Football United - July 2014 West Ham and Newcastle visit

Not sure if Sydney were over-awed, out-classed or out-colded. Probably a combination of all factors.
I think they were  a bit over-awed, although not sure that the Newcastle team deserved such respect and reverence.
However the fitness and speed gap between the teams was so great, that the skill gap didn't come into it.  
Sydney did little in the first half, apart from gifting the first and third goals, then played to minimise the margin of defeat in the second.
Hope the Nix get into both teams this week, though it was definitely a 'friendly' game in terms of contact in the tackles and no chopping of players, once they'd gone past.
From a Newcastle fan's perspective it was as expected,  as a Phoenix fan I know they'll approach the game in a much more competitive mind-set that Sydney in both games

Cambridge United drew 2-2 with Espanyol the other day in the Absolute Sports Travel Cup. West Ham also played and for Steve-O, to keep him up to date on fixture prices, the price was 15 quid a ticket.

That's a proper sporting fixture and cheap as chips.

I went and was left impressed by the skill level of the Toons but not exactly blown away by the spectacle.

I would recommend to anyone for the next 2 games, the match-day programme. Simply superb, looks brilliant, some nice stuff in there and for $5 it's an absolute steal. I'm inclined to buy programmes anyway, but even if I wasn't, i'd still be all over this. Also features a nice YF write up with Smithy talking smack about Sydney and a subtle dig at Southern Football.

Alternative view:
(1) It's a pre-season friendly not a 'proper' competitive sporting fixture that presents a chance to see two teams from one of the major world league competitions  in any sport
(2) Never mind the sporting reason admire the skill and enjoy a visit of two EPL teams, who look like they want to mix with existing fans and potential fans of their game .  
(3) The underwriting of the tour by Phoenix/Welnix is a lot cheaper for NZ fans than having to fly to Australia to watch West Ham & Newcastle in a four way competition with Sydney and Phoenix, that would have made much more commercial sense, to my eyes anyway. Atlhough the weather in NZ at the moment makes that a trip that many, including myself would have loved to make, though but!  

I realized I never made a point. If Cambridge can hold a la liga team and put two in against Shakhtar Donetsk then Sydney and the Nix should be able to put on a display.

FFS! It's a pre-season game!
A pre-season game in football, is the same as a pre-season game of football as played by Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, although I will admit , the latter's version of a pre-season game is Super Rugby.
What teams were sent? What is the level of commitment of the 'better' team?
 I used to live 16km north of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and our local club would play 'Newcastle United', it would be a team of U21s and possibles...but that was just our local team. Who won or lost was meaningless. Decide if you want to go along and watch or not, please don't put any meaning into pre-season games 

Yes and no.  

It should mean something for Nix and Bling players. 

It is meaningless as a contest

Thanks for the lessons in football, I never realised.

Good write-up: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/matc...

Unlike the Absolute Sports Travel Cup.

Quite! It would mean nothing for the Nix and Bling players!

Too late after your previous comment or too early in the morning to be so patronising 

Oh and while the games per se won't mean anything for the Toon players other than sorting out positions for the new season, the trip itself should be a good team building exercise.

Fire up kids - its GAMEDAY  woot woot 8)

Make my life easy buy your program early on Saturday. 

<p>Andy Carroll out of both NZ tour games due to ankle strain...</p><p><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2701921/Andy-Carroll-forced-sit-West-Hams-New-Zealand-tour-sore-ankle.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-...</a></p>

The speed and strength difference was very evident last night. Especially live. A couple of times the Newkie players got themselves out of trouble with the speed.

Extremely strange kit decision. There did seem to be a few times when players made tight passes to the wrong player.

Not sure why the "a's" and "p's" are in that, but you get the gist, Siggy won't have to mark Carroll.

I don't think you could have used more double negatives in that last sentence had you tried Fruglo. Hardly the way to make a compelling point.

Still need a ticket?  $50 and its yours (just need to doublecheck I can still get it)

Very true , who decides this stuff? Greys against the light blues. Does anyone think about the spectator who is coughing all the money?

It was good value and a good night.. 

The only thing I could think of was that they forgot to bring a home kit.. 

The commentator last night mentioned they'd be playing in the traditional black and white stripes in the next game, mind you based on  the newly leaked pictures of this season's strip is not very traditional  

That would be great Vick. Fever zone?

In order to fit 2 games in for each side, one had to be midweek. Would a Tuesday & Wednesday night double header have worked at Eden Park? I think Welnix knew Dunners was always going to be an issue for crowds but they got the stadium hire cheap and given the likelihood for bad weather, it has the roof.

I heard that the stadium / council was underwriting the event there so the nix were guaranteed to get their money back.

I wonder if they investigated a doulbe header in Sydney mid week though?

edit:

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/305222/confidenc...

Underwrote the event, needed to sell 9,500 to break even, were hoping for 15k. There were 2,200 stadium pass holders who don't count in that 9.5k amount, so depending on how many of those showed up it seems unlikely that they got their money back.

The point was to bring 2 BPL teams to NZ. If they played 1 game in Aussie, traveling Hammers/Toon fans probably would have chosen that one to go to rather than come here as well.

Welcome to New Zealand travelling Newcastle and West Ham fams. Hope you enjoy your brief stay here.

9506 attended according to ODT. So thats a $200-$300 profit?

Plus PPV?

.

[Edit: wrong thread]

Yeah but with the 2,200 stadium pass holders that's only 7306 paying customers (well probably more as most of the rugby loving pass holders wouldn't bother going)

Not successful but hopefully not too big a loss.

I wonder what Dunedin is going to do, they can't keep losing money on the stadium but really have no alternative. Sell the roof to WellNix and get it shipped up here.

I like the stadium. I don't think I like the echo it gives off tho

A view from the Toon (from nufc.com)

Yep, next to Turfmoore (that's not a selling point obviously....), will be at BB on Saturday can sort out then?

of course it will all have been about money/sponsorship and associated nonsense but watching that game on TV last night was disappointing. Im realistic enough to know that for WHU and NUFC these games are nothing more than a bit of a kick about, but for NZ its a real big deal. So to have Newcastle playing in what looked like totally non-descript training gear was pathetic; frankly Sydney's opponents could have been anyone - the least they could have done would have been to play in the traditional black and white stripes. OK the players wouldnt have been any different but isnt the kit an integral part of what makes Newcastle United Newcastle United? In my mind it is.

Umm that non-descript training gear is their away kit for 2014/15

ok i know its about money but Im sorry the question still needs to be asked - why the hell does NUFC even need an 'away' kit when they are the only premier league team that plays in b/w stripes???