Wellington Phoenix Men

Why Did The Knights Struggle?

73 replies · 586 views
almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Why Did The Knights Struggle?
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
As an ardent Kingz, Knights and Phoenix fan I've never understood why the Knights played so bad.

Looking at the players in the squad, most of the Aussies and Kiwis are still playing at A League level or higher, and others such as Emblen were (to me) always at a level at least equal to the A League.

I saw nearly every Kingz and Knights home game live but have only been at 2 Nix games although have watched nearly all on tv or internet.

What do you guys and girls think (and don't straight out blame the foreign players) was real reason behind the dismal form?
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
the crowd.
 
Can a mod please close this now?

All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I can think of four things straight off.

1, I had a chat about this with a senior member of the Knights squad and his first comment to me was that too many players turned up here looking for a holiday and failed to show any keeness or willingness to actually fight.

2, They took a punt on a pile of guys that had had bad injuries in the hope that those injuries weren't that bad and they could rebuild their careers.  Guys like Collett, Buari, Carbon.

3, The 'front office' was a shambles.  If the club is run by idiots who won't listen to those with experience then the recruitment goes wrong, the promotion goes wrong and the club goes wrong.

4, The quality of players recruited missed the mark.  You can get away with a couple of players not up to it, but the Knights had a list of players not up to the standard of other sides.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
my answer was better (and more accurate).

All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Frankie Mac wrote:
my answer was better (and more accurate).


Mmm no it wasn't.

Three for me, and two for them.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
needed more Knight Fever

Founder

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Knight Riders?
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
IBTL

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Its funny how when Ricki stepped in at the close of the last Knights season, they were alright.

So that said Im just going to assume they were run by the entirely wrong people who didnt know what they were doing. Post Rufers, of course.
AJ132010-04-01 11:30:17
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
There seems to be a penchant for re-writing the Rufer era  as a utopia where New Zealand youngsters became professional football and the Kingz were a dominant NSL side.

Oddly enough, that's not my recollection.  I can still remember playing Suri and Silva up front and crossing from wide in to themall match.  I can still remember conceding inside the last 5 minutes to lose matches we should have won.  I can still remember Andy Bluhm.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Bevan wrote:
Knight Riders?
 
Ngata's Knights.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Paulinho wrote:
Bevan wrote:
Knight Riders?
 
Ngata's Knights.
Ngata's knights = a group born in a very bad 5th form maths class in Rotorua. Then the knights came along and it was wonderful

www.kiwifromthecouch.blogspot.com

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Paulinho wrote:
Bevan wrote:
Knight Riders?
 
Ngata's Knights.
 
 
Blame arrogant South Aficans for the Knights demise (front office).
 Knew we they were going to fail as soon as they appionted a has been coach who had no idea about the quality the A League was trying to acheive.

A dog with a bone :)

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
They were in Auckland.
E + R + O

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
General n00bness would probably sum it up adequately, I feel.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Because football can't be palyed in a boat.

Football is all about passion and soul.  AKL has neither.

AKL needs its instant gratification.  Again, a big problem when talking football.

AKL is the home of anti-football media mafia.
 
The term 'North Harbour Stadium' is an absurdity.  It's f**king miles away from the f**king sea.  
 
Zero Subs.  I mean, really.
 
AKL. 
 
It's a bit of a joke really.
 
 
 
 
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Stevo wrote:

Zero Subs.� I mean, really.


Well its not like there is another world wide sub chain out there.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
I can think of four things straight off.

1, I had a chat about this with a senior member of the Knights squad and his first comment to me was that too many players turned up here looking for a holiday and failed to show any keeness or willingness to actually fight.

2, They took a punt on a pile of guys that had had bad injuries in the hope that those injuries weren't that bad and they could rebuild their careers.  Guys like Collett, Buari, Carbon.

3, The 'front office' was a shambles.  If the club is run by idiots who won't listen to those with experience then the recruitment goes wrong, the promotion goes wrong and the club goes wrong.

4, The quality of players recruited missed the mark.  You can get away with a couple of players not up to it, but the Knights had a list of players not up to the standard of other sides.
 
Yeah, I'd go with those. Particularly 3.
 
And the general belief that Auckland is sh*te. Although it's hard when it's at North Harbour Stadium. I can hardly walk there from town.
 
And there was hardly a group of 'ultras'. *sigh*
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Stefan wrote:


Nicely done
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
A lot of guys just taking the piss.
The fact is that the players were NOT good enough.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I remember going to the games and thinking we had the stadium to ourselves, except for some football on the field. I went home happy when we drew.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Also - Adsead was not up to it (either in his coaching or healthwise).  He hadn't been involved with club football for years and it showed.  He was still playing 80's football and his signings showed that.  Don't get me started on the assistant whatever his name was.  People saw Fulham and wet their pants.  Maybe both of them were decent coaches but neither was up to the job of managing the club, especially when the rest of the front office was so dysfunctional.   

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
This thread upsets me 

Three for me, and two for them.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Buffon II wrote:
This thread upsets me 


Just think, after the success of the Nix, it won't be too long before Christchurch get a team in the A-League, and then Auckland might one day get another chance to have a team in the A-League (although I suspect Hamilton, Dunedin, Tauranga or Thames might be before Auckland)!
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
It was all Hard News fault.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Buffon II wrote:
This thread upsets me 
 
 
Thats why ...every morning when I get out of bed, I get down on my knees and say a little prayer to Terry, Rickie and the rest of the lads!!!
 
in the distant future someone will write a history of NZ football.....2007 and the formation of the Phoenix will go down as a seminal moment....and we all have played a (small) part in it.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Paul Nevin was, at least, amusing.  He had a confrontation with a CCM(?) player - that was a laugh.  I think Greglolry Duruz (didn't work?) got sent off then as well.

For the record Duruz was probably the worst player in the A-League, bar Evan Berger.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I'd argue Ronnie Bull or Ben Collet have more right to that claim.
 
Steve Fitzsimmons and Zenon Caravella were both Knights to and look at them now - coaching, recruitment (in general) and club management were all wrong to some extent. I think some the imports took a lot of the blame and didn't really deserve it. Emblem and Bazely in particular were professional and did a very good job. However Sean Devine had lost his pace, Yeo was all about the money, Buari was brilliant one minute and sh*t for the next 120 (still scored one of the best a-league goals ever).

Peoples Republik of Aucklandia

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Duruz was actually pretty good to - problem was the defense was often swamped because of the ineptitude in front of them.
 
Jonas Salley was also a very good player who got injured in that last season and we lost any semblence of midfield defence with him.

Peoples Republik of Aucklandia

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
zinidane wrote:
Buffon II wrote:
This thread upsets me 
 
 
Thats why ...every morning when I get out of bed, I get down on my knees and say a little prayer to Terry, Rickie and the rest of the lads!!!
 
in the distant future someone will write a history of NZ football.....2007 and the formation of the Phoenix will go down as a seminal moment....and we all have played a (small) part in it.


Yeah but everyone is just having a laugh and taking the piss. Where would the Phoenix be without the Kingz or Knights? Nowhere. You should acknowledge those who went before you no matter how successful or unsuccessful they were.

I wonder how many on here would proudly stick by the Nix if they won 1 game all season and finished dead last about 20 points behind the next team on the table. Would you still go to every single home game even if you hadn't scored in the last 6 matches?

Three for me, and two for them.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Good point.
I watched all the games the Knights played despite them being... not so good. Went to a few in Auckland too.

I will stand by the nix no matter what. With a Phoenix hanky in hand, Just in case.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Stefan wrote:
Good point.
I watched all the games the Knights played despite the fact that I, for some reason, supported Sydney



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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I expected that.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I know you did. And I know you know that I had to go there.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Buffon II wrote:

Yeah but everyone is just having a laugh and taking the piss. Where would the Phoenix be without the Kingz or Knights? Nowhere. You should acknowledge those who went before you no matter how successful or unsuccessful they were.

I wonder how many on here would proudly stick by the Nix if they won 1 game all season and finished dead last about 20 points behind the next team on the table. Would you still go to every single home game even if you hadn't scored in the last 6 matches?
It was the Knights management who were taking the piss, arrogant t**sers.
 
I stuck by the Knights, not proudly I must say, nothing to be proud of there. It was more supporting NZ having a team in a professional league.
 
Now the Kingz, thats a whole different story

A dog with a bone :)

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