Most people aren't happy because with all the uncertainty around the licence, having the team perform on the pitch would make it easier to justify a worthwhile extension. The way things are going, we aren't.
Sure, some things seem to be conspiring against us, but winning games is what matters - we hardly look like scoring goals, which is being compounded by the fact we're conceding them.
So no, not fudgeing happy at all.
Ernie still is trying to play a certain way, when we really don't seem to have the players this year. And if Manny gets suspended we're even more in the sharke. Need to get in a starter to replace Rufer.
it's funny how the solution is always just 'let's go sign some players' like there is a never ending conveyor belt of quality footballers sitting idle for the Phoenix to call and ignoring all other influencing factors.
In general - yes, you are right. It is not always the only solution especially if the team plays like crap otherwise (Robbie Fowler at NQ Fury, anyone?)
In particular - right now - you are not correct. We could have turned the game around with a skilled energetic striker, on evidence of our performance against CCM (especially that one but also other games this season). In our last game we enjoyed healthy possession, yet did not seriously threaten a rookie CCM goalie more than a couple of times or so. After our leading goalscorer went off with a rolled ankle, our performance turned flat as a possum on a West Coast road.
Yes we should expect other players to take up the slack and we can blame them or the coaching staff if they don't. But we all know that Roly gets marked out of the game, and that McGlinchey is not an out and out striker. Powell took his opportunity this time, but he does not start every game. Sarpong was a non-starter. Appiah is a potentially decent squaddie but not a game winner.
We had a good season last year but we improved hugely with Burns on the park. Even that was not enough to take us far in the playoffs. This year, absence of a quality striker (in addition to Krishna) is clearly showing. This is in addition to the other influencing factors, as you said, and I acknowledge they also play part. Examples are: ill discipline or poor refereeing, injuries (Sarpong, Rufer, Lia, Sigmund), anxiety over licence.
Jeff, people are pissed off because in the past year we lost Brockie, Boxall, Cunningham, Burns, Griffiths and Boyd. For them we gained Sarpong and Blake Powell. We can go out and sign better players because we had better players before. If you replaced Sarpong with Brockie, Cunningham, Griffiths or even Huysegems then I think we would be a lot higher on the ladder. I would wager that Sarpong is on more money than the likes of Brockie and Cunningham were. Sarpong has basically replaced 4 players for us. This is also why we can't just give him more time - we need him to deliver now.
Jeff, people are pissed off because in the past year we lost Brockie, Boxall, Cunningham, Burns, Griffiths and Boyd. For them we gained Sarpong and Blake Powell. We can go out and sign better players because we had better players before. If you replaced Sarpong with Brockie, Cunningham, Griffiths or even Huysegems then I think we would be a lot higher on the ladder. I would wager that Sarpong is on more money than the likes of Brockie and Cunningham were. Sarpong has basically replaced 4 players for us. This is also why we can't just give him more time - we need him to deliver now.
That is exactly my point elsewhere (earlier in this thread), and I argued that Sarpong's potential is still a mystery to me, halfway through the season that is rapidly slipping away from under our feet. On the strength of what we produced against CCM, we would not beat any other team in the league right now either, and I doubt that Sarpong will save the season for us.
If Ernie only expected Sarpong to play like gangbusters next season, and/or beyond, then he (Sarpong, not Ernie) better be cheap.
Dont get this perception that we can just go out and sign some better players.Some of you seem to be forgetting that Welnix havnt made available bucket loads of cash to get these players. Its been made pretty clear they arnt looking that hard at recruiting players. If you were the player that we need ,why in the hell would you come to a club who dosnt appear to have a future,especially if you have other offers on the table.
the circle is about to get more vicious then....results will not come without goals and the crowds will not come back without wins. A lot of goal scoring options went and has not been replaced.
Dont get this perception that we can just go out and sign some better players.Some of you seem to be forgetting that Welnix havnt made available bucket loads of cash to get these players. Its been made pretty clear they arnt looking that hard at recruiting players. If you were the player that we need ,why in the hell would you come to a club who dosnt appear to have a future,especially if you have other offers on the table.
As much as some pretend it isn't, the last sentence simply has to have some bearing. If you have 2 similar offers on the table as a player, and one is from a club that may not exist next season, you'd pick the other one every time. It has to be handicapping us.
Dont get this perception that we can just go out and sign some better players.Some of you seem to be forgetting that Welnix havnt made available bucket loads of cash to get these players. Its been made pretty clear they arnt looking that hard at recruiting players. If you were the player that we need ,why in the hell would you come to a club who dosnt appear to have a future,especially if you have other offers on the table.
As much as some pretend it isn't, the last sentence simply has to have some bearing. If you have 2 similar offers on the table as a player, and one is from a club that may not exist next season, you'd pick the other one every time. It has to be handicapping us.
if we are in the market.....a guest spot is probably all that can be offered and that is too costly it seems. Im not sure what the incentive is for the owners in this scenario with the uncertainty. If they were going to accept the 4 then that would entice players..if we were searching.
Jeff, people are pissed off because in the past year we lost Brockie, Boxall, Cunningham, Burns, Griffiths and Boyd. For them we gained Sarpong and Blake Powell. We can go out and sign better players because we had better players before. If you replaced Sarpong with Brockie, Cunningham, Griffiths or even Huysegems then I think we would be a lot higher on the ladder. I would wager that Sarpong is on more money than the likes of Brockie and Cunningham were. Sarpong has basically replaced 4 players for us. This is also why we can't just give him more time - we need him to deliver now.
So tell me, right now, who is out there that is not an import, is NZ or AU citizen, is better than what we have, has been missed by every other HAL club and is prepared to come to Wellington today. You must have a list as long as my arm because the way you talk, we just wriggle our nose, blink our eyes, click our fingers and the queue to transfer to the Phoenix would go out the door and around the block.
For all your talking, you have not even suggested a name, even a bad one.
it's funny how the solution is always just 'let's go sign some players' like there is a never ending conveyor belt of quality footballers sitting idle for the Phoenix to call and ignoring all other influencing factors.
In general - yes, you are right. It is not always the only solution especially if the team plays like crap otherwise (Robbie Fowler at NQ Fury, anyone?)
In particular - right now - you are not correct. We could have turned the game around with a skilled energetic striker, on evidence of our performance against CCM (especially that one but also other games this season). In our last game we enjoyed healthy possession, yet did not seriously threaten a rookie CCM goalie more than a couple of times or so. After our leading goalscorer went off with a rolled ankle, our performance turned flat as a possum on a West Coast road.
Yes we should expect other players to take up the slack and we can blame them or the coaching staff if they don't. But we all know that Roly gets marked out of the game, and that McGlinchey is not an out and out striker. Powell took his opportunity this time, but he does not start every game. Sarpong was a non-starter. Appiah is a potentially decent squaddie but not a game winner.
We had a good season last year but we improved hugely with Burns on the park. Even that was not enough to take us far in the playoffs. This year, absence of a quality striker (in addition to Krishna) is clearly showing. This is in addition to the other influencing factors, as you said, and I acknowledge they also play part. Examples are: ill discipline or poor refereeing, injuries (Sarpong, Rufer, Lia, Sigmund), anxiety over licence.
this exact same argument seems to happen at this exact time every season.
I wouldn't be adverse to giving Fenton some time in midfield this season.
I wouldn't. He is a winger thats been converted to FB. What now makes him a midfielder?
You can only pick two of A-Rod, Riera and Lia. McGlinchey has been relatively poor for us. McGlinchey got 25 assists in 3 seasons at CCM - since coming here he only has 6 in a season and a half. That just isn't good enough output. I would be offering McGlinchey a significantly reduced contract when it comes up for renewal.
If I was picking Fenton, I would clearly be picking him as a winger. I don't think I would do it but as I said at this point we have nothing to lose. The season is over so we need to spend the rest of it working out who we can retain for next season.
Not sure you have thought this through properly lad
I missed this at the time. It is perhaps a bit of exaggeration to say our season is over. My point is that we are simply now going to win the a-league this season. We are not at $23.00 to win the league according to sportsbet.com.au. The season is effectively over as a competition for us.
There are some people on this forum who will ride the highs and lows of the remaining half of the season. They will celebrate the wins which will surely come and show angst when we lose. My question is, to what purpose? Some people think our goal now should be to sneak into the top 6. The problem with that is that coming 6th gets you nowhere. History of the league tells us that in every season only teams who finished 3rd or higher have made the final. The only teams to do so were CCM in 05/06 and Perth in 11/12. Both teams lost the final. All that coming 6th gets you is 3 away games against teams who have been better than you for 27 rounds already.
The team should not be aiming for the top 6. We should be aiming to qualify for the grand final. To qualify for the grand final we probably need to finish 1st or 2nd in the regular season. Given that we are now 12 points off of 2nd there is a very low probability of us making it to the final.
Therefore given we have a statistically low chance of making it to the final this season, the best course of action would be to take steps to ensure we make the final next season. Part of that involves resolving long term positional problems (wing back), cutting adrift dead wood and assessing whether or not young players are up to it. If we can achieve any of those 3 goals and come 9th then it will be a better season than achieving none of those goals, coming 6th and being in an absolutely horrible position for the next season.
it's funny how the solution is always just 'let's go sign some players' like there is a never ending conveyor belt of quality footballers sitting idle for the Phoenix to call and ignoring all other influencing factors.
(---)
You are quite right that there is no-one that we could sign in the January window. Ernie / the club / said already that they would not be signing anyone, be it for money reasons or because there are no likely / willing candidates. Some players are likely to leave other clubs to make space for new signings, but that does not mean they would be interested / available / affordable.
My answer was probably linked to a different question - that our squad this year is below the quality of our squad last season. In that context I still maintain that a good striker (which Sarpong is not) would help us a lot this season, but it is a moot point by now. It is just as significant that our defence has also been found to be wanting, pretty much in every position, as evidenced in the Adelaide game and now against CCM.
Jeff, people are pissed off because in the past year we lost Brockie, Boxall, Cunningham, Burns, Griffiths and Boyd. For them we gained Sarpong and Blake Powell. We can go out and sign better players because we had better players before. If you replaced Sarpong with Brockie, Cunningham, Griffiths or even Huysegems then I think we would be a lot higher on the ladder. I would wager that Sarpong is on more money than the likes of Brockie and Cunningham were. Sarpong has basically replaced 4 players for us. This is also why we can't just give him more time - we need him to deliver now.
So tell me, right now, who is out there that is not an import, is NZ or AU citizen, is better than what we have, has been missed by every other HAL club and is prepared to come to Wellington today. You must have a list as long as my arm because the way you talk, we just wriggle our nose, blink our eyes, click our fingers and the queue to transfer to the Phoenix would go out the door and around the block.
For all your talking, you have not even suggested a name, even a bad one.
Well, as you will see in my other post I don't actually want to make any big name signings at the moment. All I have said is that I want to cut players who we have reason to believe won't be successful next season and give that game time to players who may prove to be. I have repeatedly named the players I would give more game time to. For your convenience I will restate it here.
I want to spend the rest of the season taking stock of what we have and giving the kids a go. This is why I would like to see Dylan Fox given time at centre back. If he performs well, great we will go into next season with Fox and Durante as our centre backs. If Fox sinks, then we know we will have to recruit a centre back for next season. Same thing with the wing backs. Pick Danaskos and Gulley for the next ten games. If they perform then great. We have our wing backs for next season. If they don't perform then shark, we have to go out and buy some new wing backs in the off season.
I would also give Andrew Blake and Joel Stevens game time. We need to see more of Rufer, Ridenton, Appiah and Powell. If we pick Powell as a striker for the rest of the season and he blasts in eight goals then great we don't need to use a visa spot on a striker for next season. If Powell doesn't perform then we probably will need a visa striker next season. Rogerson may be too young to be expecting results yet but I would probably give him a run at some point too.
I think those people who are suggesting we sign a guest player are doing so in jest. However, if I take them seriously for a moment they are clearly wrong. Guest players and marquees are not the type of players you build your team around. The core of the team must be Australians and New Zealanders. We should pick the best squad we can with local talent and then look for something a little bit special to add that extra dimension. We should have looked to sign a guest player last season, when they could have made a difference. A good striker could have broken down Melbourne City or arrested our late season slump to 4th place. A guest player should be the cherry on top, not the whole cake. Even if we signed a good guest player they may not do well in our system and what's the point if they can't win us a title.
I think what you see here is a result of frustration. 1st season from Merrick we started like shark, were a bit unlucky and then went on a terrific run. Sure we finished at the foot of the table but we all felt positive because we had that little run we could point to. In the 2nd season, we against started indifferently and then we played fudgeing awesome. We got results in places we had never got results before. Again we got figured out, the season went to shark and we were knocked out in a limp effort against Melbourne City. Again, I felt confident at the end of last season. Merrick had shown enough. He would learn from the mistakes.
The frustrating thing is that this season we have regressed. We are playing this season, exactly how we played when we looked clueless how to break a team down against Melbourne City. For whatever reason, license, money or lack of recruiting ability, our recruitment stunk. It seems like our problems are ones that management should have predicted before the season but didn't.
If you want to see evidence of a team who took time to rebuild, look at the Wanderers. They had a shark year last season but went away and worked out which players were worth keeping. The basis of them being 2nd on the table now was formed during their miserable season last year. Then they worked out what they needed and recruited sharply.
it's funny how the solution is always just 'let's go sign some players' like there is a never ending conveyor belt of quality footballers sitting idle for the Phoenix to call and ignoring all other influencing factors.
In general - yes, you are right. It is not always the only solution especially if the team plays like crap otherwise (Robbie Fowler at NQ Fury, anyone?)
In particular - right now - you are not correct. We could have turned the game around with a skilled energetic striker, on evidence of our performance against CCM (especially that one but also other games this season). In our last game we enjoyed healthy possession, yet did not seriously threaten a rookie CCM goalie more than a couple of times or so. After our leading goalscorer went off with a rolled ankle, our performance turned flat as a possum on a West Coast road.
Yes we should expect other players to take up the slack and we can blame them or the coaching staff if they don't. But we all know that Roly gets marked out of the game, and that McGlinchey is not an out and out striker. Powell took his opportunity this time, but he does not start every game. Sarpong was a non-starter. Appiah is a potentially decent squaddie but not a game winner.
We had a good season last year but we improved hugely with Burns on the park. Even that was not enough to take us far in the playoffs. This year, absence of a quality striker (in addition to Krishna) is clearly showing. This is in addition to the other influencing factors, as you said, and I acknowledge they also play part. Examples are: ill discipline or poor refereeing, injuries (Sarpong, Rufer, Lia, Sigmund), anxiety over licence.
A Joel Griffiths or Appiah type situation could arise, a player from another HAL squad is released early and we sign them. It's not just scouring the NPL in ASBP for players but players coming to an end of their HAL contract and may not be getting the game time they want/behind someone in their first XI, not seeing eye-to-eye with the club etc. - not that anyone we want will become available.
With EM out of the transfer market, presumably because of the future status, then starting Blake Powell is probably the best bet this week. Seems to get himself into good scoring positions when he is on the field.
Think Welnix need to make a statement this week re status, as it's clearly impacting on the players, and the public interest is going to go real flat quickly - even as soon as this weekend.
Ins and outs of A-League January transfer window
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/01/04/...
it's funny how the solution is always just 'let's go sign some players' like there is a never ending conveyor belt of quality footballers sitting idle for the Phoenix to call and ignoring all other influencing factors.
(---)
You are quite right that there is no-one that we could sign in the January window. Ernie / the club / said already that they would not be signing anyone, be it for money reasons or because there are no likely / willing candidates. Some players are likely to leave other clubs to make space for new signings, but that does not mean they would be interested / available / affordable.
My answer was probably linked to a different question - that our squad this year is below the quality of our squad last season. In that context I still maintain that a good striker (which Sarpong is not) would help us a lot this season, but it is a moot point by now. It is just as significant that our defence has also been found to be wanting, pretty much in every position, as evidenced in the Adelaide game and now against CCM.
this exact same argument seems to happen at this exact time every season.
If it was as easy said as done, it would have been done by now. This is not ignoring the fact that there are teams below us that as probably thinking 'hmmm we are in the shark. Can we creep in the top 6? Lets go sign some players' so we are not alone in potentially scavenging for the scrap footballers that are lying around.
If only Terry was a successfull businessman and linked up with the Wellnix - We could of had a world class footballer in our team, or afford one.. dreams are for free lol
I don't know - people seem reluctant to work with Terry, WelNix might not have wanted to get on board with him.
I would love to see Hicks taken on a injury reserve contract for Rufer. I really rate Hicks, has been impressive for us in the past and I waas kinda sad when he was released last year. Not only is he a good all round quality midfielder I feel his presence would at the very least force weemac to fight for his spot as Hicks has already proven he can play there fairly well.
I think problem with Hicks is Ernie apparently didn't see use for him even when we had him, played more for the reserves than the first that last year. Can't see Ernie asking for him to come back (provided he wants him and South Melbourne will let him go)
May be off topic, but here is an interesting bit from the A-League website on available players:
"Sergio Van Dijk has already been a smash hit in the A-League, scoring 50 goals in 105 appearances for Brisbane and Adelaide respectively. Will be a free agent this month when his deal at Thailand club Suphanburi ends."
http://www.a-league.com.au/photo-gallery/11-transf...
I've always assumed his contract in Thailand runs until middle of this year.
OK so he is not a visa-free player, and is likely to be expensive. But who knows.
I would compare him at his current age and speed (and experience) to someone like Smeltz rather than Henrique.
Would tick a "metric" box with FFA for us.
Georgios Samaras - striker, Aussie passport holder, off contract, still only 30. Would cost a lot but would be a possible marquee/guest (81 games for Greece).
Another bit:
"MELBOURNE City were expected to gain Adelaide's Osama Malik in a straight swap for David Williams, however Williams has reportedly pulled the pin. There are suggestions he may now look to Newcastle."
Why Newcastle and not Wellington? At least we pay wages on time.
Georgios Samaras - striker, Aussie passport holder, off contract, still only 30. Would cost a lot but would be a possible marquee/guest (81 games for Greece).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgios_Samaras
Apparently CCM are favoured to get his signature, if he comes to Australia at all.
This was commented on in SMH, and also in The Age.
Georgios Samaras - striker, Aussie passport holder, off contract, still only 30. Would cost a lot but would be a possible marquee/guest (81 games for Greece).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgios_Samaras
Apparently CCM are favoured to get his signature, if he comes to Australia at all.
This was commented on in SMH, and also in The Age.
He'll probably end up at the Jest getting paid a million by the FFA while they talk about subsidising NZF through the Phoenix
I know that Ernie is not after a short-term fix and said he would not go to the transfer market.
However, his attempts to get Sarpong firing remind me of the efforts of Kurt Russell as R.J MacReady, in John Carpenter's "The Thing", trying to get his sputtering flamethrower working (in the blood test scene). Just as terrifying to watch.
May be off topic, but here is an interesting bit from the A-League website on available players:
"Sergio Van Dijk has already been a smash hit in the A-League, scoring 50 goals in 105 appearances for Brisbane and Adelaide respectively. Will be a free agent this month when his deal at Thailand club Suphanburi ends."
http://www.a-league.com.au/photo-gallery/11-transf...
I've always assumed his contract in Thailand runs until middle of this year.
OK so he is not a visa-free player, and is likely to be expensive. But who knows.
I would compare him at his current age and speed (and experience) to someone like Smeltz rather than Henrique.
Would tick a "metric" box with FFA for us.
Grab him. That guy just scores goals...usually against us.
May be off topic, but here is an interesting bit from the A-League website on available players:
"Sergio Van Dijk has already been a smash hit in the A-League, scoring 50 goals in 105 appearances for Brisbane and Adelaide respectively. Will be a free agent this month when his deal at Thailand club Suphanburi ends."
http://www.a-league.com.au/photo-gallery/11-transf...
I've always assumed his contract in Thailand runs until middle of this year.
OK so he is not a visa-free player, and is likely to be expensive. But who knows.
I would compare him at his current age and speed (and experience) to someone like Smeltz rather than Henrique.
Would tick a "metric" box with FFA for us.
Grab him. That guy just scores goals...usually against us.
He is unusual in that he gave up his Dutch passport in order to represent Indonesia (Indonesia does not allow dual citizenship). Apparently cost him some sleepless nights as he was born in Holland, his wife and some rellies are Dutch, etc.
He would be a visa player for us regardless, but I wonder if it makes any difference for NZ Immigration if someone has an EU passport or not' i.e. if they would let someone in more readily or otherwise.
I vaguely recall a fracas about ten years ago when a Fijian goalkeeper was not allowed into the New Zealand with their national team due to some distant connection with the official regime at that time (post-coup).
I think problem with Hicks is Ernie apparently didn't see use for him even when we had him, played more for the reserves than the first that last year. Can't see Ernie asking for him to come back (provided he wants him and South Melbourne will let him go)
South Melbourne signed him for the whole (winter) 2016 season so at best we would have to cool our heels till next (our) season. He is just at the right age, and SM is a good club (in organisational sense), possibly better than some of the HAL clubs we've seen come and go.
Georgios Samaras - striker, Aussie passport holder, off contract, still only 30. Would cost a lot but would be a possible marquee/guest (81 games for Greece).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgios_Samaras
Apparently CCM are favoured to get his signature, if he comes to Australia at all.
This was commented on in SMH, and also in The Age.
Isn't this club that is struggling to pay it's players??
Chris James went from Ardennes (2014) in France to second division Finnish team Ekenas for the 2015 season - this is hardly the pinnacle of European sport, and I do not think he scored for them as yet in 10 appearances.
Would you consider him a suitable injury replacement for Rufer? He has not had major injuries, is reasonably experienced and might provide a screening cover for our young fullbacks (or for Riera / Lia if they get suspended / injured). While not exactly a top-notch performer, he does not need a visa, and is a bit younger than Siggy, Lia or even Riera.
It might sound like scraping the bottom of the proverbial, but unless I am mistaken we need an experienced player as Rufer's replacement. We have some inexperienced (at that level) players on the fringes of the squad that I would not mind to see in action; but having them play against Brisbane (with Roly out, Manny out, and Siggy still out) it might be a bit like lambs to a slaughter.
http://www.a-league.com.au/article/hyundai-a-leagu...
Anelka and Keane were both offered to us apparently, would have thought of Anelka to be a particularly good fit. Wonder why they were turned down? Money? or Merrick still has faith in this squad
Anelka would definitely violate the no cocks policy. He makes Zlatan look like Pope Francis. I would have thought Sydney might have gone for him though, they need goals and could afford him you'd think. And they've already got Matt Simon so obviously they don't have a no cocks policy.
As much as I dislike him, Matt Simon is exactly the type of player we need. We have the wingers to supply him with a lot of chances. We have a nippy little striker to partner him. A cock for sure but when in your team, a useful cock.
Matt Simon tell me you are joking the Phoenix already have there nutter come thug in Muscat
Agree but he scores goals. Berisha is a nutter but he scores goals. Whats the one thing we need to fix right now? Goals.
To a certain degree, we can be nice guys and never win the league or perhaps get a guy thats a bit dicey but a match winner. We do not have match winner in our team.
If Berisha was offered to us, I'd take him no questions asked and hope for team culture to ground him somewhat (wishful hoping)
