Wellington Phoenix Men

2024 Australia Cup Rnd of 32 vs South Melbourne | 6th August | 9:30pm | Football Australia YouTube

196 replies · 47,534 views
over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Now we know which players have Olympic commitments, here is the make up of the squad with some gaps in defence. Rollo said "head coach Giancarlo Italiano will be unable to call on players who are selected in the New Zealand under-23 men's squad for the Paris Olympics", but chances are we will be knocked out by then so maybe they'll make it. May have to call on Tze-Xuan Loke, Gardiner etc. - I'm not super familiar with the academy but players from the 19's OFC Championship will be training with the team. Hopefully Payne is fit by then.

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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Can see Nix asking Hughes (only a travelling reserve) and Sheridan, to return from France for this Australia Cup tie. Neither were with the AWs in Vanuatu so have had a bit of a break from football post the ALM season finishing

But Lukas Kelly-Heald, Sutton, Conchie and van Hattum all went to the Nations Cup not long after the ALM finished. They deserve to have a little Euro holiday post the Olywhites games. Party in the village, support some other Kiwi athletes or whatever. A mental break from the game.

Likely Weenix players in contention to be called up for the trip to South Melbourne.
Gardiner, Loke, Fergus Gillion, Seth Karunaratne, Nathan Walker, Lachlan
Candy,  Anaru Cassidy. 
These guys are neary all away with Greenacre's U19s so should be match fit. Some are definitely in the mix for senior deals for the new season.

Sounds Dublin Boon (GK) and maybe Oscar Faulds (striker) could also be signed before this Cup tie. And of course we wait to hear of Kraev.

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over 1 year ago
KiwiMancunian
Now we know which players have Olympic commitments, here is the make up of the squad with some gaps in defence. Rollo said "head coach Giancarlo Italiano will be unable to call on players who are selected in the New Zealand under-23 men's squad for the Paris Olympics", but chances are we will be knocked out by then so maybe they'll make it. May have to call on Tze-Xuan Loke, Gardiner etc. - I'm not super familiar with the academy but players from the 19's OFC Championship will be training with the team. Hopefully Payne is fit by then.

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Kraev?

Queenslander 3x a year.

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over 1 year ago
hopefully
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over 1 year ago
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over 1 year ago
Chiefy confirmed that Retre will not travel for the South Melbourne game 
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over 1 year ago
imanixsupporter
Chiefy confirmed that Retre will not travel for the South Melbourne game 

Understandable. Even if he's really good it's a bit of a stretch to have him play when he hasn't had much time to mix with the team. 
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over 1 year ago
Well...chance to look at some weenix prospects at the very least I guess.
I'm happy to slot in alongside scotty wootton if need be, reckon I've got 10-15 minutes in the tank
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over 1 year ago
Will probably play something like this barring any injuries not sure if Payne is still out? If he is the backline will be quite weak but the midfield and attack is quite strong so we may actually have a chance to sneak through to the next round.
lineup (74).png 127.94 KB
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over 1 year ago
wilbaker
Will probably play something like this barring any injuries not sure if Payne is still out? If he is the backline will be quite weak but the midfield and attack is quite strong so we may actually have a chance to sneak through to the next round.
lineup (74).png 127.94 KB
 If we don't beat france tommorow some of the Olympic boys may be back?
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over 1 year ago
Surely not LKH, OVH & Conchie as they haven't had a proper break, they were at the Nations Cup & Olympics. 

Maybe Hughes & Sheridan could, they would have had a decent break between the end of the season and flying to France, and they haven't played many minutes over there. 
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over 1 year ago
imanixsupporter
Surely not LKH, OVH & Conchie as they haven't had a proper break, they were at the Nations Cup & Olympics. 

Maybe Hughes & Sheridan could, they would have had a decent break between the end of the season and flying to France, and they haven't played many minutes over there. 

I'd think any of those young guys would take a chance to push their claim for a starting spot for the upcoming season over a break at this stage.
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over 1 year ago
South Melbourne will be playing NPL final on Saturday. So tired legs works in our favour.
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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Really looking forward to this was stoked to draw the nix.  I worry about the tired legs from dockerty cup but we'll give it a good crack. Is anyone making the trip across?
SMFC till I die!
Only one team in melbourne!
F*** Victory and Heart
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over 1 year ago
Happen to be living in Melbourne at the moment.  Don't know much about South Melbourne.  Looking at tickets you don't get to pick an area of the ground, so I assume you just rock up with your ticket and sit/ stand wherever once inside.  Is there likely to be Phoenix fans grouped somewhere? And does anyone have a view on whether it will be safe to wear the colours?
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over 1 year ago
Lol bit of an odd question but you'll be safe to wear colours we're harmless. You will be able to sit wherever you want however I'd say that nix fans will end up finding a spot to set up as I believe there is the nix of Melbourne group
SMFC till I die!
Only one team in melbourne!
F*** Victory and Heart
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over 1 year ago
Thanks.  I spent a bit of time in England, another supposedly civilized country, and it was not always safe to wear your colours. 
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over 1 year ago
I would love for us to win this thing for once. It's a comp we are actually able to go deep in. We finally gotta win some silverware to get that monkey off our back and the cup is ideal for that.

I wonder how seriously the club takes it? And if there is say a 3 year plan in place perhaps to assemble a squad sooner to play together/gel, have more pre season games and have them fitter sooner to actually have a serious crack at it. Just to be proactive and chase it.

That's what I'd do if I was in charge, throw everything at it, have a bit of a vision/plan. Maybe the club does, Idk
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over 1 year ago
It's very hard to win a cup when every single match is an away leg. I don't mind that we see this as a preseason comp for the first round or two, we can take it more seriously if we make it through the first few but we're playing against a stacked deck.

Valley FC til I die?

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over 1 year ago
InsulinMachine
I would love for us to win this thing for once. It's a comp we are actually able to go deep in. We finally gotta win some silverware to get that monkey off our back and the cup is ideal for that.

I wonder how seriously the club takes it? And if there is say a 3 year plan in place perhaps to assemble a squad sooner to play together/gel, have more pre season games and have them fitter sooner to actually have a serious crack at it. Just to be proactive and chase it.

That's what I'd do if I was in charge, throw everything at it, have a bit of a vision/plan. Maybe the club does, Idk
Is there something in the central PFA agreement with A-league clubs that prevent a longer pre-season?
My understanding is that A-league womens contracts are 29 weeks in length per season under the current PFA collective bargaining agreement per season - therefore pre-season has a set length.
I would guess mens is something similar?

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over 1 year ago
maynardf
InsulinMachine
I would love for us to win this thing for once. It's a comp we are actually able to go deep in. We finally gotta win some silverware to get that monkey off our back and the cup is ideal for that.

I wonder how seriously the club takes it? And if there is say a 3 year plan in place perhaps to assemble a squad sooner to play together/gel, have more pre season games and have them fitter sooner to actually have a serious crack at it. Just to be proactive and chase it.

That's what I'd do if I was in charge, throw everything at it, have a bit of a vision/plan. Maybe the club does, Idk
Is there something in the central PFA agreement with A-league clubs that prevent a longer pre-season?
My understanding is that A-league womens contracts are 29 weeks in length per season under the current PFA collective bargaining agreement per season - therefore pre-season has a set length.
I would guess mens is something similar?

There is only 6-7 week gap between the Grand Final & teams coming back for pre-season. You can't really come back earlier cuz players need their holidays.

Because of the very long pre-season, ALM teams tend work on a slow build cuz you don't wanna have the team be at peak fitness months before kick off in the League. Still 10 and a half weeks until Rnd 1 after this match.
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over 1 year ago
I'd love for us to progress and get more competive games in the build up to the season but really can't us winning this with the Olympic outs and missing at least 2 visa signings and we're playing one of the best NPL sides in Australia.
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over 1 year ago
We Won the dockerty cup on penaltys today so the players might be a bit worse for wear off a 3 day break, and extra 30 minutes should be interesting to see.  
SMFC till I die!
Only one team in melbourne!
F*** Victory and Heart
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over 1 year ago
Suppose it depends how many days of celebratory beersies they have in em.
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over 1 year ago
Bananas
Suppose it depends how many days of celebratory beersies they have in em.

Haha, hopefully all day today at least!

Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet

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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
InsulinMachine
I would love for us to win this thing for once. It's a comp we are actually able to go deep in. We finally gotta win some silverware to get that monkey off our back and the cup is ideal for that.

I wonder how seriously the club takes it? And if there is say a 3 year plan in place perhaps to assemble a squad sooner to play together/gel, have more pre season games and have them fitter sooner to actually have a serious crack at it. Just to be proactive and chase it.

That's what I'd do if I was in charge, throw everything at it, have a bit of a vision/plan. Maybe the club does, Idk

The club is also hamstrung in that most winters it will have a large cohort of young players involved in one or more of U19 OFC WC qualifying, U20 World Cups, U22 OFC Olympics qualifying, the Olympics and/or AWs playing in the June FIFA window.

No other ALM team (bar maybe in the future new boys AFC), have this level of squad absences in the off/pre season. And yeah at some point players need a minimum 1 month break from all things football, to refresh.

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over 1 year ago
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over 1 year ago
No odds on the NZ Tab or Sportsbet in Aussie but the Aussie Tab has the odds at SMFC $3.70 Draw $4.00 Nix $1.75
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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Hungover or not, you'd have to make a well drilled SM favourites. At home, in form, well in season against a scatch team in pre season mode. 

Wonder if any of the Olympics guys will be back?
Sheridan & Hughes didn't go to the Nations Cup in Vanuatu, so they are less in need of a football break.

However LK-H, Sutton, Conchie and OVH haven't really had a spell from football since the ALM season ended.

I'm gonna guess Hughes & Sheridan are available, otherwise would be more than 6 Academy players needed?  Short of midfielders so Ball & Rojas to play a bit deeper

Possible starting XI - AK-H, Hughes, Wootton, Sheridan, Tze Xuan Loke (LB), Al-Taay, Ball, Rojas, GSR, Supyk, Kosta

Bench - Dublin Boon, Dylan Gardiner, Seth Karuntane, Fergus Gillion, Anaru Cassidy, Nathan Walker, Ryan Watson. 

Pity Luke Brooke-Smith is away with the NZ U17s. He may have been close to a bench spot for this game.

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over 1 year ago
Not expecting too much with the players available.
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over 1 year ago
Ryan
Not expecting too much with the players available.

It's a slow burn. Over two months until A-League season begins, so I'm happy to see how some of the younger brigade go.

Just looked back at the squad that was taken to Peninsula Power at the same stage last year where we took four academy lads against the six we're taking this time around. The midfield looks a little light given Retre and Rufer are sitting this one out, but it will be a good chance to see (presumably) how Al-Taay & Conchie go in there tomorrow night. You feel that Conchie will need to show something and make more of an impression this season after limited success last term.
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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Conchie is gonna play?
He did yes hardly play in either Vanuatu or France, or for Nix last ALM season.

Just wondering of the 6 Nix players that went to the Olympics who's likely to be already back in NZ & play tomorrow, and who might be on a little European/Olympics holiday and break from football?

Sounds like neither Kosta or Marco will start. If so two or more of Academy kids Fergus Gillion, Anaru Cassidy, Nathan Walker & Ryan Watson are likely to run on.

https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/australia-cup-round-of-32-preview-2/

Italiano will deploy a young side, with a number of older players absent due to Olympic duty, injury, or a lack of match fitness.

“My focus has been on the players’ welfare as first priority.

“It’s usually not the norm, having so many players out due to the Olympics and the Nations Cup.

Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas are also not expected to play a full 90 minutes, but could feature at some point. 

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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
coochiee
Conchie is gonna play?
He did yes hardly play in either Vanuatu or France, or for Nix last ALM season.

Just wondering of the 6 Nix players that went to the Olympics who's likely to be already back in NZ & play tomorrow, and who might be on a little European/Olympics holiday and break from football?

Sounds like neither Kosta or Marco will start. If so two or more of Academy kids Fergus Gillion, Anaru Cassidy, Nathan Walker & Ryan Watson are likely to run on.

https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/australia-cup-round-of-32-preview-2/

Italiano will deploy a young side, with a number of older players absent due to Olympic duty, injury, or a lack of match fitness.

“My focus has been on the players’ welfare as first priority.

“It’s usually not the norm, having so many players out due to the Olympics and the Nations Cup.

Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas are also not expected to play a full 90 minutes, but could feature at some point. 


He's hardly had a massive workload. A lot of travelling, yes, but he's hardly been overworked.

You'd also think given now Retre has signed (Thereby giving us the midfield trio of Rufer, Al-Taay & Retre) any chance Conchie has to potentially start, you'd think he'd be jumping at such a prospect, now that he's fourth in that pecking order by default.

Whether he's travelled to Melbourne or not, I haven't the foggiest. But I'd wager we'll see him in some form tomorrow, and he still needs to prove himself. He won't have a better chance while some of the more experienced heads get eased into the pre season picture.
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over 1 year ago
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over 1 year ago
Considering the personnel available I can't see us winning. South Melbourne are killing it in one of the toughest NPL leagues in Aussie. We are bring in a team of 1/2 kids? I'll mainly be focusing on specific players to see how they go - Rojas, GSR, Conchie and Alby will be the most interesting.

I think it is fairly likely we lose unfortunately. If we do lose we're gonna have to wait 2 bloody months for more Nix 😢. Im sure they'll play warmup games buuuuut they're always behind closed doors 😭
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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
My interpretation from the interview was that it will be 6 academy players from the start with the 5 senior players being Ball, Kosta, Al-Taay, Wootton, and Rojas. Spoke about player welfare being a priority so can't see any the Olympic boys being involved. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOdcuGXjGM8
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over 1 year ago
If we only have six senior players and two of those in Kosta and Marco aren't able to play 90 then we are in serious trouble for this one. 

I hope Chiefy allowed Sheridan & Hughes to play if they felt up to it, they didn't go to the Cup of Nations and haven't exactly played a lot of senior minutes over the last 12 months. 
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over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
KiwiMancunian
My interpretation from the interview was that it will be 6 academy players from the start with the 5 senior players being Ball, Kosta, Al-Taay, Wootton, and Rojas. Spoke about player welfare being a priority so can't see any the Olympic boys being involved. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOdcuGXjGM8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOdcuGXjGM8

At the end of the 4 min chat, mentions his trip to be Japan, as "being interesting on the recruitment front".  Watch this space I guess. I'm gonna take a punt on a visa GK from Nippon.

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