Auckland City FC - Thanks a Trillion

Sounds like she stood you up or had you blacklisted for not doing a soft interview.  Which was it?

You're speaking about my first screen love Ed. It was 1959 and 'The Apartment' and life was never the same. So "shut up and deal".

Throwing more imports at it is not the answer I agree (huge cheers all around) mainly because ACFC can't afford the kind of imports that would make a big difference. I have also long championed developing NZ players, both in the ASBP and at the Phoenix. I think the best 'import' ACFC has done in the past five years was bringing Ivan Vicelich back from Holland. I like Tade and Corrales and am pleased Tade will be back for the Dragon game. They aren't really imports as such because ACFC got them from TW. Likewise Bale was at Waitakere before coming to City. Exposito was a classy striker when he first arrived because he wanted to revive his professional career through the CWC and when that never happened he's faded. Gustavo is clearly a good striker and as you point out Berlanga was a good find. Riera is also a battler, like Dickinson. But I think NZ players like Thomas, Morgan, McGeoge could have been groomed to fill those roles. Hopefully the title winning ACFC youth squad will provide some good young NZ talent for the future.

I'm not sure about the top of the tree comment. ACFC have won silverware every season since 2008. For the club it's the O League that's the most important, not least for financial reasons. To that end they've somewhat allowed Waitakere to dominate the ASBP final for the last three years, except ACFC did finish minor premiership champions in 2011/12 which really is the true test as the actual final is a one off. The club primarily gears itself for the O League while Waitakere seems to now focus on domestic honours. The results seem to reflect that.

Not to mention that Chad's been accused of coming from another planet sometimes so that makes it six.

I think there's no question Ramon favours Spanish imports if he can because of the style he wants to play and because he feels more comfortable with them. Bit like Wenger favouring French players at Arsenal over the years. Personally I think there's been too many, I don't think for instance Garcia adds anything a Kiwi couldn't. There are a host of NZ players at City who have come and gone because of that and it's a shame. The best City team was under Paul Posa in 2008/2009 which was predominently Kiwi. Young and Jordan were the best imports City has ever had.

I think the likes of Dan Morgan, Adam Thomas and McGeorge left because they felt they wouldn't get first team games and Chad Coombes just didn't fit with Ramon's plans. I'd have prefered all of them were still City players. I'd like to see Feneredis back as a regular starter too. Milne is shaping up, but I still don't think he's a LB and I hope David Browne stays and develops. I don't rate the Japanese lad. If we don't win the O League this year I think that could be the end of the Ramon era. I'd love to see Paul Posa back.

I guess if the further thinking is investigated, as a young player with talent in the youth team, are you likely to get a serious first team consideration knowing that the coach prefers imports? Stephen Carmichael has talent a plenty but doesn't get a sniff. I guess the question is 'do I stay at City if I am a youth player and chance it or back my self to go somewhere else' If I look at the young players at City, Browne stands out, with Carmichael then Arms. I think Arms got a run because he was position specific to a need (Berlanga left) so like the quality players before them that have been seen to have left, do they leave too?

Crikey JV, we've got to stop agreeing so much!

I guess if the further thinking is investigated, as a young player with talent in the youth team, are you likely to get a serious first team consideration knowing that the coach prefers imports? Stephen Carmichael has talent a plenty but doesn't get a sniff. I guess the question is 'do I stay at City if I am a youth player and chance it or back my self to go somewhere else' If I look at the young players at City, Browne stands out, with Carmichael then Arms. I think Arms got a run because he was position specific to a need (Berlanga left) so like the quality players before them that have been seen to have left, do they leave too?

Nah he's just been masquerading as the Youth League's top scorer and a big class above everyone else in that age group. If Auckland really didn't need him this year they should have loaned him out to my poor Waikato, he would have started every game, and that'd have been more beneficial to his career. 

Not just Waikato of course, I'm just being greedy

Yes!!! Now for an exciting home and away against Fiji's Ba. Last time the Fijian side played in Auckland they attracted a couple of thousand local supporters so expect compact Kiwitea Street to be packed to the rafters for the home game. Might even have to consider shifting the game to Trusts Stadium if the crowd's going to exceed Kiwitea's 3,000 odd capacity.

Yes!!! Now for an exciting home and away against Fiji's Ba. Last time the Fijian side played in Auckland they attracted a couple of thousand local supporters so expect compact Kiwitea Street to be packed to the rafters for the home game. Might even have to consider shifting the game to Trusts Stadium if the crowd's going to exceed Kiwitea's 3,000 odd capacity.

1: it was an issue to play your game against Dragon at the The Trusts and as was said, losing the Kiwitea Street advantage was a reason you cited for that loss so why would you be so quick to suggest it again in a crucial game?

2: It's your home game. Having seen the Ba game at Waitakere and the size of that crowd, the only thing a larger crowd is going to do is be full of their supporters effectively turning it into an away game so why play into that?

Your best bet is Kiwitea street and then put up the full house sign once done because its not like the club needs the money and the extra bods in revenue vs the cost the of operating Mt Smart... You'll have that atmosphere and it wont make it entirely 'their' crowd. This is meant to be your home game, not theirs.

1: it was an issue to play your game against Dragon at the The Trusts and as was said, losing the Kiwitea Street advantage was a reason you cited for that loss so why would you be so quick to suggest it again in a crucial game?

2: It's your home game. Having seen the Ba game at Waitakere and the size of that crowd, the only thing a larger crowd is going to do is be full of their supporters effectively turning it into an away game so why play into that?

Your best bet is Kiwitea street and then put up the full house sign once done because its not like the club needs the money and the extra bods in revenue vs the cost the of operating Mt Smart... You'll have that atmosphere and it wont make it entirely 'their' crowd. This is meant to be your home game, not theirs.

Yeah I kinda think I'd keep it at Kiwitea. If the capacity is 3500, then max it out, and LIMIT their supporters on an away match. If its a full house and people can't get in, then so be it. This is for some big prize money at the end of it, not some sandwiches and a backslap.

You might get 6k for Mt Smart? No bar takings, more of their fans, plus operating cost of the ground. I'm not sure it's a smart move (pun intended). 

AND ME !!

+ 1

So waitakere have to move their final because the ground isn't considered good enough for the occasion, but ACFC shouldn't move their game despite the fact it isn't good enough for the occasion (isn't big enough to hold all fans). Interesting. 

Oh dear Tegal wont be happy!!!

So waitakere have to move their final because the ground isn't considered good enough for the occasion, but ACFC shouldn't move their game despite the fact it isn't good enough for the occasion (isn't big enough to hold all fans). Interesting. 

Oh dear Tegal wont be happy!!!

2013 OFC Champions League
Semi-Final Leg 1, Official Confirmation:
Auckland City FC vs Ba FC
Sunday 5 May 2013
3pm KO
Kiwitea Street, Sandringham, Auckland

Oh dear Tegal wont be happy!!!

Doesn't actually bother me. I think it should be at kiwitea street. I'm suggesting that to be consistent, some of you lot should be unhappy at the decision. 

FT didnt have a stand so should have been moved. Kiwitea can't hold enough capacity, so should be moved. 

But it seems "whatever happened to home advantage" only applies to ACFC. They should get to enjoy home advantage, but anyone else should be made to move the game to a more suitable venue.