We'll go to Football Fevers. Hello. There after a brief break, we are back on Football Fever to discuss all things New Zealand football, specifically today our national teams. I'm Jason Pine with Bonnie Jensen alongside. Hello, Bonnie It Pinney.
Good to be back, isn't it.
It's good to be back talking football. And as I say, there's a bit to talk. We will cover off Auckland City's ten yearl loss at the Club World Cup today as well, which is something that I'm sure none of us really expected to wake up to this morning, but we can cover that off as well as a couple of bits of transfer news. But let's start with our national teams, and we are in the next little while both going to reveal our picks for the All Whites
twenty three man World Cup squad. Now I know we're a year away, but what we said is let's start talking about this now and we can revisit it. So what we've done, and well this is what I've done I hope you've done as well, is if Darren Baisley was naming his twenty three man squad today, who would be those twenty three names? Is that what you've done.
That's what I've done.
All right, that's good. That's what I've done too. Good to know we're on the same page. And then our messaging system is working well. Before we get to that, the All Whites at the Canadian Shield Tournament, they played Ivory Coast and Ukraine, two sides ranked a lot higher than they are. Ivory Coast forty first in the world, Ukraine twenty fifth. A one nil one over Ivory Coast. Let's start there. This is a pretty significant result, isn't it.
Yeah, I was stoked for the Whites that they got this result. You and I have discussed Piney on many occasions, and I've been quite passionate about the fact I've been wanting the All Whites to play some tougher, higher ranked opposition. You know, we see them play either extremely high ranked opposition or you know, super low, and there's not been this nice middle. But that's what we saw in this tournament. And yeah, they held their own and obviously got the win.
Over both games.
They thought the All Whites looked like incredibly fit, or maybe not incredibly fit, but looked like they could hold their own. So that was something that kind of stood out to me.
Yeah, I think what it also does is it replicates what will probably happen in a year from now where New Zealand will play. I mean, they're going to be in Pot four, so the lowest ranked sides in the World Cup draws, So they're going to come up against three sides in their group who are ranked higher than they are. And I don't think there's any surprise there. But what they showed against the team like Ivory Coast
is that they can win these games. They didn't win the Ukraine game, but this is the kind of environment they're going to have to be in, playing not just two but three games in the space of let's say eight to twelve days, and have to get results in these games to get out of the group. Look, if they can turn up a year from now and win one, they'll against the side ranked in the forties in the world. That's a terrific outcome.
Oh absolutely.
And that's the other thing I quite liked about this tournament is they replicate I mean, it's not fefa World Cup mindset, but they replicate kind of that tournament feeling and you know, it's about getting points and where you
sit on the table. And there was potentially going to be a penalty shootout and things like that, so that was quite exciting to see you you felt like for me anyway, it felt like, Okay, now the preparations have started for this World Cup and you know, how good are we looking a year out and that's obviously only going to get closer. So yeah, I was impressed with the way they set out. Definitely still a lot to
work on. We know how New Zealand, both on the men's and women's side, need to be more attacking, but the fact that they are scoring and then they're also quite strong at the back was promising.
I think Ivory Coast was just a personification of exactly what you just said, is that we don't create a lot. We're normally pretty defensively sound against whoever it is that we're playing. So provided we hate those chances as we did in the Ivory Coast game, then that is not a bad blueprint for winning football matches at big tournaments
like World Cups. ELI. Just you know, apart from that goal, there wasn't really much else in the way of clear cut goal scoring opportunities Ivory Coach, to be fair, I thought were a bit passive and really only sort of sprang to life in the last twenty minutes when they thought to themselves, man, we're going to lose to New
Zealand here, which they did. But you know, Eli just terrific finish and a wonderful ball through from Marco Stamminich coming from you know, Staminich and Joe Bell breaking up play in midfield. It's almost, you know, if you were going to devise or create a perfect New Zealand goal, that would be it.
Yeah, a real team goal. And that's that's what I mean.
They showed some really great glimpses of them being able to play and know while they're not going to have a lot of position against most of their opposition in this World Cup at a year's time, at least they can compete and pick their moments, you know, pick their moments to go forward through. You know that chance created that Eli just converted, you know, like that, they're going
to have to pick their moments. What we don't want is them just just sitting off and parking the bus like we saw Auckland City do today against Bayern Munich. But yeah, I like to see that that balance and them wanting to create a few more opportunities.
Yeah, or at least get on the ball as well. And the other thing I loved was that there wasn't utter elation at the end. I mean, beating a team that's, you know, forty odd places higher than you on the world rankings is cause for real satisfaction. But these guys are not now just content with being on the same pitch. They said, look, we you know, we had a game plan. We expected to win the game. They said the same
after the Ukraine game. You know, losing two to one to Ukraine, a team ranked number twenty five in the world. On the face of things, that's a pretty good result. But they were not happy at all with it. So that's just this a continuation of this mindset. Now these players are all at professional clubs. Their job is to win football games or certainly not to lose them. And that's now permegating across the national team as well, isn't it.
It makes me excited as well, knowing this team is actually still quite young. A lot of these players in the starting lineup went to the Olympics last year. Obviously, you've got the experience of Chris Wood and Costa and boxer and players like that. But a lot of them are quite young, and it's promising knowing in a year's time, you know, that much more experience that they'll hopefully have.
And for the next World Cup after that, and who knows the one after that as well. Well. You look at our center back pairing in that first game, Finn Sermon Tyler Binden add their ages together, and it's only forty one. I mean, Michael Box's thirty seven by himself, So.
You age shaming Michael bo not at all.
I love the man. I love the man, and I think you know he is well and truly in the in the center back mix. But you know, Sermon and Binden, they just look like the future, don't they already? Tyler Binden very assured. Finn Sermon just seems to be to get his body in the way of any goal bound threat. How many clearances and blocks? And here is did he get across these two gates?
Oh he's so good at Finn Zimmon, And I'm so glad he kept going. I feel like perhaps I doubted him a little bit after he left the Phoenix. I thought maybe that was a little bit prematurer of him to go when he was still so young, but he's obviously over in the mls now and from what I've seen from reports over there, he's an absolute star. And I was so glad he got the start for the
All Whites. I feel like it's good Darren Baisley is starting to get Binden and Sermon playing alongside each other because you know, in a year's time they will be a little bit older and hopefully that the starting pair at the World Cup.
I didn't like Tyler bind And playing it right back in the second game. I have to say, it just is not his position. I know they probably wanted to give Michael box All a game, but for me and I don't think tylervind And will play there again. It's Tim Payne's position, and he's not on this trip, or wasn't on this trip because he was waiting for the arrival of his first first child. But it was it
just felt makeshift to me having having time. In fact, it felt makeshift to me having built tu Iloma out there in the first game, you know, without I just don't know why they why why Darren basically didn't give Callen Elliott a game.
Yeah, that is interesting. Callen did get.
On the pitch and both games, both games, and I do wonder when you've got that many center backs, why don't you look at it a back three.
He seems pretty fixated on this back four.
But I mean, maybe it was an opportunity by bringing that many center backs along to to give it a go see how it works.
He's played a back three before.
Maybe that, yeah, that was the way to go and drop someone like Eli just a bit a bit deeper.
But no, yeah, I completely agree.
Yeah, I don't think we'll see it again. Like I say, I think Tim Payne will come back in probably be the first choice right back for the for the rest of the build up to the World Cup and at the World Cup itself. Most players got a game. We'll get to the goalkeepers in a sec. With Max Crokham playing both matches and their entirety, so Alex Paulson and Nick shanev didn't play. The only other two players in the squad who didn't get some game time when Nando
Pineker and Tommy Smith. I just wonder what Nando Pinikers immediate future isn't the all Whites. I think he's definitely one of the top four or five center backs. But Bindon, Sermon, Boxel all ahead of him. I just wonder when he'll play for the All Whites again.
Yeah, I do wonder that as well, Piney, and I don't think right now he's a starter, and I don't think he's a starter at the World Cup. And as we'll discuss with our squads, I do have him in a squad because I would rather bring someone like Nando off the bench to replace you know, Sermon or Binden in there, then I would Tommy Smith. You know, as much as Tommy Smith's a icon around that team and a store war Nando, I just probably trust a little
bit more at the back. And if he's not getting minutes at this this World Cup or you know, in the next year, between now and the World Cup, he's probably involved in the next silent cycle and he might just be like a Tommy Smith is now and go with this team for the next few years.
Yeah. And look, I think Tyler Bindon's emergence has been, you know, so good and so rapid that now he is the left side of center back and it's really now who plays alongside Tilerband. I think you and I had this conversation after the last World Cup qualifiers when he was so impressive across those matches all but yet
against the likes of Fiji and New Caledonia. But he arrived, you know, and now he's like, Okay, well, there's no question Tyler Bindon plays who plays alongside and that, and I think the collateral damage from that or part of it is Nando Pinekeer. But but yeah, well I've still got him in my squad. I'll reveal one of my twenty three to you, and I know you have as well, so we can get to that. A couple of questions for you, will Alex Paul and get a game and goal anytime soon?
It doesn't seem like it, And I'm so annoyed because it's the times running out, Like it's the World Cups a year away. There's probably four or five windows between now and then, and I feel like if he is going to be the starting keeper at the World Cup, which we've discussed as probably likely, he's going to need to be getting minutes with this all white side between now and then. So I'm not sure. I feel like Darren Bezy is all non croakhm.
I agree, and this window is the demonstration of that. I was almost positive that Alex Paulson would get a game on this on this trip, that he would play one or both of the one or probably not both, because you know, Beays has been very, very loyal to Max Chrokam and he's done nothing wrong, so he can't drop him. But I just thought this was the opportunity to give Alex Paulson a game against a high quality opposition.
Wouldn't have matter which game, but you know, like and often and often, loyalty, You know, loyalty is a wonderful quality, absolutely brilliant quality, but the overplaying of that can sometimes be a weakness. And I'm not saying that Max Crokum doesn't deserve to be there, but Alex Poulson continues to present an irresistible case every time he plays a game of football. Two times a league goalkeeper of the year, and I know it's only the A League, but you
know Max Crokum isn't playing the Premier League. He's playing down the leagues in England and playing well. I just think he has to give him a game at some point.
Yeah, he has to get a go.
I really want to be inside that camp and know the conversations that are being had and I have you asked Bays? I feel like I need to ask him the next the next media opportunity to get with the All Whites. It's something I haven't asked him yet.
I think he gets asked most times that they get together, and his answer is always you know, around the fact that that why would you drop somebody who hasn't done anything wrong? I guess the difficulty is with goalkeepers. I mean, if you're a if you're an outfield player and you can't get a game in a in a certain position, you might get on in another position, you know, or
you might come off the bench. Very rare for a goalkeeper to come off the bench unless there's an injury and and goalkipers can't lay any other positions.
So what do you mean? I think Alex Pauson would would work all right up top.
Maybe he would Nobody would be expecting it, it would be it would be a bold move.
But yeah, and to be fear to croakham as well.
I actually thought he played really well in that second game and yeah, yeah, absolutely, So it is tough and maybe we feel this bias towards Alex Porson because we see him on the TV every weekend. So yeah, I don't know. I just wonder if you know, Paulson's back in Bournemouth now. Auckland NEFC announced that the other day, and yeah, you just wonder if he's going to pull a head or he's already pulling ahead and he's just not getting that opportunity and we need to see it.
We has to play it as well. That's something he has to play in the twelve months between now and the World Cup and that won't be at bournemouthal would and imagine it'll be on loan somewhere. So it may well come down to him finding a happy place to be over the next twelve months where he's playing every week,
continues to develop, you know, and continues to push. I think really Max Crokham and Alex Paulson are in a head to head twelve month trial to see who starts the first game of the World Cup, and whoever that's the first game is likely to play all three really, that's normally the way it goes unless there's an utter catastrophe. So yeah, it'll largely depend I think on where Alex Paulson ends up and how often he plays and how
Max Crokam continues to play Francis Devrees. He came on in the second game late on would You be a Fan of? And there seems to be a bit of a clamor for this of Francis Derees starting on the left side of a back four and Libby Cacaci playing further forward.
No, I'm not sure about that, just because I feel like Eli just plays on the left.
Right, yeah, the right. Now he plays on the left. Yeah, although pops up on the right, but that the Kacacchi just left hand side has been quite common, yes.
Yes, yeah.
I just wonder if I was a bit surprised at the lack of game time Franny got in this window. And I do want to see that a little bit more. But I wonder if it's a little bit late and they're not going to get enough time to.
Work that out, because that is a big.
Kind of mindset shift for someone like Libby, who we know is exceptional. I also think we're gonna oh yeah, I was gonna say, we're probably going to be more defensive minded at the World Cup, and and you know, maybe having Libby Ford, Libby's a stronger defensive player, we lose him at the back a little bit, but then at the same time, I guess he's defending from the front.
It's a tricky one.
I just think we're running out of time for for something like that to happen.
That would that would take you.
Know, it's not like a club team where you're in and out of tradings every day.
I think that from what I can see, the reason that people like the idea of Francis Devrees playing is that we know how good a crossing is and Chris Wood is our main source of goals. Now, Chris would only play ten minutes in each of these two games, so there wasn't really time to test the theory. I don't know. I think if you're including a defender because they're a good crosser, then perhaps you've got things slightly around the wrong way. I love Francis Devrez's wide skill set.
He is. He's a terrific crosser of the football, an open play from set pieces, and clearly had a breakout season for Auckland FC. But if you're suggesting, or if people are suggesting that Francis Devrees an a league defender, is a better bet than Libby Cacacci, a seri are defender at left back, then I think we need to probably examine things a bit deeper. Yeah, I don't know you can just pick a guy just because he's good at crossing the ball if his core role is to defend.
Yeah, and I think as well, I actually think Libby's probably biggest floor is crossing, so that that's kind of a tricky thing there, that which lets Libby down. But you're right, he's a quality defender and he's the captain of this team. They're not not starting him. They just they don't have enough time to make that work. But in saying that, Francis Avari is a great player to bring off the bench and bring on an attacking opportunity if you if you're down one another or something like that.
So I still think he needs to be in the squad without a doubt in getting minutes every game.
Yeah.
Well, they brought him on against New Caledonia, didn't they, And he delivered the corner that Michael Boxill score the goal from, So you know that that was It's you're right, as a as a weapon off the bench, outstanding. But I just don't think he takes the place of Libby. Cakarchie not that we're suggesting that. I think we all agree Leby Cacachi is in the eleven. It's just where you push him further forward. But like you, I like, I like Eli. Just there. Matt Garbin and Ben Wayne
need to find themselves a football club. That's pretty obvious. They are both of contract. I'm hearing hearing fairly strong male about Ben Wayne to Walkland f C. I'm not sure if you're hearing that as well, But that's that's that rumor is gaining traction by the day. Max Mutter of course has gone back to Shrewsbury, so there is a there's an opening there for for an out and out number nine. Ben Wayne and Guizmo may alongside one another.
I think Wayne knows a lot stronger than probably Max Mutter is at the moment, so that'd be a huge signing for Auckland f C. I know I understand that they were kind of in discussions maybe around Costa or like whether it's worth putting an offer to Costa or not. They were potentially keen to look somewhere, look for someone younger perhaps, and Ben Wayne kind of fits the brief, doesn't he.
Yeah, And if it does, if it does come to pass, then I think that's that's a very very good decision by Ben Wayne.
You know, it's been suck for the Phoenix.
Well, yeah, I think you got to leave them out of it. You know. If they I'm sure they knew that he was off contract or that, you know, so they could have gone to them if they'd wanted to. They may have. He might end up at Wellington. But what I mean is, I think it's it's great that Ben Wayne hasn't said to himself, no, I'm not going back to the A League, because that's a backward step in this twelve months between now and the World Cup.
At the risk of just banging the same drum podcast after podcast, all these guys have to be playing, don't they.
They have to be playing, Yeah, exactly, And I mean we're going to go through our preferred squads soon. But it's hard to leave these players off. And if they're not getting minutes, you know, they're immediately Yeah, they're not helping themselves.
All right. So Matt Carvett as well, he'll turn up somewhere, don't know where yet. And yeah, on Costa, well, all signs suggest that he's going to Western Sydney Wanderers. As of today, which is Monday, the sixteenth of June. No announcement yet, but expect that Costa Barusus will turn up
at the Western Sydney Wanderers at some stage soon. Great also to see a bunch of the all Whites boys supporting Ryan Fox at the Canadian Golf Open til and getting themselves onto CBS and all sorts of other television channels and across social media. I thought that was really cool, the way that they were able to turn up there and support support Ryan Fox and obviously a lucky charm because he won in a playoff. This is what's okay, here we go. Let's name our name our World Cup squads.
If Darren Baisley was naming his World Cup squad of twenty three today, now we still don't know whether it's twenty three or twenty six. We've gone with twenty three because I wanted to make this a little bit harder on us that we have to leave some people out. So I think the way we do this. Have you done it in position order? Is that the way you've done it? All? Right? Well, let's go through and position order. Okay, So I've named three goalkeepers? Have you got three?
Sure?
Minor Max Krokum, Alex Paulson and Olie Sale.
Ooh, I've gone Crokam, Paulson and Zanev.
All right, So you're going with recent So I'm also.
Put a note that if Michael valdor Oli Sale have a good A League season that they'll be in there.
All right. I think Crocam and Paulson are on the plane, right. I think we can put them on the plane and head to head for that starting role. I've got Sale because he's been in and around the group for the last sort of three or four years. He was number one in the last World Cup cycle in that game against Costa Rica, wasn't he? And left out of this one. I just feel like he might have quite a big season at Perth Glory and I'd put him in for that reason. But Nick Xaranev, yeah, he was well, he
was chosen over Sale recently, wasn't he? So maybe who knows?
Yeah?
Exactly? And that's are we doing the squad? If it was named tomorrow, would you take Olie sal Or tomorrow?
I still would, Yes, I still would. I still would even though Sarni was the was the most recent inclusion didn't get close to getting a game their third goalkeeper. One's really interesting to me because they know it's highly unlikely they're going to get a game, right. In fact, it's it's almost unheard of for the for the third goalkeeper to get a game unless there are injuries. So I feel like it needs to be somebody who knows that you still.
That's why I worry about it being only say it was because I feel like he'll be gutted that he's not there, and you know, there's probably I don't know. This is me speculating there might be a bit of beef between between him and Paulson after Paulson, you know, came up behind him and Sean, But I don't know.
Yeah, all right, Well, so SONEV for you, sale for me? All right, let's do defenders. I'll give you my list. In fact, we now, why don't you give me your list of defenders and the old tick. I'll tick the ones that we have in common and then see where we differ. So who are your defenders?
So I've got eight I've named eight defenders. Tim Payne, Tyler, Binden, Finn Sermon, Libby Ka, Michael Box or Tommy Smith, Francis Direes and Nando Parneker.
All right, I've named nine and I've left a player out further up, and I'll explain why in a moment. I've got those eight, and I've added Callen Elliott.
That's so funny because I've got Kellen Elliott. But I've got a note down below as well what it'll be between him and a Ford.
Yeah. Well, so in my ear, I've gone with an extra defender and one fewer attackers, so I've taken Elliott as well. So the way I did it. And see with your right, you've only got one right back there, and that's Tim Payin right, and you've said, okay, well, Tyler Binda can play there if you needs to, whereas I've gone with Elliott to back up Pain, and I've included Tommy Smith. And there might be a bit of conjecture about this. Tommy Smith I think is the fifth
center back. Would you agree he's the fifth center back? But in a squad situation, I think you have to have him there. Well, certainly Darren Baisley likes to have him there because of what he contributes to the group. Is that the rationale you've gone with.
Yeah, well, just based on our discussions.
Yeah, I think I think he is there is from a leadership point of view, and as a closer, I guess as we've seen him in Auckland f C games, we probably won't see him take the park anytime soon or at the World Cup at all. But yeah, just from a leadership perspective, that's why I've got him in there.
All right, good stuff? All right? So eight defenders for you, So you've got to place up your sleeve further forward, which I don't have. Let's go to midfield. My midfielders, Joe Bell, Marco Staminic, Sarprek, Singh, Ben Old, Matt Garbett, Alex Rufer and Ryan Thomas. Oh, who have you.
Got worked out?
My math's wrong. I've got all of those guys except Ryan Thomas.
Okay, cool?
And I just said that Ryan Thomas takes Rufer's spot if he's fit.
All right. So you've only got six midfielders, yeap, all right. I just think Ryan Thomas, if he's fit, and you've said that as well, he comes in. So I've got because I've got him there as well as I've only got four forwards. I've only got four strikers.
Oh r, my math isn't mathing.
You'll have six with you. You've probably got six strikers, Okay, cool, So I've only gone with four and i'll again i'll explain why. But yeah, I've got Ryan Thomas because yeah, and you probably feel the same way if he gets through the next season with Pegswaller in the Netherlands, I think you take him. I think they'll bring him into the to the team at the back end of this year. And I didn't just think he's a quality player, isn't he?
Yeah? I agree.
I think Rufe is on the on the cusp for me on the fringe, and I wonder if yeah, you take take Ryan Thomas over over him? All going well, all right, so you've got six strikers, yep, who are they? I've got Costa Eli, just Callum Cowitt, Ben Wayne, Chris Wood, and then I've got, as I alluded to before, I've got Logan Rogerson in there. But I think it comes down to think, I think the big question and is it my twenty three? Is is it Logan Rogerson or
call and Elliott. I think it'll be between those two whether Bays wants to take one more defender or one more forward.
All right, well I've got Wood obviously, and just and Barbarusis and Macowart. Ben Wayne misses my squad, and I'll tell you, and I'll tell you why, because the more I think about it, the more I think we don't need a like for like for Chris Wood. I feel like Chris Wood. The reason Ben Wayne's in the team at the moment is because he's the most like Chris Wood. As when Max Mutter plays, he's the most like Chris Wood. All things being equal, Chris Wood will play ninety minutes
in all three matches at the World Cup. But if you need to change it up, you're not going to bring on a lesser version of Chris Wood. You're not going to take Chris Wood off and bring Ben Wayne on. You're not going to take Chris Wood off and bring Max Marter on. You just leave Chris Wood on. So for me, it's a situation like what happened against New Caledonia that if Chris Wood comes off, you change the way you play and you put Costa Barbarusis on, for example.
So unfortunately for me, Ben Wayne doesn't make the twenty three. The only other wild card I had, and this is way left field, Bonnie, is if you want something really different that nobody really has seen and no, no, you know Opposition Nations can scout something that's a bit of a wild card, I would take. I would take Luke brook Smith.
I thought you're going to say Corbyn Piper.
No, I wouldn't take Corbyn Piper just yet. I would take Luke brook Smith because he's well, did you see his goals for the under twenties?
No?
I did it. You need to look at his goals for the under twenties if you really want something off the bench that is different, a young fresh but.
I think something that is different as Corbyn Piper, like a different style player. But whereas like Luke brook Smith is just like a young.
Young quick guy exactly running it tired defenders.
See.
I think the only way I can get him into the team is if I drop a defender so and so I could take. I could potentially take callan Elliott out and bring Luke Brooksmith. And I honest, Bonnie, honestly write this down. June the sixteenth, twenty twenty five, the day that I said that Luke Brooksmith might go to the World Cup. Okay, you obviously haven't got him on your list.
Good luck with that. I actually like you. By the colleagues in the office can actually test this. I actually cuckled a little bit. I laughed a little bit out loud when I saw you had it on the wider the wider list that I was meant to pick from. When you send it through to me on the email, did you love I love Luke Brooksmith. I think he's had a great season with the Phoenix. But I did when you said that through the bigger list, the long list, I did laugh about it.
I was like, Luke Brooksmith, come on.
See so and just on the other ones you have. Unfortunately for Logan Rogerson, I don't think he makes it just I just think there, like I say, there are too many in the queue ahead of them. I mean Ben old Is, isn't it and Startbrege saying are attacking midfielders, you got just You've got Macowitt, You've got Barbarusis. I just don't see how Logan Rogerson makes that team.
Well, I will.
Say I did have a question mark over both Kallen Elliott and Logan Rogerson and I said it will be either between those two, and they'll probably take Callen for a more defensive mindset team in the World Cup. And remember Steve Corrick at Auckland ne FC coach would bring on Callen up top as well, so we know he can play a little bit higher. He just offers a
little bit more versatility than someone like Logan does. In saying that, I will give Michael Burgess, our senior football writer at the Herald of shout out, he made a good point with me were discussing this before that. Imagine not bringing someone like Logan Rogerson and you bring someone like Tommy Smith along who's sitting on the bench for leadership purposes, where Logan Rogerson could add something to the team on the field, so that there is a bit of a question mark around that as well.
I agree, agree, And that's I think where you play the squad game. You say, okay, well, if Logan Rogerson is the twenty third man in the squad, under what circumstances will he get on the pitch? See, you can't take Logan Rogerson and Luke brook Smith Planer, Please other guys got written down who are in the mix? Built to Ilama simply because he's been in the latest squad. Storm rou who I think is probably the third right back.
I think Kell and Elliot chading it at the moment. Max Mutter Sam Sutton is probably in the mix on the left hand side, but Divrez and Cacaci seem to have the front two positions, and Nick Sarne who you've put in the team. So yeah, I feel like, you know, I feel like Beays knows twenty of us twenty three.
Yeah, I think as well as quick as this is coming around and it's a year out now, there is a long way to go still, and there's a whole season of EPL, and there's a whole or you know European leagues rather, and there's a whole season of a league to go as well. There's probably injuries, dare I say at Touchwood to some of these players, and as
you say, Piney, they've got to be playing. So yeah, I think that the script isn't written yet, but as we say, if it was, if it was announced tomorrow, this is what we'd have, all right.
I think we should do this again, I don't know, maybe just before Christmas, after the next couple of windows, and then obviously, probably a couple of times before the squad is actually named. I get the feeling that Basil name it probably about March of next year. I think there's a window in March. Maybe he names it before that, and that's the squad that plays that window. But you're right, there's a lot of water to flow under the bridge between between now and the World Cup. I mean, you know,
eighteen months ago, do we even know who Tyler Binden was. Yeah, it's only about thirteen years old.
To be fair, he'll probably he'll probably wear the bloody armband by that point.
Seriously, future New Zealand captain, absolutely no doubt about it. All right, So those are our squads. We'll revisit them in a few months.
This is.
Let's go to our football Ferns, who are back from a two game window in Spain against Venezuela, a three to one loss and a two to one win, the first games with Michael Maine as official head coach, although he's been interim head coach for quite some time now. In general terms, was this window of success?
Yeah?
I thought that three to one loss. I was just thinking classic. You know, they've made them with the same old football Ferns.
You know, we were all.
Excited this new era under Michael Maine and then bam, just as it is as it always has been. Recently, I thought that the bounce back win was good but probably expected.
Do we have to take into account that if we are naming our best eleven five of them not there? No CJ. Bott, no Katie Bowen, no Mascy Fraser, no India page Rightley, Nomalia Stein Metz. So that's five pretty big players out, isn't it?
Yeah? It is.
But that's the thing, like, do we even know if Michael Main sees CJ. Bott and Katie Bowen in his best eleven? Because I mean I do. I see it that there are two best players, and I'm sure you do as well, Piney, But right now Michael Main's made it pretty clear that he hasn't wanted them in the squad. So that is all a bit confusing. But yeah, the lineups were interesting. He was clearly testing things out, and why wouldn't you when you're kind of in between in between World Cup cycles.
He likes a different formation from Darren Baisley, isn't it. He likes the three at the back with the wing backs and he uses his wing backs. They're almost I mean when you say wingbacks, the back part of it is the defensive part of it. But the players who played in those positions Grace Neville and Grace Jarleigh in the first game and then Maniah and Jackie Hand in the second alp and they were attacking players for the most part, particularly Jarlay Hand and Elliot an't they Yeah.
It was a bit all over the place, I thought. And yeah, as I say, meant, you know, he's clearly testing the waters, seeing what he's got around. Still obviously very keen to get Annale Longo in there. And that was another one that I didn't mention, I don't think on the pod, but he kind of spoke about how he doesn't mind that Annale Longo's not playing club football but as long as she's performing for the Football Ferns, and I think that's, yeah, all a bit contradictory and confusing.
So yeah, I'm not quite sure what space the Football Ferns are in at the moment, but it's clearly are a growth growth stage, I guess.
I think Anally Longer might have the shortest retirement industry. I reckon she'll be back playing for the Phoenix this summer.
It's giving like Porscha Woodman Wickliffe in the rugby will cut the black funs.
Well, certainly because it's almost now. It's probably it's the worst kept secret in football circles is that Bev Priestman will take that role. She will be the head coach of the Wellington Phoenix women and they're already in the market with a couple of big signings and as I understand it from talking to a couple of people over
the weekend, a couple more big ones to come. I think Analie Longo won't be able to resist the temptation of playing football under Beev Priestman if she still wants to play for the Football Ferns as well when she can't not play club football, or she wants to still play for New Zealand exactly.
And that's why I was so confused by what Michael Maine was saying. It's like, well, can like other people just not play club football and just play for the Ferns And.
It doesn't really work like that. So yeah, I agree with you, Piney.
I think she'll be back at the Phoenix from what I understand anyway, there are you know she is more keen to play under the likes of Bev Priestman. If she is as you say, if that does come to fruition and she is the coach.
Who do you think enhanced their reputation across these two games? Who played well across the two games?
Good question? I would say probably. I thought Kate Taylor stood out at the back. I thought she is quite good on the ball, quite commanding at the back. Vick Essen as well. You know, there's no an elite She's where is Analyte. An elite is injured. She's got a really bad concussion. But at the same time she has been playing for High Biscus Coast up Top. I understand she's also been down at Eastern Suburbs Football Club, where she could.
Maybe be moving to.
So yeah, I thought, yeah, Vick Easton stood out for me and Kate Taylor. Yeah, it was quite commanding at the back.
So just back to Analyte presumably going to Eastern Suburbs to playing Gold.
Oh God, you'd hope.
So.
I don't know.
I don't know that girl, but I also understand she is in talks with a league club, and I think if Yev Priestman is that Phoenix coach. A lot of players will want to go and play for her. You know, we know this history with the whole drone gate thing, but I'm sure top players like an elite and others, probably other football fans as well, we'll look past that and say, hey, I want to play for an Olympic gold medalist coach, and yeah, I would love that opportunity for that to happen.
Stephen Hoyle he used to coach, hees some Suburbs, didn't He's over at the new Castle Jets now, is that right? Have I got that right?
Yes?
You have, Yes, Steve O's my former coach actually at Eastern Suburbs. I was stoked to hear that news that he had signed with Newcastle Jets. Obviously that's where Devin Jackson plays, also former Eastern Suburbs player. So yeah, great for Steve O. I think he's probably ready for that, that next step in his career. And yeah, it'd be great to see how he goes. He's moving the whole family over and yeah it's a nice sweet town and yeah,
I'm looking. I think I think if bev Is or whoever is the Phoenix coach, it probably they'll probably have to keep an eye on Steve o recruiting some of the form some of the football Ferns and and you know domestic talent.
Yea, I was going to ask, are there pliers of Eastern suburbs who could make the step up to a league who Stevens worked with in the past, who who could potentially I'm not expecting your name names, but are there some he might he might look at getting across.
Definitely worth the discussion, And yeah, it's got You've got to be careful because it's not a club level coach now, you know, it's kind of that that next it's professional football semi professional where the relationships kind of change and you're not it's not club football where you're rolling up on a Sunday ninety minutes before kickoff and things like that.
So yes, I think there are players that probably he'd been overlooked by the Phoenix in the past, or even the Football Ferns for that matter, that he could reach out to. But yeah, you've got to make sure you're you're picking players with the right mindset that are ready for that step up.
All right, I like you. I thought Kay Taylor had a couple of good games. I thought Katie Kitchen as well. Thought Katie Kitchen stood out.
Yeah, she's our best player, I reckon at the moment.
Yeah, I liked them the way she that she picked herself up after missing that penalty as well in the second game and still continued to contribute. Good to see Millie Clegg get a goal and Jackie hand obviously, Jackie Han's got a new club, This Norwegian club of Theirs is becoming quite the key we are post. Yeah what's it called again, cold Boton. I think it's Old Boston.
I don't know how to I don't know how to pronounce it really, but it's Yeah, that's where Lizanton and Olivia Chance also plays.
So yeah, we'll see see how we go. It might be nice living in Norway.
I guess who knows football is good time. I mean we've said a lot. Jackie Hann needs to be playing right, she needs to be playing at a decent level. She is, she could be our best player.
So yeah, well they're their tenth in the competition.
So yeah, because her last club got relegated, I think it was from Memories, so she field she played for. Yeah, well, so yeah, it'll be interesting to see how she goes, but I was still keen for her to come back to the Phoenix and all honesty, but maybe she's love in Europe.
Indeed, just before we go Club World Cup, Auckland City
NIL buying Munich ten in Cincinnati this morning. Someone asked me yesterday you know this is and it is a mismatch, right, And that's been the narrative all the way leading up that by in Munich, this team of multi millionaire professionals up against Auckland City, not Auckland f C. Though some news agencies around the world, I'm not sure if you saw this had pictures had photos of Auckland f C in their articles, not Auckland City, so there was a
bit of confusion there. But anyway, this is this is so this is a strictly amateur side where most of not all of these players have other jobs. Somebody saying to say, is this going to be you know, there's this going to be a nine to ten nallis you know? No, this will be this would probably be like a three or four neil ten Nils surprised me, it really did, Were you surprised?
I was absolutely surprised, like not surprised when you consider Auckland City are just you know, part time footballer is playing this little domesic league in New Zealand and they're all plumbers and builders and teachers and things like that. But I did think, based on you know, what we've seen from Auckland City for so many years, they would put up more of a fight. I mean not saying they didn't fight, but I thought.
It would be a lot those they were just overrun.
Maybe five goals.
Yeah, they were just overall. I think everybody knew that they were going to lose the game, but yeah, they were just overrum. You sent me some stats thirty one shots by and had so Actually that speaks to Connor Tracy having a pretty good game and goal. He made a few saves unfortunately to pick out ten Auckland City just the one effort, you know, it was it was you know, we know about over here, We know about the rich, you know, really impressive history of Auckland City,
don't we. You know the club World Cups they've been to where they've done really well. This is a different format now, and there's already a lot of chatter about if the format is going to throw up ten nil results then is at the right format. But you know, we know, and hopefully it doesn't doesn't put too much of a dent in the in the confidence of these players because they've got to play ben Fica and Bocker juniors. You know this, it's a group of death, man, absolute
group of death. The flip side is, hey, when one of these guys are going to get the chance to play against the likes of Harry Kane and others. But man, hopefully they can, they can recover steel themselves. Stadium look good, didn't it. It was a good crowd.
Yeah, I thought it was a good crowd. They clearly weren't there for for Auckland City. They're probably more there for Harry Kane and by music buying Munich. But how about this stat Auckland reported just over four hundred and ninety one or a million dollars in revenue for the last financial year. The the Bayern Munich kind of reported two or seven hundred and thirty million pounds in revenue.
Yeah, in revenue.
It's mental, isn't it.
And Nathan Lobbo, the twenty two year old left back, he's going to be sitting his university exam from the hotel room this week.
See these are the stories we love a It's like, these are the stories they get picked up. It's like, oh, hey, you know, the Auckland City team have got a hairdresser and a real estate agent and a bloke sitting is his university exams in the hotel room up against the as I say, the gazillionaires of Bayern Munich. It's it's one of those you know, those not rags to riches but haves and have not stories. Unfortunately, the ten nil
scoreline is what's going to get picked up on. If they had lost three or four nil, it would really wouldn't have you know, got much more than a passing mention. But ten nill is just like a's that's a headline grabber, unfortunately, and not in a good way.
Well, you wonder if maybe it is you know, I love Auckland City contesting for this spot in the Club World Cup, but you wonder if it'll go back to that age old debate or of whether a New Zealand DAI League team should be there. You know, we've wanted to see the Phoenix there for some time, or at least can.
Test for it.
And you know Auckland f C probably would have. I think Auckland f C would have also got smashed by by Munich, but maybe by half of that school line. So I wonder if maybe this result will get some people talking.
Yep, that's a discussion for another day. I can tell you I've had a couple of people already start that conversation with me. You're not the first person to suggest that perhaps it should be one of our professional clubs that goes to the Club World Cup rather than Auckland City. The rules as they are at the moment that Auckland City have gone. We look forward to their games against Benfica on Saturday and Boca Junior's next Wednesday. That brings to an end a bit of a marathon podcast by
our standards. Thanks for hanging in with us. Hopefully we've brought you some football news. What have we got to look forward to? Bonnie, I don't think the Football Ferns have got any game schedule for the new little while. I'm hearing that that the All Whites Soccer US home and away series in September is continuing to be talked about.
That'll be good, Yeah, that'd be good.
Yeah, I understand the Ferns aren't playing this window, but they'll be back later that I think in every other window after that this year. But I guess what we've got to look out for now is all the A League movement and seeing, yeah, if Ben Wayne does come to Auckland f C or or what happens with the Phoenix, whether they can get their hands on some big imputs. So that's that's coming up. But also sadly it sounds like it's true. It sounds like there's no woman's Auckland f C team.
Is that what you're hearing? It's just not going to happen.
Yeah, not going to happen this year.
Unfortunately, that is such a shame.
Guss It.
That is such a shame. I was honestly looking so much looking forward to seeing what Auckland f C would do with a women's side after what they did with their men. So so you're hearing it's just not going to happen this season. Yeah.
The one thing that annoys me as well as kind of you're hearing from from the club saying, oh, you know.
It's the A League.
It's the A League, just A league's decision because they don't have enough to fund it, but you also don't get a lot of motivation from the club. They're like, oh, you know, we understand, we don't want to rush it. And my thing is hold on. You rush the bloody men's team and that was success, you know, so yeah, rush it. Yeah, I'm like, bring it on. And there are players, you know, I'm sure there are a few Kiwis that were ready to come home and play for Auckland FC.
So it is a shame.
But yeah, well we'll have to look at the movement, at the Phoenix woman and the Phoenix men and the men.
Yeah, we'll keep it. We'll keep our ears close to the ground for any any little snippets of information and bring them all together for you in a podcast when we have enough material. Yeah, thank you Bonnie Luke Brooksmith for the All Whites World Cup square right there there, Football Villa, Football Viva