The Range - Issue 5 (2015/16)

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE OF LOADED WAIBOP UNITED Issue 5, 2015/16

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v Waitakere United

Photo: Photosport.

Thursday, January 21, 2016 FMG Stadium Waikato Kick-off: 7.35pm

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We love goals as much as you do.

ASB Achieving them are successes to be celebrated. And because football is all about goals (and savings too of course) we’re proud to support it at every level. New Zealand Football, Succeed on.

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A Few Kind Words Dwayne Barlow

Tonight’s ASB Premiership match is the sort of occasion that, as a fan, you should want to be at. It has so many story lines that it can’t help but be a compelling watch.

It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say the season is just about on the line for both sides. If we win we’ll jump into the top four, for a couple of days at least. If we lose, well, the gap gets intimidating, if not terminal. The stakes are even higher for a Waitakere United side who currently sit three points behind us.

So it’s a must win match for us both.

But wait, there’s more. The visitors bring with them several players who were key members of our squad last season. Obviously they’ll be desperate to prove they made the right decision in moving on, while we’ll be keen to prove we’ve moved on as well.

You can throw in things like the result between our two sides in round 2, along with emotional narratives such as this being our last season and Waitakere United looking to return to their glory days and, pretty much, this is a game you really shouldn’t miss.

It was great to be able to look up from

my pitch side domicile at last Thursday’s match and see our packed sponsor/VIP area. People were crammed in and - terrible cliché - it was buzzing!

Although James and Mark would have been working overtime, it’s nice to know that so many of the people who have invested in our franchise also made time to come along and taste the game itself.

It’s been reasonably well documented in the media during the last couple of weeks that finances, or lack of them, is one of the most crucial challenges facing the game in our country. It’s the same at all levels, from NZF to your local club.

Football has incredible networks across vast swaths of the community but, in general, we’ve never really fully utilised them to both engage more people with the game as well as bring in much needed dollars to improve our quality. Easier said than done?

Yes. But get this right and we’ll be away.

Back to tonight’s game. Unlike last week where you could be pretty confident what the result would be (as much as you can be in football) anything could happen tonight.

I hope you enjoy the entertainment, whichever way it plays out.

THE RANGE Official Matchday Magazine of Loaded WaiBOP United Editor Dwayne Barlow. Enquiries to dwayne.b@waibop.co.nz Contributors Enzo Giordani, Football Dad, Photosport, NZ Football.

Images WaiBOP United unless otherwise acknowledged.

Copyright None of the contents of this publication should be reproduced without prior permission.

WaiBOP United Brian Perry Sports House, Wintec Rotokauri Campus, Akoranga Road, Hamilton.

Board Chair Merv Williams. CEO Mark Christie. waibopunited.co.nz 3

From The Dug Out Peter Smith

Welcome back to FMG Stadium Waikato for our latest ‘cup final’, this time against Waitakere United.

The must win games are coming thick and fast, but after winning our last two, against the bottom two, we now face genuine play-off rivals. We still sit ahead of Waitakere but we need a win tonight to give ourselves some breathing space below us as well as keeping the pressure on those above us.

We’ve started off the New Year well, as we have during the last two seasons, but it’s important for us as a group to kick on this time. It’s our last chance at the play-offs

and there are at least a few people in our organisation who deserve a taste of the post-season. This includes, of course, the playing squad who have been top class for me this summer.

I’d like to welcome Chris and his squad to Hamilton. He has Waitakere well organised now, which was evident in their win over the Phoenix on Sunday, so they’ll be tough to crack. Chris is an international coach and has a superb record at this level so I’ll enjoy matching my skills against his tonight.

I hope everyone enjoys tonight’s entertainment. With what’s at stake it has the makings of a classic.

Loaded WaiBOP United’s Scott Hilliar takes on two Wellington Phoenix defenders during our 4-3 ASB Premiership victory in Wellington on Saturday, January 9. Photo: Photosport.

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Today We Welcome Waitakere United

Waitakere United is one of the ASB Premiership’s big two, after a history of lifting trophies. They have been both Minor Premiers and Champions five times under the leadership of Chris Milicich, Steve Cain, Neil Emblen and Paul Marshall.

Over the last couple of seasons they have still made the play-offs but were put out both times by Super City rivals, Auckland City, at the semi-final stage.

In a bid to return to their familiar role as title challengers, Waitakere United recruited heavily ahead of the start of the 2015/16 season with a number of proven players,

including several who played for us last season, moving out west.

Coach Chris Milicich.

Players to watch Waitakere has, on paper, a title challenging team, with quality throughout the squad. Obviously local fans will be keen to see how both Aaron Scott, a local Hamilton lad and our captain for the last two seasons, and Chad Coombes, are performing in their new surroundings.

Also keep an eye on Sean Lovemore, who has been a consistent ASB Premiership goal scorer over the last few seasons.

Sam O’Regan, who was also with us last season, is part of Waitakere United’s squad.

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Football Dad Home and Away

With five goals in the bag and 10 minutes to go, a broad smile was spreading across Football Dad’s face.

His side was completely outclassing Seaside Town FC in the annual pre-season fixture. Seaside Town FC’s team had tried hard, but with little or no tactical nous and a cluster of players at least two years younger than the age group, they were easy pickings. One plucky defender and a kid up front with blistering speed weren’t enough to really threaten Football Dad’s charges, who – after three years together – were more organised, more focussed, and sharper all-round.

As the sixth goal was popped into the net, Seaside Town FC’s coach and fans grew increasingly disgruntled. A stream of foul language from one parent, a long slow groan from another.

“Geez, this is bloody awful,” muttered one parent, resplendent in faded cargo pants, Volcom beanie, and fluorescent worksite safety vest.

“Rubbish!” shouted another.

“You lot are a disgrace,” mumbled a third, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Football Dad’s daughter, subbed off with five minutes to go, was feeling sorry for the opposition.

‘Wow, they’re really harsh,” she whispered into her father’s ear.

“They could probably show their kids a bit more support,” she said, tugging at his shirt.

“They’re only children, and those two over there look about nine…that’s, like, two years younger than us.”

Football Dad crouched down, so his face with level with his little girl’s: “Darling, you’re absolutely right. There are some children in that team who are younger than you. There are some parents over there who are behaving very badly. Their coach has had nothing positive to say all game.

But this is football, darling. All over the world, in every town and city, there’s a team like this – utterly hopeless and coached by someone who really doesn’t have much to work with.”

A shrill blast on the whistle from the ref, huffing and puffing and reaching for a grey asthma inhaler: 7-0.

Football Dad saw little point in continuing, and looked nervously at his watch. By his count, there were about three minutes remaining.

“Ref!” he yelled. “Ref! Got a sec?”

The ref trundled over to the sideline: “Yeah mate? Got a problem?’

Football Dad tucked his clipboard and pen under his arm, and extended his right hand. On the pitch, a few the home team kids were wiping away tears. One young lad had his face covered with both hands. A girl had run off the pitch altogether, and was kneeling down to cuddle an ageing German Shepherd.

“How about we call that a game, eh?” Football Dad asked politely. “We’ve won. There’s about two minutes to go. Some of these children look physically shot, and mentally destroyed.”

The ref, stinking of body odour from his efforts up and down the wind-swept pitch, leaned forward into Football Dad’s face: “Y’think?”

“Yeah, mate,” whispered Football Dad. “Nothing being achieved here now. No points at stake.”

The ref scratched his head, and surveyed the crowd. There was restlessness among the home team’s fans. Some had begun to wander off to their cars. A rotund woman was collecting balls and putting them into a back.

“Fair call,” he mumbled, before two sharp blasts on the whistle, and an elaborate arm movement which revealed a sodden armpit.

“That’ll do us!”

“And that’ll do us, too,” thought Football Dad, tossing his clipboard into his bag. waibopunited.co.nz 7

Loaded -

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Our Charity Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration causes progressive loss of central vision but the peripheral vision is not affected. It is the leading cause of severe vision loss.

One in seven people over the age of 50 years is affected in some way and the incidence increases with age.

The macula is the central part of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The retina processes all visual images. It is responsible for your ability to read, recognise faces, drive and see colours clearly.

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easily treated if detected early enough.

Macular Degeneration is thought to be caused by genetic and environmental factors. People over the age of 50 years are at risk. If you smoke or have a family history of Macular Degeneration, your risk of developing the disease is much greater.

You can visit our website for more information, including the simple test to detect vision problems resulting from damage to the macula (the central part of the retina).

Visit: www.waibopunited.co.nz/aboutus/our-charity/

John Cameron Outstanding Contribution to Waikato Refereeing In November 2015 Brett Chibnell and Mark Owens from the Waikato Referees group presented John Cameron with the organisation’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Waikato Refereeing.

During the 2015 winter season Peter O’Leary contacted Brett and said he would like to donate one of his shirts from the 2014 World Cup to the Waikato Referees to be used as they saw fit. The committee decided that it be framed and become an award to be given for Outstanding Contribution to Waikato Refereeing.

The award is to be given, when appropriate, to someone who has made a contribution to Waikato Refereeing over many years and helped refereeing both on and off the field.

Clearly there was no worthier inaugural recipient than John Cameron. The Chairman’s Report from the Waikato Referees’ AGM pays tribute, in a small way, to John Cameron’s contribution to refereeing. It read: “JC has decided it’s time to retire. I’ve heard this few times over the years but this time it’s true. A few words are not

enough to encapsulate JC’s career. Most of us will only have known him as an inspector and coach rather than as referee.

Suffice to say that JC’s contribution to refereeing in the Waikato, New Zealand and further afield has been enormous.

“He has helped an innumerable amount of referees develop and improve their craft over many years and for that we can be truly thankful. I’m sure we all wish him well and still hope to see him on the sidelines.”

Cameron was delighted with the award. “My most sincere thanks for the wonderful award you presented at Cambridge,” he said after receiving the award. “It was most unexpected and only those in our craft would understand exactly what and who the award is about.

This is as much about Peter O’Leary and his achievements as it is about any of our members, and what they have done, who may receive this award. The story of Peter must never be overlooked.”

Once again congratulations to John, thanks to Peter O’Leary for donating the shirt, and also a big thanks to Dominic Hopkirk for using his skill and craftsmanship to frame it.

Welcome and thank you to our 100 0 Club Members Cambridge FC, Peter & Tanya Lawrence, Allfast Solutions, Rose Lynn Fashions, Phil Rogers Builders Ltd, Dincel Construction Systems, Bettle & Associates, DBMM, Davies Foods, Jet Creative, Printhouse, The Soccer Shop, H3 Group, Crombie Lockwood, Ebbett Volkswagon, MTF Vehicle Finance, Media Works, Fairfax Media. waibopunited.co.nz 11

#IIam mWaiB BOP PUnited Stephen Hoyle is our leading scorer this season with four goals in five starts. Here he holds off Wellington Phoenix defender, Luke Tongue, during our dramatic 4-3 win in the capital on January 9. Photo: Photosport.

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VW

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My Favourite Year Enzo Giordani

As we get closer to turning off our lights we thought it worth highlighting what this franchise has meant to football fans.

Who better than Enzo Giordani, New Zealand’s leading football blogger, to explain in this three part series...

Part 2: The Cambridge Connection Martens, Peter For the turnstiles It was the first day of my annual four week long summer holiday from work and as I drove down to Cambridge, blasting my eardrums with Neil Young’s ‘On the Beach’, little did I know that this would be the day on which it didn’t rain so much as it poured.

This was the first game of the season held at John Kerkhof Park, a place where every time I’ve been there the sun has been shining, the crowd has been big and great natured, and the volunteer army from the local club has always been out in force making sure everything is as good as it can possibly be.

There is absolutely no doubt that if this season had not predominantly taken place in Cambridge, I wouldn’t be writing about it right now. But that’s not all down to an accident of geography. It’s also all about the people.

As I arrived for this game, the first person I saw was the Chairman of Cambridge FC, Peter Martens. He and I are just about soul mates, we have so much in common.

Unlike with Grant [Stantiall], Peter and my politics are in lock step, we both love

football teams that play in yellow and red (Roma and Watford), and at the time we both even owned the same model of Alfa Romeo! When I saw him pulling into the driveway of the club in his 156, I afforded him the greeting that all Alfa owners share and understand – with a look of mock amazement – “Oh my God, it goes!!!!”

Now, the usual pattern with WaiBOP is for ‘nearly’ to be the watchword of the day and this day gave every indication that it was no different. That was, right up until the point when it proved itself to be fundamentally different in every possible way.

35th minute – We went a goal down – no surprises there.

45th minute – We clawed it back to 1-1 – yeah, like that’s gonna last…

48th minute – We went 2-1 down – see I told you!

64th minute – We clawed it back to 2-2 – typical WaiBOP, giving us false hope.

68th minute – We went 3-2 down – just shoot me now.

81st minute – We managed to pull it back to 3-3 – oh well, we might manage to salvage a draw…

90th minute – GOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL FERGUS NEIL!!!!!!!!!!! Wait… What just happened?

I’ll tell you what happened, WaiBOP won, I almost pulled a muscle in my leg jumping for joy, all of a sudden I was two wins from two WaiBOP games and the home crowd was singing – THE HOME CROWD WAS Continued on page 17... waibopunited.co.nz 15

Thank You To our partners for the 2015/16 ASB Premiership

Loaded WaiBOP United is pleased to have a number of organisations join our football family for the 2015/16 ASB Premiership season. The companies with ads in this issue of The Range, as well as those shown on this page, plus others, are backing football in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region. Scan the QR code to ďŹ nd out more about our partners.

MTF Matamata

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...from page 15

SINGING!!! – none of those things had ever happened at a WaiBOP United game in the history of the World before the 17th of January 2015.

And when we left, Peter and my Alfas both started first pop.

It was the most perfect day I have ever experienced following the ASB Premiership and that’s a distinction it’s likely to hold for a great many years to come – maybe forever.

WaiBOP United 4, Canterbury United 3.

Easby, Josh Return to form Winning away at Kiwitea Street is like the Spanish Inquisition – nobody expects it. In a funny kind of way, that’s the nice thing about it too. No expectations = no stress.

You just rock along and enjoy the day at New Zealand’s best boutique football ground serenaded by the refrains of the 248 Service crew, singing such old time classics as: “Angel Berlanga you are the love of my life, Angel Berlanga I hear your paella’s nice, Angel Berlanga do you know Penelope Cruz?”

I defy you to hear that ten times and walk away without it being stuck in your head for the rest of your God forsaken life. And don’t get me started on the percussion section…

Let’s be real, nobody honestly goes there trying to in any way compete either on the field or off it.

Nobody, except Josh Easby. Josh is somebody who thinks big. He’s an ideas man and not only that but while some like him are all talk, Josh is also a doer. When it comes to hard graft he does his share and that of a good dozen other people too.

He’s on the board of Cambridge FC, he

is on the board of Friends of Football and he edits the Friends of Football magazine as well as doing all their comms. In this particular year he was editing all WaiBOP’s match day programmes, overseeing match day operations at John Kerkhof as well as St Peter’s School for the WaiBOP youth and ladies teams, and doing a bit of coaching and ground announcing for good measure.

And on top of all that he edits York City publications from the other side of the world! And that’s just the stuff I know about.

According to legend he sleeps sometimes but I think that’s just a vicious rumour circulated by his enemies to discredit him.

When Josh does something, he does it properly. So when he comes to Kiwitea Street, he doesn’t just come incognito and sit quietly like all sane WaiBOP supporters do. Oh no! He brings two mofo flags, each one the size of Texas, and basically makes himself a one man active fan zone!

I’ll also throw in the fact that he was wearing an in-the-back-of-the.net t-shirt that he had agreed to purchase some weeks earlier in exchange for me buying tickets to an event he was organising!

I always love talking to Josh and hearing about whatever scheme he’s working on at the moment. We lost the game, of course we did. The score looks close but we were never really in it.

The players battled hard and maybe deserved a draw, but hey, it’s Kiwitea Street and that is the closest we’ve ever got both on the scoreboard and on the sideline too thanks to Josh!

Auckland City 3, WaiBOP United 2.

Part 3 follows in the next edition of The Range. For more from Enzo you should visit www.in-the-back-of-the.net. Really, you should. waibopunited.co.nz 17

Meet the Team Loaded WaiBOP United - 2015/16

Peter Smith Head Coach Peter Smith is in his third season as Head Coach of Loaded WaiBOP United. He took the franchise to 6th in its debut season (2013/14), 5th last season and hopes to go at least one spot better in 2015/16.

.

Barry Gardiner Assistant Coach

.Neil Mouncher

Sunz Singh Trainer

Goalkeeper Coach

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Kirsten Laurence Physio

Janina Aricheta Physio

Graeme Kinney Manager

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.Brock Radich Manager

.

01 Louie Caunter

02 Scott Hilliar

Goalkeeper

Defender

04

03

Tyler Lissette Defender

Finn Cochran Defender

05 Adam Mitchell

06 Sam Redwood

Defender

Defender

07

08

Mark Jones Midfielder

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Sanni Issa Forward

Ryan Tinsley Midfielder

09 Dylan Stansfield

10 Federico Marquez

Forward

Forward

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Mario Ilich Midfielder

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13 Israel Whitley

14 Maksim Manko

Defender

Midfielder

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16

Robert Gallegos Midfielder

James Hoyle Defender

17 Stephen Hoyle

18 Alexis Varela

Forward

Midfielder

19

20

Wade Molony Midfielder

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Diego Viera Defender

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Xavier Pratt Midfielder

21 Sean Morris

22 Cory Mitchell

Midfielder

Midfielder

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Zac Speedy Goalkeeper

ASB Premiership Wrap Round 8

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ASB Premiership Standings & Fixtures

2015/16 ASB Premiership Table P Auckland City 7 Hawkes Bay United 8 Canterbury United 8 Team Wellington 7 LOADED WAIBOP UNITED 8 Waitakere United 8 Wellington Phoenix 8 Southern United 8

W 5 4 5 4 4 3 1 1

D 2 3 0 2 0 0 1 0

L 0 1 3 1 4 5 6 7

F 19 18 14 18 16 11 14 5

A 6 11 11 12 13 18 24 20

Pts 17 15 15 14 12 9 4 3

2015/16 ASB Premiership Fixture List Date Nov 15 Nov 19 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 10 Dec 20 Jan 9 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 31 Feb 7 Feb 14 Feb 20 Feb 28

Opponents Team Wellington Waitakere Utd Hawkes Bay Utd Southern Utd Canterbury Utd Auckland City Well Phoenix Southern Utd Waitakere Utd Team Wellington Canterbury Utd Hawkes Bay Utd Well Phoenix Auckland City

H/A Home Away Home Away Away Home Away Home Home Away Home Away Home Away

Venue Gower Park, Hamilton QBE Stadium, Auckland Owen Delany Park, Taupo Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin ASB Football Park, Christchurch FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Newtown Park, Wellington FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton David Farrington Park, Wellington FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Bluewater Stadium, Napier Links Ave Stadium, Mt Maunganui Kiwitea Street, Auckland

Result 2-3 loss 5-1 win 0-1 loss 2-1 win 0-2 loss 0-2 loss 4-3 win 3-0 win 7.35pm

2.00pm 4.35pm 3.00pm 1.00pm 4.35pm

* Please check for any alterations at www.waibopunited.co.nz/ďŹ xtures

P2P Physio The complete one stop physiotherapy shop in Tauranga for all your injury needs and preventative solutions.

Phone: 07 571 1911. Web: p2pphysio.com.

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Head Coach Peter Smith

Match Officials

Head Coach Chris Milicich

Louie Caunter Scott Hilliar Finn Cochran Tyler Lissette Adam Mitchell Sam Redwood Mark Jones Ryan Tinsley Dylan StansďŹ eld Federico Marquez Sanni Issa Mario Ilich Israel Whitley Maksim Manko Robert Gallegos James Hoyle Stephen Hoyle Alexis Varela Wade Molony Xavier Pratt Sean Morris Cory Mitchell Zac Speedy

Referee J. Rowbury

Danny Robinson Alec Solomons Aaron Scott Ross Haviland Christian Gray Thomas Shaw Brandon Barnes Chad Coombes Nathan Bowen Ryan Cain Sean Lovemore Matthew Greenslade George Curry Nicolai Berry Marcel Nolde Jake Butler Dylan Manickum Sam O’Regan Benjaman Roberts Simon Williams Jade Mesias Eder Franchini Pasten Ryan Elder

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Asst referee H. Tutbury Asst referee C. Watkins 4th official C. Kerr

Next home game v Canterbury Utd Sunday Feb 7 4.35pm FMG Stadium Waikato

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