Transfer Talk - 2018/19 Season

Unlike previous editions we now actually have a manager who is prepared to take the reigns and ride this pony to the finish line. I like what Rudan has done (and said) so far. Making all the right noises and delivered in a believable, passionate way. 

Yes we are still a couple of signings away from our full squad but I am not ready to hit the panic button yet. I think we currently have enough of a squad to be competetive this season and I cannot wait for next weekend.

Fudge the Jest!!!

Oh yes  it is.....

Maybe we need to get this thread back on topic.

Does everyone promise to put the previous few posts BEHIND YOU!

Bloody tough on him but no worries about not having a third keeper

harsh lesson for Smith and one really beyond his control. Wish him luck... but seems to have a tough road ahead considering he couldn't make the u20  NZ side.

2 contract changes in a few months

i hope he was well represented

Kalezic's second worst mistake. Did no favours for the player or the club. 

Feeling more and more confident about the squad that is being pulled together, still a couple more signings to be confirmed nonetheless, but I like the fact that at no stage has Rudan felt compelled or rushed into signing players just to make up the numbers. Obviously knows what he wants and is prepared to make the tough calls. 

Quietly confident we'll be somewhere in the mix for top 6 this season (ok 5th/6th) but that would represent vast improvement on what we've seen the past couple of years. Roll on next weekend!

What's Carlton Cole doing these days? I see Winston Reid has just put messages to him on instagram.

Disagree completely and utterly. 

Easily the worst squad we have assembled and when you are a few days from the season opening and any player worth having has been signed it is sharke. 

Saying that I don't blame rudan but the people who are controlling the purse strings whom by their lack of inaction have buried this club this off season

For those whom are on the train, I'll repost this at the end of the season when we have the wooden spoon and have had our license canned. 

Ignoring the fact that Rudan said that he hasn't spent all the money that he has available to him and the teams were after pretty big name marquees.

And if we're not?

Have to agree. This is the worst squad we've had for a number of seasons. In saying that, our performance seemingly hasn't been dictacted by the quality of our squads, because our worst performing seasons have come when we in theory had our best looking squads - so perhaps having a well structured, defensively focused team will work in our favour this year.

Looking at Newcastle last year, their squad had no standouts, but they worked well as a unit. We can hope for the same.

Think you are being overly negative with that last comment, considering the license is looking more and more safe.

Most people would consider a lack of inaction to be a good thing, but I suppose everyone has a different perspective. You'd probably be a big fan of me because I'm inactive most of the time.

" For those whom are on the train, I'll repost this at the end of the season when we have the wooden spoon and have had our license canned."

I'll repost the above at the end of the season when we finish in the top 4. 

Ronald Vargas barely played, and his replacement Pato Rodriguez definitely wasn't a big factor

Patricio Rodriguez 12 games

Wayne Brown 20 games

Roy O'Donovan 16 games

Jets got eff all out of their visas last season. The key factor behind their success was Nabbout & Petratos elevating themselves to Socceroos level players and getting goals out of the most unlikely sources, Kantarovski 5 goals (3 previously in 140 games) & Hoffman 5 goals (6 previously in 159 games).

For us to match what the Jets did last season Burns & Williams would need to get back to Socceroos levels and Rufer/Kopa both score a half dozen goals.

I think this year's squad is a little better than last.

Compared to last year, ten of the players are the same and eight are new.

On a scale of 1-3...

Kurto>Velaphi +1

Fenton>Parkhouse +1

Taylor>>>Rossi+3

Kopa<Paracki -1

Mandi>>>Ridenton +3 

Nichols<Ljujic -1

Burgess<McGlinchey -1

Williams<Kalu -1

I wouldn't be surprised if Burgess, Williams and Nichols bettered those assessments.

Just my 2c; would be interested to hear how the 'worst squad EVER' posters compare those replacements.

That's a net score +4.

Still two or three to come...

Wilkins? = Galloway

Elliot? (youth) = McGarry

Some striker vs Patterson - big gains possible here, with talk of a big name signing in January.

And if Rudan signs more than 21 (not that he seems ot want a big squad), they are up against Mullen, Rogerson, and  Smith.

Most of all, Rudan>>>Kalezic.

One of the big differences between this years squad & last year is Sarpreet Singh. He did start playing towards the end of the season, but mostly wasn't involved, and is a year more developed now. He could have a significant impact on helping us finish better this season.

I like what Rudan has done so far. 

Last season we conceded 55 goals. He had to focus on shoring up the defence. And the players he has bought in look promising (Although I will reserve my judgement until I see a few games).  Looks like we have a far better spine in defence with Taylor, Mandi and Kopa bought in. 

Rudans squad is not the finished product either. He is on record saying he wants another quality striker and some wide players. He will have another import spot available to him when Krishna gets his citizenship. This visa spot will likely be the extra striker we need in Jan. With the wide players being NZ/Aus players that we will find out about next week. Elliot plus one more??

Until Jan, I think Williams looks good and if he can get Burns firing then with Krishna this could be a potent front line. What we do have up front is pace. We need to focus our attacking on using that pace, as there are a lot of aging defensive lines in the A League. His work ethic in training seems to be focused on this with lots of mention by players about hard long training sessions and being much fitter this season.

My main concern is if we get injuries to Willaims and or Krisna. We lack depth of cover there at this stage. 

We got beaten 16 times last year. I don't think that's going to happen this year. But I think we may see a string of drawn results. I like what I'm hearing from Rudan. A positive group that plays well as a  team will always perfoms better (aka Newcastle last year) than a team of individuals. Rudan will be a way better coach than Kalezic last year.

COYN

Sounds like there's a new face around training, based on what Rudan said at Mandi's press conference. Mentioned it when they were talking about attack-minded players. Bruce Djite?

Agree, and ditto Cacace, though maybe Dura 18 <Dura 17 too. Perhaps a net gain in the playing strength of the players who stayed on, as well as the new signings.

My big concern remains centre midfield.

I hope the new ones can be at least as effective as Paracki and Ridenton, but we won't know till we see them in proper A League action, one week to wait!

And ideally as effective as Albert Riera...

Paracki and Ridenton were not effective... never controlled the center of the park.

He also can't say McGlinchey was better than an NPL player.

Honestly I agree with all your ratings on paper, would give Kurto a 2+ and I reckon Burgess could be better than Weemac. But we can't be assessing guys like Rudan without a game being played. I'll wait till the end of the window to call it the 'worst squad ever' but I think it's shaping up to be better than that.

I reckon general consensus is Paracki could have been a worldbeater when used and paired right. Guy had very good ability. I'm not Ridenton's biggest critic but I'm also not his biggest fan, and he didn't control the midfield very well imo

Thought Riddenton was pretty mix bag last year. Full marks for effort but as a DM lost possession in the defensive third far too often and as a AM just couldn't get the ball in the back of the net. Wish him all the best at Newcastle though, it was time for him to move on and I think he will be a better payer for it.

Last year was great for Ridenton's development, and I think he shows potential as a DM especially when told to sit on a man. Paracki looked so good at the start and faded... i think more due to the coaching than anything else. Would have liked to see him given another go this year with a better plan/team in place.

I thought that Paracki didn't have the head for it. Good skill, fell apart when things went a little bit wrong - not what you want in a DM.

My main concern is if Durante will be playing - I thought he was done last season, and I don't think he should be starting for us anymore.

Respect your opinion, however much i disagree with it, but I'll be keeping an eye out for the bit in bold come season's end. 

Ridenton bound to score hat trick next week then!