Noah4thenix wrote:coochiee wrote:Not necassarily, Auckland brought in players from other clubs because they don't have an academy yet. Sure we'd probably have to bring in a few guys from outside the nix but we could definitely promote a number of people to the OFCPL. Hell a few of the guys in the ressies have already had minutes in the A-League, Loke, Gardiner, Walker, Cassidy, McCarron. Chuck in a few deserving guys in the ressies, add some strong players locally who haven't already been picked up yet and I'd say we have a competitive squad tbhNoah4thenix wrote:Yeah that idea has some merit.
If I can offer something else to consider, assuming we do end up getting an OFCPL team then I think we should be able to get relegated from the National League. We'd already have a squad playing at a higher level so how much does it really matter if our 3rds can't compete in the top tier of NZ every time?
However any Nix II team in the OFC Pro League (OFCPL) is likely to have large number of players brought in, who ain't from the Nix Academy (Wee Nix). That's the way Auckland have done it with their team in the OFC Pro League.
If Nix get a OFCPL side Loke, Walker and Cassidy might get to play a few games here and there. But they will mostly need to stay close to the ALM squad.
It's tricky when your ALM squad is criss crossing the Tasman, and the OFC League is based in Honiara, Port Moresby and Fiji for 1-2 weeks at a time. Injuries happen in the ALM and you need your squaddies able to be called up at very short notice.
You have even fewer flights into Welly from those far flung Island destinations, than into the 09.
Auckland's fringe ALM players like Fitzharris, McKenlay, Middleton, Coulibaly, Bidois, James Mitchell (all on scholarship deals?) etc have generally played very few mins in the OFC League. I'm guessing because they were required to train with the first team almost exclusively?? There are also some (age?) rule restrictions on players moving between the two comps.
Any Nix entrant in the OFCPL I think will operate very similar to how Auckland have done it this year.
It's tricky when your ALM squad is criss crossing the Tasman, and the OFC League is based in Honiara, Port Moresby and Fiji for 1-2 weeks at a time. Injuries happen in the ALM and you need your squaddies able to be called up at very short notice.
You have even fewer flights into Welly from those far flung Island destinations, than into the 09.
Auckland's fringe ALM players like Fitzharris, McKenlay, Middleton, Coulibaly, Bidois, James Mitchell (all on scholarship deals?) etc have generally played very few mins in the OFC League. I'm guessing because they were required to train with the first team almost exclusively?? There are also some (age?) rule restrictions on players moving between the two comps.
Any Nix entrant in the OFCPL I think will operate very similar to how Auckland have done it this year.