China/Japan Squad Discussion

Is the third tier of German football even professional?

If he's not getting game time in that league is he playing for a 'youth team?'

Because isn't that what Jake Gleeson is? Playing for the u-23 development team for a side going in to the MLS next season. At this stage he is either third or second choice for next year's Portland Timbers MLS side.

MLS > Third tier of german football.

lets not buy into this stupid debate anymore. aucklandphoenix clearly knows nothing about football.

marinovic aint gonna be there sweetheart

Lol, once this gleeson moves from being an amat (which means boys and girls he does not get paid to play) to a pro (which means boys and girls that one gets paid) come back and see me.

Being paid or not, Gleeson is currently in a closer situation to top level football then Marinovic. Does anyone know when the latter moved to Germany? Like how old he was, what level he was playing in NZ.

Must. Resist. Urge.

Allow me.

Do we have any proof that the 3rd choice keeper at a 'Semi-Pro' pub football club gets paid? 

Just that most Academy or Youth players don't.

Jake doesn't play for free mate. Don't worry about that.

alright auckland phoenix pick your squad for china/japan??? lets see it

With Dan Keat and Michael Boxall just picked up in the MLS draft, going by auckland phoenix' policy, they are now both being paid. Select them!

Jokes aside, I say we do select them.

Also there is only one keeper in the Portland MLS squad so far, still room for Gleeson

So we select Boxall ahead of who?  Smith, Reid, Nelsen, Sigmund? Or are we going to select 5 centre backs in a squad of (I suspect) 20.

Moss
Gleeson

Nelsen
Reid
Smith
Sigmund
Lochhead
Boxall

Brockie
Rojas
Brown
Clapham
Christie
McGlinchey
Bertos

Wood
Smeltz
Fallon
Killen
Barbarouses

But this is a very attacking squad really need a central midfielder or defender to add. Vicelich? Luis Garcia2011-01-19 10:21:45

i like your squad but i think spoonley will be there not gleeson. i also think we need to start thinking about or blooding a right back but who??? hopefully someone will emerge from the under 20's or olympics in coming years. i see it as a definite weakness but point rushing anyone.

hopefully the likes of boxall, dan keat, craig henderson will be pushing for selection this year

Is Dan Keat still playing CM??

we do need development in the middle of the park in my opinion

Sounds like he is playing in the midfield and centrally. I'd say a CAM. Although one article referred to him as a 'forward.'

Lol, Yes, of course, Ricki should select both of them. Ricki is a great coach but he has always been a little shy with our foreign players (Winston Reid and tv 3 anyone?) He has seen and knows players like Christie, mulligan and clapham. This is a great opportunity to see new blood. If he likes what he sees, keep them, of not so be it we can always go back to plodder.

The same rules apply to spooney.. Ricki knows him well (and discarded him). Have a look at someone new (yes even gleeson, if need be). Don't need to play him just get him into the environment and see if he may have the goods

my squad will be coming out shortly, boxall and Kent will be there howeverAucklandPhoenix2011-01-19 20:16:03

Are they swimming to China?

hurry up

Sauce - timbers.theoffside.com/mls/adin-brown-signed-by-timbers.html

yes we already mentioned that in jake gleesons own kiwis players overseas section champ

Cheers, I must have missed your post there the first time around. Regardless, it was worth mentioning here in response to Luis Garcia's comment.

Why doesn't he pick Stephen Old, Duncan Oughton and Kris Bright then? Had their chance?

Old a chance, Dunc unemployed and not aon Ricki's list.  Bright not playing, so like Chris James not options.

If he's that good best we ask 2nd best once more to excercise his grey matter and read up the immigration act 2010

Has been given the thumbs up by the never-to-be-questioned-even-though-I'm-batsh*t-crazy Wynton Rufer? 2ndBest2011-01-21 09:46:23

Tom Batty is a better keeper than Phil Imray.
This season head to head games Tom leads over the two games on saves made and less goals conceded.
He is also better than Spoonley, but so is Imray.

Batty is only in his second season as a full time GK other than playing as a stand in at High School.
Not a bad result so far as a GK - NZFC Final, Two MPL titles 09 &10, Coastal Spirit preseason T/M winner 09.


So what do the pundits think.

O god.  We aren't about to get into another stupid stats argument to try prove who is a better keeper.

Exactly. We all know the true measure is how he organises the defence!

Tom Batty aint that great. Should've been dropped a few matches ago after he had a shocker. Was hoping to see Coey Turipa get a run.

Which game did he have a shocker in?

May be you only read about games in the local rag and not o along and watch what actually does happen for a full 90 minutes..

He told me.

Question still stays the same, which game?

Not sure what one. Just said at the game in Nelson that he had struggled a couple of games back and was lucky to still be keeping over Coey Turipa. But sounds like the latter is leaving anyway. Was in the Nelson Mail.

Phil Imray is grossly under rated as a keeper. I've been watching him since he came to NZ and Id say now he'd have to be one of the best in the country. AJ132011-01-28 17:03:22

Batty is a good shot-stopper but is let down by his distribution and he often fails to dominate his area (as for first goal conceded against Auckland City a few weeks back). He is definitely a work-in-progress, but at present is way off being seriously considered for higher honours. Imray is a far superior keeper IMHO.

I will watch said goalkeeper in action later today and give my unbiased and totally expert opinon straight after tea.

Looked OK to me, nothing wrong with his distribution or in dominating hie area. Made at least 2 goal saving saves [hence their name].

STEPTOE _ Batty is a good shot-stopper but is let down by his distribution and he often fails to dominate his area (as for first goal conceded against Auckland City a few weeks back).

Just a question.
So you watched the game then?
Both goals v Auckland my view of the game.
If you had been looking and not going only by newspaper reports.

Stu Kelly 1st goal.
Came from a free kick with the Auckland attackers run not being picked up by a Canterbury defender.
You could see that he got his hands to but not holding the ball at the same time as Dan Terris took his own keeper out with a rugby tackle from behind.

Kopricic 2nd goal
His shot was going wide and took a deflection which Batty got a hand on but couldn't keep it out.
Could have done better with both goals but unlucky on both as well.

I agree he was playing better last season and dominated his area every game.