Auckland Pride - Make Auckland Great Again

wow.....this is a statement and a half.....
"Travelling supporters with a reputation for being "trouble" contributed to an "isolated" incident that lead to the hospitalisation of a football fan following Saturday's A-League game between Auckland FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at Mt Smart Stadium, according the Auckland club's chief executive."

then Becker doubles down on it

"It did happen at a match where the opposition fans came on mass, and also have a reputation for for causing some trouble. But in no way are our fans completely free of any blame either in the small numbers that it did happen," Becker said.

wow.....this is a statement and a half.....
"Travelling supporters with a reputation for being "trouble" contributed to an "isolated" incident that lead to the hospitalisation of a football fan following Saturday's A-League game between Auckland FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at Mt Smart Stadium, according the Auckland club's chief executive."

Definitely doesn’t pull any punches and basically states that Western Sydney Fans were the instigators

Heaven forbid if they get them in the semis. A home and away leg with them would not go down well and I can imagine bigger numbers of boof heads making the journey over to even the score 

"You can see that through we've played Wellington Phoenix, who are obviously most obvious rival, three times this season and we haven't had a single incident. So we're all incredibly disappointed that this happened at one of our home games."

Only because the Yellow Fever are very different to the RBB. 

Actually noticed that Becker briefly visited the away Auckland supporters bay at HT, when I watched them play the Roar at Suncorp. Seemed to know a few of The Port guys.

An Auckland verus WSW H&A semi, is yes a possibility.

coochiee

"You can see that through we've played Wellington Phoenix, who are obviously most obvious rival, three times this season and we haven't had a single incident. So we're all incredibly disappointed that this happened at one of our home games."

Only because the Yellow Fever are very different to the RBB. 

Actually noticed that Becker briefly visited the away Auckland supporters bay at HT, when I watched them play the Roar at Suncorp. Seemed to know a few of The Port guys.

An Auckland verus WSW H&A semi, is yes a possibility.

What a muppet :D Plenty of people would disagree they had any sort of handle on the two derby games. Not sure they can claim anything to do with our one.

20 Legend

AucklandPhoenix

Agree.

Their midfield is getting seriously overloaded, which means they lose the second ball which in turn puts serious pressure on them out wide.

Personally I think they need to go back to their initial team formation at the seasons beginning with three pure midfielders in their imports and Brimmer in the midfield.

Mata unfortunately dropped. While he frees up May to play a number 10, his actual output is limited and the fact he is getting dragged at half time and being replaced by Howieson is telling. The guy is not a striker.

I think defensively this makes the team more solid and with Moreno back, with Logan and May, they may just rustle enough goals to get them out of the hole they are in.  They really have to beat Melbourne or Sydney away to have a chance. 

JasperNix

Back to the football. Auckland were very average and their form is below that necessary to lift the trophy. Teams have worked them out now I think - exploiting a lack of mobility centrally and getting in behind the full backs and pressing their midfield with a mid block to stop passing lanes into the 6 or 8. 

People “handed” them the trophy too early. 

Agreed 100%.

Auckland felt a bit toothless at the start of the season with only May upfront, but now they're too easy to overrun with only two centre midfielders. Get Brimmer, Verstrate, and Gallegos back into midfield together.

Moreno is key to them getting some bite back. And Brimmer being on form. He looks like he's carrying some sort of injury. Against WSW it was like Gallegos was showing him what to do.  Whereas the reverse earlier in the season.

Not wanting to flog the proverbial deceased equine, but good to see a YF perspective in the news:

Football fans identify crowd issues at Auckland FC games

@Paige, hope you feel they quoted you fairly without too much editorial licence.

Well Paige or the journalist doesn’t know a bear from a beer.

Coochie will be having kittens!! 

AucklandPhoenix

Well Paige or the journalist doesn’t know a bear from a beer.

Coochie will be having kittens!! 

"Stabbed out" is a pretty strange choice of words too.

That's it, I have read enough... Ban away fans like we do in Argentina to avoid the Auckland Barra Bravas! 

AucklandPhoenix

Well Paige or the journalist doesn’t know a bear from a beer.

Coochie will be having kittens!! 

My money is on Paige knows how to spell a drink made from hops.

Excellent response from her. Becker does seem to have been blind to the issues brewing pre Saturday.

I don't believe there was any trouble with the WSW fans when they showed up in Wellington. Someone else maybe in a better position to comment. I went down their section at Sky and had a bit of a chat to a couple of their fans and they seemed friendly enough. I know the RBB have a reputation but I would imagine the fans involved in that could not afford to Travel to Auckland or Wellington.

The Port could have shown a goodwill jesture and gone to see that fan in hospital. Perhaps they have? Again, Someone else may know.

Doloras is right, since day one the YF have been quite welcoming towards fans from Aussie clubs whom make the effort to come over and it has been appreciated via conversations had at games. When I went to Campbelltown a few years back for our "Home" game against Sydney, the Cove fans were awesome to all of us there.

As for the "away bays" at Mt Smart, what a complete stuff up. And that is firmly on AFC. They split fans from the Nix on the two games up there. Stupid move. They need to sort that out in time for next seasons game regardless of who the opposition are.

theprof

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football/auckland-fc/auckland-fc-delays-launch-of-womens-a-league-team/KMM3OSP56ZAXZIWOU2HS4TRK3Y/#:~:text=Auckland%20FC%27s%20plans%20to%20launch,definitive%20timeline%20for%20its%20debut.

Delayed approval from the APL, not taking calls from player agents. Not a great look.

Auckland FC have always remained committed to its plan for the women’s team where they were understood to train and play at North Harbour Stadium in Albany

Was this common knowledge or is it the first time NHS has been confirmed as their intended home venue? It's not that long ago there was discussion here about a range of possible locations.

However, Auckland FC may not feel pressured to fast-track the inclusion of their women’s team in the A-League, especially considering the success of the men’s squad.

I would've thought the opposite, that with the men's team riding high now's the ideal time to harness that momentum behind the women (and as the article notes, to secure some big-name signings). Fingers crossed they sort things out and launch in 25/26 as planned, as much as I'm Wahinix 'til I die having a second ALW team has to be good for the women's game in NZ.

Bloody funny seeing AFC fans in fight on social media with The Port claiming they are bigger supporters than normal season members, and that people come to the games to experience the port. Obsessed with themselves a bit. 

Off the back of The Port prices not increasing next year as a thanks but the rest of the members pricing increasing by $50+

Simon B

theprof

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football/auckland-fc/auckland-fc-delays-launch-of-womens-a-league-team/KMM3OSP56ZAXZIWOU2HS4TRK3Y/#:~:text=Auckland%20FC%27s%20plans%20to%20launch,definitive%20timeline%20for%20its%20debut.

Delayed approval from the APL, not taking calls from player agents. Not a great look.

Auckland FC have always remained committed to its plan for the women’s team where they were understood to train and play at North Harbour Stadium in Albany

Was this common knowledge or is it the first time NHS has been confirmed as their intended home venue? It's not that long ago there was discussion here about a range of possible locations.

However, Auckland FC may not feel pressured to fast-track the inclusion of their women’s team in the A-League, especially considering the success of the men’s squad.

I would've thought the opposite, that with the men's team riding high now's the ideal time to harness that momentum behind the women (and as the article notes, to secure some big-name signings). Fingers crossed they sort things out and launch in 25/26 as planned, as much as I'm Wahinix 'til I die having a second ALW team has to be good for the women's game in NZ.

The AFC women playing at North Harbour fits the modus operandi of spreading around the community, the Reserves are playing their games out West.  It is also a stadium capable of charging a gate as well as TV and other infrastructure.

Some players at NRFL clubs have been spotted training at North Harbour, and there are a few extra foreign players and NZ returning players in the NRFL as well this season so I suspect things are more advanced than is being said in public.

I don't think there will be any announcements or publicity until the mens season finishes in May.  

Simon B

Not wanting to flog the proverbial deceased equine, but good to see a YF perspective in the news:

Football fans identify crowd issues at Auckland FC games

@Paige, hope you feel they quoted you fairly without too much editorial licence.

It might be ironic considering that I had to look at the photos in the article to see if I was in them in a yellow and black shirt, or a blue and black shirt, or a yellow and black shirt worn over top of a blue and black shirt! but I think if there is trouble it is because you are looking for it.

With the video footage of Uncle Albert in the bucket hat in the stands taking on RBB single handedly with a silly head dance, they could've ignored him but whatever he was saying was triggering some individuals to react.  Most NZ'ers would've recognised him as that relative that had hit the sherry a little early in the day and ignored him.

Red Badge could've put some of their more physically intimidating staff on.  

A problem with Mt Smart is that it does not have seats in corner voids that you can use for away fans.  There are no seats at the end directly opposite the port.  I think next season they will have to keep block 34 free for away fans , for the derby game they'll need more so that precludes season tickets being sold for whatever blocks they want to use for the derby game. (or use Eden Park)

LG

I don't believe there was any trouble with the WSW fans when they showed up in Wellington. Someone else maybe in a better position to comment. I went down their section at Sky and had a bit of a chat to a couple of their fans and they seemed friendly enough. I know the RBB have a reputation but I would imagine the fans involved in that could not afford to Travel to Auckland or Wellington.

The Port could have shown a goodwill jesture and gone to see that fan in hospital. Perhaps they have? Again, Someone else may know.

Doloras is right, since day one the YF have been quite welcoming towards fans from Aussie clubs whom make the effort to come over and it has been appreciated via conversations had at games. When I went to Campbelltown a few years back for our "Home" game against Sydney, the Cove fans were awesome to all of us there.

As for the "away bays" at Mt Smart, what a complete stuff up. And that is firmly on AFC. They split fans from the Nix on the two games up there. Stupid move. They need to sort that out in time for next seasons game regardless of who the opposition are.

Watching the Nix v WSW game, I remember when WSW scored (their late equaliser maybe?) and the cameras captured several of their fans at the ROF vigorously flipping the bird to Nix fans. There is a reason they have the feral reputation they do. 

Though I did enjoy watching the"Poznań", back to play jumping up & down thing, they used to do in the stands, back in the day.

And yeah as above Red Badge should just recruit a heavy presence of 100 guys from premier rugby or rugby league in Auckland, for any Auckland FC games they think maybe trouble. That will have any idiots think twice, at least inside the ground.

This goes down as one of the click bait articles regarding the women’s team.

If you reread the article it isn’t actually saying anything at all apart from the club under no pressure to fast track things.

That doesn’t mean they are not working towards their goal. 

And the boss not returning some calls from agents which he denies!! I mean who would want to be a CEO sometimes with random calling you sell something all the time anyway!!

Simon B

theprof

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football/auckland-fc/auckland-fc-delays-launch-of-womens-a-league-team/KMM3OSP56ZAXZIWOU2HS4TRK3Y/#:~:text=Auckland%20FC%27s%20plans%20to%20launch,definitive%20timeline%20for%20its%20debut.

Delayed approval from the APL, not taking calls from player agents. Not a great look.

Auckland FC have always remained committed to its plan for the women’s team where they were understood to train and play at North Harbour Stadium in Albany

Was this common knowledge or is it the first time NHS has been confirmed as their intended home venue? It's not that long ago there was discussion here about a range of possible locations.

However, Auckland FC may not feel pressured to fast-track the inclusion of their women’s team in the A-League, especially considering the success of the men’s squad.

I would've thought the opposite, that with the men's team riding high now's the ideal time to harness that momentum behind the women (and as the article notes, to secure some big-name signings). Fingers crossed they sort things out and launch in 25/26 as planned, as much as I'm Wahinix 'til I die having a second ALW team has to be good for the women's game in NZ.

was known already re NHS

AucklandPhoenix

Definitely doesn’t pull any punches and basically states that Western Sydney Fans were the instigators

Heaven forbid if they get them in the semis. A home and away leg with them would not go down well and I can imagine bigger numbers of boof heads making the journey over to even the score 

Dear God, you can SEE on the video that gormless sack of skin in the bucket hat going over to taunt the RBB! I don't know whether it was that guy who broke someone's jaw, but it certainly wasn't an RBB person!

The guy who broke the WSW fans jaw was in his forties.

Old mate in his bucket hat would have been late fifties.

mykey

Bloody funny seeing AFC fans in fight on social media with The Port claiming they are bigger supporters than normal season members, and that people come to the games to experience the port. Obsessed with themselves a bit. 

Off the back of The Port prices not increasing next year as a thanks but the rest of the members pricing increasing by $50+

Ha ha, whoops, that's going to make T-AFC reconsider a few things

Can someone share where  are the prices?

AucklandPhoenix

Can someone share where  are the prices?

https://aucklandfc.co.nz/membership-renewal/?lid=9xa5c9o23z5h

Doloras

AucklandPhoenix

Definitely doesn’t pull any punches and basically states that Western Sydney Fans were the instigators

Heaven forbid if they get them in the semis. A home and away leg with them would not go down well and I can imagine bigger numbers of boof heads making the journey over to even the score 

Dear God, you can SEE on the video that gormless sack of skin in the bucket hat going over to taunt the RBB! I don't know whether it was that guy who broke someone's jaw, but it certainly wasn't an RBB person!

The guy who committed the assault has been arrested and the club are in talks with the police and stadiums about issuing a venue ban.
There was a question about have the port visited the victim in hospital, not sure why the question why the port would but I can confirm Nick Becker visited yesterday after the victim had jaw surgery - he has a couple of other WSW fans with him and his family as well.

AFC / The Port = same thing.

Jessie Merino

AucklandPhoenix

Well Paige or the journalist doesn’t know a bear from a beer.

Coochie will be having kittens!! 

"Stabbed out" is a pretty strange choice of words too.

 I said 'stamped out', but I can confirm that I absolutely shared a bear with the WSW supporters. What a night. 

My thoughts on Sydney FC vs Auckland FC:

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

Odd response. (Sorry, not the podcast. Can’t access it, but the preceding stuff.)

Surely the first thing is an announcement that the culprit has been identified and banned. This followed by an apology from the club for insufficient security and a promise of a thorough investigation to manage away trips better and to be proper hosts. And a guarantee of bans for anything remotely half as daft in future.

Then an apology on behalf of fans for the actions of their worst, and a determination to crack down on violent rhetoric towards other fans amongst their group and self police unnecessary confrontation, from The Port, as well as thanking the WSW fans who did travel and inviting them for a beer in future. 

Instead a lot of victim blaming and David Galloping. That is when you say not everyone hates us, there’s the Nix, before a big ‘Um actually…’. 

And we see from the Yellow Fever a lot of guys who are happy to put their name in the media over the years, thank you and respect and from the Little Corner of Yellow. They’re role models, but also guys who set the standards and the tone of the fan group. 

There’s been something a bit off about some of the rhetoric. Maybe Auckland is always a bit brash, and maybe they feel they don’t need to make fun of themselves being football fans in NZ quite the way we used to! 

I dunno, I suggested a rivalry raising money for charity around the derby and maybe Matt and the elite were already doing that the way they’ve done around Ronald McDonald house for a long time, but certainly didn’t get a lot of interest compared to just throwing dumb insults. 

Listening to the podcast and damn that bloody sucks to hear the detail. 23yo WSW fan travels over and got punched while queuing for a drink in the family zone, not linked to any other agro in the stands. Makes me sick. 

Also for Becker to say he’s not aware of issues in previous games, and laughing about this yellow fever comments this week. How ignorant. 

Moreno back for Auckland.

Sydney FC v Auckland FC
Saturday, April 12 – Allianz Stadium – 5pm AEST

Sydney FC squad: 
1. Andrew REDMAYNE, 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 5. Alex GRANT, 6. Corey HOLLMAN, 7. Adrian SEGECIC, 8. Anas OUAHIM, 9. Patryk KLIMALA, 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Douglas COSTA, 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES, 15. Leo SENA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 20. Tiago QUINTAL, 21. Zac DE JESUS, 24. Wataru KAMIJO, 25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI, 29. Joe LACEY, 37. Will KENNEDY, 41. Alex POPOVIC

(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 29. Joe LACEY (promoted), 41. Alex POPOVIC (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 3. Aaron GURD (collarbone), 31. Jaushua SOTIRIO (hamstring), 42. Kyle SHAW (hamstring)

Auckland FC squad:
1. Michael WOUD, 2. Hiroki SAKAI, 5. Tommy SMITH, 7. Cameron HOWIESON, 8. Luis TOOMEY, 9. Max MATA, 10. Guillermo MAY, 11. Marlee FRANÇOIS, 12. Alex PAULSEN, 14. Liam GILLION, 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOT, 21. Jesse RANDALL, 22. Jake BRIMMER, 23. Dan HALL, 25. Neyder MORENO, 27. Logan ROGERSON, 28. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS

Ins: 14. Liam GILLION
Outs: 35. Jonty BIDOIS

To me, it feels like Nick Becker is giving The Port/AFC fans a green light to keep doing what they are doing - no blame lies with them. Utter codshark.

I also think having Paige et al getting into the media to call this stuff out is fantastic - violence isn't something we need in the game here. To paraphrase a post from another site "Be chill like the Fever".

coochiee

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

This is not the Port's podcast. These guys aren't involved in organising the Port. Some of them don't even go to the games. That is like saying the black and yellow podcast is the Yellow Fevers. 

The Port did a social media story condemning the violence. 

Nix fans should not be throwing too many stones. It was only last year Nix fans jumped into the away section to fight Victory fans. My take is there should be no violence, at any game. I was surprised to hear a Nix fan was punched at the derby. That should have been reported earlier.

I don’t think the AFC CEO is giving anyone the green light but he does not come across well in that interview however.

Sure he is in a difficult situation and it is a sensitive subject but he rubbish’s the yellow fever claims that there were issues at the derby games and basically says they want their moment in the sun.

You could even hear the blokes on the podcast being a little taken aback by his tone and what he was saying, 

van Alberto

coochiee

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

This is not the Port's podcast. These guys aren't involved in organising the Port. Some of them don't even go to the games. That is like saying the black and yellow podcast is the Yellow Fevers. 

The Port did a social media story condemning the violence. 

Nix fans should not be throwing too many stones. It was only last year Nix fans jumped into the away section to fight Victory fans. My take is there should be no violence, at any game. I was surprised to hear a Nix fan was punched at the derby. That should have been reported earlier.

So no one in the Port is a spokesperson or has a journalists number? There’s been no direct contact with the press or with the RBB?

I think the Fever has to have some credit for their fan culture established over the years. At least they should be getting listened to, not dismissed. We’ve had 7k consistent fans as a ‘core ceiling’ from a 400k base compared to whatever City Football group has and is achieving in Melbourne, to around 4K in tough times. 

That is the club’s CEO though saying things I can’t hear but are being summarized here. That’d be why that’s important. 

Anyway, understand you want to defend the club here, but your CEO is doing a relegation level effort currently. Families going don’t want to hear that it wasn’t our fault, they want to hear that it won’t happen again and it absolutely isn’t tolerated. 

martinb

van Alberto

coochiee

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

This is not the Port's podcast. These guys aren't involved in organising the Port. Some of them don't even go to the games. That is like saying the black and yellow podcast is the Yellow Fevers. 

The Port did a social media story condemning the violence. 

Nix fans should not be throwing too many stones. It was only last year Nix fans jumped into the away section to fight Victory fans. My take is there should be no violence, at any game. I was surprised to hear a Nix fan was punched at the derby. That should have been reported earlier.

So no one in the Port is a spokesperson or has a journalists number? There’s been no direct contact with the press or with the RBB?

I think the Fever has to have some credit for their fan culture established over the years. At least they should be getting listened to, not dismissed. We’ve had 7k consistent fans as a ‘core ceiling’ from a 400k base compared to whatever City Football group has and is achieving in Melbourne, to around 4K in tough times. 

That is the club’s CEO though saying things I can’t hear but are being summarized here. That’d be why that’s important. 

Anyway, understand you want to defend the club here, but your CEO is doing a relegation level effort currently. Families going don’t want to hear that it wasn’t our fault, they want to hear that it won’t happen again and it absolutely isn’t tolerated. 

I agree the fans and families (which included people I know) that were there and experienced it, want to hear this won't happen again and how they plan to do this. This should have been the 2nd thing out of Beckers mouth after condemning the violence. 

I am not sure why the Port would need to go to the media? They have said that violence is not to be tolerated. They don't need to give this horrible situation anymore airtime. It needs to be dealt with by the club, police and stadium. 

The AFC FRG has raised the point of where the away fans sit and how it is policed. While I don't want to see stadiums over police things, groups like the WSW fans need to have a different "policing" strategy to say Adelaide or Newcastle fans. 

The derby also needs to have better ways to deal with things. The amount of Nix fans that tried to sit in the Port, coupled with the AFC fans trying to sit in the Yellow Fever zones, shows it is not working at the moment. Both sets of fans have have a few people that take things too far. To the detriment of the other 99.99%.

martinb

van Alberto

coochiee

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

This is not the Port's podcast. These guys aren't involved in organising the Port. Some of them don't even go to the games. That is like saying the black and yellow podcast is the Yellow Fevers. 

The Port did a social media story condemning the violence. 

Nix fans should not be throwing too many stones. It was only last year Nix fans jumped into the away section to fight Victory fans. My take is there should be no violence, at any game. I was surprised to hear a Nix fan was punched at the derby. That should have been reported earlier.

So no one in the Port is a spokesperson or has a journalists number? There’s been no direct contact with the press or with the RBB?

I think the Fever has to have some credit for their fan culture established over the years. At least they should be getting listened to, not dismissed. We’ve had 7k consistent fans as a ‘core ceiling’ from a 400k base compared to whatever City Football group has and is achieving in Melbourne, to around 4K in tough times. 

That is the club’s CEO though saying things I can’t hear but are being summarized here. That’d be why that’s important. 

Anyway, understand you want to defend the club here, but your CEO is doing a relegation level effort currently. Families going don’t want to hear that it wasn’t our fault, they want to hear that it won’t happen again and it absolutely isn’t tolerated. 

Everything I heard from the club and Nick has been about it shouldn't happen again and it isn't tolerated.

van Alberto

coochiee

On The Port's Podcast, Nic Becker talks about the WSW game crowd incidents

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564032191731

This is not the Port's podcast. These guys aren't involved in organising the Port. Some of them don't even go to the games. That is like saying the black and yellow podcast is the Yellow Fevers. 

The Port did a social media story condemning the violence. 

Nix fans should not be throwing too many stones. It was only last year Nix fans jumped into the away section to fight Victory fans. My take is there should be no violence, at any game. I was surprised to hear a Nix fan was punched at the derby. That should have been reported earlier.

Bit of a stretch bringing up what was a very isolated incident from some idiots who couldnt be called fans at all in any way, as a comparison to what happened in Auckland.
The facts are YF and the Phoenix both tried to highlight concerns they had before the first Auckland Derby but Auckland chose to ignore them.
Then at the second one again issues were raised and some members of YF and Phoenix staff spent part of the first half trying to highlight issues. Apparently yet again Auckland and their security chose to ignore those concerns. 
Sadly all those concerns were proven to be correct and if Becker continues to bury his head in the sand im afraid come finals things may not improve.
Many of the things that YF fans experienced havnt been spoken of widely but  from those i have spoken to an away game experience in Auckland is not one some will make a priority.
Bloody shame actually given the away game experience Nix fans get when travelling to other away games.

The comments here are all becoming a bit hysterical.