Wellington Phoenix Men

Nix vs. Melbourne B Sat 10th 7:30pm

433 replies · 4,472 views
about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
As much as Saturdays performance isn't what we hoped it would be, personally I'm glad at the position on the table.  Wouldn't be boring if the team won virtually every week like the Breakers.  Part of following a sports team is riding the rollercoaster right?  Their fans are probably always happy least we've got stuff to talk about and debate. 

But I still want us to somehow perform the impossible and beat the Victory!

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.


You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword.

I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Did anyone else notice that there were only 8 goals scored this round?   Every team except CCM and Victory scored a goal and no team scored more than 1.  And there were 3 games with the scoreline of 1-1.


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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Pasty nominated for save of round 23.  How Ifill's goal was not nominated astounds me as they've only got 3 choices up there and quite often have 4 so it's not like there wasn't room for his goal.  Bollocks if you ask me as Babalj's header has been nominated.

Vote for Pasty anyway.
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/aleague/


JVS said heart were selfish
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Van-t-Schip-rues-selfish-Heart/46081



George Costanza2012-03-12 11:52:40
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.


You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword.

I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.


Those limitations can potentailly crystalise (again) into some good quality players leaving and i hope that doesnt happen.
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
chuckywolf wrote:
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.


You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword.

I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.


Those limitations can potentailly crystalise (again) into some good quality players leaving and i hope that doesnt happen.
 
I presume by "again" you mean Rojas?
 
Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.
 

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I would be guessing, but over the last three years, we would have the most settled squad. This has surely gone a long way towards the sucess we have had.
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
terminator_x wrote:
Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.


Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad. It seems that others would prefer a coach who let show-ponies and prima donnas prance all over. This season at the Melbourne Irony shows where that goes.

I also repeat my assertion that it seems that some people would much prefer to be MVFC fans right now: fantastic players who play attacking football with an attacking-minded coach, etc etc etc. I'd prefer to be in the finals, myself.

Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009
This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads



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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
terminator_x wrote:
chuckywolf wrote:
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.
You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword. I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.
Those limitations can potentailly crystalise (again) into some good quality players leaving and i hope that doesnt happen.

�

I presume by "again" you mean Rojas?

�

Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.

�


Yes, but that's why I said dogmatically sticking by certain players is a double-edged sword (i.e. it has its good points). It does kind of make you wonder what the dynamics within the squad are like though.

The one player who left for which I really blame Ricki is Kosta - he should have played more for us, and could/should have been a very good player for us. The others who got away (Rojas/Smeltz/McKain) arose from circumstances beyond Ricki's control, and it would be most unfair to blame him for any of those departures.
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Doloras wrote:
terminator_x wrote:
Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.


Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad. It seems that others would prefer a coach who let show-ponies and prima donnas prance all over. This season at the Melbourne Irony shows where that goes.

I also repeat my assertion that it seems that some people would much prefer to be MVFC fans right now: fantastic players who play attacking football with an attacking-minded coach, etc etc etc. I'd prefer to be in the finals, myself.
 
Do you really not understand that it is possible to be a passionate Nix supporter who is delighted we are 4th on the table, and in real contention for a home play-off spot, yet be disappointed that, lately, the quality of our play has been decidedly ordinary ?
 
Do you really not get that or are you just being deliberately obtuse ?
Whitby boy2012-03-12 13:57:58
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:
terminator_x wrote:
chuckywolf wrote:
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.
You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword. I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.
Those limitations can potentially crystalise (again) into some good quality players leaving and i hope that doesn't happen.

 

I presume by "again" you mean Rojas?

 

Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.

 


Yes, but that's why I said dogmatically sticking by certain players is a double-edged sword (i.e. it has its good points). It does kind of make you wonder what the dynamics within the squad are like though.

The one player who left for which I really blame Ricki is Kosta - he should have played more for us, and could/should have been a very good player for us. The others who got away (Rojas/Smeltz/McKain) arose from circumstances beyond Ricki's control, and it would be most unfair to blame him for any of those departures.
 
How you assess Herbert's time at the Nix is an interesting question, probably best had when he hands over the reigns.
 
When that time comes my own assessments will be based on something like;
 
1) Results; Grand finals and minor premierships won, finals appearances and win / draw / loss record.
 
2) Quality of the football played
 
3) Personal performance; By this I mean leadership and management of the team and personal behaviour consistent with the values and desired culture of the Nix.
 
4) Squad legacy; The profile of the squad he passes on in terms of age and youth, skill, speed, solidity etc and positional strengths and weaknesses.
 
I'm sure we'll all have our own criteria and weighting and, when the time come, it will be a more than interesting discussion.
 
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Doloras wrote:
I also repeat my assertion that it seems that some people would much prefer to be MVFC fans right now: fantastic players who play attacking football with an attacking-minded coach, who are the self confessed benchmark team for the competition but who keep on losing f...ing football games because of a complete lack of team spirit and an abundance of overpaid egos I'd prefer to be in the finals, myself.
 
Fixed.
Sure , Jr and I would love to  watch great football. But we'd rather watch the Phoenix in the finals,especially given the troubles at the start of the year.
When we're at the playoffs this year , whether home or away , neither of us will care how they got there.This isn't Barcelona and we don't expect that sort of play. But Ricki hasn't got those players this year.So , f... it , we going to the finals !!!
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:
terminator_x wrote:
chuckywolf wrote:
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.
You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword. I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.
Those limitations can potentailly crystalise (again) into some good quality players leaving and i hope that doesnt happen.

 

I presume by "again" you mean Rojas?

 

Ricki has re-signed more good quality players than have ever left. In fact the likes of Ifill, Durante, Muscat seem very loyal to him.

 


Yes, but that's why I said dogmatically sticking by certain players is a double-edged sword (i.e. it has its good points). It does kind of make you wonder what the dynamics within the squad are like though.

The one player who left for which I really blame Ricki is Kosta - he should have played more for us, and could/should have been a very good player for us. The others who got away (Rojas/Smeltz/McKain) arose from circumstances beyond Ricki's control, and it would be most unfair to blame him for any of those departures.
after the Jamaica game i dont think we are missing out on much

Founder

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
He hadn't played for six months prior to that game.
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Anyone else feel that it wasjust  simply a great football contest? 
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:
He hadn't played for six months prior to that game.
shouldnt have been selected then

Founder

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Leggy wrote:
It's strange that a lot are blaming Ricki. How about the players we have are not good enough.Of course the boys play to instruction, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
 
Can't blame Ricki for how the players play, but you can for which players are on the paddock  (not that I'm laying blame, just pointing that out) 
 
I really rate Smith, would love to see him start every week. Offers so much more going forward.
 
With Lia and Brown in the mid we offer not alot going forward. Brown can occasionally finish a goal but he doesn't create chances and Lia seems most interested in mixing it up on defence.
 
Smith + Lia my preferred option with Lia patrolling in front of the back 4 like a rabid pit bull at the front yard fence with Smith in front popping juicy lollipops through to Ifill and co. Yes please.
 

All Whites | Phoenix | Baggies

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
New Zealanders, eh? You have to love them. We are, on the whole, clinically unable to acknowledge the existance of multi-faceted problems or of multiple problems. Every argument is always defined in our media as an either/or exchange. "It" always has to be able to be described with the sentence "The problem is..." It can never be "the problems are", and if anyone ever says "I'd like to see a bit more of..." it can't possibly ever be interpreted as "I am happy with the status quo, but I would be EVEN HAPPIER if I could have a bit or more of ...[this or that]..."

We simply cannot easily digest degrees of anything. Everything has to be black and white.

You see it time and again in this (and other online) forum(s). Someone says we played well, but our crossing was poor, for example. And if you jump 15 posts down the thread, there will be a discussion obsessing on whether our crossing was poor (and not on the fact that the original poster thought the rest of our performance was good) and then you will see the debate stagger as some people say "It's not the poor crossing that is the problem, it is the midfield not following up to pick up the scraps as the defenders partially clear the cross."

As if it is a given that both poor crossing and less than ideal midfield play could never even conceivably coexist on the same paddock.
bwtcf2012-03-12 17:42:01

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.


Phoenix fans. We have to win them over one fan at a time.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Bozz wrote:
 
Can't blame Ricki for how the players play, but you can for which players are on the paddock
<snip>
 


Paddock?    Eh? They're footballers not horses. You mean PITCH!
Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe. 
20/5/20

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
If we were to crush someone inthe final 25 nil there would be a group of *^*(^ies on this forum compaining about something to do with it.....    Best guess is "scoring twenty five just embarasses the other team. We whoud have stopped scoring at seventeen..." then call for Ricki to be sacked.



Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe. 
20/5/20

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
Have you seen some A-League pitches?



...oi.  
Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe. 
20/5/20

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Watched the match at the Eastbourne pub. At my sister's inviite. Got to half time and she hadn't turned up. We were starting to worry. Then she staggered in..., I do mean staggered, looking absolutely shattered.  Her hour's ride out toward Pencarrow lighthouse extended to four and a half. First words were "are we winning?'.
Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe. 
20/5/20

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
dairyflat wrote:
If we were to crush someone inthe final 25 nil there would be a group of *^*(^ies on this forum compaining about something to do with it.....    Best guess is "scoring twenty five just embarasses the other team. We whoud have stopped scoring at seventeen..." then call for Ricki to be sacked.


lol
I think the compaint would be, we're bankrupt, maybe signing messi, drogba and rooney to solve our CAM and striker problem was going a bit far
but yeh, sack ricki, of course
 
seriously, we a'i'nt the prettiest, but these guys sure as heck put it on the line for each other and the club and surely it'd take a heartless moron to not take some appreciation and pride in that
a bit of luck, a classy player in Ifill, as solid a defense as there is in the league, plus a lot of guts and team spirit have taken us a long way.
Credit to Ricki hanging in there when the club was in trouble and creating the positive culture
 
Like others, while pleased and impressed to be where the team is on the table, with limited resources, no reserves team, pre-season disruption, yadayada, I'll absolutely take what we've got with a smile, but I'd sure love to see us playing more attractive attacking football AS WELL. I don't think there is anything wrong with having aspirations and hopes for even better things in the future.
 
But certainly my appreciation goes to the 'Nix guys knuckling it out there on the field and on the sideline for NZ and Wellington footy every week.  Good luck to the guys on Friday COYN
mjp22012-03-12 16:38:50
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
mjp2 wrote:
<snip>
 
But certainly my appreciation goes to the 'Nix guys knuckling it out there on the field and on the sideline for NZ and Wellington footy every week.  Good luck to the guys on Friday COYN



Profile pic. Should you be interested. Lakhsen, on the right, lost touch with him.
Mohammed, on the left, I'm still in touch with. He's now living in Agadez, Niger. More focused on his animals now as tourism has dried up. Is active with a co-op promoting local goods, leather work and bijouterie, into Europe. 
20/5/20

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
bwtcf wrote:
New Zealanders, eh? You have to love them. We are, on the whole, clinically unable to acknowledge the existance of multi-faceted problems or of multiple problems. Every argument is always defined in our media as an either/or exchange. "It' always has to be able to be described with the sentence "The problem is..." It can never be "the problems are", and if anyone ever says "I'd like to see a bit more of..." it can't possibly ever be interpreted as "I am happy with the status quo, but I would be EVEN HAPPIER if I could have a bit or more of ...[this or that]..."

We simply cannot easily digest degrees of anything. Everything has to be black and white.

You see it time and again in this (and other online) forum(s). Someone says we played well, but our crossing was poor, for example. And if you jump 15 posts down the thread, there will be a discussion obsessing on whether our crossing was poor (and not on the fact that the original poster thought the rest of our performance was good) and then you will see the debate stagger as some people say "It's not the poor crossing that is the problem, it is the midfield not following up to pick up the scraps as the defenders partially clkear the cross."

As if it is a given that both poor crossing and less than ideal midfield play could never even conceivably coexist on the same paddock.
 
Yup...thats the way it is. You either play Ricki's way or you have to play like Barcelona. Its black and white, no in between.(this is irony, by the way)
Anyone who says they love where we are, but suggests if we just tweeked a few things, we could be even better, is a heretic.
Such is life on a football forum.
 
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
George Kostanza wrote:
Did anyone else notice that there were only 8 goals scored this round?   Every team except CCM and Victory scored a goal and no team scored more than 1.  And there were 3 games with the scoreline of 1-1.


 
statto
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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:
George Kostanza wrote:
It's Ricki that has recruited some of the players that are passengers.


You could also say that he sticks by some players almost dogmatically, which can be a double-edged sword.

I'm not having a go at Ricki, he's done a fantastic job here, and I'm very happy for him to keep going on for as long as he wants to, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have limitations. He's human after all, and we all have them.
 
I is also eminently possible that Ricki is (a) doing a very good job and also (b) a very boring, limited, defensive coach without much ability or inspiration and without the capacity to coach players to produce exciting football teams
 
It's simplistic to define him as a good or bad coach.  It really depends what your view on what constitutes "good" or "bad"

Normo's coming home

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Doloras wrote:
Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again in public  is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad.
 
Fixed
 
Even if the players didn't like him would you expect to hear about it in the media?

Normo's coming home

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
james dean wrote:
Doloras wrote:
Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again in public  is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad.
 
Fixed
 
Even if the players didn't like him would you expect to hear about it in the media?
 
Maybe not, but I wouldn't expect them to sign on again with the Nix, which was the point that Doloras was agreeing with, which you snipped, thereby taking her comment out of context.
 
Why would Durante, Ifill, Greenacre, Muscat etc re-sign for a manager they didn't like?
 

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
terminator_x wrote:
james dean wrote:
Doloras wrote:
Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again in public  is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad.
 
Fixed
 
Even if the players didn't like him would you expect to hear about it in the media?
 
Maybe not, but I wouldn't expect them to sign on again with the Nix, which was the point that Doloras was agreeing with, which you snipped, thereby taking her comment out of context.
 
Why would Durante, Ifill, Greenacre, Muscat etc re-sign for a manager they didn't like?
 
 
money, convenience, lack of other offers?
 
Likewise, why would Kosta, Rojas, etc not sign for a manager they like so much?

All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Marco left because of the fine training facilities in Melbourne.  I think Kosta left because he wanted more game time and Ricki wasn't giving him much.


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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Frankie Mac wrote:
terminator_x wrote:
james dean wrote:
Doloras wrote:
Quoted for truth. What players keep saying over and over again in public  is that Ricki is a great man-manager and knows how to get the best out of his squad.
 
Fixed
 
Even if the players didn't like him would you expect to hear about it in the media?
 
Maybe not, but I wouldn't expect them to sign on again with the Nix, which was the point that Doloras was agreeing with, which you snipped, thereby taking her comment out of context.
 
Why would Durante, Ifill, Greenacre, Muscat etc re-sign for a manager they didn't like?
 
 
money, convenience, lack of other offers?
 
Likewise, why would Kosta, Rojas, etc not sign for a manager they like so much?
maybe they are club whores like you?

Founder

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Oceanic6 wrote:
Marco left because of the fine training facilities in Melbourne.  I think Kosta left because he wanted more game time and Ricki wasn't giving him much.


this, had nothing to do with lkiking or not liking the coach, pretty sure muscat has had offers from otehr clubs that he's turned down due to liking the nix setup more - which has to include the coach.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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