Chatham Cup

I still find it ridiculous that the final is locked in for f**king North Harbour.  Play it at a smaller venue and get a decent atmosphere.  I remember watching the National League final (might have been the last one) at Newtown, Miramar vs Napier (with Shane Smeltz I think).  Anyway, cracker game, 3500 people, which is about as many as you are going to get and it was a fantastic atmosphere, 3-2 to the 'Mar.  Instead you play it at bloody Nth Harbour, get about 1000 people, the surface is always rubbish and slow, and the spectators are lost in the place.  Someone email the new CEO and tell him! 

How did you know I was lost in Nth Harbour? Was it that obvious?

When a home venue was announced for Dunedin Technical in the Chatham Cup semifinal draw yesterday, there were nods of approval from supporters and senior coach Mike Fridge.

"It was just what we wanted," said Fridge, who admits knowing little about his opponent Glenfield Rovers, besides the fact that the Northern side had knocked out former Cup holder Central United in the previous round.

"This can only be good for South Island football after Otago and Canterbury finished bottom in the New Zealand Football Championship.

Now we have two South Island teams vying for a place in the cup final."

Fridge has opted for the Caledonian Ground on Sunday, August 17 for the semifinal.

"We play a lot of matches there and it's good to be in familiar surroundings,' he said.

"I prefer the Caledonian to Carisbrook. The crowd is nearer play and can generate more atmosphere.

"The home venue is a clear advantage. "We know just how difficult it can be to travel such a long distance to an away match and remain fresh, since Otago United faced that problem every other week in the NZFC."

The other semifinal will also be an inter-island affair, between East Coast Bays and Nelson Suburbs at Bay City Park.

Despite the final of football's most prestigious trophy being scheduled for North Harbour Stadium, another incentive was offered to the two South Island teams when NZ Competitions manager Glyn Taylor said: "It's early days yet but if there were two South Island finalists we would take a common-sense approach and take the Cup final to the fans."

Glenfield Rovers' best Cup performance was in 1996 when it reached the Cup quarterfinals.

The club sits fifth in the Northern League, and it was a 90th-minute winner that earned coach Andy Moore's side its shock 3-2 win over Central United.

However, Technical coach Fridge also has immediate priorities regarding the club's Soccersouth Premier League ambitions.

"We have an important League match on Saturday against Northern, and need to win that to stay in the SPL Championship race,' he said "But if we do win, then there will be a perfect build-up towards the Cup semifinal with hard matches against Caversham and Roslyn in the league.

"It's a matter of staying focused on each match as it arises, and maintaining momentum," he said