Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

TBF if Howieson wanted to trail he probably would have been there ahead of Burgess. 

Apparently plays as a 10 so would be back up to Butters and Singh (we have noone else). ADJ more a 9 so would have been back up to Williams, Krishna and Burns.

Just FYI ADJ natural position is 10, but can play 9

Remember that, guys. Burgess is probably keen as mustard for his slot. Many top Kiwi players won't even get out of bed for the Phoenix.

I want players who are grateful for a Nix gig and will bust their gonads to play their best (this also excludes superannuated Eurotrash or Latinamericatrash). The argument for affirmative action for Kiwi players at the Nix has decreased since so many of our best young players are getting on the professional ladder elsewhere (or, like the Olé crew, think they're too good for us).

I think the argument here is that there was a Kiwi player, who had played at the same level as this guy with similar amount of success and in similar position, who came to trial twice in the pre-season and was told no thanks, and then there's this guy who's with the team for 5 minutes, and gets signed. 

I mean, there are probably perfectly legitimate reasons for preferring one over the other, but the way we got here makes you raise the eyebrow just a little bit, especially given early pronouncements about making the team more Kiwi.

And let their be no mistaking Andre was keen as mustard for the Nix (no matter what rubbish Suburbs spout on twitter)

No raised eyebrow... Rudan has worked with Burgess before.

For all we know Rudan gave ADJ two chances to trial to convince him to sign him and not this other guy, but failed to do so. Rudan seems pretty clear in his mind what he wants and needs, some trialist have lasted a while, whilst others knew very quickly they weren't in the running.

Rufer trialled for a week - Tratt a month all up? 

I think with Rudan its a case of, this is what I need - can you deliver, consistantly.

If the kiwis are judged not good enough after having a trial, I have no problem with that.

I think the argument here is that there was a Kiwi player, who had played at the same level as this guy with similar amount of success and in similar position, who came to trial twice in the pre-season and was told no thanks, and then there's this guy who's with the team for 5 minutes, and gets signed. 

I mean, there are probably perfectly legitimate reasons for preferring on

While we are waiting for Nix to announce, Sydney Olympic has announced Burgess coming to Wellington.

Sydney Olympic Football Club wishes to advise star attacker Max Burgess will be leaving the club to take up an opportunity in the A-League with Wellington Phoenix.

Good luck Max Burgess! pic.twitter.com/CqRWiTl3gy

— Sydney Olympic FC (@SydneyOlympicFC) October 10, 2018

One year deal

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/wellington-...

Hopefully de Jong can get a pro gig overseas (Europe) in near future. 

You would think given his background, plus Euro passport? that a Dutch Div 2 or similar level club, would be interested as a starting point.

Time to move on from the Handy/NPL circuit.

Isnt an issue as far as im concerned two players trialed dosnt matter how long for, then Rudan decides the one he wants to sign.Really dont see why some people consider it an issue. Rudan has obviously seen something he thinks he can work with.Like some of his other signings we just have to hope he is right.

Good signing. Will put the heat on Singh to perform. Who they going to announce next Callan Elliot?

Ben Waine.

I think it is pretty good strategy from Rudan.

Not much other noise coming from other clubs at the moment (with exception of Bolt FC). I think if we manage to pull off a coup and sign a big name in the next few days that will be a great way to kick off the season!

Rudan speaks. Still wants a striker, wide player and midfielder.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/10/footb...

79 days between the club adding a new player (because Rufer was in amongst it last season) to the squad and Burgers signing.

Are we at the bare minimum yet?

No, 3 to go to reach bare minimum

I really doubt that we will fail to do so. Ravishing Rudan is probably just waiting on a few phone calls / contract negotiations. We might be disappointed in the last 3, though.

tbh I think all the signings so far have been good ones and had a good reaction from most of us

Rueben Way from Heidelberg United is apparently turning up here to trial tomorrow according to a transfer gossip account on Twitter.

Might be a busy January window for the team.

Heard on Radio sport that there is another Nix signing announcement tomorrow.

Yes there is more to come, and in time.

Cryptic, but stating the bleedin obvious in one.

Way is 28, wide player, of which Rudan wants two, plus a mid and a striker who can hold the ball up - total 21 in the squad. 

Way's stats in the VPL in the past 4 years are unimpressive. More cards than goals, including some reds.

The fact that Mandi and Elliot haven't yet been announced suggests Rudan has options. 

It was a fluke that news of Burgess' trial leaked out. Other unknown players could have trialled or be trialling right now. 

I think the answer to that is quite straightforward:

(a)  if the club is not for kiwis, why does it exist?

(b)  there is clearly a connection between the fans and the kiwi players

(c)  we have signed plenty of average aussies and they have been crap

(d)  our most successful period came when we had a core of good kiwis

It's not about sentimentality, it's about someone having a long term vision for the club for how to be successful.  Long term, I cannot see how we will be successful without more kiwis because clearly Australians are always more likely to want to be based in Australia!

All well and good JD but what do you expect him to do when you have Kiwi players turning trials down or not wanting to sign. Surely your not advocating that he starts looking at the next level down of Kiwi talent as thats what he is left with after the refusals.

Like many others would love there to be more Kiwis involved but how can you really expect that to happen if they just plain dont want to come here.Lets hope some may have a rethink if our future looks more certain.Even then i hope they arnt given priority if they have chosen to snub us when we wanted them.

Personally I'm disappointed De Jong (try Europe young man) has missed out. However -

1) It's Rudan's team so he can pick whoever he wants. Saying he should pick more Kiwis, is a bit like the Springboks rugby coach being told he needs a quota of black players. In the extreme has potential to even cause team disharmony, if your team mates don't rate you, and think you are only in the squad because you are a NZer.

2) Some Aussie players have embraced Wgtn and the Nix, and become fan favourites - even if when their careers wound down, they were always going home. Durante (may well stay on), Muscat, Lia. You could even include Moss in that, as really an Australian. You could never really question their commitment to the Nix, even if they were from over the ditch. The challenge is finding their ilk amongst the NPL also rans. Admittedly Dura and Lia had already played A League prior to the Nix - mind you so has Burgess.

3) Why do the Phoenix exist? With the Academy and Welnix, the Nix have an even bigger role now in football development in NZ. Obviously it would be great if heaps of these kids went on to the first team like a 1990's Man United. However if post Welnix they have to head to Europe (aka McGarry, Rogerson etc) to further their careers, the Phoenix need to get some credit for being big part of their development as pro footballers.

https://hufc.com.au/wilkins-trials-with-phoenix/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kML57aW8O-k

A) The club's primary goal is not the development of NZ players. Its primary goal is to be a competitive A-League side (ideally winning it). Developing Kiwis is a nice side effect for NZ Football though.

B) Yes, some players are more marketable. Winning is far more marketable than any player we've had on our books (inb4 Usain Bolt).

C) Very true but also irrelevant to the current squad - what player of that class is currently on our books? Can't lump Burgess in there just yet and Fox and Lowry, I believe, are both A-League players.

D) Very true but also entirely irrelevant to the current squad.

Its hard to plan for the long term when we have no clue if there even is a long term, we have to take a win now approach because of that. We need a competitive side if we want to continue to exist (maybe slightly less true now)

The way to do that is not to say to the coach "you can only sign X because we need to have at least Y NZers". We need the best players available for us. If Australians are the best way to do that, so be it. We need to secure our short/medium term future before thinking about the long term future.

The good news is, we know Kiwis are part of the club's long term vision because our academy is chock full of them and its actually turned out some decent players in recent times. There will always be Kiwis at the Nix but that doesn't matter if there's no Nix for them to play for.

That's before I even mention that, while I'm sure we'd like to be signing Kiwis, that's hard to do when they don't want to play for us - demanding contracts before trialling and, let's be real, the reputation of the Nix among NZ players is awful. Winning is the best way to fix that, memories are very short in football.

I see that process (our academy players having to leave to get first team opportunities) as a massive failure of the pathway.  

I think successive coaches have overrated the state leagues as a source of talent and underrated our National League.  

But that pathway is still very young. 

Some stability on the field (Rudan being head coach for a number of seasons, and getting to know the Welnix coaches & young players), and off (licence extension) - will be a huge help.

Easy one- to make me happy. I'm happy!

Happy to see a coach who knows his own mind.

If de Jong is good enough hell keep pushing and get a go somewhere 

The kiwis we signed were already experienced pros- Leo, Lochy, Smeltz, Brown, Mossy, Paston. No hit and hopes there. 

Imo enough contrarianism and fire up!

And Fenton and Rufer are back. That's above my expectation tbh. Would have been happy to see a Boxall like signing, but that may come with credibility for the league and our team.

Strong fast R back who gets forward. A 'wide player'. 

Dodgy link above (hufc) 

Posted on the Oct 5th. His trial is over if the article is correct.

"The extended Heidelberg United family would like to wish all the very best to rampaging right back, Josh Wilkins, as he flies in for trials with New Zealand based A-League franchise Phoenix this weekend. Wilkins, 25, is on a fly-in and fly-out visit to New Zealand in the hopes of gaining an A-League place for the summer ahead.

In the past two seasons Wilkins has made a senior place his own and was a mainstay in consecutive seasons of triple crown success for the Warriors. His marauding right wing runs have become a trademark of Wilkins in his three seasons at Catalina Street. Wilkins is one of a number of senior stars recently scouted by A-League clubs, no doubt as a result of Heidelberg significant successes in 2017 and 2018. Wilkins, who is just six games shy of 100 matches over three seasons with Heidelberg, flew out on Friday morning.

In the past two seasons Wilkins has made a senior place his own and was a mainstay in consecutive seasons of triple crown success for the Warriors. His marauding right wing runs have become a trademark of Wilkins in his three seasons at Catalina Street.

Wilkins is one of a number of senior stars recently scouted by A-League clubs, no doubt as a result of Heidelberg significant successes in 2017 and 2018. Wilkins, who is just six games shy of 100 matches over three seasons with Heidelberg, flew out on Friday morning and returns to Melbourne on Sunday."

Here in lies the issue with sentimental Nix fans, when we’re excited to have piss average players like Fenton and Rufer back, then we know it’s going to be a very long season.