Darije Kalezić: We hardly knew ye.

Wow, we're only on page two and already have the hidden posts screwing up the pages bug.

Watch out, Patrick will get on your case.

I think you are giving Dome too much credit. 

It merely reeks of sloppy seconds

There is something really familiar about your posting style Kwakka.

Perpetually miserable, loving a good scapegoat, fixated on one member of the Fever.

I just can't put my finger on where from.

My last negative comment until forced otherwise :) but once again the club showing absolutely no idea about PR with that drivel spouted about 2nd choice, 6 month etc.

Sounds like they couldn't get the deal done in time, reading that closely

We're Doomed!

Fixed

where's the pronunciation advice?

We talking 6 syllables or 5? Where's the stresses and vowel sounds in the first name?

Don't think it should be too tough to get into the chant!!

Agreed. Absolutely nonsensical. Imagine Kalezic having 2 months basically pressure free to figure out which players he likes. Would've been perfect. Instead we got a stop gap that they never really considered for the top job anyway.

or didn't want to spend the money and stuck with the cheap option of Greenacre and Buckingham

Did they say a 5 year contract?

End of the video on the FB live: Da-ree-eh Kar-lay-zich

You could just go for the first name or the second in the chant: Dar-ree-eh's Yellow Army

or both Darieh Karlayzich's Yellow Army!

Just the second requires a bit more work

FFS guys give the guy a chance you have appointed what looks to be a well qualified European coach.... plenty of time left for him to build a squad ... why the moaning about the past all the time... celebrate what looks a good decision ... is it so hard to accept good news... 

This

Anyway, this is the last roll of the dice for the club. If this doesn't work out then we're staring straight into oblivion. We need to start winning and start getting the public excited about the Nix or else it's all over.

No wonder people are getting pissy. It's been a long time since the club has seemed like it's in a positive place and even now, although I think this seems like a good appointment, the messaging coming from the club doesn't exactly scream confidence in their new gaffer.

I have no problems with the gaffer whatsoever. He seems a bold choice. Something different.

It is the process, the deferment of the appointment and apparent stringing along of D&G. It is the thought processes of club management  that I wonder about.

I do wonder how much influence Kalezić's had on the recent departing players. If this whole "we decided not to hire him 6 months ago" spiel is correct, then surely he has had ample time to watch (at least on TV) the Nix and have some sort of influence. 

The other thing I'm struggling to work out (re: "we were going to hire him 6 months ago") is why the visa supposedly took so long to sort.

so much this

Dome said that every departing player was looked at by Kalezić and that none of them were offered a contract. He watched last seasons games before making his decisions. It might be a good thing that he didn't start mid season as he could get rid of players based purely on what he saw and not any personal connection. 

The visa didn't seem to take long to sort, these things take time and they can't begin the process until he's got the job. As was stated above it appears that the issues mid seasons was that negotiations were ongoing.

Any word on what happens to the other backroom staff? Obviously Des and Greenie been talked about but what about the rest, strength and conditioning team etc. Total clean out or new coaches just have to work with what is already in place?

Good interview here with new coach http://www.a-league.com.au/article/wellington-phoe...

Surely this is last roll of the dice for Domey

It does sound ludicrous to me.  Are they really saying that a half season with the squad to see who he could work with and plan for the next season isn't better than coming in cold half way through the off season.

Surely he would have a better idea of who he wanted after working day in and day out with them for a few months than just watching some game tape on TV - seeing who he could work with, who fit into his systems, which squad players (who he wouldn't have seen on TV) he liked and he saw potential in...

Excerpt from interview with Darije.

How do you like your teams to play? 

"I like to play with the material I have in the squad. "The quality of the players will decide how I'm going to play. "But if you're asking about my favourite way, the answer is the Dutch way of football - attractive, nice football, based on possession. "

I like this answer. Rather than rigidly sticking to a tactical formula regardless of available personnel. Excellent.

Hopefully that flexibility means that we have a plan b.

Hopefully liking to play with the squad he's got doesn't stop him from signing new players.

No question

Could it be that the owners thought we had a better chance of making the play-offs if we maintained some continuity in the coaching rather than turning it upside-down mid-season when Ernie left? 

Definitely seemed like the focus was on making the play-offs rather than building for next season. 

Most people are saying he would have been better off with a few months seeing the players in the flesh, which is no doubt the truth, but it also would have taken that focus away from making the play-offs, and turned it onto the individual player situations. 

I know we didn't end up making the play-offs, but the departures at the end of the season have shown that the individual player situations were obviously put to one side while we focussed on trying to win games. 

Coaches Plans Part 1

For all those asking why we didn't get him 6 months ago, I thought Dome implied that they couldn't get the deal over the line then I'm fairly sure. All the other reasons are making a virtue of a necessity.

"Wellington Phoenix have announced Dutchman Darije Kalezic"

Ah, so we were supposed to search for a DUTCH coach, not Swiss/Bosnian. Loving the lazy Journalism.

IE they didn't want to pay the money required

He considers himself more Dutch than Swiss, so.. Not entirely wrong.

And whose son might you be?