November 1, 2024 • 5 mins
A blow for hosts Wellington ahead of their inaugural A-League football derby against Auckland.
Phoenix skipper Alex Rufer has been ruled out with a knee injury but they are boosted by the availability of new signings Paulo Retre and Marco Rojas, who missed the opening two rounds.
Wellington Phoenix General Manger David Dome joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the momentous occasion.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's a massive game of a league of football this weekend.
We have not seen anything this big in the history
of the A League when we look at New Zealand competition.
David Dome joins us now is the general manager, the
boss man of the Phoenix has been for what seventeen
odd years. This is huge, this lo called Derby David massive.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
The whole club's just so excited about it, and I
know the Auckland guys are as well. We've been waiting
a long time for a second team. We've often looked
at the Australian clubs with their derbies, you know, the
two Melbourne clubs and the two Sydney clubs going at it,
and we needn't really had that. But the amount of
interest around this game is incredible and the ticket sales
have really gone through the roof in the last couple
of days and we're literally right now we're opening up
(00:55):
more bays as we speak to accommodate more ticket sales.
So now look, just can't wait for the game and
it's going to be so exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Give us a rough idea. What are you looking at?
How many heads are reckon you're going to get through?
How many bodies? How many bums on seat?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
David Well, I think as at least twenty thousand, maybe
twenty one. And we now targeted our regular season record,
which is twenty four thousand that we've got against Wesne
United and we came back after COVID. It was our
first came back home up to COVID. We've got twenty
four and a half thousand. So that's the target now
for the team and it's certainly tracking towards that. It
will depend on how it foils on the game on
game day, but the weather forecast is great, so I
(01:28):
don't think that's going to be an issue, but it could, yeah,
it could be. Realistically, we're targeting our highest of a
regular season attendance.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The game, David, is of utmost importance. That's what people
want to see. They want to see a quality game
of football. But you'd be insane if you didn't make
the most of this opportunity. So I've seen you guys
have been fine planes around poking the borax. What else
is the Wellington Phoenix doing around this fixture? To really
bring it to life and to make it more than
(01:56):
just a football match.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah, there's a lot of activation around the game. I
know both of the support of clubs are going big
on the game and they're having functions before the game
and our the game. Look, there will be a lot
of activity during the game and around the concourse at
the stadium, a lot of stuff for the kids. But
we've also got potentially well we're hoping that we're going
to have something for display on the game and tying
(02:19):
in our relationship with our Manifano partner Chatiawa, and we
really want to make the most of it because as
you say, it's a once in a lifetime, it's never
going to happen again to be the first ever derby,
So we're going to go big on it and we
want to make sure that it's something for the fans
to remember.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Is this a time as well to encourage non football
fans to the game, to get them along based on
what this actually means, are you looking at that or
more targeting the actual football audience themselves.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
We know that when we're selling more than twenty thousand tickets,
it's the general public that it's coming. Yes, it's the
football fans are certainly there. Then the sports fans are
coming because they're interested, and then you get the wider
population who are coming along because they know it's an
event and they know it's something special. So that's definitely happening.
Those people are coming along because it has sparked the
interest of the general public who want it, like I say,
(03:05):
who really want to be there for something. It's ever
going to happen again.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
So how the study of troops right now, they will
come back from Perth. It's a dog of a journey
before you're playing a local derby. Hey heavy are their leagus?
They're feeling all right. You've been out the audience, your
clipboard and yourstole having you David.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Under the clipboard, not Gareth Morgan, but I know you're right.
It's a long trip but it's good to get that
out of the way early. So we've got that guy
you know, win in there, got our three points come back.
But they're recovered well. So they've had a good few
days of recovery. Chief has had them out on the
training ground a few times. We're confident that the team's
going to be in good shape to take on to
take on Auckland, and look, I really think it's going
(03:42):
to be a great game. These are two really good
teams top two, one and two on the table and
whoever comes out of us not only gets the bragging rights,
but it goes top of the table as well.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Public service announcement, plainly, there's information. You need to get
out there and tell people who are coming to the Dame.
And I know the first thing and to say get
there early, Get there early.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's a five o'clock kick off. We're going to open
up the gate ninety minutes before, so from through three
thirty onwards, the gates are going to be open. But look,
with this amount of people coming, we know it does
take a little bit longer to get through the gates.
Don't leave it to the last minute. There is activities
going on at the stadium. We know that both Wellington
Yellow Fever and Auckland the Port have marched to the matches,
(04:21):
so that'll be interesting as well. But you don't leave
the last minute. I get there really and enjoy you
entertainment around the game. And like I say, the forecast
is going to be great, so well, everything will be
in the sun.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
And another thing as well for interested parties. You know,
you've still got fans of the Phoenix in Auckland. You
do know that, don't you. Is it true you're not
coming back, but you've got a TBC possibly, But is
the Phoenix got a future playing at what one of
the air fortresses? Eden Park? You come back up here,
David or not?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Well, we love Eden Park and we're dead Keen. I mean,
I'm hopeful that we'll play that Phoenix and Auckland will
play some game at Eden Park in the future. We
are looking at it and we're trying to get that
across the line. But you know that's a three way
conversation now it's not as easy as it used to
be in the old days. I mean, we are going
to christ Church. We are going to play there at
the end of gym. Really excited about that as well.
And then of course that's a three year deal. So
(05:09):
the first game is at the Orange there at the
current stadium and then of course we moved to one
New Zealand stadium after that. So look really looking forward
to christs But you know, at some stage in the
future we can come back to Auckland. Outside the derby,
it's playing Auckland, Baby, Edon Park, they'd be huge.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
So there's a will. It's just a matter of finding
out a way and hopefully sooner rather than later. You
can confirm this what we know by the end of
the season or not.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, I'd say so.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I'd so, David Doan, Thanks very much. Hey, you
enjoy the weekend. This is huge for football in New Zealand,
for football in Auckland and Wellington as well. Roll on
the derby and everybody keep it friendly. Let's spread the
daha right David, thanks for your time.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Thanks Darsie appreciate support.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's a massive game of a league of football this weekend.
We have not seen anything this big in the history
of the A League when we look at New Zealand competition.
David Dome joins us now is the general manager, the
boss man of the Phoenix has been for what seventeen
odd years. This is huge, this lo called Derby David massive.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
The whole club's just so excited about it, and I
know the Auckland guys are as well. We've been waiting
a long time for a second team. We've often looked
at the Australian clubs with their derbies, you know, the
two Melbourne clubs and the two Sydney clubs going at it,
and we needn't really had that. But the amount of
interest around this game is incredible and the ticket sales
have really gone through the roof in the last couple
of days and we're literally right now we're opening up
(00:55):
more bays as we speak to accommodate more ticket sales.
So now look, just can't wait for the game and
it's going to be so exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Give us a rough idea. What are you looking at?
How many heads are reckon you're going to get through?
How many bodies? How many bums on seat?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
David Well, I think as at least twenty thousand, maybe
twenty one. And we now targeted our regular season record,
which is twenty four thousand that we've got against Wesne
United and we came back after COVID. It was our
first came back home up to COVID. We've got twenty
four and a half thousand. So that's the target now
for the team and it's certainly tracking towards that. It
will depend on how it foils on the game on
game day, but the weather forecast is great, so I
(01:28):
don't think that's going to be an issue, but it could, yeah,
it could be. Realistically, we're targeting our highest of a
regular season attendance.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The game, David, is of utmost importance. That's what people
want to see. They want to see a quality game
of football. But you'd be insane if you didn't make
the most of this opportunity. So I've seen you guys
have been fine planes around poking the borax. What else
is the Wellington Phoenix doing around this fixture? To really
bring it to life and to make it more than
(01:56):
just a football match.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah, there's a lot of activation around the game. I
know both of the support of clubs are going big
on the game and they're having functions before the game
and our the game. Look, there will be a lot
of activity during the game and around the concourse at
the stadium, a lot of stuff for the kids. But
we've also got potentially well we're hoping that we're going
to have something for display on the game and tying
(02:19):
in our relationship with our Manifano partner Chatiawa, and we
really want to make the most of it because as
you say, it's a once in a lifetime, it's never
going to happen again to be the first ever derby,
So we're going to go big on it and we
want to make sure that it's something for the fans
to remember.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Is this a time as well to encourage non football
fans to the game, to get them along based on
what this actually means, are you looking at that or
more targeting the actual football audience themselves.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
We know that when we're selling more than twenty thousand tickets,
it's the general public that it's coming. Yes, it's the
football fans are certainly there. Then the sports fans are
coming because they're interested, and then you get the wider
population who are coming along because they know it's an
event and they know it's something special. So that's definitely happening.
Those people are coming along because it has sparked the
interest of the general public who want it, like I say,
(03:05):
who really want to be there for something. It's ever
going to happen again.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
So how the study of troops right now, they will
come back from Perth. It's a dog of a journey
before you're playing a local derby. Hey heavy are their leagus?
They're feeling all right. You've been out the audience, your
clipboard and yourstole having you David.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Under the clipboard, not Gareth Morgan, but I know you're right.
It's a long trip but it's good to get that
out of the way early. So we've got that guy
you know, win in there, got our three points come back.
But they're recovered well. So they've had a good few
days of recovery. Chief has had them out on the
training ground a few times. We're confident that the team's
going to be in good shape to take on to
take on Auckland, and look, I really think it's going
(03:42):
to be a great game. These are two really good
teams top two, one and two on the table and
whoever comes out of us not only gets the bragging rights,
but it goes top of the table as well.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Public service announcement, plainly, there's information. You need to get
out there and tell people who are coming to the Dame.
And I know the first thing and to say get
there early, Get there early.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's a five o'clock kick off. We're going to open
up the gate ninety minutes before, so from through three
thirty onwards, the gates are going to be open. But look,
with this amount of people coming, we know it does
take a little bit longer to get through the gates.
Don't leave it to the last minute. There is activities
going on at the stadium. We know that both Wellington
Yellow Fever and Auckland the Port have marched to the matches,
(04:21):
so that'll be interesting as well. But you don't leave
the last minute. I get there really and enjoy you
entertainment around the game. And like I say, the forecast
is going to be great, so well, everything will be
in the sun.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
And another thing as well for interested parties. You know,
you've still got fans of the Phoenix in Auckland. You
do know that, don't you. Is it true you're not
coming back, but you've got a TBC possibly, But is
the Phoenix got a future playing at what one of
the air fortresses? Eden Park? You come back up here,
David or not?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Well, we love Eden Park and we're dead Keen. I mean,
I'm hopeful that we'll play that Phoenix and Auckland will
play some game at Eden Park in the future. We
are looking at it and we're trying to get that
across the line. But you know that's a three way
conversation now it's not as easy as it used to
be in the old days. I mean, we are going
to christ Church. We are going to play there at
the end of gym. Really excited about that as well.
And then of course that's a three year deal. So
(05:09):
the first game is at the Orange there at the
current stadium and then of course we moved to one
New Zealand stadium after that. So look really looking forward
to christs But you know, at some stage in the
future we can come back to Auckland. Outside the derby,
it's playing Auckland, Baby, Edon Park, they'd be huge.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
So there's a will. It's just a matter of finding
out a way and hopefully sooner rather than later. You
can confirm this what we know by the end of
the season or not.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, I'd say so.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, I'd so, David Doan, Thanks very much. Hey, you
enjoy the weekend. This is huge for football in New Zealand,
for football in Auckland and Wellington as well. Roll on
the derby and everybody keep it friendly. Let's spread the
daha right David, thanks for your time.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Thanks Darsie appreciate support.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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