Next Season's Nix - Who Do We Want To Keep?

Next Season's Nix - Who Do We Want To Keep?

It's a no-brainer! Many of the current squad are not up to the standard we need to make a significant dent in a rapidly improving league. So let's look ahead to who we want to keep from the current mob, and who should be encouraged to join Smeltzy and forge a new career elsewhere (anywhere!). 

Two weeks ago we'd won two of our last three and got seven points.  Hardly anyone would have wanted anyone chucked then.  Can't see the point of this now, strikes me as just giving up on the season and I don't like that precendent.

Contracts nickedfrom Jaza's theories (usually about 90% right) on SFCU.

CONTRACT EXPIRES END OF THIS SEASON:
#1) Mark Paston
#2) Jeremy Christie
#3) Tony Lochhead
#5) Karl Dodd
#6) Tim Brown
#8) Vaughan Coveny
#9) Shane Smeltz
#10) Michael Ferrante
#11) Daniel
#12) Richard Johnson
#15) Adam Kwasnik
#18) Ben Sigmund
#19) Greg Draper
#20) Glen Moss
#21) Leilei Gao
#25) Manny Muscat  (long term injury cover for Vince Lia)

CONTRACT EXPIRES END OF SEASON FIVE:
#4) Jon McKain
#7) Leo Bertos
#13) Troy Hearfield
#16) David Mulligan
#17) Vince Lia
#23) Costa Barbarouses
#22) Andrew Durante

Definitely keep that Smeltz chap...

The ones I would get rid of are:

Vaughan Coveny
Richard Johnson
Leilei Gao
David Mulligan

I think most people would agree.

I was very close to putting Kwasnik in, but didn't, not because of how he's been playing, but because I know he's a lot better than that, and if we somehow managed to get the best out of him he could be very valuable.

Get rid of

Coveny, Christie, Mulligan ( how the f**k did he get a two year contract), Johnson, Kwasnik.

Possibly Gao if he is on high wages.

I'm already wishing I had just deleted this...

IBTL

Deep breaths News...

See I took this as a joke (hence Smeltz), its far too early to be making calls on this IMO.

Please do delete it, it is just nonsense

Why ditch players? Teams with that stay together will win. Maybe not this year but next. Time together helps

Stupid thread

CONTRACT EXPIRES END OF THIS SEASON:
#1) Mark Paston
#2) Jeremy Christie
#3) Tony Lochhead
#5) Karl Dodd
#6) Tim Brown
#8) Vaughan Coveny
#9) Shane Smeltz
#10) Michael Ferrante
#11) Daniel
#12) Richard Johnson
#15) Adam Kwasnik
#18) Ben Sigmund
#19) Greg Draper - Who knows, never really seen him play
#20) Glen Moss
#21) Leilei Gao
#25) Manny Muscat  (long term injury cover for Vince Lia)

Thats who I'd get rid of. We need strikers, 3 or 4 of them. Hopefully we are not given the same 'no strikers availablem shortage of strikers worldwide' when everyone else is signing them

What? Players are ditched every season. Keep the current team? We would never get off the bottom.

I'll focus on resignings rather than cuttings...

KEEP
#1) Mark Paston OR #20) Glen Moss
I think it's ridiculous that only one of NZ's top two keepers sees regular game time. Great for the Phoenix, terrible for the All Whites. We can survive with a different backup though (unless it's Granville ). Only keep one, let the other get some game time.

#5) Karl Dodd
Big yes. One of our best players since day one - only time he was sh*te was as DM. Keep him as CB and he's too good to let go IMHO.

#6) Tim Brown
Wellingtonian, has the passion, and a decent player. Would keep him, even if just as a bench player.

#10) Michael Ferrante
Been a decent player since day one, had a slow start to this season but looks like some bench time has done him well. One of the few positive players against Perth

#18) Ben Sigmund
Heart and soul of the team at the moment. Always gives a damn, always gives his best. Easily the most professional member of the squad, easily the best signing we've made.

#19) Greg Draper
Will still be U21 IIRC. Keep the yoof, keep it kiwi.

#25) Manny Muscat  (long term injury cover for Vince Lia)
Shows potential and passion. I'd resign him after Lia's back anyway, even as just a depth player.

MAYBE KEEP
#3) Tony Lochhead
He *must* get back to season one's form. Either with and for the Phoenix, or with a different team for the All Whites. Would much rather he stay though

#11) Daniel
If he gets back into form. That being said, he hasn't had much chance, being behind Leilei in the pecking order. Hopefully he'll start on Sydney.

NOT RE-SIGN
#12) Richard Johnson
McKain, Brown and Ferrante are all ahead in the pecking order for DM. Not really worth the roster spot. Will wish him the best if he signs for another team.

#15) Adam Kwasnik
Who?

CUT ASAP
#8) Vaughan Coveny
Wouldn't actually cut, I'd plead for him to retire with dignity.

#21) Leilei Gao
What's Mandarin for "Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out"?

f**k off

With dignity? That would have been 2-3 seasons ago, he's lost that dignity now.

I wouldn't make that call yet, he's showing out in training and reserve matches against NZFC sides. 

He's been hammered here for a game against Melbourne where everyone played like rubbish, and the Tards played to the conditions and we didn't.

He might give it his all but he is still crap and past it....yes he used to be great, but as so many greats do, he has played too long and that's to his own downfall....a striker who doesn't even have any shots is not worth keeping.

So how about you just piss off.

On the Muscat issue.....I like him, he had one poor game but other than that he has been solid.

So, that's not even halfway through the season and with 33 points still available, when we have more points than at the same time last season, are 8 points out of first and 6 points out of the play-offs ?

Ridiculous thing to start talking, some players have only played a couple of games, how on earth can you judge them on that ?

I imagine one of the new sides will probably sign up Muscat, we are fairly well stocked in defence and he should be able to start for one of the new sides.

We're a bit lacking in fullbacks though. Muscat and Lochhead are our only natural ones, with Siggy, Lia, Plodder, Mully just fill-ins.

Central defence we're fine though.

fact

Covs lost his dignity when he went barking to the tabloids about how great he was

I'll give up now.

I used to love Cov's but now I just wish he would retire

Isn't Covs on record as saying that if we don't want him next season he'll be looking at the new teams for a contract? So no sign of retiring at the end of this season yet.  

But do you think they would use an import spot on him?

Not really if we wait then we could easily players poached by other clubs.

i'm picking retirement, based only on hearsay.......definitely wouldn't warrant an import spot on current form

At what stage last year did we cut George and Cleberson?
Are any of this years crop that bad?

Not George bad, but Mulligan hasn't been much better than Clebs, who actually did well at centre-back IIRC.

In answer to my own question these two were let go on the 7th of november. So why shouldn't the club be looking at any players who are not up to it or wanted. They did last year.

scribbler2008-11-06 16:37:40

I agree. He's put in bad performances the last couple of weeks. But before that looked good off the bench. Doesnt help with the lack of support from players around him. Give him a break

Firstly I have to agree with Robb that we only need one of Mos and Paston as it's not good for NZ Football to have only one playing each weekend. Until we have a reserve team set up it's going to be difficult but when we do (hopefully next year) I'd like to see young Kiwi keepers getting time on the bench and in the NYL. I definately don't thi k Spoonley should ever have been axed.