Northern League 2022

20 Legend

You can watch the whole Taka vs ES Suburbs match, or some highlights on YouTube:

Full replay
Highlights

I'm watching a bit of the game now. In recent years Eastern Surburbs have definitely trended toward mediocrity and this year looks like another step in that direction... lots of players who have been taught for 10 years to play square balls but no one exciting.

With their previous recruitment policies, Ole, they have driven away local quality players and Hoani is a talentless coach.

Anyone know where Danyon Drake is playing at? Seems to have fallen off the radar in recent years 

He just turned out this weekend as the coach for Metro FC when they played Mt Albert Ponsonby in Div 1.

Matt W-S

He just turned out this weekend as the coach for Metro FC when they played Mt Albert Ponsonby in Div 1.

yup, retired as a player to focus on coaching/his GK company

Can one of you who knows the rules and regulations help me understand something please.
Can reds be given during the week after the game? 

Some hot takes from Auckland City vs Takapuna:

Takapuna were handy... they will certainly take more scalps throughout the season. I reckon they'll stay up. Their goal was a pretty niece strike. They were getting a bit frustrated at the referee which I thought was unfounded. Takapuna spent a lot of time getting tight to Auckland players, inevitably leading to little nibbles and trips. The referee could most of these are Taka got angrier and angrier. Thought they just needed to keep doing what they were doing...

With that said, Some of the Takapuna supporters (I think their reserve team) were totally out of line at what they were yelling at the referee.

Kilkolly upfront for Auckland was totally outplayed by the mullet defending him. Tried to get physical and lost that battle. Tried to get cheeky (pushing as corners came in, then diving) and lost that battle as well. And one moment in the second half, on a breakaway with plenty of room got chased down by his defender as well.

Granted I am no tactical mastermind, but I thought the point of relentless passing football was to move the defence around and eventually isolate good players 1v1 with defenders. It was frustrating wathcing ACDC palyers regularly isolate a defender, 1v1 on edge of box sort of thing, and not have the attacker try to take the player on.

As no one else was interested in trying to make something happen... it took 60 minutes and the 19 year old Nathan Lobo from left-back to finally attack a player... and sure enough gets rewarded for it.

Enough said

Can one of you who knows the rules and regulations help me understand something please.
Can reds be given during the week after the game? 

Loaded question. What's the context. Is it something being overturned or what?

Hamilton v springs last week, two reds given a the end, one seemingly rescinded during the week, another new red given during the week to another player, all confusing and just intrested in regulations that apply

20 Legend

Enough said

Can one of you who knows the rules and regulations help me understand something please.
Can reds be given during the week after the game? 

Loaded question. What's the context. Is it something being overturned or what?

Enough said

Hamilton v springs last week, two reds given a the end, one seemingly rescinded during the week, another new red given during the week to another player, all confusing and just intrested in regulations that apply

20 Legend

Enough said

Can one of you who knows the rules and regulations help me understand something please.
Can reds be given during the week after the game? 

Loaded question. What's the context. Is it something being overturned or what?

without more info it sounds like a case of mistaken identity in which case the league have the authority to rescind one players card and award it to the correct player.

Thanks Chopah, makes sense. Had seen them rescinded but not given after the fact.

chopah

Enough said

Hamilton v springs last week, two reds given a the end, one seemingly rescinded during the week, another new red given during the week to another player, all confusing and just intrested in regulations that apply

20 Legend

Enough said

Can one of you who knows the rules and regulations help me understand something please.
Can reds be given during the week after the game? 

Loaded question. What's the context. Is it something being overturned or what?

without more info it sounds like a case of mistaken identity in which case the league have the authority to rescind one players card and award it to the correct player.

What's going on at Albany? Team looks very good on paper yet bottom of the second tier after 5 games.

Buffon II

What's going on at Albany? Team looks very good on paper yet bottom of the second tier after 5 games.

 
Their first two keepers have been out for this double matchday which hasn’t helped, and they still have a couple guys banned from the last game of last season who will be back for the game after next.
 
That being said, a lot of their players are guys who would be great 4 years ago, but maybe not so much now, so against younger legs they struggle, and I’m not a fan of their coach either tbh.

Just come back from North Shore vs Auckland City and I am astonished at how bad Shore were today I know they lost many players from last season and are largely younger players but wow. 

Yes they took the lead after two minutes but that is where the positives ended for them really City were ruthless in front of goal. De Vries getting back in the goals after his return from overseas, Aidan Carey, Angel Berlanga, An Emi Tade brace, Sam Brotherton and Angus Kilkolly also in on the scoring action. 

Silvio Rodic was really good for Shore in goal today if it were a slightly worse keeper in goal for them today it probably would have been double figures.

pop

Just come back from North Shore vs Auckland City and I am astonished at how bad Shore were today I know they lost many players from last season and are largely younger players but wow. 

Yes they took the lead after two minutes but that is where the positives ended for them really City were ruthless in front of goal. De Vries getting back in the goals after his return from overseas, Aidan Carey, Angel Berlanga, An Emi Tade brace, Sam Brotherton and Angus Kilkolly also in on the scoring action. 

Silvio Rodic was really good for Shore in goal today if it were a slightly worse keeper in goal for them today it probably would have been double figures.

First paragraph's an understatement tbh. Their squad has been absolutely decimated, their team is largely composed of teenagers who were playing U23 Prem/U23 Div 1 last year and haven't sniffed senior footy yet. Few guys in there who struggled in Div 2 last year, as well

We all knew it must've been pretty tragic when they pulled out of a Chatham cup final...

Auckland City 3 v Birkenhead 0. A bit harsh on Birko as it was a lot closer than that. Probably Aucklands greater experience was the key. Goals to Howieson (a tidy individual effort right on half time) , Kilkolly (from an underhit back pass) and Tade (superb free kick into the top corner). My second Northern League game this season and light years ahead of the Taka /Suburbs game from a few weeks back. Not sure if there are too many better keepers at this level than Birkos Hirst. Good game and a reasonable crowd on an immaculate surface.Conger was okay as ref but Auckland City do seem to get more than their fair share of close decisions. Birko had a strong penalty shout late on .

I was interested after your comment on close calls and looked at the stats for season to date on yellows/reds: Auckland have the cleanest record up to last week, only 3 yellows and no reds.

 1 

| Auckland City FC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3
2 |

| Auckland United FC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6
3 |

| Western Springs AFC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9
4 |

| Birkenhead United | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12
5 |

| Manukau United FC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12
6 |

| Melville United | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14
7 |

| Hamilton Wanderers | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14
8 |

| Eastern Suburbs AFC | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14
9 |

| Waiheke United AFC | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15
10 |

| Bay Olympic SC | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16
11 |

| Takapuna AFC | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19
12 |

| North Shore United | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 23

Takapuna 2 Birkenhead 1 at Shepherds Park. Guess that is an upset ,Feisty local derby and the vocal band of Taka supporters took great delight in the result.
Taka turned it into a bit of a battle which didn't suit Birkos younsters. Taka up 1-o from a direct free kick (Milicich I think) which went over the wall and Hirst may or may not have been impeded. Looked to me from a long way away that Birko just made a mess of it.
Jorgensen equalised with not long to go but then Birko got caught on a breakway (deflected) and Taka held on for the lsat 7-8 minutes.
Milicich definitely outcoached Hobson.
Birko look like struggling to replace Grieves goals and need to fix that.
Good afternoons entertainment but mot much quality on show. Typical derby 

chubbs

Takapuna 2 Birkenhead 1 at Shepherds Park. Guess that is an upset ,Feisty local derby and the vocal band of Taka supporters took great delight in the result.
Taka turned it into a bit of a battle which didn't suit Birkos younsters. Taka up 1-o from a direct free kick (Milicich I think) which went over the wall and Hirst may or may not have been impeded. Looked to me from a long way away that Birko just made a mess of it.
Jorgensen equalised with not long to go but then Birko got caught on a breakway (deflected) and Taka held on for the lsat 7-8 minutes.
Milicich definitely outcoached Hobson.
Birko look like struggling to replace Grieves goals and need to fix that.
Good afternoons entertainment but mot much quality on show. Typical derby 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkvgB6VBrps

First goal (at 17:25) - knowing that keeper he's trying to put a shoulder in and gets done 😂

Turf at Seddon Fields won't be replaced until late July. Does this put a big dent in WSAFC's chances, having to play home games out at Crum Park?

Having to play all over the place, yesterday home game at North harbour Stadium. Cant be easy and training all over the place too I hear.

Doloras

Turf at Seddon Fields won't be replaced until late July. Does this put a big dent in WSAFC's chances, having to play home games out at Crum Park?

Just saw on the TV1 news a piece about the manukau v Takapuna game yesterday.Manukaus two Under 20 players were subbed off after 10 seconds.Started to meet the criteria but immediately subbed off !!If I heard correctly Manukau have done this before. Whilst I have some doubts about the Under 20 requirement surely this needs some action. Is there such a thing about bringing the game into disrepute ?The 2 Tv Presenters certainly gave the impression that it made the game a joke

It's against the spirit of the game but completely within the rules. Should just bin the rule off really. It was embarrassing viewing for NZ Football if anything.

chubbs

Just saw on the TV1 news a piece about the manukau v Takapuna game yesterday.Manukaus two Under 20 players were subbed off after 10 seconds.Started to meet the criteria but immediately subbed off !!If I heard correctly Manukau have done this before. Whilst I have some doubts about the Under 20 requirement surely this needs some action. Is there such a thing about bringing the game into disrepute ?The 2 Tv Presenters certainly gave the impression that it made the game a joke

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/300589563/manukau-football-team-subs-out-two-youngest-players-13-seconds-after-kickoff

Wow truly embarrassing. I couldn't imagine asking the kids to come along just to sub them off as well.

I've never understood why, at the very least, the coach doesn't tell them to go and run their fudgeing socks off for 15 minutes. Get stuck in - maybe even a yellow card maybe? Basically just be busy bodies for a while. Then bring them off for a totally fresh "senior"

.... hmmm scrolling through the cesspit that is the Norther League Forum NZ website... and someone is making the claim that of the U20s that normally play, 3 had COVI and another 3 were injured... which kind of makes me change my opinion on it all.

Thoughts?

I had heard a story along similar lines. Given the number of games being cancelled at lower levels due to covid surely that would have been  case for postponement. Maybe take that story with a grain of salt ? If that is true then the club could easily have made it public ?

Buffon II

It's against the spirit of the game but completely within the rules. Should just bin the rule off really. It was embarrassing viewing for NZ Football if anything.

NZ Football seem to disagree that it was within the rules https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/115940

Nz football are clueless.

Wtf. Wouldn’t NzF get blown out the water on an appeal 

Is 37mins long enough for NZ football?!? #utdvtech 

Today's results

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Top four firming up. Auckland City streaking ahead, another comfortable win for them over 10 man (Tyler Lissette sent off at 8 minutes).

Melville, Birkenhead and Auckland United in the chasing pack. Good to see Melville doing well too, they thrashed a hapless North Shore who firm themselves up in the bottom three of the relegation scrap along with Waiheke and Eastern Suburbs.

Manukau and Hamilton Wanderers postponed due to covid amongst the Wanderers squad.

Table after round 10

IMG_20220521_172224.jpg 146.51 KB

Western Springs 1 v Takapuna 0 at a windswept North Harbour turf.Pretty dire game and reflects their positions on the table.Not much football played - wind and turf didn't help.Springs at least tried to play football but Takas main weapon was a long (really long throw - Not Milicich who was absent but another defender) throw.Two reasonable coaches but neiher has much in the way of talent.Apart from auckland City its a pretty ordinary league. as an exiled wellingtonian I don't buy into the story that the Northern League is the best in the country.Time will tell. Watched the game just along from some pretty boorish Taka supporters.Their language would have seen them locked up elsewhere

Yeah have to say the standard hasn't been incredibly high most games I've watched this year. Looking forward to Auckland United Vs City next week.

@chubbs if this is your first season... I can't put my finger on it but this season has been extremely dull.

Teams seem devoid of character. Even ACFC games are snooze fests.

Maybe a develpment league compared to what was before?

20 Legend

@chubbs if this is your first season... I can't put my finger on it but this season has been extremely dull.

Teams seem devoid of character. Even ACFC games are snooze fests.

Definitely not my first season although I don't always watch the Premier League.
Too many teams for a start- dilution of talent.10 teams would be more than enough.
This whole idea of a development league does my head in. If a player by the age of 20 can't get into a Premier League team on their merits then they are not going to go any further ?
If they are any good they will be in the Phoenix Academy or the US University system not playing on windswept suburban grounds ?
Totally get the foreign player restrictions although can't help feeling that it is aimed at one club . Miss the vibrancy of Waiheke though

20 Legend

@chubbs if this is your first season... I can't put my finger on it but this season has been extremely dull.

Teams seem devoid of character. Even ACFC games are snooze fests.

Think it's because the quality def has diminished a lot this season. Not too sure but here's my thinking:

- North Shore have lost *all* of their squad from last year to Bay Olympic + Div 1 and 2 clubs with money - that's one less competitive team.

- Waiheke playing fill-ins; basically young reserves players from other clubs keen to try their luck in the Northern League. Allowing them to field their promotion-winning squad is a contentious issue but you can't lie, the league would be significantly more entertaining with Waiheke at their full capabilities

- Takapuna decent, but playing some *terrible* football - they replace WCR who did try to be attractive

- Suburbs are significantly worse than last season. Team's great for developmental purposes but certainly isn't competitive this season

- An unreal lack of media coverage. It's been butchered compared to last season, where it wasn't particularly good to begin with. Feels like a social league