Wellington Phoenix Men

Phoenix Transfer - speculation

3999 replies · 200,964 views
almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
when you read Rickies interview it seems clear that they were only partially succesful on their UK recruiting trip. Looks like they will announce one new striker in the next two weeks. They probably are struggling to agree on terms for the other guy......which is a bit disappointing.It does show how hard it is to recruit good strikers
 
My pick is that we end up with one striker from the UK and then sign either of  Krishna/corrales....depending on how they trial. Ricki did say the priority was to recruit two strikers. They probably will keep an eye out for someone moving within the A-league.
 
If this does happen then I know many of us will be a tad disappointed but spare a thought for the gaffer. The club would not exist without the generosity of Terry. We now live in tough economic times. Terry is in the property/construction business, which is in the doldrums. He conceded that the phoenix would loose him millions so things are probably very tight financially now.
 
We are not alone in this. In the last few weeks we have heard how several other A-League like the Roar, Adelaide and Newcastle are in financial strife. There will be more opportunities to recruit as clubs shed players.
 
I know we would all like the club to splash out on a hand full of top quality players but in the mean time we may have to cut our cloth to suit the times. If we have to rely on one new UK striker plus an attacking combo of Diego/Costa/Leo/Krishna then so be it. All I hope is that we play a more fluid attacking style  this season. If the lads give it their all each week then I will be there to support them.........100%
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
...or, like Porter his club have decided they want to keep him.  Remember a sizeable chunk of this is out side of the Phoenix's control.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
What we seem to struggle with is repeatedly over promising and then under delivering rather than sensibly managing expectations - don't talk up getting 2 league one strikers if you aren't confident of doing the business.
 
 
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Whitby boy wrote:
What we seem to struggle with is repeatedly over promising and then under delivering rather than sensibly managing expectations - don't talk up getting 2 league one strikers if you aren't confident of doing the business.
 
 
 
 
good point!!!!!!!!
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Oska wrote:

The World Cup qualifiers will be smack bang in the middle of the A-League season. Who will be running the cutter at the Phoenix while you're away with the All Whites? "We're about to appoint a couple of staff who haven't been announced yet. That's all been covered."

Another interesting quote.
 
 
This dual role thing has been debated heavily....and has people strongly divided.
 
 Any one got any ideas on how many games Rickie will miss this A-League season?
 
. Sure hope the new number two coach can do the business while he is  away.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Whitby boy wrote:
What we seem to struggle with is repeatedly over promising and then under delivering rather than sensibly managing expectations - don't talk up getting 2 league one strikers if you aren't confident of doing the business.
 


You're kind of right, but there are a lot of people on here itching for news constantly.

Should they be told nothing?

I think so - say nothing until contracts are signed - but I understand where people are coming from.
You want to have the impression the club is making an effort too.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
...or, like Porter his club have decided they want to keep him.  Remember a sizeable chunk of this is out side of the Phoenix's control.
 
We're a professional football club in the entertainment business.  Although it is undoubtedly a difficult (and sometimes dirty) business - witness, for example, the Porter saga - the Phoenix need to start getting in control of the situation.  I feel the club is already on a slippery slope in terms of sustaining itself successfully in the A-League.  It needs to have a major impact next season to try and reverse its popularity in Wellington/New Zealand - there are more than enough organisations in Australia who are willing and ready to bid for a place in the competition and the Phoenix may simply struggle to keep a license in the long term.  An important first step would be to realise that the current squad is simply inadequate and needs to be immediately bolstered by several players (at least two strikers, an attacking midfielder/playmaker, a goalkeeper and, if Dodd goes, a central defender) who have better than A-League level experience.  The club needs to start seriously looking for those players now, wherever they can get them.  I'd feel more hopeful if Ricki and Tony P were offshore for the next few weeks making contacts and looking for players.  Finding the players who can do the job for the Phoenix, although difficult, isn't likey to happen sitting in NZ.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I  agree with a lot of the comments posted by by the phoenix faithfu, the need for strikers, playmakers..money being tight etc etc  however my concerns are that we are being told that the phoenix wish to progress and it seems like other clubs are confident enough to announce new signings  ....but we dont. It is an awful long time between the end of the season and the new one beginning and we are getting no information at all. I guess im frustrated at being kept in the dark and I do know the reasons around players being poached but I wouldnt mind knowing who was being looked at and where even if we wernt successful at getting them, it would at least give me something to see what the club had been up to in terms of recruitment as we have had plenty of theorising on here about what players may or may not be available

" If you only have a hammer you tend to see every problem as a nail" - maslow

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
axmfc wrote:
Hard News wrote:
...or, like Porter his club have decided they want to keep him.  Remember a sizeable chunk of this is out side of the Phoenix's control.
 
We're a professional football club in the entertainment business.  Although it is undoubtedly a difficult (and sometimes dirty) business - witness, for example, the Porter saga - the Phoenix need to start getting in control of the situation.  I feel the club is already on a slippery slope in terms of sustaining itself successfully in the A-League.  It needs to have a major impact next season to try and reverse its lack of popularity in Wellington/New Zealand - there are more than enough organisations in Australia who are willing and ready to bid for a place in the competition and the Phoenix may simply struggle to keep a license in the long term.  An important first step would be to realise that the current squad is simply inadequate and needs to be immediately bolstered by several players (at least two strikers, an attacking midfielder/playmaker, a goalkeeper and, if Dodd goes, a central defender) who have A-League level or better experience.  The club needs to start seriously looking for those players now, wherever they can get them.  I'd feel more hopeful if Ricki and Tony P were offshore for the next few weeks making contacts and looking for players.  Finding the players who can do the job for the Phoenix, although difficult, isn't likey to happen sitting in NZ.
 
A couple of errors in my first post, now corrected for.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Whitby boy wrote:
What we seem to struggle with is repeatedly over promising and then under delivering rather than sensibly managing expectations - don't talk up getting 2 league one strikers if you aren't confident of doing the business.  
 
But if he talked down his expectations then people would jump on his back and say he lacks ambition.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
2ndBest wrote:
Whitby boy wrote:
What we seem to struggle with is repeatedly over promising and then under delivering rather than sensibly managing expectations - don't talk up getting 2 league one strikers if you aren't confident of doing the business.  
 
But if he talked down his expectations then people would jump on his back and say he lacks ambition.
 
There is a big difference between saying something like - we understand the need to replace Shane and sign a second starting striker to be competitive and that is our number one priority
 
compared to
 
we off the UK to sign 2 League 1 strikers - or words to that effect- and then giving the impression that it's all but a done deal with just the paper work to tidy up.
 
As Zini said I suspect we will (hopefully) end up with one League 1 striker and the better of Krishna or Corralas (sp?). How that stacks up against Smeltz / Porter, Thompson / Allsop, ........remains to be seen.
 
 
 
 
Whitby boy2009-04-11 21:32:52
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=26933
Tony's blog.
 
"So Ricki Herbert and I find ourselves in the heart of one of Europe�s footballing powerhouses as part of our two-week mission to find two quality strikers for the Wellington Phoenix for our upcoming Hyundai A-League campaign. Thankfully we were able to do much of the �legwork� prior to departing for the United Kingdom, having already made good contacts with players and agents. We have developed a shortlist of potential candidates and most of our time during this trip will be spent talking with them, their agents, and watching them train and play. Many of the agents we will be meeting with also represent other players in Europe and our decision to travel to this part of the world will prove invaluable in speeding up the process of securing talented players we believe will make significant contributions to the Phoenix."
 
No guarantee in that blog.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
2ndBest wrote:
 
No guarantee in that blog.
"IT�S not a case of mission accomplished quite yet but I�m happy to report that Ricki Herbert and I are confident of securing the signatures of the strikers we had targeted prior to departing for the United Kingdom."
 
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Whitby boy wrote:
we off the UK to sign 2 League 1 strikers - or words to that effect- and then giving the impression that it's all but a done deal with just the paper work to tidy up.


You run on the assumption that we are the only party here... if a current league 1 striker suddenly has a return to form and his club offer him a new deal on more money and a chance of promotion (or something) then it's kind of out of our hands isn't it ?

The market and people move and change quickly and if circumstances change that is hardly our clubs fault

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
Whitby boy wrote:
we off the UK to sign 2 League 1 strikers - or words to that effect- and then giving the impression that it's all but a done deal with just the paper work to tidy up.


You run on the assumption that we are the only party here... if a current league 1 striker suddenly has a return to form and his club offer him a new deal on more money and a chance of promotion (or something) then it's kind of out of our hands isn't it ?

The market and people move and change quickly and if circumstances change that is hardly our clubs fault
 
I have no problem accepting that things can change quickly, and for no lack of trying.  However, where I think the club is at fault is in a situation like last season where they rightly identified the need for a quality marksman and sought out Joel Porter.  When the Porter deal collapsed (through no fault of the club), they gave up on rectifying a very obvious weakness in the squad that they had initially clearly identified, and embarked on a campaign with a single proven striker (Smeltz).  I just don't believe that Porter was the only striking option available from the big, wide world of football!
 
I have to reiterate my earlier view above that the club is several players short of a squad good enough to compete in the A-League, is already languishing on a slippery slope, and I don't see enough signs that the club is ambitious enough to make a big impact next season, which, if they don't, could easily endanger its long-term survival in the A-League.  Ricki and Tony P need to head back overseas and sign the players that are needed to ensure we don't go the way of the Knights.  I have no problems with the club missing out on the two English strikers currently targeted, if that's the way negotiations end, but there has to be some sign that there is urgency in headhunting other potential candidates with A-League or better experience.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
They did not give up, they signed the leading goalscorer from another A-League club. 

How is that giving up on what was required ?  Could the crystal ball say Kwasnik wasn't going to work ?

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Bottom line - excuses don't put goals in the net or bums on seats.
 
We still need two quality stikers. 
 
Whitby boy2009-04-12 14:36:38
He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
next year we have a potential attacking midfield consisting of fred,daniel,diego and leo bertos. attacking in midfield in the a-league doesnt get much better than that. expectations for next years strikers just seem to keep on rising and rising with the fans every week. it would be good to get atleast 1 proven striker. but its not about proven strikers. its about strikers that work well with the team around them
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I think Costa will be a starter or close to it next season. He showed he can operate at A league level and Rikki said some positive things to that effect at the end of the season.Sounds like we've probably got the 1 striker and good chance of getting the other. Add Diego and another goalie (and he doesn't need to be any better than a current NZFC player) and we only need to get another Centre of Dodd goes. We could probably get away with some remodelling in the centre anyway. While it might not have the look of a championship team, we will be competitive and with a year of playing together under our belt - don't underestimate that. 
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
They did not give up, they signed the leading goalscorer from another A-League club. 

How is that giving up on what was required ?  Could the crystal ball say Kwasnik wasn't going to work ?
 
I don't think it was a case of Porter or else Kwasnik - the club would have settled for having both players.
 
But that be as it may, I think that relying on an attacking midfielder(s) to compensate for having only one proven striker in the squad, on whom you are relying to get you through an entire season, was always folly.  I know this debate was had amongst the YF during the last preseason, but my own view was that we should have found a second striker to play alongside Smeltz, and when the Porter deal fell through, we should have persisted in looking elsewhere.  I think in hindsight there is some strength in this argument if one considers that Smeltz's strike rate wasn't that great if you exclude the 5 or 6 penalities his goal tally included.  That's not meant to criticise or belittle Smeltz, who I think did reasonably well considering the inadequate service and support he received throughout the season.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I think that all this negativity about the striker search is starting to have a depressing effect on how people look at the phoenix. but why?
Ricki and Tony are OBVIOUSLY trying their hardest to secure some strikers.
I think that every year their preparations for the next season have been much better than the previous,  last year we looked in the lower levels of English football for a striker, now we've upgraded to premier one (or whatever the 2nd best comp is called)
I think this is a awesome thing, it shows that we've got a winning mindset and that we are being seen as a place that overseas players can go to further their carrers.
Theres a lot of talk about Porter goin on, with two strikers working hard up front we could have done very well for ourselves, but even though we didn't get him we still improved around the park and came a reasonable 6th, and did better than any NZ side has done, ever.
What i'm trying to say is just relax and put some faith in Tony, Terry and Ricki. Because every year they find a way to make us get just a little better, why should next year be any different?
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
*sarcasm* The club's f**ked! We're going to come last and lose our licence! End of NZ football forever and ever!*end sarcasm* FFS people!
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
well said mr lemon....as in all facets of life things happen when they happen...jumping the gun just leads to unrest and upset...the men in charge have been given a job and so long as the cheque signer can still sign cheques those men should be left to do their job...should they fail then questions should be both asked and answered...until we are told otherwise we must assume that the club owner is still on top of the situation and the club will continue to grow in an orderly manner...afterall the club is still only a couple of years old and unlike gold coast doesnt seem to want to make a farce of the salary cap...gotta say it will be fun watching mr palmers reaction to inevitable defeat...specially when his overpriced bunch of prima donnas find out whose getting more than the others
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Napier Phoenix wrote:
I think Costa will be a starter or close to it next season. He showed he can operate at A league level and Rikki said some positive things to that effect at the end of the season.Sounds like we've probably got the 1 striker and good chance of getting the other. Add Diego and another goalie (and he doesn't need to be any better than a current NZFC player) and we only need to get another Centre of Dodd goes. We could probably get away with some remodelling in the centre anyway. While it might not have the look of a championship team, we will be competitive and with a year of playing together under our belt - don't underestimate that.�
+1

Recruitment is fine for this stage of the build-up, and we do have McKain as well as Siggy and Dura as CBs guaranteed for next season. Also I think points made about other clubs announcing more signings than us can be put down to two sides (CCM and The Planes) competing in the ACL as well as NQ and GCU getting entire squads together
You know we belong together...

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
serepisos4nix wrote:
next year we have a potential attacking midfield consisting of fred,daniel,diego and leo bertos. attacking in midfield in the a-league doesnt get much better than that. expectations for next years strikers just seem to keep on rising and rising with the fans every week. it would be good to get atleast 1 proven striker. but its not about proven strikers. its about strikers that work well with the team around them
 
Im not personally too worried about the nix attacking options...attacking midfielders are great providing they dont leave too big a gap behind them as wa the case last season as I feel that brown and Mckain who arnt great holding midfielders with the skill to playmake. Lets sign a decent holding/playmaker

" If you only have a hammer you tend to see every problem as a nail" - maslow

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Longest most boring off season ever !!!

This is not about stirring the pot, but if Ricki and co have only secured one English striker with a proven record for us this season, then I think they should have a look at ....

Robbie Kruse

I know he isnt liked by some [understatement  ] , but he is definitely A League standard. Yes he had an off season last year, but that can happen with young fellows, the attention goes to their heads and they lose it for a while. It seems reading the article below that he might have realised that and is on the comeback.  He has not been signed up for the season by the Roar, and they dont seem to be in a hurry, but he has turned up and is going for it at preseason training, that shows a bit of maturity.

He troubled defenses and scored well in his first season, and will again if his head is right. We could do with someone with his pace up front, (who in our squad would be faster with the ball at his feet? ) and I would like to think that Ricki would get the best out of him with his man management skills.

Worth a decent look I think...

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25317865-5000940,00.html?from=public_rss


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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I hear Durantee Should be up
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Napier Phoenix wrote:
I think Costa will be a starter or close to it next season. He showed he can operate at A league level


Have to ask - when?
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Royal wrote:
Napier Phoenix wrote:
I think Costa will be a starter or close to it next season. He showed he can operate at A league level


Have to ask - when?
 

I worry when I read of costa being talked up as an A-league player. My recollection was of him having one game start plus about 20 minutes of play time all season...not sure how it can be said that he  can play at A-league level

" If you only have a hammer you tend to see every problem as a nail" - maslow

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
paullt wrote:
Royal wrote:
Napier Phoenix wrote:
I think Costa will be a starter or close to it next season. He showed he can operate at A league level


Have to ask - when?
 

I worry when I read of costa being talked up as an A-league player. My recollection was of him having one game start plus about 20 minutes of play time all season...not sure how it can be said that he  can play at A-league level


http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/default.aspx?s=wellfc_playerprofile_item&pid=1475

07/08 - 3 games (incl. 1 start), 114 minutes
08/09 - 5 games (incl. 2 starts and one pretty sweet goal), 208 minutes.

I try to stay realistic myself, but I'd say he's at least up to A-League level as a regular sub. He was one of the better players in the two matches he played against Perth and Sydney IIRC.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Just throwing out an idea:
Killen on Loan??

Beneficial for us, and will help him regain some form??
Just don't know about those wages


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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Probably only thrown out about 5 times already on this thread ...

- sorry; shouldn't post so late at night - I forget not everyone can memorise 246 pages like I can ...
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hello,
I'm Timo from Germany (sorry if my English is not the best) and I like the A-League and especially the Phoenix.
 
I get no information about the squad here in Germany and I'd like to know something about the possible new strikers (Krishna and Corrales).

Does someone know who will be the second goalkeeper the new season?

And my third question is about Dodd and Christie: Will they begin to train with the squad in the pre-season or are they released?
 
Sorry that I don't know anything about the information but I have no idea how to get them in Germany.
 
Regards
Timmy
 
 
By the way: I'm a member of a German football forum (transfermarkt) and we released an English version a few months ago and if someone of you is interested to post sometimes about the Phoenix or New Zealand, I would be one of the happiest men alife.
I hope this is allowed and this shouldn't be advertisment.
 
schuladen2009-04-14 08:37:57
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
schuladen wrote:
Hello,
I'm Timo from Germany (sorry if my English is not the best) and I like the A-League and especially the Phoenix.
 
I get no information about the squad here in Germany and I'd like to know something about the possible new strikers (Krishna and Corrales).

Does someone know who will be the second goalkeeper the new season?

And my third question is about Dodd and Christie: Will they begin to train with the squad in the pre-season or are they released?
 
Sorry that I don't know anything about the information but I have no idea how to get them in Germany.
 
Regards
Timmy
 
 
By the way: I'm a member of a German football forum (transfermarkt) and we released an English version a few months ago and if someone of you is interested to post sometimes about the Phoenix or New Zealand, I would be one of the happiest men alife.
I hope this is allowed and this shouldn't be advertisment.
 


Hi Timmy. We are based in Wellington and we get absolutely no information about the squad here either. Good luck with your search.

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
schuladen wrote:
Hello,
I'm Timo from Germany (sorry if my English is not the best) and I like the A-League and especially the Phoenix.
 
I get no information about the squad here in Germany and I'd like to know something about the possible new strikers (Krishna and Corrales).

Does someone know who will be the second goalkeeper the new season?

And my third question is about Dodd and Christie: Will they begin to train with the squad in the pre-season or are they released?
 
Sorry that I don't know anything about the information but I have no idea how to get them in Germany.
 
Regards
Timmy
 
 
By the way: I'm a member of a German football forum (transfermarkt) and we released an English version a few months ago and if someone of you is interested to post sometimes about the Phoenix or New Zealand, I would be one of the happiest men alife.
I hope this is allowed and this shouldn't be advertisment.
 
  
 
You should hook up with a bloke on this forum called Wynners (aka footballshirt). From memory he's a massive German Football fan and has ALL the shirts!!!

"Ive just re-visited this and once again realised that C-Diddy is a genius - a drunk, Newcastle bred disgrace - but a genius." - Hard News, 11:39am 4th June 2009

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
can someone please tell me who the hell is wyners
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Oh and the phoenix start training again on friday, i'll be there to see if the new signing  is there
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
next friday i mean
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Footballshirt wrote:
can someone please tell me who the hell is wyners
he's an awful lot like you
You know we belong together...

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Chris Wood on loan anyone?
 
I'd go and watch him.  Chance for Ricki to work with him prior to Confeds Cup.  Could score some goals.  We could afford him.

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.

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