Good luck to Dadi for a great introduction to the Phoenix, but how is the fact that only three new Zealanders were on the pitch helping local football. The Phoenix seem to be far too over-loaded with Aussie sloggers like Vince Lia when exciting young Kiwi talent can't get a look in as far as Herbert's concerned. Now with Dadi on board young Costas can forget about much game time and Rojas may as well leave and go back to the NZFC. It looks like Siggy is on the outer now as well, with only Paston another possible Kiwi starter. Jason Haynes and Chad Coombes would make great players for the Phoenix and proved their worth for Auckland City against the African champions TP Mazembe, but Herbert isn't interested. The Aussie players are only at the Phoenix because they couldn't get contracts for Australian A-League clubs. All due respect to Windy City, but they ain't there for the ambience, they're only there for a pay cheque and that isn't going to win you any silverware. The Phoenix should field the most exciting talent in NZ (plus a few good imports) and there are question marks over whether either Tim Brown or Tony Lockhead fall into that catagory. The Phoenix is virtually an Aussie team with a few Kiwis attached.
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Cos Costa and Rojas ain't that good, and there aren't many NZers around that would get a look in at the moment, due to the squad getting better and better.
I like tautologies because I like them.
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Average trolling Wayward, and I would have thought that for a journalist you might at least manage paragraphs and puntuation.
Just as well we don't have a team full of South Africans, Koreans, failed Spaniards and Englishmen to support like you. You know there was a week last year where the Phoenix put out more kiwi's than a team in the NEW ZEALAND football championship.
Coombes. Hilarious.
Just as well we don't have a team full of South Africans, Koreans, failed Spaniards and Englishmen to support like you. You know there was a week last year where the Phoenix put out more kiwi's than a team in the NEW ZEALAND football championship.
Coombes. Hilarious.
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The Aussie players are only at the Phoenix because they couldn't get contracts for Australian A-League clubs.
Durante, McKain would walk into other sides. Lia and Hearfield would also be picked up as would Muscat now I reckon. That leaves Ferrante and Crowther as your only argument there
Royal2010-01-11 17:16:36
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Sorry Cosimo, I don't agree. Auckland City's performance at the Club World Cup proved enthusiastic local players can rise to a good level if given the chance. How can you say Rojas isn't that good when he has only had a few minutes on the pitch? One of the reasons the Phoenix has bottled it so often is because they have too many Aussies who are there for a paycheque. Look at the commitment of local star Bertos, that's because he has a heartfelt commitment to the club. You can't buy that. You only have to look at Man U's home-grown players out performing the highly paid mercenaries at Man City to see the difference. You're not going to win anything with a team of Vince Lias.
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Yep, the last thing this country needs is 9000 people turning up to cheer a on a football team here.
Disgraceful. If you want to know why Sigmund isn't in the squad ask him. He's the one who punched a player in the face and lost his place. Interesting you turn up this week when there were three kiwi's in the squad yet a couple of months ago when there were 7 you were nowhere to be seen. To much time with happyTed for you sir.
Disgraceful. If you want to know why Sigmund isn't in the squad ask him. He's the one who punched a player in the face and lost his place. Interesting you turn up this week when there were three kiwi's in the squad yet a couple of months ago when there were 7 you were nowhere to be seen. To much time with happyTed for you sir.
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Sorry Cosimo, I don't agree. Auckland City's performance at the Club World Cup proved enthusiastic local players can rise to a good level if given the chance. How can you say Rojas isn't that good when he has only had a few minutes on the pitch? One of the reasons the Phoenix has bottled it so often is because they have too many Aussies who are there for a paycheque. Look at the commitment of local star Bertos, that's because he has a heartfelt commitment to the club. You can't buy that. You only have to look at Man U's home-grown players out performing the highly paid mercenaries at Man City to see the difference. You're not going to win anything with a team of Vince Lias.
Bertos has all the skills, but I reckon McKain and Durante have shown more commitment actually. Vince Lia shows a lot of commitment as well. If you think ROjas is as good as the rest of the regular squad you are dreaming my friend.
I like tautologies because I like them.
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Of course, Durante and McKain would rather be in Wellington than in cold Sydney or boring Melbourne. Give me a break. You can bet they all tried to get into sides across the ditch before signing for Wellington.
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Of course, Durante and McKain would rather be in Wellington than in�cold �Sydney or boring Melbourne. Give me a break. You can bet they all tried to get into sides across the ditch before signing for Wellington.
So, which NZ players would you rather have instead?
I like tautologies because I like them.
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If you are going to make things up Wayward then you will get the same treatment as an Australian troll and that is an IP ban.
Happy to debate facts but you obviously don't know them.
Happy to debate facts but you obviously don't know them.
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Of course, Durante and McKain would rather be in Wellington than in cold Sydney or boring Melbourne. Give me a break. You can bet they all tried to get into sides across the ditch before signing for Wellington.
LOL yeah, because I'm sure the winner of the MVP player in the A-League final really struggled to find a team to play for
We are a professional football team, the best team that is available every week will be played regardless of which country they are from.
And as someone else said you are dreaming if you think Haynes and Coombes are good enough to play for the Phoenix, Coombes scored a couple of good goals yeah, but did you ever hear his name being thrown around before that? No. Because he is not good enough.
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Just as an aside Baiter, we got over 9,000 at Mt Smart for Rufer's Kingz when it was playing in the old club-based Aussie national league, before the club imploded when the stupid board fired Rufer and hired Aussie Peterson (who tried to bring in a largely Aussie squad) and everything fell apart (although it survived five seasons). I think the Phoenix should be getting 15,000, then El Tel wouldn't be struggling to pay the bills.
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"When you represent a club it's about values and qualities, not about passports."- Arsene Wenger
Nationality of players is not important. Success is. I'll leave it there.
Nationality of players is not important. Success is. I'll leave it there.
Three for me, and two for them.
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Actually Matty, I reckon Hayne may be worth a look. No guarantee he's make it but he's been consistently good over a few years and has made all NZ age group squads.
We got 9k in a city with 3 times the population of Wellington and it was a one off peak (the Phoenix's league peak was over 18k). If some of your fellow Auckland fans were to be believed we'd be playing in front of 597 by now (at least that is what they assured us two years ago).
Hard News2010-01-11 17:38:53
We got 9k in a city with 3 times the population of Wellington and it was a one off peak (the Phoenix's league peak was over 18k). If some of your fellow Auckland fans were to be believed we'd be playing in front of 597 by now (at least that is what they assured us two years ago).
Hard News2010-01-11 17:38:53
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blue magic you think they're here for the money? they could earn alot more at other clubs. just look at daniels offer from qatar.
you dont know s**t
you dont know s**t
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The reason Costa, Marcos, Mulligan and other kiwis are not in the side is coz they are not yet good enough.
The Phoenix is a privately owned football club. A club whose sole reason to exist is to win the A-League. If we develop some kiwi talent on the way then thats good as well. I am not going to lose any sleep angsting over wether it should be full of kiwis.
Ask any of the 9000 watching Dadi, Ifill and co tear the Roar to bits last weekend wether there should be more kiwis in the side....most would say it would be nice but I would rather support a winning team.
Its very early days in the history of the Phoenix. I am absolutely sure that when we get the reserve team up and running and we get the next generatation of youngsters coming through that there will be lots of kiwis playing for the Nix.
In the mean time if the Phoenix win the A-League this year they will do NZ football an enormous service. Heaps of kids will take up the game and perhaps with time they will swap their bedroom wall posters of Ifill and Dadi with those of home grown talent.....BE PATIENT!!!!
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You are obviously from Akld and have not have any contact with the current overseas players. Try talking to them and then guage their commitment. Or go down to Les Mills on their day off and you will prob catch some of them training hard out if you get up early enough. Go watch them train at least. Otherwise jog on..
Founder
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I merely asked - how is this helping local football? If you see yourself as essentially an Aussie team in an Aussie competition then fine. Win it this season and I'll stand corrected. Another season of mediocrity and I'll raise the question again (unless of course Hard News imposes a ban). I'd much rather see a team stacked with local players playing their hearts out than watching journeymen (however good) take a paycheque. Fortunately I've got City and Happy Ted sends his love.
PS - Siggy was an idiot for lashing out, but the lad wears his heart on his sleeve and Roy Keane would have been impressed.
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I merely asked - how is this helping local football? If you see yourself as essentially an Aussie team in an Aussie competition then fine. Win it this season and I'll stand corrected. Another season of mediocrity and I'll raise the question again (unless of course Hard News imposes a ban). I'd much rather see a team stacked with local players playing their hearts out than watching journeymen (however good) take a paycheque. Fortunately I've got City and Happy Ted sends his love.
PS - Siggy was an idiot for lashing out, but the lad wears his heart on his sleeve and Roy Keane would have been impressed.
Come to Wgtn and see what impact it has had on football in the Capital. Answer = MASSIVE
Founder
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Dear Buffon II. When Arsenal played Portsmouth recently and not one British player was on the pitch the British media asked the same question - how is this helping the local game? One of the reasons Ashley Cole gave for leaving Arsenal was they spoke more French in the changing room than English. if you don't give local players quality game time on the pitch, how do you know they're not good enough?
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"When you represent a club it's about values and qualities, not about passports."- Arsene Wenger
Nationality of players is not important. Success is. I'll leave it there.
Arsenal2010-01-11 17:55:03Nationality of players is not important. Success is. I'll leave it there.
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Dear Buffon II. When Arsenal played Portsmouth recently and not one British player was on the pitch the British media asked the same question - how is this helping the local game? One of the reasons Ashley Cole gave for leaving Arsenal was they spoke more French in the changing room than English. if you don't give local players quality game time on the pitch, how do you know they're not good enough?
He gives game time to plenty of young English players if they are good enough. If they aren't then he doesn't bother with them. Simple.
And how does he know? I think his record of 3 League titles and 4 FA Cups speaks for itself.
Three for me, and two for them.
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I'm all for kiwi players playing, but is this some sort of racism? Are you saying the Aussie players don't put they're hearts on their sleeves too? I've seen way more emotion and dedication from Durante, McKain, Ifill etc than Lochhead. Most of the sucessful players are the ones who do play their hearts out.
Your point is invalid. Unless you can show me examples of foreigners not putting everything into it...?
Surely having Costa and Rojas etc training week in week out with Ifill, Greenacre, Dadi now, is growing football immensely. Is that helping local football? YES. If the phoenix weren't here, would the All Whites be in South Africa next year? Maybe but doubtful.
So obviously we are helping local football.
Both your points are therefore BS.
Your point is invalid. Unless you can show me examples of foreigners not putting everything into it...?
Surely having Costa and Rojas etc training week in week out with Ifill, Greenacre, Dadi now, is growing football immensely. Is that helping local football? YES. If the phoenix weren't here, would the All Whites be in South Africa next year? Maybe but doubtful.
So obviously we are helping local football.
Both your points are therefore BS.
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Once you paragraph that OP i'll read it.
But I want the club to win, whatever it takes
But I want the club to win, whatever it takes
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I too would play Durante and McKain, plus love Ifill, and think Dadi is the business. But I also think the likes of Haynes, Coombes and Feneridis could step up to a professional standard if given a chance at the Phoenix. I know they'd play their hearts out for you. Look at Brockie, he was rejected by Herbert and is doing well at the Fury.
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I merely asked - how is this helping local football? If you see yourself as essentially an Aussie team in an Aussie competition then fine. Win it this season and I'll stand corrected. Another season of mediocrity and I'll raise the question again (unless of course Hard News imposes a ban). I'd much rather see a team stacked with local players playing their hearts out than watching journeymen (however good) take a paycheque. Fortunately I've got City and Happy Ted sends his love.
PS - Siggy was an idiot for lashing out, but the lad wears his heart on his sleeve and Roy Keane would have been impressed.
So you think NZ football would be better off if we didn't have a professional team in a league of higher standard and with better quality players than anything NZ can offer?
You think NZ football would be better off if Siggy, Marco, and Costa were still in the NZFC, Leo was playing for Perth, Brownie maybe somewhere else in the A-league, Lochy maybe still in the MLS, and this country had never seen the likes of Ifill, Daniel, Greenacre, McKain, Durante, and now Dadi ply their trade on these shores? Do you think Smeltzy would have become such an important player for the All Whites, and almost a household name here, if it wasn't for the Phoenix? Do you not think that having Phoenix in the A-league has manifestly help NZ football just by keeping up the profile of the sport in the media, even if that coverage is still not where it perhaps should be? Do you think the All Whites would have play their qualifier in fron of a full house without the Phoenix?
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I too would play Durante and McKain, plus love Ifill, and think Dadi is the business. But I also think the likes of Haynes, Coombes and�Feneridis could step up to a professional standard if given a chance at the Phoenix. I know they'd play their hearts out for you. Look at Brockie, he was rejected by Herbert and is doing well�at the Fury.
You say that as if the Phoenix refuse to bring NZFC players to the club as a matter of principle. Siggy, Costa and Marco have all come here from the NZFC. We looked at other NZFC players (notably Krishna and Luis) and they didn't make the cut. Aaron Scott and Andy Barron have trained with the Phoenix too. Both may well also be capable of stepping up to the next level if given the chance. And I'm sure the club will continue to offer opportunities like that to the best performers in the NZFC.
But they're not going to just bring in a bunch of players from the NZFC in hope they could consistently compete at this level when there's a core of proven performers at the club around whom the team's centred. Disrupt that core, and the results could start going the wrong way, and then everyone loses.
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Good luck to Dadi for a great introduction to the Phoenix, but how is the fact that only three new Zealanders were on the pitch helping local football. The Phoenix seem to be far too over-loaded with Aussie sloggers like Vince Lia when exciting young Kiwi talent can't get a look in as far as Herbert's concerned. Now with Dadi on board young Costas can forget about much game time and Rojas may as well leave and go back to the NZFC. It looks like Siggy is on the outer now as well, with only Paston another possible Kiwi starter. Jason Haynes and Chad Coombes would make great players for the Phoenix and proved their worth for Auckland City against the African champions TP Mazembe, but Herbert isn't interested. The Aussie players are only at the Phoenix because they couldn't get contracts for Australian A-League clubs. All due respect to Windy City, but they ain't there for the ambience, they're only there for a pay cheque and that isn't going to win you any silverware. The Phoenix should field the most exciting talent in NZ (plus a few good imports) and there are question marks over whether either Tim Brown or Tony Lockhead fall into that catagory. The Phoenix is virtually an Aussie team with a few Kiwis attached.
Absolute nonsense. Nothing more to say.
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Terry is not losing a million dollars a year (his own stats) just to "help local football." If that's a spin off / complimentary effect from having the Nix, all well and good. But his main aim in owning, organising and financing the Phoenix is to win games and ultimately the A League.
Ricki's team selections quite rightly reflect that aim.
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Fair enough, but it's a thorny issue in British (in fact European) football as well. Are too many imports supressing the opportunities for local players? It's not racism. I like to see the best but the truth is the most successful teams culitvate and promote local talent. Just look at Man U and Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Beckham etc. I do credit the Phoenix with raising the profile of NZ football, but remember the hard slog was done by the Kingz and Knights before you (they amassed a total of 8 seasons between them). I wish you every success but I'd still like to see the Phoenix as a doorway for more NZ talent to enter the professional game. Give them a chance, I think you'd be surprised.
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trying to compare the situation of the Phoenix in NZ to clubs in the EPL and English football is ludicrous
Founder
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7 seasons.
...and the Knights ? The only people doing a hard slog there were those in the stands. Bugger all of the players were.
The Phoenic do give them a chance, huge numbers of youngsters and NZFc players train with them, but like so many of the Auckland cynics you don't see this. Incidentally, if the Auckland NZFC sides hadn't blocked the Phoenix youth proposal then there would be 8 or more young new Zealanders getting a chance every week, training with a professional club and playing NZFC football.
Hard News2010-01-11 18:33:27
...and the Knights ? The only people doing a hard slog there were those in the stands. Bugger all of the players were.
The Phoenic do give them a chance, huge numbers of youngsters and NZFc players train with them, but like so many of the Auckland cynics you don't see this. Incidentally, if the Auckland NZFC sides hadn't blocked the Phoenix youth proposal then there would be 8 or more young new Zealanders getting a chance every week, training with a professional club and playing NZFC football.
Hard News2010-01-11 18:33:27
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By the way, before everyone gets too excited about the All Whites, they scored one goal over two games against mediocre Arab opposition. Bahrain wasted three easy scoring chances that any half-decent team would have put away. City scored two against similar opposition. I suspect Herbert is going to get a reality check when he comes up against better opposition. Well done for filling the Cake Tin. I know a lot of Aucklanders who went down and had a great time.
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Dont forget siggy was suspended for his Manny Pacquiao right stiff punch. So it would of been 4 kiwi players in the current playing 11. You got to be patient. this is a professional sport. thats life. If other kiwi footballers are good enough then they would of been drafted.
PS - Mulligan who?
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Similar opposition ?
The team 7th in the powerhouse UAE national league ? Please. The only thing similar to Bahrain was that they were both Arabic. HUGE historical re-write from City fans.
The team 7th in the powerhouse UAE national league ? Please. The only thing similar to Bahrain was that they were both Arabic. HUGE historical re-write from City fans.
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I too would play Durante and McKain, plus love Ifill, and think Dadi is the business. But I also think the likes of Haynes, Coombes and Feneridis could step up to a professional standard if given a chance at the Phoenix. I know they'd play their hearts out for you. Look at Brockie, he was rejected by Herbert and is doing well at the Fury.
but surely he's only there for the paycheck as he is a foreigner and all the aussies are the real ones putting their hearts on their sleeves right?????
mate are you just saying that kiwi players play their hearts out more than other races?????
And also, why would ricki sign those players when he has loads of players in those positions and they've been contracted for a while now whereas these guys havn't been mentioned much at all untill the club world cup...? WE can only fit 23 players in the squad.
I'm sure Ricki will take them if they will play for free, but salary cap is there too
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By the way, before everyone gets too excited about the All Whites, they scored one goal over two games against mediocre Arab opposition. Bahrain wasted three easy scoring chances that any half-decent team would have put away. City scored two against similar opposition. I suspect Herbert is going to get a reality check when he comes up against better opposition. Well done for filling the Cake Tin. I know a lot of Aucklanders who went down and had a great time.
So your saying that we didnt deserve to win the game against Bahrain??
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By the way, before everyone gets too excited about the All Whites, they scored one goal over two games against mediocre Arab opposition. Bahrain wasted three easy scoring chances that any half-decent team would have put away. City scored two against similar opposition. I suspect Herbert is going to get a reality check when he comes up against better opposition. Well done for filling the Cake Tin. I know a lot of Aucklanders who went down and had a great time.
True, winning your way to the World cup definitly means we need a reality check......
BAN
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I merely asked - how is this helping local football?
By being here, thus raising the profile of the game.
Minutes on the pitch have to be earned, I'd rather not send the message of 'if you're a kiwi you'll walk straight into the team' to potential fans and kids aspiring to play for the Phoenix
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