Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

Way / Backs

Way might be better at L back than R wing; probably an unpleasant opponent, and good for the odd goal from outside the box. Interesting that while the talk here was about signing a RB, Rudan apparently sees a bigger problem at LB. Big enough to sign a third left-footed back to the squad. It suggests he'd like Doyle to stay at LCB too.

DM

Two youth DMs have joined the Nix academy. Could be Rudan's still not happy with the DM options, even after spending two visa slots there. One player's not fully fit, one injured, and Rufer.

Great to see he's trying to improve the reserves team too.

Looking at this season's team, I disagree with Andrew Voerman of Stuff who says in his opinion piece this week that that the current squad is "one of the weakest in the club's history":

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/10...

The imports this time round all look decent. Solid players from good leagues, leagues better than the A-League..

T minus 27 hours and counting....

Mostly unspoken on these forum's but one of the signings this year that I am interested to see is Kurto. I think if he is quality then it will make a big difference on how we go this season. With a quality keeper and the addition of Taylor in defence we could be a hard team to beat. A marquee striker signing would be awesome, but I can still see the likes of Krishna , Williams and Burns causing teams plenty of problems with there pace. The key for me really is the midfield. If we are going to play counter attacking football (which it looks like with the formations suggested). Then a quick transition from defence to attack is key, so the big question mark for me is how the midfield combinations gel's and how effective our wingbacks are. 

Key to a sold defence is a keeper who can organise things well, I think we've lacked that since Paston, and even he wasnt the best. I have hope that the Taylor/Kurton combination is going to give us a solid spine.

Dont get it while he isnt every bodies favourite it cant be denied that Herbert had plenty of sucess in his time coaching here.What we wouldnt give to have that defensive record we had for a while. Yet still people like to try and belittle what he did here.

Agreed. Herbert has still given us the best times we've ever had for the All Whites + Nix

I'm hearing that due to the uncertainty around out licence, FeverBot has transferred to the WSW forums.

According to transfermarkt, David Williams' commonest position, including recent seasons, has been centre forward, where he has scored 27 goals in 61 games, or 0.45 goals per game. Can shoot well with both feet. 

Just saw Tom Doyle walking down Courtenay place with Reuben Way. Doyle in a pretty serious looking knee brace

Expecting to see Fenton - Taylor - Fox - Way back four coming up unless Cacace is preferred.

That was assuming Doyle was injured and that Fox might be a better option than Dura.

But now I think Dura is likely to be on the field anyway, and Doyle from I hear may not necessarily be injured.

Ante Covic signed on a IR for Kurto

? Our shot stopper Filip Kurto is unavailable this weekend against @SydneyFC as we bring in experienced goalkeeper for short term cover.

Read more here ? https://t.co/qOna16VddK#StandUpWithYourNix #CreateHistory #SYDvWEL pic.twitter.com/kfAZ6nZopz

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) December 6, 2018

What a signing, we're winning the league #COYN

Is he expected to push Sail for the #1 spot in the one game he's here for, or is he just expected to ride the pine and be a safe pair of hands if needed (touch wood that he isn't)?

I would say the second. In the press conference Roo-dan said that Sail had been preforming strongly and was really pushing hard for the number 1 spot

Start Covic on the weekend I reckon!

He's 43 and has been playing Masters football. Very much a 'in case of emergency' signing.

Fortunately, Rudan is well practiced on what to do in case of emergency - 

After the good performances by Rufer these last few weeks, I started wondering if losing Ridenton has turned out to be a blessing in disguise? Not sure Rufer would even be at the club if we managed to retain Ridenton. Rufer is getting better with every start atm, hopefully he keeps improving.

I agree. Riddenton looks like he is struggling with confidence atm. Not helped by his ability to freeze when in front of goal, which is a shame as he scored some good goals for the phoenix a few years back. He will struggle to get another import contract at Newcastle if he doesn't do better. Rufer has been turning in consistently good performances so far this season.

Article about Kopa on a Polish webby https://sport.se.pl/pilka-nozna/ekstraklasa/byly-kapitan-legii-michal-kopczynski-nowy-rok-powital-w-nowej-zelandii-aa-ADgz-8SJG-H6yc.html

Kopa said he was surprisingly pleased with the level of HAL football, which he said is pretty much the same as Polish Ekstraklasa (in his view). He really likes Wellington lifestyle and people - initially could not get used to our Kiwi friendliness (in contrast to Central Europeans who can be quite dour with strangers - my comment MFC). His partner, Marta, found it a bit hard to adjust to the 15 a side women's rugby (she is used to play the sevens variety) but is coming to grips with it.  They are getting married in second half of the year in Warsaw so likely to finish their stay here. They hang out with Filip Kurto and his family, Kopa got Kurto involved in his own hobby  - apparently it is board games. Happy with his stay here as it develops him more as a player. Praises Taylor's influence on the team and also Rudan's focus on personal fitness.

Really hope that the club manage to find a way to keep Kopa on for next season. He has made that CB position his own, with Dura probably retiring at the end of this year we are going to need Kopa to stay.

He made a comment in the article wondering if he would be able to slot back in into the Legia lineup seeing as the new coach did not see him as part of his vision. 

Is there an up to date version of this anywhere? 

EXPIRES END OF 2018/19:

Max BURGESS

Nathan BURNS

Tom DOYLE

Andrew DURANTE

Willem EBBINGE (U21)

Callen ELLIOT (U21?)

Louis FENTON

Dylan FOX

Michal KOPCZYNSKI (f)

Roy KRISHNA

Ryan LOWRY

MANDI (f)

Alex RUFER

Oliver SAIL

Cillian SHERIDAN (f)

Steven TAYLOR (f)

Ben WAINE (U21)

Reuben WAY

David WILLIAMS

EXPIRES END OF 2019/20:

Liberato CACACE

Filip KURTO (f)

Mitch NICHOLS

Sarpreet SINGH

Cheers 

We probably should start re-signing players for next season, we only have 5 players contracted for next season (we have the 1 year option on Taylor that we would be daft not to take up)

Putting that list together, I realised how many are only on one year contracts. Feels like when that whole are we being sold was up in the air, we didn't want to give more than a year to players. If this year had turn to shark and the FFA hadn't/isn't going through its changes, I don't know if we would have seen out next season

Can't see Burns getting resigned, especially if Cillian continues to shine like in his WSW cameo

Perhaps wait till March to find out if we have more than 1 more season?

At what point can players start talking with new clubs? Is it within the final 6 months of the contract? 

Officially final six months but we know that it happens unofficially much earlier. Kosta was heavily rumored to be returning to victory well before that six month window.

Butters and Way released.