2016/17 Transfer Speculation

None, only notable Aussies out of contract atm are:

James Holland

Brett Holman

Adam Sarota

Luke Wilkshire

I would imagine James Holland would like to return to Victoria, and Melbourne City can still obviously accommodate tons of new players in their squad if they feel like it.

We can cross off Holman, off to Brisbane

That leaves Holland. By Phoenix standards he would be a good acquisition if he is willing to consider our offers.

On the other hand, he is not a defender.

he would fit right in then

#NotADefender

Our whole team are really wingers!

The top 6 Play-off formula

11 wins, 7 Draws and a positive goal difference.  = 40 points.

It will be interesting to see how close we get to this target this season with the squad we have. And, if 40 pts will be enough.

The teams with either 0 goal difference or negative goal difference missed the cut last year, even with only 10 teams.

I've been staring at the table for months now, every time I log on,  so I thought I might as well interpret it.

2015/16 for the record was 7 wins, 4 draws and 16 losses at -20 goal difference for a total of 25 points.

Looks like stopping the goals going in will be the first job. Then trying to win 5 more games than last year.

Defenders looking for Jobs: 

Constant Djakpa

Sebastian Boenisch

I guess not in our price range

We only have room for Aussie/Kiwis, so they could be willing to play for Maccas coupons and we wouldn't be able to sign them.

;-(

Making the playoffs is a failure IMHO, we need to be aiming for a home semi.

That's also a failure. We need to with the league and the toilet set you cods. COYN. FIRE UP FARKEN!!!!!!!!!

I can only speculate that if we don't lose to CCM as much that will help.

Laugh out loud! Good point. The battle of Trafalgar mark2 will be a benchmark for the season to come.

I'm not really a fan of a finals series, excepting that it adds a couple of extra games to a short season, because it rewards a team that peaks at the end and not a team that is consistent across a season. And yes, I know that historically the top two teams win it every year but that will change at some point. So personally I want to win the league first and the toilet seat second, preferably we'll win the double this year and the treble next.

Have 16 teams and have 15 home games and 15 away games every season. Top teams wins it. Have a team based in Auckland and abandon these travelling road show comedies. A pipe dream I know.

I think with a 23 man squad you would hope we have the right mix of players to put out 2 different XIs with every position covered by someone who is comfortable in their role. 

So our 1st XI might look like:

                     Moss

Fenton  Dura       Rossi  Doyle

                        Lia

                Roly     Finkler 

       Kosta   Krishna   WeeMac

2nd XI:

                    Italiano

????        Fox          ????    McGarry*

                     A-Rod

           Ridenton     ????

     Rogerson Watson Parkhouse 

*McGarry is out for months with a knee injury. Might not even still be contracted? Released for winter club football?

Now this is just indicative, obviously the 1st XI might be different. But still, we need a RB, a CB, a CM and probably another LB (at least as injury cover for the first half of the season). There's a few young guys in the setup who could fill some of those spots - Gulley, Rufer, Singh, maybe some more I haven't thought of. Still though it's obvious that we need defensive cover. And for all the talk of a RB we could actually use another LB and another CB still too, even if they're only young guys who are there for worst case scenarios like heaps of injuries and suspensions coinciding with an AWs game. I imagine Rufer or Singh will fill the last CM role.

I thought gulley was alright last year at right back. at least worth another shot.

I agree but it sounds like Ernie is after someone more experienced.

IMO Gulley is a better RB than Fenton 

Is Rufer contracted?

And is Mcgarry? 

I think Rufer's contract expired at the end of last season and is yet to be renewed. And McGarry was on a longer contract but was technically released from it to get around restrictions on pro players in the Central League over winter. So I don't think either of them are currently contracted. 

He has been listed as a contracted player on the A-League website for weeks.

http://www.a-league.com.au/article/your-hyundai-a-league-clubs-contracted-players/oadsanctb2dg1bz3g410xumnp

Thank goodness, given his injury. Merrick can call up a youth replacement if he needs.

But not significantly, top four finish better.

Is there a significantly better RB who is available and would count as a local? 

has Gulley been on the team sheet (even on the bench) in any games recently? Didn't Fox play RB ahead of him and Fenton in the weekend?

For mine Fenton either makes it as a RB this year or gets released. He's lost his directness and sharpness that he had moving forward that he had as a teenager and isn't HAL league quality in the front third as a AM. 

We will go in for storm roux next season so fenton/gulley is fine by me.

According to SST (so take with a pinch of salt) we are looking at Shayne D'Cunha, the former Wanderers player for the right back role.

Reece Caira all over again

It's like we're so close yet so far from being a good team

Heard the other week via a Rufer that he was doing some training with the Phoenix but wasn't currently contracted.

I think the back half of the pitch is still quite a worry.  Both full backs below A-League standard, Durant creaking, no dominant defensive centre midfielder...

I feel really sorry for Louis, I think he has been badly misused.  He was such an exciting prospect when he joined and trying to turn him into a right back has failed...

Yeah at the defensive end we've lost Siggy, Manny and Riera and have only added Rossi. And we conceded at least 10 more goals than anyone except the woeful Mariners last season. Relative to the other sides our defense was worse than our attack (8th in goals for, only 2 goals behind 7th)

Lots of talk about Michael Essien possibly coming to the league - any chance of FFA giving us the special dispensation to sign him?

I would imagine he would be more 'high-profile' than Diamanti?

Dreams are free...

Old conversation ( I know, but what're ya gunna do?), but I think he could have been a decent attacking fullback, but has been let down a bit by his injuries and the overall solidity of the team. If the rest of the team was solid he might have made it. Still might this year...

It's consistency I guess. Both he and Doyle have shown flashes of quality.

Has been shipped around to A-League clubs for a good 3 or 4 years it feels like.