David Ball (Radcliffe | England)

Nelfoos

Marto

It would be nice if some of the jounos here did some actual digging to find out what's up. 

We need a striker and if he's not being used at all this season, it is a complete waste of a foreign player spot.

The journos can't piss off the Nix without having their access cut unfortunately.

Happened in the past when a reporter got a comment from Bally's wife while they were in Wollongong (iirc) and Gill went berko.

Asking the player's wife about anything is a little sneaky and understandable that the club cut them off - totally different from going to the club directly first and asking about a player, if the answer is not forth-coming then you go to the player.

2ndBest

I'd be very surprised if it isn't any more than a 35 yo doesn't really suit the high mobility transitional style Cheify is trying to play. The drop off in pace/acceleration can be pretty stark and the club will have a lot of GPS data to understand that. And IIRC his minutes started to drop off late last season.

Fwiw i think he probably deserves a bench spot, but I can see why more some younger players who will definitely be here next season are getting the experience/opportunity.

And I don't think just because you've been at a club a long time means you get any kind of special treatment. Arguably we should have made some tough decisions on Durante well before he snaked us.

 But a 33 year old, fragile, off the pace midfielder did?

I think that was what started questions about Bally- we were playing closers who couldn’t hold and distribute the ball. Even without particular pace, this is something Bally can do. We were getting possession on our box and losing it again within two passes. And Van Hattum did this successfully last season. Hold the ball up or win a foul or play in Kosta. 

I’m afraid that it’s a combination of not quite getting what we hoped from Cola/Walker/Piper and also what Mainland said: winning is being put behind player development as a goal. That, if true, seems to me to be a bit of an insult to the punters coming to watch you. 

andrewvoerman

6.19

So Chief’s basically saying that he believes all the kids on the bench are better than him.

Bally’s done. 

martinb

andrewvoerman

6.19

So Chief’s basically saying that he believes all the kids on the bench are better than him.

Bally’s done. 

Interesting.
Not sure I agree with the position that the younger lads are offering more at the moment, I'd have Ball ahead of Piper all day long!

theprof

martinb

andrewvoerman

6.19

So Chief’s basically saying that he believes all the kids on the bench are better than him.

Bally’s done. 

Interesting.
Not sure I agree with the position that the younger lads are offering more at the moment, I'd have Ball ahead of Piper all day long!

If they’ve had words he’s hardly guna say so in a press conference. 

It also doesn’t seem likely that we’re going to pick up a replacement import. Doesn’t seem like a mutual understanding type situation. 

Van Hattum the bigger worry. Is Chief saying he didn’t maintain fitness in the off season? I guess he hasn’t said anything directly. But with Oskar he’s not at the end of his career and the idea that his performances were dropping off is nonsense and not a reason. 

In fairness to Chief, a head coach is in a tough spot when it comes to discussing plans and expectations with fans via the media. While it's entirely realistic that a club with limited resources would operate in cycles, you're not going to want to directly state that you're building towards mounting a title challenge in any season other than the current one. He brushed the subject in that last press conference when pointing out that, "last year, our success was built on the fact that . . . a lot of those boys were here for long periods. There were boys like Finn Surman, who was in the environment for three years; Oldie, four years; AP was here for three years; BK was here for a couple of years, you know; and then you had the existing players like Rufes [and] Payney – they all had a nice common thread that ran through the team [and] the performance last year. . . But this group is no different – we need to build our own history. We need to suffer a bit."

Ball may be good enough to play last week and next week, too – a large part of me wishes he would – but I think we all realise that he won't be in the squad next season and I feel that's why players like Walker, Pounds and Piper are getting minutes that would have ordinarily gone to him. Chief talks a lot about "exposure" when it comes to the youth prospects or new professionals – something we can't give them when the soon-to-be former players take the pitch.

Ball may well only get fleeting minutes this season (still 2/3rds to go) but I cant see Piper being around by the start of next season. Brooke-Smith will be around for years to come. OVH could well be on the way out.

martinb

theprof

martinb

andrewvoerman

6.19

So Chief’s basically saying that he believes all the kids on the bench are better than him.

Bally’s done. 

Interesting.
Not sure I agree with the position that the younger lads are offering more at the moment, I'd have Ball ahead of Piper all day long!

If they’ve had words he’s hardly guna say so in a press conference. 

It also doesn’t seem likely that we’re going to pick up a replacement import. Doesn’t seem like a mutual understanding type situation. 

Van Hattum the bigger worry. Is Chief saying he didn’t maintain fitness in the off season? I guess he hasn’t said anything directly. But with Oskar he’s not at the end of his career and the idea that his performances were dropping off is nonsense and not a reason. 

Re OVH it's not just on field performances though. The coaching staff see all the players at close hand every day when training and know who is on top of their game, who has real motivation, who is fully match fit and who is fitting in best with what Chiefy wants on the park. OVH is obviously not quite making the cut for one reason or another, meaning other players are getting opportunities. That's the very nature of competition within a squad and it's completely fine by me.

The slightly hysterical criticism of Piper by some is unfair. Not a great game from him perhaps but he's done a decent job in a more defensive role previously. He's played about three hours of A League football in total. Three hours! If you wrote off young players after a mere three hours then a vast chunk of seasoned A League pros would not be playing today.

Like Van Hattum? 

Sorry, plus the beep test and passing fluids or whatever else is the training requirement…

He's hardly a "young player" LBS is young at 16. He's 22, so you'd expect that any development now is gonna be small. He supposedly can play many positions but has really only shown aptitude defensively - besides being able to get his head to a ball in attack he's yet to trouble the keeper, so what value does he add. Certainly not in the leadership department which we seem to be lacking late in the piece. Definately not in the ball control department either, which you'd hope from a player of his age.

The point being bedding in one or two young players is doable. Maybe a few more if they are familiar with each other and the first team. But blooding a bunch of new players- imports, academy grads and players back from overseas- makes the job much more difficult. It assumes the players are ready to be pros and relies on that, rather than give them a taste without too much pressure. 

martinb

The point being bedding in one or two young players is doable. Maybe a few more if they are familiar with each other and the first team. But blooding a bunch of new players- imports, academy grads and players back from overseas- makes the job much more difficult. It assumes the players are ready to be pros and relies on that, rather than give them a taste without too much pressure. 

So a gradual introduction makes sense, which would require using a seasoned pro who has been a crucial cog in the squad for the last few seasons.
I doubt Ball would have scored any goals thus far, but he would have avoided several occurring - simply due to the lack of losing posession at crucial moments.

Ball is, in his own words, "fitter than ever and ready to go". Add to that his omments to one of us here at training a week or two ago that he doesnt know what he has to do to get selected.
If Piper had score even one of his multiple chances I'd be less keen to see him gone. As far as I can see he is the only one that is keeping Ball out of the squad.

theprof

Ball is, in his own words, "fitter than ever and ready to go". Add to that his omments to one of us here at training a week or two ago that he doesnt know what he has to do to get selected.
If Piper had score even one of his multiple chances I'd be less keen to see him gone. As far as I can see he is the only one that is keeping Ball out of the squad.

"If Piper had score even one of his multiple chances I'd be less keen to see him gone. As far as I can see he is the only one that is keeping Ball out of the squad"

Good grief, it really sounds depressing. It would be nice for the Nix to win some kind of a trophy at least once, not just aim for a decent number on the ledger sheet (which of course is a must for the club to operate; but still...).

Mainland FC

theprof

Ball is, in his own words, "fitter than ever and ready to go". Add to that his omments to one of us here at training a week or two ago that he doesnt know what he has to do to get selected.
If Piper had score even one of his multiple chances I'd be less keen to see him gone. As far as I can see he is the only one that is keeping Ball out of the squad.

"If Piper had score even one of his multiple chances I'd be less keen to see him gone. As far as I can see he is the only one that is keeping Ball out of the squad"

Good grief, it really sounds depressing. It would be nice for the Nix to win some kind of a trophy at least once, not just aim for a decent number on the ledger sheet (which of course is a must for the club to operate; but still...).

I agree it would be amazing to win a trophy some time soon, I'd take FFA cup or the the league, just as long as it's before AFC. Piper is not gonna get us the trophy - IMO. Nor is playing youth in hope. Experienced players know how to win and should be able to keep their heads when a lead is gained or when the pressure is on.

Nelfoos

Marto

It would be nice if some of the jounos here did some actual digging to find out what's up. 

We need a striker and if he's not being used at all this season, it is a complete waste of a foreign player spot.

The journos can't piss off the Nix without having their access cut unfortunately.

Happened in the past when a reporter got a comment from Bally's wife while they were in Wollongong (iirc) and Gill went berko.

It doesnt give you any confidence in the independence or relevance of the media , does it!!!

To finish what I said above-

In this 18 player squad we had :

-5 players in their first year with the club starting 
- a further 3 1/2 first years on the bench
- 7 youth players (not counting Piper)

And in addition to that we’ve left out 2 guys with 4-5 years institutional knowledge and experience of standing tall for the Nix at crunch times. 

Leaving perhaps 5 long term club players: Wootton, Payne, Sutton, Kosta and Rufer. 

It might be financial imperatives, but it seems like Chief really wants to play on hard level this season. You feel one Kraev or Zawada makes us competitive at the top level. Perhaps even just a Pennington. 

It’s a tough ask for Rufer to knit it all together, especially if the football isn’t quite working. 

Having seen Piper at training, I'd like to see him partnered up with Kosta. He's got a great shot and is a solid unit. Toshack & Keegan, Piper & Kosta??

theprof

He's hardly a "young player" LBS is young at 16. He's 22, so you'd expect that any development now is gonna be small. He supposedly can play many positions but has really only shown aptitude defensively - besides being able to get his head to a ball in attack he's yet to trouble the keeper, so what value does he add. Certainly not in the leadership department which we seem to be lacking late in the piece. Definately not in the ball control department either, which you'd hope from a player of his age.

Not to bang on about Piper too much but as you say he has shown some good signs in a more defensive role. Great in the air, solid tackler, knows how to muscle up on an attacker and use his body to good effect. Much to learn but then I think back to two Nix legends in Siggy and Manny who didn't get their chance till their mid-20s, who looked for a time to be out of their depth, yet went on to have excellent careers at A League and international level. 

Piper’s a bit of an excitement machine tbh! And surely a long term project if we’ve signed him. 

He needs reliable guys like Manny and Siggie to keep things locked down while he goes on runs and the rest…

Wootton, Kosta, probably Payne, ordinarily Hughes, Rufer…Suts? Sheridan? L Kelly-Heald? That’s the reliable guys we’ve got currently? We need at least one more in the midfield and to rehabilitate Hughes!

martinb

Piper’s a bit of an excitement machine tbh! And surely a long term project if we’ve signed him. 

He needs reliable guys like Manny and Siggie to keep things locked down while he goes on runs and the rest…

Wootton, Kosta, probably Payne, ordinarily Hughes, Rufer…Suts? Sheridan? L Kelly-Heald? That’s the reliable guys we’ve got currently? We need at least one more in the midfield and to rehabilitate Hughes!

I can tell you, I do NOT get exited to see Piper play. He looks like the one of the big kid that always started before the smaller more technical kids to get a result, sadly this works only up to age 15.
I also not sure why Ball is suddenly not fit enough? He always had a high work rate. The answer above from Chiefy is non answer, which is OK as a statement but not his true full assessment of the situation.

My point exactly, too.  If Ball "has to compete for his spot", as per Chiefy, and our team of young / unfamiliar / recently recruited / players are winning every game, then I would agree with Chiefy's non-answer.  But this team was looking tentative at best against the Jets, where we won, let alone against Macarthur, where we lost.  Hence, when I hear comments that "Corban Piper is the only player blocking David Ball from playing", I get seriously depressed about what it means if true.

Legend. 💛🖤

THANK YOU DAVID BALL 💛

David has decided to cut his time short at the Wellington Phoenix. He has been integral to the Nix for the past five and a half years.

Bally is one of only 16 to reach 100 A-League matches for the Nix. He was a key part of a record-breaking season,… pic.twitter.com/zwPxpctRPD

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) January 13, 2025

Others have said it on here, but this whole drawn out saga right from questions in pre season, through a rather puzzling non inclusion in match day squads, questions in the media etc, and up until the point we now find ourselves - This has been nothing short of a clusterfudge, and not befitting of someone who has given his all for the shirt. Some at the club need to have a serious look at themselves and make sure this shark doesn't play out again.

Nix legend. Thanks again for everything Bally 💛

Thanks for everything Bally.  All the best for the future whatever it brings. 

lol... NIX grant an early release - the heading makes it sound like we did him a favour as opposed to him doing another solid for the club.

Great club man.

One last selfless act. The irony is that his and his family's selflessness earned him this contract through to 2025.

Forever grateful to him and his whanau, the last of the jetski crew leaves the club. I really hoped we'd see him turn out for the club one last time and sad we won't see it. Wish him all the best, he did himself proud.

Sounds like in some shape or form, he's likely to stay on in the NZ football scene. Nice to hear.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360546334/wellington-phoenix-grant-centurion-david-ball-early-release

Ball plans to take a break with his family before deciding his next step, but made it clear his time in New Zealand was “definitely” not yet over.

Ball has a football academy based in Wellington and he also didn’t rule out returning to the Phoenix in the future.

Phoenix director of football Shaun Gill indicated he would play a major role in football in Wellington in the coming years.

“Bally is the ultimate pro. He’s been a tremendous role model for the players coming through our academy and has been influential in the team’s success over the past five years,” Gill said.

“He’s also been incredibly professional in how he’s conducted himself through what has been a difficult process.

It could be something as simple as assuming there’d be a good shot at citizenship or PR or whatever and not foreseeing the (aftermath of) the global pandemic. 

Jeez, feel for the guy. No hiding he doesn't really want to be doing this. 

Man we have such a dogshark squad they could have let him have a couple of runs before they fudgeed him. We probably would have done better, we could have done with his effort/ energy. Pretty telling chiefy wasnt there, you could tell it was upsetting for all three of them.

Top block, made me feel sick watching the final interview. Legends shouldn't be treated that way.

WanderingSheep

Quite clear this is club (Chief) driven, he's been pushed to free up an import spot! Why Chief didnt front is odd.

theprof

WanderingSheep

Quite clear this is club (Chief) driven, he's been pushed to free up an import spot! Why Chief didnt front is odd.

 It isn't odd if you realise Chief is a bit of a dog. 

pickledmyself

theprof

WanderingSheep

Quite clear this is club (Chief) driven, he's been pushed to free up an import spot! Why Chief didnt front is odd.

 It isn't odd if you realise Chief is a bit of a dog. 

Or it’s a contract issue they’re talking about not a football issue so it’s better for Gilly and Domey to speak to that?

Get him on the pod! That’s 5 big years for the Fever. 

David Baaaaall! Let him know it’s Fever time. 

Breaks your heart to watch him so glum at the start of that video. 

Nice words from Gilly. Football is entertainment and a bit of a soap opera, heroes and villains, and it is sentimental and important. And we as fans don’t forget those guys that left it all out there.

I hope there’s a bit of a better send off at some point, in some way. 

Piss poor way to finish it really. Should have given him one last run out on the weekend for a proper send off from an admittedly very small home crowd.

Has he done enough to gain indefinite leave to remain visa wise?

Marto

Piss poor way to finish it really. Should have given him one last run out on the weekend for a proper send off from an admittedly very small and crowd.

Has he done enough to gain indefinite leave to remain visa wise?

You would have to hope some bureaucrat did the right thing and allowed it given its been messed up by the Covid years. then again thats probably asking to much of the NZ Immagration Service