To be fair though Wainuiomata was an appalling side defensively which forced Shea Stapleton to encounter a handful of opposing attacks (no pun intented), enabling him to thrive in between the sticks. However I believe Kees is a more completed goalkeeper as not only can he keep the sheets clean, he does tend to excite me when dribbling up half of the pitch.
A New Zealand U20 squad's been selected for a game this week, apparently? Birkenhead have announced four of their players have been picked (Aidan Lehan, Chase Taylor, Everton O'Leary, Jordan Toy). Anyone have any more info on the squad/opponent? Cheers!
A New Zealand U20 squad's been selected for a game this week, apparently? Birkenhead have announced four of their players have been picked (Aidan Lehan, Chase Taylor, Everton O'Leary, Jordan Toy). Anyone have any more info on the squad/opponent? Cheers!
Northern League U20 vs Central League U20 tonight 6:30 (or so) at QBE, I don’t know who are in the teams though
Yeah wouldn't have though it's to much to ask for a press release about age group camps and what's going on. Media team must be flat out doing ...
The game last Tuesday was just Northern League players, I was told wrong, but there is a game this Tuesday down in Wellington (possibly at Martin Luckie Park, idk) which I presume will be Northern League vs Central League.
The OFC U19 Championship, which is the qualifying tournament for next year’s U20WC is in August or so, so things will have to start coming to a head soon.
A New Zealand U20 squad's been selected for a game this week, apparently? Birkenhead have announced four of their players have been picked (Aidan Lehan, Chase Taylor, Everton O'Leary, Jordan Toy). Anyone have any more info on the squad/opponent? Cheers!
Are we likely to see the a host of Ole (WS) and Nix Academy players? The 2019 edition was stacked with those guys.
We don’t hear as much out of Ole anymore about the next wave of players.
What's more the core of that 2019 team effectively came from 2 Handy Prem clubs (Weenix & Eastern Suburbs). Suburbs winning the Handy Prem with their host of Ole alumni that 18/19 summer. Though yes from memory Cacace & Singh were already with the senior Nix side, but had played with Waine, Bell, Elliott, Stensness etc at different stages with Weenix
So that U20 team had had solid long standing combinations in place, well before their WC in Poland. And Des was able to spend some of that 18/19 summer visiting Weenix & Suburbs, holding domestic training camps etc. All that time together plus being a talented group of players in their own right (many now in the AWs), a big bonus for Buckingham.
Unlikely next U20 group will be as well versed with each other, especially with Handy Prem summer football canned, plus Covid obstacles last few years.
Northern vs central ID game Keith hay park 3pm Tues 17 may Central has large group from Phoenix academy, 4 from wests and one from olympic Phoenix Adam Supyk Alby Kelly-Heald Charlie Beale Fin Conchie Isaac Hughes Josh Rudland Lukas Kelly-Heald Marco Lorenz Matt Sheridan Noah Karunaratne Seb Barton-Ginger Wests Bruno Penney Jack O'Connor Nathan Simes Norman Garbett Wellington Olympic Theo Ettema
Northern vs central ID game Keith hay park 3pm Tues 17 may Central has large group from Phoenix academy, 4 from wests and one from olympic Phoenix Adam Supyk Alby Kelly-Heald Charlie Beale Fin Conchie Isaac Hughes Josh Rudland Lukas Kelly-Heald Marco Lorenz Matt Sheridan Noah Karunaratne Seb Barton-Ginger Wests Bruno Penney Jack O'Connor Nathan Simes Norman Garbett Wellington Olympic Theo Ettema
Central won 3-0. To be fair to Northern they’re disadvantaged by the lack of training together in comparison to the Central team, given it’s mostly Phoenix players that train with each other twice a week.
Northern vs central ID game Keith hay park 3pm Tues 17 may Central has large group from Phoenix academy, 4 from wests and one from olympic Phoenix Adam Supyk Alby Kelly-Heald Charlie Beale Fin Conchie Isaac Hughes Josh Rudland Lukas Kelly-Heald Marco Lorenz Matt Sheridan Noah Karunaratne Seb Barton-Ginger Wests Bruno Penney Jack O'Connor Nathan Simes Norman Garbett Wellington Olympic Theo Ettema
Central won 3-0. To be fair to Northern they’re disadvantaged by the lack of training together in comparison to the Central team, given it’s mostly Phoenix players that train with each other twice a week.
Northern vs central ID game Keith hay park 3pm Tues 17 may Central has large group from Phoenix academy, 4 from wests and one from olympic Phoenix Adam Supyk Alby Kelly-Heald Charlie Beale Fin Conchie Isaac Hughes Josh Rudland Lukas Kelly-Heald Marco Lorenz Matt Sheridan Noah Karunaratne Seb Barton-Ginger Wests Bruno Penney Jack O'Connor Nathan Simes Norman Garbett Wellington Olympic Theo Ettema
Central won 3-0. To be fair to Northern they’re disadvantaged by the lack of training together in comparison to the Central team, given it’s mostly Phoenix players that train with each other twice a week.
Any idea of the Northern squad names?
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure this is who was in the Northern League team:
It would be a crime not to qualify for next year's U20 World Cup, basically on our back door step in Indonesia.
Edit - okay see Bazeley is the U20s coach. Though wouldn't surprise if Hay ('team advisor') took over for the actual U20s WC, if NZ got there next year. Especially if AWs were basically in mothballs.
At least Hay wont have to remove the coach, his mate as he did in previous iterations with Jose in 2015 and then Des in the Olympics. Having watched a lot of the 20s in the local league we have some very good players, the trick will be getting them together and a decent environment, something Des was brilliant at in the previous generation.coochiee
It would be a crime not to qualify for next year's U20 World Cup, basically on our back door step in Indonesia.
Edit - okay see Bazeley is the U20s coach. Though wouldn't surprise if Hay ('team advisor') took over for the actual U20s WC, if NZ got there next year. Especially if AWs were basically in mothballs.
Southern went down 1-0 to Central in some harsh conditions. Artificial grass turf was under water in most areas and so 10 metres passes would hold up in puddles. Difficult to access in those conditions!
Game probably shouldn't have gone ahead but not only the Central team were here, players from Nelson, Dunedin etc. for Southern had arrived too so fair enough.
From what I have heard it was a pretty close game, levelled out by conditions. Just hope some of the Southern lads get another chances to impress
The pathways of the participating teams in the OFC U-19 Championship 2022 will soon be revealed with the draw confirmed to be held at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, Fiji on Tuesday, July 19.
The draw will take place live at 1.00pm local time conducted by OFC Competitions Director Chris Kemp with the assistance of OFC Ambassador and Fijian striker Roy Krishna.
The competition was rescheduled from July to September this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Papeete, Tahiti confirmed as the host location.
2 pool gimmes and a tough game against the Solomons in the Tahiti heat. Wunderkid Raphael Lea'i is still only age 18! So presumably he will be there with his pace & tricks. He could have a field day against anyone, let alone hapless Cooks & American Samoa.
Still think this tourney has smell of a potential banana skin about it. Seems a really limited prep this time around compared to what Des had with the last tourney, pre Covid. No overseas players trialling for NZ team?
Both finalists qualify for U20 WC next year in Indonesia. So win your semi and you clinch a spot.
Also tourney has quarterfinals (starts with 11 teams) which is a bit unusual for OFC.
The two finalists from the tournament, which will involve all 11 OFC Member Associations, will qualify for the FIFA U20 Men’s World Cup™ in Indonesia next year.
The winners and runners-up of each pool will qualify through to the quarter-finals, along with the two highest placed teams who finish third.
Group A sees seven-time champions New Zealand grouped with the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands and American Samoa.
Solomons will be tough, they'll be more used to the climate, as it looks like Papeete is similar to Honiara at about 29-22C high-low. Though if they are the best opponents playing them in the group stage will be beneficial to gauge where they stand and adjust accordingly, just as they did in the U17s in 2018. From the Solomon side that went to the WC, 10 of the 21 will be eligible, and yes, including Lea'i. Drawing Cook Islands and American Samoa should be good, those games should be close to double digits.
I don't know how much preparation went in ahead of 2018 U19 tournament, but I'm not sure it would be a lot more than current. Buckingham's travel was more so ahead of the World Cup than the qualifiers, and the squads ended up drastically different, with only 10 ending up in the final 21 going to Poland. Only Joe Bell and Callan Elliot were starters in Poland. None of the Ole Academy crew nor any professionals were released last time, so I wouldn't be surprised to see any overseas players unavailable. As with most things, there is an iceberg effect, as almost all the work is done behind the scenes; there is even an U20 trial game in Hamilton today.
It'll be interesting to see who makes the squad come September, as we missed a cycle so haven't really had a look at who the better players from the '03/'04'/05 cohort are. The changes to the National League have meant that this squad will have had lots of minutes at least.
From the Nix senior squad only 18 yr old Surman is available? Hopefully Uffie lets him go. His ability & experience should be really handy for Bazeley.
Old unfortunately turns 20 next month. I imagine there will be a number of Weenix guys picked. From what I can see Jackson Manuel is eligible. Riley Bidois not. Luis Toomey not.
Group A sees seven-time champions New Zealand grouped with the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands and American Samoa.
Hosts Tahiti, who were runners-up four years ago, have been drawn in Group B along with Fiji – who won the tournament in 2014 – Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
Group C, which has three teams and will include a bye, has New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Samoa.
The winners and runners-up of each pool will qualify through to the quarter-finals, along with the two highest placed teams who finish third.
Group A sees seven-time champions New Zealand grouped with the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands and American Samoa.
Hosts Tahiti, who were runners-up four years ago, have been drawn in Group B along with Fiji – who won the tournament in 2014 – Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
Group C, which has three teams and will include a bye, has New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Samoa.
The winners and runners-up of each pool will qualify through to the quarter-finals, along with the two highest placed teams who finish third.
Group A sees seven-time champions New Zealand grouped with the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands and American Samoa.
Hosts Tahiti, who were runners-up four years ago, have been drawn in Group B along with Fiji – who won the tournament in 2014 – Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
Group C, which has three teams and will include a bye, has New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Samoa.
The winners and runners-up of each pool will qualify through to the quarter-finals, along with the two highest placed teams who finish third.
And that is why the OFC Champions League final should have been in the evening... give the rest of OFC a taste of their own damn medicine when it comes to accomodating for climate.
Squad was announced yesterday to players. I’m sure nz football will publish soon. Probably could rename the team the Wellington Phoenix u20 World Cup team.
When the Phoenix Academy provided the bulk of players for the U17 World Cup in 2019 it was our worst performing team for years in terms of results.
Given the very limited prep for the U19s going into this OFC U19 tourney (that has a strong whiff of danger about it), maybe having a core group of guys who have been playing which other for a few years is a very good thing.
Ain't going to be easy over there at all in the Tahiti heat (out of a NZ winter), with potentially a very dangerous Solomons (esp if Raphael Lea'i turns up) in the group. Then not 1 but 2 sudden death games, with a quarter final (for the first time) and then a semi.
Of course win the semi & U20 WC qualification is confirmed, as 2 OFC teams go to the WC in Indonesia.
A post from Cashmere Tech today was congratulating Kian Donkers as being picked in the wider training squad; he is apparently going into a camp before the final squad announcement, and is the only South Island player there. I've never seen him play or anything, but he's apparently a striker and has 11 goals for Tech in 17 matches (all comps).
