What did Auckland FC get right before they even played a game to launch themselves? Now we can look back at what they did.

I think that humility that we talked about with Deirdre Morata's recruitment.

was implicit was perps infused into the way that auckland started off they came at it from a fan first mentality and i think alongside that was a pathway for local but perhaps not necessarily regionally local but also nationally local players there was a real appreciation that there was an untapped market a supply line of players that they could bring to life, to give an opportunity and to show that New Zealand football had matured to the point where not only could they support two professional teams and they'd be competitive, but they'd go out and win silverware.

And that's a thing personally that I love because as a young Auckland footballer, I had to go south for my opportunity, my professional opportunity.

Whereas this generation of players, And I'm talking to the likes of the Luca Veselich's, so Ivan Veselich's son, the likes of Van Fitzharris, who's come from Tauranga.

They are players that have gone straight into this machine and are supporting it.

But that's the player development side of things.

Overall, what's your expectation around the Phoenix? And maybe a little bit of talk about all that player movement you've mentioned.

Uh, uh, uh, overall, what's your expectation around the Phoenix, and, and maybe a little bit of talk about all that player movement you've, you've mentioned?

Yeah, Greeny, I think, has been very, very patient.

Uh, this is his third stint, um, and it's the first as a permanent appointment.

Uh, he's somebody that has the heart and the soul of a club in mind and puts that first and foremost, and I want to give him a big compliment.

Last year was a very difficult season for the Wellington Phoenix, the men's side.

Uh, and what Chris Greenacre did, uh, when he was effectively thrown the hospital pass after that derby defeat, uh, was he wanted to seal things.

He didn't panic.

Ah.

But, yeah, that's a good win for Chelsea.

It is, Tony.

Do they reach out and try and sign you in the off-season, Tony? Yeah, they've got a lot of other ventures, yeah.

well look this is the side that um apparently still needs two changing rooms that's how many players that chelsea have signed in the last two seasons they now have a new manager And as a Liverpool fan, I feel a little bit aggrieved because I do think that the mismanagement of Liverpool last season in particular through Arna Slott and Richard Hughes meant that they missed out on Xabi Alonso and grabbing him after he fell off at Real Madrid.

But he has taken the reins down in Chelsea, in London, and what they are playing is a really intriguing form of chaos ball.

You get the feeling that with the Arsenal, and I use that word intentionally here, Tony, the Arsenal that Chelsea can deploy, they can win a game inside five minutes, 10 minutes, and they can do it at any period over the 90.

What we saw this morning is them race to a 3-0 lead with the goals being scored inside the first 25 minutes.

Liverpool, two draws.

But, yeah, that's a good win for Chelsea.

It is, Tony.

And did they reach out and try and sign you in the off-season, Tony? Yeah, they got a lot of other ventures, yeah.

This is a side that apparently still needs two changing rooms.

That's how many players that Chelsea have signed in the last two seasons.

They now have a new manager.

And as a Liverpool fan, I feel a little bit of grief because I do think that the mismanagement of Liverpool last season in particular through Arna Slott and Richard Hughes meant that they missed out on Xabi Alonso and grabbing him after he fell off at Real Madrid.

Liverpool, two draws.

It's probably for the first time outside of Arsenal, a little bit unpredictable.

It is, and it's a fantastic stat that you can throw around here, Mark, which is this is the first Premier League season of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wigner, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola.

So that gives you an indication as to the tectonic shift that is occurring in the Premier League at the moment.

And what I actually think we're seeing is the first generations of managers that are holistically and almost exclusively influenced by philosophy and data.

And we've seen the marrying up of those two things, not only in the people that control the on-field, but the infrastructure that sits behind it in the off-field.

So under Ariola and Tony Ariola, the new Liverpool gaffer, we're seeing a reversion back to this kind of heavy metal Jurgen Klopp-inspired football.

Under slot, there was a deviation from that path.

We're not sure what the reasons are, but I guess there's a really big unknown there in terms of Alonso as a legitimate coach, but also Chelsea's prospects.

It's probably for the first time outside of Arsenal, a little bit unpredictable.

It is, and it's a fantastic stat that you can throw around here, Mark, which is this is the first Premier League season of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wigner, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola.

Wow.

So that gives you an indication as to the tectonic shift that is occurring in the Premier League at the moment.

And what I actually think we're seeing is the first generations of managers that are holistically and almost exclusively influenced by philosophy and data.

And we've seen them marrying up of those two things, not only in the people that control the on-field, but the infrastructure that sits behind it in the off-field.

So under Ariola and Tony Ariola, the new Liverpool gaffer, we've seen a reversion back to this kind of heavy metal Jurgen Klopp-inspired football.

We're not sure what the reasons are, but I guess there's a really big unknown there in terms of Alonso as a legitimate coach, but also Chelsea's prospects.

Spain are favourite, aren't they?

I would say they are.

And I think it's probably theoretical favouritism because, as you said, they are the reigning European champions.

And I think that just pips the copper, America.

If you look at it as well, and let's break down that controlled aggression.

They have the firepower.

Laminia Mao, not quite fit I've got to say and Nico Williams hasn't featured.

They could win the World

Yeah but that first outing, not so good, what went wrong or are they just testing out the team, trying some different combinations, what was going on?

Yeah it's a really good question and the teams just landed in Miami and a lot of them are coming off long seasons and those seasons have ended at different times so the teams have only really been together for a couple of days.

And it's been really obvious that this is not the performance that the team wants to put on the field, but it's not fatal by any means.

A lot of the goals, and there are four of them, so a lot to address, but came from individual errors.

And as I said, this team is still adjusting to the environment.

It's very humid in Miami, and they haven't been together that long, so we can expect a response, as we did see in March when the team responded and gave us that 4-1 victory over Chile.

Didn't

it just? And for the person that is probably the least suspecting out of everybody.

Just describe for, for us, um, your reaction to that kind of atmosphere.

Oh, you boys have done, uh, broadcasts, uh, live match day broadcasts in the past.

And often you're kind of in the belly of this big beast, this, this dormant giant when you're in the stadium hours before kickoff.

And we were doing a 90-minute buildup, and I've got to give a lot of credit to Gary Burchett, um, the head of Sky Sport and, uh, backing, uh, the football broadcast 90 minutes before kickoff.

So that's, that in my mind I think is a first for New Zealand.

And so you're thinking, "Oh, you know, there's gonna be, it's gonna be pretty dormant.

It'll be quite quiet." Mate, there were fans rolling in 90 minutes before kickoff.

Mm.

Mm.

Uh, he's the kind of quarterback of the defense.

And what Auckland did is they set themselves up to allow Dan Hall to be the Mike linebacker.

So, uh, Nando Parnica, Jake Guild, Reich, they, um, they would go man for man, and then Dan Hall was allowed the freedom to read the play and to understand that every single player in front of him had an assignment, and they were gonna go press the ball, and he could then go and pick it off as that ball was directed into these channels.

And the suffocation that occurred because of that really stifled Sydney.

Two shots, one on target.

That's all Michael Velt had to deal with for the majority of the 90 minutes.

Mm.

Yeah

...

although we've talked about three kind of defensively oriented players in Cam House and Dan Hall and Kellen Elliott, uh, you can't go past Michael Vowles.

He was the difference between the two sides.

13 out of 14 penalties scored.

Michael Vowles, um, was massive, and the preparation that he and Jonathan Gould had clearly put into penalties, and knowing not only where whichever first five penalty takers were going, but also those that came after them, um, that's the kind of detail that these two operate at.

So Michael Vowles again coming up with a, a quiet, a cool, and a calm performance, but a very important one, um, for Steve Corica.

Yeah

Yeah

...

although we've talked about [laughs] three kind of defensively oriented players in Cam Hallison, Dan Hall, and Callan Elliot, uh, you can't go past Michael Vowles.

He was the difference between the two sides.

13 out of 14 penalties scored.

Michael Vowles, um, was massive, and the preparation that he and Jonathan Gould had clearly put into penalties and knowing not only where whichever first five penalty takers were going, but also those that came after them.

Um, that's the kind of detail that these two operate at.

Yeah

[laughs]

... for their preparation for the World Cup.

This result has been coming, I've gotta say.

If you look at the last six or seven performances, there has been a win in there against Côte d'Ivoire, but there have been about four or five losses by a goal.

And after each of those occasions, we're talking about putting together good phases of play.

There's been good moments.

Haven't quite converted.

Hmm

[laughs]

... for their preparation for the World Cup.

This result has been coming, I've gotta say.

If you look at the last six or seven performances, there has been a win in there against Côte d'Ivoire, but there have been about four or five losses by a goal.

And after each of those occasions, we're talking about putting together good phases of play.

There's been good moments.

Haven't quite converted.

Mm-hmm

Uh, what are they gonna do with Tim Payne? What are they gonna do with that left back position that, uh, Francis De Vries has now vacated through injury? And, and what happens up front?

Yeah, all really good questions, and I think there's a bit of pondering there for Darren Baisley.

I think two kind of key considerations in this.

One, you've assembled a, a really, a wide squad, one with a lot of, um, options in it, so who's he gonna deploy? Um, equally, you're now up against the clock.

Uh, we've got that match against England as our last game before the World Cup.

Obviously, it's a window, so you can add another one in, and understand it's being worked on behind closed doors.

But this effectively is your third to last opportunity to put a team out to prepare for the World Cup.

Uh, have you got any update when those players potentially might be back in, in the fold? But, uh, h- bigger picture, how, how do you think we're tracking towards the big, the big gong s- later on this year?

Uh, what are they gonna do with Tim Payne? What are they gonna do with that left back position that, uh, Francis De Vries has now vacated through injury? And, and what happens up front?

Yeah, they're all really good questions, and I think there's a bit of pondering there for Darren Bazeley.

I think two kind of key considerations in this.

One, you've assembled a, a really, uh, wide squad, one with a lot of, um, options in it, so who's he gonna deploy? Um, equally, you're now up against the clock.

Uh, we've got that match against England as our last game before the World Cup.

Obviously, it's a window, so you can add another one in, and understand it's being worked on behind closed doors.

But this effectively is your third to last opportunity to put a team out to prepare for the World Cup.

Uh, have you got any update when those players potentially might be back in, in the fold? But, uh, h- bigger picture, how, how do you think we're tracking towards the big, the big gong s- later on this year?

What was the standout and key pivotal moments of the match for you, Jacob?

Well, I reckon if you are looking at the history of New Zealand's vernacular, collective vernacular, the word highline would have lay pretty vacant.

It would have been in hibernation for a long period.

And then over the last week or so, you'd see a spike in its use.

And that was in relation to a tactic that Chiefie was using, which literally is having the back line as high as humanly possible.

Now, the thing I would point out is that, as he said in the post-match, he's employed this tactic with a back five, which has had different members.

And now when you are doing something that's so high risk, high reward, you rely on good communication, collective execution, and they got it out by a millimetre after 28 seconds.

Could there have been more done about that situation? I felt like he was away and would have scored, I reckon.

What was the standout and key pivotal moments of the match for you, Jacob?

Well, I reckon if you are looking at the history of New Zealand's vernacular, collective vernacular, the word highline would have lay pretty vacant.

It would have been in hibernation for a long period.

And then over the last week or so, you'd see a spike in its use.

And that was in relation to a tactic that Chiefie was using, which literally is having the back line as high as humanly possible.

Now, the thing I would point out is that, as he said in the post-match, he's employed this tactic with a back five, which has had different members.

And now when you are doing something that's so high risk, high reward, you rely on good communication, collective execution, and they got it out by a millimetre after 28 seconds.

Yeah, you think it's all done for the cameras, but is Karaka and Chiefie, is that relationship pretty fractured? Do they generally not like each other? Because I know in the build-up, there was to and fro back and forth in terms of the media conferences and having a little go at each other.