Ward on board.

well, maybe obviously is the wrong word, but I couldn't find the right one

All Hail Nick Ward......welcome Nick.....may you do the biz for us, find your HAL title winning form of two seasons ago and inject some real creativity and go forward into our midfield.....

I'm a wee bit chuffed, willing to give the lad a chance, believe in Ricki and have faith that this may prove to be a very good signing.....

Egg on face.....not yet, hoping to beat my chest as we host payoff games again.....maybe!!!

Go on valeo, say something cynical!

StopOut? Pfft, you couldn't stop sh*t.


(unless it's Upper Hutt which you did on numerous occasions when I played)valeo2010-09-01 23:19:26

Now you're just being cruel.

i thought we didn't need any more midfielders? but i think this could be a decent signing

Smile valeo, life is good.

Hello from Melbourne.

Must admit I was a bit concerned about Ward's switch from the Victory to the Phoenix. Not because I'm a Victory fan but because I'm a Phoenix supporter!

I've seen Ward play a number of times and the guy always seems remarkably lethargic for someone in their mid-20s. But Ricky reckons Ward's got a great "engine" so maybe I'm wrong.

ANYBODY WE SIGN IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE A REJECT FROM ANOTHER CLUB

Lets just leave the thread there.
Tegal summed it up.

...actually that's not entirely correct, think North

Um... Kwasnik, Higgins, Dodd, Elrich, Rees maybe?

He was more interested in playing semi-professional football in the WA state league? I can't believe that, tbh.

He didn't like living in Wellington, and at the time apparently had offers from a couple of other A-league clubs and allegedly from a lower division club in England as well.

Thus wasn't keen to re-sign with us, and may well have burned his bridges to come back here once the other deals fell through.

Im personally gutted. I got all excited when I saw the title of this thread. But after reading through it has become apparent that we didnt sign the Ward I was thinking of...

Occassionally someone will post something that makes me pis* myself - this is one of them - classic C-Diddy.

Feel sorry for Toto eh eh..at least he will get to spend his summer holidays in Wellington....oh joy.

Well we're not in a position to sign players who are contracted to other clubs, so everyone we get, unless they're young, is a reject from somewhere. Jade North played six games all season for Tromso IL, and was only on a one-year deal anyway, so had we picked him up at the end of the Norwegian season, then he would have been a reject. But from the reports I've read, he really didn't like the cold, so I think he's glad to be leaving.

He seemed Interested when I talked to him last year about contracts

Out of curiosity, when was this?

If it was during the season - he was likely to say that to a nix supporter...

The reason I asked is because he'd told me something different (admittedly we were both somewhat boozed at the time), so just wanted to check the timings...

Will give him a chance, but still wish we could have got Elliottt ...

I'm pretty sure that chat happened in February so just before our last game. He told me he hadn't been offered a contract so whether he was just saying that too look good or what ever, I dunno.

I don't see how it was a choice between Elliottt and Ward. Did Elliottt say he wanted to play here or something? Because if he doesn't there is little Ricki can do about it.

So Ward is number 4. Hopefully he can be our Cesc Fabregas.

Sure, Elliottt did say he would be keen:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/fifa-world-cup/opinion/3858792/Elliottttt-Partys-over-now-I-need-a-job

If we signed Elliottt it would be a nice counterpoint to Heart signing Josip Skoko.
Bevan2010-09-02 19:21:30

What was Ward like at MV

yes please

True, I remember reading that! I'd love to know whether any sort of negotiation took place, and if so, where it came unstuck. I still think he would have been the perfect addition to the side.

And I suppose the Skoko signing hasn't worked out too well so far. Elliottt would've been a bigger risk because of his age even though he is by far the superior player in comparison to Ward.

Ward _could_ do something good, however unlikely it is. I hope i'm wrong about him but I don't think I am. Have been watching poor performances from him for too long and his ego wont help.

I dont know if he is a good signing or not, but I'm hopeful.  He has come here to try and get more 1st team action and that means he will be trying hard and competition for places will be good amongst the midfield men.

Not sure why his time at  Melbourne hasnt been that great. Whether that is because his coach never had  him in the right position, his teammates didnt support him, the style of play didnt suit him, the coach and he didnt work well together (quite possible I think looking at Ernie Merrick, he looks a moody person), who knows.  Unless someone from here has the inside word, and not speculation, we wont know, and it doesnt really matter now. What counts is how he works with Ricki and this team.

Sometimes Ricki gets good things from his signings and sometimes not. After a few duds, and Toto may be one, too early to tell I think as we havent seen him play for an extended period, we are due for a plus. Hope you are it Mr Ward

Ward was given plenty of chances and played alongside one of the best CM's in the league in Hernandez...

Melb play very narrow which you would think would suit him.

My impression was that their style of play didn't suit him at all - a lot of close interplay in the attacking third, one touch, give-and-go passing. Ward doesn't have the finesse for this. Critics will say he lacks any kind of finesse, but I think he could fit pretty well into Ricki's game plan.

What? When he was named Perth's rising star or whatever that was exactly what he was doing and lauded for, no?

We get it,you don't like him.

I'm trying to figure out if Valeo is happy about the Ward signing. Any ideas?