NZFC 2007/2008
Normo's coming home
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So I know it's early days but anyone got any news about their local
NZFC franchise? Obviously big things will be expected of
Wellington with the new appointment of Stu Jacobs, we've got some
good young players but I think it's all about getting the best
players in the region out on the park. And I think it will be
good for the competition if someone can have a run at the Auckland
teams...
Normo's coming home
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Agree, the needs to be more competition from all around the
country. The lack of challenge from the South Island is especially
worrying.
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.
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That's a little harsh isn't it Jam ?
It was only the season before last that Canterbury gave Auckland a major hurry up in the final. I wouldn't write them off after one year where they just missed out on the finals.
It was only the season before last that Canterbury gave Auckland a major hurry up in the final. I wouldn't write them off after one year where they just missed out on the finals.
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canterbury have re-signed scoullar.
they have also afforded themselves the nickname, the
'dragons'
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Jeez I might follow the Dragons this season then:-) My favourite
alltime favourite kiwi band and now a football team named after
them. Where do I buy the shirt?!
Its going to be hard to see anyone south of the Bombays give
the Auckland sides a run. Certainly Waikato will be near the bottom
as the current crop of players at Melville, Wanderers, Tauranga,
Cambridge and Narra can't make a competitive team based on
what I have seen...and I haven't seen Wanderers primarily cos I
won't give Roger Wilkinson the time of day.
I'll stick with supporting Auckland City and my home town
Manawatu. Once normal service resumes at Waikato - ie Wilkinson is
gone I'll go back to following the club I founded.
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That's a little harsh isn't it Jam ?
It was only the season before last that Canterbury gave Auckland a major hurry up in the final. I wouldn't write them off after one year where they just missed out on the finals.
It was only the season before last that Canterbury gave Auckland a major hurry up in the final. I wouldn't write them off after one year where they just missed out on the finals.
Fair point. I was actually referring to last season only but
they are a side you'd hope would be challenging every year. Terry
Phelan's crowd at Otago could do with a hurry up though. I'd like
to see things turn around at Hawkes Bay, seeing as how I'm
seriously considering moving there in a year or so.
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.
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Hope wellington do very well but I just hope Auckland
doesnt win it.
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Hawkes Bay seemed to make progress last year whih I hope will be
reflected in a better all round 2007. Otago had a terrible
run with imports (injuries, returning home and all round
crapness). I know they're trying to get things back on track
a lot earlier this year and sort out their imports. The
Southern Premier League (Otago, Sth Canterbury and
Southland) is a real mixed bag so they do have to start
looking elsewhere to make up a competitive squad. But getting
some players they have seen play would be a good start!
Normo's coming home
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That's a little harsh isn't it Jam ?It was only the season before
last that Canterbury gave Auckland a major hurry up in the
final.� I wouldn't write
them off after one year where they just missed out on the
finals.
�
Fair point. I was actually referring to last season only but
they are a side you'd hope would be challenging every year. Terry
Phelan's crowd at Otago could do with a hurry up though. I'd like
to see things turn around at Hawkes Bay, seeing as how I'm
seriously considering moving there in a year or so.
I agree with Hard News. Yes Canterbury had an average season, but we are the only NZFC team to ever give Auckland a decent run for their money in a final. I don't think any Team Wellington fan can point the finger at South Island football being bad, sometimes Wellington, Waikato and, to a higher extent, Hawkes Bay can be just awful. Besides, we only have 2 teams as opposed to the North Island's 6. I think Nelson should get a team.
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Nelson or any other region should not be getting a team just yet.
Not until this NZFC competition beds down a little more. So far NZ
Football have not tinkered with the basic structure of the
championship which is a good thing. Any additonal new teams now
will only dilute the quality of the league and the standard will
drop further. Perhaps in another three years they should review the
competition and revist the idea of expansion. I think NZF have it
just about right as far as the regional distribution of the sides
goes. You'd have to say though, that if Waikato and Hawkes Bay
can't improve rather quickly then there should be a call for them
to be replaced by say Gisborne and Nelson for example.
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Nelson or any other region should not be getting a team just yet.
Not until this NZFC competition beds down a little more. So far NZ
Football have not tinkered with the basic structure of the
championship which is a good thing. Any additonal new teams now
will only dilute the quality of the league and the standard will
drop further. Perhaps in another three years they should review the
competition and revist the idea of expansion. I think NZF have it
just about right as far as the regional distribution of the sides
goes. You'd have to say though, that if Waikato and Hawkes Bay
can't improve rather quickly then there should be a call for them
to be replaced by say Gisborne and Nelson for example.
I quite agree.
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Is Gisbourne not just another name for a rich bunch from Auckland
flying in, all be it delayed due to fog.
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Some would see it that way. But if they have a sponsor willing to
support the club then all power to them dude. It's only jealousy
when it boils down to it. I'd love Waikato and Manawatu to have a
banker ready to throw them wads of money but the reality is there
isn't anyone. I guess that when the time comes for expansion of the
NZFC or, one of the current lot to fold, then Gisborne will be in
the wings ready to step up.
The same could probably be said of Richmond United too.
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Is Gisbourne not just another name for a rich bunch from Auckland
flying in, all be it delayed due to fog.
Looking at the team list in the Chatham Cup thread it looks more like a bunch of Waikato/Bay of Plenty players rather than Auckland.
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If the other teams are going to challenge Auckland they'd better
start investing in their players for mine. They are going to have
to raise the bar, because Auckland and Waitakere are not going to
sit back. I'm picking there will be a few interesting signings this
year because both Auckland teams have something that is a little
lacking beyond the Bombays, cash and ambition.
And Auckland have the best fans in the league by a country
mile which doesn't hurt either.
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I dont think the ambition is lacking out here in the country
bro. That is just crap! Its a mix of geographic population density,
player pool availability and being more creative.
Last season Waikato were just about to sign Comins Menapi when
Ytak came in offering more money...it is a cash thing and there is
loads of it in Auckland it would seem. $30k plus for Menapi is a
lot of pingers.
I agree the other sides have to raise the bar. You have no
idea what other franchises are up against. The first year of the
NZFC Waikato had a stadium hireage bill of $56,000 alone. And
that was discounted because rugby were paying $500,000 a year to
use the ground.
That money could have been used to buy some better players but
at the end of the day throwing money around to win a championship
doesn't do anything for the foundation of the game.
It is a two horse race but there will come a time when that
domination will be broken. Look at Leeds United, a huge club now
finding themselves in League 1 for the first time in their
history.
Deep in debt. I'd hate to see other franchises put themselves
financially in the toilet because that will be the end of the NZFC
and regional football will be the best we can hope for.
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I might have some idea. Used to live in Christchurch, used to go
along and watch Christchurch United in the good old days. Now they
did have ambition, as the signing of the likes of Bobby Almond,
Kevin Mulgrew, Steve Sumner and the like show.
They had a fantastic board and a great coach with good
contacts. They were able to get the Christchurch media behind them,
made stars out of their players, and they also played an
attractive brand of football which drew in the crowds.
I can't help it if the clubs these days are run by
plonkers.
Why the f**k would you want to play out of a massive rugby
stadium where you know the crowd is going to get drowned
out by all those guys who come disguised as empty seats.
That's just pygmy brain stupidity.
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I really dont enjoy people branding me STUPID. The reason why we
had to play at Waikato Stadium was that it was one of the
stipulations from NZF when we put forward the original entry.
If you had any brain and new Hamilton you would know that
there are no sutiable venues outside of the stadium to hold
football. It along with Basketball are the two codes in Hamilton
that don't have adequate specialty facilities to play the game.
Porritt Stadium is controlled by Athletics and in summer when we
play the NZFC they have first call on the facility.
So me in my stupid wisdom that wanted to have an NZFC
franchise in my own city selected Waikato Stadium...and guess what,
we won a place in the competition. NZF have now said that they can
look for a venue outside of the stadium now, but back then had we
put down Porritt or Gower park we would have been laughed out of
the NZF office. Get the facts before you write plain sh*t.
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I understand your predicament, but then perhaps Hamilton wasn't the best place to put a Waikato team. Perhaps Tauranga would have been a better place. It's a bit of a trek but at least you might have been able to put out a competitive squad. That squad you had last year wasn't up to it, was it?
So you chose Waikato Stadium and you did really have the funds to put out a competitive team. You can make stupid decisions for what seem like altruistic reasons, but it's still a stupid decision.Hey, I've made more than my own share of stupid
decisions.
The trick is to learn from your mistakes.
NZ football rarely does.
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Um, you don't quite understand. Tauranga or Team Bay Of Plenty was
our immediate opposition as they also put in a bid back before
season one kicked off. So NZF had two bid entries from the Force
Three region and only one was going to get the nod. Also there is
some feeling between BOP and Waikato. You'd have to live here to
understand it. Also Tauranga aren't exactly doing it in the NPL
these days. They only got the position cos Mt Wellington chucked it
away.
My primary driving force to get a NZFC team into Hamilton was
so I didn't have to drive around the country to get my fill of top
level football. It was really that simple and that selfish.
So getting back to the initial bid entries, NZF get the bids
and they have Links Avenue as a venue and Waikato Stadium as a
venue in the same federation. Which one sounds the more exciting
venue to play? It was a calculated gamble to win the bid and it won
the bid so we achieved what we set out to achieve.
We didn't have the funds to put together a decent team and
never have had funds to do that. The team that finished third in
season one was a team of no-names and the player budget was
probably the worst in the NZFC. So it does show that throwing money
doesn't always win the day. Team Wellington had major funding and
that didn't bring the desired result in season one.
The ground has the best surface in the whole country and I
spoke with a lot of players from all the teams and they loved
playing there. All this crap about having a huge stadium and 400
crowd is just superficial stuff. If people like the results and the
team does well they will come. We got two gates of 1300 in the last
two home games in season one. They were profitable for the
franchise. But look at Queens Park that play in front of 300 to 400
at Hamden Park in Scotland.
They are quite happy playing there. I don't think Waikato
Stadium as a venue was a stupid mistake. I'd love to see you set up
a franchise and do better.
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I think having Stu take over as TW coach and being associated with
the Nix is great for Wgton footy. Obviously the likes of Phil
Imray, Dicey etfc who played for manawatu will look at coming back
and having a crack at TW and it may entice a few others from down
south, up north to give it a crack.
I just hope we don't see all Dave Wilson's little favourites
out at Wests all of a sudden making TW as has been the case in
the past. How does Mike Wilson become an all white one
wonders.
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Is Gisbourne not just another name for a rich bunch from Auckland
flying in, all be it delayed due to fog.
Looking at the team list in the Chatham Cup thread it looks more like a bunch of Waikato/Bay of Plenty players rather than Auckland.
Wait till transfer window opens you willthen see Gisbournes money players arrive, Me Thinks.
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Looking around I get the impression that all franchises are looking
to up the ante for next year, I know that is definitely the case
here in ChCh with the Dragons. Hopefully we will breathe some fire
into the competition!
In every
competition there are winners and losers obviously, nobody aims to
come last but the franchises that have struggled in the past couple
of seasons will need to do plenty to come up to the mark next time
round. Check out this months Soccer Talk interview with Terry
Phelan and you'll see that Otago are definitely looking to be more
competitive next season, as well as TW with Jacobs at the helm.
In every
competition there are winners and losers obviously, nobody aims to
come last but the franchises that have struggled in the past couple
of seasons will need to do plenty to come up to the mark next time
round. Check out this months Soccer Talk interview with Terry
Phelan and you'll see that Otago are definitely looking to be more
competitive next season, as well as TW with Jacobs at the helm.
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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does anyone know of any player signings yet? scoullar has
signed on at canterbury next year. apparently totori is off
to waitak and robinson is having a look at other options.
team wellington are in need of an overhaul, so it will be
interesting to see what stu does.
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it said in the press the other day that the Can U skipper (whose
name escapes me at the mo) has gone back to the UK for 'family
reasons', but they were hopeful of resigning him if/when he comes
back. also Henry Fa'arodo is 99% likely to resign unless he gets an
A-League contract.
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Scoullar needs to get his act together and get fit. Daniel Terris
was the skipper andhe should be back. Don't think they'll try and
bring Brian Watret (or should that be Watrot?) back out from
Scotland.
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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Ohhh geez mate, here I was trying to be serious and you go and do
that. Whip me, beat me but please don't call me names.
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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I'm all for post whores. Anyone who makes my numbers look
less sad is actively encouraged.
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Just getting this back on topic but can anyone confirm that Colin
Tua will be the next coach of Auckland City? Also heard a
rumour involving Paul Nevin and Waitakere United.
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The manawatu papers confirmed Tua as appointed at Auckland
City. Auckland City have yet to release anything confirming
it. Hard News2007-06-15 14:26:38
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Probably keeping it a secret
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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to be honest i think the signing of tommy smith will play a major
role in the 2008 NZFC
little is known about this young english lad who has set
tongues wagging in the wellington area, offered a contract last
year by TW he refused but with the phoenix coming to wellington the
news is he will be moving out for the new season.
question is who will he sign for, trials at Hawkes Bay,TW and
2 other NZFC clubs are already confirmed.
quite possibly the best young player i ahve seen in years,
shame he is not kiwi! the country as a whole seems to lack quality
strike power! this young lad is about as natural in front of goal
as they come proven his quality at
gillingham,charlton,fulham,bromley town and i also heard united!
not sure whether the latter is true though!
... anyway i know his uncle's best mate so i get all the news!
trust me, look out for this lad this year.
god x
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in this years league tv3 or tv1 should show nzfc games like every
saturday it good be nice if some people dosent have sky.there only
rugby rugby rugby on tv3 and tv1 so dey need to show soocer
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Yes but who is going to pay for it? Local football is not going to
be shown free to air on TV1 or TV3 without someone paying for it. I
think you will find that NZF paid SKY TV something in the region of
$200,000 to show NZFC on SKY in the 2004/2005 inaugural season.
Waikato FC had to pay an independent organisation $13,000 to film
the home games at Waikato Stadium and Manawatu got stung something
like $16,000 to get their games filmed at Memorial Park. Then the
tapes were courired up to NZF before being redirected to SKY TV in
Mt Wellington.
When the All Whites are ranked top 10 in the world, the
Phoenix are winning the A-League and our NZFC sides are doing well
in the World Club Cup and people are supporting the game by turning
up and watching, purchasing merchandise and putting their hand in
their pocket to support all forms of football you might get it on
free to air - but until that time it's nothing but a dream.
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I had a massive battle with NZ Soccer/NZFC about there poor
coverage of the NZFC last year and their statement was 'something
better is coming, bear with us' so I did for the year and there was
still nothing. Lets hope 2007-08 season has a half hour highlites
(at least) and has more than just the Auckland games.
I let my guitar speak for me
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I think having Stu take over as TW coach and being associated with
the Nix is great for Wgton footy. Obviously the likes of Phil
Imray, Dicey etfc who played for manawatu will look at coming back
and having a crack at TW and it may entice a few others from down
south, up north to give it a crack.
�
I just hope we don't see all Dave Wilson's little favourites
out at Wests all of a sudden
making�TW as has been
the case in the past. How does Mike Wilson become an all white one
wonders.
�
Well judging by the result from Wests vs Miramar game today - 2 wins from 2 at the top of the table clash....then Wests deserves to be repesented in TW - surely form counts too....
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VimFuego....I wouldn't hold out for an improvement in coverage of
the NZFC.
They have yet to find or name a league sponsor and I hear the
entry fee for each franchise has been increased from $45,000 plus
gst to $65,000 plus gst. Now unless some of that increased entry
fee is going to be diverted towards coverage its fairly likely that
it will still be the two Auckland sides that get the coverage as
SKY is based up there and it costs them a minimal amount to send a
cameraman to do those games. But bearing in mind that they (NZF)
announced a $200,000 loss attributed to the first season of the
competition I would think that some of that extra entry fee will be
buried elsewhere to cover shortfalls in other areas outside of the
NZFC.
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Any Hawkes Bay fans out there? I hear that Ricky Gillies has
apparently signed with Stranraer. Was he only here for a 'working
holiday' or is he coming back?
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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