Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

I said a while ago that he was always going to have a trial...

Not so much a theory as an observation JV.

A few people on here seem to think a failure to sign, or at least trial, someone like James represents some kind of recruitment blind-spot for Ernie. I'm just pointing out that the opposite is more likely to be true - James is one player who Ernie will have more than enough first-hand intel on. Clapham is probably another.

Right I follow you. There are enough guys about that know them and if they were worth it, guys would be saying 'you have to sign this guy'

Seems legit.

Like when Man U players en masse practically banged Fergie's office door down demanding he sign up Ronaldo after their game in Portugal.

That's actually an excellent observation Term that I am not sure anyone has actually used before.

In the Stuff article on the new page, Leo sounds totally gutted about leaving the Nix. We miss you Leo.

Sad to see Leo go. TBH though it has been at least three years maybe four since he showed the sort of form that made him an exciting crowd favourite. Hell of a nice guy and he will be mussed but that alone does not ensure longevity in football.

Carlos released

woah just read that on stuff, I get that his sttitude was poor but surely something has happenbed to force this move?

Think writing was on the wall with the nix social media not acknowledging his squad call up.

woah!! didnt see this coming.

i know he was a sulk, but i still thought he was worth keeping until after the WC and then selling on...

I'm absolutely devastated. One of the few players in the A-League able to open up opposition defenses. Sure, chubby and no spring chicken but I thought he had a couple of years left in him. Shame

No surprise for me.

interesting. he was a good midfielder but not as good as his reputation. It'll be hard to find another with his calmness on the ball but if he didnt want to stay then theres no point keeping him on the pay roll.

I agree, what is the sense in keeping a player if he is not happy, negativity can spread to the rest of the players.

I think that's a good decision.  I don't think he ever really justified his cost or talent, and he was not mobile enough for our system.  

When the chips were down in the last part of the season and we needed our big players to stand up he went completely missing.  I think the team culture thing is a misdirection - teams that win have good culture not the other way around.  But when you judge him on his contribution on the park it wasn't enough.  Interesting to see what happens to Kenny now. 

But we will need to keep working hard on a replacement for our top 2 goal scorers, and probably our 2 best performers….

With Carlos gone, what of Kenny? No World Cup squad to play for next season.

Enormous talent but came with too much baggage. He's high enough maintenance in normal times - if he makes the final Costa Rican WC  squad he'll be even more of a nightmare - fortunately someone else's problem child.

Pressure's now on the club and Ernie - import spot and plenty of salary cap available - time to deliver.

Interesting tweet from ifill. 'Carlos gone! Surprised I am not'. Think that sums up the players thoughts of him.

I think the saddest part of this is that he never scored a free kick for us.

Nor looked likely.

he came a hell of a lot closer on a number of occassions than anyone else since Bertos' deflected thunderbolt in about 1985.

I would hope that he have someone lined up as a replacement, as for all his faults he is a lot better than Clapham (who we will have to settle for when we can find anyone else willing to sign for a $16 a week and a packet of Squiggles for every goal scored).

Not at all surprised. It did not seem like he fitted into the team culture. When Ernie slammed him in the press after Carlos's behaviour when he got subbed you knew something was up. He was not an Ernie signing and his lack of mobility did not fit Ernies plan.

Huge huge call now on a replacement. Its an absolutely vital position to fill. Need a playmaker younger and quicker. Get it right and we could do well....get it wrong and its going to be a tough season. We have lost arguably our two most creative and experianced attackers in Stein and Carlos.

Carlos at his best was sublime.....some of his play midseason was great.....he was however, trouble......and you can only get away with that shiite if you are the best player week in and week out.

Carlos was disappointing overall.  Not the same player as in his heyday.

We really need a couple of big signings in the door though.  I really hope plans are afoot.

I'm not sure Cunningham will hang around now either?  To be honest, I wouldn't be that disappointed to see him go either...

The huge positive is we now have an import spot to play with.

Not exactly surprised. Best thing all round Id have thought

Ernie don't fuck about does he?

Mean we have signed McGlinchey?

This year Carlos had the motivation of the World Cup and was a tad disappointing, my bet is next year would be worse with nothing to play for.

Not overly upset..played better most times without him, noting he scored some valuable goals.  Doubt Kenny will stay so ourbroief flirtations with south/central American flair continues...Daniel excluded.

Hope Kenny stays personally.

If Carlos was delivering on the pitch, the club would not have released him I think. I know all the guys at the club are good people but if he was a Shinji Ono or younger Paul Ifill type and was one of the best players in the league that was a consistent game changer, then they would have kept him or made it easier for him to stay. I think the club will be quietly happy about this because lets be honest, he was not delivering on what he was billed he could do nor his reputation from his tard days.

The free import slot is a big one. I still think that Krishna is an absolute waste of a signing and if we sign a striker, then that just proves it, especially with Brockie and Boyd on the books (cause it then makes them surplus). If we have Wee Mac in the wings, then a play maker is not required...

Not sure why people think Kenny will go, sure Carlos recommended him but if you follow him on twitter you will see it is filled with him & his family full of smiles enjoying the country. He does looks like he wants to be here, whilst the same couldn't be said about Carlos.