Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

He could; but I don't think he would. Remember he was signed here originally as a DM but refused to play that role.

Also, I don't think he refused to play DM straight away, IIRC it was more that Ernie saw his ability was better suited to a more advanced role.

he is playing that more advanced role with Western Sydney right? so why would he come back here to be asked to the hard work again when he clearly left because he didn't want to.

I guess WSW fans have higher expectations of Roly than we do, and would not settle for an average performance from a star signing.

Always thought he had an exciting skillset, but even in his good season I thought he was too much a loner on the field for a playmaking midfielder, delayed passes too long and too often went on his own run.  Made him look great when it worked, but stunted the teams play.  He was the architect of his own demise as far as getting targeted went, because he did not learn to work well with the players around him, to shift it away from the attention he was getting.  

I hoped he'd grow into the role, but he got worse rather than better, got more frustrated himself and maybe the problems with the team were a big part of that.  Who knows.

When he played more defensively he was often clumsy and impetuous with poor tackles.

Again, undoubted skills and often fun to watch, but I don't think he did enough, or brought out enough from those around him.

Good player, for individual skills, but not great for an import. And didn't add enough to the team's play for me.  

I enjoyed having him here, but ultimately thought his import stay was dissapointing.

Would be fantastic but I feel we might need a defensive-minded import to partner him to cover him as he inevitably pushes too far forward, actually come to think of it seems like a great slot for Payne

Well, mots of our imports have already left, is Paracki still around?

And when will Rudan announce his first signings?

If Rudan is going to instill a hard working and driven attitude in the team, I cant see Roly fitting in that. 

If he bucked his attitude up a bit, Id happy have him back though

When does preseason training start for the Nix? I'd like to think Rudan has most of his squad sorted out by then and ready to start with maybe just a few, say 3 or 4, still to come. 

I am not sure I would have him back.  My own view with a benefit of hindsight is that other HAL coaches looked at him and thought: "he is great, and he is surrounded by crap Nix players so he is struggling out there on his own"..    WSW probably thought that he would be a real great addition to their team if he is surrounded by better (WSW) players instead of our apparently crappy ones.   

In reality they probably found that Roly is simply not a great team player on the field, which is why he did not shine for them, or for us.  He promised heaps, but delivered less, just like many other players with somewhat underwhelming career peak.

I'd say he did shine for us. When he was on, he was almost untouchable and displayed skills most of our squad then could only dream of. But like I said, he would need to remodel his attitude before i'd have him back.

Great individual players don't make great team players - not to say they can't learn... if they want to.

except for all the times he'd got caught in possession, turned into trouble and got dealt to

he got touched a lot

for strikers, sure, greedy self centred little buggers lols

but for playmaking midfielders - wouldn't you say it's their job to be a team player?

for me, that's where roly didn't produce the goods

I remember The Move from my childhood, Flowers in the Rain and Blackberry Way were both pretty big down under, recently got hold of a best

of  CD/DVD "Magnetic Waves of Sound'.

Have to say I agree with a couple of articles I've read online claiming Roy Wood as a sort of unrecognised genius.

Any other fans out there?

Sorry, I mucked up that last post, I was trying to reply to this.

Doubt we'll see any signings until early August - think he'll want to see who's available in terms of imports and give locals a chance to trial and have a decent look

Jason Pine has confirmed that Kaludjerovic, Paracki, Rossi and Ljujic are all gone. Attempting to naturalise Krishna so possibly 5 spots to work with next season.

Piney just confirmed we've got 5 import slots.

Goran Paracki, Andrija Kaludjerovic, Marco Rossi and Matija Ljujic have left the club. 

A bit sorry to lose Paracki

From Ray Gatt on Twitter: Hearing Brendon Santalab has probably played his last game for Wanderers. Has been linked with a move to Perth Glory or Wellington Phoenix.

Good player, don't want him anywhere near the Nix.

5 visa players...if smith/sail not up to the job - no problem with visa gk then

I remember his and Kalu's passionate celebrations after they scored great goals for us early last season when it looked like we were on the cusp of something big. Then it all turned to custard in the standard Nix fashion and neither player was able to show the kind of true quality we need from an import to drag the club out of the doldrums. 

I like them and they are both decent enough players but we need better.

I would take Santalab, just so he can never play and score against us again.. I hate him so so much!!

Any thoughts on who from the All Whites India trip will be at pre season on Monday?
Te Atawhai WH
Tim Payne
Cam Howisen
Andre de Jong 
Justin Gulley 

Top three are relative to his "central corridor" requirements. 

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/phoenix-axe-out-of...

Mark Rudan has slammed the door on last season's import players at Wellington, declaring they weren't up to A-League standard and won't be back.

"Rudan plans to trial some All Whites internationals next week at the team's first pre-season runs but wouldn't reveal their identities."

Also said an import "needs to be better than the best locally", and "when I say locally, I mean in the A League".  If they're not, we go with what we've got, we use our own. 

Good..now who can we get who is better?

Tando Velaphi does not need a visa and should be in the mix.

Tando wouldn't be the best in the league, but he could be a top 6 keeper if fit.

Stop aiming for 6th. Aim for 1st.

We can't aim to have the best player in the league in every position.