May 12, 2026 • 15 mins
Wellington Phoenix Women's team is on their way to the airport for their A-League final against Melbourne City.
Coach Bev Priestman joins Nick Mills in the studio on the way, to chat about what this means for the team.
Since joining the club last year Priestman has revamped the team to get to first A-League final for any Phoenix team in their history.
The club play Melbourne City on Saturday night.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, b.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, we all love her now she is Wellingtonian of
the Year as far as I'm concerned. Bev Priestman joins
us on the studio. In the studio, she's on her
way to the airport. She's got her gear on, she's
ready to go to the airport. She's about to hop
on the big silver burden go and play in a
Grand Final. Now, if I sound a bit excited, I am.
I'm extremely excited, not only to have Bev in the studio,
(00:37):
but to have a team from Wellington, our city, playing
in a Grand Final, the first team to ever do it.
I mean, it's as big as it gets. In my
humble opinion, we know how football's taking off, we know
how females footballs is killing it, and it's down to
people like Bev that have come here unexpected. We knew
(01:01):
that we'd scored a home our own goal by getting
her here, and she's produced exactly how she thought. She was.
Just another day at the office to morning.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Welcome morning, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It's just another day at the office.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Just another day at the office. Yet exciting day at
the office. Though.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Now I saw you one day at a cafe working
on your own. I think you're on a zoom or something,
and I could see this little pocket rocket as your
tiny little thing going absolutely head, going backwards, going sideways.
I went, wow, I wouldn't want to mess with her.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's You're not the first person to call me a
pocket rocket, by the way, and it was a key
we who I used to work for in Auckland. So
there we go, the little pocket rocket. Yeah, lots of energy,
lots of energy.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Are you having fun?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Loving it? Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Love it?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I think difference from international coach and day to day
you're on the grass every day around people, and I
think that part of absolutely loved You.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Know what I loved about last weekend and there was
a lot to love about last weekend, but I loved
the fact that it was not about Bev. It was
you know, you just put your team into the Grand Final.
You were telling the media, go and talk to them,
my assistant coaches, you're bringing the players forward for the
TV cameras. It was not a single thing about you. Now,
(02:17):
when do you see an international sports team winning anything
and it's not all about the coach?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think a big part of that has been a
lot about me right in the sense of my higher
and coming in and I think in reality, when you
get in the door, you realize there's people that, yeah,
i'n't had a day off for months, worked the socks off,
have worked the socks off for nineteen years to get
to where we got to. And there's a lot more
behind the scenes. And I think, you know, I'm the
(02:43):
lucky one. I get to come in and be the
face of it. But at the end of the day,
it's the players who put the ball in the back
of the net and keep it out. And there's a
whole group behind this team that have including the owner
who's invested heavily in. Yeah, a bit of background stuff
that are there to get us over the line.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
How long are we going to be able to keep you? Yeah?
I know you've got one more year in the contract
unless you want to pay yourself out, you know, I
mean how long? I mean, we're blessed to have you here.
How long do you reckon we could keep you?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah? Well, like I said, I'm on a two year contract.
My wife's a keyway, she's from Wellington. I love New Zealand.
I've lived here before, and yeah, we'll see, we'll see
where it goes. It's been a right so far far,
and I have absolutely no regrets. I'm loving every day
and just feel very lucky and privileged to be back
in the game. So I'm just happy.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
How the facilities out, how they compared to And you've
seen facilities all over the world. I mean, how's the
situation for you there?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
World leading? They absolutely will leading, and you know, you
come into work and I'm one of them. I like
to use the gym myself and stuff, and you just feel, Yeah,
I mean what we're given these players every opportunity, they
jump on a plane in Australia, come home, and then
they're they're able to use world class recovery facilities. So
we're massively lucky. I think in the Air League we
(04:00):
are the best resourced in that sense in facilities to
go and do their thing. And for that reason, I
think any player wants to come here and play, especially now.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Especially especially with you, and especially Yeah, let's let's talk
about when you first believed. When did you first believe?
I mean, I know everyone, I know what you're going
to say. You see, when I sign the contract. I
knew I was going to get the theme of the final
but me and you both know that's not right.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, I think I remember first open and meeting
and presenting. I wouldn't I wouldn't have done it. I
wouldn't be here if I didn't believe. I don't want
to be mediocre. I always want to, you know, go
and do something special with a group of people. And
that's that's why I signed, because I knew. I knew
the investment. Don't get me wrong, it's it's it's great investment.
(04:46):
It's not like unbelievable, but it's great investment. And the club,
the owners have give us every chance of being successful.
And I remember being that room, we talked about away
records of being a real challenge. We're going to fix that.
You know. There was a lot of little things that
I think could make all the difference with the group.
And then you just got to get a group who
were hungry, ready to come home and news and put
(05:07):
the shirt on and understand what it means to play
for this city. And I think that's the bit we've
got right. They connect with the fans, they connect with
the city, no matter where they're from.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Obviously with all your international experience, your assistant coach on
the on the British team, you've coached Canada. I mean,
how much change did you make in the in the
psychic of you know, of your management. Did you come
in and say, oh, guys, you've got this wrong, girls,
can you do this this way? How much did you
take over and change it?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
You know what? There was a whole foundation before me, Right,
it's been five years. This is the fifth year. I
think before that, they've been on a very tough journey. Right.
Originally it was it was held by New Zealand Football,
then the club took over it and the resources probably
weren't what they are now. So there's a big part
of that. I think what I've done is actually probably
(05:55):
more marginal games around when we go on the road,
what does it look like, recovery and even the food,
what time we eat walking straight. It's all the little
things that I think experienced buys your penalties, brought the
penalty processes in that are you know, got the gold
medal with and things. So it's it's actually the little
things and then just a playing philosophy and sort of
(06:15):
way of working that it's tried, it's tested, it's my
own way. And to be fair, the staff just come
on the raid with it and they've been the ments.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
If they green lighted you all the way, they let
you just go. They just let you do what you
want to do. I know Gilly reasonably well, I mean
will when you push him too hard. You got to
get him on a good day.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I know that. I know what knock on his on
his daughter go and say in the player.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So have you had things that you have said?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Look?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Sorry, but if we'd love to do that, well we
can't do it.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Absolutely, I think in a good way. I think what
Gilly does really really well. I feel one hundred percent supported.
But he pushes back in the right areas and I
think everyone wants a challenge and wants to be pushed back.
You're looking at players, you're going to sign players, what
about this? You know he's been a big, big part
of that. He did a great job even before I
walked through the door on recruitment to help put this
(07:08):
team together. He's been here a long time. He works
a lot of hours, and I think this weekend it's
people like Gilly DOMI the owners. You just want to
get over the line. For those people who've been here
through the good.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And the bad, talk to me about your culture.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, it's you know, the players, we have a great culture.
I think a good sign that you're winning is on
the pitch and off the pitch, the players want to
hang out together. It doesn't mean everybody's you know, in
each other's pocket, but genuinely there's a genuine connection. When
we have a day off, you hear about them off
for a hike or whatever it might be. So I think, yeah,
a big part of that is that. And then but
(07:45):
high challenge. I think a big thing that I've demanded
his standards every single day because a big learning in
my career is if you don't do that when no
one's watching, when the big lights are on in Melbourne
this weekend, it shows up. And I think the players
have done a very good job of, you know, keeping
a healthy culture while challenging each other's standards. Along the way.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You got any players and team that might not be
the superstars you know what I'm talking about, but they
just make you feel. You look at them and you
just want to sit by them on a plane or
you want to talk to them because that resonates something.
You've got those sort of people on your team.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
I think every single one. It's a very cliche answer,
but honestly, the connection we have as a playing group
and a group of stuff like, yeah, I think that
that is special.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
You get on the plane and you do you sit
next to players, you have a bit of bunter, you
have a laugh, You've got to enjoy what you do.
And I think we've got a very light hearted, book
committed group of people. And then we've got people who
just will die for the shirt. You think about Mac
Barry the captain on Field Cup and then cgr Botty
is from Tawer, you know who's out with pregnancy like
they are true well in Tonian Phoenix people. And I
(08:54):
think when you've got them leading you, whether you're from America,
from England, from Nepal, doesn't matter that they're all in
with you. And I think that's that's a special thing.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Did you get that English feel? You know what I'm
talking about about the English feel of you know, it's
a it's a religion. Football is a religion in England.
It's nowhere, you know, so that watch what I saw
on TV for the spits. I saw was that they're
almost that British culture. At por on Sunday, you know that.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
It was immense. No, honestly, you know, I've played in
front of, not played coach in front of sixty fifty
seventy thousand people, and that felt like that. It's all
relative in the in the stadium that you're in, our
funds were electric. There was so loud. They made it
an absolute fortress and it's right up there in my
career in terms of feeling the moment for the city.
(09:41):
That's what we wanted to create, and it was. It
was immense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Tell me what you said the last thing, And you
don't have to tell me that you don't want to,
but I'm going to ask anyway, what was the last
thing you said to them when you left the last
final training before you seen them at the April. What
was the last thing you said to them?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
You mean going to this weekend? Yeah, I said, let's
make sure that that last game was not our final,
because the danger is you've got the highest of high
in a big moment to have this In the semi final
of the Olympics, we beat the US for the first
time in nineteen years and then you look, we've just
got to a final, first time in nineteen years for
this club. But the danger you have in them moments
(10:18):
is you're just you're so high that actually the next
game doesn't not I don't want to say it doesn't
mean anything, but it's hard to get up for it again.
We have to make sure that it's not that that
wasn't our final. We're not done yet. I want to
dialed in on the plane. Manage your energy because you'll
need all the energy you've got to come this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
You're so right on that, you're absolutely so right that
you it's just such an achievement. You think you've done
your job.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Oh big time, and then your shoulders. You know, it
was a big moment. We come in, you know, go
down that it almost in some ways could have felt
like a relief, but I think the highest of high happened.
But we've got a bigger high to go after this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Oh my gosh, And what what were they I mean,
what was the vibe? What was it?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Oh? It was amazing, Like honestly it was. It was amazing.
Even you know, the owner Robbie's always in the background,
right never, never you never see him, you wouldn't know
who he is. But I think for me personally to
see the smile on his face, he's got really high
standards in a good way. That's why he's so successful.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
But it's all those.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Lott of things that you see in your gore. This
means the absolute world to these people, and that's what
you want. You want young kids to fall in love
with the game, and they did at the weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
There's an old saying that someone told me and sport
many many years ago that in a Grand Final, right,
no one's playing the next day. You know, no one.
You're not walking out of there going man next week,
we don't have we're not playing in the final. But
there's one team. There's two teams turning up, right, and
they both want to win. But someone once told me
(11:48):
one of those two teams is not turning up wanting
to win, that dad turning up going to win. Can
you create that big time?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
And I actually in the pre meeting in the last,
the last game, there was something in the air for me.
I knew that day we were not leaving without winning. Right.
This this final is the Phoenix's women's one hundredth game
and for me, that's pretty special. Right to be in
a Grand Final on your hundredth game, there's something written there.
(12:17):
And absolutely I believe the mind is bigger than the body,
no matter how tired you are, you played one hundred
and twenty minutes extra time. I now if those players
want it more than the opposition, it's days for the take.
And I think we've shown all yeah, rightly, scales, most
goals scored, the consistencies there. We've just got to show
up and want it more. And don't get me wrong,
(12:37):
Melbourne City a bit of a force to be written
with the been there along a long time, a lot
of finals. But why not, Well.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
You're going to tell me that, why not? What can
what can stop you?
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I think we can get in our own way. I
think that that is the number one thing. It won't
be the football, It will be getting in our own
way either the occasion, not managing moments of a big occasion.
But I think that that will be the reason. Right
that that either they wanted it more, which I absolutely
don't think is a thing. I think this team want
it more than ever. But I think it's it's new.
(13:11):
It's new to this team, right, It's adversity, It's it's
pressure and you never know how people respond under pressure,
but so far they've done okey.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
What do you want people in New Zealand or in
the world anyway to think of the phoenix when the
final whistle goes win or lose. I mean, it's just
an incredible I don't want to downplay the fact that
you want to win and we or want you to win,
but you know it's just incredible to be there on
that stage. What do you want people to think of
(13:39):
when that final whistle go of the phoenix and you
know your your group of people.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I think it's the value that they see, right, the
hard work, making the recovery, run sixty yards to go
and back their teammate up. I think there's a lot
of things in sport that translate to life and inspire people.
It won't be what we do that inspire the people,
it will be how we do it. So the weekend
you think about we go extra time, We're still going.
Mikhaela Wood's missed the goal, she tries again, she gets
(14:05):
the goal. I think it's all of the things that
sit inside the result that actually people fall in love
with and they's done for things. You see a group
of people who were willing to die for the budge,
for each other, and it's the value of sport. I
think that that is the number one thing. This team
did everything they could for the city, the country, probably
(14:26):
really importantly for each other, and I think that's that's important.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Well, I tell you that the people are willing to
have fallen in love with you and your organization. So
congratulations for so far. I think it's been an amazing
achievement for you to come in cold and put this team.
You know, there's no question of it crept out. You
had have been fired, so you know, so you've got
to take the accolade, you know, of putting it all
together and the way the way I mean, they're just
(14:53):
magnificent to watch the way that it's all done, and
that comes from the top. So congratulations, have a very
very good flight over to Australia. From the bottom of
my heart, thank you for coming in and chatting to
the people are willing them before you go. All the
best for you and I hope that you I hope
you get the one that you deserve. But nevertheless, no
(15:13):
one's playing the next day.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Awesome, No, thank you and yeah, Wellingtonian's tune in will be.
We'd love all the support, whether it's on TV or
in Melbourne, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
We'll be tuned in.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Be of Priestburd For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills,
Listen live to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine
am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, b.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, we all love her now she is Wellingtonian of
the Year as far as I'm concerned. Bev Priestman joins
us on the studio. In the studio, she's on her
way to the airport. She's got her gear on, she's
ready to go to the airport. She's about to hop
on the big silver burden go and play in a
Grand Final. Now, if I sound a bit excited, I am.
I'm extremely excited, not only to have Bev in the studio,
(00:37):
but to have a team from Wellington, our city, playing
in a Grand Final, the first team to ever do it.
I mean, it's as big as it gets. In my
humble opinion, we know how football's taking off, we know
how females footballs is killing it, and it's down to
people like Bev that have come here unexpected. We knew
(01:01):
that we'd scored a home our own goal by getting
her here, and she's produced exactly how she thought. She was.
Just another day at the office to morning.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Welcome morning, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It's just another day at the office.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Just another day at the office. Yet exciting day at
the office. Though.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Now I saw you one day at a cafe working
on your own. I think you're on a zoom or something,
and I could see this little pocket rocket as your
tiny little thing going absolutely head, going backwards, going sideways.
I went, wow, I wouldn't want to mess with her.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's You're not the first person to call me a
pocket rocket, by the way, and it was a key
we who I used to work for in Auckland. So
there we go, the little pocket rocket. Yeah, lots of energy,
lots of energy.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Are you having fun?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Loving it? Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Love it?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I think difference from international coach and day to day
you're on the grass every day around people, and I
think that part of absolutely loved You.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Know what I loved about last weekend and there was
a lot to love about last weekend, but I loved
the fact that it was not about Bev. It was
you know, you just put your team into the Grand Final.
You were telling the media, go and talk to them,
my assistant coaches, you're bringing the players forward for the
TV cameras. It was not a single thing about you. Now,
(02:17):
when do you see an international sports team winning anything
and it's not all about the coach?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think a big part of that has been a
lot about me right in the sense of my higher
and coming in and I think in reality, when you
get in the door, you realize there's people that, yeah,
i'n't had a day off for months, worked the socks off,
have worked the socks off for nineteen years to get
to where we got to. And there's a lot more
behind the scenes. And I think, you know, I'm the
(02:43):
lucky one. I get to come in and be the
face of it. But at the end of the day,
it's the players who put the ball in the back
of the net and keep it out. And there's a
whole group behind this team that have including the owner
who's invested heavily in. Yeah, a bit of background stuff
that are there to get us over the line.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
How long are we going to be able to keep you? Yeah?
I know you've got one more year in the contract
unless you want to pay yourself out, you know, I
mean how long? I mean, we're blessed to have you here.
How long do you reckon we could keep you?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah? Well, like I said, I'm on a two year contract.
My wife's a keyway, she's from Wellington. I love New Zealand.
I've lived here before, and yeah, we'll see, we'll see
where it goes. It's been a right so far far,
and I have absolutely no regrets. I'm loving every day
and just feel very lucky and privileged to be back
in the game. So I'm just happy.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
How the facilities out, how they compared to And you've
seen facilities all over the world. I mean, how's the
situation for you there?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
World leading? They absolutely will leading, and you know, you
come into work and I'm one of them. I like
to use the gym myself and stuff, and you just feel, Yeah,
I mean what we're given these players every opportunity, they
jump on a plane in Australia, come home, and then
they're they're able to use world class recovery facilities. So
we're massively lucky. I think in the Air League we
(04:00):
are the best resourced in that sense in facilities to
go and do their thing. And for that reason, I
think any player wants to come here and play, especially now.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Especially especially with you, and especially Yeah, let's let's talk
about when you first believed. When did you first believe?
I mean, I know everyone, I know what you're going
to say. You see, when I sign the contract. I
knew I was going to get the theme of the final
but me and you both know that's not right.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, I think I remember first open and meeting
and presenting. I wouldn't I wouldn't have done it. I
wouldn't be here if I didn't believe. I don't want
to be mediocre. I always want to, you know, go
and do something special with a group of people. And
that's that's why I signed, because I knew. I knew
the investment. Don't get me wrong, it's it's it's great investment.
(04:46):
It's not like unbelievable, but it's great investment. And the club,
the owners have give us every chance of being successful.
And I remember being that room, we talked about away
records of being a real challenge. We're going to fix that.
You know. There was a lot of little things that
I think could make all the difference with the group.
And then you just got to get a group who
were hungry, ready to come home and news and put
(05:07):
the shirt on and understand what it means to play
for this city. And I think that's the bit we've
got right. They connect with the fans, they connect with
the city, no matter where they're from.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Obviously with all your international experience, your assistant coach on
the on the British team, you've coached Canada. I mean,
how much change did you make in the in the
psychic of you know, of your management. Did you come
in and say, oh, guys, you've got this wrong, girls,
can you do this this way? How much did you
take over and change it?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
You know what? There was a whole foundation before me, Right,
it's been five years. This is the fifth year. I
think before that, they've been on a very tough journey. Right.
Originally it was it was held by New Zealand Football,
then the club took over it and the resources probably
weren't what they are now. So there's a big part
of that. I think what I've done is actually probably
(05:55):
more marginal games around when we go on the road,
what does it look like, recovery and even the food,
what time we eat walking straight. It's all the little
things that I think experienced buys your penalties, brought the
penalty processes in that are you know, got the gold
medal with and things. So it's it's actually the little
things and then just a playing philosophy and sort of
(06:15):
way of working that it's tried, it's tested, it's my
own way. And to be fair, the staff just come
on the raid with it and they've been the ments.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
If they green lighted you all the way, they let
you just go. They just let you do what you
want to do. I know Gilly reasonably well, I mean
will when you push him too hard. You got to
get him on a good day.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I know that. I know what knock on his on
his daughter go and say in the player.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So have you had things that you have said?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Look?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Sorry, but if we'd love to do that, well we
can't do it.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Absolutely, I think in a good way. I think what
Gilly does really really well. I feel one hundred percent supported.
But he pushes back in the right areas and I
think everyone wants a challenge and wants to be pushed back.
You're looking at players, you're going to sign players, what
about this? You know he's been a big, big part
of that. He did a great job even before I
walked through the door on recruitment to help put this
(07:08):
team together. He's been here a long time. He works
a lot of hours, and I think this weekend it's
people like Gilly DOMI the owners. You just want to
get over the line. For those people who've been here
through the good.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And the bad, talk to me about your culture.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, it's you know, the players, we have a great culture.
I think a good sign that you're winning is on
the pitch and off the pitch, the players want to
hang out together. It doesn't mean everybody's you know, in
each other's pocket, but genuinely there's a genuine connection. When
we have a day off, you hear about them off
for a hike or whatever it might be. So I think, yeah,
a big part of that is that. And then but
(07:45):
high challenge. I think a big thing that I've demanded
his standards every single day because a big learning in
my career is if you don't do that when no
one's watching, when the big lights are on in Melbourne
this weekend, it shows up. And I think the players
have done a very good job of, you know, keeping
a healthy culture while challenging each other's standards. Along the way.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You got any players and team that might not be
the superstars you know what I'm talking about, but they
just make you feel. You look at them and you
just want to sit by them on a plane or
you want to talk to them because that resonates something.
You've got those sort of people on your team.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
I think every single one. It's a very cliche answer,
but honestly, the connection we have as a playing group
and a group of stuff like, yeah, I think that
that is special.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
You get on the plane and you do you sit
next to players, you have a bit of bunter, you
have a laugh, You've got to enjoy what you do.
And I think we've got a very light hearted, book
committed group of people. And then we've got people who
just will die for the shirt. You think about Mac
Barry the captain on Field Cup and then cgr Botty
is from Tawer, you know who's out with pregnancy like
they are true well in Tonian Phoenix people. And I
(08:54):
think when you've got them leading you, whether you're from America,
from England, from Nepal, doesn't matter that they're all in
with you. And I think that's that's a special thing.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Did you get that English feel? You know what I'm
talking about about the English feel of you know, it's
a it's a religion. Football is a religion in England.
It's nowhere, you know, so that watch what I saw
on TV for the spits. I saw was that they're
almost that British culture. At por on Sunday, you know that.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
It was immense. No, honestly, you know, I've played in
front of, not played coach in front of sixty fifty
seventy thousand people, and that felt like that. It's all
relative in the in the stadium that you're in, our
funds were electric. There was so loud. They made it
an absolute fortress and it's right up there in my
career in terms of feeling the moment for the city.
(09:41):
That's what we wanted to create, and it was. It
was immense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Tell me what you said the last thing, And you
don't have to tell me that you don't want to,
but I'm going to ask anyway, what was the last
thing you said to them when you left the last
final training before you seen them at the April. What
was the last thing you said to them?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
You mean going to this weekend? Yeah, I said, let's
make sure that that last game was not our final,
because the danger is you've got the highest of high
in a big moment to have this In the semi final
of the Olympics, we beat the US for the first
time in nineteen years and then you look, we've just
got to a final, first time in nineteen years for
this club. But the danger you have in them moments
(10:18):
is you're just you're so high that actually the next
game doesn't not I don't want to say it doesn't
mean anything, but it's hard to get up for it again.
We have to make sure that it's not that that
wasn't our final. We're not done yet. I want to
dialed in on the plane. Manage your energy because you'll
need all the energy you've got to come this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
You're so right on that, you're absolutely so right that
you it's just such an achievement. You think you've done
your job.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Oh big time, and then your shoulders. You know, it
was a big moment. We come in, you know, go
down that it almost in some ways could have felt
like a relief, but I think the highest of high happened.
But we've got a bigger high to go after this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Oh my gosh, And what what were they I mean,
what was the vibe? What was it?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Oh? It was amazing, Like honestly it was. It was amazing.
Even you know, the owner Robbie's always in the background,
right never, never you never see him, you wouldn't know
who he is. But I think for me personally to
see the smile on his face, he's got really high
standards in a good way. That's why he's so successful.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
But it's all those.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Lott of things that you see in your gore. This
means the absolute world to these people, and that's what
you want. You want young kids to fall in love
with the game, and they did at the weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
There's an old saying that someone told me and sport
many many years ago that in a Grand Final, right,
no one's playing the next day. You know, no one.
You're not walking out of there going man next week,
we don't have we're not playing in the final. But
there's one team. There's two teams turning up, right, and
they both want to win. But someone once told me
(11:48):
one of those two teams is not turning up wanting
to win, that dad turning up going to win. Can
you create that big time?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
And I actually in the pre meeting in the last,
the last game, there was something in the air for me.
I knew that day we were not leaving without winning. Right.
This this final is the Phoenix's women's one hundredth game
and for me, that's pretty special. Right to be in
a Grand Final on your hundredth game, there's something written there.
(12:17):
And absolutely I believe the mind is bigger than the body,
no matter how tired you are, you played one hundred
and twenty minutes extra time. I now if those players
want it more than the opposition, it's days for the take.
And I think we've shown all yeah, rightly, scales, most
goals scored, the consistencies there. We've just got to show
up and want it more. And don't get me wrong,
(12:37):
Melbourne City a bit of a force to be written
with the been there along a long time, a lot
of finals. But why not, Well.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
You're going to tell me that, why not? What can
what can stop you?
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I think we can get in our own way. I
think that that is the number one thing. It won't
be the football, It will be getting in our own
way either the occasion, not managing moments of a big occasion.
But I think that that will be the reason. Right
that that either they wanted it more, which I absolutely
don't think is a thing. I think this team want
it more than ever. But I think it's it's new.
(13:11):
It's new to this team, right, It's adversity, It's it's
pressure and you never know how people respond under pressure,
but so far they've done okey.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
What do you want people in New Zealand or in
the world anyway to think of the phoenix when the
final whistle goes win or lose. I mean, it's just
an incredible I don't want to downplay the fact that
you want to win and we or want you to win,
but you know it's just incredible to be there on
that stage. What do you want people to think of
(13:39):
when that final whistle go of the phoenix and you
know your your group of people.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I think it's the value that they see, right, the
hard work, making the recovery, run sixty yards to go
and back their teammate up. I think there's a lot
of things in sport that translate to life and inspire people.
It won't be what we do that inspire the people,
it will be how we do it. So the weekend
you think about we go extra time, We're still going.
Mikhaela Wood's missed the goal, she tries again, she gets
(14:05):
the goal. I think it's all of the things that
sit inside the result that actually people fall in love
with and they's done for things. You see a group
of people who were willing to die for the budge,
for each other, and it's the value of sport. I
think that that is the number one thing. This team
did everything they could for the city, the country, probably
(14:26):
really importantly for each other, and I think that's that's important.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Well, I tell you that the people are willing to
have fallen in love with you and your organization. So
congratulations for so far. I think it's been an amazing
achievement for you to come in cold and put this team.
You know, there's no question of it crept out. You
had have been fired, so you know, so you've got
to take the accolade, you know, of putting it all
together and the way the way I mean, they're just
(14:53):
magnificent to watch the way that it's all done, and
that comes from the top. So congratulations, have a very
very good flight over to Australia. From the bottom of
my heart, thank you for coming in and chatting to
the people are willing them before you go. All the
best for you and I hope that you I hope
you get the one that you deserve. But nevertheless, no
(15:13):
one's playing the next day.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Awesome, No, thank you and yeah, Wellingtonian's tune in will be.
We'd love all the support, whether it's on TV or
in Melbourne, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
We'll be tuned in.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Be of Priestburd For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills,
Listen live to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine
am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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