Besides how many of the Auckalnd sporting community are gonna know who any of these players actually are. Maybe the footballing people care, but if they are anyhthing lkike the Wellington community they are only really focussed or intested in their EPL team. The rest of the sporting fans are Rugby, league or basketball fans.
It's official! I'm skeptical and excited about the new Auckland team.
It's another reason to watch more A-League, I'll be adopting them as my second team after the Nix.
Be interesting what colour scheme/logo they come up with. What Minnesota United have done could work for Auckland. Mainly whites, greys, with some sky blue thrown in there. I'd like to see an ultra modern logo and colour scheme personally
It's official! I'm skeptical and excited about the new Auckland team.
It's another reason to watch more A-League, I'll be adopting them as my second team after the Nix.
Be interesting what colour scheme/logo they come up with. What Minnesota United have done could work for Auckland. Mainly whites, greys, with some sky blue thrown in there. I'd like to see an ultra modern logo and colour scheme personally
Las Vegas ended up with black and gold. I wouldnt be surprised if Foley wanted a similar colour scheme, with maybe a blue thrown in there.
All this chat of high-profile marquee players to build the fan base, but how many people actually fit that bill? Wood is still too good to play at this level, how many other New Zealanders would be well known enough to bring in casual fans? There's a very narrow window where NZers are good enough to be well known, but no so good that they don't still want to be playing in Europe. Rojas maybe, but other All Whites wouldn't do it I don't think (Tuiloma, Pjinaker etc). Wonder how long Winston Reid has to go on his West Ham payout UAE tax haven holiday.
And I'm doubtful that there are many ex-EPL/European players with a high enough profile to draw a crowd. Steven Taylor was a solid pro but he definitely wasn't bringing in crowds of people who were only there to see him. Very few people in the A-league have ever done that (APD, Fowler, maybe Heskey) and a few who have tried to do that have been major flops (Sturridge etc.). There just doesn't seem to be much merit in trying to bring in players for marketing purposes, as the combo of marketable but still quality is very rare.
i assume that Foley would be going more for the APD style marquee rather than the Taylor style.
All this chat of high-profile marquee players to build the fan base, but how many people actually fit that bill? Wood is still too good to play at this level, how many other New Zealanders would be well known enough to bring in casual fans? There's a very narrow window where NZers are good enough to be well known, but no so good that they don't still want to be playing in Europe. Rojas maybe, but other All Whites wouldn't do it I don't think (Tuiloma, Pjinaker etc). Wonder how long Winston Reid has to go on his West Ham payout UAE tax haven holiday.
And I'm doubtful that there are many ex-EPL/European players with a high enough profile to draw a crowd. Steven Taylor was a solid pro but he definitely wasn't bringing in crowds of people who were only there to see him. Very few people in the A-league have ever done that (APD, Fowler, maybe Heskey) and a few who have tried to do that have been major flops (Sturridge etc.). There just doesn't seem to be much merit in trying to bring in players for marketing purposes, as the combo of marketable but still quality is very rare.
Yeah lot of truth here. But you can't deny Hooper & Taylor plus Talay's greatest visa signing, latino Davila, didn't give the Nix more drawing power than the current Nix visa players. There will be another Gary Hopper out there, willing to come to Auckland for the right money. Obviously uncovering a signing 'bums on seats' gem like Davila requires a fair amount of luck.
I'm gonna guess that Auckland will be mid table at best Season 1, as they get some signings right and others wrong. But with Foley's dosh, and the coaching staff refining their recruiting, plus strategies around the salary cap etc I can see them in following seasons quickly being a title contender aka Melb City.
Foley's American staff (and he's already said a few staff with be Americans) will likely have been involved with the Vegas Golden Knights, and all the experience of quickly building a successful franchise from scratch. They can also analyse all the new MLS clubs that have come in over say the last 10 years (in a similar salary capped type league), and work out how some have quickly won MLS titles (Atlanta, LAFC) and others (Montreal, Orlando) have struggled. What's the mix and commonalities to be quickly successful. Even Western United from an A League angle, winning toilet seat in their 3rd season.
It will be one of (if not the most) well funded, resourced start up clubs in ALM history. Foley did his little speech yesterday showing off that large Stanley Cup ring. He's a guy that will expect & demand success pretty quickly. High expectations will be laid out. Hopefully he doesn't do a Gareth Morgan, and keeps away from the training pitch.
Edit - imagine if the Nix did win the league (or even make the Grand Final) this season. With their low budget, Academy focus. That would really nicely set up a rivalry with the new billionaire owned bling brash Auckland team.
Cant get my head around people thinking Greenacre is the guy to be 1st coach. Like the guy but come on he has done buggar all coaching wise and hasnt really had that much experience apart from with us. Is he really the guy your going to put in charge to attract players to a new team just dont see it myself. Also cant get over how many people are saying they will be their second team. Never going to happen for me will be cheering on their relegation.
If he gets the role he's going in more experienced as a head coach at ALM level, than any of Rudan, Talay & Italiano were when first appointed head Nix gaffers.
He's only got the required coaching quals in the last 12 months? Still he was overlooked to replace Talay. But maybe Uffy just gelled better with Giancarlo.
Greenarce knows the ALM very well, and also the NZ domestic scene. Given NZ's small pool of pro players plus with the new club not having an Academy, they will recruit a few from the NZ NL. Likely some from Weenix. He's also familar obviously with the UK scene, if the new club plan to sign some visa guys from there. He'd be a low risk, if not exactly inspiring choice as coach. But as usual we have no idea how he'd go. Did anyone pick Chiefy to be unbeaten after 4 games?
Cant get my head around people thinking Greenacre is the guy to be 1st coach. Like the guy but come on he has done buggar all coaching wise and hasnt really had that much experience apart from with us. Is he really the guy your going to put in charge to attract players to a new team just dont see it myself. Also cant get over how many people are saying they will be their second team. Never going to happen for me will be cheering on their relegation.
Greenacre has taken the Nix reserves from being consistent under-performers to 3rd or 4th in 2022 and 2nd this year. Everyone is hailing Paul Temple's coaching credentials but best he could manage was bottom third of the table when he was Reserves coach. Ask anyone who has played under Greenacre, they will run through walls for the guy and he is technically very good! Tough as nails if needed but an absolute straight shooter. Inherited other managers teams when he has coached the Nix first team so not fair to judge him on that. If he does go (which I reckon is highly likely) will be a huge gain for AKL and massive loss to the Nix.
Yep does look good but come on not really the guy you would expect to be the one to get a new club up and running. No matter what you say very inexperienced and have doubts hin being in charge would entice Marque players.
Yep does look good but come on not really the guy you would expect to be the one to get a new club up and running. No matter what you say very inexperienced and have doubts hin being in charge would entice Marque players.
Think Foley said that the coach would be from NZ. Sure, he may be inexperienced if comparing him to international or even some Aus coaches but interested in who from NZ better fits the bill?
Yep does look good but come on not really the guy you would expect to be the one to get a new club up and running. No matter what you say very inexperienced and have doubts hin being in charge would entice Marque players.
So you're suggesting signing a high profile coach, who might attract some ex EPL guys because they know of him? I can't think of any Kiwi who fits that bill apart from Nelsen - and he's made it clear after Toronto 10 years ago, he has zero ambition to coach again. Winnie Reid may coach one day, but you don't just throw him into an ALM head role from nothing. Plus seems Kiwi coaches still need higher quals than Aussies for the ALM.
Then if you are talking high profile Aussie coaches that fit that script, it's say Ange, Muscat, Arnie or Montgomey - and none of them are returning to the ALM, least of all for a NZ team.
Starting up a club from scratch is a huge undertaking. A mountain of work to do for the staff coming in. So much to learn. A great help to bring in someone with valuable intel on the A League and NZ domestic scene immediately, by appointing Greenacre. Less hand holding of a foreign coach, who knows zero about Australian or NZ football. Less risk of a Kalezic situation.
Like Ricki was the right local fit for when the Phoenix kicked off, can see Greenarce being the same for the City of Cars.
You lure some high quality visas with your wallet, and how beautiful Auckland & NZ as a whole is. Plenty of great jet skiing around Auckland's harbours. Brits always seem to adapt to NZ better than other visas. But then the 09 just through it's much larger size than the 04, has bigger immigrant communities that might see an Asian or Latino player adapt to NZ a bit better than Welly.
Greenacre is respected in the UK also , yeh? With his mate and former co-manager just getting a gig at Oxford there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t be getting attention from the UK leagues if he does alright.
Plus if the Foley and Bournemouth connection doesn’t entice marquee players, it’s unlikely Rudan or Uffie or Mourinho would be the make or break. Perhaps we didn’t want to understand yet- but Foley’s goal is to be a better City group. That’ll be his A league challenge, rather than what the Nix have been aiming for. Group’s need team players and loyal servants. The owner is the maverick, the coach doesn’t need to be.
They're probably listening to the Phoenix when they said that foreign coaches are risky in the A-League and nothing trumps local knowledge, they also probably look at the Mariners and what they did with a domestic coach vs where they are now with a foreign coach.
I genuinely think some people are underestimating the potential crowds and interest from the Auckland community here. The wider city population has risen to almost 2m. Now we have hundreds of thousands more migrants than in the Kingz/Knights days. Aucklands demographics are so different to the rest of NZ and the population growth is rapid. Many migrants are from footballing hotbeds. It doesn’t translate to crowds but there are 100,000s of people with an interest in football. That’s a much larger starting point than many foundation clubs.
The everyday Aucklander now has a much greater awareness of football than 20 years ago. Social media and migration has really changed perspective around the game here. The Womens World Cup has aided this recently also. When I go back to the South Island for holidays I’m noticing how much more interest there is in football in Auckland. Rugby is not the no.1 sport here no more.
Don’t get me wrong, the team, playing style, brand, marquees and engagement all has to be on point to capitalise on this but the ingredients are 100% there. For me if they nail it they should be looking at 15k+ every week as a minimum (assuming decent results, etc.). The key is tapping into the casual fans and making that connection.
The new CEO has marketing experience in the EPL (Man City) & ALM (Melb City). Hopefully he has some smart strategies to capture that casual element of the populace. An advantage over those other gigs, is he will be at the other pro football club in town, in a region starved of pro football for 17 years. And yeah Auckland's demographics have changed significantly since 2007. The challenge is to make the most of that.
Be interesting to hear what Foley's American appointments bring to the mix as well. Could be some quite different ideas from a country, that does a pretty good job of marketing it's big pro sports. Again they will be watching the crowd size, and match day experience this weekend at Mt Smart with some interest.
I think something interesting to keep an eye on will be Asian Champions League or Oceania Champions League and hence Club World Cup eligibility. If there is money going into this venture, at some point they might want to see the possibility of this team (and hence the Nix) having games outside of the Australia/NZ silo. I don't think it will be something mentioned straight away but I reckon 2 or 3 years in overtures will be made.
Umm.....bit too cute going all Italian (Blue Terrace)? Doesn't quite roll off the tongue easily like YF.
Unleash Your Passion for Football in Auckland!
Join Terrazza d'Azzurro, the Official Supporter Group of the New A-Leagues Club.
As the official supporter group of the new A-Leagues club, we bring together passionate individuals who want to be a part of something special. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just discovering your love for football, join us and experience an incredible journey filled with excitement, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments. We won't need Robbie Slater to tell us that we've got our support for the club over the line.
Be there as we cheer on our team and create memories that will last a lifetime. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be a part of the ultimate football fan experience in Auckland!
Like this fan song though "Star Spangled Banner"
(to the tune of Star Spangled Banner)
Oh say can you see,
By the Sky tower's light,
What so proudly we hailed
At enzed Knightz last gleaming?
Danny's already a fan
“It takes a lot of bravery to support a club from day one, and Terrazza d'Azzurro have it in spades“
Terrible name for a fan group. By being in Italian it's trying too hard to be euro rather than embracing a local identity. Also why aret All of the chants using American patriotic songs? Absolutely bizarre.
Terrible name for a fan group. By being in Italian it's trying too hard to be euro rather than embracing a local identity. Also why aret All of the chants using American patriotic songs? Absolutely bizarre.
I would strongly suggest that any club executive would first check with the McIlroy brothers about a fan group. If they aren't interested in resurrecting the Bloc, then engage with others re: a supporters group of another name. None of the rest of Bloc 5 would even think of using the name without them.
And if i were someone who was keen on establishing a supporters group, which im not!, I'd also wait for them.
I would strongly suggest that any club executive would first check with the McIlroy brothers about a fan group. If they aren't interested in resurrecting the Bloc, then engage with others re: a supporters group of another name. None of the rest of Bloc 5 would even think of using the name without them.
And if i were someone who was keen on establishing a supporters group, which im not!, I'd also wait for them.
Bloc 5 was set up 17-18 years ago? Would those same founders have the energy or time to run a new supporters group? I certainly don't have the same energy I had back in the early 2000s!
Looks like a Stefan Bebić has started a new Auckland FC fans group. Well a FB Group anyway. Hints that a name for the group (aka Yellow Fever) is coming.
You've got to give it to Foley and his organisation, they're coming in hot with this one.
If he can pull off the stadium in that timeframe (at a guess it will be multi-use, but if privately funded they might just make it purely for football...) then that is a massive feather in the cap for the organisation, and a boon for football in this country.
Hinting at the group name coming is just stalling cos they don't have anything (:coochiee
Rusty Dunks
I would strongly suggest that any club executive would first check with the McIlroy brothers about a fan group. If they aren't interested in resurrecting the Bloc, then engage with others re: a supporters group of another name. None of the rest of Bloc 5 would even think of using the name without them.
And if i were someone who was keen on establishing a supporters group, which im not!, I'd also wait for them.
Bloc 5 was set up 17-18 years ago? Would those same founders have the energy or time to run a new supporters group? I certainly don't have the same energy I had back in the early 2000s!
Looks like a Stefan Bebić has started a new Auckland FC fans group. Well a FB Group anyway. Hints that a name for the group (aka Yellow Fever) is coming.
Did he say anything about what had been done to ‘deeply imbed’? Oh - in the letter he mentions wine on Jervois road?
We know the CEO has come from Melbourne. Apparently a Kiwi, but we don’t know what connections he has here?
His mention of stadiums means he’s had a lot of behind the scenes chat with officials and others you’d think/hope!
There’s been no other local names mentioned as involved yet, apart from Chris Greenacre?
But yeh like others Bournemouth fans were sceptical, but he’s earned their respect.
If you want to be Melbourne or Sydney you have to expect rival fan groups! Looking forward to Terrace d’Arrruzo making an impact. Because when a big pizza hits your eye like a moon that’s Amore! Uckland!
On face value CEO Becker seems a top appointment. Kiwi. Experience in the EPL & ALM. Marketing background. Experience in a Multi club ownership model (City Group). That ticks alot of boxes.
Then sure beneath him you appoint a host of local Auckland employees who know a shark load about the Northern Region football scene. Throw in some of Foley's American inter circle who have experience with the Vegas Golden Knights, a new franchise set up 7 years ago, and who will bring a different American sports lens to whole operation (fresh ideas) - and you could have a successful organisation.
Foley's been in NZ since 2008 (15 years), so he'll be aware we do things differently. I have a feeling they will do the community engement stuff pretty well, though they won't please all the disparate threads of Auckland football. There's bound to be a story at some point about someone feeling they have been offended or neglected. But again Foley has the cash to spurge on full time football development coaches out into the community, subsidised transport, free buses from local clubs, signage all over town etc etc. He's going to be operating on a whole different budget to the Welnix owners, and Auckland will quickly make the Nix the little brother battler re resourcing.
And that will help quickly make the rivalry a real thing, with genuine feeling. Then when the Aucks raid Weenix it cranks up further.
I remember reading stories about NZ soldiers fighting in Vietnam or later Afghanistan, and just being completey blown away (and jealous) by all the luxuries and hi tech gear the American soldiers had in comparison. Weird analogy, but it's gonna be that sort of wide financial/resourcing disparity.
Interesting yarn on Foley's Golden Knights and their first season. Bit of a 'Moneyball Anaheim Angels' story (with Foley's cash!) - most of their team being castoffs from other NHL clubs.
What helped embed them in the local community was actually the tragedy of the 2017 Las Vegas music festival mass shooting that left 58 people dead. That was only 5 days before their first ever game, and many of the players got out in the community to offer support. Also greatly helped that they were quickly winning more than losing (made playoffs that first season), and they were Vegas's first team in any of the 'big 4' US pro sports.
Have the American based guys all got their valuable green cards, now tucked away for a possible post football life stateside?
But that's the base of a very solid ALM squad there, that you then add your quality visas to. May not need any Aussies at all. Especially if the coach is more familar with the NZ scene, rather than the NPL leagues across the Tasman.
Plus then youngsters from the NZ domestic leagues (incl yes Weenix) and offshore like Jesse Randall, Ronan Wynne or Willem Ebbinge. Some of Adam Supyk, Noah Karunaratne & Louis Toomey. Tuiloma might ask for an early release from Charlotte, given he barely featured for them 2nd half of this MLS season.
Others like Tzanev (basically a Brit), Thomas (basically Dutch with shot knees), Greive, Champness & Kirwan (seems happy in Italy) would be good to great pickups. But can see them all wanting to stay in Europe for now.
Reid though yes could be a left field option, if he is fit & motivated. Marquee wage. Captaincy. Big start up challenge in the city of his birth. A league that only plays once a week. Mysteriously he's never officially tired. Longshot for 2026 WC. It clearly hurt him, the AWs not qualifying for Qatar. Done enough UK tax minimalisation time in Dubai, re that huge Hammers payout?
Free agent kiwis: - Marco Rojas - possible - assuming he cant find a gig elswhere - Callan Elliot - makes the most logical sense - Stefan Marinovic - would make a good #1 and a strong #2 - Winston Reid - as capt for season 1 sure
Off contract in 2023: - Kyle Adams ? - Elliot Collier ? - Nikko Boxall - maybe - Logan Rogerson - meh - Moses Dyer - ? - Myer Bevan -? - Michael Boxall - ? - James Musa - loving the states right now - Sam Brotherton - sure - Nando Pijnaker - unlkikely
Off contract in 2024: - Ryan Thomas - if he hasnt retired due to injury - Kosta Barbarouses - will be too old and not good enough by then - Deklan Wynne - Alex Greive - too happy in Scotland - Storm Roux - he's an ausie now isnt he? - Joey Champness - sure if his music career isnt taaking off - Niko Kirwan - could be a good shout if he isnt getting a lot of footy - Nik Tzanev - leave the dons for an aleague contract? - Zac Zoricich ? - Zac Jones ? - Dalton Wilkins - Lachlan Bayliss - Otto Ingham - Oscar Obel-Hall
Auckland fans, will they too be known as The Black Knights?? If so, I thoroughly recommend that they adopt deep Purple's "Black Night" as their theme tune. Would sound great on the terraces - great and well known riff.
FYI - this is the Golden Knights entrance song for home games. I expect the new Aucks team to have a touch of American razzmatazz. No bad thing for entertainment value, and the casuals in my opinion.
