November 30, 2025 • 43 mins
Jason Pine and Michael Burgess review the latest round of A-League men's action ahead of this weekend's New Zealand derby.
Wellington Phoenix rebound from consecutive defeats to beat Adelaide United 2-1 in the capital sunshine, but Auckland FC suffer a rare home defeat, going down 2-1 to Newcastle in treacherous conditions.
Meantime, the Football Ferns slump to a heavy loss against Australia, and an All Whites midfielder is a Norwegian champion.
Football Fever is your podcast to follow the beautiful game in New Zealand.
New episodes every Monday!
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Football Fever, the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Pain
and Ensen Herald's Michael Burgess, powered by News Talks MBI
great to have.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You along to a fresh episode of Football Fever right
at the start of December as we cover off all
footballing matters from New Zealand, the aleg sides, our national
teams and anything else that crosses our radar. Round six
of the A League Men's is in the books. I'm
Jason Pine. Michael Burgess is here. Have you dried out yet?
After yesterday? That was quite something at Go Media Stadium yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Seriously, I was standing there looking out from the media
box We're lucky to be undercover, of course, and just
could not believe what I was seeing. So much admiration
for the fans that stuck around. A lot of them
retreated to appatis, but the port were incredible. A lot
of them stayed and they're still singing. But the rain
was just I haven't seen a pitch get like that
(01:02):
in my career of covering football. It was quite remarkable.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I was watching on television and it was just astonishing.
You know, in the wide shot you don't really get
an idea of how heavy the rain is. But when
they do the close up shots and you see the
rain coming down against a dark background, for example, it
was just utterly torrential birds, just biblical stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
How on earth? How on Earth?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
In fact, they almost didn't did they. I was gonna say,
how on earth did they finish the game?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Did you?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
When they came together, the officials and others came together
at around sort of the seventy five minute mark, did
you think there was a serious danger they might call
it off? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah, we were sitting there thinking they've probably got to
because it was getting to that point of is this dangerous?
Is this unplayable? And the referee had another chat about
the eighty fourth minute with both captains, and you thought
he was probably saying, guys, I could end this any second,
but to his credit, he sort of persevered because it
as complicated if you end it. And the rain did
(02:00):
start to abate, so everything came together. But at one
point when I think Auckland had been attacking for a
long time you probably remember this, and then they suddenly
were back down in the Auckland defensive end, and that
penalt era was worse, just sploshing through the puddles and
Michael Veld came out to try and get the ball.
He lost it because the ball's floating. It was just
(02:21):
just crazy. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
It was really quite something to see. Actually, we must
well stay on this game now that we've started talking
about it. It's not chronological by any stretch of the imagination.
But let's start with Auckland f C against Newcastle yesterday.
The last twenty minutes were tough to judge, weren't they,
because of what we've just talked about.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
It was.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It was really quite fastical at times, one of those
where you know, the ball couldn't go more than about
a meter on the ground the players are trying to
keep it in the air. But I think we can
judge the first seventy minutes of this game in you
know you in regular fashion. Auckland FC won Newcastle Jets two.
First loss of the season for Auckland f C. Just
(02:59):
the se second of a regular season defeat at home
against a side that started the weekend at the bottom
of the table. Your match report starts with something along
the lines of nobody saw this coming. This was a shock,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
It was a huge shock. I mean, we talked last
week on the podcast Piney about I wouldn't want to
be Newcastle. You know, Auckland will be fired up. Who
knows what could happen. But Newcastle were probably good value
for the result too, like they got lucky at times,
but they had chances as well, so it wasn't as
(03:34):
if they didn't deserve to win. They played really well
for a team at the bottom of the table that
I think had conceded what fourteen goals coming into that match.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, nuts and bolts of it. They came out fast
Newcastle and this is something they've done quite a bit
this season, that's to get on the front fot early.
And they scored after watch just three minutes well, Dobson
seizing onto a muffed clearance by Dan Hall and lashing
it into the roof of the knee. Louis Vustrata scored
shortly after that. Normal service we all thought was going
to resume one all after quarter of an hour. But
(04:06):
then right at the end of the first half it
was a rather unusual goal, wasn't it. Lochland Rose scoring
for Newcastle and the forty first everybody just seemed to stop.
Everybody assumed that Lachland Rose was going to be off side.
It was a nice finish, but similar to the was
it the Adelaide game when they scored just before halftime,
it's become I don't know whether it's a habit, but
(04:28):
it just seemed it was like all of a sudden
Newcastle were back in front.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
It was it's a terrible time to concede. I think
the Adelaide was even worse. It was what was it
forty seventh minute or something. And yeah, you still wonder
how it happened, because, as you say, he looked. You
looked at it and thought, oh, he must be miles
off side, and then you watched the replay and he
was miles on side. The ball snuck through to him.
It seemed to take a slight deflection, didn't it off
(04:56):
off Dan Hall, but he had three defenders come Adam
the midfield of that played the pass, another midfielder rite
on him. So it was another moment of Auckland switching off,
which we just didn't really see that much last season.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No we didn't. And I can just note from your
voice just this little bit of trepidation might be the
right word or just a little bit of doubt. Do
Auckland FC have the stumbles? Are they?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Are?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
They just teetering ever so slightly. It's only round six,
they're one point off the top of the table. But
this is not the Auckland f C we came to
know last season? Is it?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Exactly? Because last season at the stage they just conceded
their first goal. Yes, what was it, Costa? I think,
wasn't it yep? With fifteen minutes to go in this
in round six this season, I mean to lose to
Newcastle home after drawing with the Brisbane who are improved. Yeah,
there will be there will be some worries that they
(05:59):
just haven't settled. The bones of a good team is
there and I think I think they'll they'll definitely come right.
But this wasn't in the script and they just haven't
quite settled into things. And for some reason they're just
a bit more porous defensively. We got so used to
them being so hard to crack. But I don't know
what you thought, but Newcastle could have had Okay, Auckland
(06:20):
had most chances, I guess on Sunday, but Newcastle could
have had one or two more as well.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, Michael vad made a couple of good SAPs. They
did have some openings. There was a penalty not given
as well, which which was maybe worthy of discussion, was
Jack goodwould write with this raised foot. I thought if
that had been given, I'm not sure there would have
been too many arguments about it. But you're right, Newcastle
were pretty good value and it's not a smash and grab.
(06:46):
They haven't come in and Nick to lay gol and
escaped with all three points they were. They were well
worth the three points. I don't want to necessarily dwell
on absent players too much because every team goes through this.
Players are unavailable through injury, usually through suspension or whatever
it might be. But every game they play without Hiroki
(07:07):
Sakai to me, demonstrates the value of Hiroki Sakai. They're
missing him. You know, Kalin Elliot is playing well at
right back, but they're missing the greater influence that Hiroki
Sakai has.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Just the layers that he brings. Isn't it the layers
to his game, the layers he adds to the team's game.
I mean he's expected to be back the week after
the derby. I watched him at training last Wednesday, and
he was he wasn't training with the team, but he
was doing quite a bit by himself into what you'd
see you call him maybe a three quarter pace, But
that they certainly don't to rush him because he's so valuable, Yeah,
(07:44):
underlies his importance. And also they probably missed a Kishim
or May again because he was such a vital link player.
But he hasn't been himself either this season because of
this ongoing on going.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
The issue was the reason he didn't play yesterday? That
or was it something else I think I read or
heard and might have even been you who wrote it
that he picked up a fresh injury on Friday at
training or a knock of some sort.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Was that the reason he's had this operation in the
off season, and it was always going to take a while,
so he's been playing sort of, not quite at one
hundred percent. I think they drained Coraker said they drained
something like thirty or forty mils out of his knee
midweek that had built up and he wasn't really training.
(08:32):
So hopefully he'll be right for the Derby, certainly not guaranteed.
They're trying to manage hiss Low. They know is important,
but they also know there's no point having him on
the field if he can't do what he needs to do.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
All right, Well, we'll look forward to his return. And
I was going to say, do you think there'll be
any temptation to try and get Sarkai back for the derby?
But we have to remember it is only round seven.
All of the games are worth three points and even
though this is a big game, the derby's always seemed
to be and we'll talk more about that in a moment.
They would be hamstrings are just you've got to be
(09:04):
so careful a you know. Although I did see that.
I mean, Jake Brimmer was supposed to be out for
about a month and he was out for a couple
of weeks. He came in, he seemed to get through.
It was a shoulder different, I know, but I was
surprised to see him well, first of all included in
the match day squad and then starting with the armband.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Yeah, yeah, it was. It was quite I mean, corocerates
sort have hinted at it on Wednesday and he was.
He was fully involved in training with the A team
so to speak. So I thought, oh, gee, he's actually
going to play and he must be be feeling good.
But you don't take chances with the hamstrings, especially with
older athletes like a Roki, so they wouldn't rush him back,
(09:41):
I don't think, and it wouldn't be good for the
callen as well. He's probably superfied up to face the
phoenix again.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So let's let's see if we're going to unpack what
might not be going quite right for Auckland FC. It
seems odd to say you know what's going wrong. It's
not disaster. It's a lot of the back of a
drawer that says, I say there's still second on the table,
one point off top spot.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
They could well be top.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
When we're talking next week.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It just it feels as though an attack.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I'm still not entirely convinced by Sam Cosgrove. I have
to say I don't want him to become a punching
bag for us every week on the podcast, because he
has got goals and he's picking up assistant. Indeed, it
was his headed down to Louis Vstrata which was the
assist I guess for the goal yesterday. But is the
jury still out on Sam Cosgrove.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I think it is and when we're expecting to sort
of start making our judgments after six games, which is
a decent body of work, as you say, important, very intelligent,
cushioned headed down for the goal and also played a
lovely pass through to Jesse Randall who then hit the crossbar,
you know, and of Randall scores that we're talking about
another assist. So he did some good things. But I
(10:54):
think one of the big issues for Cosgrove is that
the bench for Aucklan lift c imports are so high
because they struck gold with all five last year. All
five were sensational, weren't they. My was Judge Player of
the season, suck I could have been Player of the season,
Vistralia Giagos were just yeah that Marina was you know,
(11:17):
my my was gone about my favorite. But they're all
brilliant and so we're probably we're not used to we're
used to that. Whereas Wellington been around a much longer,
as you know, they've had so many sweet and sour imports.
They've had the Chinese guy that was I think just
signed to get some Chinese commercial interests. They had the
(11:38):
four Brazilians at the start, and then the two of
them were any good, and you know they've had so
many ups and downs, so that's one issue. But I think, uh,
he's just struggling to be effective, struggling to I guess,
have the presence that we would expect from an import striker.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I feel a little bit as though if it's not
going to be him, I don't know what Plan B
or Plan C are. I don't know what the other
attacking you know, strategies are. I presume there Jesse Randall.
Get him on the ball and he'll create. But he
was perhaps less effective yesterday than he's been in previous games.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
I feel like, I know he hasn't been available last
couple of weeks, but I'd be chucking Logan Rogerson back
in there. You know, he was so good last season
with goals, energy. He'd stay a lot wider on that
right hand side than Lachland Brook has been. Brook's kind
of been drifting inside onto his more favored left foot,
and effectively so as well.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I feel like they might miss that that, you know,
service from the right, they get it from the left
with Francis Devrees. If you've got Sam Cosgrove in there
then you know, I don't know, maybe you look to
get Rogerson into some white areas, get him into the team.
It's it's so mystifying, isn't it Because last year they
were so cohesive, so effective in defense and an attack,
(13:03):
and like I say, it's not it's not just Sam
Cosgrove's fault. He's I'm sure trying his hardest, but that
cohesion just hasn't arrived as effectively as it did last season,
and I think it is worthy of discussion.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's a bloody good point about Logan and it was
interesting that that Coroker and the postmatch presser made a
point of saying Logan will be back for the Darbin
and that'll be good as if you know he'll be
involved because his contribution last year, you just felt like
yesterday was the kind of day that he would pop
up with a goal at the far post or something.
(13:38):
He's just he's a winger who's got a bit of
a striker's instinct, doesn't He so quite a clever player.
He's been on the outer and Brooke has been good.
But you're right, he changes the structure of the tax
so much because his game is cutting in instead of
going going to the byline. So yeah, Rogerson comes back.
(13:58):
That could certainly help, But there does seem to be
a a wider cohesion there and just just there. And
the other thing would be the defense, wouldn't it the defense?
I mean, we're not used to seeing them giving up
these chances, these opportunities and these goals.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I wonder whether they might have tried Lochland Brook in
that Guzumo my ten position, and perhaps you know, because
they because My didn't play, so they brought Cam Howison
and that that to me is not like for like,
I don't know whether it would have been worth Lockland
Brook and the ten and maybe you start a Liam
Gillian or Omali Francois in that wide right position. Rogers
are not available yet, But if My is not available
(14:37):
for the derby, for example, I wonder whether they look
at Lockeybrook and the ten. Do you think that's something
Corricer would consider.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think after he hears this podcast he will. I
know he's a regular listener, But seriously, I'm just thinking
about it now because you've raised it. But it's actually
a bloody good point because Brook is so good on
his feet, so tricky and if you get him closer
to the goal and closer to the area, all he
has to do is jink one way get a shot off,
Whereas when he's out in the right, you know, he's
(15:05):
quite often quite far from the real danger areas. So yeah,
I like it. He's got the vision. He would probably
enjoy the freedom because he pops up everywhere anyway. So yeah,
I like that, mate. I think it's something that I
don't know how much he's played there in his career,
but I think it could really work.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, all right, well let's see what they do. And look,
we hope Maya is fit enough. We want everyone to
be fit. Rarely it's you know, we we're almost certain
sark I won't be there, but it'd be good to
know that Meya is coming back. Rogerson available again. Very
interesting to see what they do. So, like you say,
it's a tight table. Sydney a top. They lost and
they're Derby to Western Sydney. Over the weekend they're on
(15:45):
twelve points. Brisbane Raw with their one over Melbourne victory
went to eleven Auckland f C or on eleven. So,
like I say, if depending on how results go next weekend,
Auckland FC could very well go back to the top
of the table, but they just don't seem like I
mean last year, and I'm probably laboring the point, but
they were so impressive last year. I think there's been
(16:06):
a suggestion, and I certainly look at the roster, I
think they could be a better team when you look
at guys like the potential of Cosgrove and Brook and
a couple of others good would write in in terms
of the depth they've built, they could be a better
a team. But any aura that they had, I think
has now gone. I think that aura, if they had it,
is not there anymore. I don't think Wellington will go
(16:28):
to go Media Stadium with any fear this weekend in
the derby. We'll talk about their performance in a moment,
but I do know Auckland just had such a rosy
glow around them last season, and you know, off the
back of a couple of reasonably mediocre performances. I just
think that shine is now dulled a little bit.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Well, they were a machine, weren't they. They were a
machine last year, just so efficient and effective and could
be entertaining, and it's got a bit clunky for whatever reason.
I mean Sunday's performance was a lot better than than Brisbane.
Brisbane was really poor Sundays. There were actually, you know,
there were things to like, but it still wasn't near
(17:08):
their standards, was it. No, it wasn't all right.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We'll talk about their next assignment in a moment, because
we have to go back twenty four hours or so
now the Football.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Fever forodcast with Jason Vain and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
To a sun soaked Capital Burge on Saturday, by contrast
to what we saw in Auckland Yearesterday Wellington. I thought
Wellington was the one that had the bad weather, but
it was another cracker on Saturday, Sky Stadium, Wellington Phoenix two,
Adelaide United one. Now, last week was so bad. Really
in hindsight, I think we can say that now that
(17:42):
they've improved, but that game against MacArthur was pretty grim
stuff that Wellington Phoenix served up. My goodness, they were
so much better this weekend. More intent, more positivity, the
attacking endeavor, the crispness of their passing last week one
shot on target in the ninety three minute. In this game,
eighteen shots, ten of them on target. It was night
(18:04):
and day it was like watching a different team out there.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
It was we could use the same line from the
Mass report that no one saw this coming really either,
and they really came out with something to prove and
from the first whistle you could see, okay, oh these
guys are actually up for this. They had, you know,
the ball speed, the tempo, winning the second balls and
(18:31):
Adelaide you could say Adelaide were at flat. But I
don't know if they were flat or it was just
Wellington were first to everything.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
One of the crazy stats in this game was that
Adelaide United, one of the best attacking teams in the
comp didn't have a touch inside Wellington's penalty area until
the thirty fourth minute. That's a crazy stat, Birge, you know,
for an attacking side. They I think flat's probably the
right word. They just had no They're like Auckland actually,
(19:00):
they had no cohesion. For a team that the previous
week had dismantled effectively Melbourne City with ten men, they
just seemed so so different, a little bit lethargic. They
came to life I think at the back end of
the half and into the second half as well, but
it was all Wellington for at least the first half hour.
They deservedly opened the scoring through Alex Rufer in the
(19:23):
thirteenth minute, a well worked corner. Josh Schmitz, the Adelaide goalkeeper,
made a number of saves after the break, one particularly
eye catching one from Carlo Amiento early in the second
half to keep it at one nil. Then Remy Nazarene
with his first goal from the penalty spot, Armiento winning
that penalty. They just Wellington just looked the better side
(19:45):
and in fact, I think probably could have gone three
or four neill ahead and they might have regretted it.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Later.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Joey Garuccio on debut, pulling a goal back and a
couple of opportunities a big save from Josh Olowami at
the end from Yaya to call. I know you and
I have talked about Josh oloway Amy a lot, and
often goalkeepers find themselves in the spotlight. But I feel
like he's had a couple of pretty good games in
the last two weeks.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
He must be feeling good about himselves. Yeah, we were
probably pretty tough on him in the preseason. I questioned,
you know, if he's going to be an import goalkeeper,
he's got to be. He's got to be really really
good in standards authority in the last two weeks. So
you know it's so important for goalkeepers to be confident
and he must have that confidence. Now he's been excellent.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, he really has last couple of weeks some big saves.
That one from Tacoli at the end the end on
view is really good of that to Couilly gets a
good piece of it and it's a strong right hand
from Josh olowa Amy which effectively keeps the three points
in Wellington's bag. So yeah, massive save which will give
him a lot of confidence. A starting eleven tweek as well.
(20:54):
Dan Edwards came into the starting side. On the pre
game graphic that we were given in in the sky coverage,
it had Dan Edwards in a central defensive role Lucas
Kelly heiled pushed forward. What actually happened was Dan Edwards
went into that left wing back role and that freed
up Carlo Armiento, which I really like. In fact, you
(21:18):
can probably a little bit compare Carlo Armiento to Lachlan
Brook kind of similar players, and Armiento in that free
role I thought had a terrific game.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Well he did I mean, because he'd been really good
in the first couple of matches out wide, but then
maybe it was the Derby River and saw okay, he
can be isolated out wide. He was shut down. Wasn't
that effective? And you really want your best players, you know,
to see as much of the ball as possible and
to get them as close to the area as possible.
(21:48):
He's got such a wicked shot. He's full of confidence.
So I don't know what chee if he's thinking, but
this could be. This could be the way forward, couldn't it.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I reckon he'll stay with it. Yeah, I reckon he Well,
it looks so much better. Edwards was getting up and down,
and I mean armi Ento did that. But I think
freeing Carlo Amiento up from any real defensive responsibilities has
a lot to recommend it now, like last week, if
we hark back, I don't think he touched the ball
in the first fifteen minutes last week Carlo Armento. This
(22:17):
time around, when he gets on the ball, it's like
something will happen. He is the obvious creative force in
this team, and as you just said, if you've got
a creative force, get them on the ball in that
kind of little pocket between midfield and up top or
in the attacking third as much as you can, because
he just seems like he's really full of confidence in
(22:37):
a role like that. Maybe when he was left wing
back he kind of had to always have a second guess,
I've got to defend as well. I better not commit
myself too much. You don't worry about that in the
number ten role. I really like him there.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Yeah, I mean that's the thing these days, is the
fashion in football that everyone's got to defend, and it's
all about work rate and all that sort of thing.
But I think sometimes you've got someone that talented, who's
obviously can do so much damage, and the opposition would
be so worried about him when he does get the
ball thirty yards out, twenty yards out, give him a
(23:09):
bit of license, you know, tell him actually, you know,
you don't need to track all the way back to
your own penalty all the time. So this could be
the kind of thing that is a real doesn't turn
the season, but it's you know how you you know,
he discover things about your team and your squad as
the season goes on, especially when you've got a new
team like chief he's got. This could be a really
(23:30):
important little discovery this one.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I agree, and I think Dan Edwards will keep a spot.
I think they'll probably go with that same eleven for
the Derby, and Dan Edwards will relish that he's an
Auckland boy, grew up not far from Corbyn Piper actually
in Funga Parola, so he'll be he'll be absolutely amped
for a Derby start. I can only imagine Alex Rufer.
You said last week, and I thought it was a
(23:54):
really pertinent point that you thought it was a big
two weeks coming up for Alex Rufer, this game to
try and get Wellington back into some sort of form.
And then the Derby his goal was one thing. I
just thought he was a He had a really good game.
Alex Rufer just it was the roof of that we
came to know a couple of years ago, when he
was such a driving forces. As Wellington had one of
(24:15):
their best ever seasons, it just felt like he was
back in some ways.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yes, yes, And we'll never know how that illness affected
him last season, will we, Because you know, only he'll know,
and he wouldn't want to harp on about it and
I'm sure it was just so hard to train and
to play. But you know he should be dominating the
A League with his experience, as pedigree, his ability, and
(24:43):
if he does start to dominate matches, then that's what
can happen. And if he can dominate, well, he has
to dominate. He has to dominate the Saturday because he's
the captain. He's their most effective box to box to
box midfielder. He's he's absolutely vital and you know, like
any player, he's a confidence player and he'll have a
(25:04):
lot more now, won't he Absolutely well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
The result took Wellington to eight points, and other results
over the weekend meant that they stayed inside the top six.
They went sixth or into the into the top six
anyway after the result and it stayed that way. So
as we look at the table right now, Wellington are
tucked in there in six position. It's a very tight table,
from second place Brisbane down to tenth place Perth. It's
(25:30):
only four points, you know, So I think that's what
we want. We want a close league where nobody really
clears out too much and things things are nice and tight.
Just before we move on to look at to look
at the Derby this coming weekend. In fact, I think
we can probably do that now. I don't think there's
so much else we really have to talk about with
these two games the Derby go media this coming Saturday,
(25:54):
five o'clock Derby two of the season. The other one
not that long ago. It's just a way they've scheduled,
the the draw, the long range forecast. I've checked it out. Burge.
It's good. It's not anything like we saw yesterday in Ortland. Yeah,
there you go. Are Wellington favorite for this Derby? Or
is that drawing too long?
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Abo? Yeah, it might be, it might be a bit much,
But I did I did clumsily trying to ask Steve
Carriker yesterday if for the first time the Phoenix are
going into a Derby was more momentum than Auckland. He
didn't particularly like the question. He pointed out, you know,
they've just had one word after a couple of losses.
But my point was that with every other Derby it's
(26:35):
felt like Auckland. We're walking in, you know, walking in
with into the nightclub with a bit of swega, and
Wellington was still stuck at the back of the queue,
trying to persuade the bounces, you know or whatever. But
so whereas now it feels like Wellington have I mean,
what do you think that that was probably the best
(26:55):
performance of the season.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Wasn't it easily easily the best performance of the season. Yep,
They've played well in patches of other games, but without
a doubt that was that was the best they've played
across ninety minutes. It wasn't a ninety minute performance. But yeah,
if you if you're picking up the first six games,
what's the most impressive game they've played, it was that one.
So going into the derby, then you know, that's that's
(27:18):
the kind of springboard that I think they will need
if they were to if they for example, but if
they'd lost on the weekend, that would have been three
straight losses at home, you know, going into and one
of those was the first derby, you know, going to
a place where you know they they had absolutely no
joy last season. The first rby was okay, the second
(27:39):
one obviously they went home with their table between their legs.
But I think the nightclub analogy is a good one.
You know, they've got they've got a VIP pass to
go Media Stadium. Now they can swagger in and say yeah,
we belong here and and we're going to show you
a few of our dance moves. Not to stretch the
(27:59):
analogy too far. I don't think they are favorites. I
think Auckland f C will still be favorite by virtue
of the fact that you know of history and they're
at home, and I guess, like last week or yesterday,
we expect a response. And Steve Kraka has always made
a point about how big the Derbies are. He doesn't
mind from it chief He on the other hand, often
(28:21):
goes with the narrative of their every game's worth three points.
But Steve, I think embraces the magnitude of the Derbys,
which I really like actually, and so he'll have this
team up for it. I guess one question for you is,
given what happened in Derby won this season and the
two goals that Auckland FC scored, one of them before
(28:43):
most of the patrons had even taken their seats, do
you think the Phoenix will persist with the high line
which they weren't caught out on on the weekend. Looks
like they're starting to get the hang of it. But
do you think given what happened in the first derby.
They'll play the same way on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I don't know. I mean the goal, the goal they
conceded on Saturday was kind of was that was that
the high line getting wrong or was that just.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Actually that's yeah, that's a good I think.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yeah, it's hard to know. It's actually that's a very
good point. It was a ball through Joey Garuccio held
has run very well, similar to to Randall and the
the first with the one where he stayed on side
I think it was the second goal was it and
Joey Garucci had brilliantly to stay on side. Alligance has
played it in behind. So yeah, so so yeah, I
(29:31):
retract my statement the first the goal yesterday was on
Saturday rather was from it. So there's another goal which
has basically been caused by something that they're clearly still
getting used to. So with the stakes high again on
the weekend, will they do it again? If they don't,
I don't know what they do do? Can you do
(29:51):
half and half?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Yeah? I guess the thing with their line is it's
it's very high. It's extremely high. Auckland play high line sometimes,
but they sort of a bit more pragmatic about it,
so maybe can you moderate it a bit. I mean,
I know Chief, he's a big reader. He loves different books,
and I was just thinking about that book by the
Chinese History in the Art of War, where you know,
(30:17):
do what your enemy is not expecting. So wouldn't it
be cool if they come out with the low block
for the first twenty minutes and then Auckland's going, oh
what happened to the high line? You know, and then
they switch it up to something else, Because I think
the one thing that Wellington haunted by in these derbies
is if you look back at all four of them,
they have conceded so many crazy goals. From the first
(30:38):
derby and Wellington were to keep a mistake Isaac Hughes
heading into his own net, and the second one. I
think the other goal in the second one was they
made a mess of a keeper coming for the free kick,
made a mess of it, easy goal. The two goals
in Wellington two weeks ago, and then even in the
third derby there was they were sort of caught out
a bit with some poor defending for Marino first two goals.
(31:00):
So you know, it's hard enough to do well against Auckland.
But they've just got to stop these crazy concessions. But
I don't know what you do, Piney, because you, seduld
have made the point the other week. If you if
you're all in, you've got to just stale one. You can't.
You can't just switch depending on your opposition. You know,
No you can't. But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I'd just still like to see them just be a
bit tighter if I'm a Phoenix fan for the first
twenty minutes, as you say, just don't make any mistakes,
Just don't give Auckland a foothold into the game as
early as they have. And you know, certainly in the
first rby that that game changed after thirty seconds because
(31:45):
Auckland had scored a goal and and it was basically
a move designed by Steve Coriker for something that was
in plain sight. You know, chief he had talked about
the high line. Everyone had seen it in the first
the first game against Perth, with a sort of cut
open you know, it was it was, it was an
obvious target. So yeah, I like the idea of maybe
(32:08):
not doing it, or at least if you are going
to do it, just to be a bit more pragmatic
about it. I don't know what form that takes. Look
knowing chief, I don't think he'll change it as a strategy.
He's not going to throw it out completely. But sometimes
cut your cloth to suit a little bit. Maybe maybe
just be a bit more cautious given what history has
shown you big boost for yellow fever. You know, I
(32:31):
wonder whether there might be a few more traveling fans,
or certainly if the ones who were traveling anyway might
be going up there themselves with a bit more of
a spring in their step. You surely woul wouldn't you
after a win compared to going up there after a loss.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
And people who were thinking about it were thinking shall
we go might be saying, yeah, let's jump on the bus,
let's just grab a flight, let's do it, because this
this could be pretty compelling. This could be we sort
of say this every time with hope that this could
be the closest star. But yet, and just imagine to
your point about keeping it a bit tighter. Just imagine,
(33:06):
for example, if we get to halftime and it's Neil
Nel for a change. You know, that's then who's feeling
good and who's the pressure on? Well, Wellington are feeling
good because they're like, this could be our moment in
Auckland might be some self doubt creeping in. But if
Wellington concede again earlier ish, then then yet again, Auckland
(33:29):
have got all the momentum.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
A couple of really mouth roaring matchups. If we look
at key areas we've talked about Alex Ruffer his battle
in midfield with Jake Brimmer, you know they may well
both be captains again, or Sarko is not coming back,
a Brmer starts, he'll be captain. So there's the battle
of the captains in the in the engine room. If
Armiento does play in that ten, he comes up against
(33:51):
Louis Vstrata, you know, one of the best defensive screens
going around, you know, the Phoenix defense. I thought, actually,
guys like Isaac Hughes, Lucas Kelly Hill, Matt Sheridan. I
thought they probably had their best games of the season,
actually all three of them on the weekend. So are
they starting to get the hang of this? And then
(34:11):
you think, okay, Wellington have won one game. Is that
momentum or is it overstating it is just is it
just a one off and you know that really this
is just a clean slate for both sides going in.
Or do you believe in momentum?
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I think momentum is a big thing, and I think
the main thing is this week when when Chief is
asked like you will be hey, you know, do you
believe you can do this? Or I've a got your number?
And when the players are us the same things, they
can answer it, but it won't just be words. They'll
be there'll be belief behind those answers because they prove
to themselves on Saturday what they could do. So I
(34:50):
think the result was absolutely massive for the Phoenix and
likewise Auckland, like you said before, we don't know if
they've got the wobbles, but it's only been uncharacteristic.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
I reckon it could be the best derby yet, and
we've had some. I mean, the last one was pretty dramatic,
wasn't it eleven v nine? We had the you know
the I think the second derby last year was a
great game too up in Auckland. Yeah, really good game.
This one's got the makings of that. For me, you know,
I just feel as though something's bubbling. This game delivers
(35:26):
and I just wonder what it's going to deliver for
us on Saturday and looking forward to I think it'll
be a big crowd too. I heard talk yesterday fifteen
thousand pre sold already for the derby. You know, only
derby in Auckland this year. The other two were both
in Wellington. So look, I get the filling, the stands
will be packed, and who knows what's going to happen.
(35:48):
It's probably one of those where you can't write your
script just before we move e. Fine is a you
know what? But sometimes I think Fine is a looks
like he wouldn't be able to do a job for
you at a National League game, and then he turns
around and does something absolutely spectacular, makes a nuisance of himself,
scores a goal or creates a chance. He is an
absolute enigma, that guy, and I cannot wait to see
(36:09):
what happens next.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Well, you kind of said that about them. I think
the first or second time you watch them, you'd sort
of noticed that he was, you know, a guy that
you don't know what he's going to do. Defenders don't
know because he doesn't know, but the talent's definitely there.
And the other thing is he's still settling into the team,
the city, the structure. So I mean, but he looks
(36:32):
like a big match player, doesn't he. So he's the
kind of guy who runs out on Saturday and there's
you rightly say, I think I think it's actually up
to seventeen pre soles, so they're going to get twenty
twenty four, twenty three. He will lift, He won't be
shrinking in the shadows. He will be He's going to
be a big factor in the star. But you think yeah,
and he is. No, he's got no scars either. Has
(36:54):
a first trip to go Media for he fine and
a couple of the others in the team. So yeah,
no battle scars there. Looking forward to seeing how plays
out five o'clock. That's coming Saturday at go Media.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Good balls ever with Jason Paide and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
A couple of other things to mop up Friday nights
in Gosford. The Football Ferns taking on Australia's Matilda's Australia five.
Football Ferns nil and Australia also missed a penalty near
the end which would have made it six. We haven't
beaten Australia in women's football since nineteen ninety four. The
gap feels larger now than it ever has. The last
(37:30):
four results for New Zealand, they've lost to Mexico one
nil and two nil, six nil to the United States
five nil. Here that's fourteen goals conceded, none scored. I'm
not too sure what to think about the football Ferns
at the moment, but I think if you're playing Australia,
don't you just have to really pick your best team.
(37:51):
There's no Rebecca Stott, there's no Katie Bowen, experienced defenders
in this squad. I just wonder what the strategy is
from Michael Maine.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
He's been trying to He's cast the net really wide.
He's trying to try different things across his tenure, play
different players. He's also trying to give young players a
chance in terms of developing your culture abiding rebuilding the culture.
There has been issues with the culture, of course, but
as you say, that's okay when you're playing Mexico, you're
(38:21):
playing Costa Rica. But when you're playing a full strength
Matilda's team, you just can't. You just can't do it.
You've got to pick. You've got to pick your best,
your best eleven and I remember so many matches against
the Matilda's you would too, piiney where where the Ferns
have been under the pump? But Stotton Bowen have been
the reason that the score ended up to one or
(38:41):
one Narl or one all. You know. So they're still
they're still a class above. So I don't know, I mean,
how much time do we give the Ferns to settle
into something because the World Cup is not two Who
far away is at twenty twenty seven?
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Yeah, we're midway, aren't we?
Speaker 3 (39:03):
All?
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Well over midway? And the World Cup cycle. It's just
so difficult because just really hard to get a handle
on the football Ferns. And I know this isn't a fact,
but I wish they'd play at home more so we
could actually have a look at them here, you know,
get in and around the squad, talk to them in
a media sens that sort of stuff, and get a
handle on what they're about. But it just seems as
though home games are so few and far between. The
(39:24):
Matildas have plenty of them, you know, I think that
was their sixteenth game since the World Cup at home,
you know, and they sell it out all the time.
You know, there's still one of the hottest tickets in town.
I don't know. I guess the issue is that the
Football Ferns will qualify easily for the next World Cup
again through Oceania. But are we then just in the situation,
(39:46):
the same situation we've always been in that you know,
you get to the World Cup, but then you play
three matches and then you go home. I would hate
to think that that is what would happen, but I
haven't seen any evidence to the contrary really in the
last little while.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
Yeah. I mean that they have got time and there's
some young players in that group that will get better,
and I'm sure they'll plan a really good build up.
But it would have been nice to play Australia at home,
wouldn't it. I think they tried, but I imagine the
Matilda's and sister Now, look, we want to have both games, thanks,
and they're the big teams, so both games are over
in Australia. But there's a lot to work on when
(40:30):
you see those kind of score lines.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Yeah, indeed, Game two and Adelaide tomorrow night. It will
be a special night though for a Football Fern's legend
Annale Longo. It's been announced today will retire from international
football after tomorrow night's match. It will be her one
hundred and forty fourth cap, putting her fifth on the
all time list of Football Ferns appearance makers, fifteen goals
(40:52):
in those one hundred and forty three games up till now.
She debuted for the Ferns when she was fifteen, five
FIFA Women's World Ups and four Olympic Games. You know,
it's been quite the career, hasn't it. They call her flea,
but she is. She's towed above this Football Ferns team
for what the best part of nearly a couple of
(41:13):
decades now.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Quite a unique player, ordnacy, so so creative at her best,
had that X factor and and as you would know,
you know really well from all the commentaryork you've done
with her, a unique person as well.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Yeah, she's a great sort.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Yeah, yep.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I hope she gets some sort of some sort of
memorable send off tomorrow night, it would, you know, it
would be be nice to think that. I think they will.
I think New Zealand will hopefully lift from what happened
on Friday. I've had more time together, so hopefully they
can send Annalie Longo off and in the you know,
in the fashion that she deserves because she has been
a terrific servant for the game, continues to work in
(41:51):
the game in a development role for New Zealand Football.
As you say, bird, She's done commentary and analyst work
and has always had a very keen eye on the game.
So yeah, we wish Annali Longo all the best for
her final match in Fern's colors. And just before we go,
Joe Bell is a Norwegian champion. His Viking side had
to win their final game this morning to be assured
(42:13):
of their first title since nineteen ninety one. They did
it in style, five to one to clinch the title.
So Joe Bell a Norwegian champion. That's not a bad
way to spring board yourself into a World Cup year.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Burge, Well, he went through a fellow period, didn't he.
He went to Denmark, it didn't really work. He came
back and he sort of lost lost a bit of something,
but he's definitely back. And that's that's quite staggering. Pinty
nineteen ninety one. I guess because they're not a big
they're not from the They're they're not from Oslo or
the other big cities, are they so, I guess, but
(42:49):
that's quite something.
Speaker 2 (42:50):
Yeah, indeed it is. It's a long time between titles
for Viking, but I'd imagine the game's been finished for
several hours now, but I'd imagine most of the players
might still be up over there in Norway just celebrating
a league title, and why wouldn't you. That'll do it
for Football Fever for today. When we reconvene next Monday,
we'll have a derby to talk about. It can't get
here quickly enough for me, Birch. What are we Monday?
(43:12):
It's not till Saturday. I'm not quite sure how I'm
going to fill in the time over the next few days,
but whatever happens, look forward to seeing you in Auckland
on the weekend and back in the Football Fever studio
next Monday.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I can't wait. And I think you're banging on. I
think this is going to be the best derby.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
Yet, Fever. Football Fever
Football Fever, the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Pain
and Ensen Herald's Michael Burgess, powered by News Talks MBI
great to have.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You along to a fresh episode of Football Fever right
at the start of December as we cover off all
footballing matters from New Zealand, the aleg sides, our national
teams and anything else that crosses our radar. Round six
of the A League Men's is in the books. I'm
Jason Pine. Michael Burgess is here. Have you dried out yet?
After yesterday? That was quite something at Go Media Stadium yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Seriously, I was standing there looking out from the media
box We're lucky to be undercover, of course, and just
could not believe what I was seeing. So much admiration
for the fans that stuck around. A lot of them
retreated to appatis, but the port were incredible. A lot
of them stayed and they're still singing. But the rain
was just I haven't seen a pitch get like that
(01:02):
in my career of covering football. It was quite remarkable.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I was watching on television and it was just astonishing.
You know, in the wide shot you don't really get
an idea of how heavy the rain is. But when
they do the close up shots and you see the
rain coming down against a dark background, for example, it
was just utterly torrential birds, just biblical stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
How on earth? How on Earth?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
In fact, they almost didn't did they. I was gonna say,
how on earth did they finish the game?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Did you?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
When they came together, the officials and others came together
at around sort of the seventy five minute mark, did
you think there was a serious danger they might call
it off? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah, we were sitting there thinking they've probably got to
because it was getting to that point of is this dangerous?
Is this unplayable? And the referee had another chat about
the eighty fourth minute with both captains, and you thought
he was probably saying, guys, I could end this any second,
but to his credit, he sort of persevered because it
as complicated if you end it. And the rain did
(02:00):
start to abate, so everything came together. But at one
point when I think Auckland had been attacking for a
long time you probably remember this, and then they suddenly
were back down in the Auckland defensive end, and that
penalt era was worse, just sploshing through the puddles and
Michael Veld came out to try and get the ball.
He lost it because the ball's floating. It was just
(02:21):
just crazy. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
It was really quite something to see. Actually, we must
well stay on this game now that we've started talking
about it. It's not chronological by any stretch of the imagination.
But let's start with Auckland f C against Newcastle yesterday.
The last twenty minutes were tough to judge, weren't they,
because of what we've just talked about.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
It was.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It was really quite fastical at times, one of those
where you know, the ball couldn't go more than about
a meter on the ground the players are trying to
keep it in the air. But I think we can
judge the first seventy minutes of this game in you
know you in regular fashion. Auckland FC won Newcastle Jets two.
First loss of the season for Auckland f C. Just
(02:59):
the se second of a regular season defeat at home
against a side that started the weekend at the bottom
of the table. Your match report starts with something along
the lines of nobody saw this coming. This was a shock,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
It was a huge shock. I mean, we talked last
week on the podcast Piney about I wouldn't want to
be Newcastle. You know, Auckland will be fired up. Who
knows what could happen. But Newcastle were probably good value
for the result too, like they got lucky at times,
but they had chances as well, so it wasn't as
(03:34):
if they didn't deserve to win. They played really well
for a team at the bottom of the table that
I think had conceded what fourteen goals coming into that match.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, nuts and bolts of it. They came out fast
Newcastle and this is something they've done quite a bit
this season, that's to get on the front fot early.
And they scored after watch just three minutes well, Dobson
seizing onto a muffed clearance by Dan Hall and lashing
it into the roof of the knee. Louis Vustrata scored
shortly after that. Normal service we all thought was going
to resume one all after quarter of an hour. But
(04:06):
then right at the end of the first half it
was a rather unusual goal, wasn't it. Lochland Rose scoring
for Newcastle and the forty first everybody just seemed to stop.
Everybody assumed that Lachland Rose was going to be off side.
It was a nice finish, but similar to the was
it the Adelaide game when they scored just before halftime,
it's become I don't know whether it's a habit, but
(04:28):
it just seemed it was like all of a sudden
Newcastle were back in front.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
It was it's a terrible time to concede. I think
the Adelaide was even worse. It was what was it
forty seventh minute or something. And yeah, you still wonder
how it happened, because, as you say, he looked. You
looked at it and thought, oh, he must be miles
off side, and then you watched the replay and he
was miles on side. The ball snuck through to him.
It seemed to take a slight deflection, didn't it off
(04:56):
off Dan Hall, but he had three defenders come Adam
the midfield of that played the pass, another midfielder rite
on him. So it was another moment of Auckland switching off,
which we just didn't really see that much last season.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No we didn't. And I can just note from your
voice just this little bit of trepidation might be the
right word or just a little bit of doubt. Do
Auckland FC have the stumbles? Are they?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Are?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
They just teetering ever so slightly. It's only round six,
they're one point off the top of the table. But
this is not the Auckland f C we came to
know last season? Is it?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Exactly? Because last season at the stage they just conceded
their first goal. Yes, what was it, Costa? I think,
wasn't it yep? With fifteen minutes to go in this
in round six this season, I mean to lose to
Newcastle home after drawing with the Brisbane who are improved. Yeah,
there will be there will be some worries that they
(05:59):
just haven't settled. The bones of a good team is
there and I think I think they'll they'll definitely come right.
But this wasn't in the script and they just haven't
quite settled into things. And for some reason they're just
a bit more porous defensively. We got so used to
them being so hard to crack. But I don't know
what you thought, but Newcastle could have had Okay, Auckland
(06:20):
had most chances, I guess on Sunday, but Newcastle could
have had one or two more as well.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, Michael vad made a couple of good SAPs. They
did have some openings. There was a penalty not given
as well, which which was maybe worthy of discussion, was
Jack goodwould write with this raised foot. I thought if
that had been given, I'm not sure there would have
been too many arguments about it. But you're right, Newcastle
were pretty good value and it's not a smash and grab.
(06:46):
They haven't come in and Nick to lay gol and
escaped with all three points they were. They were well
worth the three points. I don't want to necessarily dwell
on absent players too much because every team goes through this.
Players are unavailable through injury, usually through suspension or whatever
it might be. But every game they play without Hiroki
(07:07):
Sakai to me, demonstrates the value of Hiroki Sakai. They're
missing him. You know, Kalin Elliot is playing well at
right back, but they're missing the greater influence that Hiroki
Sakai has.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Just the layers that he brings. Isn't it the layers
to his game, the layers he adds to the team's game.
I mean he's expected to be back the week after
the derby. I watched him at training last Wednesday, and
he was he wasn't training with the team, but he
was doing quite a bit by himself into what you'd
see you call him maybe a three quarter pace, But
that they certainly don't to rush him because he's so valuable, Yeah,
(07:44):
underlies his importance. And also they probably missed a Kishim
or May again because he was such a vital link player.
But he hasn't been himself either this season because of
this ongoing on going.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
The issue was the reason he didn't play yesterday? That
or was it something else I think I read or
heard and might have even been you who wrote it
that he picked up a fresh injury on Friday at
training or a knock of some sort.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Was that the reason he's had this operation in the
off season, and it was always going to take a while,
so he's been playing sort of, not quite at one
hundred percent. I think they drained Coraker said they drained
something like thirty or forty mils out of his knee
midweek that had built up and he wasn't really training.
(08:32):
So hopefully he'll be right for the Derby, certainly not guaranteed.
They're trying to manage hiss Low. They know is important,
but they also know there's no point having him on
the field if he can't do what he needs to do.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
All right, Well, we'll look forward to his return. And
I was going to say, do you think there'll be
any temptation to try and get Sarkai back for the derby?
But we have to remember it is only round seven.
All of the games are worth three points and even
though this is a big game, the derby's always seemed
to be and we'll talk more about that in a moment.
They would be hamstrings are just you've got to be
(09:04):
so careful a you know. Although I did see that.
I mean, Jake Brimmer was supposed to be out for
about a month and he was out for a couple
of weeks. He came in, he seemed to get through.
It was a shoulder different, I know, but I was
surprised to see him well, first of all included in
the match day squad and then starting with the armband.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Yeah, yeah, it was. It was quite I mean, corocerates
sort have hinted at it on Wednesday and he was.
He was fully involved in training with the A team
so to speak. So I thought, oh, gee, he's actually
going to play and he must be be feeling good.
But you don't take chances with the hamstrings, especially with
older athletes like a Roki, so they wouldn't rush him back,
(09:41):
I don't think, and it wouldn't be good for the
callen as well. He's probably superfied up to face the
phoenix again.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So let's let's see if we're going to unpack what
might not be going quite right for Auckland FC. It
seems odd to say you know what's going wrong. It's
not disaster. It's a lot of the back of a
drawer that says, I say there's still second on the table,
one point off top spot.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
They could well be top.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
When we're talking next week.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It just it feels as though an attack.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I'm still not entirely convinced by Sam Cosgrove. I have
to say I don't want him to become a punching
bag for us every week on the podcast, because he
has got goals and he's picking up assistant. Indeed, it
was his headed down to Louis Vstrata which was the
assist I guess for the goal yesterday. But is the
jury still out on Sam Cosgrove.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I think it is and when we're expecting to sort
of start making our judgments after six games, which is
a decent body of work, as you say, important, very intelligent,
cushioned headed down for the goal and also played a
lovely pass through to Jesse Randall who then hit the crossbar,
you know, and of Randall scores that we're talking about
another assist. So he did some good things. But I
(10:54):
think one of the big issues for Cosgrove is that
the bench for Aucklan lift c imports are so high
because they struck gold with all five last year. All
five were sensational, weren't they. My was Judge Player of
the season, suck I could have been Player of the season,
Vistralia Giagos were just yeah that Marina was you know,
(11:17):
my my was gone about my favorite. But they're all
brilliant and so we're probably we're not used to we're
used to that. Whereas Wellington been around a much longer,
as you know, they've had so many sweet and sour imports.
They've had the Chinese guy that was I think just
signed to get some Chinese commercial interests. They had the
(11:38):
four Brazilians at the start, and then the two of
them were any good, and you know they've had so
many ups and downs, so that's one issue. But I think, uh,
he's just struggling to be effective, struggling to I guess,
have the presence that we would expect from an import striker.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I feel a little bit as though if it's not
going to be him, I don't know what Plan B
or Plan C are. I don't know what the other
attacking you know, strategies are. I presume there Jesse Randall.
Get him on the ball and he'll create. But he
was perhaps less effective yesterday than he's been in previous games.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
I feel like, I know he hasn't been available last
couple of weeks, but I'd be chucking Logan Rogerson back
in there. You know, he was so good last season
with goals, energy. He'd stay a lot wider on that
right hand side than Lachland Brook has been. Brook's kind
of been drifting inside onto his more favored left foot,
and effectively so as well.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I feel like they might miss that that, you know,
service from the right, they get it from the left
with Francis Devrees. If you've got Sam Cosgrove in there
then you know, I don't know, maybe you look to
get Rogerson into some white areas, get him into the team.
It's it's so mystifying, isn't it Because last year they
were so cohesive, so effective in defense and an attack,
(13:03):
and like I say, it's not it's not just Sam
Cosgrove's fault. He's I'm sure trying his hardest, but that
cohesion just hasn't arrived as effectively as it did last season,
and I think it is worthy of discussion.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's a bloody good point about Logan and it was
interesting that that Coroker and the postmatch presser made a
point of saying Logan will be back for the Darbin
and that'll be good as if you know he'll be
involved because his contribution last year, you just felt like
yesterday was the kind of day that he would pop
up with a goal at the far post or something.
(13:38):
He's just he's a winger who's got a bit of
a striker's instinct, doesn't He so quite a clever player.
He's been on the outer and Brooke has been good.
But you're right, he changes the structure of the tax
so much because his game is cutting in instead of
going going to the byline. So yeah, Rogerson comes back.
(13:58):
That could certainly help, But there does seem to be
a a wider cohesion there and just just there. And
the other thing would be the defense, wouldn't it the defense?
I mean, we're not used to seeing them giving up
these chances, these opportunities and these goals.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
I wonder whether they might have tried Lochland Brook in
that Guzumo my ten position, and perhaps you know, because
they because My didn't play, so they brought Cam Howison
and that that to me is not like for like,
I don't know whether it would have been worth Lockland
Brook and the ten and maybe you start a Liam
Gillian or Omali Francois in that wide right position. Rogers
are not available yet, But if My is not available
(14:37):
for the derby, for example, I wonder whether they look
at Lockeybrook and the ten. Do you think that's something
Corricer would consider.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think after he hears this podcast he will. I
know he's a regular listener, But seriously, I'm just thinking
about it now because you've raised it. But it's actually
a bloody good point because Brook is so good on
his feet, so tricky and if you get him closer
to the goal and closer to the area, all he
has to do is jink one way get a shot off,
Whereas when he's out in the right, you know, he's
(15:05):
quite often quite far from the real danger areas. So yeah,
I like it. He's got the vision. He would probably
enjoy the freedom because he pops up everywhere anyway. So yeah,
I like that, mate. I think it's something that I
don't know how much he's played there in his career,
but I think it could really work.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, all right, well let's see what they do. And look,
we hope Maya is fit enough. We want everyone to
be fit. Rarely it's you know, we we're almost certain
sark I won't be there, but it'd be good to
know that Meya is coming back. Rogerson available again. Very
interesting to see what they do. So, like you say,
it's a tight table. Sydney a top. They lost and
they're Derby to Western Sydney. Over the weekend they're on
(15:45):
twelve points. Brisbane Raw with their one over Melbourne victory
went to eleven Auckland f C or on eleven. So,
like I say, if depending on how results go next weekend,
Auckland FC could very well go back to the top
of the table, but they just don't seem like I
mean last year, and I'm probably laboring the point, but
they were so impressive last year. I think there's been
(16:06):
a suggestion, and I certainly look at the roster, I
think they could be a better team when you look
at guys like the potential of Cosgrove and Brook and
a couple of others good would write in in terms
of the depth they've built, they could be a better
a team. But any aura that they had, I think
has now gone. I think that aura, if they had it,
is not there anymore. I don't think Wellington will go
(16:28):
to go Media Stadium with any fear this weekend in
the derby. We'll talk about their performance in a moment,
but I do know Auckland just had such a rosy
glow around them last season, and you know, off the
back of a couple of reasonably mediocre performances. I just
think that shine is now dulled a little bit.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Well, they were a machine, weren't they. They were a
machine last year, just so efficient and effective and could
be entertaining, and it's got a bit clunky for whatever reason.
I mean Sunday's performance was a lot better than than Brisbane.
Brisbane was really poor Sundays. There were actually, you know,
there were things to like, but it still wasn't near
(17:08):
their standards, was it. No, it wasn't all right.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We'll talk about their next assignment in a moment, because
we have to go back twenty four hours or so
now the Football.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Fever forodcast with Jason Vain and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
To a sun soaked Capital Burge on Saturday, by contrast
to what we saw in Auckland Yearesterday Wellington. I thought
Wellington was the one that had the bad weather, but
it was another cracker on Saturday, Sky Stadium, Wellington Phoenix two,
Adelaide United one. Now, last week was so bad. Really
in hindsight, I think we can say that now that
(17:42):
they've improved, but that game against MacArthur was pretty grim
stuff that Wellington Phoenix served up. My goodness, they were
so much better this weekend. More intent, more positivity, the
attacking endeavor, the crispness of their passing last week one
shot on target in the ninety three minute. In this game,
eighteen shots, ten of them on target. It was night
(18:04):
and day it was like watching a different team out there.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
It was we could use the same line from the
Mass report that no one saw this coming really either,
and they really came out with something to prove and
from the first whistle you could see, okay, oh these
guys are actually up for this. They had, you know,
the ball speed, the tempo, winning the second balls and
(18:31):
Adelaide you could say Adelaide were at flat. But I
don't know if they were flat or it was just
Wellington were first to everything.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
One of the crazy stats in this game was that
Adelaide United, one of the best attacking teams in the
comp didn't have a touch inside Wellington's penalty area until
the thirty fourth minute. That's a crazy stat, Birge, you know,
for an attacking side. They I think flat's probably the
right word. They just had no They're like Auckland actually,
(19:00):
they had no cohesion. For a team that the previous
week had dismantled effectively Melbourne City with ten men, they
just seemed so so different, a little bit lethargic. They
came to life I think at the back end of
the half and into the second half as well, but
it was all Wellington for at least the first half hour.
They deservedly opened the scoring through Alex Rufer in the
(19:23):
thirteenth minute, a well worked corner. Josh Schmitz, the Adelaide goalkeeper,
made a number of saves after the break, one particularly
eye catching one from Carlo Amiento early in the second
half to keep it at one nil. Then Remy Nazarene
with his first goal from the penalty spot, Armiento winning
that penalty. They just Wellington just looked the better side
(19:45):
and in fact, I think probably could have gone three
or four neill ahead and they might have regretted it.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Later.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Joey Garuccio on debut, pulling a goal back and a
couple of opportunities a big save from Josh Olowami at
the end from Yaya to call. I know you and
I have talked about Josh oloway Amy a lot, and
often goalkeepers find themselves in the spotlight. But I feel
like he's had a couple of pretty good games in
the last two weeks.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
He must be feeling good about himselves. Yeah, we were
probably pretty tough on him in the preseason. I questioned,
you know, if he's going to be an import goalkeeper,
he's got to be. He's got to be really really
good in standards authority in the last two weeks. So
you know it's so important for goalkeepers to be confident
and he must have that confidence. Now he's been excellent.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, he really has last couple of weeks some big saves.
That one from Tacoli at the end the end on
view is really good of that to Couilly gets a
good piece of it and it's a strong right hand
from Josh olowa Amy which effectively keeps the three points
in Wellington's bag. So yeah, massive save which will give
him a lot of confidence. A starting eleven tweek as well.
(20:54):
Dan Edwards came into the starting side. On the pre
game graphic that we were given in in the sky coverage,
it had Dan Edwards in a central defensive role Lucas
Kelly heiled pushed forward. What actually happened was Dan Edwards
went into that left wing back role and that freed
up Carlo Armiento, which I really like. In fact, you
(21:18):
can probably a little bit compare Carlo Armiento to Lachlan
Brook kind of similar players, and Armiento in that free
role I thought had a terrific game.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Well he did I mean, because he'd been really good
in the first couple of matches out wide, but then
maybe it was the Derby River and saw okay, he
can be isolated out wide. He was shut down. Wasn't
that effective? And you really want your best players, you know,
to see as much of the ball as possible and
to get them as close to the area as possible.
(21:48):
He's got such a wicked shot. He's full of confidence.
So I don't know what chee if he's thinking, but
this could be. This could be the way forward, couldn't it.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I reckon he'll stay with it. Yeah, I reckon he Well,
it looks so much better. Edwards was getting up and down,
and I mean armi Ento did that. But I think
freeing Carlo Amiento up from any real defensive responsibilities has
a lot to recommend it now, like last week, if
we hark back, I don't think he touched the ball
in the first fifteen minutes last week Carlo Armento. This
(22:17):
time around, when he gets on the ball, it's like
something will happen. He is the obvious creative force in
this team, and as you just said, if you've got
a creative force, get them on the ball in that
kind of little pocket between midfield and up top or
in the attacking third as much as you can, because
he just seems like he's really full of confidence in
(22:37):
a role like that. Maybe when he was left wing
back he kind of had to always have a second guess,
I've got to defend as well. I better not commit
myself too much. You don't worry about that in the
number ten role. I really like him there.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Yeah, I mean that's the thing these days, is the
fashion in football that everyone's got to defend, and it's
all about work rate and all that sort of thing.
But I think sometimes you've got someone that talented, who's
obviously can do so much damage, and the opposition would
be so worried about him when he does get the
ball thirty yards out, twenty yards out, give him a
(23:09):
bit of license, you know, tell him actually, you know,
you don't need to track all the way back to
your own penalty all the time. So this could be
the kind of thing that is a real doesn't turn
the season, but it's you know how you you know,
he discover things about your team and your squad as
the season goes on, especially when you've got a new
team like chief he's got. This could be a really
(23:30):
important little discovery this one.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I agree, and I think Dan Edwards will keep a spot.
I think they'll probably go with that same eleven for
the Derby, and Dan Edwards will relish that he's an
Auckland boy, grew up not far from Corbyn Piper actually
in Funga Parola, so he'll be he'll be absolutely amped
for a Derby start. I can only imagine Alex Rufer.
You said last week, and I thought it was a
(23:54):
really pertinent point that you thought it was a big
two weeks coming up for Alex Rufer, this game to
try and get Wellington back into some sort of form.
And then the Derby his goal was one thing. I
just thought he was a He had a really good game.
Alex Rufer just it was the roof of that we
came to know a couple of years ago, when he
was such a driving forces. As Wellington had one of
(24:15):
their best ever seasons, it just felt like he was
back in some ways.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yes, yes, And we'll never know how that illness affected
him last season, will we, Because you know, only he'll know,
and he wouldn't want to harp on about it and
I'm sure it was just so hard to train and
to play. But you know he should be dominating the
A League with his experience, as pedigree, his ability, and
(24:43):
if he does start to dominate matches, then that's what
can happen. And if he can dominate, well, he has
to dominate. He has to dominate the Saturday because he's
the captain. He's their most effective box to box to
box midfielder. He's he's absolutely vital and you know, like
any player, he's a confidence player and he'll have a
(25:04):
lot more now, won't he Absolutely well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
The result took Wellington to eight points, and other results
over the weekend meant that they stayed inside the top six.
They went sixth or into the into the top six
anyway after the result and it stayed that way. So
as we look at the table right now, Wellington are
tucked in there in six position. It's a very tight table,
from second place Brisbane down to tenth place Perth. It's
(25:30):
only four points, you know, So I think that's what
we want. We want a close league where nobody really
clears out too much and things things are nice and tight.
Just before we move on to look at to look
at the Derby this coming weekend. In fact, I think
we can probably do that now. I don't think there's
so much else we really have to talk about with
these two games the Derby go media this coming Saturday,
(25:54):
five o'clock Derby two of the season. The other one
not that long ago. It's just a way they've scheduled,
the the draw, the long range forecast. I've checked it out. Burge.
It's good. It's not anything like we saw yesterday in Ortland. Yeah,
there you go. Are Wellington favorite for this Derby? Or
is that drawing too long?
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Abo? Yeah, it might be, it might be a bit much,
But I did I did clumsily trying to ask Steve
Carriker yesterday if for the first time the Phoenix are
going into a Derby was more momentum than Auckland. He
didn't particularly like the question. He pointed out, you know,
they've just had one word after a couple of losses.
But my point was that with every other Derby it's
(26:35):
felt like Auckland. We're walking in, you know, walking in
with into the nightclub with a bit of swega, and
Wellington was still stuck at the back of the queue,
trying to persuade the bounces, you know or whatever. But
so whereas now it feels like Wellington have I mean,
what do you think that that was probably the best
(26:55):
performance of the season.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Wasn't it easily easily the best performance of the season. Yep,
They've played well in patches of other games, but without
a doubt that was that was the best they've played
across ninety minutes. It wasn't a ninety minute performance. But yeah,
if you if you're picking up the first six games,
what's the most impressive game they've played, it was that one.
So going into the derby, then you know, that's that's
(27:18):
the kind of springboard that I think they will need
if they were to if they for example, but if
they'd lost on the weekend, that would have been three
straight losses at home, you know, going into and one
of those was the first derby, you know, going to
a place where you know they they had absolutely no
joy last season. The first rby was okay, the second
(27:39):
one obviously they went home with their table between their legs.
But I think the nightclub analogy is a good one.
You know, they've got they've got a VIP pass to
go Media Stadium. Now they can swagger in and say yeah,
we belong here and and we're going to show you
a few of our dance moves. Not to stretch the
(27:59):
analogy too far. I don't think they are favorites. I
think Auckland f C will still be favorite by virtue
of the fact that you know of history and they're
at home, and I guess, like last week or yesterday,
we expect a response. And Steve Kraka has always made
a point about how big the Derbies are. He doesn't
mind from it chief He on the other hand, often
(28:21):
goes with the narrative of their every game's worth three points.
But Steve, I think embraces the magnitude of the Derbys,
which I really like actually, and so he'll have this
team up for it. I guess one question for you is,
given what happened in Derby won this season and the
two goals that Auckland FC scored, one of them before
(28:43):
most of the patrons had even taken their seats, do
you think the Phoenix will persist with the high line
which they weren't caught out on on the weekend. Looks
like they're starting to get the hang of it. But
do you think given what happened in the first derby.
They'll play the same way on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I don't know. I mean the goal, the goal they
conceded on Saturday was kind of was that was that
the high line getting wrong or was that just.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Actually that's yeah, that's a good I think.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yeah, it's hard to know. It's actually that's a very
good point. It was a ball through Joey Garuccio held
has run very well, similar to to Randall and the
the first with the one where he stayed on side
I think it was the second goal was it and
Joey Garucci had brilliantly to stay on side. Alligance has
played it in behind. So yeah, so so yeah, I
(29:31):
retract my statement the first the goal yesterday was on
Saturday rather was from it. So there's another goal which
has basically been caused by something that they're clearly still
getting used to. So with the stakes high again on
the weekend, will they do it again? If they don't,
I don't know what they do do? Can you do
(29:51):
half and half?
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Yeah? I guess the thing with their line is it's
it's very high. It's extremely high. Auckland play high line sometimes,
but they sort of a bit more pragmatic about it,
so maybe can you moderate it a bit. I mean,
I know Chief, he's a big reader. He loves different books,
and I was just thinking about that book by the
Chinese History in the Art of War, where you know,
(30:17):
do what your enemy is not expecting. So wouldn't it
be cool if they come out with the low block
for the first twenty minutes and then Auckland's going, oh
what happened to the high line? You know, and then
they switch it up to something else, Because I think
the one thing that Wellington haunted by in these derbies
is if you look back at all four of them,
they have conceded so many crazy goals. From the first
(30:38):
derby and Wellington were to keep a mistake Isaac Hughes
heading into his own net, and the second one. I
think the other goal in the second one was they
made a mess of a keeper coming for the free kick,
made a mess of it, easy goal. The two goals
in Wellington two weeks ago, and then even in the
third derby there was they were sort of caught out
a bit with some poor defending for Marino first two goals.
(31:00):
So you know, it's hard enough to do well against Auckland.
But they've just got to stop these crazy concessions. But
I don't know what you do, Piney, because you, seduld
have made the point the other week. If you if
you're all in, you've got to just stale one. You can't.
You can't just switch depending on your opposition. You know,
No you can't. But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I'd just still like to see them just be a
bit tighter if I'm a Phoenix fan for the first
twenty minutes, as you say, just don't make any mistakes,
Just don't give Auckland a foothold into the game as
early as they have. And you know, certainly in the
first rby that that game changed after thirty seconds because
(31:45):
Auckland had scored a goal and and it was basically
a move designed by Steve Coriker for something that was
in plain sight. You know, chief he had talked about
the high line. Everyone had seen it in the first
the first game against Perth, with a sort of cut
open you know, it was it was, it was an
obvious target. So yeah, I like the idea of maybe
(32:08):
not doing it, or at least if you are going
to do it, just to be a bit more pragmatic
about it. I don't know what form that takes. Look
knowing chief, I don't think he'll change it as a strategy.
He's not going to throw it out completely. But sometimes
cut your cloth to suit a little bit. Maybe maybe
just be a bit more cautious given what history has
shown you big boost for yellow fever. You know, I
(32:31):
wonder whether there might be a few more traveling fans,
or certainly if the ones who were traveling anyway might
be going up there themselves with a bit more of
a spring in their step. You surely woul wouldn't you
after a win compared to going up there after a loss.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
And people who were thinking about it were thinking shall
we go might be saying, yeah, let's jump on the bus,
let's just grab a flight, let's do it, because this
this could be pretty compelling. This could be we sort
of say this every time with hope that this could
be the closest star. But yet, and just imagine to
your point about keeping it a bit tighter. Just imagine,
(33:06):
for example, if we get to halftime and it's Neil
Nel for a change. You know, that's then who's feeling
good and who's the pressure on? Well, Wellington are feeling
good because they're like, this could be our moment in
Auckland might be some self doubt creeping in. But if
Wellington concede again earlier ish, then then yet again, Auckland
(33:29):
have got all the momentum.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
A couple of really mouth roaring matchups. If we look
at key areas we've talked about Alex Ruffer his battle
in midfield with Jake Brimmer, you know they may well
both be captains again, or Sarko is not coming back,
a Brmer starts, he'll be captain. So there's the battle
of the captains in the in the engine room. If
Armiento does play in that ten, he comes up against
(33:51):
Louis Vstrata, you know, one of the best defensive screens
going around, you know, the Phoenix defense. I thought, actually,
guys like Isaac Hughes, Lucas Kelly Hill, Matt Sheridan. I
thought they probably had their best games of the season,
actually all three of them on the weekend. So are
they starting to get the hang of this? And then
(34:11):
you think, okay, Wellington have won one game. Is that
momentum or is it overstating it is just is it
just a one off and you know that really this
is just a clean slate for both sides going in.
Or do you believe in momentum?
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I think momentum is a big thing, and I think
the main thing is this week when when Chief is
asked like you will be hey, you know, do you
believe you can do this? Or I've a got your number?
And when the players are us the same things, they
can answer it, but it won't just be words. They'll
be there'll be belief behind those answers because they prove
to themselves on Saturday what they could do. So I
(34:50):
think the result was absolutely massive for the Phoenix and
likewise Auckland, like you said before, we don't know if
they've got the wobbles, but it's only been uncharacteristic.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
I reckon it could be the best derby yet, and
we've had some. I mean, the last one was pretty dramatic,
wasn't it eleven v nine? We had the you know
the I think the second derby last year was a
great game too up in Auckland. Yeah, really good game.
This one's got the makings of that. For me, you know,
I just feel as though something's bubbling. This game delivers
(35:26):
and I just wonder what it's going to deliver for
us on Saturday and looking forward to I think it'll
be a big crowd too. I heard talk yesterday fifteen
thousand pre sold already for the derby. You know, only
derby in Auckland this year. The other two were both
in Wellington. So look, I get the filling, the stands
will be packed, and who knows what's going to happen.
(35:48):
It's probably one of those where you can't write your
script just before we move e. Fine is a you
know what? But sometimes I think Fine is a looks
like he wouldn't be able to do a job for
you at a National League game, and then he turns
around and does something absolutely spectacular, makes a nuisance of himself,
scores a goal or creates a chance. He is an
absolute enigma, that guy, and I cannot wait to see
(36:09):
what happens next.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Well, you kind of said that about them. I think
the first or second time you watch them, you'd sort
of noticed that he was, you know, a guy that
you don't know what he's going to do. Defenders don't
know because he doesn't know, but the talent's definitely there.
And the other thing is he's still settling into the team,
the city, the structure. So I mean, but he looks
(36:32):
like a big match player, doesn't he. So he's the
kind of guy who runs out on Saturday and there's
you rightly say, I think I think it's actually up
to seventeen pre soles, so they're going to get twenty
twenty four, twenty three. He will lift, He won't be
shrinking in the shadows. He will be He's going to
be a big factor in the star. But you think yeah,
and he is. No, he's got no scars either. Has
(36:54):
a first trip to go Media for he fine and
a couple of the others in the team. So yeah,
no battle scars there. Looking forward to seeing how plays
out five o'clock. That's coming Saturday at go Media.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Good balls ever with Jason Paide and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
A couple of other things to mop up Friday nights
in Gosford. The Football Ferns taking on Australia's Matilda's Australia five.
Football Ferns nil and Australia also missed a penalty near
the end which would have made it six. We haven't
beaten Australia in women's football since nineteen ninety four. The
gap feels larger now than it ever has. The last
(37:30):
four results for New Zealand, they've lost to Mexico one
nil and two nil, six nil to the United States
five nil. Here that's fourteen goals conceded, none scored. I'm
not too sure what to think about the football Ferns
at the moment, but I think if you're playing Australia,
don't you just have to really pick your best team.
(37:51):
There's no Rebecca Stott, there's no Katie Bowen, experienced defenders
in this squad. I just wonder what the strategy is
from Michael Maine.
Speaker 3 (38:00):
He's been trying to He's cast the net really wide.
He's trying to try different things across his tenure, play
different players. He's also trying to give young players a
chance in terms of developing your culture abiding rebuilding the culture.
There has been issues with the culture, of course, but
as you say, that's okay when you're playing Mexico, you're
(38:21):
playing Costa Rica. But when you're playing a full strength
Matilda's team, you just can't. You just can't do it.
You've got to pick. You've got to pick your best,
your best eleven and I remember so many matches against
the Matilda's you would too, piiney where where the Ferns
have been under the pump? But Stotton Bowen have been
the reason that the score ended up to one or
(38:41):
one Narl or one all. You know. So they're still
they're still a class above. So I don't know, I mean,
how much time do we give the Ferns to settle
into something because the World Cup is not two Who
far away is at twenty twenty seven?
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Yeah, we're midway, aren't we?
Speaker 3 (39:03):
All?
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Well over midway? And the World Cup cycle. It's just
so difficult because just really hard to get a handle
on the football Ferns. And I know this isn't a fact,
but I wish they'd play at home more so we
could actually have a look at them here, you know,
get in and around the squad, talk to them in
a media sens that sort of stuff, and get a
handle on what they're about. But it just seems as
though home games are so few and far between. The
(39:24):
Matildas have plenty of them, you know, I think that
was their sixteenth game since the World Cup at home,
you know, and they sell it out all the time.
You know, there's still one of the hottest tickets in town.
I don't know. I guess the issue is that the
Football Ferns will qualify easily for the next World Cup
again through Oceania. But are we then just in the situation,
(39:46):
the same situation we've always been in that you know,
you get to the World Cup, but then you play
three matches and then you go home. I would hate
to think that that is what would happen, but I
haven't seen any evidence to the contrary really in the
last little while.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
Yeah. I mean that they have got time and there's
some young players in that group that will get better,
and I'm sure they'll plan a really good build up.
But it would have been nice to play Australia at home,
wouldn't it. I think they tried, but I imagine the
Matilda's and sister Now, look, we want to have both games, thanks,
and they're the big teams, so both games are over
in Australia. But there's a lot to work on when
(40:30):
you see those kind of score lines.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
Yeah, indeed, Game two and Adelaide tomorrow night. It will
be a special night though for a Football Fern's legend
Annale Longo. It's been announced today will retire from international
football after tomorrow night's match. It will be her one
hundred and forty fourth cap, putting her fifth on the
all time list of Football Ferns appearance makers, fifteen goals
(40:52):
in those one hundred and forty three games up till now.
She debuted for the Ferns when she was fifteen, five
FIFA Women's World Ups and four Olympic Games. You know,
it's been quite the career, hasn't it. They call her flea,
but she is. She's towed above this Football Ferns team
for what the best part of nearly a couple of
(41:13):
decades now.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Quite a unique player, ordnacy, so so creative at her best,
had that X factor and and as you would know,
you know really well from all the commentaryork you've done
with her, a unique person as well.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Yeah, she's a great sort.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Yeah, yep.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I hope she gets some sort of some sort of
memorable send off tomorrow night, it would, you know, it
would be be nice to think that. I think they will.
I think New Zealand will hopefully lift from what happened
on Friday. I've had more time together, so hopefully they
can send Annalie Longo off and in the you know,
in the fashion that she deserves because she has been
a terrific servant for the game, continues to work in
(41:51):
the game in a development role for New Zealand Football.
As you say, bird, She's done commentary and analyst work
and has always had a very keen eye on the game.
So yeah, we wish Annali Longo all the best for
her final match in Fern's colors. And just before we go,
Joe Bell is a Norwegian champion. His Viking side had
to win their final game this morning to be assured
(42:13):
of their first title since nineteen ninety one. They did
it in style, five to one to clinch the title.
So Joe Bell a Norwegian champion. That's not a bad
way to spring board yourself into a World Cup year.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Burge, Well, he went through a fellow period, didn't he.
He went to Denmark, it didn't really work. He came
back and he sort of lost lost a bit of something,
but he's definitely back. And that's that's quite staggering. Pinty
nineteen ninety one. I guess because they're not a big
they're not from the They're they're not from Oslo or
the other big cities, are they so, I guess, but
(42:49):
that's quite something.
Speaker 2 (42:50):
Yeah, indeed it is. It's a long time between titles
for Viking, but I'd imagine the game's been finished for
several hours now, but I'd imagine most of the players
might still be up over there in Norway just celebrating
a league title, and why wouldn't you. That'll do it
for Football Fever for today. When we reconvene next Monday,
we'll have a derby to talk about. It can't get
here quickly enough for me, Birch. What are we Monday?
(43:12):
It's not till Saturday. I'm not quite sure how I'm
going to fill in the time over the next few days,
but whatever happens, look forward to seeing you in Auckland
on the weekend and back in the Football Fever studio
next Monday.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
I can't wait. And I think you're banging on. I
think this is going to be the best derby.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
Yet, Fever. Football Fever
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.