Albert Riera has made it look easy. Ben Sigmund less so, but he got there in the end. Ryan Thomas bypassed it altogether...
So, which players currently plying their trade in the ASB Prem are capable of of stepping up to the A-League?
Consider this an unofficial scouting thread...
Don't mean to distract, but Ryan Thomas actually did a season and a half for Waikato FC in the ASB Premiership, (Hicks a couple of seasons, Tyler Boyd one season)
these are players I think are capable of playing A-league - I have discounted things like who is or isn't a VISA player or what kind of player the Nix are looking for - this is in my mind the list of guys who currently could make an A-League squad.
Roy Krisnha
Jacob Spoonley
Aaron Clapham (that's right)
John Irving
David Mulligan
Jake Butler
Andy McNeil?
I havn't seen much of some of the Spanish guys so I will leave them to someone else to mention.
I'm sure I have missed some people but at least i think i could argue for most of these guys.
Don't mean to distract, but Ryan Thomas actually did a season and a half for Waikato FC in the ASB Premiership, (Hicks a couple of seasons, Tyler Boyd one season)
slightly different to me - and the other one was hijacked by a Waitakere slant.
Tom Biss.
Okay he already has one cap but he's proving his worth for Hawke's bay at the minute.
I haven't seen Darren White this year but over the past three seasons I've seen him play , I rate him highly
Other players Jacob Spoonley and Tade. Tade has the X factor, would have to step up his work rate but very talented
I haven't seen Darren White this year but over the past three seasons I've seen him play , I rate him highly
Other players Jacob Spoonley and Tade. Tade has the X factor, would have to step up his work rate but very talented
Auckland City FC
these are players I think are capable of playing A-league - I have discounted things like who is or isn't a VISA player or what kind of player the Nix are looking for - this is in my mind the list of guys who currently could make an A-League squad.
Roy Krisnha
Jacob Spoonley
Aaron Clapham (that's right)
John Irving
David Mulligan
Jake Butler
Andy McNeil?
I havn't seen much of some of the Spanish guys so I will leave them to someone else to mention.
I'm sure I have missed some people but at least i think i could argue for most of these guys.
Auckland City FC
i reckon williams s better than most bench warmers in the a-league that's for sure and couple possibly make a starting XI
aussie clubs wouldn't use up an import spot on such a player, but he's definitely up to scratch
Presume that you are not referring to guys that have already made the AW's and played at a higher level like Ivan Vicelich?
these are players I think are capable of playing A-league - I have discounted things like who is or isn't a VISA player or what kind of player the Nix are looking for - this is in my mind the list of guys who currently could make an A-League squad.
Roy Krisnha
Jacob Spoonley
Aaron Clapham (that's right)
John Irving
David Mulligan
Jake Butler
Andy McNeil?
I havn't seen much of some of the Spanish guys so I will leave them to someone else to mention.
I'm sure I have missed some people but at least i think i could argue for most of these guys.
Don't mean to distract, but Ryan Thomas actually did a season and a half for Waikato FC in the ASB Premiership, (Hicks a couple of seasons, Tyler Boyd one season)
Not to mention Sigmund (ACFC), Barbarouses (TW) and Brockie (HBU), oh and Rojas (Waikato). Just goes to show what a good breeding ground the ASBP has proved for Kiwi players.
Don't mean to distract, but Ryan Thomas actually did a season and a half for Waikato FC in the ASB Premiership, (Hicks a couple of seasons, Tyler Boyd one season)
Not to mention Sigmund (ACFC), Barbarouses (TW) and Brockie (HBU), oh and Rojas (Waikato). Just goes to show what a good breeding ground the ASBP has proved for Kiwi players.
The very reason he was jettisoned from U20s. 'Poison' to use a directly quoted adjective.
Grumpy old bastard alert
In my opinion I don't think Chettleburgh ticks enough boxes. Good player, yeah but I haven't seen him offer a lot of the important attributes needed to go up a level.
Fuck this stupid game
The very reason he was jettisoned from U20s. 'Poison' to use a directly quoted adjective.
Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.
The very reason he was jettisoned from U20s. 'Poison' to use a directly quoted adjective.
There are two sides to that story.
Grumpy old bastard alert
The very reason he was jettisoned from U20s. 'Poison' to use a directly quoted adjective.
El grap people tend to act a little differently in a competitive environment. I've met plenty of guys who are top blokes but can be c***s on the training paddock etc. And from what I hear it gets a lot worse the higher up you play.
Fuck this stupid game
Dunno the other 3 Myers is excellent...
Can't think of. Better centre back in the league
Were you being serious? I thought you were having a laugh.
Tim Myers struggles to tie his own laces some days such is the comedy of his football.
Grumpy old bastard alert
Don't think McNeil has shown enough yet, he's saved two penalties, but he hasn't really pulled off any remarkable saves from memory - WaiBOP tend to play excellent defence for long spells, before slipping up totally and conceding a very easy chance which McNeil has no hope of saving. So the jury is still out for mine.
People tend to overlook the effect the goalkeepers can have on their defenders, particularly in a league with so few top-class players with the ability to do something sublime. You say that WaiBOP play excellent defence for long spells with individual errors costing them so it could be that McNeil is an excellent organiser. I've always believed that an excellent goalkeeper can snuff out chances before they become chances by communicating well and being organised. Often the most underrated goalkeepers are those who are unspectacular and people tend not to recognise the effect a communicative and organised goalkeeper can have on the way a team defends
Don't think McNeil has shown enough yet, he's saved two penalties, but he hasn't really pulled off any remarkable saves from memory - WaiBOP tend to play excellent defence for long spells, before slipping up totally and conceding a very easy chance which McNeil has no hope of saving. So the jury is still out for mine.
People tend to overlook the effect the goalkeepers can have on their defenders, particularly in a league with so few top-class players with the ability to do something sublime. You say that WaiBOP play excellent defence for long spells with individual errors costing them so it could be that McNeil is an excellent organiser. I've always believed that an excellent goalkeeper can snuff out chances before they become chances by communicating well and being organised. Often the most underrated goalkeepers are those who are unspectacular and people tend not to recognise the effect a communicative and organised goalkeeper can have on the way a team defends
Don't think McNeil has shown enough yet, he's saved two penalties, but he hasn't really pulled off any remarkable saves from memory - WaiBOP tend to play excellent defence for long spells, before slipping up totally and conceding a very easy chance which McNeil has no hope of saving. So the jury is still out for mine.
People tend to overlook the effect the goalkeepers can have on their defenders, particularly in a league with so few top-class players with the ability to do something sublime. You say that WaiBOP play excellent defence for long spells with individual errors costing them so it could be that McNeil is an excellent organiser. I've always believed that an excellent goalkeeper can snuff out chances before they become chances by communicating well and being organised. Often the most underrated goalkeepers are those who are unspectacular and people tend not to recognise the effect a communicative and organised goalkeeper can have on the way a team defends
I think he has potential to be at that level - but he dosn't even get starts for ACFC so probably can't name him yet.
Hes a far better player than tyler boyd
He would be an import (but the ACFC guys will tell you he is a local)
Grumpy old bastard alert
JV seems to know the deets. I would assume so. NZ resident now
Is he a resident? In that case it makes him naturalised and would be local but I understood they were trying to fast track so he could get into the NZ u20s for WC2015?
Otherwise he is PNG tied until he gets it.
Grumpy old bastard alert