December 15, 2025 • 42 mins
Jason Pine returns to recap a full day in the world of sport! Highlights for tonight include:
Former All White David Chote on the recent woes of the Phoenix.
Piney's power rankings!
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi, Dan Johny. Good evening and welcome into the final
Monday night sports talk show on news Talks HEB for
twenty twenty five December fifteen. Today the countdown, well and
truly on. Happy thirty fifth birthday to All Blacks World
Cup winner and twenty fifteen near hair milners Scudder. Happy
sixty sixth birthday to All Black twin brothers and nineteen
(00:44):
eighty seven World Cup winners Goary and Alan Wetton. I'm
Jason Pine show producer. Tonight An's Millicitic. We are talking
sport with you until eight. What is going on at
Wellington Phoenix? A stunning second half capitulation has seen the
Knicks slump to their fourth defeat in the last five
games of the A League Men's season, Beaten three to
(01:04):
one at home by the previously bottom placed Newcastle Jets yesterday.
The defeat has dropped them to second bottom on the ladder.
They are only ahead of last placed Melbourne Victory on
gold difference. So how much pressure is on head coach
gian Carlo Italiano and is there light at the end
of this tunnel. Former or White and now football commentator
(01:25):
David Choate is standing by to chat with us about this.
Your thoughts are welcome to especially Phoenix fans who are starting,
unfortunately to vote with their feet. Yesterday was the smallest
home crowd in the nineteen year history of the football club.
So what are you seeing and what has to change?
Are the matters around tonight? A Jazz Bttel is back
(01:47):
in the Black Caps, selected in the squad for New
Zealand's final cricket Test of the three match series against
the West Indies starting on Thursday at Bay Oval in
Mount Monganui. He will replace the injured Blair Tickner. He
hasn't of course made the playing eleven yet. The last
time he played a Test in New Zealand was twenty
twenty would you believe? And he has never taken a
(02:08):
Test wicket on home soil. Eighty five Test wickets for
a Jazz Pattel, All eighty five of them have been
outside of New Zealand. We'll hear some of his thoughts
ahead of a possible return to the Test site, and
on Monday nights we rate the weekend Pinty's Power rankings
before we close the show, the best, the worst and
the in between bits from the last seventy two hours
(02:30):
or so. You can make a contribution to the show
whenever you like tonight. A few ways to do that.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty we'll get you
throw on the phone. That's a free call nine two
ninety two for your text messages. Normal charges apply. Emails
into Jason at NEWSTALKZEDB dot co dot nz. Just gone
nine past seven.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Hell no need for the TMO. We've got the breakdown
on sports Talk call oh eight hundred eighty eight News
Talk SAIB.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
The Wellington Phoenix have dropped a second bottom on the
A League Football Ladder after a three to one home
defeat to previously bottom placed Newcastle g Taylor. Rakuino trying
to land another one on.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
The time it's it again.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Goodness me the Newcastle Jets on fire and Wellington He's
been provider for the first two Clayton Taylor the next,
conceding three goals in the space of seven second half
minutes to slump to a fourth defeat in the last
five games, heaping even more pressure on head coach gian
Carlo Italiano former or White and longtime football analyst Phoenix
(03:34):
observer since the club came into being in two thousand
and seven. David Choate is with us Tody before we
zoom out and look at the bigger picture here, what
was your overall summary of what played out in yesterday's game?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Lamitous defending just really soft. They looked so light. It
was a disappointing watch for the Phoenix fans. And I
didn't see sort of any real signs of lots. They
got back a goal but then never really pushed on.
I thought it was a low point. I think in
(04:10):
the long history of the Phoenix I think it's been
a really poor run.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
What sorts of conversations then, would you expect to be
going on at Phoenix HQ right now? Not necessarily coach
to players, but higher up and the sort of in
the officers of Phoenix HQ.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Well, they must be looking at their recruitment because if
I'm brutally honest, I'm not sure they've got that right.
They just don't seem to have the capital, they don't
seem to have the class across the park. There's sort
of one or two players with a little bit of pediger,
but the rest of them are really light on experience,
so I think they should be asking questions of themselves
(04:49):
before they ask questions of the coaches, because I think
the coach can only work with the talent that they've got,
and I'm not sure how much import the coach has
into the players that were brought in or had been
brought in over the last sort of twelve twenty four months,
but they really have got that so sort of sadly wrong.
I think at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, I want to get to the pressure on the
coach in a minute, But you're right, you can change
the coach, But does that make the players any better?
It doesn't change the playing group, does it. It doesn't. If
the coach goes, it doesn't automatically make those players better players,
does it.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
No, it doesn't. And they've got some Mitigan seven. They
they've got some injuries, and they're having to draft and
players with limited experience, so they're all the excuses out
of the way. But I think you've got to build
a squad for a season that's going to have injuries.
You're always going to run into that kind of issue.
So to me, it's about grabbing almost you know, just
a core of the side who you know are up
(05:39):
to the level because I'm not sure that many of
them have been proven. They're being sort of tried and tested,
but you don't test them in the middle of the
season in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So what are we talking about it, Heathan Chardy. Are
we talking about the need for a major recruitment drive
and one of those famous football phrases, a bit of
a cleanout in the playing group?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Would have thought that that has to be the chatter
behind the scenes. You look at the playing group they've got.
They're not a jing they're a youngest squad, but they've
got very light on experience in terms of a leagu
although they're all getting games now. So I suppose that's
building experience, But is it the right kind of experience
you want to me? The good sides have what I'll
(06:19):
call is sort of some hardened journeyman. It wouldn't be
a bad description. Just guys who have played at that
level and know how to win games of football. Because
it's hard to see where the light comes from in
the current playing group.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, let's get to the coach, gian Culo Italiano. I'm
not sure he was a universally agreed upon decision to
have him reappointed, certainly not among the fans anyway. I'm
not sure that there was universal agreement on him being
given an extension after a pretty poor season last year.
Eight games into this new season, Chody, how much pressure
will be building on Gianculo Italiano?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, he must be feeling it. And I think the
reappointment of gian Carlo Italiano was an interesting decision, wasn't it.
He had a good first season with a side that
had some real talent in it. I thought then he
picked up a side with the less talent and sort
of took them nowhere. I think there's been some improvement
(07:17):
this year, pintly. I think they are playing with a
little more intense sort of almost not sitting back and
waiting to be beaten. So I think they are trying
to get on the front foot. But Italiana, a but
like the players, is not a hardened coach. He's not
a coach with a wealth of experience, so I think
he must be feeling it.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
You hear about coaches losing the dressing room, and I
know you've been in a lot of dressing rooms where
coaches have had the dressing room. You might have been
in dressing rooms where the coaches has lost the playing group.
Is that obvious to feel as a player that the coaches'
instructions tactics just aren't resonating anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yeah, you know it as a player, I think, especially
the sort of more senior players who I mentioned, is
so light on the round. But do you think about
Alex Rufer as ample. Tim Payne would be another if
he'd been playing at the moment, but he'll know what's
going on behind the scenes, and the players know when
when you sort of just cut yourself addressed from the plan.
(08:18):
The other thing I would say is there's real lack
of sort of in my opinion, leadership on the park
barring Ruther at the moment you sort of look around
at who's who's going to be doing the talking for
them that they seem a very quiet side.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
So I don't know.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't know if he's lost the dressing room, but
I think the players are looking for answers as much
as pats Giancarlo Italianos.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yeah, you're right about the lieutenants. I mean, no Tim
Payne with a long term injury, so that's taken another
very senior player out, and I'm not sure you're right
that I'm sure that you're right. There's not those those
loud enough voices elsewhere apart from from Rufer. Can we
talk about a tactic which has been very controversial, and
that's the Phoenix's defensive high line. And again yesterday, certainly
(09:00):
the second goal came as a result of perhaps the
line being too high in a lack of Cohesion's it time,
like I admire someone being all in on a strategy,
but is it time to be a bit pragmatic now
with regards to that particular strategy.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Six goals in two games, and you're right, two of
the goals came from, you know, further back in the
park where they're able to break the lines. Although I've
looked at those goals and on both occasions they've got
three and four players back into the defensive box, but
they're at six and seven. There's no shape to the
back for if you know what I mean. There's there's
people chasing the ball, watching the ball and leaving runners free,
(09:37):
but there's no structure once they were broken. So I
think there is a time when you say, well, actually
we've got to tighten up defensively. Any side that's sitting
where they're sitting has to get the first thing right,
and that's defensively. And at the moment, I think they're
taking an approach that offense is the best sort of
form of defense. But maybe, and just maybe it is
(09:57):
time talking that. Although in the press conference, I think
Luca or Taliana or Cheap as we know him, was
asked and he didn't seem too keen on changing his ways.
I think pragmatism is the right word, Pinty. There would
come a time when you just got to place at
the resources that you've got.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
At the other end, Toody, what are you seeing in
the attacking thirty? You know, on occasion they look very good,
don't they. They're putting together moves. I think at the
game against adelaide A couple of weeks ago, and for
the first thirty five minutes they were terrific in that game.
What are you seeing in the attacking third? What do
you need to see more of consistently?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, that's the area that's probably got the only sort
of shining sort of lights. In reality, they are scoring
a few goals, a few more than they have in
the past. Is A's very busy up top and he
can score a goal. As he showed again, he's all
over the park and putting a lot of the energy
in and places where perhaps you wouldn't want your striking
(10:50):
to be putting the energy in, that is chasing players
around the park. I think they can play good football.
They're one touch trugle going forward. There was a keeven
a couple of moves on the weekend. I thought a
fair score line yesterday might have been six to three
or something like that, which is a ridiculous score line
to football. But they've probably created three good chances and
through good football as well, so they are capable of playing.
(11:13):
But they just to me that it's the three or
four season players that others can build around that they're
really missing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Indeed, yeah, that's a tennis scor, isn't it? Six three?
And the fans. Football is nothing without its fans. How
worrying is it that the fans are now starting to
vote with their feet? Only three thousand these today, Tody, Well.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
That's exactly the issue that you've got for me. You
earn your fans and you earn the right to have
people fill the stands, and at the moment, I'm not
sure they're doing that. It appears with the arrival of
Auburn City Sorry aukrom the FC, that the ship north
for the flag bearers of football has really hurt the Phoenix.
(11:55):
I think they've probably taken the neutral fan and even
in Wellington I think there's a few people staying away
because just the quality isn't there to watch. So I
think they've got to earn their way back into sort
of that. I've always thought six to ten thousand is
the Phoenix crowd, so they've got to earn their way
back to that kind of number, and you only do
that by winning football games.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, and that's the hard thing too, isn't it. You know,
before before Auckland and FC came along, if the Phoenix
had a bad season, it's the Phoenix have had a
bad season. You now have a contrast on the side
of the Tasman with Auckland FC seemingly having no problem
at all picking up wins pretty much every week.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Yeah. Well, I think if you look to the North
and Wellingtonians won't like doing it, But if you look
to the North, there's a model there of a side
that is absolutely bullying the league because they are physically
just as strong as any side in the league with
a little bit of flare in the likes of Guela
I'll get his name on my and Jesse Ramble up
(12:54):
top of the real speed. They've added a big lump
of the center forward and sam CON's growth, and they'll
score enough goals to win games. It may not be
who everyone's liking, but they are the model that wins
more than they lose in the A League.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
All right. So, as the Phoenix contemplate another home game
on Sunday against a team you know in and around
the bottom of the table, I mean, what would you
be doing as a player, What would you be doing
if you were part of the coaching group at Wellington
Phoenix this week? By Hooker by Kroc, just win this
game on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Well, I'm not sure what the situation is with their injuries.
You'd be praying that you're getting someone back or adding
to the squad because I think they do need a
little more physical presence, so they'll have to work on
sort of manning up. In saying that the debut and
center back Psmith I thought showed at times a good physicality.
In saying that, having played so few games it's hard
(13:51):
to sort of rely on that kind of player to
be your anchor if you like. So if they can
get some players back, well that'll make a difference to them.
They've got to me keep the ball for longer periods.
I'm not so convinced that the high line is the
only way to sort of pressure a side. Could they
play a little more on the counter? Is a seems
to be busy up top. I know they they struggle
(14:13):
for real pace perhaps on the flanks, but I'd be
looking to sit a bit deeper. I think you can
try and soak up a bit of pressure. You got
to understand they're not going to be a decide that's
going to go and rip any team apart. They're going
to probably have to sit back out of possession and
have some real structure. So that's what I'd be thinking about.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Always love chatting football with your charity. Let's hope for
an upswing in the Phoenix fortunes. Thanks for your analysis tonight.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, no problem. That's hope for a happier Christmas for
the Phoenix fans and hopefully they'll come back in some
numbers over to Christmas break.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Let's hope, So Chardy thanks indeed. David Chold, former All
White and very astute football analyst and commentator, he's been
watching this team, as a say since it started in
two thousand and seven. You've heard his very eloquent thoughts.
Yours are welcome our eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
in particular Phoenix fans, but also just football fans in general,
(15:06):
and keen to hear the thoughts of those of you
who are supporting Auckland FC as well. I talked about
Chody watching this team for a long time. I've been
watching this team since two thousand and seven as well.
And like any sports team anywhere in the world, there
are peaks and troughs, there are ups and downs, thick
and thin, and this is certainly one of the more
challenging periods for Phoenix fans in particular to go through. Now,
(15:30):
the obvious, perhaps knee jerk response to ale of this
is to sack the coach. You hear that a lot,
don't You're not just in football, but in all sorts
of sport. If things aren't going well, you know, you
change the coach. It's thankless, isn't it. When a team's
playing well, it's often the players who get the credit.
(15:51):
When a team is not doing so well, it's the
coach who gets the blame. But that is often the
reaction to things like this, to make a change and
bring someone new in. But as Chody quite rightly said,
the coach can only work with what he's got. A
new coach isn't going to bring in a whole raft
(16:14):
of new players. The playing squad is what it is. Yes,
they can look to freshen it up a little bit
when the January transfer window opens, but it's not going
to be wholesale until there is an upgrade in quality
in Wellington's playing squad. What is really going to change.
One thing I think they absolutely have to do is
(16:36):
consider a change in their defensive tactics. The much talked
about high line has cost them far too many goals,
far too many goals, and continues to leave them open
to goal scoring opportunities. In that game yesterday, Newcastle had
two or three chances in the first twenty minutes to
(16:57):
open the scoring and it was a combination of poor
finishing and good defending and goalkeeping on the line and
desperate you know, in desperation that stopped it from being
to a three nil in the first half. Yes, the
Phoenix had their chances at the other ends as well,
but at the other ends well, pragmatism is not a
bad quality when it comes to football tactics, any tactics.
(17:19):
Look at the direct comparison is what's happening with the
England cricket team at the moment, the bass ball situation
where Brendan McCullum is coming and basically said, right, this
is the way we play Test cricket. We go for it.
We're positive from ball one. If the ball's there to
(17:39):
be hit, we hit it. Even if it's not, we
go for it. And for a long time that worked well.
We chatted about this on the show a lot yesterday
when Jonathan Agnew was on and said, you know that
when they came and Test cricket needed a bit of
a shot in the arm, needed a bit of reinvigoration,
and bas Ball, much as he hates that term, bass
(18:01):
ball did that. But now in this current Ashes series,
with two tests down and two rather comprehensive losses, a
wide variety of former players, commentators, journalists, observers fans are
saying you've got to make a change here. I'm not
(18:23):
saying a band in the philosophy entirely, but be a
bit more pragmatic, make a few little small tweaks. And
that applies to the phoenix as well. Glenda asks Jason,
not really up with this, What does the high line mean?
Good question, glend Or, I should probably have explained it. So,
if you think about the defense of the back, the
(18:46):
back line in a football game, the last ones before
the goalkeeper, what Giancarloertaliano has encouraged his team to do
is push up as far as they can when the
other team has the ball. Now, what that does is
leaves a big gap in behind where a ball can
be played in and nippy strikers can run on to
(19:08):
it and score goals. Now, the offside rule obviously helps
her because if an opposition player, when the ball is
played to him, is in the defense of half or
the other half, then he's offside. So that is what
the plan is from the Phoenix is to push up,
(19:31):
put pressure crucially on the player who's playing the ball
through so that they can't get a clear look tink
it over the top and have somebody run through. Unfortunately,
the coordination of that high line just has not been
cohesive enough. Somebody drops off too much. They don't all
push up at the right time. Sometimes they're not quite
(19:52):
at half way, so players can you can find a
way through. That's what it is, effectively, Glenda in simple terms,
and teams know that Wellington are doing it and they've
capitalized on it. Auckland f C are a great exam A
couple of goals they scored in the first RV the
season were both from that and one of them was
(20:12):
after twenty eight seconds, so I reckon they need to
be a bit more pragmatic. The whole thing, of course,
is exacerbated by the success of Auckland FC. The difference
between the two has never been starker. Auckland f CF
come in and achieved almost instant success both on and
(20:32):
off the field, and it makes what's happening at the
Phoenix even more galling for that club's fans. And I
think the hope was that Auckland f C coming in
and having success on the field, but also marketing themselves,
making the game day experience more compelling, attracting bigger crowds,
(20:53):
trying different things, marketing the club in different ways. I
think the hope was that Auckland. Doing that might compel
the Phoenix to follow suit, to show some more ambition,
to lift their own game to match what the new
Boys are up to. But that hasn't happened. It hasn't happened.
Keme for your thoughts. O. Eight hundred eighty ten eighty,
(21:14):
Steve says finance. The coach who plans the tactics, it
says fault if they're not working. Steve, that is true
to a large degree. You're right. The coach puts the
game plan together. They're the one who lives and dies
by those decisions. But I think you still need those
(21:34):
players to implement that strategy. Otherwise, you know you are
going to find yourself in a considerable amount of trouble.
Somebody said to me yesterday, players intentionally or usually unintentionally,
unintentionally can lose coaches their jobs. And so true, so true.
Seven twenty eight. Let's talk some Phoenix, sayt's talk some football. Oh,
(21:57):
eight hundred eighty ten eighty, Alex, I'm with you right
after this a spare line. If you would like to jump.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Aboard, forget the refs call. You make the call on
Sports Talk on your home of Sports Talk.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Twenty nine away from eight heaps on text. I'll get
to on a moment, but the lines are open at
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty evening. Alex.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
Oh good eh, Piney, how are you? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Good?
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Alex good.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
It's so good to speak to a broadcast in sports.
Legend by the way.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Well, hopefully they'll be run along shortly if you really
want to, but no, good to check out.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
You can make even sports I'm not interested in interesting.
So that's the power of you man that high line
with the Phoenix. You can play a high line if
you've got pace at the back and I'm not sure,
and also defensive midfielder that can just fill in and
have a look round. I mean, if you look at
(23:01):
a lot of the Premier League teams now, they're playing
four at the back, but they're the fallbacks become inverted
and they end up being mid fielders or in Arsenal's case,
carrier four. It can end up on the right wing.
It's ridiculous. But I just don't think you said about pragmatism, mate.
I think that they should go to a back four
(23:22):
and they should just say right, there's not conceved And
that sounds boring, but otherwise I don't think the manager
will last for another four or five games.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Alex, I totally agree with you. I think sometimes needs
must and I think just by hook or by crook,
you've got to find a way to win football matches.
You're right. It sounds so obvious, doesn't it. You know,
let's defend better, let's not concede. Do you know the
Phoenix haven't kept a clean sheet for the last nineteen matches,
nineteen matches since they last kept a clean sheet. He
(23:56):
didn't concede. I know, you know what it means, but
others might not. You know, just find a way to
be a bit more, I don't know, resilient, harder to
break down and say, right about the high line, yeah,
because if the if the defenders have to turn, which
they will have to, they might have to make a
half turn. If a guy's running through, he's already got
some some you know, some distance on the other Yeah.
(24:18):
The other part is also is I think you have
to press the player who was playing the pass. I
think that's a huge part of this as well.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Yeah. I mean, if you look at modern football now, Pioney,
you want your striker to press you want your wingers
to press yes, you know you want to get And
also I mean sorry to mention Arsenal again, sorry poney.
(24:48):
When Artessa says, you've got to win your jewels and
so that doesn't matter where it is on the park.
You've got to win your jewels. And when I see
Wellington sometimes or you know, and then the trouble starts,
you know, ten yards outside of your position's.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Box, yep, yeah, yeah, no, that's right. And look I
I looked at the second goal yesterday and the balls playing,
and it illustrates the points and it just I just
looked at I thought this was just so annoying.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
The Newcastle player had the ball back at left back.
He played that pass over the top, but he wasn't
pressured by anybody. There were a couple of players close
to him, but they didn't pressure him enough to stop
them playing that pass. So he had plenty of time
to pick us pass, drink it over the top. And
the players at this level can play a forty fifty
yard pass into that space behind the back floor, and
he did and they went yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
And on the other hand, defenders should be looking at
that saying, oh, hang on there's a ball coming this
way and be prepared.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But it.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Slightly looks static to me.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, it's it's certainly not working. Put it that way, Alex.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
You know, just one quick thing, pin put your lovely
guest you had on yesterday, the Newcastle jetstone, he'll be wrapped.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I spoke to him after the game. Matt Vandenberg is
his name, Alex? Yeah, what a character and what a
good man you know.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Yeah, yeah, so I've gut to see the phoenix flues.
But I was quite pleased that he had a good
day out of good weekend.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Good on you, Alex. Great to hear from you, mate,
Thanks for taking the time to call and let's chat
again sometime. Yeah, Matt Vandenburg, one of the A League
super fans, travels with the Newcastle Jets everywhere they go,
and I was happy for him yesterday that he got
his day in the sun and it was a day
in the sun. Hard listening, Piney, says Hamish, but happy
to hear some talk about the next rather than the flashy,
(26:49):
high flying Auckland FC.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
I mean, I think Aukland f C are worth talking
about as well, But at the moment I think we
need to need to, you know, maybe unpack what's going
on at Wellington Phoenix. The as I say, knee jerk
reaction often, particularly among fans as sacked the coach, get
rid of the coach. Coach isn't working. And see the
issue Giancarlo Ataliano has is that he had an absolutely
outstanding season two seasons ago. He was top of the pops.
(27:14):
He made he got the Phoenix to with him one
game of the Grand Final. And then in his second
season it wasn't anywhere near as good and he lost
a few players and things didn't go well. Auckland FC
came in and so at the end of that season
that was the end of his contract. They offered him
gave him a one year extension that wasn't universally popular
among fans, even though he should have and did have
(27:37):
credit in the bank from the first season. But after
eight games in this season, the stats will tell you
the Phoenix have won five of their last twenty nine
A League games. Look, I don't care who you are
in any league anywhere in the world, those are the
kind of numbers that are going to bring scrutiny upon you.
(27:57):
So Derek, is it as easy as changing the coach.
Speaker 5 (28:02):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Look, this conversation has been going on since football began
one hundred and forty years ago. You get and they
had this conversation all the time at clubs like Ajax
and Southampton and now Brighton. All they bright and still
on the right at the moment where they rely solely
on an academy system, bring them through young players and
(28:27):
they use some of them, some of them sell off.
I mean they sold Paulson and sing and I think
being old off considerable amounts of money to the club
at a time where there's a cost of living crisis.
The PAYABEW television deals to the eighty clubs is nowhere
near as what it was three or four years ago.
They were competing with the NRL at that time with
(28:47):
salaries and money coming and they're not doing that now.
The NRL is streaking ahead a little bit, but you know,
it might turn around. You never know. But look, if
you get a squad of players where the average ages
is twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three, not gone went
out because they don't have any they don't have any experience.
I mean, you get a guy like that Hosgrove, who's
(29:07):
an experienced campaigner and he's up against three at the back.
It doesn't matter. It's a high line that means nothing.
That's just a just as the tactics that a lot
of teams use, and they use it successfully. But you
get those three players at the back for the Phoenix
who don't have an I think that the oldest one
is twenty two years old. You get those guys with
the average age of twenty eight to twenty nine. Okay,
it wouldn't be a problem. It just wouldn't be a problem.
(29:29):
I mean, we didn't have a high line. But in
twenty ten they had three of their experienced players with
the all whites and up against the world's best, and
they made sure that they could only shoot from distance,
and they had a goalie mark passon they could make
long range says. So the system worked out really well.
But you know you're not going to win anything with kids.
It's as simple as that. Now you can't compare them
with Aukland their ce because Aukland their Sea have got
(29:51):
a billionaire backer. They haven't gotten academy system as yet,
and they bring in players in the height of their powers.
I mean they get an injury at fullback. They're bringing
Callum Elliot. You can play left back or right back.
They got this Dan Horg got injured last year and
they had Tommy Smith there, you know. And then they've
got this new guy right who's been starting. He's a
(30:11):
small center back but he's starting with Aucklands as the
start of the year. He's been terrific. He's been really
fantastic and understanding the hero. But he's been brought in.
Dan Hall has been brought in for big money. They're
not doing that at the Phoenix. They are a well
run club. And I remember looking at the Under twenty
World Cup which is on TVNZ Plus, and I lost
count the amount of young Phoenix players that were in
(30:32):
the under twenty New Zealand team. And that's one of
the great things that they actually do for New Zealand football.
And if you have a look at this conversation that
we're having now, it's not a conversation that we've had
in New Zealand, because I mean, rugby doesn't have professional
clubs in this country. It's got some kind of centrally
contracted franchise system that a lot of people are getting
a little bit frustrated with. They're not club sides, so
(30:53):
they don't have rivalries, so they don't have local derbies.
But in football it's slightly different. Finally, we've got two
clubs in the same division, both professional, but with huge contrasts,
huge differences in club pols. And you could put it
down to the finance and all the rest of it,
but this is this is the way it works out.
And at the end of the day, you can change
(31:14):
the coach. But at the moment, what do the Phoenix
want to do? Who are the Phoenix? What's their state
of play? I suggest to you that coming through the
academy and coming through the coaches at the academy and
everyone that Chaliano's had because he's come up through the
academy himself. Basically, basically their style of play is one way.
It's like I ex of Amsterdam, they have one way
right through. They all play the same way, so that
when they do get into the Premier so they give
(31:36):
it into the top league, which is the A League
in this case, they all just slip into the system.
That's the idea behind it. Theoretically, they slip into the
system and away they go.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
But like, but what happens Dereck. When that what happens
when that system isn't working. If that system is not working,
and it is it is, you know, right throughout the club,
then you've got issues. You know, you've got I agree
with you about the young players. I also think that
the Phoenix have done a great job with their academy
bringing through players, and you mentioned a couple of them there.
But this current crop these this isn't Kacacchi sarp rates, saying,
(32:08):
Ben Old, Alex Paulson, you know that this, this current
cohort is not them.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Yeah, but you want to you want to get rid
of it. Taliano will do that, but you've got to run.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I'm not saying that. No, I'm not saying that at all.
I'm not saying that at all.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I know you're not saying that. I'm just saying that.
Say theoretically, we you and I decide we're on the board,
we decide we want to get rid of Taliana, we
want to bring in another coach. What are we going
to say? We're going to say, Look, we've got an
academy system, We've got young players, we want you to
develop them. We want to plan an expensive start a
football but we were not going to give you a
lot of money to go out, or we're going to say, look,
we've we've got the backing. You can come to the club.
(32:45):
There's a big budget. Going to the January window, you
can buy whoever you want, and away you go with
the salary cap. Those are the two things you're going
to advertise for a new coach. So if you've got
a new coach line up, that's great, but let's not
go second, let's not talk about sec and the coach.
And I agree with you. The coach is always the
first guy to go and nobody, nobody marches into Liverpool
and say, look, Moseella, you're on your way. You know,
(33:06):
normally it's the manager of Liverpool's not winning. They get
rid of them first. They're not going to get rid
of the star players sort of situation. But here, yes,
there's no doubt that the Phoenix. I mean, I don't
I don't, I don't really know. I can guess what
the Phoenix's policy is, and I guarantee you what the
policy probably is is No, we can bring a new coach,
of course, but and we can promote a new coach
from the academy nobody's talked about that yet. We can
(33:27):
talk about all this sort of stuff. At the end
of the day, what is what is the club trying
to do? What is the culture within the club? I
guarantee the culture within the club at the Phoenix and
the Border back me up on saying this. They'll turn
around and say, we want to develop our own players.
We want to play this expensive system, we want to
play three at the back. We want to bring three
young players, and that's how we want to be successful.
But unfortunately, then they've got to turn around. They've got
to say to the fans, you'll have to be patient
(33:49):
and wait, there's going to be a lot more losses
before it's even up, before we can develop these players,
mature of these players and they start playing the way
we think they can actually play.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
The issue though, is you have to work. Yeah, but
as soon as they become you know, as soon as
young academy players come into the first and play well,
then they're snapped up overseas. Look if that was the
case that the academy players came through into the first
team and stayed there for life, then that would be
a different story. But that's not what the A League
(34:19):
is the A League is in many ways are are
stepping stone for the best young players to go overseas.
I absolutely take on board what you're saying, but I
sometimes just wish that the club would show a bit
more ambition because developing players is all very well, absolutely,
but asking fans to be patient while the results are
not going their way is a hard cell and it's
(34:39):
becoming harder. Only three thousand there on the weekend, the
lowest crowd the Phoenix have ever attracted for a home game,
so the fans are voting with their feet. Good to
talk to you, Derek. Always love your input on football matters.
Thanks mate. A couple of texts before we go to
the break, Let's talk. Johnny Tarta says this one from Andy.
(34:59):
Johnny Tarta, Yeah, into the second round of the World
Darts Jamps might even make it into the Power rankings. Andy,
who knows. I think we believe it there because I'm
running out of time to get these power rankings and
sixteen away from eight they're after.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
This our rankings.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Runway okay for the final time in twenty twenty five,
let's rate the weekend Piney's Power rankings the best, worst
and in between bits from the last seventy two hours
or so. The Wellington Phoenix find themselves down at ten
or fourth defeat in five games, three of those at
home and searching for answers to their alarming form. Slump
(35:41):
Taylor Racumbo trying to land another one on the time
that's it again, goodness me, the Newcastle Jets on.
Speaker 6 (35:49):
Fire and Wellington he's been provided for the first two.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Clayton Taylor lose again on Sunday and you'd have to
think change is coming side the Black CAP's victory inside
three days and the second cricketeste against the West Indies
at the Basin. Okay, never want to hurry anything? Will
he hurry this?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:10):
It's them back and he's punked at work. Thus before.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
The Black Hats take game two of the.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Series, they went by night workers here at the basin.
The third test start Sat Bay Oval on Thursday, Cheat
chasing the Fox another terrific event on Friday night, but
here comes Hilliot up to the part.
Speaker 7 (36:31):
They just have to knock this one in and the
title is there for Team Fox Dan Elliott, easy as
you like, into the whole and Team Fox take out
the Minookah Fuel Chasing the Fox twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Yeah, Ryan Fox and Daniel Hilliot combining to claim victory
seven the total of five back to back Toehi National
Women's basketball champions. There it is the Parky.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
They couldn't do it. The fight have done it.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
They are the twenty twenty five Toy Basketball Champions. They
go back to back, the outlasting the Mainland Poky on
their court ninety three sixty six. In the final in
christ Church six, boxer David Nika a unanimous decision victory
over China's Wusati new Ling I win with extra significance
(37:26):
coming just six weeks arter Nika's Beyonce Lexi Thornbury, the
daughter of his trainer Nool, was diagnosed with head and
neck cancer.
Speaker 6 (37:35):
Everybody that came out, everybody watching from home from New Zealand,
from Australia, I thank you from the bottom of my
heart because the last six weeks have been held to
the Thornback.
Speaker 7 (37:45):
Family man putting this event together.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
This is what makes Gatton Gatten.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Five into the top half, where we find Kiwi darts
player Johnny Tata winning his opening round match at the
World Champs in London, beating former European champion Richie Edhouse
in straight sets.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Point looks like he's got a four the first hurdle
for the fourth consecutive World Championship.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
It is a fabulous win for the.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
New Zealand, not the world Jubvid Tata and there's no
doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Thoroughly sloughly deserved. He jos throw to round two.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
He has Teja Vu the former European champion Ritchie at
Harris in sub style.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Even more impressive. It was Tata's debut. He became the
fifteenth Kiwi to grace the World Championship stage, the sixth
to get a win, and the first since Cody Harris
at the twenty eighteen nineteen World Champs. Sure a Kiwi
won two at the FIS Free Ski World Cup halfpipe
event at Secret Garden in China.
Speaker 6 (38:53):
And it's an Eddy nine Luke Harold and Brews, but
it's not enough for the win and Finley and Melville ives.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
He takes his second World of victory. Finley Melville ives
gold and fellow Kiwi Luke Harold with silver. The New
Zealand under seventeen boys basketball team becoming the first New
Zealand under seventeen team to win the osceeany A Cup
Ladies and Gentlemen and our gold medalist for the Ousceania.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Under seventeen twenty twenty five.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
Men's division Issila.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
A terrific and eighty two sixty two win over Australia
in the final two. Alpine skier Alice Robinson. How good
is she going right now? Becoming the first New Zealander
to win a World Cup Super g race.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Robertson staled, Robinson has a ges margin and Alice Robinson.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Will take the lead here today by a tuxy ball.
It's New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yet a game, the seventh global victory of her career.
Speeding down the Saint Maritz course in Switzerland, Hayden wild
T one hundred world champion, overcoming and horrific training crash,
may to dominate the series and clinch the title with
an emphetic win in the Doha finale.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
The man has come back from the breach. It's fair
to say that injury being knocked off his bike in Japan.
He's a suitor hero, a suitor. Humid effort from this
Kiwi athlete, Hayden wild ore T one hundred World chantians.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
How do you feel about the power rankings. Hence, look Piney.
I appreciate that Western these are not the team they
once were, but I feel like if you beat them
in three days, you should rank higher than Chasing the Fox. Yeah. Actually,
on reflection, I think you're probably merry Christmas. Uns Party's
(40:57):
power rankings will return in the new year seven to eight,
four to eight. Just a couple of final texts to
mop up on the Phoenix issues. Peter says, as soon
as it was announced that Auckland FC was in the
A League and they stole Alex Paulson, Well they didn't really,
but that's probably a different conversation. I thought New Zealand
can't support two teams, says Peter. There's only one Breakers
(41:19):
one Warriors. If we had two basketball two league teams,
one would struggle. Alex Rufus said before the last derby
he had played with a number of Auckland f C
players at the Phoenix. No, Auckland f C. They may
still be at the Phoenix. Yeah, you're right, Peter, that's true.
But I still like the two teams. I think what
the derby has created is unique to New Zealand sport,
and I think there is enough key we talent to
(41:40):
sustain both sides. I'd just like to see the Phoenix show,
but more ambition around their recruitment, and Tony says Piney,
Happy Christmas and to you too, Tony. I theorized that
the Knicks put all their eggs and the women's A
League basket. It is that of something Auckland FC does
not have. They've underresourced the men's team and the young,
inexperienced defenders can't manage a high line defense. Good observation, Tony,
(42:02):
Thank you very much indeed for all your calls and
correspondence tonight. See water Grave has the mic tomorrow night
for Tuesday night sports Talk and right through the rest
of the week. We'll see you on Saturday for weekend
sport final a couple of shows before Christmas. Thanks for
listening tonight. Huge thanks to NS Middle Sich for producing
Marcus lush Is on your radio after eight o'clock. They'll
(42:23):
help you through the rest of Monday, December fifteenth, of
an excellent week. Watch it. See Saturday Fucking
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Now 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 Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi, Dan Johny. Good evening and welcome into the final
Monday night sports talk show on news Talks HEB for
twenty twenty five December fifteen. Today the countdown, well and
truly on. Happy thirty fifth birthday to All Blacks World
Cup winner and twenty fifteen near hair milners Scudder. Happy
sixty sixth birthday to All Black twin brothers and nineteen
(00:44):
eighty seven World Cup winners Goary and Alan Wetton. I'm
Jason Pine show producer. Tonight An's Millicitic. We are talking
sport with you until eight. What is going on at
Wellington Phoenix? A stunning second half capitulation has seen the
Knicks slump to their fourth defeat in the last five
games of the A League Men's season, Beaten three to
(01:04):
one at home by the previously bottom placed Newcastle Jets yesterday.
The defeat has dropped them to second bottom on the ladder.
They are only ahead of last placed Melbourne Victory on
gold difference. So how much pressure is on head coach
gian Carlo Italiano and is there light at the end
of this tunnel. Former or White and now football commentator
(01:25):
David Choate is standing by to chat with us about this.
Your thoughts are welcome to especially Phoenix fans who are starting,
unfortunately to vote with their feet. Yesterday was the smallest
home crowd in the nineteen year history of the football club.
So what are you seeing and what has to change?
Are the matters around tonight? A Jazz Bttel is back
(01:47):
in the Black Caps, selected in the squad for New
Zealand's final cricket Test of the three match series against
the West Indies starting on Thursday at Bay Oval in
Mount Monganui. He will replace the injured Blair Tickner. He
hasn't of course made the playing eleven yet. The last
time he played a Test in New Zealand was twenty
twenty would you believe? And he has never taken a
(02:08):
Test wicket on home soil. Eighty five Test wickets for
a Jazz Pattel, All eighty five of them have been
outside of New Zealand. We'll hear some of his thoughts
ahead of a possible return to the Test site, and
on Monday nights we rate the weekend Pinty's Power rankings
before we close the show, the best, the worst and
the in between bits from the last seventy two hours
(02:30):
or so. You can make a contribution to the show
whenever you like tonight. A few ways to do that.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty we'll get you
throw on the phone. That's a free call nine two
ninety two for your text messages. Normal charges apply. Emails
into Jason at NEWSTALKZEDB dot co dot nz. Just gone
nine past seven.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Hell no need for the TMO. We've got the breakdown
on sports Talk call oh eight hundred eighty eight News
Talk SAIB.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
The Wellington Phoenix have dropped a second bottom on the
A League Football Ladder after a three to one home
defeat to previously bottom placed Newcastle g Taylor. Rakuino trying
to land another one on.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
The time it's it again.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Goodness me the Newcastle Jets on fire and Wellington He's
been provider for the first two Clayton Taylor the next,
conceding three goals in the space of seven second half
minutes to slump to a fourth defeat in the last
five games, heaping even more pressure on head coach gian
Carlo Italiano former or White and longtime football analyst Phoenix
(03:34):
observer since the club came into being in two thousand
and seven. David Choate is with us Tody before we
zoom out and look at the bigger picture here, what
was your overall summary of what played out in yesterday's game?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Lamitous defending just really soft. They looked so light. It
was a disappointing watch for the Phoenix fans. And I
didn't see sort of any real signs of lots. They
got back a goal but then never really pushed on.
I thought it was a low point. I think in
(04:10):
the long history of the Phoenix I think it's been
a really poor run.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
What sorts of conversations then, would you expect to be
going on at Phoenix HQ right now? Not necessarily coach
to players, but higher up and the sort of in
the officers of Phoenix HQ.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Well, they must be looking at their recruitment because if
I'm brutally honest, I'm not sure they've got that right.
They just don't seem to have the capital, they don't
seem to have the class across the park. There's sort
of one or two players with a little bit of pediger,
but the rest of them are really light on experience,
so I think they should be asking questions of themselves
(04:49):
before they ask questions of the coaches, because I think
the coach can only work with the talent that they've got,
and I'm not sure how much import the coach has
into the players that were brought in or had been
brought in over the last sort of twelve twenty four months,
but they really have got that so sort of sadly wrong.
I think at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, I want to get to the pressure on the
coach in a minute, But you're right, you can change
the coach, But does that make the players any better?
It doesn't change the playing group, does it. It doesn't. If
the coach goes, it doesn't automatically make those players better players,
does it.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
No, it doesn't. And they've got some Mitigan seven. They
they've got some injuries, and they're having to draft and
players with limited experience, so they're all the excuses out
of the way. But I think you've got to build
a squad for a season that's going to have injuries.
You're always going to run into that kind of issue.
So to me, it's about grabbing almost you know, just
a core of the side who you know are up
(05:39):
to the level because I'm not sure that many of
them have been proven. They're being sort of tried and tested,
but you don't test them in the middle of the
season in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
So what are we talking about it, Heathan Chardy. Are
we talking about the need for a major recruitment drive
and one of those famous football phrases, a bit of
a cleanout in the playing group?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Would have thought that that has to be the chatter
behind the scenes. You look at the playing group they've got.
They're not a jing they're a youngest squad, but they've
got very light on experience in terms of a leagu
although they're all getting games now. So I suppose that's
building experience, But is it the right kind of experience
you want to me? The good sides have what I'll
(06:19):
call is sort of some hardened journeyman. It wouldn't be
a bad description. Just guys who have played at that
level and know how to win games of football. Because
it's hard to see where the light comes from in
the current playing group.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, let's get to the coach, gian Culo Italiano. I'm
not sure he was a universally agreed upon decision to
have him reappointed, certainly not among the fans anyway. I'm
not sure that there was universal agreement on him being
given an extension after a pretty poor season last year.
Eight games into this new season, Chody, how much pressure
will be building on Gianculo Italiano?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, he must be feeling it. And I think the
reappointment of gian Carlo Italiano was an interesting decision, wasn't it.
He had a good first season with a side that
had some real talent in it. I thought then he
picked up a side with the less talent and sort
of took them nowhere. I think there's been some improvement
(07:17):
this year, pintly. I think they are playing with a
little more intense sort of almost not sitting back and
waiting to be beaten. So I think they are trying
to get on the front foot. But Italiana, a but
like the players, is not a hardened coach. He's not
a coach with a wealth of experience, so I think
he must be feeling it.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
You hear about coaches losing the dressing room, and I
know you've been in a lot of dressing rooms where
coaches have had the dressing room. You might have been
in dressing rooms where the coaches has lost the playing group.
Is that obvious to feel as a player that the coaches'
instructions tactics just aren't resonating anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yeah, you know it as a player, I think, especially
the sort of more senior players who I mentioned, is
so light on the round. But do you think about
Alex Rufer as ample. Tim Payne would be another if
he'd been playing at the moment, but he'll know what's
going on behind the scenes, and the players know when
when you sort of just cut yourself addressed from the plan.
(08:18):
The other thing I would say is there's real lack
of sort of in my opinion, leadership on the park
barring Ruther at the moment you sort of look around
at who's who's going to be doing the talking for
them that they seem a very quiet side.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
So I don't know.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't know if he's lost the dressing room, but
I think the players are looking for answers as much
as pats Giancarlo Italianos.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Yeah, you're right about the lieutenants. I mean, no Tim
Payne with a long term injury, so that's taken another
very senior player out, and I'm not sure you're right
that I'm sure that you're right. There's not those those
loud enough voices elsewhere apart from from Rufer. Can we
talk about a tactic which has been very controversial, and
that's the Phoenix's defensive high line. And again yesterday, certainly
(09:00):
the second goal came as a result of perhaps the
line being too high in a lack of Cohesion's it time,
like I admire someone being all in on a strategy,
but is it time to be a bit pragmatic now
with regards to that particular strategy.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Six goals in two games, and you're right, two of
the goals came from, you know, further back in the
park where they're able to break the lines. Although I've
looked at those goals and on both occasions they've got
three and four players back into the defensive box, but
they're at six and seven. There's no shape to the
back for if you know what I mean. There's there's
people chasing the ball, watching the ball and leaving runners free,
(09:37):
but there's no structure once they were broken. So I
think there is a time when you say, well, actually
we've got to tighten up defensively. Any side that's sitting
where they're sitting has to get the first thing right,
and that's defensively. And at the moment, I think they're
taking an approach that offense is the best sort of
form of defense. But maybe, and just maybe it is
(09:57):
time talking that. Although in the press conference, I think
Luca or Taliana or Cheap as we know him, was
asked and he didn't seem too keen on changing his ways.
I think pragmatism is the right word, Pinty. There would
come a time when you just got to place at
the resources that you've got.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
At the other end, Toody, what are you seeing in
the attacking thirty? You know, on occasion they look very good,
don't they. They're putting together moves. I think at the
game against adelaide A couple of weeks ago, and for
the first thirty five minutes they were terrific in that game.
What are you seeing in the attacking third? What do
you need to see more of consistently?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, that's the area that's probably got the only sort
of shining sort of lights. In reality, they are scoring
a few goals, a few more than they have in
the past. Is A's very busy up top and he
can score a goal. As he showed again, he's all
over the park and putting a lot of the energy
in and places where perhaps you wouldn't want your striking
(10:50):
to be putting the energy in, that is chasing players
around the park. I think they can play good football.
They're one touch trugle going forward. There was a keeven
a couple of moves on the weekend. I thought a
fair score line yesterday might have been six to three
or something like that, which is a ridiculous score line
to football. But they've probably created three good chances and
through good football as well, so they are capable of playing.
(11:13):
But they just to me that it's the three or
four season players that others can build around that they're
really missing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Indeed, yeah, that's a tennis scor, isn't it? Six three?
And the fans. Football is nothing without its fans. How
worrying is it that the fans are now starting to
vote with their feet? Only three thousand these today, Tody, Well.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
That's exactly the issue that you've got for me. You
earn your fans and you earn the right to have
people fill the stands, and at the moment, I'm not
sure they're doing that. It appears with the arrival of
Auburn City Sorry aukrom the FC, that the ship north
for the flag bearers of football has really hurt the Phoenix.
(11:55):
I think they've probably taken the neutral fan and even
in Wellington I think there's a few people staying away
because just the quality isn't there to watch. So I
think they've got to earn their way back into sort
of that. I've always thought six to ten thousand is
the Phoenix crowd, so they've got to earn their way
back to that kind of number, and you only do
that by winning football games.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, and that's the hard thing too, isn't it. You know,
before before Auckland and FC came along, if the Phoenix
had a bad season, it's the Phoenix have had a
bad season. You now have a contrast on the side
of the Tasman with Auckland FC seemingly having no problem
at all picking up wins pretty much every week.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Yeah. Well, I think if you look to the North
and Wellingtonians won't like doing it, But if you look
to the North, there's a model there of a side
that is absolutely bullying the league because they are physically
just as strong as any side in the league with
a little bit of flare in the likes of Guela
I'll get his name on my and Jesse Ramble up
(12:54):
top of the real speed. They've added a big lump
of the center forward and sam CON's growth, and they'll
score enough goals to win games. It may not be
who everyone's liking, but they are the model that wins
more than they lose in the A League.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
All right. So, as the Phoenix contemplate another home game
on Sunday against a team you know in and around
the bottom of the table, I mean, what would you
be doing as a player, What would you be doing
if you were part of the coaching group at Wellington
Phoenix this week? By Hooker by Kroc, just win this
game on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Well, I'm not sure what the situation is with their injuries.
You'd be praying that you're getting someone back or adding
to the squad because I think they do need a
little more physical presence, so they'll have to work on
sort of manning up. In saying that the debut and
center back Psmith I thought showed at times a good physicality.
In saying that, having played so few games it's hard
(13:51):
to sort of rely on that kind of player to
be your anchor if you like. So if they can
get some players back, well that'll make a difference to them.
They've got to me keep the ball for longer periods.
I'm not so convinced that the high line is the
only way to sort of pressure a side. Could they
play a little more on the counter? Is a seems
to be busy up top. I know they they struggle
(14:13):
for real pace perhaps on the flanks, but I'd be
looking to sit a bit deeper. I think you can
try and soak up a bit of pressure. You got
to understand they're not going to be a decide that's
going to go and rip any team apart. They're going
to probably have to sit back out of possession and
have some real structure. So that's what I'd be thinking about.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Always love chatting football with your charity. Let's hope for
an upswing in the Phoenix fortunes. Thanks for your analysis tonight.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, no problem. That's hope for a happier Christmas for
the Phoenix fans and hopefully they'll come back in some
numbers over to Christmas break.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Let's hope, So Chardy thanks indeed. David Chold, former All
White and very astute football analyst and commentator, he's been
watching this team, as a say since it started in
two thousand and seven. You've heard his very eloquent thoughts.
Yours are welcome our eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
in particular Phoenix fans, but also just football fans in general,
(15:06):
and keen to hear the thoughts of those of you
who are supporting Auckland FC as well. I talked about
Chody watching this team for a long time. I've been
watching this team since two thousand and seven as well.
And like any sports team anywhere in the world, there
are peaks and troughs, there are ups and downs, thick
and thin, and this is certainly one of the more
challenging periods for Phoenix fans in particular to go through. Now,
(15:30):
the obvious, perhaps knee jerk response to ale of this
is to sack the coach. You hear that a lot,
don't You're not just in football, but in all sorts
of sport. If things aren't going well, you know, you
change the coach. It's thankless, isn't it. When a team's
playing well, it's often the players who get the credit.
(15:51):
When a team is not doing so well, it's the
coach who gets the blame. But that is often the
reaction to things like this, to make a change and
bring someone new in. But as Chody quite rightly said,
the coach can only work with what he's got. A
new coach isn't going to bring in a whole raft
(16:14):
of new players. The playing squad is what it is. Yes,
they can look to freshen it up a little bit
when the January transfer window opens, but it's not going
to be wholesale until there is an upgrade in quality
in Wellington's playing squad. What is really going to change.
One thing I think they absolutely have to do is
(16:36):
consider a change in their defensive tactics. The much talked
about high line has cost them far too many goals,
far too many goals, and continues to leave them open
to goal scoring opportunities. In that game yesterday, Newcastle had
two or three chances in the first twenty minutes to
(16:57):
open the scoring and it was a combination of poor
finishing and good defending and goalkeeping on the line and
desperate you know, in desperation that stopped it from being
to a three nil in the first half. Yes, the
Phoenix had their chances at the other ends as well,
but at the other ends well, pragmatism is not a
bad quality when it comes to football tactics, any tactics.
(17:19):
Look at the direct comparison is what's happening with the
England cricket team at the moment, the bass ball situation
where Brendan McCullum is coming and basically said, right, this
is the way we play Test cricket. We go for it.
We're positive from ball one. If the ball's there to
(17:39):
be hit, we hit it. Even if it's not, we
go for it. And for a long time that worked well.
We chatted about this on the show a lot yesterday
when Jonathan Agnew was on and said, you know that
when they came and Test cricket needed a bit of
a shot in the arm, needed a bit of reinvigoration,
and bas Ball, much as he hates that term, bass
(18:01):
ball did that. But now in this current Ashes series,
with two tests down and two rather comprehensive losses, a
wide variety of former players, commentators, journalists, observers fans are
saying you've got to make a change here. I'm not
(18:23):
saying a band in the philosophy entirely, but be a
bit more pragmatic, make a few little small tweaks. And
that applies to the phoenix as well. Glenda asks Jason,
not really up with this, What does the high line mean?
Good question, glend Or, I should probably have explained it. So,
if you think about the defense of the back, the
(18:46):
back line in a football game, the last ones before
the goalkeeper, what Giancarloertaliano has encouraged his team to do
is push up as far as they can when the
other team has the ball. Now, what that does is
leaves a big gap in behind where a ball can
be played in and nippy strikers can run on to
(19:08):
it and score goals. Now, the offside rule obviously helps
her because if an opposition player, when the ball is
played to him, is in the defense of half or
the other half, then he's offside. So that is what
the plan is from the Phoenix is to push up,
(19:31):
put pressure crucially on the player who's playing the ball
through so that they can't get a clear look tink
it over the top and have somebody run through. Unfortunately,
the coordination of that high line just has not been
cohesive enough. Somebody drops off too much. They don't all
push up at the right time. Sometimes they're not quite
(19:52):
at half way, so players can you can find a
way through. That's what it is, effectively, Glenda in simple terms,
and teams know that Wellington are doing it and they've
capitalized on it. Auckland f C are a great exam A
couple of goals they scored in the first RV the
season were both from that and one of them was
(20:12):
after twenty eight seconds, so I reckon they need to
be a bit more pragmatic. The whole thing, of course,
is exacerbated by the success of Auckland FC. The difference
between the two has never been starker. Auckland f CF
come in and achieved almost instant success both on and
(20:32):
off the field, and it makes what's happening at the
Phoenix even more galling for that club's fans. And I
think the hope was that Auckland f C coming in
and having success on the field, but also marketing themselves,
making the game day experience more compelling, attracting bigger crowds,
(20:53):
trying different things, marketing the club in different ways. I
think the hope was that Auckland. Doing that might compel
the Phoenix to follow suit, to show some more ambition,
to lift their own game to match what the new
Boys are up to. But that hasn't happened. It hasn't happened.
Keme for your thoughts. O. Eight hundred eighty ten eighty,
(21:14):
Steve says finance. The coach who plans the tactics, it
says fault if they're not working. Steve, that is true
to a large degree. You're right. The coach puts the
game plan together. They're the one who lives and dies
by those decisions. But I think you still need those
(21:34):
players to implement that strategy. Otherwise, you know you are
going to find yourself in a considerable amount of trouble.
Somebody said to me yesterday, players intentionally or usually unintentionally,
unintentionally can lose coaches their jobs. And so true, so true.
Seven twenty eight. Let's talk some Phoenix, sayt's talk some football. Oh,
(21:57):
eight hundred eighty ten eighty, Alex, I'm with you right
after this a spare line. If you would like to jump.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Aboard, forget the refs call. You make the call on
Sports Talk on your home of Sports Talk.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Twenty nine away from eight heaps on text. I'll get
to on a moment, but the lines are open at
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty evening. Alex.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
Oh good eh, Piney, how are you? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Good?
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Alex good.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
It's so good to speak to a broadcast in sports.
Legend by the way.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Well, hopefully they'll be run along shortly if you really
want to, but no, good to check out.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
You can make even sports I'm not interested in interesting.
So that's the power of you man that high line
with the Phoenix. You can play a high line if
you've got pace at the back and I'm not sure,
and also defensive midfielder that can just fill in and
have a look round. I mean, if you look at
(23:01):
a lot of the Premier League teams now, they're playing
four at the back, but they're the fallbacks become inverted
and they end up being mid fielders or in Arsenal's case,
carrier four. It can end up on the right wing.
It's ridiculous. But I just don't think you said about pragmatism, mate.
I think that they should go to a back four
(23:22):
and they should just say right, there's not conceved And
that sounds boring, but otherwise I don't think the manager
will last for another four or five games.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Alex, I totally agree with you. I think sometimes needs
must and I think just by hook or by crook,
you've got to find a way to win football matches.
You're right. It sounds so obvious, doesn't it. You know,
let's defend better, let's not concede. Do you know the
Phoenix haven't kept a clean sheet for the last nineteen matches,
nineteen matches since they last kept a clean sheet. He
(23:56):
didn't concede. I know, you know what it means, but
others might not. You know, just find a way to
be a bit more, I don't know, resilient, harder to
break down and say, right about the high line, yeah,
because if the if the defenders have to turn, which
they will have to, they might have to make a
half turn. If a guy's running through, he's already got
some some you know, some distance on the other Yeah.
(24:18):
The other part is also is I think you have
to press the player who was playing the pass. I
think that's a huge part of this as well.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Yeah. I mean, if you look at modern football now, Pioney,
you want your striker to press you want your wingers
to press yes, you know you want to get And
also I mean sorry to mention Arsenal again, sorry poney.
(24:48):
When Artessa says, you've got to win your jewels and
so that doesn't matter where it is on the park.
You've got to win your jewels. And when I see
Wellington sometimes or you know, and then the trouble starts,
you know, ten yards outside of your position's.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Box, yep, yeah, yeah, no, that's right. And look I
I looked at the second goal yesterday and the balls playing,
and it illustrates the points and it just I just
looked at I thought this was just so annoying.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
The Newcastle player had the ball back at left back.
He played that pass over the top, but he wasn't
pressured by anybody. There were a couple of players close
to him, but they didn't pressure him enough to stop
them playing that pass. So he had plenty of time
to pick us pass, drink it over the top. And
the players at this level can play a forty fifty
yard pass into that space behind the back floor, and
he did and they went yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
And on the other hand, defenders should be looking at
that saying, oh, hang on there's a ball coming this
way and be prepared.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But it.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Slightly looks static to me.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, it's it's certainly not working. Put it that way, Alex.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
You know, just one quick thing, pin put your lovely
guest you had on yesterday, the Newcastle jetstone, he'll be wrapped.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I spoke to him after the game. Matt Vandenberg is
his name, Alex? Yeah, what a character and what a
good man you know.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Yeah, yeah, so I've gut to see the phoenix flues.
But I was quite pleased that he had a good
day out of good weekend.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Good on you, Alex. Great to hear from you, mate,
Thanks for taking the time to call and let's chat
again sometime. Yeah, Matt Vandenburg, one of the A League
super fans, travels with the Newcastle Jets everywhere they go,
and I was happy for him yesterday that he got
his day in the sun and it was a day
in the sun. Hard listening, Piney, says Hamish, but happy
to hear some talk about the next rather than the flashy,
(26:49):
high flying Auckland FC.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
I mean, I think Aukland f C are worth talking
about as well, But at the moment I think we
need to need to, you know, maybe unpack what's going
on at Wellington Phoenix. The as I say, knee jerk
reaction often, particularly among fans as sacked the coach, get
rid of the coach. Coach isn't working. And see the
issue Giancarlo Ataliano has is that he had an absolutely
outstanding season two seasons ago. He was top of the pops.
(27:14):
He made he got the Phoenix to with him one
game of the Grand Final. And then in his second
season it wasn't anywhere near as good and he lost
a few players and things didn't go well. Auckland FC
came in and so at the end of that season
that was the end of his contract. They offered him
gave him a one year extension that wasn't universally popular
among fans, even though he should have and did have
(27:37):
credit in the bank from the first season. But after
eight games in this season, the stats will tell you
the Phoenix have won five of their last twenty nine
A League games. Look, I don't care who you are
in any league anywhere in the world, those are the
kind of numbers that are going to bring scrutiny upon you.
(27:57):
So Derek, is it as easy as changing the coach.
Speaker 5 (28:02):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Look, this conversation has been going on since football began
one hundred and forty years ago. You get and they
had this conversation all the time at clubs like Ajax
and Southampton and now Brighton. All they bright and still
on the right at the moment where they rely solely
on an academy system, bring them through young players and
(28:27):
they use some of them, some of them sell off.
I mean they sold Paulson and sing and I think
being old off considerable amounts of money to the club
at a time where there's a cost of living crisis.
The PAYABEW television deals to the eighty clubs is nowhere
near as what it was three or four years ago.
They were competing with the NRL at that time with
(28:47):
salaries and money coming and they're not doing that now.
The NRL is streaking ahead a little bit, but you know,
it might turn around. You never know. But look, if
you get a squad of players where the average ages
is twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three, not gone went
out because they don't have any they don't have any experience.
I mean, you get a guy like that Hosgrove, who's
(29:07):
an experienced campaigner and he's up against three at the back.
It doesn't matter. It's a high line that means nothing.
That's just a just as the tactics that a lot
of teams use, and they use it successfully. But you
get those three players at the back for the Phoenix
who don't have an I think that the oldest one
is twenty two years old. You get those guys with
the average age of twenty eight to twenty nine. Okay,
it wouldn't be a problem. It just wouldn't be a problem.
(29:29):
I mean, we didn't have a high line. But in
twenty ten they had three of their experienced players with
the all whites and up against the world's best, and
they made sure that they could only shoot from distance,
and they had a goalie mark passon they could make
long range says. So the system worked out really well.
But you know you're not going to win anything with kids.
It's as simple as that. Now you can't compare them
with Aukland their ce because Aukland their Sea have got
(29:51):
a billionaire backer. They haven't gotten academy system as yet,
and they bring in players in the height of their powers.
I mean they get an injury at fullback. They're bringing
Callum Elliot. You can play left back or right back.
They got this Dan Horg got injured last year and
they had Tommy Smith there, you know. And then they've
got this new guy right who's been starting. He's a
(30:11):
small center back but he's starting with Aucklands as the
start of the year. He's been terrific. He's been really
fantastic and understanding the hero. But he's been brought in.
Dan Hall has been brought in for big money. They're
not doing that at the Phoenix. They are a well
run club. And I remember looking at the Under twenty
World Cup which is on TVNZ Plus, and I lost
count the amount of young Phoenix players that were in
(30:32):
the under twenty New Zealand team. And that's one of
the great things that they actually do for New Zealand football.
And if you have a look at this conversation that
we're having now, it's not a conversation that we've had
in New Zealand, because I mean, rugby doesn't have professional
clubs in this country. It's got some kind of centrally
contracted franchise system that a lot of people are getting
a little bit frustrated with. They're not club sides, so
(30:53):
they don't have rivalries, so they don't have local derbies.
But in football it's slightly different. Finally, we've got two
clubs in the same division, both professional, but with huge contrasts,
huge differences in club pols. And you could put it
down to the finance and all the rest of it,
but this is this is the way it works out.
And at the end of the day, you can change
(31:14):
the coach. But at the moment, what do the Phoenix
want to do? Who are the Phoenix? What's their state
of play? I suggest to you that coming through the
academy and coming through the coaches at the academy and
everyone that Chaliano's had because he's come up through the
academy himself. Basically, basically their style of play is one way.
It's like I ex of Amsterdam, they have one way
right through. They all play the same way, so that
when they do get into the Premier so they give
(31:36):
it into the top league, which is the A League
in this case, they all just slip into the system.
That's the idea behind it. Theoretically, they slip into the
system and away they go.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
But like, but what happens Dereck. When that what happens
when that system isn't working. If that system is not working,
and it is it is, you know, right throughout the club,
then you've got issues. You know, you've got I agree
with you about the young players. I also think that
the Phoenix have done a great job with their academy
bringing through players, and you mentioned a couple of them there.
But this current crop these this isn't Kacacchi sarp rates, saying,
(32:08):
Ben Old, Alex Paulson, you know that this, this current
cohort is not them.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Yeah, but you want to you want to get rid
of it. Taliano will do that, but you've got to run.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I'm not saying that. No, I'm not saying that at all.
I'm not saying that at all.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I know you're not saying that. I'm just saying that.
Say theoretically, we you and I decide we're on the board,
we decide we want to get rid of Taliana, we
want to bring in another coach. What are we going
to say? We're going to say, Look, we've got an
academy system, We've got young players, we want you to
develop them. We want to plan an expensive start a
football but we were not going to give you a
lot of money to go out, or we're going to say, look,
we've we've got the backing. You can come to the club.
(32:45):
There's a big budget. Going to the January window, you
can buy whoever you want, and away you go with
the salary cap. Those are the two things you're going
to advertise for a new coach. So if you've got
a new coach line up, that's great, but let's not
go second, let's not talk about sec and the coach.
And I agree with you. The coach is always the
first guy to go and nobody, nobody marches into Liverpool
and say, look, Moseella, you're on your way. You know,
(33:06):
normally it's the manager of Liverpool's not winning. They get
rid of them first. They're not going to get rid
of the star players sort of situation. But here, yes,
there's no doubt that the Phoenix. I mean, I don't
I don't, I don't really know. I can guess what
the Phoenix's policy is, and I guarantee you what the
policy probably is is No, we can bring a new coach,
of course, but and we can promote a new coach
from the academy nobody's talked about that yet. We can
(33:27):
talk about all this sort of stuff. At the end
of the day, what is what is the club trying
to do? What is the culture within the club? I
guarantee the culture within the club at the Phoenix and
the Border back me up on saying this. They'll turn
around and say, we want to develop our own players.
We want to play this expensive system, we want to
play three at the back. We want to bring three
young players, and that's how we want to be successful.
But unfortunately, then they've got to turn around. They've got
to say to the fans, you'll have to be patient
(33:49):
and wait, there's going to be a lot more losses
before it's even up, before we can develop these players,
mature of these players and they start playing the way
we think they can actually play.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
The issue though, is you have to work. Yeah, but
as soon as they become you know, as soon as
young academy players come into the first and play well,
then they're snapped up overseas. Look if that was the
case that the academy players came through into the first
team and stayed there for life, then that would be
a different story. But that's not what the A League
(34:19):
is the A League is in many ways are are
stepping stone for the best young players to go overseas.
I absolutely take on board what you're saying, but I
sometimes just wish that the club would show a bit
more ambition because developing players is all very well, absolutely,
but asking fans to be patient while the results are
not going their way is a hard cell and it's
(34:39):
becoming harder. Only three thousand there on the weekend, the
lowest crowd the Phoenix have ever attracted for a home game,
so the fans are voting with their feet. Good to
talk to you, Derek. Always love your input on football matters.
Thanks mate. A couple of texts before we go to
the break, Let's talk. Johnny Tarta says this one from Andy.
(34:59):
Johnny Tarta, Yeah, into the second round of the World
Darts Jamps might even make it into the Power rankings. Andy,
who knows. I think we believe it there because I'm
running out of time to get these power rankings and
sixteen away from eight they're after.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
This our rankings.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Runway okay for the final time in twenty twenty five,
let's rate the weekend Piney's Power rankings the best, worst
and in between bits from the last seventy two hours
or so. The Wellington Phoenix find themselves down at ten
or fourth defeat in five games, three of those at
home and searching for answers to their alarming form. Slump
(35:41):
Taylor Racumbo trying to land another one on the time
that's it again, goodness me, the Newcastle Jets on.
Speaker 6 (35:49):
Fire and Wellington he's been provided for the first two.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Clayton Taylor lose again on Sunday and you'd have to
think change is coming side the Black CAP's victory inside
three days and the second cricketeste against the West Indies
at the Basin. Okay, never want to hurry anything? Will
he hurry this?
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:10):
It's them back and he's punked at work. Thus before.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
The Black Hats take game two of the.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Series, they went by night workers here at the basin.
The third test start Sat Bay Oval on Thursday, Cheat
chasing the Fox another terrific event on Friday night, but
here comes Hilliot up to the part.
Speaker 7 (36:31):
They just have to knock this one in and the
title is there for Team Fox Dan Elliott, easy as
you like, into the whole and Team Fox take out
the Minookah Fuel Chasing the Fox twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Yeah, Ryan Fox and Daniel Hilliot combining to claim victory
seven the total of five back to back Toehi National
Women's basketball champions. There it is the Parky.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
They couldn't do it. The fight have done it.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
They are the twenty twenty five Toy Basketball Champions. They
go back to back, the outlasting the Mainland Poky on
their court ninety three sixty six. In the final in
christ Church six, boxer David Nika a unanimous decision victory
over China's Wusati new Ling I win with extra significance
(37:26):
coming just six weeks arter Nika's Beyonce Lexi Thornbury, the
daughter of his trainer Nool, was diagnosed with head and
neck cancer.
Speaker 6 (37:35):
Everybody that came out, everybody watching from home from New Zealand,
from Australia, I thank you from the bottom of my
heart because the last six weeks have been held to
the Thornback.
Speaker 7 (37:45):
Family man putting this event together.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
This is what makes Gatton Gatten.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Five into the top half, where we find Kiwi darts
player Johnny Tata winning his opening round match at the
World Champs in London, beating former European champion Richie Edhouse
in straight sets.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Point looks like he's got a four the first hurdle
for the fourth consecutive World Championship.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
It is a fabulous win for the.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
New Zealand, not the world Jubvid Tata and there's no
doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Thoroughly sloughly deserved. He jos throw to round two.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
He has Teja Vu the former European champion Ritchie at
Harris in sub style.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Even more impressive. It was Tata's debut. He became the
fifteenth Kiwi to grace the World Championship stage, the sixth
to get a win, and the first since Cody Harris
at the twenty eighteen nineteen World Champs. Sure a Kiwi
won two at the FIS Free Ski World Cup halfpipe
event at Secret Garden in China.
Speaker 6 (38:53):
And it's an Eddy nine Luke Harold and Brews, but
it's not enough for the win and Finley and Melville ives.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
He takes his second World of victory. Finley Melville ives
gold and fellow Kiwi Luke Harold with silver. The New
Zealand under seventeen boys basketball team becoming the first New
Zealand under seventeen team to win the osceeany A Cup
Ladies and Gentlemen and our gold medalist for the Ousceania.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Under seventeen twenty twenty five.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
Men's division Issila.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
A terrific and eighty two sixty two win over Australia
in the final two. Alpine skier Alice Robinson. How good
is she going right now? Becoming the first New Zealander
to win a World Cup Super g race.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Robertson staled, Robinson has a ges margin and Alice Robinson.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Will take the lead here today by a tuxy ball.
It's New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yet a game, the seventh global victory of her career.
Speeding down the Saint Maritz course in Switzerland, Hayden wild
T one hundred world champion, overcoming and horrific training crash,
may to dominate the series and clinch the title with
an emphetic win in the Doha finale.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
The man has come back from the breach. It's fair
to say that injury being knocked off his bike in Japan.
He's a suitor hero, a suitor. Humid effort from this
Kiwi athlete, Hayden wild ore T one hundred World chantians.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
How do you feel about the power rankings. Hence, look Piney.
I appreciate that Western these are not the team they
once were, but I feel like if you beat them
in three days, you should rank higher than Chasing the Fox. Yeah. Actually,
on reflection, I think you're probably merry Christmas. Uns Party's
(40:57):
power rankings will return in the new year seven to eight,
four to eight. Just a couple of final texts to
mop up on the Phoenix issues. Peter says, as soon
as it was announced that Auckland FC was in the
A League and they stole Alex Paulson, Well they didn't really,
but that's probably a different conversation. I thought New Zealand
can't support two teams, says Peter. There's only one Breakers
(41:19):
one Warriors. If we had two basketball two league teams,
one would struggle. Alex Rufus said before the last derby
he had played with a number of Auckland f C
players at the Phoenix. No, Auckland f C. They may
still be at the Phoenix. Yeah, you're right, Peter, that's true.
But I still like the two teams. I think what
the derby has created is unique to New Zealand sport,
and I think there is enough key we talent to
(41:40):
sustain both sides. I'd just like to see the Phoenix show,
but more ambition around their recruitment, and Tony says Piney,
Happy Christmas and to you too, Tony. I theorized that
the Knicks put all their eggs and the women's A
League basket. It is that of something Auckland FC does
not have. They've underresourced the men's team and the young,
inexperienced defenders can't manage a high line defense. Good observation, Tony,
(42:02):
Thank you very much indeed for all your calls and
correspondence tonight. See water Grave has the mic tomorrow night
for Tuesday night sports Talk and right through the rest
of the week. We'll see you on Saturday for weekend
sport final a couple of shows before Christmas. Thanks for
listening tonight. Huge thanks to NS Middle Sich for producing
Marcus lush Is on your radio after eight o'clock. They'll
(42:23):
help you through the rest of Monday, December fifteenth, of
an excellent week. Watch it. See Saturday Fucking
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Now 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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