WPM 2021/22 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

With all the uncertainty, Nix will have to bite the bullet and move back to Wollongong. I know it will be a pain financially and I feel bad for players and their families but there is no way covid will be cured and sorted out in the next season. Even if they restart the travel bubble it could be shutdown again in few days and then teams could be stranded in NZ in AU.
If the this will be to expensive for the owners we will fold get sold and become the Wellingong Pholves. This would be maybe the best for the Players families as this would be at least their last move. It’s all very grim. 

Lonegunmen

Scott Morrison (The Aussie PM One) is an absolute plank that can't even control his own state premiers. What is the point of a PM if they can't even run their own country? And further as a distraction he again'attacks" ours about our handling of this new outbreak. The guy needs to wake up and smell his own roses before he tries to smell ours. 

Basically he is doing his apprenticeship for a new role as a CEO of FFA after the next federal elections.

number8

With all the uncertainty, Nix will have to bite the bullet and move back to Wollongong. I know it will be a pain financially and I feel bad for players and their families but there is no way covid will be cured and sorted out in the next season. Even if they restart the travel bubble it could be shutdown again in few days and then teams could be stranded in NZ in AU.
If the this will be to expensive for the owners we will fold get sold and become the Wellingong Pholves. This would be maybe the best for the Players families as this would be at least their last move. It’s all very grim. 

Not sure they will be in The Gong. If season starts October 30th (8 weeks) away, hard currently to see sport of any kind being played in NSW by then. If it is, it will almost certainly be sans crowds, and interstate teams won't be visiting if they have to quarantine on return to WA, SA, VIC & QLD. 

I guess is possible 5 NSW teams could just start season playing each other (ie a NSW hub), and Gong Nix added to remove need for a bye. Even without crowds, that would be a low cost option for the A League rather than relocating 5 NSW teams elsewhere. If they all went to Perth for example, they would be playing in front of virtually no crowds anyway, except when playing Glory. 

But will Nix players and staff be happy in The Gong, if NSW is still under effective lockdown come Oct 30th, when other states like SA & WA will likely be almost fully open. They certainly won't be taking their families to NSW.

I imagine Nix (like Warriors & Breakers) will also be after some guidance from NZ Govt, as to when Australian sports teams could travel to NZ without MIQ required. Could there be exemptions for fully vaccinated sports teams by Christmas? They will want some feedback before relocating to Aus, as to how long they may have to be there.

Sooo many moving parts. Is currently a nighmare for Dome & Co, but with luck they could be back in NZ in time for Santa.

This Greek guy is linked with an A-League move. Previously played for Xanthi, so I wonder if Callan Elliot had a word with him? Of course, there are a bunch of other Xanthi connections across the league as well...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savvas_Siatravanis

Lonegunmen

Scott Morrison (The Aussie PM One) is an absolute plank that can't even control his own state premiers. What is the point of a PM if they can't even run their own country? And further as a distraction he again'attacks" ours about our handling of this new outbreak. The guy needs to wake up and smell his own roses before he tries to smell ours. 

Fun fact, he used to work for the NZ Tourism Board in Wellington and made that a complete toxic mess as well.

number8

With all the uncertainty, Nix will have to bite the bullet and move back to Wollongong. I know it will be a pain financially and I feel bad for players and their families but there is no way covid will be cured and sorted out in the next season. Even if they restart the travel bubble it could be shutdown again in few days and then teams could be stranded in NZ in AU.
If the this will be to expensive for the owners we will fold get sold and become the Wellingong Pholves. This would be maybe the best for the Players families as this would be at least their last move. It’s all very grim. 

Didn't Dome say we won't be going back to the gong?

dunnix

This Greek guy is linked with an A-League move. Previously played for Xanthi, so I wonder if Callan Elliot had a word with him? Of course, there are a bunch of other Xanthi connections across the league as well...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savvas_Siatravanis

Linked to the Victory 

Ryan

Lonegunmen

Scott Morrison (The Aussie PM One) is an absolute plank that can't even control his own state premiers. What is the point of a PM if they can't even run their own country? And further as a distraction he again'attacks" ours about our handling of this new outbreak. The guy needs to wake up and smell his own roses before he tries to smell ours. 

Fun fact, he used to work for the NZ Tourism Board in Wellington and made that a complete toxic mess as well.

Played the majority of his career in the third division of Greece... Hopefully its not us

I notice Lamine Kone has just started following the Nix on Instagram. Ex Sunderland, Ivory Coast international and French national youth player. However he is a centreback and don't think we will be getting another visa there unless Taylor is leaving again. Kone is currently without a club 

Ufuks the man

I notice Lamine Kone has just started following the Nix on Instagram. Ex Sunderland, Ivory Coast international and French national youth player. However he is a centreback and don't think we will be getting another visa there unless Taylor is leaving again. Kone is currently without a club 

He's a decent player, ex Lorient, who I kinda follow because of the Leyton Orient connection. Played quite a few times for Sunderland for memory, under Moyes I think. But, yeah, do we need another visa CB?

replacement for DeVere as a starting CB?

If we did sign him a backline of Payne, Taylor, Kone and Sutton with Sail in goal would be the best in the A-League. 

Or are we going to change tactics and play three at the back. Payne, Taylor, Kone.

Would rather our last two visa spots were midfielders however.

This would be a great signing if it happened. Would finally give us some depth at CB, which we sorely lacked last season.

The Jam

Ufuks the man

I notice Lamine Kone has just started following the Nix on Instagram. Ex Sunderland, Ivory Coast international and French national youth player. However he is a centreback and don't think we will be getting another visa there unless Taylor is leaving again. Kone is currently without a club 

He's a decent player, ex Lorient, who I kinda follow because of the Leyton Orient connection. Played quite a few times for Sunderland for memory, under Moyes I think. But, yeah, do we need another visa CB?

Out of interest, is there a connection between Lorient and Leyton Orient (other than the similar names)?

Oska

The Jam

Ufuks the man

I notice Lamine Kone has just started following the Nix on Instagram. Ex Sunderland, Ivory Coast international and French national youth player. However he is a centreback and don't think we will be getting another visa there unless Taylor is leaving again. Kone is currently without a club 

He's a decent player, ex Lorient, who I kinda follow because of the Leyton Orient connection. Played quite a few times for Sunderland for memory, under Moyes I think. But, yeah, do we need another visa CB?

Out of interest, is there a connection between Lorient and Leyton Orient (other than the similar names)?

Couldn't find anything of substance, but if you lose the 'eyton' they're basically the same thing 🤷

No, nothing at all. Just quite a few O's fans follow Lorient because of the name. Good enough for me.

He'd be immense. Seen Strasbourg fans say he's been maybe their best CB over recent years, though last season in Ligue 1 was spotty. Was fantastic in the EPL for Sunderland for a while, but turned to sharke for a fair bit too. Would immediately be one of the best defenders in the league based off reputation alone.

Where's the money coming from though? If we do have a nest egg tucked away to cover wages such as his, I'd be pleasantly surprised

I'd guess that Welnix arent exactly poor, they just have their own restrictions on what they want to spend etc. If Uffie and Dome put a case together that we should be spending the money then I'm confident it'll happen,

Surely we are talking to him. He only follows 124 accounts, and the majority of them seem to be players he may have played with throughout his career and his former clubs. Doesn't make any sense for him to randomly stumble accross the nix account and give it a follow

Great to have some actual signing chat, been quiet since Pennington. Good pedigree by the sounds, but seems a surprising move based on priorities, we lost star AM and striker and instead go for a centre back who sounds like he could command a decent wage. 

The three at the back shouts might be onto it. Of McGarry, Sutton, Fenton and Elliot I wouldn’t say any are really proper fullbacks (Sutton closest as he’s not a converted winger), so wingbacks would suit them better. 

If he’s still sold on the 4-2-2-2, would be interesting to see what would happen with Payne, as Talay doesn’t really rotate, Devere and Taylor played pretty much every game first season and only injuries forced it last year, until Taylor came back, then there was none. There was talk of Payne still being seen as a fullback, but then one of Elliot or Fenton will be third choice and won’t even see the bench unless there’s injuries.

carlind

Great to have some actual signing chat, been quiet since Pennington. Good pedigree by the sounds, but seems a surprising move based on priorities, we lost star AM and striker and instead go for a centre back who sounds like he could command a decent wage. 

The three at the back shouts might be onto it. Of McGarry, Sutton, Fenton and Elliot I wouldn’t say any are really proper fullbacks (Sutton closest as he’s not a converted winger), so wingbacks would suit them better. 

If he’s still sold on the 4-2-2-2, would be interesting to see what would happen with Payne, as Talay doesn’t really rotate, Devere and Taylor played pretty much every game first season and only injuries forced it last year, until Taylor came back, then there was none. There was talk of Payne still being seen as a fullback, but then one of Elliot or Fenton will be third choice and won’t even see the bench unless there’s injuries.

We have replaced Hemed already though, with Hooper. THat, plus another season of development for Waine should cover us up top, even without replacing Lokoli-Ngoy or Muratovic. 

I can see why we wanted an additional CB as we're a little thin there with McGing & TAHW released, but I'm very hopeful we'll also get an Uli replacement with a visa spot - still plenty of time before the season begins.

I do expect Payne to be pushed to RB and compete with Elliot/Fenton, as well as serving as first drop CB. Wonder if Uffie thinks he may be able to play holding midfield also given he has history there (albeit at lower levels).

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a 3 at the back. Kone, Taylor and Payne with Pennington/Rufer and Lewis in front, Sutton/Mcgarry and Fenton Elliot out wide. Ball and Hoops up top, with a visa 10 in behind. Would be Tasty

Jazzy Jeff

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a 3 at the back. Kone, Taylor and Payne with Pennington/Rufer and Lewis in front, Sutton/Mcgarry and Fenton Elliot out wide. Ball and Hoops up top, with a visa 10 in behind. Would be Tasty

Are we guna lose Piscopo? Rufer probably to the bench for Lewis and Reno in the 10 or switched with Ball. 
In my humble reckons. 

martinb

Jazzy Jeff

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a 3 at the back. Kone, Taylor and Payne with Pennington/Rufer and Lewis in front, Sutton/Mcgarry and Fenton Elliot out wide. Ball and Hoops up top, with a visa 10 in behind. Would be Tasty

Are we guna lose Piscopo? Rufer probably to the bench for Lewis and Reno in the 10 or switched with Ball. 
In my humble reckons. 

 Genuinely forgot about Reno, wow

I hope that he is still with us this season, I haven't seen anything that has confirmed he is going anywhere though.

I actually think a 3 atb would suit this team really well. Formation up to will depend on what position we sign our last import slot if we do get Kone. Looking at that team we'd only need a local cm and maybe CB for extra depth if we're going 3atb to round it off.

lineup (4).png 145.36 KB

Dome and co must be working overtime with the APL. No point visa players doing 2 weeks MIQ in NZ and then another 2 weeks in Aus. Which MIQ system has the most openings NZ or Aus (presumably going to WA, SA or QLD)? Can a visa player that does 2 weeks MIQ in NZ, then fly to WA/QLD/SA and bypass doing 2 weeks more MIQ? Can the Nix's Wellington contingent (say when at Level 2) fly to WA/QLD/SA without having to do MIQ there? All Blacks have just flown to Perth without any MIQ required.

Where in Aus, will Nix base themselves for start of the season? WA, SA & Tassie lowest risk. Who going to pay for all the extra costs of another relocation?

So many moving parts. Sympathy for the club and owners. At least I think is some chance the team will be back in NZ by Christmas, but that will wholly depend on the NZ Govt granting exemptions for fully vaccination Australian A League teams to fly in/out of NZ without MIQ. Breakers will be in the same boat, and international cricket teams coming to NZ as well over the summer.

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/catching-coach-ufuk-talay
How has the Covid situation in both New Zealand and Australia affected your ability to recruit new players for next season and build a team?

The hardest thing has been able to sign the visa players, the overseas-based players, to actually get them into the country.

You know I was supposed to fly into New Zealand in early July and ended up getting in the country – and I’m very grateful to have gotten into the country – in early August. So there are no special conditions for the Club, we have to sit there and try and book our MIQ spots [like everyone else] to get into the country as well.

At the moment we’ve got Nicholas Pennington who’s still in Italy, he’s got an exemption to come into the country but not an MIQ spot, so we’ve been trying to get him over here as soon as we can as well. In that regard we’re don’t get any special conditions, we’re just like the general public; we go in, we try and book a spot and if we get in, we get in.

So I think that’s been the most difficult part of recruiting players, more so with the visa players.

The fans want to see who we’re bringing in, the new names coming into the team that add a lot of value to our Club. So as I said before the hardest part has been getting them into the country, whether it’s through Australia or straight through into New Zealand.

And while that hinders us a bit, we’re in no rush with that; once we have a clearer picture of what the season looks like for us, then we can decide what we want to do with players.

5 - 3 - 2 would work for us IMO.

Allow us to get the best out of McGarry and Elliott who are naturally more attacking, with a very solid back three if we get Kone. 

2 hard working mids with Piscopo floating and Hooper with Ball or Waine up top.

With no natural wingers this gives us width, without having to play people out of position to fit the system, think Davila out left or Ball playing wide right at times last season.

Surely we would have retained McGing if we were guna play 3 at the back? Need at some depth to cover injuries etc if that was the plan. 

Jazzy Jeff

martinb

Jazzy Jeff

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a 3 at the back. Kone, Taylor and Payne with Pennington/Rufer and Lewis in front, Sutton/Mcgarry and Fenton Elliot out wide. Ball and Hoops up top, with a visa 10 in behind. Would be Tasty

Are we guna lose Piscopo? Rufer probably to the bench for Lewis and Reno in the 10 or switched with Ball. 
In my humble reckons. 

 Genuinely forgot about Reno, wow

 
He’s our main man now, right? 
Unless Lewis steps up a lot or Old does!
 

Still got a couple of visa slots up our sleeves, all talk about this south american play maker who was better than Davila has dried up though.

Ryan

Still got a couple of visa slots up our sleeves, all talk about this south american play maker who was better than Davila has dried up though.

Might have been the Mexican who was linked to the Nix, but who as it turned out got sacked by his Liga MX club because of some sexual assault charges.

Don't expect any announcement on new visa signings, until the situation is confirmed where in Australia, the Nix will start their A League season.

Maybe Ufuk is thinking about this:

                                                      Sail

                             Elliot     Taylor (c)     Kone     Sutton

                                            Payne     Lewis

                       Import AM                                     Piscopo


                                             Hooper     Ball               

Wouldn't mind using visa spot on Kone and Import AM. I would rather see Waineo really challenging Ball and Hooper for starting role rather than getting another import ST and then Waineo falling down the pecking order.

coochiee

Ryan

Still got a couple of visa slots up our sleeves, all talk about this south american play maker who was better than Davila has dried up though.

Might have been the Mexican who was linked to the Nix, but who as it turned out got sacked by his Liga MX club because of some sexual assault charges.

Don't expect any announcement on new visa signings, until the situation is confirmed where in Australia, the Nix will start their A League season.

They were pretty adamant it was a south American player though not north American. 

Jazzy Jeff

Surely we are talking to him. He only follows 124 accounts, and the majority of them seem to be players he may have played with throughout his career and his former clubs. Doesn't make any sense for him to randomly stumble accross the nix account and give it a follow

I'd have to agree it looks that way. He does only follow clubs he has played for and the players and has no obvious connection to any Nix players. From what I know of him he's a decent player and as good if not better than Taylor. I see teams really struggling to score against us with Kone and Taylor at the back 

His rating in FIFA is 73 overall whereas Taylor is 68. 😂 

He is a big unit isn’t he?

Napier Phoenix

He is a big unit isn’t he?

Kone.jpg 807.51 KB

He sure is 

Although this seems to be pure speculation, I am hoping its true. Seems like a solid player!

Ryan

coochiee

Ryan

Still got a couple of visa slots up our sleeves, all talk about this south american play maker who was better than Davila has dried up though.

Might have been the Mexican who was linked to the Nix, but who as it turned out got sacked by his Liga MX club because of some sexual assault charges.

Don't expect any announcement on new visa signings, until the situation is confirmed where in Australia, the Nix will start their A League season.

They were pretty adamant it was a south American player though not north American. 

I don't think anyone'e been overly adamant about the rumoured player, Central/South America could have just as easily been confused by the person starting the rumour as us fans.