Phoenix Transfer Speculation 2012/13

Reading around, his nationality seems to be listed as PNG... That would make him an import if its true.

Anyone got any clarity on him?

perhaps it's time top beg for mr Brown to come out of retirement, we could do with his 9 goals.

Dual NZ and PNG

Would we have to pro rata his 9 goals for the remaining matches?

Whoever we get in are we actually going to see them play or is Ricki just going to keep playing the regulars? Clarke had what, all of 10 odd minutes while he was here? Makes me wonder why anyone even bothered.

 right now I'd take his 9 goals above manny's elbows, smiths on and off again ability and Lia being useless.

 Oh I laugh at the Brown love. He couldn't get a blowjob on the corner of Cheap and Easy St with 50 squid in his pocket from you lot last year.

I'm not that easy... 60 and I was his and he knows it!

Lovely turn of phrase JV, did you write hard boiled crime noir novels in a previous life?

All these recent stories about Ryan Nelsen going to the US to coach begs the obvious. Couldn't Welnix do the bull and horns bit and throw serious money at him to come to the Phownix next year as player coach? One he would stiffen the defence and two he could really start his coaching career where he'd one day become the natural AW coach. We're talking the most experienced NZ player in the game and someone hungry for success.

To compensate for what it would cost to get RN here you could then release these journeymen players on 100K to 250K you have on the books and stack the Nix with much cheaper and hungier young NZ talent and a few wise old heads. Bring in young Australian talent looking to break into the A League to keep the FFA happy. So in would come Boxall, Hogg, Clapham and Browne etc and out would go Lia, Downey, Muscat, Ifill etc.

Take the Phoenix on the road for two games in CHCH and two in Auckland because the Wellington fan base isn't enough to give 12,000 - 15,000 on a consistent basis. All due respect guys and I admire what you've done but crowds most home games of 6,000 odd are not good enough. The brand has grown stale. Liven it up with Nelsen developing the best NZ talent and a few good imports and playing more games around the country.

If Nelsen is too expensive (and I think he'd be less interested in the money than the chance to really coach) then there's another option closer to home. Throw 300K at Ivan Vicelich to become player/coach at the Phoenix with the same remit as above. Bring in an experienced coach to work with him. Ivan's keen to move into coaching (I hope it's ACFC) and could still give a couple of seasons of great service as a CB. Ivan's a great guy and has years of experience at Holland's top flight to bring to the mix.

I had this in the Ryan Nelsen thread in another sub-forum true Blue

Ryan Nelsen for the Phoenix has its pro's and con's

1: What does it do for our budget? Granted Ryan does not need the cash, but he is hardly going to take a mulligan for the team. Personal sponsors to make it happen? Could front ads for Trade Me...

2: What message does this say to Sigmund as the incumbent, Boxall as the back up and also Durante as the captain? I would not expect Dura would lose it but it would make for an interesting scenario and could be unstabilising. I would not expect that to happen both being professionals.

3: To play once a week in the sun near his own backyard. Would be ideal for him as opposed to the cold season with many fixtures. His workload gets lighter.

4: From a culture point of view, its a chance to instill in some players that this is what we did at Blackburn/QPR and this is what we are going to do here. Would be great to help measure what we do (using Ed as well) with what is done at big clubs in the the EPL and adjust accordingly.

5: Marketing - a home run. Other players that have been around longer and have an ego, need to be prepared for him to become the automatic face of the team. Marketing have to have enough nous to use him (which I am less confident about)

6: How does this affect the AWs when he wants to skip games? He would not be able to do that here because there would be no travel or 'last minute injuries'

7: Someone mentioned coaching. What message does that say to Greenacre and his development. Some reports that the juniors are playing like pants under him...

8: Having an American wife, it would most likely be a 1 and done deal as he has mentioned a few times moving back to the US to be closer to her family and considering she has been a football wife, why would you not give that back to her at least.

9: He is still starting in the EPL. A back 2 of him and Dura would make us the best CB pairing in the league (more so than we are). Not as mobile perhaps but a night and day upgrade on Sigmund.

10: With his age, propensity for injuries, are the referees smart enough to protect him from bad challenges because like ADP, he will be a marquee player (perhaps not so much in AU). We have heard many whinge about it. Juninho, ADP, Kewell.. Its not so much the physicality of the league but the policing of it by rookie referees (another story)

11: The conspiracy theorists will be abound about Ryans *cough* Rickis coaching record.

12: Ryan likes to make his issues public in the media in his own way. Is he happy to be muzzled? How is Gareth going to handle Ryan stealing his column inches about total football and be respected for it because he knows what he is talking about as opposed to Gareth getting laughed off the stage like he did.

13: It is rumoured that Ryan does like things his way. Considering we have had a good squad harmony for a long time is he happy to slip into how we does things around here too?

Personally I would grab him but be very mindful of the problems it could create. Why would you not grab a starting EPL captain? Its a no brainer.

Simon Elliot is the answer !!! Cheap, quality player, (he played for Fulham you know) book 2 seats on the plane for him and his zimmer frame. Do it.

He has basically retired Simon has. Don't think he has played in a year. Last I heard he was helping coaching at Chivas?

Ryan Nelsen would be great. Don't see welnix forking out for him though...

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/260186,missing-stars-hurt-phoenix.aspx

"Despite the lack of depth in the squad, however, Herbert said he was unlikely to be overly active in January's transfer window."

WTF !!!??? can you believe this ?

I do recall similar Angst at Brisbane when Ange came in and cleaned out Moore, Tiatto, Miller and Reddy. Look how that ended up. Perhaps they are going to wait until the end of the year and try clear out and develop...

This is what we have to look forward to.
"It's a chance for them to come and play a completely different way, and that may take some time.  Like I said, this is a three- to five-year plan.  It's not something tomorrow."

"… Certainly a young player will come into the squad in January, primarily around a really good three-month window of opportunity of staking a claim to be signed longer term."

It's all pointing towards 2013-14 being a season of transition.

 But we're [b]not[/b] playing crap. We're losing, but we're playing the kind of game that people [b]wanted[/b] us to play. Do you want to go back to "hoofball + parking the bus"?

 But sexy football will bring in the fans, not winning football...

We are playing worse now under this new 'total football' mantra than Rickis usual style.

Are we genuinely trying to play 'total football' as everyone is saying?  I really can't see a difference between how we are playing now, and how we've always played.  We are just slower and out of ideas now it seems to me. 

We still try to get the ball wide, put crosses into the box (regardless of whether anyone is there) and punt high balls to small strikers who lack support.  What's changed?

Of course not... If we were, we'd be winning by Gareth's logic

Can't believe people seriously can't see a change in playing style. I'm definitely going to take those people's opinions a lot less seriously now. 

If you seriously can't see the change in style, maybe have a look at the passing stats of these last games in comparison to years gone by. Dramatically better! Also look at the number of long balls we played against Melbourne. Think I remember 1 in the first half. 

I'm happy to debate with people whether this new direction of style is better than Ricki's tried and tested, but anyone who can't see a change is surely deluded. 

I was being sarcastic PWF. Fix your radar.

There is definitely a change. Is it for the better though?

Totally agree PWF. We are actually passing it through the midfield with short passes and yes, the long balls from the back have disappeared. The only thing lacking is still in the final third where we still persist in getting it wide and putting in aimless crosses. Unfortunately, the new style hasn't translated into wins but I'm pleased to see the team trying to play attractive football. Would be better if we were winning as well but hopefully that will come.

Regardless, I'll still be there at every home game supporting the team. Thats what supporters do through the good and bad times.

Sports supporters in NZ are known to be fickle as anything. Never pre-buy (well that might just be an Auckland thing) and only support when they are winning. 2002 everyone was a NZ Basketball fan, 2010 everyone was an AW fan, Warriors only get fans when they are winning, Breakers could not sell out North Shore when they were losing.

The point I am making if you go back to the 'Loud Noise' from owners, they wont tolerate low/no attendance and will ship the team on the road. I think they have to be very careful as to their next move/PR because they are not getting the crowds they want now and our season is not exactly going in the right direction. The players on the field are culpable but the owners equally so for the 'Loud Noises' they make off of it.

Totally agree Jeff. NZ just doesn't have the population really to consistently have big crowds. Look at the Nix, theres probably a hard core of around 3-4000 who will turn up no matter what, regardless of the weather, team results or cost of a punnet of chips. The tennis is a good example. Stuff all people there for the first round matches at the ASB Classic but if you were a genuine tennis fan, you'd be there. It would be like us football fans not bothering to go to pool matches at a World Cup and just waiting for the semi's and final. I know I'll be going to the nearest pool matches to where I live when the U20 World Cup comes here in 2015.

Probably getting slightly off topic now :)

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