2014/15 Transfer Speculation

Exactly, any player in their first pro-contract should be on a 1+1 deal (club's option to exercise).

As should any Ausi who may have had a pro contract but who havent proven themselves in the A league, Downey, Caira etc

Caira, Hicks, Krishna all got a completely unnecessary year when they signed

Hasn't Krishna had an extension since then?

Yup was initially an injury replacement for Ifill then gave him further 2 years

Player announcement this morning from the nix twitter.

ooh ooh ooh

Edit: Doyle or Wee Mac. Tbh Doyle will be the next AW LB if history is an indicator.

Player announcement this morning no less!

Doyle?

Doyle's a given.

Please please please be weemac. I got blue balls on that one.

C'mon Wee Mac.

Wellington Phoenix head coach Ernie Merrick yesterday took another step toward completing his playing squad by signing 22-year-old Dutch midfielder Roly Bonevacia, a graduate of the Ajax Academy.

CCM have just signed a Senagalese Winger/striker... I think we've got Wee Mac.

EDIT: ...or not

Poor Iff's

I must say Roly and Gorrin are two very, very good signings. Young and sound like they've both got great pedigree and in two very key positions. Sounds like Roly could cover RB or LB if we bring in Wee Mac too.

Loving this!

Phoenix <3 Yoof

very interesting...

He's 22 and looks 42

As some kind of vague yardstick Bonevacia is rated 66/100 on FIFA14, Gorrin is rated 58/100

He spent time at Vicelich's old team didn't he?

Interesting, an import who will be "pushing for a first team spot from the outset".  Who's he going to knock out.  Riera?  Gorrin?

Still, happy to see a quality young signing and the added depth.  4-3-1-2 might work with bombing FBs - aim to score 25 goals in the season and still win the league.

lols

#slightlybemusedbutpleased

#inerniewetrust

Was busy and had a really quick glance at the pic of him and thought it was Emile Heskey! Almost shit myself!

It is interesting to use Imports to cover for other imports so we have at least two on the bench (at least one of Krishna / Cunningham and one of Rodriguez, Riera, and Bonevacia) surely local players can provide cover? Surely imports should be starting players?

Anyway good signing, nice to have a young and fast defender.

Sound like a decent signing but I've got a couple of questions: why no striker but another centre mid? Why did we re-sign Lia and then go and get Roly and Alex?

Are we about to abandon McGlinchey?

Why no visa space left if WeeMac falls through?

Signing a DM with out last visa spot would indicate they are rather confident in signing Wee Mac

If we don't get weemac, will gorrin get pushed further forward so our 3 midfield imports all start?

Or is this a case of a quality player coming available to us so we snap him up and work it out later?

Either way we have midfield depth for sure. 

Sorry Vinnie, your days might be done. 

Lia had a good season last year, when he wasn't played as a DM. Lia will be the back up to Gorrin in the box to box role and this new guy means we won't have to play Lia at DM (thankfully).

We look to have a lot of competition for starting spots this season but still rather light in the striker department.

I wonder if Riera has indicated he'll be going back home and/or to his real job after this season?  

No info on how long Bonevacia's contract is for?

Edit: links won't work

I wouldn't be so sure. Who is going to be left out? Ernie now has a bunch of players who might be able to play that attacking midfield role or we might not even play a CAM.

You'd hope so.

Bloody interesting signing this.

Coming out of Ajax is a big plus, Ernie's style requires midfielders who have their heads up and can comfortably play a quick effective pass with their first or second touch

Yeah I know Lia had a good season last year but with Riera, Rufer, Ridenton, and Hicks all locked in when he re-signed (IIRC) then us getting 2 new centre mids, was it worth having Lia for 2 more years as backup? Especially when we have no recognized no9-type player. Lia as a backup seems like an unnecessary luxury

I've heard Vinnie referred to as many things. But never a luxury.

So do people expect Reira and Bonevacia to start or is he just cover? My reaction is similar to most here that we could have used our final import spot to get us a striker which would be more beneficial. Still Rodriquez looks to be a good signing so I trust that this guy is at least at his level. I think if we gel as a team we could be very good this season but we still have some massive weaknesses. It's hard to give a prediction on where we will finish. I think this season could go either way.

Best midfield in the league?

Maybe we are just going to walk in the ball.

I'm still confident that there plenty to come from Krishna, Cunningham and Burns.

He actually does lol

i think this signing proves that if we get weemac then he'll be playing that wing/forward role he excells at rather than through the middle where he is not as effective. I think burns showed that he was well capable of doing a strikers job and ernie maybe wanting to really see what krishna can bring in his second season. It shows that vinnie lia is going to have to step up his game, which i feel is too much for a player of his low quality.