E05 | Neil Emblen
Episode Summary | Neil Emblen
All Whites assistant coach Neil Emblen opens up on Anthony Hudson and the Colorado Rapids, his brief time in charge of the All Whites and working with Ryan Nelsen at the Olympic Games.
On the playing side Emblen is a legend at Wolves, before coming out to New Zealand with the Knights and settling on a career as a player / coach with Waitakere United where he mentored a young Roy Krishna and playing at 40+ with Western Springs.
Show notes | Neil Emblen
3.00 How Seamus and Steve know Embers and how he ended Steve’s national league career
8.18 That time Embers turned it on for Western Springs against Melville United at age 40+ and how he still loves playing
11.39 We go back to 2014 when Embers was interim coach of All Whites for two games, but missed out on the top job to Anthony Hudson, then got removed as assistant coach in what he described at the “hardest conversation I've had in 12 years of football”
15.10 Was Hudson “Kiwi” enough? Embers talks Danny Hay and being “Kiwi”
16.56 Ember's joins Hudson at the Colorado Rapids in the MLS. How difficult is it to be working overseas away from family?
20.42 Embers talks us through what he does at the Rapids, doing it with one of his best mates and which one is bad cop
25.03 Embers reflects on not winning the O-League as a coach and how many players were still ahead of Steve in the pecking order
27.45 Steve reviews Colorado’s last two years in the MLS and talks the pressures of the job with Embers
30.38 The 2019 MLS season. Why did things turn around after Hudson left the Rapids?
34.15 Hudson gets sacked, is Embers safe?
35.43 Seamus “fan boys” over Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard - Steve doesn’t seem impressed
38.59 Steve’s monologue on Hudson. How do we judge his four years as All Whites coach? What did we have when he was here? Embers gives some insights into the enigma that is Hudson.
45.39 Steve talks Embers playing career in the UK but gets his age wrong. Embers takes a pay cut to go pro, could he have used Seamus as an agent?
49.32 Embers’ career in the English Leagues: A Wolves debut to forget. Is it ok to say Black Country Derby? The next Alan Hansen or the Championship David Platt?
54.44 Millwall away, Embers goes in goal to complete the set of playing every position as a pro. Seamus understands the challenges of tight goalie tops
56.50 Wolves to Crystal Palace and back to Wolves again. What was Embers best position?
1.02.31 Embers recalls that time a Wolves teammate nicked a bus to get home after a night on the tiles
1.06.05 Grimsby away, Scunthorpe away, or Brisbane away, Sydney away? Embers takes another pay cut to join the New Zealand Knights
1.08.48 How many dudes you know roll like this? Embers gets picked for the A-League Season 1 promo at 34
1.11.13 Embers moves to Waitakere and talks the “toughest conditions I’ve ever played in” in the O-League Final in Honiara
1.14.38 How many Waitakere players could have made it as pros? We talk Roy Krishna and could he make it in the MLS?
1:20:20.00 Embers talks the Western Springs project and his time at Seddon Fields
1:26:08 Shout out to Maurie Wasi
1:27:40 The 2012 Olympic campaign meeting Ryan Nelsen for the first time pre-Olympics in Japan and his influence on the group, including Dakota Lucas v Ryan Nelsen at training
1.38.58: Olympic reflections: Mo Salah at Old Trafford and Neymar and Brazil at St James’ Park
1.44.15: Re-signing at the Rapids, the All Whites and Embers coaching ambitions
1.45.20: Canterbury United fans, Michael Gwyther and Jack Pelter, red cards in NZ
1.52.50: “I don’t see nothing wrong, with a little bump and grind”, and Embers explains his other nickname “Gribbers”
