Anthony Hudson (FAT Technical Director | Thailand)

at the time i completely read between the lines when hudson lambasted the influence that senior players had in the squad

hudson went to great lengths to criticise neil emblen's selection and piss all over the senior player

at the time i thought it was like a typical young coach who only likes to boss young players

i took that as a gripe at sigmund, durante and moss who were given a long leash by herbert

next thing you know, moss and durante were missing and sigmund retired

i have no doubt whatsoever in my own (removed, but super observant!) mind that the old boys cannot stand hudson

If you're right, it means Dura is lying. You believe that?

i think he's being polite

When do we play next?

home or away? 

Beirut. Hopefully they have found a new city tip by then. Apparently it's getting smelly now.

Probably been answered or asked but why are we playing all these Asian teams who in theory are dreadful? 

#alignment

Because we are a dreadful team

I was away for a week so I my just watched the game last night and have read most of the comments.

Like most in here I am frustrated by:

1) the real lack of ball speed and movement in transition. WeeMac, Bill in particular were far too pedestrian. I was expecting that our style of play would become a fast counteracting, high pressing game per Hudsons rhetoric when he first got the job. Instead we are so slow and just so easy to shut down. It's not all Hudson's fault as  I think the senior players like Reid and WeeMac need to control the tempo better. I also think the fitness levels of the team are below what is needed to play this game plan. 

2) the selection of young players who haven't proved themselves. While Hudson was bang on when he said we needed more depth I just don't see what he sees in Lewis, Dyer etc. Out of the World Cup cycle it is only natural to blood players and I think we all accept the depth point and that players need time but the players he is picking aren't demanding selection from their performances in my view.

3) the explanations given for the poor performance. What I like about Merrick is that he is honest and transparent. He will hold his hand up when his tactics are wrong and also point to issues with the execution of them. You can understand as a fan what he is trying to achieve etc (to a point). Hudson could learn a lot from him. Hudson was so impressive in his early stages as he was so clear and what he was going to achieve and how. He needs to stop the waffle and treat the public as educated and not like we don't understand the game.

However... 

1) Hudson is implementing the plan he spoke about - we are playing more often and are blooding players etc. Most of the public agreed with the strategy when he articulated it so we should support him as long as he is doing what he said he'd do. I guess our issue is we thought we'd have progressed more than we have. He is asking us to place a lot of faith in him. 

2) eligibility aside NZF have also articulated a plan around the ASB etc and are sticking to that. We should be giving the guys some credit that they actually have a strategy and are implementing it. It's more than you can say for the prior administration. The eligibility issue is such a shame as I do get the sense that Martin is actually doing an ok job in trying to transform the place. The eligibility issue is underling that. 

So a week after the shambles maybe my perspective is different but I does highlight how important the next three windows are. We need to have our top team there, fizzing and doing us proud.

It's pointless now playing Asian, as per my comments on 'Dead End Road to Russia 2018'

I'm really hoping this Lebanon game was booked, before Oceania drew 5th placed South American team. If note the NZ Football fish necks are idiots, and should all be made to babysit Anthony's dogs on a regular basis at the least.

All friendlies now should be in Europe, where most of AW players are now based, so clubs don't object to their regular release in FIFA windows. Socceroos often play their friendlies in London (Craven Cottage). 

Or play stateside against CONACAF or CONEMBOL sides.

Has anything changed for the better since Hudson arrived?

- Still very few games and all have been away.

- Still playing hoofball

- Handing out caps willie-nillie

- Inability to get senior/experienced players on board

He's not lived up to his power points yet in my eyes and if anything, struggling against Thailand & Mayanma surely only makes it harder for the AWs to get meaning ful games against anyone, anywhere.

How much is that due to the fact that NZF won't change how it operates and are largely incompetent, though?

We cant beat a Thailand B side let alone a Myanmar C team. We should be aiming for the likes of Micronesian, Tonga and American Samoa for away friendly's. And home games against Fiji and the likings.

Still at least Hudson had a plan in trying to get international games for the team. 

I think the Olympics, then World Cup plan was at least something that was thought out, leaving aside its merits, and Hudson (probably) can't be blamed for the complete eligibility cock up. 

His plan has hit a major road bump there, there are questions about how well he's actually implementing it and now what he does after this.

I think though after the last game he may be loathe to trust either Brockie or Smeltz in a tournament game. Also good to remember a lot of our team have been in the off season and probably not the sharpest in terms of match fitness. Big questions over our style of play and tactics in the last game I guess.

You have some valid points Martin but its his teams poor performances against teams that should make us look half decent that will likely have detrimental effects on us playing half decent nations down the road.

ie You never see any decent Euro team chose to play Monaco, San Marino, Faroe Islands etc in friendlies.  We could become like them... :-S

Don't knock the Faroes, they could quite conceivably beat us.

I'm not. I'm sure we'd struggle in the sharke weather they get living up north of Scotland.

Faroe Islands beat Greece for second time in qualifying to move up to fourth in Group F

Published: Saturday 13 June 2015, 22.00CET

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/qualifiers/season=201...

Well, Greece have got other things on their minds, like trying to find something to eat in the dumpster.

Has he gone yet? if not..why not!!! useless 

Fred could give him a hint

Hudson needs to go. This is turning into just a complete mess

But his under strength AW's beat Oman with no tactics and not having the ball (on the ground) with only %21 of possession. Oh and only 2 or 3 shots on goal?.

That's got to stack up there with the top 10 magicians in the world.

when you say it like that, that's quite a magic act

can you elucidate the mess ?

lack of results or any football style, senior players 'appear' not to want to play, the comms mix up with that app thingee and now the flight stuff. Getting decent coaches punted from junior sides. It's a mess

Shall I go on cause I can find more

You would need to find something of substance, because I don't see anything there to support your call for a the coach to go.

Results, last was a win. Style, don't make me laugh. Who are the senior players not wanting to play in a proper serious match ?? Comms, he's in charge of comms now, wow. Flights, again is that the coaches domain ? Getting junior coaches punted, come on, happens all the time. Sorry no substance 

Agree with you lord vader, was listening to piney this morning on Radio Sport about the flight drama - You can tell he wasn't impressed and I was pee'd off to hear that. I don't rate Hudson, never have, never will.

Piney was on Radio Sport and confirmed that the Flights issued was the coaches decision I don't have the link but if you go hunt it down from there website then you'll see substance. 

So it is different to this ??

"New Zealand Football said that all members of the squad who had games within 48 hours of their return from Oman travelled in business class.
"The remainder travelled in accordance with the terms of the recent collective bargaining agreement reached with the PFA," said a New Zealand Football spokesman.

As for the style, other than we have changed to pressing in the front 3rd, we have no style. The results (against some poor sides) bear out. You seriously can't defend it.

Sorry i missed where the travel wasn't done in accordance to the CBA - what were the changes?

Did you know if Henry Cameron flew economy class back to the UK?. From what I know he did.

Both Simon Hampton and Piney said that in marginal situations it's Hudson's call, regardless it doesn't so much for team harmony having two classes.

not that i agree with it persay but the CBA would dictate in that circumstance that he would fly economy?  since he wasn't playing within 48 hours.

Also for all those saying it doesn't do much for team bonding having different levels don't forget they are mostly all flying off in different directions after the game.

If we want them all on Business Class then we have to find the money to do that somewhere i guess.

Dosnt really matter what agreement you care to cite,The fact is NZ Football shaft the Phoenix yet again really does look as if some of them clowns just dont get it.