Beating the Socceroos is quite retro, so hopefully a good omen.
When the All Whites take on the Socceroos this Friday for the Soccer Ashes, they will be wearing their limited edition retro shirt for the first time 🔥🇳🇿
Beating the Socceroos is quite retro, so hopefully a good omen.
When the All Whites take on the Socceroos this Friday for the Soccer Ashes, they will be wearing their limited edition retro shirt for the first time 🔥🇳🇿
I'm not convinced of this kit, BUT, in 48 hours when they're lined up and with name and number (number on front in internationals too right?) I think will come out rather saucy
Supporting the supporters and love an away day anywhere in the world. Kiwis Can Fly!
Hi team, update for the ultras making their way to Canberra, a few rejigged plans:
I didn't make the dream happen of coming over from Manchester for the third time this year, so can't bring the banners, shirts and kiwis etc. But the show goes on.
Fan Friendly: the Supporteroos Organiser now can't make it and was struggling for numbers on a work day.
Option: informal kickaround with kiwis anyway, and we can put out for Aussies informally too. Let me know if you're keen for this in between 12pm and 2pm.
Pre Match Friendly: Qure isa prime spot a few blocks from the stadium (Aussie fans are in the city centre, but there were problems with the free busses for Matildas game). There from 3:00pm to enjoy.
Little Corner of Nix and VicNix good people on the ground there too.
Hi team, update for the ultras making their way to Canberra, a few rejigged plans:
I didn't make the dream happen of coming over from Manchester for the third time this year, so can't bring the banners, shirts and kiwis etc. But the show goes on.
Fan Friendly: the Supporteroos Organiser now can't make it and was struggling for numbers on a work day.
Option: informal kickaround with kiwis anyway, and we can put out for Aussies informally too. Let me know if you're keen for this in between 12pm and 2pm.
Pre Match Friendly: Qure isa prime spot a few blocks from the stadium (Aussie fans are in the city centre, but there were problems with the free busses for Matildas game). There from 2:00pm to enjoy.
Little Corner of Nix and VicNix good people on the ground there too.
Just a hint of a Dutch accent, which I guess is not surprising after 10+ years living there.
Initially I would have said no way he starts, but hell if he feels fit and maybe he does. Needs to start building a combo with the likes of Bell and Stamenic, and is only 8-10 games left to get that sorted from scratch. It's not so much about results now as building towards June 2026.
Ryan Thomas is back with the All Whites for the first time since 2019 🇳🇿
Hear his thoughts after his first full training session with the squad as they get ready to face Australia for the Soccer Ashes 🇦🇺
Touch of irony about Iredale's selection. His first cap to be against the AWs? Must be very close to almost exactly 25 years ago that his mum competed for NZ in judo at the Sydney Olympics.
CommBank Socceroos Head Coach, Tony Popovic has been required to make a change to his squad to face New Zealand in the ANZAC Soccer Ashes Series, starting with Friday’s match in Canberra.
Fran Karacic has withdrawn for medical reasons, following Hajduk Split’s 2-2 draw with Rijeka. Karacic will be replaced by uncapped Hibernian defender Jack Iredale, 29.
The CommBank Socceroos face New Zealand at GIO Stadium on Friday (7:45pm AEST kick-off), before the return leg in Auckland (September 9, 5pm AEST), for the Ashes decider.
Just a hint of a Dutch accent, which I guess is not surprising after 10+ years living there.
Initially I would have said no way he starts, but hell if he feels fit and maybe he does. Needs to start building a combo with the likes of Bell and Stamenic, and is only 8-10 games left to get that sorted from scratch. It's not so much about results now as building towards June 2026.
Ryan Thomas is back with the All Whites for the first time since 2019 🇳🇿
Hear his thoughts after his first full training session with the squad as they get ready to face Australia for the Soccer Ashes 🇦🇺
Wow you're not wrong! Those rounded 'o' and 'e' vowel sounds weren't cultivated in Te Puke. Certainly sounds like a man who has spent a decade in the bible belt of Holland
Thomas will start. He isnt working his way back from full fitness, he is as fit and as strong as he has ever been.
Thomas won't have much combination with his team mates, after 6 years (almost really 8 years) away from the team. But he will be very fit, and match sharp. I think he starts now with Stamenic out.
Rufer is still easing his way into preseason at the Nix, and likely a month of so away from being proper match fit.
But yeah sadly without yes Libby and now Marko, it looks much tougher to get a result, esp in Canberra.
A real shame we won't get to see the Bell - Thomas - Stamenic midfield 3 this window.
What I hope most for (other than goals and a win) tomorrow is for whoever plays in between Wood and our 6s to have really good performances and see some claims properly staked in this area. Right now it is hard to say that anyone should or must start in these positions.
The experience of that midfield three is so tasty, requires one to player higher than the 6 they're all used to, but think it's worth it. Means though a Singh, or possible McCowatt, Just or Old could be in that pocket at #10. Hopefully Eli Just on the left and Ben Old on the right, some flying dangerous wingers, though Just in the 10 could bring is magic in and around the box too.imanixsupporter
A real shame we won't get to see the Bell - Thomas - Stamenic midfield 3 this window.
What I hope most for (other than goals and a win) tomorrow is for whoever plays in between Wood and our 6s to have really good performances and see some claims properly staked in this area. Right now it is hard to say that anyone should or must start in these positions.
Supporting the supporters and love an away day anywhere in the world. Kiwis Can Fly!
I think its a better accent than the normal harsh English that Dutch people have. Smoothed it out and removed the throat clearing component of how they speak. I always find it intriguing how Kiwis speak other languages and how they sound to native English speakers. I think I’ve asked before what Libby sounds like in Italian. I suppose another factor is what regional dialect they are speaking. In the good old days, I met a beautiful Danish girl in Copenhagen, she had lived in London in a flat of Irishmen, she spoke English with an Irish accent, weird but kind of not, if you know what I mean lolJazzy Jeff
coochiee
Just a hint of a Dutch accent, which I guess is not surprising after 10+ years living there.
Initially I would have said no way he starts, but hell if he feels fit and maybe he does. Needs to start building a combo with the likes of Bell and Stamenic, and is only 8-10 games left to get that sorted from scratch. It's not so much about results now as building towards June 2026.
Ryan Thomas is back with the All Whites for the first time since 2019 🇳🇿
Hear his thoughts after his first full training session with the squad as they get ready to face Australia for the Soccer Ashes 🇦🇺
Wow you're not wrong! Those rounded 'o' and 'e' vowel sounds weren't cultivated in Te Puke. Certainly sounds like a man who has spent a decade in the bible belt of Holland
I think its a better accent than the normal harsh English that Dutch people have. Smoothed it out and removed the throat clearing component of how they speak. I always find it intriguing how Kiwis speak other languages and how they sound to native English speakers. I think I’ve asked before what Libby sounds like in Italian. I suppose another factor is what regional dialect they are speaking. In the good old days, I met a beautiful Danish girl in Copenhagen, she had lived in London in a flat of Irishmen, she spoke English with an Irish accent, weird but kind of not, if you know what I mean lolJazzy Jeff
coochiee
Just a hint of a Dutch accent, which I guess is not surprising after 10+ years living there.
Initially I would have said no way he starts, but hell if he feels fit and maybe he does. Needs to start building a combo with the likes of Bell and Stamenic, and is only 8-10 games left to get that sorted from scratch. It's not so much about results now as building towards June 2026.
Ryan Thomas is back with the All Whites for the first time since 2019 🇳🇿
Hear his thoughts after his first full training session with the squad as they get ready to face Australia for the Soccer Ashes 🇦🇺
Wow you're not wrong! Those rounded 'o' and 'e' vowel sounds weren't cultivated in Te Puke. Certainly sounds like a man who has spent a decade in the bible belt of Holland
I once met a German in India who learned English on a working holiday in Te Anau. He had a proper Southland accent and Kiwi slang.
Thomas accent has me in stitches. I appreciate the kiwi accent is fairly easy one to loose during an extended jaunt overseas and I do appreciate the majority of dutch can speak near fluent English but having the kiwi accent blended in with the accent of a non-native English speaking accent is another level all together.
My top team based on who's fit. - I don't really rate FDV or Payne at this level, but are options. - ideally I think we should go to a back 3, Bindon, Surman, Boxall. - We need Rufer/Bell in that Midfield without Marko. Otherwise we won't see the ball. - I'm still confident we have enough in attack and D to frustrate them..
Abductor issue for Stamenic that first bothered him after Swansea’s match on the weekend but he got cleared to travel
Socceroos are missing Irvine, Ryan, Souttar and a few other frontliners. Plus picked no preseason ALM guys, when they would normally have a couple. Obviously hurts us more not being full strength as their depth far deeper than ours
I'd love to see what LBS could do as provider for Chris Wood.
I know it won't happen as LBS would only potentially get minutes very late on, once Wood has likely been subbed off - but LBS is such an exciting and creative player, it would be fun to see.
Wood tends to get a lack of service with the national team, so I'd just be curious to see what someone like LBS could do with Chris Wood up top
I think its a better accent than the normal harsh English that Dutch people have. Smoothed it out and removed the throat clearing component of how they speak. I always find it intriguing how Kiwis speak other languages and how they sound to native English speakers. I think I’ve asked before what Libby sounds like in Italian. I suppose another factor is what regional dialect they are speaking. In the good old days, I met a beautiful Danish girl in Copenhagen, she had lived in London in a flat of Irishmen, she spoke English with an Irish accent, weird but kind of not, if you know what I mean lolJazzy Jeff
coochiee
Just a hint of a Dutch accent, which I guess is not surprising after 10+ years living there.
Initially I would have said no way he starts, but hell if he feels fit and maybe he does. Needs to start building a combo with the likes of Bell and Stamenic, and is only 8-10 games left to get that sorted from scratch. It's not so much about results now as building towards June 2026.
Ryan Thomas is back with the All Whites for the first time since 2019 🇳🇿
Hear his thoughts after his first full training session with the squad as they get ready to face Australia for the Soccer Ashes 🇦🇺
Wow you're not wrong! Those rounded 'o' and 'e' vowel sounds weren't cultivated in Te Puke. Certainly sounds like a man who has spent a decade in the bible belt of Holland
I once met a German in India who learned English on a working holiday in Te Anau. He had a proper Southland accent and Kiwi slang.
Chris Wood does not sound like he had spent any time in Hamilton either....
Actually, getting outplayed quite a bit these days
Not having stamenic is a massive loss. Needed that combativenss. Probably means a start for Rufer in canberra (who has barely played) and 30 mins for Thomas and roles reversed in Auckland.
I'd love to see what LBS could do as provider for Chris Wood.
I know it won't happen as LBS would only potentially get minutes very late on, once Wood has likely been subbed off - but LBS is such an exciting and creative player, it would be fun to see.
Wood tends to get a lack of service with the national team, so I'd just be curious to see what someone like LBS could do with Chris Wood up top
LBS is an exciting project player pick there to learn. I doubt he is anywhere yet near ready to make an impression at this level. How many actual goals and assists does he have for the Nix?
He ain’t Irankunda. But if I’m proven wrong happy days
Not having stamenic is a massive loss. Needed that combativenss. Probably means a start for Rufer in canberra (who has barely played) and 30 mins for Thomas and roles reversed in Auckland.
Concerned we will get bullied.
Bell and Thomas in the #6,
and then leaves these for two wide forwards and #10: McCowatt, Just, Singh, Old
Supporting the supporters and love an away day anywhere in the world. Kiwis Can Fly!
Not having stamenic is a massive loss. Needed that combativenss. Probably means a start for Rufer in canberra (who has barely played) and 30 mins for Thomas and roles reversed in Auckland.
Concerned we will get bullied.
Bell and Thomas in the #6,
and then leaves these for two wide forwards and #10: McCowatt, Just, Singh, Old
Just has to start, whether its on the right or at 10. Best of the bunch for both form with the national team over the past 12 months, and recent form for his club. I'd be tempted to have him at the 10 with McCowatt and Old out wide, and leave Singh on the pine.
Big matches for Wood - he's already gone 007 in World Cup playoff finals. He's now on the cusp of going 007 in matches against Australia too.
Need him to step up in the big games for those 'best ever' All White shouts. No disrespect to his hattricks and braces against Samoa and Vanuatu, but some goals and some games weigh heavier than others.
Not having stamenic is a massive loss. Needed that combativenss. Probably means a start for Rufer in canberra (who has barely played) and 30 mins for Thomas and roles reversed in Auckland.
Concerned we will get bullied.
Bell and Thomas in the #6,
and then leaves these for two wide forwards and #10: McCowatt, Just, Singh, Old
Just has to start, whether its on the right or at 10. Best of the bunch for both form with the national team over the past 12 months, and recent form for his club. I'd be tempted to have him at the 10 with McCowatt and Old out wide, and leave Singh on the pine.
Yes interesting that it sounds like Just have been playing pretty centrally for Motherwell.
Big matches for Wood - he's already gone 007 in World Cup playoff finals. He's now on the cusp of going 007 in matches against Australia too.
Need him to step up in the big games for those 'best ever' All White shouts. No disrespect to his hattricks and braces against Samoa and Vanuatu, but some goals and some games weigh heavier than others.
How Bazeley uses FDV I think is really important to maximising Wood's chances of breaking his duck. It was only about a 10 min cameo Francis/Chris combo against Ukraine but it looking highly promising.
Do FDV & Old start, and then Old off at 60 mins for McGarry with FDV pushing forward? Wood should be good to go for the full 90 mins, as long as Forest haven't requested a managed workload. Just a shame both ALM LBs will still be pre season rusty.
