O-League 2012/13

Nayland College coach is heading to the Solomon Islands. The two players he is taking with him, Sam Ayers and Eddie Newman, are absolute quality. Have been overseas in the past season or two, but Sam (who is a centreback) was the golden boot in the Mainland Premier League two or three years ago, before leaving 2/3 of the way through the season. Eddie is a goal keeper and kept Coey Turipa on the sidelines at Nelson Suburbs.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/8246529/Nelson-coachs-World-Cup-quest

APFA sign deal with Oceania 

 Anybody know who qualifies for the O-League if Waitakere win the 'double' (ASBP league + grand final)? Is it the team that was 2nd in the league or the beaten finalist?

2nd in the league

As far as I know there's only going to be one NZ qualifier for the O League in 2014 and that's the grand final winner.

Is that confirmed True Blue? They will be sweating this year then if its one spot because Waitakere have had their number every game. They won't beat Waitakere in the final (if they can get there)

Auckland and Waitakere start on 30th March.

Schedule attached 

Oceania Champions League - Link 

ACFC away to the New Caledonian's for the first round and Waitakere at home to the Tahitians.

I know both Waitakere and ACFC compete in the O League playoff this year but I was told Fifa are changing it so only one team, the ASBP final winner, qualifies for next year's O League playoff. Maybe, as often happens, Fifa hasn't made up its mind or will change it, but I understand the island nations don't like the fact two NZ teams compete in the play-offs even though it's plain they're better equipped to compete in the Fifa Club World Cup. Particularly, going on past results, ACFC (groans of angst stage right).

As to ACFC sweating JV - I'll give you that Marshall has Waitakere humming this season and they're a good attacking side but I just fancy ACFC to win the final. A pint at the bar at Kiwitea Street first home game next season to the winner then JV? Oh, I forgot, you like to keep to the shadows. 

Another big one at F Taylor this Sunday. $600,000 the eventual prize. Will ACFC get revenge for missing out on the ASB? Will Waitak find a place for J Christie amongst their regular mids, a place for hot-colt Colton up front? Will there be a grandstand? steak & onion rolls? red cards? rabbits? mud underfoot?

I think you can count out a covered stand, steak and onion rolls and J Christie starting. However take your wellies and a brolly and prepare for ACFC getting their revenge. Rabbits are optional. 

So glad the rabbits were dealt with.  The sight of sand on the pitch was bizarre.  Wouldn't help Jeremy Christie's hip.  Not sure what this former Kingz player has been up to for the last few years.

Rumour has it the rabbits who lived at Fred Taylor Park started disappearing when a cash-strapped WU started serving suspicious sausages in a piece of bread. Or perhaps it was the $5 cover charge imposed on them for their burrows that did it.

new signing for auckland - a croatian centre back name bilen

It was a few years ago but Mario Bilen represented Croatia at Under 20 level so he has some form. An import to keep the Kiwi Croatian backers of ACFC happy.

Good to see no less than seven ASBP players in the NZ Under 20 team that qualified for the World Cup. I expect a few of those to move on to professional careers. Just goes to show that the domestic national league is worth its place. Just wish NZF would recognize that and treat it as the priority it deserves to be.

what exactly do you want them to do that is different to now TB?

The answer that TB will give you will come back to one simple single word. Money

The fact is, this year, NZF have slashed their budgets in most cases by up to 33%. Why? No Confederations Cup money. They came out and said they never budgeted for that money, but now that the money is not there, they have slashed the budgets. I've had that confirmed by a couple of well connected people.

The magic solution is money but there is no money tree so as much as we whine and bitch and want TV time and all this other stuff that should be prioritised, this is the reality of football in NZ. No one is asking for it to be accepted or not try to change it but the reality it this IS the way it is.

I'll add to that at the next level up. Solomon Island football is bankrupt, OFC are teetering. They have moved out of their Ellerslie office and back to Mt Smart because that OFC TV thing they created has absolutely killed them. More than a few staff have been laid off. The game in this region is in a state and its not going to change anytime soon

suspicion (or maybe fact) is that nzf don't cycle league sponsorship $$$ or world club cup$$$ back to the league

what JV said is very very alarming

Essentially correct. The ASBP needs to be NZF's priority and that means investment, whether it's own money or finding a big sponsor.

All this talk about NZF cutting back. I understand they have in excess of $5 million invested from the 2010 World Cup money. NZF are not cash-strapped. They are ideas-strapped and weakly led.

Look at ACFC, they manage to run a semi-pro set-up that can attract quality players and investment. I swear, if ACFC was allowed to run NZF it would be a whole new ball game. 

It's also true that Oceania is struggling financially, but I've heard that Blatter is prepared to keep investing in the region because he needs their vote. In a way having Tahiti going to the Confederations Cup is probably a good thing for Oceania as it spreads some of the money around. If the All Whites win through to Brazil with it's $10 million plus prizemoney I still fear NZF will fail to invest in its national league.

Bit presumptious mate. He was a big factor in them winning the game.

Excellent game, excellent result. ACFC supporters sang and danced throughout, Marshy shouted himself hoarse ditto but to no avail. Bilen a rock alongside Ivan. Dickenson, Exposito and Souto on fire. J Christie anonymous. ACFC should have & could have won by 5. In points they have - they're now 5 points clear of Waitak after 2 games.

Then why are all the match reports saying he had a solid composed game alongside Ivan Vicelich in defence?

Probably because the level here in NZ is not that flash.

Yeah, an illegal one by the sounds of it.

Trueblue, are you actually saying that ACFC are running a semi-pro set-up using gaming trust funding?

Like Lower Hutt City, Petone, Olympic, East Coast Bays, Bay Olympic, Napier City Rovers, Glenfield Rovers, etc. etc. etc. etc.etc. ....

Island Bay Utd for the O-League! Go you Islanders! Go Raf!

Far out! Football not eggball the new Kiwi religion! We might get there yet!

 Right...can we keep on topic please. There is a thread for bitch fighting, so take it there.

 Big game for Waitak this weekend away to AS Dragon. Lose that and they are pretty much toast.

For the players' sake, I hope Waitak go early to acclimatise?  33 degrees and running 10 Kms is no fun.

Watch out for Nicolas Vallar, who played for Montpellier, a long time ago.

Stevey Chong Hue is back in Tahiti and can make a mess of your backline.

Mont Dore, away to ACFC, are hard to break down and can cause trouble, but when you score the first goal, it's generally the end for Mont Dore.  Have to remember it's a Saturday game, 3pm.

Then it's a big one for ACFC against Dragon out at Trusts, the following Wednesday.  I am surprised, how many people know their grannies will be sick.

ACFC playing dragon at the trusts?