Ernie Merrick - former Phoenix manager

A young Kiwi that travels during international windows as soon as they are anywhere near a professional environment... I'm pretty sure this one was well explained.

Litfin and Parkhouse were the best players in their respective NPL competitions. With Ernie defending those signings:

"First and foremost it has always been the club's intention to give young New Zealanders an opportunity to play professional football," Merrick said.

"I will continue to take that approach but I need to find a balance between New Zealand Football's demands for players in the international window when our Kiwi players are required for the All Whites and the need to field a competitive team.

"My first responsibility is the performance of the Phoenix in the A-League and there is a tremendous amount of talent in Australia's NPL competitions," Merrick said.

I have heard the logic but I 100% do not agree with it.  There has to be a pathway for kiwis coming through our academy into the first team otherwise what is the point of the youth set up?  Are you saying only kiwis who are close to the starting XI and therefore MORE likely to be in the All Whites should be signed?

Director of Football role for Ernie? I think that would be a good move for the club.

Fox Sports reporting the club is meeting Mark Rudan today. Fudge.

Trani is almost a career assistant but rated very highly. 

I don't think anyone is seriously picking Hudson

Ramon seems to be everyones choice and I would like to think Emblen would be worthy of being considered as an assistant.

If they are looking for people to start sooner rather than later, then Trani or Ramon would be the two. Also I suspect that given they would inherit the team from Ernie, they would most likely not complain as they are getting their 1st crack. 

Hopefully this is just for an interview with Merrick on FOX Sports.

Is that a bad thing? Was quite successful in the NPL. Tratt, who has arguably been out best player in recent games, has talked up Rudan as turning his career around.

He applied for the CCM role though.

The Phoenix aren't owned by NZF, they don't exist to be a pathway for NZ talent, they exist to win the A-League but they do want to provide a pathway for NZ Talent.

If they sign more NZ players who get pulled at every window then they won't even be around to be whatever sort of pathway they are because you can't be succesfull if you're guaranteed to loose three or so games a year in a league this tight. And if they aren't succesful they won't get the metrics increases they need.

From Fox Sport

Former Sydney FC captain and current Sydney United boss Mark Rudan is the Phoenix’s top choice candidate to replace Merrick and is set to meet the club on Monday about the possibility.

bollocks. The squad this year are a bunch of whinging little pratts. Majority are not justifying the money they are on. Disgrace, to blame the officiating is childish.

I've liked Ernie, but it wasn't working.  I certainly wish him the best and thanks for all he's done. 

But I would feel a heck of a lot more positive about this if Welnix were so on the ball that they had Rudan lined up.  I don't claim to know a heck of a lot about the guy, but his Fox commentary seems plenty well informed and measured, and his coaching record isn't too shabby. 

After his short stint at Adelaide United and the announcement of his professional retirement as a player, Rudan moved into coaching, becoming the first grade coach for first division NSW club, Rockdale City Suns in 2011.[13]

In 2013, Rudan departed from Rockdale City Suns and was appointed head coach of Sydney United 58.[14] In his first season, Rudan helped win the NSW Premier League Premiership and then go on to win the inaugural season of the National Premier Leagues with his old club, which also saw him pick up the 2013 Coach of the Year. After 4 successful years coaching Sydney United 58 which included 2 NSW premierships and 2 Australian championships, Mark decided to leave his post as head coach to work with the Australian U/20 team.

I think it is piss weak to blame the officiating for the teams position

Chris Greenacre and Des Buckingham appointed interim Phoenix coaches. My indication is that that will likely be until end of season.

— Simon Hampton (@SimonHampton9) December 5, 2016

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Oh great, so we ARE writing the season off. :(

Dude, spare me the company line.  How do you get kiwis into the first team if the spots on the roster for development players is taken up Australians?

The reality is that it isn't true.  Even in the City game where we got a very bad rub of the green, we didn't lose because of officiating. We lost because we played really badly in the first half

Indeed - Litfin is a highly regarded young footballer. Most people on here seem to agree last time it came up but our real problem is that we invest two seasons into young players and then we just let them go without really giving them a chance.

Unless you think that these guys are a genuine option to take over, I agree with you - this just smacks of letting the whole thing tail off

The Phoenix have made their position clear though, there is absolutely no onus on them to develop NZ talent. If it was up to me I'd say break for windows and make things a bit easier for them.

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Well other than make up the numbers in the Phoenix reserves he has done nothing since arriving so cannot be that highly regarded.  Interesting that since he came into the squad we have seen nothing of Rogerson in the first team - how is that a good thing for either the Phoenix or NZF (assuming that generally, what is good for one is good for the other)?

There's not except there completely is given that:

- can only have 5 overseas players

- NZers are foreigners in Australian teams

- We will never be first choice for Australians

So actually that statement is complete crap

No, it's fact and we have quotes to prove it. 

Personally I'd rather have kiwi players than not, but if it became a choice between having a team full of NZ players and a team that was competitive I would choose a competitive team.

These players were signed to provide depth for when the AWs are away, you aren't going to sign NZers to do that because if they perform then they will be picked as well.

Cop out X 2. What happens with no relegation.

At a guess

Management is a little amateur and has no one in the wings even though team & management performances have been poor for a while &

Chris will cause minimum disruption.

Personally I think the team needs a little more than a 'disruption' . 

A bomb under it might do it. Maybe Merrick leaving will be that.

It's good for the Phoenix because Litfin is obviously better than Rogerson (according to the coach). The Phoenix need the best team possible and having Litfin has improved the team.

Agree

Ernie leaving is a massive shock to me, 8 on the Richter Scale. Lots of little after shocks heading our way too I guess.

Bring on Hamilton this weekend. Lets bounce back.

I think this is a very fair summation from Piney

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/football-soccer/news/art...

Yes one couldn't get a much better opening game for Chris to manage than against CCM.