2014/15 Transfer Speculation

No cocks policy would suuuuuuurely apply

Everyone said this about Griffiths too

Don't know that people said the sharkcod wouldn't fit our system.  More that he is a sharkcod.

Simon is a battering ram; not a footballer. The league has passed him by.

Simon is a whole hearted footballer.. Havent watched him this season but previous seasons I have thought he would have been an asset to the Nix. 

Would have suited Perth's approach on Saturday brilliantly. Nix - not so much.

He would be a fantastic signing.....if we needed a plan Z

But Simon has the ability not to be pushed off the ball, someone we have been lacking for some time. Griffiths is another take no shark type. Let's be honest, other than Brockie and Smeltz and Ifill, most of our forwards have always been on the lightweight side and short. I could never understand why we persisted in playing the ball wide so our 5'3" strikers could be out jumped by 6'4" defenders. This mainly happened under Ricki with Leo going wide or Daniel.

Our tiny (not a striker) strikers seem to be doing ok so far. third in Goals for. Apart from a couple of games we have not been pushed about (Jets and WSW) but even then we created plenty of chances which our teeny weeny waif like (not a striker) strikers just failed to take. 

Although the Griff is somewhat more overtly aggressive in his approach, his general style of play is not a huge departure from what we have already. 

Simon on the other hand is at the other end of the spectrum, and to accommodate him would be a complete departure from our current, table topping style.

And a ranga!

Playing a thug up front who can barely pass the ball makes other teams resort to playing football against us? What?

Simon is a nuisance, nothing more. We might as well send Siggy up front.

I can't this this enough

I like the idea of sending Siggy up front actually

Nah Boxall in the "Blackburn are losing, send Samba up" role.

Is this whole "let's recruit more Aussies" a sly plan on part of WelNix to parry any arguments from the rabid Phoenix-haters across the ditch?

As in "we are just another Australian club, just that we are based in NZ" argument. This of course is completely beside the point that we are not in anyone's way to get their own (Canberra, Wollongong, Cairns, West Adelaide.... whatever) new team in HAL.

Kwasnik

I don't believe the Phoenix have at any stage suggested they have any interest in signing SImon.  Just conjecture here.

Let's hope it stays that way. We seem to have an approach to team strategy under Ernie that works, and what would you do with someone like Simon at present? Put him on the bench? Put him on the park - for whom? He is slower than Krishna, less skillful than Roly, and does not play with his back to the goal like McGlinchey.

Simon? No fudging way!!

Funny how similar a lot of these comments are to those when Griffiths was first linked. Not saying we need them both but I think since he's arrived its been pretty clear how good it is to have a different sort of forward to call upon.

They arent comparable despite both being Aussie cods.

Isn't it strange that guys like Deklan Wynne and Clayton Lewis can just stroll into the All Whites and look at home but they don't have a contract with the one professional club in New Zealand.

...and then you've got young New Zealand players in the Phoenix that can't even get a look in at the All Whites.

I believe Wynne and Lewis were offered an opportunity down here but both are heading off to England for trials.

Definitely a bit strange; though then I guess we can't sign them all - and perhaps it's better for them playing week in, week out somewhere else.

From the East Coast Bays website a month or so ago.

Lewis was definitely offered a Weenix spot, but at that stage was heading to Millwall. That's now fallen over so he's off to Norwich for a trial.

Get the sentiment Luis but then, do you want all your players at 1 club? There are inherent dangers in that as much as it does breed familiarity with each other.

I think Lewis and Wynne were probably selected because they don't play for the Phoenix. Hudson wanted to see how they did at a higher level. If they played for the Phoenix every week then Hudson would already have some idea what they were like. I think juggling what is best for the Phoenix and what is best for the All Whites absolutely shows why we need at least one more A-League team.

Who would your rather have at LB for the Phoenix though, Doyle or Wynne?

I'm not sure why we can't have both. 

I also don't know why people think Doyle is for the scrap heap just yet either. 

Perhaps the alternate explanation is that Boyd was right - going to the phoenix was a backward step so young. Footballers begin to peak at 25-28, and is playing in the a league so young really the right way to build skill/career?

The UK academy/reserve system is such a dead end, why not start playing first team football and actually get in the shop window?  Look at Cam Howieson, how is his career turning out, Cam Lindsay, Tim Payne...