Phoenix Transfer Speculation 2012/13

Ah, thought he had a season to go.

There's also Nwankwo Kanu - contracted at Portsmouth until 2013 but not getting much game time.

He's pretty old and in the twlight of his career so may want a crack at a different lifestyle.

Portsmouth couldn't afford to terminate his contract early as it would cost them a packet, so may be agreeing to a loan that covers a part of his wages for the remainder of his contract is a better option for them than terminating his contract.

Plus I remember his agent was trying to shop him around the A-League a couple of years back?

So much this. Of all the ones mentioned he's the one I was thinking of.

To add to the speculation: Djibril Cisse.

Cisse is the main striker at QPR.

There is so many unrealistic choices here.... 

The key here maybe that RH knows the manager. Who was on RH's last big coaching course? [you know the one that Roy Keane was on - remember Roy came out here later as a 'friend' of RH's to see the All Blacks]

Ricki qualified in 2008 - link here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_managers_and_coaches_who_have_qualified_for_the_UEFA_Pro_Licence#Coaching_diplomas of English managers who graduated that year. Sleuths continue please.....

OK everyone, stop looking, I've found him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_mcdonald and http://www.mfc.co.uk/page/squad/senior/biography/0,,1~19332,00.html Australian with over 60 caps at all levels, plays at Middlesboro under 3 coaches that were on the 2008 Pro License course with Ricki' Dave Parnaby, Mark Proctor and Steve Agnew.

Not sure on current contract situation but ticks a lot of boxes.

Ticks a lot of boxes...true. But at only 28 and still banging in goals for Middleborough its hard to see anyone in the A-League affording him. 

It'll be someone who's not wanted by his current club, but costs too much to break his contract so sending them on loan to mitigate their losses. ie Nix won't be paying their full salary.

So if it's true he has many caps for his country, and he's contracted to an English club there is't many other options apart from the ones already mentioned here.

Could it possibly be John Carew? Played over 90 games for Norway, only featured in 19 games in the Championship last season and I remember reading something a while back saying that Ricki is quite good friends with Fat Sam. He has been released by West Ham though.

Here's some fuel for the Kanu fire:

http://www.punchng.com/sports/fenerbahce-up-yobo-offer-portsmouth-recall-kanu/

"Veteran striker Kanu, who has not played a match since October 2011, wants £300,000 to walk away from the final year of his contract."

Pompey can't afford that and as they're also having similar problems with Mokoena and Ben Haim if they have to pay them out they'll go into liquidation.

I think Kanu would violate the "no dicks" policy, but I'd be happy to have him anyway.

We don't have a wimmens side yet..

Sorry, I thought his name was Richard Kanu...

please no kanu, but earnshaw would be interesting. hows the young midfielder who's trialling going?

Looks like we will be needing injury cover for Lucas

"Herbert said the club wanted to sign another striker before the season got underway, while there were minor injury concerns over Vince Lia and Jimmy Downey, who were expected to be on the sidelines for another three and five weeks, respectively. There is worse news for Lucas Pantelis.

The 30-year-old hasn't played a regular season game for the Phoenix since he badly injured his knee in a warm-up game last year and has now suffered an infection in his knee.

He will undergo further surgery when the infection has cleared and Herbert said the left-sided player may never be seen in a Phoenix uniform as he enters the second and final year of his contract.

"I think there is a chance. Just medically they want to make sure that they do everything right and make the right evaluation for him. But it's probably not looking healthy at this stage."

Striker Mirjan Pavlovic has been loaned out to a club in Sydney for the pre-season, while youngster Cameron Lindsay, who missed out on a spot in the New Zealand under-23 side for the London Olympics, could also be sent somewhere on loan in the coming weeks.

The Phoenix are hoping to play seven to eight pre-season games before the A-League gets underway proper in early October, which could include a tour to India.

I'm sure this has been covered elsewhere...How did Cam Lindsay not make the Olympic team???

2nd Best said a page or two back that the striker was a foreigner not a Kiwi or Aussie overseas I think...

David Healey (32) from Rangers. Northern Ireland 93 caps. Steve Beaglehole was on the same UEFA course as RH and is employed by NIFA. Given they're skint it may be an option.

Craig Bellamy (32) from Liverpool - Brendon Rodgers also on that course. Don't see us affording him - it'd be awesome though, maybe Siggy could show him around the golf course.

Healy is available on a free transfer, so cross him off.

Kanu would be the most obvious, given the money problems his club has. His agent has also linked him to the league in the past. Also when Avram Grant was appointed new West Ham manager, he wanted Ricki to join his coaching team. Grant was coach at Pompey before the West Ham job, so could have know Ricki from his time at there.

I can now see why the push is on for a striker. With Pantellis looking less and less likely it means that Brockie would probably have to be pushed wide into more of a winger role.

No more talk of a RB. Funny how we were going to get a Oz RB(probably Elrich) then that fell through and now it is not a priority.

If I was Cam Lindsay I would be putting my hand up and saying give me a go at RB. He has some experiance there before with Blackburn. If he was successful he could have a long career there for the Nix and there is also an opening there for the AW's. The least they could do would be give him some time there in the preseason games.

Cam's future at the club depends on him getting into the midfield...which would be tough against more experianced guys like Lia, Smith and Manny. 

I also asked Ricki if he read these forums, he laughed and said no. Though if he was reading right now, he'd probably get another laugh out of the impressive sleuthing done from what little he told me about the loan player he was after. Yeah so a lot of the options are unrealistic, still makes for good reading (and gives you all something to do for a few days during the offseason).

Given Pantellis is possibly out for most of the season again, Hogg signed as left sided cover?

When we have two left backs in the squad we should sign a third?  As cover for an attacking player?

We could hold monopoly on the A-leagues LB supply.

Sign him up! - Edit: resizing fails.

Any further discussion on our import striker is frivolous, if he comes it will be "Robert Earnshaw"

I will not retract Again !

Overheard yesterday at Newtown.

Right back will either be Downey or Vinnie.

It will be loan import striker OR Noy.  We can't do both.

How did the youngster look ??

Alright.  One snappy backheeled goal past Mossy.

General concensus though was not better than much of the local yoof, but it was only his 2nd day.

If Downey was given time at Right Back, then I'd be interested to see how he went because I can't remember if he actually played there once last season? I know he's a bit of a muppet, but he does have pace and ability to get back if someone gets past him.

I feel like import striker will fill a gap for this season that we will have to again fill next year, whereas Noy doesn't really seem to be needed however could be a long term investment with the club if he is good enough

He's also one of the league's best defensive midfielders and you have to look at where he provides the most value as well as what position he feels most comfortable in.

The impression I got was that it will be import striker and if that falls thorugh or Noy really tears it up then all bets are off.

This is crazy talk - Manny to RB. No question.

Our midfield is fine without him now. Theres also a chance this year that we may be able to move the ball a bit faster and play a bit of possession footy with Brown gone.

Cos Tsatts hasn't shown any promise in pushing for a starting berth there and Hogg may? It would also give Hogg a chance to learn some things from Lochy.  

In short- it would make our team better. I think. That's why. Plus may help NZ left backs. 

Anyone want Sterj? Not sure if he'd want us- but has been let go by his club. Would probably want more than Pantelis though...

Tsattalios is not part of our squad.  We have Lochhead and Rowe.

Sterj?  Not if he paid us for a spot.

I don't think our midfield is fine without him, last season it was by far the teams biggest weakness. We were way down last on the stats in terms of possession because we weren't winning it nor were we retaining it. It's not entirely to do with personel in the middle but that does play a big part. He was fans and players player of the season when he was in the midfiled, and our midfield won quite a bit more ball. We need a proper right back but I still favour Manny moving back to the midfield. Import striker way down the priority list imo.