They have the MOU agreement with most of the Northern Regions clubs though. They can monitor most of the best say age 13-17 year old talent through those agreements. Regular talent ID camps in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga through the year.
Keeps the local clubs happy as they hold their best players for longer. More of a sense of pride for Tauranga City when Jonty Bidois is playing for them, and then a year later is in the ALM. That's dampened if a kid like him heads to Auckland as a 13 yr old, and pops up in the ALM 5 years later. Auckland seem to at pains to developing good relationships with the local clubs (Auckland City excepted??)
Also easier for Auckland FC compared to the Nix, as the Northern League is the strongest in the country, and every club is within about a 2.5 hour drive. They will likely appoint some sort of development/coaching officer(s) to cover the Wai-BOP areas. Making sure it's quality coaching at all the NR clubs. Corica and co dropping in during the off season for some photo ops.
Trickier for the Nix being in a smaller city, Central League not as strong, and their likely scouting pool of talent basically covering Taupo all the way south to Bluff. So makes more sense for them to bring in non Welly based talented 13 yr olds into their centralised Academy, at an earlier age.
And note if the APL gets their way in a few seasons AFC will need six U20 players in their senior squad. So yes they will need to develop local youngsters.
Keeps the local clubs happy as they hold their best players for longer. More of a sense of pride for Tauranga City when Jonty Bidois is playing for them, and then a year later is in the ALM. That's dampened if a kid like him heads to Auckland as a 13 yr old, and pops up in the ALM 5 years later. Auckland seem to at pains to developing good relationships with the local clubs (Auckland City excepted??)
Also easier for Auckland FC compared to the Nix, as the Northern League is the strongest in the country, and every club is within about a 2.5 hour drive. They will likely appoint some sort of development/coaching officer(s) to cover the Wai-BOP areas. Making sure it's quality coaching at all the NR clubs. Corica and co dropping in during the off season for some photo ops.
Trickier for the Nix being in a smaller city, Central League not as strong, and their likely scouting pool of talent basically covering Taupo all the way south to Bluff. So makes more sense for them to bring in non Welly based talented 13 yr olds into their centralised Academy, at an earlier age.
And note if the APL gets their way in a few seasons AFC will need six U20 players in their senior squad. So yes they will need to develop local youngsters.