Southernix wrote:Noah4thenix wrote:You don't bring in the likes of Oscar Faulds, Ronan Wynne, Zac Zoricich, Michael den Heijer, Emiliano Tade (who tbf is also a coach), Tass Mourdakoutas, Oscar Normann, Jonathan Robinson, Reid Drake etc. because you don't have an academy. If it was about the academy they'd have brought in young players with good potential (and are pretty unlikely to have brought in any visa players).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.
Auckland joined because it could get them into FIFA competitions (making them a lot of money) and made sure to field a team that will be better all the other OFC teams.
If we join, I expect we'd probably try similar, maybe not quite to the same extent since it clearly works. You'll see a sprinkling of academy guys and fringe scholarship players (like GSR, Loke, Walker etc.) but a lot of the time I can see being brought in. It'll be good for competitive balance if we do (Auckland won't have such an easy time running away with it), but it'll suck for SIU who will be getting mostly third string players.
Of Auckland's 26-27 man ALM squad only Gillion and to a lesser extent Vicelich have got many mins in the OFCPL.
The Nix will do similar and Loke, Walker, GSR will barely play in it, if at all.
You need 18-20 players each ALM match day squad naming. Throw in a few injuries & suspensions, or players under an injury cloud, and there are basically few if any ALM squad players available to play in the OFCPL. The travel logistics of the two different comps making it even more tricky.
If the Nix field a Weenix heavy team of 17-19 yr olds in the OFCPL they will be down the bottom. They will need to go out and recruit their own large cohort of 20-30 age somethings (mostly Kiwis) who want a crack at pro football. They could try woo all the ex Weenix 20s guys playing for the OFC teams (Owen Smith, Matt Foord, Fergus Gillion, Adam Supyk) for a start.
The Nix will do similar and Loke, Walker, GSR will barely play in it, if at all.
You need 18-20 players each ALM match day squad naming. Throw in a few injuries & suspensions, or players under an injury cloud, and there are basically few if any ALM squad players available to play in the OFCPL. The travel logistics of the two different comps making it even more tricky.
If the Nix field a Weenix heavy team of 17-19 yr olds in the OFCPL they will be down the bottom. They will need to go out and recruit their own large cohort of 20-30 age somethings (mostly Kiwis) who want a crack at pro football. They could try woo all the ex Weenix 20s guys playing for the OFC teams (Owen Smith, Matt Foord, Fergus Gillion, Adam Supyk) for a start.