Someone says this season is more about the future and the Phoenix have some promising young talent in Fenton, Boyd, Gully and Rufer. But isn't it equally important to put out a very competitive team now, especially after a wooden spoon season. The average NZ football fan is not very forgiving and you need to win to keep their interest, as you well know.
Has Ernie been stuck with too many mediocre Herbert appointments like Manny, Stein and Lia who have long contracts? Why was there not a wholesale cleanout of deadwood? Are the likes of Bertos and Brockie too comfortable because they just seemed to lack any spark. Perhaps Brockie was still in Toronto. It can't be down to preseason match fitness because you've had nine games already. I think you should give more seasoned ASBP players a chance because they'd love to get professional contracts and would play their heart out. I've always maintained the best of the ASBP players would love a crack at playing for the Phoenix and would be better options than bringing in Australians/imports who didn't get picked up over there. The argument has always been the ASBP isn't up to standard but I think the gap is not so big.
I can't understand why Luis Correles wasn't picked up now he's back in Wellington. Frankly he'd run rings around Lia. Likewise Clapham.
Some points.
You said "[s]omeone says this season is more about the future". Who has said that? I don't think anyone has. Sure it's Ernie's first season, but I think we're all expecting to make the 6 at least.
"Why was there not a wholesale cleanout of deadwood?" Because, as you should know, there is a salary cap and rules about such things. Ernie has certainly cleared things out relatively speaking. Totori for example.
"I think you should give more seasoned ASBP players a chance because they'd love to get professional contracts and would play their heart out." I agree, to an extent. Don't forget a lot of players have already come out of the ASBP into the Phoenix. On the flip side, don't assume that ASBP would love a pro contract and play their hearts out. Ivan turned the Phoenix down remember, and Kirshna had two bites at the cherry and didn't impress.
"The argument has always been the ASBP isn't up to standard but I think the gap is not so big." I agree, and have always agreed, and was instrumental in setting up a scholarship programme that gave such players a chance. Viz Marco. I don't actually think many people on here think the ASBP is a poor standard. They think it is lop-sided, and that Auckland City have a ridiculous advantage because of the amount of money they get from gaming machines. They think that Auckland City's myopic fans are incapable of talking sense, but they don't think it's a bad league. Quite the contrary. I think most of us (me anyway) would like to see a better, larger, fairer, and more widely appreciated ASBP.
"I can't understand why Luis Correles wasn't picked up now he's back in Wellington. Frankly he'd run rings around Lia. Likewise Clapham."
Luis is a striker, Clapham and Lia are (different types of) midfielders. So that's a crazy comparison. Would Luis run rings around Brockie and Huysegems? That's the question? And is he Kiwi or still an import? I think you'll find that, with his injury record for Upper Hutt this year, he's probably missed the A-League boat. But in his prime I agree he'd have been worth a look.