Mario Ilich: Auckland City Captain ahead of their clash against Auckland United

The Northern League sees Auckland City and Auckland United face off in an all-important match this weekend. 

The two teams are level in points as they battle for a spot in the national league.  

D'Arcy caught up with Auckland City captain Mario Ilich ahead of the clash to preview what to expect from his side and what they need to do for the win. 

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Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:12):
How are you mate?

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Good?

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Not quite as pumped as you guys are, because well,
it's a very important game for you this so afternoon.
That's probably an understatement, isn't it. You're locked pretty much
on points anyway with your opposition. So this game against
aalk And United the s afternoon or this evening means
a great deal.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, absolutely, it's do or die at this time of
the season. Obviously there's a few few teams fighting for
that third and fourth spot in the in the Northern
League to get the National League qualification. So yeah, today
this afternoon is going to be, yeah, a huge game,
both equal points and yeah, both wanting to have desperate

(00:52):
ambitions to make the National League, so yeah, it's going
to be a huge one for sure.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
How relevant is the build up for both sides because
you've come along slightly different routes. I mean United lost
to Mannarewa, which is a honishing but then last week
they pumped Range as what was at five to one,
you had a win, but you've come off the back
of two draws as well, So how much Is that
warranting talking about what you've built up to.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, I think momentum and the team's definitely a key factor.
You know. We always speak about our squad and team
about building some momentum. We obviously had a good win
we played midweek against Suburbs, so that was a good
step in the right direction, but it's about backing it up.
You know, any team in this Northern League can beat
anyone on their day, so it has very much been
like that this year and yeah, in recent games we

(01:39):
haven't quite had the results we wanted to go away,
probably could have had qualification for National League sorted by now,
but that's football, you know, it is what it is
and this is what we have at hand. So this
afternoon is going to be a huge one. And Yakland
United obviously coming off a rich vane of form and
just qualified for the Channam Cup final last weekend, so
they're in great form and yeah we know some of

(02:00):
the threats that they have, so it's going to be
a huge, huge nine of football.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well you could look at the fact that qualified for
the Chatham Cup, so they'll be on an absolute high,
but maybe focus too far forward and then coming off
the lost a couple of weeks back to Manaewa, but
then folding Rangers. What's their head space?

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Oh, it's hard to say. They might have probably had
their main focus on the Chantham Cup final, you know.
And do I know Man might have made a few changes.
I'm not sure.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
So it's a.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Beautiful thing about football. You're going to be diald in
and mentally ready for every single game, doesn't matter who
the opponent is. And yeah, we've definitely learned that this year,
but tonight it's going to be no different. They're obviously
fighting for qualification for nationally is just as hard as us.
And yeah, the dominion road Derve He's going to be
a big one tonight.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
As far as the leagues of your players, after playing
already once this week, does that make a power and
difference between what you're doing on the park or not.
I'm presuming they're fit as buck rats, these young fellows though, right, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
I think for me in particular, probably i'll be feeling
the most. Was my first game back actually, since the
club will cut I'm on Tuesday, so I'll probably be
the one feeling the most other than anyone else. But
now the boys are pretty fit. We've obviously had a
big year going away to the Oceania Champions League of
in Ohai Tou and then to America America to a
couple cups. So yeah, there's been a lot of games,
a lot of fixtures this year in the calendar. But yeah, no,

(03:22):
boys be ready to go. And it was good. It
was on Tuesday, so just that extra day and on
we midweek games and on Wednesday, so yeah, boys will
be ready tonight and we've trained well and yeah, it's
just about turning that performance into three points tonight.

Speaker 3 (03:34):
Mario Elitch joins us, said skipper and I'm sorry, Mario.
I we'd like to keep talking about time as money
we have needed.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
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