All Whites vs Solomon Islands | Fri 1 Sept | 7:30pm | QBE Stadium

Lochhead was our only left back. He looked very average at best. If Lochhead got injured, who would replace him? There was no depth back then. Ian Hogg was the only one who really challenged Lochhead, and he wasn't that great either - He turns out for Glenfield Rovers now.

Anyway, what I am saying is, Hudson maybe woeful with his selection, but at least now, we have more depth, we have players being sent home if they aren't fit enough. That game against Mexico, yeah Lochhead may have been our best left back, but he was far too unfit to take the field. Christie was shocking. We can't do this in November if we seek to qualify.....

Steve Luatua is probably a better example. He was very publicly shamed in front of watching media by ABs coaching staff, hammered in a visible one on one fitness session by ABs trainer. It sent a very very clear message. We demand a high level of fitness excellence and personal responsibility. 

Whatever everyone's views on rugby, the ABs has been consistently top dogs for a long time, esp since the 2004 coaching regime came in and basically set down a no Dick heads policy. Okay there have been indiscretions of late, and sure it's a much much smaller competitive pond than world football, but would be foolish not to look at some of the hard nosed culture that has made our national rugby team so successful. 

FYI - Gareth Southgate has apparently quoted ABs alot when looking to improve culture with 3 Lions.

Can you give this rugby shiiite a miss......go and find a rugby forum if you want to talk eggball!!!!!!!

Cry me a river. Just drawing an analogy to NZ's most high profile and arguably most successful international sports team, and fact they don't tolerate carrying unfit players and a weak/no accountable culture. The fact some rugby meathead at school called you a 'soccer poof' ain't my problem.

Nothing wrong at looking at other sports for gaining ideas etc, esp in a NZ context where you have so few high profile football teams to 'study'. The Tall Blacks is another NZ team that to me seems to get it mostly right on and off the field, that Webster guy aside.

With the predicted lineup, I can see us playing long ball again, but will we try and play through the midfield I wonder?

''We'll be taking the game to them, we want to play a high-pace game, close them down high up the park, win possession up there...'' - Dura

I coach at one of the academies in Wellington and I've been around the TeeDubs setup. There are absolutely things that the player has to do outside of training which are their responsibility, but it pretty much amounts to resting enough and eating right. The activities undertaken to reach a certain level of fitness are directed by the club.

If Hudson has just said "be fit" and not given benchmarks, that might be tough for a kid who has spent the last few years being coached to the right fitness level.

Savea is an awkward example because he is a very mercurial player, world's best winger for two months, not even the best in Wellington for the next six. I don't know how much of that is attitude, fitness, not taking care of himself (though he reportedly does not drink or consume pork because his wife is Muslim), or a combination. There is also the fact that at various times he's been playing for the ABs but not the Hurricanes or vice versa.

I think one of three things happened with Ingham.

1. Hudson said "be fit" and didn't give benchmarks

2. Hudson gave benchmarks and Ingham didn't really try to meet them.

3. Hudson gave benchmarks and Ingham tried but failed because he didn't seek help from the Roar.

1 would be Hudson's fault, frankly, because that is shark communication. 2 and 3 would be Ingham's fault. However, if Hudson really was as professional and obsessed with his players being fit as he says, then he should be talking to the clubs about where he needs players to be if there is an out-of-season window coming up. He should know that A-League players will not be fully fit yet and he should know that the clubs have people who are experts in fitness who can help his players be in the right place.

I don't know how much blame is on Ingham, but absolutely some of it is on Hudson.

Ingham is at fault.

He's a professional athlete, his body is his most valuable asset... if a builder doesn't look after his tools do you blame his site manager? 

I teach 8 - 10 year olds. When they don't understand something, the even know to ask for help / guidance. If at 18 years of age he can't manage to do this, he has bigger issues than carrying a little extra weight around the middle.

He's a young kid. He's been taught a lesson of what is now expected of him. According to Hudson they had a chat, and he was sent home. No public humiliation at all. 

I'm sure Ingham will have right attitude, improve his fitness, and be back soon in AWs. Hudson would have made that known. It's up to the kid to show a bit of mental toughness and respond. Life as a pro footballer ain't meant to be all slaps on the back, platitudes and an easy life. 

Have briefly met Roar coach John Aloisi. He impressed as a pretty level headed bloke and is also a very experienced ex Socceroo. He'll pass on some useful wisdom to young Dane

So, is anyone actually going along to this? I'm still undecided. 

IluvNix and I already here.  El Grap, 2ndBest, NZDave in the air any minute to join us.

So that's five.

I'm going with 3 children, so nearly at double figures!

Myself, Mrs Balbi and little 'future All White sent home for being too fat' Balbinho should be there.

.

Travelling up from Te Awamutu this afternoon with a rugby mate that has never been to a game of football before.  

Weather not looking good for this evening.

Hope we get a good crowd.

Metservice has the rain staying away, so touch wood they are right (they weren't at all this summer for cricket season so I won't hold my breath.)

I'm going, so that might keep some away

Scratch that, little Balbinho has decided to explosively lose weight in an attempt to curry favour with Hudson. Probably not coming now.

HYPED!!!! Bringing 6 people to the White noise as usual, I see the gold section is sold out

What do you guys think the starting lineup will be? Looking at the squad I thought of something like:

                   Marinovic

         Boxall   Themi   Durante

Colvey                                 Wynne

             Musa   McGlinchey

                   Thomas

             Wood    Barbarouses

Sure, I would like to see Roux and Doyle starting ahead of Colvey and Wynne but Hudson for some weird reason prefers those two

If there's not a song about someone eating pies I'll be disappointed

Hard to say he hasn't been humiliated.

Coming down from Whangarei and meeting two from Hamilton... might not get there much before game time.

Is there an after match pub?

"Fat's the way, uh huh uh huh, I like it, uh huh uh huh"

"Tony Hudsons Weight Loss Army!"

"We're fat, and we know we are, we're fat, and we know we are"

"If you're fatty and you show it, you're sent home,

If you're fatty and you show it, you're sent home,

If you're fatty and you show it

And Tony Hudson knows it

If you're fatty and you show it, you're sent home"

Woodsys gonna take us far

Woodsys our fit superstar

Beep beep, beep beep yeah!

Weird Al Yankovic - Fat

I mean, we just do the Will Grigg chant

He will score goals 

He will score just more and more 

He will score goals 

He will score them all 

X2

Chris Wood's on fire, your defence is terrified (X3)

Chris Wood's on fire 

The drop

Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na (x4)

Unfit for the job, unfit for the job

Anthony Hudson's unfit for the job

he wears the number 9 upon his back, his back

He wears the number 9 upon his back, his back

And when the all whites need a goal

Just give him the ball and watch him score

Na na na na

Chris wood scores again

(Ants go marching in)

Ticketek is showing only single seats left for white noise.

Almost 10,000 now pre-sold acc to nzfootball

number one is overweight, number two is overweight...