It irritates my Waikato connections a bit that Auckland FC are acting like Hamilton et al is part of their dominion. But perhaps they are? Especially if the Nix don’t sign from outside their academy.
And come on Coochie, you’re going to look at the marquee and import players, next to the staff and have to admit the club isn’t short of coin.
A signing like Sakai isn’t one the Nix would’ve made recently, especially as the Nix talked about not being able to afford Kosta, Kraev and Zawada after last season…Sakai is a clear Bling signing- older player with a bit of name recognition and pedigree, and a high wage bill.
And come on Coochie, you’re going to look at the marquee and import players, next to the staff and have to admit the club isn’t short of coin.
A signing like Sakai isn’t one the Nix would’ve made recently, especially as the Nix talked about not being able to afford Kosta, Kraev and Zawada after last season…Sakai is a clear Bling signing- older player with a bit of name recognition and pedigree, and a high wage bill.
They're working the golden triangle - Auckland x Hamilton x Tauranga. A reasonable way to go about things while they're setting up and getting established, especially as a full fledged academy will be some way off. Players in that top bit of the North Island are clearly the catchment area they will want to have a strong presence over.
As an example, I've heard there is some chatter re: Luke Brooke-Smith around what an Auckland move might look like for him with a possible move north of the Bombay's and then into the reserves for AFC for next season in the Northern League. There's a couple of others in that age range (15-17) that are being monitored as well, but for the most part they are already in Auckland.
Looking at the AFC Supporters FB group, there are already football fans in the Tron & Tauranga/Mount planning to organise transport up to Penrose. And no doubt they will be a bit more engaged if they know one of their own like a Jonty Bidois or Brooke-Smith is in the wider Auckland squad.
For sure AFC have some cash, and their imports if the Sakai rumours are true are likely to have a profile, plus I expect when season start nears they will go big on the marketing razzamatazz. But to me Bling means behaving like a peacock, and so far they have been smart and been the complete opposite.
Showing up at Northern League games regularly, dropping into various club trainings midweek. Lots of grass roots stuff. More sausage sizzle than prawn sandwich to date. When is the last time a Nix staffer attended a non Weenix Central League game. There are people in the Wellington club scene who feel the Nix don't engage with them at all.
But yes is apples verus oranges, with Nix now solely recruiting Kiwis from their Academy, and the new boys actively filling their roster (especially incoming Reserve team) from the NZ domestic scene. Early days but so far, you can't fault their community engagement stuff, after Foley promised they would do it well.
A better barometer I guess will be how they are perceived in 12 months, when they have a AFC II team in the Northern League. A stacked team who may dominate that comp, leading to a few local football folk not so pleased. They seem to be selecting 18-19 yr olds for their Reserve team, guys already with 1-2 seasons experienced in the Northern League. Should make them a stronger reserve team than say Weenix are mostly what 16-17 yr olds??