Auckland City FC - Thanks a Trillion

I'm going to prepare for a backlash from the regulars on this forum for what i'm about to say but forgive me thinking that Ramon hasnt proved himself enough to be th AWs coach.

He's yet to win an ASBP with the biggest budget and a team of pros playing in an amatuer league. Is that supposed to be disregarded for any reason?.....To me there must be more proven applicants out there.

And still talking about Ivan as a concievable option for the AWs anymore is rediculous even as a mediator between players and coaching staff. These players are professional and deal with new managers all the time. The best option for the AWs is to remove any bias or favouritism and have players fight for positions.

Just my 2 cents

fair points i reckon - but i think Ramon could be important just for a transition of style for the all whites more than anything else?

I was thinking give Ramon the job for a 2 year period - then look to see if there is enough money in the kitty to bring in a more "experienced" coach to work with Ramon (or someone else if Ramon tanks over the first two years) to try and qualify for Russia - there isn't any point trying to get a high profile guy to come and work with the AW's for the next two years imo.

fair points lee germon.  this place is for discussion, not for forming the one representative view that everyone has to subscribe to (well that applies to most on here anyway).

personally, i'm reluctant for new zealand to enter the revolving door circus ring that is the international coaching circuit, especially when we may have the solution on our own door step.  for every guus hiddink, there are a hundred pim verbeeks.

i think vader's point is that a young coach needs allies, especially if he planning on avoiding the age old trap of only selecting young players because he feels intimidated by the veterens

speaking of which, here's a little story for you that may be of interest

several years ago ricki herbert hit the press proclaiming the end of simon elliott's international career.  he stated that it was time to blood new players.

little did herbert know that elliott was on trial at fulham at the time and shortly afterwards he became a premier league footballer

to credit herbert, i think he learned from this and has been willing to go cap in hand to players who he knew had no time for him in order to get the best players on the field

i think sometimes we are too quick to write off the older dudes

the very definition of professional. 

Apparently Yaya Toure is on 4 gym memberships a week at Manchester City

That your probably very obtuse ...

How good is that?! City held Casablanca to a draw on 90 mins. Casablanca in turn reached the final and only lost 2-0.... I love ACFC!!!

HBU held City to a draw, CU held city to a draw. Does that mean they are could have done the same?

Great game,  tarnished by the twat who did the aftermath MC's job for Auckland City telling Perry Cotton they can come and scrap for a result but they need to start playing technical football like Auckland City and if Hawkes Bay and the rest of the franchises could get on board NZ football would be in a better place.  This was just after Perry Cotton had given Auckland city a big thumbs up on the way they played at the club world cup.  Maybe he had a point maybe he didn't. But my point is it was not the right time or place to bring this up.  I noticed a few key Auckland city players rushing over to Perry Cotton after to apologize. No wonder people think Auckland city is full of arrogant people when the reality is its just a few with very loud voices.    The MC then moved on to honour some ex Auckland city players who played a very direct style of football under Alan Jones.  Go figure?.

I'm actually lost for words. Any ACFC supporters care to reply?

theyll be on their own site , wont  they , as requested ....

typical - dodge the question.

this is a perfect time to answer these questions and maybe help us understand that what some of dislike about ACFC actually has very little to do with on field issues and by and large most of the club.

It seems to me a few characters who say a little too much are the ones ruining the image?

I think the ACFC speech was a bit of a surprise reaction to Cotton saying they came with the intention of "roughing up" City, not something I think a coach should publicly admit to even if true. Passions were high on and off the field. A great game and full credit to HBU. What the City MC was trying to get across was just how tough the assignment in Morocco was and how much it took out of the players. This included three days of flying, all sorts of difficulties placed in the way of City and even supporters who went being tear gassed and robbed. By all accounts it was now a welcoming place.

If you're finally lost for words JV, it truly is a blessing.

We have to be selective in choosing what to answer because there's so much anti-ACFC guff from some of you that we don't have the time. Also a lot of it is too petty to justify bothering.

PS - it was a cracking game and a great advertisement for the ASBP. Eight goals, two red cards and a noisy crowd. Should have been on television and I'm sure any neutrals there would have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I know JV - "bah humbug!".

Back on yesterdays game - How good was Tade? - stepped up 10 notches. Was on fire.

let me qualify that by saying that it was awesome in the first 2-3 years, then got crap and is now better than ever

Remember some players have bigger ego's than a $ will cover . 

Just to complete the cycle of every forum turning into a debate about Aaron Clapham - I think Clapham's ability is hard to question when you look at Canterbury this season. They were absolutely pants until he came back into their squad, and now they've picked up some very decent results, based hugely off his abilities in the centre of the park, they had absolutely no go-forward there, and now he's tied for the lead of the golden boot.

I think its hard to dispute that he is one of the top five players in the ASBP, probably not A-League standard - but you could do far worse. Calling him "average" seems a bit harsh El Grap!

Anyway, I think the forum as a whole is now 95/96 for discussing Clapham completely off-topic, we may have to start a Clapham for Nix debate in the Trophy Manager or Off Topic threads to really set the record.

how do you guys rate john irving?

n-bomb was raving about him pre-season, and now we have had half a season to assess, is he up to a-league standard?