Who was it who called Krishna a "flat track bully" anyway? Is there - and let's get controversial - a prejudice against our brothers from the Islands?
I saw Krishna play for ACFC v Nix at Kiwitea and I was gobsmacked by how fast he was.
Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins
Who was it who called Krishna a "flat track bully" anyway? Is there - and let's get controversial - a prejudice against our brothers from the Islands?
I saw Krishna play for ACFC v Nix at Kiwitea and I was gobsmacked by how fast he was.
Myself and El Grap.
Running at ASBP defenders is one thing. Running at HAL defenders is another. I will grant you that is very easy to slag of ASBP players as being inferior and I am probably more guilty of that than most. I'll also say though, how often has Ernie been wrong? Just goes to show what I know.
I think you need more than just 'I can fun faster than the other guy' If you watched Totori and Cunningham (and both those players are highlighted because their game is built on pace) they don't tend to be too successful at just being able to run faster than the other guy. Totori and Cunningham have the first touch of a footballer than belies the level they play at. Then in the face of that, Cunningham is an international and performs with some credibility now!!!!!
Krishna is a better product than Totori so its not really a comparison. I am just surprised he has a 2 year deal when we can't give Stein one whom is proven. The only real difference is pace and Krishna is probably a more out and out striker vs Stein.
I think age and $$$ would probably explain the reason he gets two years and Stein doesn't.
I think age and $$$ would probably explain the reason he gets two years and Stein doesn't.
True. I had never thought of that. Rex Dawkins is his manager so I somehow doubt he would be a 'cheap' signing.
I think age and $$$ would probably explain the reason he gets two years and Stein doesn't.
Seriously, this does seem to be the case to an extent. Ernie is signing proven talent from the ASB Premiership to 'do a job' for the Phoenix, all of them probably on the cheap as they've just come from an amateur league.
I hate comparing Ricki and Ernie and usually never do it - I love Ricki and always will - but I'm finding it hard to avoid a comparison with some of these signings, players that were available to us for the last few seasons but not taken up.
Ricki is basically the sole reason I bought into the idea that the vast majority of ASBP players and kiwi youth prospects were not good enough for the A-League.
Ernie has shown me that there is plenty of talent around, he's picked the right ones and is having huge success with them. We've had so many injuries but unbelievably it doesn't seem to matter how many new guys he brings into the fold - each and every one of them has shown me something I didn't expect to see.
Makes me so friggin excited for the future, it feels like Ernie's uncovered this enormous talent pool that I thought was just a muddy puddle all along.
I hate comparing Ricki and Ernie and usually never do it - I love Ricki and always will - but I'm finding it hard to avoid a comparison with some of these signings - players that were available to us for the last few seasons but not taken up.
Ricki is the basically the sole reason I bought into the idea that the vast majority of ASBP players and kiwi youth prospects were not good enough for the A-League.
Ernie has shown me that there is plenty of talent around, he's picked the right ones and is having huge success with them. We've had so many injuries but unbelievably it doesn't seem to matter how many new guys he brings into the fold - each and every one of them has shown me something I didn't expect to see.
Makes me so friggin excited for the future, it feels like Ernie's uncovered this enormous talent pool that I thought was just a muddy puddle all along.
It'll be interesting to see whether any other A-League clubs look at the ASB Premiership. I mean, a few of ours have been imports, so it's not like that would be an issue for the Australian teams too.
I hate comparing Ricki and Ernie and usually never do it - I love Ricki and always will - but I'm finding it hard to avoid a comparison with some of these signings, players that were available to us for the last few seasons but not taken up.
Ricki is basically the sole reason I bought into the idea that the vast majority of ASBP players and kiwi youth prospects were not good enough for the A-League.
Ernie has shown me that there is plenty of talent around, he's picked the right ones and is having huge success with them. We've had so many injuries but unbelievably it doesn't seem to matter how many new guys he brings into the fold - each and every one of them has shown me something I didn't expect to see.
Makes me so friggin excited for the future, it feels like Ernie's uncovered this enormous talent pool that I thought was just a muddy puddle all along.
I agree, but there have been a few on here that believed in the talent of local players, and said so many years ago.
Still, no-one will ever sign Clapham. :)
I hate comparing Ricki and Ernie and usually never do it - I love Ricki and always will - but I'm finding it hard to avoid a comparison with some of these signings, players that were available to us for the last few seasons but not taken up.
Ricki is basically the sole reason I bought into the idea that the vast majority of ASBP players and kiwi youth prospects were not good enough for the A-League.
Ernie has shown me that there is plenty of talent around, he's picked the right ones and is having huge success with them. We've had so many injuries but unbelievably it doesn't seem to matter how many new guys he brings into the fold - each and every one of them has shown me something I didn't expect to see.
Makes me so friggin excited for the future, it feels like Ernie's uncovered this enormous talent pool that I thought was just a muddy puddle all along.
I agree, but there have been a few on here that believed in the talent of local players, and said so many years ago.
That is very true and a tip of the hat to some who have said all along that the likes of Riera and Krishna were good enough.
How long until Krishna is a naturalised kiwi? Just thinking that the 2nd year of his contract the HAL is scheduled to drop to 4 imports, big call to commit until then.
From Jun 2013 - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10887895
But I don't know enough about these things to know if that will get him classed as a local after next season. I'm under the assumption it will and that would explain the 2 year deal.
That's my thinking.
No he will still be an import. He needs to have citizenship or be in the process of applying for it to be classed as a local player. Normally you can't get citizenship until 5 years AFTER you get NZ residency, although it can be reduced to 20 months if you can prove exceptional circumstances.
Like with Irene van Dyke - lovely girl, great PhysEd teacher and all that, but got her papers immediately if I recall because NZ needed a player.
I hate comparing Ricki and Ernie and usually never do it - I love Ricki and always will - but I'm finding it hard to avoid a comparison with some of these signings, players that were available to us for the last few seasons but not taken up.
Ricki is basically the sole reason I bought into the idea that the vast majority of ASBP players and kiwi youth prospects were not good enough for the A-League.
Ernie has shown me that there is plenty of talent around, he's picked the right ones and is having huge success with them. We've had so many injuries but unbelievably it doesn't seem to matter how many new guys he brings into the fold - each and every one of them has shown me something I didn't expect to see.
Makes me so friggin excited for the future, it feels like Ernie's uncovered this enormous talent pool that I thought was just a muddy puddle all along.
As I said somewhere before on this forum, Ricki was majorly put off signing ASB players after his Nix reserve team came up to Auckland and trashed the World Club cup-bound Waitakerie 7 -1. Boys v men. Siggy was in that reserve side but he spent months getting up to A-League speed, and his job was basically to put himself about and stop others playing leaving McKain, Muscat and Dura to do the fancy work at the back.
IMO since then either the Nix/A-League havn't/hasn't progresed as much as people think. Or the ASB players ( esp. ACFC ones ) have got better/fitter/more committed, i.e. more professional. I tend to think the latter, and that's a tribute to Ramon, the club, and the World Club Cup as much as anything else.
I think both points are correct JM. Nix have had an ageing squad for a few seasons now. This season there is significant change and no doubt will continue next season.
Can't comment on ACFC (much as I would like to).
very good points JM, hadn't considered that
IMO since then either the Nix/A-League havn't/hasn't progresed as much as people think. Or the ASB players ( esp. ACFC ones ) have got better/fitter/more committed, i.e. more professional. I tend to think the latter, and that's a tribute to Ramon, the club, and the World Club Cup as much as anything else.
Don't forget about the Trillion Trust.
I'm not even being an arse about it for once (setting aside debates about legitimacy and the impact that funding has on the ASBP as a whole for a minute).
You simply cannot discuss the success of ACFC without acknowledging the Trillion Trust.
And I'm sure the higher-ups at ACFC would agree with me.
so out of our contracted foreign players, who is going to become a kiwi soon?
Siggy was in that reserve side but he spent months getting up to A-League speed
And that's exactly what Krishna has said - the fitness/training cap between the levels is HUGE.
trillion trust? brief explanation?
True. I had never thought of that. Rex Dawkins is his manager so I somehow doubt he would be a 'cheap' signing.
He's signed his first professional contract and probably doesn't have a whole lot of other clubs lined up - I think he would be a cheap signing in the relative scheme of things.
In comparison to Stein - yes. Is he getting more than 70k. Likely. Minimum wage is 45k right?
In comparison to Stein - yes. Is he getting more than 70k. Likely. Minimum wage is 45k right?
I still subscribe to the theory that, if we are going to develop a lot of kids, our "senior" players all really need to offer something special. Either a solid season vacuum cleaning (Lia) raw pace and developing skill on a budget and a cool name (Krishna) heart on your sleeve die for the club genuine effort (Sig), utter profesionalism (Dura), European pedigree and mentoring (Stein) or outrageous but variable latin lovin' (Carlos) etc etc
I've been waiting to see Krishna show us some degree of skill apart from the raw Totori styled ineffective pace and he did that to some degree last game, plus I am happy to back Ernie. I am hopeful that Lia will do the job as well. And, given our personal histories, I am pleased that Kenny is an enthusiastic and worthy while not quite "tidy" effective import.
so out of our contracted foreign players, who is going to become a kiwi soon?
Reira? Eligible now I believe.
so out of our contracted foreign players, who is going to become a kiwi soon?
Reira? Eligible now I believe.
I don't mind Krishna getting a new contract but I am puzzled why we would give him 2 years. Whenever I see a 2 year contract for someone who has not proven themselves in the league, I always think of jimmy downey.
so out of our contracted foreign players, who is going to become a kiwi soon?
Reira? Eligible now I believe.
Oh true, haha. For some reason had 3 years in my head
trillion trust? brief explanation?
Terminator X's bogey-boys. ACFC's patrons.
so out of our contracted foreign players, who is going to become a kiwi soon?
Reira? Eligible now I believe.
Oh true, haha. For some reason had 3 years in my head
And does he even have PR now?
I think riera is justfied, but like the nz team we need to consider the future as a whole.
Stein today was very very poor, no effort, no show - 2 years - i hope not!
I'm beginning to worry exactly how we can get better next year with basically the same squad.
This is probably just the result of a 5-0 hiding with a very depleted squad.
So we have one open international slot for next year with everyone except Krishna coming off contract the year after? Hopefully Ernie has something up his sleeve, Huysegems + most of Iffils wages should equal a good player.
Thought he was going to O-League with ACFC?
Thought he was going to O-League with ACFC?
Jason Pine @pineyzb
Ernie Merrick is in discussions with the Phoenix board to extend Andrew Durante's contract beyond next season #aleague
Ernie Merrick is in discussions with the Phoenix board to extend Andrew Durante's contract beyond next season #aleague
Jason Pine @pineyzb
Ernie Merrick is in discussions with the Phoenix board to extend Andrew Durante's contract beyond next season #aleague
Ernie Merrick is in discussions with the Phoenix board to extend Andrew Durante's contract beyond next season #aleague
I have no problems with this. It means that both him and Sigmund are not off contract at the same time.
If this article's right, Stein's agent's demanding more money than we've ever paid any player.
IMO, he's been a useful player, mainly in short spurts, but he's not that good.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/soccer-football/news/article.cfm?c_id=86&objectid=11232592
