Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

So do we need more pyro at matches to help our Serbian and Croatian feel at home?

"He sought a release from his club, Port FC, to join the Phoenix, saying the ambition of new head coach Darije Kalezic, and his assistant, Rado Vidocich, was a major drawcard.

"They want to make the best results in the history of this club. Everybody wants this, I have the same ambition and that is why I've come here."

Really like this. Seems very determined to do well. He's not new to living in a different country so hopefully adjusts well.

Which makes a lot of sense considering J-Mac is a very good A-League striker and not an import; so doesn't really mean that AK is a bad player.

Like you, the reaction of the Roar fans has been heartening - most of them rated him, at least a little bit. He's 3 years or so older, but I don't think he ever traded on pace - seems more of a target man type.

Good signing IMO. We finally have recruited a proper no 9.

This guy looks like a solid recruit. Experianced, well travelled, already knows the A-League. He looks a classic no9. Solid on the ball, good shot off either foot, OK in the air, plays off the last defender well, good positional play and reasonable pace. You get the feeling that if Finkler, wee mac and Rory can get the ball into the right place, this guy will score a few. Considering the history of the Nix over the last few years this is as good as we could expect...probably better.

Hats of to the Nix coaching team. They seem to have gone about their business in a very professional way(in contrast to the last couple of seasons) They have identified areas that needed strengthening and gone out and found players to fill those roles. It appears there might be quite a bit of focus on tidying up our big big weakness...our sloppy defence.

If the coach can get us playing tighter more disciplined football, if we can make the Cake tin a fortress again, if AK can bang in the goals then maybe we can feel quitely more optimistic about the upcoming season.

But being a Nix fan you don't want to get your hopes up...how many ferkin false hopes have turned into nightmare seasons. Top six and a reasonable run in the playoffs would be and OK season for me. This squad is not top four...but it should definitely not be bottom four either

He could turn out to be like Greenacre. Target man that scores a few.

The signings are getting me excited.  Please don't break my heart this year Nix, I'm getting my faith back.

Don't let Henry read this.

When do squad numbers normally get announced?

Players can now pick between 1-50 according to the current Jets media manager & soon to be FFA Media Officer.

New kits will be released late August/early Sept. #ALeague regs allow 1-50 to be registered without question. 51-99 must have a reason.

— Ben O'Neill (@BennyONeill) August 11, 2017

[Edit: Please note he is referring to the Jets kit in that tweet, not ours]

Was it Tommy Oar who had #133 or something on his socceroos jersey?

That was cuz of AFC regulations, if you played in a AFC Cup qualifier in 2011 you had to keep your number for the whole event. So when the Socceroos fielded a side made of A-League players, they all got really high numbers. Incidentally, this is when Mullen got his Socceroos cap.

Isn't that a 69 and I owe you one?

No Pyro, No Party!

Asked a few Port fans on twitter for a scouting report. They weren't too impressed, although they concede he seems to have a nose for goal. They're not that happy with him, as after the club let other players go to fit him into squad, he then asked to leave "to return home to be with family". The way they read the Nix article, is that he was already in talks with us when he negotiated his release.

That sounds familiar

I have read these two sentences 5 times and still can't figure out if this is a compliment or an insult.

= "for personal reasons"

Could someone with the strings ask the Nix to add the 2017/18 Squad to the website, Please.

It beats me how a supposed professional organisation cannot update the players on the team page of the website, as they sign players, including adding the bio etc info for each new signing.

#trivialbutmajorfrustrationsoflife

#sackdome

#fudgingbeyondbelievableslack

According to the club Lia is still with us and Paracki, Vidosic, Mullen and Kaludjerović haven't arrived.

Isn't that what happened with the WeeMac announcement? The Phoenix had a draft sitting in the system and someone at the FFA accidentally published it?

I'm not sure if this is why the players havent been updated yet, but Perform Group, who manage FFA's digital platforms, have their contract expiring very soon and it seems like they don't give a shark about updating anything before then.

They would if they were allowed to.

Looks like another transition year..not many in the 18/19 expiry that I would keep compared to those in 17/18.

OK, I am very pleased to be advised that the totally unprofessional organisation appears to be the FFA.

But we're only playing in a League run by a totally unprofessional organisation.

#muchhappiernow

#domekeepshisjob

#FFAout

thanks for the replies

The FFA have this habit of leaving us all speechless.

Welcome aboard Ali Abbas! I'm assuming he's going to play alongside Paracki in a central midfield role? Great signing and replacement for Lia/A-Rod 

Feel for Louie.  Hope he is quickly picked up by Team Welly.  Another great signing.  I'm a little bit worried about the team identity with few New Zealanders/Wellingtonians but that's football I guess.  I think we're going be good this year

Does Abbas have Aus citizenship, or do we now have 6 foreign players on our books?

Paracki, Kaludjerovic, Krishna, Abbas, Rossi and Finkler?

so is fenton actually injured? or what? how does that work.    do feel for him a bit, but with a cap of 23 players..... need fit players

Interesting. So they said to Fenton to go get some game time and come back when you're fit. Nice work around so they don't have to pay him out. 

Aussie citizen...

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/12/06/first-day-ali-abbas-incredible-journey-iraq-australian-football-glory

He does.