August 20, 2025 • 7 mins
Auckland FC have continued to add to their roster this transfer window, this time adding a new attacking threat to the roster in the English Sam Cosgrove.
D'Arcy had a chat with Sam to talk about the transfer, what skillset he is going to bring Auckland FC, how Chris Wood has revitalised the older style of striker and what made him want to make the move across the world.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from news Talk zid.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be and it's warm Welcome to the program. To Sam Cosgrove,
he's the brand new signing for Auckland FC in the
A League. Is a rather long character, a large character,
a six foot four character. In fact, Sam, they're calling
you the English giant. How does that sit with you?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, I don't mind it.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
I mean, I'm English and I'm probably not far off
being a giant, so it could be fairly accurate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's just part of why you got the call from Corica.
You standard, we old money six four one meter ninety two,
so you're definitely a target.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I mean, listen, I think that the managers I've said
a few chats to them now and he's he's keen
to get me in as kind of that follcre.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Point ap the top end of the pitch.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I'd like to think myself, like to think myself as
more of a traditional number nine in the way that playbook.
You know, I think that football these days you've got
to be incredibly adaptable, and that doesn't mean that there's
not a hell of a lot of running off the
ball within this team and within this league, so hopefully
I can bring a few different aspects to my game.
But in terms of kind of summing myself up, i'd
(01:17):
definitely say that traditional number nine, So hopefully I can
kind of fit them all that the manager's asking of me.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I've read that you bring physicality with you predominantly because
of your size. Is that a fear way to describe it? Agricultural?
You're just going to run through people and over the
top of them.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I mean I kind of realized fairly soon in my
career that was never going to be the most skillful
or quickest player in the world, so I had to
utilize one of the big strength I had, and that
was always my size. So, as I said, being that
focal point, you know, occupying defenders at the top end
of the pitch and either being effective in that myself
(01:59):
or kind of creating diversions and you know, opening up
space and avenues for our more technically gifted players. You know,
either or is definitely a very very short fire way
to be reliant on the picture.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You remind me of one of the New Zealand superstars
in the EPL, Chris Wood, huge agricultural right out the middle.
It's not a big comparison, is it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I mean listen that the big Chris Wood is almost
revolutionized kind of center forward play again within the within
the English leagues. I mean, we were kind of moving
away from the old traditional types of football, you know,
with false nines and runners in behind, and he's kind
of coming and blowing a breath of fresh air into
(02:47):
the league and showing that you know, these kind of
center forwards they're not They're not a dying breed and
they can still be incredibly effective when used in the
right way. And you know, he's had an unbelievable season
last year and he's started off on fire again this year.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
So you're a long.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Way from home. This is your time playing outside of
Great Britain. I believe you've been playing all over in
various different leagues. Now you coming to the other side
of the world. You're not shy Why the move? Why
getting so far away from your country?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
No, definitely mean you said just then that I've kind
of played all over the UK, and you know, I
think I kind of needed a little bit of a
fresh start with my career and something to kick start
myself again and this was, you know, as an opportunity
that came.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Completely out of the blue.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
But the more that I looked into the club, the league, obviously,
the country itself, the city, it was something that really
really appealed to me, so kind of once I got there,
the green light from from my better half, it was
it was a bit of a no brainer in the end.
And you know, I'm not I've not looked back since.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What have you made of the place since you've turned up?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Was?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It had expectations Even though it's kind of winter, it's
not exactly winter, is it.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
No? I mean, listen, it's it's nothing. It's nothing like
the winter in the UK. Jesus, we'd be incredibly lucky
to get a day like this evening spring that I'm
looking out at the moment. But now that the city
itself has been incredibly impressive, I mean the size of it,
where the facilities within the stadium, the training ground, and
(04:27):
then even just wandering around the city in the daytime
and nighttime with the jet lag is a really cool place.
And it's somewhere that I can definitely see myself settling
in for the next couple of years.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And three hundred odd games, seventy goals. Where are you
concerning your prime in where you put your best foot form?
Because you've played in the Scottish Premiership, you've played a
lot of Championship League One as well, are you coming
toward the best days? Do you think?
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I think in terms of my all round play, in
terms of kind of the physicality, the experience, the know how,
I definitely think that as an all around player, I'm
almost I'm the best I've been.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
However that probably don't back that up.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I mean, it's easy to see that when I was
up in Scotland it was kind of my most successful
period in front of goal and statistically, but as a
striker sometimes you can find yourself in a rich ragn
of form or poor vein of form, and you know,
in terms of goal scoring, definitely up in Scotland was
my most prolific point. Obviously getting promoted with Plymouth, I
(05:35):
had a very very successful season in terms of gold
contributions per minute. But that yeah, in terms of where
my all round game is at the moment, I'm really
happy where it is and hopefully I can kind of
bring everything together and have a successful period at Auckland got.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Over here pretty fast. It's all about preseason, so definitely
dedicated or was it something Steve Corker demanded, we want
you here now, pell.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean, obviously there's a there's a fairly
extensive visa program is a application to get into the country.
But as soon as we had the green light on everything,
it was kind of pack as many bags as you
can and get on the next flight over here, which sounds.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Easier than it is, but we got it done in
the end.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And yeah, luckily I made it here safely, and I'm
ready and raring to go.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Mate. It's a long way. I hope they stack you
in business or first class, because a man, if you're
linked stuck an economy, they'll just be torture, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Luckily, me and the partner had a we had a
we had a row each, so we were fairly spread
out and it wasn't it wasn't too bad.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I managed to get some sleep on the plane.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So as far as the quality of the league, what
the A league is, you would have talked to a
number of people about what it brings and how you
could be effective in this league. What did you ascertain
after that? And of course watching video of what a
case if C you have to offer, WI do you
fit in?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yeah, definitely mean and I think the two main things
that have kind of stuck in my head. It's not
an overly physical league, so hopefully I can kind of
be that focal point at the top end of the
pitch and show the robustness and the physicality that I have.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
But then I touched on it before.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
You know that the running and the distance that these
guys cover within their matches is much higher than over
in the UK, So that would definitely be something that
I have to work on myself, trying to get my
running numbers up. But now, apart from that, I think
I should I should hopefully have a really positive effect
on the league and for the team you're watching the
(07:41):
team that they look like a team that really want
to get the ball forward quickly. Plenty of crosses in
the box, which is you know, music to my ears.
So yeah, I'm going to be the one trying to
get on the end of all the good deliveries that
have been put in.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
For more from Sports Talk, listen Lived and US Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays or follow the podcast
on Ihard Radio,
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from news Talk zid.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be and it's warm Welcome to the program. To Sam Cosgrove,
he's the brand new signing for Auckland FC in the
A League. Is a rather long character, a large character,
a six foot four character. In fact, Sam, they're calling
you the English giant. How does that sit with you?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, I don't mind it.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
I mean, I'm English and I'm probably not far off
being a giant, so it could be fairly accurate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's just part of why you got the call from Corica.
You standard, we old money six four one meter ninety two,
so you're definitely a target.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I mean, listen, I think that the managers I've said
a few chats to them now and he's he's keen
to get me in as kind of that follcre.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Point ap the top end of the pitch.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I'd like to think myself, like to think myself as
more of a traditional number nine in the way that playbook.
You know, I think that football these days you've got
to be incredibly adaptable, and that doesn't mean that there's
not a hell of a lot of running off the
ball within this team and within this league, so hopefully
I can bring a few different aspects to my game.
But in terms of kind of summing myself up, i'd
(01:17):
definitely say that traditional number nine, So hopefully I can
kind of fit them all that the manager's asking of me.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I've read that you bring physicality with you predominantly because
of your size. Is that a fear way to describe it? Agricultural?
You're just going to run through people and over the
top of them.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I mean I kind of realized fairly soon in my
career that was never going to be the most skillful
or quickest player in the world, so I had to
utilize one of the big strength I had, and that
was always my size. So, as I said, being that
focal point, you know, occupying defenders at the top end
of the pitch and either being effective in that myself
(01:59):
or kind of creating diversions and you know, opening up
space and avenues for our more technically gifted players. You know,
either or is definitely a very very short fire way
to be reliant on the picture.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You remind me of one of the New Zealand superstars
in the EPL, Chris Wood, huge agricultural right out the middle.
It's not a big comparison, is it.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I mean listen that the big Chris Wood is almost
revolutionized kind of center forward play again within the within
the English leagues. I mean, we were kind of moving
away from the old traditional types of football, you know,
with false nines and runners in behind, and he's kind
of coming and blowing a breath of fresh air into
(02:47):
the league and showing that you know, these kind of
center forwards they're not They're not a dying breed and
they can still be incredibly effective when used in the
right way. And you know, he's had an unbelievable season
last year and he's started off on fire again this year.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
So you're a long.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Way from home. This is your time playing outside of
Great Britain. I believe you've been playing all over in
various different leagues. Now you coming to the other side
of the world. You're not shy Why the move? Why
getting so far away from your country?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
No, definitely mean you said just then that I've kind
of played all over the UK, and you know, I
think I kind of needed a little bit of a
fresh start with my career and something to kick start
myself again and this was, you know, as an opportunity
that came.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Completely out of the blue.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
But the more that I looked into the club, the league, obviously,
the country itself, the city, it was something that really
really appealed to me, so kind of once I got there,
the green light from from my better half, it was
it was a bit of a no brainer in the end.
And you know, I'm not I've not looked back since.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What have you made of the place since you've turned up?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Was?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It had expectations Even though it's kind of winter, it's
not exactly winter, is it.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
No? I mean, listen, it's it's nothing. It's nothing like
the winter in the UK. Jesus, we'd be incredibly lucky
to get a day like this evening spring that I'm
looking out at the moment. But now that the city
itself has been incredibly impressive, I mean the size of it,
where the facilities within the stadium, the training ground, and
(04:27):
then even just wandering around the city in the daytime
and nighttime with the jet lag is a really cool place.
And it's somewhere that I can definitely see myself settling
in for the next couple of years.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And three hundred odd games, seventy goals. Where are you
concerning your prime in where you put your best foot form?
Because you've played in the Scottish Premiership, you've played a
lot of Championship League One as well, are you coming
toward the best days? Do you think?
Speaker 4 (04:56):
I think in terms of my all round play, in
terms of kind of the physicality, the experience, the know how,
I definitely think that as an all around player, I'm
almost I'm the best I've been.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
However that probably don't back that up.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I mean, it's easy to see that when I was
up in Scotland it was kind of my most successful
period in front of goal and statistically, but as a
striker sometimes you can find yourself in a rich ragn
of form or poor vein of form, and you know,
in terms of goal scoring, definitely up in Scotland was
my most prolific point. Obviously getting promoted with Plymouth, I
(05:35):
had a very very successful season in terms of gold
contributions per minute. But that yeah, in terms of where
my all round game is at the moment, I'm really
happy where it is and hopefully I can kind of
bring everything together and have a successful period at Auckland got.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Over here pretty fast. It's all about preseason, so definitely
dedicated or was it something Steve Corker demanded, we want
you here now, pell.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean, obviously there's a there's a fairly
extensive visa program is a application to get into the country.
But as soon as we had the green light on everything,
it was kind of pack as many bags as you
can and get on the next flight over here, which sounds.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Easier than it is, but we got it done in
the end.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And yeah, luckily I made it here safely, and I'm
ready and raring to go.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Mate. It's a long way. I hope they stack you
in business or first class, because a man, if you're
linked stuck an economy, they'll just be torture, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Luckily, me and the partner had a we had a
we had a row each, so we were fairly spread
out and it wasn't it wasn't too bad.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I managed to get some sleep on the plane.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So as far as the quality of the league, what
the A league is, you would have talked to a
number of people about what it brings and how you
could be effective in this league. What did you ascertain
after that? And of course watching video of what a
case if C you have to offer, WI do you
fit in?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yeah, definitely mean and I think the two main things
that have kind of stuck in my head. It's not
an overly physical league, so hopefully I can kind of
be that focal point at the top end of the
pitch and show the robustness and the physicality that I have.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
But then I touched on it before.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
You know that the running and the distance that these
guys cover within their matches is much higher than over
in the UK, So that would definitely be something that
I have to work on myself, trying to get my
running numbers up. But now, apart from that, I think
I should I should hopefully have a really positive effect
on the league and for the team you're watching the
(07:41):
team that they look like a team that really want
to get the ball forward quickly. Plenty of crosses in
the box, which is you know, music to my ears.
So yeah, I'm going to be the one trying to
get on the end of all the good deliveries that
have been put in.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
For more from Sports Talk, listen Lived and US Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays or follow the podcast
on Ihard Radio,
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