February 24, 2025 • 9 mins
Auckland FC are continuing to maintain a hot streak this season - as they take their place at the top of the ladder.
The side recently beat the Wellington Phoenix 6-1 in front of a sold-out crowd in Auckland.
Australian A-League commentator Simon Hill joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Six goals in front of a record crowd and they
look towards those in the crowd and ask us simple question,
now do you believe us? Now?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Do you believe us? There are plenty of belief on
this side of the Tasman as Auckland f C continue
to march on at the top of the A League ladder.
Their latest result is six to one thumping of Wellington
Phoenix and the derby at go Media on Saturday. So
are they taking notice of this on the other side
of the Tasman. It's called the A League and the
A stands for Australia, so I'm sure they're taking at
(00:49):
least a passing interest in what's happening over here with
Auckland FC dominating the competition. Let's bring in one of
the most recognizable voices in Australian football, long time commentator
Simon Hill, who's been commentating on the A League since
it's it's in sect two decades ago. Simon, thanks for
joining us on sports Talk tonight. Our heads being tuned
(01:12):
on your side of the ditch by what Auckland FC
are doing.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Hey Piney, Yeah, I mean it's got to be the case.
The top of the league by quite some margin, probably
a bit unexpectedly from this side of the ditch, but
I think people have been very impressed by the way
they've approached this inaugural campaign and the way that Steve
Corocker has built his squad and they keep getting results.
(01:36):
So yeah, probably not quite as much hype as over
at New Zealand for obvious reasons, but people have certainly
taking notice. There's no doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
You talked about Steve Coricker and the squad that he's
built just before we talk about the way they're playing.
Is this a surprise to you that Steve Coricker has
tasted success almost immediately at Auckland.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Not really, because you know, although he finished off is
simply Sydney FC, and it's quite a disappointing manner. The
seasons before that, of course, he won back to back championships,
so you know he's a good coach and people tend
to forget those years of success when things go a
bit wrong, but you know, he's always been able to
(02:21):
put together a very competitive side. I think the criticism,
certainly in the latter days of Sydney FC, maybe even
before that, was that they weren't always that easy on
the eye, but they were always very effective. And you know,
key to it all is he gets his foreigners right
more often than not. And we know in the A
League that if you get your imports bang on the money,
(02:43):
then you've got half a chance. In this league, they're
supposed to raise their standards and I think he's certainly
done that with Auckland particularly impressed with Gmo Mai. I
think he's terrific for Strata. Another terrific sign in Natal
Moreno is very potent either off the bench or as
a start, and we saw that at the weekend as
(03:04):
well against Wellington. So you know, in tandem with Terry
mcclinn that they put together a super competitive squad. But
I think, you know, one of the things that has
really struck me over the course of the journey this
season is they're togetherness. When things have perhaps not been
going right, they've managed to dig out results or be
(03:26):
it a draw at some venues or wins in other games.
And that's the market not only a good side, but
potentially a championship went inside.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
You just want to draw down to that because or
you've watched the A League since the start, so have I.
You don't always have to have the best roster, do you.
You know, if you look around the league and you
look at teams that have gone deep, deep into competitions,
I think of the Western United side that won the
A League. You know, that's just one example. You don't
actually have to have a star studded roster, do you.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
No, you don't. I mean, obviously you know, some quality helps,
and I certainly don't think Auckland are without quality. There's
no doubt that they've got some very good players. But
I think if you have a togetherness in the squad,
a refusal to accept defeat, and I remember calling a
game against Melbourne City when it looked for all money
(04:21):
as though they're going to lose their unbeaten record, and
they managed to find and equalize it deep in stoppage time.
And it's not the only time they've done that this season.
And that's a really good quality to have, because you
can't be at your best week in week out in
a twenty six twenty seven round competition, but if you
can grind out results, get draws or pinch wins. When
(04:45):
you're not at your best, then you know you're going
to be in there with a shout. So they've got
most things right this season. It's difficult to find fault
with them, to be honest, on or off the pitch.
I think they've been an absolutely terrific addition to the
A League now. The only caveat I'll attached to that
is we saw twelve or thirty ten years ago Western
(05:07):
Sydney Wanderers announced themselves to the competition in very similar fashion.
You know, they won the premiership first go, got to
the Grand Final, although they didn't win it, and we
thought they were going to be a powerhouse for years
to come and one of the really big clubs in
the A League. Now, the Wanderers have sort of lost
their way over the last decade, partly due to the
(05:28):
departure of Dony Popovich, but there's been other reasons as well,
so that's something that Auckland have got to guard against.
This is all brand new at the moment and things
are flying on and off the field and it's great,
but obviously we want Auckland FC to be around in
fifty one hundred years time with you know, the crowds
just as big, if not bigger. So that's something they've
got to guard against in future years. But you can't
(05:51):
really fault what they're doing at the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, it's a good point you make, but you know,
you must look at the crowds. I mean, I've had
the very very happy privilege of being at the home games,
not down and the makes the active support up in
the sanctuary of the com box. But you must look
at those crowds and think, man, it just looks amazing
from your side of the tasma.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, and you know we're jealous of them in some ways.
Obviously we're you know, we have our own derbies that
draw big crowds. There was I think twenty two between
twenty two and twenty five at the Melbourne Derby on Saturday,
which was terrific. A couple of weeks ago I had
the privilege of calling the Sydney Galby when we had
thirty two and a half thousand there, which was for me,
(06:30):
the best atmosphere of the season. The one thing that
you know, we have a problem with and I've seen
sort of little hints of it over there in New
Zealand as well. We don't exactly have a friendly media here.
We have media that is invested in other sports and
they will look to find fault in supportive behavior in particular.
(06:52):
And it was very disappointing after the Sydney Derby to
pick up the paper the day after and see that
the headline was about a couple of flares being led
off twenty five kilometers away from the stadium, and you
know that Unfortunately, that's the stigma that this game has
to deal with on this side of the Tasman. I
don't know whether it's quite the same in New Zealand,
(07:12):
but you've got to be mindful of it. And you
know there's a lot of media outlets here who have
the vested interest in the game not succeeding. Again, I'm
not as familiar with the New Zealand media as I
am with the Australian media, but you know, things can
quickly unravel, so they need to guard against that. I'm
not saying it's going to happen, but over the course
(07:35):
of the journey, those things can start to become a
bit of an issue.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, well it hasn't happened here yet, but yeah, you're
right one to guard against.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
All right, all.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Right, Simon so ken Auckland see won the whole thing.
Are we talking about about them going one better than
the Western Sydney Wanderers and actually winning the toilet seat
as they call it in their first season.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
The Golden toilet?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yes, I don't see.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Any reason why not. I mean, to be honest, they've
got to be the favorites at the moment. Why wouldn't
they be eight points clear if they beat Adelaide's rightly
say at the weekend, and by the way, Adelaide worked
awful yesterday against Western United. In fairness to them, they've
got a lot of absentees, some of which might be
back for next week. But if they win next week
then that gap is eleven points. The premiership is well,
(08:22):
I hesitate to say almost theirs, but it will be
because the gap will be huge. So why can't they
go on and not only host the Grand Final but
win it? To be honest, I think it would be
a really good thing for football in the A League
if we had a Grand Final in New Zealand, something
that we haven't had as yet. By all accounts, I'm
sure they'd sell it out and that's where they played it,
(08:45):
so you know, We've got to celebrate these good parts
of the A League. There's plenty of focus on the negatives.
But Auckland have been our big success story this season
and if they host and win the Grand Final, they
will have deserved it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Great to get to you, Simon, Thanks for joining us
across New Zealand and lending us your expertise.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Pleasure Pineyer anytime, mate.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Good on you mate. That's Simon Hill. You'll recognize the
voice football fans as one of the A League's commentators.
He has been for a couple of decades, always a
voice of reason as well interesting points he makes there
about the media and Australia, and you have seen some
examples of that as well. Across the last little while.
It seems as though certain segments of the Australian media
(09:26):
are very keen to focus on any suggestion of off
field trouble. I haven't seen it happen here, and look,
I don't know that there's been any off field trouble
here to report upon. So long may that continued.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Six goals in front of a record crowd and they
look towards those in the crowd and ask us simple question,
now do you believe us? Now?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Do you believe us? There are plenty of belief on
this side of the Tasman as Auckland f C continue
to march on at the top of the A League ladder.
Their latest result is six to one thumping of Wellington
Phoenix and the derby at go Media on Saturday. So
are they taking notice of this on the other side
of the Tasman. It's called the A League and the
A stands for Australia, so I'm sure they're taking at
(00:49):
least a passing interest in what's happening over here with
Auckland FC dominating the competition. Let's bring in one of
the most recognizable voices in Australian football, long time commentator
Simon Hill, who's been commentating on the A League since
it's it's in sect two decades ago. Simon, thanks for
joining us on sports Talk tonight. Our heads being tuned
(01:12):
on your side of the ditch by what Auckland FC
are doing.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Hey Piney, Yeah, I mean it's got to be the case.
The top of the league by quite some margin, probably
a bit unexpectedly from this side of the ditch, but
I think people have been very impressed by the way
they've approached this inaugural campaign and the way that Steve
Corocker has built his squad and they keep getting results.
(01:36):
So yeah, probably not quite as much hype as over
at New Zealand for obvious reasons, but people have certainly
taking notice. There's no doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
You talked about Steve Coricker and the squad that he's
built just before we talk about the way they're playing.
Is this a surprise to you that Steve Coricker has
tasted success almost immediately at Auckland.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Not really, because you know, although he finished off is
simply Sydney FC, and it's quite a disappointing manner. The
seasons before that, of course, he won back to back championships,
so you know he's a good coach and people tend
to forget those years of success when things go a
bit wrong, but you know, he's always been able to
(02:21):
put together a very competitive side. I think the criticism,
certainly in the latter days of Sydney FC, maybe even
before that, was that they weren't always that easy on
the eye, but they were always very effective. And you know,
key to it all is he gets his foreigners right
more often than not. And we know in the A
League that if you get your imports bang on the money,
(02:43):
then you've got half a chance. In this league, they're
supposed to raise their standards and I think he's certainly
done that with Auckland particularly impressed with Gmo Mai. I
think he's terrific for Strata. Another terrific sign in Natal
Moreno is very potent either off the bench or as
a start, and we saw that at the weekend as
(03:04):
well against Wellington. So you know, in tandem with Terry
mcclinn that they put together a super competitive squad. But
I think, you know, one of the things that has
really struck me over the course of the journey this
season is they're togetherness. When things have perhaps not been
going right, they've managed to dig out results or be
(03:26):
it a draw at some venues or wins in other games.
And that's the market not only a good side, but
potentially a championship went inside.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
You just want to draw down to that because or
you've watched the A League since the start, so have I.
You don't always have to have the best roster, do you.
You know, if you look around the league and you
look at teams that have gone deep, deep into competitions,
I think of the Western United side that won the
A League. You know, that's just one example. You don't
actually have to have a star studded roster, do you.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
No, you don't. I mean, obviously you know, some quality helps,
and I certainly don't think Auckland are without quality. There's
no doubt that they've got some very good players. But
I think if you have a togetherness in the squad,
a refusal to accept defeat, and I remember calling a
game against Melbourne City when it looked for all money
(04:21):
as though they're going to lose their unbeaten record, and
they managed to find and equalize it deep in stoppage time.
And it's not the only time they've done that this season.
And that's a really good quality to have, because you
can't be at your best week in week out in
a twenty six twenty seven round competition, but if you
can grind out results, get draws or pinch wins. When
(04:45):
you're not at your best, then you know you're going
to be in there with a shout. So they've got
most things right this season. It's difficult to find fault
with them, to be honest, on or off the pitch.
I think they've been an absolutely terrific addition to the
A League now. The only caveat I'll attached to that
is we saw twelve or thirty ten years ago Western
(05:07):
Sydney Wanderers announced themselves to the competition in very similar fashion.
You know, they won the premiership first go, got to
the Grand Final, although they didn't win it, and we
thought they were going to be a powerhouse for years
to come and one of the really big clubs in
the A League. Now, the Wanderers have sort of lost
their way over the last decade, partly due to the
(05:28):
departure of Dony Popovich, but there's been other reasons as well,
so that's something that Auckland have got to guard against.
This is all brand new at the moment and things
are flying on and off the field and it's great,
but obviously we want Auckland FC to be around in
fifty one hundred years time with you know, the crowds
just as big, if not bigger. So that's something they've
got to guard against in future years. But you can't
(05:51):
really fault what they're doing at the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, it's a good point you make, but you know,
you must look at the crowds. I mean, I've had
the very very happy privilege of being at the home games,
not down and the makes the active support up in
the sanctuary of the com box. But you must look
at those crowds and think, man, it just looks amazing
from your side of the tasma.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, and you know we're jealous of them in some ways.
Obviously we're you know, we have our own derbies that
draw big crowds. There was I think twenty two between
twenty two and twenty five at the Melbourne Derby on Saturday,
which was terrific. A couple of weeks ago I had
the privilege of calling the Sydney Galby when we had
thirty two and a half thousand there, which was for me,
(06:30):
the best atmosphere of the season. The one thing that
you know, we have a problem with and I've seen
sort of little hints of it over there in New
Zealand as well. We don't exactly have a friendly media here.
We have media that is invested in other sports and
they will look to find fault in supportive behavior in particular.
(06:52):
And it was very disappointing after the Sydney Derby to
pick up the paper the day after and see that
the headline was about a couple of flares being led
off twenty five kilometers away from the stadium, and you
know that Unfortunately, that's the stigma that this game has
to deal with on this side of the Tasman. I
don't know whether it's quite the same in New Zealand,
(07:12):
but you've got to be mindful of it. And you
know there's a lot of media outlets here who have
the vested interest in the game not succeeding. Again, I'm
not as familiar with the New Zealand media as I
am with the Australian media, but you know, things can
quickly unravel, so they need to guard against that. I'm
not saying it's going to happen, but over the course
(07:35):
of the journey, those things can start to become a
bit of an issue.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, well it hasn't happened here yet, but yeah, you're
right one to guard against.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
All right, all.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Right, Simon so ken Auckland see won the whole thing.
Are we talking about about them going one better than
the Western Sydney Wanderers and actually winning the toilet seat
as they call it in their first season.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
The Golden toilet?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yes, I don't see.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Any reason why not. I mean, to be honest, they've
got to be the favorites at the moment. Why wouldn't
they be eight points clear if they beat Adelaide's rightly
say at the weekend, and by the way, Adelaide worked
awful yesterday against Western United. In fairness to them, they've
got a lot of absentees, some of which might be
back for next week. But if they win next week
then that gap is eleven points. The premiership is well,
(08:22):
I hesitate to say almost theirs, but it will be
because the gap will be huge. So why can't they
go on and not only host the Grand Final but
win it? To be honest, I think it would be
a really good thing for football in the A League
if we had a Grand Final in New Zealand, something
that we haven't had as yet. By all accounts, I'm
sure they'd sell it out and that's where they played it,
(08:45):
so you know, We've got to celebrate these good parts
of the A League. There's plenty of focus on the negatives.
But Auckland have been our big success story this season
and if they host and win the Grand Final, they
will have deserved it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Great to get to you, Simon, Thanks for joining us
across New Zealand and lending us your expertise.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Pleasure Pineyer anytime, mate.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Good on you mate. That's Simon Hill. You'll recognize the
voice football fans as one of the A League's commentators.
He has been for a couple of decades, always a
voice of reason as well interesting points he makes there
about the media and Australia, and you have seen some
examples of that as well. Across the last little while.
It seems as though certain segments of the Australian media
(09:26):
are very keen to focus on any suggestion of off
field trouble. I haven't seen it happen here, and look,
I don't know that there's been any off field trouble
here to report upon. So long may that continued.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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