Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

Who would you rather have had in there tonight - Ridenton or SharkPolishBloke/Fox?

A lot of your comments seem to slag off young kiwis.  Are you jealous of them bud?

quick look at transfermarkt to see who is possibly out of contract:

Bruce Djite

Kerem Bulut

Eli Babalj

Djite/Burns, lets relive Adelaide from 7 or 8 years ago. Lets get Dodd and Pantelis too.

So Tonya says we have a big signing coming. Any rumours?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Gazta%C3%B1aga

Appears to be quite experienced. 113 games at his first club. 

Eto played for Barcelona right 

And Inter and Chelsea.

oops, sleepy day, basque and catalan. Also Eto would be our biggest signing 

Babalj looked very talented in his first few A League seasons but he's never really kicked on to the heights I thought he would. Maybe injury problems? Didn't get consistent game time at Adelaide a few years back and didn't seem to quite fit in with their game plan. Still wouldn't say no to him assuming he's fit. Big physical presence and decent skill on the ball for such a big bloke.

An awful guy who scores wherever he goes. Not sure why trying to earn as much money as possible in your career makes you 'awful' either.

personally I'd take an arrogant dickhead who scored a ton of goals in a stone cold second

somewhere i can actually pitch in - i ran into him on holiday circa 8 years ago! He was nice enough but I was 12 or so, so I don't remember much, but he asked questions and all that. Wages will be an issue though, a Ligue 1 club is crowdfunding to afford his wages. If a Ligue 1 club can't afford him we don't have a sharkshow

I know it's not realistic, but if we got someone like Eto'o it would do a number of positive things for us;

- Turn public opinion in our favour

- Give us a real player to market around

- Show that we're not a club who is afraid to invest

Of course, for a multitude of reasons, it would never happen. I've always been an advocate of not spending big on "name" signings; but we're in a position where we need every scrap of positive media we can get right now.

I’d buy the fudge out of a Eto’o Nix shirt, so there’s a few guaranteed pesos if it were to happen.

I am afraid general NZ public won't give a flying rat's arse unless it is Victoria Beckham and her husband that come to Welly.

So I would take an anonymous scoring machine (say like Kaludjerovic was in his first few games for the Nix) over a popular has-been, even if his  name is E'to, or for that matter Burns.

Which is something that really pisses me and a lot of us off. Beauden Barrett's big toe generates more interest in this country than the Nix, wish the general public could see how important football is to us and the world, but hey. Our national league isn't even covered on the news until the final ffs. Most probably haven't ever heard of Eto'o.

But back on topic, that Gaztanaga guy looks pretty decent. I have a friend in Welly who doesn't browse this forum but also brought his name up to me so the rumour mill is starting

true but if we signed Usain Bolt........

Sorry, I'm going to need Patrick's pronunciation of Gaztañaga.

Gaztañaga? Is that a Basque name?

Gaztanaga - is this happening?!

Born in Basque region. Mostly played Spanish third tier, but so did Riera IIRC.

Still looks OK in these 2015 warts-and-all videos.

Looks like he's more a CB than a DM?

Zubi also played for Real Sociedad. At the same time as Gaztanaga.

I do not agree. We have had full houses for World Cup Playoffs, the 2009 game the best NZ sports event by a country mile that I have seen. We have had West Ham & Newcastle which created huge interest and crowds.

If NZ Football got off their backside and organised some good internationals then there would be plenty of interest. Sure it will require an underwriter and detailed organisation but they bury their heads in the sand.

Rugby below The All Blacks is in trouble. Look at the paltry Super Rugby crowds and the provincial Rugby championship attracts crowds of only hundreds rather than thousands. 

Gaz is only 27! So young!

TBF, it's the same for pretty much every sport that isn't Rugby, League or Cricket in this country. Although I guess there's a better argument for football than for other sports.

this lad always turns out good for an aleague team in my FM games :) 

Wonder if its on anyone's radar

Riera played most of his career in the 4th tier, and actually joined Auckland City from 5th-tier Mollerusa who were relegated to the 6th tier the next season. Shows there's talent everywhere if you look for it!

Also important to note that Gaztanaga's time in the 3rd tier was as part of Real Sociedad's B team as a youth prospect, back when they were in the Champions League and challenging for top 4. Played most of his senior career in the second tier which is even better