Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

Tbf, Nichols wouldn't be the first Nix player to be fond of party chemicals

I reckon these signings are actually pretty good.

They're squaddies but capable and known - both can create chances with forward playing roles in the mid to front third. 

No doubt there'll be a flood of articles on Nichols getting his career back on track after throwing a good chunk of it up his nostrowels. You'd hope at the very least he'd be trying to redeem as much faith as possible from us as his new club. Sometimes when the going gets tough, you need a few coddy arseholes to elevate the mood on the pitch.

Williams still looks mobile and scored the equivalent of a goal every 3rd game for his last club. Stick a number 11 on his back and see what happens. Always seemed hungry and competitive and popped up with goals.

I'm ok with these signings. At least we know what we are getting. A league quality players with both having potential upside. We are never going to do better than that

Our last two imports however need to knock our socks off.

Otheewise we are fudgeed because in short we have hired a league 1 player and a keeper whom hasn't been good enough to play for three years for relegated teams. I would be more worried about those two and the common old denominator Durante

It's  in the imports where we need the point of difference 

I liked the highlights there of Williams - seemed to always get his head up and look before deciding to take on the shot or look the pass. I think he will do fine as with Nicholls.

The reality is one is replacing Rogerson and the other Parkhouse... both are massive upgrades.

I hope Nicholls has learnt from his mistakes - if I cast aside half the people I know who have and continue to use recreational drugs, i'd be a prety lonely person... in my defense I currently live in Northland!

He has scales, fins and gills

Good points made above. I was on the fence, but feeling better about this. 

I've liked what I've heard from Rudan at the press conferences so far. Only potentially questionable thing is how he will be unapologetic about how he gets results, even if that included playing quite defensively (paraphrased)

Yeh. If you think would I prefer either of these guys or Parkhouse- well they've both shown more than him, both likely to have better 92nd minute decision making than him.

Who is more likely to do something match winning throughout a season? That too. Outside possibly of some moments of real quality from them, though you wouldn't want us to build a team around either of them.

PRESS CONFERENCE | Be part of the action and listen to the full press conference as we announced @willo_15 and Mitch Nichols at @WestpacStadium today.

Watch over on our YouTube channel here ? https://t.co/flVfHyfCUM

#COYN

Hopefully than can get Louis to remember to get his head up too!

I've given up caring about whether our new signings are fudgeing shark cods or not. Just happy to have a team to support for the next two seasons until we're kicked out!

Much more than that. I always thought he made a difference when he played in the A League. 

Hamish not so much.

Dude has been playing and scoring in a European league. 

Also seemed to be able to articulate his thoughts.

Enjoyed the press conference. Dura on notice about complaining to the ref methinks. 

Nichols a gamble, but a reasonable one.

Almost ready for some football.

By no means the finished full strength team I want nor expect to see come round 1, but its clearly taking shape. We have 14 players contracted (I think), so we have a lot of room still. If we assume Kopczynski is indeed coming, and potentially snapping up Callan Elliot and TAHW that leaves us with six spaces left, potentially 2 being imports. I think the most important additions are now a starting right back, another defensive midfielder and a striker. 

For the first time in a long time a the Phoenix I actually buy into what the gaffer is telling us. Even Ernie, who gave a good presser spouted some generic sharke sometimes

David and Mitch look like good signings also.  Im excited about the season.  Got some pace to the front line with Roy and David

Tratt and an import striker +import midfielder and I’m happy ? 

Williams looks like a good listener. Has he been down Weta Workshop and bought himself an elf kit!

Background maybe accentuated the effect.

Nicols is quality. Played a big part in the Roar being champs twice. Made a mistake. Deserves a 2nd chance as Rudan says.

A bit of coke in his pocket hardly makes him an addict, and Wellington is probably a safe place to be compared to the GC (where he grew up) or Sydney (where he was caught with the marching powder).

Presser with Mitch & David

Yes. Nichols is stronger and seems to have the striker's ability to get in to goalscoring positions; he might get further forward, with Singh more of a playmaker. Both can score from distance. IMO both should start as 'twin CAMs', rather than competing for it; build the formation around the players. Rudan said he wasn't tied to any formation; also that Nichols and Singh seemed to have some immediate chemistry and understanding at training. 

Those two centrally, and Krishna and Williams wide looks like a strong attack. Potentially. 

One or two import spaces left, and RB and second CDM look to be the main gaps. 

One problem with what's shaping up as a decent team will be developing team spirit and team play in a group who mainly haven't played together before. 

2 import left, CDM+RB, or CDM+Striker...mmmmm...

Would need to be a pretty damn good striker for an import spot given who we already have I think. Prefer a CDM and RB .

Random speculation but Rudan seems to like his Poles & is looking for another DM. So what about this dude? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janusz_Gol

Not to be sniffed at.

This guy would be great

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugen_Polanski

I see what you did there!

?

Seem to improving the team overall but would love to see more Kiwis capable of starting!

The issue is the lack of good quality Kiwis actually available to sign.

As kiwis we can't win... we want our players to make it overseas, but when they start to do so, we complain about a lack of kiwi players here.

Records numbers in the MLS, Holland and a spattering throughout other parts of Europe. I'm ok with NZ squaddies being signed if they become something and move on - just like I hope Singh does.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I like seeing a bunch of other A-League sides with Kiwis who are genuinely pushing for starting spots. Otherwise it seems a bit like an 'all your eggs in one basket' situation with them all at the Phoenix.

I agree with this, but also get a bit sad seeing the likes of Kosta playing for an Aussie club.

Would like to see some older Kiwis at the club, who become long serving - mainly because they are probably not good enough to ever make it at a 'top' level overseas. These guys can then become the local NZ heart of the team.

In the past there was Sigmund (esp), Paston, Brown, Bertos, Lochead....

Maybe now standard of the league has risen these type of NZ players no longer exist. Not in Rudan's eyes anyway, noting sounds like Gulley has missed out.

However feel Payne & Howieson could have done that job,  but alas.

It's not our fault his last stint with us was shocking. I would rather him play well at an Aussie club than him stinking it up in Welly, stopping any clear cut chances we had when he has the ball.

Poles apart...

 His parents moved from Poland to Germany when he was a baby so all his football training and playing was in Germany.  He was good enough to represent Germany at youth level. It is only when it comes to senior level that Poland offered him a callup, quite a while ago.