If that’s the winning goal it really sums up their season in many ways. A keeper pushed into a mistake through their relentless pressure. The press and particularly Verstraete winning the ball high up the park and then a goal from May.
If that’s your win, congratulations to Auckland FC!
The NZ football fan in me: Congratulations to AFC, they really have earned it, this is obviously a great and historic achievement for football in this country.
The Wellingtonian and Phoenix fan in me: Pretty devastated and depressed, hate this season, Auckland can take their fudgeing premiers plate, probably title trophy as well, and stick them.
Melb City and especially WSW are probably more in form at the moment than Auckland. It wouldn't be a shock if AFC lost their 2 legged semi final, especially if it was against one of these 2 teams. VUC with plenty of big match experience & talent also not at all easy.
Melb City and especially WSW are probably more in form at the moment than Auckland. It wouldn't be a shock if AFC lost their 2 legged semi final, especially if it was against one of these 2 teams. VUC with plenty of big match experience & talent also not at all easy.
Auckland built a solid advantage early on in the season by hitting the ground running - first half of their season was a pleasure to watch. The run of recent draws is - at least in my opinion - more due to other teams hitting form than any particular slide on part of AFC. Agreed than a Grand Final is a different beast than winning the premiership. But it all depends on players available on the day, suspensions and injuries. If AFC do not win the GF then it gives them something to aim for next season. Otherwise they could get demotivated and they win win the double in their first season. The only way from that is down. I would rather they deservedly win the Premiers Plate - and the championship can wait to another season. Keeps that very good team in the fight for longer.
Above is great example of 'the beautiful losers' syndrome. Do you think in their own national context the management and fans of, say, Real Madrid, Juve, PSG, think like that? I'd say Foley, Becker, McFlynn, Corica, etc. would give an arm to win the GF then go on and start a dynasty. And why not? Make the Aussie teams play catch-up in their own League. Love it.
Interesting that of late Corica almost been searching a bit for his best attacking lineup. Last game May and Rogerson as a pairing, Brimmer starting as a 10. Other games Brimmer has been deeper.
Was it 3 CBs, with Sakai pushed back and Elliot as RWB?
Against Sydney the game prior, Howieson started up top alongside May, a back 4, with Francois starting and Brimmer on the pine. Then Tommy Smith coming on late and basically playing as a centre forward.
Seems Mata has fallen a bit out of favour.
AFC are still getting the results, but it's not that settled up front.
Interesting that of late Corica almost been searching a bit for his best attacking lineup. Last game May and Rogerson as a pairing, Brimmer starting as a 10. Other games Brimmer has been deeper.
Was it 3 CBs, with Sakai pushed back and Elliot as RWB?
Against Sydney the game prior, Howieson started up top alongside May, a back 4, with Francois starting and Brimmer on the pine. Then Tommy Smith coming on late and basically playing as a centre forward.
Seems Mata has fallen a bit out of favour.
AFC are still getting the results, but it's not that settled up front.
Lack of strike power must be driving Corica nuts. They need a Kosta or a Zawada to finish moves off.
None of the three teams you mentioned below won silverware in their first ever season.
Jessie Merino
Above is great example of 'the beautiful losers' syndrome. Do you think in their own national context the management and fans of, say, Real Madrid, Juve, PSG, think like that? I'd say Foley, Becker, McFlynn, Corica, etc. would give an arm to win the GF then go on and start a dynasty. And why not? Make the Aussie teams play catch-up in their own League. Love it.
Ticket sales must be solid for this weekend. Could be quite a party. I guess the plate trophy might even be presented? Well done AFC. The playoffs and final will be another matter IMO. Winning a playoff series us completely different to winning a league. They will face teams that have a huge amount of experiance in playoffs. The mental challenge will be huge for AFC.
Winning the premier’s plate is huge. The real thing. The playoffs are like playing for the cup final. Still great, but the league is where it’s at…austin111
Ticket sales must be solid for this weekend. Could be quite a party. I guess the plate trophy might even be presented? Well done AFC. The playoffs and final will be another matter IMO. Winning a playoff series us completely different to winning a league. They will face teams that have a huge amount of experiance in playoffs. The mental challenge will be huge for AFC.
This a curious idea about the humble pie. The Nix have done a great job of humbling themselves this season. I can’t recall anyone going all Kevin Keegan or anything.
Do we think at times you’ve been dickheads, as well as champions? Sure. The preseason behavior on the forum, Toomey giving it to Josh, the fun pitch invasion last season, as well as stopping the bus (which might or might not have been a thing) and the WSW game. But mostly that’s been a few people off the field who have an odd idea of fandom.
The rest of us have been complementary (and a little sick and jealous) particularly about the way the team has gone about it, especially seeing off Adelaide, the way the Kiwi boys have come home and performed and guys like Verstaete, May and Gallegos being epic.
And if we said we thought we could beat you before the derbies and that early on you were only winning by last minute handball goals, those were both fair calls at the time! Are we supposed to not support our team, on our own forum? Sheeet. Don’t see that as anything to eat humble pie over.
Kinda reminds me of my rellies who can’t celebrate any rugby win without saying soccer is crap.
Anyway, remember when we were chasing the ark of the covenant with Indiana Jones, and we were fighting the Nazis? I expect there’s a lot of people on the forum eating humble pie after their comments about that!
I think I said congratulations in anticipation after the last one. Don’t feel the need to double up. You’re guna get your fair share! Okay, just one more time-
Congratulations captain Sakai-san and team on a fantastic inaugural campaign and being thoroughly deserved A league Premiers!
Goddamit, what an anticlimax, now I have to go out in a thunderstorm for a friendly match and a trophy presentation, I have enough of that at end of season with my kids :D
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009 This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
I hate that they won it, but it was well deserved. AFC have played some good football this year and won when needed and fought back when behind. They took full advantage of the cards they we dealt and used their squad well. Will now be interesting to see how the handle the finals and then next season when Paulsen moves on.
Goddamit, what an anticlimax, now I have to go out in a thunderstorm for a friendly match and a trophy presentation, I have enough of that at end of season with my kids :D
Proper Auckland. Except for the winning the trophy. That’s a new thing.
This a curious idea about the humble pie. The Nix have done a great job of humbling themselves this season. I can’t recall anyone going all Kevin Keegan or anything.
Do we think at times you’ve been dickheads, as well as champions? Sure. The preseason behavior on the forum, Toomey giving it to Josh, the fun pitch invasion last season, as well as stopping the bus (which might or might not have been a thing) and the WSW game. But mostly that’s been a few people off the field who have an odd idea of fandom.
The rest of us have been complementary (and a little sick and jealous) particularly about the way the team has gone about it, especially seeing off Adelaide, the way the Kiwi boys have come home and performed and guys like Verstaete, May and Gallegos being epic.
And if we said we thought we could beat you before the derbies and that early on you were only winning by last minute handball goals, those were both fair calls at the time! Are we supposed to not support our team, on our own forum? Sheeet. Don’t see that as anything to eat humble pie over.
Kinda reminds me of my rellies who can’t celebrate any rugby win without saying soccer is crap.
Anyway, remember when we were chasing the ark of the covenant with Indiana Jones, and we were fighting the Nazis? I expect there’s a lot of people on the forum eating humble pie after their comments about that!
I think I said congratulations in anticipation after the last one. Don’t feel the need to double up. You’re guna get your fair share! Okay, just one more time-
Congratulations captain Sakai-san and team on a fantastic inaugural campaign and being thoroughly deserved A league Premiers!
You’ve misinterpreted my comments a bit, I was just referring to some of the interesting predictions when AFC were 12 odd points clear.
If they don't, it means in the long-run, and I mean the long-run, there's a chance (it will be/take a bloody miracle, require an absolutely fudgeing massive step-up from Chiefy or someone else, club management, and the owners) but there is still a chance we can outdo AFC by winning both the premiers plate and the title.
In the meantime though, we just have to hope they don't do it this season and that AFC's achievements of this season don't become a regular event, which unfortunately continues to look more and more unlikely.
This a curious idea about the humble pie. The Nix have done a great job of humbling themselves this season. I can’t recall anyone going all Kevin Keegan or anything.
Do we think at times you’ve been dickheads, as well as champions? Sure. The preseason behavior on the forum, Toomey giving it to Josh, the fun pitch invasion last season, as well as stopping the bus (which might or might not have been a thing) and the WSW game. But mostly that’s been a few people off the field who have an odd idea of fandom.
The rest of us have been complementary (and a little sick and jealous) particularly about the way the team has gone about it, especially seeing off Adelaide, the way the Kiwi boys have come home and performed and guys like Verstaete, May and Gallegos being epic.
And if we said we thought we could beat you before the derbies and that early on you were only winning by last minute handball goals, those were both fair calls at the time! Are we supposed to not support our team, on our own forum? Sheeet. Don’t see that as anything to eat humble pie over.
Kinda reminds me of my rellies who can’t celebrate any rugby win without saying soccer is crap.
Anyway, remember when we were chasing the ark of the covenant with Indiana Jones, and we were fighting the Nazis? I expect there’s a lot of people on the forum eating humble pie after their comments about that!
I think I said congratulations in anticipation after the last one. Don’t feel the need to double up. You’re guna get your fair share! Okay, just one more time-
Congratulations captain Sakai-san and team on a fantastic inaugural campaign and being thoroughly deserved A league Premiers!
You’ve misinterpreted my comments a bit, I was just referring to some of the interesting predictions when AFC were 12 odd points clear.
Fair enough. Some else said humble pie too and it seemed odd. I don’t think we’ve been an overly proud fan base currently!
Didn’t see them and they sound rather like desperate hope (ie Cairns can theoretically hit every ball for six so if he does that for the next five overs…) rather than a genuine belief.
You guys have been dominant since the start, and even more so since you brought Mata in and started scoring early doors as well. You’ve mowed down the league, without a stutter. Congrats, enjoy.
Must be a nice feeling, going along thinking about how the win’s guna arrive today…
I have never seen a footballer as joyful as Alex Paulsen tonight. After the presentation of the Plate, he was literally running around the park, picking up the fallen streamers and trailing them behind him. Then, he grabbed a megaphone from The Port and led them in chants. Sheer ecstacy.
About 65 minutes in the guy next to me said "lol, Marlee François really wants a goal", and then he curled in that absolute blinder corner. T-AFC fan favourite Liam Gillion did his best to get back into the starting lineup with a header which went *just* wide. And, as is said above, Oli Sail also had an excellent game - no-one could have stopped that corner and he had to take several dives. I was almost sorry to have to try to put him off.
And the rain held off. The semi-final will be tasty.
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009 This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
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