The WaiBOP United Thread

I'll take your word for the Waitak game, wasn't there, but yeah the Wellington decision wasn't great, whether he was on a yellow already shouldn't have mattered as I don't think it was even worthy of a card in the first place. Tough to say whether Waikato would have still won/got a point but it definitely ended their chances.

 Here's an interesting view on Edge comments...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/7991693/Waikato-coach-gets-unexpected-support

i agree entirely with bruce's comments, especially...

‘‘But if we relied on national administrators for an insight into what is occurring in the game, think how little we would know.

I have to agree with Bruce. Glyn Taylor is absolutely clueless as the league manager. I would expect any league manager to act like a commissioner akin to the NBA or NFL but Glyn leads the league like a rudderless ship in the night. At best, he is bumbling disorganised buffoon. 

Whats the word on Declan Edge. Hear that there was animated talk between him and a board member straight after today's game, is be still in charge?

Haven't heard anything otherwise, his leash might be getting awful small now though. Just tough to see what other options there are for the board to take IMO.

They need a coach who can get the best out of younger players , play good football and win some games....

They will have to look out of Hamilton I think

So dare I ask what referee was to blame this week?

All edge is interested in is the promotion of his academy players and family. The diffence between last years team and this year is the best players from last year have left. The board were woefully naive in appointing him, Melville paid the price and WaikatoFC are a laughing stock.  

 Hi Doris, I think Waikato miss Jason Hicks and Tyler Boyd, but they have moved on to Auckland City & Phoenix respectively, so you can hardly blame them - or Edge for that matter.

You could argue they also miss Michael Mayne, but I saw on Saturday he was assistant coach. But I am not sure it is fair to say the best players have left. There best players are Ryan Thomas, Adam Thomas, Eder franchini, Hone Fowler, Sam Jasper, Jesse Edge. In fact you could argue that overall the Waikato squad is a lot stronger than last year.

But they do do seem to struggle with 10 men and the absence of Adam Thomas and Tyler Lissette through injury has been major. 

Unfortunately it is hard to think of anyone who would take over from Edge who would do the job for the same (lack of) money and pull together a better squad. New coach would still have injured players, and probably less players to work with if you can only transfer in transfer window.

^ Well Said. And Jeff, no complaints from anyone this week, ref had a pretty good game, Kramer definitely deserved to go.

I think fundamentally the real problem lies in the NZ footballers 1st touch. I don't think we put enough emphasis on that. Kids should be playing with a tennis ball like English kids in the school yards do (granted it hasn't done much for the top team). At least that way with a smaller ball, the first touch is everything. In respect of that, possession based football will never work if the 1st touch is average because the time you need to recover, you've either been shut down or the options have been closed up because the defense can shuffle, so you give it to a safe option or someone else under pressure and thats pretty much how Waikato play. Take that in contrast with ACFC who do play similar, because they have a superior 1st touch, it allows them to play that way and find the holes. If the Waikato kids had a very good 1st touch, I think they would be a much better side.

I would encourage anyone that thinks I am talking rubbish to watch ACFC in Japan and the 1st touch. You'll find it will be rather average and drop them in it time and time again.

i find the talk about sacking asb prem coaches quite interesting

i don't know what the situation is with waikato specifically, but most coach payments are tied up with nzct grants and in most cases specifically aligned to an individual

therefore, if a coach is sacked, the nzct grant is put at risk

on one occasion, a unnamed coach who was paid from an nzct grant was sacked one year into his two year contract.  the nzct were massively pissed off and refused to fund the franchise the following season

Waikato are a poor side fullstop. Yes they are young but many young players do well in this competition so no surprises the franchise look to other excuses such as blaming the refs. Who apart from the coach actually thinks these players are any good? one or two are decent but the majority are poor.

Waikato continue to make poor decisions on and off the park. The board must take some responsibilty.

Another dire year could lead to their extinction and for the benefit of the league NZ Football could replace them with a fresh new franchise.

Rumor has it... Declan is gone... A Waikato coach in would be either cossey or Williams..

Edge purportedly now has a job lined up as a full time ( head ? )coach at Ole here in Wellington.  My sauce tells me he's bringing some of his kids with him.

Reminder that Youngheart Manuwatu is playing Waikato FC at the stadium at 1:45pm this Sunday.  Curtain raiser to the Nix game.  set your myskys or programme this in.  need to get people watching.

 Doris, why does it go without saying?

I reckon only a few of his players will up sticks and move to Wellington, given it's quite a big shift for those requiring family support.

Just wondering what info you have to be so certain to post here that they will.

And would you agree that 2 years ago few of his kids would have been old enough for the ASB anyway at ages 14-16? And would you accept that those that were old enough, were already playing in ASB? (Adam Thomas, Jessie Smith)

Whatever you think of his coaching, you must acknowledge he was Waikato coach a long time before his kids were involved (coached Waikato from 2004-2006 according to website)

Just been talking with an Auckland based player.. Declan has been sacked!

Cossey in. If Wellington rumour is true I suspect it's Edge, Thomas and maybe 1 or 2 others going down with him. Cossey's overachieved with his Wanderers sides, might be able to do it with Waikato too

Declan definitely doing ole academy, will take players with him... Whether they stay and keep playing I doubt it

It's true. A current Ole coach told me last week.

At least the Wanderers guys might get a run instead of being named in the squad and then never getting on the field like under Declan's coaching.

Definitely will be very interesting, pity there's no home game for months....

I'll give Mark his due, he has overachieved with the talent he has at Wanderers..

Yeah I know a lot of people who are snarky towards Cossey's coaching abilities, I'm probably too young to know exactly why (please tell), but the last two seasons he's done very well with what he has at Wanderers, especially this season, 20+ points ahead of Melville was some feat.

 http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/8005802/Struggling-Waikato-FC-sack-coach

and there it is in B & W....

Also from ASB Premiership website:

http://www.asbpremiership.co.nz/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1678&tx_ttnews[backPid]=10&cHash=86dee7ff42

Also from ASB Premiership website:

http://www.asbpremiership.co.nz/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1678&tx_ttnews[backPid]=10&cHash=86dee7ff42

Last night I took the statement and wrote a piece on it trying to give some insight onto why the change was made and what's likely to change, instead of ranting here I'll just post the link if anyone is interested:

http://fromthecarpark.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/edge-sacked-as-waikato-fc-look-for.html 

Likewise to N-Bomb I have blogged my thoughts on the Edge sacking here if anyone is interested...

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2012/11/28/over-the-edge/ 

Nice enzo good piece..  Source says they want Hobson from Birkenhead to asst Cossey. 

Wouldn't surprise me with his big connections to the team. Nobody's been promoted into Cossey's place, Norm Rose rumoured as youth team coach but no replacement assistant coach as of yet

Paul Hobson-McVeigh... That's an interesting choice. He has done something similar to Declan at Birkenhead in bringing through young players but he also had players that could think for themselves and play which helps to get results.

The only thing I'm not a fan of with Paul is that he can be like Declan on the side line having a rant. Hopefully he does not go that way (he is an assistant so chances are high he may be muzzled). He may also recognise it as an opportunity to further his career.

Good luck to them.

Yep agree with that done a great job at Birkenhead, but can lose it...watched a few of there games this year and he was fine! Mind you there were winning!....

Could be a good combo... Not sure if it's confirmed

Given there are a few Birko players in the Waikato squad he would be a smart choice to come in and hit the ground running already having those established relationships.