Phoenix Transfer Speculation 2012/13

He is naturally right footed, and would argue has spent more time on the right side of midfield/defence for Sydney, and every now and then does something special, but not that consistent and possibly not strong defensively hence Jamie Coyne getting as much game time as he did last season. A good squad player due to his verstality. 

Michael Owen not retiring and also off contract at Man U. Could he be the right marque player?

Has he updated his brochure?

Not sure Wellnix would shell out that kind of money, either for the player or the extra physios needed wherever he goes.

Someone send Rob and Gareth this: http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/michael-owen-brochure-now-available.html

Then they can tell Ricki to sign him up.  Even better if there's youtube to back it up.

Nope, Number 1 is Vinnie Lia, Number 2 is Vinnie Lia....

I have no respect for Shannon Cole after that night in Melba's at Palmerston North.

How dare he refuse to wear a Phoenix scarf!

I just want to say that I hope our vanilla emoticons aren't as pusillanimous as these drupal ones.

Cant see us going for Hernandez, but I'm very interested about if people would want him for the nix? Clearly good enough for this league, although a bit inconsistent/fat.

Who would take him?

Fuck yes I would

Disturbingly I agree with the not lawyer.

Oh please. Every time he's optimistic and then nothing happens he gets slagged off for it.

He's just learning to keep his head down until he's actually got something signed and sealed.

The situation will have more to do with the Welnix reluctance to splash the cash anyway.

There's plenty of strikers around. Just not many who'll come to NZ for $150k.

Managing expectations is exactly the right approach to take.

Yep! Totally agree on Ricki's low key approach to recruiting a striker from the UK. In the past he has collected heaps of flack for over promising on the recruitment front. This way expectations are not raised. The only news we really want to hear is "Wellington Phoenix are pleased to announce the signing of xxxxxx from xxxxx United" until then everything is idle conjecture.

Mind you it is the off season and " idle conjecture" is the only thing we have to keep us going for the next few months.

I do NOT agree that we can just get by with Brockie and Ifill up front. Both are sort of roving attackers....Brockie is hardly a leading the line type forward. IMO that would leave us a lacking depth on attack. You really are then dependent on both Brockie and Ifill firing all season and Pantellis making a full recovery from his serious injury and giving 100%.....none of these are a given. Apart from that we would have an aging Leo and then Pav. This is not an attack that would suggest we could make the Grand Final. Still...there is plenty of time for any new announcements

I, personally, am a lot more comfortable with how we are placed this season compared to previous versions as our finincial outlook is a hell of a lot brighter than ever before which would help to attract the right player to our squad.

Drogba might fit in,  he probably can manage with a paycut for a season or two with the Nix

I think that we really have more of a good lifestyle rather than a lot of money going for us, much like any team the a-league.

I think it still is, it really depends on what other offers the player may be getting, also how old they are too..

Super Golds for all.

Interested to see how Ian Hogg goes in the All Whites. I'd be happy to see him or Luke Rowe ahead of Niko Tsattalios in the Phoenix. Luke Rowe maybe more of a future prospect.

That quote was just disturbing...the question is whether Herbert truly believes that or not

and a Yellow Fever card and a Wharf card if they coach the juniors.

We'll be beating them back with a large stick.

Better not let Winston Peters get a hold of that stick!

Thomas Broich? He had travelled to Australia prior to playing in the HAL, was not enjoying playing in the Bundesliga and with Dario also at Nuremburg the connection to the Roar was there. He does enjoy the lifestyle in OZ. Though, he is probably the exception not the norm.

Actually, I think he does, we just can't afford most of them.  If we could meet wage demands plenty of players would happily come.

Speaking of players we couldn't afford, I wonder where Rigters will head off too.

Wouldn't touch Rigters with a stick. What a cock. He'll probably go somewhere like Singapore is my bet.

Hope we do try and sign another Striker - but I am also quite worried about how we will fill the rest of our squad (available aussies/ kiwis). There arent really many who are going to add to our squad level. And Western Sydney are still to sign anyone I beleive so surely they are gonna take a chunk of the available Aussies? 

I'd rather sign young kiwis/aussies who will grow into first team players rather than picking up 30 year old squad players with no future

Young Aussies?

Meh.  That hasn't worked particularly for us well in the past.  The chances of us unearthing a player missed by 10 National Youth League squads and 9 senior sides is pretty much nil.

Young Kiwis.

Still need an import Right Back and Striker as far as I can see though.

Yip I agree. I would keep A Smith, then use the 3 remaining import slots on a RB, ST and AM .The AM could be Sanchez, but I would aspire for someone of higher quality.

In honesty I wouldnt really keep Smith if there were 4 really good import options, but that seems unlikely

Media reports suggest Sanchez a more likely re-sign than Smith though.

Which GCU youngsters are still available? I still think Cooper is available. Though with West Sydney sorting itself out with Gorman and Popovic signing on I would imagine they would be wanting to start signing players shortly. 2 x more u21 spots to fill?

Cooper is having a trial with the Roar.

What happened to the Mehbrahtu speculation? He is still available I believe. As in Minniecon. Im not sure if I would take either - but both seem better than Pav, just

Ricki said he didn't know where the Mehbratu rumours started and that he had never talked to him.

Midfield is currently weaker than up front. Central midfield and right back should take priorities for imports.

Hard News is on the money (again)

14 signed + Dirty (a definate) + 2 U21`s......leaves 3 spots for the 20 mentioned

Right Back, Striker plus one other.......Centre Back cover instead of a midfielder I think

Personally don't think Sanchez is the answer - he was good, and can do a job for us, but I think itd be worth a punt trying to get someone else in that role. If he was good enough, Ricki would have played him at Attacking Mid

A sauce also said that we are not looking at any more A-League striking options so if we sign one it won't be the likes of Mebrahtu.