One of YoungHeart Manawatu's star players, Ian Sandbrook, is considering a move to Auckland City for this year's national league.
Sandbrook has been approached by former Manawatu and current Auckland coach Colin Tuaa to join his team.
"I have been offered a contract but am still considering it at the moment - I haven't made any decisions yet," the midfielder said. "I haven't been sneaky about this and have spoken to the YoungHeart board and have also been keeping in touch with Auckland."
Sandbrook did admit playing under Tuaa was an attraction.
"I have a lot of respect for Colin, but also playing in a top side and in the Oceania league is an exciting prospect."
Sandbrook enjoys his fulltime job with Manawatu cricket and he wouldn't move without employment prospects.
"It would be difficult to leave a job I enjoy and I wouldn't go without there being a decent job up there for me," he said.
Sandbrook said he'd always played for Manawatu and it was a difficult decision to make. It could come down to who is coach and what sort of side Manawatu is able to put together.
"I'll wait to see who the coach is and what plans he has to make the team as competitive as it was two years ago. I was pretty disappointed with how we went last season."
Sandbrook said the loss of Solomon Islands imports, striker Benjamin Totori and defender Nelson Sale, had seriously hampered YoungHeart last season.
The late arrival of other imports hadn't helped the side, which finished third from bottom.
In the previous two years, YoungHeart had made the playoffs on both occasions.
"We really missed another goal- scorer last season. [Gustavo] Nieres arrived too late and we needed another goal-scorer. If we had, I'm sure we would have finished much higher."
Sandbrook said the coach needed to be sorted quickly or it would be difficult getting enough quality local players to make a strong side. Already YoungHeart will be without talented national age-group players Nick Roydhouse and Tim Richardson, who have university scholarships in the United States.
"You can only have so many imports in your side and if YoungHeart don't sort the coach out quickly, all the good New Zealand players will be taken as well."
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Go Tuaa, take our only good player......Dick head
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I heard last week he was off to Waitakere... I sense a bidding war.
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He won't go to Waitakere. They have midfielders to burn, Sandbrook could not be guaranteed a start. If anything Colin needs him at Auckland City more. Questions has to be asked as to why Manawatu are not sorting out their coach etc. The articles talks about how difficult it would be to leave etc and that says to me that he doesn't want to leave.
Manawatu for all the rest of the NZFC - sort out your crap
Manawatu for all the rest of the NZFC - sort out your crap
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I don't know if Sandbrook would necessarily start at Auckland City.
He is a nicely balanced midfielder and I think he would compliment a nice 'Seaman-type' player who can do all the dirty work. I think there are midfielders at Tuaas disposal (eg Lee, Mulroney) who are similar type players and will keep him from starting.
Its a shame because he is a good footballer but wouldn't be an automatic in the starting 11 each week.
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I'll be absolutely gutted if he leaves. He's pretty much our only hope.
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I'll be absolutely gutted if he leaves. He's pretty much our only hope.
No but there is another.
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Go Tuaa, take our only good player......Dick head
Not sure why this makes him a dickhead?
If he can attract a good proven player to compliment his squad surely that is between him and the player? When Tuaa accepted the job with Auckland I'm fairly certain the last thing on his mind was the impact this would have on players still at Manawatu. Surely this should provide incentive for the Manawatu board to try and protect their better players whilst trying to attract more to the franchise. Hardly Tuaa's fault that this is not happening. And to state that Sandbrook is your only good player is short sighted and shows a lack of support for the rest of the guys anyway 
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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Go Tuaa, take our only good player......Dick head
Not sure why this makes him a dickhead?
If he can attract a good proven player to compliment his squad surely that is between him and the player? When Tuaa accepted the job with Auckland I'm fairly certain the last thing on his mind was the impact this would have on players still at Manawatu. Surely this should provide incentive for the Manawatu board to try and protect their better players whilst trying to attract more to the franchise. Hardly Tuaa's fault that this is not happening. And to state that Sandbrook is your only good player is short sighted and shows a lack of support for the rest of the guys anyway
Ok champ who is better then sandbrook? Year before that who was better then totori? Year before that who was better then menapi? Couple of years before that who was better then Del Morte? The point I was gettting out is colin tuaa of all people should know how hard manawatu finds it to keep players when the big clubs rip out there wallets. How does it strengthen NZ Soccer at all when Auck and Waitak do that every year? Why not hit up some young fellas rather then taking the players that have held the manawatu team for years? And who do they give us in return? And you cant count prince as a real soccer player...
Everyteam has a best player....is Ronaldo not Man uniteds best player? Are people "short sighted" for thinking that? Is Jonothan Thurston not the cowboys best player? If he got injured do you think the fans would say "its ok I bet our 2nd string halve is just as good!".
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I agree totally Ronaldoknow. Colin Tua'a's job is to do the best right now for ACFC. He left Manawaut a while back now and any loyalties to them have long been left behind.
If signing what he thinks are the best players to enhance his squad makes him a dickhead then all coaches are dickheads.
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.
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Go Tuaa, take our only good player......Dick head
Not sure why this makes him a dickhead?
If he can attract a good proven player to compliment his squad surely that is between him and the player? When Tuaa accepted the job with Auckland I'm fairly certain the last thing on his mind was the impact this would have on players still at Manawatu. Surely this should provide incentive for the Manawatu board to try and protect their better players whilst trying to attract more to the franchise. Hardly Tuaa's fault that this is not happening. And to state that Sandbrook is your only good player is short sighted and shows a lack of support for the rest of the guys anyway
Ok champ who is better then sandbrook? Year before that who was better then totori? Year before that who was better then menapi? Couple of years before that who was better then Del Morte? The point I was gettting out is colin tuaa of all people should know how hard manawatu finds it to keep players when the big clubs rip out there wallets. How does it strengthen NZ Soccer at all when Auck and Waitak do that every year? Why not hit up some young fellas rather then taking the players that have held the manawatu team for years? And who do they give us in return? And you cant count prince as a real soccer player...
Everyteam has a best player....is Ronaldo not Man uniteds best player? Are people "short sighted" for thinking that? Is Jonothan Thurston not the cowboys best player? If he got injured do you think the fans would say "its ok I bet our 2nd string halve is just as good!".
You have actually answered your own question. Sandbrook, Totori et al are all good players, what coach in the NZFC wouldn't want them? Naturally Tuua had an association with them already that he could work to his advantage, so he did. Makes him pretty bloody clever if you ask me, in fact he would be a dick head if he didn't. It's not his problem, it's yours because you can't seem to accept that what he did was not only fair and reasonable, it was so easy to do. It's up to your board to put up a fight to keep the players, not Tuua's as an ex employee on your behalf. Football is a competitive sport on and off the field or hadn't you noticed?
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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You guys are right the Auckland sides can do what they like re signing players and it's up to the rest of us to compete. Bloody difficult to do so without the resources behind you though and does nothing for the competitiveness of and interest in the NZFC. If the Auckland sides keep signing everyone elses best players then you may as well have Auckland City and Waitak play each other every week and the rest of us have a league of our own and act as feeder clubs. If it continues like this I would predict the demise of the NZFC within 2 years as everyone else will lose interest.
We Still Love You Colin We Do!
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You guys are right the Auckland sides can do what they like re signing players and it's up to the rest of us to compete. Bloody difficult to do so without the resources behind you though and does nothing for the competitiveness of and interest in the NZFC. If the Auckland sides keep signing everyone elses best players then you may as well have Auckland City and Waitak play each other every week and the rest of us have a league of our own and act as feeder clubs. If it continues like this I would predict the demise of the NZFC within 2 years as everyone else will lose interest.
But isn't that the nature of a competitive league? And the league will not be dead in 2 years (the format might change), because sides like Wellington, Otago, Canterbury and Hawkes Bay etc will never accept that we can't win it. Never say never. Who won the FA cup this season? Bollocks to the seperate league and feeder club idea for the rest of us too.
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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I dont care if he goes...........
id be more worried if we lost the coach........oops hes gone
or if we lost roydhouse...........................oops hes gone
or young wilkinson.................................oops hes gone
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What the NZFC really needs in 2008-09 is for a team outside of Auckland to win the title. That would open things up a lot. Wellington had a great season in 07-08 so it's not insurmountable.
Has Rufer definitely gone from YH? Last I heard he'd been invited to re-apply?
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yep hes gone the scuttlebutt is tha bob sova has the job:-(
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What the NZFC really needs in 2008-09 is for a team outside of Auckland to win the title. That would open things up a lot. Wellington had a great season in 07-08 so it's not insurmountable.
Has Rufer definitely gone from YH? Last I heard he'd been invited to re-apply?
What it really needs is for a team (from anywhere) to win it playing positive attacking football smashing in goals from everywhere and the fans to come down and support there local side at every home game. Fans, not an audience and every game, not just when they are winning.
What's sight without sound? Love without peace? Copulation without conception?
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Jesus my loyalty to Youngheart is being sorely tested right now. Such a bloody shambles of a team to what we were couple of seasons back. Funny what losing 3 players does to a team.
WillyB2008-08-04 00:17:17
WillyB2008-08-04 00:17:17
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YH. Who is "young Wilkinson"? I think you mean Richardson.
We Still Love You Colin We Do!
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You're only singing, when you're winning. .. .
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You guys are right the Auckland sides can do what they like re signing players and it's up to the rest of us to compete. Bloody difficult to do so without the resources behind you though and does nothing for the competitiveness of and interest in the NZFC. If the Auckland sides keep signing everyone elses best players then you may as well have Auckland City and Waitak play each other every week and the rest of us have a league of our own and act as feeder clubs. If it continues like this I would predict the demise of the NZFC within 2 years as everyone else will lose interest.
But isn't that the nature of a competitive league? And the league will not be dead in 2 years (the format might change), because sides like Wellington, Otago, Canterbury and Hawkes Bay etc will never accept that we can't win it. Never say never. Who won the FA cup this season? Bollocks to the seperate league and feeder club idea for the rest of us too.
I wasn't going to bother responding but I think you missed the point.
And don't worry, I still thought that YoungHeart was going to win the NZFC right up until it was mathematically impossible (No, that wasn't 3 games into the season).
We Still Love You Colin We Do!
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Didnt see Sandhurst at the chinese cup final last night.................
Marist 3 North End 2............
Roydhouse goal a touch of magic........big loss to the manawatu
used to see him play as a nipper he always had the golden look:)
If I was watching the heart of youngheart last night we are screwed
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Who the hell is "Sandhurst"? Perhaps he plays in the same team as "Wilkinson"?
We Still Love You Colin We Do!
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Sandbrooks staying! Small article in the paper last night. Sounds like its only on account of his manawatu cricket job here but I don't care!
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Some of you are complaining about bigger clubs taking all the best local players
who's fault is this really? blame NZ football for not supporting the league properly all they seem to care about is bankrupting the association, supporting Waitakere and the Wellington Phoenix...
those expensive european All Whites fixtures to blame maybe?
having the New Zealand Foootball association being biased towards those two clubs is ruining the whole competition
there is still no major sponsor for the NZFC
Sky tv is as helpful as ever
now the NZFC is going the way of the old national league
how good were the crowds when the NZFC started?
they were brilliant but now they just seem to be decreasing as every season goes by
what I'm saying is before you sledge the City look at the real reasons for it
ie New Zealand Football (SoccerNZ) and the three legged stool
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Oh dear... the list of things wrong with that is so jaw-dropping it makes my head hurt.
I'll pick one.
How are NZ Football supporting the Phoenix ? Last time I checked the Captain of the national team was in fact sl*gging the club off. NZ Football were involved in getting an NZ bid, but if you were the man putting up tens of millions would you be taking any influence from NZ Football ?
Or is it just that the NZ side is now in Wellington that is your problem ? You sport the Bloc 5 logo and used to support the Kingz and Knights, so how can you be anti the idea of an A-League side now unless it's shallow regionalist rubbish ?
I won't even start on the bizarre paranoia from some Auckland City supporters that Waitakere get favouritism or the archaic suggestion that NZ Football is really a secret society run by Maddaford, Dawkins and who was the third again, I forget ?
I'll pick one.
How are NZ Football supporting the Phoenix ? Last time I checked the Captain of the national team was in fact sl*gging the club off. NZ Football were involved in getting an NZ bid, but if you were the man putting up tens of millions would you be taking any influence from NZ Football ?
Or is it just that the NZ side is now in Wellington that is your problem ? You sport the Bloc 5 logo and used to support the Kingz and Knights, so how can you be anti the idea of an A-League side now unless it's shallow regionalist rubbish ?
I won't even start on the bizarre paranoia from some Auckland City supporters that Waitakere get favouritism or the archaic suggestion that NZ Football is really a secret society run by Maddaford, Dawkins and who was the third again, I forget ?
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jdogg - congrats on the worst first post in the history of forums. TheJam2008-08-10 20:28:39
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.
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thank you for the welcome
its nice to see you are all biting
Look at how good people like Rufer got pushed out of their jobs in the New Zealand Football assocciation people who were true servants to the game in our country you can't say that didn't happen and who were they replaced by?
NZF just want to get on the gravy train with your club obviously they want to have your team in the world club cup because it's a professional more competitive team and it will make NZ and them look better they are really only interested in looking after themselves
Ryan Nelsen sl*gging you off has nothing to do with the NZF I don't know how can you link those things together?
does he run the NZF now does he? you saying that is quite bizzare
heres a good one for you what did Bill Mcgowan ever do for New Zealand football?
I think the phoenix are great but they need to stand alone I hope Sony give you loads of money because you need it I have nothing against the Phoenix and I hope you do well
you are lucky to have serepidis if hes still behind you
The kingz were my team they were competitive and finished last in the final NSL season because they had no money after Vodaphone pulled their sponsorship
Dont tar the Kingz with the Knights brush
We/I still supported them but the knights were not our team like the Kingz were
how many Wellingtonians supported the Knights were you a huge Knights fan?
you all spout off how much better than the Kingz you were but your not
you just finished last when you finish 5th in the table or above the Kingz best season then you can say how much better you were can't you
I sincerely hope this season you do
I would be made up to see the Phoenix win the A league
If you finish last this season again and crowd numbers start dropping where to then?
what you gonna do when the novelty is gone?
Waitakere do get favouritism look at the menapi horror tackle match ban being reversed and the James pritchard points deduction for example or how about being allowed in the competition when they did not meet the requirements off field no covered stand etc over the first three seasons strange that isn't it?
you cant have the NZF favouring one NZFC team it just doesn't work
looks like your wrong on something there...
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This would also be the Waitakere United who were denied dispensation for Sean Douglas to play in the first NZFC Final and ended up losing to Auckland City with two make shift Centrebacks playing???? - is that a clear view of this so called favouritism.
Seriously Jdogg I don't believe that there is any favouritism about any NZFC team I just believe NZ Football has been incompetent and that Rex and Ivan are the biggest agitators in the game and at times NZ Football rolls over instead of fights them. Speaking for a supporter of a team outside Auckland - Auckland and Waitakere are viewed more favourably than everyone else by NZ Football BUT they are more professional than anyone else so probably argue better.
Let's see how corrupt we are compared to the likes of Brazil, Middle-east and Asia where match-fixing, bribery, rule changes etc are the norm not the exception.
Seriously Jdogg I don't believe that there is any favouritism about any NZFC team I just believe NZ Football has been incompetent and that Rex and Ivan are the biggest agitators in the game and at times NZ Football rolls over instead of fights them. Speaking for a supporter of a team outside Auckland - Auckland and Waitakere are viewed more favourably than everyone else by NZ Football BUT they are more professional than anyone else so probably argue better.
Let's see how corrupt we are compared to the likes of Brazil, Middle-east and Asia where match-fixing, bribery, rule changes etc are the norm not the exception.
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yep in nz its more likely to be incompetance than full blown corruption, still....makes you proud eh....
good to see baiter king of the twits back on deck too
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What a spectacular re-write of history jdogg... well done. I would suggest that if you don't know anything about the Phoenix you might chose not to comment on them... just a suggestion.
Hard News2008-08-11 10:06:58
Hard News2008-08-11 10:06:58
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Jdog, why Jonathan Smith?
"Jonathan Smith
He's the greatest kiwi footballer that the world's ever seen "
He's the greatest kiwi footballer that the world's ever seen "
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It's a 248 Service Crew chant.
Hard News2008-08-11 23:49:10
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Oh, I see. Cheers News.
Do they still sing it? Didn't Smith vanish some time ago?
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Nah, we don't sing that anymore. Actually i don't remember singing it in the first place. I do remember Smudger Smith's Disco Pants however.
Three for me, and two for them.
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Whoa, what a ridiculiously awesome paranoid rant!
I think you'll fins that NZF makes no financial contribution at all to the Phoenix, that was the whole point of the sub-licence agreement. In fact, Mr Seatter attempted an arrangement with the FFA that they paid NZF to run the team.
Bill McGowan? Not sure how that's relevant at all! And the uncovered stand at Waitakere, have a look at the competition and tell me that is enough to see Waitakere out of the league. If that's your bias then you are very very blinkered.
And as a Team Wellington fan I'm not sure how the Auckland teams are favoured. They've been succesful and reaped the rewards. It's up to the rest of the country to raise its game!
As least you didn't accuse the phoenix of being an australian team
Normo's coming home
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