Christchurch United's two previous coach's / managers, Paul Ifill and Ryan Edwards, come in from the North Island, so likely to be a case of three in a row. Plenty of speculation around Albert Riera, currently coaching in Vanuatu and before that at Auckland City FC, as well at Rob Sherman, who has already coached United this season in the Southern League while Ryan was overseas. Rob is a Welshman and currently manages the Fiji National side. Feverish
coochiee
AucklandPhoenix
Now the teams have been picked, which would be the top players in each position from the domestic league that we think should be targeted?
I can say that Monty Patterson is in Canada, doing sweet all. He'd be a handy pickup for either CU or Auckland II.
Does a bit of coaching (had/has an Academy in the 09?), so would be a good mentor for the younger kids.
Will be interesting to see what sort of squads are assembled.
Do Auckland II just enter their young reserve team that's played Northern League? You would think a few older players would be needed, such as a Patterson. Myer Bevan another propsect? Matt Ellis who has trialled at the Nix twice in the last 12 months?
There are already a couple of Fijians in the Auckland II squad - Semi Nabenu & Shiv Nair - plus Dejaun Naidoo. But I wouldn't surprised if they tried to get another couple of Pasika (maybe older) guys in as well.
If Christchurch United are true to their word, their squad should be primarily players from the South Island. Plus yes their little Vanuatu cohort. Someone like Luis Toomey could be a good pickup. A few NPL players like George Ott, Ryan Feutz & Seth Clark (a Cantab) maybe an option.
Will also depend who there coach is now that we know Ryan Edwards is concentrating solely on being GM and giving up being head gaffer. If it's Ifill he could bring some Olympic guys down to the Garden City.
And once things have hopefully calmed down, the Nix might even be prepared to negotiate a loan deal or two to CU. Young keeper Matt Foord is an ex CU player, and he seems currently 4th GK at best with the Nix. 6 months in the OFC League could be useful development experience.
PS. I like Domey, but in my view he hasn't handled this issue well. Symptomatic of coming off a tough 12 months for the club, and he's a bit worn out by it all?
Surely the CU coach has to be a mainlander. Who would that be?
Trying to understand what this all means and how it will work. It just seems a bit messy.
First thing, I am not exactly a Phoenix supporter, but I fully respect everything they have done for NZ football and built in their history has paved the way professional football in NZ (and region). It really should have been AFC and the Phoenix or neither. Some clarity into the 42 point criteria in which applicants scored out of 175 would be nice. I understand it is to help build football in the pacific Islands but NZ is the major player in confederation and surely an Aussie club has no reason in being here.
So now AFC need to build a ‘II’ team to compete in the islands?
Now what for CU? They pull themselves out of the domestic NZ scene or have two teams as well? Signing players on professional contracts for a five month league with approx. 17 games including playoffs and then what do they do for the balance of the year? You can’t easily revert back to amateur status (1 month stand down) and play in the SI. Will be hard to attract ‘professional’ players to sign up for a gig where you play professional for half a year, on sub-par pitches in the pacific islands in which you make the 6-10 hour long flight (plus Auckland layover) every few weeks. Then support your living by playing amateur/coach(?) for the balance of the working year. Even the women A-League players have a longer season and they are pushing for their shorten contracts to be a full year.
The talent pool will be players who are semi-pro/’paid under the table amateurs’. Are they really the quality you then target to turn professional. I hear of suggested targets for players but most of these are playing in Aussies state leagues, picking up decent ‘pocket money’ which supplements their career. You’ll be asking to give up their career for a 6 month professional contract with limited security thereafter.
Crowds? This might attract decent crowds in the Islands but at what I assume is not a massive entry fee. CU have expressed interest in playing games at Te kaha but I can’t imagine their crowd will be much larger than Canterbury United crowds - Does this support a professional club? What level of player can you attract that would make you pay to see them play, especially if they are being plucked from the Aussie state leagues. I hear of the 1.5ml south islanders that this CU slot represents. Well they are not the people who will turn up week in, week out to support. Its the 500k population of a rugby mad region where amateur rugby obtain larger crowds than the amateur football.
Hopefully not coming across too negative. Just genuine questions and concerns which I am sure some of you can enlighten me.
none of these questions have been answered, possibly cos it's a little too early in the piece to be offering those answers, but at some point they will need to be answered.
The comp regular season is being played as 5 hubs, the hubs being over 2-3 weeks in one location. Think back to how alot of sports operated during Covid.
This is for Season One in 2026 (Jan-May). After that who knows
Was a rumour that the 5 hubs would be Auckland, Melbourne and 3 in the Islands. If true it seems unlikely CU will play any games in Christchurch (again Season One), let alone at Te Kaha. Though it's not clear where the playoff games will be played, so may yet be a chance CU host matches.
Re players, you'd think there will be more scouting of this OFC Pro League than any of the NPL leagues or domestic NZ leagues. So if you are a young NZ player, and have ambitions of getting to Europe (or ALM) the OFC League could be a increased eyeballs pathway.
Could George Ott say to Avondale, I'll play for CU but be back in Melbs for the 2nd half of your VIC NPL season by June?
The first OFC Professional League season will run from January through to May 2026, with each club playing a minimum of 17 matches.
The competition will feature five circuit series rounds, hosted across the Pacific. After the circuit series phase, teams will be split into two playoff groups: Leaders and Challengers.
The Leaders Playoff Group will see the top four teams battle for three of the four semi-final spots, whilst the Challengers Playoff Group will involve the remaining teams, with the top side earning a playoff match against the fourth-placed team from the Leaders Group to determine the remaining semi-final berth.
The semi-finals and the final will be single-leg knockout matches.
The comp is being played as 5 hubs, the hubs being over 2-3 weeks in one location. Think back to how alot of sports operated during Covid.
This is for Season One in 2026 (Jan-May). After that who knows
Was a rumour that the 5 hubs would be Auckland, Melbourne and 3 in the Islands. If triue it seems unlikely CU will play any games in Christchurch (again Season One), let alone at Te Kaha.
Re players, you'd think there will be more scouting of this OFC Pro League than any of the NPL leagues or domestic NZ leagues. So if you are a young NZ player, and have ambitions of getting to Europe (or ALM) the OFC League could be a increased eyeballs pathway.
Could George Ott say to Avondale, I'll play for CU but be back in Melbs for the 2nd half of your VIC NPL season by June?
Auckland, Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have been confirmed as the five hubs. It's not clear yet where the top four/bottom four and finals will take place.
I wonder if the hub concept was always an issue with the 'Nix bid?
If it was then it makes the process woefully unfair, a clubs location should have ni impact. Wellington flights to anywhere are probably way better than the islands
Bloody disgraceful the OFC competition is planning on playing one of the hubs in Australia.
Likely driven by potential sponsorship opportunities, or other commercial considerations. For the now the critical thing is that this league happens, survives more than a season, and showcases pro football in the OFC.
Bloody disgraceful the OFC competition is planning on playing one of the hubs in Australia.
Likely driven by potential sponsorship opportunities, or other commercial considerations. For the now the critical thing is that this league happens, survives more than a season, and showcases pro football in the OFC.
Why is that of any importance? It's not gonna help the nix, and the development focus is on the sland nations not our players - as far as NZ is concerned it's meaningless, no additional money for NZF, Auckland will win it being the only real professional club in the comp and it adds more cash for Foley.
OFC deciding to have a hub in Aussie has nothing to do with the Nix. Zero. I don't get your point at all.
If OFC have decided to take a hub to Melbourne, again it's likely for commercial reasons. Whether you agree or not that Australia should have a team in the league, I understand that.
But once that decision was made then taking a hub there sort of makes sense given it's by far the biggest economy in the comp, and everyone knows the large financial challenges this league faces starting up.
I suspect commercial/large company sponsorship revenue for this league is going to far outway in importance the gate takings from crowds. Also be interesting to see what sort of TV/streaming rights deal is signed up.
my point re this whole shamble succedeeding has no benefit to NZ players at all, the only NZ club getting any benefit already has the most money in the region. Its a sham!
And the comp ain't meaningless at all for NZ. There will be 40 odd extra players that will be able to train and play as pro footballers for 6 months. Remembering we only really have around 70-90 existing pro players (incl Academy kids) in NZ and overseas. It's a very shallow talent pool.
Is a big difference between being grumpy the Nix missed out, and then seeing the league doesn't benefit football in NZ.
I wonder if the hub concept was always an issue with the 'Nix bid?
If it was then it makes the process woefully unfair, a clubs location should have ni impact. Wellington flights to anywhere are probably way better than the islands
you're not going to have all the hubs in NZ and Aus, so then of the NZ and Aus bids which are best suited for hubs - or something to consider. It is probably one of those things that the 'Nix would like some clarity on.
I wonder if the hub concept was always an issue with the 'Nix bid?
If it was then it makes the process woefully unfair, a clubs location should have ni impact. Wellington flights to anywhere are probably way better than the islands
you're not going to have all the hubs in NZ and Aus, so then of the NZ and Aus bids which are best suited for hubs - or something to consider. It is probably one of those things that the 'Nix would like some clarity on.
coochiee
And the comp ain't meaningless at all for NZ. There will be 40 odd extra players that will be able to train and play as pro footballers for 6 months. Remembering we only really have around 70-90 existing pro players (incl Academy kids) in NZ and overseas. It's a very shallow talent pool.
Is a big difference between being grumpy the Nix missed out, and then seeing the league doesn't benefit football in NZ.
So? some extra semi-pro players from Chch? 40 players though? AFC may have to recrut additional players sure, and that may build our international depth by a little. That's a small improvement with only a small chance of actually benefitting NZ in the international realm. The only money this will generate will be from the Saudis and maybe the island fans. If you dont follow one of the clubs in the league why would you watch it?
Bloody disgraceful the OFC competition is planning on playing one of the hubs in Australia.
Likely driven by potential sponsorship opportunities, or other commercial considerations. For the now the critical thing is that this league happens, survives more than a season, and showcases pro football in the OFC.
Yep get all that but still bloody wrong. A League formed to help develop and promote OFC football and they play a Hub in another confederation. 😲
Bloody disgraceful the OFC competition is planning on playing one of the hubs in Australia.
Likely driven by potential sponsorship opportunities, or other commercial considerations. For the now the critical thing is that this league happens, survives more than a season, and showcases pro football in the OFC.
Yep get all that but still bloody wrong. A League formed to help develop and promote OFC football and they play a Hub in another confederation. 😲
The ALM is an AFC comp, yet this season 16.66% recurring of it (regular season) will be played in OFC.
Just slightly less than the roughly 20% of the OFC Pro League that will be played in AFC/Australia.
Really that the best you can do . For a start as far as im aware the A League wasnt set up to help the Asian Confederation get better. Not sure they compare well
I can’t see how it survives without the hub concept! It’s something we’ve talked about a lot here. So much air travel and expensive air travel at that. We assumed there’d never be a professional league for that reason at the least.
Aussie makes sense the same way that we had a great NZ v Aussie game in Craven Cottage- it’s where a lot of Pacific Island ex-pats and seasonal workers live. And I guess we need to invite a team from the hosts. And yes, it’s also a great place for sponsors hopefully! Or for island businesses in the tourist trade to get value for any sponsorships they put forward. Combine the football with a trade fair and/a cultural festival or some chance to really get people in and attract attention in the media.
So that part makes sense, if anything does.
I guess the questions for the Nix are future years? And can we make a case for a Wellington hub? And why not 3 NZ teams if the bids are so good?
But I do understand the Melbourne hub. I’m less happy there’s no Nix involved, but I guess I’m over that for now…
Melbs hub makes some sense, but if they put the games in one of those cavenous stadia it'll look ridiculous. South Melbourne fanbase will come watch their team, but it's unlikely they'll hang around, Port will turn up for AFC, but that's maybe a few thousand for both, how many fans for the Island teams are in Melbourne? Will any be able to travel from PNG etc? Empty stadia does not make a great TV viewing experience, nor is it good for any sponsors.
You’d imagine they’d use Albert Park, SM’s home ground, and maybe even a few NPL suburban grounds. There will be some smallest Island expat communities in Melbs
But it will be the same with all the hubs. There will be virtually no fans watching CU verus Tahiti United in PNG etc etc
The gate revenue will be pretty minimal for the comp overall
You’d imagine they’d use Albert Park, SM’s home ground, and maybe even a few NPL suburban grounds. There will be some smallest Island expat communities in Melbs
But it will be the same with all the hubs. There will be virtually no fans watching CU verus Tahiti United in PNG etc etc
The gate revenue will be pretty minimal for the comp overall
Ignoring SM, which city in Australia has the largest communities of expat Pacific Islanders?
My gut feeling is that it is not Melbourne, but either Sydney or Brisbane. Surely the hub should be there.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites
The gate revenue will be minimal wherever it’s held in Oz.
But yeah a bit of a PNG community in Brissy. A lot of kids from the small wealthy elite PNG community are sent to Oz for school. Ex Wallaby Wil Genia an example
My local cafe on Sunshine Coast has 3 kids from New Caledonia working there. Students learning English
Doubt many of the PI in Melbourne will be football fans,could be wrong but think League would be what most watch. Guess they are hoping SM fans support it
I guess that one positive for the hub concept is that scouts in Melbourne and NZ can watch a bunch of games. If they see any PI prospects that interest them then it could lead to some PI players getting a contract at AL or lower level. Who knows the comp might throw up another Krishna or that Vanuatu defender now at Perth????
Christchurch United coaching shake-up and news on their OFC Pro League team: New coach to take charge as Chch United joins pro ranks | The Press Ryan Edwards is stepping down as coach to focus on his role as General Manager. New coach to be announced for their Pro League team and their Southern League / National League side. This may have already happened - the coverage of Chch Utd v Auckland Utd on FIFA+ had Rob Sherman as coach of Chch Utd. (former Technical Director of the Welsh, NZ and Aussie FA's and Fiji national coach in World Cup qualifying this year. He's lived in Christchurch since 2020 and been involved with coaching youth players at the Rams).
Christchurch United coaching shake-up and news on their OFC Pro League team: New coach to take charge as Chch United joins pro ranks | The Press Ryan Edwards is stepping down as coach to focus on his role as General Manager. New coach to be announced for their Pro League team and their Southern League / National League side. This may have already happened - the coverage of Chch Utd v Auckland Utd on FIFA+ had Rob Sherman as coach of Chch Utd. (former Technical Director of the Welsh, NZ and Aussie FA's and Fiji national coach in World Cup qualifying this year. He's lived in Christchurch since 2020 and been involved with coaching youth players at the Rams).
Rob took charge of the team in Auckland at the weekend, because Ryan had another arrangement with Pro League matters. He should be back this week.
Christchurch United have named former New Zealand Football technical director Rob Sherman as their coach for their first OFC Pro League season.
Sherman (65) was most recently the head coach of the Fijian men’s national team, and has worked internationally in roles with Football Federation Australia, Melbourne Victory, as well as his native Welsh FA, where he was involved in the development of global stars like Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.
“The new OFC Pro League is one of the most exciting projects in world football, and who would not want to be part of that?” says Sherman, who is one of the few coaches in New Zealand to hold a UEFA Pro Licence.
Sherman was head coach or assistant for several international teams at FIFA World Cups and Olympic Games, and was assistant coach to the Canadian women’s team that secured bronze at the London Olympics in 2012.
He most recently completed a two-year stint as head coach of the national team of Fiji, who he guided to the semi-finals of the OFC Nations Cup and FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament, where they were eliminated by the All Whites.
Between his stints in the Pacific and Australia, Sherman has been based in Christchurch, so he says the opportunity to work with a professional club in his adopted home town was too good to pass up.
Sherman has closely followed the progress of Christchurch United over the past few years, and has been in regular contact with club president Slava Meyn and the club’s coaching staff.
“What Slava and the club have created in the past few years has been remarkable, and the step into professional football feels like the natural progression. I hope that my experience can help the team and the support staff to make that transition.”
Sherman has 100 days to create and prepare a competitive squad before the season kicks off on January 10, 2026.
The first OFC Pro League will be played in a circuit format, with all teams gathering in one location to play three matches each across a 10-day window. The round-robin matches will be played in Auckland, Port Moresby, Melbourne, Honiara and Fiji.
Meyn says he is proud the club has been able to attract a coach with the experience and track record Sherman brings to the club.
“The first season in the Pro League will be about discovery, about what we can achieve, who the opponents are and the logistics of the new competition. To have an experienced international coach leading us will be invaluable.”
Meyn says Sherman’s first-hand knowledge of football in the Pacific, with the Fiji national team and competing with New Zealand age-group teams, will also be extremely helpful to prepare the players and support staff.
“Signing a great coach is the first and most important part in our puzzle,” says Meyn.
Sherman says he is under no illusion how hard the new league will be, especially with the short preparation time.
“We will be playing against qualify teams like Auckland FC, South Melbourne, while many of the other teams will be de facto national teams, but I am confident there is plenty of the talent at our club and the rest of the South Island to give them a run for their money.”
The OFC Professional League will be officially launched at an event held in Auckland, on Wednesday October 29, 2025.
I guess the hope is that there’s enough sports mad Cantabrians, rather than rugby purists to make it happen!
All good questions and I thought there were some more further back.
It seems to be a thing that will require a lot of dispensations.
Like most cities, Christchurch football fans are club loyal and Ch-Ch Utd is comfortably the most despised team in the city, unsure if any football fans will cheer them on
"You can never get a bloody tradesman at Easter, it's a wonder Jesus got crucified" - Karl Pilkington
Not hugely important for the moment, given CU won't actually play any home games, the 5 regular season hubs being hosted elsewhere.
Any anti CU thoughts from others in the CHCh club community might soften, if they recruit players from other ChCh clubs for their OFC pro squad. So it has more of a wider Cantab feel?? And of course alot of ChCh football fans will have no real strong parochial allegiance to any local club, just be keen to watch the highest level of live football available.
But yeah if a Sth Island/Canterbury A League club ever happens, it needs to be seperate from Christchurch United. Just like Auckland FC have had very little association with Auckland City - which a bit CU like is (was) a dominant force locally, and not everyone's club of tea.
Ivan Vukich very much wanted to be involved with an Auckland A League club but it didn't happen that way. Might be for the best it's the same with Slava Meyn.
Read some NZ % population growth projections (2023-2053) by region today. Projections - Welly 14% growth. Canterbury 33% growth
2043 projected popn (18 years from now) Welly 593K Canterbury 831K
An A League club will at some point come to the South Island.
Does anyone know what the deal with tv coverage will be?
I imagine that the Sky’s and TVNZ’s will not be interested at all, so I assume this will be screened on FIFA plus?
OFC has a deal with Fifa to screen all their competitions on Fifa Plus - so I imagine it would extend to this, especially with Fifa bankrolling the comp
Chch Utd have said they wanted to register for the competition under a different banner, one that would encompass the entire South Island, but were unable to due to time restrictions, it was easier to be pre-existing entity Christchurch United.
Whether local fans will get behind the team - I personally don't know. Some fans are very parochial and will not want to support Christchurch United. But I think many will at the very least keep an eye on the team with intrigue. It will be good for the local scene if players can come out of the Southern League and be successful at this level.
In my opinion, if the team was registered as Canterbury United/Dragons, or with a wider South Island name, and players/coaches/admin drawn from across the South Island, it would be getting a lot more support.
