Nix Transfer Speculation 2019-20

Let's hope the offer is good enough to get him on an aeroplane heading for NZ!

What figure could the Phoenix offer an import? $100-200,000? 

Yeah a long bow. But around Steinman's age (24-26) Broich wasn't going great (injury, struggling with motivation and high expectations) and when on to have 2 seasons in Bundesliga 2 with Köln.

It was only really with Ange Pot, and more laidback Aussie scene that he found his niche.

It Steinman came to NZ, and became half the player Broich was that would be great. 

A lot more than that, the minimum wage is $65k.

Saw a post on the Sydney boards awhile back which seemed a sensible way to do your cap. Divide the squad into three lots of 7 and spend the bulk of your $3.2m cap on your 7 best players. Can't recall the exact numbers tho, so I'll have a rough guess.

7 Squaddies = $450k ish (about $65k each for 7 players)

7 First Teamers = $850k ish (about $120k each for 7 players)

7 Starters = $1.9m ish (about $275k each for 7 players)

Using 2 designated player slots on the 7 starters makes that $1.9m stretch a lot further & even more so with the new salary cap exemptions.

we really are miles under the cap then

Would think our squad breaks down like this atm

Squaddies - Cacace, Devlin, McCowatt, McGing, Scott, Elliot & Sail

First Teamers - TAHW, Payne, Sotirio, Rufer & Fenton

Starters - Ball, Davila, De Vere, Marinovic & Taylor

Cacace should get a wage increase into the 'First Teamers' range if we can get him to sign a new deal. Most of those 'First Teamers' will probably be under 100k rather than the 120k range. De Vere and Marinovic would be at the lower end of the 'Starters' pay bracket.

More I think about it, would think TAHW and Payne should be in the squaddies pay range, not minimum wage but maybe like 80k to recognise they are AWs. Rufer might be in that kinda range also.

But yeah we should have enough cap for 2 imports from a decent level and maybe 1 good non visa under the cap of we can find one.

When we see a player announced in the stadium before a match as 'sponsored by the Whatever Pizza Company' does that mean they also personally receive a payment from sponsors to supplement their salary, or simply that the Phoenix get assistance from that company in paying that individual's salary or is it a contribution to general funding for the club? Anyone know how it works?  

Ben Marshall? 

Didn't have a great time at Norwich. Now released. Versatile though, but right side possibly not what we need. 

Not sure, I would think they are just sponsorships arranged with the business and club. Players can get 3rd party sponsorships outside the cap but if its anything like the NRL, it can't be reliant on them playing for the club.

I am not sure how TAHW is considered a First Teamer while Cacace is considered a Squaddie,

Cacace has been a regular starter under Rudan since way back when, and has not done anything to deserve being demoted to a Squaddie below Sotirio (solid but unimaginative) and TAHW (talented but untested at this level) who are apparently "First Teamers".

Cacace is a first teamer in reality but pay wise, he is still on his first contract right now ($45k is the minimum for a player u20, doubt he is on much more than that). He deserves a decent pay raise right now, so we can secure him & get a fee if he does leave next season.

I would expect TAHW/Payne would get more than the minimum wage to reflect they are All Whites but untested, so probably on a bit more than the minimum wage.

Sotirio is rubbish but he has played 80 odd games and has had 5-6 years of A-League experience, so again won't be on minimum wage.

Heard a few good things re: Steinmann from people who have actually seen him play. 

Pfft. What could they tell me that wikipedia couldn't?

He likes sauerkraut but he has a sweet pass, he loves pina Coladas but doesn't mind the wind and rain, his middle name is Die Mannschaft but he is all heart, ya know, shark like that.

Does he like singing Who Are Ya?

Getting caught in the rain?

Phillip Rollo says we're making another signing at the end of the week. Assume it's Steinmann, as he's the only name currently being thrown around and the other triallists were all released...

Must be at least a visa then

Talay said he was also talking to some Kiwi's overseas. Although most everyone of note that wouldn't require a trial are under contract with overseas clubs. I guess a visa player is more likely.

Was it Dancing to? I was trying to remember.

Let's all have  rain coat, let's all have a rain coat

https://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/chants-mu...

That was my recollection - "Like to...". That is what I meant to type when I first replied by senility.

Link won't work for me. My recollection is:

If you like singing Who Are Ya?
And shirts off in the rain
If you're not into rugby
Then you have half a brain
If you love Ricki Herbert's moustache
From World Cup '82
Then it's the Fever you've looked for
Come to Aisle 22

Wellington Phoenix close to confirming the signing of 21 y/o Australian attacker Reno Piscopo from Italian Serie C club Renate.

Highly rated by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold and was coached by Ufuk Talay in the Australian under-20 side. He signed with Inter Milan aged 12. pic.twitter.com/rl9GFC51U5

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) August 8, 2019

Looks decent hopefully an upgrade on Devlin, we must be looking at an import ST now.

Good highlights comp of him here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAjHpyVCSYY

the Aussie football community generally rate him pretty highly from what I've heard and seen, so I would like to see him sign on. Could probably push Devlin out of the line up, much better on the ball. Assuming we manage to get his deal across the line plus that rumoured deal for Matti Steinmann, this is how we could look.

If we use the remaining import spot on a striker then I think we are looking alright. I actually think for the first half Ball did really well against the Strikers, quick feet on the ball and seemed to be everywhere. I think he just got pretty tired from having to drop back into the non-existent midfield. Uffie said he wants to play using a second striker system, which Ball fits perfectly - can drop back deeper to help the attacking mids link up with the other striker. I don't think he is a guy who leads the line but I'm not sure if we've signed him to be (despite having the 9 shirt). I really think when we get another import striker he will do well, especially with Davila back too. 

Either way we will have some very youthful but exciting and energetic bench options - Waine, Piscopo/McCowatt, Sotirio and Devlin are some pretty decent options off the pine

Definitely, need to go for another import ST if we sign Piscopo as Ball can play 10 as well so we'd have enough depth there. I'd like us to sign a pacey striker as don't see much pace in our side now espcially with Sotirio being a bench player

I think an import midfielder/DM is more important than a ST. The Steinmann rumours have gone a bit quiet..

I know 0 about this Piscopo bloke. Let's hope he's decent. Seems like a left winger.

Stunning pickup, know quite a bit about him and he'll probably go straight into the first team. You don't spend 6 years at Inter for nothing. This is quality and we beat off quite a few Serie A/B clubs for his signature if reports are to be believed

Doesn't seem right not moaning about not having a LB/RB

What reports said we beat off Serie A or B clubs?

Sokkah Twitter went on about it a couple months ago when the season was winding up - also found this, this and this. Pretty decent beating out Juventus to sign him aye

Riveting

it's all Italian to me, but I'll take your word on it. 

Losing a player to Bayern Munich but beating Juventus to another.

Just another day in the world of the Nix

With a loss to a semi-pro state league team sandwiched in between. Football is strange

Got some skills for sure, though most/all of that footage seems at youth level.

Full season in Serie C, last season for Renate. 26 starts & 5 goals.

https://us.soccerway.com/players/reno-piscopo/465221/

Handy stats maybe, in a team that struggled, with Renate finishing 17th out of 20 teams in their regional division of Serie C (Girone B).

Played for Italia at U15 & U17 level.

Hopefully some of the Aussie youth connections Talay has, pan out well. It's gonna be a young Nix side no doubt.

Yeah if I had to say anything about him - left winger, very skillful dribbler, not the best crosser but will look to cut inside and beat his man (fits in with Uffie's Sydney 4-2-2-2). Better than Devlin by a large distance and should compete for a starting spot