I think a key reason why Wood hasn't been released was due to the fact he was Forest's top scorer last season. Because of this, Forest likely want their current first choice striker to be as fit as possible and not feel fatigued going into the upcoming season.
It doesn't help the fact that Ui-jo Hwang and Emmanuel Dennis have just returned from loans, and Awoniyi, who was Forest's first choice striker before Wood, has been prone to injury over the last two PL seasons.
I think a key reason why Wood hasn't been released was due to the fact he was Forest's top scorer last season. Because of this, Forest likely want their current first choice striker to be as fit as possible and not feel fatigued going into the upcoming season.
It doesn't help the fact that Ui-jo Hwang and Emmanuel Dennis have just returned from loans, and Awoniyi, who was Forest's first choice striker before Wood, has been prone to injury over the last two PL seasons.
Wood had a few injuries last season as well, and is not getting any younger. So Forest probably want him to have a proper break and controlled pre season. Understandable from those paying his wages.
“Disappointing” is definitely the word for it. I just feel deflated. Nothing we could do, of course, but wow - wasn’t expecting it to be this harsh
well, it probably shows you that football doesnt need the Olympics and it shouldnt be there. Olympics is supposed to be the peak, the accolade, and if top players cant or wont go, then its a bit pointless.
In other sports, we (like other countries) have top athletes dying to get to the Olympics but there is no place for them.
With that team I would much much prefer a back 3/5 than pushing Bindon out to RB. Baze has obviously seen him briefly at RB first hand and didn't much care for the experience. Sheridan is obviously raw as hell but he looked good enough in his a-league cameos and with 3 CBs in behind shouldn't be too much of a liability if that's the direction they go in
This is as bad as it gets. Cluster fudge is an understatement.
The biggest tournament we will play apart from the World Cup.
I haven’t yet listened to the coaches excuses but he needs to be asked very directly why the fudge Libby was allowed by his club to take part in meaningless Oceania games half way around the world on sharkty pitches, potentially kicked by big island boys but then was not allowed to take part in the Olympics, a hop and skip down the road from Italy.
Did the coach have the discussion with the club way back when they were enquiring if they could have him for both or just thought oh, let’s pick him for both and see what happens? Obviously the preferred option was for a Libby to play the Olympics and not the Oceania games and I’m sure it was his as well. Was the discussion had and if not, why the fudge not.
I’m now of to join the Forest forum for a bit to have a go at rich Greeks who don’t think much about the Olympics!!
It just feels bullshark that we have two tournaments in the offseason and Wood, our best player, doesn't play for us in either.
I know the Nations Cup clashed with his wedding and that was an NZF fudge-up, but I'd have thought we'd get him for Olympics after the time off.
Ah well - Olympics mens football is a farcical joke anyway and shouldn't exist. What other Olympic event hands out medals for an U23 event?!
I'm definitely not but out of curiosity, who here is old enough to remember the days when it was the national side trying to qualify for the Olympics? Obviously we unfortunately failed to do so back then despite once picking up impressive wins over Japan.
This is as bad as it gets. Cluster fudge is an understatement.
The biggest tournament we will play apart from the World Cup.
I haven’t yet listened to the coaches excuses but he needs to be asked very directly why the fudge Libby was allowed by his club to take part in meaningless Oceania games half way around the world on sharkty pitches, potentially kicked by big island boys but then was not allowed to take part in the Olympics, a hop and skip down the road from Italy.
Did the coach have the discussion with the club way back when they were enquiring if they could have him for both or just thought oh, let’s pick him for both and see what happens? Obviously the preferred option was for a Libby to play the Olympics and not the Oceania games and I’m sure it was his as well. Was the discussion had and if not, why the fudge not.
I’m now of to join the Forest forum for a bit to have a go at rich Greeks who don’t think much about the Olympics!!
Clubs don’t give a shark about the Olympics. Clubs don’t give a shark about the OFC nations cup either but that’s in a FIFA window so there’s nothing they can do.
Honestly I’m a surprised at the reaction to the squad. This just seems like a consequence of several kiwis finally being in top leagues all at once. The Olympics are a low quality junior tournament where the main motivation for players from countries with no chance of medalling is just to say they’ve been. As a club owner or manager I would have very little sympathy for most players wanting to go, given the fine margins and the stakes involved in club football at the highest level.
Its a pity that Baz and/or NZF have fallen out with Roux. He should have been in this squad as soon as Payne pulled his hammy. In fact, based on form, Roux should have started the game that Payne hurt himself in.
I wonder if Stamenic tried to negotiate a guaranteed Olympics release when he signed for Forest/Olympiacos. Ben Old managed it.
As for Cacace, it was all rather odd. He was completely silent on the Olympics when Piney interviewed him pre Nations Cup, then in the last week or two before the Olympics squad was due to be named, he was all of a sudden very publicly saying a lot about how keen he was to go to the Olympics. But then last week on RNZ he was saying he was keen to go but still hadn't heard from his club about whether he would be allowed to go. Why wasn't an understanding with his club reached weeks or even months ago on whether or not he be allowed to go? It comes across as though he and NZF asked last minute.
The higher you go up the football pyramid, the big clubs have all the power. Shaun Gill said something about when selling Singh to Bayern, the Nix questioned some part of the deal and the agent's swift response was along the lines of 'do you know who you are dealing with'.
So if Wood and Stamenic are made unavailable by Forest & Olympiakos, maybe on the specific instructions of their Greek billionaire owner, there is nothing little ole NZF at the bottom of the world can do about that. Even if the fax machine is long gone.
I remember Hay in his reign said that he found the Italian clubs (so talking about Libby & Kirwan) the most tricky to deal with, re availability. And we (and maybe Cacace himself) still don't know yet for certain where he will be playing his football this coming season. Empoli could yet sell him to any of a number of interested Italian & German suitors. Him being away at the Olympics, whilst all Euro clubs are in their pre season would complicate those negotiations - so Empoli say vaffanculo
Players who are or who’ve been at Bayern, Bournemouth, St Ettienne, Breda, Plymouth, Danish and Norwegian top flight, MLS…
Wood is out, but in terms of experience, skills and temperament Boxy and Bell would both make wonderful AW captains.
I think this is a fantastic testament to how well NZ football is doing. We have under-23 players who are considered too crucial to their overseas clubs to be released for the Olympics!
And we can’t always be relying on Woodsie. And he’s in his 30s and missed some key games with injury last season. If he can keep his form and fitness he should aim for his first 20 goal PL season. Work out that tough month he had too. That’d be even more important for football in NZ than the Olympics imo.
What an opportunity this is for players like Herdman, Sutton, Van Hattum, Bindon and Bidois. And Singh I guess!
I have to agree it’s a pity Roux and Bazeley seem to be oil and water for some reason. But we’ve selected 3 top quality players as our over age players. We could almost select an AW 11 with top flight experience. And Sheridan did look good in his run outs for the Nix. It’s a pity we’re just into pre-season for him.
As you said- last Olympics Garbett arrived and look at his trajectory. In years past we would have been clinging onto his story as our front page news! He’s playing Eredivisie. He’s hit some absolute gems of goals. We’re talking about Old or Cacace or Stamenic or Wood or…
I honestly think this is exciting. That said I think Hay is a better coach than Bazeley, but I’m hoping he too is guna prove me wrong.
And yeh, plenty of credit due to the Nix academy too.
And Wayne is a quick player and a good crosser of the ball, as is Van Hattum. I’ve not seen a lot of Randall, but he seemed lively in the islands and also a good player. All fine at RW.
The fact some fans can be disappointed looking at this squad just emphasises how much we’re developing as a football nation. And surely it will only get better with AFC coming to the party.
While I know it’s not what you were intending I find this a disturbing image and poorly thought through…
Certainly you post that on any American social media platform (or any country with some history of slavery), or any European country you would be dealing with a sharkstorm.
I mean Stamenic played Manchester City in the Champions League this season. Libby snuck through a hard fought relegation scrap, as did Woodsy. (And Payne was a key figure in a title charge…)
It’s fantastic to see that what might once have been the pinnacle of what NZ footballers aspire to is now a stepping stone or starting block.
This is as bad as it gets. Cluster fudge is an understatement.
The biggest tournament we will play apart from the World Cup.
I haven’t yet listened to the coaches excuses but he needs to be asked very directly why the fudge Libby was allowed by his club to take part in meaningless Oceania games half way around the world on sharkty pitches, potentially kicked by big island boys but then was not allowed to take part in the Olympics, a hop and skip down the road from Italy.
Did the coach have the discussion with the club way back when they were enquiring if they could have him for both or just thought oh, let’s pick him for both and see what happens? Obviously the preferred option was for a Libby to play the Olympics and not the Oceania games and I’m sure it was his as well. Was the discussion had and if not, why the fudge not.
I’m now of to join the Forest forum for a bit to have a go at rich Greeks who don’t think much about the Olympics!!
OFC tournament during an official window (I think), clubs must release players, Olympics not in a window so clubs do not have to release players if they dont want to. Even if the OFC wasnt in a window its further away from the start of most leagues than the olympics so no concerns for player fitness. Basically NZF/Bazely can only ask the clubs to release players and negotiate playing time etc, if they refuse he has no grounds to argue or get upset about it.
Whatever happy drugs you are on, I want some of thatmartinb
Fenix
Phoenix XI v USA
Players who are or who’ve been at Bayern, Bournemouth, St Ettienne, Breda, Plymouth, Danish and Norwegian top flight, MLS…
Wood is out, but in terms of experience, skills and temperament Boxy and Bell would both make wonderful AW captains.
I think this is a fantastic testament to how well NZ football is doing. We have under-23 players who are considered too crucial to their overseas clubs to be released for the Olympics!
And we can’t always be relying on Woodsie. And he’s in his 30s and missed some key games with injury last season. If he can keep his form and fitness he should aim for his first 20 goal PL season. Work out that tough month he had too. That’d be even more important for football in NZ than the Olympics imo.
What an opportunity this is for players like Herdman, Sutton, Van Hattum, Bindon and Bidois. And Singh I guess!
I have to agree it’s a pity Roux and Bazeley seem to be oil and water for some reason. But we’ve selected 3 top quality players as our over age players. We could almost select an AW 11 with top flight experience. And Sheridan did look good in his run outs for the Nix. It’s a pity we’re just into pre-season for him.
As you said- last Olympics Garbett arrived and look at his trajectory. In years past we would have been clinging onto his story as our front page news! He’s playing Eredivisie. He’s hit some absolute gems of goals. We’re talking about Old or Cacace or Stamenic or Wood or…
I honestly think this is exciting. That said I think Hay is a better coach than Bazeley, but I’m hoping he too is guna prove me wrong.
And yeh, plenty of credit due to the Nix academy too.
And Wayne is a quick player and a good crosser of the ball, as is Van Hattum. I’ve not seen a lot of Randall, but he seemed lively in the islands and also a good player. All fine at RW.
The fact some fans can be disappointed looking at this squad just emphasises how much we’re developing as a football nation. And surely it will only get better with AFC coming to the party.
Whatever happy drugs you are on, I want some of thatmartinb
Fenix
Phoenix XI v USA
Players who are or who’ve been at Bayern, Bournemouth, St Ettienne, Breda, Plymouth, Danish and Norwegian top flight, MLS…
Wood is out, but in terms of experience, skills and temperament Boxy and Bell would both make wonderful AW captains.
I think this is a fantastic testament to how well NZ football is doing. We have under-23 players who are considered too crucial to their overseas clubs to be released for the Olympics!
And we can’t always be relying on Woodsie. And he’s in his 30s and missed some key games with injury last season. If he can keep his form and fitness he should aim for his first 20 goal PL season. Work out that tough month he had too. That’d be even more important for football in NZ than the Olympics imo.
What an opportunity this is for players like Herdman, Sutton, Van Hattum, Bindon and Bidois. And Singh I guess!
I have to agree it’s a pity Roux and Bazeley seem to be oil and water for some reason. But we’ve selected 3 top quality players as our over age players. We could almost select an AW 11 with top flight experience. And Sheridan did look good in his run outs for the Nix. It’s a pity we’re just into pre-season for him.
As you said- last Olympics Garbett arrived and look at his trajectory. In years past we would have been clinging onto his story as our front page news! He’s playing Eredivisie. He’s hit some absolute gems of goals. We’re talking about Old or Cacace or Stamenic or Wood or…
I honestly think this is exciting. That said I think Hay is a better coach than Bazeley, but I’m hoping he too is guna prove me wrong.
And yeh, plenty of credit due to the Nix academy too.
And Wayne is a quick player and a good crosser of the ball, as is Van Hattum. I’ve not seen a lot of Randall, but he seemed lively in the islands and also a good player. All fine at RW.
The fact some fans can be disappointed looking at this squad just emphasises how much we’re developing as a football nation. And surely it will only get better with AFC coming to the party.
One year old bubba, vivid memory of us performing crap against the islands, missing goal after goal and Honiara. Oh and Dyer and Prelevic. No disrespect to those lads, but we’re such a step up now.
The Nix’s fantastic week in getting players signed…
It’s a fact of life that if you are getting 5 or 6 figures a week you have to respect what your club wants. It’s just a novelty for us and one which suggests we’re doing okay as a football nation. And we lose Libby, Wood, Stamenic and Payne, but we can bring in Bell, Singh and Boxall? With Sheridan in the squad and Hughes as a traveling reserve?
Agree there is a lot to be content about regarding NZ mens football and the international scene.
Won the OFC Nations Cup in a canter. Suspect the U19s in Samoa will do similar. Actually think the gap between us and the Islands teams is now as wide as ever. The Weenix Academy is graduating ever increasing numbers of quality technical players. That NZ pro player base will only deepen as AFC get their Academy up and running. Meanwhile progress amongst the other OFC nations is still glacial slow.
They maybe very competitive at U17s and younger, when it's more flair, size, moments of individual skill etc - but the gap widens once our players have been in top academies for a few years
Then we have the Paulsens, Olds & Surmans heading off to bigger leagues. By 2026 you will likely need to be a top player in the ALM as a minimum, to crack an AWs WC squad.
We may lose by 3 or 4 goals in Marseille against the French in our final pool game, but what a learning experience for all our young players. The Nix contingent will be learning alot between Vanuatu and France, and come back for the new ALM season as better players.
It's an advantage the Nix and now AFC, have over the Aussie ALM clubs, their young players getting regular (with U17s soon annual) exposure to high level age group international football. With the Aussie teams mostly failing to get to international age group football events. Yes AFC qualifying tourneys are useful, but they ain't World Cups or the Olympics.
The Olympics are really a football sideshow. We treat it more seriously than most, because we are otherwise starved of big competitive games. But judge us on the 2026 WC results, when this young team could surprise many. Cross fingers that Wood is fit and healthy come then. Oh and that we sort out the RB problem.
I agree, I don’t think conchie is up to it and would like to see Garbet, where you want him.
Saying that I don’t think Van Hatten is up to it as well.
Think the coach knows this as neither got much time in Oceania
Would like Herdman instead of Van Hatten, maybe in the centre with Singh on the right, then I think it’s as good as it can be with all the best players on the pitch
Conchie was one of, if not NZ's best player at last year U20 WC. He only seemed to get cameos for the Nix last season, mostly when they were away under the pump trying to protect a lead, lying deep. He did have that one notable costly error being slow to try close down Doka at Gosford.
But he'll have some quality players around him in Bell, Garbett & Singh. Hopefully he comes back to the Nix a better more confident player.
OVH has goal contributions in the A-League this season, and for all his shortcomings can press well and track back. This might come in handy to allow Garbett to bomb forward on occasion. He is also much more of a winger than Herdman and we are lacking attacking width with Bindon at RB. OVH can put in a great cross, his pass to Old for the CCM equaliser that nearly won us the league and his dead ball for the Surman* winner being obvious examples.
Herdman on the other hand stood out in what was a weak and ineffective u20s NZ team at their recent World Cup but then had a big injury and hasn't ever played first team minutes anywhere. He is also too similar to Singh for me.
1 good cross doesn't make you a good crosser - not knocking OVH, but he needs another year of progress for me.
Not sure Conchie is the right player - but OVH is quite limited IMO - can't beat a player, not physically imposing, not lightning quick etc. Not saying he's bad, but he's not great. Herdman, atleast offers a bit of x factor as an alternative.
1 good cross doesn't make you a good crosser - not knocking OVH, but he needs another year of progress for me.
Not sure Conchie is the right player - but OVH is quite limited IMO - can't beat a player, not physically imposing, not lightning quick etc. Not saying he's bad, but he's not great. Herdman, atleast offers a bit of x factor as an alternative.
I recall 4 or 5 moments when OVH provided a crucial pass or touch? Or thought I did? And he is strong on the ball and direct?
Particularly impressive is that I thought he’d played a crucial role in a number of clutch goals that earned us points and perhaps a tackle, too.
He doesn’t dribble past a player often, but does seem to make good runs and be aware of where his teammates are. Edit:Well, that sets out what I remember, but also that he was more of what is called a finisher these days as the game got stretched, so perhaps untested as a 90 minute player, which is I think what you’re saying, compared to Ball or Old.
But to me watching that- that’s a mature professional player there, making a lot of very good decisions, and with good athleticism to back it up.
1 good cross doesn't make you a good crosser - not knocking OVH, but he needs another year of progress for me.
Not sure Conchie is the right player - but OVH is quite limited IMO - can't beat a player, not physically imposing, not lightning quick etc. Not saying he's bad, but he's not great. Herdman, atleast offers a bit of x factor as an alternative.
Funnily enough, I remember OVH clocked the highest top speed in preseason testing for the Nix a few years back (though it may have been among the reserves team - can't quite remember). Anyway, you're definitely right in that he doesn't really demonstrate it
Yep, Uzbeks have had it public; I saw this post a while back (he's a great account for all things football in Uzbekistan). I don't know whether we'll play two games like they are though.
1 good cross doesn't make you a good crosser - not knocking OVH, but he needs another year of progress for me.
Not sure Conchie is the right player - but OVH is quite limited IMO - can't beat a player, not physically imposing, not lightning quick etc. Not saying he's bad, but he's not great. Herdman, atleast offers a bit of x factor as an alternative.
I've been a massive critic of OVH for years and said he doesn't do anything and is only Central League quality and so on, but even I saw a massive improvement from the lad in the 23-24 A-League season. Useful option off the bench and yes only a little end product yet but that will build, it was similar with Waine that it took him a while to deliver goals and assists but once he got there, awesome.
All negativity aside I'm just buzzing to see some of these lads play on a stage like this, including seeing Singh tear it up and get a new lease on life at a club that will give him all the warm hugs he deserves
Just watched France completely thrash Dominican Republic 7-0 in a friendly. They look really really good. Lacazette the ex Arsenal striker got a brace but France have this young kid Olise??? who looks a tremendous talent. I looked him up and saw he’s just signed to Bayern Munich for 60 million euros. France is a factory for producing talented footballers. The NZ team will have their work cut out. The match in Marseille is expected to sell out with a 65,000 crowd expected.
Just watched France completely thrash Dominican Republic 7-0 in a friendly. They look really really good. Lacazette the ex Arsenal striker got a brace but France have this young kid Olise??? who looks a tremendous talent. I looked him up and saw he’s just signed to Bayern Munich for 60 million euros. France is a factory for producing talented footballers. The NZ team will have their work cut out. The match in Marseille is expected to sell out with a 65,000 crowd expected.
Just watched France completely thrash Dominican Republic 7-0 in a friendly. They look really really good. Lacazette the ex Arsenal striker got a brace but France have this young kid Olise??? who looks a tremendous talent. I looked him up and saw he’s just signed to Bayern Munich for 60 million euros. France is a factory for producing talented footballers. The NZ team will have their work cut out. The match in Marseille is expected to sell out with a 65,000 crowd expected.
I think their U3s would still be a handful.
The French game is our 3rd game, so if Les Bleus are sitting on 6 points after wins over Guinea & USA they maybe merciful, and rest some of their bigger guns, before the quarters. To be replaced no doubt by some other joueurs still fairly useful. I watched about 12 mins of highlights of their Paraguay friendly (4-1 win), and their speed, passing and movement was pretty special.
The home crowd down in Marseille will be something else to, I imagine. Proper cauldron
Here's highlights of their 7-0 spanking of Dominican Rep. Truffert (one of their few white guys) especially lethal down the left flank early on. He plays for Rennes in Ligue One. But shark they looked impressive everywhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pq23HRCU74
Just watched France completely thrash Dominican Republic 7-0 in a friendly. They look really really good. Lacazette the ex Arsenal striker got a brace but France have this young kid Olise??? who looks a tremendous talent. I looked him up and saw he’s just signed to Bayern Munich for 60 million euros. France is a factory for producing talented footballers. The NZ team will have their work cut out. The match in Marseille is expected to sell out with a 65,000 crowd expected.
Yep. Olise was at Crystal Palace in the PL season just gone by with Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is also in the Olympic squad and scored a brace in France's last friendly against Paraguay.
It's likely only a matter of time after these Olympics before they, along with others make their official debuts for the senior national squad. Nations League starts again in September.
The amazing thing about this French team is that Henri the coach has had to put up with dozens of his first pick players not being released by their clubs. If he had his way the team would be full of players from PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid and other top European clubs. Mbappé and .Griezmann both wanted to play at the Olympics especially as it’s in Paris.
The coaches probably had the foresight to talk to the clubs however well beforehand and make sure if they were available for euro, Olympics, both or neither.
