Was - Phoenix Transfer Speculation (Part 1)

Guest stint:
https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1037897/Palmer-wants-Smeltz-back

After watching the performance of our strikers this season....I have been a little underwelmed. The last straw was the performance of Greenie and Dmac against the Fury. The conditions should have suited them both but they looked slow, inaccurate and not very lethal.

Yup 100% percent with you there.

I would personally like 2 new striking options signed over the summer. 1 being a goal scoring machine, or at least an established goal scorer who can play next to greeny but also do a job on his own if needed, eg Smeltz, Killen, Griffiths etc.
And also another youth striker to work under Greeny and Ifill with some pace, eg Lovemore?

With Terry's financial woes and Herbert's propensity for picking up others castoffs (Diego, Mac, ....) and leaving signings too late (Chen & Toto) I am quite worried about next seasons new signings.

The FFA stipulate a minimum squad size of 23? Otherwise would agree with you.

no the minimums actually 20 players.

If you have the three marquee spots filled you could effectively be splitting the salary cap over 17 players.
Plus signing a few youth players as squad players rather than Diegos, mulligans etc would mean even more cash for better players

We're losing Diego at the end of the season which is good and will free up money - what a waste of space he was.  1 good game in two years and that was against Newcastle in 40 degree heat when we won 1-0.

Not sure if we should just ditch D-Mac.  3 goals in the last few games.  Sure he can be blundersome and offside but I like him.  Lia's another I'm on the fence about.

Ditch Toto.  Ditch Hearfield if a better option comes along.

Can't see us keeping Ward.  He even said he wouldn't be here if he could have kept his contract in Aus and then smiled sheepishly at the camera realizing that what he said sounded ungrateful and rude.  I also doubt we can keep North but definitely worth a go.  Australian marquee for him, youth marquee for Rojas provided a Kiwi can fulfil the criteria and hopefully get Ifill under the cap and get another player better than him as marquee.

All this on a minimal budget, of course.
loyalgunner2010-12-29 15:26:43

I'd say ditch Big Mac. No offense to him, but I think we could surely find someone similar or better than him.

I guess we could quite easily find someone better than lia, but i dont see him being dropped all of a sudden.

Wonder when we will hear from all these guys greeny and Ifill have contact with..?

Hearfield is a dream utility. He will be resigned so he will be eligible for Ricki and the all whites. Likewise lia

Not sure they are the two I'd want to be throwing into the AWs.
Although I guess theres vey little competition in the centre of the park now

If we really want to be league contenders (I mean not just saying it but meaning it) the question to ask is; would Lia, Mac, Daniel, Hearfield....... make the Roar or GCU starting 11 or even their benches - the answer seems a very obvious no except for maybe Hearfield because of his versatility.

Whitby boy2010-12-29 16:25:09

Agree we need new signings but how can you say we have the backbone in paston, sigmund or brown? None would make the Brisbane team, none would make a go of it in Europe. Hearfield has pace, time up his sleeve, two feet, can dribble, an engine. Just needs to work on his crossing somewhat!

I wouldn't say dream utility. But he is a utility, and every squad needs at least one of them. I wouldn't mind Vince Lia as a squad player. He should be the likes of Diego, Mulligan, Toto. Someone who we can actually use in an injury crisis.

agree with hearfield comments aucknix

100% agree with ya mate. Daniel hasnt been completely terrible but yeah not sure he'd make roar or GCU's bench.

Surely Diego and Toto will leave at season's end, so this means two import spots which realistically should go to our two most needed positions- Striker and Playmaker. I really hope we can get some players with a bit of class.

Do we still have an import spot open currently? Greeny, Ifill, Toto, Diego? We get 5 right?

I think you are being a bit kind when you only mention those three. There are a few more that would not make those teams.

who else would you take out?

Greenacre and Bertos. I think the year Leo came to us he was magic, but has gone backwards.

I actually think Greeny could make it into one of those squads, but he has sort of slowed down of late.

Think we are gonna have to slowly wean him out of the team and treat him like next season is his last. Start leaving him on the bench and use him similarly as Newcastle use Petrovski

We could try grab Winston Reid :). Maybe on loan? Would help the attendances

What's done is done, who has already signed has signed. Mark my words no one is going to come and sign greenacre or sigmund. Now however is the chance to sort the rest. Any player in the reserves or on the bench should not be resigned, period. Out goes toto, Diego, crowther, Daniel, mcalister(I count him as a reserve as he is only filling in for ifill). Those 5 players will free up some cash and with it buy 3 imports (2 strikers, as greenacre is sub at best) and a central midfielder). Hearfield and lia stay. Nice quality squad members. Trim the squad to 20 I agree. That is possible with the injury rule, guest stints, January transfer window. This is the template/formula which will make us champs. Terry have I your acting (gosh I hate that word 2/3 of the way through the season) CEOs job? AucklandPhoenix2010-12-29 19:36:46

I don't think we should get rid of Greeny until we have someone better. It would have to be an import.

Do any of you wish we signed BamBam on reflection?

Toto, Diego, Hearfield, Crowther out. Lia out too or dropped. He does nothing but get booked.

I wouldn't mind a couple of import forwards, a import player maker a couple of young kiwis.

I hope we bring alot of players on trial. I know that it costs money but i'd rather that than get x 10 Toto'sScottishbhoy2010-12-29 19:33:39

Crowther is the best third choice keeper in the league at the moment :) N-Bomb2010-12-29 19:39:32

Wouldn't someone like Gleeson be cheaper?

And do we need 3 keepers?

Prettyu sure Gleesen would prefer to stay in the states.

and No we don't

He didn't want to sign.

oh ok.

so either keep crowther as back up with vuko going or replace him.

Leaving us with cap space and squad space

Greenie seems like a top bloke, awesome guy to have at this club. I just think we need a goal poacher who has genuine pace. Is Rojas the only guy in our team who can run fast? My major solution is having the likes of Greenacre, Bertos, Lia on the bench. Get rid of Toto, Diego, and sign three players who are good enough to start.

Spoonley to take Crowther's place please. Would rather a kiwi keeper. Crowther may be better, but he's just warming the bench. If Paston received a serious injury then we can just bring in someone else, similar to the Vukovic scenario.

I still think Toto needs to be given a good shot before seasons end. He does have pace and He could end up being better than Daniel I reckon.

But yeah kiwi keeper in, and I agree, we need two new strikers, get Ifill on the phone now while hes out with injury

Have you seen Toto?

It would be a huge shock for him to magically become better than Daniel.

In fact if you want to be brutally honest, with what they have achieved so far this season, the Roar coach would not take any of the Nix players. The answer lies in the way they play and the results they have had.
In the deluge of last week-end they got over 13000 people in. Had it been fine the would have gove over 20000.
It is a combition of playing good football and winning.
I went to the first A league game in Brisbane and they had 23000.
If the Nix were winning and playing well, I reckon we could get 15000 every week.

In all honesty, I havnt seen nearly enough of him. Give him a few more games in the youth team so hes full fitness and he might produce something?

I guess I'm just hoping for some spark, but yeah get rid of him then

how do you know he has pace?

because he looked semi quick in the few cameos he made earlier in the season.

Did you get a different impression or did you just not see those games?

So you think Ricki is lining up Lia and Herfield for the AWs?

Err exactly how many a-league players would make it in Europe? 

Why do you need a goal poacher with pace?  A goal poacher scores goals from 6 yards.  They don't latch onto a through balls with their blistring pace.