WPM 2022/23 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

coochiee

Doloras

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

I wonder when the Nix women will start making signings

Bloody good point! We can hopefully get a much stronger team than last year, even a few imports, maybe bringing a few wahine back from overseas/other ALW clubs, but still give the young stars of last year a good run?

ALW doesn't start until November 18th, 5-6 weeks after the ALM.

Also from memory ALW squads are only 18 players. Expect the Nix Women to retain around 12 of last year's squad as a wild guess. So they may only be looking for 5-6 new signings (maybe even less) plus scholarship players.

Isn't there a women's section for speculation on that team?

Any fresh whispers about the interest in Oli?

Smeltz4PM

Any fresh whispers about the interest in Oli?

Nothing further that I can see. Found a few tweets about him from analytic Twitter accounts from a few months back.

Another fantastic performance from Oliver Sail for Wellington Phoenix today, a 9.2 rating, 11 shots saved, 3.46 xG faced, clean sheet. https://t.co/FI2iCeDiL5

— Aberlytics (@AberIytics) March 30, 2022

Think that was after the Brisbane game where he was phenomenal.

Also found this cracker from the vault of RR. 🤣🤣🤣

So whats Oliver Sail like? Is he the next Basalaj? #AllWhites

— RR (@Ryans_Rovers) October 15, 2014

Sorry mate, it gave me a giggle 😅🤭

A lot of people were rather high on Basalaj around that time!

RR

A lot of people were rather high on Basalaj around that time!

The Kiwi talent pool was definitely a lot leaner in those times. So I suppose I'll give you that one. 

No disrespect to Scott Basalaj there either. 

YoungHe.\rt

Smeltz4PM

Any fresh whispers about the interest in Oli?

Nothing further that I can see. Found a few tweets about him from analytic Twitter accounts from a few months back.

Another fantastic performance from Oliver Sail for Wellington Phoenix today, a 9.2 rating, 11 shots saved, 3.46 xG faced, clean sheet. https://t.co/FI2iCeDiL5

— Aberlytics (@AberIytics) March 30, 2022

Think that was after the Brisbane game where he was phenomenal.

Also found this cracker from the vault of RR. 🤣🤣🤣

So whats Oliver Sail like? Is he the next Basalaj? #AllWhites

— RR (@Ryans_Rovers) October 15, 2014

Sorry mate, it gave me a giggle 😅🤭

We (Aberdeen) won't be interested in him anymore. I had hoped we might sign him but we signed Kelle Roos as back up to our no1.

Not transfer news on Oli - although it did trick me in to quickly opening the twitter notification when I saw the 'Congratulations to Oli Sail' on my phone!

Congratulations to WPX Men's & #AllWhites GK Oli Sail who has won the 2022 Stuff Personality of the Year Award at the Wellington Regional Sports and Recreation Awards! 🙌

We've done it again Nix Fans! Thank you for putting in your support for Oli via the voting process! 🤩

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/TIbBCRNSQ5

— Wellington Phoenix (@WgtnPhoenixFC) July 5, 2022

I hope we can retain Sail for this last season before his contract ends, then I will have no problem with him going to Europe and following in the footsteps of his fellow All Whites teammates.

Wusty Wab

I hope we can retain Sail for this last season before his contract ends, then I will have no problem with him going to Europe and following in the footsteps of his fellow All Whites teammates.

But wouldn't we want him to transfer in contract, so we get a fee? If he leaves at the end of his contract we get nothing... 

Elemenop

Wusty Wab

I hope we can retain Sail for this last season before his contract ends, then I will have no problem with him going to Europe and following in the footsteps of his fellow All Whites teammates.

But wouldn't we want him to transfer in contract, so we get a fee? If he leaves at the end of his contract we get nothing... 

I'd really like to see him play for the Nix again this season. But agree its probably best for all parties. If he can get a good contact somewhere overseas, The Nix get a fee to spend on a replacement. Gives them potentially the option to bring in an import GK. 
Where ever Sail goes. Hope he is no.1 though. or he might as well be playing for us.

Let's not forget his season ended just recently so he's probably on holiday and letting his agent work for his money...
If no suitable offers come through for him nothing stops us from trying to extend his contract, perhaps with a gentleman agreement that we'd let him go for an agreed sum if an offers comes in later in the year 

Pre-seasons started so you'd hope he's not on holiday.

Ryan

Pre-seasons started so you'd hope he's not on holiday.

None of the Nix's AWs are yet doing pre season and rightly so.

Sail has been in the UK on holiday and could possibly be trying to get a contract over there. He should be back next week if he is staying with us 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/129180874/wellington-phoenix-trying-to-lure-record-goalscorer-roy-krishna-back-to-the-club
would be great if we could get him back, hopefully on a deal that's not ridiculously costly. Probably got one or two good years left in the legs.

Wellington Olympic standout Jack-Henry Sinclair has been invited to trial with the Phoenix from next week, with Talay keeping a close eye on the local football scene since returning from holiday.

Also sounds like we will get sail back this season as he has had no substantial offers 

Good luck to J-HS.

It would be a nice way to finish his career, He will be 35 once the A-League starts so hopefully he can keep himself fit when we need him. Waine, Ball and Krishna is a pretty respectable list of strikers. I am also glad Jack-Henry Sinclair is being trialed, would be good back-up. I just hope if he does sign he can be as prolific as he has been in the Central League and for Team Wellington.

RR

Wellington Phoenix trying to lure record goalscorer Roy Krishna back to the club https://t.co/fgzU61PPWI

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) July 6, 2022

Would be a good addition to the squad as another striking option.
While he's currently in Auckland, Roy spent time back home in Fiji a month ago after both his father and mother-in-law passed away around the same time:
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2022/04/27/former-phoenix-strikers-likely-to-part-ways-with-indian-super-league-club/
I see that Roy's wife Naziah now has some role with  the Fijian FA and OFC and attended a FIFA Executive training conference in the UAE in May:
https://twitter.com/Alinaziah/status/1526805960747937792
There was a nice tribute to Roy's time in India from the Indian Super League recently:
https://www.indiansuperleague.com/features/roy-krishna-a-lot-more-than-just-a-striker

Reading between the lines / making assumptions..

Interest in Sail was there after a great season, but cooled after his indifferent games on the big stage. 
Works out great for us that we have him for another season before he hopefully gets another shot.

Krishna's offer is an amount that he deems as low/med so he's going to see if he can get more elsewhere, and if not, he will sign for us.

That's awesome news about Jack Henry-Sinclair. Fingers and toes crossed for him. Very happy for us to be taking the time to look a the local talent in the domestic leagues! Really important we keep that pathway open!

Aside from hoping that Krishna comes back on down to little old Wellington, I'm very happy to see JHS is going to get a shot at a contract. Lad honestly couldn't do much more in the domestic game to try and get his foot in the door. Hope it goes well for him. 👏👏

JHS is probs competing for that RB spot? But he does also play further forward so would be also look as cover for those wide am spots?

Has JHS played RB recently?
From what I have seen from highlights etc, he seems to play quite high up the pitch.
Is the exception to the rule... instead of being a converted winger into an RB he's a converted RB into a winger?

MetalLegNZ

Has JHS played RB recently?
From what I have seen from highlights etc, he seems to play quite high up the pitch.
Is the exception to the rule... instead of being a converted winger into an RB he's a converted RB into a winger?

He played right back for that Phoenix reserves way back when. But was more of an attacking wing back for team welly when they played with a back three. Pretty sure he plays as a winger for Olympic. 
Be interesting to see where Uffy sees him playing. Personally I would see him as more of the wide 10s rather than a fullback. 

MetalLegNZ

Has JHS played RB recently?
From what I have seen from highlights etc, he seems to play quite high up the pitch.
Is the exception to the rule... instead of being a converted winger into an RB he's a converted RB into a winger?

Screenshot_20220706-214904_Twitter.jpg 192.6 KB

If he can play both decently well will be very good squad depth option as it seems that’s the same with the new loan LB. Always good to have flexibility in the squad if we have injury problems again 

wilbaker

If he can play both decently well will be very good squad depth option as it seems that’s the same with the new loan LB. Always good to have flexibility in the squad if we have injury problems again 

It’s also something of a tactical difference right? Two different kinds of RB in JHS and Payne. 

If we do sign JHS, it gives us the option of going all out attacking with him and Mauragis as the full backs. Sutton, Payne and Elliot the more defensive options (although Sutton’s looked pretty dangerous bombing forward recently too)

It may not just be the money, that dictates what Roy does. Interesting to read above that his wife now has a role with OFC. Surely that would make living in NZ as a couple more logical. But then from memory she never lived in NZ when he was at the Nix. She stayed in Fiji. Not fan of Wgtn?? But that was before they were married??
https://twitter.com/Alinaziah/status/1526805960747937792

If he does return to Welly, does Talay then still chase a visa striker? I think that would be bad for Waine's development, likely meaning he would get little minutes. I thought he looked impressive in his AWs bench cameos against Peru & Costa Rica. He's just had 3 solid weeks being 'coached' by Chris Wood. Apparently with the Oman closed door friendly, the Woodsman talked to him all game from the sideline. Waine was a bit disappointing last ALM season, but I'm hopeful he could have a 8-10 goal season this time, with the team back in NZ.

If they sign Krishna plus presumably a visa AM, Nix may get near season start with 2 visa spots still available, and then just see if there are any cheap free agents around once Euro summer transfer window closes (Sept 1st?).

Could a forward line of Roy, Waine, Ball, Barba, Old, visa AM plus OVH on the fringes provide enough goals to win the league?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/129180874/wellington-phoenix-trying-to-lure-record-goalscorer-roy-krishna-back-to-the-club

The 34-year-old former Johnny Warren medallist has been back in New Zealand training with Auckland club Manurewa after becoming a free agent and is said to be weighing up his next move.

Reports in India have stated Krishna wants to play in the A-League Men again and Talay said the Phoenix would love to have him back.

Krishna is the only player in Phoenix history to score a half century of goals, having netted 52 goals in 127 matches between 2014 and 2019.

The Phoenix have three import spots up their sleeve but Krishna would count as a local player if he was to rejoin the club as he is a New Zealand citizen.

“We’ve spoken to Roy’s agent but at this stage I don’t think he’s in a rush to make a decision on what he wants to do,” Talay said.

“We’d definitely love to bring Roy back. He obviously had a great season before he went over to India and he did some very good things in India.

“For us he’d be a local player because he’s a Kiwi now and we’d love to have Roy, but the feeling has to be mutual.

“There’s been a figure put in front of him with what we can afford but at the moment he’s decided he wants to hold off and wait to make a decision on what his future looks like.”

coochiee

It may not just be the money, that dictates what Roy does. Interesting to read above that his wife now has a role with OFC. Surely that would make living in NZ as a couple more logical. But then from memory she never lived in NZ when he was at the Nix. She stayed in Fiji. Not fan of Wgtn?? But that was before they were married??
https://twitter.com/Alinaziah/status/1526805960747937792

If he does return to Welly, does Talay then still chase a visa striker? I think that would be bad for Waine's development, likely meaning he would get little minutes. I thought he looked impressive in his AWs bench cameos against Peru & Costa Rica. He's just had 3 solid weeks being 'coached' by Chris Wood. Apparently with the Oman closed door friendly, the Woodsman talked to him all game from the sideline. Waine was a bit disappointing last ALM season, but I'm hopeful he could have a 8-10 goal season this time, with the team back in NZ.

If they sign Krishna plus presumably a visa AM, Nix may get near season start with 2 visa spots still available, and then just see if there are any cheap free agents around once Euro summer transfer window closes (Sept 1st?).

Could a forward line of Roy, Waine, Ball, Barba, Old, visa AM plus OVH on the fringes provide enough goals to win the league?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/129180874/wellington-phoenix-trying-to-lure-record-goalscorer-roy-krishna-back-to-the-club

The 34-year-old former Johnny Warren medallist has been back in New Zealand training with Auckland club Manurewa after becoming a free agent and is said to be weighing up his next move.

Reports in India have stated Krishna wants to play in the A-League Men again and Talay said the Phoenix would love to have him back.

Krishna is the only player in Phoenix history to score a half century of goals, having netted 52 goals in 127 matches between 2014 and 2019.

The Phoenix have three import spots up their sleeve but Krishna would count as a local player if he was to rejoin the club as he is a New Zealand citizen.

“We’ve spoken to Roy’s agent but at this stage I don’t think he’s in a rush to make a decision on what he wants to do,” Talay said.

“We’d definitely love to bring Roy back. He obviously had a great season before he went over to India and he did some very good things in India.

“For us he’d be a local player because he’s a Kiwi now and we’d love to have Roy, but the feeling has to be mutual.

“There’s been a figure put in front of him with what we can afford but at the moment he’s decided he wants to hold off and wait to make a decision on what his future looks like.”

I think your point about a Visa Striker is a good one. It's why i'm still 50/50 about him signing as he is getting on, if he gets injured then we're still stuffed striking wise. I don't want to see Waine's development stunted, he needs to have the best mentor he can possibly get (i've fully removed the b/y tinted glasses and playing devils advocate here). I suppose its a risk regardless of whether its Krishna or A.N.Other.

I think we'd all love to see Krishna back - just purely because he's a legend. But if he does return it leaves our strike force looking very one dimensional. Excluding Waine we wont have any size up front, Krishna and Kosta are both "pacey" little guys, who like the ball at their feet. If they are our front line with Ball, then we have no point of difference up front which will make it very easy to defend. Waine offers a little bit of height and strength but isnt yet ready to be the focal point as a starter, we need another big man like Hooper or Hemed to offer that point off difference. Even if we do sign Krishna, i think we still need to use a visa spot on a decent central forward.

Also interesting that for Fiji in the OFC tourney, Krishna played deeper as virtually a CM. But guessing that was basically a one off, as they just wanted him to touch the ball as much as possible.

coochiee

Also interesting that for Fiji in the OFC tourney, Krishna played deeper as virtually a CM. But guessing that was basically a one off, as they just wanted him to touch the ball as much as possible.

perhaps a recognition that maybe he's slowing down and is better suited to controlling the flow of the game? Probably only for international stuff, which I suspect he wont be involved in for long.

Interesting discussion. Its a tough one regarding Krishna. Sure we all would like to see him back at the Nix. But If Waine can get regular starts and game time he has the potential to do very well this season. You would think this would be in the best interest of the club, with the potential to sell him on for a fee at some stage.
Talay mentioned himself in the Stuff article that last season we were missing a clinical striker. At 35 will Krishna be that person ? 
Or will Talay look at bringing in an import striker as well. Or does signing Krishna mean Talay will look at adding two quality 10's.
It seems the money offered to Krishna reflects that dilemma. At the right price I'm sure most here would love to see Krishna back playing for the Nix. Guess it will now come down to if other A league clubs see value in paying more and using a visa spot on Roy.  
But I just can't picture a 35 year old Roy playing for another A league club.  

I would love for Krishna to finish his career at the Phoenix, but if we have him, another import striker plus obviously Ball, that is just not fair on Waine. I think if Krishna is keen on coming back, Talay and Gill need to decide whether bringing him back at 35 is a good idea or look for someone else. If Waine impresses more than he did in his breakout season, this could be his last season at the Phoenix. Remember when Coventry City were apparently interested in him?

The thing with having all of an Import, Krishna, Ball and Waine signed up is it gives us excellent rotation options.

Krishna is 35, Ball had a long term injury last season and Waine is still inexperienced, but all three have a LOT to contribute. If you’ve got all three plus an import, you can easily rotate based on fitness, form and style of opponent.

Personally my dream XI looks a little something like this now, you can rotate those four, plus rotating Old, Kosta, Ball, OVH and even Sinclair with the import AMs.

1FBF7C20-8D59-4846-9EE3-866D18C6B81F.jpeg 441.97 KB

I feel that realistically we’ll hold off on signing 5 imports and wait until January to see if we need any extra since Kosta, Ball and even Waine are all capable of starting in a strong XI.

I would like Krishna to be back with us like we all would.

We do not though have a good history of people coming back and being anything like as good as they were first time round.  Gary Hooper last season is a case in point.  Nathan Burns is another example.

I just hope we have not got collective rose tinted glasses