Auckland FC v Melbourne City: Jesse Randall plots big A-League finals impact in club farewell

Auckland FC v Melbourne City, 5pm, GoMedia Stadium

Jesse Randall wants to extend his Auckland FC farewell for as long as possible.

The 23-year-old knows time is running down, ahead of his upcoming move to Dundee United. But that makes Saturday’s A-League elimination final against Melbourne City even more important, as he is nowhere near ready to say goodbye.

“Yeah, it’s sad thinking about it,” Randall tells the Herald. “It’s been an awesome two seasons. I had always dreamed to play pro football in New Zealand and it’s something I’ve experienced now. It will be emotional, for sure, because Auckland FC have really given me a wonderful chance to prove myself.”

In many ways, Randall has been the story of this season. Only a fringe player in the last campaign, he has lit up the competition this time round, with nine goals, six assists and any number of head-turning displays, recognised when he picked up two gongs at the club’s awards night earlier this week, including Players’ Player of the Year.

But now he wants the best chapter yet, hoping for a bounce coming into the finals. Or maybe more than that – he is expecting one. By the high standards he has set, things have dipped recently, as he has gone seven matches without finding the net, since the 3-0 win over Melbourne City in late February, the longest goal drought of his season. 9

“I’m still giving energy and creating a lot of chances but I guess it hasn’t really clicked for me in the final third in terms of goal-scoring,” Randall says. “[But] it’s normal. These things happen every now and then in football. I just stick to what I’m doing, just keep working hard and nothing’s changed on my end.”

Randall admits he probably hasn’t been “clinical enough” at times, but it’s more likely to be a variety of factors. As a team, Auckland have endured a flat patch, while he has undoubtedly missed the injured Francis de Vries over the past five matches, given their established combination on the left flank. He is also attracting increased attention from opposition clubs, determined to analyse and negate his threats. But don’t bet against a finals flurry.

“I hope so,” says Randall. “You know what football’s like. It just changes all the time. Sometimes it just doesn’t fall the right way for you, you’re not in the right position to score, and sometimes you can go a few games without it, but I’m looking forward to the next game and hopefully the following few after that to really make a big impact.”

Randall is a key man for Auckland FC, as he showed last Sunday, with the sprint to the byline to squeeze a cross ahead of his marker in the final minute, which ultimately led to Guillermo May’s dramatic equaliser in Sydney. In the end that wasn’t enough, as Auckland’s playoff plans were turned upside down by Adelaide’s stunning 99th-minute winner in Melbourne. It was a shock for the New Zealand team watching on in their Sydney hotel – “there were a lot of emotions” – but Randall was quick to reset.

“I never assumed we were having a week off,” Randall says. “I knew it was a possibility, but as a player you take it week by week.”

For someone relatively young, Randall strikes as a mature, grounded type. That might reflect his long, unusual road to professional football compared to many peers, who were already in full-time environments when they were teenagers. His settled outlook has also helped him deal with the increased expectation on his shoulders.

“I don’t think there’s any more pressure on me, really,” Randall says. “I mean, there probably is, but I don’t feel it. It’s something I’ve tried to learn to filter out over the years, as it’s not necessarily helpful thinking and worrying about all the outside noise. That will always be there in football and it is something I’ve learned to deal with. As long as I’m ready when it comes to game time that’s the most important thing.”

Randall didn’t train on Thursday due to a groin niggle but got through Friday’s session and is expected to play a big part in Saturday’s match, given there is no second chance.

“It’s a big game,” Randall says. “A lot of us play for these big moments and big occasions and it’s an exciting prospect to face Melbourne City, who won it last [season]. It’s going to be a battle and everyone is up for it.”

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.