March 20, 2025 • 9 mins
The All Whites are adamant they're not taking direct entry into next year's FIFA World Cup in North America for granted.
World ranked 89 New Zealand must beat Fiji in Wellington to contest next Monday's final in Auckland, against Tahiti or New Caledonia.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley says it may be a cliche, but they can't get ahead of themselves against a team ranked 59 places below them.
All White Joe Bell joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the first up clash against Fiji.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wilder
Grave from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be good evening, Joe, good evening. How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm probably not as excited as you, but I'd suggest
you have to keep a little on it. It's a
fairly big few days for the all Whites.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It is a big few days where we're all really excited.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Obviously it's a really important job to get done and
we're very focused.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
But yeah, as you said, excited.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How do you temper that excitement or do you need
to kind of put that in a box. I'm not
quite sure what Basley does. Does he want you going
out to be cool? Guys?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Be cool?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah, obviously it's obviously important to keep you cool.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I think everyone you know treats the situation differently with
how it works for them, so I can speak for
only a personal perspective. No, I think it's you kind
of have to treat it like another game. Obviously we're
all aware of what it could lead to, but we're
all professional footballers and you've got to respect the opponents
and yeah, take it take it as a so, yeah,
(01:07):
a lot of energy, but focused energy.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'll tell you what everyone's already talking about twenty twenty
six like it's a done deal. You daren't even risk
talking like that. You've got to get over Thig tomorrow
first and then you get another game on Monday. So
how does that headspace work with the coaching stuff and
the team as well? Knowing you should get it done,
but you can't think that way because if you don't,
it's a train.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Week for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
For sure, it's obviously, as you said, you have to
recognize the situation that you're going into the game as favorites,
But that doesn't take away from how we're gonna take
the performance tomorrow and then hopefully Monday if we get
the job done.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So it's just taking one step at a time.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
But that's kind of always been our focus through the
past couple of years. We've always just focused on the
game that we have at hand, no matter on the
opposition that is, and I don't think that changes how
we approach the game.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So again, we've curated a foundation where we.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Can just stick with the system that we've been using before,
and yeah, regardless of the opposition, we're going to focus
on the things that we need to do.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And a lot of people say that. A lot of
athletes say the same thing. But you can't not put
your head up, look at the opposition and wonder what
they bring. They would be foolished in itself, wouldn't it,
Like a player any thing? So what a Fiji bring
to the party? What are you looking out for as
far as the way they go about their business?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Yeah, obviously, I mean we do. There's obviously we respect
every opposition that we play against, and we've we've done
our due diligence on learning what threats that they can pose.
Obviously we're a team that likes to have the ball
at our feed, so we could expect them to defend
a little bit. Obviously that opens the threat of counter
attacks and then being slightly more direct. So I think
(02:45):
that's been you know, a couple of the focus points
on their side. But again, as I said before, it
doesn't really matter the opponent that we're playing. We try
to keep the focus the same, and that's focusing on
ourselves and what we can do with the ball. But
of course we've recognized the threats that they could be
difficult on the counter and of course you need to
state disciplined in the game, not doing any reckless red
(03:08):
or putting yourself in a difficult situation early on with
the yellow cards. So yeah, there's a few things that
we're that we've highlighted and we're.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Definitely going to stay focused on them for tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Joe Bell joins this defensive midfielder. There's no Finn Summon.
He's doing well over in the States. He's not been picked.
That's pretty much the only change, isn't it from late
last year? Interrupt what you do much being one of
your bros in the midfield there?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Sorry, what did you say? I don't that one?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Does it? Does it interfere much with you and your headspace?
Not having Finn there? Is it an interruption that he's
not around with all the rest of your midfield brothers?
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Right? Yeah, No, obviously Finn's having He's recently had some
good success getting into the team at Portland's that's been
fantastic to see. So yeah, it's always hard not having
a teammate with the group again, but it's obviously a
balance between international and and.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, your professional career as well.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
So yeah, sad to not have them here, but we've
got such a fantastic squad and so many great players
that I think it will still be a really strong team.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So an esnceiverun just slides into position. Whoever's not there,
you will know you just slide into position. Main message
from Baslely, I expect it's been what you've been saying
before about sticking to your process, doing what you do best,
and don't get any cards. Has it been anything else?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I can't say. There's been so much else. I think
bes has done a really good job.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
But you're not keeping things Yeah, not to really reiterate
myself too much, but keeping things the same as we
would approach any game. So it's been It's been a
really professional a couple of days so far, and the
team's in a really good good space in terms of
energy and focus.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So no, not nothing too different.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I think that's important when you have games that have
such so much magnitude behind them, that we keep things
the way that we've been doing them.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And in the routine, who's the energizer bunny and the squad,
who's the who's keeping your own spirits up and having
a crack and have a fund? Is there one of
them in there anywhere?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Ah? It does share around quite a bit. It's a
really good group.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
For that, you can always rely on the keepers to
say something weird.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
They're an interesting bunch.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think that's just a given, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, I think that is a given.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
What about some of the older guys, the some of
the younger guys in their position in the squad and
what they can bring from a preparation perspective, being of
their kind of being there done that, Is there that
kind of hierarchy dispposal.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
I wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I wouldn't describe as a hierarchy, but I think it's
one of the big strengths of our group. I think
we've got such a good balance of experience and as
you said, we've got players that they've they've been to
World Cups before, they've they've got through these stages before.
So I think the group definitely looks to them and
in these kind of moments with a little touch of experience.
But it's just, yeah, as I said, such a fantastic
(06:02):
group and across the board players that are open to
convers and helping, and yeah, it's strong.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
It must be nice having basically a striking superstar and
you're mentioned in the form of your skipper. Chris would
probably takes some of the focus off you guys going,
oh my god, Chris would like He's not like that though,
was he. I mean, I don't know. I've never met
the guy, but I expect when it comes to being
on the park he's just super cool.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
It's yeah, it's hard to put words.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So obviously he's yeah the stats for himself what he's
been doing in the Premier League this.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Year, but yeah, you wouldn't really know.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
He's completely down to earth and he's the perfect role
model for us as players but also as New Zealand
are succeeding in the sporting world. He's truly fantastic and
a huge part of the group. It's really yeah to
be around him in this kind of situation. It really
gives you an aspiration of what you can be as
(06:55):
a footballer.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, he's got a crazy international record as and he's
just sifting through it now. Eighty appearances in forty one
goal does that?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, every second game, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It is tell us about life. Coming back from from
Viking or feaking ifk we've been playing up north a
bit of a shock to the system.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Yeah, it's obviously it's a bit of a long travel.
That's for sure, and a bit of a tight turnaround
with the sleep. But yeah, I feel like when you
lived in New Zealand and between New Zealand and Europe,
you get used to that kind of travel, so yeah,
you just get onto it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
But no, it's been, it's been well so you're always.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Quite quite similar to New Zealand apart from the weather,
so it doesn't feel like I'm transitioning too much.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
And what about returning kind of to home really but
not really in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
So it's always fantastic get backs in New Zealand, playing
in front of your home fans and have the experiences here,
especially when it's games like this. You can't ask for
much more as a footballer.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You're cantet, but Wellington you schooled it, so it's kind
of as closer to home for you. You're gonna have a
lot of crew up there cheering you on an old school.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Yeah, definitely, definitely, And I definitely don't speak for myself
when I said I know there's a lot of a
lot of family and friends that are going to be
in the stands, and yeah, you don't always get that opportunity,
especially when you have games like this, So yeah, it's
obviously going to be a fantastic experience tomorrow and that's
our focus right now. So yeah, get that one done
in front of some special people and then back on
(08:28):
home soil and yeah move on from there.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And one last thing and Joe Bell, thanks so much
for joining us. Some people say that getting in, should
you get into the World Cup, it's diminished somewhat by
the explosion in teams that are actually getting through this
time around, from from thirty to up to forty six?
Does it take anything away of view? Does it diminish
what you guys are doing? Do you think there's there
(08:51):
any I suppose traction and comments like that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
It's definitely not something that I've thought about.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I think playing in a World Cup would be the
most incredible experience. And it's been a yeah since you turn,
it's been quite a while since New Zealand's been there.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
So from the men's side, so I think it's going
to be.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
Yeah, huge games and the potential for a really amazing
and huge.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Experience, So I wouldn't say it diminishes now.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And I love the way you caught yourself and said
Men's site, well done. You're going to go far with
an attitude light that Joe Bell, thanks very much for
your time. Play hard, play well, play fair, play safe,
and keep away from those cards. And hopefully we'll talk
again in the lead up to the World Cup. But
I don't want to curse it right to that of
heal touch.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Sure yeah, now, thanks so much. That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from sports talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wilder
Grave from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be good evening, Joe, good evening. How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm probably not as excited as you, but I'd suggest
you have to keep a little on it. It's a
fairly big few days for the all Whites.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It is a big few days where we're all really excited.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Obviously it's a really important job to get done and
we're very focused.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
But yeah, as you said, excited.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How do you temper that excitement or do you need
to kind of put that in a box. I'm not
quite sure what Basley does. Does he want you going
out to be cool? Guys?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Be cool?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah, obviously it's obviously important to keep you cool.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I think everyone you know treats the situation differently with
how it works for them, so I can speak for
only a personal perspective. No, I think it's you kind
of have to treat it like another game. Obviously we're
all aware of what it could lead to, but we're
all professional footballers and you've got to respect the opponents
and yeah, take it take it as a so, yeah,
(01:07):
a lot of energy, but focused energy.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'll tell you what everyone's already talking about twenty twenty
six like it's a done deal. You daren't even risk
talking like that. You've got to get over Thig tomorrow
first and then you get another game on Monday. So
how does that headspace work with the coaching stuff and
the team as well? Knowing you should get it done,
but you can't think that way because if you don't,
it's a train.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Week for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
For sure, it's obviously, as you said, you have to
recognize the situation that you're going into the game as favorites,
But that doesn't take away from how we're gonna take
the performance tomorrow and then hopefully Monday if we get
the job done.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So it's just taking one step at a time.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
But that's kind of always been our focus through the
past couple of years. We've always just focused on the
game that we have at hand, no matter on the
opposition that is, and I don't think that changes how
we approach the game.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So again, we've curated a foundation where we.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Can just stick with the system that we've been using before,
and yeah, regardless of the opposition, we're going to focus
on the things that we need to do.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And a lot of people say that. A lot of
athletes say the same thing. But you can't not put
your head up, look at the opposition and wonder what
they bring. They would be foolished in itself, wouldn't it,
Like a player any thing? So what a Fiji bring
to the party? What are you looking out for as
far as the way they go about their business?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Yeah, obviously, I mean we do. There's obviously we respect
every opposition that we play against, and we've we've done
our due diligence on learning what threats that they can pose.
Obviously we're a team that likes to have the ball
at our feed, so we could expect them to defend
a little bit. Obviously that opens the threat of counter
attacks and then being slightly more direct. So I think
(02:45):
that's been you know, a couple of the focus points
on their side. But again, as I said before, it
doesn't really matter the opponent that we're playing. We try
to keep the focus the same, and that's focusing on
ourselves and what we can do with the ball. But
of course we've recognized the threats that they could be
difficult on the counter and of course you need to
state disciplined in the game, not doing any reckless red
(03:08):
or putting yourself in a difficult situation early on with
the yellow cards. So yeah, there's a few things that
we're that we've highlighted and we're.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Definitely going to stay focused on them for tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Joe Bell joins this defensive midfielder. There's no Finn Summon.
He's doing well over in the States. He's not been picked.
That's pretty much the only change, isn't it from late
last year? Interrupt what you do much being one of
your bros in the midfield there?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Sorry, what did you say? I don't that one?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Does it? Does it interfere much with you and your headspace?
Not having Finn there? Is it an interruption that he's
not around with all the rest of your midfield brothers?
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Right? Yeah, No, obviously Finn's having He's recently had some
good success getting into the team at Portland's that's been
fantastic to see. So yeah, it's always hard not having
a teammate with the group again, but it's obviously a
balance between international and and.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, your professional career as well.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
So yeah, sad to not have them here, but we've
got such a fantastic squad and so many great players
that I think it will still be a really strong team.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So an esnceiverun just slides into position. Whoever's not there,
you will know you just slide into position. Main message
from Baslely, I expect it's been what you've been saying
before about sticking to your process, doing what you do best,
and don't get any cards. Has it been anything else?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I can't say. There's been so much else. I think
bes has done a really good job.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
But you're not keeping things Yeah, not to really reiterate
myself too much, but keeping things the same as we
would approach any game. So it's been It's been a
really professional a couple of days so far, and the
team's in a really good good space in terms of
energy and focus.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So no, not nothing too different.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I think that's important when you have games that have
such so much magnitude behind them, that we keep things
the way that we've been doing them.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And in the routine, who's the energizer bunny and the squad,
who's the who's keeping your own spirits up and having
a crack and have a fund? Is there one of
them in there anywhere?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Ah? It does share around quite a bit. It's a
really good group.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
For that, you can always rely on the keepers to
say something weird.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
They're an interesting bunch.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think that's just a given, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, I think that is a given.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
What about some of the older guys, the some of
the younger guys in their position in the squad and
what they can bring from a preparation perspective, being of
their kind of being there done that, Is there that
kind of hierarchy dispposal.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
I wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I wouldn't describe as a hierarchy, but I think it's
one of the big strengths of our group. I think
we've got such a good balance of experience and as
you said, we've got players that they've they've been to
World Cups before, they've they've got through these stages before.
So I think the group definitely looks to them and
in these kind of moments with a little touch of experience.
But it's just, yeah, as I said, such a fantastic
(06:02):
group and across the board players that are open to
convers and helping, and yeah, it's strong.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
It must be nice having basically a striking superstar and
you're mentioned in the form of your skipper. Chris would
probably takes some of the focus off you guys going,
oh my god, Chris would like He's not like that though,
was he. I mean, I don't know. I've never met
the guy, but I expect when it comes to being
on the park he's just super cool.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
It's yeah, it's hard to put words.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So obviously he's yeah the stats for himself what he's
been doing in the Premier League this.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Year, but yeah, you wouldn't really know.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
He's completely down to earth and he's the perfect role
model for us as players but also as New Zealand
are succeeding in the sporting world. He's truly fantastic and
a huge part of the group. It's really yeah to
be around him in this kind of situation. It really
gives you an aspiration of what you can be as
(06:55):
a footballer.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, he's got a crazy international record as and he's
just sifting through it now. Eighty appearances in forty one
goal does that?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, every second game, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It is tell us about life. Coming back from from
Viking or feaking ifk we've been playing up north a
bit of a shock to the system.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Yeah, it's obviously it's a bit of a long travel.
That's for sure, and a bit of a tight turnaround
with the sleep. But yeah, I feel like when you
lived in New Zealand and between New Zealand and Europe,
you get used to that kind of travel, so yeah,
you just get onto it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
But no, it's been, it's been well so you're always.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Quite quite similar to New Zealand apart from the weather,
so it doesn't feel like I'm transitioning too much.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
And what about returning kind of to home really but
not really in Wellington.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
So it's always fantastic get backs in New Zealand, playing
in front of your home fans and have the experiences here,
especially when it's games like this. You can't ask for
much more as a footballer.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You're cantet, but Wellington you schooled it, so it's kind
of as closer to home for you. You're gonna have a
lot of crew up there cheering you on an old school.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Yeah, definitely, definitely, And I definitely don't speak for myself
when I said I know there's a lot of a
lot of family and friends that are going to be
in the stands, and yeah, you don't always get that opportunity,
especially when you have games like this, So yeah, it's
obviously going to be a fantastic experience tomorrow and that's
our focus right now. So yeah, get that one done
in front of some special people and then back on
(08:28):
home soil and yeah move on from there.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And one last thing and Joe Bell, thanks so much
for joining us. Some people say that getting in, should
you get into the World Cup, it's diminished somewhat by
the explosion in teams that are actually getting through this
time around, from from thirty to up to forty six?
Does it take anything away of view? Does it diminish
what you guys are doing? Do you think there's there
(08:51):
any I suppose traction and comments like that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
It's definitely not something that I've thought about.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I think playing in a World Cup would be the
most incredible experience. And it's been a yeah since you turn,
it's been quite a while since New Zealand's been there.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
So from the men's side, so I think it's going
to be.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
Yeah, huge games and the potential for a really amazing
and huge.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Experience, So I wouldn't say it diminishes now.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
And I love the way you caught yourself and said
Men's site, well done. You're going to go far with
an attitude light that Joe Bell, thanks very much for
your time. Play hard, play well, play fair, play safe,
and keep away from those cards. And hopefully we'll talk
again in the lead up to the World Cup. But
I don't want to curse it right to that of
heal touch.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Sure yeah, now, thanks so much. That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
For more from sports talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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