Phoenix vs Wrexham | Sat 19th July | 5:00pm | RoF

For my 2 cents worth. 

It was a pre season friendly where players work up their fitness and try a few tactics. Same for both sides. I enjoyed watching a contested game without the serious shark tackling nor the dramatic rolling over 5-10 times. It was fairly clean game. 

25,399 crowd is awesome for a friendly.

There's a few new names to be remembered for the Nix. The academy is is really working and I think some of them are ready to stand up against other A League sides. This was so pleasing to see.

Aucklander's on social media such as Facelessbook are still seething that they didn't get a game and how crappy the Nix would be. Suck it in buttercups, we won. Also have a whinge at your Billionaire owners for not getting a game. Don't throw your tantrums at the Nix because we got a game. Tough shark. We got a crowd bigger than the All Blacks game I believe.

All the fans for both sides got into the spirit of the game. Sadly the ticketing agency screwed up and the Zone was filled with families and elderly whom wanted to sit down for the game. Just like Rugby fans. They know what they are heading into but still want to sit. 

Well done to the Fever "newbies" and their organising. They will get there. I reckon there was a good atmosphere and the voices heard. A good preseason workout for fans too!

I'd like thank Wrexham and it's fans for coming here. It's great. I scored a few good photos, the Latest Phoenix Jersey & a Wrexham Tee Shirt to commemorate the occasion. (No half & half scarves though - They are not Cool).

Well done the Phoenix organisation for making this all happen. 

That was almost 10 cents worth LG!

Who was the commentator?  ‘Scotty’ the cricket guy?  🤔 

Yep and rugby guy.

AucklandPhoenix

Yep and rugby guy.

Yes, but he is also a realist and does not fall for the crap that NZ Rugby spins. Recently I heard him rubbishing NZ Rugby for their claims about growing the game. 

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

My recollection was that there was very little, if any, warning to prospective purchasers that the Fever zone was an active support area and what that means.
We were in the block to the right of the std YF zone (ie closer to half way), which was designated as Y Fever zone. We tried standing at the start, but we, and the group standing around us, were told by Red Badge in no uncertain terms to sit down.  No big deal, we still enjoyed the event hugely. I could see quite few regular feverites in the same block looking a little frustrated. Needs to be done a lot better in the future, but happens every time (eg All Whites), so maybe that is hoping for too much. 
Maybe needs a different ticket allocation approach.

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

If after 18 years you did not know where the Fever Zone was and what happens in there, I'd be surprised. It's been on the sports news often enough over the years. To those whom have recently showed up in Wellington, the Ticket Sellars should most certainly have advised people.

What disappointed me is that there should have been an area strictly for Wrexham fans. Red in their area and Yellow/black in the Fever area. But what I saw was a scatter gun approach. A lot of NON footballing people showing up in the Zone as if it were a Rugby game drinking their wines and that you sit for 80 minutes. Then they get offended or refuse to partake in well known traditions. Shambles. Then there are others that buy up tickets in the zone that don't go to many, if any, Phoenix games and want to be "seen" as being cool and in the Zone. Just crazy stuff.

How the YF even made as much noise as it did was down to some dedicated YF who actually managed to score a seat up past row H or I areas, the rest were sprinkled around.

ballane

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

yf is active support, it should be GA

Ryan

ballane

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

yf is active support, it should be GA

In a perfect world it would be GA and they would install safe standing barriers in the middle section.

Friar Tuck

Ryan

ballane

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

yf is active support, it should be GA

In a perfect world it would be GA and they would install safe standing barriers in the middle section.

Agree, but just not feasible with our lovely stadium. I suspect you would need separate controllable entry points to the GA area to meet safety standards. Stadium just not designed that way.

Ryan

ballane

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

yf is active support, it should be GA

Yes it is active support and people should be aware that most people stand but that dosnt mean you get to stand in someone  elses seat.
It isnt GA though has never been not really sure what people dont get about moving if you are standing in someone's paid for seat. Thats how its been since season 1 so until its made GA i really dont see what people dont get

Dont forget its Wrexham or someone on their behalf who handled ticket sales so im guessing some of the normal stuff done for Nix games weren't adhered to.

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

There should be a pop up as you choose your seat on the site and then when you're about to pay which says something like 'This is an active Zone, please be aware all of the fans around will be standing, singing and chanting all game. If this isn't the game experience you'd prefer, pls choose elsewhere'  - Simple.

Turfmoore

My recollection was that there was very little, if any, warning to prospective purchasers that the Fever zone was an active support area and what that means.
We were in the block to the right of the std YF zone (ie closer to half way), which was designated as Y Fever zone. We tried standing at the start, but we, and the group standing around us, were told by Red Badge in no uncertain terms to sit down.  No big deal, we still enjoyed the event hugely. I could see quite few regular feverites in the same block looking a little frustrated. Needs to be done a lot better in the future, but happens every time (eg All Whites), so maybe that is hoping for too much. 
Maybe needs a different ticket allocation approach.

My seat was in the same area, and going by the comments I heard around me there were a few of us who hadn’t expected to end up in a “semi-active zone” where people joined in the chants but stayed sitting down. It definitely got better towards the end though, and the “stand up for the Phoenix” chants helped a lot.

Not sure how we can avoid this - maybe keeping the YF zone to a single bay would improve things, but then you risk people who’re up for active support missing out entirely.

It also doesn’t help that YF seats are among the cheapest, but the obvious solution to that is not one we want!

ballane

Nelfoos

Standing right by the drummer, we had the classic people coming to sit in their seats, then getting mad when we were already in them in the Fever zone, then leaving. 

Ticket sellers continue to fail in their obligation to tell people what they're selling, but the club should also be in their ear about it.

Agree but people also need to realize that you cant just occupy someones seat YF isnt GA and if someone has brought a ticket people just cant go and stand there and if they come up and want their seat its you who have to move.

Valid, though they had no desire to sit by the drummer and chose to move on. I'd have moved if they asked.

My seat was 2 rows in front and had someone in it already.

Who needs Kiss-cam when you have shirts-off cam!

Forgot to say last night, I enjoyed Emerson's putting out a 'Welcome to Wellington' beer to commemorate the occasion!

Reflecting on the whole event it was an outstanding success for the club across the board. Bumper crowd for an off season game. Lots of prematch publicity. An entertaining game with lots of good narratives for the media(youngsters doing good etc)The positivity was exactly what the club needed after a poor season.
Post match the media exposure was excellent. The Nix beating a famous British club was a story that the media ran with. 
It’s also a good bit of positivity for the fans. We can now look forward to the upcoming season. I know it’s not a simple as that and there are lots of issues but at least everyone had a fun night and it’s not all doom and gloom.

Agreed. The whole thing was a real shot in the arm. Well done whoever was involved in organizing.

1st time out with the fever for match day and what a great experience.  Grade A fans & very welcoming of newcomers.

Great night out and good to see the future of Nix is in good hands.  The night the kids beat Hollywood!

A profitable weekend for the club.

Match fee 
Potential conditional add-ons for attendance breaching 25k (🤞)
Libby training compensation running between roughly $100-140k

Well done to the club for getting it all put on, even though it's only two weeks into pre season. Gives the club and the city a bit of buzz before October.

Personal bank account looking very sorry this afternoon though. 😮‍💨

YoungHeartHM

A profitable weekend for the club.

Match fee 
Potential conditional add-ons for attendance breaching 25k (🤞)
Libby training compensation running between roughly $100-140k

Well done to the club for getting it all put on, even though it's only two weeks into pre season. Gives the club and the city a bit of buzz before October.

Personal bank account looking very sorry this afternoon though. 😮‍💨

From what i hear your not the only one suffering bank account meltdown. Looking at the state of a couple at the Hui yesterday easy to see the reason why.

ballane

YoungHeartHM

A profitable weekend for the club.

Match fee 
Potential conditional add-ons for attendance breaching 25k (🤞)
Libby training compensation running between roughly $100-140k

Well done to the club for getting it all put on, even though it's only two weeks into pre season. Gives the club and the city a bit of buzz before October.

Personal bank account looking very sorry this afternoon though. 😮‍💨

From what i hear your not the only one suffering bank account meltdown. Looking at the state of a couple at the Hui yesterday easy to see the reason why.

Fortunate enough to say I can afford it. Still far more than I expected, but a good laugh looking at all the transactions.

Happy to do my part and help out. I know it's not just the club that's had it a bit rough financially of late.

Good buzz about the place on Saturday night too, so thank you Wellington! Will be back when life scheduling allows.

AucklandPhoenix

Auckland!!

HattyCW

Boca Juniors, West Ham, and now Wrexham.

Who else are we going to upset in our history?

Wycombe Wanderers is another possibility.
Auckland, because the "A" puts them at the beginning of that alphabetical sequence.
Wycombe because "Wy" places them after Wrexham, "Wr".
Wycombe will be added to Snoop Dog's portfolio of clubs (he's just become co-owner of Swansea City - that's for real, not a stoned fantasy).
That's because Snoop has noticed that Wycombe are based in the town of High Wycombe. 
Natch, that's the town for him.....

Having sadly missed the game due to being in the UK, it’s great to read such positivity pre and post match not only coming from the club but local media. Think someone else mentioned it that it’s the shot in the arm the club and most importantly, the fans needed after the cluster of a season last time out. Thrilling to read that the thing the club have built themselves around was the shining light of the game too, no better advert for the clubs methodology and ethos than that game. And with a proper kit too. Looking forward to see how these boys progress over the next few seasons. Roll on the new season.

Stoked to see the fans turn up and get something to cheer about. Certainly a nice way to change the narrative around the club. 

Objectively and putting emotion aside the first half reminded us that Josh O will give away a fee or even several goals due to lapses in concentration and/or technique. Question whether this is acceptable and how this can be turned around. 

Isaac Hughes was a beast. Never saw that coming. Breakout season ahead. 

LKH is not a wing back. Technically and athletically not A League standard (yet). He is young however and could really do with some gym work and learning to play more directly. First option is too often playing home. 

LBS- love to see a person dribble and create. Offers something different that we missed since Ben Old left. Exciting year ahead. 

I definitely think LKH is A League standard. He did well against Wrexham, and he didn't do too bad in centre midfield late last season. I'd be happy with him as left full back.

Id be happy with him as a fullback in a back 4, less enthused about the greater attacking responsibilities he shoulders if we keep the back 5 we had vs Wrexham.

He's shown he's got good feet, but I'm not convinced by his ability to get forward and deliver crosses, or arrive late in the box from crosses from the right.

Will be interesting to see how it all shakes out, looks like he's being trusted as the starting option.

I'm hoping that this season we move away from the back 3/5 as a default too. LKH at LB in a back 4 would be fine.

LKH is a curious one. If we’re…pushing for the top spots, I don’t think he should be starting based on last season. 

I know others see him differently, but I thought he was mostly tidy and was capable of striding forward from LB on his first season. Since he went back to the bench the first time I haven’t seen from him evidence that he’s a starter in a top team. I think he should be a LB, but he wasn’t trusted there at the end of last season and was pushed further forward, where he had a limited impact. 

How and where did he play against Wrexham?

martinb

LKH is a curious one. If we’re…pushing for the top spots, I don’t think he should be starting based on last season. 

I know others see him differently, but I thought he was mostly tidy and was capable of striding forward from LB on his first season. Since he went back to the bench the first time I haven’t seen from him evidence that he’s a starter in a top team. I think he should be a LB, but he wasn’t trusted there at the end of last season and was pushed further forward, where he had a limited impact. 

How and where did he play against Wrexham?

He played LWB in a back 5 vs Wrexham. He was okay but got targeted, we looked better when Ryan Lee came on.

Left back against Wrexham,  won the ball well and was difficult to get past.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Left back against Wrexham,  won the ball well and was difficult to get past.

That last part is good to hear. I think that’s determination and confidence. I feel he might be a player a bit like Rufer- at his best tenacity is one of his key traits and will be a required one this season! 

It feels like there isn’t a shortage on attacking talent, but getting the coordination and using everyone could be tricky. Did Ishige get marked out? Didn’t feature much on the commentary I followed on. 

martinb

LKH is a curious one. If we’re…pushing for the top spots, I don’t think he should be starting based on last season. 

I know others see him differently, but I thought he was mostly tidy and was capable of striding forward from LB on his first season. Since he went back to the bench the first time I haven’t seen from him evidence that he’s a starter in a top team. I think he should be a LB, but he wasn’t trusted there at the end of last season and was pushed further forward, where he had a limited impact. 

How and where did he play against Wrexham?

I dont think you can base any judgement on players from last season, especially the ones being played out of position.

It's been discussed plenty before, but he is tricky to pigeon hole into a set position. He looked not bad in midfield last season. He has excellent ball control, okay passing, and his big body allows him to shield the ball well.

But then you look at his lack of real pace, being slow to turn, his height and everything says left sided CB (if he could learn to head the ball better). But is playing CB, then a waste of his talents on the ball?? 

Definitely good enough to start somewhere on the field in the ALM. But where. I'm sure Chief & co have mulled over this plenty.

theprof

martinb

LKH is a curious one. If we’re…pushing for the top spots, I don’t think he should be starting based on last season. 

I know others see him differently, but I thought he was mostly tidy and was capable of striding forward from LB on his first season. Since he went back to the bench the first time I haven’t seen from him evidence that he’s a starter in a top team. I think he should be a LB, but he wasn’t trusted there at the end of last season and was pushed further forward, where he had a limited impact. 

How and where did he play against Wrexham?

I dont think you can base any judgement on players from last season, especially the ones being played out of position.

That’s generous. Perhaps we should be generous! I don’t think he did badly out of position, but certainly didn’t demonstrate any particular unpredicted benefit to switching position either. 

LKH has decent feet for a big guy - pace wise he lacks acceleration, but is ok across the field. He does however have the advantage of a wide gait, so stepping in and across to stop people getting past him is a strength.

I thought last year in the middle he did ok, and that he looked to play more than some of our other options, which for a young player is a promising start.

De Vries in my mind has some similar issues and was excellent last year - he is much better in the air though (but less proficient with the ball at feet - unless crossing).

I think LKH can play LB or LWB in an inverted role where he tucks in a little more to the middle as opposed to doing amazing mazy runs down the flank.

coochiee

It's been discussed plenty before, but he is tricky to pigeon hole into a set position. He looked not bad in midfield last season. He has excellent ball control, okay passing, and his big body allows him to shield the ball well.

But then you look at his lack of real pace, being slow to turn, his height and everything says left sided CB (if he could learn to head the ball better). But is playing CB, then a waste of his talents on the ball?? 

Definitely good enough to start somewhere on the field in the ALM. But where. I'm sure Chief & co have mulled over this plenty.

Yeah, he could be midfielder. I don't think his top speed is that slow though his acceleration is not great, which is important in one on ones at FB (both defensive and attacking) and useful at CB. I feel like he is maybe not currently the best suited for being in a CB pairing but a left sided CB in a three with some freedom to move into midfield, or a LB in a 4 that doesn't have to attack down the wings but can shift inside and stay a bit narrow, or in midfield.