Callan Elliot: Auckland FC right back on the semifinal clash against Adelaide United

A bad memory is fuelling Auckland FC in their bid for a maiden A-League football final. 

They host Adelaide United at Mt Smart in the first leg of their semifinal tonight – the stage where they stumbled last campaign. 

It's kicking off at 6pm, and Auckland’s right back Callan Elliot joined D’Arcy to preview the clash. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
You've got revenge on your mind. I presume you're taking
on Adelaide, the team that or they basically cheated you
out of an easy route through to the finals, didn't they.
They stole your position.

Speaker 3 (00:23):
Yeah, yeah, they stole second from us, last last minute
of the game. Yeah, So yeah, we're looking to beat them.
You know, it was actually quite nice having that extra
game now looking back at it, one hundred and twenty minutes.
Probably good for the boys in terms of game time.
You know, last season we had that weekendd off, which

(00:45):
probably didn't help in the long run, to be honest.
So you know we got that confidence now going into
into today's game.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
You look back at last week, and I'm sorry about
saying revenge, because I'm sure you pro footballers don't deal
in revenge. It's not about that. But I'm still better
over Adelaide. But let's look back last week to what
happened against. If you look back over the type, have
you sat down there for one hundred and twenty minutes
and watch what actually happened?

Speaker 3 (01:13):
No, I actually haven't looked over that game. You know,
I was happy when one hundred and twenty minutes was
up and we won, and you know, I was just
starting to focus on this game. I would have much
preferred to get it done in ninety minutes, but you know,
it was nice to get the win.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Trust me, the fans would have rather that as well.
She's a fairly stressful into that game. You think you
guys runder pressure. What about the fan base? Did you
think about us? Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
We're probably just as stressed on the pitch, but yeah,
like I got subbed, and then watching that last ten minutes,
I could I could barely watch, to be honest. And
then those pans, I've had my back turned towards some
of them. I was, yeah, I was. I was nervous
watching as well, so I know how the fans were feeling.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'd say seven six on peens, but I've got a
fifteen year old daughter and she to say six seven
because that's like fashionable last day and age. But you
really wrung the neck of it right toward the very end,
at the last minute. You said you were stressed. How's Kurraca?

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, I'm sure sure he was dressed. He wasn't really
saying much. He was next to me when we're watching
the penalty and yeah, he wasn't really saying much to
be honest.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
Fair Enough tonight coming up at you kick off at
six o'clock. It's a home match and the A League
finally have seen since and decided not to rout the
Auckland public. And actually you're going to have pretty much
a full house, I believe there from last week. That's
got to give you extra energy. That it feels strange
last week only playing to what eleven thousand people in

(02:49):
such a key game.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, it's a shame that the prices were up last game.
You know, it's obviously a hide for people in this
day and age paying for the paying for tickets, especially
those were families, So it's it's nice that they've lloyded them. Yeah,
the more people that it comes better for us and
even the fans for them. The more people that are there,

(03:10):
it's a their experience for them too. So yeah, I'm
looking forward to hopefully a near full stadium. And I
know the boys as well.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
What of the Adelaide United teams bring to the pitch
expectations You can't expect too much because they'll do what
they're going to do. You've got a rough idear about
what you're going to be dealing with on the park.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, just the They've got one of the strongest attacks
in the league, so you know we're going to try
and mummify that and hopefully score some myself.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, it's really somebody that you just summarized football.

Speaker 3 (03:49):
That's well I left at the end of it.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
What about personally and we you want to lift or
what you want to carry on with? Do you have
a little mantor a little plan for what you're going
to do out right?

Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah, I mean, like I said, they've got a strong attack,
so you know, us as a defense, we've got to
try and you know, keep that clean sheet. That's important
for us. So yeah, just doing my job keeping the
wing a winger quiet during the game. And yeah, and.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
One last thing, I know, a lot of prep to
do before this. It starts after that epic can counter
all you mean? Okay, I'm sure a few of them
collapse to their knees at the end of that, but
you've got a full quiver.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, we've got the same place from last week in
terms of availability. Yeah, I mean some of the boys
pulled up a bit more sergeants during the start of
the week, but you know we've all recovered now and
we're ready to go for today's game.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
When you look back, Callen at last week, is there
any aspect of the game that you felt maybe you
could have worked better in order to actually win in
the ninety not making that one twenty. Is there any
area where you've really got a lift as a team.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
I think, you know, we just gotta keep the ball.
There those periods last week where you know, we struggled
to keep the ball. I think it's hard to point
out one thing with it being a set piece goal
that they scored in the final minute, but yeah, I
think just keeping the ball is the most important thing

(05:30):
for us, winning those second balls, trying to restrict their attacks. Yeah,
I think if we did that last week, we probably
could have got it done in ninety.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
Sounds like a guy used to play with at school.
He's got my ball and he pick it up and
walk off if he was losing. I know you can't
do that. Calm. Thanks very much for joining us, mate,
get in there, get stuck in go well.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
Thank you very much for more from the All Sport
Breakfast with Darcy Waltergrave. Listen live to News Talk Said
on Saturday mornings, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio