OFC Nations Cup 2016 - vs New Caledonia | Wed 8 Jun | 5.50pm | SS Popup

Was prepared to give him benefit of the doubt, thinking back to style of play by the Under 20's - but of course it wasn't Hudson but Bazeley who ran the U-20's...

So perhaps indeed he just has no clue. Except in talking things up.

Today on Radio Sport I heard Craig Cummings [think that's his name] talking to whoever the host was, about the last 2 AW games. He obviously isn't a football man and went out of his way to watch the games [I'm presuming because he now has an increasing role in RS by hosting some programmes as a back up]. He summed it up beautifully by asking why all of the coaching strategies and programmes we have had here for many years, haven't filtered through tot he top level - why can these Island teams look better skilled than us when we have put all of this money and energy into developing the game and players. Alf mentioned that he had been watching some of these AW since they were young and they definitely weren't schooled in the manner of play that they were engaging in at this tournament. To my mind, what is the point of doing all of this and then having your national team [which I presume is what is driving NZF to instigate these programmes] play completely different. Surely you have to do a Gareth Morgan and tell your National coach "this is the way we want you to coach" otherwise the whole is a total waste of time.

...but shouldn't the question be asked how he can prefer the likes of Moses Dyer to those players?

Hudson is a bit of a Declan on the sideline isn't he" Especuially last night, the mikes picked up the sidelien talk and he was non stop.

I'd prefer Declan, at least he practices what he preaches.

I'd never prefer Declan.

I love NZF - but at the moment I feel like its a dirty habbit that I know is bad for me and I should try to kick.

We may win this, but with those performances will never ever make for 2018 WC. Question is NZF self reflecting enough to change? No. The next chance would be 2022, just sad fir the wasted years.

Surely its all about Alignment! Or maybe,  yes of course It's " The Vibe"

Tbh us vs the 5th best South American team is always very improbable, but adding to that our current state of affairs, we might as well not play at all.

I think NZF is realistic: they are happy for us to win the OFC Nations Cup as it is within our ability, and allows us to go to the Confederations Cup.  This means a guaranteed payout, just as participation in the World Club Cup finals does for Auckland City etc.

The actual FIFA world cup is much too hard, so NZF is focusing on the above low hanging fruit. 

... OK, I admit I am being overly generous. Deep inside I know they are simply clueless.

 

Love him or hate him, Declan has done more as both a player and a coach than Anthony Hudson. And it's not even close on either front.

The only thing Declan hasn't done is coach a national team, and you have to wonder whether that's because he's not a good at selling used cars as Hudson and then you have to wonder whether we are picking our coaches on the right basis.

We've shelved Declan and Wynton as "a bit nuts, we can't have them in charge" but we've embraced types like Hudson...

 

Hudson the Denis Denuto of football coaching?

Hudson has only been a head coach for 100 matches

His Wikipedia is a name droppers paradise, I really have never seen anything like it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Hudson_(footballer)

Maybe it's a case of 'better the nut you don't know'?

Although it's more likely that Wynton and Declan have p**ed off more than a few of those who make the appoints (an unfortunate by product of being honest in an environment of incompetence).

I'm sure it was talked about at the time but why wasn't Emblem given the job, from my hazey memory the best football I've seen from a New Zealand side was the one he took to Beijeng.

Huh - when editing his Wikipedia page to say "He is a bit shark" I got this message;

An automated filter has identified this edit as potentially unconstructive, and it has been disallowed. If this edit is constructive, please report this error.

Another example of "the man" holding down the working class.....

Doesn't know how to use PowerPoint.

That's probably closer to the truth than I'd ever want to admit

Across both those posts I hold my hand up and go 'I dislike Declan intensely' but he has a track record of playing football a certain way (and I am not sure of its effectiveness cause his title count is 0) and producing footballers that can go to the next level (what ever level that may be).

There is no doubt he has certainly been the subject of the 'no cocks' policy but as stated, with Declan and Wynton, you know exactly what you are getting so are we better off with the dickhead we know vs the one we have? At the moment, I still hold this faint little hope that Hudson will eventually show us something and go 'I told you so' but the reality is looking at his results, selections and the way his team has played, I'm pissing into a hurricane. I find some of his selections unfathomable and when you see the faith in Dyer, Tuiloma, Brotherton and Prelivic (spelling?) I have to go 'How can you not see how shark they are?!?' especially when there are footballers that have more talent that cannot get a look in. I put that down to Hudsons 'This here is a round hole and you are a square peg' mentality and that he just does not want to bother with the square pegs that could fit in if he decided his hole had some corners on it (if you follow what I am saying)

The fact that Kosta and Marco cannot get a run is a real eye opener to me because they would/should be automatic starters in my book.

I would be intrigued if you put Declan, Emblen, Wynton and Ricki in separate rooms and asked to pick their current starting AW team, whom they came up with.

Now you're talking!

Should also add Ramon to that list.

I know everyone on here is an expert but, if I had my life riding on the results of an All Whites game, I would likely actually prefer 90 per cent of this forums teams then the one that Hudson is currently selecting. No Kosta in the starting team is mind boggling. 

And even Ernie

Mate, great post. Completely agree.

The defensive minded strategy Hudson is adopting just says to everyone "I don't have confidence in my systems or our players". Why is it that some managers defer to the route one, sit back strategy when the stakes are high when other managers (IMO the better ones) say I back my systems and my players to play OUR way. It's similar to Ricki at the World Cup - he didn't back the guys to score a goal to get through to the next round...

The game against the Solomons when we'd already qualified just showed how much better we look when we press, hold the ball and try and play. That game suits our players and it's actually lower risk because a) we have the ball for longer and b) we win it back higher up the park. 

It's ironic that he's asking players who are ill equipped to play route one to play that way. It's actually more risky than playing the pressing, possession style but your average pundit belives that route one is less risky (maybe- but NOT with players that cannot play that way!)

I think that is most people's issue. If we were actually good at route one and winning games decisively most on here would go "ok it's not my preferred strategy but it's working". Instead we are not playing the style of play that our players are most suited to, playing route one really badly, and relying on luck to get us through.

I just wish that Hudson would back his team rather than sell us this cr&p and make it out like its a winning strategy. It's not- it's a I don't want to lose strategy. Well Anthony- in football certain teams (Italy) have won playing that way (granted) but PNG are going to be playing to win and I think we need to be positive to win this game...