Anthony Hudson (FAT Technical Director | Thailand)

I don't disagree with the approach towards Hudson as I believe he needs to be accountable. 

I just wish some of the posters here could have applied the same attitude to those within their own club

if you find evidence of Phoenix players editing their own profiles to embellish their records etc then let us know and we'll get to editing for you. 

Verses evidence of a club that is pretty fudgeed up at the moment, who fabricate crowd numbers (part of their metric) and members who don't question the  owners who are leading this club to extinction?

Which is worse in your world?

there is literally an entire thread of people questioning the owners on this forum. 

Yes and the silence of some is deafening 

This is the dictionary definition of "whataboutery". Also, the faked-crowd-numbers thing is a conspiracy theory. On Hudson, we now have the evidence. And I note that Hudson's defenders have only come out with these scare stories about it endangering the AWs AFTER the evidence was uncovered. Which makes me wonder who here is in the NZF media unit.

I'm sorry that I don't spend all day every day posting in every thread on these forums just so you don't think my "silence" isn't deafening. 

It's a fudgeing forum, people can post however often they like.

You probably should be the first to apologise 

Okay buddy

Patrick is why we can't have nice things.

Yeah, the quoted article stated that there was a descrepency between the gated sales and the actual attendance, the Phoenix explained what it was and the article also stated that the Warriors and other A-League clubs had worse discrepancies than the Phoenix had. It was a beat up pure and simple.

Or it was posting the facts, the clubs explanation, the context, and leaving it for people to make their minds?

No, because the fact that the other clubs were worse as were other NZ based teams was left until the very end of the article. It should have been mentioned at the beginning. It was structured in a way that was biased against the Phoenix. 

The actual substance of the article was that the Phoenix had more accurate crowd figures than other teams, but it insinuated until the very end that they were worse.

the point was that theirs were inaccurate full stop, it doesn't matter, in the context of 'metrics,' whether other teams from other sports have the same 'issue,' and were even worse, hence why it was pointed out at the end of the article, giving added, but not vital, context

But the team said that A) there were reasons which are common amongst clubs - they were correctly reporting attendance it's just that the actual attendance is more than what the gates record for various reasons, and B) it would make no sense to fudge the information as the FFA get the ticketed information anyway. Kawasaki said that they were fudging their numbers because of the metrics.

I enjoy that we are debating if the Phoenix report their crowd sizes accurately in the Anthony Hudson thread. However there's a crowds thread for that, so let's try and keep things reasonably close to Hudson.

Is it possible then to have a separate thread for this wiki stuff and leave this thread for discussion about Hudson's general tactics/where he is taking the team etc?  

The wiki-editing & re-editing seems to have taken on a life of its own and maybe deserves its own thread for those who are concerned by it.

The wikipedia thing is crazy, it is newsworthy, and I do feel patrick et al have every right to do what they're doing, and to report back to YF with goings on like this. I also agree with the sentiment that wikipedia is a place that people go to quickly find out facts, and it's entirely reasonable to expect Hudson's page to reflect that properly, as per lonegunman's post. 

However at the same time I think it's important to point out that this is easy fodder for the Hudson haters, and lets face it 2B and Patrick, you guys have disliked him for a long long time before this, so you are clearly more emotionally invested in this than you would be if it were anybody else fudging their wikipedia page. 

I'm not sure people are Hudson haters. Maybe sceptics is a better term. The problem is that he does no favours with his demeanour and the attitude from he and NZ Football about things like this. I suspect he would gain more support if he just left it alone. I mean why not let your record stand on it's merits instead of trying to polish it and make it a PR campaign?

Anyway.  The Wiki stuff appears to be quietening down and it is relevant to Hudson and his role in NZ Football so at this stage I'm for sticking with one thread.

/end

TBF I don't think I've ever said I hate him. I think he spouts a lot of shark, which seems to be more than the average coach does. It annoys me when he goes on the radio and claims we dominated a tournament, when we clearly didn't. That doesn't mean I don't like him or want him gone. I'm told he is quite an astute and thorough coach.

I'm on the record questioning some of his tactical and selection decisions, but that doesnt make me a hater. I'm also on the record saying that despite some of the sharkhouse performances we put out in the Nations Cup, we won it and that deserves credit. And despite Hudson kicking off a bit of a meme by telling the media they should still be talking about this, the performances against the US and Mexico really were excellent. 

What gets me is when he goes on tirades against the club side I support (the Nix) when asked questions about whether Ryan Thomas is fit to play this weekend or not. When he refuses to answer why he selected Alex Rufer in his squads. When he embellishes his own record when talking to the media and then getting NZF to tweet about it backing him up.

The reality is that he doesn't need to do those things. His record with the All Whites is perfectly fine.  He clearly knows what he is doing on the pitch - the second game against Fiji showed that. 

He just either needs some media training, or needs to listen to his media training. Imagine how he would cope dealing with the press in the UK where they actually gives a shark about football. Right now, he'd be eaten up.

Appreciate that you see yourselves as neutral but it really doesn't come across that way.

Having said that, Patrick's post is totally on point. Don't disagree with any of that at all. He would certainly be eaten alive in a country where football is the be all and end all. 

Also, I used the term "Hudson Haters" because it alliterates nicely, and "haters" is common in the modern lexicon e.g. "hating on someone". I think in that definition you guys are definitely "hating on him", despite not actually HATING him, if that makes any sense at all... probably not! Using the term dislike in the sentence after that was probably more accurate. 

Oh I don't see myself as neutral. Neither should anyone really. We all have our biases.

I just find it amusing/weird someone would go to the lengths they have. I've found out that Wikipedia is a very long rabbit hole and thought I might as well correct facts while I'm down there.

Yea must re-iterate here, I've said it a couple of times, but I do agree with you all on the most part, that it is pretty mental, and is definitely worth the public interest to outline it in that blog, and to continually update those on here who might be interested (and on twitter).

Also can I add, that twitter bot, the avatar with the photoshopped hudson is unbelievable, possibly one of the funniest I've ever seen. 

Have you complained to Wikipedia?

Not sure if sarcasm or real... either way fair play! hahahahaha

Wikipedia are on the case - they've banned some IP addresses for "socking" or something haven't they? 

The longer it goes without them discussing on the talk page, the more we can take it to wikipedia mediation.

I think the jury is out on Hudson's coaching still (as I've discussed before) but I also think that from his media interaction and so on he comes across like a dickhead. If that makes me a Hudson hater then so be it. I also think Alex Ferguson was a complete fudgewit but he was a great coach so it's not like the two are mutually exclusive.

Secret Diary of Anthony Hudson


Monday:

It's a big job coaching the All Whites. One of the biggest jobs in football. But the All Whites have done incredibly well since I've arrived and I just wish more people would acknowledge that, especially the media.

Spent 40 minutes doing internet scouting, looking for players with New Zealand connections. This team won't truly be mine until all the players have earned their very first caps from me. Then I killed four hours polishing my Wikipedia page, trying to get it just right.

That is also one of the biggest jobs in football. In fact I deserve more credit for handling two of the biggest jobs in football. My Wikipedia page is at least starting to reflect that.

My results with the All Whites have been fantastic, losing just one game and scoring 26 goals, conceding 5, if you include the New Zealand U23’s record and ignore those early losses.


Tuesday:

But am I safe in the All Whites job? It still haunts me that I was sacked after 19 games in charge at Newport and left them in the relegation zone. I'm a much better coach than that.

After 17 games here I can't even remember any All Whites losses. Indeed, my Wikipedia page should probably reflect that in some way. My Wikipedia page is very important to me. I am now Anthony Hudson (manager) whereas previously I was Anthony Hudson (footballer). Increasingly, I realise, life eventually comes to reflect Wikipedia.

Rang Darren Bazeley. "Do you want to come to the Confederations Cup?" I asked. "Of course," he said. "Well," I said, "you will need to assist me with some Wikipedia editing, it is a big job."

Told Andy Martin I now want to be known as the All Whites manager, not the coach. Harry Redknapp, Jose Mourinho, and Sam Allardyce they're all known as managers, so I should also be called manager.

"Do you realise," Andy said, "that in New Zealand being manager would mean you looking after the kit, doing the laundry and booking the team buses?" "Just details," I replied. "I'm now a manager on Wikipedia, so it's important to become a manager in real life."


Wednesday:

Another tough day. I've been blocked from three of my Wikipedia editing accounts by that Scooby Doo mob at Yellow Fever. Had to call in my old mate, Jeffbalusi, whose entire existence is focused on making positive edits to my Wikipedia page. Jeff has previously worked as a reporter in Newport and Bahrain, and coincidentally now works in Auckland. He's followed me to all corners of the earth. He's the journalist I most admire. Ha ha, if only people knew!

Coaching is not just all about getting out on the pitch with a bag of balls. No, that's the easy stuff. The real art is the behind the scenes stuff, the management, working the media, polishing the old image on Wikipedia.

That's what sets the top coaches apart, and I have come to accept that along with Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce, I am an incredibly ambitious coach. Mine and the All Whites' ambitions complement each other in that regard - though maybe I should play down the Allardyce comparison since he was sacked as England boss following that newspaper sting.


Thursday:

Press conference today. I got a bit prickly when one journalist asked me to confirm where I was born.

"That's an incredibly personal question, and it's irrelevant," I replied, while making a mental note to tell Dazza and Jeff they will have to work a lot harder on my Wikipedia page.

"You should be asking me about winning the Nations Cup for a record time or the performances against the US and Mexico, which deserve much more credit," I complain.

But the journalist presses me on whether I was born in America - and almost catches me out.

"The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle, the hills are the greenest green," I nostalgically reminisce at first, like a beautiful child growing up free and wild, full of dreams to last the years...

But then I gather myself. I point out even Kevin Fallon calls me a Whinging Pom. When a Whinging Pom calls you a Whinging Pom, you know you were born in either London or Birmingham. I resolve to work harder on cultivating my cockney accent - and my wikipedia page.

I am an extremely logical person. And I am an ambitious person. How many ambitious people were born in Seattle? Exactly. Therefore logically I could not have been born in Seattle.

It distracts me from my prepared lines about how the All Whites are on such a good run. We’ve not been beaten ever, and have scored 40 goals and conceded none - and to confirm it NZF have issued a tweet

I finish the conference by refusing to speak about Alex Rufer. Why should I? His Wikipedia page is shark.


Friday:

Dazza asks me if the six hours he's spent working on Anthony Hudson Wikipedia page edits is really worth it. At times it seems like he is fighting off a whole army of counter-editors.

"Yeah, it's really important," I said. "You have no idea how heavily NZ Football relied on it during their recruitment process. The thing is, these days NZ Football have all sorts of accountancy experts, legal experts, governance specialists, logistics advisors on their board - but nobody who can put a serious football question to a qualified coach. So a decent page kills it - Wikipedia is as far as they ever get for football knowledge."

Dazza's a good sort. Not classy enough to introduce to Jose or Big Sam, but still a handy gopher for these little jobs.

Meanwhile I spent the morning on the computer. But it's not all about Wikipedia. Knock out a few emails to Fleet St as well. For an international manager the media is very important because it is another source for us to get messages out and set the culture. I also offer some off-the-record tips about how managerial vacancies might be filled, and some take it hook, line and sinker. Make myself a stunning new avatar as well.

The All Whites have gone up a level under my managership, and it's because of that same attention to detail. The All Whites are the biggest climbers in world football - if you ignore the official biggest climbers annual award. And that's going on my Wikipedia page as soon as the next NZF staffer comes free from a current edit.

In the afternoon I go for a kickabout with Moses. I don't understand why people call him the new Jeremy Christie. I promise him he will be in the starting lineup if he can land two decent crosses in the box from the left flank. But with daylight saving now ended we run out of time after a couple of hours.


Saturday:

Popped down to watch Moses play. We're closer than people think. But I was running late, after my weekly appointment to get my designer stubble titivated at Rodney Wayne's, so probably missed his best touches.

Overall I'm still dissatisfied with the delusional young players I see in New Zealand, and the soft, laid-back culture. So I go and buy some new skinny trousers and pointy black shoes for the Confederations Cup. People need to appreciate we are not going to Russia just take part and make up the numbers. We want to look good too.

Meanwhile this Wikipedia editing is becoming a real battle. Who the hell is this Dale Warburton character who keeps changing my Wikipedia page? Obviously he's not a real person, but could he be a rogue element in my squad? NZ Football have 40 staff now, and I've got 20 of them working on my page, some working from home so the IP addresses don't raise suspicions.

I've got my players energised by some exciting challenges ahead, and the same now applies to NZ Football staff. I want them to build a Wikipedia page which gives them the chance to show the world what they can do. Or, more to the point, what I can do.


Sunday:

I'm starting to get a bit of stick on the fan forums. But I don't do this job to make friends - apart perhaps from in Moses' case. I'm paid to get results. It's not the head coaches job - sorry, manager's job - to be nice to people and confirm their irrational prejudices.

Of course I respect the fans hugely, but it doesn't make me happy or sad that they have an opinion about me. The game has changed in the internet era. It's not how it used to be many, many years ago. These days perception is reality, so we need to work on the perception as much as the reality. People need to understand that and I should probably work up a power point presentation about it.

There's a lot of criticism out there that I really don't care about, because I am essentially an agent of change, a man ahead of my time. If you are affected by the good stuff then you are going to be affected by the negative stuff.

That doesn't mean I don't care about what other people think. I do. I respect people in the game, but the bottom line is I think it is more valuable to have a half decent Wikipedia page that the whole world can see, and I just wish people could appreciate that, even that Dale Warburton bozo.

Oh my lord, that's marvellous.

Fudge that is good.

That was bloody funny.

Who wrote it? I assume someone has already done the IP digging?

Hand of the Bruce methinks.

Totally considering talking that and making it into a YouTube series of short mockumentary style 3 minute videos... a la The Office...