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Billy Harris: a thread of mediocrity

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Billy Harris: a thread of mediocrity
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
'Phoenix post a century of utter mediocrity'
That's the headline on the Billy Harris football column in today's Sunday Star-Times. Can't find it online yet but they're sure to post it soon. He's analysed the results of the 100 Nix games and based on 34 wins (35 after last night you prick) 25 draws and 40 losses he reckons we're sh*t. And if we don't make the final (not the top six, the final) the season should be considered a disappointment. Yeah, yeah, away form is crap, but talk about bad timing - the Adelaide game caught him out! The only utter mediocrity around here is Billy Not-Bomber Harris. What a t**ser.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
What a complete w**ker. We need to come up with some chants for these fools so that when (or if...) they watch the phoenix they'l be reminded of how much they suck AJ132011-02-06 13:22:36
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Paul Ifill
paul thompson/billy harris average journalism at best!

from his fb

ive got a song that wont take long, Adelaide are rubbish.. the second verse is same as the first.. ADELAIDE ARE RUBBISH

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
here we go, and a pic for lols



"You'll have heard that the Phoenix match with Adelaide on Saturday night was their 100th in the A-League.

For some reason, that information seldom came with a breakdown of wins and losses so, to save you the trouble, I've looked it up and here are the numbers, year by year.

In their first year they won five and lost 11. Those figures were forgiven by a very understanding media and public on the basis that it was the first year, and it would "take time" to build a competitive team.

(This theory has been somewhat disproved by Melbourne Heart who in this, their first year, have made a serious tilt at the playoffs).

In year two, the Nix won seven and lost nine.

In season three, their best, they won 10 and lost seven in the regular season, then won two and lost one in the playoffs.

This year they've gone backwards, and their record before last night's match was 10 wins and 12 losses.

This gives us a grand total of 99 played, 34 won, 40 lost and 25 drawn.

Not particularly inspiring reading, but few would care if the team had continued on their parabola of improvement this time round.

Sadly, they haven't, and with three matches left in the regular season, the Phoenix will have to struggle to end the 2010-11 campaign with even a 50-50 record.

The players and staff will be the first to admit - to themselves at least, because I fear that if they make the playoffs the public line will be that they've had a successful season - that that's not good enough.

They started season 2010-11 as preliminary finalists, and they more than offset the loss of John McCain with the signings of Jade North, Dylan Macallister and Nick Ward.

They now had a squad stacked full of New Zealand World Cup players and experienced, quality Australians.

Coach Ricki Herbert, normally one of the "we'll see how it goes" brigade, like many Kiwi coaches across the codes, felt sufficiently confident to pronounce this year's team could mount a strong title challenge in the A-League.

It could still happen, but nothing short of making the final will paper over the fact that this season, despite the occasional excellent home performance, has been a disappointment.

Here's to the next 100 games."

AJ132011-02-06 13:38:24
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Comparing heart who had time to build a squad in the first year,and us who had a couple of months. Good one buddy.

Allegedly

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hey billy, what the fark are you on about by "the occasional excellent home performance"? are you thick? does 2 rof losses spanning 3 years mean nothing to you?
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
He's making out that nearly every phoenix game is a loss, or a bore, and whoever is lame enough to read this, will have second thoughts about coming to the game - thanks for destroying our publicity, dick.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
What a complete t**ser
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
AJ13 wrote:
Hey billy, what the fark are you on about by "the occasional excellent home performance"? are you thick? does 2 rof losses spanning 3 years mean nothing to you?


He was talking about this season when he said that.

Still a t**ser though.

Apparently I'm apathetic, but I couldn't care less.

"Being a Partick Thistle fan sets you apart. It means youre a free thinker. It also means your team has no money." Tim Luckhurst, The Independent, 4th December 2003

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Be sure to read Billys column next Sunday -"The All Blacks -what a pack of losers", focusing on them only winning one world cup.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Jag wrote:
He was talking about this season when he said that.

Still a t**ser though.

Still probably lost the least amount of home games than anyone, bar the Roar. And even then it was losses to the two top sides, not the two bottom...

Hes an epic tosser
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Billy for coach. hahah seriously. This guy is a laugh.



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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
The first 3/4 of this season WAS a bit of a disappointment, although this guy is probably overstating things just a bit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Ah well, just more ammunition to fire up the boys for Wednesday

a.haak

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Look, I think most of you blokes are way too touchy. The article was a bit negitave, but the facts are facts.
He is certainly entitled to his opinion.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
And we're entitled to ours...

Allegedly

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Another pre Herbert All Whites/Phoenix era  failure!

The answer to life's problems are rarely found at the bottom of a beer glass - but it's always worth a look.

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Couldn't even spell Jon McKain right, lost all cred there. Has written some dreadful stuff before also
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Leggy wrote:
Look, I think most of you blokes are way too touchy. The article was a bit negitave, but the facts are facts.
He is certainly entitled to his opinion.

NZ Knights < Wellington Phoenix

who the hell is billy harris to complain about where football is in NZ? Hes acting as though the Nix have won back to back A-League titles in previous seasons...

The fact of the matter is that only one NZ team has ever made the finals, and only once, which took a decade. and now we're on the verge of making that a back-to-back finals appearance.

And he says we've gone backwards
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Sometimes I honestly think he writes some things for a laugh.

Allegedly

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
AJ13 wrote:

Leggy wrote:
Look, I think most of you blokes are way too touchy. The article was a bit negitave, but the facts are facts.
He is certainly entitled to his opinion.
NZ Knights < Wellington Phoenixwho the hell is billy harris to complain about where football is in NZ? Hes acting as though the Nix have won back to back A-League titles in previous seasons...The fact of the matter is that only one NZ team has ever made the finals, and only once, which took a decade. and now we're on the verge of making that a back-to-back finals appearance.And he says we've gone backwards


I reckon he says a lot of things just as a wind up.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Would quite like to see the W/D/L record for all other clubs in the last 4 years.  With the salary cap I would imagine a large number of clubs would have a similar record.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Can we make our own newspaper and write articles about the journalists?

ive got a song that wont take long, Adelaide are rubbish.. the second verse is same as the first.. ADELAIDE ARE RUBBISH

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Tegal wrote:
Sometimes I honestly think he writes some things for a laugh.


He does, but his humour is rather forced and lame.

Anyway I think he and Thommo both have a history of seeing the end of the world in every Phoenix match, despite sometimes throwing the club a bone or two.

There must a be a whole swag of ex-footballers (inc one at the Dom Post) who have whole forests on their shoulders and begrudge Terry, Ricki and the club making things work (and in Wgtn of all places!).

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion. 

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
2ndBest wrote:
Would quite like to see the W/D/L record for all other clubs in the last 4 years.  With the salary cap I would imagine a large number of clubs would have a similar record.



We have other issues too.

We are based in NZ and so compared to Australian clubs we are at a disadvantage in attracting foreign players. Weather wise as a player are you going to go for sunny days lying on the beaches looking at the peaches in Oz or chasing the wheelie bin down the road in another summer galeforce wind in Welly?

No effective B-team/youth set up.

The threat for years of possibly being kicked out of the A league.

Traveling miles and miles to play matches which has had similar negative effects on other NZ sports teams not just us.

A journalist should amass the facts before they write an article unless he couldn't be arsed and just wanted to write a controversial piece with a title, (probably written by a sub),  to piss people off and therefore get a few more hits.

If the Phoenix are not a major success then he probably needs to hold his hand up and accept some blame for that too. Has he not been coaching kiwi kids soccer skills since 1996?

here is a link to his site http://www.billyharris.co.nz/ not working? - how professional...



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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
You left out our lack of ACL. That would turn some players away.

But they're all excuses we really need to stop using,and just get on with it.

Allegedly

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
maybe we should use this space to write an actual response. I.e. everyone writes 1 paragraph (200 words max) on a topic and then we put it together, give it a structure and post it somewhere else/send it around.
Anyone else interested?

VUW AFC - Victoria University Football for life

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Scottishbhoy wrote:
Can we make our own newspaper and write articles about the journalists?


YES, AND THEY CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT'S OUR OPINION.
HAH, LETS DO IT.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
ForteanTimes wrote:
2ndBest wrote:
Would quite like to see the W/D/L record for all other clubs in the last 4 years.  With the salary cap I would imagine a large number of clubs would have a similar record.



We have other issues too.

We are based in NZ and so compared to Australian clubs we are at a disadvantage in attracting foreign players. Weather wise as a player are you going to go for sunny days lying on the beaches looking at the peaches in Oz or chasing the wheelie bin down the road in another summer galeforce wind in Welly?

No effective B-team/youth set up.

The threat for years of possibly being kicked out of the A league.

Traveling miles and miles to play matches which has had similar negative effects on other NZ sports teams not just us.

A journalist should amass the facts before they write an article unless he couldn't be arsed and just wanted to write a controversial piece with a title, (probably written by a sub),  to piss people off and therefore get a few more hits.

If the Phoenix are not a major success then he probably needs to hold his hand up and accept some blame for that too. Has he not been coaching kiwi kids soccer skills since 1996?

here is a link to his site http://www.billyharris.co.nz/ not working? - how professional...



 
 
Considering the recent weather in Oz we should be getting ALL the foreigners signing for us next season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
2ndBest wrote:
Would quite like to see the W/D/L record for all other clubs in the last 4 years.  With the salary cap I would imagine a large number of clubs would have a similar record.

Something like this: (excluding GCU & NQF)

Wins
Victory       43
Roar          42
Adelaide    38
CCM           38
Sydney      37
Phoenix     35
Jets           31
Glory         26

Draws
Roar           30
CCM           29
Adelaide    26
Glory         26
Victory       26
Phoenix     25
Jets           24
Sydney      24

Losses
Glory         45
Jets           41
Phoenix     40
Sydney      35
Adelaide    34
CCM          30
Victory      29
Roar          25

Points
Roar          156
Victory       155
CCM          143
Adelaide    140
Sydney     135
Jets           117
Phoenix    116
Glory         104
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
So about the same given our first season was always going to be below par.

Allegedly

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
ForteanTimes wrote:
If the Phoenix are not a major success then he probably needs to hold his hand up and accept some blame for that too. Has he not been coaching kiwi kids soccer skills since 1996?



How's my driving? - Whine here

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Always thought he was a w*nker even before I read that.  We need someone to come up with a clever anti - Billy Harris chant.
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
AJ13 wrote:

2ndBest wrote:
Would quite like to see the W/D/L record for all other clubs in the last 4 years.� With the salary cap I would imagine a large number of clubs would have a similar record.
Something like this: (excluding GCU & NQF)WinsVictory       43Roar       ï¿½ï¿½ 42Adelaide    38CCM        �� 38Sydney      37Phoenix     35Jets           31Glory       ï¿½ 26DrawsRoar           30CCM           29Adelaide    26Glory       ï¿½ 26Victory       26Phoenix     25Jets           24Sydney      24LossesGlory       ï¿½ 45Jets           41Phoenix     40Sydney      35Adelaide    34CCM        � 30Victory      29Roar       ï¿½ï¿½ 25PointsRoar       ï¿½ï¿½ 156Victory       155CCM        � 143Adelaide    140Sydney     135Jets           117Phoenix    116Glory       ï¿½ 104



Thanks for that.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
The tag at the end of his column reads "billy harris is a former all white" while i really think it should state that "billy harris is a miserable barsteward"
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
While i dont agree with most of his article.Some of you are way to bloody defensive.To pretend that this season we have been anything other than mostly disappointing really does show how one eyed some of you are.
On the ODD occasion we may have played some good football but if many of you were being honest you would have to admit that much of what has been dished up isnt what we expected for this season.

Yes we may have clawed our way into the semi finals,i bet most of you would have expected those to be at home again this season.Yep its great that we will play semi final football,no matter how happy i am with that it dosnt hide the disappointment  that we wernt able to give the fans the home games many of us thought we were capable of achieving.
 

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
i would say the season has been average

at the end of it it will be a mid table finish

we didnt win the league, we didnt get the wooden spoon

medeocre is what you would call it
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about 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
ballane wrote:
While i dont agree with most of his article.Some of you are way to bloody defensive.To pretend that this season we have been anything other than mostly disappointing really does show how one eyed some of you are.On the ODD occasion we may have played some good football but if many of you were being honest you would have to admit that much of what has been dished up isnt what we expected for this season.Yes we may have clawed our way into the semi finals,i bet most of you would have expected those to be at home again this season.Yep its great that we will play semi final football,no matter how happy i am with that it dosnt hide the disappointment� that we wernt able to give the fans the home games many of us thought we were capable of achieving.�


That was well put.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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