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Fan of the Week – Shane Smith

Posted on October 9, 2014 by in A-League, Australia, Fan of the Week, Features, Interviews, New Zealand // 0 Comments

FTSAUS sat down with Shane Smith, a Federation One footballer in New Zealand as well as a passionate A-League follower and Wellington Phoenix supporter…

What is your favourite football memory?  

I would have to say watching Robin Van Persie playing for Arsenal when a ball was crossed across the field to him, and he places/volleys it into the far corner of the goal. Pure magic!

Do you support any other teams around the globe?

Yes, I am a supporter of Arsenal, the Belgium international team and any team that plays against Manchester City.

Who is your favourite A-League player?

I would have to say that my current favourite player would be Jeremy Brockie. He had a bit of a rubbish season last time around, but I remember when he was playing for Newcastle United and in the back half of his last season he was scoring some cracking goals. A past player would have to be Tim Brown, a classy midfielder.

Who is your favourite international player? 

That is a hard question. It is like asking what is your favourite movie (there are so many good ones). A player though I have always liked is Samir Nasri. I like the way he controls the game and his quality of passing, a real pleasure to watch.

Do you think the A-League should be considering another NZ based team in their expansion plans?

I don’t think so. We don’t have the money or crowds to sustain it, and we would end up having another New Zealand Kings.

If you could make one change to the A-League what would it be?

I think there needs to be a definite change in rules to reward aggressive teams who can keep the ball and play with nice control (relaxing the closeness of offsides being called). Sadly too often there are rubbish games where you are watching a brand of football that is slow and lacks any quality.

 

Where do you think the Phoenix will finish this season?

I think Ernie Merrick has done some great stuff with the team. I don’t know if their off-season purchases were good ones, but I think they have enough to make the top six. I don’t think they will make the top three as they just don’t have that many players that are clinical with their play.
How do you think the All Whites will go in their upcoming matches against China and Malaysia? 
You would hope with some reasonably good players around they should do well. It comes down to on the day and I think New Zealand football has made a good choice selecting a coach who will be proactive and try to lift the way we play the beautiful game.
About Cam Gordon (77 Articles)
Cam Gordon is a New Zealand based educator with a degree in sports studies. A passionate Wellington Phoenix supporter who still plays competitive football, captaining Parklands United in the Canterbury senior men's grades.
Contact: Twitter

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