Phoenix Transfer - speculation

Interview with Derbyshire here:
http://www.redcafe.net/f40/james-derbyshire-interview-144859/

Quote:
"In five years I will be: I�d love to be playing for the first team, but it�s tough to make it at a top club. Just because I�m at United now, I can�t take anything for granted. So, as long as in five years� time I can look back and say I gave it my all, I won�t have too many complaints. If I can�t make it at United, I just want to be playing professional football."

If he'd only known!

Most Man Utd cast offs generally do very well in lower leagues. I am surprised Roy Keane didnt sign him

 

being released isnt a transfer

My bad. I actually just read the article!

"an opportunity I couldn't really say no to.''

+1

If he was any good he wouldn't come to an amateur club on the other side of the world.
valeo2009-07-08 11:12:39

Rate him or slate him, do it after you've seen him play you miserable bastards.

Any of the Mar boys on here trained with him yet? Keen to know if he's as good as he sounds.

Reminds me of Curtis Bernard the mystery man from barnsley a few years ago.

Yeh wait and see how he actually plays before you rate or date him...

^^ Amazing and cheap, if only my dates were like that!! 

I simply cannot get my head around why someone that has got to ManUtd reserves would move here to play for an amateur team. Bizarre.

He has been training at one of the most decorated clubs in World since he was 9. 10 years of apprenticeship under world class footballers and trainers such as Ole Gunnar Solskj�r (so he can tell us how to shoot goals) and Warren Joyce. Was a 3rd Year Scholar at the Academy [not many stay that long]. He was a full back come midfielder which then shown his best performance to be invited for the England Schoolboys, thats a better CV than most players we have on our books.

(If he does turn out good, then maybe he will have a chance to turn out for our AW's since he knows where he stands with England.)

It's not as through he was training with the Barnsley FC, we are talking about Manchester United, probably the most professional of English clubs that you could have.

Not to be sneeze at. . . . .

No one has ever seen him play.  He's nineteen and been released by United, and has ended up playing Central league.  Please, a little perspective here. 

Once people see him play then maybe he's a Phoenix target (although our money needs to go elsewhere) but at the moment he hasn't kicked a ball in the Central league let alone the NZFC. 

Don't get me wrong, I hope the lad is a world beater for the 'mar, Yellow Fever TeeDubs and the Phoenix but until someone has actually seen him play, how about some perspective ?

Hundreds of players come out of the acadamies at the worlds clubs and many of them end up playing at Conference level or below around the world.  Lee Kenyon was at United, Ben Collett was much more highly rated than this lad and (yes I know about the injury) never made the A-League grade.

At this stage he's not close to a Phoenix transfer target because he hasn't even played a game in this part of the world.


...and as for the Dom.  What is with a Miramar signing getting more coverage than the Phoenix signing Marco ?  That story got hi-jacked in to a piece on 'Plodder' leaving and ended up with a fraction of the coverage a player no one has ever seen before signing for Miramar has got all because he failed to make the grade at United.

Some pretty odd priorities there.
Hard News2009-07-08 14:58:37

welcome to the wonderful world of a slow news week HN. look at the headlines this story shared the front page with. hardly riveting stuff. tomorrow will be full of MJ memorial crap and the world keeps on turning. UberGunner2009-07-08 15:02:02

Maybe it is not quite his plan. It is also his off season, so he could keep his off season fitness going having only played 12 matches for the ManU reserves.

At least he has his international clearance sorted and a winter club to play until any NZFC or A-League season starting up. However he is in Wellington and playing football, which means he is here for the while.

After having been at ManU since 8/9 years old, maybe he would like an good OE break away from the very high competitive club environment. He is still 19 years old and with a bit of oversea experience elsewhere, he could make a name for himself.

If he does well at A-League, he would be in the sights of many EPL/Championships clubs who would have noted his youth career. Many reserve and youth players even at the top clubs don't have that much exposure to first team managers of other clubs, so he maybe thinking outside the square. Either play a couple of years in the Reserve PL and not get noticed or play in another english speaking country's league which has a new professional league with TV coverage that would open doors.

As I see it, A-league opens doors for top flight youth players trained at top clubs looking for exposure or for players at the end of their careers making hay while the sun still shines. Plus having soccer in this part of the world while the northern hemisphere is having an off season is very much the right time for him to keep his football going. It's that type of league at the moment.

Is this jimmy lad getting paid to play?

He is currently playing two levels below the A-League in the football pyramid.  Despite what the media would have you believe he has done nothing, that is nothing, to prove he is capable of playing in the A-League.  Honestly, some people see the words Manchester United and become blinded.

He's not the first ex-United player to come to this country in the last 15 years, but if he makes a higher level he WILL have been the first in the last 15 years.

Less hype, more reality please (and that goes for you as well media).
Hard News2009-07-08 15:26:52

Gangsta!2009-07-08 15:25:50

Joe Keenan played for Chelsea. He couldn't even get on the field for Melb! Pedigree means nothing.

Less Ex-Mancs Mor Mor More Ex-Scousers please!!! C-Diddy2009-07-08 15:59:57

Sign him up now, but play him upfront.

But James hadn't Roman Abramovich coming in to cut off the surplus players whilst he was recovering from a leg break after having two off the bench starts for the Chelsea 1st team.

Sure Pedigee means nothing expect Joe now signed for Hibs in the SPL after 12 appearances with Melb in a short season. Probably something that James is in the process of doing. And to be honest Joe didn't have a lucky spell when they shove him about different field positions when Melb was experimenting.

Anyway, James' Premier Reserve League medal around his neck and invite to the England Schoolboys does show that he has something to offer . . . lets wait and see what he's got first. I wouldn't think that he hasn't the goods after what he has done recently.AllWhitebelievr2009-07-08 16:47:28

He sounds promising and at 19 is worth looking at. Wonder why he decided NZ thoug? does he have family links or something? So wierd. I thought he'd be looking to find a Pro League somewhere. If only we had a youth team, then he'd be signed up..

2ndBest2009-07-08 16:55:08

I suppose it is a bit like Michael Ferrante. A captain of a FA you cup winning team, thrashing Coventry in the final 9-0(?) and he hasnt exactly set the football world on fire.

Still think that it is such a huge way to fall, considering how long he spent in Man Utd's youth system. 

Snap.

There is Jason Byrne who played in the Eircom League, just finishsed contract on the 30/06/09 so a free transfer either that he has been re-signed. Age 31, played for Bohemians Football club in Dublin. A 1.80m centre forward who has two appearances for Ireland. Market value of about 178,000 Pounds. Currently on good form with goals per game in the Eircom League with Bohemians at the top of the table.

Worth a look, I think.AllWhitebelievr2009-07-08 17:44:33

Aaron Scott has been signed, from quite a reliable source. Well done to the lad.

The future looks better at right back, with Lia, Muscat and now Scott filling the spot, we can release poor Mully from hell and into Midfield where he more useful.

If he is good enough, can nz steal him for international duties?

He will lead us to World Cup glory! 

Oh my God. I think I've just jizzed my pants.

This guy would be the biggest long-term signing in the history of the A-league (I still count Romario as the biggest name to play in the league, but he was here on a guest stint when he was old, fat and disinterested so it doesn't really count).

I imagine he's not cheap, but what a boon it would be to have him in the side, and what an impact it would have on the membership and merchandise sales, and we'd get great media coverage - former Real Madrid,Monaco, Liverpool and Valencia forward who's won Champions League and domestic leagues, scored quite a few goals for Spain at international level.

Not even TV1 could ignore that. Farken. I need to go change my pants.

Capt Jimmy Derbyshire.

Farken.

The guy's come here to play Central League. That's two levels below A-league in theory, and probably lower than that in fact. When Mossy left, did anyone here clamour for Radioman or 2ndBest to be signed as back-ups to Paston? They're both pretty good in Central League...

Let's just show some perspective. We need to sign some good, proven forwards, not throw money at an unknown just because he was associated with Manchester United and was discarded from there.

Oh well done to Aaron! Tbh it wasn't the signing i was hoping for..

Yeah he can captain the All Whites to world cup glory!