NZFC League Predictions 2007 / 2008

NZFC League Predictions 2007 / 2008

Whats Wellington done to deserve your praise?

i agree with uptheeverton's top 5 teams. positioning of the bottom 3 is anyones guess

same as uptheeverton but swap Waikato and Wellington

Having seen Waikato, I'd probably swap them with Canterbury....

I thought I read a few good signings for Waikato?

Quackie reffed them last weekend against Waitak and wasn't convinced, but I think they were missing some key players so may be to early to tell.

1-0 against a side as stacked as Waitak didn't seem bad going to me.

1. Auckland

Word on the street that Auckland city have looked really slick in their two outings.

The thing with Waikato is that they had what I thought was a 'first choice' midfield pairing and Waitakere picked no-one in the middle and still did it at a canter

1. YHM

Waitak to kick butt this year. Experiensed veterans have been shwerdly recruited by coaches Chris Milisich and Jeff Alexander and mixed in with some suberb young talent. Cant see anyone getting near them. I think it will be a boil over and they will win the NZFC easy. I think Alan Jones is helping coach them too with help from Danney Hay, Emblen and Beezelee. so too much knowlege for everyone in the rest of the league.

Wellington to win it all. Auckland 2nd. Then the rest.

I saw the Wellington players at the gym last night - they were looking fit and working hard.......except Eager's, who was on the sunbed.

I agree wellington will be a strong side, more imports to come i hear...

1, 2, and 3. YHM, Auckland or Waitak. Close like last year. Aucks signing EVERYONE with two feet wont change much (see Chelsea 2006). Wellington with half a chance up there as well. Canterbury will be 5th, with HB, Waikato and Otago to finish near the bottom. Who the hell thinks HB is going to come third??? Good one, mate

Hello. It would be helpful if those making predictions were to justify or substantiate their views. It would certainly add value to the discussion if we knew WHY people think like they do

ok Waitakere and Auckland now have all the money and will dominate NZFC for its future existence.

Everyone esle is on a par , including Team Wgtn who punch below their weight because they dont sign talent from outside the region.

Auckland

Youngheart to win. It will be interesting to see who stands out for youngheart this year and see how much those stealing homos waitakere will pay for them the year after! Dont see how that does NZ soccer any good. P.s Whos Danny Hay?

I find your comments regarding left footed players very naive. If you look at some of the best players in the world, David beckham,Ryan Giggs , Wayne Rooney i could go on , they all have something in common they cannot use their opposite foot . David Beckham  can only play right footed, Ryan Giggs only uses is right foot to stand on and Wayne Rooney is the same. I see these players playing week in week out and i never see them use their opposite foot. Why do people always critise left footed players regarding being left footed but never see that right footed players are exactly the same. Come on give this lad a break,  at the end of the day the players i have mentioned play at the top of their game  and are still very one sided players, Dale williams is playing Part time football and needs support from fans not being knocked after is first game where clearly he needs match fitness to show is true potential which i am sure we will see  when he is fully fit. Sorry Rant over. allblacks2007-10-12 23:54:05

cant see yhm finishing higher than them thats 4 sure. ur team is nothing without totori. !!!!!

youngheart manawatu have lost... one? player.. they have the best midfield and defence in the league..... and who knows about these new fijian strikers..

Allblacks, it is not a left v right thing. I have watched Dale at training and in a match and have yet to see his right foot come into contact with the ball. That's a bit different to Rooney Giggs, etc, who SCORE with their other foot. Having said that, the lad knocks a nice ball, has a real physical presence and could still be a useful player if he can get himself fit. And there are vacancies in the squad.  I may be at the match on Sunday, i will keep you posted on whether he breaks his duck with the right foot. Cheers.

Wellington have a real chance if they can get Michael Eager training, instead of just spending time on the sunbed.  I think he has taken on Butter's training schedule.

yhm best defence in the leauge?! [LOL] this shows your football knowledge

[QUOTE=Bruce Holloway]
I am not yet convinced by new import Dale Williams - more on account of his extreme left-footedness which will be quickly exploited in the NZFC, than his lack of fitness.

I agree with Allblacks on this one. I haven't seen Dale Williams play, however only having one foot has not stop others being good players at NZFC level. For example Ian Robinson at YHM. Every NZFC defender knows that the only thing Robo does with his right foot is stand on it, yet he is still a very influential player.

Anyway one of the Auk teams to win it. YHM, Cant and Welly will battle for 3rd to 5th.

Don't you guys get it? Stu Jacobs doesn't play for secound place.

i have seen them play (TW). Missing some of their big guns - but was reminded of why I never bet on them (to win). They were playing Hawkes Bay today I think - so will give a bit of insight.

They are lacking stikers (while Dom Rowe will be knocking them in for Braveheart)

He only got 7 in Central League this year so am not expecting him to get more than that at a higher level. It seems to me that the 'lightweight' strikers don't compete as well in the NZFC. The team will be so well organised defensively that they only need to score 1 or 2 to win each week. They won't concede many at all.

TW lost to Hawkes Bay

go the dragons

CRAIG Alexander is his name

Any reports on th TW HB game?  Only pre season but not a good look for TW.  Maybe Finisher has some info for us

have TW even named their squad yet? what are they playing at, the season starts in a few weeks. no wonder they are losing to HB if they are this dis-jointed, and i presume stu j couldnt have been there since he was sitting next to ricki herbert in newcastle! is he the right man for the job?

TW squad will be unofficially named this week. They play Manawatu in Palmy on Thursday and Canterbury in Christchurch on Saturday. Barron, Birch, Whalen, Bannatyne, Corrales, Blackburn all been unavailable for different reasons. Should filter back into squad over the next week or 2.

WAITAKERE NAME O-LEAGUE SQUAD -->

October 15, 2007

AUCKLAND - Waitakere United today unveiled one part of their plan to attack a very congested and difficult season of football with the announcement of their O-League squad for 2007-08.

As well as looking to defend their O-League title, Waitakere will also take part in the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December and look to pick up their first NZFC title after two grand final appearances have ended in disappointment.

O-League regulations allow for a squad of up to 30 players to be named and submitted to the Oceania Football Confederation by October 1st. That process has been finalized with the squad made public today.

Football Manager is inaugural Waitakere coach Chris Milicich, returning to take the reins after a two year absence. Milicich is delighted with the quality of the players he has assembled.

�I am very happy with the squad and the balance we have ahead of a very long season. It was important to strengthen in a number of key areas, all the more so for a second tilt at the O-League in what will be a busy campaign.

�We have plenty of strike power and will threaten teams in a number of areas while at the back we have significant experience in the likes of Danny Hay, Neil Emblen, Darren Bazeley and former All White Jonathan Perry.�

But Milicich says the team has a strong presence of young emerging talent too, with pace and inventiveness in the attacking third.

�Experience is one thing but you must also have the energy and enthusiasm that youth can bring. The introduction of Jason Hayne will allow us more options out wide while the likes of Jason Rowley, Jake Butler and Shane Pascoe will not only keep the more experienced players honest, they will be pushing equally as hard for first team places.�

A key signing is the acquisition of last season�s golden boot winner Benjamin Totori from Manawatu. Totori joins his Solomon Islands national team mate Commins Menapi and with Daniel Koprivcic, Allan Pearce and young Blair Konik from the Academy squad, Waitakere is blessed with depth in striking options.

The 23 man squad to travel to Japan for the FIFA World Club Cup in December will be named from the 30 players listed in the O-League squad while the NZFC squad of 25 players will be announced on Tuesday October 23rd.

While it is likely there will be few changes, Milicich does have the luxury of signing players for the NZFC specifically and hasn�t ruled out doing just that to provide more depth in a long season.

Waitakere commence their O-League defence with a home tie against AS Manu Ura at Fred Taylor Park on Wednesday October 31st, kick off at 4pm.

Waitakere United 2007/08 O-League Squad

No.

First Name

Surname

Position

GK 1

Richard

Gillespie

 Goalkeeper

2

Jonathan

Perry

 Defender

3

Shane

Pascoe

 Defender

4

Matt

Cunneen

 Defender

5

Daniel

Hay

 Defender

6

Darren

Bazeley

 Def/Midfield

7

Jason

Hayne

 Midfield

8

Commins

Menapi

 Striker

9

Benjamin

Totori

 Striker

10

Allan

Pearce

 Mid/Striker

11

Neil

Sykes

 Midfield

13

Danijel

Koprivcic

 Striker

14

Hoani

Edwards

 Midfield

15

Christopher

Bale

 Midfield

16

Neil

Emblen

 Defender

17

Jake

Butler

 Midfield

18

Ronil

Kumar

 Midfield

19

Mikael

Munday

 Defender

20

Jason

Rowley

 Defender

21

Graham

Pearce

 Defender

GK 22

Simon

Eaddy

 Goalkeeper

23

Blair

Konik

 Striker

24

Tim

Myers

 Defender

25

Leo

Shin

 Striker

26

Byron

Paulus

 Mid/Striker

27

Tom

Webb

 Defender

GK 28

Arran

Rowley

 Goalkeeper

29

Denver

MacDonald

 Winger

30

Peter

Norris

 Striker

31

Sean

Dowling

 Goalkeeper

 

 

 

 

Football Manager

Chris

Milicich

 

Player Coach

Neil

Emblen

 

Academy Coach

Carl

Jorgenson

 

Goalkeeping Coach

Grant

Robertson

 

Manager

Craig

Alexander