December 5, 2025 • 11 mins
The Wellington Phoenix are looking to make history tonight by winning their first New Zealand derby match over Auckland FC at Mount Smart Stadium.
It's a ground without happy memories for the Phoenix, who suffered a 6-1 thumping to Auckland FC there in the final derby match of the 2025 season. They'll be looking to change that narrative with a strong performance tonight.
Giancarlo Italiano is the head coach of the Wellington Phoenix and he joined Piney to discuss the match tonight.
“There will be an intensity to the game that you don’t usually get in a league match.”
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb Wellington.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Phoenix boss gian Carlo Italiana was popped into the studio
ahead of this one. Nice to see you, mate, Thanks
for taking the time. You come into today off the
back of I reckon your best performance of the season
beating Adelaide two one a week ago at sky Stadium.
How much confidence, how much belief, how much momentum does
that give you hitting into today?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I think it was important. I think I said this
yesterday my interview post training interview, that I didn't want
to go into this game, you know, with three on
the trot, losing through on the trot. I don't think
the team deserves it first and foremost because I think
that the form has been pretty good, probably maybe one
(00:54):
half of football against MacArthur where we went out at
our best. But yeah, I felt as though last week
was a good step in the right direction. But again
doesn't mean anything.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I just said then, the best performance of the season.
That's through my eyes. What about yours? Do you think
it was your best performance of the season so far?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Are we including friendly matches?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I think just a league matches.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, just a league matches. Yeah, I think it was
the first time that we've put more than seventy minutes
of the style together and the way we want to play,
And that's also from talking from a defensive perspective. One
thing we didn't cater for last week and we did
a little bit on the run, was we went more
to a mid block when the subs came on, because
we felt the press kind of not dropped off, but
(01:39):
just the quality of the press wasn't what we had
for the first seventy But then the boys adapted actually
very very well, So I was very happy with that
response from the group. I made maybe one or too
many changes that influenced the shape, but yeah, last week
was probably the best overall.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
You pick up on a really interesting point. They're about
the changes that you make during a game, and I
know you you know you have to adapt to the
match situation. But how challenging a part of football management
is that knowing who to inject, when to inject, and
also who to take off.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yeah, I think this is probably the most crucial part
of game day coaching. I think outside of that, obviously,
what you do during the week is probably the most
important thing that influences the game overall, but in game management,
the subs and how you change tactics and the game
is probably the second most important thing. I think that
if you look at my first year in charge, when
(02:37):
I took over, because I knew the playing group and
I knew the capabilities and restrictions of all players, it
was easier to manipulate in game changes and changing things
on the run. Last year we found it more difficult
because we had a little bit more of an inexperienced group,
even with the senior players that come in the visas
and so on, didn't understand maybe the nuances that were required.
(03:00):
And that's also partly, well a large part of my fault,
because you know, my expectation was probably higher than what
I anticipated the players could deliver. But this year we
went back to a more structured approach of having one
solid formation base and more around the intent and the style,
(03:21):
and then we work off that. So now when I
make a sub, I feel as though in game changes
aren't as detrimental to the game flow and momentum. So
now I'm finding that even you know, the Brisbane game
was probably the best example. Both Luke brook Smith and
(03:42):
Corbs came on, had a distinct role but within the system,
and they came on and fight it to execution and
we ended up winning. So, you know, but it also
goes the other way as well. I've made subs where
sometimes it ruins the flow of the game and it
goes against you. But again, once the players build more
belief in the system and understanding, then those things become easier.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Let's talk about today, how much from Derby won the
season against Auckland a month ago is useful today.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Oh, I think it's. It gave us a lot of
insight into how they think, how how we prepare, how
we prepare and in game management for all scenarios, you know.
So it knocked a lot of things on the head
that I think were were very important, you know, over
these three at this three game series. I actually thought
(04:36):
that in the first half, I thought Auckland would be
a little bit more brave through the with the ball
through the middle, and I felt as though they felt
that the easy out was the ball over, you know,
trying to catch the line off. They got, you know,
they got very they got very lucky with two attempts
which are probably against the run of play. One was
obviously if kickoff which was poured from up from us,
(04:56):
but I found that quite surprising. And then once the
red card came in, obviously that played to their strengths
of defending and made it very difficult for us. But
in saying that, now we know what to do if
we're placing that scenario, and also the other way as well,
you know, like what happens when we go to ten man,
how we deal with the emotion of leading, how we
deal with the emotion of conceding as well. So in
(05:17):
terms of maturity, it went a long way on progressing
the group.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Do you use the magnitude of the occasion in any
way in terms of your preparation? You know the fans
love it, we in the media love it. Do you
do you use how big an occasion it is as
part of your prep.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
I did that last year and a backfire. Look, I
think it really comes down to the group. I think
Derbies within themselves are separate to the league in the
sense that the Derbies are everything to die for. You
know you're playing for prior, you're playing for the you
know who owns who owns football? Within that, you know
that Derby sphere. I think that one of the our
(06:00):
biggest eras last season going into the Derby's where we
already had a presumption that going into the Darbies. And
this is not me, this is more than I would
say some players that you know that we were the
number one team and that it made it a lot
easier for Auckland to go, all right, well we're going
to try to knock them off the perch. They had
the incentive to knock us off the perch. And then
(06:21):
the way we lost that first game was was something
that I don't think any of the group can you
conceived as being possible. And then that kind of you know,
rattled us. But I think as time progresses, you know,
the players that are that are here and the new players,
you know, they go into that game, or they'll go
into today's games as a grand final, it's more of
(06:42):
a semi final. You know, there'll be you know a
lot of a lot of good you know, fifty to
fifty challengers, and there'll be an intensity to the game
that you don't usually get in the league match. So
I don't really need to play into that. I just
need to guide them in the right direction. If I
get to animated, I know what will happen. I think,
you know, we'll have two or three red cards after
twenty minutes, because you know, sometimes when I get a
(07:05):
little bit intense as well, you know, it rubs off
on the players, so I have to try and measure it.
But I think the players are fully cognizant of the
fact that Okay, this is a big game. They're up
for it, you know, and I just have to make
sure I manage them well.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And some OF's the last year, two derbies in the
first what seven weeks of the season or thereabouts, will
any part of you be quite pleased to get today
out of the way, leave the higher emotion of these
games behind, and I guess focus forward on. I don't
want to call them normal football matches, but other football matches.
Any part of your you know, just begin to get
the emotion of today, data move on.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I thought about this. I actually thought about this probably
about a week ago. And I think the one thing
that just it not irritates me, but it just sits
in the It doesn't sit well with me is that
we've had two derbies now and by round seven, no
normal league in the world has two derbies after you know,
(08:00):
eight rounds and a lot can be said about the
team season's performance, you know, after two doubles, you know,
I think these things need to be built into you know,
like an early dubis great, you know, but if you're
playing three weeks after, you know, not not a lot
of waters under that bridge. So I think that that's
the irritating part. I mean, look, if we win today,
(08:21):
you know, there won't be another consideration. But I think that, yeah,
we kind of lose sight of what the actual end
goal is. But if you ask me what I want,
I want to win today, and I win to win
every deb I don't want to let Auckland win any games.
You know that goes without saying. But yeah, once we
get this game out of the way again, you know,
we've got two games at home, and you know, I
(08:45):
think today winning today would also put a den in
Auckland's progression for the season. The table's ridiculously close at
the moment. Any sort of momentum, you win two three games,
you know, you go from last to like third or
fourth or whatever it is. You know, so we need
to make sure we capitalize on those those moments.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
All right, Just before you go, I, oh, you've got
a busy day World Cup to all this morning. I
got a bunch of players in your team, I'm sure
who have got their eyes on a place in the
World Cup squad next year Belgium. I run Egypt. Ady
of assays that as a draw for the all Whites.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Speaking honestly, I think it would be disappointing now if
they don't get out of the group because I think
that with eight teams from third place progressing through to
the round of I think it's thirty two now. I
think that finishing third minimum third in that group is
very realistic. I don't think two points will be enough.
I think they definitely need to win one game. I
(09:40):
think the team is very very capable of picking up
six points a film more honest opinion. Knowing the Kiwi
Boys have come through my squad and been associated with
New Zealand football now for seven years, I think that
what gets underplayed is actual quality of our players and
the players are play abroad and it's just finding the
(10:00):
mixture of combination of players and also working to what
is strong within the squad. You know, obviously Chris Wood
is a big focal point, but even if you get
players like off the bench like costs that they give
you a different dynamics sing. I'm a big fan of
Jesse Randall. I think, you know, if you put him
an oldie together, seeing you've got a very creative midfield.
(10:24):
I'm a big fan of obviously Staminach and I think
Rufer as well. I think I think the pairings there
and the boys have been playing there for a long time,
so I think that it's a really big opportunity for
them to you know, grind through the tournament and if
they get to round of thirty two, who knows, you know.
Like I think I mentioned to you earlier, I don't
think in any of the groups, I say, a real
(10:46):
group of death or a group of life, I think
that the groups are evenly distributed, which is, you know,
first time ever that I've seen a World Cup draw
like that. So it's a massive opportunity for New Zealand
and I think that it would be great to see
them get into the knockout stages.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Indeed, great to see you chief, thanks for stopping it
on match day all the bastiness afternoon.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Thank you for more or.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
From Weekends Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live to news
talks at B weekends from midday, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb Wellington.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Phoenix boss gian Carlo Italiana was popped into the studio
ahead of this one. Nice to see you, mate, Thanks
for taking the time. You come into today off the
back of I reckon your best performance of the season
beating Adelaide two one a week ago at sky Stadium.
How much confidence, how much belief, how much momentum does
that give you hitting into today?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I think it was important. I think I said this
yesterday my interview post training interview, that I didn't want
to go into this game, you know, with three on
the trot, losing through on the trot. I don't think
the team deserves it first and foremost because I think
that the form has been pretty good, probably maybe one
(00:54):
half of football against MacArthur where we went out at
our best. But yeah, I felt as though last week
was a good step in the right direction. But again
doesn't mean anything.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I just said then, the best performance of the season.
That's through my eyes. What about yours? Do you think
it was your best performance of the season so far?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Are we including friendly matches?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I think just a league matches.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, just a league matches. Yeah, I think it was
the first time that we've put more than seventy minutes
of the style together and the way we want to play,
And that's also from talking from a defensive perspective. One
thing we didn't cater for last week and we did
a little bit on the run, was we went more
to a mid block when the subs came on, because
we felt the press kind of not dropped off, but
(01:39):
just the quality of the press wasn't what we had
for the first seventy But then the boys adapted actually
very very well, So I was very happy with that
response from the group. I made maybe one or too
many changes that influenced the shape, but yeah, last week
was probably the best overall.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
You pick up on a really interesting point. They're about
the changes that you make during a game, and I
know you you know you have to adapt to the
match situation. But how challenging a part of football management
is that knowing who to inject, when to inject, and
also who to take off.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yeah, I think this is probably the most crucial part
of game day coaching. I think outside of that, obviously,
what you do during the week is probably the most
important thing that influences the game overall, but in game management,
the subs and how you change tactics and the game
is probably the second most important thing. I think that
if you look at my first year in charge, when
(02:37):
I took over, because I knew the playing group and
I knew the capabilities and restrictions of all players, it
was easier to manipulate in game changes and changing things
on the run. Last year we found it more difficult
because we had a little bit more of an inexperienced group,
even with the senior players that come in the visas
and so on, didn't understand maybe the nuances that were required.
(03:00):
And that's also partly, well a large part of my fault,
because you know, my expectation was probably higher than what
I anticipated the players could deliver. But this year we
went back to a more structured approach of having one
solid formation base and more around the intent and the style,
(03:21):
and then we work off that. So now when I
make a sub, I feel as though in game changes
aren't as detrimental to the game flow and momentum. So
now I'm finding that even you know, the Brisbane game
was probably the best example. Both Luke brook Smith and
(03:42):
Corbs came on, had a distinct role but within the system,
and they came on and fight it to execution and
we ended up winning. So, you know, but it also
goes the other way as well. I've made subs where
sometimes it ruins the flow of the game and it
goes against you. But again, once the players build more
belief in the system and understanding, then those things become easier.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Let's talk about today, how much from Derby won the
season against Auckland a month ago is useful today.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Oh, I think it's. It gave us a lot of
insight into how they think, how how we prepare, how
we prepare and in game management for all scenarios, you know.
So it knocked a lot of things on the head
that I think were were very important, you know, over
these three at this three game series. I actually thought
(04:36):
that in the first half, I thought Auckland would be
a little bit more brave through the with the ball
through the middle, and I felt as though they felt
that the easy out was the ball over, you know,
trying to catch the line off. They got, you know,
they got very they got very lucky with two attempts
which are probably against the run of play. One was
obviously if kickoff which was poured from up from us,
(04:56):
but I found that quite surprising. And then once the
red card came in, obviously that played to their strengths
of defending and made it very difficult for us. But
in saying that, now we know what to do if
we're placing that scenario, and also the other way as well,
you know, like what happens when we go to ten man,
how we deal with the emotion of leading, how we
deal with the emotion of conceding as well. So in
(05:17):
terms of maturity, it went a long way on progressing
the group.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Do you use the magnitude of the occasion in any
way in terms of your preparation? You know the fans
love it, we in the media love it. Do you
do you use how big an occasion it is as
part of your prep.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
I did that last year and a backfire. Look, I
think it really comes down to the group. I think
Derbies within themselves are separate to the league in the
sense that the Derbies are everything to die for. You
know you're playing for prior, you're playing for the you
know who owns who owns football? Within that, you know
that Derby sphere. I think that one of the our
(06:00):
biggest eras last season going into the Derby's where we
already had a presumption that going into the Darbies. And
this is not me, this is more than I would
say some players that you know that we were the
number one team and that it made it a lot
easier for Auckland to go, all right, well we're going
to try to knock them off the perch. They had
the incentive to knock us off the perch. And then
(06:21):
the way we lost that first game was was something
that I don't think any of the group can you
conceived as being possible. And then that kind of you know,
rattled us. But I think as time progresses, you know,
the players that are that are here and the new players,
you know, they go into that game, or they'll go
into today's games as a grand final, it's more of
(06:42):
a semi final. You know, there'll be you know a
lot of a lot of good you know, fifty to
fifty challengers, and there'll be an intensity to the game
that you don't usually get in the league match. So
I don't really need to play into that. I just
need to guide them in the right direction. If I
get to animated, I know what will happen. I think,
you know, we'll have two or three red cards after
twenty minutes, because you know, sometimes when I get a
(07:05):
little bit intense as well, you know, it rubs off
on the players, so I have to try and measure it.
But I think the players are fully cognizant of the
fact that Okay, this is a big game. They're up
for it, you know, and I just have to make
sure I manage them well.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And some OF's the last year, two derbies in the
first what seven weeks of the season or thereabouts, will
any part of you be quite pleased to get today
out of the way, leave the higher emotion of these
games behind, and I guess focus forward on. I don't
want to call them normal football matches, but other football matches.
Any part of your you know, just begin to get
the emotion of today, data move on.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I thought about this. I actually thought about this probably
about a week ago. And I think the one thing
that just it not irritates me, but it just sits
in the It doesn't sit well with me is that
we've had two derbies now and by round seven, no
normal league in the world has two derbies after you know,
(08:00):
eight rounds and a lot can be said about the
team season's performance, you know, after two doubles, you know,
I think these things need to be built into you know,
like an early dubis great, you know, but if you're
playing three weeks after, you know, not not a lot
of waters under that bridge. So I think that that's
the irritating part. I mean, look, if we win today,
(08:21):
you know, there won't be another consideration. But I think that, yeah,
we kind of lose sight of what the actual end
goal is. But if you ask me what I want,
I want to win today, and I win to win
every deb I don't want to let Auckland win any games.
You know that goes without saying. But yeah, once we
get this game out of the way again, you know,
we've got two games at home, and you know, I
(08:45):
think today winning today would also put a den in
Auckland's progression for the season. The table's ridiculously close at
the moment. Any sort of momentum, you win two three games,
you know, you go from last to like third or
fourth or whatever it is. You know, so we need
to make sure we capitalize on those those moments.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
All right, Just before you go, I, oh, you've got
a busy day World Cup to all this morning. I
got a bunch of players in your team, I'm sure
who have got their eyes on a place in the
World Cup squad next year Belgium. I run Egypt. Ady
of assays that as a draw for the all Whites.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Speaking honestly, I think it would be disappointing now if
they don't get out of the group because I think
that with eight teams from third place progressing through to
the round of I think it's thirty two now. I
think that finishing third minimum third in that group is
very realistic. I don't think two points will be enough.
I think they definitely need to win one game. I
(09:40):
think the team is very very capable of picking up
six points a film more honest opinion. Knowing the Kiwi
Boys have come through my squad and been associated with
New Zealand football now for seven years, I think that
what gets underplayed is actual quality of our players and
the players are play abroad and it's just finding the
(10:00):
mixture of combination of players and also working to what
is strong within the squad. You know, obviously Chris Wood
is a big focal point, but even if you get
players like off the bench like costs that they give
you a different dynamics sing. I'm a big fan of
Jesse Randall. I think, you know, if you put him
an oldie together, seeing you've got a very creative midfield.
(10:24):
I'm a big fan of obviously Staminach and I think
Rufer as well. I think I think the pairings there
and the boys have been playing there for a long time,
so I think that it's a really big opportunity for
them to you know, grind through the tournament and if
they get to round of thirty two, who knows, you know.
Like I think I mentioned to you earlier, I don't
think in any of the groups, I say, a real
(10:46):
group of death or a group of life, I think
that the groups are evenly distributed, which is, you know,
first time ever that I've seen a World Cup draw
like that. So it's a massive opportunity for New Zealand
and I think that it would be great to see
them get into the knockout stages.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Indeed, great to see you chief, thanks for stopping it
on match day all the bastiness afternoon.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Thank you for more or.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
From Weekends Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live to news
talks at B weekends from midday, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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