Hiroki Sakai
Japanese footballerWikipedia
10
MENTIONS
5
EPISODES
5
PODCASTS
Search complete. 10 mentions across 5 episodes found for "Hiroki Sakai".
Oct 13, 2026
Jacob SpoonleyHOST
I think at the moment, with Ollie Stale still under the injury cloud, Michael Valp starts and goal was with the all-whites for the window.
Jacob SpoonleyHOST
And then the back line, I think, Hiroki Sakai, captain's armband gets him into the 11.
Jacob SpoonleyHOST
And I feel sorry for Callan Elliott, who's been playing some wonderful football.
Jacob SpoonleyHOST
Aaron Calvert, an A-League stalwart, if you want to call him that, experienced up in Asia.
Goran PaladinHOST
And I'm thinking our boy, Ife, Callan Elliott, is very unlucky on two counts.
Goran PaladinHOST
One, to miss out on a lot of game time at the World Cup earlier this year, but to not find himself in a starting 11, a more than likely starting 11 for Auckland FC.
Goran PaladinHOST
If it were me, if I was Pedro, I would shift Hiroki Sakai into the heart of defence with Nando Peineke and gift a spot for Callan Elliott on the right.
Paul IfillHOST
Yeah, look, I think everybody knows Callum's mentality.
Lachie AvilHOST
Um, and then a, a couple of odds and ends, uh, but no other real standout players with A-League experience, um, for sure.
Lachie AvilHOST
However, Christian, when you look at their starting 11, you've still got, um, uh, you know, the likes of, uh, uh, Rogerson and Gallegos, uh, Lachie Brook, who was also exceptional last season, captained by Hiroki Sakai.
Lachie AvilHOST
You've still got Francis De Vet, Pinecar in defense as well.
Lachie AvilHOST
So a lot of those familiar names are there.
Jason PineHOST
Um, you know, Kellen Elliott's still there.
Jason PineHOST
Hiroki Sakai, Nando Pijnaker, Francis de Vries, Jake Brimmer, Cam Howieson, uh, Felipe Gigos.
Jason PineHOST
They're all still there.
Jason PineHOST
So, you know, there, there's a solid core there, isn't there? Where other teams have had, you know, a much bigger turnover, and we'll get to the Wellington Phoenix in a moment.
Jason PineHOST
Then away at Western Sydney, away at Brisbane, and then the first derby at home to the Wellington Phoenix in early November.
Jason PineHOST
Just interested in your thoughts on, on the right back spot.
Jason PineHOST
Uh, still, you know, Kellen Elliott and Hiroki Sakai.
Jason PineHOST
Unless he moves Sakai into a central defensive position, is Kellen Elliott faced with another season of having to play second fiddle to the club captain and just wait for him to get injured?
Teo PellizzeriHOST
Apparently there was interest in even a, a transfer fee for Sam Cosgrove, but he remains committed.
Teo PellizzeriHOST
Hiroki Sakai seems ageless.
Teo PellizzeriHOST
They have a really good core of New Zealand players, and I think Lachie Beyliss will be a really underrated pickup, uh, i- in terms of keeping them near the top as contenders.
Teo PellizzeriHOST
But it seems across the entire league there's just a consensus that because their, uh, exemptions for a bit of extra salary cap help as an expansion franchise have now expired, and they're effectively on equal footing as everyone else, that they'll come back to the pack.
AlexHOST
Now, they'll say, oh, well, look, we held on to Sam Cosgrove.
AlexHOST
We've held on to Hiroki Sakai.
AlexHOST
Yes, but you've also got Sam Cosgrove suspended for the first two games of the season.
AlexHOST
And Hiroki Sakai is getting on in age.
AlexHOST
Who knows how long he's going to be able to keep up that sort of standout defensive form in the A-League.
AlexHOST
I do think that there's a couple of really nice young players coming through.
36 MINS LATER
AlexHOST
I still think they probably have the best double pivot in the A-League in Vistrada and Galagos.
AlexHOST
But Sam Cosgrove being... out for the first two games is going to be annoying as well.