• Howick and Pakuranga Times
ALL Whites assistant coach Brian Turner is the head coach of the Auckland-Manukau side in the men’s football National Youth League.
In FIFA World Cup year, Turner returns to guide the Auckland-Manukau side he has previously coached, with assistants this season being Chris Turner, Terry Torrens and Stu Robertson, while the manager is Fencibles Utd stalwart Max Christiansen.
Five teams make up the National Youth League’s Northern Conference that kicked off yesterday, Auckland-Manukau, Auckland City, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay and Waitakere United. The league also has a four-team Southern Conference.
Teams play each other in a league format on a home and away basis. The top two teams from each conference will contest the semi-finals on April 4, while the final is scheduled for April 11.
“Players such as Daniel Morgan of Auckland City played in the National Youth League last season. This season he got a chance at the FIFA Club World Cup and played a vital role in his team’s win over [African club champions] TP Mazembe,” says Glyn Taylor of NZ Football.
Auckland-Manukau play Hawke’s Bay away at Napier’s Park Island this Sunday, while their first home game at Riverhills Park, Pakuranga, is on Saturday February 13 against Waitakere United, 2pm.
Auckland Manukau United: McCrae Sloper (Metro), Jonno Ross (Onehunga Sports), Rene Aafjes (Ellerslie), Ross Haviland (Eastern Suburbs), Harrison Nash (Waitakere City), Carlos Timo (Central Utd), Mathew Bouma-Higgins (Eastern Suburbs), Cameron Martin (Waitakere City), Jude Fitzpatrick (Three Kings Utd), Astley Lee (Three Kings Utd), Ahmed Al-Jawad, Rudi Bilani (Ellerslie), Alexi Davis-Campbell, Azad Shaker (Papatoetoe), Keenan Hoedmaker (Ellerslie), Yuri Agarkov (Fencibles Utd), Simon Harrison (Ellerslie), Marshall Gurney (Three Kings Utd), Sean Lovemore (Bucklands Beach), George Konusi (Papatoetoe), Rory Turner (Waitakere City), Callum Manickum (Ellerslie), Jonno Rae, Thomas Mens (Waitakere City).
