Piss poor. Absorb the OFC into the AFC already and be done with it.
Mickey mouse organisation.
Heard from sources that the fault was entirely the PNG FA's. They seem absolutely awful and there's big counter-movements in PNG. There's real danger of a FIFA ban, and the FIFA ethics committee has been aware of their incompetence for a while.
From my friend Rafa (add to this list the catastrophic organisation of the last few national league seasons, and blacklisting journalists who criticise the leadership, banning them from football activities):
This side could be quite handy with the likes of Stamenic, Garbett, Old aswell as the 3 overaged players that are allowed for the Olympics. Could look something like this
Paulsen Wynne Surman Boxall Sutton Stamenic Bell Garbett Old Waine Wood
So Waine will be young enough? 23 in June next year.
We probably should have won by more, but we're safely through and it's good that Fiji can go through just by drawing PNG (it would have been nonsensical if they could get knocked out by virtue of "losing" to NZ by more goals)
Was playing around and working out our full-strength lineup including the 3 overaged players allowed for olympics. What a exciting team
Paulsen Wynne Surman Boxall Sutton Stamenic Bell Garbett Old Waine Wood
Cacace surely one of the over age players? I think he just misses the age cut off?), and Singh if fit.
And if we are lucky, we can add Diably Dias to that list and the young fella from Reading as well. Do that, and maybe the only overage player you actually need to take is Wood and you just go with those eligible?
Vanuatu with a 3-0 win over Tonga. Samoa also bet Tonga 3 zip. So should be a close game when these two meet on the weekend. Winner likely to finish 2nd in Group B and play NZ in a semi.
Samoa play Solomons later today, and you'd think Solomons will be too good and finish first in pool B, so play either Fiji or PNG in the other semi.
NZ with a week off now to watch it all pan out. They should play the senior Nix team in a friendly over the weekend, as a useful hit out.
Wonder if Ebbinge will have a go at the MLS Draft early 2024? See he's at Harvard so he must be a bright lad, as well as a very decent football player. Dutch heritage, so Euro passport? World's his oyster.
See he went through the Nix Academy as a youngster. Couldn't be tempted back maybe. Shame guys like him never got a U20 WC in 2021 due to Covid.
Missed yesterday's game against Fiji at the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifier?
Am I on the only one that thought we were a little underwhelming? Granted I was multi-tasking by watching the game at work, but from what I saw is that we were under hitting our passess, hitting them out of play etc. making silly mistakes. Bar from a 2 minute passage when they gave us two goals. Feel like this team would need to step up massively for my competitive games. However, there would be a fair amount of personel changes if we do get to the Olympics.
p.s Willem is a cracking player! Although, also I very bright lad and from what I know is that he would prefer to pursue what an Economics degree from Havard can bring him
Am I on the only one that thought we were a little underwhelming? Granted I was multi-tasking by watching the game at work, but from what I saw is that we were under hitting our passess, hitting them out of play etc. making silly mistakes. Bar from a 2 minute passage when they gave us two goals. Feel like this team would need to step up massively for my competitive games. However, there would be a fair amount of personel changes if we do get to the Olympics.
p.s Willem is a cracking player! Although, also I very bright lad and from what I know is that he would prefer to pursue what an Economics degree from Havard can bring him
I think there will be a fair amount of personnel changes within this tourney, let alone next years Olympics. Isaac Hughes, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Alex Paulsen, Finn Surman and Oskar van Hattum, all now to come in as starters for the semi & hopefully the final.
I only saw the last 30 odd mins of yesterday's game and yes U23s weren't that impressive, though perhaps coasting a bit in the rain. Just trying to avoid injuries?? The Fijians were pretty physical, and not surprisingly quite organised under Rob Sherman.
The full PNG squad only arrived in Auckland late on Wednesday night, but coach David Muta is adamant his players have adjusted quickly to the cooler conditions than they are used to back home.
Fiji beat PNG 2-0 to make the semis. Fiji to play Solomons in one semi Tomorrow winner of Vanuatu & Samoa, in Pool B gets to play NZ in the other semi.
This all assumes that in the other Pool B game tomorrow, Solomons beat Tonga - a foregone conclusion.
Am I on the only one that thought we were a little underwhelming? Granted I was multi-tasking by watching the game at work, but from what I saw is that we were under hitting our passess, hitting them out of play etc. making silly mistakes. Bar from a 2 minute passage when they gave us two goals. Feel like this team would need to step up massively for my competitive games. However, there would be a fair amount of personel changes if we do get to the Olympics.
p.s Willem is a cracking player! Although, also I very bright lad and from what I know is that he would prefer to pursue what an Economics degree from Havard can bring him
You wouldn't expect much from Darren as from what I have read about the Senior squad they tend to dictate how to play etc. The U23 may not have that experience for that.
Just because Beazley empowered his senior squad of professionals to have a voice in how they play and set up doesn't mean he doesn't have his own ideas and systems... behaviourist and sports pyschologists would applaude this approach.
I think Beazley is a boring coach by nature, every youth team he has taken makes me think that way... and given its a consistent feeling, I think it is a reflection of his natural insticts as a coach.
Also the u23 squad is a mish mash of player who barely know one another and they still won pretty comfortably.
If Randall doesn't get an extension in the USA with Charleston then I'd be very happy to see him come to the Nix. Like Mrsmiis said, he's got a lot to offer.
Woeful opponents aside, he's been excellent so far. Cutting Vanuatu into ribbons.
6-0 at HT. Randall & OVH 2 goals each. Vanuatu managed to keep it to 4-0 for about 20 mins. But generally they are awful defensively.
Randall on fire early, but he's lost the ball a few times since then. OVH through on goal and shot wide when he should have made the GK at least make a save. I'm being curlish. But in the ALM he may only get 1-2 chances a game. Nothing like this light training run.
