Auckland FC - Once the Knights, Always the Knights

martinb

Ryan Grant as inaugural captain and Bobo as first import, with Alex Brosque as attack coach. 

EDIT:But being fair Buffy, I don’t like Corica or McFlynn. To me these guys embody the Sydney-centric game that existed for so long. Actually last year with the GF debacle. None of them particularly backed the Nix when there were license threats or anything. I can’t think of their links to NZ football.  I’d rather have Hay or Horse or Alex Smith or Ross Aloisi or Des or anyone with a bit of a connection here…

But as far as pantomime villains, two from two so far!

The trouble is, with the A League requiring a coaching licence that has hitherto been unavailable for New Zealand coaches to obtain in New Zealand, the number of feasible coaches with a New Zealand connection is not high. OFC have started running an OFC Pro Licence course here, but I don't think anyone is yet to graduate from it. Assuming that Football Australia treats it as equivalent to an AFC Pro Licence, then maybe the next coach for Auckland or Wellington could be a local, but until then it's a waiting game.

A prior New Zealand connection isn't necessarily required; Ufuk Talay joined Wellington with similar NZ connections to Corica (ie he played a couple away games) and ended with a lot of people thinking he was hard-done not being given the national team gig. Des Buckingham came to New Zealand on a whim to be WaiBOP Football Coordinator (or similar) and left with similar, if not more, admiration than Talay.

Outside of Greenacre, who could feel hard-done by, there aren't many I can think of. Hay, Bazeley, Figueira etc national (age group) coaches all lack a Pro Licence. Ricki Herbert has one but he, of course, is out of the picture. Olli Harder is another, but he's only coached women's sides (West Ham and Norwegian champions Brann, whom he left in May). I don't know any ex-Phoenix Australians that could have been candidates; excluding Aloisi who is at Brisbane.

But if there are half-a-dozen Australians and five additional visas players signed up, making 'actual' local players a minority, then I'll be annoyed, but it's a clean slate for me at the moment. 

Champness is on a 1+1 deal. Not sure what the details are around the +1.

What a time for NZ sports fans. Nix top of table due to outstanding club management and now a rich bloke with professional sports clout and success building an Auckland team. Who would ever believe we would be given such choice and success just a couple of years ago?

“The next step is to start our player recruitment in the January transfer window.”

Feverish

“The next step is to start our player recruitment in the January transfer window.”

They will be talking to players in the last 6 months of their deals. I posted a link on Pg 18 with the off contract ALM players, if people want to speculate who might be looked at.

RR

Feverish

“The next step is to start our player recruitment in the January transfer window.”

They will be talking to players in the last 6 months of their deals. I posted a link on Pg 18 with the off contract ALM players, if people want to speculate who might be looked at.

All of SFC attacker Lolley, Mak and Gomez from SFC will be off contract. Lolley is class I reckon,  Caceras also off contact at SFC.....
With Corica though. The worry is, will the likes of JHS, De Vries, Elliot get a look in? Or Youth like Donkers, Colloty, Bidios. Or will he bring in a bunch of Aussie journeymen. 
The latter I expect..... Good luck East Sydney Aucks (Orcs).
But looking forward to beating ya.

Corica & McFlynn. Some already nickname Auckland as 'Sydney for Beginners'. So yes for now is some justifiable fear that that's what will happen. But Foley has mentioned the word community several times. Ditto Corica quoted it today, plus that the idea that there will be a pathway for Kiwi players through Auckland-Hibernian-FC Lorient-Bournemouth or wherever. There will be folks in the Foley Group well aware that they need to walk the talk by signing alot of NZers.

I guess that will be Greenacre's role to put forward Kiwi players he reckons are good enough for the ALM, that the ex SFC fellas know nothing about. Handy that the Nix are currently top of the table with a heavy NZ contingent, and very few Aussies compared to past seasons. 

But need to be realistic there are very few quality NZ players available to sign from Nth America and Europe. Even the USL group (marginal for the ALM anyway) appear to have mostly all re-signed stateside. So it's going to be Unattached FC guys like Rojas, Elliott, Pijnaker & Deklan Wynne. Then others who might get an early release like Champness, Woud, Sail, De Jong or maybe Tuiloma. Then your domestic NZ guys and any young lads Greeny can poach from the Nix. But overall the NZ talent pool ain't huge, so you have to expect some Aussies to be signed until an 09 Academy is up & running.

That's why I'm looking forward to beating them in 2024.

Spoke today to new @AKLFootball24 men's head coach Steve Corica ... hear the full interview on Saturday on @NewstalkZB.

Here he talks about the importance of recruiting New Zealand players for his squad... pic.twitter.com/NGEIVUK7F7

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) December 21, 2023

/mediaviewer

Dear Welnix, please lock up all NZ players we dont want Auckland to get....
ie anyone with less than 6 months ont heir current deal. Do not under circumstances sell Paulsen, Sutton, Surnman, either Kelly-Heald, Payne, Old, or Supyk to them regardless of the price they offer.
Unless they offer mega millions for Zwada or Kraev tell them to get fudgeed.

Knows he’s coming to NZ. That’s good!

Piney should have followed up
about who he was looking at. He seemed like he hadn’t slept or something and was determined to make Rudan and Uffie sound like the most articulate guys ever. Bit of a mishmash of his talking points there!

Might go look up some of his old Sydney post games to see if he comes across as genuine in any of those.

Here he is straight bat things after a derby. Not a huge amount of analysis, but he’s clearly in control of his situation here.

And here’s another. All fairly standard stuff. This time he’s relaxed after a win over the Roar 3 years ago.

You seem very obsessed with this manager that you don’t like who is in charge of a club that you also don’t like. Very odd behaviour.

Buffon II

You seem very obsessed with this manager that you don’t like who is in charge of a club that you also don’t like. Very odd behaviour.

It’s one of the most important positions in NZ football, which I do care about. Look at the evolution of Tim Payne, coach dependent. That affects the AWs. Same with Elliot. 
 
I’m annoyed that he’s got it because of the heavily Sydney FC old boys nature of unveilings so far and because I have never seen anything that’s made me like him. 

Now I’m trying to find anything to make me feel better about it. At the moment just less bad, but I still don’t like him. 

And I support the club in a general sense, but it’s Phoenix first.

RR

Players coming off contract at the end of the current A-League season can be spoken to by other clubs – such as Auckland – from January 1.

Off Contract ALM Players: https://www.transfermarkt.com/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/45935845

Most of the quality players are visas

It’d get the derby nice and firey if Auckland could somehow snare Davila!

If Danny has his ear, step on up Kelvin Kalua.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/133494385/auckland-aleague-men-coach-steve-corica-to-call-on-all-whites-connections

“I think it's very important to have a lot of New Zealand players,” Corica told Stuff on Thursday, after his appointment was confirmed. “It's important to get the people right behind them.

“There are a lot of good players you've seen in the A-League already. There are a lot of very talented New Zealand players.

“A lot of them have gone overseas – maybe there are some that might want to come back, to do something a little bit new for them, to start up a team and be involved in something special.

“I'm sure there are a lot of young, talented players wanting to get involved as well – in Auckland especially, but it won't just be Auckland, we will look all around New Zealand.

“I obviously know Darren Bazeley, the national team coach; I know Danny Hay – I've played with them before, I'm good friends with them.

“So they can be a good starting point as well, just to chat with them and see what they think and what I need to do.”

Corica has been busy during his brief period of unemployment, spending time with fellow Australian coaches Ange Postecoglou at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and Kevin Muscat at Yokohama F. Marinos.

dunnix

RR

Players coming off contract at the end of the current A-League season can be spoken to by other clubs – such as Auckland – from January 1.

Off Contract ALM Players: https://www.transfermarkt.com/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/45935845

Most of the quality players are visas

It’d get the derby nice and firey if Auckland could somehow snare Davila!

 id grab Lolley and Wales for the attack and put some young kiwi kids around them. 

I guess Greeny will be discussing some of these 33 players with Corica & McFlynn.

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/12/22/2023-mens-national-league-team-of-the-season

FIRST XI

So far..

Owner - American
DOF - Aussie
Coach - Aussie
Ast Coach - Pom

Hardly a kiwi team. It may get off the ground initially but will fall flat if there's no connection between supporters and club.

Can't tell me they couldn't have gone out and found suitable kiwis for some of the above roles. Based on the above it will be interesting to see if Aucklanders buy in to it all. 

Showtime Nixie

So far..

Owner - American
DOF - Aussie
Coach - Aussie
Ast Coach - Pom

Hardly a kiwi team. It may get off the ground initially but will fall flat if there's no connection between supporters and club.

Can't tell me they couldn't have gone out and found suitable kiwis for some of the above roles. Based on the above it will be interesting to see if Aucklanders buy in to it all. 

Nix Coach and Assistant Coach are both Australian. Nix have had one Kiwi manager in their entire history.

In their first season the nix had 9 ausis in their squad.

yeah that's my point, Phoenix haven't been properly supported since Ricki Herbert and his kiwis were playing. Some have hung around but interested has dropped off dramatically.  Worried it will happen again in Auckland. Are Aucklanders really going to turn out and watch aussies and poms? my mates tell me no. Not sure previous lessons are being learnt here. Have to engage the community just have to. Not hard to put in kiwi coaches and kiwi players. Not a good start.

Showtime Nixie

yeah that's my point, Phoenix haven't been properly supported since Ricki Herbert and his kiwis were playing. Some have hung around but interested has dropped off dramatically.  Worried it will happen again in Auckland. Are Aucklanders really going to turn out and watch aussies and poms? my mates tell me no. Not sure previous lessons are being learnt here. Have to engage the community just have to. Not hard to put in kiwi coaches and kiwi players. Not a good start.

You have mates plural? There are as many if not more Kiwis playing now, as under Herbert. And as Carlind posted above basically NO Kiwis can head coach in the ALM. Like basically no one

Greenacre has been in NZ close to 20 years. Knows NZ football scene as good as anyone. Foley ain’t stupid and knows all about winning over the local community with a new sporting franchise 

They’ll get the mix mostly right 

Also not sure what you mean by hasnt been properly supported since Herbert. Suggest you take a look at crowd numbers back thenwhen you take into account new team novelty one off promtions Galaxy game etc. Crowds certainly wernt anything spectacular. Interest does drop off when your not providing a winning team on regularly. Doubt there are many Kiwi coaches that would be a draw for overseas talent.

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Electric? you are kidding, Herbet played some of the dullest football ever. The fever might have been a lot younger and vocal back then, but actual crowd numbers were horrid.

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Reading your posts is like feeding my brain McDonalds or KFC. When did Foley (the Yank as you dismiss him as) ever say he doesn't care about what size the crowds will be. Why would a guy who's proposed to build a new 18,500 seater stadium even say that. It just reads as a made up lie by you.

You & your two old man mates can grumble about the whole venture (and the Nix) not being Kiwi enough. I doubt you will be missed. But I expect this new Auckland franchise is going to be a very well marketed enterprise, plus Foley & co are smart enough to know it needs to still be seen as very much a NZ club.

Question: if the A-L is now owner operated, why are NZ teams still subject to fairly stringent rules re coaching qualifications? Do coaches of the Aussie teams need to have the same qualifications? 
And will anything change re the status of Kiwi players? Will they still be considered imports across the ditch? 
I can see the day coming when the league may need to rationalise some of this stuff. 

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Im guessing your joking or must have been attending other games. Yes i did go every game in fact.
Only thing electric was that the YF was younger more vocal and had probably been in the Backbencher for ages.
Crowd numbers certainly wernt anything spectacular despite what you seem to want to claim apart from finals and special promotion.s.
Results and the constant threat of expulsion from the A League and the team being away from home for weeks at a time had more to do with crowd numbers than anything you are trying to claim.

ballane

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Im guessing your joking or must have been attending other games. Yes i did go every game in fact.
Only thing electric was that the YF was younger more vocal and had probably been in the Backbencher for ages.
Crowd numbers certainly wernt anything spectacular despite what you seem to want to claim apart from finals and special promotion.s.
Results and the constant threat of expulsion from the A League and the team being away from home for weeks at a time had more to do with crowd numbers than anything you are trying to claim.

The pregame at the BB back in those days was just about as much fun as the games.

scribbler

Question: if the A-L is now owner operated, why are NZ teams still subject to fairly stringent rules re coaching qualifications? Do coaches of the Aussie teams need to have the same qualifications? 
And will anything change re the status of Kiwi players? Will they still be considered imports across the ditch? 
I can see the day coming when the league may need to rationalise some of this stuff. 

Are good questions esp around the coaching badges. Still seems like Kiwis need higher quals than Aussies?? If so surely Rob on the APL board is asking why.
 

APL operates the a league, the FFA regulates it. Rules come from FFA.

Showtime Nixie

yeah that's my point, Phoenix haven't been properly supported since Ricki Herbert and his kiwis were playing. Some have hung around but interested has dropped off dramatically.  Worried it will happen again in Auckland. Are Aucklanders really going to turn out and watch aussies and poms? my mates tell me no. Not sure previous lessons are being learnt here. Have to engage the community just have to. Not hard to put in kiwi coaches and kiwi players. Not a good start.

Not sure it is rocket science but you can't continually piss off the grassroots footballing community and think this will have no impact on attendance. The Nix have done themselves no favors by compromising the integrity of the domestic competitions, including Cap 1, Cap Prem, CL and NL. Add to that their arrogance and hubris and it is no wonder that they have turned many people off. Not many local clubs have anything good to say about the Nix and this rubs off on their members. The clubs...think junior and senior members, partners and parents should be their bread and butter and if they had any sense they would go cap in hand to the Clubs, admit they have got things wrong in the past and start building some real bridges. 

The whole "needs NZers" for both backroom staff and players is getting extremely overplayed here.

If you want crowds, play competitive football and don't charge too much for beer. No one will cares if they're cheering for Australians.

theprof

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Electric? you are kidding, Herbet played some of the dullest football ever. The fever might have been a lot younger and vocal back then, but actual crowd numbers were horrid.

Are you telling me you weren't entertained by having Sigmund lump it forward while Rojas and Barbarouses sat on the bench???

20 Legend

theprof

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Electric? you are kidding, Herbet played some of the dullest football ever. The fever might have been a lot younger and vocal back then, but actual crowd numbers were horrid.

Are you telling me you weren't entertained by having Sigmund lump it forward while Rojas and Barbarouses sat on the bench???

sure, I lovd it but I didnt know any different. The nix today are so so so much better.

coochiee

Showtime Nixie

yes coochiee one more than you...if you wanna play that game.

Just saying not sure the Auckland community are jumping out of their seats for this venture. They will need to sign some of their own for it to work. But as the yank has already said hes not worried about crowds....so there ya go

Ballane - Did you go to the stadium when Herbert and co were playing? place was electric. They then went away and became a standard aussie franchise...killed the club off. Gone for a more kiwi roster now but damage is done, the other week the stadium was flat as the water next to it. Some community hanging in their based on local talent. But overall its pretty pathetic atm.

Reading your posts is like feeding my brain McDonalds or KFC. When did Foley (the Yank as you dismiss him as) ever say he doesn't care about what size the crowds will be. Why would a guy who's proposed to build a new 18,500 seater stadium even say that. It just reads as a made up lie by you.

You & your two old man mates can grumble about the whole venture (and the Nix) not being Kiwi enough. I doubt you will be missed. But I expect this new Auckland franchise is going to be a very well marketed enterprise, plus Foley & co are smart enough to know it needs to still be seen as very much a NZ club.

Getting a bit nasty and personal just before xmas coochiee. behave it doesnt suit you. But i'll let you off it can be a stressful time of year for some.

in an interview when first announced a reporter asked him if he was concerned in regards to failed auckland ventures in the past and crowd numbers were raised. 

Foley may well try make it as kiwi as possible but i'm just saying it hasn't exactly started that way. And if results don't go well early it will be interesting to see how many supporters stay around.

Try enjoy your festive period and get me out of your head. 

Easy. Just read something more high brow, and with less fiction. 
Sunday Sport online did the trick.
May Santa fill your sack.

sorry forgot if coochiee doesnt hear something or see something it can't be true. 

also shouldn't you get personal over an opinion that's weak.

I'll go easy on you because you do a good job on player overseas section. Get out of the library and enjoy xmas.

Time will tell re this Auckland venture. the above comments may age well either way.

sorry forgot if coochiee doesnt hear something or see something it can't be true. 

also shouldn't you get personal over an opinion that's weak.

I'll go easy on you because you do a good job on player overseas section. Get out of the library and enjoy xmas.

Time will tell re this Auckland venture. the above comments may age well either way.

Can’t beat a bit of internet beef between two strangers who know fudge all about each other.