The Unused Subs

In January 2025, Goran & Jacob started The Unused Subs as a way to tell kiwi football stories - the ones from the pitch, the ones behind the scenes, and highlight the people and personalities playing the beautiful game at the highest levels representing New Zealand. Somehow, some way, we have got to 50 episodes - so cheers for being part of the journey! Along the way we've gathered up a Paul Ifill as well, and so the three of us would like to say how much we appreciate the viewership and support. Cheers!

So when you turn 50, what do you do? You bring in not one, not two, but THREE FOOTBALL FERNS to celebrate! Katie Kitching, Hannah Blake and Deven Jackson are in Auckland for the OFC World Cup Qualifying Final against PNG, and between trainings and meetings they answered our calls. We chat to them about the possibility of going to Brazil for the FIFA Women's World Cup next year, memories of 2023 in our own backyard, what one of them thinks of the Wellington Phoenix, the anthem in Katie's cupboard, and we put them all through the unofficial Football Ferns quiz!

Iffy debuts a new segment: THE 10 BALL CHALLENGE. Our first contestants are Bill Tuiloma and Matt Sheridan of the Nix. Iffy is on the Gold Coast so misses out on the Ferns discussion, but with his help Goran & Jacob cover off the big news in Kiwi football, including CHRIS WOOD'S RETURN TO FOREST! And just asking for a fiend... how do you say the new kid's name at Auckland FC?

Happy 50 not out to The Unused Subs!

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This week, we are graced by not one but TWO ALL WHITES: Marko Stamenić and Alex Paulsen! Goran & Jacob ventured into the team hotel while the squad was in Auckland, and burgled a little bit of time with each of them. A massive thanks to NZF and McDonald’s for making it all possible! We hope you all enjoy the results.

Marko tells us about life with Swansea in the EFL Championship, including his recent interactions with the iconic Snoop Dogg! Did you know Snoop tried talking tactics with the team?!

Alex has spent the season in Poland with Lechia Gdansk, and what he's experienced is unlike anything he has before. But we shouldn't be surprised that as soon as he turned up, his club's fortunes turned around! He chats to us about climbing the league ladder, and the danger of trying to speak Polish!

Iffy reveals his All Whites Starting XI for the World Cup! Tell us what you think in the comments! We talk the Wellington Phoenix winning 3 in a row, that Hiroki Sakai tackle, and just who are the biggest ball strikers, the heaviest hitters, in world football?

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The Unused Subs goes international this week as we welcome into Tyler St Sport LEDLEY KING! While in New Zealand to announce Auckland FC versus Tottenham Hotspur at Eden Park on July 26, we somehow managed to convince the Spurs ambassador to spend some time with us. And man, what an absolute treat it was!

In the space of half an hour, Iffy & G cover off as much as they can: his days with Spurs, coming up against Thierry Henry in the North London Derby, facing Paul Ifill at youth level, the knee injury which cut his career short, his time with Ryan Nelsen, and impressions of other kiwi EPL stars Winston Reid and Chris Wood, the latest developments at Tottenham which see manager Igor Tudor parting company with the club, and whether or not Spurs will be a Premiership or Championship side by the time they play Auckland!

And with the All Whites in Auckland town, TYLER BINDON, ALEX PAULSEN & BEN OLD are quizzed by Spoon & Goran on their kiwi Premier League knowledge! Can you name our 6 EPL kiwis? More importantly, can Tyler, Oldie and AP?

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Kiwis talk football too!
#football #soccer #newzealand

In the wake of Giancarlo Italiano's resignation, Chris Greenacre has been handed the keys to the Phoenix Kingdom for a 4th time, and he joins us on the bench this week to talk all about it.

On the surface it seems to be going really well: back-to-back wins, 3 matches unbeaten, one point outside the A-League top six. But Greeny says his focus isn't on ladder position or the playoffs, it's all about the 90-minute performance at the weekend, and putting pride back into the jersey, the club, and giving the fans and Yellow Fever something to be proud of.

Greeny talks about his four different stints in charge of Wellington, what he's learnt along the way, and says that picking up the pieces this time around was undoubtedly the most difficult assignment of the lot.

With a view to next season, we ask what the club is doing to retain the services of Ifeanyi Eze, we try our best to get Paul Ifill a gig amongst Greeny's coaching staff with disastrous results, before Chris tells us a few stories about our ultimate storyteller... including when Iffy came face to face with the iconic Blanket Man!

Also today, we reveal our grand prize winner for the 'Subs For Subs' competition that's been running for the last 3 weeks! Who is going to walk away with $500 for their football fees this year? And we take a look at the All Whites' kit for the FIFA World Cup!

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This week we are joined by none other than JESSE RANDALL: the Wellington kid carving up for Auckland FC, making the Phoenix pay dearly at derby time!

Jesse talks about AFC's all-important win over Newcastle at the weekend, and what has made the Jets so hard to play against this season. Aspirations for the A-League, the FIFA World Cup, his move to Dundee United are all covered off, plus who is that guy in the photo that pops up when you search 'Auckland FC Players' on Google?!

Goran spent some time with Jason Pine over the weekend, and the results of that coming together are in this episode as well. If you didn't already know The Voice of Football, you will after this!

This episode is a special one though because it reunites Jesse with his former coach Paul Ifill. Jesse tells us Iffy's single piece of advice that still lives with him to this day, which has enhanced his stocks as one of the most lethal finishers in the A-League!

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theunusedsubs/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theunusedsubs
Kiwis talk football too!
#football #soccer #newzealand