Coaches Split Over Auckland Fans’ Cheeky Derby Bus Strategy: ‘That’s Rather Amusing, Isn’t It?’

It’s no surprise that opinions are split regarding the playful antics of Auckland FC supporters ahead of Saturday’s New Zealand Derby.

As Auckland fans made their way on foot to Go Media Stadium, they seized a prime chance to disrupt their rivals, with the Wellington Phoenix team bus making its way along the same route.

Shortly thereafter, the Phoenix bus found itself encircled by Auckland supporters, causing the team to be delayed by an estimated 15 minutes, as noted by Wellington head coach Giancarlo Italiano in his post-match comments.

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MATCH REPORT: Phoenix ‘demolished’ by Auckland in a 6-1 rout, completing the NZ Derby clean sweep

Italiano was keen to downplay the minor delay, describing it as “not a major issue” amid a challenging day for the Phoenix after suffering a heavy 6-1 loss. However, he did cast doubt on whether adequate security measures were in place to ensure a smooth passage for the team bus.

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“For me, it’s not a big deal,” Italiano remarked. “Having been in football for a long time, I’ve witnessed all sorts of bizarre situations involving team buses.”

“I just felt there was a lack of security. That seemed a bit unprofessional to me – when the team bus arrives, there should be an escort to navigate it through because incidents like this can occur. I’m sure they’ll address this in the future.”

“There was some banging on the bus, and a few fans walked on the road which delayed our progress. There were chants too, though I couldn’t catch what they were saying. But honestly, it’s a trivial matter for me.”

“Again, these things happen. I wasn’t surprised, just concerned for my bus driver who was getting increasingly frustrated. But it’s all good.”

“We turned near the railway—sorry, I’m not familiar with the roads here—and ended up on the street heading towards the stadium,” Italiano continued. “The fans were walking up at the same time we were approaching in the bus.”

“The real problem wasn’t the fans walking; it was more about us needing a clear path. When they began to converge around the bus, there was a significant lack of security for a while, which became the major issue. We were stuck there for 10 to 20 minutes, definitely a lengthy delay.”

“We were about 15 minutes late, and there were talks of possibly delaying the match. It’s probably something that no one expected to happen, as usually there’s a contingency plan in place for team buses, including an escort for security. But I’m confident they’ll be wiser next time.”

Auckland head coach Steve Corica was also questioned about the Phoenix’s bus delay after the match. While admitting it was the first he’d heard of the incident, the victorious coach quickly responded with a simple and straightforward remark.

“Did they? I wasn’t aware,” he commented.

“But that’s quite amusing, isn’t it?”