Flying Kiwis – November 9
In 51 previous WSL appearances, Ria Percival had not scored a goal. Sure she’d scored in League Cup action, she even scored for the Football Ferns not so long ago, but not in the Super League.
National League South Central Series – Men’s Week 1
It is better to have some football than no football, not sure which of the great philosophers first said that – it might’ve been Socrates... or maybe Johan Cruyff? - but the wisdom lives on.
National League South Central Series – Women’s Week 1
Here we are again, returning not entirely unspoiled from across that great ocean. The National League has arrived but it’s not the National League – it’s the South Central Series because a National League requires an entire nation
Transfer Troubles Mean The Welly Nix Academy Is Ready For Its Close-Up
Say what you will about the ill-fated and short-lived tenure of Darije Kalezic as Wellington Phoenix manager... but the man undeniably did one thing right: he gave Liberato Cacace his Nix debut. Plucked him out of the reserves where he was playing as a defensive midfielder and converted him into a left fullback.
All Whites vs The Gambia: Squad Yarns
All the talk about this latest All Whites squad has been about which bloke is unvaccinated and that’s largely because there’s not a whole lot else going on here. The Aotearoa men’s national team will face The Gambia on Wednesday 17 November NZT.
Flying Kiwis – November 2
You can’t keep The Woodsman down for long, you just can’t. Only one goal in his last nine Premier League games meant one thing: he was due. And you don’t want to be the team in his way when that’s the case.
Get To Know The Wellington Phoenix Women’s Inaugural Kiwi Contingent
At one stage it looked as if the Wellington Phoenix were gonna get a women’s team up and running last year. Then the Aussie authorities went and whipped that rug out from under our feet by refusing to allow the Nix to register New Zealanders as local players
Footy Ferns in Canada: Game Rua, The Build Begins
That was miles better than expected. Jitka Klimková promised that it would be but coaches always say things like that, right? She’s out here trying to reshape the Football Ferns in her vision and such a project will take time
Flying Kiwis – October 26
Sarpreet Singh just wants to make sure you haven’t forgotten about him. Sixteen and a bit minutes into SSV Jahn’s game against Hannover 96 and there he was collecting the ball on the right wing and working a lil give-and-go before drilling home his third goal of the season
Football Ferns vs Canada: Game Tahi, Don't Overthink It
It’s important to keep the context of these Canadian friendlies in mind. They’re the first games with new manager Jitka Klimková in charge and she’s only got half her first-choice squad. Not only that but…
Flying Kiwis – October 19
This is what Joe Bell does. Week after week. It was the 29th minute of the game away against Strømsgodset, one of VFK’s many games against teams below them on the ladder down the stretch of the season, and Bell won the ball back out on the right edge…
Here’s That (Very Young) Football Ferns Squad For The Canada Friendlies
The whole conundrum that the Fernies find themselves in is that they’re far too good for Oceania but not yet good enough for major tournaments. The jump between those two standards is huge and they rarely get to properly test themselves against teams of a similar level.
All Whites vs Bahrain: It Feels Familiar, Somehow
The last time the All Whites played against Bahrain, the kiwi team won 1-0 via a header off a wing-back’s cross by the son of a well known NZ sporting personality. Almost exactly a dozen years later the same damn thing happened again.
Flying Kiwis – October 12
It has not, it’s fair to say, been a good couple weeks for the NWSL. For the North Carolina Courage in particular. It was their coach who was fired after allegations of past misconduct emerged, allegations which brought into focus the frankly shocking rate of scandal in America’s top professional women’s soccer competition
All Whites vs Curaçao: 692 Days Later...
What is there to be gained from a couple of sneaky friendlies at this time? For starters there’s the obvious one of ending a 692 day hiatus between fixtures for the men’s national team of Aotearoa, that’s a pretty significant one
Winter’s Over And The New National League Is Now Upon Us
The leaves are back on the trees. The temperature is rising. Cricketers are starting to lay claim to the local fields again. All that can only mean one thing: it’s nearly time for National League football to begin.
Flying Kiwis – October 5
PSV had been bossing the contest and needed something different to break the frustration. An hour gone and it was still 0-0. Off came Ritsu Doan and Marko van Ginkel and on came Carlos Vinicius and Ryan Thomas.
Steven Taylor’s Retirement Is The Latest In A String Of Dark Portents For The Welly Nix
The Wellington Phoenix’s task ahead was already tough enough. For the third straight season they’re going to have to spend a large chunk of it based in Australia away from home crowds, not to mention friends and family.
Flying Kiwis – September 28
A midweek trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in front of 50,000 fans was definitely right up there in the Choice Bro rankings for AFC Wimbledon… and for kiwi goalie Nik Tzanev.
The All Whites Squad For Curaçao & Bahrain Has Been Named, Let Us Take A Wee Looksee...
Once upon a time there was no way that you could have ever picked a New Zealand football team, male or female, worthy of the international stage built entirely from players based outside Australia and Aotearoa. But these days aren’t the old days.