WPM R20 vs Sydney FC| Sun 12th Mar | 3:00pm | Eden Park/Morningside Tavern

Pregame at Morningside Tavern.
- $10 off premium jugs: super charger, sand man, little creatures PA, Emersons Pilsner, Kirin,  Mac’s Cloudy apple cider with ticket or Phoenix colours 
- Free fish & chip cones every time some one buys two steinlager  ultra low carb
- Live music post game

Sydney without Burgess. We might be missing Zawada.

2ndBest

Sydney without Burgess. We might be missing Zawada.

Yeah, read in the paper this morning that Zawada is on notice for his wife givng birth and due next Monday.

I assume she is in Wellington?

Yup she is.

Given the kick off time, I guess it's possible for him to go up in the morning and get the first flight home after game. But probably depends on how much family/friend support they have around them in Wellington. 

Faaark this is a huge match, season defining stuff. A win and we're in a very good spot with 6 games to go, a loss and it's squeaky bum time for the rest of the season probably. Only Monday and I'm already fired up for this one

Jazzy Jeff

Faaark this is a huge match, season defining stuff. A win and we're in a very good spot with 6 games to go, a loss and it's squeaky bum time for the rest of the season probably. Only Monday and I'm already fired up for this one

defo the classic 6 pointer of a game this. Win and we move to 31 points, extending the gap on Sydeny at 6th. Macarthur could do us a favour and beat CCM, Newcastle could do the same to Adelaide and we'd be sitting 4th, but equal on points with Adelaide.

Can't make it this weekend - have a great time, guys, and hopefully I'll join you next month for the Brizzy game

Hey friends!

Been going through some personal stuff so know its been forever since I made my initial first post haha but have been following the Phoenix as best I can and liking how we are going about our business this season.

Any game against Sydney will be a tough one, but I think we will come out and get the win and I will be watching from the States :)

2-1 Phoenix.

theprof

Jazzy Jeff

Faaark this is a huge match, season defining stuff. A win and we're in a very good spot with 6 games to go, a loss and it's squeaky bum time for the rest of the season probably. Only Monday and I'm already fired up for this one

defo the classic 6 pointer of a game this. Win and we move to 31 points, extending the gap on Sydeny at 6th. Macarthur could do us a favour and beat CCM, Newcastle could do the same to Adelaide and we'd be sitting 4th, but equal on points with Adelaide.

Looking at that top 6 I'd have to say that with the possible exception of CCM we are the least 'in form' team. WSW and Adelaide have moved into a higher gear than us and Sydney have turned a corner in the last month and started to look dangerous. It's all about momentum going into the last third of the season.

This game is absolutely crucial. I hope we can find some cohesion and killer instinct very soon to get us on a roll towards the finals but unfortunately this team is just so bad at keeping it's foot on the opposition's throat that I'm not all that confident. A big, vocal crowd would be a great boost to the boys. I hope the locals get down to the ground in good numbers.

form of the top 6:

City - LWLWW
WSW - WWDLW
Ade - WDDWW
CCM = LDDWL
Nix - WDWLL

I'd say baswed on the above we look ok, CCM havent win in their last 3, we've won 2, same as Adelaide and WSW. City would be the ones you'd asay look a bit shakey with 2 losses in their last 3.

This game is crucial for three points if we want to finish the top 4 lose this and we should still be making the 6 but with Adelaide, next week away that could be back to back loses putting us close to losing out on the 6 and probs not much chance on getting top 4.

I think WSW will get the top 2 their squad looks strong with adding Schneiderlin and Layouni. 

I think CCM is the team we can beat for the top 4 spots. They're gonna have 3 suspended players for the next game so hopefully, they drop points there but they actually have the easiest run in compared to us, WSW and Adelaide all playing the teams in the top 6 4 times with CCM only 2. Then again this season has been the most unpredictable so really anything could happen.

Ticket sales so far seem to be pretty poor

Sydney had one shot on target in the last game! We should and need to win this game. Hope a big crowd will fire up the team.
Missing Zawada will tough, but in Kosta I trust to deliver something special.

number8

Sydney had one shot on target in the last game! We should and need to win this game. Hope a big crowd will fire up the team.
Missing Zawada will tough, but in Kosta I trust to deliver something special.

If Zawada is out then I’m hoping Kosta pulls a David Williams style “a new role, another goal!” performance and bangs in a hat trick.

If it was a few years ago, you could have guaranteed Kosta would have scored against us (his old team). Lets hope this work in reverse now and he steps it up against his old club and bangs in a few to get his season back on track.

On another thread someone mentioned Terry Antonis  - I see Kosta as being in a similar situation: still an excellent player but now with less consistency; and not imposing himself on the game as much as they used to.  If Zawada misses the Sydney FC game then Kraev and Kosta would have to take on the responsibility of finding scoring opportunities, and look for David Ball making a run and not ignore him.

Looking forward to heading to Auck for the game. Hoping to see some Callan Elliot magic down the wing to set up a goal for one of our imports.
Pax 6025

With Chris Beath as referee: 
WEL - 13 wins, 8 draws, 14 losses 
SYD - 23 wins, 9 draws, 19 losses

Sydney FC squad: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 2. James DONACHIE, 3. Joel KING, 4. Alex WILKINSON ©, 6. Jack RODWELL, 8. Paulo RETRE, 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Robert MAK, 12. Pat WOOD, 17. Anthony CACERES, 18. Diego CABALLO, 20. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 21. Alex PARSONS, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 29. Aaron GURD, 30. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 31. Oscar PRIESTMAN, 32. Matthew SCARCELLA. (2-4 to be omitted)

Ins: 20. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK) (return from injury), 31. Oscar PRIESTMAN (promoted), 32. Matthew SCARCELLA (promoted).

Outs:  22. Max BURGESS (suspended).

Unavailable: 9. Adam LE FONDRE (injured), 19. Adrian SEGECIC (international duty), 28. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH (international duty).

So no Burgess, no ALF, Gives us a chance. I keep hearing the excuse that it gives Auckland based fans a chance to see the team, yet via the club, I keep getting told it's because the major sponsors insist on 2 games up there. I'd love to know which one is true.

Come on Nix, will be watching from Upper Hutt.

LG

So no Burgess, no ALF, Gives us a chance. I keep hearing the excuse that it gives Auckland based fans a chance to see the team, yet via the club, I keep getting told it's because the major sponsors insist on 2 games up there. I'd love to know which one is true.

Come on Nix, will be watching from Upper Hutt.

likely a bit of both, sponsors and fans arent mutally exclusive. 

Lets be brutally honest the ROF crowds haven't been great this season, the first season in 2.5 campaigns the team have been home in Welly.

Personally I think it's partly because the imports though doing a job, lack a bit of that star ex EPL profile that likes of Taylor, Hooper, Hemed etc had. All a bit too low profile, almost dull. Which doesn't help drag in the casuals, many of whom follow or know the EPL

Anyway you can't blame Welnix taking games to Auckland, especially when the ROF crowds are down around the 5-6K mark. Be interesting to see how big the EP crowd is, sounds like it might be a smaller one than  recent seasons

I think there's a few things and I don't think it's the imports. Until we hired Taylor and Gary Hooper we didn't really have recognisable named imports. We were happy when we got players like Stein Heisgems who played in the top tier of Belgium, yet we got crowds north of 8k.

The habit of having a season pass and attending the games has been broken.

The season pass is quite a lot more expensive than it was and we're going through a cost of living crisis.

I think the club might have made a miscalculation with the afternoon kick off times, they expected families to show up but they've also made it harder for some of the existing fan base for whom the later kickoff times worked better to turn up.

coochiee

Lets be brutally honest the ROF crowds haven't been great this season, the first season in 2.5 campaigns the team have been home in Welly.

Personally I think it's partly because the imports though doing a job, lack a bit of that star ex EPL profile that likes of Taylor, Hooper, Hemed etc had. All a bit too low profile, almost dull. Which doesn't help drag in the casuals, many of whom follow or know the EPL

Anyway you can't blame Welnix taking games to Auckland, especially when the ROF crowds are down around the 5-6K mark. Be interesting to see how big the EP crowd is, sounds like it might be a smaller one than  recent seasons

Think imports are playing a very minor part in crowd numbers. Plenty of other reasons which have all been posted about,cost of living,cost to attend games at the stadium,stadium charges for parking and food and beverage,poor start to the season ,quality of the football on display,team being kept away from Wellington for weeks and people committing elswhere,people spending their money on World Cup tickets, game times.
So any number of excuses however i think that would all mostly disappear if the team could get some consistent results playing attractive football. The annoying thing is we have a reasonable base of loyal fans but for whatever reason we just cant seem to get even the so called football fans to attend games.

Absolutely the Phoenix are a Wellington team, and the city is intergal to their identity, but personally I think it's a great thing that they spread the love around the country each season when they can. The harsh reality is NZ only has one professional football club, and as a result Wellington fans have to make a concession for the rest of us, which I'm sure is frustrating as heck, especially for season ticket holders 

My first Phoenix game was on a cold a rainy autumn night at QBE on an equally cold and rainy Kalezic season. I'd had a modicum of interest in the EPL as a very young child and done the odd stint on football manager growing up but hadn't ever really engaged with NZ football in any capacity barre the 2010 wc campaign. My friend took me along. I saw a fresh on the scene Sarpeet Singh net one maybe even two? to shaft it to the Aussies. And thought to myself "geez, if this is the kind of talent the nix can produce about time I shut up and listened." From there I never missed an Auckland game since (up until this weekend unfortunately). and have done two trips down to Wellington to see our team at the ROF. The games at Auckland since have been more than just a few thousand for a consolation win at the end of a lacklustre season. They've been highly entertaining and full of drama, with a sizeable and impassioned crowd to boot. Who could forget Davilla fudging that last minute penalty to dash our hopes of making the playoff's, or  Ugarkovic going for a slip and slide during what was to be a surefire penalty of his own? It's great value. And it's imperative for the rest of New Zealand to get a chance to see professional football in this country at its best, which Wellington gets the privilege of experiencing far more frequently. 

I know for a fact without that first Auckland game I never would have been as engaged with all the build up to the WCQ campaign starting from the formidable Olympics effort to the heartbreaking Costa Rica playoff, and everything in between. Heck I wouldn't even be a participant on this forum?! But that whole period felt so hopeful and massive. And I loved it even though we didn't get to Qatar in the end.

I suppose I've just rambled far more than necessary but the gist is I think Welly has the best toys in the daycare and it's reluctantly going to have to learn to share with the other kids for the greater benefit of the classroom. This game at Eden Park is sure to be a cracker with a lot riding on it for both teams even if the crowds don't quite reach the heights of past Eden Park games so COYN! 🔥 

Could Marinovic return to Phoenix if he is currently without a club?

Ted Striker

Could Marinovic return to Phoenix if he is currently without a club?

Not this week.

Though, at the end of the season, where there is another thread for that, maybe.

Ryan

I think there's a few things and I don't think it's the imports. Until we hired Taylor and Gary Hooper we didn't really have recognisable named imports. We were happy when we got players like Stein Heisgems who played in the top tier of Belgium, yet we got crowds north of 8k.

The habit of having a season pass and attending the games has been broken.

The season pass is quite a lot more expensive than it was and we're going through a cost of living crisis.

I think the club might have made a miscalculation with the afternoon kick off times, they expected families to show up but they've also made it harder for some of the existing fan base for whom the later kickoff times worked better to turn up.

I’m fully onboard with these 3pm kick off times being partly to blame for the poor crowds. The difference between going to watch the Phoenix and any other sporting fixture in New Zealand is the atmosphere. That’s what makes going to the venue a unique experience in NZ. It’s mostly driven by the Yellow Fever, and there’s just no way you’re going to get the same level of passion at 3pm on a Sunday as you would at 7pm on a Saturday. 

Hopefully we can go back to having a mix of kick off times next season. 

I think alongside ticket prices and kick off times, another big factor is that we’re all just out of practice.

What I mean by that is that NZ went so long without live sport that the habit of going to watch it in person has been broken. People found new interests and/or adjusted their priorities.

coochiee

Lets be brutally honest the ROF crowds haven't been great this season, the first season in 2.5 campaigns the team have been home in Welly.

Personally I think it's partly because the imports though doing a job, lack a bit of that star ex EPL profile that likes of Taylor, Hooper, Hemed etc had. All a bit too low profile, almost dull. Which doesn't help drag in the casuals, many of whom follow or know the EPL

Anyway you can't blame Welnix taking games to Auckland, especially when the ROF crowds are down around the 5-6K mark. Be interesting to see how big the EP crowd is, sounds like it might be a smaller one than  recent seasons

To be fair I think crowds in general for the league are pretty poor, not just a welly thing. Adjusted for population were doing pretty damn good.

League just seems to be struggling to capture hearts and minds a bit.

Rock Hopper

Absolutely the Phoenix are a Wellington team, and the city is intergal to their identity, but personally I think it's a great thing that they spread the love around the country each season when they can. The harsh reality is NZ only has one professional football club, and as a result Wellington fans have to make a concession for the rest of us, which I'm sure is frustrating as heck, especially for season ticket holders 

My first Phoenix game was on a cold a rainy autumn night at QBE on an equally cold and rainy Kalezic season. I'd had a modicum of interest in the EPL as a very young child and done the odd stint on football manager growing up but hadn't ever really engaged with NZ football in any capacity barre the 2010 wc campaign. My friend took me along. I saw a fresh on the scene Sarpeet Singh net one maybe even two? to shaft it to the Aussies. And thought to myself "geez, if this is the kind of talent the nix can produce about time I shut up and listened." From there I never missed an Auckland game since (up until this weekend unfortunately). and have done two trips down to Wellington to see our team at the ROF. The games at Auckland since have been more than just a few thousand for a consolation win at the end of a lacklustre season. They've been highly entertaining and full of drama, with a sizeable and impassioned crowd to boot. Who could forget Davilla fudging that last minute penalty to dash our hopes of making the playoff's, or  Ugarkovic going for a slip and slide during what was to be a surefire penalty of his own? It's great value. And it's imperative for the rest of New Zealand to get a chance to see professional football in this country at its best, which Wellington gets the privilege of experiencing far more frequently. 

I know for a fact without that first Auckland game I never would have been as engaged with all the build up to the WCQ campaign starting from the formidable Olympics effort to the heartbreaking Costa Rica playoff, and everything in between. Heck I wouldn't even be a participant on this forum?! But that whole period felt so hopeful and massive. And I loved it even though we didn't get to Qatar in the end.

I suppose I've just rambled far more than necessary but the gist is I think Welly has the best toys in the daycare and it's reluctantly going to have to learn to share with the other kids for the greater benefit of the classroom. This game at Eden Park is sure to be a cracker with a lot riding on it for both teams even if the crowds don't quite reach the heights of past Eden Park games so COYN! 🔥 

Also, if the Nix are hell bent on taking games to Auckland that fine, is what it is, but can the please adjust the membership prices to reflect that a lot of us can't afford a weekend trip up north on a whim? Also can we get the women's football off the membership too? Or rather make it a separate add on. I don't feel they add nearly enough value to be worth more than $5 a game.

Yeah, happy International Women's Day to you too

Doloras

Yeah, happy International Women's Day to you too

Well do you feel that the women's games are worth the same price as the men's? If you do fine but I don't. Apparently none of my partners football team thinks so either because they don't go.

All I'm saying is that it would be nice to have the option for a cheaper membership, something that gives better value and provides an actual reason to get it instead of just buying tickets on a weekly basis.

Also international women's day was yesterday.

How did US women's sport get so strong? Title IX - universities which offered athletics scholarships to males had to offer them to females as well. Funding comes first - performance comes down the track. Pay up for a strong Wāhinix.

Doloras

How did US women's sport get so strong? Title IX - universities which offered athletics scholarships to males had to offer them to females as well. Funding comes first - performance comes down the track. Pay up for a strong Wāhinix.

Cool, feel free to pay that then, I'm sure your admission will cover the cost of the stadium hire.

I'm not interested in paying those price  for the women's team, I think its far too high for what it is and I have too many other things to pay for in life.

Absolutely a strong women's team would be nice but charging an arm and a leg for sub par football isn't isn't way to engage support.

Anyway, none of this is a slight against the women's team rather my thoughts on better value for the memberships.

Doloras

How did US women's sport get so strong? Title IX - universities which offered athletics scholarships to males had to offer them to females as well. Funding comes first - performance comes down the track. Pay up for a strong Wāhinix.

It’s a cultural thing too though right. NZ women’s teams dominate sports like rugby, cricket, netball, rowing/canoeing etc.

For the longest time Football has been a (if not the) “women’s sport” in the US, so all the best female athletes flock to it, and they become a powerhouse.

Doloras

How did US women's sport get so strong? Title IX - universities which offered athletics scholarships to males had to offer them to females as well. Funding comes first - performance comes down the track. Pay up for a strong Wāhinix.

That won't exactly solve the crowd issues though. Most of the ALW games in Australia get between 500-2k crowds, even for the "strong" teams

Unexpectedly in Auckland this weekend so will be there with 2-3 extras for the Zone.  Two home games in a row!  COYN   👐💛 🔥