Yeah interesting that we have used 4 import spots for our attacking third. Would definitely hope 5th spot will be someone to prevent goals.
Now lets sign matt mckay!!!
Now that would be a coup. Would fit perfectly into our team. Would relegate Manny to the bench. (I don't think Manny is good enough to be a DM in the A-League anymore)
Can't see it happening, though.
Don't agree. Lia can hit a good long pass; Manny is pretty limited as a player. Works hard, tackles well but not much else.
a.haak
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Now lets sign matt mckay!!!
Now that would be a coup. Would fit perfectly into our team. Would relegate Manny to the bench. (I don't think Manny is good enough to be a DM in the A-League anymore)
Can't see it happening, though.
Don't agree. Lia can hit a good long pass; Manny is pretty limited as a player. Works hard, tackles well but not much else.
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Matty McKay anyone?
ive got a song that wont take long, Adelaide are rubbish.. the second verse is same as the first.. ADELAIDE ARE RUBBISH
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Now lets sign matt mckay!!!
Now that would be a coup. Would fit perfectly into our team. Would relegate Manny to the bench. (I don't think Manny is good enough to be a DM in the A-League anymore)
Can't see it happening, though.
Don't agree. Lia can hit a good long pass; Manny is pretty limited as a player. Works hard, tackles well but not much else.
Disagree. Both assists here are a great example of what he can do:
Yellow Fever - Misery loves company
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Now lets sign matt mckay!!!
Now that would be a coup. Would fit perfectly into our team. Would relegate Manny to the bench. (I don't think Manny is good enough to be a DM in the A-League anymore)
Can't see it happening, though.
Don't agree. Lia can hit a good long pass; Manny is pretty limited as a player. Works hard, tackles well but not much else.
I agree. I think McKay has a bit more about him than just being seen as a replacement for Manny. He would fit that box-to-box, link between defence and attack role a lot better. So I would put Manny and McKay on the field together.
Manny wins the ball, McKay picks it up and moves it quickly to Carlos who puts one of Cunningham, Brockie, Iffy or Stein in behind the defence. Goooooooooooal.
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Best Off-Season. Ever.
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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Now lets sign matt mckay!!!
Now that would be a coup. Would fit perfectly into our team. Would relegate Manny to the bench. (I don't think Manny is good enough to be a DM in the A-League anymore)
Can't see it happening, though.
Don't agree. Lia can hit a good long pass; Manny is pretty limited as a player. Works hard, tackles well but not much else.
I agree. I think McKay has a bit more about him than just being seen as a replacement for Manny. He would fit that box-to-box, link between defence and attack role a lot better. So I would put Manny and McKay on the field together.
Manny wins the ball, McKay picks it up and moves it quickly to Carlos who puts one of Cunningham, Brockie, Iffy or Stein in behind the defence. Goooooooooooal.
Chances of getting = slim. More importantly, it would keep our import slot spare if we did get him. Get that fullback Ernie wants or (devils advocate) a quality CB that allows us to push Durante and Sigmund wider and play a solid 3 and fit those attacking players in (assuming you have Manny and McKay in front of the back 3). That could be impressive.
Grumpy old bastard alert
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If we managed to pick up McKay our team would be starting to shape up very nicely (other than still needing some fullbacks obviously).
My bet is he'll go back to the Roar though.
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CM - Matt McKay
LB - Foreigner - young - Mario Larenas - DO IT. Saw a few games of his at World Cup for Chile U20. Fantastic player. 19
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I'd love to see it happen but why would Matt Mckay come here? We'd also have to be willing to pay a reasonable amount of money for Mckay in wages, probably like 300-400k, as my guess is that he will be earning big bucks in China.
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If we managed to pick up McKay our team would be starting to shape up very nicely (other than still needing some fullbacks obviously).
My bet is he'll go back to the Roar though.
I agree that I'd be surprised if we got him but what's nice is that for the first time in ages I feel like the Nix don't have to be too apologetic when approaching players/agents.
Merrick can say to someone like McKay "I've already got Hernandez, Cunningham, Ifill, Brockie, Huysegems, do you fancy picking up the ball in midfield and having those as your options?".
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Matt McKay would have to be Aussie marquee. Current Socceroo. Why would he come here?
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Matt McKay would have to be Aussie marquee. Current Socceroo. Why would he come here?
I dunno. Why would a current Costa Rican international who wants to make their World Cup squad come here?
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If we managed to pick up McKay our team would be starting to shape up very nicely (other than still needing some fullbacks obviously).
My bet is he'll go back to the Roar though.
I agree that I'd be surprised if we got him but what's nice is that for the first time in ages I feel like the Nix don't have to be too apologetic when approaching players/agents.
Merrick can say to someone like McKay "I've already got Hernandez, Cunningham, Ifill, Brockie, Huysegems, do you fancy picking up the ball in midfield and having those as your options?".
Grumpy old bastard alert
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Matt McKay would have to be Aussie marquee. Current Socceroo. Why would he come here?
I dunno. Why would a current Costa Rican international who wants to make their World Cup squad come here?
Grumpy old bastard alert
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If we managed to pick up McKay our team would be starting to shape up very nicely (other than still needing some fullbacks obviously).
My bet is he'll go back to the Roar though.
I agree that I'd be surprised if we got him but what's nice is that for the first time in ages I feel like the Nix don't have to be too apologetic when approaching players/agents.
Merrick can say to someone like McKay "I've already got Hernandez, Cunningham, Ifill, Brockie, Huysegems, do you fancy picking up the ball in midfield and having those as your options?".
He might be more interested in playing LB to try and secure/cement his spot for the Socceroos.
At least enquire or put a offer in front of him.
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I wonder whether the club might now welcome a Brockie bid. I've always wondered where he might fit into Merrick's plan as he doesn't naturally seem to fit in any of the front three positions in the way he favours playing.
Normo's coming home
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I wonder whether the club might now welcome a Brockie bid. I've always wondered where he might fit into Merrick's plan as he doesn't naturally seem to fit in any of the front three positions in the way he favours playing.
I agree, hope we sell him.
If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid
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Sorry, guys, he's coming home on 26 August.
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009
This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
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I wonder whether the club might now welcome a Brockie bid. I've always wondered where he might fit into Merrick's plan as he doesn't naturally seem to fit in any of the front three positions in the way he favours playing.
This
When you look at the way Ernie is setting up his attack it does seem hard to see where Brockie fits in. Apart from bashing in spectacular goals...which is a great asset, Brockie is not mega mobile of particularly quick or good at bringing others into play(can't think of many assists)
IMO the player who will thrive under Ernie is Stein. He was a fish out of water under Rickie but he has all the skills to really fit into Ernies attacking playing style. I reckon Kenny, Carlos and Stein will take 3 of the 4 front slots and Iffil will probably have his nose in front for the 4th spot with Brockie/Leo coming off the bench.
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Brockie plays ugly football, but scores goals, often goals that no one else could, with better service, who knows what he could achieve this coming season.......bring it on, the players that had to go have gone, we are already looking like a tidy unit with more to come, I'll give you the tip!
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Interesting. Getting carried away much?
Two old guys, one lazy and one fat up front, and one who sounds good but we've not actually seen yet. And we already want to give up the fifth player that offers serious competition for starting in that front four? Injuries? Out of form? Impact off the bench? Fenton puts a bit of pressure on, but no one else does. Leo is no longer up to it. Boyd is still a kid with potential. Fenton is probably a step better, but he's already getting marked and the opposition have done their homework on him, so he was having much less impact at the end of the season and needs new tricks/experience. Plus we need a RB and he fits Ernie's bill for that perfectly.
I think we keep them all.
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I also think people are forgetting that Ernie has said he's going to carry a bigger squad than Ricki did. Still plenty of space to pack in some decent Aus/NZ backs, plus 1 import.
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009
This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
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I was really looking forward to seeing Stein playing under Ernie this season. Clearly didn't suit Ricki's hoofball and possesses a great touch and skillset, really think he's gonna thrive under Ernie. Unfortunately for him, Kenny is gonna take up a spot, you can't sub Brockie and Ifill is the fittest he's ever been. Is it possible that now we have too many good players?! (up front that is) Surely not?
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Ernie says that the last import spot is earmarked for a DM. Obviously he thinks he can find a LB in Australasia.
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009
This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
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Wonder if he's been looking for Tuiloma but can't find him?
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."
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article also said he sees brockie/huysegems as battling for the lead striking role, with cunningham, ifill, bertos and boyd fighting for the two wing-spots. Herndandez to play in behind. That's a very good roster for the attacking end.
Now to fix up the back 6. What if Fenton doesn't cut it at RB? LB obviously needed, ernie says a DM is coming, lots still to be done.
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Ok so let's pencil this out
Moss
Fenton Sigmund Durante ??
Manny ????
Cunningham Hernandez Ifill
Brockie/Stein
The fill ins are Adams, Lia, Bertos, Boyd, Lindsay Italiano Boxall
When you consider we have dropped Downey, Pantelis and Totori, I think the squad as a whole is stronger.
Grumpy old bastard alert
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If we managed to pick up McKay our team would be starting to shape up very nicely (other than still needing some fullbacks obviously).
My bet is he'll go back to the Roar though.
I agree that I'd be surprised if we got him but what's nice is that for the first time in ages I feel like the Nix don't have to be too apologetic when approaching players/agents.
Merrick can say to someone like McKay "I've already got Hernandez, Cunningham, Ifill, Brockie, Huysegems, do you fancy picking up the ball in midfield and having those as your options?".
Great point.
This is the most optimistic I've felt about the nix for some time... well actually since last off-season when people were saying that we had a shot at the title... but... I'm genuinely impressed by the way Ernie is going about this off-season, and particularly recruitment. None of this, oh whoops I've spent all my time on the all whites... wait a minute we have two weeks to fill the playing roster... who's hanging around? He obviously has a clear plan... evidenced here by the fact that if Cunningham hadn't signed he had four other players on the list.
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Defensively we're still far too weak. Needed proper RB/LB and CM and we sorted
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Ernie said we wont win this year anyway
Edit: source: http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Full-interview---Phoenix-Coach-Ernie-Merrick/tabid/317/articleID/301209/Default.aspx
5:35 or so :)
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Manny was extra shit in front of the back 4 last season, just sayin'.....he should be right back.
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