James McOnie: The Crowd Goes Wild host on the All Whites getting knocked out of the World Cup

This week, James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild host joined Piney to recap the latest 2026 FIFA World Cup action - including the All Whites getting knocked out after they were beaten out by Belgium.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB Well.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
I confidently said that we would talk to James mcconey
and I still feel confident that we will. He I
know is in Vancouver because I saw him last night.
In fact, I saw him this morning as well at
a media session. I should have double checked with him
that he was available for his regular slot. He never
lets us down, so we'll keep on trying James mcconey
and hopefully get him on with his take on this

(00:36):
World Cup.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Here.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
I see us off to Glasgow as well to cover
the Commonwealth Games, so he'll have to quickly pivot from
North America to Scotland to cover the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
While we're waiting for James to present himself, the round
of thirty two at the Football World Cup is starting
to take shape. I was just about to launch and two.

(01:01):
I was just about to louder to the round of
thirty two and he's appeared.

Speaker 3 (01:05):
Hello mate, Halo Peney, how are you?

Speaker 2 (01:09):
I'm good, Thanks, It seems only an hour or so
since I last saw you. How have you enjoyed Vancouver?
How have you enjoyed the World Cup.

Speaker 4 (01:18):
Look, I think the World Cup's been fantastic. I think
it's one of those tournaments that keeps on giving. I
reckon that New Zealand acquitted themselves really well, and to
be honest, I think that the New Zealand team can
be proud.

Speaker 3 (01:31):
Of what they've done, even though they leaked a few goals.

Speaker 4 (01:34):
I think the style that we played, that possession style
football with the rotating, attacking triangle of singing Justin Macowart
was and then Thomas when he played, I thought that's
something new and I really liked it.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Elis he seems to be capturing all the headlines, certainly
has been the standout New Zealand player at this World Cup.
What do you predict that Elis? What do you think
his ceiling could be?

Speaker 4 (02:02):
I think Eli will be going to a big club,
don't know where. I think a few weeks ago or
a couple of months ago, I said on your show Piney, Hey,
if you've got a kid who's only end up as
at five foot seven, don't fret because all our greatest
a lot of our greatest athletes are five foot seven,
including Zoe Sadowski Senate and Lydia Coe and now Elijah

(02:24):
just just sixty five kgs. I think that he can
go to a big club, maybe in the French League
where his former motherwell coach is gone, maybe even to Spain.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
But I think he could even end up in the
Premier League.

Speaker 4 (02:38):
We just it's a wait and see game, as his
agent will be receiving so many offers, and he told
us today Pony he's hoping that he is tabling all
the offers soon.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yes, he said he's deliberately not talked to his agent
during the World Cup, which is probably wise because you
don't want to be distracted. I guess it's like when
you put your house up for tender. The real estate
agent goes away and tries to collect as many bids
as he can, and then he turns back up at
your house and presents them all to you. So hopefully
when he and Eli chat next, to have about eleven

(03:10):
envelopes for him to have a look at exactly.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
That's the whole thing. I think Eli has probably been
he's been the shining light. But I think there's a
lot of players who can expect to get some offers
in front of them. I think Finn Sermon at the back,
looking really commanding, made a couple of errors, but in
the at the end of the day, he was so
impressive as a young center back. I think he'll go
to a big club. I think Macowitt, we'll get some

(03:34):
knocks on the door after his performance in the first
half of the game, well the first three quarters against Egypt,
and then you know, Marco Staminich. Surely someone's going to
take a look at him. He looks like he could
be something special. And I mean Tyler Bindon's already on
the books with Nottingham Forest, but we wait and see Piney.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
It's actually pretty encouraging. I think we're going to have
a lot of.

Speaker 4 (03:58):
New Zealand players playing in bigger leagues and maybe just scouts.
Looking at our academies because the Ola Academy under Declan
Edge has produced about six or seven of these players.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, and the Wellington Phoenix Academy the same. A lot
of these players also came through the Phoenix Academy. So
clearly doing something right at those two organizations to you know,
to produce this Golden generation. I guess that's the other
part of a World Cup as well. James, you know, yes,
New Zealand haven't progressed. Yes, they've gone out in the
group stages. But it's a stage, isn't it for players

(04:29):
to you know, to display their wares, to show what
they can do in front of I mean there's so
many eyes on this tournament that you know, some of
those eyes would have fallen on many of these New
Zealand players.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
That's right.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
And the one thing that I mean I know New
Zealander is that we all want medals and podium finishers
and all that sort of stuff. But the World Cup
is a different beast. You know, there's so many traditional
powers where football is religion. You look at Mexico, who
have performed really well in this World Cup. I don't
think they've ever made a semi final. I mean maybe
back in the day, but definitely a country of one
hundred and thirty million that's football mad, like Mexico struggles

(05:05):
at the World Cup. So for New Zealand to go there,
we're actually doing We're punching above our weights and now
I think we've produced players you could say no longer
Chris Woods team. It's Elijah Callum, Marco and Finn's team.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, absolutely right. I'm not sure how much of the
other games you've had a chance to watch. It's been
quite weird. You come to a World Cup but you
sort of you end up sort of just covering the
team of the nation you're from, and I'm not sure
you get the chance to watch much else. But from
what you've seen, is there anybody who stands out apart
from that child in the background, anyone who stands out
as a possibility of winning the World Cup?

Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yeah, I'm really sorry.

Speaker 4 (05:44):
I'm at a sport at a store called sports check
because it's my one chance to do some shopping, and
I'm sorry there is some background noise. But hey, look,
I think Spain I expected them to be better, but
I think.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
They will improve.

Speaker 4 (05:58):
And look, they've been pretty tight in defense, which is
going to matter even more once you get to the
knockout rounds. The Dutch have been pretty good, and so
again a country that probably has always wanted to do
better at the World Cup have a team that could
could do something special. Look any of the top One
thing about all those top nations, even England, have a

(06:21):
lot to like about them. My one issue with England
is they rely so heavily on Bellingham and Cain that
if anything happens to either of those two players, they're
in deep trouble.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, indeed they are. Well, I'm going to let you
get back to your shopping. I didn't realize we're cut
into your retail therapy window here on Wing Sport. But
it's been it's been amazing to share some time with
you somewhere other than this little segment of ours on
Sunday afternoons. It was a great delight to sit alongside

(06:52):
you at BC Place for the game against Egypt. James.
I hope you travel safe. Are you coming home? You're
going to Glasgow? I see, are you.

Speaker 4 (07:00):
I'm going to Glasgow Comworff Games reporting for Sky there.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
So that's a big ten day and I can't wait.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
But in between them, going on a walking holiday in
the Lake district where the poets wrote their poems. So
I'll be writing some poetry, Pony. I'm happy to share
some with the listeners. I'm sure they'll be keen to
hear something.

Speaker 3 (07:20):
And it was real.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
I've got to say, it was a pleasure sitting beside you,
and I realized with the all whites.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
Have been a fan with them of them since I
was a kid.

Speaker 4 (07:28):
I think I was more like a fan than I
was an objective member of the media up in the stands.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
So my apologies.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
No, there's no apology necessary. I think we're all fans
at heart. We all end up watching the games we
watch because we were fans when we were younger. Hey,
travel safe, mate, Hopefully we can catch up next Sunday.
And here's some of that poetry of yours.

Speaker 4 (07:49):
Yeah, I can't wait to share it all right, poney,
it's been a pleasure.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
It's been a pleasure for me too, See you, mate.
James mcconey in a shop somewhere in downtown Vancouver looking
for goodness only knows what. Probably some walking shoes if
he's off on his walking holiday. Always a big part
of our Sundays.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
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