Auckland Pride - Make Auckland Great Again

Love Sakai already. His big smile that never left his face won me over.

While a completely different person to s. Taylor, I loved how they both look/ed so happy to be playing football.

Happy with the Aussie, kiwi, and Japanese contingent on the park today. 

Not sold on the other imports yet though 

I'm going to get very little sleep now with two kiwi teams playing every weekend. Every game had better be as good as this. C'mon you Nix!

What is it with  Auckland crowds? The Port did a decent enough job for their first match. But the rest of the stadium….. couldn’t even drum up the milo chant. Clap clap….clap clap clap….etc. Someone needs to remind them they are not watching TV at home. It’s a football match ffs!
Once the front three get into sync with each other they will cause other sides really big problems. Individually they have lots of flair. May in particular looks to have a very good level of vision as well as excellent technique. Some of his short passing was top notch. Especially the one touch pass to Sakai that lead to the goal.
Great to see Sakai’s passion after the og . He’s not here for a retirement project.

Oh, almost forgot. We started with "You can stick your Trump donations up your arse", but after taking in what was around the stadium, that became "You can stick your Black Knights branding up your arse". They're really trying to force that meme.

Doloras

Oh, almost forgot. We started with "You can stick your Trump donations up your arse", but after taking in what was around the stadium, that became "You can stick your Black Knights branding up your arse". They're really trying to force that meme.

Out of curiosity how many T-AFC ppl were there? 

Doloras

The tifo said "Back For Good".

That was fun. AFC never looked in trouble. Alex P might as well have taken a book to read.

Maybe the stadium sounded like a library on TV, but from the little T-AFC corner, The Port were pretty loud with drums and trumpets. One weird note: there was someone flying a Palestine flag in The Port section. After all the pearl-clutching about what kind of communist shenanigans T-AFC might be getting up to, it seems we needn't have worried! (Quite a few other national flags too, and some blue smoke, so WTF happened to A-League rules, I dunno).

Anyway, T-AFC have decided that Liam Gillion is our special little pet and deserves his own chant. We'll see the numbers next week.

The A-League experimented with safe smoke a few seasons back with fan groups. I would assume it was some of that. Didn't look nearly as dangerous as flares.

We definitely used safe smoke back in 17/18. BRING IT BACK!!!

I just think yellow is a better colour! Even with Coldplay bandwagonning on it. 

Was worried I’d get drawn in by an Auckland team, but not this version of it. If they get to the Springs stadium with Gillion/Mata/Rogerson as a front three in two years…well they might definitely be my second team. 

Great to hear good reviews of the Port. Go Media is quite open? Don’t get the reverb you get at the ROF? 

Kiwi football fire up! (Oh and replace Corica. Though Rogerson seems to like him. Okay keep him then. Wateva.)

A bit of unfortunate blackface at the Auckland game? 😐

IMG_1036.jpeg 2.66 MB

I watched from about 30 mins. Thought it was energetic and enthusiastic but a heck of a lot of mid-field turnovers from both sides. AFC looked better with Brisbane chasing the game and AFC countering with a bit more space, with Brisbane commiting forward to get back into the game.

A great sized crowd, the stadium and pitch look good. A bunch of kiwis getting pro time in NZ and the big part of the country getting a team to support.

All good, so long as we beat them. 

Buffon II

Ninja

Marto

martinb

Thought Gillion was busy, but still has a ways to go with decision making and composure. 

The force is strong in this one!

I thought Liam was great today. A diamond in the rough. Has parts of his game to work on, especially vision in the final third, but he was my MoM.

 Criminal that he's only on a scholarship deal.

Not really. If he continues to prove himself he will get a better deal.

Well he looked the best player on the park for me. So in that sense, it's criminal.

nixiefan

A bit of unfortunate blackface at the Auckland game? 😐

IMG_1036.jpeg 2.66 MB

i really hope the other half of his is blue...

It wasn’t 😳😳😳

claytonn

nixiefan

A bit of unfortunate blackface at the Auckland game? 😐

IMG_1036.jpeg 2.66 MB

i really hope the other half of his is blue...

 

nixiefan

It wasn’t 😳😳😳

claytonn

nixiefan

A bit of unfortunate blackface at the Auckland game? 😐

IMG_1036.jpeg 2.66 MB

i really hope the other half of his is blue...

 

 

Yes it was. I was there and saw him and his friend at lilyworld before the game.

Why the fudge would you lie about that on an internet forum for?

martinb

I just think yellow is a better colour! Even with Coldplay bandwagonning on it. 

Was worried I’d get drawn in by an Auckland team, but not this version of it. If they get to the Springs stadium with Gillion/Mata/Rogerson as a front three in two years…well they might definitely be my second team. 

Great to hear good reviews of the Port. Go Media is quite open? Don’t get the reverb you get at the ROF? 

Kiwi football fire up! (Oh and replace Corica. Though Rogerson seems to like him. Okay keep him then. Wateva.)

Yeah the ROF is a fully conclosed stadium, so the acoustics will be different to Mt Smart with it's ends open. But if Mrs M, was there and says that crowd apart from The Port were pretty apathetic, well he was there.

It might be that in a weird way that crowds around 10,000-12,000 (their core support) are actully a better atmosphere on the day, as you get the true fans like The Port. 

My MoTM was FDV. I thought May looked classy, but yeah he ain't the tallest so then you have Plan B - Mata on the bench. Gillion was heavily involved, but needs to work on his final 3rd composure and vision. From some of their social media stuff he also looks like a good fun humourous character, so I can see him quickly becoming a fan favourite.

Maybe I’ll warm up to May and Gillion once they get their combinations going. I just thought that Auckland dominated but looked toothless, when they should have done better with all that ball.

Brimmer took a couple of awful shots with plenty of options in front of him. May and Gillion looked industrious, but couldn’t combine to create good chances or get on the end of the delivery from wide.

Guess that’ll come. It’s easier for the Nix last year with a core team from the reserves who’ve played together with some cherries on top.

Some observations from the stadium:

- Port were excellent. It was actually really windy, think they’ll come across louder on different days. 
- The haka intro was weirdly timed. But the people in this thread trying their hardest to be offended is nonsensical.
- Everyone one around me seemed to really enjoy themselves. Half time was class with Che Fu (lol) and the aeroplanes.
- In fairness to Luxon, I could see him in the box with Foley. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself, standing up to video the port, etc.

The backroom staff at AFC are onto it. 

Doloras

The tifo said "Back For Good".

That was fun. AFC never looked in trouble. Alex P might as well have taken a book to read.

Maybe the stadium sounded like a library on TV, but from the little T-AFC corner, The Port were pretty loud with drums and trumpets. One weird note: there was someone flying a Palestine flag in The Port section. After all the pearl-clutching about what kind of communist shenanigans T-AFC might be getting up to, it seems we needn't have worried! (Quite a few other national flags too, and some blue smoke, so WTF happened to A-League rules, I dunno).

Anyway, T-AFC have decided that Liam Gillion is our special little pet and deserves his own chant. We'll see the numbers next week.

Back for (a) good (time, not a long time)

20 Legend

Some observations from the stadium:

- Port were excellent. It was actually really windy, think they’ll come across louder on different days. 
- The haka intro was weirdly timed. But the people in this thread trying their hardest to be offended is nonsensical.
- Everyone one around me seemed to really enjoy themselves. Half time was class with Che Fu (lol) and the aeroplanes.
- In fairness to Luxon, I could see him in the box with Foley. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself, standing up to video the port, etc.

The backroom staff at AFC are onto it. 

Good to see a full ground and sounds like a good day from what I’ve seen online etc. but, I don’t think there is an ever “in fairness to luxton”. He can GTF. Leave our sport alone.

nixiefan

A bit of unfortunate blackface at the Auckland game? 😐

IMG_1036.jpeg 2.66 MB

Their teams colors are black and blue & they are out there supporting their team.
 
If they were doing something like pretending to be Dan Hall, then it wouldn't be appropriate. 

Like 20Legend, here's my observations after getting home from the game;

- who is in charge on in-ground announcing at the venue? Is it Mt Smart's own people, or AFC people? Cause there was no announcements of the teams (in goal, number 12 - Alex Paulsen, etc), some substitutions weren't announced, Tommy Smith was subbed on twice (once as Thomas Smith), and there was no notification of added time. These are easy fixes, but also basic things that should be right every time. 
- the music acts - did they add anything? There was already a DJ playing (well), the singers took away a bit from what was going on. 
- the hip-hop crew - needed to be in front of the Port, so those on the East and West stands (ie: the majority of the crowd) weren't playing tennis, looking to the South for the Port, then to the North for the crew, then back again - why have competing visual attractions? 
- the Port was much, much better than I expected. They had more people than prime-Bloc 5 (and that pains me to say), and were really into it. Need more variety with their chants, but that will come in time? 
- I was looking out for where Tamaki AFC were but couldn't work it out. This perhaps shows that they are small-time in comparison, and have had far too much attention for a group of their (lack of) size.
- why did the guy get kicked out? Was he the one who lit the flare?
- The Belgian #6 was immense in the middle of the park, winning a lot of tackles. Easily the best player. If only they announced his name....
- De Vries was also very good, which opened my eyes. I don't know if this is a once-off, or this is how he always is. If it's the latter, he's definitely the left-back cover for Cacace. 
- May is a talented forward, but AFC couldn't get the ball too him after the 20 minute mark. Perhaps if he played deeper, fed the ball to the wingers, who return the favour when he gets into the box?
- I just looked on the website - there are few tickets left for the AFC v Nix match, and some are $425. That can't be right, can it? Or is that dynamic pricing now hitting NZ?
- The Brisbane shirt was one of the worst designs in the history of football - but - sponsored by Outkast, so it's good to see Andre 3000 and Big Boi involved (joke). 
- all this nonsense about the noise of the Auckland crowd - what do you want? I've been to a number of games in Wellington (All Whites), and the most you ever hear is the Silver Ferns-esque let's go All Whites, let's go. Like anywhere, if you want to make noise, you know where to go (the Port, or the Fever). If you don't, then don't. Life carries on.....

20 Legend

Some observations from the stadium:

- Port were excellent. It was actually really windy, think they’ll come across louder on different days. 
- The haka intro was weirdly timed. But the people in this thread trying their hardest to be offended is nonsensical.
- Everyone one around me seemed to really enjoy themselves. Half time was class with Che Fu (lol) and the aeroplanes.
- In fairness to Luxon, I could see him in the box with Foley. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself, standing up to video the port, etc.

The backroom staff at AFC are onto it. 

Think even the Tamaki crew would enjoy a game in Bill Foley’s box. 

Still you got CheFu at half time and we got Lux telling us he played hockey! 

So…are ya still Fever? 

Shoulda been at the stadium for my second team who got a nice late win too, but had a bolloxy chest infection. 

Oh - and if Chris Turner isn't brought out into the centre circle during the AFC v Nix match, and thanked for everything he did for starting a New Zealand team playing in Australia, then I'm going to throw my shark like a monkey.

Rusty Dunks

Oh - and if Chris Turner isn't brought out into the centre circle during the AFC v Nix match, and thanked for everything he did for starting a New Zealand team playing in Australia, then I'm going to throw my shark like a monkey.

Either way that’ll be entertaining. 

What was the beer selection like at the game? 

RR

Doloras

The tifo said "Back For Good".

That was fun. AFC never looked in trouble. Alex P might as well have taken a book to read.

Maybe the stadium sounded like a library on TV, but from the little T-AFC corner, The Port were pretty loud with drums and trumpets. One weird note: there was someone flying a Palestine flag in The Port section. After all the pearl-clutching about what kind of communist shenanigans T-AFC might be getting up to, it seems we needn't have worried! (Quite a few other national flags too, and some blue smoke, so WTF happened to A-League rules, I dunno).

Anyway, T-AFC have decided that Liam Gillion is our special little pet and deserves his own chant. We'll see the numbers next week.

The A-League experimented with safe smoke a few seasons back with fan groups. I would assume it was some of that. Didn't look nearly as dangerous as flares.

 
Yeah the league imported a bunch of colours for each club. I think this was before they were for sale in Aus or Nz. Pretty sure ours expired because of the covid years.

Not sure if they were different to the ones you can buy off the shelf now, but the ones in shops still run hot. We've been told we can use on the Fran Wilde Walk, just not inside.

martinb

Rusty Dunks

Oh - and if Chris Turner isn't brought out into the centre circle during the AFC v Nix match, and thanked for everything he did for starting a New Zealand team playing in Australia, then I'm going to throw my shark like a monkey.

Either way that’ll be entertaining. 

What was the beer selection like at the game? 

 average. Heineken and Sawmill Pilsner 

Great start from Auckland FC. Thought the standouts were Francis DeVries and Gillion, so good to see him taking on his man. Thought Hall looked tired ,midway through the second half but he came with some good tackles and interceptions later. Sakai is just great, led well.

Also have great Sawmill memories. But yeh from a more extended tap selection…

So do the Port numbers suggest the Fever should try using Facebook? Or just that Auckland’s a bigger place with a lot more registered footballers?

Just made a Yellow Fever Forum account to crack on about the team and NZ local football in general. Long time lurker but can answer a few questions.

Young fella who got kicked out was a bit unlucky cause he chose to pick up the smoke and hold it upright when it got lit and so he got thrown out by the Stewards. We had a chat with them after and I don't think he's getting a ban or anything from the grounds. Just a bit unlucky.

Genuinely couldn't hear a single in-ground announcement all game so just a lot of problems with it generally.

Yeah haha some of the first game shyness meant that a lot of the old favourites ended up rolling through on repeat a lot. Thought there was a lot of wit being whispered about or started by one guy and not picked up unfortunately which can be addressed. Shout out to the fellas who managed to get a Tamaki Makarau chant started a few times. 

Rusty Dunks

Like 20Legend, here's my observations after getting home from the game;

- who is in charge on in-ground announcing at the venue? Is it Mt Smart's own people, or AFC people? Cause there was no announcements of the teams (in goal, number 12 - Alex Paulsen, etc), some substitutions weren't announced, Tommy Smith was subbed on twice (once as Thomas Smith), and there was no notification of added time. These are easy fixes, but also basic things that should be right every time. 
- the music acts - did they add anything? There was already a DJ playing (well), the singers took away a bit from what was going on. 
- the hip-hop crew - needed to be in front of the Port, so those on the East and West stands (ie: the majority of the crowd) weren't playing tennis, looking to the South for the Port, then to the North for the crew, then back again - why have competing visual attractions? 
- the Port was much, much better than I expected. They had more people than prime-Bloc 5 (and that pains me to say), and were really into it. Need more variety with their chants, but that will come in time? 
- I was looking out for where Tamaki AFC were but couldn't work it out. This perhaps shows that they are small-time in comparison, and have had far too much attention for a group of their (lack of) size.
- why did the guy get kicked out? Was he the one who lit the flare?
- The Belgian #6 was immense in the middle of the park, winning a lot of tackles. Easily the best player. If only they announced his name....
- De Vries was also very good, which opened my eyes. I don't know if this is a once-off, or this is how he always is. If it's the latter, he's definitely the left-back cover for Cacace. 
- May is a talented forward, but AFC couldn't get the ball too him after the 20 minute mark. Perhaps if he played deeper, fed the ball to the wingers, who return the favour when he gets into the box?
- I just looked on the website - there are few tickets left for the AFC v Nix match, and some are $425. That can't be right, can it? Or is that dynamic pricing now hitting NZ?
- The Brisbane shirt was one of the worst designs in the history of football - but - sponsored by Outkast, so it's good to see Andre 3000 and Big Boi involved (joke). 
- all this nonsense about the noise of the Auckland crowd - what do you want? I've been to a number of games in Wellington (All Whites), and the most you ever hear is the Silver Ferns-esque let's go All Whites, let's go. Like anywhere, if you want to make noise, you know where to go (the Port, or the Fever). If you don't, then don't. Life carries on.....

Yeah I had a United Tribes flag with me as well for the Mullet Crew Mana within The Port. Whoever said The Paddock/Mullet Crew Mana was an offshoot of The Port was confused cause its mostly all Islander or Māori guys wanting to just be really stereotypical Kiwis and love our city. All of us were in the heart of The Port and chanting with the rest of them.

Saw your lot in the corner but was too hemmed in to say hello at the half. Here's hoping to many more good games ahead!

Doloras

The tifo said "Back For Good".

That was fun. AFC never looked in trouble. Alex P might as well have taken a book to read.

Maybe the stadium sounded like a library on TV, but from the little T-AFC corner, The Port were pretty loud with drums and trumpets. One weird note: there was someone flying a Palestine flag in The Port section. After all the pearl-clutching about what kind of communist shenanigans T-AFC might be getting up to, it seems we needn't have worried! (Quite a few other national flags too, and some blue smoke, so WTF happened to A-League rules, I dunno).

Anyway, T-AFC have decided that Liam Gillion is our special little pet and deserves his own chant. We'll see the numbers next week.

Rusty Dunks

Like 20Legend, here's my observations after getting home from the game;

- who is in charge on in-ground announcing at the venue? Is it Mt Smart's own people, or AFC people? Cause there was no announcements of the teams (in goal, number 12 - Alex Paulsen, etc), some substitutions weren't announced, Tommy Smith was subbed on twice (once as Thomas Smith), and there was no notification of added time. These are easy fixes, but also basic things that should be right every time. 
- the music acts - did they add anything? There was already a DJ playing (well), the singers took away a bit from what was going on. 
- the hip-hop crew - needed to be in front of the Port, so those on the East and West stands (ie: the majority of the crowd) weren't playing tennis, looking to the South for the Port, then to the North for the crew, then back again - why have competing visual attractions? 
- the Port was much, much better than I expected. They had more people than prime-Bloc 5 (and that pains me to say), and were really into it. Need more variety with their chants, but that will come in time? 
- I was looking out for where Tamaki AFC were but couldn't work it out. This perhaps shows that they are small-time in comparison, and have had far too much attention for a group of their (lack of) size.
- why did the guy get kicked out? Was he the one who lit the flare?
- The Belgian #6 was immense in the middle of the park, winning a lot of tackles. Easily the best player. If only they announced his name....
- De Vries was also very good, which opened my eyes. I don't know if this is a once-off, or this is how he always is. If it's the latter, he's definitely the left-back cover for Cacace. 
- May is a talented forward, but AFC couldn't get the ball too him after the 20 minute mark. Perhaps if he played deeper, fed the ball to the wingers, who return the favour when he gets into the box?
- I just looked on the website - there are few tickets left for the AFC v Nix match, and some are $425. That can't be right, can it? Or is that dynamic pricing now hitting NZ?
- The Brisbane shirt was one of the worst designs in the history of football - but - sponsored by Outkast, so it's good to see Andre 3000 and Big Boi involved (joke). 
- all this nonsense about the noise of the Auckland crowd - what do you want? I've been to a number of games in Wellington (All Whites), and the most you ever hear is the Silver Ferns-esque let's go All Whites, let's go. Like anywhere, if you want to make noise, you know where to go (the Port, or the Fever). If you don't, then don't. Life carries on.....

they announced both teams over the PA and on the big screen - not sure how you missed that - it was well before kickoff so perhaps you were getting beers?

Like a few others thought Verstraete (the Belgian no 6) looked really good. He seems the tough no nonsense, hard tackling guy you want to give your side some steel. 

Gallegos on the other hand seemed fairly anonymous. Very early days but feel he'll need to play better otherwise Howieson, or even Finn McKenlay who apparently has impressed in pre season are options to start.

I thought it seems like at times the imports(aprt from Sakai) were  a little bit caught out by the physicality of the A League. Several times they were bumped off the ball and seemed surprised the ref didn’t call a foul. Welcome to the A League

I think it’s just that Auckland is a just a bigger city and it’s not a Facebook thing.

IMO The Port are missing out by not creating a Phoenix type site for fans.  All my Auckland relatives are mad keen AFC supporters and nearly all my nephews and nieces play football. None of them do Facebook. There are probably plenty of AFC fans who don’t. Lots of youngsters think Facebook is just not cool.

martinb

Also have great Sawmill memories. But yeh from a more extended tap selection…

So do the Port numbers suggest the Fever should try using Facebook? Or just that Auckland’s a bigger place with a lot more registered footballers?

AucklandPhoenix

What’s unusual is he explained why he never played football but hockey with some bull shark story. Wasn’t asked but thought he had to explain himself. Full of bull shark and frankly who cares why you never played. You don’t have to explain yourself.

Anyway back to the game. De Vries excellent. loved Sakai’s passion and you can see why he is the captain. May looked classy.

Side was obviously really up for it and ran hard. If they keep that up they will be hard to break down and score against. 

Quality wise, think however they will be well below the Nix

I can vouch for the authenticity of the story.  I am a year younger than Luxon and moved to Howick at beginning of 1983.  Went to sign up to local club, Howick, got told it was full, sorry try again next year, so ended up playing at Bucklands Beach.

martinb

Well, there ya go for the not mixing politics and sport. C Lux’s puddock army! At least Key had Chelsea season tickets, though he kept that fairly quiet in NZ!

I’ve seen politicians attend the Nix as fans, but never grease and sleaze at half time? Not even the finals…

You weren't in the lounge for the Victory semi-final then, you'd have seen Luxon and Bishop on the stage at half-time.