Decision Day in the MLS. Charlotte (4th in the East) host Philli Union (1st)
Big game for Charlotte. They can't finish higher than 4th, but could drop as low as 7th with a loss. Top 4 teams get two homes games (if a 3rd match is required) in QF playoff series that starts next weekend.
Luckily for Charlotte, Cincinnati (2nd in the East) can't catch Philli, so in theory not alot for the Union to play for.
Hopefully he's keeping fit, training hard at Charlotte. He's going to get good mins at RB against Colombia and Ecuador.
He may even start ahead of Roux. His years of experience playing with and against Sth American players in the MLS, handy. He likely speaks a bit of Spanish on top of his passable French.
It might be that 3 of the starting back 4 are the MLS defenders. I saw a Timbers video where even the Surmanator was throwing out a bit of basic Espanol training with his Latino team mates.
Then you have Libby and his Italiano. As close a language to Spanish as you can get.
I hope he heads to NZ with Boxall and gets fit with him this summer. Clearly couldnt stay fit in a football club environment without regular minutes, and which club would sign and regularly play a guy as unfit as he is at the moment?
BT on Unused Subs says he is gutted (not guttered) to be leaving Charlotte but says that's football, and for his next move his first preference is to stay in the MLS, though is open to going elsewhere. Says he is incredibly motivated to get fit over the offseason
Wouldn't rule out a Ligue Two club in France. Speaks the language, played there before.
Or League One in the UK.
Not sure many MLS clubs will be that interested in him. Portland let him go, and so now have Charlotte where he barely played over 2 seasons. All depends I guess on whether any club has a gap on their roster/squad.
Also does he see himself now as a full back (his best shot of making the AWs WC squad) or as still as a centre back.
He'd be expensive for the ALM, and neither the Nix or AFC need an extra RB/RWB or CB right now.
That might be different for AFC season 2026/27, if either Hall or Pijnaker move on and/or Sakai retires.
BT on Unused Subs says he is gutted (not guttered) to be leaving Charlotte but says that's football, and for his next move his first preference is to stay in the MLS, though is open to going elsewhere. Says he is incredibly motivated to get fit over the offseason
Is a good yarn. That story about his dad selling his boat, so he could go to an age group tourney with a NZ side.
Then trialling around a cold Europe, a miserable 17 yr old away from his parents, giving it one last go in front of Bielsa at Olympic Marseille. Only at OM because of some Joey Barton, QPR to OM connection.
An only child and playing soccer on the North Shore. Different upbringing to most NZ Samoan kids.
Wouldn't rule out a Ligue Two club in France. Speaks the language, played there before.
Or League One in the UK.
Not sure many MLS clubs will be that interested in him. Portland let him go, and so now have Charlotte where he barely played over 2 seasons. All depends I guess on whether any club has a gap on their roster/squad.
Also does he see himself now as a full back (his best shot of making the AWs WC squad) or as still as a centre back.
He'd be expensive for the ALM, and neither the Nix or AFC need an extra RB/RWB or CB right now.
That might be different for AFC season 2026/27, if either Hall or Pijnaker move on and/or Sakai retires.
I'd argue the Nix do need another defender like Bill, even if it's just to add another experienced body between some of our juniors, and a gameday squad.
Moot point if we can't even afford him/he doesn't want to come, of course.
Some team tour of the UK that included a young Spoonley and various UK clubs were interested in him. The alcoholic tour team manager was talking to Fulham who were going to offer a 2 year deal, but the tour manager wanted a cut. Fulham said no and the deal fell over.
Young Spoonley who didn’t have an agent to help him only found out later
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Australian with the hyphenated name is recalled from his loan in Jan by his parent club and Billy T takes his place.
It’s possible that this was the plan all along as AFC wouldn’t have been keen on paying a transfer fee for Billy T or paying the type of wages he was on in America. The loan signing has proved invaluable already with Nando s injury and Halls red card.
Will get more minutes then he did at Charlotte and Auckland FC, look to have the ability to get their players fit.
Logic says that next year that Dan Hall will move abroad so in the longer turn he should have a place next to Nando in defence.
He is more than good enough to be a top centre back in this league.
Good poster boy signing with Samoan boy coming home.