Guess Aussie Scout knows his stuff, he really rates him.
New Zealand Men's U-17s
Guess Aussie Scout knows his stuff, he really rates him.
From MM's pre game comments on the previous page it's the winger Cartwright (at Melb City) who's previously played Aussie age group, so is now maybe cap tied to NZ.
Banza (WSW) could presumably still change back to Australia?
You just cross your fingers and hope he doesn't.
And yeah at last year's (U17) OFC qualifiers NZ only beat Vanuatu 1-0 in the quarter final. However that tourney was played in steamy January in Fiji, so maybe a leveller. We did beat then 8-0 back in 2018 in that OFC (U16) tourney. The last one pre Covid??
https://us.soccerway.com/international/oceania/ofc-u17-championship/2023-fiji/s22644/final-stages/
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/07/29/oceania/ofc-u16-championship/new-zealand-u16/vanuatu-u16/4332308/
But yeah who knows this year's crop could well be a talented lot.
Annual U17 WCs will definitely be good for NZ, helping the talent ID process for both the Weenix and future Auckland FC academies. And that's no bad thing for the best use of NZ football's pathways.
Cup tied to us for the cycle. As of now, he wouldn't be able to go and play for Australian U16/17 team in their qualifiers/if they make the U17 World Cup.
Carlin or Mrsmiis should be able to confirm that. I'm just going off memory here.
A full-time U-16/U-17 programme (WC Qualification and then the U-17 World Cup proper) interspersed with training camps and potential friendlies against opponents outside of the OFC for preparation would be a dream for us at that level. Especially so given the dearth of matches we play at that level outside of qualifiers and world cups.
Matt Foord (Cashmere Technical), Dylan Gardiner (Hamilton Wanderers), Nicholas Murphy (Christchurch United) and Nathan Walker (Fencibles).
A 2nd ALM academy setup in Auckland will see more of that movement, post or pre a 2017 WC.
The longer a young kid is at the Nix or AFC, the larger the solidarity payments down the track, when the better ones are sold overseas. Again the competition between NZ's two ALM clubs to sign the best young talent is going to heat up.
Could be the perfect opportunity for OFC to amend the format, potentially with a promotion/relegation format.
Suppose the problem is you can't make it too small with 3 nations heading to the U17 World Cup
You have to think we will cruise past both teams
HALF-TIME | New Zealand hit back following an early Fiji goal to take command at the break.
— Oceania Football Confederation (@OFCfootball) July 31, 2024
Watch the second-half LIVE and FREE on FIFA+https://t.co/dcPqaqaezT#U16M pic.twitter.com/5YNIcVR7Gy
Early goal conceded from a turnover, but aside from that, we've kept playing as we did in the first game against Vanuatu. Could be another big score run up in the second half in Tahiti...
Also, I've seen enough of Luke Brooke-Smith for him to warrant at least a scholarship deal at the Nix. Fantastic young player.
They can't have won many OFC qualifiers at any level before.
Cooks have a player called Josef Crocombe, presumably a relation of the AWs GK.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/cook-islands-stun-vanuatu-to-keep-semi-final-hopes-alive/
https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/cook-islands-v-new-zealand-group-a-ofc-u-16-men-s-championship-2024/87a7be61-7561-44c6-8034-f4350e6946d9?gl=nz
Runnersup in Group B (semi final opponent) could still be any of the 4 teams Tahiti, Samoa, Solomon Islands or New Caledonia.
https://us.soccerway.com/international/oceania/ofc-u16-championship/2024-tahiti/group-stage/r80570/
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/new-zealand-qualifies-top-of-group-a-with-emphatic-win-over-cook-islands/
Here's how we start against the Cook Islands in our last match in Group A 🇳🇿⚔️🇨🇰
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) August 3, 2024
Stream live and free on FIFA+ from 10:00am NZT ▶️ https://t.co/8d1nou7T9x pic.twitter.com/tfk6GFoGgQ
FT and it's a 7-0 win over Cook Islands! 🇳🇿
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) August 4, 2024
We top the group with a perfect record and will face the runners-up team from Group B in the OFC U-16 Championship semifinals on August 8 (Thursday) at 1:00pm NZT.
Stream live and free on FIFA+ 🎥 https://t.co/K0WQ4IoYn2 pic.twitter.com/lIRQMQoeuL
Solomons are out.
They now await the result of the Samoa (3 pts, 0+ GD) verus Tahiti (6 pts) game.
A Tahiti win by any margin and NZ play NC in their semi.
Samoa draw, NZ play Samoa.
Samoa win, and NZ could play either them or Tahiti depending on the margin of Samoa's win.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/new-caledonia-stun-solomon-islands-to-keep-in-semi-final-hunt/
Yesterday Fiji beat Vanuatu 3-2, to book 2nd and a semi spot for the Fijians.
Solomons are out.
They now await the result of the Samoa (3 pts, 0+ GD) verus Tahiti (6 pts) game.
A Tahiti win by any margin and NZ play NC in their semi.
Samoa draw, NZ play Samoa.
Samoa win, and NZ could play either them or Tahiti depending on the margin of Samoa's win.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/new-caledonia-stun-solomon-islands-to-keep-in-semi-final-hunt/
Yesterday Fiji beat Vanuatu 3-2, to book 2nd and a semi spot for the Fijians.
1-1 at H/T.
New Caledonia will be watching on nervously, but it would be a fantastic result for Samoa if they can get through. They made the rather generous QF draw back in 2023 (8 of 9 teams qualified for that one 😂).
This would be a far greater achievement, and would put them one result away from playing in a world cup!
Wonder if NC will roll out a reserve team against NZ in the semi, save energy of the first teamers for the 3rd/4th playoff. With 3 teams going to an U17 WC from OFC, that 3rd/4th game now has great importance.
NZ easily look a class above the Island teams at this tourney.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/tahiti-sink-samoan-hopes-and-hands-new-caledonia-a-lifeline/
Wonder if NC will roll out a reserve team against NZ in the semi, save energy of the first teamers for the 3rd/4th playoff. With 3 teams going to an U17 WC from OFC, that 3rd/4th game now has great importance.
NZ easily look a class above the Island teams at this tourney.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/tahiti-sink-samoan-hopes-and-hands-new-caledonia-a-lifeline/
Plus they all want to be the one that topples NZ.
Tahiti as hosts & with 3 Group B wins you'd favour to beat Fiji in the other semi, but remember reading somewhere, there is now pattern of teams finishing Group runnerups to NZ in OFC tourneys, then going on to win their semi against the other Group winners. Like after playing NZ they are better for that tough game experience or something.
https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/1a-v-2b-semi-finals-ofc-u-16-men-s-championship-2024/f3cb3445-07de-4974-875c-aa84a9286ffb
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/from-as-central-in-tahiti-to-aj-auxerre-in-france-the-rise-of-tiahiti-colombani/
Remember the name Tiahiti Colombani. The Tahiti U-16 Men’s captain has lit up the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Papeete with some brilliant individual performances.
So does that mean technically Tiahiti Colombani is able to represent NZ - would be a good addition to our U17 team.
So does that mean technically Tiahiti Colombani is able to represent NZ - would be a good addition to our U17 team.
MD -1
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) August 7, 2024
Tomorrow at 1pm NZT, we play the semifinal of the OFC U-16 Men's Championship against New Caledonia 🇳🇿⚔️🇳🇨
The winner secures a spot in the final and in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025!
Stream live and free on FIFA+ ▶️ https://t.co/GoXeQLbYY7 pic.twitter.com/xWhddcrf8K
There is an Academy now in the Solomons which I think does take kids from all around the OFC region. But those 4 countries above already have close relationships with NZ & large expat comminities in Auckland.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/cook-islands-performances-fuels-the-desire-of-young-captain/,
This is how our team is lined up for the semifinals of the OFC U-16 Men's Championship against New Caledonia 🇳🇿⚔️🇳🇨
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) August 8, 2024
Stream live and free on FIFA+ ▶️ https://t.co/GoXeQLbr8z pic.twitter.com/LGE8Ile4Na
OFC commentator Satish Narain shares his thoughts on 🇫🇷🇳🇨 v 🇳🇿 and 🇵🇫 v🇫🇯 in today's semi-finals.#U16M
— Oceania Football Confederation (@OFCfootball) August 7, 2024
Watch LIVE and FREE on FIFA+ pic.twitter.com/FhNxnEaVP2
Edit - is 3-0 at HT.
OFC commentator Satish Narain shares his thoughts on 🇫🇷🇳🇨 v 🇳🇿 and 🇵🇫 v🇫🇯 in today's semi-finals.#U16M
— Oceania Football Confederation (@OFCfootball) August 7, 2024
Watch LIVE and FREE on FIFA+ pic.twitter.com/FhNxnEaVP2
I think we are starting to do the same as well with a few subs ahead of the final.
Now it's 5-0 after a penalty kick, the rest of this will be a procession and probably end six or seven nil
I guess that's the difference between BMX & golf!
Wouldn't surprise to see the Nix offer him a scholarship deal.
Finishes 5-0. NZ off to the WC. NC get a 2nd chance in the 3rd/4th playoff against loser of 2nd semi Tahiti vs Fiji.
Continues trend in OFC tourneys of the 2nd team in NZ's then winning their semi final.
Fijian boys obviously ecsatic to know they are off to the WC.
NZ v Fiji final. NZ won the pool game 7-1
Agruably bigger game is Taihiti verus New Caledonia. Winner a WC berth. Loser nada.
Kiwi boys for this tourney after 4 games GF 28 GA 1
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/new-zealand-cruise-into-final-of-ofc-u-16-mens-championship-and-qualify-for-fifa-u-17-world-cup/
And yes... the runner up from NZs group wins again...
Wynton Rufer does a great job - he is very selective with who he works with and he upskills the boys and theres no doubt he produces technically better players, but they have a bit of ability before he gets them. He would be great but he will never work with nzf.
Ole Academy seen by some as Cult attitude not the best. Not sure what its like now. A couple of players have come out of there. But players come out of other places too.
Agree talent has to be identified earlier in this country. That also takes the right people identifying the talent....problem is anyone with half a football brain in this country won't go near NZF or the game here.
The issues run too deep. But we must remember we are only a few small detached islands in the middle of the pacific....Never gonna be world beaters in the world of football. But we can try to improve with the right education with the right educators.
As for the last U17 keeping their job? These guys at NZF all ring fence their positions. No ones going no where. No ones to blame. No Accountability.