LA Galaxy vs Oceania selection in Auckland.
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LA Galaxy vs Oceania selection in Auckland. OFC and LAG are in talks for the end of LAG's season tour game.
It is reported that Wynton Rufer will be playing and includes Tim Cahill and Christian Karembeu in the select team.
It is reported that Wynton Rufer will be playing and includes Tim Cahill and Christian Karembeu in the select team.
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Its in Auckland... will anyone turn up to watch? nightz2008-05-02 21:05:10
A dog with a bone :)
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If Ba can drag in 9-10k to the O-League final you've got think Roy Krishna can... plus the Solomon's ex-pats...
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Its in Auckland... will anyone turn up to watch?
Well when I initially heard that LAG was playing in Auckland I thought that it will be a mistake.
But when it was mention that some sort of Wynton tribute with him captaining a Oceania side plus Beckham having a fashion walkabout the park with the LAG. They might pull in the females supporters. And we all know how vain Aucklanders are, so they should pull it off.
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LA Galaxy, Beckham returning to Australia in November
tribalfootball.com - May 01, 2008 
LA Galaxy and David Beckham are returning to Australia in November to face A-League club Queensland Roar.
The Courier Mail says Beckham and his LA Galaxy side will play Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium in November as part of the cashed-up American Major Soccer League club's end-of-season tour.
Galaxy was brought to Australia and New Zealand last year by Stride Sports in a week that saw them face Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix. The tour generated over $20 million for the local Sydney economy.
Galaxy will also play a match in New Zealand, but not against Wellington Phoenix, as was the case last year.
A dog with a bone :)
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Id be keen to go just to see the likes of Rufer play
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LA Galaxy, Beckham returning to Australia in November
tribalfootball.com - May 01, 2008
LA Galaxy and David Beckham are returning to Australia in November to face A-League club Queensland Roar.
The Courier Mail says Beckham and his LA Galaxy side will play Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium in November as part of the cashed-up American Major Soccer League club's end-of-season tour.
Since that the Roar have denied all knowledge.
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Great stuff. Could be really good for Auckland.
If this actually happens I wonder if any of our friends at the ACFC Flat Earth Society will be prepared to give the Phoenix organisation any credit at all for breaking the ground here. There's no doubt that the success of the game in Wellington is what will have got the ARC and the Oceania Fed interested. A good example of how the Phoenix actually are able to contribute to developing the game in NZ and Oceania? Discuss...
If this actually happens I wonder if any of our friends at the ACFC Flat Earth Society will be prepared to give the Phoenix organisation any credit at all for breaking the ground here. There's no doubt that the success of the game in Wellington is what will have got the ARC and the Oceania Fed interested. A good example of how the Phoenix actually are able to contribute to developing the game in NZ and Oceania? Discuss...
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It all depends on how they market it, but anything that gets New Zealander's watching live football is good for the sport in this country. I must say I'm a little dubious about the pulling power of this event, especially when a lot of people travelled to Wellington to watch the Phoenix match last year.
Normo's coming home
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Look Guys, its not about the Wellington Phoenix or Auckland football as it appears to be.
It is a precursor/ground breaking game to the long term plan by OFC to have an Oceania team in the A-league based in Auckland. During the time when NZ and Fiji WCQ game was postponed, Nicholas Tai and Ben Buckley had already held personal discussions about an Oceania team based in Auckland playing in the A-league. It was commented on an Australian football show. Can't remember which website I saw it on, but if I find it I will post it here.
What I think is that if this is successful, then it will be an OFC demonstration to have an Oceania team in the A-league with a mixture of the Pacific Islander and New Zealand players. And so a future A-league team will be based in Auckland but also be playing home games around the different Pacific Islands.
The concept is still new and is hard but doable for first time full time professional so I am backing a really tough but an exciting season if an Oceania team do get an A-league expansion team. It means quite a bit of traveling for the players so it may be a few island in one season and other islands the following season. The crowd numbers will be a sell out in those islands and increase crowd numbers for the Auckland games.AllWhitebelievr2008-05-04 14:16:51
It is a precursor/ground breaking game to the long term plan by OFC to have an Oceania team in the A-league based in Auckland. During the time when NZ and Fiji WCQ game was postponed, Nicholas Tai and Ben Buckley had already held personal discussions about an Oceania team based in Auckland playing in the A-league. It was commented on an Australian football show. Can't remember which website I saw it on, but if I find it I will post it here.
What I think is that if this is successful, then it will be an OFC demonstration to have an Oceania team in the A-league with a mixture of the Pacific Islander and New Zealand players. And so a future A-league team will be based in Auckland but also be playing home games around the different Pacific Islands.
The concept is still new and is hard but doable for first time full time professional so I am backing a really tough but an exciting season if an Oceania team do get an A-league expansion team. It means quite a bit of traveling for the players so it may be a few island in one season and other islands the following season. The crowd numbers will be a sell out in those islands and increase crowd numbers for the Auckland games.AllWhitebelievr2008-05-04 14:16:51
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Look Guys, its not about the Wellington Phoenix or Auckland football as it seems to appears.
It is a precursor game to the long term plan by OFC to have an Oceania team in the A-league based in Auckland. During the time when NZ and Fiji WCQ game was postponed, Nicholas Tai and Ben Buckley had already held personal discussions about an Oceania team based in Auckland playing in the A-league. It was commented on an Australian football show. Can't remember which website I saw it on, but if I find it I will post it here.
What I think is that if this is successful, then it will be an OFC demonstration to have an Oceania team in the A-league with a mixture of the Pacific Islander and New Zealand players. And so a future A-league team will be based in Auckland but also be playing home games around the different Pacific Islands.
The concept is new and is hard but doable for first time full time professional so I am backing a really tough but an exciting season if an Oceania team do get an A-league expansion team. It means quite a bit of traveling for the players so it may be a few island in one season and other islands the following season. The crowd numbers will be a sell out in those islands and increase crowd numbers for the Auckland games.
It is a precursor game to the long term plan by OFC to have an Oceania team in the A-league based in Auckland. During the time when NZ and Fiji WCQ game was postponed, Nicholas Tai and Ben Buckley had already held personal discussions about an Oceania team based in Auckland playing in the A-league. It was commented on an Australian football show. Can't remember which website I saw it on, but if I find it I will post it here.
What I think is that if this is successful, then it will be an OFC demonstration to have an Oceania team in the A-league with a mixture of the Pacific Islander and New Zealand players. And so a future A-league team will be based in Auckland but also be playing home games around the different Pacific Islands.
The concept is new and is hard but doable for first time full time professional so I am backing a really tough but an exciting season if an Oceania team do get an A-league expansion team. It means quite a bit of traveling for the players so it may be a few island in one season and other islands the following season. The crowd numbers will be a sell out in those islands and increase crowd numbers for the Auckland games.
Gee that would be interesting and certainly is a potentially worthwhile development...Auckland biggest Polynesian city in the world and though a lot of them are rugbyheads (please excuse my crap geography on micronesia etc etc!)...certainly the Solomon Islands have a lot of interest...
the concern of course is the heat on some of the islands! that would be no disadvantage to a lot of the Aussies...but is to us...
it would make sense for a team based in Auckland...however the same question remains about th e stadium...This would really open up the A-league and make it an exciting prospect in thre region...as for away games...
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Yeah, I've heard quite a bit of talk about this around the traps. There may be more truth to this than meets the eye. Certainly there is class when you gather the top two players from Vanuatu, Solomons, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, PNG and Auckland.
Must say I'd love to have the Vanuatu coach Aad de Mos, former coach of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Werder Bremen, Standard Liege.
He also had a stint at Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds.
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Are there any Island business people who have the money, time, expertise and inclination to support such a venture?
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Any time I ask, it appears to be the Tahitian/Vanatu connections, but this is pure speculation as my contacts are local league. To be honest, I don't think there's anything concrete yet.
As for the money, there are a number of Falcon jet owners in the islands who spend more on their planes than the average budget of an A-League team.
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Abandoning Oceania to play in Asia?
They are just killing the game you know.
All those Want to Be Australians in the Islands...
They are just killing the game you know.
All those Want to Be Australians in the Islands...
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Speculation or positioning by Oceania? Either way it wont happen for years.
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No Australians can be involved in the game as they in the Asian Confederation. What prestige is there in seeing a 46 year old running around for 5-10 minutes against a professional organisation? Beckham however is still a young 33 and able to play at the top level. Rufer has had his time, now it's time for the younger generation - your Nelsons, Killens etc. Ryan Nelson is currently the name every young player looks up to - he's current, on TV with an English premiership club. Surely you want to put up young decent players to see how they go against the pros.
When I first started the thread and mentioned the NZFA, that is because of what I heard on the radio. Don't blame me, I just mentioned what I heard. That the radio reporter got it wrng was not my fault. Scouser kiwi, your points are noted.
This is too risky a deal for anyone to take on. We all paid down here because we wanted to see Beckham and also how our guys would go up against a decent professional side. But would many go and see a selection of past it has beens play? I doubt it, unless Aucklanders suddenly change their own attitudes, then I can not see a crowd anywhere nearly 34k showing up.
If it comes to happen and the crowd actually show up to see it, it would be good for Auckland football and create an apetite amongst the youngsters to take to the football field. Now that would be good for everyone.
Update: "We want it to be quite competitive," he said. "We will need to get a large number of high calibre players." And that includes playing a 46 year old?? Tui banner??
Lonegunmen2008-05-06 15:26:02Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!
The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!
The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!
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They'll be pushing it to get 34k into Mt. Smart. Per www.mtsmartstadium.co.nz:
The Mt Smart Stadium precinct has three main areas:
Mt. Smart Football StadiumThis venue is the best known of the Mt Smart venues as it is the home of the Vodafone Warriors. The venue has a capacity of approximately 30,000 for a sports game or approximately 47,000 for a music event.
- East Stand - location of three of the Mt Smart Stadium function rooms - the Club Lounge, Club Lounge South and the Beasley Avenue Lounge.
- West Stand - location of the Stacey Jones Lounge and the Corporate Suites.
This venue is the main athletics venue and has an international standard athletics track and equipment. The venue has a capacity of 10,000.
The Mt Smart Supertop has been a feature of the precinct for more than 10 years. This venue has hosted many major concerts including the Smashing Pumpkins and Metallica. The venue has a capacity of 13,000.
These three main areas are supported by three additional playing field areas along with car parking for 1,200 on-site.
Cheers,
JR
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Well FFA has indicated just before they left OFC, that they are committed to helping out Oceania after the switch. It may be the payback on that promise.
However it would be better if they plan an Oceania Super league in the long term but an oceania team is ok for the meanwhile because it will drum up new money contacts among the islands to get some idea of the potential market for a professional set up.
BTW this is an invitation selection so an Australian can be selected. Anyway Tim Cahill did played for Samoa Olympic side at 14 and then was able to take advantage of the FIFA window transfer of nationality to Australia. (unlike the lazy Rory Fallon) so any loose connection to Oceania can be enough.AllWhitebelievr2008-05-05 23:19:33
However it would be better if they plan an Oceania Super league in the long term but an oceania team is ok for the meanwhile because it will drum up new money contacts among the islands to get some idea of the potential market for a professional set up.
BTW this is an invitation selection so an Australian can be selected. Anyway Tim Cahill did played for Samoa Olympic side at 14 and then was able to take advantage of the FIFA window transfer of nationality to Australia. (unlike the lazy Rory Fallon) so any loose connection to Oceania can be enough.AllWhitebelievr2008-05-05 23:19:33
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Seriously, there is no way that a professional team could hope to be competitive and have a revolving home ground. Every week would be an away game, the conditions at many of those island grounds are so far from A-League standard...this just seems like a bit of a pie in the sky idea at this early stage.
Normo's coming home
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Yeah well that is a sore weak point.
. . . However with an much anticipated expansion of the league.
In a three games per opponent in a 14 team league. It is possible to have almost up to about 20% (or 10% of all games) of the home games away on islands. So in a 39 league games per season, then about 4 home games in the islands. There would still about 15-16 league games in Auckland.
I am expecting that more than half the team are likely to be NZ players or it would be hard to self-justify most home games in Auckland. Also I expecting that by then the number of foreign players in the squad to increase because of the increase of games numbers etc, etc. The squad number should increase to about 28 in player numbers and every player should still have a little more game time.
Lets say a 16 team league with 2 games per opponent and then with a 32 league games. That makes about 3 games among the islands and then 12 games in Auckland is all still doable.
Of course I would propose a 18 team league by another NZ team added from Christchurch. Two and a half NZ teams are fine by me.
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Dear All
I would like to congratulate the Yellow Fever Forum community for their sensible and informative comments as they relate to matters for OFC. If you dont mind I would like to start to make comments from time to time on various topics. ("Nothing like hearing it from the horses mouth")
In respect to the proposal of AllWhiteBeliever we would like to say that OFC has no intention to be involved in any franchise football club at anytime as this is not our core business. In any case FFA never intends to grant a franchise to Auckland in the A League. It would be difficult to have a team based in Auckland and playing in the islands as part of the condition of the A League is to broadcast all matches live in high quality which is not possible in the islands.
Our aim is to strengthen the O League, make it stronger and in the long term add more teams from New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands etc. But baby steps first. From a 10 day tournament in one venue attracting 1000 spectators the O League is now played in 5 countries home and away attracting 60,000 spectators cumlative in 2007 and an estimated 80,000 spectators in 2008. After two years we can now go to the market and seek sponsorship and let the O league grow even more. Get it on television and shown around the region. With crowds like 20,000 in Solomon Islands, 10,000 in Vanuatu and 12,000 in Fiji we need to capatalise on this popularity. Papua New Guinea club champions - Hekari FC have qualified for the O League and PNG has a population of 6 million people.
Kind Regards
Tai Nicholas
General Secretary - OFC
Tai Nicholas2008-05-07 23:39:46
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Very interesting post Mr Nicholas, thank you. It would be great to hear your comments from time to time.
I have two questions that it would be great if you can answer sometime:
1. Regarding the proposed match against the LA Galaxy, do you see this as part of OFC's "core business"? It's a great concept but is it OFC's role to promote this sort of match? How would OFC protect itself (and its members) from the financial risks involved in staging such a match?
2. What do you see as the long-term future for OFC? If you have read this forum in the past you will see that a significant number of people think that OFC should either be disbanded and absorbed into Asia somehow, or that New Zealand should leave OFC for Asia. Your post demonstrates encouraging signs of growth within OFC's current boundaries but OFC is still by far the smallest FIFA Federation. Can OFC really survive in the long-term and provide better value for its members that some of the other possibilities?
If you post an answer to the second question you might like to start a new thread, otherwise it will get lost in here.
I have two questions that it would be great if you can answer sometime:
1. Regarding the proposed match against the LA Galaxy, do you see this as part of OFC's "core business"? It's a great concept but is it OFC's role to promote this sort of match? How would OFC protect itself (and its members) from the financial risks involved in staging such a match?
2. What do you see as the long-term future for OFC? If you have read this forum in the past you will see that a significant number of people think that OFC should either be disbanded and absorbed into Asia somehow, or that New Zealand should leave OFC for Asia. Your post demonstrates encouraging signs of growth within OFC's current boundaries but OFC is still by far the smallest FIFA Federation. Can OFC really survive in the long-term and provide better value for its members that some of the other possibilities?
If you post an answer to the second question you might like to start a new thread, otherwise it will get lost in here.
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Dear All
I would like to congratulate the Yellow Forum community for their sensible and informative comments as they relate to matters for OFC.
By the way, I thought this was a very generous statement. You are a diplomat!
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Dear Terminator X
1, For the LA Galaxy match - I would not like to make any comment at this stage. This is a matter for the Auckland Regional Council - who is still in negotiations with the club and if successful a public announcement will made in due course. Like any prudent organisation - this match and surrounding events will only take place if it is not run at a loss. But I am sure all Yellow Fever members will agree that bringing high profile players and teams to New Zealand and Oceania (as Wellington Phoenix did last year) has got to be great for the promotion of the game.
2. In repsect of the debate for OFC to join Asia. You a right that a seperate thread should be started on this topic because we would like to share our views on why OFC should remain a seperate confederation - a view suported by FIFA and the rest of the Confederations around the World.
Regards
Tai Nicholas
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Looks like the Galaxy v Oceania All Stars game is a goer - Thursday December 11 at Mount Smart Stadium.
The ARC have apparently stumped up 1.2 million.....
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Thursday!!! 
Oh well. I suspect I'll be wandering along to see it. Far from sure about playing on a Thursday tho', but I suspect that would be more about accomodating the Galaxy than anything else. hope they get a decent crowd.
Jag2008-05-12 10:39:17Apparently I'm apathetic, but I couldn't care less.
"Being a Partick Thistle fan sets you apart. It means youre a free thinker. It also means your team has no money." Tim Luckhurst, The Independent, 4th December 2003
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$1.2m... remember the uproar when the council allocated a fraction of that in promotional budget ? Should hear the explosions at Radio Sport from here after they got stuck in to the council about the match here.
We're home on Saturday night which might make logistics tricky from here.
We're home on Saturday night which might make logistics tricky from here.
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$1.2m... remember the uproar when the council allocated a fraction of that in promotional budget ? Should hear the explosions at Radio Sport from here after they got stuck in to the council about the match here.
We're home on Saturday night which might make logistics tricky from here.
We're home on Saturday night which might make logistics tricky from here.
Won't make my life any easier either! I'll have to be very nice to the wife that week.
Apparently I'm apathetic, but I couldn't care less.
"Being a Partick Thistle fan sets you apart. It means youre a free thinker. It also means your team has no money." Tim Luckhurst, The Independent, 4th December 2003
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AWB, post moved here:
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5844
Hard News2008-06-03 09:32:01
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5844
Hard News2008-06-03 09:32:01
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