Auckland FC and Christchurch United have been named among the eight preferred clubs for the inaugural OFC Professional League.
The venture, which is being backed by millions of dollars from Fifa, is set to kickoff in January and run until May.
Christchurch’s GM and First Team Coach Ryan Edwards joined Piney to discuss the importance of this for football in the South Island.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb preferred.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Eight football clubs for the inaugural OFC Professional League have
been confirmed by Oceania Football. The first ever professional football
league in the Oceania region will kick off on the
tenth of January next year. It will also serve as
Oceanny's qualifier for the twenty twenty nine Fee for Club
World Cup, providing a direct pathway for the region's clubs
(00:33):
onto the global stage. The clubs were chosen based on
the recommendations of an independent club licensing committee. The recommendations
have been approved by the OFC Executive Committee and they're
still subject to the final stages of the licensing and
compliance process before full confirmation. The eight sides are the
(00:54):
Buller Boys FC from Fiji, Hekkarta United FC from Papua
New Guinea, the Solomon Kings from the Solomon Islands, Tahiti
United Vandawatu FC, South Melbourne FC representing Australia, and two
New Zealand sites, A League club Auckland FC and Southern
League club christ Church United. Ryan Edwards is christ Church
(01:16):
United general manager and coach of the first team he
joins us. Now, congratulations on this, Ryan, How big a
day is this for your club?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Oh, this is massive for us. This is excuse me,
thanks having me on the show. But yeah, this is
eleven years in the making. Slaver started the academy here
in twenty fourteen and here we are even years later
with pro Football.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
What were the main features of your pitch to be
involved in this new competition.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Our main pitch was collaborating with the South Island and
creating a South Island team that unites the whole of
the region together and a team that collaborates with the
whole Oceania region as well, and hence our partnership with
sc IS to crap pathways to the Oceania region.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
How will you ensure the collaboration in South Island terms?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, so a big thing for us is working with
them to get with all the clubs in the South
Island to get their ideas around what collaboration looks like
from their perspective, as opposed to us dictating what collaboration
looks like. So we had a zoom call with every
club in the South Island yesterday before the announcement was
made around what this opportunity might look like for the
(02:42):
South Island. Then got their thoughts around what they would
like to see and we're going to continue a dialogue
over the next mixed six months and then into the
future around what this league means, what this opportunity means
to the South Island.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
What do you think it could mean for the South Island?
Are we talking about you know, players from all of
those clubs coming to trial to play in this new league.
Are there wider collaboration areas possible here?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, there's so many different things that we can do
in the space to really ignore the football in this region.
So from player opportunities working with clubs to build a
South Island team where homegrown talent in South Island can
all come to one place and play football at the
professional level, but also coach development opportunities, club development opportunities.
(03:31):
We want to do a road show and take the
team and the players and the club around the South Island. Yeah,
there's so many different things that we can do in
the space that I think is quite exciting for the region.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Is this a step towards potential future inclusion in the
A League?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I assain we wouldn't rule that off. The tables. It's
something that we've i guess not headen for many years
that we do want a pathway to the A League
in the future, and now that we have the IFC
Pro League, that's our focus and where the A League is.
I think that there's an opportunity for us or someone
else in the South in their future. I think that's
(04:11):
an incredibly exciting opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Can you just clarify Ryan around the timing of this,
So it starts in January early January next year, therefore
will no doubt run across the front of your winter
pre season and maybe into the Winter league as well.
So what are we talking about him? Is it two
separate sides playing for Christ jes United, one in the
OFC Professional League in one domestically.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yes, that's our intention. We have to work through with
New Zealm Football exactly how they see things working as well.
But from our perspective as the league for the Pro
leagueal start in early January and then go through to
the end of May, and then we will have another
team playing in the National League at the same time.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
How deep is the appetite for professional football in the
South Island in your view?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That's massive. I think clubs are increasingly understanding of what
professional football can bring to the country. I think you've
seen with the Auckland I see and how they explode
on the scene, all the great things they are doing
for the Auckland in northern region. The same with the Phoenix,
that it really does propel and excite players as well
(05:21):
as supporters and just grows the game. So for the
South Islands, its just an incredible opportunity. I think. Also
something that I'm passionate about myself is just this idea
of igniting our young players to see a halfway close
to home where they don't have to leave the island
have a shot at professional football. I think it's just
an amazing powerful vehicle for growth in our young players.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, you've landed on such a good point because up
till now, to play professional football or to get into academy,
an academy at a professional club, yet to leave the
island right had to leave the three. The fact that
now players won't have to do that. I mean that's
a huge part of this, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
It's a massive part of it, and I think it was
a big part of our bit as well as that
the whole purpose of this league is to grow professional
football in areas of Oceana that don't have it. And
you know, as we said that this is an island
of one point two million people and there's not professional
football here, and there's a lot of research being done
that the closer the pathway is to the young player
(06:27):
growing and loving the game is the more they believe
in the opportunity. And so if we have a professional
team here in the South Island, with kids from around
the South Island seeing the players play and being exposed
to that, than their belief grows because it's attainable for them.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
I'm sure you've seen the comments of the Wellington Phoenix
reacting to their o mission. They've called it nonsensical. What
do you make of those comments?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, well, I think their release kind of speaks for itself.
But I think the main thing for me is congratulating
all the teams that have made it. And I think
also that for me, from what I saw of the process,
it was I was incredily impressed by the process that
ifc ran and Stuart Larmon and his team put together,
(07:18):
I think they've got a lot of experience putting these
putting processes together for leagues from Asia and Europe, and
it was a very objective, well won process with the
criteria being very comprehensive and having an independent panel with
the experts from around the globe that have no knowledge
of the New Zealand specific context and just judging it
(07:41):
on the objectivity in the facts in front of them.
I think the process was a good one, and you know,
we were very confident going to this that we had
a very good but that we've put together.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Well justified confidence. Indeed. So it's September next week, mate,
at the clock sticking, what are the next four months
is gonna look like for you?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A lot of working, Yeah, a lot to get done.
It's gonna be crazy. It's such a short time frame
to get everything together. And I think obviously I a
now I have acknowledged that from the get go that
this is a very tight time frame. One year to
get everything up and running, six months to get your
submissions to get and then four months to launch into
(08:23):
pro football is incredibly short timeframe. So it's going to
be a fun journey.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Indeed. Well, congratulations on this milestone, very special day for
christ Church United and for football in the South Island. Ryan,
all the best for the next four months, mate, I
can't wait to see how it plays out when you
get underway in early January.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Appreciate it planning. Cheers mate, No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Mate, Ryan Edwards. Christchurch United general manager and first team
head coach. So christ Chich United and Auckland FC, two
of the eighth clubs that will take part. I alluded
there to a reaction from Wellington Phoenix at their own mission.
I just want to read from the statement that they
put out shortly after the eight sides were announced yesterday.
(09:07):
Club statement on OFC Pro League licensing decision. It says
the Wellington Phoenix are immensely disappointed to have not been
selected for participation in the OFC Professional League in twenty
twenty six. The Phoenix were informed this afternoon that while
their submission met the minimum licensing requirements, it received a
lower score than Auckland FC and christ Church United. The
(09:31):
statement goes on to say, given that the Phoenix is
the largest professional football club in Oceania, the club is
digesting OFC's decision and is seeking further information as to
how both Auckland and christ Church received higher scores. Then
it quotes Phoenix general manager David dome As saying how
the Phoenix, as the only professional club in oceany I
(09:51):
for over fifteen years, could not be included in the
first OFC Pro League is nonsensical. Says the quote, we
are considering a judicial review of the process and how
the licensing decision has been made, and then it says
the the club won't be making any further comment at
this time, which is why we can't get comment from
them on this issue. Since that statement was released, I
(10:15):
can tell you that the reaction to it has been
less than favorable. I think in the view of many
people in the football community, the Phoenix's reaction to their
own mission has been considered a little bit petulant and
(10:35):
comes across as being rather entitled. That's the kind of
the vibe that I'm getting from people who have seen this.
As Ryan mentioned, they applied for inclusion in this league
and all applications were considered by an independent club licensing committee.
(10:59):
All of the bids were scored on a range of
criteria and at the end of that Auckland and christ
Church United had higher scores than Wellington. Now that's just
the broad empirical data level of this. There's clearly other
things at play here and the Phoenix are right, I think,
(11:20):
to question their exclusion, but I think what it has
done is diluted what is a very special day for
Christchurch United and a very special day for a professional
footballing pathway in the South Island which up till now
has not been there. Anyone who had professional aspirations and
lived in the South Island had to move if they
(11:43):
were to continue down that path. Now they won't have to,
certainly not out of the South Island.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
There's more to come on this, and we don't have
time to get into it today, but suffice to say
that I'm not sure Wellington Phoenix have covered themselves in
glory with their reaction to this. I think it would
have been a lot more noble and showed humility if
they had at least congratulated the two successful applicants. Anyway,
(12:14):
There'll be more to come on this.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
For more from Weekend 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 preferred.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Eight football clubs for the inaugural OFC Professional League have
been confirmed by Oceania Football. The first ever professional football
league in the Oceania region will kick off on the
tenth of January next year. It will also serve as
Oceanny's qualifier for the twenty twenty nine Fee for Club
World Cup, providing a direct pathway for the region's clubs
(00:33):
onto the global stage. The clubs were chosen based on
the recommendations of an independent club licensing committee. The recommendations
have been approved by the OFC Executive Committee and they're
still subject to the final stages of the licensing and
compliance process before full confirmation. The eight sides are the
(00:54):
Buller Boys FC from Fiji, Hekkarta United FC from Papua
New Guinea, the Solomon Kings from the Solomon Islands, Tahiti
United Vandawatu FC, South Melbourne FC representing Australia, and two
New Zealand sites, A League club Auckland FC and Southern
League club christ Church United. Ryan Edwards is christ Church
(01:16):
United general manager and coach of the first team he
joins us. Now, congratulations on this, Ryan, How big a
day is this for your club?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Oh, this is massive for us. This is excuse me,
thanks having me on the show. But yeah, this is
eleven years in the making. Slaver started the academy here
in twenty fourteen and here we are even years later
with pro Football.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
What were the main features of your pitch to be
involved in this new competition.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Our main pitch was collaborating with the South Island and
creating a South Island team that unites the whole of
the region together and a team that collaborates with the
whole Oceania region as well, and hence our partnership with
sc IS to crap pathways to the Oceania region.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
How will you ensure the collaboration in South Island terms?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, so a big thing for us is working with
them to get with all the clubs in the South
Island to get their ideas around what collaboration looks like
from their perspective, as opposed to us dictating what collaboration
looks like. So we had a zoom call with every
club in the South Island yesterday before the announcement was
made around what this opportunity might look like for the
(02:42):
South Island. Then got their thoughts around what they would
like to see and we're going to continue a dialogue
over the next mixed six months and then into the
future around what this league means, what this opportunity means
to the South Island.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
What do you think it could mean for the South Island?
Are we talking about you know, players from all of
those clubs coming to trial to play in this new league.
Are there wider collaboration areas possible here?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, there's so many different things that we can do
in the space to really ignore the football in this region.
So from player opportunities working with clubs to build a
South Island team where homegrown talent in South Island can
all come to one place and play football at the
professional level, but also coach development opportunities, club development opportunities.
(03:31):
We want to do a road show and take the
team and the players and the club around the South Island. Yeah,
there's so many different things that we can do in
the space that I think is quite exciting for the region.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Is this a step towards potential future inclusion in the
A League?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I assain we wouldn't rule that off. The tables. It's
something that we've i guess not headen for many years
that we do want a pathway to the A League
in the future, and now that we have the IFC
Pro League, that's our focus and where the A League is.
I think that there's an opportunity for us or someone
else in the South in their future. I think that's
(04:11):
an incredibly exciting opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Can you just clarify Ryan around the timing of this,
So it starts in January early January next year, therefore
will no doubt run across the front of your winter
pre season and maybe into the Winter league as well.
So what are we talking about him? Is it two
separate sides playing for Christ jes United, one in the
OFC Professional League in one domestically.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yes, that's our intention. We have to work through with
New Zealm Football exactly how they see things working as well.
But from our perspective as the league for the Pro
leagueal start in early January and then go through to
the end of May, and then we will have another
team playing in the National League at the same time.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
How deep is the appetite for professional football in the
South Island in your view?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
That's massive. I think clubs are increasingly understanding of what
professional football can bring to the country. I think you've
seen with the Auckland I see and how they explode
on the scene, all the great things they are doing
for the Auckland in northern region. The same with the Phoenix,
that it really does propel and excite players as well
(05:21):
as supporters and just grows the game. So for the
South Islands, its just an incredible opportunity. I think. Also
something that I'm passionate about myself is just this idea
of igniting our young players to see a halfway close
to home where they don't have to leave the island
have a shot at professional football. I think it's just
an amazing powerful vehicle for growth in our young players.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, you've landed on such a good point because up
till now, to play professional football or to get into academy,
an academy at a professional club, yet to leave the
island right had to leave the three. The fact that
now players won't have to do that. I mean that's
a huge part of this, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
It's a massive part of it, and I think it was
a big part of our bit as well as that
the whole purpose of this league is to grow professional
football in areas of Oceana that don't have it. And
you know, as we said that this is an island
of one point two million people and there's not professional
football here, and there's a lot of research being done
that the closer the pathway is to the young player
(06:27):
growing and loving the game is the more they believe
in the opportunity. And so if we have a professional
team here in the South Island, with kids from around
the South Island seeing the players play and being exposed
to that, than their belief grows because it's attainable for them.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
I'm sure you've seen the comments of the Wellington Phoenix
reacting to their o mission. They've called it nonsensical. What
do you make of those comments?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, well, I think their release kind of speaks for itself.
But I think the main thing for me is congratulating
all the teams that have made it. And I think
also that for me, from what I saw of the process,
it was I was incredily impressed by the process that
ifc ran and Stuart Larmon and his team put together,
(07:18):
I think they've got a lot of experience putting these
putting processes together for leagues from Asia and Europe, and
it was a very objective, well won process with the
criteria being very comprehensive and having an independent panel with
the experts from around the globe that have no knowledge
of the New Zealand specific context and just judging it
(07:41):
on the objectivity in the facts in front of them.
I think the process was a good one, and you know,
we were very confident going to this that we had
a very good but that we've put together.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Well justified confidence. Indeed. So it's September next week, mate,
at the clock sticking, what are the next four months
is gonna look like for you?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A lot of working, Yeah, a lot to get done.
It's gonna be crazy. It's such a short time frame
to get everything together. And I think obviously I a
now I have acknowledged that from the get go that
this is a very tight time frame. One year to
get everything up and running, six months to get your
submissions to get and then four months to launch into
(08:23):
pro football is incredibly short timeframe. So it's going to
be a fun journey.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Indeed. Well, congratulations on this milestone, very special day for
christ Church United and for football in the South Island. Ryan,
all the best for the next four months, mate, I
can't wait to see how it plays out when you
get underway in early January.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Appreciate it planning. Cheers mate, No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Mate, Ryan Edwards. Christchurch United general manager and first team
head coach. So christ Chich United and Auckland FC, two
of the eighth clubs that will take part. I alluded
there to a reaction from Wellington Phoenix at their own mission.
I just want to read from the statement that they
put out shortly after the eight sides were announced yesterday.
(09:07):
Club statement on OFC Pro League licensing decision. It says
the Wellington Phoenix are immensely disappointed to have not been
selected for participation in the OFC Professional League in twenty
twenty six. The Phoenix were informed this afternoon that while
their submission met the minimum licensing requirements, it received a
lower score than Auckland FC and christ Church United. The
(09:31):
statement goes on to say, given that the Phoenix is
the largest professional football club in Oceania, the club is
digesting OFC's decision and is seeking further information as to
how both Auckland and christ Church received higher scores. Then
it quotes Phoenix general manager David dome As saying how
the Phoenix, as the only professional club in oceany I
(09:51):
for over fifteen years, could not be included in the
first OFC Pro League is nonsensical. Says the quote, we
are considering a judicial review of the process and how
the licensing decision has been made, and then it says
the the club won't be making any further comment at
this time, which is why we can't get comment from
them on this issue. Since that statement was released, I
(10:15):
can tell you that the reaction to it has been
less than favorable. I think in the view of many
people in the football community, the Phoenix's reaction to their
own mission has been considered a little bit petulant and
(10:35):
comes across as being rather entitled. That's the kind of
the vibe that I'm getting from people who have seen this.
As Ryan mentioned, they applied for inclusion in this league
and all applications were considered by an independent club licensing committee.
(10:59):
All of the bids were scored on a range of
criteria and at the end of that Auckland and christ
Church United had higher scores than Wellington. Now that's just
the broad empirical data level of this. There's clearly other
things at play here and the Phoenix are right, I think,
(11:20):
to question their exclusion, but I think what it has
done is diluted what is a very special day for
Christchurch United and a very special day for a professional
footballing pathway in the South Island which up till now
has not been there. Anyone who had professional aspirations and
lived in the South Island had to move if they
(11:43):
were to continue down that path. Now they won't have to,
certainly not out of the South Island.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
There's more to come on this, and we don't have
time to get into it today, but suffice to say
that I'm not sure Wellington Phoenix have covered themselves in
glory with their reaction to this. I think it would
have been a lot more noble and showed humility if
they had at least congratulated the two successful applicants. Anyway,
(12:14):
There'll be more to come on this.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talks at b weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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