Phoenix Transfer - speculation (Part 1)

Odd - Lunatic is usually pretty reliable. If he's right then Lochhead fits the description he has of the next captain.

Though I think there are 2 different Lunatics? Gets a bit confusing.

Random thoughts - just reading 442, with Trott injured and Vukovic banned - perhaps an oppurtunity for Paston to get some first team game time? Sort of like Galekovic going to Adelaide last year to cover for Beltrame?

Anyway, has anyone heard any news as to who they might be chasing?

Spanish football is the antithesis of the UK style. Very technical, strict refereeing (skilled players get more protection), slow tempos etc. Spanish players are not known for their ability to adapt to the more physically demanding UK style (of course there are exceptions, Arteta, Torres, Fabregas, but these are all great, great players). I think going for Spanish strikers would be a risk, they often don't have the tough street edge background that you sometimes get with South American players (who are technically just as good if not better than their Spanish counterparts) and tend to have a hard time adapting to places with a cold climate and rough football. For every Torres or Arteta you have countless examples of players like Morientes who completely fail to adapt to the more physical style.

Ultimately it does depend on the player though, I was just generalising after all. I do have a feeling the Phoenix's style of football might suit a Spanish player provided we keep the ball on the deck and play an incisive passing style (build the team around Ferrante and Daniel) rather than long ball. It's pretty obvious that Morientes was never going to succede under a long ball style (ok, Liverpool aren't quite Bolton but still...) because it's just not what he's used to and he didn't have the mental toughness to adapt.

Where do these Spanish forward rumours come from anyway?

Oh I see... 442. Interesting that it says a 'marquee' spanish forward, that implies some sort of name player being signed. If it's an older Spanish forward who has played in somewhere like the UK then it might be kinda promising. I can't quite think of anyone who fits that description though... Seems a little bit far fetched, especially as the Porter signing seems pretty likely. However, signing 2 strikers certainly wouldn't be a bad thing, competition for places and all that and we do have the squad space (although the wage bill must be pretty tight). I'd rather have a RB and a striker though. KTBW2008-04-13 13:06:51

When I saw the headline here:
Garcia's heading in the right direction
I started putting 2 and 2 together (to make 442), but this guy's a right-sided midfielder, and an Australian in England, even if he does have a Spanish name.

Do you have to sign in to post rumours or can anyone post under the name of 'Lunatic from Sydney'

+ the fact he is most likely going to be in the EPL next season..

never heard of him haha all this stuff about spanish strikers. who could it be?

https://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/73786,wpfc-news.aspx

heres the rumour

Fourfourtwo have the credibility of Winsome Peters.....

Yeah the 442 rumour mill is usually 95% horse sh*t but when its lunatic of sydney posting rumours then you can bet your bottom dollar its gona be true, unless he has his facts mixed up or someone has his log on details.

We know lunatic veiws these boards, if your out there bud let us know more or are you pulling our chain?

Anyone can call themselves Lunatic of Sydney though.

Well if it is true I'd put money on lochead because he played mainly defence with a bit off midfield where as Dodd played straight defence but chances are its bull.... Tony p any thoughts?

tony p said were not getting a spanish marquee

Bit off topic but i wouldn't mind us having a look at Jerry Karpeh as a back up striker. I thought he was quite impressive in a crap Perth Team

ANDY BOYENS to the Phoenix?

He is sh*te

From gloryboys regarding Jerry Karpeh: Stevo2008-04-16 00:21:05

Boyens...isn't he another CD?

That's odd. 

Why would you cut a defender who played 23 games for you last season and was generally considered easily good enough for the league? Particularly when your replacements are a rookie from this years draft and Kevin Harmse who will spend most of the season suspended because he is (at best) a clogger.
Hard News2008-04-16 14:16:56

kind of goes against what dasey writes in that article on the front page

Boyens will definetely get another decent club. He's a terrific player

I wouldn't mind seeing him in the A-league, but it'd be better to see him in one of the higher leagues in Europe.

I want Kiwi's in the A-league, but not all at the Phoenix.  They need to be spread around a bit, so if Boyens came down-under it would be good to see him with one of the top Australian teams.
loyalgunner2008-04-16 20:13:41

Port Vale are definitely going to be relegated this season - bottom of the table with only 3 games to go - even if they win all their last 3 games they will still go down. I wonder if this will make Mulligan more of a possibility to join the Nix. Port Vale's last game is May 3 so I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Doubt most Aussie A-League clubs would want to use an import spot on a Kiwi
valeo2008-04-16 20:39:21

I'm sure most would take Lochhead in a beat given the lack of quality LB's.

And I bet most would take Smeltz.

Maybe Moss aswell.

Perth already took Bertos.

Dont see why they wouldnt take a foreigner from the MLS, kiwi or not, if he's the right quality

Mullys given it a good go in England. Barnsley, Doncaster, Sc**thorpe and Port Vale. I guess he has to decide whether he still thinks it's possible to crack the EPL. He is still only 26, so maybe he will still back himself. Personallly i would love to see him at the nix. Would fill the right back position well as he is a good passer of the football and has played there b4. But at the moment it doesnt seem likely

Andrew Boyens showed flashes of maturity in his rookie season in 2007, but his place in the starting 11 alongside veteran Tyrone Marshall in the middle of defence will be taken by newcomer Marco Velez, a Puerto Rican national team member who looked solid in the pre-season.

With Boyens gone, Toronto could sign Ivorian defender Olivier Tebily, who has recently been training with the Canadian club. Tebily has spent the last six seasons in England playing with Birmingham City.

Toronto had remove the other defenders in a shake up to improve one of the worst MLS defensive record in the 2007. It is unfortunate that Andy was removed in a almost complete clean out. however he is taking one of the international places in the squad. He was simply was replaced for experienced defenders.

I certainly hope that he get a contract with another MLS team. I am not sure he has his green card yet. But once he get that card as US resident, he could enter the UK scene without work permit problems.

I am not totally convince that A-league is of a high enough playing standard as the English championship yet. So far it is definitely a lower salary level. The only way to grab a player from the English Championship or EPL, is when they are at the end of their careers or that we have them on a Marquee pay level equivalent of English championship or EPL.

Has it ever occurred to anyone that this thread is probably saving the Nix a huge amount of time and energy when it comes to scouting players. All you need to do is drop a name and everyone comes up with you tube reviews, wikipedia stats, and forum trawling of the players clubs fan sites. I'm not suggesting that they would ever use this thread to buy a player but it might be opening their eyes to options they went aware off.UberGunner2008-04-17 08:37:48

Who wouldn't want to be a scout for the Nix?
Well with Tony as tricky as he is we could probably put them onto a player and we'd never know it was us.

It just seems that this Yellow fever network is quite global in its reach, and news relevant to us gets heard here before anywhere else.

Yeah, Four-Four-Two probably looks here to find out what players to ask the club about.