Gillion, Walker & Candy being the others that have made first team appearances for the Nix. Scholarship GK Boon starting for the WeeNix as well.
Go Suburbs cause FT pros playing in an amateur league is a bit silly
The same will happen with Auckland next season as well tbh.
Would imagine the recent deal the Nix struck with NZF/FIFA, that there will be a lot more scholarship players either later on this NL campaign, and definitely into next season and beyond, with Auckland to follow suit when they end up striking the same deal.
Can understand GSR, Piper & Supyk playing for Weenix today with the senior squad in Sydney. But Ball?
If he's fit enough to start a NL game, you'd think he'd be okay for at least a bench spot against WSW. Getting up to speed for the ALM season, you'd be better to play against ALM players in pre season wouldn't you? Plus the extra 'Travel Fitness'
Can understand GSR, Piper & Supyk playing for Weenix today with the senior squad in Sydney. But Ball?
If he's fit enough to start a NL game, you'd think he'd be okay for at least a bench spot against WSW. Getting up to speed for the ALM season, you'd be better to play against ALM players in pre season wouldn't you? Plus the extra 'Travel Fitness'
Yeah it makes me wonder if maybe he really isn't part of the plans for this season - hope that's not the case though
Looks like we will be getting a good quality stream for the Coastal Spirit vs Wellington Olympic game - An actual camera operated by a human and not low quality and pixellated
Coastal vs Olympic was a very entertaining match. A Nice, even and hard fought match.
You could see Coastal run out of a bit of energy in the last 20 or so minutes but I think they should be able to make quite a good account of themselves this National League season
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Well impressed by Raj, Kalua and Mechell for Easts and Gardiner, Ball and Gillion for the Nix. It was a good watch from the comnfort of the Ricoh pavilion.
Was very impressed with Coastal - have some very tidy players and had the better of the chances today too. Not just making up the numbers. Should have seen it coming though beating Tech 3 times throughout the season who always hold a pretty good account of themselves in the NL.
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Not as much of a joke as them qualifying for the national league after finishing 5th with more defeats than wins this season.
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Not as much of a joke as them qualifying for the national league after finishing 5th with more defeats than wins this season.
I don't mind this though - the Nix have done a crapload for talent development and professionalisation in NZ, if getting those boys into the National League helps that then so be it. There's still three other spots for the Central teams to grab and honestly that's enough anyway.
Also - this was the first occasion they didn't qualify on merit.
It should be fully based on merit. If, with all the benefits those boys get, they can't make top 4 they shouldn't get a free pass. What about the talented youngsters playing for the team that gets 4th and gets booted because they don't play for the nix?
lthomas20
Buffon II
Hearty
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Not as much of a joke as them qualifying for the national league after finishing 5th with more defeats than wins this season.
I don't mind this though - the Nix have done a crapload for talent development and professionalisation in NZ, if getting those boys into the National League helps that then so be it. There's still three other spots for the Central teams to grab and honestly that's enough anyway.
Also - this was the first occasion they didn't qualify on merit.
It should be fully based on merit. If, with all the benefits those boys get, they can't make top 4 they shouldn't get a free pass. What about the talented youngsters playing for the team that gets 4th and gets booted because they don't play for the nix?
lthomas20
Buffon II
Hearty
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Not as much of a joke as them qualifying for the national league after finishing 5th with more defeats than wins this season.
I don't mind this though - the Nix have done a crapload for talent development and professionalisation in NZ, if getting those boys into the National League helps that then so be it. There's still three other spots for the Central teams to grab and honestly that's enough anyway.
Also - this was the first occasion they didn't qualify on merit.
dead right Manmoose3 .... Miramar were the form team in Central League alongside Miramar in that last month and should be in the Nat League by merit. that's gotta be gutting, plus potentially could cost a coach a job cos he didn't make National League instead of a team they actually bet on the table.
It should be fully based on merit. If, with all the benefits those boys get, they can't make top 4 they shouldn't get a free pass. What about the talented youngsters playing for the team that gets 4th and gets booted because they don't play for the nix?
lthomas20
Buffon II
Hearty
Fulltime pros starting for the Wee-Nix ... another joke from NZF. outrageous. tough enough for some teams to contend with Auckland teams with 'fulltime coaches' on huge money in what NZF imposes as a 'amateur' league. having the Phoenix fulltime pros, including Ball playing, is just a slap in the face
Not as much of a joke as them qualifying for the national league after finishing 5th with more defeats than wins this season.
I don't mind this though - the Nix have done a crapload for talent development and professionalisation in NZ, if getting those boys into the National League helps that then so be it. There's still three other spots for the Central teams to grab and honestly that's enough anyway.
Also - this was the first occasion they didn't qualify on merit.
Miramar had the second older average age of their starting XI in the central league.
I don’t want to give Miramar an credit, however, the national league is a senior league with an arbitrary u20 rule. If the met the constraints of that rule and chose to the rest of the squad with 40 years olds that is their business.
It's interesting to say Miramar should make it on merit when the Central League having 4 spots out of 10 is pretty dubious anyway. Just look at the table last season!image.png20.39 KB We saw good teams miss out in other regions too (Auckland United, Christchurch United) - what evidence is there that Miramar are better than those teams are and deserve to be there over them on merit? Cause I'm pretty sure both of them would have comfortably made it over Phoenix and Karori on the league table too...
Auckland City (3) v Birkenhead (1) at Kiwitea this afternoon. Even game and a bit testy at times. Reasonable crowd. Birko may feel a litlle bit unlucky perhaps but City a little better. Citys goals were a dubious penalty , and two bits of comedy defending.. Birko had a penalty saved and scored a good goal from a corner. Both sides had players misssing Birko - no Rodic , Patterson and Philp. And of course no Piper. Brunch was busy and showed promise but quite a step from Northern Championship to National League. City - no Tracy , Tieku and Bevan and also Rogers. Not sure why so many missing. Ukich always dangerous for City but starting to develop a few theatrics in preparation for his move to Europe.
Welcome back big fella. Am in the West Island at present and tried to watch the NCR game on FIFA+. There were so many breaks in the coverage that I gave up at half time. Did anyone else have that problem, or was it the internet problem where I am?
Don't piss off old people - the older we get, the less "Life in Prison" is a deterrent
Yeah the coverage hasn't been the greatest, I struggled with the commentary one moment it seemed in time, then next was 5 seconds behind. Few pause in picture mind game as well. I don't recall these issues happening to much when the games were in YouTube.
