I like Thompson - he's got goals in him and seems like a good guy too.
Only problem is he'll be 31 by the time next season rolls around. Experience is good to have but I'm not sure we want to be adding yet another 30+ year old to the squad.
Phoenix Transfer Speculation 2013/14
Only problem is he'll be 31 by the time next season rolls around. Experience is good to have but I'm not sure we want to be adding yet another 30+ year old to the squad.
I like Thompson - he's got goals in him and seems like a good guy too.
Only problem is he'll be 31 by the time next season rolls around. Experience is good to have but I'm not sure we want to be adding yet another 30+ year old to the squad.
Why the heck is that a problem?
What's with this perception that picking a player (any player) that is over 30 is detrimental to winning? If the guy was 54, like Ryan Giggs, and was still better than anyone else we can get then get them!
I'm not agist
OK, maybe not so much a problem as a consideration. When you think about a potential starting lineup that might feature Thompson, Stein, Ifill, Hernandez, Durante, Siggy, Leo and Lochy, all over 30, then that's not exactly a fresh, apple cheeked bunch. You'd need some real depth in your squad and a committed physio to cope with all the twanged hammies and dodgy knees.
I like Thompson but Iooking ahead I'm slightly wary of the Nix relying too heavily on aging players, no matter how good they are.
Plus Thompson has a history of injuries and hasn't exactly been in great form this season.
Funny you should say that about a history of injuries because that was at the back of my head too. But it seems he has played almost every game for the last three seasons.
There's always a reason you end up playing semi-pro in New Zealand isn't there?
There's always a reason you end up playing semi-pro in New Zealand isn't there?
Bilen may well have played extremely well against Waitakere, I don't know, I didn't see the game. But if a player of his calibre is a dominant player in the ASB Prem, that tells you a lot more about the ASB Prem than Bilen as a player.
I like Thompson - he's got goals in him and seems like a good guy too.
Only problem is he'll be 31 by the time next season rolls around. Experience is good to have but I'm not sure we want to be adding yet another 30+ year old to the squad.
Why the heck is that a problem?
What's with this perception that picking a player (any player) that is over 30 is detrimental to winning? If the guy was 54, like Ryan Giggs, and was still better than anyone else we can get then get them!
I'm not agist
Ugh.. one of the biggest problems with us as a club has been taking what we can get. 31 year old from the EPL - sign him up. 31 year old A-League journey man no longer wanted by 9th placed club - fark that.
I'm inclined to agree with AJ13.
Taken in isolation signing Matt Thompson probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But after everything that has been said and done this season whether we go after a player like that or not would seem to be a very good indicator of whether this club is really serious about switching things up a bit or not.
Mario Bilen : the best thing since sliced bread. Hands off.
Plus Thompson has a history of injuries and hasn't exactly been in great form this season.
Thompson has been rubbish & is being released for good reason. Those calling for his signing have clearly not seen enough Heart games from start to finish this season.
Christ you guys had me worried for minute there... Took a bit of scrolling to realise you weren't talking about Archie Thompson.
Got too "seems like a nice guy" and then I was like... nah.
Id prefer we lure players from other clubs, not pick up after them.
The bottom line is we have one import spot left so the players we sign have to be kiwis or Aussies. There are no kiwi midfielders, zilch, nada, zero. That leaves us with the Aussies. Who else out there is off contract who is superior to Thompson?
Just be glad we weren't Adelaide who only have two squad spot available for their new coach.
Just be glad we weren't Adelaide who only have two squad spot available for their new coach.
4th placed finish, strongish squad in a non-flashy workhorse kind of way, minimal changes in the off season. Sounds familiar. Obvious recipe for success.
Adelaide were massive overachievers. They picked up some lucky good results early on. 4th was much higher than they should have been with that squad.
Adelaide were massive overachievers. They picked up some lucky good results early on. 4th was much higher than they should have been with that squad.
Playing ACL games before the start of the season helped them get back to match fitness well before the start of the campaign, and contributed immensely to their early season results.
Wouldn't Thompson be a closer fit to the hole left by Tim Brown than anyone else tried there since?
Wouldn't Thompson be a closer fit to the hole left by Tim Brown than anyone else tried there since?
Yes. Unless we are going to sign someone who will do the Tim Brown role who is better, then I don't see what the harm in signing Thompson is. Yes, we probably need a more long term option, but one of our biggest problems this season was the lack of a midfield, and Thompson would help fix that.
Also goof for a few golas out of midfield as well.
Wouldn't Thompson be a closer fit to the hole left by Tim Brown than anyone else tried there since?
Yes. Unless we are going to sign someone who will do the Tim Brown role who is better, then I don't see what the harm in signing Thompson is. Yes, we probably need a more long term option, but one of our biggest problems this season was the lack of a midfield, and Thompson would help fix that.
it would be very difficult to support him, he is probably on the top of the "most disliked" list for me.
Also goof for a few golas out of midfield as well.
That hand still troublin ya?
Matt Thompson?
Really.? I don't get that. He's always struck me as a pretty good guy...for an Aussie...that isn't playing for the Phoenix..
Plus Thompson has a history of injuries and hasn't exactly been in great form this season.
While his form not great this year he has week in week out been one of the best in a poor Heart side.
A History of Injuries???
Over the last three seasons he has started in 81 Games, playing an average of 86 minutes over those games. He also played 120 Games over five seasons at the Jets. Cant see how someone who has played over 200 A League Games playing those sort of minutes can be seen as having a History of Injuries.
If he does have a history he must be a tough son of a bitch to play through them!
He has not scored all that many goals over the last 3 years (7 Goals and 8 assists) but that is about his "career average" of roughly a goal and an assist every 10 Games. Not fantastic but pretty reasonable for a Defensive Midfielder
He will be thirty one and I know stats don't tell everything but to me they paint a picture of a consistantly performing, durable A League player that is more than likely got a couple of years at least left in the legs.
Given no Kiwis are presently up to standard and not much in the way of Aussie DM are available, he would in my opinion be a good signing.
Matt Thompson?
Really.? I don't get that. He's always struck me as a pretty good guy...for an Aussie...that isn't playing for the Phoenix..
Im just glad venkys dont own this club
Also remember he played a number of games at CB as well.
Although pretty sure he started a game or two at ST for the Jets.
Anyway, get Dura on the phone to him
Plus Thompson has a history of injuries and hasn't exactly been in great form this season.
While his form not great this year he has week in week out been one of the best in a poor Heart side.
A History of Injuries???
Over the last three seasons he has started in 81 Games, playing an average of 86 minutes over those games. He also played 120 Games over five seasons at the Jets. Cant see how someone who has played over 200 A League Games playing those sort of minutes can be seen as having a History of Injuries.
If he does have a history he must be a tough son of a bitch to play through them!
He has not scored all that many goals over the last 3 years (7 Goals and 8 assists) but that is about his "career average" of roughly a goal and an assist every 10 Games. Not fantastic but pretty reasonable for a Defensive Midfielder
He will be thirty one and I know stats don't tell everything but to me they paint a picture of a consistantly performing, durable A League player that is more than likely got a couple of years at least left in the legs.
Given no Kiwis are presently up to standard and not much in the way of Aussie DM are available, he would in my opinion be a good signing.
I have no problem with this signing if we went after it. Domey ARE YOU READING!!!!!
He also knows Dura pretty well from time at Jest together when they won the League
Im just glad venkys dont own this club
At least (I assume) Venkys wanted to be owners of a club.
I thought we were past the whole signing rejects from clubs worse than us.....
I thought we were past the whole signing rejects from clubs worse than us.....
It is probably a case very similar to what will happen with us and Leo and that he is not prepared to stay for a Lower wage than what he is presently on and will try his luck on the open market. No simply a case of another clubs reject
While we're playing the midfielder with a link to Dura game how about Wheelhouse? 27, plenty of A-League experience and a free agent.
Not a flashy player by any stretch but would mean Manny can stay at RB.
I thought we were past the whole signing rejects from clubs worse than us.....
Heart are better than us.
I thought we were past the whole signing rejects from clubs worse than us.....
Heart are better than us.
Everyone is better than us.
I thought we were past the whole signing rejects from clubs worse than us.....
Heart are better than us.
Everyone is better than us.
Exactery.
Matt Thompson?
Really.? I don't get that. He's always struck me as a pretty good guy...for an Aussie...that isn't playing for the Phoenix..
yeah, sorry picked up the list midway through, confused - sorry
Hmm, I have no problem with signing Thompson per se (especially if it's not big money) but it does feel like a tinkering round the edges signing, rather than a let's get fucking serious about this signing.
I certainly don't think that it's such a slam dunk, no risk option that you would do it before the new coach is appointed. If he's still available in a month and the new coach thinks he's a good fit then fine.