New Zealand Men's U-17s

Ole got mentions and they're a private provider too. 

Better PR, and they both do ok on that front. Lots of Chch whispers about APFA next move!

Ha ha classic. Loved young ones too but that was a different era.

 Big Pete, you are the man for a stat I would love to know: since U17 world cups started how many south islanders/ cantabrians have been selected in squads; what % of squads do they represent, and how does that % compare to football playing population? Has there been a downward trend?

I don't think it ever occur to South Islanders that there isn't a vast pool of undiscovered talent lurking south of Cook Strait that the evil empire of the north is just wantonly ignoring.

Not vast. Just proportionate. 

With all the different academies etc etc surely not.

Also, what about the Auckland / Nth Island lads selected who have spent time down in APFA who have being selected. Were they spotted down there for future honours or, not until they moved back up, e.g. Rufer.

APFA seems to have had a bit of success lately with young players gaining contracts, so I am sure there players are getting a once over.

Not 100% sure what you're getting at Metal. I tend to think of private academies as youth finishing schools and if a player feels he wants to do that, fine - hence, Rufer, Tuiloma spent some time doing just that. All feds run FTC/NTC 'academies' up to 16; not all players are in that programme; some may or may not be in private academies.

As to Chch at 2013 U17 level; one Cantab made 2013 NZ secondary schools team to UK; a couple went to this year's Milk Cup with the Otago team; Burnley academy are not getting best quality players (only out of town kids north and south of Chch) and APFA at 2013 U17 level have only 2 Chch lads - one who missed getting a trial and one who never was going  to get one; the rest were/are in club/FTC/NTC. My point is that on a pro rata population basis - on average - you would expect 4-6 Sth Island/Chch kids in any given national squad. This year was one and last world cup was 2 (I think). Just seems a bit under-represented and doesn't seem to happen with the girls.

Population-only figs aren't any guide. To be mathematically correct, you can only look at the football playing population. I don't have the figs, but I reckon there is a higher % of the popn. playing football in the South Island than the North Island - socio demographic and other ethno-cultural reasons - so I'll stand by my guestimate until corrected.

A better way to tip the argument on its head would be if Ceri Evans, Danny Halligan or Mike McGarry were to be the next U17 coach. How would Aucklanders feel about that?

Anyway, I think this has now become a separate issue to the thread. Maybe it will find a thread-life elsewhere.

Your actual" figures aren't actual football playing figures though, are they? One known fact that I do have Smithy is that Chch City Council grounds have declining usage of rugby fields and increasing demand for football fields; so not sure rugby is that strong down here at junior (U17) level. Even traditional bastions of rugby schools have growing football 1st and 2nd XIs. The beautiful game is stronger than you might think on the Mainland. 

Its exactly the same in Auckland. 'Public' grounds are earmarked at 55% for rugby and 45% football of which the rugby grounds get 1 game a week vs some getting 5-6 for football. David Parker has been at the council for years to get more grounds because of the swelling player numbers but in a bankrupting city, rugby pays the bills.

If Halligan, Evans or McGarry got the gig, I would be fine with that. Halligan and McGarry are quality coaches (don't know Evans background). I seriously doubt you would see the swing you think you would EXCEPT as Smithy points out, in a like for like player situation, you would pick the local cause its easier to get them to training.

Hi all,

The U17s rolled Waitakere 2-1 at Seddon Fields this evening. Judd Baker and Michael Den Heijer on target for the youngsters, with Savern Limwhatthana replying for United.


Cheers,

JR

Yay for under 17s. Lols for Temple. The laughter is ringing out from Marshalls residence.

You coming to Kiwitea for ACFC v Under-17's 2pm Sunday, Jeff? Could be a cracker.

I think you may have twisted my arm.

So we have (Dale has) decided we should do something for the U17s.

Chip in: givealittle.co.nz/cause/U17WorldCup

and when they're superstars do they pay us back?

Just a thought but if ACFC charged say a fiver at the gate, they could then donate the dosh to the Under-17 cause. Just a thought... Ivan? Cookie?

What a brilliant idea/gesture that would be!!!

are they that incapable of fundraising enough to have 2 grand each? most high school teams/groups have to raise 6-10 grand per student in order to go to europe for a week or two and they seem to keep up fine. Fire up the bbq lads and start selling.

That's a top result, anyone there who can provide us with a little bit of a game summary??

So maybe the U20s won't be easy beats in the ASB Premiership (assuming this will be that team)

Increase the player levy but 100% of the money must go to player benefit not NZ F or support staff. $1 per player no one would begrudge that.  

Did I say all their time? How much money do you think people actually raise in a bbq?  I dropped $100 in the fund. For a kid to raise that he'd probably have to sell 100 sausages. Tell me what is better. Where is his time best spent?

Regardless of whether it changes NZF mind about their policy, it's still helping a kid raise the money he is being asked to. We know of a couple of families who are struggling to come up with the case. Especially considering the kids outside of Auckland have been commuting to attend camps. Shall we make them suck it up? Or can we group together and help these kids? 

If you think 1000 is measly, I suggest you have no clue of the real world.

the fact is they've all known about this for a number of months and are yet to act on it, its fine if you want to donate but I think some of the kids need an attitude check if they expect everything to be paid for them.

Joey, any idea how much these kids sacrifice just to make it to this level? Any time not training/playing is trying to catch up on school work. They curb social lives, family holidays are organised around football camps and tournaments, parents are full time taxi drivers. Most players would be lucky to squeeze in any sort of part time job. They simply don't have hours every week to run BBQs for months on end. The players were told of selection ( and this additional World Cup tax) only a few weeks ago.

we'll agree to disagree, im not specifically targeting your charity, if you want to donate thats fine. But its been known for a while that NZ football was possibly unable to fully fund the players, even if they had not finalized a squad it would have hurt some players of a lower economic standing to do some budgeting, whether it be them or their family.

Updated squad list with payment status...

Goalkeepers
1– Zac SPEEDY (Three Kings United) - PAID
12–Oliver SAIL (Central United) - PAID
21–Sam COPP (Forrest Hill Milford United) - PAID

Defenders
2– Riley KELLIHER (Island Bay United) - RB - PAID
3–Cory BROWN (Island Bay United)  - LB - PAID
4–Nick FORRESTER (Unattached)   - CB - PAID
5–Adam MITCHELL (Central United) - CB - PAID
13–Spiros AGATHOS (Sydney United 58 FC, AUS)   LB/RB - PAID
16–Tamupiwa DIMAIRO (Unattached)   - RB - PAID

Midfielders
6–Alex PALEZEVIC (Island Bay United)    - DM - PAID
7–Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix)        - AM - PAID
8–Michael DEN HEIJER (Onehunga Sports)  -DM - PAID
10–Matthew RIDENTON (Central United)     - AM - PAID
15–Andre DE JONG (Ellerslie)       - AM - PAID
17–Nick SUGDEN (Onehunga Sports)  - RM - PAID
18–Andrew BLAKE (Unattached)      - RM - PAID
20–Clayton LEWIS (Wellington Olympic)   - LM - PAID

Forwards
9–Elijah NEBLETT (Birkenhead United)  - CF - PAID
11–Monty PATTERSON (Eastern Suburbs) - LW - PAID
14–Stuart HOLTHUSEN (Onehunga Sports) - RW - PAID
19–Judd BAKER (East Coast Bays) - CF - PAID

NB: playing time will be divided evenly among all players including goalkeepers.  accordingly, substitutions and formation alterations will be made at per-determined times.  our appeal to allow two goalkeepers on the field at one time was rejected by FIFA; therefore the second goalkeeper will be deployed at centre forward in order to reduce tactical disruption.

in the event of injury or disruption the 'mount wellington' rule applies (the son of a former mount wellington player may gain extra minutes)

don't forget players who have trouble with the payment can apply to the NZ Football foundation for funding - this was a KEY point Fred raised during his interview.

What do you do if everyone applies though?  Taking away the issue of if players should pay or not there will be some players who can easily afford it and some at the other end of the scale who can't - then there will be some in the middle who just don't want to pay.

Having spoken to a former NZF staffer  - i asked him from his point of view if he thought the policy was because NZF couldn't afford to fund proper world cup/qualifying preparation or if it was a philosophical call - he indicated the former.  and he confirmed that the costs of running a team per year were roughly (100k per year with no major tournament and 300k per year with a major tournament).  excluding the main two teams of course.

I am of the opinion that if NZF really can't afford it then while this isn't the most ideal scenario then this is a required evil!