2017/18 Transfer Speculation

I'm going to start a rumour here - Jordi Buijs to Nix

According to rumours, Trent Sainsbury is set to sign for Sydney (he is dating/married to Arnold's daughter). He'd probably take up the ACL spot in defense, meaning Buijs would be the most likely candidate to miss out.

I'd imagine this could lead to another Finkler-like situation, and he could leave the club after the announcement. Back in the Netherlands, Buijs played extensively under Kalezic. Transfermarkt says just shy of 100 appearances over 2 clubs, so I'd say the relationship is decent.

If all this happens, what are the odds he comes over here? Especially if the rumours surrounding unsettled players are true, Kalezic could certainly use a friendly face around the club.

Thoughts?

would depend on if we had a import spot available......if the creation signing is true then we don't. Unless of course one of our other imports leaves during the window.

Love the Jordi Buijs rumour. If there was the chance the club should take it. In my opinion Buijs > Rossi, especially this year at least. Rossi seems disinterested at times to say the least.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/10...

If it is Watson, it is a pity. He had a period of looking decent enough and combining well, but of late has had few opportunities and done little. Hard to get fluency when you're not playing much. I know this isn't necessarily a popular opinion!

I beg to differ.  While I feel for Watson, he is not the answer to our woes at present. What's worse, he is actually ruining attacking chances created by others through his own inattention regarding the offside rule.  If we can replace him with a better player, I am all for it, and wish Watson well for the future.

and no young player should be asked to be the solution to problems at their club. Same with the heat Ridenton's copping. We might decide we expect them to be ready to be pushing for a starting berth and they aren't good enough, but that's different to giving them a bit and scapegoating them for not being the complete article. 

I mean how long was Krishna in the squad before he actually broke into the first team and what were the reactions to his first spell off the bench? Flat track bully I believe was the expression used by many

I've given up on Watson for his constant inability to stay on side.  You want time in the first team you at least need to give the impression you have a clue and are making an effort. Maybe I'm being harsh,  but that's where I've got to with him. 

With Ridenton I agree - I think he is starting because he is about as good as we've had allowing for injury and unavailability and Finkler's issues, and it's not his fault he is getting selected.  Singh arguably better but I presume the balance of the three mids has just worked in Ridenton's favour.  Plus Singh's relative inexperience and physical stature.  But Ridenton's worked his butt off. While I agree he hasn't yet shown enough to be a guy that helps you be top 4/6 as a starter, I'd say he's shown enough to be persevered with in the squad. Watson,  well others are making the call,  and what I think doesn't matter,  but... 

I do not think that is harsh. There needs to be a balance between two objectives - wanting to "develop young NZ footballers further by giving them an A-League outlet" and the commercial objective of "having a successful team that can challenge for top four placing regularly".   If we were properly harsh, few locals would be given a chance on the park. 

I do not think Watson was expected to be a game-changer. But just for comparison's sake, we have Watson as a supersub, while WSW had Brendan Santalab - a quality striker riding the pine for many games and only coming on in the second half as a supersub.  While we do not have a Santalab-like player, at present time I'd rather give Singh a chance as a potential supersub (due to his age) than Watson. 

Even if I did not expect Watson to score regularly, at least I would like him not to ruin our offensive moves with his offsides. If he can re-learn that particular awareness at a lower grade, all is forgiven.

A lot of people were appalled when Krishna was given a contract extension. His first season for the team consisted of a few shaky appearances off the bench, which at the time seemed like a colossal waste of a foreign slot. He wasn't even getting the game time that Tatori was getting in his season for us.

With Krishna Ernie and the club showed a lot of patience and have been rewarded for that patience but there was a tremendous amount of angst on here. Flat track bully was mentioned by quite a few, and the general consensus was that he was all about pace and offered nothing else.

A lot of people always underrated Krishna, and 'flat track bully' was a term people used to try write off his good performances as meaningless, or devalue them in some way. Some of us always thought he was up to it. 

Don't think there's much comparison between Watson & Krishna though in any case. Krishna always had more potential than Watson does, in my eyes anyway.

Krishna had a very proven track record at a lower level, pace and obviously an ability to listen to coaching. He didn't impress much on his first team outings when he started. 

Watson did what Ernie asked him initially to get a contract and he hates losing. Anyway, there were times when I thought Watto might have the goods, but he hasn't shown anything this season on the limited opportunities he's had. I was hoping we'd see a bit more from him. Sometimes it's just getting that scrappy goal which settles a player or increases confidence.

I won't complain if Watson goes, but I definitely feel like he's copped an unfair amount of shark sometimes and was never quite given the opportunity to really develop through regular professional football. The managers we've had and the general state of the team haven't been conducive to developing a young target man. I remember seeing Watson in the HBU side a few years ago and he was bossing it. I think he's the sort of player who is very much affected by his own confidence and time on the pitch and the Nix haven't done much to foster either.

It ties into a bigger issue though about how we develop talent and bring youth through. 

A slight misspelling of his first name there - it's Matija Ljujic

Stats: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matija-ljujic/prof...

A good age at 24.

Main position:
Attacking Midfield

Other position(s):
Central Midfield
Left Wing

According to Tranfermarkt it's a contract only until the end of the season.

Coming here from Zalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania where he's spent a season and a half after transferring from Rad in his home country, Serbia. 

Zalgiris have been the dominant team in Lithuania the last decade - second in the league last season, won the previous four titles.

Won the Lithuanian Cup and Super-Cup too while Ljujic was there last season.

Ljujic has played in two Champions League qualifiers this season - started both legs of Zalgiris's sole tie, a second round qualifier vs. Ludogorets in July 2017 - won 2-1 at home, lost 4-1 away. 

From the line-up on Transfermarkt, Ljujic seems to have played right midfield in the home leg vs. Ludogorets in a 4:3:3:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/zalgiris-vilnius_p...

and centre-forward in the away leg:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/pfk-ludogorets-raz...

Beating Ludogorets in the first leg was a very good achievement because Ludogorets went on to great success in the Europa League, finishing second in their group with only one loss, beating both Braga and Hoffenheim. They face AC Milan in the knockout stage in February.

If Watson goes, money is on turning out for HBU who are looking for a striker.

Watson will sign for Auckland City along with Cole Peverley .Unfortunately Watson is not good enough to play at A League level he and a few others have been stealing a wage the last couple of seasons.You can't fault the boys effort but just hasn't developed as a lot on here hoped 

would be surprised if he ended up at Auckland City, unless they get serious injury issues, they already have Tade. De Vries, McCowatt, Le'alafa & Kris Bright he might get ahead of Bright in the pecking order but not the others.  Reckon Napier Phoenix's call of HBU would be more on the mark

Good on ya for owning up. I never doubted him.

Yeah won't go to City. To be blunt, he's just not good enough.

I saw him when the WeeNix played up here recently. The only two from the WeeNix that might get anywhere near ACFC would be Singh & Parkhouse who looked a league above the others in their team. Italiano was shocking - Keegan deserved to start before him. 

You weren't the only one by a long shot. On his first showings I don't think anyone was picking him to come back as he has. 

So based on what Darije said it will probably be three going and not two, and that there needs to be signings made in the defensive, midfield and attacking line - so who is available, will fit under the cap and is an Aussie or Kiwi?

I think it's pretty obvious that Abbas, Watson, and Lowry are the ones going. Haven't been near the starting team in a couple of games now.

Wonder if Watson will hold out for a payout, isn't he on a three year contract or something like that?

If there aren't high profile signings available then I hope they look to the Handy Prem.

I think Watto has 18 months left on his contract, but i assume it'll be three "mutual contract terminations". I hope its some Handy Prem players, some of them are definitely some that could do better than some in our current squad. I'm thinking Howieson, Payne, De Vries, Tavano - certainly wouldn't do any worse a job than some of our other players - and they're all new(ish) and (more) exciting Kiwi players who wouldn't get an All Whites call-up, so the intl window excuse doesn't count

Why would someone 'mutually' terminate their contract if they didnt have a similar paying gig already sorted or the prospect of doing so? I would be very suspicious and we looking for under the table payments if I was the salary cap watchdog and saw that. 

Because otherwise they'll spend months collecting a pay cheque but not training or playing with the team. At least if they go in January they have a chance of finding a team and playing.

Because his boss has said his job will be running laps all day for 18 months and never touching a football? That might be fun for some, but I'd say any footballer who wants to give it a go would rather play and to try and find some form and a new gig. However delusional some of us think that is, it's still a more rewarding life than circling the park 30 times a day.

https://www.employment.govt.nz/ending-employment/c...

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