2014/15 Pre-Season - v Canterbury United | 2:30pm | Sun 28 Sept | RoF

What would the refs wear then?

So what other pre-season games do we have planned? These are the ones that have been confirmed so far:

5th August v Adelaide @ Adelaide (FFA Cup)

17th August v NZ A @ Taupo (Friendly)

19th September v Sydney @ Wollongong (Friendly)

28th September v WSW @ Westpac (Friendly)*

* Subject to ACL participation.

[Edit: added the NZ A game]

That NZ A games in a few weeks.

so is our next game the FFA cup game?

Yup.

WSW game will be tickets or free or closed?

Being wondering about that too? If charging us a $5 sit anywhere you like might entice a few fans in.

You can bet it will be a good deal. It won't be free though, they still have to pay for the use of the stadium. 

Would it be a horrible idea to give free entry to anyone who has renewed/bought season tickets. Might help push the numbers up a little bit?

Having said that, I wouldn't mind paying a little bit for it.

Did anyone notice that the event title for this match on facebook has changed from 'New Zealand A' to 'New Zealand Select XI'?

"Anthony Hudson is going to take all of our All Whites players, I'll take the rest," Merrick said.

"The whole squad then get a run and we'll top it up with under-20s."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/10355028/Merrick-banned-from-dugout-over-McGlinchey

A Scott and an Englishman?

It will never last.

There's still mention of 'NZ A' elsewhere but I just thought it was interesting that the event title was deliberately changed to NZ Select XI. I read it as removing any 'officialness' to the game and making it clear that it's just a kick-around.

Also, you're quoting Worthington as a sauce. You're better than that RR.

Wellington Phoenix intersquad match this weekend:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c...

Interesting thing is Hudson will be taking charge of one of the teams. Think this shows a much better will of NZF and Phoenix to work together for the common good. The fact that Hudson and Merrick seem to have very similar football philosophies is great. Now hopefully we will have a synergy of NZ Age group sides, the All Whites and The Phoenix all playing to a similar game plan and positive playing style.

It's exactly the same sort of match we had last year with Ricki and Merrick.

And I don't think changing the name has much to do with anything other than representing what it is a little better. It isn't the NZ "A" team (I hate that description anyway) because some of the players are considered first choice. It is just an NZ selection.

This...i don't think anything has changed; relationship between Ricki and Merrick was good.

I'm not a fan of the demonisation of Ricki - like everything he touched was horrible; overall, he did a good job for NZ football and without him we likely wouldn't of had a Phoenix to support.

Wasn't it Emblem doing it last year?

Emblem was assistant. It was well before the Mexico series.

Yeah didn't mean it as a demonisation of Ricki at all - he did great things for NZ Football! Just pointing out that the two coaches are playing to the same game plan so it'll be good for the All Whites at the Nix.

I don't remember Ricki ever coming in and taking part in an inter-squad game? This weekend's game/training match is not the same one as the upcoming NZ 'A' game on 17th August. 

Where is this game?  Or is it a behind closed doors job?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Delany_Park

Open as far as I know.

If I'm wrong I apologise but are you sure this isn't simply the case of the reporter getting confused? It sounds suspiciously like what is happening the following weekend and what I thought you were talking about. I haven't heard anything about them doing a similar thing this weekend other than that article.

Confirmed this with club, there is no game this weekend just the one in Taupo.

Ah right.. Reporter got it wrong! As you were then. Ignore everything I said! :)

My NZA side if all avai ie. those in oz/usa/close by to keep it non nix

Spoonley Williams Roux Eager Mitchell Musa Lochhead C Brown Bertos Butler Payne McGlinchey Patterson Smeltz Watson

Be nice to include J Edge too

It will include nix players.

Quote from Dominion Post.

Yes i know this #facepalm

Eager, Lochhead, and Musa won't be released for this.

Ugh yup read it properly

Okay I have gone back through several pages... can't find it yet.

Where in Taupo are people thinking of having drinks on Saturday night?

Probably in the airplane at McDonalds.

I have heard that the Nix will be playing an invitational side at Weka Park in Raumati on Sunday 31 August, any confirmation of this?

early  still but most probably going ahead the same as the last two years. good for me across the road from my house

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=3106&tx_ttnews[backPid]=10&cHash=f9ed51a89f

The training session that Hudson runs will be bloody interesting I think.

Interesting. Wee Mac listed for NZ XI. I guess CCM can't block selection for a national squad...

Boxall for NZ and Siggy for Nix? Guess that's a pragmatic keep some stability in the Nix backline thing?