the
(09:14):
third minute. I'm not saying you park a bus and
try and get the half time at all all, but
it did seem as though there was I mean, in
listening to you talk about how many players there were
from Columbia breaking forward, it was just a flowing move
that I guess was not at all unexpected from a
football team of their quality.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Yeah, that's right, and the camera actually cut to just
have to score. The camera cut to Michael Boxel and
he said he looked over at the freeze and he
sort of said to you know what, that if just
happened because they couldn't understand it. So I just think
in a game like that, and it's the same in
a World Cup, you just got to settle into it
(09:53):
the first ten or fifteen minutes, make sure you're really solid,
don't leave yourself open because you concede early. Especially the
World Cup changes everything. It just changes everything, and it's
so hard to come back from. But the team, like
the All Whites, you stay there nil. The pressure goes
on the favorites.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, we got through to the eightieth minute. Actually before that,
the changes that Darren Basely made during this game, I
thought he got great value from a couple in particular,
and that was the introduction of Ben Old with about
a quarter of the game to goal to go rather
for Matt Garbett, and then about ten minutes after that
when he brought Jesse Randal on for Eli. Just now
(10:33):
week ago, Bergie and I waxing lyrical about Jesse Randall,
and you know, sort of I guess saying, hey, he
should be on that plane. He should be he should
be heading to this window and line and behold, a
few hours after we recorded it happened. So again, the
powers that be the football in gods are clearly on
the same page as as football fever. But Jesse Randall looked.
(10:54):
I mean, playing well in the A League is one thing.
Coming off the bench and making an impact against Columbi
an entirely different thing. But he fed the past to
Sing for Sing to provide the assist for old Jesse
Randall is directly involved in that goal, and then not
long after that he's volley one only just wide. It's
like everything he's touching at the moment is going great.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
It felt like a bit like the Chris Wood moment
against Italy, didn't it. You know, not quite a he's
not quite a teenager, but he's so fresh faced and
he's just so full of confidence. I think, as you say,
if he if he tried anything at the moment, whether
it was picking a lock or trying a new trick on.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
A skateboard, it would work, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
And okay, when you come on, you come on, the
pace of the game has changed, so we've got to
be careful judging substitutes compared to what the starting living
goes through, but really encouraging. I don't know, would you
would you start him against Equador?
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Have to have to. I think you ride the hot hand,
don't you. He is clearly a man on top of
a game, hugely confident at the moment, feels like when
he goes on a football field is going to make
something happen. Given the fact that there are players who
aren't there, the likes of you know, Callum Macoward, who
might sort of been in and around the same position
(12:14):
as Jesse Randald. In fact, effectively Randal has been called
in to replace Mcowart. I'd be starting him against Ecuador
and saying, you know what, just ride this hot hand.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
What about you?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
And for the other reason that you've got to give
him a chance to show what he can do, because
they've only got March, and then there's June where they'll
play a couple of build up games in the States
before the World Cup, but that's too late to really
you know, you've got to really have your your top
team in your head anyway, So March is the only chance.
(12:46):
So you've got to give him more game time, I
would have thought, and the same with Ben old I
would like to see him get more time, just because
we know what Matt Garbett can do, we know what
Elo Just can do. So let's have a look at
these other guys who clearly have a lot to offer.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, and he may well do that against Ecwold. Or
he could make those changes like for like he could
bring Randal into the starting lineup for Eli just, he
could bring Ben Olden for Matt Garbett. Absolutely he could
do those things. And I think those two off the
bench yesterday earned the right to be given a start.
And as you often say this, birds, you know there
(13:24):
are players who Darren Basley knows what he's going to
get from the guy like Matt garb but who's now
up into the thirties in terms of camps. But yeah,
let's find out a bit more about Jesse Randall against
one of the meanest defenses in the world.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Or could he was brilliant?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Could he pick that lock?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
He might?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
I mean, if he's going to pick it at any time,
it's now because he's so high on confidence the goal.
You know, it was just great to see them come back,
wasn't it and as I say, Randal and to sing,
who seems to you know, with a decent run of
games and the side of thing, this is seventh or
eighth start in a row for the nation side is
starting to get the hang of it again, and Old
off the bench, just putting himself in the in the
(14:05):
right position. I mean, if we if we drop that
piece of action down into a World Cup next year,
that could be a hugely significant moment, that sort of
thing in a World Cup match.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Just a really good goal and a really well constructed
goal against the top team. And yeah, you do that
in a World Cup. You're talking you know, you're talking
not just heroes. You're talking history. You're talking, you know,
a team that could go to new frontiers. So they're
the sort of memorable moments you need. And that'll be
(14:37):
the anchor when they start to prevent Ecuador. Okay, we
did it, we can do it again, and they've just
got to sort out the other stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
You see me a note this morning, and you said,
is this team still a little bit unbalanced? Do they
have too many artists and not enough laborers? And I
love the analogy and I think we all understand. You
know what you're talking about there, do you feel as
though there still needs to be and Alex Rufer in
there for example, you know somebody to to you know,
(15:07):
to just stand hard on the on the midfield battle.
Is that kind of what you were driving in, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Kind of that.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Whether it's a personnel thing or whether it's a whether
it's an approach thing. So, whether it's the fact that
you have, you know, because there's so many in this
team that want to get on the ball. You know,
wants to be on the ball all the time. He
just wants to be in the ball garbet stamina. But
whether they have to realize that actually at a World Cup,
in those attacking wide roles, you've got to do a
(15:36):
lot of defending and you can't just leave your winger,
you know, in a turn one situation. So, whether it's personnel,
we don't have too many natural enforces like the old days.
Roof would be the closest, wouldn't he But or it's
just a mindset thing that yes, they can play and
they can play nice football, but almost every team can
(15:58):
play nice football. And what what finds you at a
World Cup, I would have thought, is not conceding that
that's probably what defines you. That's certainly what defined the
twenty ten team, and that's generally how you how you progress.
It's going to be hard to to outscore these these
highly ranked teams by significant margins, isn't.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It It is? You mentioned his name before and I
want to pick up on it. Finn Sermon. I agree
with you. I thought he was terrific again yesterday and
has become this. You know this, this terrific center back
for us. And I remember after World Cup qualification thinking
to myself, Okay, Tyler Binden is going to play every game.
(16:40):
He is a special talent and Finn Sermon will be
his long term partner, but is probably head to head
with Michael Boxel for the right to partner Tyler Binden.
I looked at Finn Sermon and Michael Boxel yesterday and
I wonder whether that's your that's your World Cup center
back pairing. Tyler Binden has n't be getting a lot
(17:00):
of game time, in fact none for Sheffield United. He's
still a very good defender and we'll go to the
World Cup without a shadow of a doubt. But I
just wonder whether it's a Sermon Boxel center back pair
and what what are you what's your gut saying about
when the when the team is name for the first
World Cup game, All things being equal, do you feel
like it's Sermon and Boxeil at the moment?
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Yes, yes I do. And that's that's where it's heading,
isn't it. And they're starting to play more together. I
mean there was some there's some scars left from the
Australia match where it was Binden and Sermon together was
completely their fault. In fact, a lot of it wasn't
their fault because they were sort of isolated by the midfield.
But Boxhill brings the experience in the just being a
(17:45):
different generation this team actually needs. You can't have without
being a sort of Allen Hanson. You can't have too
many kids on the field, you know, you need you
need him in that way. And I think they compliment
each other quite well. But I just, I mean, what
have you noticed about Sermon's growth? Because I remember a
few years ago now, but he hit some real struggles
(18:07):
at the Phoenix and when a season where he hardly played,
you know, and since then he's just he's just every
season he just seems to step up to a new level.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
He has. He's always been fully committed and that hasn't
been you know, that hasn't been in question at all.
But I just think he's almost grown into himself. And
I mean that in a physical sense as well. Burge.
I remember, and I think I've said this to you.
I remember watching Finn Sermon as an academy player at
Wellington Phoenix and it was like he wasn't sure how
(18:39):
his body worked. You know, he was so committed and
with Throver's body in front of shots and he would,
you know, he would do whatever was required to protect
that goal. But he was still very raw and just
a little bit like like Bambi on ice skates I've
described him. But he has grown into himself and you know,
(19:00):
this is this is this is crazy. But do you
know what I think the turning point was. I think
it was when he shaved his hair off. Because at
the Phoenix at that time, Scott Wooton was there, David
Ball was there, a couple of other hardened pros and
Finn Sermon had this mop of hair that made him
look like, you know, like the member of a boy band.
(19:23):
And they said, no striker is going to be scared
of you. Finn when you look like.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
That, get rid of it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
And so he went to a number one and no
ship Birch.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
He became a bitter defender overnight. That is classic. I
look forward to asking him about that. But that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I mean little little things, ah, little things, whether it
was in his mind or whatever. But the moment is
if you had a few moments in the game on Sunday,
but a couple of particularly you know, one stage he
was isolated, Lewis Diaz taking him on of all people,
beats him, gets to the Bilin, beats him, and Sermon
gets bad to block the cross and save what looked
(20:02):
like a certain goals of the chance to shoot, beats
them and goes around crossed and it was just going
to be tapping. So yeah, he's just got this knack
of just getting his body in the way or being
in the right place at the right time. It's a
it's a you know, I don't get two kate away,
but it's a little bit like what Ryan Nelson used
to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah, it's it's a fair comparison because he is combining
now the wholehearted nature of his game that he's always
had with experience with working as a pro day in
day out. He's clearly in the gym a lot. He
looks after himself. He's an imposing figure. He wins his headers,
he's he's He's got a great sense of timing in
(20:41):
the penalty area, hasn't he. He knows when to dive
in and when not to. He seems to. I can't
remember a player blocking more shots than Finn Sermon.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I think he was leading them mols at one stage
this season for blocks. Was just sort of sums it
up because it's, yeah, it's an uncanny timing to be
out of block shots, didn't he. I think he's captained
Portland three times this year for a guy his age,
for a guy who's been there a season and a half,
it's it's pretty amazing stuff.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
And you do.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Wonder, actually, how far away he is from a Europe move.
I don't think it'll happen. I think he'll be at
Portland maybe another season. But you can see him in Europe.
You can really see him tracking that direction.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Without a shadow of it out. All that was Ryan
Nelson's path, wasn't it through college? Not that Finn went
to college up in the US, but Ryan did, and
then through DC United and across to the UK where
he forged an incredible career. So look, if it's the
footsteps that he's following infant sermon, then yeah, I absolutely
believe he could make that next move. Probably I just say, yeah,
(21:47):
another season at Portland. His current season has come to
an end now, so there's a bit of time off
for Finn note out or pop home and spend some
time over here. But yeah, he's said to be a
huge part of this team moving forward. Still so young
as well as is Binden. You know that those two
could play for New Zealand for another three World Cups.
Ecuador in New Jersey on Wednesday is the second international
(22:09):
in this window. Two thirty New Zealand time in the afternoon,
so very friendly time to watch this game in Harrison,
New Jersey. First time New Zealand's played equidor and a
senior men's international. I alluded to it before Birch. They
finished second in argent Sorry in South American World Cup qualifying,
behind only Argentina. They had eighteen matches, they only scored
fourteen goals. But seems like their output should you know,
(22:32):
should be looked at. But in those eighteen matches, they
only conceded five goals against South American opposition.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
I mean, that is nuts. That is one of the
craziest we have seen because it's nine away games. So
there's nine games. Are you going to play well? And
in South America, any team away is tough. So you're
going nine times and getting a lot of clean sheets
away from home, which is really hard to do. And
I mean the thing about Ecuador is they are generally
(23:02):
the biggest team in South America in terms of physical stature.
So there's a lot of big, big individuals, a bit
of Columbia but even bigger. So they'll be big, they'll
be imposing, extremely athletic, and they must be they must
be really good. You expect another fantastic atmosphere as well,
(23:24):
because there'll be thousands of Equital fans there.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
So yeah, just brilliant.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yea brilliant, oh for sure. So we've talked about Randal
and Old as to changes we would like to see
coming from the start. He's probably not going to make
a change at keeper, is he with Alex Paulson not
on this trip. I can't see that case Sims would
get a debut or that Nixarive would come in what
about it at right back? See this is where I
(23:51):
would love to have seen Callan Elliott on this trip.
You know, you know, we know a lot about storm Roo,
Bill Tillee Loma seems to have got a second a
second coming and this all Whites team after a film
like he had finished his international career. He started it
right back against Columbia. I would love to have seen
Callen Elliott on this trip, just to say, Okay, let's
(24:12):
find out a bit about you at international level.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
That's the thing. I did find it a quite a
weird scenario.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I know it was partly because Elliott wasn't playing at
the time they had to select the team, and you
know he might have been playing for weeks, but that
shouldn't also come into it. You know, you know what
he can do. So Stormer is thirty two and he's
been around a long time. I remember playing in that
twenty thirteen playoff against Mexico. You know, that's a long
(24:40):
time ago, and it feels like he's never my memory,
never really been a first choice. He's always been there
that long, but always been maybe a second choice most
of the time. You know what he can do he's
not going to start at a World Cup, so why
not try Elliott? I just I really like his attitude.
At an orkn f C press the other week, one
(25:01):
of the other journos from from Stuff asked, he said,
you know to corokerho said about how Elliot's got a
load of a lot of dog about him, which you
know in terms of you know, he's a real he's
a real fighter, he's really gutsy, he's got pace.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Just be good to see what he could do at
this level.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah, I agree, and he may well still be on
that plane. I think there's a vacancy there to back
up Tim Payne if indeed he comes back from that
shoulder injury in time to get a body of work
ahead of him for the World Cup. But I totally
think that is open build to I Loma storm Roue.
I think callan Elliott if he gets a decent run
the Auckland f C side with Hiroki Sako injured. Absolutely
(25:40):
he puts himself in that conversation. So yeah, not to
be this time, but yeah, but who knows in the
in the window in March of next year, all right,
so that's the all Whites Equador twenty third in the world.
They take the field against Ecuador Wednesday two thirty New
Zealand time. We'll cover that off on the podcast next week.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Good Balls Beaver when Jason Paide and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
So no sooner had that game finished then we focused
our attention and on the Ninja A League. The third
round of the women's competition, Wellington Phoenix won Newcastle Jets one,
an early goal from Brook None to put the Phoenix
one to ahead, and it felt like, hey, this is
the Wellington Phoenix women. We've been promised an early goal
and more to come perhaps, But then an equalizer from
(26:22):
the penalty spot for Newcastle after twenty three minutes and
no further scoring with few clear cut opportunities. So that's
back to back one all draws at home, Burge, So
what are we four points dropped in the first two rounds.
Does that feel like it could be costly at the
back end of the season or not?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
Possibly?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I mean they're always going to need to build momentum
the you know, they're becoming a team. They're not a
team yet obviously a completely new group. But yeah, at home,
I'm sure they would have budgeted for, say four points
from these first two matches, so I think it was
a shame, especially the circumstances of the equaliser yesterday on Sunday.
(27:08):
Let's face it, it was. It was a shambolic penalty,
give a way.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Yeah, I'm not sure what mac Berry was. She's an
experienced a league plan. No one's played more often for
the Phoenix than she has. She's up in the seventies
of appearances. It just felt like she just lost sight
of where the attacker was and just kind of dragged
her down for no real reason. What was your view
of it?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah, like I've watched I watched it again four or
five times just to make sure I saw what I
was seeing, because it was a It was a decent
sort of reminded me of one of those tackles that
the Warriors make when they're having their captains run. They
don't want to hurt people, but they're still put in
them on the ground, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
It was.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
It was a proper tackle. There was no way the
ref wasn't going to see it. So I just I
just don't know what. I think. It was just a
good old fashioned brain snap. If you do that outside
the air, fine, it's just a foul but to do
it in the penalty or and give the referee no choice,
and there was no danger. There was no danger. There
were I think, as you said in the notes, I
(28:10):
think Charlie was just there. It was no obvious danger.
Really strange from as you say, a player who has
been around for so long.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
It was inexplicable really, and you know, obviously you give
the referee no choice. It was a penalty converted, as
I say, and then from there on, as I say,
no further scoring in the match. It was a very
even game. I was at the game and it felt
like the momentum of the game was with Wellington. But
that may have just been because they were the home
(28:41):
team and every time they surged forward the crowd would
get into it. But the numbers back it up that
it was slightly in Wellington's favor seventeen shots to thirteen
for the Jets, fifty to fifty pretty much in terms
of possession and territory. I think with an elite in
goal for Newcastle, and in fact with vick Essen and
(29:01):
goal for Wellington, you really have to do something, you know,
pretty good to beat those two. I thought Analyte, she
did not look troubled all apart from that one effort
from a list of winning that she tipped around the post,
So she wasn't troubled. She produced a great save, but
but the Phoenix did not produce enough for me to
really trouble. You know, analyte who is a very good goalkeeper.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
She is, and that's the thing you've got a It's
one of the best in the league, isn't she And
it's great to have her in the league. I kind
of agree with your theory though, Like on the TV
it came across that that that Wellington probably had the edge,
felt like that from where I was watching as well.
But but Newcastle were a good team, and so it
(29:46):
just comes back to, you know, the longer you stay
at one nil, they have to push more and then
and then opportunities open up. So it was a real
it was a real shame because it looked like it
was set up for a perfect afternoon, good vocal crowd,
and that's the kind of situation where you really want
to get the campaign going.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
A few injury problems for BEV Priestman to deal with.
She had three imports missing for this game, three of
her five Luccia Leon didn't play last week either, so
we still haven't seen her. Tessel Medach went off at
a halftime last week with a knee injury, and Nepoli
striker Samba also didn't play yesterday, So all of a sudden,
you're three of you five imports down know Macy Fraser
(30:29):
who is taking a mental health break, and then Alyssa
Winnan went off on the second half with a knee injury,
which initially looks serious but I think is not quite
as bad as perhaps her first would have appeared. So
bev Priceman's doing a little bit of shuffling in terms
of her team at the moment.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
C J.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Bott sort of played as a holding midfielder Grace Jarlay was,
I don't know. I'm trying to work out where Grace
was actually playing yesterday and where her best position is.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
DE have a view on that.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
I've always liked her as a striker, but none of
the coaches seem to agree with me. So that's fine
because they know more than me and they see more
than me. Like I remember bugging it kicking over a
lot about playing her, playing her up top just because
she's got paid, she's athletic, She's obviously good in the air,
but for some reason they always feel she's suited to
more more playing, playing out wide. So I'm not I'm
(31:22):
not sure where where to put her, but feels like
there is goals in her. Yes, yes you can unlock her,
but you've got to unlock her mentally as well.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
You know, I totally agree. I'm not. You know, I
always thought that she was she fit the profile of
a center forward. I always have always thought that. But
like you, I, you know, you're buying a drum for
so long and nobody listens, so you put it off
to one side and you dance to the to the
to the tune that everybody else has playing, which is
probably fair enough. I think you know she's she's she's
(31:50):
She's really physically imposing in the in the A League
women's competition. She's tall, she's athletics, She's got a very
very powerful shot. If she can be unleashed in the
right way, then I think she could be a very
very good A League woman's player. I still think she's
finding finding her way towards her ceiling. Melissa win him
in a slightly different role. Yesterday, she was getting on
(32:13):
the ball a lot. I really like Alyssa. She just
has to find a way to come up with a
better end product, whether it's a goal or the final pass.
You know, she does so many good things and then
sometimes it just runs into a colder sack or doesn't
get the shot away.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Or you know.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
I feel like if she had scored that goal yesterday,
it would have, you know, put a real spring in
her step, you know, for the season moving forward. She
strikes me as a confidence player. When things don't work out,
sometimes the shoulder slump just a little bit and she's
picked up again and back into it. But yeah, I
think she can be a She can be a really
important player for them as well. Pottydoor Park's great two birch.
(32:55):
I'm not sure whether you've had the chance to watch
a football game there, but it's so much better for
the women games than sky stadiums.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Oh, it looked, it looked great, It sounded great. It
must be really cool as a fan. And I'm sure
when you talk to the players they say we love it.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
They do, they do, and the fans love it too.
You are literally right there, you know, on top of them.
You can stand pretty much anywhere around the ground, it's
like an old fashioned sort of a suburban ground where
there's not too many places you can't go. I was
just leaning on the fence behind the goal. I felt
like I was at a lower league match in England,
(33:33):
you know, sort of just sort of yelling advice from
behind one of the goals. And look, the Phoenix will
play most of their games there this season, including their
next one back at Pottydoor Park next Sunday four o'clock.
They face Melbourne Victory, who are the early competition leaders
and last season's beaten finalists. And that penalty shootout against
(33:54):
the Mariners, so another stiff task. You know we wrote
last week off is kind of like the occasion kind
of got the better of them yesterday. I don't know,
just to go back to it bit, it felt like
a game that the Phoenix you know, would have targeted.
They you know, Newcastle aren't a front runner in the
competition by any stretch of the imagination. They do have
good players and elite included, but it's a game I'm
(34:15):
sure they will have targeted for their first victory.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Yeah, you've got to You've got to find a way
to win those kind of games if you're going to
have a big campaign. That's that's the thing. And maybe
it's I mean, you made a good point. All the
players they're missing, it's never part of the plan. Fraser
is a big loss. You know what she can do
those imports, but maybe it's about variation and trying some
(34:41):
different things as well. If if Plan A is not working,
we do give them a bit of grace because as
I said before, they're still becoming a team and they're
playing against all these established teams. But they need liftoff soon,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
That That is that is exactly what they need. They
they need their first win. It'll be tough against Melbourne Victory.
They're a good side, but imagine the boost they would
give themselves if they welcomed a quality team like Melbourne
Victory to put it to a park and got the
win there next weekend. I think that would give them
that lift off. It would give them a real spring
in their step in and a boost at the start
(35:19):
of their season.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Well, because the other thing is historically this team, this
club haven't traveled well have they noticed team? So okay,
it's a new group, but still it takes a while
to get used to the travel and there's a whole
lot of players that haven't had success traveling, so that
means you've got to bank your points at home and
learn to win games on the road, which is tough.
(35:42):
I mean every team struggles with that, the trans tasment.
It's a really, really difficult scenario.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And they've got quite a bit of a coming up.
After victory, they're away at Melbourne City, another good team,
then all the way over to Western Australia to face
Perth Glory. They welcome Sydney to Polydor Park and then
away again just before the end of the year against
Western Sydney. So while their first three games are all
at home, three of the next four and in fact
four of the next five if we go into January
(36:11):
where they've got to go to Brisbane are away. So
they're about to face exactly what you said, that tough
Trans Tasman travel, you know, week to week. Whether they'll
stay over there for a couple of those games not sure,
but yeah, they've always found it harder to win away
than to win at home, so yeah, be nice to
chalk up the first victory at home against Melbourne Victory
(36:33):
on Sunday, the Aleague Men's competition also resumes this weekend
after the international break. Both Auckland f C and Wellington
Phoenix at home Saturday at Sky Stadium, the Phoenix up
against MacArthur and then on Sunday at Go Media Auckland
f C up against Brisbane Raw being sing to see
how Wellington bounced back from Darby defeat. They managed to
(36:53):
win their first game after the first derby last year.
From memory, they went away and had a win which
got them got the little bit of confidence the Mariners
I think they beat after they lost the first rugby.
And for Auckland f C, well they just sort of
kind of keep on keeping on, don't they. I wouldn't
be at all surprising if Auckland welcome Brisbane to go
Media and and and just take another three points.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Yeah, although it'll be who they got out.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
You know, they've got Dan Hall will be out suspended,
They've got Sacuy out, They've got I guess, I guess
Nando comes back and for Dan Hall. But Drake Brimmer,
I assume unless he's done who.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Was the was it?
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Riggs Mel Gibson's character in Lethal Weapon, unless he's done
a where he just puts the shoulder back in with
the filing cabinet twice twice a movie.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
Unless he's done that, I can't see him playing after
a shoulder dislocation just a week later. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
I think I think I heard I heard their thinking
sort of two weeks minimum. So that's that's a few players.
Roon as well, Rogerson out, Rogerson as well. Francis who ye,
Francis France is traveling back? Would you do you play?
Do you play Francis and Jesse straight off the plane
because they women, they get back, they get back Friday morning.
(38:08):
I would say, so it's a Sunday game. Do you
still play them both?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I think I kind of think you have to, because
if you don't play Francis, who plays left back, you
know that he's just you know, he started every single
game for Auckland f C. Like across their entire first
season and the first well four or five games of
the second. He started every single game. I don't even
know who the backup left back is. I'm sure there's somebody,
(38:33):
but I don't know who it is.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
He's gone from being you know, unwanted to to indispensable
in terms of and even for the all It's like
he's just yeah, that's crazy. Who who is the backup?
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well, I think it's probably probably Killen, It's probably Kellan Elliott,
but he's obviously he's on the other side covering Herochi Sarki.
So look, I'm I'm sure Steve Corick has got it
worked out. He'll he'll have a plan if Francis jumps
off the plane and isn't one hundred percent. It's quite
a big ask, isn't it. You know, to get all
the way back from from the States, as you say,
probably arriving Friday morning local time, and just over forty
(39:10):
eight hours later, you've got to go and play an
a league match. So for both Francis and Jesse, and
I guess Alex Rufe didn't take any part at all
in the game against Columbia, but may may play some
part against Ecuador. He's got to do the same thing,
and he's got one fewer day because if he gets
back on Friday, they're playing on Saturday. So yeah, but
then that is the nature of it, isn't it. And
(39:31):
none of these players are ever going to turn down
the opportunity to represent their national side, especially with a
World Cup so close. That is football fever for today.
Birch heaps to talk about us always mate, have a
great week. We'll see you next Monday.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Ah can't wait, mate,
Football Fever, the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Paine
and insid Herald's Michael Burgers, powered by News Talk ZBI.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Another Monday agy they roll around quick, don't they? Another
weekend of football to dissect On Football Fever, I'm Jason
Pine with Michael Burgers from the New Zealand Herald, alongside
nothing in the A League men's burge but international men's
action and the women to dissect. How was your weekend?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Mate?
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Great?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Thanks here, the sun shining up here and a lot
of great sport on. It really feels like, I don't know,
Christmas is almost here, Summer is almost here.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So it's a good it's a good time.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We're right in the heart of football action on the
side of the world, of course, so let's get straight
into it. In fact, let's go to the other side
of the world, or certainly off these shores to the
All Whites' latest football friendly as they build towards the
World Cup next year. A two to one loss to Columbia,
who are ranked thirteenth in the world. Now I've sort
of seen a lot of people who have seen the
(00:59):
school and go oh man to one against Columbia, that's
a that's a pretty good score. And and I guess
you know the fact that they are so highly ranked
in the world rankings and such a proud football nation
would say a narrow loss does have a bit of
honor about it. But this was a game that the
All Whites probably could have could have got something out of,
(01:22):
certainly a draw.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Birge.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean, it's a real it's
a real sweet and sour feeling, isn't it. Because when
you're when you're won all in the eighty fifth minute,
you should hang on.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
That's that's sort of the the.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Golden rule of the team, like the Alwhites is a
fantastic opportunity, did so well to work themselves back into
the game. And all of us keep referring to the
World Cup next year. We'll let the World Cup next year.
These are the sort of games where if you hang
on for a point, you go through the second round.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
If you don't, you might be going home.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So you know, there's quite there's a lot to talk
about with this game, Pinty, but there's definite ramifications when
you have that kind of defeat.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
I thought exactly what you just said. When that second
goal of Columbia's went in. I transfer, I picked this
game up and dropped it down at the World Cup
next year and thought exactly that your watch had a
point in their position, a hard fought point, but an
earned point. And then they didn't have a point because
of a defensive lap. So maybe we can start at
(02:24):
the end with Columbia's second goal, A long ball not
dealt with, should have been dealt with, should have been
dealt with. They should have been able to close it
out at one all.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, and it was a I mean both. We'll go
into the opening goal as well, which for me was
equally frustrating because it was just so uncessa I felt
Columbia's first goal but should have been dealt with. I mean,
it was a real shame for Finn Sermon because for me,
he was probably the outstanding All White on the park
across the rest of the match, just some vital blocks,
(02:56):
tackles and deceptions. Without him there, Columbia might have scored
a come more times, but he probably is a center back,
probably had to deal with that in terms of heading
it away. And then storm rou you know, his man
made a run from a long way back or a
long way to the side. But Stormroo's got to do
better there too. So yeah, really, just a really bad
(03:18):
goal to concede at a terrible time.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, if you include Max Crok and the goalkeeper, it's
effectively three on one. It's a hopeful long ball off
that isn't it. It's not as though New Zealand have
been cut open through midfield the balls delivered from Columbia's
own half. It's hopeful at best and should be dealt
with by two defenders if they're on the same wavelength
and a goalkeeper who who is communicating with them. Look,
(03:43):
I'm not describing any blame head to Max Crok, and
he was clearly apoplectic afterwards, and I think he probably
mirrored the feeling on the bench as well. But yeah, look,
can we call it naive? Can we call it a
lack of big match temperament? Can we just call it
one of those things? I look back at the games
that New Zealand have had since earning World Cup qualification.
(04:05):
They beat the Ivory Coast one nel, then losses to Ukraine,
two to Australia and to Poland are one all draw
with Norway and now this lost to Columbia. You know,
they're narrow defeats, but they're defeats nonetheless, and at a
World Cup a defeat means zero points.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah yeah, And at some stage that message has got
to get through because.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It is all about the results.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
And we've had so many encouraging performances and you've got
to check yourself sometimes because you're like, wow, the football
this team can play. Sometimes the fact, I mean even
two one to Columbia entirely respectable. They're an amazing team Columbia.
I love watching them play. But it's all about results
and you've got to find a way. And that's what
(04:51):
the twenty ten team did so well. And I guess
the question mark over this group is still the fact
that they haven't had jeopardy, that haven't had a jeopardy
of a qualifying route to get there. So that's when
you build that resilience, and that's I guess still the
question mark because there's been a pattern of really funny, unnecessary,
(05:16):
sloppy goals conceded intermix with a whole lot of really
good defending, you.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Know, yeah, yeah, And I do just to back to
the games that new Zealand Football have arranged for the
all whites to play. As you say, coming through World
Cup qualification in Oceania and having now direct entry into
the forty eighteen World Cup meant that there wasn't that
jeopardy in World Cup qualifying. They were really always going
to make it. There was that first half at Eden
Park against New Caledonia where there were a couple of nerves,
(05:42):
but really New Zealand were fairly untroubled unencumbered getting through.
So these are the kind of games that I'm so
glad they're guessing. But there are fewer and fewer of
them now and we haven't seen that performance. And yesterday
it was a great chance for it of a highly
ranked opponent that New Zealand went toe to toe with,
(06:02):
came back from a goal down to equal eyes against.
If they've been able to hold on, it would almost
in the I know, not on the scoreboard, but it
would have felt like a win, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
I mean, especially when you look at New Zealand's record
against South America. It never never won a game against
South American team. It's so hard to beat anyone from
that continent, but especially Columbia at the moment they are.
They're Columbia, a team that that any team in the
world would be worried about playing. You know, Spain, England,
Argentina would be thinking shit, Columbia, Okay, there's got so
(06:34):
many threats.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So it would have felt like a win.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
It would have been noticed around the football world. So
it's just it's just a shame on on so many levels,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
It was even more credible too, given the fact that
New Zealand are missing some frontline players. No Chris would
Libby Cacacci, Ryan Thomas, Tim Paine, Alex Paulson or Callum
mcowartt I mean on a given day, that's starting players
who weren't there for for various reasons. Well actually all
the same reason injury has kept them out. So it
(07:08):
was it was. It was still a strong starting lineup
when you look at it, even without those six. When
you can go Crokum to Iloma, Box or Sermon, who
I agree was excellent Dvrees, Belstaarminitch sing Garbet justin barbarusis
it is still you know, a good starting eleven, which
is the demonstration of building depth. Columbia's first goal. Yeah,
(07:28):
it kind of. I mean I thought New Zealand actually
started well, we were down the other end. I think
we had a corner. We're like, okay, we're in this
game nice and early, and then bang, bang bang up
the other end in Columbia have scored.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, I mean, you're playing the you're playing the world number.
It just felt a bit naive again because you're playing
the World number thirteen, one of the best attacking teams
on the planet, and it's the third minute and you're
trying this really intense high press, crazy press.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
They didn't Columbi did anything fancy.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
It was a long diagon, a long ball, a nice
volley touch, Rodriguez gets it, pings it out to the
to the to the full back rushing on, and the
all it's completely caught out. You've got Garbette sort of
stuck on halfway, just stuck on halfway, Sings jogging back,
and I watched it five or six times to sort
of understand what had happened. But Columbia, at the time
(08:21):
that cross went across for the goal, they had four
players inside the New zeal On penalty area. That's how
swift they are at getting forward, and they had another
two outside the penalty area. Maybe it could have been
dealt with anyway the cross, but the fact that we
we we got undone so easily with the press and
took such a risk with the press just was flabbergasting.
(08:44):
When when you the longer you keep that game at
the law, the pressure starts to build on Columbia and
that just undid all.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It wasn't all of that was there a sense of
naivety and that birge do you think I mean they
knew who they were playing? You know Columbia, right, Columbia,
Like I say, they're a very very good football inside.
We've said a couple of times on the podcast, easily
qualified for the World Cup next year above Brazil, and
we all know how good they are, you know, should
there have been a more pragmatic approach? Look in the
(09:14):
third minute. I'm not saying you park a bus and
try and get the half time at all all, but
it did seem as though there was I mean, in
listening to you talk about how many players there were
from Columbia breaking forward, it was just a flowing move
that I guess was not at all unexpected from a
football team of their quality.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Yeah, that's right, and the camera actually cut to just
have to score. The camera cut to Michael Boxel and
he said he looked over at the freeze and he
sort of said to you know what, that if just
happened because they couldn't understand it. So I just think
in a game like that, and it's the same in
a World Cup, you just got to settle into it
(09:53):
the first ten or fifteen minutes, make sure you're really solid,
don't leave yourself open because you concede early. Especially the
World Cup changes everything. It just changes everything, and it's
so hard to come back from. But the team, like
the All Whites, you stay there nil. The pressure goes
on the favorites.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, we got through to the eightieth minute. Actually before that,
the changes that Darren Basely made during this game, I
thought he got great value from a couple in particular,
and that was the introduction of Ben Old with about
a quarter of the game to goal to go rather
for Matt Garbett, and then about ten minutes after that
when he brought Jesse Randal on for Eli. Just now
(10:33):
week ago, Bergie and I waxing lyrical about Jesse Randall,
and you know, sort of I guess saying, hey, he
should be on that plane. He should be he should
be heading to this window and line and behold, a
few hours after we recorded it happened. So again, the
powers that be the football in gods are clearly on
the same page as as football fever. But Jesse Randall looked.
(10:54):
I mean, playing well in the A League is one thing.
Coming off the bench and making an impact against Columbi
an entirely different thing. But he fed the past to
Sing for Sing to provide the assist for old Jesse
Randall is directly involved in that goal, and then not
long after that he's volley one only just wide. It's
like everything he's touching at the moment is going great.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
It felt like a bit like the Chris Wood moment
against Italy, didn't it. You know, not quite a he's
not quite a teenager, but he's so fresh faced and
he's just so full of confidence. I think, as you say,
if he if he tried anything at the moment, whether
it was picking a lock or trying a new trick on.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
A skateboard, it would work, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
And okay, when you come on, you come on, the
pace of the game has changed, so we've got to
be careful judging substitutes compared to what the starting living
goes through, but really encouraging. I don't know, would you
would you start him against Equador?
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Have to have to. I think you ride the hot hand,
don't you. He is clearly a man on top of
a game, hugely confident at the moment, feels like when
he goes on a football field is going to make
something happen. Given the fact that there are players who
aren't there, the likes of you know, Callum Macoward, who
might sort of been in and around the same position
(12:14):
as Jesse Randald. In fact, effectively Randal has been called
in to replace Mcowart. I'd be starting him against Ecuador
and saying, you know what, just ride this hot hand.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
What about you?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
And for the other reason that you've got to give
him a chance to show what he can do, because
they've only got March, and then there's June where they'll
play a couple of build up games in the States
before the World Cup, but that's too late to really
you know, you've got to really have your your top
team in your head anyway, So March is the only chance.
(12:46):
So you've got to give him more game time, I
would have thought, and the same with Ben old I
would like to see him get more time, just because
we know what Matt Garbett can do, we know what
Elo Just can do. So let's have a look at
these other guys who clearly have a lot to offer.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, and he may well do that against Ecwold. Or
he could make those changes like for like he could
bring Randal into the starting lineup for Eli just, he
could bring Ben Olden for Matt Garbett. Absolutely he could
do those things. And I think those two off the
bench yesterday earned the right to be given a start.
And as you often say this, birds, you know there
(13:24):
are players who Darren Basley knows what he's going to
get from the guy like Matt garb but who's now
up into the thirties in terms of camps. But yeah,
let's find out a bit more about Jesse Randall against
one of the meanest defenses in the world.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Or could he was brilliant?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Could he pick that lock?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
He might?
Speaker 2 (13:43):
I mean, if he's going to pick it at any time,
it's now because he's so high on confidence the goal.
You know, it was just great to see them come back,
wasn't it and as I say, Randal and to sing,
who seems to you know, with a decent run of
games and the side of thing, this is seventh or
eighth start in a row for the nation side is
starting to get the hang of it again, and Old
off the bench, just putting himself in the in the
(14:05):
right position. I mean, if we if we drop that
piece of action down into a World Cup next year,
that could be a hugely significant moment, that sort of
thing in a World Cup match.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Just a really good goal and a really well constructed
goal against the top team. And yeah, you do that
in a World Cup. You're talking you know, you're talking
not just heroes. You're talking history. You're talking, you know,
a team that could go to new frontiers. So they're
the sort of memorable moments you need. And that'll be
(14:37):
the anchor when they start to prevent Ecuador. Okay, we
did it, we can do it again, and they've just
got to sort out the other stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
You see me a note this morning, and you said,
is this team still a little bit unbalanced? Do they
have too many artists and not enough laborers? And I
love the analogy and I think we all understand. You
know what you're talking about there, do you feel as
though there still needs to be and Alex Rufer in
there for example, you know somebody to to you know,
(15:07):
to just stand hard on the on the midfield battle.
Is that kind of what you were driving in, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Kind of that.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Whether it's a personnel thing or whether it's a whether
it's an approach thing. So, whether it's the fact that
you have, you know, because there's so many in this
team that want to get on the ball. You know,
wants to be on the ball all the time. He
just wants to be in the ball garbet stamina. But
whether they have to realize that actually at a World Cup,
in those attacking wide roles, you've got to do a
(15:36):
lot of defending and you can't just leave your winger,
you know, in a turn one situation. So, whether it's personnel,
we don't have too many natural enforces like the old days.
Roof would be the closest, wouldn't he But or it's
just a mindset thing that yes, they can play and
they can play nice football, but almost every team can
(15:58):
play nice football. And what what finds you at a
World Cup, I would have thought, is not conceding that
that's probably what defines you. That's certainly what defined the
twenty ten team, and that's generally how you how you progress.
It's going to be hard to to outscore these these
highly ranked teams by significant margins, isn't.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It It is? You mentioned his name before and I
want to pick up on it. Finn Sermon. I agree
with you. I thought he was terrific again yesterday and
has become this. You know this, this terrific center back
for us. And I remember after World Cup qualification thinking
to myself, Okay, Tyler Binden is going to play every game.
(16:40):
He is a special talent and Finn Sermon will be
his long term partner, but is probably head to head
with Michael Boxel for the right to partner Tyler Binden.
I looked at Finn Sermon and Michael Boxel yesterday and
I wonder whether that's your that's your World Cup center
back pairing. Tyler Binden has n't be getting a lot
(17:00):
of game time, in fact none for Sheffield United. He's
still a very good defender and we'll go to the
World Cup without a shadow of a doubt. But I
just wonder whether it's a Sermon Boxel center back pair
and what what are you what's your gut saying about
when the when the team is name for the first
World Cup game, All things being equal, do you feel
like it's Sermon and Boxeil at the moment?
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Yes, yes I do. And that's that's where it's heading,
isn't it. And they're starting to play more together. I
mean there was some there's some scars left from the
Australia match where it was Binden and Sermon together was
completely their fault. In fact, a lot of it wasn't
their fault because they were sort of isolated by the midfield.
But Boxhill brings the experience in the just being a
(17:45):
different generation this team actually needs. You can't have without
being a sort of Allen Hanson. You can't have too
many kids on the field, you know, you need you
need him in that way. And I think they compliment
each other quite well. But I just, I mean, what
have you noticed about Sermon's growth? Because I remember a
few years ago now, but he hit some real struggles
(18:07):
at the Phoenix and when a season where he hardly played,
you know, and since then he's just he's just every
season he just seems to step up to a new level.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
He has. He's always been fully committed and that hasn't
been you know, that hasn't been in question at all.
But I just think he's almost grown into himself. And
I mean that in a physical sense as well. Burge.
I remember, and I think I've said this to you.
I remember watching Finn Sermon as an academy player at
Wellington Phoenix and it was like he wasn't sure how
(18:39):
his body worked. You know, he was so committed and
with Throver's body in front of shots and he would,
you know, he would do whatever was required to protect
that goal. But he was still very raw and just
a little bit like like Bambi on ice skates I've
described him. But he has grown into himself and you know,
(19:00):
this is this is this is crazy. But do you
know what I think the turning point was. I think
it was when he shaved his hair off. Because at
the Phoenix at that time, Scott Wooton was there, David
Ball was there, a couple of other hardened pros and
Finn Sermon had this mop of hair that made him
look like, you know, like the member of a boy band.
(19:23):
And they said, no striker is going to be scared
of you. Finn when you look like.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
That, get rid of it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
And so he went to a number one and no
ship Birch.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
He became a bitter defender overnight. That is classic. I
look forward to asking him about that. But that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I mean little little things, ah, little things, whether it
was in his mind or whatever. But the moment is
if you had a few moments in the game on Sunday,
but a couple of particularly you know, one stage he
was isolated, Lewis Diaz taking him on of all people,
beats him, gets to the Bilin, beats him, and Sermon
gets bad to block the cross and save what looked
(20:02):
like a certain goals of the chance to shoot, beats
them and goes around crossed and it was just going
to be tapping. So yeah, he's just got this knack
of just getting his body in the way or being
in the right place at the right time. It's a
it's a you know, I don't get two kate away,
but it's a little bit like what Ryan Nelson used
to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah, it's it's a fair comparison because he is combining
now the wholehearted nature of his game that he's always
had with experience with working as a pro day in
day out. He's clearly in the gym a lot. He
looks after himself. He's an imposing figure. He wins his headers,
he's he's He's got a great sense of timing in
(20:41):
the penalty area, hasn't he. He knows when to dive
in and when not to. He seems to. I can't
remember a player blocking more shots than Finn Sermon.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I think he was leading them mols at one stage
this season for blocks. Was just sort of sums it
up because it's, yeah, it's an uncanny timing to be
out of block shots, didn't he. I think he's captained
Portland three times this year for a guy his age,
for a guy who's been there a season and a half,
it's it's pretty amazing stuff.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
And you do.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Wonder, actually, how far away he is from a Europe move.
I don't think it'll happen. I think he'll be at
Portland maybe another season. But you can see him in Europe.
You can really see him tracking that direction.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Without a shadow of it out. All that was Ryan
Nelson's path, wasn't it through college? Not that Finn went
to college up in the US, but Ryan did, and
then through DC United and across to the UK where
he forged an incredible career. So look, if it's the
footsteps that he's following infant sermon, then yeah, I absolutely
believe he could make that next move. Probably I just say, yeah,
(21:47):
another season at Portland. His current season has come to
an end now, so there's a bit of time off
for Finn note out or pop home and spend some
time over here. But yeah, he's said to be a
huge part of this team moving forward. Still so young
as well as is Binden. You know that those two
could play for New Zealand for another three World Cups.
Ecuador in New Jersey on Wednesday is the second international
(22:09):
in this window. Two thirty New Zealand time in the afternoon,
so very friendly time to watch this game in Harrison,
New Jersey. First time New Zealand's played equidor and a
senior men's international. I alluded to it before Birch. They
finished second in argent Sorry in South American World Cup qualifying,
behind only Argentina. They had eighteen matches, they only scored
fourteen goals. But seems like their output should you know,
(22:32):
should be looked at. But in those eighteen matches, they
only conceded five goals against South American opposition.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
I mean, that is nuts. That is one of the
craziest we have seen because it's nine away games. So
there's nine games. Are you going to play well? And
in South America, any team away is tough. So you're
going nine times and getting a lot of clean sheets
away from home, which is really hard to do. And
I mean the thing about Ecuador is they are generally
(23:02):
the biggest team in South America in terms of physical stature.
So there's a lot of big, big individuals, a bit
of Columbia but even bigger. So they'll be big, they'll
be imposing, extremely athletic, and they must be they must
be really good. You expect another fantastic atmosphere as well,
(23:24):
because there'll be thousands of Equital fans there.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
So yeah, just brilliant.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yea brilliant, oh for sure. So we've talked about Randal
and Old as to changes we would like to see
coming from the start. He's probably not going to make
a change at keeper, is he with Alex Paulson not
on this trip. I can't see that case Sims would
get a debut or that Nixarive would come in what
about it at right back? See this is where I
(23:51):
would love to have seen Callan Elliott on this trip.
You know, you know, we know a lot about storm Roo,
Bill Tillee Loma seems to have got a second a
second coming and this all Whites team after a film
like he had finished his international career. He started it
right back against Columbia. I would love to have seen
Callen Elliott on this trip, just to say, Okay, let's
(24:12):
find out a bit about you at international level.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
That's the thing. I did find it a quite a
weird scenario.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I know it was partly because Elliott wasn't playing at
the time they had to select the team, and you
know he might have been playing for weeks, but that
shouldn't also come into it. You know, you know what
he can do. So Stormer is thirty two and he's
been around a long time. I remember playing in that
twenty thirteen playoff against Mexico. You know, that's a long
(24:40):
time ago, and it feels like he's never my memory,
never really been a first choice. He's always been there
that long, but always been maybe a second choice most
of the time. You know what he can do he's
not going to start at a World Cup, so why
not try Elliott? I just I really like his attitude.
At an orkn f C press the other week, one
(25:01):
of the other journos from from Stuff asked, he said,
you know to corokerho said about how Elliot's got a
load of a lot of dog about him, which you
know in terms of you know, he's a real he's
a real fighter, he's really gutsy, he's got pace.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Just be good to see what he could do at
this level.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Yeah, I agree, and he may well still be on
that plane. I think there's a vacancy there to back
up Tim Payne if indeed he comes back from that
shoulder injury in time to get a body of work
ahead of him for the World Cup. But I totally
think that is open build to I Loma storm Roue.
I think callan Elliott if he gets a decent run
the Auckland f C side with Hiroki Sako injured. Absolutely
(25:40):
he puts himself in that conversation. So yeah, not to
be this time, but yeah, but who knows in the
in the window in March of next year, all right,
so that's the all Whites Equador twenty third in the world.
They take the field against Ecuador Wednesday two thirty New
Zealand time. We'll cover that off on the podcast next week.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Good Balls Beaver when Jason Paide and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
So no sooner had that game finished then we focused
our attention and on the Ninja A League. The third
round of the women's competition, Wellington Phoenix won Newcastle Jets one,
an early goal from Brook None to put the Phoenix
one to ahead, and it felt like, hey, this is
the Wellington Phoenix women. We've been promised an early goal
and more to come perhaps, But then an equalizer from
(26:22):
the penalty spot for Newcastle after twenty three minutes and
no further scoring with few clear cut opportunities. So that's
back to back one all draws at home, Burge, So
what are we four points dropped in the first two rounds.
Does that feel like it could be costly at the
back end of the season or not?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
Possibly?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I mean they're always going to need to build momentum
the you know, they're becoming a team. They're not a
team yet obviously a completely new group. But yeah, at home,
I'm sure they would have budgeted for, say four points
from these first two matches, so I think it was
a shame, especially the circumstances of the equaliser yesterday on Sunday.
(27:08):
Let's face it, it was. It was a shambolic penalty,
give a way.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Yeah, I'm not sure what mac Berry was. She's an
experienced a league plan. No one's played more often for
the Phoenix than she has. She's up in the seventies
of appearances. It just felt like she just lost sight
of where the attacker was and just kind of dragged
her down for no real reason. What was your view
of it?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah, like I've watched I watched it again four or
five times just to make sure I saw what I
was seeing, because it was a It was a decent
sort of reminded me of one of those tackles that
the Warriors make when they're having their captains run. They
don't want to hurt people, but they're still put in
them on the ground, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
It was.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
It was a proper tackle. There was no way the
ref wasn't going to see it. So I just I
just don't know what. I think. It was just a
good old fashioned brain snap. If you do that outside
the air, fine, it's just a foul but to do
it in the penalty or and give the referee no choice,
and there was no danger. There was no danger. There
were I think, as you said in the notes, I
(28:10):
think Charlie was just there. It was no obvious danger.
Really strange from as you say, a player who has
been around for so long.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
It was inexplicable really, and you know, obviously you give
the referee no choice. It was a penalty converted, as
I say, and then from there on, as I say,
no further scoring in the match. It was a very
even game. I was at the game and it felt
like the momentum of the game was with Wellington. But
that may have just been because they were the home
(28:41):
team and every time they surged forward the crowd would
get into it. But the numbers back it up that
it was slightly in Wellington's favor seventeen shots to thirteen
for the Jets, fifty to fifty pretty much in terms
of possession and territory. I think with an elite in
goal for Newcastle, and in fact with vick Essen and
(29:01):
goal for Wellington, you really have to do something, you know,
pretty good to beat those two. I thought Analyte, she
did not look troubled all apart from that one effort
from a list of winning that she tipped around the post,
So she wasn't troubled. She produced a great save, but
but the Phoenix did not produce enough for me to
really trouble. You know, analyte who is a very good goalkeeper.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
She is, and that's the thing you've got a It's
one of the best in the league, isn't she And
it's great to have her in the league. I kind
of agree with your theory though, Like on the TV
it came across that that that Wellington probably had the edge,
felt like that from where I was watching as well.
But but Newcastle were a good team, and so it
(29:46):
just comes back to, you know, the longer you stay
at one nil, they have to push more and then
and then opportunities open up. So it was a real
it was a real shame because it looked like it
was set up for a perfect afternoon, good vocal crowd,
and that's the kind of situation where you really want
to get the campaign going.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
A few injury problems for BEV Priestman to deal with.
She had three imports missing for this game, three of
her five Luccia Leon didn't play last week either, so
we still haven't seen her. Tessel Medach went off at
a halftime last week with a knee injury, and Nepoli
striker Samba also didn't play yesterday, So all of a sudden,
you're three of you five imports down know Macy Fraser
(30:29):
who is taking a mental health break, and then Alyssa
Winnan went off on the second half with a knee injury,
which initially looks serious but I think is not quite
as bad as perhaps her first would have appeared. So
bev Priceman's doing a little bit of shuffling in terms
of her team at the moment.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
C J.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Bott sort of played as a holding midfielder Grace Jarlay was,
I don't know. I'm trying to work out where Grace
was actually playing yesterday and where her best position is.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
DE have a view on that.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
I've always liked her as a striker, but none of
the coaches seem to agree with me. So that's fine
because they know more than me and they see more
than me. Like I remember bugging it kicking over a
lot about playing her, playing her up top just because
she's got paid, she's athletic, She's obviously good in the air,
but for some reason they always feel she's suited to
more more playing, playing out wide. So I'm not I'm
(31:22):
not sure where where to put her, but feels like
there is goals in her. Yes, yes you can unlock her,
but you've got to unlock her mentally as well.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
You know, I totally agree. I'm not. You know, I
always thought that she was she fit the profile of
a center forward. I always have always thought that. But
like you, I, you know, you're buying a drum for
so long and nobody listens, so you put it off
to one side and you dance to the to the
to the tune that everybody else has playing, which is
probably fair enough. I think you know she's she's she's
(31:50):
She's really physically imposing in the in the A League
women's competition. She's tall, she's athletics, She's got a very
very powerful shot. If she can be unleashed in the
right way, then I think she could be a very
very good A League woman's player. I still think she's
finding finding her way towards her ceiling. Melissa win him
in a slightly different role. Yesterday, she was getting on
(32:13):
the ball a lot. I really like Alyssa. She just
has to find a way to come up with a
better end product, whether it's a goal or the final pass.
You know, she does so many good things and then
sometimes it just runs into a colder sack or doesn't
get the shot away.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Or you know.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
I feel like if she had scored that goal yesterday,
it would have, you know, put a real spring in
her step, you know, for the season moving forward. She
strikes me as a confidence player. When things don't work out,
sometimes the shoulder slump just a little bit and she's
picked up again and back into it. But yeah, I
think she can be a She can be a really
important player for them as well. Pottydoor Park's great two birch.
(32:55):
I'm not sure whether you've had the chance to watch
a football game there, but it's so much better for
the women games than sky stadiums.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Oh, it looked, it looked great, It sounded great. It
must be really cool as a fan. And I'm sure
when you talk to the players they say we love it.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
They do, they do, and the fans love it too.
You are literally right there, you know, on top of them.
You can stand pretty much anywhere around the ground, it's
like an old fashioned sort of a suburban ground where
there's not too many places you can't go. I was
just leaning on the fence behind the goal. I felt
like I was at a lower league match in England,
(33:33):
you know, sort of just sort of yelling advice from
behind one of the goals. And look, the Phoenix will
play most of their games there this season, including their
next one back at Pottydoor Park next Sunday four o'clock.
They face Melbourne Victory, who are the early competition leaders
and last season's beaten finalists. And that penalty shootout against
(33:54):
the Mariners, so another stiff task. You know we wrote
last week off is kind of like the occasion kind
of got the better of them yesterday. I don't know,
just to go back to it bit, it felt like
a game that the Phoenix you know, would have targeted.
They you know, Newcastle aren't a front runner in the
competition by any stretch of the imagination. They do have
good players and elite included, but it's a game I'm
(34:15):
sure they will have targeted for their first victory.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Yeah, you've got to You've got to find a way
to win those kind of games if you're going to
have a big campaign. That's that's the thing. And maybe
it's I mean, you made a good point. All the
players they're missing, it's never part of the plan. Fraser
is a big loss. You know what she can do
those imports, but maybe it's about variation and trying some
(34:41):
different things as well. If if Plan A is not working,
we do give them a bit of grace because as
I said before, they're still becoming a team and they're
playing against all these established teams. But they need liftoff soon,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
That That is that is exactly what they need. They
they need their first win. It'll be tough against Melbourne Victory.
They're a good side, but imagine the boost they would
give themselves if they welcomed a quality team like Melbourne
Victory to put it to a park and got the
win there next weekend. I think that would give them
that lift off. It would give them a real spring
in their step in and a boost at the start
(35:19):
of their season.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Well, because the other thing is historically this team, this
club haven't traveled well have they noticed team? So okay,
it's a new group, but still it takes a while
to get used to the travel and there's a whole
lot of players that haven't had success traveling, so that
means you've got to bank your points at home and
learn to win games on the road, which is tough.
(35:42):
I mean every team struggles with that, the trans tasment.
It's a really, really difficult scenario.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And they've got quite a bit of a coming up.
After victory, they're away at Melbourne City, another good team,
then all the way over to Western Australia to face
Perth Glory. They welcome Sydney to Polydor Park and then
away again just before the end of the year against
Western Sydney. So while their first three games are all
at home, three of the next four and in fact
four of the next five if we go into January
(36:11):
where they've got to go to Brisbane are away. So
they're about to face exactly what you said, that tough
Trans Tasman travel, you know, week to week. Whether they'll
stay over there for a couple of those games not sure,
but yeah, they've always found it harder to win away
than to win at home, so yeah, be nice to
chalk up the first victory at home against Melbourne Victory
(36:33):
on Sunday, the Aleague Men's competition also resumes this weekend
after the international break. Both Auckland f C and Wellington
Phoenix at home Saturday at Sky Stadium, the Phoenix up
against MacArthur and then on Sunday at Go Media Auckland
f C up against Brisbane Raw being sing to see
how Wellington bounced back from Darby defeat. They managed to
(36:53):
win their first game after the first derby last year.
From memory, they went away and had a win which
got them got the little bit of confidence the Mariners
I think they beat after they lost the first rugby.
And for Auckland f C, well they just sort of
kind of keep on keeping on, don't they. I wouldn't
be at all surprising if Auckland welcome Brisbane to go
Media and and and just take another three points.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Yeah, although it'll be who they got out.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
You know, they've got Dan Hall will be out suspended,
They've got Sacuy out, They've got I guess, I guess
Nando comes back and for Dan Hall. But Drake Brimmer,
I assume unless he's done who.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Was the was it?
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Riggs Mel Gibson's character in Lethal Weapon, unless he's done
a where he just puts the shoulder back in with
the filing cabinet twice twice a movie.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
Unless he's done that, I can't see him playing after
a shoulder dislocation just a week later. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
I think I think I heard I heard their thinking
sort of two weeks minimum. So that's that's a few players.
Roon as well, Rogerson out, Rogerson as well. Francis who ye,
Francis France is traveling back? Would you do you play?
Do you play Francis and Jesse straight off the plane
because they women, they get back, they get back Friday morning.
(38:08):
I would say, so it's a Sunday game. Do you
still play them both?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I think I kind of think you have to, because
if you don't play Francis, who plays left back, you
know that he's just you know, he started every single
game for Auckland f C. Like across their entire first
season and the first well four or five games of
the second. He started every single game. I don't even
know who the backup left back is. I'm sure there's somebody,
(38:33):
but I don't know who it is.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
He's gone from being you know, unwanted to to indispensable
in terms of and even for the all It's like
he's just yeah, that's crazy. Who who is the backup?
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well, I think it's probably probably Killen, It's probably Kellan Elliott,
but he's obviously he's on the other side covering Herochi Sarki.
So look, I'm I'm sure Steve Corick has got it
worked out. He'll he'll have a plan if Francis jumps
off the plane and isn't one hundred percent. It's quite
a big ask, isn't it. You know, to get all
the way back from from the States, as you say,
probably arriving Friday morning local time, and just over forty
(39:10):
eight hours later, you've got to go and play an
a league match. So for both Francis and Jesse, and
I guess Alex Rufe didn't take any part at all
in the game against Columbia, but may may play some
part against Ecuador. He's got to do the same thing,
and he's got one fewer day because if he gets
back on Friday, they're playing on Saturday. So yeah, but
then that is the nature of it, isn't it. And
(39:31):
none of these players are ever going to turn down
the opportunity to represent their national side, especially with a
World Cup so close. That is football fever for today.
Birch heaps to talk about us always mate, have a
great week. We'll see you next Monday.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Ah can't wait, mate,
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