Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

Yeah, a good return from Nathan will be much needed (by him,as well as us) and in combination with our other guns will hopefully be the catalyst for the season we are all wishing for.  Loving the footy

COYN

Phillip Rollo is saying Elliot Collier is loan-listed by Chicago. Doubt he'd come here, but ti would be nice to add an extra dimension to the forwards.

.. And Jordan Murray looks pretty good, currently top scorer in the NSW NPL, 19 goals in 18 matches. The standard looks a fair bit higher than the Handa prems. Skillful striker, manages to score a few with his head.

Jordan  Murray scored four goals today for Apia against Sydney United, not bad considering he also played in the FFA cup midweek.

Must be worth a punt in the A League by some club surely.

Can't wait for the League to go to twelve teams so some fresh talent gets a shot at it.

It comes to show how much we appreciate his good season with us (before FC Tokyo) that we still believe in Burns despite the last season, where he not only did not score but also produced some very questionable passes. Rudan may need to have backup options in case Burns does not fire this year.

This is a very good point, and another reason why Rudan really should be looking to bring in another proven goal-scorer. Our perception of Burns is heavily influenced by his one full season with us, when he was probably the best player in the league for a good chunk of that season. And Burns still is a very good player at this level, and should have plenty to offer next season. 

However, his 13 goals for us that season is a huge statistical outlier in terms of his overall career performance. His next best, over the course of a season, is 8 goals in 31 games for Kerkyra in Greek second tier in 2009/2010, and third best is 6 goals for Adelaide in his first ever A-league season. The rest don't even bear a mention. To look at it another way, Burns has scored 42 goals in his club career (including 3 goals scored in the old pre-season cup). This basically means that Burns scored close to a third of all his club career goals in that one season with us, and we're talking about someone who's been a professional footballer since 2006.

I'm not saying this to have a go at Burns, but rather to point out that historically (and recently - he's only scored 4 club goals since leaving us in 2015), he's not been a great goal-scorer, so expecting him to perform close to a level he did for us the first time around is pretty unrealistic, especially now that he has hit 30. 

I still expect Burns to be a significant contributor this coming season, but if we're to have a realistic top 4 aspiration, we definitely need more goal-scoring help.

Brandon Barnes was out here playing for Eastern Suburbs when they won the Northern League/Chatham Cup double in 2015, and is English, so would be a visa player. Interesting.

Edit: Too slow^

This is a very good point, and another reason why Rudan really should be looking to bring in another proven goal-scorer. Our perception of Burns is heavily influenced by his one full season with us, when he was probably the best player in the league for a good chunk of that season. And Burns still is a very good player at this level, and should have plenty to offer next season. 

However, his 13 goals for us that season is a huge statistical outlier in terms of his overall career performance. His next best, over the course of a season, is 8 goals in 31 games for Kerkyra in Greek second tier in 2009/2010, and third best is 6 goals for Adelaide in his first ever A-league season. The rest don't even bear a mention. To look at it another way, Burns has scored 42 goals in his club career (including 3 goals scored in the old pre-season cup). This basically means that Burns scored close to a third of all his club career goals in that one season with us, and we're talking about someone who's been a professional footballer since 2006.

I'm not saying this to have a go at Burns, but rather to point out that historically (and recently - he's only scored 4 club goals since leaving us in 2015), he's not been a great goal-scorer, so expecting him to perform close to a level he did for us the first time around is pretty unrealistic, especially now that he has hit 30. 

I still expect Burns to be a significant contributor this coming season, but if we're to have a realistic top 4 aspiration, we definitely need more goal-scoring help.

V good point.  Last year I thought he was badly affected by his goal drought and ended up taking a load of terrible options, shooting from everywhere etc

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/jamie-maclaren-at-a...

Hmmmmmmm.....

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/jamie-maclaren-at-a...

Hmmmmmmm.....

This is a very good point, and another reason why Rudan really should be looking to bring in another proven goal-scorer. Our perception of Burns is heavily influenced by his one full season with us, when he was probably the best player in the league for a good chunk of that season. And Burns still is a very good player at this level, and should have plenty to offer next season. 

However, his 13 goals for us that season is a huge statistical outlier in terms of his overall career performance. His next best, over the course of a season, is 8 goals in 31 games for Kerkyra in Greek second tier in 2009/2010, and third best is 6 goals for Adelaide in his first ever A-league season. The rest don't even bear a mention. To look at it another way, Burns has scored 42 goals in his club career (including 3 goals scored in the old pre-season cup). This basically means that Burns scored close to a third of all his club career goals in that one season with us, and we're talking about someone who's been a professional footballer since 2006.

I'm not saying this to have a go at Burns, but rather to point out that historically (and recently - he's only scored 4 club goals since leaving us in 2015), he's not been a great goal-scorer, so expecting him to perform close to a level he did for us the first time around is pretty unrealistic, especially now that he has hit 30. 

I still expect Burns to be a significant contributor this coming season, but if we're to have a realistic top 4 aspiration, we definitely need more goal-scoring help.

Honestly I'm not the most clued in on the Weenix but is Ben Waine one of the better crowd? Always thought Ebbinge was the best from what I've seen but he does seem like a highlight reel player, don't think any are better than Rufer yet of course

Callum McCowatt? 9 goals in 20 for ACFC first season when aged 18 ain't so bad.

Mature Age Rookie still a thing? Ruthven could be a low risk option as I assume he would meet the mature age rookie criteria.

Inspired by this question, here's as comprehensive a look at the state of the WPFA as there can be right now.

https://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/wellingto...

Liked the look of both Jordan Murray and Troy Ruthven. Both areas we need sign in and standouts in their level - only Rudan can make a call as to whether they can make the step up or not. 

Ruthven is in that blockier Tim Brown 185cm mould with an eye for a pass and a few goals from corners, it's been a while since we had someone with a bit of dominating presence in the middle. Good on the turn and seems to direct play. A Kopcynski partnership with all the small fast guys running off them seems like a balance combo.

Jordan Murray is super young and seems like he's destined for a bigger club, he's taking the Papiss at lower league level and surely will only improve with better players and service around him. Seem's worth a punt.

For those who missed the earlier links:

Troy Ruthven:

Jordan Murray:

Ray Gatt Retweeted

The A-Liga‏@TheAligaARG 33m33 minutes ago

Ray Gatt Retweeted

The A-Liga‏@TheAligaARG 33m33 minutes ago

Marcelo Carrusca is still in talks with WSW. Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners are in the race too.

Would have taken him in a heartbeat a couple of years ago, 2013/14 and especially 2015/16 when he played a big part in Adelaide winning the league (A-League player of the season too). But will be 35 by the time the season rolls around, and simply hasn't had that title winning form over the past couple of seasons - whilst playing less minutes year on year too. Good player, but don't think he'll be pulling on Nix shirt this year.

The best strikers in the league below (Handa and the eight Aussie NPLs) have sometimes gone well in the A league, e.g. Krishna. Shame he wasn't signed 5 years earlier. Shame it took so long for him to get a starting position.

Anyway... below is a list of the best performed strikers in those leagues. 

That's measured in goals per game, for the 'league below' and for the A league, if applicable.

There's likely to be at least one A-league standard striker in there.

De Jong's, Watson's and Ifill's  figures are also in there for comparison.

Wenzell-Halls looks absolutely outstanding; like Arzani, but scores goals. His highlights video is worth a look - brilliant dribbling and finishing. Brisbane just signed him.

Jordan Murray looks the best of the rest IMO, and is not an import. Other A league sides might be looking at him (comms recently said 'and that's why he won't be here much longer').

Seems Rudan has been super thorough so far and likely he is looking closely at top NPL strikers. Apart from Tade, who has gone, nobody stands out in the Handa; presumably the goals are being shared around.

Declan says no.

Some interesting stats in here - I just had a couple of points and I'm sure I will be accused of looking at this with de Jong coloured glasses but i don't that makes them any less valid.

Most of the players I know in this list are strikers or wide strikers - at worst wingers (granted dont know all the names on this list) whereas Andre in his seasons at Canterbury almost exclusively played in the midfield and this was the same at Suburbs as he played in the 10 role at the top of the diamond midfield - so I'm not sure comparing scoring rates between a central midfielder (albeit an attacking one) and strikers and wide strikers paints the true picture.

Also with his time in Aussie you have VIC listed but Hakoah are in the NSW Premier League and again he plays in midfield there most of the time, in the Waratah cup final (which Jordan Murray dominated) he played as a deepish 10 behind two strikers - spending a lot of time coming deep to get the ball as his team were dominated by APIA.

I think in his first stint with Hakoah he scored more and even scored against Man City in a FFA cup game (the one where Fall over and rolly got injured).

How good it would be to have Carrusca on the bench; shows how far the Nix has come that this is even a possibility.

The cult leader does.

Anxiously waiting for the result of Krishna's citizenship, because that extra visa spot is a game changer. First, another DM, then a striker. Hopefully Tratt impresses Rudan as much as he impresses us, so we don't need to use an import spot on a right back. I genuinely think if we sign Tratt, and then two more quality imports ( a DM and a striker) we have a good chance at making top 4. These are my (not so) hot takes on the squad and signings:

• defensively I think we will be miles better this season; Fox improves every week, we know how good Tratt can be, Doyle is always solid and gives 100%, and Taylor is potentially one of the league's best defenders. Kurto is an unknown, but for now I choose to trust Mark and believe he's decent.
• The defensive midfield partnership is only half complete so far. In terms of Kopczynski, Ekstraklasa is no easy league, and I think any Legia Warsaw midfielder deemed by their fans "average" will still be class in the A-League. Partner him with a similar or higher level DM and I think we have a really strong holding midfield.
• Attacking output of the squad is already fairly solid. Krishna, Burns, Williams and Nichols combined have scored 124 A-League goals, which for 3 wingers and an attacking midfielder is pretty good. While we still do need that striker, the burden won't solely be on him to score all of our goals. We also know Singh loves a goal too, so having 4 or 5 or 6 goal threats on the pitch at once is a real luxury, and I don't think we've had that in quite a few seasons.
• Whoever the striker is, I hope it's one with pace and who is good on the ball. Kalu was too slow, and didn't seem to fit the fast paced system that Burns and Krishna prefer. I don't mind having a big lump of a number 9 in the squad, but only as a plan B