R12 v Newcastle Jets | Mon 26th Dec | 7.35pm |

Bosnich was brutal but in my mind he is right. The team we had 2 seasons ago was blitzing everyone and would go to death, now we have a team that is happy with a draw. I bet Newcastle won't be happy with the draw. We should aim higher but it's all smoke and mirrors. We ain't got a shot at winning the league this season with the way the team is from management to players.

Siggie, Manny, Tim Brown...Players who would be really unhappy to lose...How many late goals did Timmy score? And Siggie and Manny scored a couple of late ones between them to be honest...

Liked the look of Lowry when he came on in the tackle. Doyle looked good too. If he can stay fit, he is a good A-league left back.

Lol, have you forgotten that we are a foreign team playing in their national league? No comparison between us and any other team 'cos we're not one of them. 

Agree but semantics. My point stands. 

Dura is such a club legend but unfortunately he was very poor tonight, although to be fair other than Rossi none of the other defenders were very good either. Can't see Roly staying with the club long term if he's only going to produce what he has so far this season.

Rossi and Moss the only real shining lights tnite. Kosta was decent as well.

Bosnich is an arrogant ars . We offer a decent team to play in their comp, with a whole different set of viewing customers. We are financially sound.
As for the game tonight. Very disappointed with Roly's continually getting caught on the ball in the first half. Better second half with some good switches. Tratt might have cotributed well to our goals, he also gave them a n acre of space where he was meant to be defending. Well done Mossy, again. Tratt and Vinnie hung Dura out to dry for their second goal, and yes Dura didn't do well either. Doyle was good first half and was tiring second half. However, Lowry was exposed for pace when he came on. Fenton would have done better there. Finkler and Roy very unlucky with the freekick and rebound. Both did well for the second goal.
A point away from home in very warm conditions was probably a reasonable result I think.

Bottom line for me: we're still under-performing; we still don't have the midfield balance right; we have naturally wide forwards and we need Watto or Smeltz upfront as a catalyst for a formation that works for our cattle; Dura and Lia play way too many minutes; and while I'm at it - I would love to see our defensive unit changed to Doyle, Rossi, Fox, Tratt and given time as a unit.

That was piss poor. From both teams. If we can't beat the jets there is really no hope for us. We need new management asap.

At least in the conditions we didn't fade anymore than the home team do conditioning to the temperature seems good.

Yep I was worried about that potential problem myself. However, Naboutt was simply to quick for our defenders anyway.

I could not fathom why Dura allowed his man to cut in (for the Jets goal). Should have forced him to the byline. An experienced defender should not be at sixes and sevens in that situation - it was embarrassing to watch. 

First Phoenix match in nearly 2 years. Fudge I never realised how much I missed it!!

Since we have dropped the extra midfielder we have sacrificed greater control for more attacking potential, it may be a matter of players getting used to the defensive organisation but we have been much looser in the past few games post Ernie.

After listening to Bozza, Are we really the deadbeats of the A-League?. Surely CCM would take that mantel. 

Think Bozza was just expressing his frustration knowing that the Phoenix won't be bringing in a new coach for the rest of this season to deliver the rocket the players need.

No doubt he feels Rudan would be the right fit, and do that.

This whole "Nix don't offer anything to the A League" argument has been brought up and refuted with actual facts (better TV ratings in Aus than Jets or CCM for instance). But whether it's right or wrong is irrelevant - unless we start winning and getting bigger crowds in NZ we will get kicked out sooner or later. Maybe at the end of the first 4 year extension period

At this point the feeling being projected by the club is that everyone has just given up. Makes it bloody hard to be a fan. Can someone within the club please look like they give half as much of a shark as we do?

People are missing the point. What he's saying is the league rallied behind the team and showed a lot of support from the ground level, yet the team are showing no desire or drive to prove them right. He even said forget the politics.

Another good reason to hire externally I think. We need a manager who can get some passion back in our players.

IF Welnix want us to stay in the league, then they need to make substantial changes/investment. What we've been doing is simply not enough.

We're treading water - on the pitch and off it. Comparisons with CCM/Newy who are the perennial bottom feeders aren't doing anything to improve our standing in the league. Whether crowds, players, results, memberships, style, whatever - we simply aren't doing enough.

Being stable isn't good enough whilst we're in the lower echelon of franchises.

I don't know what the answer is, but I really hope the club behind the scenes are looking at opportunities to lift our game (in more ways than one). If we keep doing what we're doing it's only a question of when, not if.

Bosnich might be a gobby oaf, but he reflects the thoughts of many of your average Ocker footy people - whether we like it (or want to believe it, or not). Just imagine for a minute the boot was on the other foot. Sure; it'd have to be rugby but we/NZ would look at an Aussie team just as harshly.

IT's not good enough for us not to be as bad/poor/crap as the bad/poor/crap Aussie teams - we need to be much better than that. And we need to be "seen" to be much better... and we can argue whatever facts we like but the one that matters is that currently, we're not.

Bring on 2017!

Were you one of the eight, that were ejected from the ground?

I don't think you're right, even in the most hostile places on the internet the nix out people are in the minority. There are two things which are more alarming, one is we do have hard deadlines with the FFA and two is that Welnix themselves have said that they are only prepared to fund the team if they meet those deadlines. Which is fair enough, why fund a team that has declining crowds? The opinion of the Australian public is of lesser concern than the opinion of the owners and the FFA, that's harsh to say because the Australian public kept the team in the competition and of course we're very greatful, but they did their part and our survival is now out of their hands.

I don't think investment is a problem, we have the academy system, Martin Luckie park, and a first team that uses all of the holes in the salary cap for the first time. No Wellington investor is going to spend 9 million on a team like City does, or 7 million like Sydney and if that's the only pathway to win then our only hope is a corrupt Chinese billionaire coming along with the mistaken idea that spending a fortune on the capital cities football team is a way to sway the governments opinions of them. If investment is a problem then we're fudgeed because Welnix are investing a sharkload into this team, it's certainly better funded than when Terry was in charge.

The squad should be a top four squad, the balance may be wrong, but the investment is there and the players are in place. What we need is someone to instill a bit of fight into the team. Maybe the nice guy coaches like Ernie and Chris are not what we need and we need a dictator in charge like Ramon or Rudan.

Also I wish I could un-this.

If the current squad are trying as best as they can then the level they show is not good enough. The players really need to look inside themselves and show some honesty as well as some effort and desire to be number one, not number 6. Anything less than wanting to be number 1 shows lack of ability and acceptance. Something a true professional would not or should not consider. This also applies to the club administration and the coaches. 

The travelling circus might be a money maker but it is not building the Wellington fan base and if it comes down to numbers in the gate, then the club are settling for second best. The club mitht be spending a lot of money behind the scenes but it not always about money. The right people with the right attitude can be worth a lot more. Winning is our most important target. Because winning will bring people back to Westpac. 

The novelty factor has done its dash along with the travelling circus. The Phoenix name is out there and establishes. Currently the team are known as bottom dwellers, losers whatever you like but it is not positive and upbeat. As fans we can turn up and we can get behind the team throub thick and thin but at the end of the day it is what they do on the pitch that will determine if more fans turn up and if our 4 year extention is indeed extended. 6th is not an acceptable target!!!

As with every season our midfield defence/tracking was poor. The combo of Lia/finkler/roly provides no help for the back four. Finkler plays high, Lia is poor (great engine, just slow as the titanic) which I feel leaves Roly having to play too deep where he struggles to make an impact.

There were a number of issues that came out of this game....both on field and off field. 

I think this team and management is in drift mode. It needs a big shake up. The commentators said that the Nix post Ernie looked much like the old version......and I agree. I was shocked by Barbarousses after match interview. Asked about the changes since Ernie left he said that apart from a few tweeks up front nothing had changed except the players realised they needed to put in a bit more effort....."MORE EFFORT". FFS this is a professional football team that does not have a guaranteed long term future.

THe problem for me is that the team and management  have become too cosey. We keep hearing about how the club is a "family club" and everyone is "buddies". Well that is all fine and good but I am sure that there are plenty of us fans who would prefer a blood and guts, fighting for the full 90 minutes, team. I am sure one of the reasons Ernie left is that he felt he was unable to motivate them sufficiently. He actually said he hoped his leaving would "motivate" them. 

Which brings the debate to the coaching. I watched this game with some European football friends including a guy who had coached at prolevel in Europe. The consensus was that "my" team had some good players but there were glaring faults in the way they were set up and also their tactics. Someone said that "the Phoenix defend like children" and "why did your coach not fix problems during the game"

IMO we do have a good team in there somewhere. Certainly a team that should dispatch sides like the Jets. Welnix have recruted as well as you could expect for a Wellington based team. But what they really need to do now is appoint the best, most experianced coach they can afford. Retaining the apprentice duo of Greenacre and Buckingham sends out a message that we will accept the status quo for the rest of the season. The side has glaring weakness's in its defensive setup. The midfield combinations do not work. The team lacks a hard nosed mentality...(we should have shut that game out leading 2-1.....but we all knew the Jets would be given chances) 

The team has had a bounce because the players have decided to pull finger but all the faults are still there. 

Bosnich was a little over the top in his comments but he expressed what many of us fans feel. 

I think Mark Bosnich was knocked back for the Phoenix gaffer job...

I haven't posted for a while ( mainly due to health issues) BUT I have only missed going to one game in the last 5 years ( including home and away , and have never missed going to a home game in the history of the Nix.I've had season tickets since tickets since day one. When I read what that Twit  Barbarouses (sp?) say what he did last night  , I was livid. For a player to come out and say essentially that they hadn't been trying under a previous coach just beggars belief. It makes a mockery of what us as fans try to do by supporting them . I've missed chemo sessions , missed radiotherapy sessions so I could get to games. I , amongst many others  , have bloody well tried hard to support you . To be beaten by a better team is one thing ( although that's debatable with the Jets and CCM- yes , I know we didn't lose). But to admit to a lack of effort? And you come out and crap  all over us after a game where you should have won . 

You can shove my season's pass up your arse.

I'm done. 

From this?
http://www.a-league.com.au/article/wellington-phoenix-now-showing-a-will-to-win-kosta-barbarouses/1kzfkveku5kx817ehr1v3at3vt

Probably just feeling more inspired under different management. Said it was regrettable that it took a change for that to occur.

have we got verbatim what barbarous said, I missed it?

I have to say that before that game I was all for Greenpeace and Buckingham to continue for the rest of the season, but that was so much of the same old carp again as under Ernie, that I've changed my opinion.

Jan 1st will be our 127th home A League game. Some of your sentiments are spot on.

He also said they know what they're supposed to do positionally now which they didn't.

You'd hope that a marquee player with no baggage would be motivated.  I doubt it was a lack of trying but more a lack of confidence and general despondency.

Which is something, IIRC, Ernie lamented about - not being able to translate his ideas to the players / the players not being able to understand (not because of his accent) / get to grips what he wanted of them.

What exactly IS Kosta meant to say in a post match interview, with no preparation, straight from 90 minutes in scorching heat???
What has changed?
Well, to tell the truth I'm absolutely buggered and I can't think of anything sensible.

FFS there are not enough of us to start throwing in the towel. There are plenty of anti-Nix, anti-football folk who would happily see us fail.  

I think most of us can agree the club need to do more to improve relations with Wellington based Fans.  I want to have faith that it will get better.  After all I'm Phoenix til I die, I'm Phoenix til I die, I know I am, I'm sure I am, I'm Phoenix til I die.

Nothing annoys me more than how players are supposed to play the game and then do the analysts job for them too, all while out of breath.