Ross Haviland: Auckland United Captain ahead of the Chatham Cup final

After defeating Nelson Suburbs 3-0, Auckland United have clinched their spot in the Chatham Cup final against Wellington Olympic.  

It all goes down at 1pm this Sunday afternoon at North Harbour Stadium in a double header with the Women’s Kate Sheppard Cup Final – in which Auckland United has also claimed a spot. 

D'Arcy caught up with Auckland United Captain Ross Haviland to preview the match and highlight what it means to the club having both teams in the pinnacle finals of club football in New Zealand. 

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Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now of the Soccer Variety. If you're Australian, I was
sad last night to one goal lost to the Australians
to the Soccer Ruse and it was scored an eighty
seventh minute. I want to say so close, but no cigar.
The return matches on Tuesday at Mount Smart. Right, let's
talk about Auckland United FC. Now, Ross Haviland is the captain.

(00:37):
They beat Nelson Suburbs three zip in the semi final
and now there are chance to pick up the Chatham
Cup on the eve. It's a doublehead of two because
the Cape Shepherd Finals also being played for and the
Auckland United women's team are involved against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
What an amazing achievement for the club. Ross joins us

(00:59):
now morning, Ross AUKLANDFCA standing right there waiting for this trophy.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
That's your expectation, right, yeah, morning, I think it's obviously.

Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yeah, it's been a huge year.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Obviously last weekend was it was a bit of a
big one for us, trying to secure national league doing
something pretty pretty good fashion. So that was obviously that
our main goal. Anything anything else is obviously a bonus.
And yeah, for us going into this weekend, I think
it's it was a do what we can and if

(01:35):
we can come away with the civil we're fantastic.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Well, you must be feeling extraordinarily confident though, based on
what's happened in the last couple of weeks.

Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, we're confident.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
We know, Yeah, we know what we're about, and we
were you know, we prepare well for we're run and
we're looking to go going to today and and get
the job done.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
What is the key in victory for you? Is it
taking it all on board and really feeling that pressure,
is about just treating it like another game. What was
the attitude going into this ross.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, we we've obviously like last week was was a
must win for us, and a lot of kind of
talks during the week was you know, around belief and
and just being being confident in what we bring to
the table and and just yeah, just going out and
playing our game. And it's it's much of the same
for for today. So we want to make sure we

(02:27):
come with our a game of course, and just just
be confident and have some belief that we can do
it easily transferable.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
What do you reckon that action from last week to
this week is a case of just cut and paste.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
Obviously, every game's every game is different, Every team provides
a different test. So you know, we've we've obviously done
our homework and we know the strengths that that Olympic
pose and yeah, we're going to do our best to
to nullify those and and obviously work with work with
our strengths to to get the job done.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
You had a comfortable enough win against Nelson in the
semi five, it was three zip, but I'm presuming that
doesn't count for a damn thing, does it?

Speaker 4 (03:11):
No?

Speaker 3 (03:11):
Of course, it's it's obviously you know in the Cup,
your other you know, when you get to that stage
of traveling, you could be traveling, you know, any any
sort of length.

Speaker 4 (03:22):
So I think the travel for them might have been
a bit tough.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
And then I think the way we started the game
was maybe a bit of a shock to the system
for them and scoring early. So yeah, I think we
want to look to try and do the same today.
And yeah, it's important.

Speaker 4 (03:38):
I think that the strong start for us.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
What do we know about what the opposition about Willington
bring to the party. Presuming you have a rough idea,
even though you want to apply or impress your game
upon them, you must have an idea about strength and
weaknesses of those men.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
We know, yeah, we know Olympic have been successful for
a number of years.

Speaker 4 (03:59):
Now, we know what they bring.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
Obviously they've been they've been keeping up with Auckland Cider
for for years, so yeah.

Speaker 4 (04:07):
We obviously showed them respect.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
But yeah, for us, a lot of this year has
been about not thinking about the opposition too much, with
thinking about ourselves because we're you know, we're confident in
what we can do. So that's that's been the same
process from the start of the season to now.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
And they've come off for a victory as well, so
they'll be feeling fairly chipper. It wasn't a dominant victory,
but they got the win in the Central League all
the same.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, Obviously they had secured the league the week before,
so probably their thoughts going into that game last weekend
was you know, let's get through this game unscathed and
then fresh for today's game.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
And talking about unscathed, how do you all mean, looking
you've got a reasonably full quiver to pick from.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah, we've come through the same. Obviously our game meant
a lot more in the weekend, but yeah, we've we've
come through that strong and we look to bring our
strongest today.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
And your strongest is what who are you looking toward?
Who's going to carry this on these shoulders? Ross Havelin?

Speaker 4 (05:06):
Is it you?

Speaker 3 (05:08):
I hope it's not me? But yeah, no, Look, everyone
plays their part. I'm immensely proud of the team for
the chief this year so far, and yeah, look we're
just we're going to enjoy the moment and look to
get the job done however we can.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
And of course it's a huge moment for the club
as well. You guys win or lose, and the Wahini
win or lose. The fact the matter is as you're
both contesting the final, the Cape Shepperd Cup and the
Chatham Cup. That must be a rarity.

Speaker 3 (05:35):
It's the historic to be honest, the first time clubs
made both men's and women's finals.

Speaker 4 (05:41):
So yeah, look for us.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
Obviously we're a young club, but we have done so
well this year. Obviously the women have their success across
Oceania as well. Like I said, obviously I'm immensely proud
of the men's team, but just of the club in general.
The woman obviously have done a fantastic job to get there,
and so happy that the day can be shared by
both of us.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
They're playing a Wellington team too, aren't they Ross.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, they're playing the Phoenix, who they've actually I think
they've played last year in the semifinal, so that'll be
another good contest.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
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