Mark Judan: Family Time

I'll raise you...

We would had offered Ridenton a trial. But seriously, not offered him an extension just shows the lack of football understanding at the club. Still get angry. Not sure Rudan can change any of this.

I recall Ridenton stating uncertainty over the clubs future as being the reason he was so keen to go to the Jets. I seem to recall that the club was keen to keep him.

Does anyone know if he was in fact offered a renewal?

Offering him a trial would have been a real d1ck move

Ridenton was offered a contract extension but he wasn't at all happy with how much the club though he was worth, so he went to Newcastle who offered when something more akin to his actual value

Also Ernie knew Ridenton. 

Also the Phoenix knew Ridenton.

Ernie has a had of grabbing players from his old club too. Kosta, Finkler, Moss, Ridention. 

Didn't he try for Roy too?

Not yet  - but watching Roy's body language last season I wondered.

It was Hudson who was apparently after Roy.

There was a ton of Jets speculation and I think I remember Ernie speaking on it too

Why not both :)

I've said hello to Ernie

I know the Phoenix

I'm not sure I could recognize Ridenton though

Does this help? 

While we angst about signings

Credit to Rudan from Taylor 

"Mark's created an atmosphere that we're all smiling coming into the training ground, working hard, spurring each other to keep going forward and getting stronger. It's a great environment and a good team spirit that's being built, and hopefully we'll be able to do some great things this season."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/steven-tayl...

I'm sure Rudan has picked his brains re any other British footballers he may know who could fill the holes we still have in our squad. 

I would be smiling if I had guns as big as my head

Man crush Valeo... don't forget the smile!

Rudan interview published today. Got the players working hard. Careful with signings.

#rudanin

yeh, I always remember us beating that great Roar team and Dmac and Sean Lovemore looking better than Kosta. While a good preseason is important, the league is where it matters 

Don’t tell Mark Rudan it’s the worst job in the A-League. https://t.co/vYQPGt3nAg

— Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) September 28, 2018

Original article is behind a paywall but here is what it says https://pastebin.com/jHcayGud

I think It's good that he's flipped it back on the players. Whilst Rudan can look to create a more aggressive, fighting spirit culture within the squad, it's the players themselves that need to take ownership of it and produce the results out on the park. Rudes can't do it for them. #rudesin

Try telling him there’s hardly a football person outside of New Zealand who doesn’t believe Wellington Phoenix won’t finish with the wooden spoon this season.

Worst still, try finding anyone outside of Wellington who believes Phoenix deserve to be in the league or will still be in existence in two years when their A-League licence expires."

Whoever wrote this is a cod. I know there is truth in much of it but jesus, the whole article is very thinly veiled as pro Rudan and anti Nix.

"Phoenix fans have almost been conditioned to failure over the past three seasons, having narrowly avoided the wooden spoon several times. The coaching merry-go-round hasn’t helped, either. Rudan is their sixth coach since December 2016." 

Merrick, Des & Greenie duo, Kalezic, Rudan - did they even bother with research?

I think they must be counting Greenie twice

they got the wrong game

Greenacre was interem head coach before Ernie and before Mark.

Shark, Rudan is damn good at inspiring things around the club. After watching his last presser with Max, I'm ready to lace up, go down to martin lucky and give it a crack. I was fairly apathetic to this season, but now im fizzing at the bung for it. Fudgeing COYN! 

He has said all the right things. It's just disappointing that recruitment had slowed so much over the last couple of months.

One heck of a desire to be successful.  And set standards.  

So long as he proves to have tactical nouse, that the players trust and buy into, which his TV comments suggest is there in spades, he is going to lead a bunch of players out of the trenches with bayonets attached. 

Hopefully he's got enough cattle this year to do well.  Because if they do, he should find it easier to recruit from then on. 

COYN.

Good tactical nous is hard to find

He's certainly doing things differently!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/107851350/no-food-sleep-for-24-hours-as-wellington-phoenix-get-obliterated-at-boot-camp

He's clearly the first to try a few things - different is what we need. No point in doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.

I think we've been mentally frail for years.  Win a game well, then get bullied and thrashed in the next.  Played well for a half then failed to respond when the opposition has lifted their game, reorganised and created pressure in the second half.  Lost games or given up a lead with weak mistakes and loss of concentration in the last minute.

So it's new, for the Nix, but what really impresses me most is that I think he's put his finger on a problem, recruited players that are dedicated and motivated, then thrown this at them to help them bind as a team and to help with their resiliance and will power. 

So far, very impressed with Rudan.  Hope we see it on the field.

I think that one day training camp bullshark doesn't do a whole lot for 'mental strength', but it would help with a bit of team bonding.

It can build or reinforce your inner mental strengths

I've talked to American marines.  They rate this stuff for building resilience and mental toughness.   Albeit a 24 hour session would be lowball for them.  I guess everyone has their opinion.

I would agree a 24 hour one-off not going to turn them into the SAS but chucking in a session like this right at the end of preseason is a worthwhile tactic to reinforce the "us against the world" mentality. Still, proof of the pudding is in the eating.

No, they are not going to be SAS after one 24 hour session.  And I agree with your  point about the us vs them.  And valeo's emphasis on team bonding.

But I'd just say don't under-estimate what getting through a very challenging 24hour session like this can do for players.  Hanging on for 5 more minutes of extra time under fatigue starts to look like hilarious trivia compared to being very hungry, very fatigued, very mentally and physically tired and grumpy and constantly harassed by some army hardarse for 24hrs.  

lols

but anyway, I hope it works.