nice, 2 year deal...... If we manage to secure the Hemed deal then our strike force looks really solid. Will suck for Waine if he is pushed back to the bench after his stellar season.
nice, 2 year deal...... If we manage to secure the Hemed deal then our strike force looks really solid. Will suck for Waine if he is pushed back to the bench after his stellar season.
Would be massive if we planned to sign Hemed too, that would be a pretty impressive attack along with whoever replaces Davilla. Waine would still learn alot working with them.
The Nix are talking about a Davila replacement that is "better than Uli" but "unknown to the league" (according to the last pod). Think this means Hemed is gone, I don't think there's room in a squad for both of them - guess that window Domey gave him closed pretty quick!
nice, 2 year deal...... If we manage to secure the Hemed deal then our strike force looks really solid. Will suck for Waine if he is pushed back to the bench after his stellar season.
Would be massive if we planned to sign Hemed too, that would be a pretty impressive attack along with whoever replaces Davilla. Waine would still learn alot working with them.
nice, 2 year deal...... If we manage to secure the Hemed deal then our strike force looks really solid. Will suck for Waine if he is pushed back to the bench after his stellar season.
Would be massive if we planned to sign Hemed too, that would be a pretty impressive attack along with whoever replaces Davilla. Waine would still learn alot working with them.
That would leave us without an import slot to replace Devlin, if he goes and we'd become incredibly front heavy with Hooper, Hemed, Waine, Ball, Piscopo and the new Uli competing for 4 spots in the XI. Don't think we need both Hoops & Hemed taking minutes off Waine, but he could do worse than playing a season as understudy to those 2.
Hemed's probably just lost a chunk of his leverage at the very least.
I don't think we should resign Hemed now. Hooper and Hemed are kinda similar players and we'll still want to replace Uli which means Ball and Waine would be on the bench and making us pretty top heavy tbh but i guess its also down to if we can resign Devlin.
nice, 2 year deal...... If we manage to secure the Hemed deal then our strike force looks really solid. Will suck for Waine if he is pushed back to the bench after his stellar season.
Would be massive if we planned to sign Hemed too, that would be a pretty impressive attack along with whoever replaces Davilla. Waine would still learn alot working with them.
That would leave us without an import slot to replace Devlin, if he goes and we'd become incredibly front heavy with Hooper, Hemed, Waine, Ball, Piscopo and the new Uli competing for 4 spots in the XI. Don't think we need both Hoops & Hemed taking minutes off Waine, but he could do worse than playing a season as understudy to those 2.
Hemed's probably just lost a chunk of his leverage at the very least.
Was thinking the same. Still, part of me hopes we do get Hemed too. Waine has a lot to learn from those two and we can't rely on either of them not to get injured at some point. I get the financial reality of the situation though.
Now this, I like. Two year deal and he'll be with us from the get go rather than coming in right at the start of things trying to get up to speed (which we seemed to have made a habit of doing...)
And who knows, with this whole designated player hullabaloo, we might even still be in for Hemed. Although as stated previously, makes us extremely top heavy and without a replacement for Devlin if/when he goes. Unless we're looking for a top NZ/Aussie to fill that particular spot.
i wonder if Ufuk is considering a shape change for next season, maybe a top 3 with Hemed, Hooper and Ball? with Piscopo, Lewis, ? with the back 4?
You'd be hard pressed to say a front 3 suits those players better than the existing setup. Which of Hemed and Hooper do you see as being capable as playing on one side of a front 3? Cos I don't want either of them in that role.
Much more likely we stick with the 2 up top and Ball as a wide 10 where he spent much of the season.
i wonder if Ufuk is considering a shape change for next season, maybe a top 3 with Hemed, Hooper and Ball? with Piscopo, Lewis, ? with the back 4?
You'd be hard pressed to say a front 3 suits those players better than the existing setup. Which of Hemed and Hooper do you see as being capable as playing on one side of a front 3? Cos I don't want either of them in that role.
Much more likely we stick with the 2 up top and Ball as a wide 10 where he spent much of the season.
just assumed that the three would play more centrally, rather than two wingers and a central target. I suppose Ufuk could go with Hemed and Hooper at the top with Ball in behind them, then have piscopo and lewis in the midfield with Devlin as the DM. 4-4-2 (diamond)
She's in for a nasty shock when they end up living in MacArthur.
Yes Campelltown ain't near the seaside. But Guadalajara isn't near el mar either. And who knows Devlin spent the whole season commuting (Sotiro also??) between the SW Sydney area and the Gong. Maybe Uli plans to do it is reverse.
What he will find at Macarthur is two similar aged (early 30s) Spanish guys in Beñat and Susaeta. At a guess they could also be family guys, so straight away Senora Davila, will have two new amiga WAGs to hang out with, who speak her mother tongue. If so, the thought of heading down to some local park on a sunny July Sydney day, babbling away in Espanol watching their kids running around, could make her a lot more happier than watching the Welly rain come in sideways all day, and downloading Mexican telenovelas for your cultural fix.
Google tells also me Sydney has a pretty organised Mexican expat community, with lots of expat events etc. I also personally know that there are smattering of Spanish language preschools in Sydders. But good luck getting into one of those.
Domey can try bang on all day long about the 'family feel' of a small city club like the Nix, but if you are ideally wanting long term commitment from your visa players, Brits will remain the best bet. Followed by maybe the odd intelligent, adventurous German. Steinmann seemed to genuinely enjoy himself.
Edit PS. Hooper back is great news. Hopefully Nix can rid those slow season start blues. And if we are targeting ISL returnees what about Krishna or Williams, if Hemed doesn't stay on??
Now this, I like. Two year deal and he'll be with us from the get go rather than coming in right at the start of things trying to get up to speed (which we seemed to have made a habit of doing...)
And who knows, with this whole designated player hullabaloo, we might even still be in for Hemed. Although as stated previously, makes us extremely top heavy and without a replacement for Devlin if/when he goes. Unless we're looking for a top NZ/Aussie to fill that particular spot.
There aren’t many high rep Aus/NZ DMs coming off contract, but Brandon O’Neill and Anthony Caceres might be decent, and Talay will know very well whether they are worth it or not being ex-Sydney. Local guys would be maybe Howieson or Schnell, but looks like a position might have to sign a visa player.
O'Neill would be a very very good addition especially because of his Aus status carlind
YoungHeart
Now this, I like. Two year deal and he'll be with us from the get go rather than coming in right at the start of things trying to get up to speed (which we seemed to have made a habit of doing...)
And who knows, with this whole designated player hullabaloo, we might even still be in for Hemed. Although as stated previously, makes us extremely top heavy and without a replacement for Devlin if/when he goes. Unless we're looking for a top NZ/Aussie to fill that particular spot.
There aren’t many high rep Aus/NZ DMs coming off contract, but Brandon O’Neill and Anthony Caceres might be decent, and Talay will know very well whether they are worth it or not being ex-Sydney. Local guys would be maybe Howieson or Schnell, but looks like a position might have to sign a visa player.
i wonder if Ufuk is considering a shape change for next season, maybe a top 3 with Hemed, Hooper and Ball? with Piscopo, Lewis, ? with the back 4?
You'd be hard pressed to say a front 3 suits those players better than the existing setup. Which of Hemed and Hooper do you see as being capable as playing on one side of a front 3? Cos I don't want either of them in that role.
Much more likely we stick with the 2 up top and Ball as a wide 10 where he spent much of the season.
just assumed that the three would play more centrally, rather than two wingers and a central target. I suppose Ufuk could go with Hemed and Hooper at the top with Ball in behind them, then have piscopo and lewis in the midfield with Devlin as the DM. 4-4-2 (diamond)
Not sure the last time I saw a team play with 3 out and out strikers, would be a massive gamble defensively. I don't think that's any better either.
Don't see why those players being available means we'd leave the 4-2-2-2, Ball has played plenty as one of the wide playmakers so I don't see why you'd shoehorn him into a 10 role now.
Uffie hasn't shown any desire to move away from his current formation and I don't see why having both Hooper and Hemed would change that in the slightest.
She's in for a nasty shock when they end up living in MacArthur.
Yes Campelltown ain't near the seaside. But Guadalajara isn't near el mar either. And who knows Devlin spent the whole season commuting (Sotiro also??) between the SW Sydney area and the Gong. Maybe Uli plans to do it is reverse.
What he will find at Macarthur is two similar aged (early 30s) Spanish guys in Beñat and Susaeta. At a guess they could also be family guys, so straight away Senora Davila, will have two new amiga WAGs to hang out with, who speak her mother tongue. If so, the thought of heading down to some local park on a sunny July Sydney day, babbling away in Espanol watching their kids running around, would be more attractive than watching the Welly rain come in sideways all day, and downloading Mexican telenovelas for your cultural fix.
Google tells also me Sydney has a pretty organised Mexican expat community, with lots of expat events etc. I also personally know that there are smattering of Spanish language preschools in Sydders. But good luck getting into one of those.
Domey can try bang on all day long about the 'family feel' of a small city club like the Nix, but if you are ideally wanting long term commitment from your visa players, Brits will remain the best bet. Followed by maybe the odd intelligent, adventurous German. Steinmann seemed to genuinely enjoy himself.
Benat and Susaeta are on 1 year deals & with 3 visa slots filled, I doubt they are being re-signed cuz Macarthur have used visa slots to sign guys in their positions.
Back on topic, stoked Hooper is back. Now to get Matti & Elliot back!
Now this, I like. Two year deal and he'll be with us from the get go rather than coming in right at the start of things trying to get up to speed (which we seemed to have made a habit of doing...)
And who knows, with this whole designated player hullabaloo, we might even still be in for Hemed. Although as stated previously, makes us extremely top heavy and without a replacement for Devlin if/when he goes. Unless we're looking for a top NZ/Aussie to fill that particular spot.
There aren’t many high rep Aus/NZ DMs coming off contract, but Brandon O’Neill and Anthony Caceres might be decent, and Talay will know very well whether they are worth it or not being ex-Sydney. Local guys would be maybe Howieson or Schnell, but looks like a position might have to sign a visa player.
I'd snap O'Neill up in a heartbeat. I doubt he would be affordable.
Now this, I like. Two year deal and he'll be with us from the get go rather than coming in right at the start of things trying to get up to speed (which we seemed to have made a habit of doing...)
And who knows, with this whole designated player hullabaloo, we might even still be in for Hemed. Although as stated previously, makes us extremely top heavy and without a replacement for Devlin if/when he goes. Unless we're looking for a top NZ/Aussie to fill that particular spot.
There aren’t many high rep Aus/NZ DMs coming off contract, but Brandon O’Neill and Anthony Caceres might be decent, and Talay will know very well whether they are worth it or not being ex-Sydney. Local guys would be maybe Howieson or Schnell, but looks like a position might have to sign a visa player.
I'd snap O'Neill up in a heartbeat. I doubt he would be affordable.
He is back in Perth after his dad passed away, so the Glory are heavy favorites to land him.
Too little too late, we're too unbalanced, Taylor and De Vere are another year older, Laws isn't ready. What if Louis Fenton forgets his legs work, Tim Payne goes blind in a hideous hot pie incident and Sam Sutton decides he's a chicken?
Other teams have two top strikers, so why can't we? Waine will fall back to the bench, but I'm ok with that as he is only 19 and will learn a lot from these two. A great option off the bench. Sotorio will be the one most hit with game time I would think.
Both Hemed and Hooper have lovely little touches and make great runs. Having them both up top will scare opposition defenders.
I wonder if we will look to move to a more traditional 4 - 4 - 2 if we keep Hemed and look to play Piscopo and Ball as an inverted wingers?
If we don't keep Hemed, I'd expect to set up the same way as this year.
I think Waine will get plenty of minutes as, if we keep both, Hoops is 33 so will need a break and both he and Hemed have had muscular injuries in the past so sadly that's a real possibility.
One thought is dawning on me, that we might not be looking to replace Davila with a similar player, but maybe play Reno in the Mexican's position instead and maybe throw some cash on another deep lying MF, especially if Devlin leaves. I wouldn't be against this necessarily. It's hard to believe we'd have the cash for Hoops, Hemed and another maestro like Davila?
I think our owners are committed to winning the whole show now, so this wouldn’t surprise me. In fact it would also please me.newzealandpower
I think Waine will get plenty of minutes as, if we keep both, Hoops is 33 so will need a break and both he and Hemed have had muscular injuries in the past so sadly that's a real possibility.
One thought is dawning on me, that we might not be looking to replace Davila with a similar player, but maybe play Reno in the Mexican's position instead and maybe throw some cash on another deep lying MF, especially if Devlin leaves. I wouldn't be against this necessarily. It's hard to believe we'd have the cash for Hoops, Hemed and another maestro like Davila?
I think Waine will get plenty of minutes as, if we keep both, Hoops is 33 so will need a break and both he and Hemed have had muscular injuries in the past so sadly that's a real possibility.
One thought is dawning on me, that we might not be looking to replace Davila with a similar player, but maybe play Reno in the Mexican's position instead and maybe throw some cash on another deep lying MF, especially if Devlin leaves. I wouldn't be against this necessarily. It's hard to believe we'd have the cash for Hoops, Hemed and another maestro like Davila?
Some gossip above that Nix are talking to 'a better than Uli' replacement for Davila.
Also being devil's advocate what if Piscopo has a great Olympics if picked for the Olyroos, and some European club makes the Nix a tidy offer, before next season even kicks off. He has always been mentioned as a player, the Nix would consider selling on. I'm sure he's keen to give Europe another crack. He sure looked distraught when getting that shoulder injury verus WSW, knowing his Olympics dream/shop window may have been gone.
Edit - And even if he does stay on for the 2021/22 season, and even if Nix won the league I think he'd be gone after that. The Melbourne clubs would definitely be circling at the end of his Nix contract. So I'm sure if the Nix got a big money offer, whilst having another quality Davila like visa AM on their books, they would seriously consider selling Piscopo before he became a free agent.
I think Waine will get plenty of minutes as, if we keep both, Hoops is 33 so will need a break and both he and Hemed have had muscular injuries in the past so sadly that's a real possibility.
One thought is dawning on me, that we might not be looking to replace Davila with a similar player, but maybe play Reno in the Mexican's position instead and maybe throw some cash on another deep lying MF, especially if Devlin leaves. I wouldn't be against this necessarily. It's hard to believe we'd have the cash for Hoops, Hemed and another maestro like Davila?
Some gossip above that Nix are talking to 'a better than Uli' replacement for Davila.
Also being devil's advocate what if Piscopo has a great Olympics if picked for the Olyroos, and some European club makes the Nix a tidy offer, before next season even kicks off. He has always been mentioned as a player, the Nix would consider selling on. I'm sure he's keen to give Europe another crack. He sure looked distraught when getting that shoulder injury verus WSW, knowing his Olympics dream/shop window may have been gone.
whilst possible I'd really like to see Reno take the chance to be the creator that Davila was this season. He's got the skills and it would be amazing to see him take control next season.
Hoops was great on the field when fit, but also showed a lot of commitment to the team, including staying up to watch Nix games with the fans on youtube during lockdown (even though it was the wee hours of the morning in the UK) and being one of only two foreigners who went home to return to the league for the end of the season (the other being Davilla).
Personally if it's Hooper then I don't see the point in having Hemed too.
Also I don't really buy this idea that Waine will learn a lot by playing second fiddle to the two of them. I'd rather see him do his learning on the park where he is beginning to show something a bit special.
Most of his six goals came during the time Hemed was injured which shows how well he performed in that role. He's got some speed and agility, a nice point of difference between him and the slightly lumbering Hooper & Hemed. He's got poacher's instinct. He is bursting at the seams to get on the park and do some damage. Can definitely see him translating all that to another 7 or 8, maybe more goals with decent opportunities.
