Phoenix Transfer Speculation 2012/13

Anyone know why Boyd and Fenton's contract announcements were done separately? I would have thought they'd have known which two they had chosen at the time Boyd's contract was announced. I actually don't think there was any doubt it was going to be these two looking back a few weeks.

From the various match reports and comments it sounds like he's done incredibly well. The comment that stood out for me was, that like Marco he has great technical skill (not quite as good it was said), but has a better work ethic and is stronger.

Hope to see him push for a start in the near future.

 Plus it probably helps that we've been in the news twice in 3 days.

The question now is what do we do with the rest of the youth guys.  For example Luke Rowe - do they stay and train with the club for another 12 months and hope to pick up a contract next season.  I suppose the argument would be that with another 12 months of full time training under the belt they may be more ready to step up.  I'm still not quite sure this is the perfect set up for them - I would have thought the ideal would be to have say 4 guys coming through in each year who "graduate" into the youth roles, and if they aren't good enough probably get released at that stage.

These are the off-contract players, I've put my predictions next to them

EXPIRES END OF 2012/13:

Leo BERTOS [resign]
Jimmy DOWNEY [ditch - so spot for the youth available]
Tony LOCHHEAD* [who knows - but Rowe will be eyeing this spot]
Lucas PANTELIS [ditch - fairly well covered in Boyd and Fenton probably]
Mark PASTON [may be the end for the big man, especially if Basalaj is still at the club and does well]
Mirjan PAVLOVIC [suspect his time is already up, probably already replaced effectively]
Dani SANCHEZ (f) [depends how season goes]
Alex SMITH (f) [depends how season goes]
Benjamin TOTORI (f) [depends how season goes]

So plenty of attacking players off contract.  Will be tougher for centre back (Solomons) and midfielders to break into the squad

I'd agree with that assessment JD

Am very happy and excited with 'project youth' progress so far, un-earthing and developing really good talent by the looks, and if these guys can step up and replace our fringe players over the next few seasons we'll be in very good health - and hopefully no longer needing to take punts like we did at the end of the terry era i.e. tsatts, downey etc etc etc

Loving Gareth and Welnix, one year in the job and more than exceeded my expectations thus far

You bring up an exceptional point. No longer will our squad players be seasoned aussies with not a lot to offer, they will be young kiwis. The nix is going to be predominantly kiwis and we wont be signing many more aussies unless they are of the Durante caliber.

But ive begun to think about how we are going to handle all these youngsters. 3 year contracts for these 2 is great. But what are they gonna do with the other 8? Keep them in the system until they are 21 and then kick them out? now that Lindsay, Boyd & Fenton have 2+ years with the club, the nix dont have to sign up youth. I would hope they do add more to this ageing side, but they will only do it if the  kids are good enough.

I'm just wondering if Welnix have a plan on how to support the lads who dont make it. Or is that the end of their chance as a professional?

According to reports from Australia this didn't have the support from any of the clubs. I can't see this happening myself.

Sanchez needs to get fit obviously. I'm a bit concerned his preferred position will once again not actually exist in our formation. That will make it hard for him. Smith sounds like he is going well.

I just read something interesting. You may have seen the speculation on the Unicorns chasing Ballack. Well they already have 5 imports so this seems strange but apparently rules have been changed so that the Foreign Marquee doesn't count towards foreign player quota.

Does anyone else know about this? Because its news to me and makes for an interesting future opportunity to sign an extra foreign player.

 I know how our owners don't want to spend lots but we could have a foreign marquee only name, simply elect someone to exclude from the salary cap and make sure you fill the minimum of the salary cap (80% or something isn't it) meaning you wouldn't have to go over the cap, or not by much to exploit this loophole. I'd be very interested in an extra foreign player of a Smith/Sanchez/Daniel kind of quality... or a right back?

Well yeah, if the rule has changed - then throw huysegems or ifill down as our marquee and find us an international RB!

Doesn't the Marque have to be a player that the FFA thinks is deserving of it? I guess if Smeltz is qualified then Stein or Ifill is as well.

I would expect these guys to stick around. They will be involved in TW and central league and training full time will surely help their game. If by July/August the ~20 yr olds are not up to getting a 'Nix contract then you look to replace them with the best 16-18yr olds and keep them in the FSE until they are about too old for a youth spot. The 'Nix may look at keeping some players around until they are older as they may be seen to have the potential to replace an ageing squad player.

Without sticking around they will be playing ASBP and local leagues without the benefit of added training in a professional environment, being involved in pre-season games for the 'Nix and potentially injury/absent All White replacement players in full HAL games.

What I would also like to see is in our off season is for the Welly Nix to send our young players out to clubs in Europe to train and trial.

Taining overseas in the off season will develop their game, and if they get picked up, it can only be a good thing. They will play at a higher level and train against better players (and hopefully NIX will get a transfer fee or a percentage of any future sales).

Even if they are just training with these teams, they should develop further as opposed to trying to stay active and sharp here back home.

Loaning them out to State Leagues I'm not sure really benefits them... Does anyone expect to see Pav to come back a new player??

And if they do get picked up... more spots to be filled by our young up and comers.

The thing I don't quite understand is when is the next intake of guys into the youth programme - is this going to happen annually?  Or are there only 8 or so who are going to be there at any one time and it's one in one out?

Probably just so they could make 3 press releases for signings in the space of a week. More news = more talk

Maybe the review it every season, say to some you deserve to stay and to others, thank you for your efforts but we don't see you making the standard up, its time to try some new faces.

Bit cut throat, but thats life in pro football.

Well my predictions of Robert Earnshaw coming to the Nix proved wrong....but he has left Cardiff City on loan to the Jews "Maccabi Tel Aviv

 I heard the 'nix were keen, Cardiff were keen, but Earnshaw wasn't.

Cheeky bit of trivia for you, Robbie Earnshaw is the only player to have scored hat-tricks in the Premiership, Divisions 1, 2 and 3, the FA Cup, the League Cup and in an international. Shame the deal couldn't get done, being Welsh myself and recently moving to Wellington we could have been best mates :->

Evening all btw, first post on the forum 

he said on the pod that the pod interview that first contact came 2 weeks before he arrived.

Which raises a few questions...

and answers one question

 Don't know. Don't know. Don't know.

 Nice to know but not that important really. The reality is that you are not going to be successful with everyone you're interested in. I imagine you're coming from the angle that we've been lied to about how close/active we were in attracting a striker.

I think we really do have to accept that the Nix (a) will never have buckets of money to throw around until the day that football overtakes rugby in this country, which will be just after the cows come home; (b) will not be able to attract European quality players here on the basis of sunny weather and the beach lifestyle, as opposed to all the other A-League teams. I am pleasantly surprised we got anyone.

I'm extremely surprised that Robert Earnshaw turned NZ down given that the Welsh, like Kiwis, have a fondness for extra curricular activities with sheep!  

It's all relative. We should be targetting the poms:

Wgtn winter = slightly less sh!t than UK summer

Wgtn summer = slightly less sh!t than Wgtn winter

https://twitter.com/RikyClarke/status/249301455025086464/photo/1

This guys tweeted a pic in a nix training top - (google) translated to "Thank God and well in New Zealand with the team here a pic"

hmm what does it mean??

OK When are the injury replacements arriving ???/

Wrong wiki page above, just the same name. Can't find anything on the 19 year old we have actually signed. 

He's DM, CB according to wikipedophile - maybe Manny back to RB?

Edit: so if that's not the right Ricky then is he a right full back?

Injury replacement for Sanchez, so he may be out a bit longer than first feared.