WPM 2021/22 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Did think of him the other day, and Hay has insisted Kalua is A League quality. 

But I thought he was a specialist RB?  Nix already have Fenton, Elliott & Payne - 1 position where they are well served. But I guess Fenton & Elliott are both converted midfielders (for Louie that is a long time ago)?? One of them with Sutton maybe going into the midfield mix now.

YoungHeart

Kelvin Kalua anybody? Was leaving Los Angeles on flight DL41 to Sydney...

IMG_20220330_155552.jpg 467.47 KB

Can play across the backline. Although probably more so down the flanks - LB/RB.

Sam Sutton firming up for that Lewis role, alongside Pennington.

Would be a weird one if true isn't he more of a RB and we have cover in LB with McGarry

Probably thought covering up the destination on the ticket would be enough. Always hide the flight number!

Anyway, we shall await any announcements I guess. Who knows? He may well just be going for a holiday.

coochiee

Did think of him the other day, and Hay has insisted Kalua is A League quality. 

But I thought he was a specialist RB?  Nix already have Fenton, Elliott & Payne - 1 position where they are well served. But I guess Fenton & Elliott are both converted midfielders (for Louie that is a long time ago)?? One of them with Sutton maybe going into the midfield mix now.

Can play all across the backline, though is a little on the shorter side for a CB

RR

Little bit of anxiety in the Phoenix camp with a couple of players getting Covid who had it only three months ago given there is no longer any flexibility for postponements. They believe it to be a different strain than the one they were infected with in January.

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) April 3, 2022

Not what we want to be reading

RR

Little bit of anxiety in the Phoenix camp with a couple of players getting Covid who had it only three months ago given there is no longer any flexibility for postponements. They believe it to be a different strain than the one they were infected with in January.

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) April 3, 2022

This is not what I needed to see on my Monday afternoon...

Toomey and Bidois linking up with the squad in Sydney tonight.

Based on the last few weeks, I think it is fair to say Pennington is not the player people thought he would be. Missing Rufer and Lewis big time.

MetalLegNZ

Based on the last few weeks, I think it is fair to say Pennington is not the player people thought he would be. Missing Rufer and Lewis big time.

pretty sure it was his goal that won us the game against Perth

theprof

MetalLegNZ

Based on the last few weeks, I think it is fair to say Pennington is not the player people thought he would be. Missing Rufer and Lewis big time.

pretty sure it was his goal that won us the game against Perth

He needs to improve his passing accuracy....he turns over possession far too often.  Maybe he's better suited to play further upfield than a deep lying midfielder...

Yup, he scored the winner. Awesome, but 1 moment of quality does not excuse 270 minutes of pretty average work.

Sutton looks better in the middle than he does, and he's been training playing as a LB all year.

He wont save our season. 

Safire

theprof

MetalLegNZ

Based on the last few weeks, I think it is fair to say Pennington is not the player people thought he would be. Missing Rufer and Lewis big time.

pretty sure it was his goal that won us the game against Perth

He needs to improve his passing accuracy....he turns over possession far too often.  Maybe he's better suited to play further upfield than a deep lying midfielder...

Is there a literal chance that Winston Reid joins the Phoenix for season 2022/23?

Ryan

Our defense completely turned around when he arrived, great signing.

Sadly this comment has not aged well.

Marto

Ryan

Our defense completely turned around when he arrived, great signing.

Sadly this comment has not aged well.

was correct at the time, the issues the nix face now aren't due to Wooten.

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

taylorcg69

Is there a literal chance that Winston Reid joins the Phoenix for season 2022/23?

it was never even a distant possibility.

martinb

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

Our midfield is certainly the issue. Losing Lewis and Rufer has stuffed us. But CCM are not a top team or form team, they are a middle table team. We should have done better last night when you consider.
We still had 3 of our 4 imports start.
4 starters are current AW's. 
+ Fenton & Sutton are established players at this level.
CCM also had a short turn around to this game. And key players out injured in Bouzanic.
Just trying to say we should still be more competitive than we are and it's a real worry that we are not.

Ranix

martinb

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

Our midfield is certainly the issue. Losing Lewis and Rufer has stuffed us. But CCM are not a top team or form team, they are a middle table team. We should have done better last night when you consider.
We still had 3 of our 4 imports start.
4 starters are current AW's. 
+ Fenton & Sutton are established players at this level.
CCM also had a short turn around to this game. And key players out injured in Bouzanic.
Just trying to say we should still be more competitive than we are and it's a real worry that we are not.

The performance against City in the first half was great. Even first choice players struggle to back up with a series of games every three days. And the All Whites are in the wider squad to play the islands- maybe one player will start in the playoff against Costa Rica.

I think we fooled ourselves that we were competitive sneaking past Perth and Brisbane, when we were poor for large parts of those games. 

I think CC are in better form than us. Would you say they have a better team than us currently available, especially considering the bench? They were the favourite going into the game surely? 

We need either injury replacement players or some magic and hopefully not just magical thinking. 

martinb

Ranix

martinb

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

Our midfield is certainly the issue. Losing Lewis and Rufer has stuffed us. But CCM are not a top team or form team, they are a middle table team. We should have done better last night when you consider.
We still had 3 of our 4 imports start.
4 starters are current AW's. 
+ Fenton & Sutton are established players at this level.
CCM also had a short turn around to this game. And key players out injured in Bouzanic.
Just trying to say we should still be more competitive than we are and it's a real worry that we are not.

The performance against City in the first half was great. Even first choice players struggle to back up with a series of games every three days. And the All Whites are in the wider squad to play the islands- maybe one player will start in the playoff against Costa Rica.

I think we fooled ourselves that we were competitive sneaking past Perth and Brisbane, when we were poor for large parts of those games. 

I think CC are in better form than us. Would you say they have a better team than us currently available, especially considering the bench? They were the favourite going into the game surely? 

We need either injury replacement players or some magic and hopefully not just magical thinking. 

Agree. Well put.

martinb

Ranix

martinb

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

Our midfield is certainly the issue. Losing Lewis and Rufer has stuffed us. But CCM are not a top team or form team, they are a middle table team. We should have done better last night when you consider.
We still had 3 of our 4 imports start.
4 starters are current AW's. 
+ Fenton & Sutton are established players at this level.
CCM also had a short turn around to this game. And key players out injured in Bouzanic.
Just trying to say we should still be more competitive than we are and it's a real worry that we are not.

The performance against City in the first half was great. Even first choice players struggle to back up with a series of games every three days. And the All Whites are in the wider squad to play the islands- maybe one player will start in the playoff against Costa Rica.

I think we fooled ourselves that we were competitive sneaking past Perth and Brisbane, when we were poor for large parts of those games. 

I think CC are in better form than us. Would you say they have a better team than us currently available, especially considering the bench? They were the favourite going into the game surely? 

We need either injury replacement players or some magic and hopefully not just magical thinking. 

where are these injury replacements coming from? The academy, cos we've pretty much drained that resource.

I think in the thread RR came up with a guy in the NPL, there was angst about the possibility of Ridenton (maybe available and with A league experience), a few people were thinking of other names. 

I dunno I don’t have the contacts, but Uffie would have some.

Likely someone from a state league- say a Manny Muscat-esque future legend of the club? I’d be okay with that. 

If the club wants walk ups to attend, because a string of 4-0 and 5-0 hammerings doesn’t sell fair weather tickets.

Surely Te atawhai Hudson Wihongi has got be worth a go.
And Ridenton; beggars can't be choosers. 
The kids just aren't up to it, well not so many of them at once.
Can you imagine how demoralising these humiliations are for the youngsters?

theprof

martinb

Ranix

martinb

Tempted to say Surman in, Payne Surman Wooton Sutton, across the back 4. Manuel and Pennington or an injury cover signing to start in central midfield. Possibly Sutton moves in to CM in the last 30 minutes. If we’re not getting Laws, Rufer or Lewis back, we need to get some cover in. 

Our midfield is a major issue right now. 

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a bunch of 2nd and 3rd choice players to step up to beat top of the table or a form team, as much as I want it to happen. Particularly with things being unsettled around the team right now. It’s possible for one or two players to come into a settled formation, with settled combinations around them. But not what we’re seeing here. 

Our midfield is certainly the issue. Losing Lewis and Rufer has stuffed us. But CCM are not a top team or form team, they are a middle table team. We should have done better last night when you consider.
We still had 3 of our 4 imports start.
4 starters are current AW's. 
+ Fenton & Sutton are established players at this level.
CCM also had a short turn around to this game. And key players out injured in Bouzanic.
Just trying to say we should still be more competitive than we are and it's a real worry that we are not.

The performance against City in the first half was great. Even first choice players struggle to back up with a series of games every three days. And the All Whites are in the wider squad to play the islands- maybe one player will start in the playoff against Costa Rica.

I think we fooled ourselves that we were competitive sneaking past Perth and Brisbane, when we were poor for large parts of those games. 

I think CC are in better form than us. Would you say they have a better team than us currently available, especially considering the bench? They were the favourite going into the game surely? 

We need either injury replacement players or some magic and hopefully not just magical thinking. 

where are these injury replacements coming from? The academy, cos we've pretty much drained that resource.

One or two of us in the stand have been approached ;) 

I mean Ridenton in the mid with Pennington allowing Sutton to maraud and defend down the left and maybe we win that game when Piscopo and Sotirio come on. Fenton got owned. Unfortunate, but true. We had no left foot passes from LCB or LB to get the speed of our passes going. 
Maybe we then lose it through the centre of the park.  Maybe Fenton has a great 20 minute spell at the end as we chase a win? 
Sure Covid is an unforeseen issue, but again why we should have a deeper squad. 
That’s the reason for injury replacements so we don’t get so badly exposed. 
I know they said there weren’t many options, but these are a couple of terrible results. 

martinb

I think in the thread RR came up with a guy in the NPL, there was angst about the possibility of Ridenton (maybe available and with A league experience), a few people were thinking of other names. 

I dunno I don’t have the contacts, but Uffie would have some.

Likely someone from a state league- say a Manny Muscat-esque future legend of the club? I’d be okay with that. 

If the club wants walk ups to attend, because a string of 4-0 and 5-0 hammerings doesn’t sell fair weather tickets.

I suggested Mario Barcia cuz he is known to the Nix after all his time at the Tee Dubs & is playing NPL in Melbourne right now. So is a known quantity & we have a visa slot to burn. Maybe Cam Howieson could be persuaded to have a month away from his Auckland commitments and fly over to provide another body. If they were realistic options, I think they would have brought them in already.

I suspect they didn’t really go far into any injury replacement, considered they had enough depth, with further academy support possible. Perth and Brisbane fed this idea and Covid and further injury made a mess of it. I think it would have been a hassle to do and risky, so they gambled on doing nothing. 

If we can get back to the results from a few games ago, maybe they’ll be proved right. But that’s the third humiliating defeat this season. That’s not fun.

Three 4-0 losses
One 5-0 loss
One 6-0 loss

Magnificentman

Three 4-0 losses
One 5-0 loss
One 6-0 loss

8 wins
8 losses

harrymc55

Magnificentman

Three 4-0 losses
One 5-0 loss
One 6-0 loss

8 wins
8 losses

That's scary reading.

23-0.  That's terrible.  Not one goal for us over those 8 games.  Don't think the Knights had stats that bad (have not checked though).

Knights were pretty bad.
a number of 4 and 5 nil thrashings over the seasons, finishing bottom of the league with goal differences of -25+ (05/06 and 06/07)
it wasnt much better when they were the kingz wither (some big 7-0 and 7-1 losses in there)

Really hope Uffie is now considering bringing in IR players. The loss of Rufer and Lewis has hurt us massively. Oppositions have been breezing past us in the midfield. 

Knights across their two seasons played 42, winning 6 and losing 29. They had an overall goal difference of -58 (28 for, 86 against). 

Phoenix have already won 8 games out of 19 this season. The last two games weren’t great, but the team is in 7th, two points of 4th with games in hand on those teams. Perth are the only team in a similar predicament of being based away from home, and even then 6 of their last 8 games have been in Perth, and they have half the points the Nix have from more games played.

On a injury replacement signing, Howieson was interviewed on the radio yesterday and was asked if he could be someone the Phoenix looked at. He said the club hadn’t approached him at all, which is fairly unsurprising, though he did say if they did he’d have to weigh it up whether it’d work for him, which sounds possibly like saying “no” without saying “no”. He didn’t go into any details but he did say that he had received pro offers last couple years that he turned down but “would [sign] if he could”.

Getting an IR is probably not that easy, NPL and NZ National League have only just started, and you’d imagine anyone coming in would only get a short term thing to the end of the season, so some might consider it more effort than it’s worth.

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would have approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a serious prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, was not so surprising in hindsight.

coochiee

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a real prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, not so surprising in hindsight.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tJYWW1h6Ri6ZQgNJrAe1m

coochiee

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would have approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a serious prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, was not so surprising in hindsight.

 He really should not have been in Qatar.  Clearly his days as a half decent player are behind him.  Was almost as bad as calling up Christie to play against Mexico or Brockie to play Peru (and I think Brockie at that time was a far better player then Howieson ever has been).

Marto

coochiee

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would have approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a serious prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, was not so surprising in hindsight.

 He really should not have been in Qatar.  Clearly his days as a half decent player are behind him.  Was almost as bad as calling up Christie to play against Mexico or Brockie to play Peru (and I think Brockie at that time was a far better player then Howieson ever has been).

Very harsh, guy's just turned 27 and he has much more talent than you give him credit for despite a poor game vs. PNG. Likely the best domestic player in New Zealand

Oska

coochiee

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a real prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, not so surprising in hindsight.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tJYWW1h6Ri6ZQgNJrAe1m

Thanks. Sounds family related/personal reasons as to why Howieson has chosen to stay an 'amateur' footballer in Auckland, rather play overseas again or for the Nix.

mrsmiis

Marto

coochiee

Sounds like an interesting radio chat with Howieson. Bit cryptic saying he would sign for a pro club if he could.

Really if he was a serious prospect of making final 23 man AW squad in a WC year, if I was him I would have approached the Nix and offered myself as a short term IR. Not just waited for a call.

But realistically he ain't a serious prospect of making the Playoff squad, unless there are injuries. He didn't impress in Qatar, which being an amateur footballer out of season, was not so surprising in hindsight.

 He really should not have been in Qatar.  Clearly his days as a half decent player are behind him.  Was almost as bad as calling up Christie to play against Mexico or Brockie to play Peru (and I think Brockie at that time was a far better player then Howieson ever has been).

Very harsh, guy's just turned 27 and he has much more talent than you give him credit for despite a poor game vs. PNG. Likely the best domestic player in New Zealand

 Maybe but he was hardly a standout in Scotland when professional and has never looked that great in white/black. 

I'd say if he's the best domestic player now, it is because those who are better have moved on. Our domestic (club) game is going backwards again with the new format.

 EXPIRES END OF 2021/22:
Matthew BOZINOVSKI [LOAN]
James MCGARRY
Gael SANDOVAL [LOAN]
Reno PISCOPO 
Jaushua SOTIRIO 
Louis FENTON

EXPIRES END OF 2021/22:
Matthew BOZINOVSKI [LOAN] - wont be back
James MCGARRY - will defo get an offer
Gael SANDOVAL [LOAN] - 50/50, reckon he might get an extension unless Talay has someone else in mind
Reno PISCOPO - reckon he'll get an offer but he'll be a target for others too.
Jaushua SOTIRIO - gotta keep him, he's done so well under Talay.
Louis FENTON - emotionally I say he'll be kept, realistically he could be on the chopping block if we have younger players in mnd.