Mark Judan: Family Time

And look how that has turned out. Average performances, shark crowds, but now richer.

I think it would be best for the current ownership, the club in general and the A League if our place was guaranteed under the new structure, the club was sold and the new owners were prepared to invest heavily in making the team competitive.

Something is not quite right, I can’t see anything better for us unless the owners were keeping their powder dry until they got the guarantee and then ramped it all up, but I don’t have that much confidence in them to be honest.

yup, independent league is yet to be completed and there has been no guarantees given and no new license provided. So as far as our ongoing existence is concerned we still have an axe hanging over us. This year +1 more as far as a license is concerned, perhaps the metrics measure will be removed if/when the FFA is ousted or changed, but will the new league want us? Nothing is guaranteed, and even then if our place is secure, will the Nix management want to hang around?

There are some weird assertions going on here. On one hand "WelNix won't want to stick around if the team sucks". On the other hand "we could get new owners who would dump much more money into it".

How about somewhere in between: WelNix are showing that they are prepared to stick with the team even when it sucks, for the reasons Rob Morrison (and G. Morgan?) said in the beginning - as an act of boosterism for Wellington. They want it to break even in the long term but are sucking up short term losses. Where exactly do you think someone who would be prepared to sink even more money than that in would come from? Note: someone who's not a criminal or money-launderer.

I have suspected for a while that team/club culture is the real issue at the Nix - hence explaining why good foreign players start sucking when they move here - and Rudan seems to agree with me, so I'm provisionally in his corner.

No enough credit being given to Rudan after the Sydney result in my view. It was a tactical masterclass from the Boss, getting the boys to play ball in between Zullo and van der Linden, splitting them. Other things too, the pressing, the placement of Kopa at the back. This coach is the business.

[sarcasm] I gave him enough credit when we lost. [/sarcasm]

I think credit was due to Rudan after the Perth game already.

I think maybe Sydney helped.  There is an argument they took us too easy and took arrogant risks playing high against Krishna.  Was a great game.  But other teams will make it harder.  And other teams have.

That said, we played our own game much better to do Sydney in.  I just also want to see us  able to unlock the teams that hold a bit deeper and have a player who can negate Krishna.

The press in Qzzy still rolling it out  - Ernie Stirs the pot

The extract from The Professional Referee's Association letter to FFA

Football Federation Australia has defended its methods when sanctioning A-League

coaches following an attack from Newcastle mentor Ernie Merrick.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/merrick-pans-ffa-coach-sanction-process

They need to amend the rules to add this one in: 

"Any match official has to make himself accountable for any decision/s incurred whether they be correct or incorrect and therefore the match official has to be able to justify said decision/s whether it be via media of any form and within internal Referee Association match assessments and should the decision/s prove to be incorrect, the match official/s are held accountable and punishable accordingly for bringing the game into disrepute and giving unfair treatment towards one or both teams receiving said decision/s."

IE: You make the call and if it is wrong be held accountable for it. Including VAR. I would start at a 3 match ban for the first offence, leading up to a season long ban for multiple screw ups with the one game or a series of games. Let's be honest about this, having these preseason meetings with referees to cover any rule changes and various workshops has not improved the standard of refereeing since day one of the very first A League game. So time to make officials as accountable as players, coaches and anyone else. They need to stop being above the law so to speak and they need to take ownership of their situation.

Good idea, but only for clear and obvious errors that change the course of a game or else there'll be no refs left haha

Like Lowry's red card against Perth, then. It should have been yellow but could not be rescinded.

I still don't think it was worth a Yellow. He was still on the original sliding motion and the Da Silva walked into it and "fell" over.

Sure, but the referee panel formally stated it should have been a yellow.

If it wasn't even a yellow the red would have to have been rescinded.

I hope Rudan tells the team to go for the quick early goals to knock the stuffing out of the Roar. 2 up after 20 would be brilliant.

One thing for Roar to lose against the Victory with their firepower, another to lose against The Nix.  Do not underestimate how gutting it would be for Aloisi to explain how a new young coach like Rudan can produce a competitive team from a bunch of losers, while he is struggling.

I expect Roar to come our Roaring, and hope that Rudan has the exact strategy up his sleeve for that.

Rudan 1 Aloisi 0

Phoenix revival has Mark Rudan in Adelaide United's sights https://t.co/5X60otSipb @TheTiserSport

— Val Migliaccio (@Val61) January 10, 2019

Its behind a paywall, so if anyone is able to view it can they please paste it for the rest of us?

Rookie A-League coach Mark Rudan is earning high praise for making New Zealand strugglers Wellington Phoenix competitive again, so much so he’s being targeted by another club.

We hear Adelaide United have approached Rudan about signing on from next season once Marco Kurz’s contract expires.

The 43-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix before this season, but it would be a tough opportunity to turn down at a big club.

It could mean a return to his former club, where he played in the 2009-10 season before hanging up the boots.

Kurz is midway through his second campaign at the Reds, and was rewarded for his disciplined approach with an FFA Cup trophy in October.

But the German is said to be running out of patience with the club’s lack of resources, while it’s been suggested the new ownership might be keen for a change.

The Phoenix, who sit sixth and are on track for a first finals appearance since 2015, would be loath to lose the coach who’s reignited the passion across the ditch.

"A big club"?

In what possible way shape manner or form are AUFC "bigger" than the Nix?

Pure Aussie nationalism.

"he 43-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix before this season, but it would be a tough opportunity to turn down at a big club.

It could mean a return to his former club, where he played in the 2009-10 season before hanging up the boots.

Kurz is midway through his second campaign at the Reds, and was rewarded for his disciplined approach with an FFA Cup trophy in October.

But the German is said to be running out of patience with the club’s lack of resources, while it’s been suggested the new ownership might be keen for a change."

LMAO these two kind of contradict each other, I find it hard to believe he would ditch a financially stable club that is clearly spending money for a club that has serious holes in the squad to be competitive and not putting in resources. I know the licence hangs over our heads but I think he see's next year out, if he is still doing well the offers would still be there and probably from better clubs after showing what he can do 

This is bollocks. It would go against everything Rudan has said, no way he leaves after one season. I could understand if he went to Sydney after his two years are up - former club, genuinely a bigger club, its where his family are, etc - but adelaide? Fudge off

Utter bollocks press speculation and fake news

He has a thing going here that he is enjoying.  he will want to see this contract through and then maybe look at offers from real bigger clubs. 

The "big clubs" also know that the real test of a new manager (and A League wise, that is what Mark is) is the second season when they have done well in the first.  Hate to say this, but  reckon Newcastle are seeing in Ernie this season what we saw in 15-16.  They will come sniffing this time next year when his contract is due to expire.

Not surprising that some other clubs may be interested in getting Rudan, but I can't see him running off at this stage.

You'd hope he stays here until he goes overseas.

Precisely. Rudan's next move will be overseas.

Agruably not a "big" club in the A League, but bigger than the Nix for sure.

Adelaide city popn 1.3M, Wellington a lot less.

AU been in 3 finals, including winning in 2015/16 in front of 50,000.

2017/18 season Adelaide av crowd 9,830 and Nix av 5,694 (Wiki stats)

2008/09 made final of Asian Champions League, losing to Gamba Osaka

From Twitter

I know it's all about the now - getting wins, attracting bigger crowds, improving the 'metrics' overall & getting the licence extended.

I guess will know more in March, re licence extension. 

Still I hope Welnix/Dome are giving at least some thought beyond next season. If the licence is extended, there needs to be some plan for what happens when Rudan leaves. He's an Aussie, he's having success, the big offers will start coming in. Good thing is I see Rudan being honest with Welnix about that.

A useful idea would be bringing in some of the Handy coaches, when they have a chance (say the day after playing Team Welly in Wgtn), for a looksee about how things are being done at Nix HQ. No harm in working on some type of succession plan. Are there any coaches in NZ, in the mould of Rudan who could continue his good work. What harm is there in the likes of Hay & Ramon seeing how things are being done now in Wgtn, for a day. Even Declan for god's sake. Put petty squabbles to the side.

Also inviting over Simon Elliott & Cameron Knowles, for a look around, during their USL off seasons. Of course they may have no interest at all in returning to NZ, but no harm in the Nix getting on the front foot to see who out there may be a possible successor to Rudes.

Yeah sure different code and everything, but one of building blocks to the continued success of NZ rugby Super teams, is they have smart coaching succession built in. Often the departing head coach, is replaced by one of the groomed assistant coaches.

And yes it does all depend on the Nix being gteed survival beyond next season.

Don't think that any of the Handy Prem coaches have the right qualifications.

Chris Millicich has an A Licence and I think Brett Angell does as well

Yeah they both do

Correct you need the pro. When a lot of people were wanting Ramon, it was found out that he didn't even have an A-License and was required to get that before he could do the pro so was too far away for Nix to even try get in time for him to take the team. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/10...

You need FIFA Pro if you're not Aussie.

Asked Mark Rudan about this, this morning.

"I don't make comment on speculation, thanks mate." @WgtnPhoenixFC https://t.co/ACg0hQoCpB

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) January 10, 2019

Can't See The BOSSES letting him go if the licence is renewed - until then no one other than hopeful   Clubs talking it up along with Qzzy fans.

attempt to disrupt our season - we're competing with them 

Yes forgot about the licence requirements. From memory at one stage the Nix had talks with NZF, as Schmid has a Pro licence, and was a prospect that Buckingham could have been sort of co coach with the AWs coach.

You would hope that if Nix do get a licence extension, they then ask that same coaching badge requirements that apply to the Australian A League teams also apply to them.

After the Kalezic disaster I think they won't be looking off shore any time soon, for a head coach.

So if no Kiwis have a Pro qual, that restricts them to looking for an Aussie gaffer. Which weirdly in a way they could agrue is another reason to retain them in the A League, ie they loom as a pathway for young Australian coaches like Rudan.

When is FFA running the course again? When Jose was on Phoenix City awhile ago he said he's on. the list to do it IIRC.

I think Greenacre is meant to be doing it too. From memory it's been somethink like 3 or 4 years since they did the last one.