The Hawke's Bay United Courier
Squad20 Aug 2029
The knee: Winston Tuiloma out for 109 days
109 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. Hawke's Bay United lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.
Market20 Aug 2029
Terms done: Noah Just is going
Fee agreed, wages agreed, and WaiBOP United waiting with a shirt. Nobody at Hawke's Bay United is pretending otherwise, and the supporters have stopped asking whether and started asking when.
Match20 Aug 2029
Hawke's Bay United refuse to drop out of the race
Position 3, 20 points, and the result everyone checks first is now theirs. The word is still not being said around the ground, which is how you know everyone is thinking it.
Squad20 Aug 2029
Tempers go at Hawke's Bay United
Jordan Vale was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Transfer targets20 Aug 2029
No deal for Frans Deli at that price
Hawke's Bay United offered $94.0K; Auckland City said it was not close. The manager will be told the money is still there for the right player, which is what managers are told.
Transfer targets20 Aug 2029
Hawke's Bay United rebuffed over Javier Ríos
Not now, not at any price the club was prepared to say out loud. Southern United have kept their man, and Hawke's Bay United go back to a list with one name crossed off it.
The dugout20 Aug 2029
The manager makes an example of Liberato Colvey
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
The dugout20 Aug 2029
Ben Wood gets picked when it counts
Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Ben Wood is on it.
Squad20 Aug 2029
Liberato Colvey has had enough of the bench
“I did not come here to warm up in front of people.” He is out of contract eventually, he is old enough to count the weeks, and Hawke's Bay United will have to give him a reason to stay or an exit.
In brief
- The dugout The manager has not finished forgetting Alex Boxall's mistake
- The dugout Joe Van Hattum asks for a word with the manager
- Market Sam Smith leaves for nothing