Marco Rojas (Brisbane Roar)

Hope he does, this really is hIs last chance in Europe. 

At this point its all about the fight, and I'm not sure he has that (I don't think anyone thinks he has that to be honest). He needs game time, otherwise he'll get loaned or moved on to a second tier Dutch or German team and then he's in the same position as he was last time. He was lucky Heerenveen took a punt on him in the first place, doesn't seem like he's taking that chance. Really gutted because hes so gifted but I'm already pretty pessimistic about his chances of staying (successfully, at least) in Europe. Silver lining I guess is that if he returns to the A-League the odds on a Nix return would surely be slashed - would surely be far too embarrassing crawling sheepishly back to Victory a second time after a failed European venture. Make it happen Marco, we need you back at Westpac

if it doesn't work out for him this time think he will end up in Chine or the J league

if it doesn't work out for him this time think he will end up in Chine or the J league

Selling these leagues a bit short here. The Dutch league is incredible compared to any Asian league tbh, he’d definitely do a job with his current ability in China or Japan. He hasn’t even done that badly in Holland so far and he doesn’t warrant all the skepticism just yet imo, spoke with a Heerenveen fan and apparently the manager doesn’t like picking Rojas because he doesn’t have the fitness or drive for a top division yet - they’re working with him in training to fix those areas, at which time he’ll hopefully be a class winger in the Eredivisie. But, he also says the fans love when Rojas plays because he’s obviously got the skill required (in their minds). He’s got the raw talent, just gotta utilise it

Asian League clubs are an extremely volatile professional environment. Managers change every three months, the club boards get way too involved in the player management, freeze outs happen, plus the football is still better than the A-League. Not a very wise decision for him to go to China/Japan/Korea, even if the money is good. We all know he's a confidence player, and he would definitely get lost in Asia. Not that I think he will actually come back to the Nix anytime soon, or ever for that matter, but I still think its more likely than any other A-League team getting him

Double post

Marco has not set the world on fire in Germany, Switzerland and now the Netherlands. The common perception is that he struggles with the physicality. While people here thought he would do better in the Netherlands then Germany due to style the Dutch are generally a big race and I am sure he gets a good old kicking.

The J league isn't a physical legaue at all and he could thrive. I don't know much about China but I strongly suspect the same would exist there.

So I wasn't saying that these leagues are inferior but I just believe they are more suitable for Marcos style.

I do however note that one of his current team mates is a japanese international.

I'm only basing this observation on what I've seen of the Japanese and Korean players I've seen here , but they seem pretty physical. Is that not the case in the J and K leagues?

Mainly a height thing (which correlates well with strength), especially for Japan and S Korea. Japan is one of the shortest leagues in the world and currently has the world’s shortest pro footballer Hiroto Nakagawa, and if he can excel then surely Marco can

Subbed on 88 mins in a 1-2 loss away to Roda JC

Thomas is sleight, but competes physically quite well. 

Subbed on at 82 mins in a 1-1 draw away to Feyenoord. Good size crowd of 40,000.

I think the size excuse is just that - an excuse. Some of the best players in the world are slight/small but they are smart enough to know how to use their bodies. 

Agree, size in this case is an excuse. For instance Messi, Neymar, Alexis Sanchez and Joe Allen are all short (around 1.7 meters) and they haven't done badly for little guys. Plenty of small players doing well in major football leagues around the world. How tall is Marco?

Isn't that what the gym is for? There's probably a way to add a few kilos without impacting his speed or guile. 

http://theniche-cache.com/football/2017/12/19/flying-kiwis-december-19

"As for Marco Rojas, the highlights were scarcer but he featured off the bench two times as sc Heerenveen also took four points from the week. A 1-1 draw away to Feyenoord did Zwolle some favours while they did themselves some favours too by beating NAC Brada 1-0 in the weekend. Rojas played eight mins in the first game, 19 mins in the second. Hasn’t started one since October but he’s pushing himself back into contention by the looks of it – thanks to international duty and some slight injury things he only played once for Heerenveen in November and already he’s had three gigs off the bench this month."

Saw him reported on a Dutch twitter account as the biggest flop of the Dutch transfer period

Not required from the bench as Heerenveen lose 1-3 away to AZ. 

All unravelled for Heerenveen in the last 20-25 minutes. Had a player sent off at 68 mins, but were still up 1 nil until 80 minute mark.

Dutch league now stops for 1 mth winter break. Hopefully Rojas gets more playing minutes in 2nd half of the season.

Not required from the bench as  Heerenveen win 2-1 v Sparta Rotterdam

Time to get out.

Colorado Rapids? I was convinced the Dutch league was his zone - but it seems I was wrong yet again 

Maybe the a league is his level.

He is a real confidence player and I think coming into a club as just another signing puts him on the back foot - maybe feels he has to try too hard, does too muct etc?

The A League is not a terrible league, but it would be a shame if at his age, he said thats as good of a level I can get to.

needs to go to Japan 

He could try England? Below the championship lvl.

He'd get kicked off the park.

This year has probably been his most successful in terms of European top flight appearances (which says a lot really), so not sure it's time to 'get out' yet, but certainly if he can't crack it in an average Dutch team...maybe he should seriously think about playing in a less competitive competition.

He absolutely killed in the A-League, he was genuinely a stand out. Surely as a player you want to play as high as possible, but you also want to win games and trophies and not just sit on the bench. It would be very interesting to see how he would go in the USA actually. Not sure about other European leagues, maybe Belgium or Portugal?

There was a discussion on another forum about how Australian coaches never seem to make it overseas, the general consensus was that the A-League is a pleasant environment, players and coaches are close, teams are encouraged to be like families, and coaches get a lot of time to bed in systems and build up a team. In Europe if you don't succeed your cut.

It could be that the A-League is Marcos level not because he's not skill full enough for a higher level but at the A-League he's going to be the big fish and have teams built around him, he's going to be given whatever he needs to succeed, and teams will be patient with him. In Europe he's just a bench warmer, even though he's better than the incumbants he might not have the tenacity to prove it.

To me he seems to the lack the drive, motivation, and no fear approach of someone like Thomas. That's based on watching him live, both legs AWs v Peru. 

But then Thomas is developing into something pretty special.

Rojas signed a 2 year season contract with Heerenveen, with an option for another year. So lets give him a bit more time, before writing him off in Europe completely.

Heerenveen play Zwolle next Tuesday. Hopefully both Kiwis feature.

Also there is a lot of weak defending in the A-League.  I think the attacking play is generally much better than the defending

Way, way too good for League One or below, Championship level seems about right, though the style of play wouldn't suit him well. He'd  be good enough for the Eredivisie for sure if he had the mindset

Personally I'd like to see him in Mexico. Tigres were interested (best team in the country, have French internationals Gignac and Kolodziejczak, as well as former EPL players Enner Valencia and Eduardo Vargas) back before he signed to Heerenveen, and the play style couldn't suit him better.

Tons of players who haven't had the mindset to work in European football, like Keisuke Honda and Ravel Morrison, are doing great in Mexico right now

On bench but not required in a 1-0 win over Twente.

IIRC he speaks Spanish and did a lot of I/Vs with Mexican media before the Mexico/AWs WC playoffs.  

A 1-1 draw verus Roda JC. No minutes for Rojas