Updated:
Luke ADAMS (u21, +1)
Leo BERTOS (+1)
Josh BRINDELL-SOUTH (u21)
Stein HUYSEGEMS (f)
Paul IFILL (f)
Roy KRISHNA (f)*
Vince LIA
Hamish WATSON (u21)
EXPIRES END OF 2014/15:
Michael BOXALL
Tyler BOYD (u21)
Jeremy BROCKIE
Reece CAIRA
Kenny CUNNINGHAM (f)
Andrew DURANTE
Louis FENTON (u21)
Carlos HERNANDEZ (f)
Jason HICKS
Lewis ITALIANO
Glen MOSS
Albert RIERA (f)
Ben SIGMUND
EXPIRES END OF 2015/16:
Manny MUSCAT
Matthew RIDENTON (u21)
Alex RUFER (u21)
* Injury cover for Paul Ifill
Adams, Brindell-South and Krishna looking like the ugly ducklings of our current brood...
Well done to Hamish, thing I'm interested in is isn't he a sub for Team Wellington and not a regular starter for them?
scored some goals in pre season, impressed me, could be an improvement on current form brockie and flop/maybe needs some time krishna.
I know Merrick has come out and said that we needed another striker to go with Stein and Brockie but is this signing also in part to him realizing Krishna aint up to standard?
He must have also decided the striker that was signed for two weeks from Aussie, can't remember the name, wasn't up to it either.
Well done to Hamish, thing I'm interested in is isn't he a sub for Team Wellington and not a regular starter for them?
I think he came off the bench for them in their last game but I saw him start against Auckland at Kiwitea St recently. Thing I'm interested in is, has he shed the 11kgs since that day because he looked a proper porker! Anyway, he definitely looked a handful and also looked like he had the mentality/attitude/determination to mix it at the next level.
He was impressive in the 20 minutes he got on Sunday. Made one goal, scored two others caused the Hawkes Bay defence grief.
I think they key is that he would ofer something different for us. He's not much smaller than Boxall, he's strong, not all that slow and not afraid to put himself about and against tiring defenders that is going to cause them problems. .
Good luck to him.
I watched him last year at HBU an d he was a carthorse. With his loss of weight and added energy ha has looked the goods and likely to fulfil the promise he showed earlier at Lower Hutt with the goals he scored. I always respect guys like him that make the sacrifices to het to where they are now, guys like Siggy for examle
He was impressive in the 20 minutes he got on Sunday. Made one goal, scored two others caused the Hawkes Bay defence grief.
I think they key is that he would ofer something different for us. He's not much smaller than Boxall, he's strong, not all that slow and not afraid to put himself about and against tiring defenders that is going to cause them problems. .
Good luck to him.
I have to say, I've always been impressed by Watson, each time I've seen him play. Is he up to A-League standard? Time will tell.
He's not that fancy, but has a mean shot on him, can head the ball well and is very powerful, and has good vision. I'm a bit puzzled about why Ernie would pick Krishna first (you think of speed) and Watson after (you think of power)..but I'm glad we got both, if they can make themselves useful.
It's going to be hard for Ernie to decide who to take on the bench though.. you could potentially have Brockie/Boyd, Krishna and Watson all fighting for two spots (again, I'm glad no one is certain to play!).
Read a few posts about Ifill...well, as a Nix fan and someone who absolutely ADORES him, I sure hope he gets signed, maybe on a $ per game basis or whatever, but I think we need to really think about what we do if he is not up to it next season.
We've all seen what difference it makes having a player of that calibre, either out wide (Ifill) or in a central position (King Carlos) - and I think we should keep looking for similar sort of players. Not the Kewell or Bridges - who are truly at the end of their careers - but players in their late 20's, who've had experience at good level, who have the class to open up oppositions defences.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9689602/Watson-sheds-pounds-to-earn-Phoenix-contract
Just out of interest, I'm pretty sure no.16 in the Central Utd shirt is our own Albert Riera :-)
There's gonna be some very intense competition for that bench spot tween Krishna and Hamish. Hamish can also hold the ball up super well, and has a good first touch, ie keeping position was we enter the top third. He also has the best low key goal celebrations. But I'm biased....
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9689602/Watson-sheds-pounds-to-earn-Phoenix-contract
Just out of interest, I'm pretty sure no.16 in the Central Utd shirt is our own Albert Riera :-)
Date, March 6 2014
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
PHOENIX SIGN DEFENSIVE COVER
Whatever the weather at training you can guarantee that the Wellington Phoenix’ latest recruit, English-born defender Shaun Timmins, won’t be moaning about it.
“It beats labouring on a Melbourne building site that’s for sure,” the 22-year-old said with a grin after signing an injury replacement contract with the A-League club till the end of the season.
Building sites were where Timmins spent his days while playing semi-professional for Victorian Premier League side Green Gully.
Timmins comes with a sound footballing pedigree having come through the junior ranks with English club Coventry City before signing a one-year professional contract with Championship side Birmingham City.
He also represented the Republic of Ireland at under-20 level through his father’s nationality.
“I loved my time at Birmingham but it didn’t help that they got promoted to the Premiership and rather than keep some of the young pros they could afford to buy experienced players,” Timmins said.
“I had a trial at Sheffield United but wasn’t really enjoying my football so decided to do something different and headed to Perth in Australia.
“The climate was great and I loved the city but the standard of football wasn’t that good so I moved on to Melbourne for a challenge.
“At Green Gully Roddy Vargas, who played for Ernie Merrick at Victory, said he thought I was good enough to play A-League and gave Ernie a call.”
Merrick was impressed with what he saw, but as Timmins was classed as a Visa player he arranged for him to play for Team Wellington while still training with the Phoenix.
Last week the Phoenix suffered another long-term injury when fullback Reece Caira fractured his cheek bone and Merrick signed Timmins as an injury replacement till the end of the season.
“We originally brought him out to train with us but losing Reece meant we had to find cover and Shaun provides it,” Merrick said.
“He is a left-footed left back or left centre back with an excellent CV and that is what we need at the moment .”
Timmins said he was delighted to be given the opportunity and had thoroughly enjoyed the short time he has been with the Phoenix.
“You don’t want to wish harm on anyone, but sometime you just need a bit of luck to make the breakthrough and this might be mine,” he said.
“When you have tasted professional football you miss it and it would be a dream for me to get back into it.
“I’ve loved the training and Ernie is class. He has a great philosophy and the players have been great as well.
“When you go to a club on trial or to train you can finish up talking to yourself because the players see you as a threat.
“The Phoenix isn’t like that. Everyone has been great.”
So we've got waffles and potatoes now.
Who?
So is this guy an import?
Anyone seen him play for TW? Thoughts?
I still think we need to sign a midfielder. Does this mean Riera will definitely be out for the finals as well?
So we've got waffles and potatoes now.
Updated:
Luke ADAMS (u21, +1)
Leo BERTOS (+1)
Josh BRINDELL-SOUTH (u21)
Stein HUYSEGEMS (f)
Paul IFILL (f)
Roy KRISHNA (f)*
Vince LIA
Shaun TIMMINS (f)*
Hamish WATSON (u21)
EXPIRES END OF 2014/15:
Michael BOXALL
Tyler BOYD (u21)
Jeremy BROCKIE
Reece CAIRA
Kenny CUNNINGHAM (f)
Andrew DURANTE
Louis FENTON (u21)
Carlos HERNANDEZ (f)
Jason HICKS
Lewis ITALIANO
Glen MOSS
Albert RIERA (f)
Ben SIGMUND
EXPIRES END OF 2015/16:
Manny MUSCAT
Matthew RIDENTON (u21)
Alex RUFER (u21)
* Injury cover
I don't get who Timmins replaces? So Riera is gone for the season??
I don't get who Timmins replaces? So Riera is gone for the season??
I don't get who Timmins replaces? So Riera is gone for the season??
Timmins replaces Reece Caira who is gone for the season with his fractured cheek bone.
2 more years for Vinnie Lia http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/Early%20Present%20For%20Lia/88043
Well I guess I find that a bit surprising, but I guess this is the club effectively saying they're viewing this season as broadly a success on the pitch. Personally I'm not sure I agree with that as we could still finish in the bottom two.
Absolutely incredible and mystifying that he gets a 2 year deal.
2 more years for Vinnie Lia http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/Early%20Present%20For%20Lia/88043
I'm not sure how I feel about this. But well done to him.
We should celebrate a victory for workers over capital comrades
Vince Lia probably deserved a new deal but what happens if we miss the playoffs. We'll basically have the exact same squad next year.
Not sure you can guarantee a better player at his salary. You hope Ridenton and Rufer progress as Boyd has during his 2nd season. If that's the case then Lia, like Brockie, could not be starting. If the young lads don't progress you have a base where you know we have been fairly competitive for most of the season with Lia being a part of that.
Any signing in a salary capped league needs to be taken in the context of the final squad. At this stage I think we have 17/23 sports confirmed for next year. We simply don't know a) what his salary is, and b) whether Ernie seems him as a starting player or a backup.
17/23 contracted, 2 visa spots remaining. Club wants to keep Waffles, so hopefully 1 visa spot to fill.
Hmmm, hope this is just TWG being wrong again
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/news/1183876/Hitman-Huysegems-set-to-quit-Phoenix
Hmmm, hope this is just TWG being wrong again
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/news/1183876/Hitman-Huysegems-set-to-quit-Phoenix
Any signing in a salary capped league needs to be taken in the context of the final squad. At this stage I think we have 17/23 sports confirmed for next year. We simply don't know a) what his salary is, and b) whether Ernie seems him as a starting player or a backup.
