All eyes will be on the very first Kiwi football derby taking place tonight.
Amid all of the fans in the audience will be one very keen eyed spectator – All Whites coach Darren Bazeley.
He joined Piney in the studio for a chat about the importance of this match and what he’ll be looking to see from players, and gave some insight into how this could impact All White selections.
“I think it's one of the biggest days in football in the country for a long, long time.”
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from newstalksb A.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
League Derby Wellington Phoenix Auckland f C five o'clock kickoff
this afternoon at Sky Stadium in the Capital. A very
interested spectator will There'll be plenty of those, but one
in particular will be All Whites head coach Darren Baisley,
who will be at the game obviously, but as poptin
on his way. Nice to see you, mate, Thanks for
taking the time out of your busy afternoon to come
and see us. Firstly, the occasion base How significant is
(00:35):
this occasion for the game of football here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I think it's massive, you know, it's so exciting and
it's a day we've waited forever for two professional teams
in New Zealand, first big derby, both teams unbeaten. Be honestly,
I think it's one of the biggest days in football
in the country for a long long time.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
What have you made of Auckland f C's start to
life good?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You know, I've been watching them build the club, you know,
I've speak to them pretty regularly. They've got a lot
of good Kiwi lads. There as well and brought in
some good imports. So they've built a really strong club
with some strong solid foundations. You know, they've got good
backers and everything, so that they've done a good job
and what they've put on the pitch so far has
been good to watch and very competitive.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
They sit it at the start before they even started recruising.
We are going to give a focus to Kiwi players
and they've they've I've done that, They've they've walked that walk. Uh.
For you, as a as All White's head coach, is
this a good thing having having players here that you
can keep a close eye on or converously would you
rather they were playing elsewhere?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I think it's. I think it's both. It's good.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
It's definitely good. I mean it's it's great for New
Zealand and for the All Whites to have the extra team.
It gives people opportunities to play, and it's you know,
for for the younger players, it's it's amazing. You know,
the platform to become pros and and the pathway now
is there. And we've seen what's happened recently with Sermon
and Paulson and Ben Old that once you you play
(02:01):
a number of games and you played to a certain level,
you can move from this area. So I think it's
great to have two platforms. But it's not just for
the young players. You know what you look at sort
of Tim and Roofs and now Nando and you know
they're a little bit older and they're performing really well
and they get selected for the All Whites. So it's
not necessarily you have to be anywhere to be playing.
I mean, the most important thing for us is that
(02:23):
you are. You are playing, you're playing professionally, and you're
playing to a pretty good level. We're at that stage
now where it's super competitive for places in not just
the starting level, but the squad, you know, every every squad.
Now we name where we're leaving out some some pretty
big names and that's just due now to the competition
for places and everyone's everyone's doing really well.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You've lid nicely into my next question. Actually, we've got
a lot of players playing in leagues all over the
place and some good leagues and playing regularly. Can good
a league form get you into the All Whites?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Definitely? Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You know we've got players like Rufa and Tim Payne
that you know, pretty much get picked now every time
we put a squad together and we put them on
the pitch there, you know, and they're they're able to
go to a higher level.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I'm sure there's a number of players, including those two,
that if given an opportunity, could also play in a
different environment at a different level. Harder for older players
to move from this league, you know, because clubs around
the world are looking for that young player, you know,
the potential, and you know, most players get signed on
potential from this part of the world and then they
try and develop them Ala Paulsen. But you know, for
(03:33):
players that are performing regularly, they're fit, they're playing well.
You know, we we obviously know they can come into
different environments and perform.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
I just want to ask a bit a specific player,
and that's Mirko Rojas. I haven't seen him play for
New Zealand since June of last year, the abandoned game
against Cutter, I think was the last time we saw
him with the All Whites. Hopefully we'll see him this afternoon.
Does he still part of your All White spreadsheet?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
He certainly is, Yeah, and that day he played very
well in that in that game. Yeah, he's on the
he's on the board.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
I call it. He's on the board. We've got this
white board with all.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
The names on and you know we've got around around
sixty players. Now you know that are professional players around
the world. You know, not all necessarily each window are options,
but we've definitely got probably forty five legitimate options for
like this upcoming window that we talk about as staff
and that are a potential option to bring in. We
(04:24):
have been pretty consistent with selections, but you're as you
have seen every every squad here are a few different players.
Funny enough everywhere, it's not really funny, but every squad
we name, we always lose a player through some sort
of injury just previous to the squad agetting together. And
you know, unfortunately we've lost Ben Old you know, for
(04:45):
this for this next window.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
So that's a shame.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
But at this stage, you know, the next window is
looking like one of our strongest squads that we'll probably
ever put together.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah. I see you talk about injuries and a guy
who has been afflicted a bit of suprates sing. But
I see he got back on the pitch the other day.
So is he Beck? I mean, he's on the white No,
he's on the whiteboard with the presume he's on the whiteboard.
Are you hopeful to see seeing su back back in
the warts.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, I mean he's got another game for his club
this weekend, so we hopefully he gets good minutes again.
He's you know, I talked Sapri pretty regularly. He's been
a little bit unlucky over the last few years. But
just recently he picked up a little injury before the
America Tour, you know, because he was coming there, and
then he's gone into a new club. He's had a
slight injury, nothing to do with his previous injuries, and
(05:28):
he had a little visa issue and then he was
actually suspended from his time in Germany for the for
the first game that he was available for. So yeah,
he's back playing now. I mean we all know a
fitzar Prid is a real, real good asset for us.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
What about Ryan Thomas, He's back playing now as well.
Is he on the whiteboard?
Speaker 4 (05:47):
He sure is?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean Ryan has the potential to be
one of the best players that we have. You know,
he's obviously another player that's had a sort of horrendous
few years injury wise, and you know, got himself to
a level where he was playing in one of the
top clubs in Europe at PSV, and you know, it
was a real shame how that's worked out, and he's
(06:08):
never ruled out playing for the al Whites. And again
there's another player I speak to pretty regularly and great
to see him get minutes the other day, but it
was a shame for him. He got on and then
hit his team out, a player sent off and ended
up playing with ten men, so that became difficult for
him on his sort of return. But he's gradually getting
his fitness and his confidence. I think it would take,
(06:31):
knowing Ryan, it would take quite a while of consistently
playing before he was. He would take on extra you know.
And you've got to think he's fighting for his club
career really and to come away from his club and
travel to come into and all its environment is an
extra burden on his body at the moment. But I
think once he gets his confidence and plays a number
(06:53):
of games, there's always the potential. I've never ruled him
out and the door's always open.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Goalkeepers now you're plenty of those at the moment. You're
three or the three you've used most recently in squads
Max Krokum, Alex Porson who will see this afternoon of course,
and also Olie's sail. But beyond those three, I mean
Michael Vowds and the awkward f C squad for example.
He's a guy who's played, you know, played all Whites
games recently, and then Henry Gray, Case Sims and others.
(07:20):
I'm not quite sure how to phrase the question. Maybe
I'll just ask it direct. What does Alex Paulson have
to do to be your number one?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah, I mean he's got to play games, you know,
and just keep developing. You know, He's he's still very young.
We have to remember he's very young. He's probably well,
he has had one season and had an amazing season
and obviously got all the accolades from that season and
got a big move. But like Bournemouth's he's potential, you know,
he's a young player. Bournemouth have seen a real high
(07:48):
level of potential in him, of willing to put a
bit of money behind that and back that decision and
now they've sort of given him opportunity to go and
play games. So yeah, he's definitely in the frame for us.
They're all competing. You know, Max Crocum probably is the
number one at the moment. He's been very good for
us and you know last season he got Player of
the Season at his club in League one, which is
(08:11):
a super competitive environment. You know, some big clubs in
League one. It's the same league Tyler Bindon plays in
and Ben Wayne is playing in, so that's a really
good level that he's at as well, different age, they're
both very good as and if we go back two years,
Oli Sale was the number one, go back three years,
Michael vaud was involved and we've had Nick Zanev play
(08:34):
as well. Who's who's another good goalkeeper?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
You know, you're right.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We've got good stocks young players coming through with Henry
and Case and some younger players as well, so real
good options. You know, we just got to keep giving
those opportunities for them to impress.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So you've got two games in the middle of this
month Banawatu and some more, both at home, which will
be good, a couple of home games for fans to
get around. You alluded to it before, but you're you're
going to pull together a pretty good squad for that.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yeah, everybody's keen. I think I think all the players
know that it's getting really petsive for player for positions,
so I think every opportunity they get now they want
to come, They want to be involved, and you know
they want to have the shirt and play, which is
great for us. Means you know, we're going to have
this home games against two Island teams with a pretty
(09:22):
strong squad, and it will allow us to help with
some minutes for different players. And again, everybody wants to
come into the squad, but then everybody wants to start
the game. So we've got some difficult conversations to have
and then you know it's down to them to perform the.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Problem a coach I'm sure would like to hear rather
than scratching around to try and pull a squad together.
All right, boys, will you better get to the game.
What's your pick? By the way, can you or do
you have to be completely impartial?
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Completely impartial? I mean, I'm excited to see I hope
it's competitive. I'm sure it's going to be competitive. You know,
when you've got players like Rufa and Timmy and those
guys involved, it's it's going to be competitive. You know,
there's a lot of friends in both teams, you know,
teammates in all why it's competing against each other and
a lot of bragging rights, So I think it's going
(10:10):
to be competitive. I don't want to say who are where.
I'd like to say it'll be a three to three
entertaining game, but then that means Paulson and Nandal probably
haven't haven't performed as well defensively, and I don't want
to say Neil Neil because that wouldn't be a great game.
But yeah, just looking forward to a really competitive game,
all right, and no injuries for the New Zealand players presumably.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Great to see you base, Thanks for us stopping on
your way to the game. Awesome cheers, pain Thanks Pace there.
I'm basically their head coach of the All White.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks it'd be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from newstalksb A.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
League Derby Wellington Phoenix Auckland f C five o'clock kickoff
this afternoon at Sky Stadium in the Capital. A very
interested spectator will There'll be plenty of those, but one
in particular will be All Whites head coach Darren Baisley,
who will be at the game obviously, but as poptin
on his way. Nice to see you, mate, Thanks for
taking the time out of your busy afternoon to come
and see us. Firstly, the occasion base How significant is
(00:35):
this occasion for the game of football here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I think it's massive, you know, it's so exciting and
it's a day we've waited forever for two professional teams
in New Zealand, first big derby, both teams unbeaten. Be honestly,
I think it's one of the biggest days in football
in the country for a long long time.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
What have you made of Auckland f C's start to
life good?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You know, I've been watching them build the club, you know,
I've speak to them pretty regularly. They've got a lot
of good Kiwi lads. There as well and brought in
some good imports. So they've built a really strong club
with some strong solid foundations. You know, they've got good
backers and everything, so that they've done a good job
and what they've put on the pitch so far has
been good to watch and very competitive.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
They sit it at the start before they even started recruising.
We are going to give a focus to Kiwi players
and they've they've I've done that, They've they've walked that walk. Uh.
For you, as a as All White's head coach, is
this a good thing having having players here that you
can keep a close eye on or converously would you
rather they were playing elsewhere?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I think it's. I think it's both. It's good.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
It's definitely good. I mean it's it's great for New
Zealand and for the All Whites to have the extra team.
It gives people opportunities to play, and it's you know,
for for the younger players, it's it's amazing. You know,
the platform to become pros and and the pathway now
is there. And we've seen what's happened recently with Sermon
and Paulson and Ben Old that once you you play
(02:01):
a number of games and you played to a certain level,
you can move from this area. So I think it's
great to have two platforms. But it's not just for
the young players. You know what you look at sort
of Tim and Roofs and now Nando and you know
they're a little bit older and they're performing really well
and they get selected for the All Whites. So it's
not necessarily you have to be anywhere to be playing.
I mean, the most important thing for us is that
(02:23):
you are. You are playing, you're playing professionally, and you're
playing to a pretty good level. We're at that stage
now where it's super competitive for places in not just
the starting level, but the squad, you know, every every squad.
Now we name where we're leaving out some some pretty
big names and that's just due now to the competition
for places and everyone's everyone's doing really well.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You've lid nicely into my next question. Actually, we've got
a lot of players playing in leagues all over the
place and some good leagues and playing regularly. Can good
a league form get you into the All Whites?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Definitely? Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You know we've got players like Rufa and Tim Payne
that you know, pretty much get picked now every time
we put a squad together and we put them on
the pitch there, you know, and they're they're able to
go to a higher level.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I'm sure there's a number of players, including those two,
that if given an opportunity, could also play in a
different environment at a different level. Harder for older players
to move from this league, you know, because clubs around
the world are looking for that young player, you know,
the potential, and you know, most players get signed on
potential from this part of the world and then they
try and develop them Ala Paulsen. But you know, for
(03:33):
players that are performing regularly, they're fit, they're playing well.
You know, we we obviously know they can come into
different environments and perform.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
I just want to ask a bit a specific player,
and that's Mirko Rojas. I haven't seen him play for
New Zealand since June of last year, the abandoned game
against Cutter, I think was the last time we saw
him with the All Whites. Hopefully we'll see him this afternoon.
Does he still part of your All White spreadsheet?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
He certainly is, Yeah, and that day he played very
well in that in that game. Yeah, he's on the
he's on the board.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
I call it. He's on the board. We've got this
white board with all.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
The names on and you know we've got around around
sixty players. Now you know that are professional players around
the world. You know, not all necessarily each window are options,
but we've definitely got probably forty five legitimate options for
like this upcoming window that we talk about as staff
and that are a potential option to bring in. We
(04:24):
have been pretty consistent with selections, but you're as you
have seen every every squad here are a few different players.
Funny enough everywhere, it's not really funny, but every squad
we name, we always lose a player through some sort
of injury just previous to the squad agetting together. And
you know, unfortunately we've lost Ben Old you know, for
(04:45):
this for this next window.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
So that's a shame.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
But at this stage, you know, the next window is
looking like one of our strongest squads that we'll probably
ever put together.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah. I see you talk about injuries and a guy
who has been afflicted a bit of suprates sing. But
I see he got back on the pitch the other day.
So is he Beck? I mean, he's on the white No,
he's on the whiteboard with the presume he's on the whiteboard.
Are you hopeful to see seeing su back back in
the warts.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, I mean he's got another game for his club
this weekend, so we hopefully he gets good minutes again.
He's you know, I talked Sapri pretty regularly. He's been
a little bit unlucky over the last few years. But
just recently he picked up a little injury before the
America Tour, you know, because he was coming there, and
then he's gone into a new club. He's had a
slight injury, nothing to do with his previous injuries, and
(05:28):
he had a little visa issue and then he was
actually suspended from his time in Germany for the for
the first game that he was available for. So yeah,
he's back playing now. I mean we all know a
fitzar Prid is a real, real good asset for us.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
What about Ryan Thomas, He's back playing now as well.
Is he on the whiteboard?
Speaker 4 (05:47):
He sure is?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean Ryan has the potential to be
one of the best players that we have. You know,
he's obviously another player that's had a sort of horrendous
few years injury wise, and you know, got himself to
a level where he was playing in one of the
top clubs in Europe at PSV, and you know, it
was a real shame how that's worked out, and he's
(06:08):
never ruled out playing for the al Whites. And again
there's another player I speak to pretty regularly and great
to see him get minutes the other day, but it
was a shame for him. He got on and then
hit his team out, a player sent off and ended
up playing with ten men, so that became difficult for
him on his sort of return. But he's gradually getting
his fitness and his confidence. I think it would take,
(06:31):
knowing Ryan, it would take quite a while of consistently
playing before he was. He would take on extra you know.
And you've got to think he's fighting for his club
career really and to come away from his club and
travel to come into and all its environment is an
extra burden on his body at the moment. But I
think once he gets his confidence and plays a number
(06:53):
of games, there's always the potential. I've never ruled him
out and the door's always open.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Goalkeepers now you're plenty of those at the moment. You're
three or the three you've used most recently in squads
Max Krokum, Alex Porson who will see this afternoon of course,
and also Olie's sail. But beyond those three, I mean
Michael Vowds and the awkward f C squad for example.
He's a guy who's played, you know, played all Whites
games recently, and then Henry Gray, Case Sims and others.
(07:20):
I'm not quite sure how to phrase the question. Maybe
I'll just ask it direct. What does Alex Paulson have
to do to be your number one?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah, I mean he's got to play games, you know,
and just keep developing. You know, He's he's still very young.
We have to remember he's very young. He's probably well,
he has had one season and had an amazing season
and obviously got all the accolades from that season and
got a big move. But like Bournemouth's he's potential, you know,
he's a young player. Bournemouth have seen a real high
(07:48):
level of potential in him, of willing to put a
bit of money behind that and back that decision and
now they've sort of given him opportunity to go and
play games. So yeah, he's definitely in the frame for us.
They're all competing. You know, Max Crocum probably is the
number one at the moment. He's been very good for
us and you know last season he got Player of
the Season at his club in League one, which is
(08:11):
a super competitive environment. You know, some big clubs in
League one. It's the same league Tyler Bindon plays in
and Ben Wayne is playing in, so that's a really
good level that he's at as well, different age, they're
both very good as and if we go back two years,
Oli Sale was the number one, go back three years,
Michael vaud was involved and we've had Nick Zanev play
(08:34):
as well. Who's who's another good goalkeeper?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
You know, you're right.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We've got good stocks young players coming through with Henry
and Case and some younger players as well, so real
good options. You know, we just got to keep giving
those opportunities for them to impress.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So you've got two games in the middle of this
month Banawatu and some more, both at home, which will
be good, a couple of home games for fans to
get around. You alluded to it before, but you're you're
going to pull together a pretty good squad for that.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yeah, everybody's keen. I think I think all the players
know that it's getting really petsive for player for positions,
so I think every opportunity they get now they want
to come, They want to be involved, and you know
they want to have the shirt and play, which is
great for us. Means you know, we're going to have
this home games against two Island teams with a pretty
(09:22):
strong squad, and it will allow us to help with
some minutes for different players. And again, everybody wants to
come into the squad, but then everybody wants to start
the game. So we've got some difficult conversations to have
and then you know it's down to them to perform the.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Problem a coach I'm sure would like to hear rather
than scratching around to try and pull a squad together.
All right, boys, will you better get to the game.
What's your pick? By the way, can you or do
you have to be completely impartial?
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Completely impartial? I mean, I'm excited to see I hope
it's competitive. I'm sure it's going to be competitive. You know,
when you've got players like Rufa and Timmy and those
guys involved, it's it's going to be competitive. You know,
there's a lot of friends in both teams, you know,
teammates in all why it's competing against each other and
a lot of bragging rights, So I think it's going
(10:10):
to be competitive. I don't want to say who are where.
I'd like to say it'll be a three to three
entertaining game, but then that means Paulson and Nandal probably
haven't haven't performed as well defensively, and I don't want
to say Neil Neil because that wouldn't be a great game.
But yeah, just looking forward to a really competitive game,
all right, and no injuries for the New Zealand players presumably.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Great to see you base, Thanks for us stopping on
your way to the game. Awesome cheers, pain Thanks Pace there.
I'm basically their head coach of the All White.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks it'd be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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