Football Fever with News Talks MB's voice of Football Jason Paine and Bonnie Jansen.
Hello and welcome into a fresh episode of Football Fever. We're here in association with FIFA Plus stream New Zealand football live and free on FIFA plus dot com. My name's Jason Pine. Bonnie Jensen also here.
Hello, Bonnie, Hello pariney two weeks away? Is it to the Paris game?
Absolutely, we're getting closer, aren't we to the Paris Olympics? And on that? Should we start there? Because the Olie Whites have been named. The squad's been named for the men's competition. I'll quickly go through Alex Pauson and Case Sims. Are the goalkeepers Tyler Binden, Michael Boxer, Lucas Kelly Healed, Matt Sheridan, Sam Sutton and Finn Sermon. The defenders Joe
Belfin Conchie, Matthew Garbett, Ben Olden, Sarpretch Sing. The midfielders Riley, Jay Herdman, Jesse Randall, Oscar van Hattam and Ben Wayne of the Strikers. The four four alternate players who will travel with the team Lachland Bayless, Liam Gillian, Isaac Hughes and Henry Gray is the reserve goalkeeper. Actually he won't travel, he'll stay with his club and it's which unless he is called upon overage players Boxel, Bell Sing. I guess the big story though, is no Chris Wood, no Libby Cacacchi,
no Marco Staminitch not released by their clubs. What do you make of this?
It's such a shame. I think I'm especially feeling for Marco right now. He you know, it's an underage tournament. He's an underage player. He could have, you know, rarely gone out and had a really good tournament, especially you know, the key is kind of need it. But in saying that, you know you still look at this rossy you've just named and it's it's still bloody strong painting.
Yeah, it's a good team. It's a good team. And I think the other one who isn't there, who would have been if he was an in I think was Tim Pain. I think Tim Pain probably would have gone as an overage player ahead of I think Michael Boxel had he been fit, because he covers that right back center back. Without him, there's no real first choice right back. I think Matthew Sheridan's probably the obvious one. Sam Sutton played over on the right during the Nation's Cup of
This is an entirely different kettle of fish. I wonder whether they might play Tyler Binden at right back, even though he's a center back by trade.
Yeah, potentially.
I also think they might look at it a back three as well, now that they've got Boxer in there, who is you know, a strong experience center back. And then you know you've got the likes of Sam Sutton or Lucas Kelly hild who could push up again and play in one of those wing back positions. There's also you know, like you look at those midfielders and attackers and you kind of want as many of them on the field as possible, So you know, maybe that's what
Bays will look at doing. And yeah, going with a three at the back so he can have more attackers going forward.
Yeah, I guess the other way he could do it is have the back four with two sitting Joe Beallen Finkanchi maybe, and then you do get Garbett, seeing Old and Wayne for Ample all on the pitch. At the same time. I think you're overage players. They play every game, don't they. That's why they're there. I don't think you'd pick an overage player if he wasn't going to play. So it feels like box all, Bell and Sing are
part of the first eleven. You got guys like Jesse Randall, Oscar Van Hattam, Jay Hrdman, Riley Bidwell, quite a few impact attackers if you need them. I don't mind the balance of the side, all all things being equal.
Yeah, that's what I mean, like a midfield of Bell and Sing obviously, you know, and then Matt Garbett as well, and then you've got you know, they might even look at playing Ben Old in a more attacking role or maybe as a wing back, and then yeah you played Ben Wayne someone like Jesse Randal as well, who had a great recent campaign with the All Whites. So yeah, definitely a lot of options there. And that's why I'm not too down about those those boys and Chris Wood
and Libby and Marco not being there. Yes, I would have loved it, but it's still a strong team.
Yeah. Darren basically put a positive spin on by saying that, hey, now our players are in demand at top clubs. They're in the position where clubs don't want to release them because they are too important to their clubs, which I thought was a nice way to positively spin it. Interesting to see Lachlan Bayliss as one of the alternates. He's at Newcastle. The Newcastle Jets had eleven games in the
last A League men's season. I think he's also eligible for Australia from memory, so interesting to see him kind of throw his lot in with New Zealand. Not that it'll matter. It's not a senior tournament, so if he does play, it doesn't tie him to New Zealand necessarily, but interesting to see his name amongst the alternates. As I say, Henry Gray is the third goalkeeper Darren Base.
He said in the media during the week that he won't come with the team to Paris, but if there is an injury to either Alex Paulson or case Sims, then he'll just jump across from the UK to France, which is only a small hop anyway, isn't it. So Yeah, overall they play Guinea, the United States and France at the Olympics. Tough group right to get out of.
Yeah, yeah, I'm yeah.
I mean both both men's and women's teams have the hosts for ut so that's that's a tough ask in itself. I think, you know, the US are obviously what top ten, top fifteen in the world for their men's first team, maybe they're a little bit weaker. I think that's that's the game they're going to want to be, you know, getting points from especially. I think France is a tough ask about Guinea and USA, that's the ones they really should be.
Targeting, absolutely right. I noticed a rule change mentioned by Emma Hayes actually during the week when she was up for media she's the boss of the United States women's team now, of course, and she said that if you give six hours notice, you can bring in one of your alternates, one of your traveling reserves, and then when to cover an injured player, and then if that injured player then comes right, they can come back into the squad. I think previously, an injured player, if they were out,
they were out. If you replace them, they couldn't come back. But to intimate on on her media call this week that you can you can bring one of those players in and then swap them back out again, I think that's I think that's quite sensible, wasn't it.
Yeah, I quite like that as well.
I mean, you know, these people diagnosing these injured players likely in the team, so there might be a few tactics being played out. One of those alternate players might have had a great training session or things like that, and maybe they want to make a late change.
I quite like the idea of that.
Yes, so do I. So the Football Funds are already in France. They're playing a warm up game against Zambia Sunday morning. They speaking of tough Paul's We've mentioned this a few times on the podcast Canada Columbia France. They are going to have to play so well to get out of that group, aren't they.
Ah, piney, I mean, yeah, it's I'm trying to be optimistic here and you know, find you know the positives. I guess they're only positive. It's quite a young team. They're going to get a lot out of this tournament. But we know their whole circumstances. And I just like with what's happened with the Yeka and everything's tough ask.
Indeed well, regardless of what happens in these three games for the Football Ferns and the three games initially for the Olie Whites as well, Bonnie and I are teaming up for commentary of these games on Gold Sport during our Olympic Games coverage. So yeah, looking forward to to watching these games unfold and hopefully calling a a few New Zealand goals and who knows a few New Zealand results as well. Looking forward to doing a bit of commentary during the games Bond.
Yeah, it'd be awesome.
You know, no reason why the Kiwi fans back home can't get up and pull a couple of.
All nighters call and sick to work.
Maybe you knows that time of the yearning happens once every four years, so it's going to be fun. There's some good games on, so yeah, we're really looking forward to it.
Yeah, and those games are early on in the Olympics as well. In fact, the first game for the men is actually before the opening ceremony. It's one of the quirks of the way they've set it out so early on on the first week to ten days the group games for the football at the Paris Olympics.
Football fee on a heart radio.
Let's have a look at a couple of bits of transfer news. Ben Old this week confirmed going to Saint Etienne in the French Top flight. They were promoted from League up to League. I think I've got the French right there, Bonnie. So they're going to be in the top flight next season. What a move for Ben Old?
So good? I mean we're not surprised, are we? Like this?
He just said, such a great season. He's going to be the next best footballer in New Zealand. I mean he's already one of the best. So yeah, really really please for him. I am a little bit worried about the Phoenix, so I have to admit they're losing a lot of players.
Well, they have signed one this week. We'll get to Marco Rohas in a minute. And in many ways, Marco Rojas is kind of a like for like, not an exact like for like, but he he will slot into where Ben Old was last season, albeit probably with a tactical tweak or two. He's He's not, you know, not the kind of guy's going to pop up on the on the on the wing and beat a whole lot of players. But in that little pocket I think he
can still be very effective. But yeah, I hear what you're saying, because the other strong male weare hearing is that Finn Sermon is off as well about to sign with Portland Timbers in the MLS. So you know, a great, a great move and you can always tell when these transfers are coming Bonny. Because Finn Sermon and the Portland Timbers have followed one another on Instagram.
Yeah, that's great. Invested to give journalism from you, Piineyer. Did you find that out?
Have you?
Have you been watching Finn Sermon's Instagram account and see who he's following?
Well, not religiously, no, but I just didn't. I had it. In fact, I had it pointed out to me that the two I haven't been. That doesn't That's not how I do my journalism.
I was like, I know you're obsessed with football, but surely not that obsessed party.
No.
Although, just speaking of social media, did you happen to see the welcome video that Saint etty En did for Ben Olt Oh the painting the painting year?
Oh awesome? Yeah, I loved it.
And then I also saw Alex Paulson's video when he arrived at Burmouth and yeah that was he got his medicals done.
Yeah, they're they're great over there. I love it.
Yeah, there's I think clubs more and more now are just doing different things, aren't they with their social media and you know video contents, and I mean Alex Paulson, he must be looking around thinking to himself, what is happening? You know a year ago he was battling, battling with Jack Duncan in the off season to be the number one Phoenix goalkeeper. And now he's at a Premier league club. You know, and for being old, you know, he's exactly
the same. He's now the subject of a social media campaign based around somebody painting a big picture of them.
Yeah, like, do you reckon? They're you know, like a little bit shitting themselves. I don't know if that's appropriate to so on the podcast, but you know, do you think they're nervous or they're just rolling with it and owning at meeting? You know, these top players that they're coming into these teams.
I don't know.
I just felt like I would go over and kind of be fangirling a little bit. You know, you deserve to be there, but clearly, but yeah, i'd surely be nervous.
I think they'd probably have those kind of pinch me moments early on, and then I think, you know, this is the thing these other things that both of these players have worked for basically since they were you know, in their early teens. Really they've targeted a professional football career. And I mean listening to both of them, particularly Ben Old, I have to say, who I had the chance to chat with this week. You know, he's such a mature
young man. So is Alex Paulson. They both are, you know, and and but they are totally comfortable in their own skins and also are not just happy to be there. I think, you know, Ben Old wants to play for the team, Alex Paulson wants to push for minutes for Bournemouth in the Premier League. So you know, I think there would be I think it would be nervous excitement probably.
Yeah.
And you have to go in with a little bit of arrogance as well, right, like you can't be there otherwise. They know that they deserve the spot and that's with a bit of arrogance. That's how they've got to this place in there in the first place.
So yeah, good on.
Them, absolutely right. Can't wait to see how they go, both of them off to the Olympics. Of course, in the squad we just read out Ben Old doesn't have to go very far from France to France and Alex Paulson across from the UK. So I mean, so cool for them. They get to go to the Olympic Games and then get back into pre season and then you know, ready make a real guy of it at their new clubs. So Marco Rojas's back. This was announced this week as well. He had two seasons with the Phoenix all the way
back in O nine to ten and ten eleven. Then he went to Melbourne Victory. Had three stints there was it Brisbane Raw last season also overseas time in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Chile. Forty six New Zealand Caps. It's an impressive CV. I feel like Marco Rohas can still do a job in the A League.
Yeah, it's exciting party. I mean, he's definitely not what he used to be. But I think for those loyal fans, you know, they'll be excited to have Rojas come back. And we hear that name, that nickname Kiwi Messi throwing around. I'll tell you a story. Obviously, I was around when the Phoenix first started. I was about eight years old and walked out with the Phoenix couple of times as a bull kit and everything, but Leo BeRTOS was all my favorite player.
I loved him.
And then I remember when Marco Rojas came along and he was just insane and I was like, no, but I want him to be my favorite player. But I felt really bad, you know, switching allegiances and switching favorite players. I always loved, yeah, both Marco and Leo. So yeah, for fans like that had been around from the get go, and when Marco first joined the club, I think, yeah, it's cool to happen back.
Well his story of coming into the team all those years ago is famous. You know, it's a Yellow Fever scholarship. Basically, the fans got together and paid for him to come down to Wellington to have a trial. Ricky Herbert was the coach. Then they liked what they saw and you know, he didn't get a lot of opportunity in his first season, but in that twenty ten to eleven season, Paul I for got injured and Marco got a run of games and showed what he could do and then was snapped
up by Melbourne Virtuary. I know the Phoenix wanted to keep him, but he headed off to Melbourne victory and had you know, big success over their thirty nine goals and one hundred and nine teen games across his three stints there. So yeah, great to see him back. He's he I went to his media conference during the week when he was announced or unveiled, and he's a very different guy now to the Marco Rojas who left. Clearly
he's about twelve years older. Of course he's going to be different, but he just seems to be a very deep thinker now And one thing I liked that he said was that he hopes that now he can use his experience if some of the younger boys coming into the team need a bit of advice or just want to know what it's like to play overseas or whatever it is, that he can be you know, he can be someone who they can they can get that advice from.
Yeah, exactly.
And I also think it's a bit of a statement signing from the Wellington Phoenix. I mean they've lost their top players from the last season overseas to other clubs and meanwhile Auckland f C have been signing a whole bunch of big names, so to have this one and no doubt Auckland f c would have been having discussions with Marco, so to secure him down in Wellington was was pretty ideal.
Yep.
We'll get to a Walkland FC's signing news in a moment. Just with the Phoenix, though, discussions are still ongoing with bodjed R Krajev. He's the only player from last season who hasn't been confirmed as either staying or going. I get the feeling they really want them to stay, especially with Ben Old going. I think they would really love to keep him. It's just whether they can afford to
do that. They've got seventeen players signed. That includes Vinn Sermon though, who we believe to be leaving, so that's sixteen. The big hole though is at goalkeeper because Alex Paulson's gone. Jack Duncan has now also gone to Melbourne Victory. The only number one only goalkeeper in the men's squad now is LB Kelly Healed, and he's never played an a
league game. I don't think he's even played a cup game for Wellington Phoenix, so very very raw and probably far too early for him to be the number one.
Yeah, no, one hundred percent. That'll probably be first on the Phoenix recruitment list. I guess as a keeper for sure, big shoester Phil. I was excited for Jack Duncan to have the go this year. I mean we've talked about it before. Apparently he's a great guy, great player. So it's a shame we won't get to see him. But yeah, they definitely need to be getting a keeper fast.
Do you reckon they might go for an import keeper?
Yeah? Maybe? I mean who else is there?
There's been a couple of young boys trailing up and up in Auckland for Auckland FC.
But yeah, I mean.
You might have another story of Alex Paul's an unbelievable season, But I don't know.
Was that just a one off? We have to see well.
I think with her May with Alex Paulson had been around the team for a bit. I don't think the Lbi Kelly Healed coming in now is the same as Alex Paulson coming in a year ago. I think ap had had a lot more time with the squad, he'd played a couple of games. I think you have to compare Albi Kelly Healed with the Alex Paulson of three
years ago. Probably, And so I just don't think he's ready and Chief even said that in the press conference when he was asked about this, you know other player signings, he said, it would be I think wrong to throw LB Kelly healdon to an A league season. He's going to start the first Australia Cup game which is in the next little while. But they are in the market
for another keeper and I don't know. You look around and there are a lot of New Zealand keepers and Australian keepers as well, but most of them have clubs. So I wonder whether they've got to do it, do a Philip Kurto for example, and go and get an overseas keeper.
Yeah, surely, and maybe you know, the budgets are tight this season, as there was we've discussed, so I think they're probably holding out for a keeper for sure.
The women have signed an overseas keeper by the way, Portuguese under twenty three international Carolina Vilal from ben Fica. They've got Amy Danielly on their books as well, but Riley Foster and Brianna Edwards have both left. I was sad to see Brianna Edwards go. I know that there were issues around her mental health that she was very public about and she pulled out of various games and squads for personal reasons. But I thought at her best she was a bloody good goalkeeper.
Yeah, I thought so as well.
I think she was unlucky, lucky not to get the number one jersey this past season. Obviously, Riley Foster came in and she was good, she was solid. She obviously came in with an impressive resume. But yeah, I felt the same Piney. I think as well Brown Edwards could have been going to the Olympics. I'm not sure you know what's going on with her personally, and it's a real shame and I hope, you know, she can overcome it because she's, as you say, a really really good goal goalkeeper.
Yeah, I think she'll pop up somewhere in Australia, maybe in state league football, initially in goalkeepers, as we know, have a long, long life. So yeah, I'd love to see breback. And I think I think she is the third keeper, So she probably you're right, would have been going to Paris as that as that, you know, I think Murphy Sheafster the alternatives and she so I think Brianna Rebberts would have been the third goalkeeper anyway, Be that as it may. The Phoenix have also re signed
Australian defender Tiana Jaber. This happened on the same day. Did you see this news about MAURICEA. VanderMeer in your podcast notes? But no, Well she's terrible. She was she rupts you her ACL She's six months into her rehab and she's reruptured it the same one. The name well I think no, I think it's the same one. And she's also got medial and lateral meniscus tears in her right knee. So here she is putting all of this time into rehabbing. Now she's reruptured it. It's gutting for hers.
Yeah, that's terrible.
I mean I've heard stories of players, you know, rerupturing
the a cl but not this quickly. It's something's got to give a pinty like, you know, we're seeing more and more of it now, and I know there's more discussion around it, and that's maybe why it seems like there's more a cls, But just it's trending far too quickly upwards for a CLS in the woman's game, and I just really hope someone can get on to some study because yeah, it's it's gutting and players are missing you know, big events and pinnacle events and it's important
times in their career like it is for Marisa.
Yeah, and it's only, as we know, it's only a short window that you have to play at the top level and to have what'll be now for MAURICEA. Vandermere a year plus taken out of that small window. It's just so gutting because she's such a positive force around that team as well, even when she was rehabbing, you know, all the social media I saw on the a couple of times I saw around and at the nzcis always
had a smile on her face, always positive. But it's got to be tough, doesn't it When you get six months in and then all of a sudden you've got to start all over again. Just so gutting for her.
Yeah, I can't even imagine.
I mean, I was not at her level of my football career, but I was really lucky where I didn't have bad injuries and they was you know, looked at my teammates and just couldn't even imagine how hard it is for them.
So you're really really gutted for it all right.
Final piece of Phoenix news. Oscar Zavada has a new club. We knew he was leaving, we just didn't know where he was going to turn up. This week it was confirmed he's gone to the Netherlands. We'll play in the Dutch erdivisi for RKC Volvik. So look forward to seeing how Oscar Zavada goes at his new club. Feel all right, let's get to your neck of the woods. Auckland FC. Another signing this week, Jake Brimmer. You have the chance
to chat to him. What did you make of the signing and how did Jake Brimmer grave you when you had the chance to meet him.
Oh, yeah, he was awesome. I really liked him. He was a little bit.
Arrogant, as you know a lot of footballers are, but I think that was one of the reasons that the club were quite interested in him, because he just was clearly wanting to win and has really high expectations of
himself and the teams he plays. And he said the reason he came to this club obviously was was, you know, the appeal of the owner, Bill Foley, being connected to so many other big clubs around the world, but also he loves Steve Coricker and he said, he quoted quote him that he said, Steve Corocker is a winner and he doesn't have a lot of Premiership trophy and his you know, on them yet, So that's that's what he wants to do here at Auckland f C.
Johnny Warren medal winner in twenty twenty one, twenty two, so pretty recent. Sixty games and three seasons at Perth Glory, then ninety nine across the last four seasons at Melbourne Victory. Good player, you know, really good good player, you know, in the upper echie line of a league players, certainly those who aren't imports. So Auckland FC now have eleven players on full time contracts and the six scholarship players
as well, and they still haven't signed any imports. So it's as I think I said last week on the podcast, they're building a very very solid base.
Oh they're looking pretty good, Piiney. You just wait, mate, they're going to be on fire come what October nineteen, which will get too soon in their first home game of the season. But now we went out to their training and they were looking pretty good. It was so early early days, doing a lot of fitness and things like that. But their bases out at North Harbor Stadium
and he's currently setting up their offices. So I was lucky enough to get a little bit of a tour of you know, like where the team hangs out and where the chief will be and the offices and meeting rooms and things like that. I mean, it's no n z cia is building that the Wellington Phoenix have, but it's not too bad.
Are you going to be like they're like, you know, when they have their number one fan, you'll get an Auckland f C jersey with one and Jensen across the back.
I was actually Nick nick Becker, the Auckland f C CEO. We were talking about the kits, saying they're very nice and didn't the Warriors send out jerseys to media once and were trying to get them to send them out to users cross. The thing is, I'm into minds. I feel the same when I come down and watch the Wellington Phoenix. It's like I want to be working at these games. Great for the career, but I also just want to be a fan and have a bear in the stance.
Well maybe what you do as you say, right, Okay, Auckland f C are my team to be a fan of, and I'll work Wellington Phoenix or vice versa. But then, having said that, you are a journalist, to be fair meant to be impartial, you know, and so am I. So I think we just have to will put any biases about where we live or where we come from to one side, go media Stadium. Mount Smart is officially their home ground for at least the next five years.
You were at this announcement yesterday as well, obviously.
Yeah, no, it was good.
I mean there was As Nick Becker said again, it was the worst kept secrets because they've already sold a lot of tickets membership tickets to the stadium. So yes, officially announced and they announced their home game, their first home game, October nineteen, first game of the season. And they also announced that they're trying to schedule majority of their home games, if not all of them, at five pm on a Saturday afternoon, which is not a bad time.
But immediately I jumped to the fact that the top national league in Auckland, or the national league in the country, the men's league, they kick off at three pm and getting to Mount Smart for five pm kick off.
After that they finish it's not ideal at all.
Not just that league though, Bonnie, what about all of the social leagues exactly? And they all Saturdays as well.
Yeah, exactly, and hopefully by then, you know, because obviously the A League runs over summer, so there shouldn't be too many weeks crossover. But you know, that's also when the National League runs and that's quite a big competition, and you know that there's more than just that league, but that's majority of your fan surely that are turning up for a league game.
So yeah, I spoke with Nick.
Becker about it and he said that's coming to consideration and they might you know, liais with New Zealand Football about potentially bringing those games forward. So yeah, I guess we'll have to wait and see. But yeah, you definitely don't want to be missing, you know, those fans at the game, because they're the future of this team really.
Asually, you know, right. I mean, of course it's played over summer, so the Winter League will be finished, but they would start up again around April, so of Auckland f C go deep into the A League, which I'm sure they plan to do, then maybe the start of the new winter season might might be affected, but I'm sure they'll I'll have it all worked out yr first home game of the season October nineteen. I also caught win today and this is not official. I must absolutely
make this clear. This is not official. But what I'm hearing is the first derby between Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix may well be in week two and it'll be in Wellington.
Right, nice, that's what I heard. It would be in Wellington as well. Again, not official, but oh.
It's so exciting.
And then I think the first derby in Auckland has been has been sort of penciled in for early December. I think the first weekend in December, so in the first six seven weeks of the season maybe a bit more than that. We're gon we're gonna have the first two derbies, one in each city, which is great. I quite like the five o'clock Saturday, I must say over summer. I don't mind that as a time, No.
Yeah, same, I think it's an unreal time and like it's definitely more more appealing, especially with kickoff out at Mount Smarts. It's a little bit tricky to get to than it is Eden Park. I was trying to think Ponty when do the Phoenix typically kick off their home games.
It was kind of all over the place, isn't it.
Yeah, they changed it last season or sorry, the season before the one that's just completed. They tried. They experimented with a three o'clock kickoff on a Saturday and a Sunday and it didn't really work, so they went back to sort of five o'clocks for the most part. On there was the odd four o'clock, but yeah, four o'clock, five o'clock for the most part. They tried to get a couple of Friday night games, and I must say
I really enjoyed the Friday night games when they were scheduled. Yeah, but often there was only one game on a Friday night across the entire A league and that was often given to an Australian fixture. So I used to really enjoy the Friday nights as well.
Yeah.
I was talking with Steve Corrik at the head coach of Auckland f C, and he said he doesn't mind a Friday night game as well.
So I suspect, well, we might see a few of those.
Scheduled and you know, maybe a different time or a Sunday game kickoff for the for the Derby games. So yeah, no, it's going to be interesting to see what they do. But obviously you want to get as many fans there as possible.
Yep.
Well, and good to have that little nugget of information dropped. I think we all assume that would be the weekend.
I think it's Labor weekend, isn't it. The first time game of the season for Auckland FC and for the entire league will be across that weekend of what October eighteen, nineteen twenty and I think Labour Day is the twenty first from memory anyway, it's that weekend anyway, with the official drawer as I understand it, due out before the end of July, so hopefully won't be too far before we know all of the fixtures and we can start doing some planning around Derby's etc.
Football Fever on iHeartRadio.
A couple of bits of news around the New Zealand underage teams. Our under twenties are playing a two match series against Australia's under twenties. This is in the lead up to the upcoming Under twenty Women's World Cup in Columbia in September. They're playing at Jerry Collins Stadium and Potty do it you know where that is, Bonnie, You've attended games there. That's this afternoon as we record this
the Thursday. Another game out at nz cis on Sunday, but that one's behind closed doors so that the teams can work on a few things. And the New Zealand Under twenty men, in fact the under nineteen men, as they are currently defending their title at the OFC Under nineteen Championship. In some more they've beat on New Caledonia and Somemoa five nil, five mil sum New Caledonia three nil, one more group game and then on towards the Semis in the final. Chris Greenacre, of course, is the coach
of that side. Kiwi's overseas. A couple of bits of signing news for us in the women's game.
Bond Yeah, an Elite has extended her contract with Aston Villa until June twenty twenty five. I'm stoked for her because she obviously got minutes towards the end of the season there, so it's yeah, it's good that they want her back. Grace Neville has signed a new one year contract with London City Lionesses and Hannah Blake huge signing. She's joined Durham FC is the a SAT Piney and the English second tier, so that's pretty cool for her.
Yeah, she was AEGE Women's last year. Wasn't yet memory, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think she's done well in the A League and I think this move is going to be good for her. I've someone I'm someone who's been a fan of the way she plays for years and I think, you know, maybe with different coaching perspectives in the Football Ferns camp, she could have been called in, So maybe this move might spark new insights.
Now tell me this. With the Olympics on and the Women's Olympics being a senior women's competition, does the NWSL take awa break?
Yes they do. They were going to be playing in that.
It's like an NWSL Challenge Summer Cup type thing, but yeah, the actual competition is not on, so they've got a month off.
Excellent, excellent news. That's that's good. That because I just wondered whether you know, teams might not release their players, but if you had, like the United States, not really they all play pretty much in the NWUSL, don't.
They Yeah, no, yeah, exactly, a lot a lot of those players play there. Yeah, you just wouldn't be able to have a component without taking break.
So that's good, good stuff. Good to hear, all right. A couple of bits of men's news. Alex Greeve has a new club. He's joined Bohemian FC in Ireland. There was a photo that the club put up during the week of fellow key we who have played there. Jason Batty, Raft deg Gregorio, Harry Nata and David Dodd all played there at the same time in the late nineteen nineties. They put a photo up of the four of them.
I had no idea that those four had played at this club, but it's an island, so Alex Greeve, hopefully we'll get some minutes there and score a few goals. James Mooser, he's a name from the past. He's left Colorado. He's now with Elliott Collier at Indy eleven. Got his first game time in about three months over the weekend.
James Mooser and Elliott Collier got a goal in that game as well, and Joe Bell continuing to really play well in Norway ninety minutes as Viking scored a couple of late goals to beat Oslo two one and stay fourth in the Norwegian top flight. Great though that Joe Bell has been released by his club to attend the Olympic Games. Finally, on the podcast, which has become a bumper edition, Bonnie you were. You were in amongst a bunch of English and Dutch fans this morning watching the
semi final. I noticed you had an orange shirt on it. I forgot that you were you had Dutch heritage.
Yeah, Pine, If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much. That's what my dad's family say, the Bonnie Bonnie Junsen. Some people call me not really, but yes, half Dutch and so was. We were absolutely robbed with that penalty call.
I must say.
However, England were better, and I'm glad for England because you know, it's hard not to chair for England being a KIWI for some reason, and they'd just been so rubbish or tournament. So I was finally glad to see some sort of good performance from them.
But gut it against it. It was against the Dutch.
It was the first half. The first half was very good, wasn't it by England? That easily miles better than anything else. I put on the pitch so far. Second half they kind of reverted back to being a bit sluggish and passing the ball back. But Ollie Watkin's coming on scoring that goal. What a moment for him, I mean, just tremendous for a kid to come on like that and score the winning goal. In the semi final, they take on Spain Monday morning, seven o'clock New Zealand time. Have you gotten that?
Definitely Spain. These look so good and that kid what is his name, Leamin Yamarl Yep, he's just incredible. Sixteen years old. I think he'll be seventeen, just turned seventeen for the final. Yeah, he's incredible, and I'd love to see both Spanish men's and women's teams on top of the world.
Yes, of course, because yeh, because Spain have won. Yeah, they won the women's World Cup, didn't they last year? Yeah? I mean Spain. Look, I mean since kind of I was going to say since since the knockout rounds. Really even in group play they've looked very, very good. But you know what, England are there? You know, Germany aren't there, you know, France aren't there. It's only aren't there the
Netherlands aren't there. England are there. They're still in with a chance, you know, they might fluke it.
You know, Yeah, there's I mean again as a key we I don't know what it is, but there is something that kind of ties me to England and I would like to see them, to see them when that And at the same time, you know, despite what I just said about the Spanish, if England men win, then both men and men and women's teams would have won the Euros.
Yeah, fantastic, we'll see, we'll see. Indeed, all right, Well, that wraps football fever today. There has been plenty for us to get our teeth into. You're off on a we junk it shortly. I think you're going actually going sailing and All Blacks rugbying or something.
Yeah.
I'm heading over to San Francisco later today for the sale GP final, doing some work over there, and then yeah, off to the All Blacks as well. So looking forward to that, but excited to get back for the Olympic commentary on God's Sport.
Yep, looking forward to that. All right. Well here you have an awesome time, safe travels, and at some point when there's a bunch of news to tell the people about. We'll get in touch with one another and put out another episode of of Football Fever, But thank you for listening to today's episode
The FF with Finy and Body