All Episodes

June 24, 2024 • 22 mins

Piney and Bonnie review the All Whites' unbeaten start to the OFC Nations Cup with comfortable wins over the Solomon Islands and hosts Vanuatu.

They also look at the latest transfer news involving Kiwi players, examine Auckland FC's six scholarship signings, and wrap the latest New Zealand men and women playing overseas.

Football Fever with Jason Pine & Bonnie Jansen is the weekly podcast to keep up with all the action from the beautiful game!

Our voice of football Jason Pine and sport journalist Bonnie Jansen follow the Wellington Phoenix on their quest for an A-League title - all the goals, all the drama, all the glory!

Plus, the latest Auckland FC news, and updates from around the world including the English Premier League!

Powered by Newstalk ZB and FIFA Plus. Stream New Zealand football live and free on fifa+.com.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Football Fever with News Talks, Enby's Voice of Football Jason
Paine and Bonnie Jensen. It is a fresh episode of
Football Fever with FIFA Plus stream New Zealand football live
and free on FIFA bluss dot Com. I'm Jason Pine
alongside me Bonnie Jensen.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hello, Bonnie, Jason Pine.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
How are you very good? Thanks? Very good? Here we
are again. We seem to keep on being invited back
to the Football Fever studio to produce another episode. There's
actually quite a bit to get through today in various
sort of layers of for walk. Can we start with
the All Whites at the Oceanian Nations Cup in Vanuatu
safely through Paul play wins over the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

(00:43):
They'll play Tahiti at midday on Thursday in the semifinal,
Fiji Vana two in the other semi and the final
is on Sunday. Relatively comfortable for Darren Baisley and his
men in the first couple of games, Any anything stand
out from those two matches.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
I think the first thing to point on that stood
out to me as the crowds. Obviously they have to
play over there because it's it's a lower cost. I
think it is the reason anyway for those Oceania teams.
But I've just been so impressed with the with the
people turning up to the to the matches. I think
if you were to have the all whites here playing

(01:19):
those Oceania teams over in Auckland or summer here in
New Zealand, you wouldn't get you wouldn't get turnedouts like that.
So yeah, very very impressed with the with the Yeah,
the environment over there, and in terms of the all whites, Yeah,
they're doing all right. They're holding their own. I wouldn't
say they've amazed me or wowed me, but I guess

(01:41):
it's just what we'd expect at this point.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, I think they've just done what they needed to
do right. And they had one less game because New
Caledonia pulled out, of course, because of the political unrest
in their country. So just the two group games, which
you know you're always fancy that they would win. Okay,
a couple of goals with Ben Wayne in the first
game against the Solomon Island's good to see him score
some goals, his first goals for New Zealand since his deboo. Actually,

(02:05):
and skipper for the day, Costa Barbarusis getting the third one,
his first goal for New Zealand since twenty seventeen. It
seems like a very long time between goals for Costa
Barbarusis then against Vanuatu and you're right. The crowd was
terrific at Port Villa, which obviously it's a home crowd,
so you'd expect that it would be, but I thought
it was tremendous. Max Marter his first two goals for

(02:26):
New Zealand, Eli Justin ben Old with his first New
Zealand goal. Everyone's just about got a game. I quite
like that. The only ones who haven't in the twenty
one man squad who haven't got on the field at
some stage are Olie Sayle, who presumably now is the
third choice goalkeeper, and Tommy Smith, who really he was
always going to miss the first two games anyway because

(02:46):
he was best man at Chris Wood's wedding. So I
quite liked the way that Darren Baisley has rotated it around,
given out day boos. He gave out He gave out
the day boos to the uncapped players, all six of
them in the first game. Alex Paulson Samsu and both started,
can't she Randall, Kelly Hill Van Haddam. I just I
think he's he's managed it pretty well across the first

(03:07):
couple of games, giving everybody some minutes.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah, I think that's the perk about us being in
this confederation. As you know, we go into this tournament,
as you know these kind of tournaments as major favorites,
and yes, there's reasons why that's not ideal for us,
but when you can get players on and get them
wearing the fern for the first time and you know,
get that first cap game under your belt, it's it's

(03:32):
a real confidence booster. So if they're going out and
doing it at the Olympics or at a World Cup there,
they're surely less less nervous to do so. So yeah, yeah,
always a bonus to see Darren Baizley kind of rotate
the squad like that. It'd be interesting to see whether
he does that for the knockout stage. I'd say, again,
we would still kind of, you know, be hot favorites

(03:54):
and should convincingly, convincingly come away with a win. But yeah,
it'd be interesting to see how he lines up his team.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah, I can't see the semi final being too much
of an issue, you know, without wanting to get too
far ahead of ourselves. Tahiti should be relatively comfortable for
the team on Thursday, but Figi have had a pretty
good tournament. Three wins from three in the other group
five one against pm G nine, one against Samway and
a one that'll win over Tahiti. Roy Krishna's in that

(04:21):
team and we all know how dangerous a player he
can be. Look, I'm not suggesting that Fiji would be
favorites to beat the All Whites, not not at all,
but that that final, provided of course New Zealand and
Fiji both progress to it, should be should be quite
a good game on Sunday afternoon. It's also been a chance,
as we've talked about on previous pods, that to give

(04:43):
the under twenty three players in the team some game
time together. Really interesting to see Tyler Binden and Finn
Sermon both start both games. Get a feeling that'll be
the center back combination we see for New Zealand in
Paris in a month or so.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, I agree, And I want to touch on Libby
Cacace as well, who's played alongside those two guys. And
it just makes me really really want to see Libby
be that overage player name named for the Olympics. I
think he's I kind of I think both of US
Piney had Libby named on our over overage player going

(05:16):
to the Olympics, and for me, anyway, I kind of
wanted it because I see Libby as being the next
up and comer for New Zealand, being the next captain
or he is the captain now. But you know, I
think he is one of our best players at the moment.
He's just he's stood out completely at this tournament and
I would like to see him going to the Olympics.
And yeah, he works really really nicely alongside Tylerbandon and

(05:39):
Finn Sermon.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, and I think he may well become that because
he may become the Chris Wood of the Olympics, if
you know what I mean. When Chris Wood's been available
for the Olympics as an overage player, he's been almost
an automatic selection. I agree. I think Libby is now
in that category. I think the only reticence about picking
him as an overage player is actually, you've got a
bit of If I got a bit of talented left back,

(06:01):
we saw Sam Sutton play there in the first game
when Libby was suspended. Lucas Kelly healed obviously, is also
under twenty three and could potentially play there too, But yeah,
I would still take Libby. I think I might change
my original pick. I think I had Sarprech Singh. I
actually would now take Tim Payne because I just don't
think there's anybody else really who stands out right back.

(06:24):
Tim Payne's been being very solid for the Phoenix and
in these two games of this Nation's Cup. Yeah, I
think I'd be taking Tim Payne, Libby Kacacci, and Chris
Wood now and it might be a bit hard on
Sarprech Singh. Not that I'm choosing the team, of course,
this is just my opinion, but yeah, I just think

(06:45):
would be a lot more solid against some really good
teams with a first choice solid right back there in
Tim Payne.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
I don't know what you think, No, yeah, I was
thinking this before coming on the pod, and you know,
I wonder if that's what Darren Baizley is thinking with
that back four, and whether he'll continue to play that
back for throughout the tournament or at least maybe in
the final against VG. It's it's a very good point
you make that that you know there's not too much

(07:13):
strength on that that right side. But then who who
would you have in the midfield? Who does that leave
We've got Marco Staminich, We've got Ben Old.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, Matt Garbett as well as over there, and there's
also Matt Dibley ds out of Fulham. He hasn't he's
come into an all whites environment but got injured, so
he's in there as well. Because if you if you
do line it up as if you take let's say
you take Libby and Tim Payne as two of your overage,
then the back five Paulson, Payne, Sermon Bind and Kakacci

(07:42):
are all at the Nation's Cup, as Ben Old and
Ben Wayne you know so and all the other guys
we've mentioned who are you know, probably more like your
your fringe players, like your Finconchi and Kelly Heild and
Van Haddam. But all of a sudden you've got you know,
these guys getting a lot of games together before they
get to powers, which has to be good.

Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah, exactly one hundred percent, and you know it's obviously
going to be a huge, huge step up at the
Olympics compared to the matches they're playing now. But just
to be in the environment together and get the vibes going,
get the banter going, and everything that kind of makes
a team a good team is a real advantage that
we've got over other nations heading into the Olympics.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
Just on Marco Staminich news last week that he has
joined Nottingham Forest in the Premier League a five year contract,
which is an outstanding piece of business. Outstanding piece of
business for Marco. He'll go on loan of course to
Olympia Coss next season. You weren't that keen on this
when you first heard the NOME.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
I didn't realize. It was a shock.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
But then as you told me, Piney and other guys
in the office they were like, no, it's good. They're
a really good team and it'll be okay. So yeah,
who knows if he stands out there enough and now
he'll be back before you know.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
Yeah, well they won the Europa Conference League last year
Olympia Coss. Of course, Marco Staminch's just played champions the
last two seasons with Savna Vesta in Serbia and Copenhagen
and Denmark before that, so I think we'll be okay,
and I guess it's all part of a plan. I
remember when Alex Paulson signed for Bournemouth on a four
year deal a few weeks ago, that's the thing he said,

(09:16):
They've got a plan for me. And it might be
that Alex Pulson goes out on loan somewhere as well.
But I think the eventual aim is to have them
playing in the Premier League. And imagine having Marco Staminch
alongside Chris Wood and the Nottingham Forest team up against
Alex Paulson then golf for Bournemouth. How good.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
It's just so cool.

Speaker 3 (09:33):
Like the fact we have three kiwis kind in that
league or will be in that league eventually is just awesome.
And I hope we can kind of keep trending that way,
and we certainly have the potential to do that. I mean,
if you look at the Phoenix and how many of
them are now in the all White squad or the
under twenty three squad, it's certainly very exciting.

Speaker 1 (09:55):
Football fever with Jason Vine and Bonnie Jensen. The other
a League men's club and soon to be a league
men's and women's club now is Auckland FC. Of course,
they last week unveiled six scholarship players Lewis to me,
Liam mc gillian, Finn McKinlay A Dama Kulabali, Oliver Middleton
and John T Bidoir. I know you had Lewis to me,

(10:17):
I think in your Olympic squad. Didn't You've seen him
play a little bit for Eastern Suburbs. He's been very
good for them, hasn't he.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah, Louis's really good. He's a really good player.

Speaker 3 (10:26):
He's super intelligent and just really really creative on the ball. Obviously,
I used to play for Eastern Suburbs, so I followed
him a little bit, and yeah, I can see. I
was surprised that he was just a scholarship player. I
wondered if maybe he would be on a full contract.
I thought the same for Liam Gillian as well. He's
been another standout that I've followed for Auckland City. I

(10:50):
get those two mixed up now, Auckland City and.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
Auckland f C.

Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yeah, I kind of I'm excited for them, and you
know you compared them to those two guys and the
other ones, of course, to their scholarship players who have
stood up for the Wellington Phoenix this season and it
just makes you excited. And I'm the most excited because
there's Auckland based players that finally have an opportunity to

(11:15):
play professional football and it's really really promising for the future,
as we've just obviously talked about. But yeah, Louis Toomey's
unbelievable player and I'm excited for him.

Speaker 1 (11:26):
Yeah, I don't think we need to worry too much
about the scholarship thing. I remember Mickey Foster was a
scholarship player, which you've just signed for Wellington Phoenix and
look there how that turned out. So yeah, I'm I'm
looking forward to seeing Lewis to me sam a bit
at the Wellington Phoenix Academy. But as I say, he's
been terrific for Euston Suburbs. Liam Gillian, his brother Fergus,
is at the Phoenix at a couple of games off

(11:46):
the bench actually in the A League last season and
the others so those were a little bit older, still
not old, I think Toomy's an O one and Liam
Gillian's and two. Finn McKinley is a central midfielder. He
was at Birkenhead for joining Eastern Suburbs season the Under
nineteen New Zealand side for the upcoming ofc Under nineteen Championship.

(12:07):
As is a Dama Kola Bali. He is from Western Springs.
A utility player. Oliver Middleton is out of Auckland United.
He started every National League game last season and is
also in that Under nineteen squad. He's an five and
johnsy Bidwah He's the younger brother of Riley Bidoirh, formerly
of the Phoenix and now of Loudune over in the

(12:28):
United States. He's out of Todonga City and has been
very prolific in the last couple of seasons. So good
to see those six players rewarded, joining Michael valdcam Howis
and Jesse Randall, Francis de Verreez, Maxmutter and Tommy Smith.
Now we just need some imports Bonnie.

Speaker 3 (12:43):
Yeah, I should also say Piney as well. It is
a bit of a family affair in football for Liam
Gillian and the Gillian family. Emily Gillion, who is the
older sister of Fergus and Liam. She grew up playing
football and played for Auckland. I actually played on the
same team with her and she's now a futsal Ferm.

(13:04):
She's an unbelievable foot sal player, so just a little
fun fact for you. But yes, we do need some
imports for Auckland.

Speaker 1 (13:12):
Good jeans and the Gillian family.

Speaker 3 (13:14):
I know Jeeves they've got one more brother, so I'll
be interested to see what he gets up to.

Speaker 1 (13:21):
All right, Well yep, well what are we now? We're
sort of coming to sort of the endish of June.
I guess they'll go into pre season soon. New season
will start back into September October, so yeah, hopefully the
next announcements we hear out of Auckland City. Sorry Auckland
f C. Now I'm getting them mixed up. Auckland f
C will be some import players and I'm sure that
news is certainly to come. This is football. Just on

(13:51):
Mickey Foster. I see she signed with Auckland United. That's
that's just over the winter though, right, is that your understanding?

Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, it is my understanding.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
I hunts he committing to that team, especially when yakkm
cover the Football Firms coach has quite a strict rule
on her players needing to play professional football. So yeah,
I think it's just to keep her fitness up. Although
I have had a cheeky look on the kind of
the social media's and the forums of the NRFOL League,

(14:20):
the Auckland League.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Up here, and I don't think people are too happy
with it.

Speaker 3 (14:24):
I think, you know, for Auckland United, they've got a
lot of really good juniors coming through, So to have
a professional footballer come in and potentially steal someone's spot,
I think it's a touchy subject.

Speaker 1 (14:37):
I think she was at Northern Rovers for a while,
Mickey Foster. In fact, I think in her last full
season at Northern Rovers she won every single club award
at the end of the awards and then she did
the same with the Wellington Phoenix. Actually, so as I
understand it, you'll probably know a bunch of her former
Northern Rovers teammates I think are at Auckland United, are they.

Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yes, that's correct.

Speaker 3 (14:58):
When a coach moves in the Northern League, a lot
of the players tend to follow, and that's what Ben
Bate did, so he was with Northern Rovers and yes,
you're right, coach Mickey Foster, and she was so good there.
I remember playing against her in that league and thinking
this girl needs to go and play professional and I mean,
look what she's gone on to do. But yes, so

(15:19):
she's playing with a bunch of her former teammates and
they're killing it in the Lotto n RFL at the moment.
So yeah, I guess it's nice for her to be
back with her with her old clubmates and kind of
remember her roots a little bit. But I mean it
won't be long till she's surely off to the Olympics.

Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah, indeed. And I guess back at the Phoenix because
I don't think she's been confirmed as re signed yet Mickey.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
I know she's not.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
She's still unattached, and I don't reckon she's coming back
well really, yeah, I don't know. I've just got this feeling.
You know, all these players are starting to head off
from the Phoenix, and I think other players are kind
of looking at the big wide world and going, where
could I go? If maybe it's to another to another
A League team, I'm not sure. But if you look
at the little detail that Auckland United put on their

(16:09):
kind of signing announcement, they said former Wellington Phoenix player.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
Yeah, I thought they would just being I thought they
might have just been trolling. But do you reckon that
is do you reckon that actually means, well, I guess.
I guess if your contract comes to an end and
you're not immediately re signed, then in theory you are
a former Wellington Phoenix player in Mickey Foster's case. Imagine
though that wouldn't Paul Temple and Sean Gilby very keen

(16:34):
to have her back?

Speaker 3 (16:35):
I think they would, But I think also a lot
of other teams would be keen to have her. Surely
she was part of that All Stars team that played
against Arsenal and Arsenal Woman, and yeah, you'd think that
she would have also had a lot of other clubs calling.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
So who knows?

Speaker 1 (16:50):
Who knows? Indeed, hey, we had a discussion last week
about the football ferns and we didn't know about annale
Longo's current playing status. For one of our many tens
of thousands of listeners, I got in touch and told
me that she is playing for Kashmere Tech. The women's
first team at Kashmere Tech even sent me a screenshot
of their game in the Kate Shepherd Cup against Nelson Suburbs,

(17:13):
where she was a goal scorer twice, actually in a
seven nerl win for Kashmere Tech over Nelson Suburbs. So
clearly Annale Longo is playing some football at the moment,
so I guess that does make her in theory anyway
available for the Olympics, doesn't.

Speaker 3 (17:27):
It It does, I guess it just depends how strong
Yick is on her rule that players need to be
playing professional football. But at the same time she was
playing professional football but the season's end, same ended, same
case as Mickey Foster.

Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah, it'd be interesting.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
There's a lot of good players that have kind of
cemented themselves in the midfield, obviously Kate Taylor, Daisy Cleverly,
Milia Seinmetz, Katie Kitchen. So yeah, to just be depend
whether Yika wants to you know, fresh bring fresh blood
in or go.

Speaker 1 (17:59):
For ex Indeed, well, at least she's playing, which I
guess is better than the alternative when selection would be
far far more into the future. Then the fact that
she's actually playing for Kashmir Tech right now. Thank you
Eric for sending through that information. Football for Football Fever.
Let's just finished with Kiwi's overseas. A few of our
female players are still in and around the action bomb yep.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
Malia Steimetz has just kind of done the Danish Double
Cup League thing, her FC nordaland have just beaten bronby
two one in their league cup finals, So good on
Malia Steimetz.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
It's the second.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
Start as well for Macy Fraser for her Utah Utah
Royals and they played Orlando Pride and had a sexnel defeat.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
Poor team. But how cool was it that Macy got
to play against Marta.

Speaker 1 (18:51):
And Martha got one of those goals, didn't she She
might have got more than one, but so Macy had
a pretty good view of it. You and I think
we're both watching at the same time. You've given me
all the instructions is how I can now log on
and watch the NWSL, which I've been doing quite regularly
actually since she gave me the coaching on how to
do it. It's just awesome to see Macy Fraser out
there starting as well.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
You know.

Speaker 1 (19:12):
It's it's what she would have hoped I'm sure when
she signed.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah, exactly. It's super promising.

Speaker 3 (19:18):
And obviously we're still waiting for Millie Clig to get
her debut for Racing Louisville. It looks like she's been
dropped from the squad the last couple of weeks, so
fingers crossed. She I reckon the best thing for Millie
will be to get good minutes at the Olympics and
kind of make more of a statement and then can
kind of come back into that Louisville team and hopefully
hopefully kit up and get on.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
But you know, really really promising for Macy.

Speaker 3 (19:43):
Also, vick Essen has signed a contract extension at Rangers
for the twenty twenty four to twenty five season coming up.

Speaker 1 (19:50):
Have you come to a conclusion about who the New
Zealand number one goalkeeper is for the football films yet?

Speaker 3 (19:55):
I just think they've got to go with Analyte because
it's the future. Yes, we know what that can do,
and I just don't think there's enough between them that's
kind of going to make your break their Olympic campaign,
if you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (20:10):
I don't think.

Speaker 1 (20:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
My question is more whether they bring a third goalkeeper
into the traveling reserves or whether they just stick with
the two, because realistically, I'm not being pessimistic here, Piney,
but realistically they're not going to get out of the
group stage. It means they're only going to play three games.
Do you need to bring an extra keeper? But at

(20:34):
the same time, the keepers are probably going to get
a lot of action, so maybe you did well.

Speaker 1 (20:38):
Also, I guess you're only one injury away from not
having a reserve goalkeeper, right, So I mean, any you know,
injuries happen, one of analytesal vic Esen could turn their
ankle or pull a muscle or I don't know, do
anything that would rule them out. So I kind of
feel like you have to have somebody in that traveling
fem You probably do. Yeah, And because also being over

(20:59):
an Europe already, it's not like you could say to
Brianna Reribards, for example, hey just be on standby. You know,
she'd have to get there. So yeah, I get the
feeling when they name it, they'll probably name a third goalkeeper.
Who it'll be, I'm not sure, and you know it's
quite likely they won't be needed, but yeah, I think
they probably have one there. But yeah, the Vickis and
Analyte thing is interesting to me. It's a bit like

(21:21):
the Max Crokham, Alex Paulson Olie Sail conundrum that Darren
Basley's got, which are all good problems to have. Of course,
as far as the menic concerned, I found that I
found Riley Bidwa's scoring highlights online. This past week, he
scored for Loudoun United in their two to two draw
with my EFC in the us L, that's the second
tier below m LS in the United States. He is,

(21:43):
of course, the brother we mentioned before of newly signed
Auckland FC scholarship player Johnty Bidoa. So a good week
for the Bidwah family goals and contracts. Doesn't get much
better than that. Yeah, I think that's us for football
fever for today, Bonnie. By the time we Chatnicks, hopefully
the All Whites would have secured the OFC Nations Cup.

(22:04):
No doubt there'll be some more transfer news here and there,
it seems to pop up. I've heard some pretty strong
mail on Ben Old and his move. Yeah, so it
might be that by this time next week we have
further clarity on that. But we'll keep our red to
the ground as always and make sure that everybody knows
everything that we know. Thanks as always, Bonny. We'll see

(22:25):
you next Monday.

Speaker 2 (22:26):
We'll see it then the FFV with Bonny and Bonny
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.