No habla Espanol - the NZFC bitch fight

Thanks JD.
Calming down for a second, I'm as passionate as the next man but I'm not too stupid or blind to see the obvious. I think it would be great if more players from the national league sides were playing in the Phoenix but then is it a development ground for NZ players or is it driven by results?

Results put bums on seats. Granted the nix have their cash issues but if they were to play as an all NZ side with players from the premiership then we would turn into another Kingz, Knights, Fury where we are bottom of the league, no attendance and it would all turn to sh*t again. I think its great the chances that have been given to Sigmund, Kosta and Marco. Every once in a while though, the unexpected happens and the likes of Lovemore gets a run (admittedly in garbage time) and he looks like he has something. For his sake, I hope it turns into a youth contract next year. Musa... well he is a project but then so was Kosta and Marco and look what happened to them. You can't take on a team of projects.

I think if Hogg were to get a run, he'd need to learn more than a few things like not being a headcase and not leaving his feet to dive in two footed. His behaviour has improved but I've seen footage this year where you have to ask why the ref didn't toss him. He has pace and an educated left foot which is a rare commodity but he get caught positionally too high frequently (an ACFC game plan) and then moans when his team mates tell him. How is he going to fare with Sigmund barking at him for 90? Tell him to f**k off? He'd get knocked the f**k out pretty quick. I'd like to see Allan Pearce get a run but objectively, he too often plays for himself. How will that fare with Ifill screaming at him for the ball?

If for arguments sake they did pick premiership players, you lot would be the first to moan that they've raped the clubs for their talent and not paid those clubs back and then slag them off for their results and crap football.

Beat the champions of Asian next? Remember no-one picked Tyson to get downed by Douglas but the impossible can happen. You remember that as humble winners the next time you spout off about being the 5th best team in the world and how the next year after that you could only finish 3rd in a back water comp where the best team in that league wasn't even the best in Oceania. You also might want to ask how many players you guys developed vs picking up from other teams. You may have feilded 9 kiwis but how many developed at Central...

But like El Grap said, lets not have reality get in the way of a good yarn.
Jeff Vader2011-02-23 00:57:08

Vader also put the 5ft keeper Matt Borren forward
so clearly he cant be takin seriously!!!

Spoonley,
Hogg
Rowley (has already of course)
Pearce
Hayne
Eager
Clapham
Terris
Lancaster (not sure if he still at Canterbury)

to name a few of the top of my head

Tim Payne
Andy Bevin

wouldnt look out of place as U20 players either

JordyBean2011-02-23 16:20:37

And the score at full time, Robb 1 Buffon 0.

Your medium answer was longer than your long answer.

I'm not even going to bother to quote Jeffs comment. Its for all to see, that he has absolutely know idea about footballers or football in general. I really hope you are not involved in football outside of watching ASB games.

Because his views don't agree with yours?

5th best team in the world is also very misleading. You beat a couple of teams in a tournament and came 5th. That does not equate to 5th in the world,nor does it give you any bragging rights over the Phoenix.

I was actually happy that you did so well in that tournament. Now I'm not so happy about it as you seem to take it as some sort of ammo to try shoot the Phoenix down with.

A football fan has gone from being proud of an nzfc side doing so well,to wishing they hadn't. How is that healthy for the national competition?

Perhaps before you start taking I'll informed cheap shots at the Phoenix,you should take a look in the mirror and ask what you're doing to NZF.

Interesting. Jeff Vader2011-02-23 18:04:01

Eager is no longer an ASB Premiership player.

Oh, and for the 'Spoonley a better bet than Crowther' bandwagon jumpers.  Would you rather one of New Zealand's top 5 keepers wasgetting splinters every week or playing in the ASB Premiership?  Australia has plenty of depth and for a keeper who will just sit on the bench it's better for the NZ game that our depleted stocks aren't used as far as I'm concerned.

...and before we get whining about 'behind an Aussie', if he's fit Paston is the Phoenix number one.

Disclaimer : This does not in anyway indicate that I think Spoonley is a starting quality keeper at A-league level.
Hard News2011-02-23 18:22:06

Funny that Jeff that ive mentioned Auckland City players on an Auckland City thread! To be honest apart from those two and Mulligan i dont think anyone else in this league is good enough. Pearce? spends more time on the ground then he does on his feet and his fitness levels aren't great for the position he plays.

Jeff il knit you a jumper anytime you want mate, if you promise to stop sniffing the paint or glue that your on.

My eyes are sore from reading all that crap.

You spoil sport Ken.  We were saving that.

It's 'You're' Roger. Hard News2011-02-23 18:33:06

This kind of argument is a bit misleading though - it's much easier for the Nix to pick up an ASB Premiership player as a squad member, than another A-league club for whom such a player would taken up an import spot.

But in general, I don't think that the ASB Premiership is exactly bursting with talent just waiting to be signed by A-league clubs.

Oh I fully agree Nightz. As I said before, if Hogg et al were any good, they'd be elsewhere. They are not so they aren't. I just like induging in the ACFC baiting since there are more holes in their theories than swiss cheese. I give Phil credit though for at least adding some objectivity for a change.

Rog you've only named 3 players. How does that make your knowledge superior to mine again? (since this is your claim). If you were the wise one you profess, you'd have offered a lot more than you have regardless if its an ACFC thread or not as you state. You wanted to talk about football knowledge. Hell you are getting more laughs/blowback than my opinion has...

The fact remains, if these players were good enough, they would be else where because its not the money holding them here in this amateur league ..... er...
Jeff Vader2011-02-23 21:09:44

Over four years I'd say that's pretty good, especially working with a squad size of 20-odd and not wanting to take too many risks.

Whom are the 5 HN

Sigmund, Rojas, Kosta and I guess Old? Who was the 5th?

Spoonley, Draper, Siggy, Rojas, Kosta.

Old came via Newcastle Jets, and US College.  C'mon the Red Storm !!

Draper was good in football manager. Ricki doesn't know what he's doing.

James Musa should also be mentioned as a young NZ player being given a shot at the Phoenix. Still a work in progress but he's got his chance. Never played in the NZFC but doesn't that show the Nix in an even better light?

It sure does.

Which means it'll get ignored in any knitting circle discussions.

I forgot about Draper, Spoonley and Musa. Doh.

As El Grap said there Tegal, don't let reality get in the way of a good yarn.

Maybe these young boys like Hogg and Spoonely or Bevin from Hawkes Bay dont particularly want to play for the Phenoix, because lets be honest theres a good chance they wont be around for long with their money woes...so not much security there for them. Maybe university is a better option for these lads, then they have something to fall back on if football on this side of the world falls over.However anyone that is involved in football in this country knows that politics over rules ability... its not debatable.

Not sure Spoons at 23 is University aged somehow.

Yes politics do make some calls.  Ability makes more.

Spoonley is studying law I believe.

I'd call that a 'case closed' Tegal.
Jeff Vader2011-02-24 00:04:56

Sorry.  I assumed people were talking US Scholarship rather than study while part-time footballing.

My mistake.

Have you been eating donuts again? Are you drunk from the donut glazing cause any sane person would know that ACFC don't pay anyone to play football full-time let alone part-time...

No.  That would be against ASB Premiership rules.  I meant Amateur footballing of course.

Meanwhile Waitakere v Auckland City FC is this Sunday at 3 on Kiwitea Street Sandringham.
The match pretty much settles who's in the O-League final.

Player ratings Auckland City v Waitakere

Auckland City all score 8 /10

Wasnt the best game of football, not often 5 passes were put together, especially in the first half. Roger Rabbit2011-02-27 21:10:43

Dickinson tireless, Koprovic, Berlanga, overcame heavy marking.
Alex Fenederis and Adam Thomas made good attacks left and right.
Amazing save at the end from Vicelich.
AcFc seemed to have tired legs early on from the trip to Magenta.
http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/0d2f91a2-9d8e-4f8a-963b-0c553421d6e6/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Canty ACFC game this Sunday postponed.
If Waitak get enough points this week, then we could just split the game and call it a 'draw'.
http://www.aucklandcityfc.com/news/article.asp?ID=105

Any ideas on why Berlanga was subbed tonight?
46 mins is an odd time to make a change.

Subbed at half time no injury, Dan Morgan no so lucky though looked like bad knee injury for him

Jordybean is shock sensible post scandal.