Football Fever with News Talks nb's voice of Football, Jason Paine and Bonny Jansen.
Hello, their compliments of the season and welcome into Football Fever. It is your podcast for all things mainly New Zealand football. Those ones who play here, those who play overseas A League men's and women's A lot to get through on Jason Fine, Bonnie Jensen, Hello.
Bonnie Kyoder Poney, how are you very good?
We've got three games to dissect and it would be fair to say it was a fairly disappointing weekend for men's footballers playing in the A League. Are the women with a bright spot of this? The Wellington Phoenix women. Will get to them and they're win over Sydney FC. But can we start at go Media Stadium On Saturday they trucked in one hundred tons of sand, set up a beach party and Western United arrived and absolutely crashed the party.
Reality check? Wasn't it? Absolute reality check? And I think.
You know you could call the result humbling for Auckland f C. I don't know if they needed it or needed it to that extent. I think they were, you know, potentially needing a loss to be able to learn from it at some point, but to go down that hard and to play the way they did, I think was really disappointing, you know, no doubt for themselves and the coaching stuff, but also for the fans so have kind
of been there from the start, including myself. You know, I was just like, this is not what we need right now.
Well, I mean they have been so good to start. We all know that, and this is one result. It doesn't take away from the excellent start they've had. In fact, they're still top of the league, but it was night and day from what they've produced. The first half Bondie was easily the worst half of football they've put out there. Steve Carriker afterwards said we were just terrible in the first half and they were were they?
Yeah, they weren't good.
And I think, you know, I've been trying to, you know, reflecting on it now for a couple of days. I've been trying to work out what we wrong and I think potentially bringing the Strata back, who we know was key. I just don't think he was at his fitness that he's been at and I think, you know, all due respect to him, he looked tired and he's been such a key piece in that midfield and he just didn't
look right. And same with the likes of missing Dan Hall, and they're trying to play Hiroki there, which Hiroki is an unbelievable player. He got mad in the match for Arooklyn. But I again don't think that's working, and I think everyone's playing quite individualistic. I think everyone, particularly in that attacking phase, everyone wants to take shots and there's no connection, which is I guess they haven't. They didn't create a lot of opportunities. Obviously the bar was down the other
end of the half. But I'm kind of not surprised when we look back at all their other goals have scored, because a lot of those goals that we've talked about on this podcast, Pintey, is that the been flukes, you know, So I'm not surprised they're struggling to create opportunities going forward. But it was, yeah, a bit a big eye opener that maybe that's where they're struggling.
That's a good summary, a good summary of points. So let's unpack a couple of them. Let's we will get to the goals they conceded in a moment. But I totally agree about what's happening up top. There just seems to be a lack of a cutting edge there. And I was really pleased to see n Don Moreno given a start. I thought, right, this is we're going to see from Moreno, from from the start what we've been seeing off the bench, and he's been very effective off
the bench. Underwhelming, I thought, Nadal Madno for whatever reason and withdrawn seven minutes into the second half.
Whether he's injured.
Or whatever, I don't know, but I was. I was pleased to see that. But he didn't produce. I thought, Gigimo Mai continued to run and run and run and as GPS numbers will be good. But again he had a couple of opportunities. There was that volley sort of flicked up and you know, the almost the sissicate from the edge of the penalty area. But other than that, you're right. With as much possession as they had, they didn't create a heck.
Of a lot.
Matt Sutton didn't really have to do too much. Meantime, at the other end, thirty four months into the game, Auckland f c a three nil down. Just for context, that's as many goals as they've conceded in the previous ten and a half hours. Danzarki with a penalty, Botticch and Ibusuki with goals. We'll get to the Ibusuki goal on the lead up to it in a moment. But I thought Western United just came out for a team that's been up and down, not just this season but
for a couple of seasons. They absolutely bossed it.
Yeah, unbelievable from Western United, and hats off to them. You know, they were clearly hungry. They had a plan. They've been studying this team and they've had it. You know, what was it seven games prior to kind of look at Auckland f C. Who are the team to beat right now and go, you know, where are their weaknesses? And they certainly ticked that box and got it right. I think, you know, they were simple goals to concede.
It was really really poor to but I guess to Auckland's defense, you could kind of look at it and go, well, they conceded the penalty, and it's easy, you know, for goals to completely change and shift momentum in a game, and it just looked like they conceded that penalty and heads were down and then they you know, conceded that that second goal, which you have to remind me of.
But then the third one with.
The which was obviously the controversial goal where the ref got in the way. They clearly just dropped their heads and it was too big a task, and I don't think that's going to be good enough going forward.
I think you learn a lot a bit of team, you know, when they're behind, and when Danzarki put home the penalty, and it was a penalty, you know balls, it's so interesting from behind. The shot comes from from Danzarki sarchives there with his arms behind his back, as you should, I think in those situations have your hands behind your back because if it shoots and hits your arm, obviously the penalty. You often see defenders with their arms
behind their backs and those situations, callon. Elliott is alongside and his arms are not to be fair it deflex off. Saki up and call and Elliott doesn't have a lot of time to change his body position, but his arm is right out. It's a clear penalty. There's no doubting that Tanzaki scores. And then I thought to myself, right, we are going to find out a bit about Auckland f C. Here they were behind the week before against
Melbourne City. He came back behind again, came back, got the point when Bottit scored in the twenty third minutes, so midway through the first half. It was a good move Paulson saved from Abusuki and then it bounced up and bought. It was quick as to react at two nil down. I think you'll learn a lot about players, and I think we did learn a bit about Auckland f C and their inability to take a game by the scruff of the neck when at home with still
you know, best part of seventy minutes to play. I just thought a lot of heads dropped at two nil down.
Yeah, I agree, and I think a big part of that which I would love Courrika and you know, the stuff to potentially reassess is Hiroki playing.
At center back again. Unbelievable player.
He was the best on the part for Auckland and you know he's he's probably the best option at center back. But we've talked about it. Because he's fluent and he's not fluent in English. His leadership style is through what he shows on the park and because he's playing center back that's really hard to kind of lift your team if you can't speak to them from center back, and that's you can't you know, show a bit of fleaar at center back.
It's hard to do that.
I know, I'm a center back and it's not that easy to show off. And the last two weeks we haven't seen Hirokei playing full back and getting up the wing and you know, lifting his team, and they're really missing that attacking presence and that's why, you know, without maybe they do look at him in the midfield, as you know, they've got a few injuries in there.
Can you put it back it right back?
Yeah? I think that's Tommy Smith.
Yeah, I think you do.
I think you say, look Tommy, Tommy Smith and Nanda Pineket, Yes you both left sided, but you've been around for a while, you're going to play center backs.
You're both center backs.
So right about Hiroki, you know, his ability to get up and down was such an eye catching feature of Auckland FC, and he led by those actions and yet he can still be a very influential player at center back. But yeah, I saw Dan Hall on crutches afterwards, and I thought to myself.
Man, what a loss. You know, you don't realize what you're missing until it's not there anymore.
Right, Yeah, no, one hundred percent and just gutted. I mean we spoke about it last week, but Dan Hall, you know, was on Soccero's watch in contention for that and and gutted for him. But you know it's those players down the middle of the park that you be surprised. I'd like to see Cam Howison back. I think he's someone that really is, you know, a good bit of the puzzle.
He's injured too, you know, exactly so.
And it's hard because I think on on Saturday when Auckland played, they were all playing for themselves and there was no and we need those players back that you know, are really good at playing between the lines and looking for options.
Interesting that Jake Brimmer was taken off at halftime as well as was Callan Elliot. Look, I think Steve Corek has got a bit of thinking to do about particularly center back. Like I say, I think we both agree. I think we'd have Pineker and Smith there. I just put Smith at right center back. I mean he's been around for twenty years. It's not like you can't use as right foot you know, and he's a center back,
just as Nanda Pinik is a center back. You go to Saki on the right and Francis therees on the left. That is a much better balanced back for in terms of what they all bring than what we've sort of we've had with that Saki shoehorned into center back. That's what's happened. And look again, quality player who can do the job. But what you lose I think by not having him at fullback is something they need to get back, all right. The third goal, Haroshiyebusuki finished the move, but
it was the lead up that caused the controversy. Guy Goss has played the ball into Jake Brimmer, who's in the center circle. As Jake Brimmer goes to get it, Casey ry Belt, the referee, is in his way. He basically runs into her. She's got her back to him so she can't see him coming. The ball's coming into near where she is though, She's like, oh, I'm not reading in the right place here. But before she could
move out of there, Brimmer runs into her. He doesn't get the ball to mockim I picks the ball up, runs deep into enemy Terrice relays it off and Abusuki finishes for three nil. What did you make of the whole incident?
Well, I definitely thought if Jake Brimmer wasn't, you know, cut off by the referee, he would have picked up the ball and that would have changed the play going forward. However, I think probably the referee in hindsight should have stopped the play and done a drop ball, and I think she was probably reflecting on that game going yet that was probably the wrong call. I don't know, I don't know the complete rules, but I suspect that would have happened.
The rule is she doesn't have to stop the game. She's got discretion.
You're right, if the ball hits the referee, play stops drop ball, that's the rule. But if a player runs into the referee, that is absolutely the discretion of the referee. It's not in the rules that they have to stop the game. So by the letter of the law, she hasn't done anything wrong.
There go And so I think, yeah, it's it's a tough way either, you know, either way. But I think the fact that Auckland or or you know, that the play continued, the ball was only at halfway, you know, it wasn't they didn't have an attacking It wasn't like it was down on the eighteen yard box where it happened. Like how the fact that Western United player got all the way through it was you know, I think again Auckland will surely learn from that. But yeah, it's it's a tough one to call.
From the moment.
We played football as three and four year olds. We're told play to the whistle, play to the whistle whistling, and you're so right. It wasn't as though it happened. You know, in the attacking third, it's Tamaki am I, a center back in the center circles like, well, just tackle them, someone just tackle him. It was almost like Brimmer stopped, you know, so he's and so it's hard of him to get back, but there's still four or five behind the ball for Auckland, including Guy Goss and
the entire back four. Anyway, it's you know, Steve Kirker afterward said, look, I you know, I don't know the rules. I think it should have stopped. Of course, you know he's going to say that.
John A.
Luisia I thought was really good. The Western United coach. He said, look, I can understand why they're annoyed. That's happened to me as a player and as a coach. But he also said, and this is so true, he said, if we didn't scored, then we would have scored a third. Anyway, we're well on top. It wasn't the reason that Western United won the game and Auckland lost it.
It was just an incident that.
I guess in some ways took a little bit away from from the fact that Auckland were three nil worse than Western United in that first half.
Yeah, I mean it did shift the momentum, you know, conceding a third goal that's a tough climb to come back from. And you could see why the players were frustrated. I found it interesting how Alex Paulson kept kind of approaching the referee even for the penalty, and he was getting frustrated clearly. But yeah, you're right, Partey, Western United were all over us. They would have they would have won it anyway.
The best player out there for me, Angus Thurgate. Just what a player he's become for this team. I was talking to a couple of Western United staff members afterwards and they say, you know, he is their best player, and they fully expect that he will get a move away from Western into Europe at some stage. He's that he's at that level. He had six seasons at Newcastle, has always been a pretty good player. But what I saw out there on Saturday from home, he was the
best on park by by quite some distance. Matt Gramordy scoring later on to make it four neirl.
Everyone left everyone.
She had that message that it was.
What about ten minutes or five minutes to god? Yeah, and I just I think I missed the goal. I watched it back on the replay, but I just saw everyone standing up around me and just leaving, and could just see the port and everything. And I mean a good chunk of fans stayed.
I think the hardcore stated I do want to mention that they did stay and they still sung till the end.
That's what fandom is win every game.
No exactly, but I did like.
The fact that the hard core, or certainly a section did stay.
Yeah, no exactly, And I think that's what's been so great for this Auckland team. And I've spoken to a bunch of fans, fans that can't sleep at night before games because they're that nervous, you know, they're just so excited, so love it. Yeah, hopefully it's all up from here. And going back to that center back question is maybe they'll look to sign someone in that January window at.
Who's around and actually Wellington Phoenix tell Us might have a look at this as well. Is Bill to Ilama? He's I think, as I understand it hasn't his option hasn't been picked up by Charlotte in the in the MLS, so built to Ilama would be a good addition. He might be a bit expensive, but if he's off, even if he's on contract or his situation I think is that he can be picked up in January. See if I'm Winnington Phoenix, I'm looking at him as well.
He is he better than Tommy Smith?
I think, well, he's right sided for a start, he's younger and he I mean, what if Tommy Smith tweaks a calf, you know, I mean Dan Hall's broken his ankle. They wouldn't want to lose another center. About what if Nando Pinecker goes down? You know, injuries happen. You have to have that cover. And at the moment the cover is young players, unproven players. Again without wanting to labor the point, you know, Smith and Pineker just seem like the solution for now, do you think.
Yeah? And I think that's why they're playing Herokei as well, because they need to cover a center back cover on the bench, and so that's what they've still gotten in Tommy. If you start Tommy and Pinaker one of them gets injured, who do you bring on?
So for Auckland FC, their bounce back ability is going to be tested. They go now to Gosford where they play the Central Coast Mariners, who are a bit of a shadow of their former selves if I'm honest. They're obviously defending champions, double defending champions, but a shadow of what they have been. That's Saturday night, seven o'clock New Zealand time, and then back home New Year's Day where they take on Melbourne victory. So a couple of interesting
interesting games coming up for Auckland FC. I guess happily they get the chance to quickly put Saturday behind them and move on to their next assignment.
Football Fever with Jason Vine and Bonnie Jensen.
Let's stay with the men's The A League men's The Wellington Phoenix were at Combank Stadium in Sydney's Western Suburbs last night against the Western Sydney Wanderers. Wellington Phoenix won the Western Sydney Wanderers four emphatic by the Wanderers. I don't think anybody who watched the game would suggest that they weren't worthy of the win and probably the winning margin.
A third straight loss for Wellington Phoenix, and it started badly with Western Sydney scoring inside the first ninety seconds and never really at any stage did I think the Phoenix were going to win the game.
Do you still think they're a top six side? I do.
I do still think they're a top six side. I do, yeah, I honestly do because I look at the table and well at the table at the moment, there are five points between fourth and ten, so it's so tight. I think there are teams and Adelaide United are a team who I've been really impressed with Melbourne victory, probably Auckland and Melbourne City. I think I still feel like those four are the top four teams Below.
Them it's up for graps.
I still think Wellington have enough quality I do, to make the top six, but they're going to have to play a heck of a lot better than they.
Did last night.
Yeah, I agree.
I think, you know, the tough thing for them is that they're not as good as what they were last season. They're missing a bunch of key players, which we've spoken about before, and it's really hurting them. I think you know that the team has kind of dominated, or not dominated, but there's a lot of scholarship players in the side this year that maybe aren't up to the standard.
As they were like they were last year, like.
Bean Oldfin Sermon players like that. But yeah, I thought they showed glimpses clearly. Chiefees still, you know, keen to stick with this three at the back set up. He went with the four at the back last season. Last week rather and he's gone reverted back to the three, so that was interesting from him. But I really liked the look of Corbyn Piper. Obviously he kind of potentially has mistake led to that second goal they conceded, but
he showed really good signs. And I think Chief he must listened to the podcast, because I said last week that Corbyn Piper should get more minutes.
Almost certain as I said last week, the Chief he doesn't listen to the podcast. I don't think it's on his podcast feed. But I agree on Corbyn Piper. I thought he was the glimmer of positivity from that game last night. Yes, he gave the ball up for the second goal, and to be fair, he had a couple of good chances to score as well. He's clearly a physical presence in the box. He had a couple of hit us in a volley late on as well, so on another night he could have had a couple of goals.
But I just liked his intent. He's clearly not a center back by trade because he's been playing number ten for Burco. Hasn't he been right in the guts there as a creative force, a goal scorer, so he's got obviously good technical ability. I don't know Isaac Hughes, I really feel for Across the last three games, he's been involved in three incidents which have led to three goals.
An own goal against Auckland FC, he gave away the penalty against MacArthur, and then last night ball comes through in the first minute of the game and he just slips but it leads to a goal. So all of a sudden, Isaac Hughes is in the spotlight. In three consecutive games for the wrong reason. I'm not saying he can't recover. Chief even said after the game last night. He's one of our hardest workers at training. He's always
looking to improve. He listens, he does what I tell him to do in terms of what he wants from his game plan. I just wonder whether you take him out of the spotlight for a game, just take him out, just get the glare off him, because it can't help but play on your mind.
Yeah, I get what you mean, Piney, and it is tricky. But by doing that, by pulling a player off, it's obviously going to not their confidence.
And you don't want to.
Do that to Isaac Hughes who was almost there, who was almost you know, he's actually not a bad player, and he's obviously led to these these goals. But yeah, it's like, you don't want to completely knock a knocker his confidence by pulling him off next week. I mean, the only way you do that is maybe they look at someone like Tim Payne as a center back.
I was thinking that myself last night, but it's almost I would I would hate to see that. I mean, Tim Pain's are right back for club and country. I played Piper there. I'd go pain Piper, wooton Sutton.
You reckon that?
Well, that's right. I'm not paying the team, but that's what That's what I would do. At home.
He played for, as you said, he played for at the back last week against MacArthur. You've got to show intent at home, you got to play back for. That's what I would do. I go, I go pain Piper, wooton Sutton.
Yeah.
What I did at mine last night is obviously you know it was a big result they lost, but chief he was clearly making some bigger Boulder decisions. He didn't have Marco Rojas to play with, but he pulled Sam Sutton off at halftime and you know he put the young Nathan Walker on on and obviously started Corbyn Piper. So Chiev's clearly trying to work it out. It would be an issue if he was starting the you know,
the same lineup every week. What I do wonder is I heard the commentators say it as well, is has this this Derby or these two derbies, these Kiwi Derby's.
You know, just absolutely worn out. These two teams.
You know they both had a result, you know, bad results this week and they've just you know, maybe or the last two weeks since that second derby that hasn't gone their way, and you wonder if maybe too much focus was played onto their mind and they just you know worn out.
Spread the derbies out.
Seriously, I don't have two and seven weeks.
But no, it's a it's a good point. A couple of other points from this game. Dicky is Shiga with another goal and overhead but he was only a yard out. But they've got an acrobatic finish. Yeah, so that gave that gave the Phoenix hope back to two to one, and look, I think if they found a way to equalize,
I think we be having a different conversation today. Don't take it away from Western Sydney though, I thought they were well worth it and Dylan Sekluna's goal at the end to make it for one absolutely eye catching love that we should mention Luke brook Smith, who made his debut last night.
Thought he did okay when he came on.
The youngster became Wellington Phoenix's youngest ever player sixteen years and a couple of months, so he takes the mantle of the youngest ever player. I quite liked the look of it. I would like to see more of Luke brook Smith. I'm mentioned before about the players who aren't there anymore, and it is a list. I know we've mentioned this before, but Alex Paulson, Finn Sermon, bojid Ar Krajev Oscars, Nevada, Nicholas Pennington, and for me, the biggest
loss Ben Old. They just have not been able and he's a special player to replace the engine and the enthusiasm and the creativity of Ben Old.
Ah, You're absolutely right, and I think you know that there's such key players, all of them across the park, whether that's you know, in leadership, experience or young creativity. And as I mentioned before, those scholarship players that have come in this year, you know, great to see chief he give opportunities like he did last night to young players. But they're just not quite at the caliber that they
were last season. They'll get there, you know, hopefully, and next season the year after maybe they'll you know, be the likes of Ben Old being sold to big clubs around the world. But yeah, definitely missing those players.
Do you think they're a top six side?
Not from what I saw last night. I just think they're too they're too young an experience, and I don't think the likes. I think it's a lot to ask to put it on Costa, Tim Payne and Alex Ruffer to kind of carry this side through.
All Right, we'll wait and see. The sample size of the last three games has been less than encouraging. Next home against Newcastle Saturday, five o'clock at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
So yeah.
I mean last time Newcastle came to Wellington they won. That was probably the blot on the copy book. Last year in Mi Newcastle came in won three nil in Wellington, so they won't have any fear they've Also, this is the strange part of the drawer.
They've had two buys already.
Wow.
Some teams haven't had a bye, Newcastle have had two.
I feel like the drawer is so rogue this year.
I'm not sure who's done that, but it's just you know, with that that derby that happened so quickly and now these two bars, it's very Auckland f C not being over and for so long I've.
Been very lucky, very lucky Bondy.
So yeah, very confusing draw this year.
All right, One final bit of news out of Wellington Phoenix. This week, shwin Lok is the latest academy product to sign as a four pro. He is the captain of the reserve team or has been. They liked the look of him as a as a right full back, so congratulations swin Lok for signing his first professional contract. The f with finy and body, Well, let's go to the bright spot of the weekend as far as the A
League is concerned. It's the Wellington Phoenix women beating Sydney FC, the two time defending champions two nil, four games unbeaten. Now for Wellington Phoenix that is a club record. Goals on the second half to Grace Jarlay her first of the season and seventh overall for Wellington Phoenix and Zoe mcmeekon with her first ever A League women's goal header late on two nil. The big story here was the was the forty five minute halftime break because of lightning.
But a very good win for Wellington Phoenix.
Absolutely and you know the gals are carrying the team for New Zealand football. Seriously, a really really great result Sydney, you know, last year's champions and they just have not been up to standard this season.
But there's still a good side.
You know, looking at their roster, they've got some really, really strong players. So the fact that the Wellington Phoenix got up over them absolutely stoked.
I like the fact that that I was gonna say, chief, he's got the men's team that tempts, mixed it up and gave a couple of players who showed impact off the bench last week. He gave them a bit of love and started them Emma main with you know, with the start. It was great to see Grace Jarley out there from the start. Zoe mcmeekon as well. She's a really interesting player for me. Zoey mcmeekon. I I just
wonder what her ceiling might be. She seems all action able, to plan in a bunch of different positions, utterly fearless. I wonder what her ceiling might be.
Yeah, I think you're right.
I feel like she is quite unorthodox when she when she does when she does things like dribbling the ball, and obviously she scored that goal, and you know she doesn't potentially, all due respect to her, you don't look at her and think, oh, you know, she's going to take on the world. But she's she's been so good for the side, and she was good last year all last season rather and yeah, superstoked for her. Another one
potentially knocking on the door of the football ferns. But I think what's working for this team, As you say, Pineyer, he tempts gave a lot of players starts that didn't start last week. It's competitive the squad and it's clearly.
Working for them.
And I hope you know, they're obviously finding ways to make it work and they're finding ways to gel even though they're not starting the same team every week. But I think it's really given them, you know, each individual's fire that they have to perform every week if they want to cement their place in the team.
Yeah, and I think they also have learned that they have to play different roles occasionally. You know, you look at a player like Mania Elliott, you know it's probably knows she's probably not going to start every week, but if she is coming off the bench, she has to provide the impact that she did the other week. And
we saw like Emma Maine's another great example. She probably doesn't know from week to week whether she's starting or fulfilling an impact role, but she just has to cut her cloth to suit and has done that really well. Daisy Bradendale has started every game or sorry, has played every game this season. Didn't get on Toll right at the end of this one, probably personally disappointed, but thinks it was like, Okay, well I've got a lift around this.
Grace Charlie, I mean she's kind of been there or thereabouts, and even her goal, I mean the goalkeeper probably should have done better with that, but good to chalk up her first goal. Hopefully the floodgate open a bit for Grace Jarlo. So yeah, Paul Temple's got real options and they've added Amelia Rabbit as well, which is I think a good piece of business.
So that's what you want.
We talked about Auckland FC before, you know, scratching around who's going to play at center back. They've got so many options really now Wellington things.
I think they are. I think they're becoming a proper team, you know.
Yeah, and I hope they can maintain it. I mean they had a pretty good start from memory last season and then they kind of dropped off in the second half. I hope that doesn't happen again. But yeah, by the signing of Amelia Abbot. She's a great player. I've always always rated her and she'll be good coming into the midfield. I assume she still plays that position, but yeah, her alongside Anne Lee Longo is going to be pretty exciting.
And just a word on Grace Charlie. You know, I was hoping, you know.
That the Beast would finally be unlocked, and I hope this goal is kind of the start for her because I've always rated Grace Jarlay and I hope, you know, she has a really good rest of the season for the Phoenix because I think she's a bloody good player.
Yeah, I to add her best. She's a formidable a league striker. You talk about last year, you're right, they started really well. They got through to about round twelve or thirteen and then it kind of already became difficult. They couldn't went away from home. But they've got ten points this season through seven games. They had thirteen through
seven games last season. So look, it's a tough ass this week and we'll get to that in the moment, but you know, having lost their first three matches, the belt points over the last four games, and yeah, just a word on Flee as well. Annalie Longo continues to just drive that team. I know I said it last week, but man, she is the beating heart of that team.
Yeah, well, maybe she's in contention for a football Ferns recal. I mean, you know she's getting on a bit in her career. She'll be the first one to say it. But yeah, there's no stopping for stopping her and another one like Heroki Sakai for the AFC men, you know that leads by example and yeah, hopefully she continues to do.
So. Forty five minute halftime break.
Because of because of the threat of lightning strikes, so you play your forty five minutes, your nil, all you go, and they say how we got to wait for a bit just while the threat of lightning strikes passes. So forty five minutes they sat in there. Paul Temple said afterwards, we just watched the first half back and pointed out and came to the conclusion that things weren't going well for them.
In areas A, B and C.
They fixed areas A, B and C, went back out there and much better in the second half.
Unral I wonder if Sydney FC did the same, because they clearly didn't.
But yeah, it was a great, great call.
And I also saw that news come through that there was a weather delay and that the Yellow Fever fans were cheering because Auckland f C had conceded at that point.
I saw that.
I saw that, you know, obviously giving an air or what was happening at go Media Stadium at the same time. Those cheers and those taunts and lasted about twenty four hours, didn't they.
I saw them getting it back last night.
As there their own team were shipping a few goals across the Tasman Sydney FC, two time defending champions, bottom of the league. You know, I mean they're not a bad team overnight. They've lost some good players. Courtney Vine obviously drove them forward last year. But yeah, one win, one draw in five defeats from their first seven games with SYDNEYFC.
Crazy Yeah, no, absolutely crazy. There's good. The league's competitive. I guess that it's changing every year, but.
Yeah, we'll take it. Let's just not mention that they're at the bottom of the league.
No, like you're still got to beat Sidney FFC. Yeah, you know, they're a good team, well coached. Ante Yurich is a good coach, so yeah, take it absolutely so into the top six for the first time this season. Wellington Phoenix tucked into fifth place on Saturday night, up against their former player, hottest striker and the A League women's at the moment, muddy Unaspeckmeyer and the unbeaten Melbourne City away from home.
How do you assess their chances over there?
Yeah? Not very good. Little bit worried for them. Obviously.
They've got Marianna Speckmyer, who who you just mentioned, is on fire at the moment scoring. You know, I think she's got four goals to her name so far.
Ye suh, I should say she's not the leading scorer.
There's a couple she's got four, Yeah, but she still looks like she can score every time she plays the game of football.
Yeah.
She looks like a better finisher this season than she did last season. So yeah, she's going to be dangerous. And you know, the whole Melbourne City side. I think Rebecca Stop will probably be playing. Let me just check if she's fit, but yeah, I feel oh yeah, she's She started last week, so that's another A football firm
that they'll have to contend with. But in saying that what two weeks ago when we previewed the Phoenix versus Melbourne victory, and I said the same thing that they're going to have it really tough going over to Melbourne and they they got a draw, so.
A win a drawer. Yeah, and so I think, you know, let's not rule them out just yet.
Oh look, I look at the back at the back four for that that Paul Temple put out against Sdney FC, Mcmeekhon Jaber, Barrie Wall, all competitive players. Olivia Kelly came off the bench. I reckon they'll relish coming up against money unspeke By.
Yeah.
If you're a player, defender, attacker, whatever you are, you always want to teach yourself against the best.
And it's almost harder as well for Mandy un a Spekmayer, because Paul Temple knows how she operates. You know, she no doubt has you know, a new style of playing under under Melbourne City. But Paul Temple know, you know her her little niches and things like that, And saying with Mackenzie Barry, who would have had to defend her plenty of times at training.
Indeed, yep, it's a fascinating match. So that's Saturday at seven o'clock. So Saturday is quite busy for football fans. We've got the Phoenix Men five o'clock Saturday, the Phoenix Women seven o'clock Saturday and the Auckland Men seven o'clock Saturday.
I could have scheduled things a bit better, couldn't they, Bonny?
I think they could have.
Yeah, Like, let's just I know it's an Australian league or whatever, but seriously a little bit more consideration for us Right now We've got like the most crowds through Auckland FC. So if they could just be a little bit more generous, you know, I feel like Auckland f C are carrying the team in gyms of generating the most money for the league. So let's just think a bit more about the Kiwi teams next season, okay, guys.
Right, well, I think we'll be double screening. We'll watch the Phoenix Men against Newcastle, then double screen the women against Melbourne City and the Aukland FC men against the Central Coast Marin is a busy weekend coming up, and then obviously games come thick and fast through the Christmas New Year period and into January as well. That raps football fever for today and for the year. Actually, we're going to take a wee break for a week to
ten days to refresh recharge our batteries. Maybe I don't think we need to go to the transfer window, do we, Bondie. We don't need to bring in any fresh blood at the stage.
No, I think you know we're doing all right it. Yeah, it's going to be hopefully a good post Christmas New Year season of results.
Look forward to bringing you fall fever in twenty twenty five with our league men's and women's and of course our national teams including the All Whites, who have the final push towards the twenty twenty six World Cup when they play Oceania semi finals and finals hopefully in March of next year. Bonnie, have a great Christmas, enjoy a bit of time off, look forward to chatting football with you again when twenty twenty five rolls around.
You too, Parney, you will see you then.
This is football Fever.