Singh again is in the situation of having to force his way into the starting XI or find a new club, whilst I'm sure he'll make the world cup squad we need him with minutes under his belt.
Niche Cache. Serbian Superliga resumes this weekend, cross fingers Singh is in the coach's plans. https://youtu.be/rI1RWp_55W4
Oh well Singh will be going to the WC. Not so sure about Degenek who captained the Socceroos against AWs back in September. He probably had stronger motivation to leave TSC to get playing time to try impress Poppa.
It was going fine for Sarpreet Singh up until Darije Kalezic got fired. He’d scored in consecutive games when that coaching change happened... then suddenly he only got 38 minutes combined across the next six fixtures. From that perspective, the winter break came at a good time for him. TSC have still got the same coach, Nemanja Miljanović, who was promoted up from the youth ranks as interim when Kalezic got the flick and it looks likely he’ll be staying in charge for the rest of the season... but at least the extended training break has given Singh a chance to impress a gaffer who didn’t initially seem to value him very much.
None of their winter friendlies appear to have been televised... but we can report that Sarpreet Singh started – and scored – in the most recent of them against Polish club Wieczysta Kraków. Singh played the first half of that match and found the net after 16 mins.
Polish media described the goal as: “an exemplary counter-attack with three quick passes, ending with Sarpreet Singh passing the goalkeeper and firing into an empty net”. It was 1-1 at the break when TSC changed almost their entire team before going on to lose 4-2.
Not sure if that start was a reflection of Singh’s status or not since he only came off the bench in a 1-1 draw vs NS Mura (Slovenia) in their first friendly. They also lost 2-1 to GKS Katowice (Poland) in between, though that line-up wasn’t made public. All of those fixtures happened within the space of a week so there’s bound to have been heaps of rotation going on.
Either way, Singh’s fared better from the coaching change than Australia’s Miloš Degenek – he was captaining this team through the early weeks of the season but then fell out of favour while Kalezic was still there and despite some good performances right before the break he’s gapped it in the transfer window, signing with APOEL in Cyprus where he debuted over the weekend. Okey doke.
He’s the one player in the AWs apart from Wood whose club form ain’t so important
He can do things no other AW can. He’s also played consistently well for the AWs the last 1-2 years. He’s been pretty reliable and I think has the most starts of any AW in Baze’s reign
If Wood is fit, likely only two of Singh, McCowatt or Just start. Randall now close to being in that group. So yes if Singh was getting zero mins at TSC his starting spot could be at risk
But if Wood is unavailable (as will be the case in March) either McCowatt or Randall could play as a striker, and then Singh probably starts no matter what.
Alot can happen between now and June. Singh might score a double tonight!!
Sarpreet Singh offered his services to Wellington Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano on Monday and by Tuesday morning he was a Phoenix player again.
Singh was close to signing with the Phoenix at the start of the season and even flew to Wellington to meet Italiano and tour the club’s facilities at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport.
In the end, he decided to stick it out in Europe and followed former Phoenix coach Darije Kalezic to Serbia.
A shame he decided to stay in Europe, seeing how our season has gone so far and how he went with TSC... you could only imagine how much better things could've gone if we had him from R1.
Also with him flying to Wellington pre-TSC, it kinda sounds like AFC didn't even have a sniff at getting him!
If he was in talks to come here preseason before opting for Serbia, as Chief alluded to in the post match, is there a chance we sign him post this loan spell?
If he was in talks to come here preseason before opting for Serbia, as Chief alluded to in the post match, is there a chance we sign him post this loan spell?
I doubt it, if he stays in the A-League some other team will snatch him. He's in for pre-world cup game time. We should enjoy him as long it will last.
If he doesn't particularly impress for us over the next 3 months and then has an underwhelming World Cup then maybe a deal might be able to be done to keep him here. But can't see it happening
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
I can't understand why SPL clubs aren't in for him - I guess he's been off their scouting radar. On form, he's miles better than Eli Just and Eli's tearing it up at Motherwell. I guess a big part of it is finding and demonstrating that form ... so that's his big challenge while he's here.
Given the SPL is scouting the A-League hard, I could foresee the SPL being Sarpreet's next destination.
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
Silent
I can't understand why SPL clubs aren't in for him - I guess he's been off their scouting radar. On form, he's miles better than Eli Just and Eli's tearing it up at Motherwell. I guess a big part of it is finding and demonstrating that form ... so that's his big challenge while he's here.
Given the SPL is scouting the A-League hard, I could foresee the SPL being Sarpreet's next destination.
The question is, is he?
Check out the highlights for Just’s last game. Many of us saw Singh develop through teams here, but Just less. Just has become a very good player, and think he was when he was younger too and has produced much more consistently than Sarpreet.
For some guys that play a bit using the force so to speak, it’s good to have Obi Wan in your head at times. Just has found a coach at Motherwell who knows him and how to get him to play and Singh did quite well back with Darije.
The Serbian league seemed like a good fit for Sarpreet. He needs a coach who wants him, not a player like him, him.
Guess we’ll see how he goes. Plenty of Aussies including Aaron Mooy yo-yoed a bit.
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
Exactly. Singh ain't miles better than Just.
Sarpreet got the very high profile Bayern move, whilst Eli started out out no profile Helsingor in the Danish 2nd tier (maybe even 3rd tier intially). His career has very much been a slow burn. Was in the obscure Austrian 2nd tier, less than a year ago.
But he's got that coach at Motherwell who very much wants him, and a team game built around other quick passing technical players that obviously suits him.
Singh must be getting a bit tired of always changing clubs, and struggling to get game time. If Chiefy does give him real licence to run the show with the Nix, and it's a success over the next few months - I won't rule SS agreeing to an extension.
Half a PintkwlapLGmartinb+3Oi Oi Edgecumbe, Southernix, Wibblebutt
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
coochiee
Exactly. Singh ain't miles better than Just.
Sarpreet got the very high profile Bayern move, whilst Eli started out out no profile Helsingor in the Danish 2nd tier (maybe even 3rd tier intially). His career has very much been a slow burn. Was in the obscure Austrian 2nd tier, less than a year ago.
But he's got that coach at Motherwell who very much wants him, and a team game built around other quick passing technical players that obviously suits him.
Singh must be getting a bit tired of always changing clubs, and struggling to get game time. If Chiefy doesn't give him real licence to run the show with the Nix, and it's a success over the next few months - I won't rule SS agreeing to an extension.
“I’m very happy to be back,” Singh said. “The club means a lot to me, and I can’t wait to get started and meet everyone.
“The most important thing for me is to be in an environment where I’m enjoying it, having fun and being able to just be free on the field.
“That’s when I play my best football and believe Wellington provides the best environment for that for me.
And that’s no shade on Sarpreet! Someone said he’s one of the top players we’ve had in the modern era and I think that’s absolutely true.
Just hasn’t been asked to boss the game for the AWs the way Singh does and has, but also he must be one of the most ever present players for the AWs. I think Just has surprised most of us with how well he’s going. In fact he said so himself. But I don’t think it’s a shock to those who’ve followed closely over the years that he can cope at that level.
Chief said in his interview they tried to get him at the start of the season and wanted to base their attack around him.
Also funny when they asked him why he took the 9 shirt, he said it was the only one left. Lol. Does that mean Ishighe def isn't going to come back next season. I realise he was mutually terminated but considering he is doing his rehab here, I thought perhaps he was staying cause they'd offer him a years contract for next season.
I can't understand why SPL clubs aren't in for him - I guess he's been off their scouting radar. On form, he's miles better than Eli Just and Eli's tearing it up at Motherwell. I guess a big part of it is finding and demonstrating that form ... so that's his big challenge while he's here.
Given the SPL is scouting the A-League hard, I could foresee the SPL being Sarpreet's next destination.
The question is, is he?
Check out the highlights for Just’s last game. Many of us saw Singh develop through teams here, but Just less. Just has become a very good player, and think he was when he was younger too and has produced much more consistently than Sarpreet.
For some guys that play a bit using the force so to speak, it’s good to have Obi Wan in your head at times. Just has found a coach at Motherwell who knows him and how to get him to play and Singh did quite well back with Darije.
The Serbian league seemed like a good fit for Sarpreet. He needs a coach who wants him, not a player like him, him.
Guess we’ll see how he goes. Plenty of Aussies including Aaron Mooy yo-yoed a bit.
Singh came of age under Rudan not Darije. I recall when Darije brought Singh on for the last 20 minutes and he took over the game and was truly outstanding. Then for the next game the Darije left him out of the team.
this was due to a clear conflict of interest. Rudan and Max Burgess had both already signed to go to Western United and so he was favouring the player he was going to be coaching the next season rather than Sarpreet. AucklandPhoenix
Didn’t he however at the end in the crunch final games not start him at all?
this was due to a clear conflict of interest. Rudan and Max Burgess had both already signed to go to Western United and so he was favouring the player he was going to be coaching the next season rather than Sarpreet. AucklandPhoenix
Didn’t he however at the end in the crunch final games not start him at all?
In fairness, Burgess was also in great form and there was only room for one number 10 with Krishna and Williams up top
this was due to a clear conflict of interest. Rudan and Max Burgess had both already signed to go to Western United and so he was favouring the player he was going to be coaching the next season rather than Sarpreet. AucklandPhoenix
Didn’t he however at the end in the crunch final games not start him at all?
In fairness, Burgess was also in great form and there was only room for one number 10 with Krishna and Williams up top
Even if he was slightly out of form, it was a mental decision. Singh had 5 goals, 8 assists that season and created more chances per 90 than Max (who never scored for us and had 2 assists).
On another note, I'm once again shocked by the passage of time and I'm reeling at the fact Burgess is now 31.
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
So what does our formation look like now? Presumably Singh replaces Najjarine? Doesn't it also push Kartum down the pecking order? Have we just signed 2 creative attacking midfielders when we only needed one?
We have to play Singh as much as we can to get him match fit for the World Cup, forget Najjarine, Retre both did not showed enough to block game time for the "new' guy.
Sander started last Friday, so I'd expect to see that continue, Singh is likely to come off the bench for Naijarine or Sander (assuming he cant play the full 90). Once Singh is match fit id expect he and Sander will start together.
So what does our formation look like now? Presumably Singh replaces Najjarine? Doesn't it also push Santer down the pecking order? Have we just signed 2 creative attacking midfielders when we only needed one?
3-4-2-1 formation surely, Sander and Singh tucked in behind Eze.
+3
