Mainland Juniors (please play nice)

Heard that with this years Nike Cup they are apparently making sure that NO transfers will be allowed if the player has played in the tournament..... something in which they didn't fully adhere to last year in some situations!

BW, does that also mean no dual reg for playing at school?

I've not heard in regards to that..... What I do know is that there are a lot of issues due to the APFA moving which is affecting a few squads....

Yes mine is affected, but so are FC and Tech who have APFA players also.... I don't understand all the hype either to be honest.... After all anyone visiting can win at Old Trafford :)

FTC invites out today

NTC held up, now due early Feb

Apparently as of Wednesday, with this weekend the closing date, only Coastal Spirit, Halswell United, FC TWENTY 11 and FC Nelson had registered for the Nike Cup...... 

Where's Nomads, Tech and Waimak? Usual Nike entries...

Deffo no Nomads this year apparently. Entries don't close till Monday.

? They have been working to the Nike for years for this age

Seems very strange, Benchwarmer/ Scottie Road  you're up:)

Boy said their group is with CTFC, Nomads, Waimak. Verified by other players. Only a 7 team comp now?

Vim wrote:
Deffo no Nomads this year apparently. Entries don't close till Monday.

GG: that would be a major shock if true. As foal noted they have been working towards this years group for some time, doing quite extraordinary things to get a v competitive squad together. Apart from 2(?) players who are heading to Wellington - and I presume won't be available - what else has changed?

answer was posted but seems to have disappeared. 

I'd love to find 2 posts from Stretford and 10CC right about now. 

Tech/ roger wilkinson's premier skills course at cashmere high attracted good share of non cashmere players. Just saying.

Some of the kids I coach enjoyed it

Good on Fred for opening it up for allsorts. 

Nike cup: Apparently Halswell played Waitakere at ASB today. Mini pre tournament? Other teams involved?

Waitakere sounded out a few chch based teams for a game following nomads exploits in Auckland.... I can also confirm, as Vim posted, that Nomads have withdrawn....

The closing date was due to be Friday, but mainland put the wrong date, so declarations were allowed until Monday

Due to the APFA moving to Wellington the potential squad had lost 5 players, who were obviously key players, as they are required to register with a club up in Wellington. The APFA were happy for the players to still play for Nomads as long as they remained in the tournament, funding was even being sourced to pay for flights etc, but NZF would not allow the transfers to happen, despite exceptional circumstances in the fact the it was a 'schooling' move and was not a transfer between local clubs (which were allowed in some cases last year).

From losing these 5 key players, another was ruled out for at least 3 months with injury, a few of the other players did not want to be left and commit to the club when there is uncertainty as to what will happen during the league season this year.

Rumour has it the Burnley Academy are looking to try and get a team into competition this year, which then accounts for another couple of players.

With Nomads not having a 14th grade team last season (a few that were scheduled to stepped up to the 15B's) there wasn't the strength in depth to call upon once the final decision had been made by NZF.

There was not the time for the coach to pull together a new squad, finding players from last years 13th grade, with only a few weeks to go and with him due to become a Dad any day now too.

Whilst this type of tournament is also about player development, there wasn't the strength in depth to find a team that would be competitive. Any squad that could be pulled together would more than likely suffer big defeats in every game, which would only act to deter the players.

Concentration can then be sort on looking to train a squad towards taking part in next years tournament. 

So no Nomads, neither Coastal or FC20 fielding their strongest sides. CTFC with 6 from age grade younger. 

Halswell now favorites? 

Will they just bin the qualifiers on the 15/16 Feb and go for a 6 team comp with Nelson the following week?

I'm sure it will depend on who gets in by the registration as there's supposed to be 2 Nelson teams...... Also don't rule Tech out, despite a few younger players they are strong..

Cheers mate, lot of burnt skin but these coaches from Brummie land know their stuff. I have worked on and watched numerous courses and in the end I keep reflecting that there is no "Right Way". As a club or coach you have to go with your own philosophy but never close your mind to different ideas.

Lots of players with lots of new ideas and smiles.

What a disappointment for the Nomads kids. A really good group of lads who worked together with their coaches to take part in this great tournament. NZF and Mainland need to look at themselves. Rules put in place for the griping Auckland clubs fighting the Wyners thing cost our kids opportunities. There to promote the game or destroy dreams?

Nike Cup change of draws is out, with confirmation no Nomads or Richmond Athletic. So 5 from CHCH, (Coastal, CashTech, FC2011, Halswell, Waimak) who each play each other in order to get to top 3. These 3 then play off the winner of 2 Nelson teams (FC Nelson and Nelson Suburbs) and the winner of Football South (Team A and B???)  So then those 5 play a round robin with the winner playing in Auckland in the National Finals.

I'd say Team A are strong as they always like to be 1st, with Team B being 2nd....

+1

I think that, as Onehunga showed again last year, it is a great opportunity for a NZ side to get a terrific experience.

CTFC have only got as far as Aussie, but that too, was a terrific experience.

Onehunga use their Wyners program to attract and develop their players.

Nothing wrong with that as long as players commit to it for over 12 months as per the rules.

Personally, I do not see why the rules then tie players to the club for the next season.

Whatever club you play for in Nike = the club you play for that winter season = issue for APFA players

Dual Registration = partial cockery

real life example is Player picked for School FirstXI. also trains with Club PDL side and could play for both teams in the Winter season.

Ha ha. May be same player? school first XI player who registered to play for nomads ( dual reg only applies if you play senior football) and never trained or played for them, but was dual registered for purpose of cup.
APFA boys heading to Wellington are all paying for the opportunity. Scots college isn't cheap!
Anyway on to football matters: seems another player has rolled off the coastal girls international production line, according to their social media sites.

I thought PDL = Senior Football?

It's PDL that connects to School First XI's anyway. 

And no association/accusation to Nomads, I have no idea if any players are Dual Reg. Or where. 

Yes another Coastal player into a National Squad/Tour

It's a pretty good % from the original COA program at Rangers Park!