Auckland FC have consulted with New Zealand rugby royalty, as part of their preparation for the upcoming A-League finals series.
All Blacks’ great Dan Carter attended training last Thursday, before giving an extended presentation to the squad after lunch. It was an idea hatched some time ago, to help offerthe team a different perspective as they build toward their playoff tilt, which starts with the first leg of their semifinal against Melbourne Victory this Saturday (9.35pm NZT).
Carter is a fan, having attended some Black Knights games this season, and was invited to speak by former teammate Ali Williams, who has an ownership stake in Auckland FC together with his wife, Anna Mowbray.
The former All Black came well prepared, meeting up with coach Steve Corica and football director Terry McFlynn a few days before to learn more about the squad, their challenges ahead and discuss possible subjects. It was initially felt that Carter would focus on the 2015 Rugby World Cup – the crowning glory of his career as he led the All Blacks to their first offshore tournament triumph, in some style – but the former first-five decided that insights from the 2007 and 2011 campaigns would be particularly pertinent.
Across Auckland’s cosmopolitan squad, not everyone was aware of Carter’s legacy (rugby is not exactly big in Belgium, Colombia or Chile, for example) but the team was briefed on his achievements and standing in the sport.
Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker said the appearance was a big hit.
“He spoke for about 45 minutes,” Becker told the Herald. “The attention span of [footballers] in those situations isn’t always great, but they were hanging on his every word.”
The 112-test All Black talked in detail about the 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign, where the All Blacks were stunned 20-18 by France in the quarter-final in Cardiff, still the biggest shock in New Zealand’s tournament history.
“He spoke about the expectation of the nation but also about complacency,” said Becker. “Within the camp, they’d beaten France by [big margins] twice in the previous 12 months (42-11 and 61-10) and they went into that match unprepared for what France were able to produce and they were a little bit complacent.”
Auckland FC celebrate a goal. Photo / Photosport
Although the respective scenarios are very different, Becker saw it as an important reminder for the Black Knights, given what happened against Western United last December, when they were smashed 4-0 at home, in one of only three defeats in the regular season.
“We were unbeaten and had won six in a row,” recalled Becker. “We were having a great start and turned up at Go Media thinking that we just have to be there to win and got a good solid lesson that that wasn’t the case. That’s an important one because it’s those moments of complacency or a lack of concentration where you end up giving up a goal or switching in that second and it comes back to hurt you.”
Carter, who scored a record 1598 points in test rugby, also discussed making the most of the next few weeks, wherever the journey goes.
“He talked about how this is the moment you train hard for, this is what you play for,” said Becker. “So try to enjoy it, find the fun, the entertainment in it because this kind of thing doesn’t always come around.”
Knockout football, in whatever code, brings different challenges and a different style of game, as there is no second chance. Carter touched on embracing the pressure and walking towards it, along the blue head/red head mindset tool developed by long-time All Blacks mental performance guru (and former All White) Ceri Evans.
“You lose that concentration or confidence for whatever reason and you’re not there and you’re not able to contribute everything to the team like you should be,” said Becker. “So it was about how do you actually reset yourself and get back into that ‘blue’ head space where you are actually a significant contributor; you’re doing your job, you are level-headed on the pitch and you are able to make the right decisions.”
“He pointed to the fact they would play in front of a sold-out Go Media stadium, with hundreds of thousands of people watching them on television,” said Becker. “He said it’s what he misses the most since he hung up his boots. He advised them to remember to take a moment and enjoy it and realise this is a big part of their career.”
The Carter talk sat alongside extensive work done by club mental performance coach Hamish Barton in the last two weeks, since the Premier’s Plate was sealed. While there is great pride in that achievement, it now needs to be almost forgotten, as Auckland FC enter a “new season”, with a physical and mental restart.
The players have to find their best form – individually and collectively – in a different environment, with the added pressure of knockout football. They’ve also got to deal with the massive expectation on their shoulders, as the Black Knights are favourites for the A-League title, a remarkable position for a brand new club.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
