If we think the other Auckland player is currently with ACFC, Liam Gillion or Stipe Ukich would be good candidates. Two exciting young guys. Ukich only 17
Gillion hasn't even had a phonecall, which is absolutely ridiculous that. Would take him in a heartbeat at the Nix if Oldie leaves in the off season. Been in phenomenal form.
Gillion hasn't even had a phonecall, which is absolutely ridiculous that. Would take him in a heartbeat at the Nix if Oldie leaves in the off season. Been in phenomenal form.
That is a shame re both, especially Gillion.
But would also like to see Ukich have crack at the ALM before heading overseas. From memory he was starting ahead of GSR at last year's U17 WC, and he has been playing very well in the Northern League apparently for someone so young.
I got 3 out of 4 off my twitter picks. Francis de Vries instead of Luis Toomey fudgeed it for me. 😂
Good work by everyone. Most were pretty much on the money.
You think they would have chosen a Christchurch pic for de Vries though.
Though the scribbled notes do say 'potential utility', 'leadership'. FDV is 29, and captained his Swedish club Varnamo on occasions.
I threw out de Vries as the 2nd pic thinking he was from Auckland but he is indeed from ChCh, so it might not be him cuz as you say, it should be a ChCh map.
I got 3 out of 4 off my twitter picks. Francis de Vries instead of Luis Toomey fudgeed it for me. 😂
Good work by everyone. Most were pretty much on the money.
You think they would have chosen a Christchurch pic for de Vries though.
Though the scribbled notes do say 'potential utility', 'leadership'. FDV is 29, and captained his Swedish club Varnamo on occasions.
I threw out de Vries as the 2nd pic thinking he was from Auckland but he is indeed from ChCh, so it might not be him cuz as you say, it should be a ChCh map.
If these pics are correct I’ve gotta say it’s a bit underwhelming. From what I know of the players there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, but for the first announcement you expect at least one exciting name which football fans will be familiar with. Good for maintaining the hype and all that.
If these pics are correct I’ve gotta say it’s a bit underwhelming. From what I know of the players there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, but for the first announcement you expect at least one exciting name which football fans will be familiar with. Good for maintaining the hype and all that.
I think announcing the Kiwi lads first is a good move, given most people in the football community across Auckland would recognise those names.
That's just my opinion of course, but it makes sense to me given the American owner, Australian head coach, and the Northern Irish DoF. Surely there had to be some Kiwis in the mix along the way. 😆
Don’t forget Danny as an assistant. He ain’t no wallflower
It’s a long time until the next ALM season. AFC will get plenty of media space over the next few months by drip feeding signings, and may choose to announce the bigger (visa) names as the coup de grace
Sure plenty of time before next season but like LG said you want to keep the hype going, they've had nothing since the announcement of the director of football position, after naming coaches iwth Aleague history. For mine I'd have wanted to announce a Zawada type signing to build the "we're gonna have an amazing squad for our first season". Actually, seeing Zawada is still in NZ, he's holidaying in Queenstown from his insta, I'm surprised he's not first on their list of signing - assuming they were/are planning on getting him.
Not much to learn from this, though one pundit has mentioned Myer Bevan, so yes suspect that's happening. Very interested to see how he'd go in the ALM. If he does well, then adds to NZ's pretty thin striker stocks.
Roundtable: Who should be unveiled as Auckland FC’s first signings?
As the A-League men’s newest side prepares to reveal their first players on Thursday morning, speculation is naturally swirling over exactly who’ll be named as Auckland FC’s maiden signings.
Will it be an All White? Will they snatch a player right out from under the Wellington Phoenix’s nose? Will it be a big name international, on the hunt for one last payday?
NZME’s football boffins have put their thinking caps on as to who they want to see named come Thursday.
Jason Pine - Oskar Zawada The towering Polish target man is a proven A-League goalscorer having netted 22 times in 40 appearances for Wellington Phoenix, the best goals-per-game ratio in club history.
While many would see his move from one New Zealand team to another as traitorous, it would instead stoke the embers of what promises to be a cracking rivalry between the Phoenix and Auckland FC.
Imagine the derbies, with Yellow Fever chanting, “Who are ya?!” at the man they have revered for two years.
Auckland FC need to get the chequebook out and bring Zawada in.
Bonnie Jansen - Sarpreet Singh Remember Sarpreet Singh, the Wellington Phoenix wonder-kid who left Aotearoa for European giants Bayern Munich? How could we forget?
Unfortunately, since leaving these shores in 2019 for bigger and better things, the 25-year-old has struggled to make his mark on the big stage. Likely due to being riddled with injuries, Sapreet only featured for the German club’s first team twice. He then joined several other clubs on loan before eventually leaving completely for 2. Bundesliga club Hansa Rostock.
Singh is almost a year into his three-year contract at Hansa Rostock and has only taken the field in half of the side’s matches this season. A return to the A-League seems like a smart move for the Tāmaki Makaurau native, who grew up playing football for Onehunga Sports FC - based three minutes up the road from Auckland FC’s new home ground.
It’s an opportunity for Singh to reignite his football identity and play freely again with less pressure. It’s also a chance for the Black Knights to boast arguably New Zealand’s best-ever home-grown football talent.
Alex Powell - Cameron Howieson With more than a century of appearances for Auckland City, and 16 All Whites caps, Cameron Howieson is too good to have never played in the A-League.
As a central midfielder, Howieson isn’t the type of player that you’ll see grace too many highlight reels. But if coach Steve Corica wants to play any type of possession-based system, a player of Howieson’s ilk will be vital.
If Auckland FC are to build their first roster around a local core, a player with All Whites experience won’t go amiss either.
At 29, this could be Howieson’s last chance to secure a spot playing professionally at home, so here’s hoping it happens.
Shared the Canadian Premier League’s golden boot award last season and a move home to Auckland could appeal after a couple of years away.
Played for Auckland City across a couple of stints and scored 17 goals so it’d be interesting to see how he’d go in a fresh A-League side.
I think the buzz of playing for your home town will be a pull for a number of players as Auckland FC grow.
Azaria Howell - Oli Sail Former Phoenix goalkeeper Oli Sail might make the move from Perth Glory to the city of sails - no pun intended.
As a born and bred Aucklander, and a recent Nix player, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the keeper make the move and don the blue and black kit next season.
Perth Glory haven’t been the best, so a move might be a good call. I’ll always support Wellington though.
Excited to see Auckland get a potential women’s team down the line to compete with the mighty Phoenix striker Mariana Speckmaier, who quite honestly deserves the Ballon d’Or.
Winston Aldworth - Tommy Smith The Black Knights will want two key traits in their early signings: Those who are good enough to do the job on the pitch and those who are well known enough to strike a chord among Kiwi sports fans. Tommy Smith competently (though unspectacularly) ticks both boxes.
The Macclesfield-born centreback arrived into the All Whites with a bit of fanfare. Within two years of turning up he’d played every minute of the mighty 2010 World Cup campaign, ran out at the 2012 Olympics and became the national side’s youngest ever skipper. But his international career has been fitful ever since.
After spells with Colchester United and MK Dons, the 34-year-old returned to this part of the world in February for a stint with Macarthur FC. That deliberately short contract makes him a sitter for a debut Black Knight’s deal.
Dashing attack will win games, but stout defence will keep you clear of the bottom of the table. Enter Smith.
You would hope all four of them are solely squad fillers
De Vries is good enough to start. I’d rate him similar to Tim Payne.
Howieson definitely good enough to step up. Same Woud, if he can remove the bad gaffes from his game. There have been worse keepers in the ALM.
Randall too early to tell, but looked good in the Olympics qualifiers last year. I'd rather have a bunch of Kiwis signed, than Aussie journeymen. That's one of the beauties of a 2nd Kiwi team, expanding the Kiwi pro player base.
Without the Nix existing the AWs don't make the 2010 WC. At least one future AWs star is going to get their start at Auckland FC, maybe even next season.
Quite possibly! Domey on the podcast said he doesn't envy them at all, starting a new club from scratch. A massive undertaking, with a shark load to organise. Him and Nick Becker already have a working relationship.
He also said it can take 5-10 years to get real progress with an Academy. So Auckland FC maybe recruiting from Kiwis overseas, or in the domestic leagues for a few more years yet.
Anayway today is a solid start. The smoke machine may come out for the flashy marquee player reveals.
De Vries is a good signing. Quality set piece taker as well.
Not a huge fan of Howieson, even back to his u20 days, so we'll see.
Woud needs this. Is he number 1?
Randell is one for the future. Will be good to see how he develops.
Little underwhelming, but I guess they have the start of a squad now. Woud would be hoping to be the #1 fer sure, he needs a startking gig to shine at.
De Vries is a good signing. Quality set piece taker as well.
Not a huge fan of Howieson, even back to his u20 days, so we'll see.
Woud needs this. Is he number 1?
Randell is one for the future. Will be good to see how he develops.
I hope he does well, but FDV might be the one who struggles most. Had the dreaded ACL injury that spelt the end of his time in the Swedish top flight, where he seemed to be going well.
Is he the same player since? Niche Cache had de Vries in only their 3rd choice National League team in 2023, in their wrap up of last year's domestic leagues - and even then were reluctant to pick him at all. He hasn't really stood out at Eastern Suburbs from what I've read. But he's a favourite of Bazeley (shock AWs callup last year) and Baze is close to Corica.
Howieson I think will go well. The absolute glue to ACFC's dominance of the domestic scene. City won't be the same team at all with him gone. Other Northern League clubs & Welly Olympic will quietly be very happy.
- Next lot of signings likely next week and will include players who are coming off contract from other A-League clubs. So maybe Brimmer & Hall - and Corica has been listening to both Hay and Bazeley re NZ players he initially didn't know much about