A -League - players off contract

Maybe talking to Ivan, Milligan. A defender to bolster those ranks. Bertos to come.

No obvious other signings. I dont think theres gonna be much mass movement in the a-league.

Ignoring who makes way...

Ivan (depends if Waalwijk want to keep him as they look odds on for promotion back to the Eerdivise which I imagine would pay him more than we could afford), Sigmund, Mulligan, Bertos. 

Possibly James (unless Denmark is confirmed), Duncan Oughton, but he quite obviously loves the Crew and loyalty is not to be scoffed at.

Spoonley will no longer be a youngster so we get another U-20.  Jacob Matthews ?  There could be a raft of them if the youth league gets of the ground and we find a way to maintain a place (how much on Eden Park ?)

Import striker to partner Smeltz (I think Covs based on recent weeks could do another year as number 3 which was probably this years plan until George went wrong).

All leaves Right Back.  Mully and Oughton have played there at various times although Mully seems to have moved back to midfield (where he started at the U-17 world cup) and Oughton did a great job there this year for the All Whites.  So may be we need to look for a right back outside NZ as I'm not sure we have the playing stock here, and there can't be many in Aus looking at the A-League stocks.

Most of those lists here will re-sign where they are, or be snapped up for bigger $$ at other Aus or overseas clubs (Colosimo, Burns, Musialik, Bridges).  Those that can't find another Aus club are unlikely to be good enough to be wanted here, and those looking for big $$ could put team harmony and the salary cap at risk.

Talk is there is a Brazilian lad who may turn out for TW in the next few weeks who has got some skills.  Might pay to get down and watch if he's in for this weekend.

Yes Dunc won't leave the crew any time soon. Recently married an american girl. I'm nervous about Ivan, he'd cost a lot and what have we really seen of him? The dutch 2nd div isn't great...wasn't Zenon Caravella there recetly HN?

Yeah, and Kris Bright and Ben Collett.

Ivan though is only there because he remained loyal to his club after they got relegated.  He's had a good career in the higher division with both Roda and then Waalwijk and he's still only 31.

I suppose so, I'm just not confident having seen so little of him in his last 5 or so years...

Bridge would be a really good pickup for any club, I still think we can lure good quality aussies, but probably yung ones are more likely to make the move. Definitely don't want other teams cast offs, that won't get us anywhere.

I just realised I didn't think that through particularly well did I.

Yeah forgot about Sigmund. Rees looks like he is at least 30, old man eyes and the big bald patch, his speed is outstanding though.

I think we have enough midfielders with Bertos coming in. We need a striker and a defender or 2.

what do you use feverish? you don't look a day over 25

I wholeheartedly endorse this suggestion

If Tarek is lured by his brother, I think one of them would either need to switch flanks or one would need to play up front. I don't agree with the statements saying to play one behind the other on the right hand side. Both are attacking players so why waste their talent by making one play defence and therfore restrict his attacking opportunities? I think a free role may be the answer to Ahmed's current run of poor form and lack of fitness. Maybe Elrich could be asked to help Smeltz up front? This would reduce his workload in tracking back, and there is more cover behind him in central midfield as oppose to being exposed out wide and therfore creating more pressure on the RB. We already have many attacking options in the midfield, and if we get Bertos and Tarek Elrich next season, then it's going to be hard to accomodate Daniel, Felipe, Ahmed Elrich, Tarek Elrich and Leo Bertos all in the starting team. However it does provide a great amount of depth in the wide positions and support roles for the striker. 

Uh...

Aloisi, Ferrante, Lia were all 'cast offs' & Rees wasn't even seen as good enough for the A-League by other clubs. They've gone pretty good so far.

Out;

Tarek is worse than Ahmed.

Dont want either of them!

That sounds good, but I'd still try to offload Paston to a club where he would get gametime.

What about Jarrod Smith as an option up front with Smeltz?  Can't say I've seen any NZFC to say how he has gone for Hawkes Bay but in his quick hit out with the All Whites in Wellington, he looked quick and dangerous.

Wayne O'Sullivan was in the stands at Team Wellington vs Auckland City and of course the other assistant coach from the Phoenix sees quite a bit of the NZFC.

lol i love the way u say wat should we "do" with him, like hes some annoying tag along player we suddenly cant get rid of.
The thing is, Ahmad is an experienced and proven player with great ability, he's come off a serious injury and has lost a bit of his speed, he looks to me like he's almost testing himself with each game, writing him off as a bencher or getting some1 to replace him is crazy talk, and i'm sure he'll prove his worth, especially as he nears full fitness, people here are so quick to jump at Players when they have a few off games, Marquee or not, this year is about experimentation (note we've played at least 3 formations this year)

and lol at hay next to Sigmund, Siggy would run rings around the old man.

n the knights dont mean all bad players :P i rememeber RIcki saying Gao was one of the best players he's ever worked with, now he'd be a marquee and a half
muso2007-12-19 13:57:34

Interesting.  Why would he be a Marquee and a half?  Surely the Finnish League he's playing in is no better than the A-League.  Hell, their average crowd attendance is only 4k if thats anything to go by?  But i see he's a midfielder anyway, so no real need for him i guess.

[/QUOTE]

That sounds good, but I'd still try to offload Paston to a club where he would get gametime.[/QUOTE]
theres always Waitakere simon eddy was rubbish!

lol i think if we had the chance, judging by the way ricki talked about him, we'd go for him, anyone who could shine as much as he did in that knights outfit is in a high class

Lei Lei Gao is a fantastic player. He'd command a fee, but if we could get him, he'd be one of the best players in this league, if not the best.

Another ex-Knights is Alen Marcina, who's been doing the rounds at some USL clubs. He's sharp, quick and small while still having an eye for goal, would offer a contrast to Smeltzy. He was fantastic at the Knights also.

"He shoots, he scores, he'll f**k ya labradoar Lei Lei gao" Now that was a classic from Ricardo.

Alen Marcina and Shane Smeltz up front would be dynamite!

Marcina doesn't exactly seem the most loyal of players though - we'd get one year out of him max. He's been at 4 clubs since 2006..
valeo2007-12-19 20:47:15

Marcina has been traded twice and he came here on the off season of the US A-League. I think if we offered him a contract he would come as money in the lower leagues isnt that good in the states. A person we should definetely target. Gao is well out of our reach financially unfortunately. Mulligan is a really good player.Bertos is the man and would be good to get.

marcina only moves around in the US coz he wants to come to the nix

Wellington Phoenix

CONTRACT EXPIRES END OF SEASON THREE:
#7) Ross Aloisi           sign
#12) Richard Johnson     let  go
#16) Kristian Rees     sign .........urgent
#17) Vince Lia      let go
#18) Ahmad Elrich      sign

I read on the Championship forum that Rory Fallon is a possibility for a trade or loan spell from Plymouth Argyle. MK Dons was mentioned as a suitor and they're in league two (topping it currently) so he's certainly in reach of an A-League club. He signed with Argyle last Jan for a 30 month contract at �300,000 but has not featured after getting injured and passed by a couple young guns. He has been getting off the bench, scored a couple of goals and mainly features for the reserve side.

my initial thought re Fallon, is that we could do better, but others might have followed his career more closely and have a more positive view

not sure a big centre forward fits with the style ricki is developing

he may be of a similar standard to Bridges i.e. fringes of a championship side, though Bridges showed more potential in his early career (in terms of league matches with leeds)

how's fallon's fitness and injury history?
tigers2007-12-20 07:11:29

I'm thinking of a checking him out if they come up against Charlton (who a workmate has seats for over here) in the New Year, unless he's at the Don's by then. My initial thoughts were that like Smeltz, he may not have been fantastic in the Championship but on home soil he may flourish. If he's being flagged for a loan spell could he squeek in as a guest player next year, or do you need to have a higher profile to justify that spot? I guess as a guest player on a loan you've not got as much to lose as a club as they're not tied into a hard and fast contract...

Is that list accurate? It isn't very big and I thought there were more 1 year contracts at the start. I also thought Felipe had re-signed but I may be wrong. What's the story with the young guys? Are they still young enough to qualify as youth players?

cheers for that flashH,

i guess 6'2'' or 3'', doesn't necessarily mean he's a lumbering hulk , i'll revise my prejudice

the smeltz parallel is a good one

maybe you can liase with frankie Mac - with him in the north and you down south YF can get scouting reports on a regular basis
 
payment would have to be in virtual pints at this stage

A virtual pint at this stage would sent me well over the edge. I've knocked off a bottle of wine and have started on the cognac (actually I did that several hours ago), but I do this as this site is so addictive and I stand by the rule that you should drink, before you think, before you post. It's late here.

Forgot to add that we'd give them a big 'Who are Ya' on behalf of the shakey isles

there's quite few YF over there, Philstyle and discomart (i think) and quite a few others.... perhaps a lunch time drink would improve my memory

be a laugh if some of you met in a pub, bet there'd be some rigorous arguments about what match to go to!

How deluded are you?

danielsleftball2007-12-20 15:34:46