FIFA Confederations Cup 2017

Anyone know anything about St Petersburg and Sochi as destinations? 

And just on the draw, I'm happy to take that. Could have been a lot worse. Shame we get Mexico as we seem to play them a lot. No doubt we'll lose all three games but I feel like a credible loss is possible against Russia and Mexico. By getting Portugal, there might be a chance they leave Ronnie on the bench. 

St Petersburg is an amazing place to visit - highly recommend it. Sochi I haven't been to but I believe it's a very "modern" place with no soul

Dostoevsky: Crime & Punishment. 

I hope we really market this tournament and get some good sponsorship for the game... not sure if there are Fifa regulations, but if I was NZF I would be looking at making three different strips for the tournament and going to Russian companies and saying what do you think, then Mexican companies etc etc.

NZF needs to milk these tournaments for all their worth so we can afford to create a decent International platform.

I used to visit St Petersurg regularly when it was Leningrad. While it will be a lot different now, there are some fantastic sights, museums etc. I'd love to re visit, used to have a ball there.

I'm pumped and all ready to go.  Yes it will be three losses but its as close as I believe we will get to a world cup for a wee while.  

The stars aligned in 81/82 and again in 09/10.  We don't have the calibre of players across the squad that we did then so I'm going to "make hay while the sun shines" and enjoy the best that we will get. 

I'm sure we will have a couple of decent warm up games prior to the comp too.  Would be nice if they were in western/central Europe so UK and Euro based kiwis can attend without the hassle of Russia visas.

and if you did it would have to be FIFA endorsed sponsors (ie their ones)

The Confed cups prize money isn't too bad (all in US$)

Winner - $4.1m

runner up - $3.6m

3rd - $3m

4th - $2.5m

all others $1.7m

So NZF will get $1.7m at least

Why were you regularly in the Soviet Union? 

National teams can have them in friendlies, I thought - don't Ireland do this from time to time?

But not in FIFA tournaments or qualifying matches

KGB?

NKVD?

DVDA

NZIS

I don't know much about the 81/82 team - but the 09/10 team vs the players we have available now. I'd say the squad, overall, is far stronger? Would be interested to know why you think otherwise.

Also, even if the teams are equally good, whoever comes 5th in CONMEBOL qualifying is going to be a lot harder to get past than Bahrain were...

Seven coaches press conference:

http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/videos/y=201...

Hudson interview after draw:

http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/videos/y=201...

Russian coach Cherchesov (left) very amused by translation of NZ coach's comments:

Full screen

Coaches at the Press Conference

Saturday, 26 November 2016

From L: Russia's coach Stanislav Cherchesov, New Zealand's coach Anthony Hudson, Portugal's coach Fernando Santos and Mexico's coach Juan Carlos Osorio attend a press conference following the draw for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup at the tennis academy center in Kazan on November 26, 2016. / AFP / Alexander NEMENOV

According to Wikipedia we have a friendly against India just before the away game against Fiji. 

Wonder where in India that game is going to be played?

so it's basically #fake news

Victorys Jai Ingram now has a NZ passport and has been talking with Hudson http://m.goal.com/s/en-au/news/4021/a-league/2017/...

I wish he was a DM

Just chuck him in there anyway. 

list of potential bolters: Ingham, Payne, N Boxall, Howieson, Messenger

Please just pick the best players that will give their all for the jersey

Has anyone purchased tickets yet for the Confreds Cup?

lmao. 3 days before a WC qualifier, jet to India (17 hours), then India to Fiji (14:30 hours)....... Friendly hasn't got a capital F and there's a comma before India. Amateurs. So yea, probably organized by NZF.

It's total bollocks of course.

A quick Google search shows that India are playing Cambodia in a friendly that day.

What is more likely is that the NZ u-17's have been invited to play friendlies in India at that time with both the Indian and NZ FA's looking into their crystal balls and predicting we will qualify for the FIFA u-17 World Cup in India which takes place in October.

India in March makes sense because it's not too hot (spring in India) unlike May to August when it's often in the late 30's to the 40's.

Also you avoid the monsoon season June to September (varies in different parts of the country) when there's flooding.

By October India starts to cool with autumn and it's similar temperatures to a NZ summer (20 - 30 degrees) but minimal rainfall.

Trophy has been in Auckland for the last few days.

http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Gilberto-Silva-and-Ivan-Vicelich-join-Jim-and-Mel-in-the-studio/tabid/506/articleID/138270/Default.aspx

Cool graphic with Sam Brotherton on new Fever sponsor "Pacific Attitude" travel agent's website advertising Confeds Cup packages.

Details on packages here:

http://www.pacificattitude.com/fifa-confederations...

should have picked a player a bit more known like wood/ reid.  

Or Dyer.

Lol