Should The Phoenix Drop Plodder (J. Christie)

We've already paid out a number of contracts, and with at least one more big signing to come (Porter) and also hopefully a right back and Sigmund we probably couldn't afford to replace Plodder if we let him go so what's the point? Remember that when you release a player who is still under contract you still have to include their salary under the cap, do some of you not realize this or something? The reason players like Old, Spoonley and Brownlie were released was that we needed to create space in the squad. We now have space for 4 more players, so there would be absolutely nothing to be gained by releasing Christie. He is still young, kiwi and offers some utility value off the bench or in the event of injuries.
KTBW2008-04-05 12:07:51

He's a useful utility player and a kiwi.
When he came on for El**ch in the last Sydney game, it was, yes! Somebody keen at right midfield for a change!
And as the women obviously like him, you don't want to write of potentially 50% of your fanbase ...

yea, im sure he doesnt mind sitting on the bench

I think he is up to a-league level, is a versatile player, and  a kiwi - reasons enough for me to want to see him in next seasons squad.

durante could give him a lesson on how to defend. then he could be good back up for our defence.

Definitely cut him loose. If we are serious about making waves in finals in years to come then this is a no brainer. 

Not every player in the squad is going to be a world beater. Every team has players like Christie.

sigh think about it, also does the fact that he has played in every year of the a-leagues existence not say something? if we are serious about making the finals this year than this is no-brainer, the answer is simply yes. he is utility, he is kiwi, he's got the experience, he stays, heck, i would probably not mind if he was re-signed

Wait, so we cut him loose and then what do we do, what does it achieve other than making some kind of 'statement'? Well, say we get lucky and sign Porter, a proper right back and Sigmund, maybe even a marquee central midfielder (outside the cap) to fill the void of Ross A. We would now have a full squad, and probably have used up all of our salary cap as well. Now if we release Christie as well it gives us an extra place in the squad except that we can't fill it because we still have to pay for his services and we don't have any more $ left under the salary cap (remember we've already released Brownlie, Old and Spoonley and still have to pay out their contracts as well). What a stupid piece of management that would be! Even if we did somehow have room left under the cap who else would you sign?

Look at it this way, we don't need to release him to be able to sign Porter, Sigmund and the mystery RB.We can even have a Marquee player as well if the numbers work out (although I suspect Porter may be our marquee signing because we have paid out so many contracts already and it might be the only way we can afford him).

Talk about no brainers... Why pay for something you aren't going to use? Better at least to keep him around as injury/bench cover right. Sure if there was no salary cap you could ditch him and take a punt on somebody else, but that's not how the league works.

KTBW2008-04-05 17:48:22

agree with ktbw

Losing him Would Be to much Of a Drastic Change

I think it seems that he's got one more season to impress or be cut. It's Ok since he is the utility player and will be the playing cover from the bench. But sometimes it's good to have a utility player in the squad because there is more flexibility for the coach. He's been given a bit of a lifeline considering it is a short season and so therefore a smaller squad to work with. In a longer season with more games to play, he would have not been considered as harshly.

I hadn't been on so it was up to page two when I read it

Alright them keep him on the bench all season, let him see out his contract, then cut him at end of season.

At first glance, i couldnt believe the amount of people who said"no" I mean he was abismal at right back towards the end of the season but was really impressive at the start, and in the pre-season game against Sydney he was dynamic in the midfield. He keeps showing glimpses, and the fact it will cost us to buy out his contract, theres no harm in letting him fufill his contract, surely he knows this is his last chance at being a pro footballer, who knows he might suprise us

He'd have struggled.  He barely played towards the end of the season because we were playing three at the back, he was never one of those three.
Hard News2008-04-06 22:03:42

That's true. Sorry i was meaning prior to him being dropped he was abismal. I remember one game at the Stadium i thought i'd keep a particular eye on him and see his positioning, passes, etc. He wasnt actually too bad at passing but his positioning and tackling left much to be desired