WPM 2021/22 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

GAAAH! He played for the Franchise! UNCLEAN!!!!

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

please guys, this whole 'payne to right back' thing has to stop ;-)

Will be interesting to hear everyones best starting 11 when we have a fully fit squad which isn't anytime soon but gotta be optimistic sometimes . Fullbacks positions are the only place we really lacking real quality in.

Sail 
Elliot Wootton Payne Sutton 
Pennington Lewis
Piscopo Sandoval
Ball Hooper

I've seen him play loads for Argyle and Leeds, my two other teams.  He's a piss poor signing for us.  Was regularly booed off the park at both clubs.  

Would much rather play Alex at the back then him.  

He was one half of the defence that nearly got Argyle relegated last season.  Very much a desperation signing and if he's the best we can get the club has some serious cashflow/recruitment issues 

Yeahcoulddo

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

He nearly got both of those sides relegated from their respective divisions (Leeds: Championship, Argyle, League One).  His level is NZFC/state leagues at best.  He is no Taylor.

don’t say that!!! Give us some hope…

Marto

I've seen him play loads for Argyle and Leeds, my two other teams.  He's a piss poor signing for us.  Was regularly booed off the park at both clubs.  

Would much rather play Alex at the back then him.  

He was one half of the defence that nearly got Argyle relegated last season.  Very much a desperation signing and if he's the best we can get the club has some serious cashflow/recruitment issues 

He nearly got both sides relegated?!
Hyperbole much?

Marto

Yeahcoulddo

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

He nearly got both of those sides relegated from their respective divisions (Leeds: Championship, Argyle, League One).  His level is NZFC/state leagues at best.  He is no Taylor.

 
That is… concerning to say the least. 

It's almost as if some players handle different teams and leagues differently to others. Steven Taylor is considered one of Portland Timbers' worst ever imports, for example.

Wootton isn't hanging round league football for more than a decade if he's NZFC level.

Yeahcoulddo

Marto

Yeahcoulddo

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

He nearly got both of those sides relegated from their respective divisions (Leeds: Championship, Argyle, League One).  His level is NZFC/state leagues at best.  He is no Taylor.

 
That is… concerning to say the least. 

Whilst I respect Marto's call on the new fella, having watched him a lot. To say he was solely responsible for almost getting them relegated seems very, very harsh. I only say that because there's another 10 blokes out there with him.

He may be no Steven Taylor, but honestly there's not many Taylor types available out there at the minute is there?

Let's cut him some slack here, because I hope he slots in and does well. Hopefully I'm not the only one who's thinking like that...

Surely there’s only one Steven Taylor ?(one Steven Taylor, one Steven Taaaaaylor!)
Let’s let the new bloke be himself. We’ve got some good keen young blokes for him to play next to- Laws, Rufer and Payne. If he’s a right footer I feel it may be Laws, though we think Payne may be the best player of the 3. All three can pass a football, tbh. 
Glad he’s coming. Hope he can get up to speed. Knee issues a worry- but we’ve had a few club legends with those problems. 
Who’s providing the midfield cover is a question we haven’t answered. 
Pennington and Lewis doesn’t seem to have the snarl Uffie likes. 

Also on this season absolutely enjoying seeing Paulsen and Van Hattum come through, joining Sutton, Elliot, Waine and co of the young lads with McGarry, Rufer and Fenton of the older guys. Actually Paulsen and Van Hattum seem to have more confidence than the lads who’ve been overseas. Add to that good kiwi players in Payne and Lewis and there’s plenty of up sides for me. Sure we’ve been done a couple of times, but we’ve also had two games a week for a while! 

Disappointed we didn’t quite steal a few more points against Sydney or one or two others. 

But again, I think I’m the guy from the Fast Show, isn’t football brilliant? 

Marto

I've seen him play loads for Argyle and Leeds, my two other teams.  He's a piss poor signing for us.  Was regularly booed off the park at both clubs.  

Would much rather play Alex at the back then him.  

He was one half of the defence that nearly got Argyle relegated last season.  Very much a desperation signing and if he's the best we can get the club has some serious cashflow/recruitment issues 

The question are- will he give us something on the pitch and in the squad we don’t have? Can he help organize and keep our discipline at the back? Is he going to be overawed? Is he going to cope with an Aussie summer? Will we be better for him being in our team? 

Even if he’s had a tough time, he’s got about as much experience as our last cup squad put together. Experience is something we’re short on. Anyone coming to the A League has a reason, but it’s a real mixed bag who’s going to thrive here. Sometimes it’s Fornaroli, sometimes not. Uffie thinks it’s worth doing, it’s good enough for me.

He’s emphasized his communication and technical ability in the interview.
Any more in depth overview/video compilation or some such?

Someone should ask Shaun Gill what attributes they saw in him the first time they tapped him up. 

Marto

Yeahcoulddo

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

He nearly got both of those sides relegated from their respective divisions (Leeds: Championship, Argyle, League One).  His level is NZFC/state leagues at best.  He is no Taylor.

so those clubs getting relegated had nothing to do with how bad the rest of the squad was? It was all on one player??

theprof

Marto

Yeahcoulddo

Pleased with that. We’ve had a pretty good run with signing players from League One/Championship level so here’s hoping. 

Def need the experience at the back and I’m sure Bally and Hoops will like having another English lad around!

With these postponements perhaps the next time the Nix play we’ll be able to run out all the new signings! 

He nearly got both of those sides relegated from their respective divisions (Leeds: Championship, Argyle, League One).  His level is NZFC/state leagues at best.  He is no Taylor.

so those clubs getting relegated had nothing to do with how bad the rest of the squad was? It was all on one player??

Saw a Leeds fan say that he was "okay", but was scapegoated a lot. Player feedback's really appreciated but to pin relegation on one player is out there

So we get a player on Taylor type wages and is a bum, there goes the season.

Royz

So we get a player on Taylor type wages and is a bum, there goes the season.

no way close to taylors wage probs on less than Piscopo tbh

isnt this what this forum does to Rufer after every loss?

Didn't quote above text... was an add on to blaming one player for relegation.

Royz

So we get a player on Taylor type wages and is a bum, there goes the season.

Oh I how I missed reading your inane drivel. I feel the earth returning to its axis. Welcome back. 

harrymc55

He nearly got both sides relegated?!
Hyperbole much?

 No, sadly.

martinb

Marto

I've seen him play loads for Argyle and Leeds, my two other teams.  He's a piss poor signing for us.  Was regularly booed off the park at both clubs.  

Would much rather play Alex at the back then him.  

He was one half of the defence that nearly got Argyle relegated last season.  Very much a desperation signing and if he's the best we can get the club has some serious cashflow/recruitment issues 

The question are- will he give us something on the pitch and in the squad we don’t have? Can he help organize and keep our discipline at the back? Is he going to be overawed? Is he going to cope with an Aussie summer? Will we be better for him being in our team? 

Even if he’s had a tough time, he’s got about as much experience as our last cup squad put together. Experience is something we’re short on. Anyone coming to the A League has a reason, but it’s a real mixed bag who’s going to thrive here. Sometimes it’s Fornaroli, sometimes not. Uffie thinks it’s worth doing, it’s good enough for me.

He’s emphasized his communication and technical ability in the interview.
Any more in depth overview/video compilation or some such?

Having watched him play in the flesh more then I've watched Taylor and a few others at the Nix, he really is not worth a waste of a foreign spot. 

He's certainly not what we need, his leadership is OK but he reads the game poorly and needs another senior figure telling him what to do at the back.  I kind you not about his lack of quality. 

He was ok in League Two for Argyle and Morecombe, but that is of a lesser standard then the A League.  He's been found out numerous times and when loaned out to Wigan many were happy at Home Park. 

A couple of recent threads from Pasoti, PAFC's Yellow Fever for you all to make your minds up:

https://pasoti.co.uk/threads/outgoing-scott-wootton-to-wigan-on-loan.113634/
https://pasoti.co.uk/threads/players-who-need-to-go.112913/

The Home Park boys had a tune for him, am sure its on youtube although not sure many Nix fans will have a chance to sing it to him.

He's played 1700 minutes in league one in just over a year. He played over 3000 minutes in the year 19/20 that Plymouth were promoted. Judging by some of what's being said, the coaches selecting him must have been a bunch of mugs.
I keep getting told that the Nix need a physical player, well you're taking a player from one of the most physical leagues in the World. He should be a good fit 👍. 

As for his wages, he'll get what he was getting in league one. Probably £150k=A$290/300k

Another point: Wootton would have gone to Leeds United when Cellino was the owner. Say what you like about that piece of work, but he's no mug and he's tight fisted as hell. He would not spend a penny on a player if he wasn't sure that he was getting value. He would have taken Leeds to the Premier League. He's currently taking Brescia back to Serie A at minimum cost. Cellino wants Wootton then the Nix have got to want Wootton. 

There is really only one poster dishing his signing. And why folks take the opinions of other club fan groups as strongly informed gospel, I'll never know. Shouldn't we know better than that?

Talay & Gill would have done their research, in a likely limited field of candidates. They get to appraise Wootton for the rest of the A League campaign, with a strong view to next season. And if he goes well they have the experienced CB they crave longer term. If not they have time to find someone else for season 2022/23, unlike this season when Taylor left them in the lurch last minute.

Also kudos to Welnix owners, for splashing some extra cash in these tough financial times.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/127456328/wellington-phoenix-recruit-holds-manchester-united-memories-close-to-his-heart
Interesting article. That's 2 more "'Champions League" games than anyone else at the club! His habits and experience in what he did gain at United could well help the youngsters in the club. Things like that when you're in your teens and 20ish, are a good platform for behaviour.

Lonegunmen

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/127456328/wellington-phoenix-recruit-holds-manchester-united-memories-close-to-his-heart
Interesting article. That's 2 more "'Champions League" games than anyone else at the club! His habits and experience in what he did gain at United could well help the youngsters in the club. Things like that when you're in your teens and 20ish, are a good platform for behaviour.

Hooper has a few with Celtic, and technically Clayton Lewis is a Champions League winner as well  

Good signing in my uneducated opinion (have never seen him play...), but based on his career he adds to the squad. Especially if he's fit and no injury isssues.

It's unfair to compare him to Taylor and be disappointed he isn't a like for like replacement from a quality pov... for a start Taylor was likely on a lot more coin. As long as he's a step up from who we currently have, that is what matters, not if he's as good as arguably our best ever defender. Let's not forget that in the cup game last week we had Rufer starting at CB, and that Payne who has been starting all year isn't a usually a CB either - as well as losing Taylor we also lost DeVere due to injury.

You don't start in that many English Championship/League 1 matches (and be on the books of and get a couple of CL matches for Man U!) if you don't have some quality. Based on his interview/press conference he also meets the no dickhead policy :) Just turned 30 with no major history of injury (that I can see) is also promising compared to many 'better' imports that come into the league.

I also don't like to read too much into the fan forums regarding player quality, they are always heavily skewed to how the team is doing at the time (see Wood for Burnely who is currently getting a ridiculous level of hate from their fans despite been fans player of the season last year).

So now we have a player getting dished before he has even played a game for the club. Thats taking the blame game to a whole new level. Me i prefer to to wait and see Talay hasnt signed to many mugs and i prefer to trust his judgement. As someone else said given there probably arnt that many CBs available to finish the season what is the club losing on trying this guy out. He dosnt work out no problem he leaves if however he does the job TALAY wants there might be a chance of extending.

ballane

So now we have a player getting dished before he has even played a game for the club. Thats taking the blame game to a whole new level. Me i prefer to to wait and see Talay hasnt signed to many mugs and i prefer to trust his judgement. As someone else said given there probably arnt that many CBs available to finish the season what is the club losing on trying this guy out. He dosnt work out no problem he leaves if however he does the job TALAY wants there might be a chance of extending.

It's Rufer's fault we signed him!! I'm looking forward to see what he is about to be honest. I'd still be tempted to move Rufer into CB as he seemed much better there. But what do I know ;) The "Fenton" experiment lasted his whole career when he looked awesome solely as a Right Midfielder.

At first look Rufer looked okay the big test is turning that in consistently. What i dont get is how one player can supposedly be blamed for nearly getting a team relegated. Guess he must have been banging in own goals, the other issue is despite playing so badly he must have kept being selected to play to get the blame. Fickle fans aye we dont have any of those do we.

Probably wanted to come to the A-League because he’d heard there was no relegation, so he couldn’t get blamed for it. 

He has already said he would be keen for long term with the Nix.

 “I’ve had a difficult couple of years after leaving Leeds with a tough injury that was difficult at the time but I’m well past that now. I’ve played a lot of games in the last couple of seasons, I’m feeling good and I don’t want to just come here till the end of the season … I want to come long-term.” 

If anything, I look forward to a potential option of playing Payne as RB if Wootton plays with Laws in CB.  Nothing wrong with Elliot or Fenton but Payne may provide more oomph in that role, if he is able to track back when needed.  In any case, I would be surprised if Payne dropped down to a backup player.  That is Elliot's job.
What to do about Louie? He mostly came off the bench lately as Talay rightly wanted to give Elliot some exposure and experience. Not sure if Fenton can play right midfield again, at least in Talay's preferred setup, even if it would be good to bolster our AM options. 

not sure if Fenton is really the type of wide midfielder we need at the moment, compared to Reno and Ball or even the Mexican winger he'd be 4th choice at this stage.

Correct if wrong, but has Uffy ever missed with an import? Plenty of things wrong with the team but international recruitment has been consistently above league average dating back to Rudan. 

theprof

not sure if Fenton is really the type of wide midfielder we need at the moment, compared to Reno and Ball or even the Mexican winger he'd be 4th choice at this stage.

David Ball is probably the only one that pops up everywhere, left right and centre. However, neither Reno nor the new Mexican are natural right-side-of-the-field-wingers, at least that is my impression, so Fenton would not be the 4th option for that position.  
I am not pushing the idea of Fenton being the best solution; it is just that our midfield has been struggling since Devlin and Davila left, and having another option in the mix as a wide winger would not be a downside. 

Prso has left the club. Be interesting to hear what the reasoning is behind that?

Hard not to immediately jump to the worst possible scenarios, but I imagine being away from family and not being in the playing squad wouldn't make life ideal for any young player

Personally I never understood the being away from family argument, they’re young guys and I don’t think many of them have kids, you could argue that all the foreign players in A League and other leagues miss their family as well but all play well? I think it’s to do with fact hes not getting time going down the peaking order with arrival of Sandoval

dunnix

Hard not to immediately jump to the worst possible scenarios, but I imagine being away from family and not being in the playing squad wouldn't make life ideal for any young player

Was he on loan? I thought he got released to come to us.