Lack of NZ Born & Bred Coaches at the Nix, in the A League & Our National Teams

Really happy with Chiefy as our coach and long may it continue but wouldn't be great if we had some actual NZ born coach's come through us and the new Auckland side. 

Its the one part of the kiwi game still letting us down.

We've been inundated with foreign coaches, mostly Brits, since 2000 (and earlier). Some have become true blue Kiwis doing well for us, while others were a dalliance at our expense. 

The last proper kiwi in charge of a pro team was Ricki.
Since day one of the Kingz, we've only had 3: Ricki, Shane and Wynton. 
Pretty poor form for a quarter century of pro football over 4 teams.  The All whites are just as bad (2).

Looking at the key positions in NZ football; the Kingz, Knights, Nix (Men's & Women's), Akl FC, AWs & Ferns, there have been 38 different managers. Of that, only 8 were born in NZ and most of them managed the Ferns and often only for a few games (last Ferns kiwi coach was 2004, 20 years ago). 
If you include Brits with kiwi passports in the mix you add 7 more. 

All up 53+% of our coaches were born in the UK and 79+% were born overseas . Not great reading.

Stats:
Kiwis: 8                  21%  (Was Doug Moore born here?)
British Kiwis: 9      24%
British: 12               31%
Australian: 5          13%
Other: 4                 11%

We really need to turn these stats around.

Managers Since 2000:

Kingz:
Wynton Rufer (Kiwi)
Mike Petersen (Aussie)
Shane Rufer (Kiwi)
Kevin Fallon (English / Kiwi PP)
Ken Dugdale (English)
Tommy Mason (English / Kiwi PP)

Knights:
John Adshead (English / Kiwi PP)
Paul Nevin (English)
Barry Simmonds (English)
Rick Herbert (Kiwi)

Phoenix
Men:                                                           Women:
Ricki Herbert (Kiwi)                             Gemma Lewis  (Welsh)
Chris Greenacre (English/Kiwi PP)     Paul Temple     (English/Kiwi PP)
Ernie Merrick (Scottish)
Des Buckingham (English)
Darije Kalazic (Bosnia)
Marko Rudan (Aussie)
Ufuk Talay (Aussie)
Chiefy (Aussie)

Auckland FC:
Steve Corica (Aussie)

Ferns:                                                      All Whites:
Doug Moore (Kiwi?)                          Ken Dugdale (English)
Sandy Davie (Scottish/Kiwi PP)       Mick Waitt (English/Kiwi PP)
Fred Simpson (Kiwi)                         Ricki Herbert (Kiwi)
Alison Grant (Kiwi)                            Neil Emblen (English)
Wendi Henderson (Kiwi)                   Anthony Hudson (English)
Mick Leonard (English)                     Fritz Schmid (Swiss)
John Herdman (English)                   Danny Hay (Kiwi)
Allan Jones (English)                        Darren Bazeley (English/Kiwi PP)
Tony Readings (English/Kiwi PP)
Andreas Heraf (Austrian)
Tom Sermanni (Scottish)
Jitka Klimkova (Czech)

We have to bring value to the league for the FFA.  We do that by developing Aussie coaches to keep our licence.

There's not exactly too many floating around the place, and given that there's a real bottleneck in this country to produce top, top managers/coaches it's not surprising to me that there isn't more on the scene. What is good though is recently seeing a few more picking up gigs abroad.

It's not all about the born and bred thing either. The way I see it, for guys like Buckingham, Herdman, Temple etc - they all have an attachment to New Zealand which could in turn leverage opportunities for other 'Kiwi' managers/staff or players down the line. I feel that it's more about the connections, and the constant growing and building of them that will eventually improve us as a footballing nation, rather than coming down to the fact of simply whether you were born here or not.

My biggest case in point is a recent one too involving Steve Coleman. He had a big part to play in Riley Bidois getting a deal over in America with Loudoun United - "Too good to be playing National League" - His words, not mine, and now we've got another Kiwi playing on a pro deal for the next couple of years - Win/Win. This probably goes some way towards reinforcing the point that sometimes it's not about what you know, it's who you know. But it's what I was talking about earlier, using those connections and leveraging them into opportunities for both players and coaches alike.

It would be quite interesting to see how many kiwi born coaches there are at the local level. If there were kiwis with the right training certificates then you could question why there were few of them getting up to the next levels. Maybe there needs to be a proper pathway along  the lines that all  assist coaches must be kiwis.
 The trouble is the world is awash with qualified football coaches looking for a job. I found doing business in NZ that there was a distinct cultural cringe when it came to appointments i.e someone from overseas(often Britain) must be better. Don’t know if this still applies to football but when I played in NZ many years ago it was certainly the case.

Aren’t there a few around the world too? Kiwis that is? Cameron Knowles? Horse? Declan? Hay was. Oughton? Zorocich? And a few others…

I wonder how much this network is utilised. 

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

That also applies to the likes of Emblen, Bazely, even Greenie - their coaching journey all began in the NZ game. Perhaps NZF view it that way too so are reasonably happy that their pathways are ok.

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Napier Phoenix

That also applies to the likes of Emblen, Bazely, even Greenie - their coaching journey all began in the NZ game. Perhaps NZF view it that way too so are reasonably happy that their pathways are ok.

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Well it’s poor if they do. The 3 were never able to represent NZ as footballers. They weren’t 22 when they arrived either. 

I feel there’s a lot invested by all involved in NZ, but, as well, we need to have some more of our homegrown coaches such as Danny Hay coming through. Whatever you think of him, I’m happy he’s involved at Auckland. I think it’s good for our own footballing feeling of self worth. 

If we can produce Sarpreet and Libby, we can also produce one or two more from the Ricki or Danny mould. Ricki being a Kiwi was a big part of the early Nix and the 2009 and 2010 story. 

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

Somewhat of a tangent, but I wonder if Chris Wood will pick up coaching post professional football. 

I'm sure he'd have no issues landing a gig somewhere, given his connections in the U.K. Even if it's a lower stature club to begin with (i.e. League 2, non-league, Assistant, etc). 

Ninja

Somewhat of a tangent, but I wonder if Chris Wood will pick up coaching post professional football. 

I'm sure he'd have no issues landing a gig somewhere, given his connections in the U.K. Even if it's a lower stature club to begin with (i.e. League 2, non-league, Assistant, etc). 

On the Between2Beers podcast about 6 months ago, the Woodsman said he is very open to playing 1-2 seasons at the end of his career in NZ, ie read ALM, mostly likely Auckland.

But yes his long term futrure will be in the UK, and something about maybe coaching. He's also getting married to an English lass 17th June this year (might rule him out of the OFC Nations Cup). Horse racing, and horse breeding also a huge hobby for him. About 1 hr 38 min into the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7icg1dWCE_I

coochiee

Ninja

Somewhat of a tangent, but I wonder if Chris Wood will pick up coaching post professional football. 

I'm sure he'd have no issues landing a gig somewhere, given his connections in the U.K. Even if it's a lower stature club to begin with (i.e. League 2, non-league, Assistant, etc). 

On the Between2Beers podcast about 6 months ago, the Woodsman said he is very open to playing 1-2 seasons at the end of his career in NZ, ie read ALM, mostly likely Auckland.

But yes his long term futrure will be in the UK, and something about maybe coaching. He's also getting married to an English lass 17th June this year (might rule him out of the OFC Nations Cup). Horse racing, and horse breeding also a huge hobby for him. About 1 hr 38 min into the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7icg1dWCE_I

He loves a good wedding during the OFC Nations cup doesnt he? He missed the last final for his sisters wedding!

Ninja

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

I have obviously no problem with your statement at all, but it also confirms my earlier point.  That is the New Zealand view of identities (nativist), but there are other cultural views (cosmopolitan).  
As an example, Australians or Americans are culturally welcoming and will consider migrants who come to willingly / happily / identify themselves as Australians, or Americans, as such.  It may be different in smaller rural settings, but is very much the case in urban settings, playful references to one's ethnic background aside (gentle abuse is proof of acceptance in Australia, cool politeness is not).

Ernie Merrick may be ethnically Scottish, as you see him, but he is not a Scottish football coach. Calling him that would imply something totally different.   If you left Sweden at 22 to go to a college say in Canada, but then graduated, set up a family and worked for decades as a surveyor in Alberta, it would still not make you a Swedish surveyor.

Mainland FC

Ninja

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

I have obviously no problem with your statement at all, but it also confirms my earlier point.  That is the New Zealand view of identities (nativist), but there are other cultural views (cosmopolitan).  
As an example, Australians or Americans are culturally welcoming and will consider migrants who come to willingly / happily / identify themselves as Australians, or Americans, as such.  It may be different in smaller rural settings, but is very much the case in urban settings, playful references to one's ethnic background aside (gentle abuse is proof of acceptance in Australia, cool politeness is not).

Ernie Merrick may be ethnically Scottish, as you see him, but he is not a Scottish football coach. Calling him that would imply something totally different.   If you left Sweden at 22 to go to a college say in Canada, but then graduated, set up a family and worked for decades as a surveyor in Alberta, it would still not make you a Swedish surveyor.

Merrick seems a particularly poor example:

IMG_9447.jpeg 474.73 KB

Check the OAM…

Mainland FC

Ninja

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

I have obviously no problem with your statement at all, but it also confirms my earlier point.  That is the New Zealand view of identities (nativist), but there are other cultural views (cosmopolitan).  
As an example, Australians or Americans are culturally welcoming and will consider migrants who come to willingly / happily / identify themselves as Australians, or Americans, as such.  It may be different in smaller rural settings, but is very much the case in urban settings, playful references to one's ethnic background aside (gentle abuse is proof of acceptance in Australia, cool politeness is not).

Ernie Merrick may be ethnically Scottish, as you see him, but he is not a Scottish football coach. Calling him that would imply something totally different.   If you left Sweden at 22 to go to a college say in Canada, but then graduated, set up a family and worked for decades as a surveyor in Alberta, it would still not make you a Swedish surveyor.

I'm a kiwi who's lived in the UK from the age of 24 and with British family, but I do not for one minute see myself as British, nor do the thousands of other foreigners I work with in London on a daily basis who have spent the majority of their lives here, even those who moved here when quite young.

Yes Ernie became a coach/manager in Australia and it's right to say it's Australia who's made him, but it has not stopped him calling himself a Scot.

Anyways enough about Ernie and more about why Hay is the only kiwi at elite level in Australia and NZ. Where are the others?

Ninja

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

no, we have the most immigrants in the world. If you choose to make New Zealand a home, then you're a New Zealander.

The complication with Scottish is it's an ethnicity as well as a country.

Ryan

Ninja

Mainland FC

In Merrick's defence, calling Merrick "Scottish" is the perfect example of our Kiwi nativist attitude. Merrick is an Australian coach, and is considered by the Australians as such. 
He left Scotland when he was 22 and was never a coach there. All of his coaching education and career employment was in Australia before he came to us 10 years ago.  
Where he grew up does not influence this. Accents do not determine "for the term of your natural life" as to who you are.  

Ernie Merrick is Scottish.

I will always be a New Zealander, not matter how long I've lived in another country. 

no, we have the most immigrants in the world. If you choose to make New Zealand a home, then you're a New Zealander.

The complication with Scottish is it's an ethnicity as well as a country.

"no, we have the most immigrants in the world. If you choose to make New Zealand a home, then you're a New Zealander"
Thank you. That is the whole point. Othering people who choose to make New Zealand home is a surefire way to stop them from doing their best for their neighbourhood, their football club, their adoptive country. 
Some of us made a life-long choice.  Yes it screws with my head sometimes, but whichever way  I look at it, after 30 years I have no other home than New Zealand. It is not perfect by a long shot but it is my home. And Phoenix is my club, for better or worse.

The problem with this discussion is... Everyone's right.

How someone identifies is totally up to them.  Where you were born, where you live, etc.  some immigrants consider themselves their birth nation as their identity.  Some consider NZ their identity.  Some consider both their identity.

All 3 totally valid.  And it's not just nationality, people do the same things with cities they live in.

But I totally agree with the point where if someone came to NZ and went through the NZ coaching pathway, they're a NZ coach.

Bananas

The problem with this discussion is... Everyone's right.

How someone identifies is totally up to them.  Where you were born, where you live, etc.  some immigrants consider themselves their birth nation as their identity.  Some consider NZ their identity.  Some consider both their identity.

All 3 totally valid.  And it's not just nationality, people do the same things with cities they live in.

But I totally agree with the point where if someone came to NZ and went through the NZ coaching pathway, they're a NZ coach.

I agree, but fortunately or unfortunately sometimes the laws of the land or FIFA come into play as well! Or Michael Fitzgerald would have a lot more caps for the AWs. 

But as Tyler Bindon put it you know because it’s close to your heart. 

Oh yeah that's their system though.  

If we are having a general chat about Kiwi coaches and how successful/unsuccessful we are at developing them, I would agree that anyone who's been through our coaching system is a Kiwi coach for the purposes of that chat.

Bananas

The problem with this discussion is... Everyone's right.

How someone identifies is totally up to them.  Where you were born, where you live, etc.  some immigrants consider themselves their birth nation as their identity.  Some consider NZ their identity.  Some consider both their identity.

All 3 totally valid.  And it's not just nationality, people do the same things with cities they live in.

But I totally agree with the point where if someone came to NZ and went through the NZ coaching pathway, they're a NZ coach.

Your opinion contradicts that of Marto and Ninja though, you're saying how people identify with a country is up to them whereas Marto and Ninja are saying it's not. It's up to where they were born.

Ryan

Bananas

The problem with this discussion is... Everyone's right.

How someone identifies is totally up to them.  Where you were born, where you live, etc.  some immigrants consider themselves their birth nation as their identity.  Some consider NZ their identity.  Some consider both their identity.

All 3 totally valid.  And it's not just nationality, people do the same things with cities they live in.

But I totally agree with the point where if someone came to NZ and went through the NZ coaching pathway, they're a NZ coach.

Your opinion contradicts that of Marto and Ninja though, you're saying how people identify with a country is up to them whereas Marto and Ninja are saying it's not. It's up to where they were born.

I think it is more refined than that.  
Bananas allows people to self-define themselves as whoever, depending on their own circumstances and self-reflection.  It allows long term residents of say UK to still call themselves New Zealanders, or Polish, or whatever, if that is how they feel.
The opposite view from either Marto or Ninja (TL:DR) appears to be more restrictive, in that since THEY define their identity in a certain way, the same rule to define identity should also apply to OTHERS.  To apply this to a practical example, even if Fornaroli considers himself an Australian they would call him Uruguayan, although he is a citizen and was selected for the Socceroos.  By extension, Irene Van Dyk would always be a South African even if she was selected to the NZ national team.  
That is how I understood it; if I got it wrong I hope to hear a correction.

I think for the purposes of this discussion only, it would be most beneficial to identify 'NZ coaches' as those whose entire footballing journey came here - from first experiences as a youngster to the beginning of their coaching journey, i.e. those whose entire footballing pathway is endemic to NZ. There's a lack of these people, and it's certainly fair to question why this pathway is as bare as it is

I don’t know if that is a helpful definition. 

mrsmiis

I think for the purposes of this discussion only, it would be most beneficial to identify 'NZ coaches' as those whose entire footballing journey came here - from first experiences as a youngster to the beginning of their coaching journey, i.e. those whose entire footballing pathway is endemic to NZ. There's a lack of these people, and it's certainly fair to question why this pathway is as bare as it is

Napier Phoenix

I don’t know if that is a helpful definition. 

mrsmiis

I think for the purposes of this discussion only, it would be most beneficial to identify 'NZ coaches' as those whose entire footballing journey came here - from first experiences as a youngster to the beginning of their coaching journey, i.e. those whose entire footballing pathway is endemic to NZ. There's a lack of these people, and it's certainly fair to question why this pathway is as bare as it is

No, think it gets at Marto’s purpose in starting the thread. 

We’ve got a bunch of coaches a l a Emblen and Bazeley. Joined NZ late in their playing career and became coaches. We’re finding a good production line of players, growing up here. But we don’t have many coaches who grew up in NZ football, like Herbert or Hay. 

Lack of opportunity has got to be a factor surely. Having only 1 pro team in NZ for so long, plus the fact that for Kiwis to coach in the ALM, they somewhat unfairly need a higher level badge (pro licence) than Australian coaches. And the pro licence has been very difficult to actually obtain, like Greenacre (who's been a coach 10+ years??) has only just got the badge.

I think the pro licence course has only recently come to NZ. This article mentions Bazeley, Bullock & Temple (all expat Brits) as all working towards it, at a course in Auckland.
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2024/02/02/top-coaches-complete-four-module-ofc-pro-licence-course/

Having a 2nd NZ pro team in Auckland will obviously help, as we are seeing with Hay. And once they get their Academy up & going, then there will be a coaching pathway there for young coaches. Like Temple, Coleman, Greenacre, Buckingham have had with the Nix.

I reckon Sam Wilkinson would be a good option to be involved with an Auckland FC startup Academy, but others will know far more than me the best young coaches in the Northern Region. See he's now working with the Vanuatu FA (FIFA paid role?) in their player development space. Really hope it's not another ex SFC Aussie, that setups the Aucks Academy. 

martinb

Aren’t there a few around the world too? Kiwis that is? Cameron Knowles? Horse? Declan? Hay was. Oughton? Zorocich? And a few others…

I wonder how much this network is utilised. 

Oughton ain’t a coach 

Mainland FC

Ryan

Bananas

The problem with this discussion is... Everyone's right.

How someone identifies is totally up to them.  Where you were born, where you live, etc.  some immigrants consider themselves their birth nation as their identity.  Some consider NZ their identity.  Some consider both their identity.

All 3 totally valid.  And it's not just nationality, people do the same things with cities they live in.

But I totally agree with the point where if someone came to NZ and went through the NZ coaching pathway, they're a NZ coach.

Your opinion contradicts that of Marto and Ninja though, you're saying how people identify with a country is up to them whereas Marto and Ninja are saying it's not. It's up to where they were born.

I think it is more refined than that.  
Bananas allows people to self-define themselves as whoever, depending on their own circumstances and self-reflection.  It allows long term residents of say UK to still call themselves New Zealanders, or Polish, or whatever, if that is how they feel.
The opposite view from either Marto or Ninja (TL:DR) appears to be more restrictive, in that since THEY define their identity in a certain way, the same rule to define identity should also apply to OTHERS.  To apply this to a practical example, even if Fornaroli considers himself an Australian they would call him Uruguayan, although he is a citizen and was selected for the Socceroos.  By extension, Irene Van Dyk would always be a South African even if she was selected to the NZ national team.  
That is how I understood it; if I got it wrong I hope to hear a correction.

Yea.  For the purposes of the discussion they are being exclusive when it comes to counting the coaches as Kiwi coaches.

But the examples they use like Ernie is Scottish is true, but he's also Australian.  And the example of being in the UK with a British family is his personal view which is valid, just as someone who had been there 2 years and never planned to leave calling themselves British would also be valid.

But I am disagreeing with their premise in regards to coaching.  People are very mobile, especially in a sport like football.

If a Kiwi moved to the UK at 2, never left, and became a coach in their system, I'd call them a British coach.  Said hypothetical coach can call  themselves Kiwi if he or she  wants and I wouldn't disagree.

If our coaches had to be born and bread here and then had to rise in the sport, then become a coach, or options are pretty bloody thin.

Ifill is a good example, he played here for yonks, and has coached here for longer.  He's a Kiwi coach (IMO), and he's English, and he's Barbadian.

A perfectly nuanced analysis.

Feverish

martinb

Aren’t there a few around the world too? Kiwis that is? Cameron Knowles? Horse? Declan? Hay was. Oughton? Zorocich? And a few others…

I wonder how much this network is utilised. 

Oughton ain’t a coach 

Oughton was a coach, and Nelsen had him as an assistant with Toronto FC. Holds a 'B' licence Wiki tells me. But now days looks like he is a player agent.

Simon Elliott is another though. Had a season in charge of Sacramento Republic in the USL, but now part of some Academy in California.

Seems to be Bazeley's main lieutenant with the AWs. Wouldn't surprise if he applied for the head coach role when Baze exits, though that would require him to move to NZ. I remember when he had his short Nix playing came, his American doctor wife stayed Stateside.

Mainland FC

A perfectly nuanced analysis.

That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

martinb

Napier Phoenix

I don’t know if that is a helpful definition. 

mrsmiis

I think for the purposes of this discussion only, it would be most beneficial to identify 'NZ coaches' as those whose entire footballing journey came here - from first experiences as a youngster to the beginning of their coaching journey, i.e. those whose entire footballing pathway is endemic to NZ. There's a lack of these people, and it's certainly fair to question why this pathway is as bare as it is

No, think it gets at Marto’s purpose in starting the thread. 

We’ve got a bunch of coaches a l a Emblen and Bazeley. Joined NZ late in their playing career and became coaches. We’re finding a good production line of players, growing up here. But we don’t have many coaches who grew up in NZ football, like Herbert or Hay. 

Bang on. Hay is the first kiwi number two in the A League. As far as I know ticket is not required for that position.  At the very least the Nix should be looking to blood actual kiwi coaches. If Cheify can make it as a non player through the ranks in Australia, why have no kiwis done it in Australia or NZ?  Even Hay's gig has come after the AWs.

Why hasn't someone like Zoricich, Douglas or Coveney been given a go as a 1st team A League coach (not manager) for instance? I believe Moss is the only one currently (correct me if wrong).

Why would the Phoenix care where coaches are from?