I heard that they are running three different camps just prior to the New Year with selected Oceania players being invited to fill out numbers.
A good opportunity for some of the fringe players or unknown players to get a look in.
One kid on their way is Ricky Fransen, plays for U16/18 at Western Sydney Wanderers. 15 year old CB who is 6 ft 4 and still growing. Apparently made the State Team this year and is a 'technical CB" whatever that means.
Tournament starts next week. We should walk this competition. These pacific sides may have struggled through covid times to get organised? Fiji not the worst place to play qualifiers.
Can anyone confirm if Oceania are streaming games? my blind eyes cannot find any info
Tournament starts next week. We should walk this competition. These pacific sides may have struggled through covid times to get organised? Fiji not the worst place to play qualifiers.
Can anyone confirm if Oceania are streaming games? my blind eyes cannot find any info
The Fiji Times have reported that - alongside the Solomon Islands being unavailable for this tournament - Papua New Guinea will miss the upcoming OFC U17 Championship. Apparently the reason for this is that PNG failed to submit their registration in time for the tournament. Seriously, is just embarrassing stuff.
PNG were also one of the three teams who defaulted games at last year's U19 Championship, failing to show up for the first two group matches - before, of course, being defaulted to by Tonga in their third.
With PNG and the Solomons missing out, the group stage will now consist of nine teams, eight of whom will qualify to the knockout stage. All a bit ridiculous. So now if you're Samoa/Tonga/Cook Islands you just hope NZ puts a dozen past American Samoa, and then your own results don't matter, so long as you can keep it tighter, which you think they would be able to.
That is a shambles. How can FIFA take our region seriously? Oceania have enough people in a million roles to sort that out! 8/9 make playoffs that's gold.
They should let the Solomons attend. Completely unfair to disallow a bunch of U17 kids their dream of playing in the OFC tourney, and maybe making a U17 WC.
They are punishing the wrong people for some adminstrative bungle by their FA. It's not the kids fault.
And yeah why OFC have decided since last year to incorporate quarters, rather than go straight into semis (like it was prior) with their various tourneys is a mystery.
They should let the Solomons attend. Completely unfair to disallow a bunch of U17 kids their dream of playing in the OFC tourney, and maybe making a U17 WC.
They are punishing the wrong people for some adminstrative bungle by their FA. It's not the kids fault.
And yeah why OFC have decided since last year to incorporate quarters, rather than go straight into semis (like it was prior) with their various tourneys is a mystery.
I think the change to having quarterfinals is due to OFC incorporating all 11 teams into the tournaments, as opposed to the previous method of having the bottom four teams - the 'developing members' or so I think they're called - playoff for one spot in an eight team tournament. With 11 teams you can go either a five-team and a six-team group and top two into semifinals, or two groups of four and one of three and then into quarters. Having a six-team group means five group stage games, which they probably deemed too time-consuming.
I do hope they keep allowing all 11 teams into the tournaments, even at senior OFC Nations' Cup level, because, just as we need to improve by playing better opposition, so do the island teams. Giving them three games in four years against each other won't help anyone, and the likelihood of another 31-0 - which is what prompted the change - isn't that high. Also, everyone wants more All Whites games, so having five group stage matches would hardly be a disaster. OFC needs to get all members playing far more often, from Samoa and Cook Islands to Tahiti and the Solomon Islands, as from now on there will be an island team either at the World Cup itself or in the intercontinental playoffs at least. Having them lay dormant will ensure they don't stand a chance when they head to the US for those matches.
Can someone tell me why Solomons are not there? What happened? Their teams always lively and real threat - healthy for our region. Sad to see them not there.
I think the more entries at age groups the better but you have to be careful at Senior level, it would get out of hand the scores.
Looking forward to this tournament - some players in NZ most of us have never seen before.
Following a decision issued by the OFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee in 2019 in relation to the OFC U-16 Championship 2018, the Solomon Islands are excluded from taking part.
Following a decision issued by the OFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee in 2019 in relation to the OFC U-16 Championship 2018, the Solomon Islands are excluded from taking part.
Just read the 6 page report and findings. Have to be punished i guess as thats as serious as it gets. But gees that's tough on the next crop of players coming through.....not great for their development/experiences and not their fault at all.
I guess its good news for the others involved though. NZ will go through but with who? A prediction can be made after watching first round of streaming i suppose.
Be interesting to see how Marley Leuluai (on the youth books at Manchester City), goes.
New Zealand play New Caledonia on Wednesday
Squad Matthew FOORD, Ryan LEE, Marley LEULUAI, Luka COVENY, Anton ISAAKO, Dylan GARDINER, Eric IMACHI SUGAHARA, Konstantino GORGIOVSKI, Bronson BROWN, James RAY, Luke SUPYK, Joshua BROWN, Jackson COLE, Nicholas MURPHY, Harry HUXFORD, Jesper EDWARDS, Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES, Harrison TISCH, Anaru CASSIDY, Adam WATSON, Matthew D’HOTMAN DE VILLIERS, Niko BRUCE, Eamonn MCCARRON, Luke FLOWERDEW, Carlos RANUI.
Expecting some big wins at this tourney! Although the summer pitches in Fiji could be a leveller. I wouldn't judge Marley Leuluai to heavily as he's probably not use to what he's about to play on and play against. Sounds a great prospect though.
Expecting some big wins at this tourney! Although the summer pitches in Fiji could be a leveller. I wouldn't judge Marley Leuluai to heavily as he's probably not use to what he's about to play on and play against. Sounds a great prospect though.
Coming from Manchester in January, the weather will also be a shock for young Marley.
Keep an eye out for Adam Watson as well, scored a couple of goals for Stoke City's U18 team so far this season and recently made his first FA Youth Cup appearance.
🇳🇿 1-0 🇳🇨 8' Luke Supyk smashes it in after a low cross/shot is fumbled by the New Caledonian keeper. Luke is on the scene to fire home from the edge of the 6 yard box.
🇳🇿 1 - 1 🇳🇨 16' New Caledonia (#2) shrugs off De Villiers on the right hand flank, runs towards the area unchecked and drives a powerful low shot from the edge of the 18 yard box which skids of the slick surface and it goes straight through the legs (by the look of it) and it bobbles in past Matthew Foord.
For reference, the stream isn't great quality, but the conditions look absolutely awful. You can hear the rain falling over the top of the commentator, it is torrential. Pitch holding up alright so far, but typical island conditions. Would be surprised if it's not completely torn up at the end of this one...
New Caledonia probably edged the half in my opinion, but NZ had a good last couple minutes. Conditions might play in favour of NCL in the second half, given they might be more used to it; despite the rain it’s still 27C.
Both goals came from shots that the ‘keepers will want to have another go at, so might be worth shooting more with the wet surface/ball.
The stream is bloody good in my opinion. Kiwis maybe need a half to settle and adjust to environment...NCL better side so far.YoungHeartHM
For reference, the stream isn't great quality, but the conditions look absolutely awful. You can hear the rain falling over the top of the commentator, it is torrential. Pitch holding up alright so far, but typical island conditions. Would be surprised if it's not completely torn up at the end of this one...
The stream is bloody good in my opinion. Kiwis maybe need a half to settle and adjust to environment...NCL better side so far.YoungHeartHM
For reference, the stream isn't great quality, but the conditions look absolutely awful. You can hear the rain falling over the top of the commentator, it is torrential. Pitch holding up alright so far, but typical island conditions. Would be surprised if it's not completely torn up at the end of this one...
To be fair, I'm watching it on my phone, so everything's a bit less clear on my end. It's good enough to see all the important things anyway.
Adam Supyk hat-trick. Wonderful header. Some consternation from the New Caledonians there having a defender down in the box. He buried the penalty moments earlier too. 🇳🇿 3 - 2 🇳🇨
Good lively game. NZ will be happy to take the win there. New Caledonia looked very good though to be honest, they'll definitely be there or there abouts come the pointy end of the tournament, but they did just lose their composure a wee bit at the end there after going ahead with 20 to go.
Interesting game that! Referee helped us out there (unusual in the islands)!
Our 2nd was never a pen and our winner doesn't sit to well with me as it was pretty bad sportsmanship not to kick the ball out for the injured player in the box. I think we should be better than that, not the best look.
Players that impressed me were the #6 and the #11 they were standouts and the #15 did well when he came on. Players that looked off the pace #5 (rats tail) looked raw and never settled and the #2 positionally he looked a bit lost out there. Keeper got safer after early howler.
Both teams will make it through so not too much importance. But keeps us honest which will be healthy in the long run.
Interesting game that! Referee helped us out there (unusual in the islands)!
Our 2nd was never a pen and our winner doesn't sit to well with me as it was pretty bad sportsmanship not to kick the ball out for the injured player in the box. I think we should be better than that, not the best look.
Players that impressed me were the #6 and the #11 they were standouts and the #15 did well when he came on. Players that looked off the pace #5 (rats tail) looked raw and never settled and the #2 positionally he looked a bit lost out there. Keeper got safer after early howler.
Both teams will make it through so not too much importance. But keeps us honest which will be healthy in the long run.
Agreed on the penalty, at first glance it looked dubious at best. Looking at it a 2nd and 3rd time it looks as though the New Caledonia player got the ball first, but the only thing I can think it would be given for was a high boot that's collected our lad on the way through?
Unfortunately, not enough camera angles at this level to see it from end on to confirm either way.
Hopefully Watson’s okay, did we also have another player go off in the 2nd half?, just can’t remember, I know Leuluai went down towards the end but he was okay to continue once he got some treatment.
