Football Fever with News Talks MB's voice of Football, Jason Paine and Bonnie Jensen.
Welcome into Football Fever with FIFA Plus stream New Zealand football live and free on FIFA plus dot com on Jason Pine. Bonnie Jensen is here and as we record, we're just over forty eight hours out from another massive occasion in New Zealand football, sellout crowd and coming for New Zealand Derby two point zero.
Bonnie, how are you feeling.
Derby two point zero? Piney, I'm so excited. I am like a bit gutted that it's come around so quickly. I probably would have liked a few more weeks in between each Derby's you know, it's only thirty five days between when they played at Wellington to what's going to happen on Saturday. But nevertheless, super excited. The sun's meant to be shining and obviously sold out as you.
Say, yeah, it's a good point you make because I guess, in ideal terms, when you have a draw for a season, if you're playing a team three times, you space it out, don't you. But it'll only be the sixth game that the Phoenix have played and Aukland next week because they they've had the buy as well, and they've played the same team twice, where there's been a whole bunch of teams they haven't even locked horns with. But here we are, and you know, no point complaining about a sold outgo
Media Stadium on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Just in very general terms, who do you think are favorites for the game?
I think Auckland FC are one hundred percent favorites, you know, obviously given their start to the season five wins in or you know, five straight wins, clean sheets. But they're also playing at home and yes it's kind of a Phoenix home game depending on how you look at it. But yeah, you can't you can't criticize their start. So yeah, Auckland are the bookies' favorites.
Yeah, well, if you trust the actual bookies. I'm just looking at the odds right now. Auckland FC a dollar ninety one. Wellington are paying three dollars ninety to win this game. I think that's pretty good money for Wellington if you fancy a flutter on, who are now the away team? Because you know, Phoenix has been coming to Auckland for over ten years, and they've always been the home team when.
They're there, and they've played well there.
They've only lost one of their eighteen games in Auckland, so they always play well up there. But it's a complete flip of the script, isn't it. They're going to have a small little pocket of yellow Fever and that's.
All it is. And I'm excited to see how many Yellow Fever fans turn out and how many you know, Auckland is is wearing Phoenix fans and they've stuck by, you know, they've stuck with their loyalty. I'm going to be surprised if there's not a good, decent chunk of fans wearing yellow shirts. I don't know if it's too soon to call it pioneer. I mean, we'll probably do our predictions at the end of the podcast, but I think Wellington, the Wellington Phoenix will win this game.
I actually agree, And let's get to our predictions at the end. But I actually agree, and I think even and we'll explain our reasons why. I think it's the best narrative as well. If the Phoenix were to go there on Saturday and win as Auckland did a month ago in Wellington and one it just completes a brilliant narrative. And then we've got number three to come, which we do have to wait a while for. It's not to
the back end of February. But yeah, look, let's let's not get let's not get too far ahead of ourself.
Just on the yellow foevere to all.
So, obviously there's the designated block, but you expect all around the ground there to be dots of yellow.
Oh, I hope so, and I hope in that designated area. You know, it's a big chunk. I'm hoping. You know that there were what five hundred Auckland supporters down in Wellington for that derby a month ago. I'm hoping there's more. There's more yellow, you know. Wellington Phoenix fans, yes, dotted around as well, potentially, but I'm pretty sure they're banned from anywhere in the south stand or anywhere in the
port section at least. Bumped into a couple of Phoenix fans at the opening game who said, no, we can't go and sit in there with a Phoenix scarf on. So yeah, definitely going to going to be interesting to see if there's any fans trying to sneak in there and cause some banter.
No, I mean, why would you though that's the That's like Auckland fans trying to get into yellow Fever and Wellington. I mean, it's just no point in it, because there there's no point in it. There's plenty of other places to sit. You're right about the yellow Fever zone that will be absolutely rammed with Phoenix fans. I don't know how many tickets were allocated their way, but it's got to be let's say, three four, five, one hundred, let's say up in that section. We talked earlier in the
year about the placement of that of that zone. It seems an odd place for me to have the away fans up, you know, up in an upper tier up to the port's left. I would have preferred it if they were at the other end, you know, if they were at they were end on, like in Wellington, for example, the port were all down the northern end.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I know they can't do it because of the bank and all that sort of thing, but it seems like an odd place for the away fans to be.
So they're quite close to each other, and I actually think that's a really annoying thing for the Port because I think the Yellow Fever out chant the Port. You know, they've got some amazing existing chants which I could roll off my tongue, you know, growing up down there. You know, ones that have been around for years. But and I think they're going to be loud and you know, the Port of building their chances as we speak and as
we go on these weeks. So yeah, it's a shame for the Port that they're so close to the Yellow Fever, I think in this instance.
Yeah, but in many ways that'll make them lift their game as well, won't it, you know, And you're right, I mean Yellow Fever have had a seventeen year head start on the Port in terms of getting their chants and getting themselves in unison and that sort of thing. But I thought the Port did a pretty good job down at Wellington when they came down for the for the first derby, and obviously it helps when you win. So yeah, we look forward to seeing the interaction between
the two sets of fans on the pitch. Let's drill down a little bit into this. Who do you perceive to be the really important players for both sites?
Well?
I think for the Phoenix, undoubtedly someone like Alex ruth A Costa Barbarus's Tim Payne. You know, the three or whites that are going to need to step up and keep their team together. Obviously, you know mentally it's a huge game for them coming up here. But at the same time, the Japanese imports have been so good and I think it's going to be probably an import from either side who's going to decide the team when it
comes to Auckland. I think the back line Alex Paulson and Nando and Dan Hall in front of them, they're going to need to be switched on because no doubt Chief he has analyzed over these first five six weeks exactly how to break this back line down, and that's currently how to clean sheet.
Yeah, I think the most important player for Auckland is the bloke who plays the same position as Alex Rufer does for the Phoenix, and that's Lou for Strata. I think the way that he is sat in front of that back four and just basically cut teams off at the pass even before you get to the back four. And Alex Bawson. When a team keeps five clean sheets, you go man. The goalkeeper must be good, and he is. And you say, well, the back four must be really good, and they are. But I think he's the man. I
think he's like a nightclub bouncer. He just sits in front of that back four and he's any trouble, he just turns it away.
Yeah, he's I expected him to be taller than what he was, and when I caught up with him during the week, I was I think it's just his presence on the park. I said to him. I was like, oh, I thought you were taller, and I think I offended him quite quite a bit. But I think it's just because his presence on the park is just incredible, you know. He stands so tall and dominates as you say, so, Yeah, he is another key player for Auckland.
Yeah.
They always look bigger on TV, do, don't they. I've often thought that about players you go down to. I thought the same about Giguomo Mai when I interviewed him after the first game, and he was.
A lot, you know, more short of stature. Then I thought.
You look at them out on the pitch, and yet they sort of growl a little bit, don't they on the on the television and in the way that they play. Let's hear a few of the answers that luisva Strata gave you when you chet up to them the other day about Auckland's excellent start to their their life and the a.
Leg I knew we had a good team when I arrived here, but winning five games in a row not conceding a goal is quite extraordinary, so I didn't expect it to be honest. Yeah, we just take each game individually and we tried to keep the nill as far as much as possible each game, so we'll see how far we can take this. I think we have quality wise, that we have a good squad. It all starts for me with quality. So this is the quality is really good,
the players and stuff everyone involved. And also we are all like I think, good, good people as well, so we are we are a good team and it's it's falls together nicely. Yeah. I think everyone is doing really well. You know, nobody is standing out. I think our strength is the team as a whole, not the individual, so I think that's that's how strengthened. Also that each player is is interchangeable, so we are like HAROKEI didn't play last weekend. Someone else came in and we performed just
as good. So for me, is this seem so we have a good squad. We have Dibtzel. That's the that's the real, the real strengthening team.
That is the voice of Louis Vastrata.
So I think that last comment was in response to the question you asked him about about his own performances. You suggested to him that a lot of people in the media, fans, everybody are saying how impressive he's been. He was very quick to deflect away from himself, wasn't he.
Yeah, he was. I don't know if that's a cheeky thing to me to ask, especially when Francis to Reez was standing right next to us. But he has been He has been stand out, and I'm sure all of his teammates and the coaches have have noticed that. And as you say, Piney, he's been so key for this team and will be again on Saturday.
So when you look at the way they're going to line up, if Hiroki Sakai is fit, he'll clearly come back and out right back. I thought Callin Elliott had a good game there the other day. His first game of football for a long time. We can go into the reasons for that another day. But I thought he came in and played really well. But Hiroki sarkives the captain of the team. If he's fits, he plays, So let's assume he does, you know, past whatever fitness tests
he needs to and starts. Can you see any other changes to the starting side for Auckland FC.
You know, I think you're right. Hiroki does start, and I understand that he is first and he's saving himself for this game. The only other questionable one is whether Nata Moreno comes in for the likes of Logan Rogerson or Liam Gillion. He scored an absolute worldy of a goal in the last game. It was just yes, so so nice kind of half volley on the side of the foot. But you know, whether he deserves his starting
position or not after that goal, I'm not sure. I think I get the feeling, and I asked Steve Croker as well. I get the feeling he's going to stick with that same starting lineup that's kind of worked for him so well. And Nata Moreno's come on in a couple of games now and you know, done a job. So yeah, why change that up?
Yeah, all I'd say is that I'm not sure that Logan Rogerson has absolutely seized his opportunity in this team. No, he got the start at the start of the season, but he and Liam Gilligan, because I mean you watched a lot of their preseason and it was Gillian and Rogerson who kind of jumped the kill a little bit ahead of Jesse Randall and Joey Champness really for those starting spots because Nadal Moreno of course was late arriving, wasn't He didn't get that till right at the start
of the season, so he wasn't ready to start. But I don't know whether I think Liam Gillian's done enough. I'm not sure that Logan Rogerson has done absolutely enough to hold off Nate A Moreno. And as you and I've said a lot, you know, if you're an import, you really need to be starting. If it's not this week, I get the feeling at some stage he will. I wonder whether it is this week that Moreno gets let off the leash from the start.
Yeah, and I don't mind it from choreography, does decide to do it, you know, change it up? Chief, He's probably expecting that Loan does start and they go with what worked well for them. But you're right Piney, and I agree that I don't think Logan's had a great couple of last games. You know, he obviously scored in that opener, which shows he's good and big moments, so maybe that's why they'll go with him again. But it is close to call, and again, a great problem to have.
Yeah, it's good. It's good.
A good problem to have for Steve Coriker, not just there, but right across his squad just before we moved to Wellington Phoenix. Auckland FC could break a couple more records this weekend. The most minutes without conceding at the start of an A League season is four hundred and sixty nine. The Mariners did that in the seven eight season, so if Auckland FC don't concede before the twenty minute mark,
they will beat that record. That seventeen year old record now the most minutes without conceding at the start of any season in Australian men's league history. And this is going back before the A League, back to the National Soccer League as it used to be called four Dred seventy four minutes by Preston Macedonia in nineteen eighty six. So if Auckland don't concede before the twenty five minute mark, they'll beat that record as well, which is thirty.
Eight years old.
And finally, if they were to keep another clean sheet, that would be six. No one in a league history has ever kept six consecutive clean sheets. It's quite the remarkable set of records that they've put together and continue to look to break.
That's yeah, that's crazy. I mean, whoever searched this up, whether it was you pioneers.
Impressive, wasn't mean no, it wasn't me. No, it wasn't me.
Andy Howe, who is the A Leagu's official statistician, has provided these numbers. But yeah, as impressive as the researchers, the you know, the continual ability to just keep goals out of their net is amazing by Auckland FC.
It is. And you know, I asked Steve as well earlier during the week, you know, because they bring on Tommy Smith as their kind of closer for the match and they you know, kind of go to the A three at the back and they've got a real plan to kind of keep this clean sheet. Record going and very very tight defensively. Well done to Alex Paulson, who you know could have gone either way coming in. Yeah,
very impressed. And you know those Kiwi boys in particular Nando, Alex Paulson, Francis Devrez, Tommy Smith, they're all putting their hand up for the All Whites.
I noticed from Alex Paulson as well. You know, at the start of the season and certainly in the first derby, which was in Wellington, he was a little bit reserved in terms of a celebrations. Yess, he celebrated with the team and all that. But after that game the other day against Newcastle, he's whacking the badge on his chest and he's all in Auckland.
I've seen now is in the ap.
Yeah, no, he is. And actually shout out to Dane Ingham, was it, who played for Newcastle, who's also a Kiwi. I thought he was. He was great in that game against AFC, and you know he clearly had a bit of a grudge against his fellow Kiwi players and yeah, hopefully someone like Darren Baize was watching.
Yeah, I thought, no, you're bang on. I thought Danning was the best Newcastle Jets player. You know, it was in a battle with Francis Devreeze up and down Newcastle's right Auckland's left. He had to deal with Liam Gillian as well and the strikers. So yeah, I thought, thought, yeah,
Danningham had a really good game. All right then, So in the face of all of that, how do Wellington Phoenix become the first team to break down Auckland f C. And the second part of that question is do you have faith that gian Carlo Italiano has a plan to do that?
Oh?
He has a plan, Pioney, he has a plan. He's a very smart man, very smart coach. I really rate him as a coach. And you know, if it wasn't for that blunder that josh Aliwayimi, you know, conceded in that first match, it would have been nill Like. I truly believe that. So they are not to be ruled out whatsoever coming into this game. Despite auckland season incredible start. You know, the Phoenix two have had a great start. I think you told me Pine it's the second best
start in the club's history. So they've got a plan and I again, I think they're gonna win. As they said earlier.
Yeah, look, let's jump into predictions. I think they'll win it as well. I think they'll win it one nil. This isn't going to be a three all draw or a five to four thriller. Both teams are very good defensively. We talk about Auckland's The Phoenix have only at three in and they're five games, and two of those were against Auckland. You know, one was the mistake by Olloway Emmy and the other one was a goal when when Willington were chasing the game in the ninety seventh minute.
So they're both very good defensively. I just feel as though Wellington have more tools to unlock Auckland than vice versa. We've talked about Logan Rogerson. You know, Liam Gillians had seventeen shots without scoring. Gmo Mais only got one goal in five games. You know, A Brimmer got those two goals against Wellington, but they were a little bit you know,
they're not necessarily a result of cutting teams apart. The only goal I can think of where they really cut a team apart was the very first goal they got, that own goal against Brucebane, where it was that really lovely passing move down the right Sarko puts it across the box and Harry Vandersarke puts it in his own net, so they're not taking teams apart, whereas I just feel with Barbarusis, Marco Roja Sa Dicky a Shiga that Wellington do have those game breakets.
Yeah, they do, and obviously plenty more experience in the league, so that's definitely something to consider. You're right, Pineyer in terms of I don't know if it's too harsh to say, but a lot of Auckland's goals have been quite fluky, but at the same time they have managed to close out games regardless. So yeah, the next will be aware of that, but I feel like they've got a plan to Yeah, they'll be looking at that defense in terms of how to break them down. And remember, Alex Poulsen
was the goalkeeper last year. They know him probably better than what his own teammates know him currently.
You know, what would be an amazing scenario to play out in this game would be a penalty to Phoenix. Alex Paulson what last year save three of the five penalties he faced in a Wellington Phoenix shirt. He knows, Alex Rufer, he knows Costa barbarusis who are I guess two of the more likely penalty takers.
He knows which way they typically go. He would have faced.
Goodness only knows how many penalties from both of them during training down the years. Imagine if there's a ninety fourth minute penalty for Wellington Phoenix to win it, and it's Alex Paulson staring down Alex Rufer.
Imagine and it's down that end of the port and the yellow fever where they are, I could just oh, it would be so exciting if that were to happen. And as you say, you know, great for the narrative. Yeah, I don't know. I feel I'd feel so nervous for app and you know whoever is to take the Phoenix, but it would make a pretty iritable story.
Yeah, I think it was. It was a mount smart when he saved that one from Jamie McLaren last year, wasn't it for men Melbourne City? So he knows the ground well, obviously it's his homeground. Now, so many layers to this. Yeah, So I've got the Phoenix winning at one nil.
Okay, I also have the Phoenix winning at one nil or nil. All it's going to be like a really annoying grudge deadlock match which everyone will be gutted about.
Well, I think you think about the first Derby and that was nil all for eighty nine minutes.
That's what I mean. It's going to be another one of those. And I hope it's not. I hope it's a five four thriller, as you say, but I just don't think it's going to be.
No.
I just don't think it's in either of these teams DNA to open themselves up so much at the back they let four or five goals in. It just feels as though it was going to be cag And I remember saying in commentary in the first one that it felt more and more as the game went on, as though it was going to be a moment of utter brilliance or a mistake by somebody, and it was, you know,
hindsight a wonderful thing, but it was. It was a mistake by Olloway Emmy that opened the door for Auckland f C. What your hope is that actually the game is broken open by a moment of magic. What would be good, Bonnie, would be an early goal.
Yeah, that would be great to get an early goal. First half goal. Because what you've got the stat Painty that a lot of Auckland f C's goals have come really late, and it's it's not fun for a footballer, ye or it's not I mean maybe for a football fan like us who get it. You know, we understand the ins and outs of it. But there's going to be a lot of you know, neutral fans that you know are there for the spectacle and we want goals. So I hope there's an early goal.
Yeah.
Six of their eight goals Auckland f C have come after the seventy five minute mark, so yeah, so they are late scorers, but they find a way. Even that Jets game the other day, it's nil all going past the eightieth minute and they went at two nil they found away. Same with Sydney FC, you know, one nil sorry nil all deep into at a time and Nando Pinicke back heels won and for one nill they find a way and you know they They're momentum has been terrific.
The longer, the longer the game is drawn out, Auckland f C win right, So the Phoenix, if they're winning this game, they need to get on the board early. I don't think they're the ones, you know, scoring late.
Yeah, it's an interesting little dynamic, asn't they have. They haven't had to score late this season Wellington, have they to? They did again the other day against Melbourne victory Melbourne. Yeah that was That was the latest goal by Costa barbarusis linking with Marco Rojas. The two Neil one over Perth was was a goal in each half. The three one over the Mariners. They would turn a love at halftime.
So yeah, yeah, yeah, I think well Auckland have proven themselves to be these, you know, the masters of the late show. So so maybe it comes that way again now Corbyn Piper just wanted to hear from him. He played for Birkenhead, of course for a long long time. Not a long time, but he certainly played for Birkenhead this year. He set some time in Ireland as well,
I think, but born and raised in Auckland. He's now with the Phoenix and as there as a utility really I think you played in a sort of a creative midfield role for Bergenhead, but he's been playing sort of right back, center back, even up top off the bench for Wellington during the week I spoke briefly with him and asked him if he thought that actually coming from Auckland, whether Auckland f C might be his more natural road into the pro game.
Initially, it was Auckland f C for me, like I was, that was my goal. I didn't really think about Wellington Phoenix because I did think that they were pretty academy focused and you had to be in the academy to then graduate into the first thing, which is how it should be. I think that's a really good way of doing it. So yeah, I was looking at Auckland f C and playing as a ten. I just felt there just wasn't room and Auckland FC for me as a ten.
But thankfully Wellington Phoenix actually looked outside the academy and looked at me in different positions and looked at my best attributes i'd say, and slid me into a center back or fullback or striker role. So yeah, that's just how it came about. Yeah, that's it. Well, I can speak on behalf of all the boys. We're pretty keen to smash them and get rid of that wedding street good.
But a heat there at the end from Corbyn Piper, I think he's pretty keen to be involved in a game on home. So interesting that yeah, he was passed over by Auckland FC. I don't know whether they looked at him or not, but yeah, it's an interesting little storyline that he's ended up down in Wellington.
Yeah.
I hope he gets more game time for Wellington because I had heard of him during the kind of Northern League phase just from some mates and football going, hey, keep an eye on this guy. He's really good. So yeah, glad he's been picked up by either of the teams, and just hope he gets, you know, more minutes for the knicks and whatever position that is by It sounds he's all over the place all right.
Just to finish, as we've said, huge crowd in coming officially sold out. You sent me a link this morning for tickets on trade me going for quite a bit more than they would have been bought.
For actually crazy like four hundred bucks. Scalpers are trying to sell them off for and I mean, you know, it's it's terrible, and anyone listening to this podcast, don't buy those tickets. As Nick Becker said to told The Herald that you know, go and watch it at a bar. There's plenty of great bars you know, around the country to watch it from rather than or around Auckland, rather than paying that much for a ticket if it's legit
or not. But I think the funny thing is the fact that this A League match is getting so much hype that these scalpers are like, oh, let's give it a go. You know, I feel like that that would have never happened in the A League maybe a final or something like that. But yeah, pretty incredible.
Never ever, never, ever, ever, you know, has anybody ever not been able to get a ticket to a football match in New Zealand?
Is the is the question? Really? And it would have happened.
Maybe maybe maybe the Football World Cup last year.
Yes, that's that's a good example, Yes, that one. But a mystic game between two New Zealand sides. I don't think it. I don't.
Oh it's bah Rain.
Yeah, but again an international game, not domestic between I mean, if you'd said to me, you know a year ago when Auckland first was mooted as a possibility in the A League, Okay, six or seven weeks into the regular season, you're going to have to go to a scalper and pay four hundred bucks for a ticket to watch this team play.
It would have been laughed out of town.
Bonnie laughed at sound exactly. And you know, hats off again to Auckland FC's marketing that they've they've made it this way. They've opened up the seating, they opened up the north stand, the bank and they're trying to break the record by a cheeky number one more than what the Wellington Phoenix got. So yeah, it hats off to the marketing team of Auckland f C. And yeah, just
making this derby so incredible. You know, it is going to be a special occasion and I'm just gutted that these scalpers are kind of ruining it.
Yeah, I mean I think someone will buy the tickets. Yes, some I think like a rich dad or mum will buy it for their kids. Well, they'll buy a couple of tickets, and there'll be people who want to go to the game haven't been able to get a ticket, and we'll just say, oh, okay, well I'll pay the four hundred bucks's I mean, it's a regular season game. It's just incredible we're even talking about this. But again, it's an illustration of just what has happened around this
new A League club. Jacob Spoonley, friend of the podcast and my co commentator on Sky Sport, does have. He wanted me to tell people he's got one ticket to give away, but he's and he's doing it on x or Twitter. So hit up Jacob Spoonley on Twitter. You'll find the post. You've got to reply to it with a good reason why you should get it or something like that.
Yeah. I don't know how Jacob's ended up with one ticket.
I mean, it would be more palatable if it was a family pass or something like that. But he's got the one ticket and he wanted me to shout it out. So hit him up and you could be the the twenty six, two d and fifty third person there ensuring that the regular season's season attendance record is broken. On Saturday at Mount Smart.
The FFFE with Piny and Body.
Let's go to the Wellington Phoenix Women. They're back in action after their bye week or the international break or was it the buye that they had, It doesn't really matter. They didn't play last weekend. They played this coming Sunday four o'clock back home at Pottido Park. They had their first win in U Nite Round, beating Adelaide United one nil in Sydney. Pretty important for them to get a win after three straight losses.
I thought it was so cool they got a win by a not so bad goal and that they played a right I felt like it was coming for this team, that they were going to get a result soon. They've got a good, good team, regardless of how many players left last season, and I loved that they won over there, which seems like ages ago now, but they had a great yellow fever continue there on the sidelines that they all celebrated with after and then obviously the men went
on to win later that weekend. So yeah, great that they got the three points and hopefully they can continue it on this weekend.
Yeah it was coming, wasn't it, Because what they lost the previous week one nil to New cast or the week before that one nil to Canberra.
They had that terrible.
Twenty minutes in the first game against Western United when they let four and that game was gone. They haven't actually been that bad, and defensively they've been pretty good, like I say, and now in the last three games only two goals conceded, so they're tightening themselves up there. I'd love to see more up top from them, you know, I'd love to see some of the you know, some of the goal scoring prowess of the likes of Emma Maine,
Olivia Ferguson the New Import. We saw Mia McCutcheon score a goal that won them the game against Adelaide United. But yeah, I know, without Mney, Una speke Meyer and without Laboring the point watch her banging and goals for Melbourne City, as we've talked about a couple of times on the podcast, and just what a huge loss he was to that team.
Well there's no reason why Grace Jarlay, who is you know, had got quite a few caps for New Zealand, played at a World Cup, why she can't be you know, banging in goals and nothing against Grace, you know, but I think the team needs to find a way to unlock, unlock a player like Grace Jarlay, even someone like a
list of win him. You know, she's so close. So I think it's coming for this this team as long as they you know, don't they're not They're not too hard on themselves and they stick together because you know, if these results don't come. You know how how tense it becomes between between teammates and things like that. So they've got to stay together and hope that they can keep building off this most recent result.
Yeah, another reason why it was important to get it right. If they've gone four games without a win, then all of a sudden you start to wonder where it's going to come from. Now they've got it, they got Brisbane, then they go away to Melbourne, victory, home to Sydney FC and away to Melbourne City. So it's a tough December for Paul Temple's team. Brisbane a second three wins
and a last. They lost their opening game to Canberra, but then they've won their last three one nil, three nil and four nil, so they're good defensively as well. A coach by former Wellington Phoenix men's player Alex Smith, so he'll enjoy a return back to back to Wellington, although the game will be played at Potido A Park. Really sad news about Rebecca Lake though, Bonnie another defender out for the season for Wellington.
Yeah, you message me Piney saying there needs to be more education around a cl injuries and women's sport, and I couldn't agree more. It's yeah, just so gutting. I really rate Rebecca Lake as a player. You know, she was so good on the domestic scene for so long, got her opportunity with the Next last season, and yeah, just or was she her season with the next last year was cut short? Wasn't it? With another injury? But yeah, just so gutted that that she's.
Done her a cl and Wells is an ankle. It's great, Yeah, it's it's Malia Steinmetz has done the ace. How that's when I sent you that message.
But the thing is a rambo.
But even even the fact that that, you know, it was like another one another one, another one exactly, you know, I mean, I feel terrible for for Rebecca Lake. I think she's an absolute positive force around that group, was really starting to find her way without MAURICEA.
Vandermere there.
She was set to be a big part of that, you know, that Phoenix defense alongside Mac Bowry. And I just rarely like the way she goes about her football. And as you say, missing some of last season and now all of this such a you know, because you only get a small window for these things.
You know.
Yeah, and she's quite a senior player, I guess. I mean she's still young. I want to say she's twenty four to twenty five, but she's she's quite you know, played in big games domestically, so yeah, definitely a big loss is a leader at the back. But yeah, just just gutted. It's another person on the season in season ending injury list.
Olivia Kelly has been brought in by the Wellington Phoenix. She is an American center back. She will be available, as I understand it, for the game on Sunday. She is taking up her first professional contract. She played in college over in the US for New Hampshire Wildcats before joining the North Carolina State wolf Pack. I think it is yeah, North Carolina State University. The wolf Pack is
the name of their team. So hopefully she'll bring some of that ferocity to the back line for the Wellington Phoenix women. As I say, they play on Sunday afternoon, four o'clock at Potidowa Park Football Fever. Emma Humphries is
the new Wellington Phoenix Academy director. Again, one of the many messages that you send me when things happen in the football world landed in my phone for context Emma Humphrees is the wife of Bev Priestman, who has recently been relieved of her duties as Canadian head coach after the drone spying scandal at the Games. You wrote a piece in The Herald chatting to Tom Somani about the possibility of Bev Prieseman being the new Football Ferns coach.
Are the stars aligning here?
She's coming home, piiney. This is she's just plotting. It's one step at a time. And Emma Humphreys as well. Her I kind of was in discussions with people about who could possibly, you know, be in the mix with the Ferns. She's a former Fern herself and you know, could have taken up an assistant role or something like that. But the fact she's come back to the Panis Academy great. I think she'll be really, really great in that role.
And you know, a Bev Priestman may have a coffee or two with New Zealand football.
Who knows, Yeah, who knows? I mean, I don't know.
I know, I don't know, but I would like to see it.
Well, geographically, it makes sense, doesn't doesn't it. You know, if Emma humphreyes is here looking after the Phoenix academy, then obviously Bev Priesteman is going to be here as well being her wife, so I guess if she's in the country then she's probably in the convice.
I don't know.
Well, let's not forget as well that Auckland f C are going to be on the hunt for a woman's first team coach. They're obviously joining the A League woman next season, so I understand that there's been some names shortlisted. So perhaps Bev Priestman what her suspension would end around July next year, just in time for the A League season to kick off.
It's all coming together. Emma Humphrey star is as a good hire for Wellington Phoenix, as you say, former Football Fern coach Canada, the under seventeen Women's World Cup assistant coach at Liverpool for a couple of seasons, has had some really high, high profile coaching jobs and to oversee the academy is that's a good role, a really good role and a good hire for Wellington Phoenix. To get Emma Humphries into that role, you know they might have got a whisper that that Emma was in the frame
for the football Ferns jobs. I thought we better get her before she gets her head turned by that job. But we wait and see what happens with Bev Priestman. The plot thickins, but we just we'll keep an eye on them.
Football time marching on.
We'll leave Kiwis overseas for this week, but I do want to talk about the National League Championship Finals which were held at Albany last weekend. Auckland United beating Waterside Carrory three to one in the women's final. I think that makes it four titles, doesn't it. This season for Auckland United, they are just well, they've just monstered everybody.
Yeah, it's crazy, really happy for them. They've got a really solid team. They had the likes of Paige Satchel starting the final on the bench for Auckland United. She only came in for the National League season. But still you know they've got such a great roster and good on them for winning and saying that. I am gutted. I'm always keen to see the underdog or another team. Weren't it just to change it up?
Look, I think everybody who wasn't an Auckland United fan wanted water Side to win the same with the men's final, which we'll get to in a moment, but as soon as as soon as the first goal winning, which was early, wasn't it two minutes in p of Locke hit there one from outside the area, which actually the wolf Is keeper problemably could have done better. With all of a sudden, your one kneel down and the wind comes out of
your sales. You want to start fast against an overwhelming favorite and you know keep you know, keep nice and tight at the back and all of a sudden won nil down after two minutes.
It's yeah, it's not ideal, particularly in a final. You know, the championship games you always want to be on the usually their grudge matches right to the end, which kind of happened in the men's game. But yeah, not ideal for water Side to concede that early.
But let us give kudos to Walkland United. You know you've still got to win these things. So they add the National League Championship to the Kate Shepherd Cup, the OFC Women's champions League and their win in the Northern League Women's Premiership. So congratulations to Walkland United and all conquering year for you. So you'll enjoy your summer. And the men's final Birkenhead United against perennial champions and finalists Auckland FC. This one went to extra time, angus Kill
Collie scoring the winning goal again I thought. I mean, by contrast to the earlier game, Burkenhead started a really well, nice guy by Monty Patterson. They were Rehead and just couldn't hold on.
I really hoped Burkenhead were gonna get the job done. I think they had an incredible season, even in the regional phase. They were the most challenging side for these top teams like Auckland City, like Wellington Olympic and yet get to take Auckland City to extra time is pretty impressive. But I think any team that kind of well, I mean it didn't happen in the Chatham Cup final, but a lot of teams that take Auckland City right to
the end. Auckland City, they're kind of like Auckland f C. They always find a way to win.
That's it.
They find a way and at the end of the day they're the ones with the trophy because they found a way. Good experience in that team. Angus Kill Coli'S are say scoring the winning goal. He's been around the domestic scene for a while. Mario Ilitch, I don't think the tac like ever get older. He seems talking bit around about thirty years he talks about twenty four.
Yeah, seriously, and remember Auckland City. It's a good win for them because they're playing in the Club World Cup next next year. I actually believe the draw comes out tomorrow morning, Friday morning as we record this. So they've got a big kind of focus to turn their heads too now and this will be a good confidence booster for them.
Weld on Auckland CITYFC. Weld on Auckland United National League champions for twenty twenty four. That brings oh issue we should mention to Libby Cacacchi and c J Bot nominated and FIFA's the best awards, so eleven defenders in the men and eleven defenders and the women, and Libby Cacachy and c J Bott are among them.
I mean, good thank.
I mean if you were to ask me Piney, who of our national team players would make that, you know, you would probably guess those two. Maybe someone like Chris Wood, but he's only just recently kind of gone all right, But yeah, very very impressed and.
So happy for them, very happy for them. Indeed, all right, that is us on football fever. Are you going to be celebrity spotting on Saturday up in the corporates for this game? Have you got a ticket to the to the you know the area where only the very special A listers are allowed to go.
Are you going to be watching it from the port? What are you going to do?
Well, look, Parney, I'll do a bit of work first. I'm going to be roving around trying to speak and interview some punters. So if you see me down there with a herald mic in hand, you know, don't be afraid to come up and chat the game with me. But yes, I will be loitering around, loitering around seeing who's who's there and who's turned up for the occasion, but just so excited to watch it and see what happens on the day.
You should maybe like a try, you should put your media pass on trade me. You probably make about one thousand dollars.
It's got my head shot on it.
That's true.
No one's going to be able to use.
It, that's true. That's true. Like I was only I was only half I was only half joking. It's the hottest It's the hottest ticket in town. Body. I'll tell you what. Someone someone to pay five hundred bucks for him to tell you.
I could do with that. That'd be great, all right.
Well, if you're making it along on Saturday, we look forward to seeing you there. Let's hope the occasion delivers on the hype which has been monstrous this week. Just can't wait for another great occasion in New Zealand football. We will review it all for you on Football Fever next week, whichever day takes our fancy. It could be Monday, could be Thursday, who knows. We don't seem to operate to any particularly structured roster here on Football Fever, but we will chat next week, Bonny.
We'll see it then.
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