December 6, 2024 • 6 mins
Auckland FC are planning to suck the life out of the Wellington Phoenix when they host their A-League derby this evening.
The unbeaten Black Knights won the first outing between the new rivals two-nil in Wellington, with both goals coming in the dying minutes.
Auckland defender Tommy Smith joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to explain the secrets to their success.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Are we going now to Black and Blue? We've heard
from a Black and Yellow and Stefan Kolakowski, but now
we go to Tommy Smith, part of AUCKLANDFC ahead of
the big derby five o'clock today. Defender former alright white,
all right, all white and a general all round good
guy joins us. Now, good morning, good morning, pleasure to
(00:34):
be here, lovely to have you on board. They don't
come much bigger than this huge game five o'clock. What
they're calling it the Kiwi Classical. I don't if it
sits well with you, but you had another derby between
the two New Zealand teams. Pressure much Tommy ahead of
this at what five o'clock this afternoon?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, obviously it's going to be a big game for
both clubs. You know, we want to continue the fantastic
start for the season that we've had and they're going
to want to get a bit of revenge after last
time out against them, So it'll be a fascinating watch
for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Played for a while, isravened really a good motivation to
go into it fixed you with do you think.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
If it's channeled in the right way. I think it is.
I think they'll obviously use it as motivation. They want
to get one back over and as especially because we've
beat them at their place, so obviously the start that
we've had, we haven't been beaten yet, so they'll probably
want that that sort of carrot for them to go
and be the first team to beat us in the
A League.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So there's plenty of your motivations to carry on one thing,
the win streak, but also keeping a clean sheet. That's
probably even more extraordinary than the wins, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Tommy, Oh, listen, it's just a testament to the way
that the teams set up and the individuals that have
been playing, but the mindset as a group to not
want to conceive goals. That's from the goalkeeper, defenders right
through the team to the forwards. You know, we press
really well from the front and it gets us winning
the ball back heart the pitch sometimes as was proven
in the game against Wellington last time, and we can
(02:04):
get chances from that.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
It's looking like Jean Carlo will tell you, I know,
the giffer in Wellington is going to be changing what
he does structurally right the way through the met which
is something he's been doing if you look much into
the possibility of what is formation is going to be
and how much it will change.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we've got a great analysis team that have been
over all of Wellington's games so far this season. So yeah,
we're well aware of what they have done in previous games. Obviously,
you never know what's to come. They could do something
completely different, but you know, we're all adaptable players and
once we assess what they provide on the pitch, you know,
we'll go from there and try to adapt the best
(02:43):
way we can. But also we want to put them
on the back foot. You know that we're on our
home patch and we want to take the game to
them as well.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You come off the bench last week. We don't know
yet if you're going to start or not, but I
speak you be fairly keen on getting in there from
the get go benches there or thereabouts. It's probably not
the ideal place to be from n if you're experienced.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Tommy Smith, Oh no, listen, everyone wants to play. You know,
we've got a really strong squad here at Auckland. You know,
there's probably eight or nine players that feel like they
should be starting every week that haven't been. So it's
a testament to the squad that the staff have put together,
and you know, everybody's pushing each other all the way
for these starting spots.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
If you were to be quite brutal about it, is
there an area even though you've got the wins and
you've got the clean cheets, where maybe there is some
vulnerability that possibly you've been looking at cleaning up.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
We're always looking at ways we can improve. Obviously, from
games to game. We do game reviews and we assess
the areas that we feel that we could improve, and
we also assess where we've done well and how we
can keep doing those things well. So it's a constant
process and evolving process where we're trying to evolve as
a team because if you stand still, you get left
behind in this game.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I'm no aficionado when it comes to the game of
a football, Tommy, I'll freely admit that. But looking at
the game last week as a fit of say it
was a it was a stattery, old game. To stay
with it, it felt like there was not a want from
the team or an ability to strike fast. It looked clumsy,
I think is the word, and then it started coming
(04:15):
together toward the end. Is it a summation of what
went on there? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I think would be the first to admit that we
started the game slowly, and obviously they missed a very
good chance or should I say ap pulled off a
magnificence save early on to keep the score Neil, neil.
But we grew into the game as we have done
in most games, and we seem to finish games really
strongly at the moment. And again that's a testament to
how fit we are and the sports science team behind
(04:42):
us that we could keep going right to the very end.
But we also realized that we can't keep starting games slowly.
You know, We're going to have to start games a
lot better, hopefully starting today.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And looking back at the success of the team, and
I did a bit of talk on it, and I'm
trying to work out what the primary feature is as
to why the crowds are turning out on mess And
you've got this momentum right now, is it some what
was the wins that you've wrecked up? And is the
resources that the team has got? Is it where you're playing.
(05:12):
Why has the team suddenly exploded in popularity after such
a short.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Time, do you think, Tommy, Oh, listen, I think there's
a culmination of a few things. You know. Obviously the
club are trying really hard to involve the local community
and everything that they do. Obviously, the port has established
themselves as a magnificent supporters group back in US come win,
sun or rain. So they're being fantastic and especially last
(05:37):
week and the conditions that we had last week and
they still turned out in droves to cheer us on.
You know, they've been absolutely brilliant and I'm sure they
will be again today. And the club are putting on
a real sort of family event on match days. You know,
you can come as a family and the kids have
some entertainment there if they get bored of the football,
and you know, it's not just you're going and sitting
(05:58):
down for ninety minutes football. You can go and have
a real good family.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Day out and playing on a rectangular stadium with the
crowd right there bring you great joy to be close
to the crowd.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
To Tommy, Oh, absolutely, you know, that's the best stadiums
I've ever played in for those ones where the crowd
is right on top of you, the atmosphere can be
felt just inches away from you, and yeah, it's a
magnificent feel, and especially when you've got a packed out
house as we will. We're expecting the highest ever regular
season a league crowd in New Zealand Austry. So we're
(06:30):
really looking forward to putting on a show for the
fans that do come.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Get in the play hard, play fear and bring some success.
Thank you very much for your time, Tommy Smith, a
real pleasure.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to news Talks it'd be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Are we going now to Black and Blue? We've heard
from a Black and Yellow and Stefan Kolakowski, but now
we go to Tommy Smith, part of AUCKLANDFC ahead of
the big derby five o'clock today. Defender former alright white,
all right, all white and a general all round good
guy joins us. Now, good morning, good morning, pleasure to
(00:34):
be here, lovely to have you on board. They don't
come much bigger than this huge game five o'clock. What
they're calling it the Kiwi Classical. I don't if it
sits well with you, but you had another derby between
the two New Zealand teams. Pressure much Tommy ahead of
this at what five o'clock this afternoon?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, obviously it's going to be a big game for
both clubs. You know, we want to continue the fantastic
start for the season that we've had and they're going
to want to get a bit of revenge after last
time out against them, So it'll be a fascinating watch
for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Played for a while, isravened really a good motivation to
go into it fixed you with do you think.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
If it's channeled in the right way. I think it is.
I think they'll obviously use it as motivation. They want
to get one back over and as especially because we've
beat them at their place, so obviously the start that
we've had, we haven't been beaten yet, so they'll probably
want that that sort of carrot for them to go
and be the first team to beat us in the
A League.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So there's plenty of your motivations to carry on one thing,
the win streak, but also keeping a clean sheet. That's
probably even more extraordinary than the wins, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Tommy, Oh, listen, it's just a testament to the way
that the teams set up and the individuals that have
been playing, but the mindset as a group to not
want to conceive goals. That's from the goalkeeper, defenders right
through the team to the forwards. You know, we press
really well from the front and it gets us winning
the ball back heart the pitch sometimes as was proven
in the game against Wellington last time, and we can
(02:04):
get chances from that.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
It's looking like Jean Carlo will tell you, I know,
the giffer in Wellington is going to be changing what
he does structurally right the way through the met which
is something he's been doing if you look much into
the possibility of what is formation is going to be
and how much it will change.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we've got a great analysis team that have been
over all of Wellington's games so far this season. So yeah,
we're well aware of what they have done in previous games. Obviously,
you never know what's to come. They could do something
completely different, but you know, we're all adaptable players and
once we assess what they provide on the pitch, you know,
we'll go from there and try to adapt the best
(02:43):
way we can. But also we want to put them
on the back foot. You know that we're on our
home patch and we want to take the game to
them as well.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You come off the bench last week. We don't know
yet if you're going to start or not, but I
speak you be fairly keen on getting in there from
the get go benches there or thereabouts. It's probably not
the ideal place to be from n if you're experienced.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Tommy Smith, Oh no, listen, everyone wants to play. You know,
we've got a really strong squad here at Auckland. You know,
there's probably eight or nine players that feel like they
should be starting every week that haven't been. So it's
a testament to the squad that the staff have put together,
and you know, everybody's pushing each other all the way
for these starting spots.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
If you were to be quite brutal about it, is
there an area even though you've got the wins and
you've got the clean cheets, where maybe there is some
vulnerability that possibly you've been looking at cleaning up.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
We're always looking at ways we can improve. Obviously, from
games to game. We do game reviews and we assess
the areas that we feel that we could improve, and
we also assess where we've done well and how we
can keep doing those things well. So it's a constant
process and evolving process where we're trying to evolve as
a team because if you stand still, you get left
behind in this game.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I'm no aficionado when it comes to the game of
a football, Tommy, I'll freely admit that. But looking at
the game last week as a fit of say it
was a it was a stattery, old game. To stay
with it, it felt like there was not a want from
the team or an ability to strike fast. It looked clumsy,
I think is the word, and then it started coming
(04:15):
together toward the end. Is it a summation of what
went on there? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I think would be the first to admit that we
started the game slowly, and obviously they missed a very
good chance or should I say ap pulled off a
magnificence save early on to keep the score Neil, neil.
But we grew into the game as we have done
in most games, and we seem to finish games really
strongly at the moment. And again that's a testament to
how fit we are and the sports science team behind
(04:42):
us that we could keep going right to the very end.
But we also realized that we can't keep starting games slowly.
You know, We're going to have to start games a
lot better, hopefully starting today.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And looking back at the success of the team, and
I did a bit of talk on it, and I'm
trying to work out what the primary feature is as
to why the crowds are turning out on mess And
you've got this momentum right now, is it some what
was the wins that you've wrecked up? And is the
resources that the team has got? Is it where you're playing.
(05:12):
Why has the team suddenly exploded in popularity after such
a short.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Time, do you think, Tommy, Oh, listen, I think there's
a culmination of a few things. You know. Obviously the
club are trying really hard to involve the local community
and everything that they do. Obviously, the port has established
themselves as a magnificent supporters group back in US come win,
sun or rain. So they're being fantastic and especially last
(05:37):
week and the conditions that we had last week and
they still turned out in droves to cheer us on.
You know, they've been absolutely brilliant and I'm sure they
will be again today. And the club are putting on
a real sort of family event on match days. You know,
you can come as a family and the kids have
some entertainment there if they get bored of the football,
and you know, it's not just you're going and sitting
(05:58):
down for ninety minutes football. You can go and have
a real good family.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Day out and playing on a rectangular stadium with the
crowd right there bring you great joy to be close
to the crowd.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
To Tommy, Oh, absolutely, you know, that's the best stadiums
I've ever played in for those ones where the crowd
is right on top of you, the atmosphere can be
felt just inches away from you, and yeah, it's a
magnificent feel, and especially when you've got a packed out
house as we will. We're expecting the highest ever regular
season a league crowd in New Zealand Austry. So we're
(06:30):
really looking forward to putting on a show for the
fans that do come.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Get in the play hard, play fear and bring some success.
Thank you very much for your time, Tommy Smith, a
real pleasure.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to news Talks it'd be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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