2016/17 Transfer Speculation

They're re-signing McGarry.

Shark yea.

Roly re-signed? Centre Back? Marco?

Riera retiring :'(

Shame we don't get to see him off! Know last season wasn't as great as before but still a rock for us http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/article/riera-to-...

no coincidence we have by and large been poor since he peaked 18 months ago.

Oh noooo. Shark

Or to put it another way- we were good because he was good and he'll be very hard to replace.

Maybe Roly will drop deeper?

Could this open the way for Tim Payne?

Reiray?

Thanx Albert..u were a joy to watch when u commanded that space in front of the back four.

Very bittersweet to hear Albert is retiring. At least I suppose it gives us a bit of flexibility in searching for defenders

Thanks for everything Albert. One of the better Nix signings

After reading that article can't help but wonder if there is not more to it

I think he's just got more to do in life, pro football was never the dream for him. He was great year one, very good year two,looked like his legs were gone last year. Definitely need a replacement in that position. By the way did you guys know he was an ambulance driver? Team A Rod will be stoked, their guy is no. 1 now!

Despite thinking he wasn't quite as good last year; he still brought a lot to the team. Will be sad to see him go.

Why? Ernie has never been one to straight up lie to media. Seems pretty cut and dry to me.

Perhaps some family issues back in Spain; that's Riera's business though.

I guess we'll sign an import defender now.

So we should be scouting ambulance drivers?

he comes from a place near France. .. he drives an ambulance. ... read your chant sheets JD

Would think Hudson-Wihongi would be the obvious replacement. Tho we could aim high and see if we could get Tuiloma on a season loan. Would fix up the fullbacks issue also.

We probably will re-sign Vinnie now

With an import slot freed up, we must get a commanding CB. Midfield we can cover between A Rod, Roly, Vinnie, Ridenton at 6 and 8 and Finkler, McGlinchy, Rufer for 10, or wide in case of weemac.

The last season must have been a difficult one for him, and I reckon he's just gone 'fudge it, there's a million other things I can do'.

His departure creates an intriguing mix of a golden opportunity mixed in with a potential for huge disaster.

Sad to see him go. I have no reason to not believe the press release, not sure why some people doubt it. Hope we get a decent replacement. Thanks Albert for all the well timed tackles.

This is the greatest description of football I have ever seen.

fixed

Unless we are in the hunt for a like for like DM. Not having reira in the line up will force us to change our shape. No other players in our squad are good enough in his role to keep playing the way we do... Who knows, we might even play a little wider because of it...

I didn't think Rufer had been resigned (yet)? Agree re the CB though - the critical signing this year and time we had a consistent right wing back. 

Semi blessing in disguise in the form of we were really overloaded in midfield, had an import that was going to sit on the bench (A-Rod can have that starting spot now) and we can sign a CB which we need. Albert was a shade down on last year and at 32, father time is still undefeated...

Not his best season last season but he goes out with eternal thanks and his image in tack. That first season was awesome.  Thanks Albert, you didreally really well.

It sounds more like a description of a Yellow Fever tifo to me!

Agreed, it sounds like our standard post-match celebrations in Courtenay Place

Sarcasm mate...

My only concern now is that I don't think A-Rod is good enough defensively to screen our back 4 like Riera did. With Bonevacia and Finkler further forward and Finkler especially being allergic to tackling - not sure if the balance in midfield will be right.

Midfield 3 of ARod, Roly and Lia/Ridenton/McGlinchey. Fink, Kosta and Krishna up top.

I also think we are more likely to be able to reinforce midfield than defence with Kiwis/Aussies. We really needed that import spot for a CB

I reckon disappointingly we will see Lia for another year

Ideally I'd want to get Dylan McGowan, but heard he might want to stay in Adelaide or go to Sydney.

Towards the end of the season when Riera was suspended we had Lia and Rodi as our two holding players and arguably had our best game controlling the centre. 

There is no substitute for pace and Riera had lost his and was becoming a liability. Will always be a favourite of mine, butI think his loss will actually aid us moving forward.

Tuiloma would be ideal. I guess it all comes down to whether he has a future with Marseille or not.

best way forward would be to get rid of lia too, he's not going to get any better with age. 

I disagree. a team also needs experience and Vinnie can bring that plus do the job. Why deny yourself of that?

Vinnie's struggling to run. Anyone goes round him, he's not catching up.