Onwards now to a Wednesday nighter in London, Chelsea versus West Ham making up for an earlier covid postponement. Squeezing in one more fixture in which Anna Leat gets to participate rather than just watching from the bench
These are the dawning days of a golden generation after all, thus it’s only fitting that the window SLAMMED shut with two of the guys most symbolic with these changing times of kiwi footballers being sold for significant fees... each sneaking in just under the buzzer
Fair play to Jordan, they’re the strongest team that the AW’s have played since being beaten by the Republic of Ireland in Danny Hay’s first game in charge... but it’ll be a stronger team than Jordan that the All Whites come up against if they make the intercontinental playoff later in the year.
Anna Leat had to wait patiently for her first WSL appearance but when it did eventually arrive the second wasn’t long in following it. Plus she got to play against last season’s beaten Champions League finalists in between.
These All Whites are no longer a hypothetical team, so that’s nice. They’re cranking out the fixtures and seeking to build on what they’ve already achieved together under Danny Hay. Three wins on the bounce.
Newcastle United didn’t rush through that Chris Wood signing merely to ease him into the team. No way, they got that thing done under urgency, specifically thinking of the game against Watford on the weekend
It all happened so very quickly. The richest club on the planet came calling and within a couple days personal terms had been agreed and the medical was underway. Chris Wood has left Burnley to sign for Newcastle United.
The thing about leagues with import restrictions is that it’s not worth signing imports unless they’re going to be better than the local players you’ve already got. The locals are cheaper and lower risk. Hence your imports had better be coming in to be genuine first eleven starters
As chaotic as 2021 was, the North Carolina Courage still had a roster full of international calibre talent. No need to panic. The championship vibes still permeate. Or at least they did until the club started trading everybody away...
The first 45 mins against Huddersfield in the FA Cup went alright for Burnley. Despite having their depth hampered by covid absences – which included their manager Sean Dyche – they were still able to select a strong starting team including Mr CG Wood up front
These are murky times for the Wellington Phoenix fellas. Four points from their first two games gave them a rare positive launch but four straight defeats since has condemned them to yet another of their typically haunted slow starts
A win, a precious win, for Libby Cacace and Sint-Truiden. In their final game of 2021 they ground out a 2-0 result at home to Eupen which snapped a streak of five consecutive defeats. Cacace once again got the start at left wing-back…
Look, this was only ever likely to go one way. The Wellington Phoenix weren’t gonna rock up on the A-League Women’s scene with a squad half-full of teenagers and only a handful of players who’ve played professionally before and immediately start whupping teams. Things take time.
Flying Kiwis Transfer Season is almost back upon us. The new year brings many things to many people and the January Transfer Window is one of those things. A cheeky month in the middle of the European season where clubs can splash some cash or scoop up a few sneaky loans…
Tottenham sitting in the Champions League places at Christmas with Ria Percival having played every single WSL minute for them? You may have predicted one of those things but doubt many predicted the other yet here we are.
No sooner did the South Central Series begin than it was over. It was here then it was gone and it won’t come again... hopefully not anyway. The SCS only existed in the first place because the top third of the country got stuck behind the covid border
Southern United, aye? Who’d have thunk it. To be fair... anyone who’s been following their increasing relevance over the last few years had to think they were in with a chance.
The hard work had already been done. Last game of the season, Viking away to Tromso, there was nothing left to gain other than a victory lap to complete their year’s efforts. And that’s exactly what this game ended up being: a victory lap
It came down to this. Miramar Rangers versus Wellington Olympic in the South Central Series grand final, probably the two teams most would have picked for this ultimate game when the SCS began but that didn’t make this match-up any less exciting
Decision Day in the women’s South Central Series. Three out of four team with a chance of lifting the trophy by the end of it. Southern could either win or draw against Canterbury in one game while if Canterbury won then they’d take the title so long as Capital didn’t…