All Whites’ FIFA World Cup Group revealed! Phoenix lose FIVE to Auckland | EP32 - The Unused Subs

If you’ve been with The Unused Subs from the start, you’d know that Tommy Smith kicked off the very first episode back in January when he was plying his trade with Auckland FC. Now in the UK, he makes a welcome return to chat about the All Whites’ FIFA World Cup opponents, and his old team piling on more misery atop a luckless Wellington Phoenix - Saturday’s 3-1 win extends their perfect record over Wellington to 5 wins!

All of the key moments in that kiwi derby are discussed: The red card to Manjrekar James, the penalties won by Sam Cosgrove, the inclusion of Logan Rogerson on the right, the performance of Josh Oluwayemi, the impact of referee Adam Kersey… plus: how the Nix can gain a foothold in what appears to be a very one-sided contest.

Away from the Kiwi Derby, we now know that the All Whites will meet Belgium, Egypt and Iran at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Tommy chats about how the AWs will approach the fixtures, how his role in the team has changed since his maiden World Cup appearance back in 2010, and how his experience will aid the vast majority of the squad.

It’s a chance to stroll down memory lane as well, remembering some of the incredible moments from 15 years ago… as well as how annoying a drug test can be when you’re trying to celebrate with teammates!

And if you thought Paul Ifill’s 4 X’s with Collinson Forex was top draw, wait until you hear the names Tommy comes up with for his dream 5 a-side team - and the ones who fail to make the cut!

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