The Premmy Files – Week 17
Here we are with only two Premiership games to talk about. Two very good Premiership games but at the same time it’s a chance to catch your breath before the rollercoaster hits that downward surge.
Footy Ferns at the 2020 Algarve Cup: Better Teams Bring Bigger Challenges
Progress doesn’t happen on a steady scale. The evidence of deeper improvements aren’t always obvious as they happen. Following on from the Footy Ferns looking mostly pretty good in the shootout win over Belgium they then had to face an Italian side that had made the quarter-finals of the World Cup last year.
Milestones, Long Balls, Clinical Efficiency... And Three More Points For The Welly Nix
It wasn’t even that good of a performance, to be honest. The Wellington Phoenix went to Central Coast knowing that the Mariners were vulnerable on the back of seven – count ‘em, seven – consecutive defeats and they figured they could just sit back and punish the mistakes that CCM made.
Footy Ferns at the 2020 Algarve Cup: There’s No Lottery In A Penalty Shootout
People seem to think penalties are a lottery for some reason. It’s a cliche in football but that cliche is wrong. They’re not a lottery at all, they’re an extreme refinement of the ultimate purpose of the sport. Ball. Goal. Person trying to stop ball from going into goal.
Deep Diving On How The Welly Nix Are Using Young Players This Season
Here was a fella ideally placed to take the club into a glorious future where young players are given a chance, where the academy is a major focus, and where those things don’t come at the expense of success on the park, quite the contrary. And if those young players develop enough to gather further hefty transfer fees then all the merrier.
Flying Kiwis - March 3
This is where the Kiwi x MLS yarn begins to take some context. We’ve got eight dudes in the MLS this season but having contracts and being influential players are very different things. Noah Billingsley and James Musa didn’t make the matchday squad for Minny’s opener against the Portland Timbers... who themselves had Bill Tuiloma on the injury list.
The Premmy Files – Week 16
By a quirk of fate, Waitakere United and Hamilton Wanderers played each other home and away in consecutive weeks. Down in Hamilton it was late drama for Kale Herbert’s boys as Xavier Pratt and George Ott both scored late and the Tron Wands won it 4-3.
Here, Finally, Is That Footy Ferns Squad For The Algarve Cup
This is a tricky wee junction for the Football Ferns that we find ourselves at. By all accounts it seems like they’ve gotten their mojo back from after the travesties of 2018 but that unfortunately didn’t align with hitting their targets at the World Cup last year.
Flying Kiwis – February 25
Another day, another dollar for Melbourne City. Several more dollars in fact, as they cruised to a 4-0 win away at Western Sydney Wanderers which has already booked them the minor premiership shield with two rounds to spare.
The Premmy Files – Week 15
Something rather strange happened this week. It was deep into injury time down in Nelson, where Auckland City were visiting Tasman United. So deep that there were only seconds remaining…
If You Ever Wanted One Time To See The Welly Nix Laughing In The Purple Rain, Then Here You Go
Following another glorious Wellington Phoenix victory, this time a 2-0 win over instant-rivals Western United which sent Mark Rudan home without so much as even an inspirational message left on a whiteboard, the telly coverage managed to snag Steven Taylor for a bit of a post-game chat.
Flying Kiwis – February 19
Happy days, right? But those ain’t pics from last week’s game, nope Ryan Thomas has been at it again for PSV. Starting in that number ten role once more he supplied his second goal for the club a week after scoring his first and helped the team to another important win as they seek to turn their season around.
The Premmy Files – Week 14
Folks, it’s Champions League season. Eastern Suburbs as we speak are hanging out in Papua New Guinea for their group stage endeavours, in the process becoming the fourth New Zealand club to compete in this tournament.
Notes From Another Welly Nix Win That Falls Under The Category Of: ‘Finding A Way’
A win like the Wellington Phoenix had on Saturday night in Auckland against a top side like Melbourne City, that’s the kind of win which is gonna look immeasurably valuable over the coming weeks. The Nix were not at their best against a team that knew how to ruffle them up.
Flying Kiwis – Winston Reid Signs With Sporting Kansas City (On Loan)
Doesn’t he just look chuffed? Absolutely stoked? Brimming with primordial glee? Okay perhaps not but that’s our Winston for ya. He’s never been the most emotionally forthcoming, to be fair.
Flying Kiwis – February 11
A beautiful way to score your first goal for PSV Eindhoven. Drifting into great areas, linking up with the dudes around you, making that late untracked run into the penalty area and then slipping it past the keeper.
The Premmy Files – Week 13
It was Waitakere United versus Eastern Suburbs in our first game, the televised game even. West Auckland versus East Auckland. Also a game that could have some significant ramifications on the top four, as both teams entered on the back of three straight wins.
While You Were Sleeping The Welly Nix Lost A Bonkers One In Perth
A trip to Perth is the toughest fixture the Wellington Phoenix have any season. Last time out the Nix played twice in Western Australia and lost 3-0 and 5-0, it’s not a particularly fun trip – they call it the Distance Derby for a reason.
Flying Kiwis – February 4
It’s been a while in coming as a preseason injury limited Michael Woud at the start of things and then ever since he’s just been living in his role as a backup waiting his chance but an injury to Timon Wellenreuther finally meant his first game time since he played the final of his four appearances last season.
The Premmy Files – Week 12
The clues were out there. The Wellington Phoenix top side had a bye this weekend whereas the ressies were hosting Team Wellington in the affectionately named Wel Classico. Chances were we’d see a fair few fellas on senior contracts getting a crack in this one.