Ernie Merrick - former Phoenix manager

Am relieved it's an Oz coach. Track record of outsiders in A League is horrendous. It's an Oz League, it's their comp, and we need as much Oz coach and player expertise as we can get - if we're to ever win it. Pleased it's Merrick. Won't be surprised if he revamps the backroom structure, including moving Greenacre to another role. Greenie's a mate with all the players, same old face for training etc. which isn't ideal for a fresh start.     

Good article by Burgess at NZ Herald.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10885148

"He inherits an ageing squad in urgent need of rejuvenation, one that has been built to destroy rather than create, and enters the transfer market when some of the best prospects have already been snapped up. But our disillusioned fan can be sure of two things. The Phoenix look to have done everything possible to ensure they have the best man for the role and the team under Merrick will surely produce more attacking, attractive football that the dull, one dimensional fare of the last few seasons."

Beautifully put. Best comment on this thread, well done that man!

Let me just say...

ERNIE MUST GO!!!

One thing I like about Merrick is that during his time at the Tards is if something wasn't working, or if someone was playing shit he was never afraid of dragging a player early, even in the first half.

Beats Ricki leaving everything till 75+ min no matter how the game is going...

60  mins.  Don't exaggerate.

60 mins plus 10

I miss my 70th minute Daniel substitution. 

Classic

Happy with the Merrick choice

In many ways its the safe choice. And probably the most logical one as well. Getting someone who had A-League experiance was obviously high on the criteria. So from that point on they could have taken a gamble on one of the up and coming young Aussie coaches who have done time as assistants and Oz age groups but who have no senior experiance. Or they could have picked up an older A-League coach like a Kosmina, or Vidmar or Miron. We don't know how many of them applied but in getting Merrick they have ticked a lot of boxes. He has the track record and will be a no bullshit coach....which is not something you could say about some of the others.

In some ways his first season will be a tricky one. Loads of old players. Very little room for recruitment of foreigners. Season two will be where he can make his mark. But for this season he has to find some quality in the midfield. MV under him traditionally played through the narrow central channels. If he can't find the right bodies to play this style then we will see how good a coach he is trying to make do with the players he has.

As for comments about the A-League having moved on since he coached....time will tell but I am sure coaches can move with the times as well. Football has some basics that don't change....like defending properly. I'm sure we will improve in that area.

Welcome to the Nix Mr Merrick

I think if we had a strong off field team with plenty of football knowledge then we might be ready to take a punt on an up and comer.  But we don't, and we need someone to pretty much look at everything within the football side of things and basically run the show.  Same thing with a foreign manager, if we had someone off the pitch who could give him a steer on players, and we had a good structure there so he just could come in and coach then that might have worked.  But with our set-up we need someone who can run the whole shebang.  First team, younger players and integration of the whole thing is key and he's got the experience I think to do that job.  

I think the idea that the A-League has moved miles forward is slightly misleading too.  If you compare years one and two to now, clearly yes.  But if you take three years ago I think the best teams are better - and Postecoglu can take a lot of credit for that, but actually the mid to bottom sides are very similar to what we've seen in the past.  Kosmina got results with Adelaide, so did Farina at Sydney - it's not as if there's a different sport being played.

This year will be pretty tough players wise and interesting to see what he does with some of the guys who've lacked form.  Can he get more out of Lochhead, Muscat, Sigmund etc?

And Chris Greenacre named as Asst for the 2013/14 season.

Piney & Gourdie both mentioned it on twitter.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/greenacre-appointed-assistant-coach/67808

I wonder if Greenacre is the assistant coach, or an assistant coach? Does Merrick have any other coaching staff he wants to bring in?

If he's seen the budget now the answer's probably no!

So if Greenacre is Assistant, who is overseeing the Academy? When it was launched there was talk of having campus locations in Auk and Chch. About to be totally revamped, or other priorities?

oh no martinb you didn't go there

there's a thread somewhere with a page (or more) of discussion on that very topic

Ernie the Builder?

Anyone got this interview;

http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/79520.html

I never got to watch it and it seems like its been taken down?

Ernie officially started work today.

Probably still sitting there waiting for the IT guy to set up his account on the network.

Down at Newtown Park wondering why the doors are locked and no lights on.

I hope someone told him the pin code to get back into the office from the toilets.

Could be standing there a while doing that rite of passage for all newbies - the stairwell knock.

No Ernie - that's the entrance to the Zoo mate.

Windy day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the game is sweet

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Vivian Street

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Psycho chickens there
That's where we meet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Vivian Street

Junior you legend.  You posts always make me chuckle

*doffs hat (imaginary)*

"At your service kind sir"

errr, anyone know how long before the season starts?

128 days, very soft noises

Ernie Merrick's with @camtheguzz & @DaveSmarty on Classic Hits @ 8.15am tomorrow (Friday). We've heard there's a Hot Springs Spa involved...

Ernie about to have a chin wag on RadioSport. With the last dinosaur (Telfer) and Sam (hoof it) Malcolmson.

Ernie talking about Asian players.  I hope the Nix set up a better support service than previously.

Well Ernie was good, but seriously they need interviewers who actually have a clue.

http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Full-interview---Phoenix-Coach-Ernie-Merrick/tabid/317/articleID/301209/Default.aspx