R9 vs Melbourne Victory | Sun 3rd Dec | 4:30pm | RoF

Too right. We've gone from years of not-a-striker to signing possibly the best out and out striker we've ever had. Along with Dario 'I don't do much except score a headed goal every two games' Vidosic and the always dangerous Krishna, the Nix have a frightening ability to score goals.

At least for now the coach only has one end of the field to worry about.

I really don't care whose fault it is.  I'm not driving six hours to watch a game when we consistently lose. And it's getting harder and harder to be a Phoenix fan - something has to change soon or professional football in NZ is a dead duck. Can we have 'Guest' players, like Reid, or Chris Wood. I'll drive six hours for that.

Don't get too excited, your performance against Peru has been noticed .... by AFC....

Remember China want to qualify as does India ... today you are seen as a team that could beat both of these teams... 

Its reported that some in AFC are not happy at your success as if Asia plays Oceania in 2022, your success is seen as being part of the A-League they would much rather play a weaken NZ side than what you have by being in teh A-League.  

This is absolute nonsense.

A good article by Stuff, https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/99504972/The-Wellington-Phoenixs-problems-go-far-beyond-just-the-coach

Yesterday was the first Phoenix game in Wellington, that I chose not to go to as a season ticket holder (when I could actually attend the game). Sadly my decision to not go along was validated by the result and I feel for those of you who had to witness another limp effort. 

I remember posting in the aftermath of the Brisbane Roar game (in late October) that the 3-3 result @ home after being up 3-0 was unacceptable for me. And I felt the players needed to stand-up and own that result and let us (supporters) know that this is unacceptable and that it won't happen again @ home this season!

Why should I attend the the next home game Vs Sydney FC on 23 December? I don't have a valid answer...

Because you spent a large amount of money as a season ticket holder to attend these games... Not going just seems like a huge waste of money

Sunk costs man

Most HAL teams have been, and will be, beaten by Sydney FC this season, apart from just a few exceptions. Last season was like that too. So for the fans of those clubs there is a high likelihood of going home after a game, feeling despondent, glaring at the cat, swearing loudly, and arguing with their nearest and dearest over something completely unimportant (this happened to me after the CCM game).  

To follow your logic, the stands around Australia should be empty - one of them every weekend, wherever the Smurfs are playing - of the opposing team's supporters, since the likelihood of winning a game against Sydney FC is a snowflake's. 

We could extend this logic further to its mad conclusion and demand that FFA takes the licence away from Sydney FC, for reducing the gate takings from the A-League, already for the second season in a row, and bringing everyone's metrics down.

Love Patrick's optimism. Fact is some 35,000 fans came to the NZ-Peru game. Special flights had to be laid on. So the fan-base is out there. I've been crazy enough to drive six hours to watch a Phoenix game. Not any more because the players are too soft. It's to the core. We gave away Kosta, and he had a great game - against us. The message we give to the players is it's okay to lose. We will support you. We are Kiwis and we care. Well it's time to harden up. I refuse to watch any more drivel - and there are plenty more like me out in the cold .... waiting, just waiting...

Domey on Radio Sport just after 8...

You misspelled "couldn't afford".

Hyslop's article seems to be putting the blame on management for signing "dead weight" like Watson and Lowry. Doesn't explain why the existing backline is leaking more than my toddler's nappy.

Interesting that Merrick was not happy with lack of support from management, considering that they talked him into withdrawing his resignation the first time.

I'm quite certain you misspelled Watson?  Hudson on your mind?

That Hyslop article hits the nail on the head.  David Dome, Sean Gill and Rob Morrison run this club and none of them have any top level football experience.  To my mind we are doing everything right generally off field commercially, but our decision making around players, recruitment and strategy is just not working.

Case in point - I understand to a degree the idea that we want to avoid having our team decimated on international breaks.  However, there is a real downside to that situation because being able to sign kiwis as non-foreigners is a huge advantage to us (if used correctly).  We are just giving that opportunity away.  That then means that the Aussies/foreigners we sign have to be top class, and given how hard apparently it is to get Aussies here, and we're not huge payers so it's also hard to get foreign players here, does that line up as a strategy?  I am not convinced...

From the Dome interview on the radio this morning: Dome says he's not worried about the Phoenix's poor attendance this season, as all of the A-League clubs are struggling.

There we go again, "its ok that we're crap because other teams are crap too" FFS get real and stop making excuses for mediocrity.....

Now, I may be ignorant, but what we're saying is that at the Nix the board are making player recruitment decisions without reference to the coach? That puts those "Darije built this squad himself, he has to answer for it" comments to rest.

The actual quote is "that's a huge concern for us".

David Chote

David Dome

Just so Reporting faxs can be accurate and checked

There is a footballing committee which makes those decisions and the coach is in that committee.

Also I think we were saying that Merrick not the squad.

Dome also said: We are not far of the top six. Fact is we are far away, we are last on the ladder because we are not getting points. We should have won a 3 and 2:0 lead and THEN we would be 5th place, with one in hand to go into the the top four. 8 games one win 5 losses, I think this is a concerning trend and he is overly optimistic.

His job is to paint a positive picture, I'm sure they're worried.

That committee is a failure

I disagree. We are 5 points off 6th with a game in hand. If we can get into form through the second half of the season we can make the playoffs. From there, anything can happen.

has anyone outside the top 2 won the thing?

Just listened to Dome's interview. All very bright and positive(and bland)...which I guess is one way to spin the current situation.

There are probably dozens of ideas floating around about the woes of the Nix...and any possible solutions. But IMO one of the big ones is that the club just seems to have been drifting along. We have lapsed into a management mode that is comfortable and undynamic. We have only made the top six once in the last five years. We have accepted a low bar of not being in the bottom four each season and have failed that goal...spectacularly.

It is no surprise to me that there have been, and still are, rumours about management issues. The current coach has said that he had to change lots of stuff in the back room to make things more professional. Ernies complained about similar issues. To me Dome just seems to be squatting in the job. He has been there for each of the seasons we have failed to make the top six.....and nothing changes. Coaches change and nothing changes, players turnover and nothing changes. Why have there been no clean out at management level as well? Why does someone like Chris Greenacre seem to have  a job for life at the Nix? Why does Dome? 

I don''t want to dump on the Welnix guys. They have admitted they are not football guys...they are money men and have done a fantastic job with attracting corporate sponsorship and getting the club on a good financial footing. They also have done some great things like bringing  out the EPL clubs. I bet you that privately they are scratching their heads about what to do about the Nix.

What the club needs IMO is a top level football CEO...someone with an extensive background in running a professional football club. Someone who would look into every aspect, from back room management, to recruiting, publicity, match promotion etc. There needs to be a serious look into the current culture of the club.

I know with time you tend to look back with rose tinted specs but the era of Pignata, Terry and Ifill seem like the golden Nix years. The club was sexy.....and even thought the football was a bit dour at least Ricki knew how to turn Westpac into our fortress. There is no reason why we can't have that again.

When was the last time we kept a clean sheet?

5-0 v Newcastle Jets - March I think

From Hyslops article

Stop pissing us around Morrison

I am pissed off as any about the lack of results and in  particular our crap defence. But come 23 December I will be there to support The Nix because they are my team regardless. 

When was the last time we had the same starting back four, two games in a row?

We don't have the marquees and the depth the big teams do.  So we're vulnerable to any season in which we have significant injury problems.  Pick any two of Rossi, Dura, Galloway for most games.  Plus abscences with the NZ team.  Mullen is solid but is not faster than Dura at CB and is no FB.  We've been patching things up.  

But it was dissapointing to see a starting backline give up three.  We've talked in previous years about Dura and a high line, and Darije is exposing him to that.  Not sure how long Dura can start when Darije is wanting to compress the midfield and every quick striker is going to position themselves on our line next to Dura.  

Let's see how they go for the rest of the season, if we can keep our back five on the field.  But I think Dura is going to be an ongoing problem that we need to find a solution to.  

If the on-field problems and management problems overlap, it is pretty dire.

It is harder to change the off-field issues.  But regarding on-field, if it has to do with how Dura manages the team on-field positioning, barking orders, while also trying himself to defend, who should take over from him as captain if he is benched?  

I know Krishna normally takes over the armband, but it is hard to captain the team effectively from the front line.  And neither Italiano not Keegan-Smith are able to lead the team the way Moss did in Dura's absence.

While I am not trying to create another dumb theory, it maybe linked to the on-field leadership "under fire".  However, I cannot think of any other long-term player except Krishna and maybe McGlinchey that have been with Phoenix for long enough and would be respected enough to replace Dura as captain. I look forward to others sharing their opinion on this.

If I recall correctly it was Loyd Morrison's dream to keep professional football in Wellington.  The others were prepared to support that and to our benefit continue to.  

If you have not invested in a season membership or the likes and are a continued Naysayer. Get a life   

Domey on football sounds much less comfortable than Domey on commcercial stuff.  The idea that we are "half way there" is pretty naive

I'm hating when club people seem to do cartwheels when we might be able to finish up scraping into the top six only a third of the way through the season

I've said this for ages too.  We treat "the six" like it is all the same as if there is no difference between 1st and 6th...6th is still the bottom half.

Coach Takes Full Responsibility - 1 Year today - Now you say its the office

What did you expect him to do?  Dump on the club in the press, and then leave and try to get another job?

He did exactly what every other classy professional would do: take full responsibility publicly, but be prepared to explain in details the real story behind close doors, when and if asked. He might have had that discussion when talking to Newcastle owners, but would not want it to be aired.

Whatever you think of Merrick as a coach, you can't say he is an inconsiderate fool.