David Ball

This might require support from the club, but would be totally up to the discretion of the Internal Affairs. Irene Van Dyke rule might be applicable, if Bazeley considered Ball immediately "recruitable" for All Whites, perhaps.
Remember that Peter Thiel was granted NZ citizenship before living here, so there are legal rules for exceptions; but someone "significant" would need to support Ball's application in order for the exception to be considered.

SamCoughlan

billyspleen75

Have we been able to work out when he can become a Kiwi?

I think the Woolongong years will have put paid to any of that. This is as the NZ govt website defines the eligibility for citizenship based on residence:

"You need to have been physically present in New Zealand, as a resident, for a certain amount of time during the last 5 years. The 5 years are counted backwards from the day you apply for citizenship.

To meet this requirement, you need to have been in New Zealand for:

• at least 240 days in each 12-month period, and
• 1,350 days across the 5 years.

You might not meet this requirement if you have been out of New Zealand for longer than 4 months in any 12-month period. This could be 1 long trip or many smaller trips.

You also might not meet this requirement if you were overseas for more than 15 months in total in the 5 years before you apply for citizenship."

The Nix were based in Aus for July-August 2020, then Jan 2021-May 2021, then Nov 2021-April 2022 and have been back here ever since. By my count that's 13 months in a 3-year period with two separate stints of more than four months. Unless he gets an exception I doubt he's eligible.

I have a feeling someone else has had an exception before.  Might have been Dura or Krishna who were out of the country for long periods, but because it was due to work requirements, they were given an exception.

Probably can't find it - but if it could be gound, I think Ball would have a lot of secondary assists - being the player who teed up the guy that sets up the goal.

If his demands are reasonable I'd still take him - a good role model for our younger players.

I'd love to see Ball extended.  No doubt a strong part of our teams success and our youngsters success.

martinb

Uffie’s first 3 seasons he was consistently around 10 goal contributions a season. Roughly at one every 200 minutes. There’s also 3 assists in the FFA cup in his first two seasons. 

Uffie’s last season was confused on attack- we had too many players who couldn’t quite play together. That saw only 4 goal contributions at one every 425 minutes. 

So far this season he’s had fewer minutes and has 3 goal contributions again at around 430 minutes each. 

I’m not sure when he is eligible as a local, but I think he’s 34 now. I think it’d only be year by year for any further contracts surely.

He’s a very adaptable player and has great feet and great vision. I guess he’d be looking to understudy Kraev and/or Old depending on if they stay. 

His rapidly dwindling numbers might show he is a bit deeper last couple of seasons.
Or they might show he is losing sharpness.
No worse than Kosta was last year, but it doesn't tell me he should be playing as much as he does; unless he's replacing Rufer/Pennington/Al-Taay/Salas if he is sitting that deep.

Screenshot 2024-04-04 at 10.20.41 PM.png 249.59 KB

Ball is not a defensive midfielder by nature, more of an AM and is working well in that position despite not scoring much.  

He's never been a player who scores a tonne of goals. Over 5 years at Fleetwood Town he scored 41 goals at 1 every 4(ish) games. It seems to have been that way his whole career. Solid but nothing flashy.
For us since 2019 he's score 15 in 100 games, 1 in every 6(ish) almost 7 games. But during that time he was used as a wide forward (during the Uffie years) or as a deeper lying forward, more a disruptor in defence and creater in attack. He's only played as the point man a couple of times this season. 
But, he does so much work in the buildup to all of our goals,either getting the assist or making the pass before the assist. I pick him as an AM now more than a striker, he has the skills, the game nouse to play the role for us for a year or two more.

"I love Football - I love my job and I love being part of something like this" - David Ball

David Ball speaks to @skysportnz ahead of tomorrow's huge clash against the Central Coast Mariners ⚔️

Match Details:

🆚 CCM
🏟️ Central Coast Stadium
⏰ 7:30pm (NZT)
📺 @skysportnz… pic.twitter.com/s6nswuUjwO

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) April 4, 2024

Nice lil interview with him can tell he cares about the club a lot and no one can deny the effort hes put in. Hopefully he can top off his time here with the title!

wilbaker

"I love Football - I love my job and I love being part of something like this" - David Ball

David Ball speaks to @skysportnz ahead of tomorrow's huge clash against the Central Coast Mariners ⚔️

Match Details:

🆚 CCM
🏟️ Central Coast Stadium
⏰ 7:30pm (NZT)
📺 @skysportnz… pic.twitter.com/s6nswuUjwO

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) April 4, 2024

Nice lil interview with him can tell he cares about the club a lot and no one can deny the effort hes put in. Hopefully he can top off his time here with the title!

The more I hear from this guy the more my man-crush grows! Love his attitude to the club and his passion for just being involved and a part of the bigger picture!
Seems the clubs approach has been a winner for the Ball family too which is positive news.