Herbert Head Hunted

Herbert Head Hunted

Wellington Pheonix and New Zealand National coach Ricki Herbert has been hit for six with a massive coaching opportunity.

That's a tempting bit of into...  Highly ambitious Championship Club with former international as manager - that's a long list... Benjamin2007-06-18 14:36:06

I dont think he would go YET. Maybe at the end of the season. Which club we talking about? And what happening with these Brazilians?

Ipswich - Jim Magilton.

Wolverhampton Wanderers- Mick McCarthy used to manage Ireland.

Wolves would be the obvious answer being his old stomping ground.

lunatic: whats your source for this revelation mate?

He was also at Southampton. Remember when he came back to NZ he was wearing those Patrick boots that the Saints all wore.

If i was him i would see out the season and tell those mothers to hold the offer.

Its a big opportunity for him and would be a dream job for Ricki, obviously he should take it, but he still has unfinished business in Wellington and the A-league - so I think he will stay at least for version 3. Besides Ricki might be able to demand more $$ from Terry who is well capable of funding a super coach and a marquee player - he's worth an estimated $300 million!

I think with the new FIFA qualification he is about to get its not a case of if he will leave but when.I just hope he stays for at least this season before making a move which can only benefit NZ football.

but hang on, why would you want to go from head manager/ coach to being an understudy? ok so you get more money but that cant be everything can it?

Because you are in the right place when that manager or another one get's the Spanish archer.

But what are we going to do with all the T shirts??

Excellent point.  Better tell Terry we need some compensation from the purchasers if this happens Feverish.

This is potentially disasterous news indeed. . . . Let's just hope we can keep Ricki for Season V3, and that the foreign offers remian on the table for 10 months or so (however, I doubt they will). Hopefully a few more good games with the AW will keep his name in the international spotlight, and he won't feel pressure to take up this offer just yet. However, I would understand and respect his decision, should he choose to leave now.

An interesting post if it is true.  Certainly all are aware that Rikki has the coaching merits required to step up so it is always a possibility.  It would be a blow to the Pheonix in their first year mind.

If Ricki does a bang up job this year, the best chance he'll have next year is Asian Champions League, if he goes to England he'd have a chance of English Premier League not true even if the phoenix win the league and the grand final they can not qualify for the ACL due to the fact they are a team based in OCEANIA not ASIA. Likewise the phoenix can not qualify for O-League due to the participation agreement currently in place between the NZFC teams and NZ Soccer

Be asst coach to a 2nd divison english team or take an International team to the World Cup Finals and get a better offer.

they have to qualify for the world cup first

Isnt that what I wrote?

nightz2007-06-18 15:17:02

I hope he doesn't go, but if he does would that stop him from coaching the All Whites?

Ricki's a young man - he should stay here for a few years and build a proper rep as a head coach in an environment that has supported and nutured him so far.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and a pathway for his career to advance

If the offer is correct - I reckon he would turn it down - but hopefully he can take up such an offer once the Phoenix have won the A-League.

Who would we get IF he went?

Obvious options would be Kosmina or Blieberg

He should stick it out here for at least a year, if he can achieve success with the Phoenix it will open  few more doors for him, also with all the troubles New Zealand has had in establishing a professional football club, him leaving the Phoenix before the season starts would really unstabilise the club especially as most of the squad has already been signed up, pretty much consigning the Phoenix to the same fate as the Knights.

I'm still not sure that it is a step up, and if this really was an issue then it would have come out long ago - I don't see Ricky hanging on if he had received this offer after the tour and he intended to take it.

IF Mr Herbert was to leave, Rufer as a replacement? i wouldnt want one of the junior rep coaches (u/17s & u/20s) to take it, as they are doing top quality work with the future stars of the AWs.


Please Ricki, stay for us...think of the T-shirts

He was definitely offered the position and he has turned it down. Ricki knows his best chance for a decent shot at the big time is to do well with the Phoenix and the AW's in the near future (12 - 24 months). He definitely wants to go further in the game and if all goes according to plan he will then sign with an EPL or Championship club as Manager for serious money. He is already highly regarded in Europe and several clubs are keeping tabs on him.

Do you really think that Rufer will come back to NZ Football? We can all wish, I guess.

No!!!!!!! Please, Ricki think of the t- shirts!

It's complicated by the rules on imports though, I'm not sure if the AFC will permit Australian players counting as domestic players. I read somewhere that as the Knights are not part of the AFC they did not have to follow the four player limit on foreign players, but the Phoenix clearly are following this rule, so I'm not entirely sure what the situation is with regards to the AFC champions league spot is, maybe there is room for negiotiation.

Trust me, there is no way that the Phoenix or the Knights were ever going to be able to compete in the ACL or the O-League. The knights had agreement from Oceania last year but it needed NZS to give up a place for them, all of the NZFC teams rejected this move unless financial compensation could be paid to them, give the financial loss that NZS recently posted this will not change. As for the ACL it is simple, the Knights now the Phoenix have been given an exemption from FIFA to play in a league from a federation that they are not a member of. So yes if a welsh team one the FA Cup or the Premiership they could go to the Champions League as they are from the same confederation

He will go, its all about the $$$$, and its more important to look after No.1.

Well said Wodger, although i think Ricki can see the start of soming promosing here and if it doesnt quite work out then i think we will leave. but atm i dont see him going anywhere.