Australia Cup - Other Australian games

Bergers get an early goal!! 1-0

Shark I didn't even realise this was on tonight, just finished watching the Roar vs SI game, come on Heidelberg!

Burgess equalize, 1-1. First goal the Bergers have conceded vs ALM sides this season. 

Struggling to remember an A League game this entertaining. Lots of high pressing or midblock and crushing or simply dominating the space, so the other team can’t play through.

Two teams trying to play a striker in behind every 4 or 5 touch here! 

Heidelberg again impressive, but Newcastle too have come to the party. 

For all that neither side caves and it goes 1-1 into extra time.

Jets take the lead in extra time. Can the Bergers hit back? 1-2

Jets down to 10 men for the final 8 mins, 1-2

Bergers get a straight red 30 seconds later. 1-2

Ben Gibson seals it, 1-3

And the gap in the defense is exploited 3-1, great turn and shot from Ben Gibson. Looks like Heidelberg hadn’t reinforced their defense from elsewhere after the red card.

Jets win. 

Good point by the commentators that despite the two reds, there was no real dirty or niggly play. 

Both reds were just exhausted defenders- the Jets captain grabbing a player who’d beaten him for a second yellow and a DOGSO for Heidelberg, who’d defended magnificently, but against Fryer, Bayliss, Gibson and other quick young attackers just got stretched too far and couldn’t get a toe on the ball. 

And then even at 3-1 one of the Heidelberg defenders picked up the ball and went on a run up the sideline. They didn’t stop right until the whistle. 

And the wait goes on, but Heidelberg have been fantastic throughout this AC. A great watch.

That was a great watch last night, fantastic crowd (10k sell out) and two very evenly matched teams going head to head. Could have easily ended up with a 'bergers victory, their Japanese fella up front will be gutted with that 1v1 with the Keeper he chipped wide on.

Shame the Bergers couldn’t pull off another cupset, but they have a lot to be proud of.

I really want to go see one of their home NPL games now, and not just for the famous half-time souvlaki.

Years since a trophy:

Jets <1
Melbourne City <1
Auckland FC <1
Central Coast Mariners 1
Macarthur 1
Sydney 2
Victory 3
Glory 6
Adelaide 6
WSW 11
Roar 11
Phoenix ∞

This might be the WSW season this year. They have a good striker and a decent midfielder. 

Looks like we no longer get a chance to beat the Aussies in their own cup 

Wonder if there is there could be a pre seadon comp with the 2 A League teams and either National League teams or OFC teams

Fair enough. Didn't clubs have to cover costs for it themselves?  

This could be the beginning of the end of NZ teams in the A-League if the Asian Football Confederation wants competitions to align with them.  

ballane

Wonder if there is there could be a pre seadon comp with the 2 A League teams and either National League teams or OFC teams

How do you think it would go down the Nix losing to AFC II in pre season?!
The Port would be truly unbearable!

But yeah some sort of pre season comp involving NZ's two ALM sides plus OFC teams has some merit. Throw in the Island teams in to flesh it out.

Problem is that the 2nd season OFC League won't start until Jan 2027 (unless they are going to change the window for that comp), so by August-October they are unlikely to be getting ready for pre season yet. 
Like most of South Island United's players will still be at their winter national league clubs??

And August-October is when ALM sides Nix and AFC will be needing tough pre season matches. 

A China tour? - weren't the WCC and the Nix fostering some sort of relationship in China? 
Foley getting Hibs and Bournemouth down to NZ for a quadrangular tourney?

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?


Doubt it places the Nix or AFC in jeopardy re their spots in the A League. APL will be saying to the Asian Confed, we need these NZ clubs - given how stable the Nix are and how successful new boys Auckland have been.

Might mean the Phoenix have an even stronger agrument with OFC, that they should have their reserves in the OFC Pro League - ie it's unfair they don't have that CWC  qualification pathway like AFC does.

Edit - listen to Dome's 500th game chat today, as a reminder of how important the two NZ clubs are now to the A Leagues (both ALM & ALW).

Not surprising given we have the OFC pro league now, except the Nix arent in that so that's just more annoying for us.

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Procrastinixing

Fair enough. Didn't clubs have to cover costs for it themselves?  

This could be the beginning of the end of NZ teams in the A-League if the Asian Football Confederation wants competitions to align with them.  

Nope, the FFA funded our trips over. So it was free, meaningful games.

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Buffon II

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Wales has its own league and cup separate from the English ones, yet they have teams that compete in the English leagues and cups - and not in the Welsh ones.

Buffon II

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Yeah I just threw it in there as an afterthought. But when NZ doesn't have it's own professional comp is it that different to Liechtenstein.

The main point being NZF run the domestic league(s) and national Cup comp (Chatham Cup).

That's different to Aussie where the national body run the Australia Cup comp, but the 'national league' is independently run by the clubs who themselves call it an Australasian comp.

coochiee dont think it would that big a deal losing to them in a pre-season  rather them than a non A League side. Dont think the port could be any more unbearable than they already are and crowing about a preseason fixture would fit right in.  😁

ballane

coochiee dont think it would that big a deal losing to them in a pre-season  rather them than a non A League side. Dont think the port could be any more unbearable than they already are and crowing about a preseason fixture would fit right in.  😁

I'm talking about the Nix first team losing to AFC II (their reserve team in the OFC Pro League).

That's if yes some sort of pre season tourney involving NZ's two ALM teams plus the OFC Pro League teams, was yes started up.

Bullion

Buffon II

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Wales has its own league and cup separate from the English ones, yet they have teams that compete in the English leagues and cups - and not in the Welsh ones.

That is because the English leagues were established well before the Welsh league was. I think Wrexham, Cardiff City, Swansea and maybe Newport all joined the English league 70years(ish) before the creation of the welsh league. 

kwlap

Bullion

Buffon II

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Wales has its own league and cup separate from the English ones, yet they have teams that compete in the English leagues and cups - and not in the Welsh ones.

That is because the English leagues were established well before the Welsh league was. I think Wrexham, Cardiff City, Swansea and maybe Newport all joined the English league 70years(ish) before the creation of the welsh league. 

They competed in the Welsh Cup for a while though. Used to qualify for the old Cup Winners Cup through it, and sometimes go on a bit of a run.

Now they're back in the FA Cup and have been for some time. No issue apparently.

We're not allowed in the Aussie Cup though. And Australians have always hated both the Nix and recently AFC competing in it. 

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

Buffon II

kwlap

Bullion

Buffon II

coochiee

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

Yes & No comparison.
Didn't the APL (Stephen Conroy?) call the A League an "Australasian league"?
I mean the clubs run the A League (incl the two NZ outfits).

So distinct in itself from the Australia Cup run by Football Australia.


FYI - Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss league system (currently in the 2nd tier Challenge League) but does not participate in the Swiss Cup.
Yes both countries in same UEFA Confed.
Since 1997-98 Vaduz has only once not won the Liechtenstein Football Cup!

Liechtenstein does not have it's own football league.

Again you are comparing different scenarios.

Wales has its own league and cup separate from the English ones, yet they have teams that compete in the English leagues and cups - and not in the Welsh ones.

That is because the English leagues were established well before the Welsh league was. I think Wrexham, Cardiff City, Swansea and maybe Newport all joined the English league 70years(ish) before the creation of the welsh league. 

They competed in the Welsh Cup for a while though. Used to qualify for the old Cup Winners Cup through it, and sometimes go on a bit of a run.

Now they're back in the FA Cup and have been for some time. No issue apparently.

We're not allowed in the Aussie Cup though. And Australians have always hated both the Nix and recently AFC competing in it. 

yeah, the English competing clubs haven't been allowed to compete in the welsh fa cup equivalent for 30yrs - Wrexham are the record holders for the comp still with wins going back to the 1870s. For a short while, just over 10 years, there was a separate cup for welsh teams that play in england.

For all intents and purposes they are English clubs.

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

No Chatham Islands teams in the Chatham Cup, unless Seatoun are claiming them as part of their catchment area.

20 Legend

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

Considering they were footing the bill for the travel, the NZ costs recently doubled, and both teams potentially could run deep in the tournament.

At least not being in it allows both NZ sides to plan pre-season with a better certainty and corresponding ramp-up in loads rather than playing 120 min in Round 1

Buffon II

Personally I always thought the Phoenix and AFC were lucky to be part of the Australia Cup. There are no Aussie teams in the Chatham Cup?

There are no Aussie teams that compete in our national league. Not really a fair comparison.

tbf, there are also no professional teams in the Chatham Cup. The 'Nix already compete in the Chatham Cup and the Kate Sheppard Cup, but its the reserves - not the pros.

Not the biggest loss in the world this to be honest. I would love to see a Canadian Championship type competition be introduced here in it's absence though. 

Wellington, Auckland, National League winners, Chatham Cup winners (or runners up if its the same team that does the double). I would say SIU too, but they'll be out of OFC Pro League season and the players will be back with their winter clubs.

Something of that nature anyway. Take games to the smaller grounds around the place too and drive some of that sweet, sweet community growth in and around the game too.

YoungHeartHM

Not the biggest loss in the world this to be honest. I would love to see a Canadian Championship type competition be introduced here in it's absence though. 

Wellington, Auckland, National League winners, Chatham Cup winners (or runners up if its the same team that does the double). I would say SIU too, but they'll be out of OFC Pro League season and the players will be back with their winter clubs.

Something of that nature anyway. Take games to the smaller grounds around the place too and drive some of that sweet, sweet community growth in and around the game too.

biggest advantage of this kind of scenario is that the games are played locally, so we get to see our team in preseason in the flesh in a "proper" tourney.

20 Legend

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

 Alignment with AFC requirements

Doloras

20 Legend

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

 Alignment with AFC requirements

have they actually spelled out what's changed that previously allowed the Nix to participate for many years, and recently afc? Otherwise its just a nebulous statement to hide behind.

My guess (pure speculation) is that it is a natural consequence of A-League splitting away from FFA operationally.  As such, even if ALM may want to spread the appeal of good footbal to the NZ "5 mln market", FFA remit is to look after the growth of football in Australia. 
I can live with the downside of the ALM/FFA split (no participation in the FFA funded Australia Cup) if we have the obvious upside of the split:    It is now in ALM and ALW best interest to have well run, financially stable clubs no matter where they are, for example in New Zealand.  
Right now both NZ clubs are better examples of what the league needs than Canberra, Gold Coast, Nth Qld Fury, more recently Western United or potentially CCM.   And we have pitched in to help the Jets in need.  
The league would presumably not tolerate any noises to "kick the NZ teams out" which we used to hear from the FOX Sports pundits in the past, when our participation was not seen by some as helping the growth of football in Australia, which is as I said FFA remit.