2015/16 Transfer Speculation

He looks like he's 12.

At least we signed someone. Going to win the league etc

Similar signing to Rodriguez.

He may not have a Wikipedia page, but he's on YouTube.  Hattrick for Birmingham U21s

Not happy with this.  What happened to the aim of being the first team to win the League with no strikers.

Fudging inconsistent.

Had a look at the Birmingham FC website. Since he signed in July he's started pretty much every game for their U21's apart from a spell going to Grimsby on loan. In the U21's hes scored about once every 2 games, but that's the second tier of U21 football, a level below the U21's which A-Rod was in. At Grimsby (national league - fifth tier on the ladder) he played 4 and scored once. 

Overall I'm not convinced. That form at that level suggests that at best he will be sitting at a Powellish level. Definitely not a Burns replacement or even a Krishna replacement, and he aint gonna save our season.

lols they are playing on a paddock in the middle of nowhere

he'll think he's made the big time here

#notanotastriker

I reckon you could find someone similar kicking around Sunday league in Melbourne.

Suppose at least its someone but come on really, another youth player who has played little senior football. Hope im wrong but is he really going to be any better than what we have.Not up with all the youth we have here or in OZ is there no one from here who could have done the same job if at least given a chance.

I don't think I could have timed this post any better.

So this is the same Alex Jones who runs that infowars conspiracy theory website? Or a different Alex Jones?

Same one mate - he heard they were thinking about having Bilderberg 2016 here so came for a jaunt :)

He comes recommended from a previous Nix goal keeping coach, he has a record of scoring over there at lower levels and is a loan deal. I don't think its a bad pick up.

Yeh

sounds a hard working kid with a good attitude and a bit of talent and pace

no miracle worker, but the vids show he has a nose for goal

how he shapes up against gnarly hard arse aussie senior defenders will be another thing

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/loan-Grimsby-Town-striker-Alex-Jones-recalled/story-28353196-detail/story.html

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/JONES-PROVE/story-28157888-detail/story.html

Prediction:  He will score a brilliant goal, then spend the next couple of months being kicked the shark out of, that will test his fortitude, then the FFA will criticize how we need a marquee while him and Roly get kicked around the field.

Gnarly? Shark mate, you ever been to Birmingham?

Looking forward to seeing him play off Roly. Could be good. Or better.

The Phoenix obviously want to be signing young players, develop them and sell them. You never know, with this strategy we might get new AW's as well.

The fact that its a loan deal and we already had Krishna injured means we might expect another visa signing for Sarpong? Otherwise why not keep him until the end of the season.

Also how old was Gameiro when we signed him?

He's played alot of games at a similar level to A-Rod who despite what some would have you believe is a more than capable A-League player.

As for a young kiwi or Aussie instead.  Haven't we already signed Powell and Stevens who were two of the better young forwards outside the A-League?

Too much positivity   :P

Not sure how this transfer works for the long term goals of the club?

I hope he performs, but then he will leave at the end of the season with some 'runs on the board' - so at best we are just helping out another club. If there is an opportunity, if all parties are happy too, to make this signing a long term one then that would be great.

Otherwise, I don't see how signing an ASBP player on an extended trial would not be better, (any future Krishna's out there?) or looking at developing the players we have in our academy.

But we are doing that.  Joel Stephens has come from the WeeNix.  It's not like it's an 'or' proposition, it's an 'and' proposition.  He's injury cover for Krishna, it's not necessarily about future planning it's to cover for a key player injured.

Also, if you are calling for a domestic player name someone.  The current 5 top scorers in the ASB Premiership are (I think) all but one overseas players and that one is Hamish Watson who has been in and around the Phoenix for a number of years.

It's not like there is a Tyler Boyd or a Marco making a massive name for themselves to take a punt on currently.  Most of the better young players are already in Wellington between Ole and the WeeNix.

I get that, just that Stephens may not get as much game time for the rest of the season and then when AJ goes at the end of the season where does that leave Stephens (or Rogerson, McGarry etc.).

Apart from sort of 'extended trial' type signings from local leagues, it is easer to sign quality at the end of the season so this is just getting us to that point as best we can. If he does well it could open more loan deals for youngsters to come down here and make their mark.

Thought he did quute well on Sat too.

I'm happy with this signing hope Jones can make a mark and want to stay here permanently next season and beyond.

On another note, News is Stephens one of Patrick's auto corrects? If not it should be.

Who knows what's in the loan agreement, might be a clause to buy the player.

they may even be paying a portion of his wages

That might be where the deal works for both parties.

If he has a screamer he can ask for a bigger pay packet for next season, and may be worth the money.  But if he doesn't step up we aren't sitting on another lame horse in an import slot.

If he has a blinder why would he stay here next season as he is currently signed by a decent club.

Maybe he still isn't quite up to starting in the club, and so a year of starting here may help his development more?  Might want to do an OE for a year or so here? etc.

Hope he got used the fantastic pitch at the westpac.

Hope he does not confused by all the people in the stadium chanting.

I hope he does well, him doing well means the 'Nix will be doing better. Cross that bridge, him extending stay, at the end of the season.

Better than the A-League, at least they have dugouts.

I personally would have gone for Ryan de Vries. The track record of players coming from this background is not great.

Still, beggars can't be choosers.

He could be our Rojas with hair on his upper lip

A diehard Brummy fan tells me that he is a decent player who the manager rates. Apparently has let go (sold) a bit of young talent but has gone out of his way to keep him.

Well I came into this thread expecting the same miserable cods moaning about nothing happening in the transfer window and bagging the Phoenix as useless and sack Merrick etc and then those same miserable cods doing a 180 rejoicing for a signing. Plastic fans. Good to see I was not let down in my expectation.

As 2nd Best said, the lack of outcome is not necessarily due to the lack of endeavour and some people would have been best to shut their gob until AFTER the transfer window had closed rather than having egg on their face today. Its kinda obvious really, like racecar...... *facepalm*

Having said that, going into the season with 2 aging centre backs in their mid-30s, and a young kid back-up, was risky. To suggest that it was unforeseeable that one of them could go down (or even simply underperform) is cutting the cloth too fine.

Having said that, he can't really be criticised for the Sarpong signing - it was really an unfortunate situation where a lot of little things combined together to make it a fizzer. But it was a worth a try - just didn't work out. Not the first time nor the last that something like that will happen to a football club.

Especially when is was known before the season kicked off that Siggy was having a battle to get fit.Dont get people coming on a fan forum and not expecting some criticism. 

Then again there normally is more than enough back slapping that goes on here.LOL

I agree mostly with what EG said, but I do think Sarpong was a bigger gamble than we needed to take. Basically the idea that he was brought in to score goals but didn't have a history of scoring goals, combined with the fact that imports are always a gamble anyway meant that we were betting on him not only not being a dud generally but also on him suddenly becoming a goalscorer overnight. Two gambles in one! 

But I understand that because of the license issues etc recruitment this season was probably more difficult

Can we have our club back, not this half-baked academy pursuit.

Got a few mill?