Navy Blues wary of Capital confidence

Words: ACFC Media

Thursday 30 March 2017

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Past clashes mean nothing as Auckland City FC prepare for the Stirling Sports Premiership grand final showdown with Team Wellington on Sunday.

And Team Wellington's chase for back-to-back Stirling Sports Premiership titles adds spice to Grand Final.

Team Wellington won last year's grand final 4-2 after extra time to become the first club other than Auckland City FC or Waitakere United to win the New Zealand domestic title in the modern era.

Now the Jose Figueira-coached club has positioned itself as top dog in New Zealand football pushing aside Waitakere United as the Navy Blues biggest threat in recent seasons.

But Ramon Tribulietx says his team have put last year's horror finish behind them and grasped the lessons learned.

"There's no sense we're out for revenge or anything like that.

"We need to understand why we lost that final last year and how Team Wellington are going to try and hurt us this year," he said.

Team Wellington strikers Tom Jackson and Ben Harris have slammed 30 goals between them this season and will be opponents the Navy Blues need to keep an eye on.

With that goal record comes confidence and there is clearly no shortage of that in the defending champions camp.

“We’re in the final because we deserve to be there," Jackson told www.nzfootball.co.nz, "I believe that we are one of the best teams in the league."

"So if we can go out and play how I know we can play with good, attacking, aggressive football then hopefully we can go back-to-back."

Tempering that somewhat is the matches played between the two clubs this season.

The Navy Blues edged the champions for the minor premiership title courtesy of the two clubs head-to-head record after 3-1 and 4-0 victories.

The Navy Blues also won the NZF Charity Cup in the 3-1 game but Tribulietx says its important to put previous results in context.

"I don't think the past record counts too much.

"Obviously they will be thinking about that, but we have to also respect that they would have probably changed things since those games," he said.

The winner of Sunday's show piece final strikes an important psychological blow with both clubs still involved in the OFC Champions League and the carrot FIFA Club World Cup qualification brings.

Team Wellington face AS Magenta while Auckland City FC take on AS Tefana in home and away semi-finals the week after the grand final.

"There's always a bit of pressure and tension once this cup final approaches.

"There's the mental side of the story. It's a cup final and nerves on both sides will pop up and we need to try and cope with that as well as we can.

"We have players out there who have played these finals more than often, and we'll look to them to deliver performances," Tribulietx said.

Another player keen to see a Navy Blues victory is midfielder Cam Howieson.

Howieson started the season with Team Wellington after returning from a stint in the Scottish Championship with St.Mirren.

Howieson said no one at the club was taking their opposition lightly.

"We won both games but that means nothing when it comes to a final," Howieson said.

"We know it's going to be a tough game even considering the results this season."

He joined the Navy Blues on a transfer from Team Wellington after the Christmas break and said playing against his former teammates would be interesting.

"I know the boys down in Wellington very well, and the staff, and I'm very excited to play against them this weekend and hopefully be on the right side of the winning team at the end of the day."

Unlike his coach, Howieson said his teammates couldn't escape the emotions of last year's final and this Sunday gave them an opportunity to get the trophy back in City's cabinet.

"The players, staff, and everyone at the club want to win it back and we're going into Sunday with that mindset."

The Stirling Sports Premiership grand final kicks off at 4.35pm NZST on Sunday 2 April.

The match is also live on Sky Sports 2.

Ends

Match Details
Stirling Sports Premiership Grand Final
Sunday 2 April 2017
Auckland City FC v Team Wellington
QBE Stadium, Albany
Kick-off: 4.35pm NZST
#ACVTW

*Additional reporting www.nzfootball.co.nz and www.stuff.co.nz