Outside90’s Connor Clements provides a weekly round-up of footballing news from our closest neighbours.
Chatham Cup
The final of the Chatham Cup (NZ’s oldest top level club cup competition), which has been held annually since 1923 with the exception of 1937 and 1941–44, was held recently between Napier City Rovers and Eastern Suburbs. This was the 88th edition of the Chatham Cup trophy, and leading up to the final, 125 top-level club teams from New Zealand’s North and South Island had been competing for their opportunity to lift the famous cup.
The cup itself was gifted to the, then New Zealand Football Association, in 1922 by the crew of the HMS Chatham, as a token of appreciation for the hospitality they had encountered on a visit to New Zealand. The Chatham cup was duly first contested for the following year in 1923. Many of the clubs that compete for the trophy are still made up of amateur players and competition records have only become commonplace since the creation of the annual NZ football yearbook in 1965.
It was Eastern Suburbs who won the trophy in 2015, with the winning goal coming in the 105th minute of extra time to seal their fifth title, completing an Auckland league and National cup double over the Wellington Central League winning Napier side, who were bitterly disappointed not to win a double of their own.
More Football Coverage
Football fans across New Zealand can rejoice as Sky TV have reached a deal to screen ASB Premiership matches this summer season in NZ. Dovetailing perfectly with the A League, 32 of the competition’s 59 matches will screen live throughout 2015/2016 season, with a weekly highlights package also being part of the schedule. With a premier league pass subscription by Coliseum media providing access to quality live streaming of the British game in NZ, and Sky showing ASB Premiership and Hyundai A League matches, finally football fans in this country will have the chance to watch all of their favourite teams live and direct from across the country and overseas.
Hudson looks to the future
NZ All Whites coach Anthony Hudson, like Ernie Merrick of the Phoenix, has also been looking to a mixture of youth and senior players in regards to the NZ National team. Hudson, in his eight games in charge of the All Whites, has taken to blooding many new young players such as Phoenix Reserve team players Joel Stevens and Alex Rufer, as well as NZ club players Harshae Raniga and Liam Higgins. In the latest match the All Whites played against Myanmar in the international break, NZ drew 1-1 with Myanmar’s senior team, despite the NZ under 20 side defeating the Myanmar Under 20 team 5-1 at the home of the Phoenix, Westpac stadium, during the U20 FIFA World Cup held in New Zealand earlier this year.
New Zealand Under 17 squad members and Phoenix academy members, Logan Rogerson and James McGarry have also signed their first professional contracts with the club, after impressing with the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in the New Zealand National League and Oceania Football Confederation U/17 Championship.
These policies have come under fire recently from some of the players and coaches of NZ’s maiden 1982 All Whites team that made the trip to the World Cup in Spain. Sitting at 136 on the FIFA World rankings, with the Football Ferns sitting at 16 on the rankings, the men’s game in this country needs a boost.
It seems more and more likely that the All Whites will be relying heavily on their overseas stars to make an impact. Both striker Chris Wood and Vice Captain Tommy Smith are in England’s Football Championship. Wood is at Leeds; Smith is starting centre-back for Ipswich Town. Captain for club and country, NZ’s most current high profile player is CB Winston Reid, who is currently at West Ham in the Premier League.
Phoenix Pre-Season
The 2015/2016 pre-season schedule for the black and gold came to an end when they took on NZ national league champions, O-League winners, and FIFA club world cup contenders Auckland City at their home ground, Westpac Stadium. The game finished two-two, with Argentinian Emiliano Tade supplying a goal and an assist to NZ International Ryan De Vries for Auckland City. The Phoenix goal-scorers were Fijian International Roy Krishna and former Sydney Olympic defender Troy Danaskos, who was a trialist for the match, and consequently received a contract for his efforts.
This served as a good warm-up for both sides, as Auckland build up to the NZ national league and Club World Cup, and the Phoenix looked for their sternest test against high-calibre local opposition, emptying the bench and getting most of the squad members a final run out before the season starts proper in two short weeks’ time.
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