Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - Can We Connect 4 People To The Football Ferns??

Episode Date: July 24, 2023

We play a game of Connect 4: Football Ferns edition! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Football Ferns take on the Philippines, their second game in the FIFA Women's World Cup. Can't wait for that. Hopefully another victory. Let's hope so. We're trying to do our game Connect Four, where we try and connect four people to the team. It can be as tenuous as you like. 0800 the hits, 4487. We're going to kick things off with one we've organised, played for the Football Ferns for 20 years. A legend of the game in New Zealand and across the world. Her name is Maya Jackman, and welcome to the show. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Hey, nice to have you here. How excited are you about the football tonight? I'm really excited. I'm pretty nervous as well. I imagine you would be just getting so much joy out of this tournament. Yeah, it's just... Yeah, I can't even describe how much joy I'm getting out of this tournament. Not just for the football fans, but the entire thing at the moment.

It's just so cool to have here. And the crowd, hey, the people are turning up too, Moira. I know, people are getting the tickets, they're going now. So it's really, it's awesome. I was at Italy Argentina last night, 30,000 people, it was epic. On a Monday night, to get New Zealanders out on a Monday night. It is so good to see. I know.

There was drums. It was just so cool. So many Argentinians. It was amazing. As someone who played, you know, a football fan's legend, played for pretty much 20 years, went to a World Cup as well. I mean, what is it like to see, you know, the sport that you love and played for many years just getting this much attention

and support and everyone behind it? Oh, look, you know, opening night, me and a couple of the other ex-football friends were walking along the streets, you know, heading to Eden Park and we're like, can you believe that all these people are coming to watch women's football? We couldn't

just get our head around it. And then what happened that night, we couldn't get our head around it. We just can't keep getting our head around it and then what happened that night we couldn't get our head around it and we just can't keep getting our head around it. It's so cool. I think it was the Women's Rugby World Cup where Ruby Tui paid tribute to the players that had gone before them for paving the way and you know this is

the result of all the hard graft you and your other players did years before. Yeah and you know look that's something that Ali's been talking about. Ali Riley the captain of New Zealand and, you know, look, that's something that Ellie's, you know, been talking about, Ellie Riley, the captain of New Zealand, and she's spoken about the players that have come before. And, you know, it's such a great honour to be able to have paved that way, you know, right from the 75ers who started it all,

and then, you know, through the 80s and the 90s. And it's just so cool to know that you've had a piece of that, part of that, and you've helped create history. Well, yeah, because I was looking last night, when you started playing and you were up north in New Zealand, you played under-15s, you had to play for the boys' team because there was no other girls playing. Exactly, yeah.

You know, that's how far it's come. Yeah, it's great. Like, you're out now and you're walking around parks and you're seeing all these little girls playing in girls' teams and all boys' teams. You can choose. But yeah, the fact that there's a pathway there now for girls to be able to do that and there's sand tales now that they've put out so you can just grab some mates, some girl mates and go and play some football and just have heaps of fun. Well, I'm sure this tournament is inspiring a generation. And it's not just, you know, sometimes we do. In this country, we can be guilty of getting a little swept up and thinking things are bigger than they actually are. But we just spoke to our friend in America. Six million people tuned in to the USA game.

He said it is blowing up over in the States, this tournament. Yeah, like, yeah, I mean, yeah. Is this bigger than it is? No, it actually is really big. Yeah. You know, they're saying 2.3 billion eyes will be on this tournament and, yeah, I mean, you know, there's 30,000 US

tourists down here just to come and watch their team, you know, they follow them around, there's lots of other tourists from other countries, but, you know, they're the juggernaut at the moment, they're the US of that number one team. They're just a whole brand in themselves, aren't they? Did you love their business suits they came out on?

I saw the footage, the slow-mo footage and they had their sunglasses on. Very futuristic sunglasses. I thought those looked like they had travelled back in time. Yeah. Oh, it was so cool. I was like, oh yeah, that's just the US team to a T. Oh, they're awesome. Okay, tonight, Football Fernerns taking on Philippines.

It's going to be pretty much sold out again. I think it's sold out in Wellington, 5.30. How are we feeling about this game? Because we are ranked higher than the Philippines, but as the ferns proved the other night, anything can happen in football. I know. I think this tournament's proving anything can happen in football,

and that ranking doesn't really matter, but just the belief in the backing of this country with those girls, I feel like it'll be another win. I was just about to say, how much, you've played the game, how much would a packed stadium backing the team mean to the players on the pitch? Does that change your performance out there? Oh, look, you know, and the girls said this,

they said the electricity of those fans just keep pushing them, keep pushing them. It makes a difference. It so does. And, like, we've played in front of these types of crowds, but never at home. This has never been a thing for us at home. Just that feeling you get from a massive crowd is so cool,

and having that platform, and I call it, pushing those girls through and just supporting them. It'll be just as important as it was at Eden Park and I cannot wait. Oh it's exciting My Jackman thank you so much for your time enjoy the game tonight and hopefully it's

another great result for the football ferns. I'm looking forward to it and it will be. It will be. So we've connected one person to the football ferns. I'm looking forward to it, and it will be. It will be. Go for it. Too late, Joe. Connect for it. So we've connected one person to the football quiz. We've done our part. We've done our heavy lifting. Now it's time for you to step up to the plate. How can you tie yourself into the football ferns?

The FIFA Women's World Cup are going on at the moment in New Zealand and Australia, on track to be the most attended in the competition's history. 1.5 million tickets between Australia and New Zealand have been sold already. That's incredible. 1.5 million tickets. That's good. I mean, our worst nightmare is just having a smattering of people in Eden Park sort of clapping to the football.

It's not going to happen. It hasn't happened. I don't think it will happen in Eden Park. Maybe another. No, that's not going to happen at all. It's not going to happen. It's great. It's great.

It's wonderful. And hold on, what's the sound of that? Go for it. Too late, Joe. Connect for it. It's the sound of Jono it. And hold on, what's the sound of that? Go for it. Too late, Joe. Connect four. It's the sound of Jono and Ben jumping on the bandwagon. Oh, we're there, mate. We're there.

We're loving it. Riding this bandwagon all the way with our Connect Four game where we try and connect four people to the team. The game tonight sold out, I think, apart from wheelchair access. Yeah. So if you can, get your hands on a wheelchair. I don't know if it's... Tickets available.

Yeah. So we'll try and connect four people. We've already connected one with football ferns legend, My your hands on a wheelchair. I don't know if it's available. Yeah, so we'll try and connect four people. We've all connected one with football ferns legend, Mya Jackman. So let's see if we can get three other connections to the football ferns right now. Shall we start with Chris in Christchurch? What's your tenuous tie-in to the football ferns, Chris?

Hi there, how are you? Yeah, we're bloody good, mate. It's lovely to have you on. You're connected to the team. Well, just starting to, actually, after that win the other night, and we bought tickets to Dunedin

for Sunday night, just as a knee-jerk reaction. But you're in Christchurch, so you're going to make your way to Dunedin for the game? Oh, that's awesome. Jeez. That's wonderful. I think there was a simultaneous sound of all knees jerking when they won that first game.

But we understand you used to be the teacher of one of the players. No, no, I am a PE teacher out at Ellesmere College in Leaston, where I coach football there and ref and also play the game as well. Who did you coach? football there and ref and also play the game as well. Who did you coach? I coached Ellesmere College Junior 11 on a Wednesday there in church in the competition. And ref my son's team, he played for Cashtek,

one of the sub teams. So did you coach the football ferns? No, I worked for them. You've got an even more tenuous side. Jono really like i was digging deep he's like yeah just yeah and yep and yeah no he's going along on on sunday night and that's the main thing all right we said tenuous yeah we got tenuous all right chris we love your call babe we're gonna send you out some hell pizza there you go that's the tie and he's going to be at the game, Joe. Yeah, that was going somewhere else,

completely different to where I thought it was heading. Let's go to where we're going. Joe, you can talk, mate. You're on Let's Talk. Maddie's on. Let's get Maddie. Maddie, welcome. Hello.

Good to have you on. Now, I think we're going to struggle to be any more tenuous than Chris, so hopefully you've got a connection to the football ferns. Yeah, so I actually went to school with three of them. Boom, boom. Now this is what I'm after. You know, this is what I wanted Chris to come in with. Oh, that's very cool.

Yeah, so I went to school with Marlia Steinmetz, Jackie Hand, and Grace Jail. So was this all the same school or different schools? All the same school, so we all went to Mags. Oh, yeah. Mags has pumped out a few pennies. Sonny Bill Williams was Mags too, wasn't he? Yes he was. His name was in the Great Hall of Mags. You must have had a gun football

team the year they were all there as well. Geez, that would be incredible. Yeah, I remember it being really good and everyone kind of getting behind them all the time, so that was cool. Awesome. Have you got the relationship where you can get free tickets to the game even if you don't have a wheelchair? I'm trying, I'm trying.

Yeah, good. Slide into those DMs, mate. Oh, that's awesome. Well, thank you for that. That's our third connection. Can we connect one more? I'm going to call. Too late, Joel.

Give us a call. Well, Producer Joel's got a bit of a, one of them follows you on Instagram, Producer Joel. No, one of them used to follow me on Instagram but unfollowed me so probably can't count that. I'm not taking that as the last. I don't know if that's if we can beat that. One of them follows you on Instagram, Producer John. No, one of them used to follow me on Instagram but unfollowed me, so probably can't count that.

I'm not taking that as the last. I'll add her in the hits if we can beat that. We might not be able to beat that. It's a follow and an unfollow. Mate, I've seen the content you put up. The videos you send me on the weekend, I would unfollow you if I could too. 4, 4, 8, 7, I'll add her in the hits. Can we get one more connection or maybe that's it? We're trying to connect four people to the football ferns this morning.

We've done well. We've got three so far. And Casey's phoned through in Foxton. How are you? I'm good. How are you? We are doing well and all the better for talking to you. Because finally, just before the show ends,

we're trying to connect four people to the football ferns tonight. To the football ferns. And your mum, deep connection, entrenched in New Zealand football history. Yes, some would say the pioneer of female football in New Zealand. Some would say the Kate Sheppard of soccer. She played for the Football Ferns. Yes, so in 1975, New Zealand female football had only kind of just begun and they got offered to play in the Asian Cup,

so they had to put together a national team and she was selected as one of the first female footballers for the national team in New Zealand. Oh, that's incredible. You must be very proud. I'm very proud. Yeah, and it's awesome. And it must have made for her to see how far it's come

and to have huge crowds tuning up. Everyone really excited about the World Cup. Oh, yeah, she's blown away. She feels like an absolute queen. She got flown to Australia for the opening match, and she's coming down this way. She lives in Taupo currently. She's coming down this way to be able to attend the game on Thursday

in Wellington. Yeah, so she's getting to as many games as she can. Can she give me bloody tickets? I'm trying to get into the round of 16. John, I promised you. You said, I'm going to two games. And now we're like, what two games are you going? So now he's like, oh, jeez, I've got to book. Now they're all selling out. So John, I was thinking about flying to Australia, I think, for one of them.

Just so he doesn't look bad. But listen, if your mum could pull any strings on the ticketing front, that'd be great. And so how long did she play for New Zealand for? I'm pretty sure she only played for the Asian World Cup and then may have moved on within the provincial side.

She's coached rep football and everything like that, but I'm not sure how long she made the national team for. Well, that is incredible. And it's good to see that FIFA are paying credit to those that have gone before. and everything like that, but I'm not sure how long she made the national team for. Well, that is incredible. And it's good to see that FIFA are paying credit to those that have gone before. Yeah, 100%. I think it's really amazing, and she feels on top of the world. Yeah, that's good. FIFA, wonderful organisation.

Don't try. You're not giving you free tickets, mate. Hey, thank you for being our final Connect Four this morning. We appreciate it. No worries at all, guys.