December 13, 2024 • 10 mins
Kiwi football star Finn Surman is back in the country.
He was stateside for the last half season, playing in the Major League Soccer franchise for the Portland Timbers.
He joined Piney for a chat about what it’s been like to play in the MLS, and playing with the Timbers.
Surman told him that MLS is a step up in intensity from A-League.
“The intensity, the speed of what people do, whether that's thinking or just the actions that they do is, is just a little that little bit faster.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk sed B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
One of the key members of the Wellington Phoenix's superb
twenty twenty three twenty twenty four A League season was
defender Finn Sermon. Now Van Haddam can deliver it, doesn't
the every do believe it?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Sermon with his first highly Fensky has.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Done it for Lollington. Do they we have in the capitol?
Fenn seven to the victory of the Knife in Marshall
included corner rolling and then night of the deck. As
they said last time, the Willings in Phoenix had come
up with the moment. That's the big center back pair,
the big cente back. Finn Sermon. He played every game
(00:55):
for the Phoenix last season and caught the eye of
the Portland Timbers in the United States and the MLS
over there. Moved there shortly after. He represented New Zealand
at the Paris Olympic Games of the second half of
the m LS season. He's back home now in the
US off season and joins US. Finn. Great to get
the chance to chat to you. How do you reflect
(01:15):
back on your first half season with the Portland Timbers
in the m l S.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Thanks for having me, Heidi the first first, first ever
half of the season with the Portland Timbers. It's been
it's been awesome for myself. I think I've taken a
lot of time to settle into a new country and
new team with new staff, all that sort of stuff,
and and and and kind of adjust to my new life.
(01:42):
But overall, I've I've really enjoyed it. Trying to adjust
to the level of my team and the pace of
the games. There's a slight step up, and yeah, I've
really been enjoying it as.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
You made those adjustments. Was it an easy team environment
to fit into? Did they? Did they make it easy
for you in terms of the players and the staff
at Portland?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, everyone was actually really welcoming. The staff.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
The staff were great to me and they were always
looking out offering offering their help with whatever I needed,
it was off the pitch or on the pitch things.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
And then same with the players. To be honest, the
players are extremely welcoming.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
A lot of them were slightly older than me, but
they were still they were still all great to me.
They were welcomed me in a lot of boys from
different cultures, which is which has been awesome and definitely
something new that I'm experiencing, which I'm loving.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
How would you compare the standard that you've that you've
arrived in in the MLS and inside the Portland Timbers
as well with what you were playing in the A
League for the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Well, I think I think it's just a step up
and an intensity.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
To be honest, some of the players that I get
to play against and train against serious equality and they
kind of they punished you whenever there's a mistake. And yeah,
like I said, the intensity, the speed of what people
do things, whether that's thinking or just the actions that
they do, is it's just a little that a little
(03:13):
bit faster, and so you have to make decisions.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Slightly quicker and move quicker and do all that sort
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
So, yeah, there's a slight step up in intensity, but
it's something that I'm really enjoying the challenge of and
getting too grateful with.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, and have you found that that that has compelled
you to do exactly that, to lift what was already
a good level up to you know, maybe the next
level around your the pace the decision making, that sort
of thing.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, I think so, And I think the longer I'm there,
the more not necessarily comfortable you get within it, but
the more adjusted you've become. And the coaching stuff has
spent a lot of time with me over the last
three months getting adjusted to where I need to be
and that sort of stuff, and so they've they've they've
been a big help to me. And in settling into
(04:01):
the new environment.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
You're included in match day squads fairly quickly, but you
have to be a bit patient to wait for your
opportunity to actually make your debut. Was that in any
way challenging for you?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah? It was.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I think I've spoken openly before about about what it's
like not playing and the challenges that come with that.
So moving there, moving their Midwest through a season, and
with the situation that our team was in, I kind
of knew what I was getting myself into.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
You know, we we were pushing for playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
We were kind of on the brink of it for
a lot of the time, pushing for playoffs. So every
game is important, and sometimes center backs is difficult to change.
So yeah, coming in there, I was on the bench,
on the bench quite a lot, and I kind of
I told myself that, you know, just needs to be
patient and train as hard as you can so that
(04:55):
basically be ready when you do the opportunity, because that's
all football really is is being ready when you do
get the chance.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And you did your debut, did arrive a superb game
that you had on debut. How pleased were you with
your your first game for Portland?
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I was. I was very pleased, to be honest.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think there's there's a lot of things that I
can take out of that game positively, and I think
I proved myself to my teammates and my staff that
that I can, I can play at the at the
level and I can I can I can back myself
up there. I think in terms of the game, it
(05:35):
was quite an important game for us, a special game.
It was a derby and for the Cascadia Cup, and
although we would have liked to win, we drew in
that and that that got us the cup. So that
was super important, I know, for not only our team
but also our fans. So that was yeah, that was
It was a good game and I'm pretty happy with
with how it went. And I'm positive because I know
(05:58):
I can I can continue to get better.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Your head coach is a fairly well known football figure
around the place for my man Chester you know, guided
and England defender Phil Neville. How has he been to
work under?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
It's been great.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I find that he's been super honest with me in
the in the in the three or four months that
have been there, he has just been open and honest
with me about where he sees me, where where I
need to improve, and that's that sort of thing. So yeah,
he's he's been great and I think he's going to
bring out even He's going.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
To bring out a good side of me, and same
with some of his other staff I work.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I work closely with Liam Ridgewell, who's who's another one
of the assistant coaches, who's who's also put a lot
of time into me so far, and I'm really enjoying working.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Under fantastic And of course alongside all of this, you've
been a regular member of the All Whites as well
for a week while now. How keen are you to
be involved in the final push towards the World Cup
in the in the early part of next year.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I think that's that's something that's always been a goal
of mine to become a regular and all Whites and
to be playing for the all Whites. We've got some
like a fantastic group of players at the moment, not
only defenders, not in the sin of backs, but just
the whole team in general. So I know that everyone's
really pushing for places and everyone wants to be playing.
(07:22):
So it's it's we've got some really healthy competition at
the moment, and yeah, I love I love getting the
opportunity to play for the national team, and that's something
I want to continue doing.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Well.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
One game that court, well my eye, and I think
the Eye have a lot of people, was the one
all draw with the United States in September. I thought
you were terrific that day. Where does that game? Right?
Among the internationals you've played.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
That's probably one of the highest internationals, probably the best
international at a at.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
A men's level.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's probably the best team i'd say that I've played
against at at the men's level.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
So that was that was pretty special, and I thought
that we do a right that game.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah, one one against you is not not a bad
result considering we're bouncing and trying to bounce back from
from an bad loss against Mexico.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
So yeah, that was.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
That was That's probably the top top game that I've
played at the men's national team.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Level and the Olympics as well. Let's not forget that
it's been a busy year for you the Olympic Games
as well. How was that experience in Paris?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Oh? That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Those are some of the best teams as well that
I've played against, USA and France. They they they were
both very strong, especially France. That was so that was
an awesome experience. I think we're quite disappointed with how
we i'd say how the results went overall in that tournament,
but okay, we all gained a lot of valuable experience
(08:48):
from that, and you can see the level of where
some of these guys are and where we eventually want
to get to.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
So have you been keeping an eye on the Phoenix
results in the first couple of months of the new
A League season.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, I've been keeping I've been keeping up with it.
I don't watch, I haven't watched every game, but I've watched.
I've watched a few games, and I'm enjoying Watchington play.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I know you're back for the game this afternoon, so
I we'll look forward to seeing you at Sky Stadium.
What do you do back in the United States for
pre season training and such like?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Head back early early January, late December to start pre
season in at the start of January. So I'm really
looking forward to that and I actually I actually can't
wait to get back and get stuff into it.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Fantastic. Well, Congratulations on a terrific year across all of
your football teams for the Phoenix, the Ollie Whites, the
All Whites and the Portland Timbers. G what are twenty
twenty four It's been for you mate. Congratulations, enjoy what's
left of your summer break and look forward to catching
up again soon.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Sweet Thank you very much, Budy.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
No, thank you for Finnsummon then former Wellington Phoenix defender
or Whites and Portland Timbers defender in town for the
game this afternoon is the Wellington Phoenix take on MacArthur
from five o'clock this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk sed B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
One of the key members of the Wellington Phoenix's superb
twenty twenty three twenty twenty four A League season was
defender Finn Sermon. Now Van Haddam can deliver it, doesn't
the every do believe it?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Sermon with his first highly Fensky has.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Done it for Lollington. Do they we have in the capitol?
Fenn seven to the victory of the Knife in Marshall
included corner rolling and then night of the deck. As
they said last time, the Willings in Phoenix had come
up with the moment. That's the big center back pair,
the big cente back. Finn Sermon. He played every game
(00:55):
for the Phoenix last season and caught the eye of
the Portland Timbers in the United States and the MLS
over there. Moved there shortly after. He represented New Zealand
at the Paris Olympic Games of the second half of
the m LS season. He's back home now in the
US off season and joins US. Finn. Great to get
the chance to chat to you. How do you reflect
(01:15):
back on your first half season with the Portland Timbers
in the m l S.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Thanks for having me, Heidi the first first, first ever
half of the season with the Portland Timbers. It's been
it's been awesome for myself. I think I've taken a
lot of time to settle into a new country and
new team with new staff, all that sort of stuff,
and and and and kind of adjust to my new life.
(01:42):
But overall, I've I've really enjoyed it. Trying to adjust
to the level of my team and the pace of
the games. There's a slight step up, and yeah, I've
really been enjoying it as.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
You made those adjustments. Was it an easy team environment
to fit into? Did they? Did they make it easy
for you in terms of the players and the staff
at Portland?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, everyone was actually really welcoming. The staff.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
The staff were great to me and they were always
looking out offering offering their help with whatever I needed,
it was off the pitch or on the pitch things.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
And then same with the players. To be honest, the
players are extremely welcoming.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
A lot of them were slightly older than me, but
they were still they were still all great to me.
They were welcomed me in a lot of boys from
different cultures, which is which has been awesome and definitely
something new that I'm experiencing, which I'm loving.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
How would you compare the standard that you've that you've
arrived in in the MLS and inside the Portland Timbers
as well with what you were playing in the A
League for the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Well, I think I think it's just a step up
and an intensity.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
To be honest, some of the players that I get
to play against and train against serious equality and they
kind of they punished you whenever there's a mistake. And yeah,
like I said, the intensity, the speed of what people
do things, whether that's thinking or just the actions that
they do, is it's just a little that a little
(03:13):
bit faster, and so you have to make decisions.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Slightly quicker and move quicker and do all that sort
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
So, yeah, there's a slight step up in intensity, but
it's something that I'm really enjoying the challenge of and
getting too grateful with.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, and have you found that that that has compelled
you to do exactly that, to lift what was already
a good level up to you know, maybe the next
level around your the pace the decision making, that sort
of thing.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, I think so, And I think the longer I'm there,
the more not necessarily comfortable you get within it, but
the more adjusted you've become. And the coaching stuff has
spent a lot of time with me over the last
three months getting adjusted to where I need to be
and that sort of stuff, and so they've they've they've
been a big help to me. And in settling into
(04:01):
the new environment.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
You're included in match day squads fairly quickly, but you
have to be a bit patient to wait for your
opportunity to actually make your debut. Was that in any
way challenging for you?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah? It was.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I think I've spoken openly before about about what it's
like not playing and the challenges that come with that.
So moving there, moving their Midwest through a season, and
with the situation that our team was in, I kind
of knew what I was getting myself into.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
You know, we we were pushing for playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
We were kind of on the brink of it for
a lot of the time, pushing for playoffs. So every
game is important, and sometimes center backs is difficult to change.
So yeah, coming in there, I was on the bench,
on the bench quite a lot, and I kind of
I told myself that, you know, just needs to be
patient and train as hard as you can so that
(04:55):
basically be ready when you do the opportunity, because that's
all football really is is being ready when you do
get the chance.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And you did your debut, did arrive a superb game
that you had on debut. How pleased were you with
your your first game for Portland?
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I was. I was very pleased, to be honest.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think there's there's a lot of things that I
can take out of that game positively, and I think
I proved myself to my teammates and my staff that
that I can, I can play at the at the
level and I can I can I can back myself
up there. I think in terms of the game, it
(05:35):
was quite an important game for us, a special game.
It was a derby and for the Cascadia Cup, and
although we would have liked to win, we drew in
that and that that got us the cup. So that
was super important, I know, for not only our team
but also our fans. So that was yeah, that was
It was a good game and I'm pretty happy with
with how it went. And I'm positive because I know
(05:58):
I can I can continue to get better.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Your head coach is a fairly well known football figure
around the place for my man Chester you know, guided
and England defender Phil Neville. How has he been to
work under?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
It's been great.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I find that he's been super honest with me in
the in the in the three or four months that
have been there, he has just been open and honest
with me about where he sees me, where where I
need to improve, and that's that sort of thing. So yeah,
he's he's been great and I think he's going to
bring out even He's going.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
To bring out a good side of me, and same
with some of his other staff I work.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I work closely with Liam Ridgewell, who's who's another one
of the assistant coaches, who's who's also put a lot
of time into me so far, and I'm really enjoying working.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Under fantastic And of course alongside all of this, you've
been a regular member of the All Whites as well
for a week while now. How keen are you to
be involved in the final push towards the World Cup
in the in the early part of next year.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I think that's that's something that's always been a goal
of mine to become a regular and all Whites and
to be playing for the all Whites. We've got some
like a fantastic group of players at the moment, not
only defenders, not in the sin of backs, but just
the whole team in general. So I know that everyone's
really pushing for places and everyone wants to be playing.
(07:22):
So it's it's we've got some really healthy competition at
the moment, and yeah, I love I love getting the
opportunity to play for the national team, and that's something
I want to continue doing.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Well.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
One game that court, well my eye, and I think
the Eye have a lot of people, was the one
all draw with the United States in September. I thought
you were terrific that day. Where does that game? Right?
Among the internationals you've played.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
That's probably one of the highest internationals, probably the best
international at a at.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
A men's level.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's probably the best team i'd say that I've played
against at at the men's level.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
So that was that was pretty special, and I thought
that we do a right that game.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah, one one against you is not not a bad
result considering we're bouncing and trying to bounce back from
from an bad loss against Mexico.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
So yeah, that was.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
That was That's probably the top top game that I've
played at the men's national team.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Level and the Olympics as well. Let's not forget that
it's been a busy year for you the Olympic Games
as well. How was that experience in Paris?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Oh? That was awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Those are some of the best teams as well that
I've played against, USA and France. They they they were
both very strong, especially France. That was so that was
an awesome experience. I think we're quite disappointed with how
we i'd say how the results went overall in that tournament,
but okay, we all gained a lot of valuable experience
(08:48):
from that, and you can see the level of where
some of these guys are and where we eventually want
to get to.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
So have you been keeping an eye on the Phoenix
results in the first couple of months of the new
A League season.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, I've been keeping I've been keeping up with it.
I don't watch, I haven't watched every game, but I've watched.
I've watched a few games, and I'm enjoying Watchington play.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I know you're back for the game this afternoon, so
I we'll look forward to seeing you at Sky Stadium.
What do you do back in the United States for
pre season training and such like?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Head back early early January, late December to start pre
season in at the start of January. So I'm really
looking forward to that and I actually I actually can't
wait to get back and get stuff into it.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Fantastic. Well, Congratulations on a terrific year across all of
your football teams for the Phoenix, the Ollie Whites, the
All Whites and the Portland Timbers. G what are twenty
twenty four It's been for you mate. Congratulations, enjoy what's
left of your summer break and look forward to catching
up again soon.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Sweet Thank you very much, Budy.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
No, thank you for Finnsummon then former Wellington Phoenix defender
or Whites and Portland Timbers defender in town for the
game this afternoon is the Wellington Phoenix take on MacArthur
from five o'clock this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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