December 7, 2025 • 43 mins
Jason Pine and Michael Burgess review the latest thrilling instalment of the A-League men's New Zealand derby with Auckland FC winning a fifth straight clash against Wellington Phoenix.
The Phoenix women's away-day blues continue, going down 1-0 to Melbourne City.
And the All Whites know their World Cup group opponents after Saturday's lavish draw in Washington DC.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Football Fever the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Payne
and Insid heralds Michael Burgess, powered by News Talks Hebby.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello there, off the back of a quite pulsating derby
five point zero, we're here with Football Fever on a Monday.
I'm Jason Pine with Michael Burgess. What a game, Birge.
I mean, it lived up to all the hype and
expectations in it the Derby.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
That's the thing, Piney. You always hope that these much
hyped occasions do, and often you see in the Premier
League they don't. You know, in the games fall a
bit flat, nothing really happens far out. I mean it
was a case of what didn't happen?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It was just an incredible match with so much drama
in front of a great crowd, just had everything was brilliant.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It certainly did. Auckland FC three, Wellington Phoenix one, Auckland
five from five. Now are Wellington ever going to win
one of these birds? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I know, and it's been thrown around them, but hasn't it.
I mean they were one day, of course, but it
does look a bit dark and difficult at the moment
because the gap is not getting any smaller. If you see,
I mean it was a competitive game. We're going to
(01:19):
go into that. But you know there's one more in
Wellington next year. But it's just it's really it's really
hard for Wellington. It really is. They need they need
a bit of belief in these fixtures.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
I just wonder the longer it goes and the longer
the participants are the same, what that does to the
respective mindsets. If you're Auckland FC and you've won them
all and even when you fall behind or as on
Saturday they were one one, you know they must feel
as though, I don't know that the momentum of these
(01:55):
occasions is on their side. And conversely, if you're Wellington.
When Wellington went to down on the weekends, I'm sure
that there were you know, voices in the backs of
heads of players who have been on the receiving end
and the other derby saying, oh shove us, here we
go again another one. Do you reckon that those scars
are real in a negative sense? And do you reckon
(02:15):
the the you know, the positive impact of having won
so many of them is a factor when it comes
to games like these.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We talked about the scars at the start of the season,
didn't we pine end, there's a thought that maybe Phoenix
quite a new squad, so the new players wouldn't carry them,
But it probably still does permeate, doesn't it. And you're
here we go again, is exactly right. I was thinking
that when the when Auckland had their early goal, I
was thinking, how did the Phoenix feel? You know that
(02:44):
we're behind again. It's a it's a mental it's a
bit of a mental block. You see it across other
football competitions with certain rivalries with certain teams, and Auckland
probably do have a better squad, but it does seem
(03:05):
like Auckland rise to these occasions better than their counterparts.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
But then I thought Rufer's goal, right, So they go
down to ten and automatically you're like, okay, well, Auckland
have got the advantage, the new miracle advantage, and they
will one nel up at that stage. So Phoenix are
down to ten with an entire second half to play
and their one nail down. Then Rufus scores. I want
to talk more about that in a second, and then
Olaway Emmy saves the first penalty. I wondered at that
(03:32):
stage whether the Phoenix thought, our luck is turning. This
is our time. Now we've come back from one nil down,
we've scored to make it one all. Our keeper, who's
had an absolute blinder, by the way, has saved a
penalty to keep it at one all. I wondered at
that point whether they would have grown that confidence saying, hey,
the tide is turning, the momentum of the derby's is
(03:53):
coming back to an equilibrium. We can get something out
of this.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
They're probably worth thinking that, And I mean that's partly
what made this match so special. There were so many
storylines inside it, especially inside that second half, so many
twists and turns, and you have to say that the
Phoenix showed remarkable grit for a long period of that
time when they had ten men, and they competed, competed
(04:18):
so well. So that's one thing they will take confidence from.
As with ten men, they really really made it nervy
for Auckland for a long time. But I mean, we'll
talk about the second penalty, which I felt was a
massive turning point, and we'll talk about it in a minute.
But yeah, there's so you know, there's some positives to
(04:39):
take for the Phoenix. It was it was an encouraging
performance in some ways, but the result is really going
to hurt them again, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yep, it will, But in many ways I think you know,
someone of the last year, right, you had the two
Derby's quite early on and then Wellington had you know,
it took them a while to actually rebound from from,
you know, the disappointment of the first two, losing them both,
and they never really recovered by the time the third
Derby rolled around. You know, this season was kind of
lurching a little bit, and then there was the sixth
one and that was kind of the final blow. I
(05:08):
kind of hope what they can do now is get
away from the emotion of these games. They've had two
of them. Yes they've lost them both, but they now
got to focus forward. Now it's a tight table. They've
got the Mariners and Newcastle the other way round over
the next two weekends. Got to get points at home
against them and then they can you know, I feel
like they just have to have to park the derby
disappointment if they can. But anyway, that's a conversation for
(05:32):
moving forward. Start of the game. Let's have look at
the time, I mean, Logan Rogerson back into the team,
probably wondered why he hadn't got a start before. Now,
the way he played on Saturday, I think we're all
wondering why it's taken so long. And Lachland Brooke into
the ten role. The Rejink formation will it bore fruits
straight away with Rogerson charging down the right putting a
ball on a plate for Lachland Brook to sweep home
(05:53):
in the seventh minute. It's a great goal. The formation,
you know, Rejink kind of gives Auckland in a different dimension,
doesn't it, Having Brook operating in that little pocket.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I really like it. I really like it. I think
it's I think it's the way to go for the future,
especially as there's some doubt over my you know, he
will play here and there, but I don't think he's
ready to play ninety minutes for extended periods for the
next few weeks. But yeah, I really like the look
of Brook, especially considering it was his first match in
that position. He looks dangerous, he offers something different, and
(06:31):
then with Rogerson as more traditional winger, I don't know.
I think it's the way forward and then you've always
got the option to go back to my and play
a slight any different way. But that's what Auckland didn't
have last season as much, didn't have too many plan
b's and seas. But this could be the start of something.
(06:51):
So it's very encouraging because you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
May mind imagine having him coming off the bench as
we did on Saturday. Came off, got a yellow card
pretty much straight away, obviously, but but then and nearly
scores again. Imagine Steve Crocker looking down his bench and saying,
cause you know, my there as a possible game breaker.
It's it's and there's other players too. I mean, Hiroki
Sakai probably back this week, so all of a sudden
he's in the mix. Nando Pineke is regaining fitness. We
(07:16):
didn't even see Liam Gillion on the weekends. I mean
Steve Coricker's you know, has got a squad at his disposal,
which is the envy I think of any of them.
I imagine if Chief he had those options.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That's a thing. I mean his bench. Coracker's bench must
be I don't know, is it the best in the
league or it's right up there have to be, Yeah,
whereas Chief he's got you know, he's got less options.
He's got some very important injuries of course that have
changed that as well. But it's just a different it's
it's a completely different scenario.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I love Logan Rogerson's game. I just thought he looked
like a player who had been a bit of a
coiled spring in the first six wests of the season.
You know, he had to come off the bench in
the first four games, then he got that red card
which saw him ruled out of the last two. I
just thought it was like on Saturday, it looked as
though he turned up at that Grand and thought, right,
(08:11):
my season starts today. I thought he was terrific. Burgin.
I think, you know, Brooke and my will probably fight
over that number ten role now. I think Logan Rogerson
is now a dead sert along with Jesse Randall on
the other side and Cosgrove up top. It feels like Randall, Cosgrove,
Rogerson left center right, that's the first choice now, isn't
(08:34):
it probably.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I mean, it's quite amazing Rogerson has been the forgotten
man of this season so far, because you know, what
he did last season was so crucial, but he just
he just drifted out of the mix. But you made
the good point when we're talking for the Herald on
Friday that you thought he could be the player to
to really spark in the derby, and it came to fruition.
(08:57):
I mean he was outstanding, not just the point to
prove and not just the emotion, but to have the
clarity to do things like you did, like the pass.
The vision for that pass for the goal was was
just brilliant. But I would say though that goal, I
really thought it was just yet another example of the
Phoenix conceding early and conceding in a really unnecessary, preventable way.
(09:22):
I mean, every goal you can just preventable. But they'd
pushed so far forward to try and press you had
Alex Ruffer was way up in the opposition half. He
was you know, a lot of players got stranded. It
was a pretty easy break. The way Callan Elliott got
away from Kelly healed Edwards allowed Rogerson to get to
get in front of him. I don't know. I just
think in the seventh min of a derby, you've got
(09:42):
to you've got to foul someone on a halfway. You've
got to you've got to do something to stop that
move and you don't leave yourself so open again. It's
just a it's just an obvious vulnerability of this Phoenix
team and it's so costly. You just don't want to
You don't want to concede early against thought.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You see, they're they're the they love being front run
has done that absolutely right. And yeah, you made the
great point to me that that's four out of five
now in which they've conceded inside the first thirty minutes.
And you're right, you just give the other team a
leg up. Awknately FC don't need a leg up in
the derby, you know. And you're right about Brook. If
you freeze, if you if you pause the game. As
(10:21):
Brook is making his run and there's a wide shot
and Rogerson's about to pull it back, there is no
one within Cooey of Lachlan Brook tracking him back. He
is completely unencumbered as he makes that run. It is
a brilliant pass from Rogerson, but he just sweeps it
into the net but there's no one around him. So yeah,
you're right, Burch. You know, yes, I like positivity and
(10:43):
getting on the front foot early, but when you've lost
four of these things and early goals have been fairly
common yet you just just find a way of not
conceding early, whatever that might be. And hindsight's always a
wonderful thing, I know, but but yeah, no, it was
just another example of it. So one to a half
time and then into the second half where a lot
of the talking points happened. Man draker James sent off
(11:06):
after thirty seconds in the second half, huge turning point
in the match. It's a red card, though, wasn't it.
It's a red card all day long.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Probably probably.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
I know you don't always share my black and white
on the red card on the red but the way
look at it, bitch is if Dan Halls is a
red card in Wellington, then that's a red card. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I just thought Dan Halls was a bit more blatant
because it was kind of Piper was away and he's
sort of pulling him back. James is clumsy and it
was you know, let's face it, Cosgrove didn't need invitation
to go to ground on Saturday, did he, you know,
So he was sort of falling all over the place.
So all I think of if that was a yellow
(11:47):
would hawk, if he'd be blowing up, would keep bullying up.
Maybe maybe they would, but I don't know. I think
red cards need to be quite special. But yeah, you're
probably right.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Now I'm only going from comparison with the one on Whenington,
and you're right. There was a lot of jostling that
went on with Hall and Piper running shoulder to shoulder
in that particular and says I just think Man Dracer
James didn't know Sam Cosgrove was there. I've looked at
it and it's almost like they just don't switch on.
At the start of the second half, ball gets played
through Man Draca, James looks over through his shoulder goes,
(12:18):
oh this Sam Cosgrove, I better get back And by
that stage Colesgrove's got the right side of him the ball.
He puts his body between the ball and James and
any touch he's going to go down. You know it's
outside the area, so it's not a penalty. But yeah,
the red card show and I'm not sure that there
were too many complaints from the Wellington Phoenix given what
(12:40):
happened in Wellington. But the problem there was that they'd
already taken Isaac Hughes off at halftime to get Piper on,
so within thirty seconds of the second half starting, you've
lost two of your starting back three. James has gone,
Hughes is gone, and then there is a real reshuffle
to be had. It was just, really, I don't know,
just disruptive. When you're one kneel down already and then
(13:00):
down to ten men.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
It was chaos and chief He you know, has copped
a bit of criticism this season, but you do have
to feel from the first derby he he was without
a lot of key players, and then this one he
has these happened. You lose Hughes too. I mean, he
told us in the press conference that he took Hughes
off because of injury. I assumed it was tactical, but
he's saying injury. So he's lost Hughes to injury, and
(13:24):
then he loses his senior defender. I mean, you know,
as a coach, you just can't plan for that. You're
exactly right. I watched the replay back a few times
and James, which is crazy, how he couldn't be switched
on at the start of the second half, but Cosgrove
just drifted behind him, no one noticed, and next thing
is through if he let him go. I don't think
Cosgrove necessarily would have scored. It was on his left foot.
(13:46):
The way that people was playing, you know, probably got
un blocked it. But stunning lapse in concentration.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah, it was no damage from the free kick that followed,
but Wellington down to ten, so Alex Rufe had to
to center back, which you know is something that he
can do, but certainly it's not Plan A or Plan
B when it comes to the side. But then a
few minutes later Alex Ruffel with one of the great
(14:13):
Derby goals to make it one all ball came in
from a corner. Auckland FC had a couple of chances
to claire It and Steve Carkerr even named and shamed
afterwards Louis Vustrata and Laughlin brook He didn't seem to
have any hesitation and pointing out the culprits and he's
right for Strata's clearance is not good and Brooks should
get that away on the edge. But it's a terrific goal.
(14:35):
It's a cracking Derby moment.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Oh, it's royal the Rover stuff, it's the stuff that
is a seven year old in the park. Piney and
Nelson you're dreaming about getting that on the half voley
from thee of the area. You know, it's the greatest
goal of Rufus Korea. It's the one that he'll probably
you know, you think he'd be oh maybe not remembered
for because I guess there's been others like that late
penalty a few years ago. But to get that in
the derby in front of the in front of the
(14:59):
Phoenix fans, and the emotion afterwards, but just the just
the purity of the strike, it brought back to me.
Steven girardvice, Yes, you know, just so Crisp. So Crisp,
I thought that exact same thing. You know that that
FA Cup final goal of Gerrard's a bit further out obviously,
and also that one he scored at Anfield on that
European night.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
But yeah, I mean, Ruffer does not score a lot
of goals. That was only his seventh, that's two and
two weeks as well, you know, and he's he's into
the one hundred and seventies in terms of games. But
goodness me, what a goal. And yeah, the way they
ran to that pocket of fans and the eyes bulging
out of their head and just the pure emotion of
it. It was. It was a moment that football has the
(15:40):
ability to deliver. You know that. I don't know that
a lot of other sports.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Have, No, they don't. It was, it was, It was
pure sporting gold. It's the reason why this derby has
taken off and is doing so well, and it was.
I thought there were two things about it that was great.
Number One, it was just a moment that will be
remembered for a long time, that will be in those
(16:05):
highlight reels on sky and everything. But two, it was
just great reward for those Phoenix Yellow Fever fans. There
wasn't many of them, there's still a decent amount, but
they were absolutely brilliant. The noise they made and the
way they kept singing in a match where a lot
of things went against them. I was just so happy
for them that they got their moment.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
So one all and we're all square with still thirty
five minutes to go. Then the first of the two
penalties awarded to Aukland f C. After sixty three minutes.
Now play has sort of gone on a bit well,
the play had finished, the balls played into the area
went behind and we were lining up for the goalkck
and all of a sudden we could see Adam Cursey
getting advice from Alex King and he went over, had
(16:47):
to look at the screen and adjudged that Ifinisee had
been holding Sam Cosgrove as the ball came in, so
Auckland FC were awarded their first ever penalty. Olawai Emmy
josh Olowaim. He took about Alex Ruther's all time great
Derby goal. Alawaii saves the penalty from Cosgrave, then blasted
over and it was just one of a string of saves.
(17:11):
I think that is one of the all time great
Wellington Phoenix goalkeeping performances. Which is odd really when you
lose three to one, but he had such an eye
catching game. He saved the second penalty as well before
Devre's poked at him. But just a word on Josh
Olaway Amy Birch, who hasn't always been, you know, a
guy that Phoenix fans have been one hundred percent and behind.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
He was amazing. He was absolutely amazing. When you when
you watch the Premier League, the commentators or in the
stats always talking about big chances, you know, and I
reckon Auckland probably had seven or eight big chances and
he just made so many remarkable saves for a guy
that was down on confidence last season. I guess they're
(17:56):
showing more faith in him this season and he's found
himself because he was outstanding. I mean you must have
been mentioning his name so often in your commentary. Yeah,
he was unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
He was just so many saves and I think that
came off the back of two excellent performances in the
last two games as well, where you know, against MacArthur
and then against Adelaide. He was excellent in both of
those games. So maybe this is the josh Ola Wamy
that has always been there but is now coming to
the four. Just want to get your view on the
penalties before we do. Let's say the two coaches views.
The second penalty incidental. He was awarded sort of similar situation.
(18:31):
A ball comes into the area and this time it's
Dan Edwards and as she said before, Sam Cosgrove needing
no second invitation to go down in the penalty area.
This one is awarded by Adam Cursey at first look
and var clearly not seeing anything that that was an
obvious era to get him over to look at overturning it.
Josh Ola Wormey saves this one from Devrees, who slots
(18:51):
home the rebound for two to one. So let's get
the coaches views. First of all, Steve Coricker was asked
about the red card to James and the penalties. Was
his response, I think it's a.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Red card, definitely. Yeah, he's throwing goal. It was outside
the box obviously, But to be honest, the the two
penalties I didn't really see, so I can't really comment
on the Obviously they looked at him afterwards, and you know,
we got the in favor, our first penalty ever, two
(19:25):
penalties and we misposed of them. So it's not a
good track record, is it. So, but it was nice
that Francis obviously got the rebound and tucked it away.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
He can't give it the eye. Heaven't, So I didn't
see them. It's just that is quintessential manager talk when
you you know, I don't know, you don't want to
comment on them. Look, I don't know. Did you think
they were penalties? Well?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
I think there's two questions here, Like I didn't I didn't.
I didn't like them. But the broader question is is
this what we want? In the A League. Is this
really what we want in terms of But yeah, I
going back to check every time there's a corner or
a free kirk and there's twenty people in the box
and everyone's grabbing anyone else because you can always find
(20:10):
things And I don't know, I just think penalties have
got to be they've got to be much more clear
cut than that for me.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Well, here's Gianclo a Tealiano's view on the two penalties.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Well, I think the first one with was a pen
from I mean I didn't see it until after they
gave the pen, so I only saw the first incidant.
It looked like they he grabbed from behind it and
from my understanding, grabbing and you know, falling on a
player with intention is a foul. Straight away, I felt
as though, okay, that's that's fair. But the second one,
(20:47):
I mean, Sam and Dan don't even know where the
ball is. You know, Dan's half the size of Sam
and Sam's already on the ground. I just felt like
that was really soft, like just again, you know, so
minimal contact.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
There you go, So chief he thought the first one
was and the second one wasn't put it this way,
Birch If it had been the same set of circumstances
for the second one, and Adam Cursey hadn't given it
on first look, would the var have called him over
to have a look at it the way he did
with the first one. He obviously thought the first one
(21:23):
was worth a second look the var I mean what
about this? Were they Were they that dissimilar? Were they?
Were they the same? It's very similar set of circumstances,
two players coming together, same Auckland FC player Sam Cosgrove
going down on both occasions. If the second one hadn't
been given on the field, would var have asked Adam
(21:45):
Cursey to have a look at it?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I mean this where it gets really really curly, doesn't it?
Because I mean the second one actually the ball was
sort of in more of a vicinity than the first one,
the ball sort of drifting over. But I thought chief
he summed up as a sai of the second one
really well. I mean, Dan Edwards is a lot smaller
than Cosgrove. They're both jostling, and Cosgrove knew he wasn't
(22:08):
going to get near the ball and it looked to
me like a bit of a dive, you know, which
we see strikers do all the time, and he just
did it well. But no, I'd be I mean, what
do you think I'd be surprised if the head of
called Cursey back for that one?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah? I agree, although then I think, okay, but that
they are quite similar. They're almost carbon copy of one another.
So if Alex King is calling Adam Cursey over to
look at the first one, then I wonder whether he
is calling him over to look at the second one.
And then you ask yourself, okay, what Adam Kursey have
have done exactly the same thing, and on second look
given the second one as well. It's all hypothetical. Of course,
the game's over, the decision to be made, but you're right,
(22:47):
it does bring into question again, you know the you
know what is and what isn't a penalty? You know,
Josh Holloway, he saved them both. Francis Devrez had the
whereweth aal to poke home for two to one, and
then Gizmo My making it three to one after shortly
after coming on Cosgrove involved again a head back across
goal and all of a sudden Auckland are clear and
(23:09):
the result from there is pretty pretty secure. Sam Cosgrove.
We seem to talk about him every week. Was this redemption?
Was this a redemptive out outing for Sam Cosgrove?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
He certainly had an impact, didn't he And he was
hard to handle. So so we're feeling good about himself
and might give him the confidence he needs, like we
still haven't. We have talked about him, probably too much, Piney,
and you'll be thinking, why these guys are still at me,
But we probably still haven't seen enough of them to
really know, still haven't seen enough of the full the
(23:46):
full gamut of what he can do. But Jeezy had
an impact.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Yeah he did, he did, And then they'll continue with him,
and yeah, you have to say that he well, he
he set up the third goal. He was and he
earned two pen he did miss one himself, which I'm
sure I won't go into his show real if they
still have those, but you know, he had an impact.
Another yellow card. Interestingly, that's four now for the season.
(24:12):
He now goes as to all of the Auckland players
into a stretch of games where there are five of
the next six away And I think you made the
point last week. You know that that often when you're
away from home, those yellow cards can perhaps be you know,
handed out a bit more readily. If you're the away team,
you know at some stage is going to pick up
his fifth and going to miss a game, isn't he?
(24:34):
And then it'll be extremely interesting to see what what
Steve Coricker does because he doesn't really have a like
for like. I mean, you can you know, Johnny Bidwoy
came on, but he's a young player. He's not a
you know, he's not you know, in the in the
normal scheme of things, a starting player. So when Sam
Cosgrove does get his next yellow card, which on the
(24:54):
record of the first seven games, will be in one
of the next two probably, and then you know, and
then you say, okay, well then if you get then
if he gets eight yellow cards, it's two it's a
two game ban. So if he picks up four and
seven weeks, you'd have to think that he is going
to pick up eight across the season. So he gets
a one week ban for the fifth one, and then
another two weeks after he gets his eighth one.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
That's a really good point, mate. It shows how costly
could be because yeah, we were talking about the other
week and I think it was the Brisbane game where
there were there were three or four potential moments where
in another game another referee could have been a yellow card,
you know, and he got one away from home with
the fans baying the referee. It'd be walking a type rope.
(25:40):
So it's just something. It's just but it feels a
bit needless to me. He gets it out of his
game because like, what do they do? Maybe they go
for the Jesse Randall, completely different system, the speed up front, but.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah, well they could go they could go Rogerson Randall,
my Brook couldn't they who you're supposed to mark situation?
He is supposed to look after man, it's a different way.
And yes, Steve Corek is all in on the on
the big man up front, but yeah, it is something
obviously to look out for. So yeah, five of Auckland
FC's next six or away. Just before we moved from
the derby, did you see the Auckland FC of last
(26:16):
season at times on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yes, yes, I think so. I think their attack was
starting to click them And we asked Corek about that
at the press conference and he said, yeah, okay, we
looked good, but it was against ten men for half
the game. But just you know, sweeping forward, a bit more,
a bit more cohesion about them. And yeah, they were
(26:43):
pretty good defensively too. I mean they didn't didn't give
up much at all in a in what was a
pressure game. So and they've got that swagger, haven't they have?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
They have and they'll swagger away from home on Friday night.
It's quite a short urchurn around just the six days
at Gosford to take on the Mariners. The Wellington Phoenix
lick their wounds, they come back to Sky Stadium where
they will welcome the Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon. Just
a word on the crowd as well. Twenty two nine
hundred and ninety three, so twenty three thousand give will
take there on the weekend, just adding to what was
(27:15):
another terrific derby occasion.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
The Football Feaver Podcast with Jason Vine and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Let's move to the Ninja A League, the women's competition.
Melbourne City won Wellington Phoenix Neil, the Phoenix's first loss
of the season. Melbourne City scoring with their only attempt
on target the entire game, and ironically enough it was
a key we football feron Rebecca Stott with a close
range header late in the game. I think everything apart
from the result in this game was quite encouraging, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Yeah, it was excellent. I mean it was close to
their best performance I would have thought considering their opposition,
considering how good Melbourne City are. I mean, they're just off.
You know, they've been away playing an Asia. I think
there were in all three of those games. They've been
setting the benchmark in this part of the world for
a long time. They dominated possession, but the Phoenix. The Phoenix,
(28:11):
as you just said, had a lot more chances and
were very good defensively. So yeah, really encouraging signs. But
what the hell happened with that goal?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Oh? I know, I watched it back to see if
there was something I'd missed, But you know, there's two
players pretty much free. I mean, Rebecca Stotts headed that
in from a yard but I reckon even I score that.
You know, she's completely unmarked as the ball is headed
back in her direction, and I don't know, did they
just set up wrong for it? It was a defensive
(28:44):
free kick situation, wasn't It helped into the area so
you have time to set up. Why was Rebecca stott
so free.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
It was bizarre and as you say, there was a
teammate of hers behind her, yeah, two meters behind her
was also free, I mean stop and her teammate made
a run across from where everyone I was and they
just weren't tracked. But also like they had two players
in the war, did they need those two players in
the war? Probably not on reflection, it was just it
(29:13):
was just an absolute coach killer that goal, because you
just can't concede against men Malman City like that at
any time because it's hurt so much. But to concede
against Melbourne City like that in the eighty fifth minute
far out.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
It kind of takes away from the satisfaction you get
from the eighty five minutes that came before. As you say,
to keep Melbourne City this you know the premiere is
from last year. To no shots on target in eighty
five minutes, that's a great defensive performance. Melbourne City had
what sixty one percent of possession I think it was
to thirty nine for the Phoenix, but only had three
attempts just the one on target. As we've mentioned, the
(29:50):
Phoenix had nine attempts that the woodwork three times. So
then you think to yourself, should they actually have scored
from one of those attempts? And the answer clearly yes,
And it came back to bite them at the end
when they hadn't taken their chances and Melbourne City took theirs.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yeah, I felt for them, I mean you you know,
and watching that game would think that they deserved at
least a point, so so did not take a point
would be hard. But though when the dust settles, they'll
take a lot from the performance, so that that's the
good thing. I think they've proved. This new team has
proved they can go across the Tasman and put on
(30:27):
a really good performance. The next step is going across
the Tasman and getting.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Result absolutely right, because the stats will tell you, the
bare faced stats will tell you that they just have
real trouble winning across the Tasman. Forty one away matches
now in their life Burge eight wins, two draws, thirty
one losses and forty one away games. So even picking
up points, let alone winning matches has been difficult and
(30:51):
it took them. I remember, it took them in a
while to work this out as well, and they tried
all sorts of different things. They you know, they went
a day early, they went as late as pass the ball.
They told the players they weren't allowed to eat the
food on the plane. They do all sorts of different
things to try, you know, try and set their body
clocks up in the right way. And look, I don't
know that the Phoenix have ever really nailed it in
(31:12):
a consistent fashion. And it's something that that you know,
is a bit of a peculiarity given the fact that
you know, these are the New Zealand teams playing in
the Australian competition. But then think, well, Perth Glory have
to come the other way, don't they. And they often
go across to the eastern seaboard of Australia every other week,
and that's a that's longer. It's it's a longer flight
than going from from Wellington to Sydney, for example. So
(31:35):
I don't know whether there is an answer, but as
you say, maybe yesterday was encouraging in the fact that
they that they competed for, you know, for pretty much
the whole game, even if they came away empty handed exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
And it's just it's just a learning process for them.
But it was a really costly way to learn in
the end.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
It was it doesn't get any easier. They head to Perth.
Now they're staying in Australia. I think they're heading across
to Perth today, so they'll have the whole week in
Western Australia, which hopefully will give them an advantage. A
couple of players we saw for the first time yesterday.
Dominican Republic captain Lucia Lyon made her a long way
to debut. She hasn't featured in the first first month
or so of the season. She was a second half sub,
(32:17):
and young Kiwi Zoey Benson also made her debut for
the club. Vick Essen was injured for this one. Amy
Danielli in goal and I think did a pretty good job.
Those in front of her. Again, I think that's been
the strength of this team this season, hasn't It is
the defense in front of whether it's been Essen or
yesterday Danielle. I think Mac Bowry, Ali Walker, Maurice VanderMeer
and then CJ. Bot sitting in front. It's a pretty
(32:38):
good defensive setup, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
It's hard to break down. I mean, given the possession
that Melbourne City had, they'll be sitting in their review
probably today and thinking, you know and saying what happened girls,
what was going on? And why couldn't we make more
in the final third? And they couldn't because Wellington set
up well, they're all doing their jobs. I thought, I
(33:03):
quite like seeing Grace Jarley in the middle too. Yeah,
that was quite up front. But she just I just
think she's wasted, wasted on the on the wings or
on the flanks. Yep.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
No, she can do a lot of good work in
central areas. And yeah, there was a lot to be
encouraged by, even though it was was in the end
an exercise that didn't result in any pointses to it.
On c J Botch he's been officially named as captain
of the side now for the season, the first ever
welling Tonian to be permanent captain of the Wellington Phoenix
woman's side.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
The Football Feaver Podcast with Jason Vine and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
The FIFA World Cup drawer Saturday morning in Washington, DC.
Eventually the balls got drawn out, Burge. I'm not sure
what time you started watching, but I think the first
ball might have been drawn out. The whole thing started
about six o'clock. I think the first ball actually got
drawn out about twenty five past seven. There was certainly
a lot of pageantry and and you know, carry on
(34:01):
of questionable merit before we even got to the balls. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Yeah, it was sort of like a bit of a
live aid concert fee for eight or something, you know,
just some random musicians and all the other things going
on with with Donald Trump. But you know, they like
to draw it out. It's just how they do it.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Yeah, they do. But yeah, we eventually got to the
draw itself, and as we have no doubt, or you've
no doubt, picked up over the weekend, New zeal And
drawn into Group G, the last of the forty eight
teams to be pulled out actually, and we now know
that they will face Iran in Los Angeles, Egypt in Vancouver,
Belgium in Vancouver. Pretty decent Drawbirge.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it could have been better, but
it could have been a lot worse. I think that's
the feeling of most people inside and outside New Zealand football.
There's a there's a lot of reasons to be happy
with that raw. The biggest reason is that you look
at it and you think, okay, there's actually a plan
(35:06):
of attack here. This is you know, there are a
couple of different ways we can the Alors can get
out of that group, whereas if you end up in
a in a group of death, then it's more like, shit,
what are we.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Going to do?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Yeah? No South American side. I was a big fan
of that. Yeah, you know, we just seem to We
don't play them that often, and when we do, they
seem to beat us all the time. So I think
avoiding a South American side from any of the pots
was good. And also there are groups there, I think
four of them that have two European sides, and I
guess avoiding one of those was always going to be
(35:40):
helpful too. There's no big sort of you know, rock
star team in the group. Belgium the number eight side
in the world, but they're not like in England. They're
in Argentina or a Brazil, are they Where if New
Zealand had been playing one of those sides, for example,
the whole country would have stopped to watch.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
That's the one shame I was really really hoping. I
think a lot of us were pining to get England
because that would be incredible to play England in the
World Cup, especially this England team or otherwise get Argentina
with Lionel Messi. Get Brazil would have been would have
been amazing. The other little wish would probably be out
of Pot three, maybe a South Africa, a Qatar, Asbekistan.
(36:23):
But we Egypt was probably the second or third best
team in maybe fourth and pot three. But as you say,
you know, you could have got Norway out of pot three,
which is a disaster. You could have got Columbia, Ecuador,
Uraguay out of pot two, which is which is equally bad.
So it's it's it's a really generous straw and it's
(36:45):
it's definitely our best ever World Cup draw, like nine
eighty two. I think about eighty two was one of
the best Brazilian teams of all time. USS are in
Scotland and then you think it too. I feel like this, actually,
what do you think? I feel like this is a
more palatable drawer than twenty ten with the reigning world
champions Italy, with Slovakia and with Paraguay.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Yeah, I agree, I agree. I think the group is
get out of all of absolutely, especially when your factor
in the consideration that the top two go through and
if you're one of the best third place teams. I
think one of the best eight third place teams in
the twelve groups you go through. So as you say,
there are a lot of ways to get through, I
(37:28):
think Belgium is in many ways a bit of a
free hit. And to that end, I don't mind that
that's the last game. What you don't want to do
is get to that game and need a result against
Belgium to look at progressing. But I feel as though
you know, Iran number twenty in the world, Egypt number
(37:49):
thirty four in the world. Yes we're eighty six, but
as we've talked about a lot birds, you know those
the rankings once you get beyond the thirties are really
you know, you throw a blanket over a bunch of
team there. And in a one off situation, I think
New Zealand's will fancy. I feel like you've got to
get four points. I don't think two points will be enough.
I don't think two draws are enough. I think you
(38:10):
need to win and a draw, and I think they
will think that they can get a win and a
draw against Iran and Egypt in one fashion or another.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I was thinking maybe three points could be enough as well,
considering it's eight out of twelve team so it could
be but four, yeah, four would be the safety factor.
I mean, one thing we have to keep in mind,
because everyone's been quite excited and optimistic, is that you know,
Iran will be really happy with this draw too. They'll
(38:41):
be doing cartwheels in Cairo that they've got New Zealand,
you know what I mean, because they're like far out.
We've never won a World Cup game. This is our chance.
Iran have been to the World Cup I think seven times,
never got out of the group, so they'll be do'll
be desperate to get out of a group. So it's
still going to be bloody complicated, and you're playing teams
that have got so much experience of really intense matches.
(39:05):
But you're exactly right. You look down the team list
of Iran's squad is not nearly as scary as quite
a few of the other teams.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
There no true true and you're right. I mean, anybody
who got us in their group will be pleased. You know.
Egypt will be the same. They'll say, well, there's three points.
Belgium will say there's three point Belgium are probably right,
but you know, and maybe that factors into it. As well.
What happens if you're sixty five seventy minutes into a
game against Egypt or Iran and its goalless or the
scores are locked up. What does that do to them?
(39:35):
When they've basically banked on three points against the eighty
sixth ranked team in the world, the lowest ranked team
at this tournament, and those points aren't in their possession,
what does that do to them? So, yeah, there's a
lot to like about it. The other part Birds that
I really like is where the games are Western Seaboard
of North America, Los Angeles and then two in Vancouver.
(39:58):
Direct flights to both of those cities out of Auckland.
I think a few New Zealand football fans who were
considering going over there will have their interest heightened, won't
they when they know it's a direct flight to both
of the cities New Zealand are playing it.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
That's a bloody good point. Andrew Pregnant was saying the
other day to me that they really hoped for the
West Coast for a few reasons, but especially that compared
to you know, it's much more of a journey to
get to New York. It's a long way to get
to Toronto. I don't know how many flights that would be,
so it just it just maximizes the support in the stands,
doesn't it. You've got more Kiwis traveling, and I think
(40:36):
as well, there's a lot more Kiwi expats would live
on the West Coast than anywhere else, so you've got
a few of them going along. And the other thing,
which is probably just as important from memory of the
Club World Cup earlier this year, the conditions, the climate
seemed a lot more temperate on the West Coast. It
was in the East Coast games from memory where the
(40:58):
players were melting, you know, and they had those crazy
heat waves and everything else. So that's also quite nice
to play in sort of more normal conditions.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah. Some of those southern states as well
are are pretty hot. So yeah, I think all things
considered in terms of the locations excellent. And the drawer,
as you say, could have been better. I guess if
you had your absolute pick, it could have been better,
but it could have been a heck of a lot
worse as well. I did note that if New Zealand
comes second in their group and Australia comes second in
(41:28):
their group, they have the USA, Paraguay and a European
playoff winner. So if both we in Australia are second
in our groups, we meet in around of thirty two.
Match Birch.
Speaker 3 (41:36):
Yeah, I saw that your notes. I was like, oh
my goodness, Oh my goodness. Where would that be in
terms of the biggest New Zealand Australia clashes on the
world stage. You know, you think of twenty fifteen rug
World Cup and things like that. But that would that
would stop the nation, wouldn't it. That would be absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
Amazing it would well, who knows, who know what will happen.
Funny things happen at World Cups, but we know whether
the All Whites will be for Paul play Now, just
before we go to the men's National League final comes
up on Saturday. This is a ten game regular season
with the top two going through to the final, and
the top two are Wellington Olympic and Auckland City. They
will meet at six o'clock on Saturday night at Newtown
(42:18):
Park in Wellington. Olympic with a seven to win three
loss record Auckland City six wins, two draws, two losses.
Auckland City did win the regular season match in Wellington
one nill earlier this season, so a fitting climax to
the men's National League season. Another derby down bird. You
we going to wait till February for another one. Plenty
of football to play out between now and then though,
(42:40):
and maybe Auckland FC and Wellington Fantas can go back
and just have a bit of a normal time of things. Good,
always good chatting football with you mate. We'll do it
again next Monday
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Yeah, look forward to it mate, Fe
Football Fever the podcast keeping you up to date with
the beautiful game with the voice of football Jason Payne
and Insid heralds Michael Burgess, powered by News Talks Hebby.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello there, off the back of a quite pulsating derby
five point zero, we're here with Football Fever on a Monday.
I'm Jason Pine with Michael Burgess. What a game, Birge.
I mean, it lived up to all the hype and
expectations in it the Derby.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
That's the thing, Piney. You always hope that these much
hyped occasions do, and often you see in the Premier
League they don't. You know, in the games fall a
bit flat, nothing really happens far out. I mean it
was a case of what didn't happen?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It was just an incredible match with so much drama
in front of a great crowd, just had everything was brilliant.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It certainly did. Auckland FC three, Wellington Phoenix one, Auckland
five from five. Now are Wellington ever going to win
one of these birds? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I know, and it's been thrown around them, but hasn't it.
I mean they were one day, of course, but it
does look a bit dark and difficult at the moment
because the gap is not getting any smaller. If you see,
I mean it was a competitive game. We're going to
(01:19):
go into that. But you know there's one more in
Wellington next year. But it's just it's really it's really
hard for Wellington. It really is. They need they need
a bit of belief in these fixtures.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
I just wonder the longer it goes and the longer
the participants are the same, what that does to the
respective mindsets. If you're Auckland FC and you've won them
all and even when you fall behind or as on
Saturday they were one one, you know they must feel
as though, I don't know that the momentum of these
(01:55):
occasions is on their side. And conversely, if you're Wellington.
When Wellington went to down on the weekends, I'm sure
that there were you know, voices in the backs of
heads of players who have been on the receiving end
and the other derby saying, oh shove us, here we
go again another one. Do you reckon that those scars
are real in a negative sense? And do you reckon
(02:15):
the the you know, the positive impact of having won
so many of them is a factor when it comes
to games like these.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We talked about the scars at the start of the season,
didn't we pine end, there's a thought that maybe Phoenix
quite a new squad, so the new players wouldn't carry them,
But it probably still does permeate, doesn't it. And you're
here we go again, is exactly right. I was thinking
that when the when Auckland had their early goal, I
was thinking, how did the Phoenix feel? You know that
(02:44):
we're behind again. It's a it's a mental it's a
bit of a mental block. You see it across other
football competitions with certain rivalries with certain teams, and Auckland
probably do have a better squad, but it does seem
(03:05):
like Auckland rise to these occasions better than their counterparts.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
But then I thought Rufer's goal, right, So they go
down to ten and automatically you're like, okay, well, Auckland
have got the advantage, the new miracle advantage, and they
will one nel up at that stage. So Phoenix are
down to ten with an entire second half to play
and their one nail down. Then Rufus scores. I want
to talk more about that in a second, and then
Olaway Emmy saves the first penalty. I wondered at that
(03:32):
stage whether the Phoenix thought, our luck is turning. This
is our time. Now we've come back from one nil down,
we've scored to make it one all. Our keeper, who's
had an absolute blinder, by the way, has saved a
penalty to keep it at one all. I wondered at
that point whether they would have grown that confidence saying, hey,
the tide is turning, the momentum of the derby's is
(03:53):
coming back to an equilibrium. We can get something out
of this.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
They're probably worth thinking that, And I mean that's partly
what made this match so special. There were so many
storylines inside it, especially inside that second half, so many
twists and turns, and you have to say that the
Phoenix showed remarkable grit for a long period of that
time when they had ten men, and they competed, competed
(04:18):
so well. So that's one thing they will take confidence from.
As with ten men, they really really made it nervy
for Auckland for a long time. But I mean, we'll
talk about the second penalty, which I felt was a
massive turning point, and we'll talk about it in a minute.
But yeah, there's so you know, there's some positives to
(04:39):
take for the Phoenix. It was it was an encouraging
performance in some ways, but the result is really going
to hurt them again, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yep, it will, But in many ways I think you know,
someone of the last year, right, you had the two
Derby's quite early on and then Wellington had you know,
it took them a while to actually rebound from from,
you know, the disappointment of the first two, losing them both,
and they never really recovered by the time the third
Derby rolled around. You know, this season was kind of
lurching a little bit, and then there was the sixth
one and that was kind of the final blow. I
(05:08):
kind of hope what they can do now is get
away from the emotion of these games. They've had two
of them. Yes they've lost them both, but they now
got to focus forward. Now it's a tight table. They've
got the Mariners and Newcastle the other way round over
the next two weekends. Got to get points at home
against them and then they can you know, I feel
like they just have to have to park the derby
disappointment if they can. But anyway, that's a conversation for
(05:32):
moving forward. Start of the game. Let's have look at
the time, I mean, Logan Rogerson back into the team,
probably wondered why he hadn't got a start before. Now,
the way he played on Saturday, I think we're all
wondering why it's taken so long. And Lachland Brooke into
the ten role. The Rejink formation will it bore fruits
straight away with Rogerson charging down the right putting a
ball on a plate for Lachland Brook to sweep home
(05:53):
in the seventh minute. It's a great goal. The formation,
you know, Rejink kind of gives Auckland in a different dimension,
doesn't it, Having Brook operating in that little pocket.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I really like it. I really like it. I think
it's I think it's the way to go for the future,
especially as there's some doubt over my you know, he
will play here and there, but I don't think he's
ready to play ninety minutes for extended periods for the
next few weeks. But yeah, I really like the look
of Brook, especially considering it was his first match in
that position. He looks dangerous, he offers something different, and
(06:31):
then with Rogerson as more traditional winger, I don't know.
I think it's the way forward and then you've always
got the option to go back to my and play
a slight any different way. But that's what Auckland didn't
have last season as much, didn't have too many plan
b's and seas. But this could be the start of something.
(06:51):
So it's very encouraging because you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
May mind imagine having him coming off the bench as
we did on Saturday. Came off, got a yellow card
pretty much straight away, obviously, but but then and nearly
scores again. Imagine Steve Crocker looking down his bench and saying,
cause you know, my there as a possible game breaker.
It's it's and there's other players too. I mean, Hiroki
Sakai probably back this week, so all of a sudden
he's in the mix. Nando Pineke is regaining fitness. We
(07:16):
didn't even see Liam Gillion on the weekends. I mean
Steve Coricker's you know, has got a squad at his disposal,
which is the envy I think of any of them.
I imagine if Chief he had those options.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That's a thing. I mean his bench. Coracker's bench must
be I don't know, is it the best in the
league or it's right up there have to be, Yeah,
whereas Chief he's got you know, he's got less options.
He's got some very important injuries of course that have
changed that as well. But it's just a different it's
it's a completely different scenario.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I love Logan Rogerson's game. I just thought he looked
like a player who had been a bit of a
coiled spring in the first six wests of the season.
You know, he had to come off the bench in
the first four games, then he got that red card
which saw him ruled out of the last two. I
just thought it was like on Saturday, it looked as
though he turned up at that Grand and thought, right,
(08:11):
my season starts today. I thought he was terrific. Burgin.
I think, you know, Brooke and my will probably fight
over that number ten role now. I think Logan Rogerson
is now a dead sert along with Jesse Randall on
the other side and Cosgrove up top. It feels like Randall, Cosgrove,
Rogerson left center right, that's the first choice now, isn't
(08:34):
it probably.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I mean, it's quite amazing Rogerson has been the forgotten
man of this season so far, because you know, what
he did last season was so crucial, but he just
he just drifted out of the mix. But you made
the good point when we're talking for the Herald on
Friday that you thought he could be the player to
to really spark in the derby, and it came to fruition.
(08:57):
I mean he was outstanding, not just the point to
prove and not just the emotion, but to have the
clarity to do things like you did, like the pass.
The vision for that pass for the goal was was
just brilliant. But I would say though that goal, I
really thought it was just yet another example of the
Phoenix conceding early and conceding in a really unnecessary, preventable way.
(09:22):
I mean, every goal you can just preventable. But they'd
pushed so far forward to try and press you had
Alex Ruffer was way up in the opposition half. He
was you know, a lot of players got stranded. It
was a pretty easy break. The way Callan Elliott got
away from Kelly healed Edwards allowed Rogerson to get to
get in front of him. I don't know. I just
think in the seventh min of a derby, you've got
(09:42):
to you've got to foul someone on a halfway. You've
got to you've got to do something to stop that
move and you don't leave yourself so open again. It's
just a it's just an obvious vulnerability of this Phoenix
team and it's so costly. You just don't want to
You don't want to concede early against thought.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You see, they're they're the they love being front run
has done that absolutely right. And yeah, you made the
great point to me that that's four out of five
now in which they've conceded inside the first thirty minutes.
And you're right, you just give the other team a
leg up. Awknately FC don't need a leg up in
the derby, you know. And you're right about Brook. If
you freeze, if you if you pause the game. As
(10:21):
Brook is making his run and there's a wide shot
and Rogerson's about to pull it back, there is no
one within Cooey of Lachlan Brook tracking him back. He
is completely unencumbered as he makes that run. It is
a brilliant pass from Rogerson, but he just sweeps it
into the net but there's no one around him. So yeah,
you're right, Burch. You know, yes, I like positivity and
(10:43):
getting on the front foot early, but when you've lost
four of these things and early goals have been fairly
common yet you just just find a way of not
conceding early, whatever that might be. And hindsight's always a
wonderful thing, I know, but but yeah, no, it was
just another example of it. So one to a half
time and then into the second half where a lot
of the talking points happened. Man draker James sent off
(11:06):
after thirty seconds in the second half, huge turning point
in the match. It's a red card, though, wasn't it.
It's a red card all day long.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Probably probably.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
I know you don't always share my black and white
on the red card on the red but the way
look at it, bitch is if Dan Halls is a
red card in Wellington, then that's a red card. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I just thought Dan Halls was a bit more blatant
because it was kind of Piper was away and he's
sort of pulling him back. James is clumsy and it
was you know, let's face it, Cosgrove didn't need invitation
to go to ground on Saturday, did he, you know,
So he was sort of falling all over the place.
So all I think of if that was a yellow
(11:47):
would hawk, if he'd be blowing up, would keep bullying up.
Maybe maybe they would, but I don't know. I think
red cards need to be quite special. But yeah, you're
probably right.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Now I'm only going from comparison with the one on Whenington,
and you're right. There was a lot of jostling that
went on with Hall and Piper running shoulder to shoulder
in that particular and says I just think Man Dracer
James didn't know Sam Cosgrove was there. I've looked at
it and it's almost like they just don't switch on.
At the start of the second half, ball gets played
through Man Draca, James looks over through his shoulder goes,
(12:18):
oh this Sam Cosgrove, I better get back And by
that stage Colesgrove's got the right side of him the ball.
He puts his body between the ball and James and
any touch he's going to go down. You know it's
outside the area, so it's not a penalty. But yeah,
the red card show and I'm not sure that there
were too many complaints from the Wellington Phoenix given what
(12:40):
happened in Wellington. But the problem there was that they'd
already taken Isaac Hughes off at halftime to get Piper on,
so within thirty seconds of the second half starting, you've
lost two of your starting back three. James has gone,
Hughes is gone, and then there is a real reshuffle
to be had. It was just, really, I don't know,
just disruptive. When you're one kneel down already and then
(13:00):
down to ten men.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
It was chaos and chief He you know, has copped
a bit of criticism this season, but you do have
to feel from the first derby he he was without
a lot of key players, and then this one he
has these happened. You lose Hughes too. I mean, he
told us in the press conference that he took Hughes
off because of injury. I assumed it was tactical, but
he's saying injury. So he's lost Hughes to injury, and
(13:24):
then he loses his senior defender. I mean, you know,
as a coach, you just can't plan for that. You're
exactly right. I watched the replay back a few times
and James, which is crazy, how he couldn't be switched
on at the start of the second half, but Cosgrove
just drifted behind him, no one noticed, and next thing
is through if he let him go. I don't think
Cosgrove necessarily would have scored. It was on his left foot.
(13:46):
The way that people was playing, you know, probably got
un blocked it. But stunning lapse in concentration.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah, it was no damage from the free kick that followed,
but Wellington down to ten, so Alex Rufe had to
to center back, which you know is something that he
can do, but certainly it's not Plan A or Plan
B when it comes to the side. But then a
few minutes later Alex Ruffel with one of the great
(14:13):
Derby goals to make it one all ball came in
from a corner. Auckland FC had a couple of chances
to claire It and Steve Carkerr even named and shamed
afterwards Louis Vustrata and Laughlin brook He didn't seem to
have any hesitation and pointing out the culprits and he's
right for Strata's clearance is not good and Brooks should
get that away on the edge. But it's a terrific goal.
(14:35):
It's a cracking Derby moment.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Oh, it's royal the Rover stuff, it's the stuff that
is a seven year old in the park. Piney and
Nelson you're dreaming about getting that on the half voley
from thee of the area. You know, it's the greatest
goal of Rufus Korea. It's the one that he'll probably
you know, you think he'd be oh maybe not remembered
for because I guess there's been others like that late
penalty a few years ago. But to get that in
the derby in front of the in front of the
(14:59):
Phoenix fans, and the emotion afterwards, but just the just
the purity of the strike, it brought back to me.
Steven girardvice, Yes, you know, just so Crisp. So Crisp,
I thought that exact same thing. You know that that
FA Cup final goal of Gerrard's a bit further out obviously,
and also that one he scored at Anfield on that
European night.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
But yeah, I mean, Ruffer does not score a lot
of goals. That was only his seventh, that's two and
two weeks as well, you know, and he's he's into
the one hundred and seventies in terms of games. But
goodness me, what a goal. And yeah, the way they
ran to that pocket of fans and the eyes bulging
out of their head and just the pure emotion of
it. It was. It was a moment that football has the
(15:40):
ability to deliver. You know that. I don't know that
a lot of other sports.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Have, No, they don't. It was, it was, It was
pure sporting gold. It's the reason why this derby has
taken off and is doing so well, and it was.
I thought there were two things about it that was great.
Number One, it was just a moment that will be
remembered for a long time, that will be in those
(16:05):
highlight reels on sky and everything. But two, it was
just great reward for those Phoenix Yellow Fever fans. There
wasn't many of them, there's still a decent amount, but
they were absolutely brilliant. The noise they made and the
way they kept singing in a match where a lot
of things went against them. I was just so happy
for them that they got their moment.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
So one all and we're all square with still thirty
five minutes to go. Then the first of the two
penalties awarded to Aukland f C. After sixty three minutes.
Now play has sort of gone on a bit well,
the play had finished, the balls played into the area
went behind and we were lining up for the goalkck
and all of a sudden we could see Adam Cursey
getting advice from Alex King and he went over, had
(16:47):
to look at the screen and adjudged that Ifinisee had
been holding Sam Cosgrove as the ball came in, so
Auckland FC were awarded their first ever penalty. Olawai Emmy
josh Olowaim. He took about Alex Ruther's all time great
Derby goal. Alawaii saves the penalty from Cosgrave, then blasted
over and it was just one of a string of saves.
(17:11):
I think that is one of the all time great
Wellington Phoenix goalkeeping performances. Which is odd really when you
lose three to one, but he had such an eye
catching game. He saved the second penalty as well before
Devre's poked at him. But just a word on Josh
Olaway Amy Birch, who hasn't always been, you know, a
guy that Phoenix fans have been one hundred percent and behind.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
He was amazing. He was absolutely amazing. When you when
you watch the Premier League, the commentators or in the
stats always talking about big chances, you know, and I
reckon Auckland probably had seven or eight big chances and
he just made so many remarkable saves for a guy
that was down on confidence last season. I guess they're
(17:56):
showing more faith in him this season and he's found
himself because he was outstanding. I mean you must have
been mentioning his name so often in your commentary. Yeah,
he was unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
He was just so many saves and I think that
came off the back of two excellent performances in the
last two games as well, where you know, against MacArthur
and then against Adelaide. He was excellent in both of
those games. So maybe this is the josh Ola Wamy
that has always been there but is now coming to
the four. Just want to get your view on the
penalties before we do. Let's say the two coaches views.
The second penalty incidental. He was awarded sort of similar situation.
(18:31):
A ball comes into the area and this time it's
Dan Edwards and as she said before, Sam Cosgrove needing
no second invitation to go down in the penalty area.
This one is awarded by Adam Cursey at first look
and var clearly not seeing anything that that was an
obvious era to get him over to look at overturning it.
Josh Ola Wormey saves this one from Devrees, who slots
(18:51):
home the rebound for two to one. So let's get
the coaches views. First of all, Steve Coricker was asked
about the red card to James and the penalties. Was
his response, I think it's a.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Red card, definitely. Yeah, he's throwing goal. It was outside
the box obviously, But to be honest, the the two
penalties I didn't really see, so I can't really comment
on the Obviously they looked at him afterwards, and you know,
we got the in favor, our first penalty ever, two
(19:25):
penalties and we misposed of them. So it's not a
good track record, is it. So, but it was nice
that Francis obviously got the rebound and tucked it away.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
He can't give it the eye. Heaven't, So I didn't
see them. It's just that is quintessential manager talk when
you you know, I don't know, you don't want to
comment on them. Look, I don't know. Did you think
they were penalties? Well?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
I think there's two questions here, Like I didn't I didn't.
I didn't like them. But the broader question is is
this what we want? In the A League. Is this
really what we want in terms of But yeah, I
going back to check every time there's a corner or
a free kirk and there's twenty people in the box
and everyone's grabbing anyone else because you can always find
(20:10):
things And I don't know, I just think penalties have
got to be they've got to be much more clear
cut than that for me.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Well, here's Gianclo a Tealiano's view on the two penalties.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Well, I think the first one with was a pen
from I mean I didn't see it until after they
gave the pen, so I only saw the first incidant.
It looked like they he grabbed from behind it and
from my understanding, grabbing and you know, falling on a
player with intention is a foul. Straight away, I felt
as though, okay, that's that's fair. But the second one,
(20:47):
I mean, Sam and Dan don't even know where the
ball is. You know, Dan's half the size of Sam
and Sam's already on the ground. I just felt like
that was really soft, like just again, you know, so
minimal contact.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
There you go, So chief he thought the first one
was and the second one wasn't put it this way,
Birch If it had been the same set of circumstances
for the second one, and Adam Cursey hadn't given it
on first look, would the var have called him over
to have a look at it the way he did
with the first one. He obviously thought the first one
(21:23):
was worth a second look the var I mean what
about this? Were they Were they that dissimilar? Were they?
Were they the same? It's very similar set of circumstances,
two players coming together, same Auckland FC player Sam Cosgrove
going down on both occasions. If the second one hadn't
been given on the field, would var have asked Adam
(21:45):
Cursey to have a look at it?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I mean this where it gets really really curly, doesn't it?
Because I mean the second one actually the ball was
sort of in more of a vicinity than the first one,
the ball sort of drifting over. But I thought chief
he summed up as a sai of the second one
really well. I mean, Dan Edwards is a lot smaller
than Cosgrove. They're both jostling, and Cosgrove knew he wasn't
(22:08):
going to get near the ball and it looked to
me like a bit of a dive, you know, which
we see strikers do all the time, and he just
did it well. But no, I'd be I mean, what
do you think I'd be surprised if the head of
called Cursey back for that one?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah? I agree, although then I think, okay, but that
they are quite similar. They're almost carbon copy of one another.
So if Alex King is calling Adam Cursey over to
look at the first one, then I wonder whether he
is calling him over to look at the second one.
And then you ask yourself, okay, what Adam Kursey have
have done exactly the same thing, and on second look
given the second one as well. It's all hypothetical. Of course,
the game's over, the decision to be made, but you're right,
(22:47):
it does bring into question again, you know the you
know what is and what isn't a penalty? You know,
Josh Holloway, he saved them both. Francis Devrez had the
whereweth aal to poke home for two to one, and
then Gizmo My making it three to one after shortly
after coming on Cosgrove involved again a head back across
goal and all of a sudden Auckland are clear and
(23:09):
the result from there is pretty pretty secure. Sam Cosgrove.
We seem to talk about him every week. Was this redemption?
Was this a redemptive out outing for Sam Cosgrove?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
He certainly had an impact, didn't he And he was
hard to handle. So so we're feeling good about himself
and might give him the confidence he needs, like we
still haven't. We have talked about him, probably too much, Piney,
and you'll be thinking, why these guys are still at me,
But we probably still haven't seen enough of them to
really know, still haven't seen enough of the full the
(23:46):
full gamut of what he can do. But Jeezy had
an impact.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Yeah he did, he did, And then they'll continue with him,
and yeah, you have to say that he well, he
he set up the third goal. He was and he
earned two pen he did miss one himself, which I'm
sure I won't go into his show real if they
still have those, but you know, he had an impact.
Another yellow card. Interestingly, that's four now for the season.
(24:12):
He now goes as to all of the Auckland players
into a stretch of games where there are five of
the next six away And I think you made the
point last week. You know that that often when you're
away from home, those yellow cards can perhaps be you know,
handed out a bit more readily. If you're the away team,
you know at some stage is going to pick up
his fifth and going to miss a game, isn't he?
(24:34):
And then it'll be extremely interesting to see what what
Steve Coricker does because he doesn't really have a like
for like. I mean, you can you know, Johnny Bidwoy
came on, but he's a young player. He's not a
you know, he's not you know, in the in the
normal scheme of things, a starting player. So when Sam
Cosgrove does get his next yellow card, which on the
(24:54):
record of the first seven games, will be in one
of the next two probably, and then you know, and
then you say, okay, well then if you get then
if he gets eight yellow cards, it's two it's a
two game ban. So if he picks up four and
seven weeks, you'd have to think that he is going
to pick up eight across the season. So he gets
a one week ban for the fifth one, and then
another two weeks after he gets his eighth one.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
That's a really good point, mate. It shows how costly
could be because yeah, we were talking about the other
week and I think it was the Brisbane game where
there were there were three or four potential moments where
in another game another referee could have been a yellow card,
you know, and he got one away from home with
the fans baying the referee. It'd be walking a type rope.
(25:40):
So it's just something. It's just but it feels a
bit needless to me. He gets it out of his
game because like, what do they do? Maybe they go
for the Jesse Randall, completely different system, the speed up front, but.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah, well they could go they could go Rogerson Randall,
my Brook couldn't they who you're supposed to mark situation?
He is supposed to look after man, it's a different way.
And yes, Steve Corek is all in on the on
the big man up front, but yeah, it is something
obviously to look out for. So yeah, five of Auckland
FC's next six or away. Just before we moved from
the derby, did you see the Auckland FC of last
(26:16):
season at times on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yes, yes, I think so. I think their attack was
starting to click them And we asked Corek about that
at the press conference and he said, yeah, okay, we
looked good, but it was against ten men for half
the game. But just you know, sweeping forward, a bit more,
a bit more cohesion about them. And yeah, they were
(26:43):
pretty good defensively too. I mean they didn't didn't give
up much at all in a in what was a
pressure game. So and they've got that swagger, haven't they have?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
They have and they'll swagger away from home on Friday night.
It's quite a short urchurn around just the six days
at Gosford to take on the Mariners. The Wellington Phoenix
lick their wounds, they come back to Sky Stadium where
they will welcome the Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon. Just
a word on the crowd as well. Twenty two nine
hundred and ninety three, so twenty three thousand give will
take there on the weekend, just adding to what was
(27:15):
another terrific derby occasion.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
The Football Feaver Podcast with Jason Vine and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Let's move to the Ninja A League, the women's competition.
Melbourne City won Wellington Phoenix Neil, the Phoenix's first loss
of the season. Melbourne City scoring with their only attempt
on target the entire game, and ironically enough it was
a key we football feron Rebecca Stott with a close
range header late in the game. I think everything apart
from the result in this game was quite encouraging, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Yeah, it was excellent. I mean it was close to
their best performance I would have thought considering their opposition,
considering how good Melbourne City are. I mean, they're just off.
You know, they've been away playing an Asia. I think
there were in all three of those games. They've been
setting the benchmark in this part of the world for
a long time. They dominated possession, but the Phoenix. The Phoenix,
(28:11):
as you just said, had a lot more chances and
were very good defensively. So yeah, really encouraging signs. But
what the hell happened with that goal?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Oh? I know, I watched it back to see if
there was something I'd missed, But you know, there's two
players pretty much free. I mean, Rebecca Stotts headed that
in from a yard but I reckon even I score that.
You know, she's completely unmarked as the ball is headed
back in her direction, and I don't know, did they
just set up wrong for it? It was a defensive
(28:44):
free kick situation, wasn't It helped into the area so
you have time to set up. Why was Rebecca stott
so free.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
It was bizarre and as you say, there was a
teammate of hers behind her, yeah, two meters behind her
was also free, I mean stop and her teammate made
a run across from where everyone I was and they
just weren't tracked. But also like they had two players
in the war, did they need those two players in
the war? Probably not on reflection, it was just it
(29:13):
was just an absolute coach killer that goal, because you
just can't concede against men Malman City like that at
any time because it's hurt so much. But to concede
against Melbourne City like that in the eighty fifth minute
far out.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
It kind of takes away from the satisfaction you get
from the eighty five minutes that came before. As you say,
to keep Melbourne City this you know the premiere is
from last year. To no shots on target in eighty
five minutes, that's a great defensive performance. Melbourne City had
what sixty one percent of possession I think it was
to thirty nine for the Phoenix, but only had three
attempts just the one on target. As we've mentioned, the
(29:50):
Phoenix had nine attempts that the woodwork three times. So
then you think to yourself, should they actually have scored
from one of those attempts? And the answer clearly yes,
And it came back to bite them at the end
when they hadn't taken their chances and Melbourne City took theirs.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yeah, I felt for them, I mean you you know,
and watching that game would think that they deserved at
least a point, so so did not take a point
would be hard. But though when the dust settles, they'll
take a lot from the performance, so that that's the
good thing. I think they've proved. This new team has
proved they can go across the Tasman and put on
(30:27):
a really good performance. The next step is going across
the Tasman and getting.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Result absolutely right, because the stats will tell you, the
bare faced stats will tell you that they just have
real trouble winning across the Tasman. Forty one away matches
now in their life Burge eight wins, two draws, thirty
one losses and forty one away games. So even picking
up points, let alone winning matches has been difficult and
(30:51):
it took them. I remember, it took them in a
while to work this out as well, and they tried
all sorts of different things. They you know, they went
a day early, they went as late as pass the ball.
They told the players they weren't allowed to eat the
food on the plane. They do all sorts of different
things to try, you know, try and set their body
clocks up in the right way. And look, I don't
know that the Phoenix have ever really nailed it in
(31:12):
a consistent fashion. And it's something that that you know,
is a bit of a peculiarity given the fact that
you know, these are the New Zealand teams playing in
the Australian competition. But then think, well, Perth Glory have
to come the other way, don't they. And they often
go across to the eastern seaboard of Australia every other week,
and that's a that's longer. It's it's a longer flight
than going from from Wellington to Sydney, for example. So
(31:35):
I don't know whether there is an answer, but as
you say, maybe yesterday was encouraging in the fact that
they that they competed for, you know, for pretty much
the whole game, even if they came away empty handed exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
And it's just it's just a learning process for them.
But it was a really costly way to learn in
the end.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
It was it doesn't get any easier. They head to Perth.
Now they're staying in Australia. I think they're heading across
to Perth today, so they'll have the whole week in
Western Australia, which hopefully will give them an advantage. A
couple of players we saw for the first time yesterday.
Dominican Republic captain Lucia Lyon made her a long way
to debut. She hasn't featured in the first first month
or so of the season. She was a second half sub,
(32:17):
and young Kiwi Zoey Benson also made her debut for
the club. Vick Essen was injured for this one. Amy
Danielli in goal and I think did a pretty good job.
Those in front of her. Again, I think that's been
the strength of this team this season, hasn't It is
the defense in front of whether it's been Essen or
yesterday Danielle. I think Mac Bowry, Ali Walker, Maurice VanderMeer
and then CJ. Bot sitting in front. It's a pretty
(32:38):
good defensive setup, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
It's hard to break down. I mean, given the possession
that Melbourne City had, they'll be sitting in their review
probably today and thinking, you know and saying what happened girls,
what was going on? And why couldn't we make more
in the final third? And they couldn't because Wellington set
up well, they're all doing their jobs. I thought, I
(33:03):
quite like seeing Grace Jarley in the middle too. Yeah,
that was quite up front. But she just I just
think she's wasted, wasted on the on the wings or
on the flanks. Yep.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
No, she can do a lot of good work in
central areas. And yeah, there was a lot to be
encouraged by, even though it was was in the end
an exercise that didn't result in any pointses to it.
On c J Botch he's been officially named as captain
of the side now for the season, the first ever
welling Tonian to be permanent captain of the Wellington Phoenix
woman's side.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
The Football Feaver Podcast with Jason Vine and Michael Burgess.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
The FIFA World Cup drawer Saturday morning in Washington, DC.
Eventually the balls got drawn out, Burge. I'm not sure
what time you started watching, but I think the first
ball might have been drawn out. The whole thing started
about six o'clock. I think the first ball actually got
drawn out about twenty five past seven. There was certainly
a lot of pageantry and and you know, carry on
(34:01):
of questionable merit before we even got to the balls. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Yeah, it was sort of like a bit of a
live aid concert fee for eight or something, you know,
just some random musicians and all the other things going
on with with Donald Trump. But you know, they like
to draw it out. It's just how they do it.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Yeah, they do. But yeah, we eventually got to the
draw itself, and as we have no doubt, or you've
no doubt, picked up over the weekend, New zeal And
drawn into Group G, the last of the forty eight
teams to be pulled out actually, and we now know
that they will face Iran in Los Angeles, Egypt in Vancouver,
Belgium in Vancouver. Pretty decent Drawbirge.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it could have been better, but
it could have been a lot worse. I think that's
the feeling of most people inside and outside New Zealand football.
There's a there's a lot of reasons to be happy
with that raw. The biggest reason is that you look
at it and you think, okay, there's actually a plan
(35:06):
of attack here. This is you know, there are a
couple of different ways we can the Alors can get
out of that group, whereas if you end up in
a in a group of death, then it's more like, shit,
what are we.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Going to do?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Yeah? No South American side. I was a big fan
of that. Yeah, you know, we just seem to We
don't play them that often, and when we do, they
seem to beat us all the time. So I think
avoiding a South American side from any of the pots
was good. And also there are groups there, I think
four of them that have two European sides, and I
guess avoiding one of those was always going to be
(35:40):
helpful too. There's no big sort of you know, rock
star team in the group. Belgium the number eight side
in the world, but they're not like in England. They're
in Argentina or a Brazil, are they Where if New
Zealand had been playing one of those sides, for example,
the whole country would have stopped to watch.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
That's the one shame I was really really hoping. I
think a lot of us were pining to get England
because that would be incredible to play England in the
World Cup, especially this England team or otherwise get Argentina
with Lionel Messi. Get Brazil would have been would have
been amazing. The other little wish would probably be out
of Pot three, maybe a South Africa, a Qatar, Asbekistan.
(36:23):
But we Egypt was probably the second or third best
team in maybe fourth and pot three. But as you say,
you know, you could have got Norway out of pot three,
which is a disaster. You could have got Columbia, Ecuador,
Uraguay out of pot two, which is which is equally bad.
So it's it's it's a really generous straw and it's
(36:45):
it's definitely our best ever World Cup draw, like nine
eighty two. I think about eighty two was one of
the best Brazilian teams of all time. USS are in
Scotland and then you think it too. I feel like this, actually,
what do you think? I feel like this is a
more palatable drawer than twenty ten with the reigning world
champions Italy, with Slovakia and with Paraguay.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Yeah, I agree, I agree. I think the group is
get out of all of absolutely, especially when your factor
in the consideration that the top two go through and
if you're one of the best third place teams. I
think one of the best eight third place teams in
the twelve groups you go through. So as you say,
there are a lot of ways to get through, I
(37:28):
think Belgium is in many ways a bit of a
free hit. And to that end, I don't mind that
that's the last game. What you don't want to do
is get to that game and need a result against
Belgium to look at progressing. But I feel as though
you know, Iran number twenty in the world, Egypt number
(37:49):
thirty four in the world. Yes we're eighty six, but
as we've talked about a lot birds, you know those
the rankings once you get beyond the thirties are really
you know, you throw a blanket over a bunch of
team there. And in a one off situation, I think
New Zealand's will fancy. I feel like you've got to
get four points. I don't think two points will be enough.
I don't think two draws are enough. I think you
(38:10):
need to win and a draw, and I think they
will think that they can get a win and a
draw against Iran and Egypt in one fashion or another.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I was thinking maybe three points could be enough as well,
considering it's eight out of twelve team so it could
be but four, yeah, four would be the safety factor.
I mean, one thing we have to keep in mind,
because everyone's been quite excited and optimistic, is that you know,
Iran will be really happy with this draw too. They'll
(38:41):
be doing cartwheels in Cairo that they've got New Zealand,
you know what I mean, because they're like far out.
We've never won a World Cup game. This is our chance.
Iran have been to the World Cup I think seven times,
never got out of the group, so they'll be do'll
be desperate to get out of a group. So it's
still going to be bloody complicated, and you're playing teams
that have got so much experience of really intense matches.
(39:05):
But you're exactly right. You look down the team list
of Iran's squad is not nearly as scary as quite
a few of the other teams.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
There no true true and you're right. I mean, anybody
who got us in their group will be pleased. You know.
Egypt will be the same. They'll say, well, there's three points.
Belgium will say there's three point Belgium are probably right,
but you know, and maybe that factors into it. As well.
What happens if you're sixty five seventy minutes into a
game against Egypt or Iran and its goalless or the
scores are locked up. What does that do to them?
(39:35):
When they've basically banked on three points against the eighty
sixth ranked team in the world, the lowest ranked team
at this tournament, and those points aren't in their possession,
what does that do to them? So, yeah, there's a
lot to like about it. The other part Birds that
I really like is where the games are Western Seaboard
of North America, Los Angeles and then two in Vancouver.
(39:58):
Direct flights to both of those cities out of Auckland.
I think a few New Zealand football fans who were
considering going over there will have their interest heightened, won't
they when they know it's a direct flight to both
of the cities New Zealand are playing it.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
That's a bloody good point. Andrew Pregnant was saying the
other day to me that they really hoped for the
West Coast for a few reasons, but especially that compared
to you know, it's much more of a journey to
get to New York. It's a long way to get
to Toronto. I don't know how many flights that would be,
so it just it just maximizes the support in the stands,
doesn't it. You've got more Kiwis traveling, and I think
(40:36):
as well, there's a lot more Kiwi expats would live
on the West Coast than anywhere else, so you've got
a few of them going along. And the other thing,
which is probably just as important from memory of the
Club World Cup earlier this year, the conditions, the climate
seemed a lot more temperate on the West Coast. It
was in the East Coast games from memory where the
(40:58):
players were melting, you know, and they had those crazy
heat waves and everything else. So that's also quite nice
to play in sort of more normal conditions.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah. Some of those southern states as well
are are pretty hot. So yeah, I think all things
considered in terms of the locations excellent. And the drawer,
as you say, could have been better. I guess if
you had your absolute pick, it could have been better,
but it could have been a heck of a lot
worse as well. I did note that if New Zealand
comes second in their group and Australia comes second in
(41:28):
their group, they have the USA, Paraguay and a European
playoff winner. So if both we in Australia are second
in our groups, we meet in around of thirty two.
Match Birch.
Speaker 3 (41:36):
Yeah, I saw that your notes. I was like, oh
my goodness, Oh my goodness. Where would that be in
terms of the biggest New Zealand Australia clashes on the
world stage. You know, you think of twenty fifteen rug
World Cup and things like that. But that would that
would stop the nation, wouldn't it. That would be absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
Amazing it would well, who knows, who know what will happen.
Funny things happen at World Cups, but we know whether
the All Whites will be for Paul play Now, just
before we go to the men's National League final comes
up on Saturday. This is a ten game regular season
with the top two going through to the final, and
the top two are Wellington Olympic and Auckland City. They
will meet at six o'clock on Saturday night at Newtown
(42:18):
Park in Wellington. Olympic with a seven to win three
loss record Auckland City six wins, two draws, two losses.
Auckland City did win the regular season match in Wellington
one nill earlier this season, so a fitting climax to
the men's National League season. Another derby down bird. You
we going to wait till February for another one. Plenty
of football to play out between now and then though,
(42:40):
and maybe Auckland FC and Wellington Fantas can go back
and just have a bit of a normal time of things. Good,
always good chatting football with you mate. We'll do it
again next Monday
Speaker 3 (42:50):
Yeah, look forward to it mate, Fe
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