Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

I think A-rod would be a massive loss were he to go. 

He works incredibly well as a foil to Roly, and Roly has a much better game when a-rod is playing closer to him on the pitch.
He's young, he's improving, he has natural talent, he works very hard for the team and he does create through simple classy play.
Unless we can get a direct replacement for him, or switch play styles, we will have an A-rod shaped hole in the team.

Kosta and Krishna

The Special K's

Kellog's sponsorship coming right up!

Just need a special actually a striker now.

How many goals do you need to score before we call someone a striker? Or is it just the position on the pitch. Kosta showed with the Roar that he can be a 10+ goal a season player. That's more of a striker than what Ernie normally hires.

Could do with a Kwality striker that does not play international football

Updated:

EXPIRES END OF 2015/16:

Kwabena APPIAH-KUBI
Troy DANASKOS
Tom DOYLE
Justin GULLEY
Lewis ITALIANO
Vince LIA
Manny MUSCAT
Matthew RIDENTON (u21) 
Alex RODRIGUEZ GORRIN (f) (+1) 
Alex RUFER (u21) 
Ben SIGMUND
Hamish WATSON (injury replacement for Krishna)

EXPIRES END OF 2016/17:

Roly BONEVACIA (f)
Louis FENTON
Dylan FOX
Glen MOSS
Blake POWELL
Albert RIERA (f)
Oliver SAIL (u21)

EXPIRES END OF 2017/18:

Andrew DURANTE
Roy KRISHNA (f)
James McGARRY (u21)
Michael McGLINCHEY
Logan ROGERSON (u21)

EXPIRES END OF 2017/18:

Kosta BARBAROUSES  

Where does it say he's signed for 3 years?

Kosta and Krishna could do with good Kompany up front.

I hear its on its way.

So that leaves Kwasnik out and Kwabena on the way out

It doesn't. But he has. 

Wouldnt be too upset if we lost the lot of those, they could be replaced. 

Id look to keep Danaskos, Doyle  and Gulley, and presumably Italiano but we havent seen a lot of him have we.

Of that list, I reckon Watson, Sigmund, Muscat, Lia and Appiah won't be back. 

Hope not, I would be sad to see Lia go.

Who would we have left to blame for everything?

With Kosta and Krishna, and to some extent Wee Mac & Roly, we'll have the shortest attack in the league...gotta be a song in there somewhere!

I'm pretty confident about 2 people on that list.

It may be that A-Rod has already triggered his +1 but we haven't heard about it?

Blame seems to get fairly evenly spread out now days. WeeMac seems to get a lot of criticism, as does Fenton. The only person who is blameless at the moment appears to be Fox.

Because we expected nothing from Fox, he will get blamed in the future, don't worry.

Early days yet.  We usually turn from worship to regret after about one season.

Kwabena is already there as our main striker mate. The KKK will be in full swing.

Anyway, i'd be absolutely shocked if Lia goes - Ernie has placed quite a bit of trust in him and with Siggy + Manny going our leadership group is looking very thin.

Unless his injury is worse than first thought and he'll retire?

Also, Fox has 0 expectation on him and a lot of leeway just because he's new to the league - I think he's done as well as any new CB coming into a shambles of a team could do.

If he is re-signed, I'd imagine it would be for less money. Seems Ridenton has kicked on this season and so I can see him playing a bigger role next year. Would also be on less money.

I still think we need to go out and get a proper right back and also another center back. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition for places. Left back is kind of covered with Doyle showing signs of being good and potential to be a lot better.

With Kosta signed a striker the size of hysegems or bigger would make for a good combo. We really need some height.

If Lia leaves I hope we find out this season and get to give him a send off at a game rather than in the off season. He may not be universally liked but he has been loyal to the club and is our only continuous foundation player.

Definitely. I think under Ernie he actually re-invented himself a bit; he's been a very solid part of this team. In saying that, I agree with 2B that if he does re-sign it would need to be on a reduced contract. I think that'll happen, though. No other A-League club will pick him up.

Peter Krouch is about due for some Southern sunshine before he gets his Gold card.

Just give Watson the nickname 'Kardashian.'

I hope he sticks around, still thinks he offers something.

Lia had a couple of old man muscle pulls after having to run after some one younger, fitter and faster than him. From the leadership point of view it could be good, and I think he has actually shown good form, but....it really depends on Rufer and Ridenton

Too bad It's actually Roy and Kosta or Krishna and Barbarouses...

K G? B

Anything better than ending up with BK, look what happened to Hernandez

"

Signing Barbarouses, while also getting a commitment from Roly Bonevacia that he will be here next season, will make signing new players easier, Merrick said.

"

good to hear that from Roly

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/777...

I hope Roly has more impact next season than he has had this season so far

I thought we always had Roly next season, it was the one after that we were worried we would lose him.  Or am I completely wrong?

You aren't wrong

http://www.a-league.com.au/article/re-signed-bonevacia-targets-a-league-title/1ue5soptpitjb16t52mu871rnp

Far too much has hinged on what Roly does each game - especailly since Krishna got injured. That is a huge burden imo and I think we will see the best of him with a fit Krishna and Kosta to play the ball to.

We had him contracted

but you don't necessarily keep an unhappy player

I thought there was a fair bit of talk about him being marketable, and maybe unhappy with the league kicking chunks out of him every week

so I was pleased to hear via Ernie that Roly is committed to play here next season

The way I read this, the fact that Ernie has gone to the trouble of saying he has a commitment from Roly suggests there may have been some doubt

but, just my reading between the lines