I must not have watched many Jest games, but the club says Duncan has "the second best save percentage in the 2022-23 A-League", so that's interesting that you guys hate him so much
I don't know this guy, but if he's as bad as made out to be, then what's the purpose of the signing? He's a 30 year old Australian who couldn't hold down at spot at the Jets. If he's (hopefully) just being signed not to be first choice, then couldn't they at least look at some New Zealand keepers. You'd think Brian Kaltak's season would have opened the eyes that there is actually talent in NZ if they ever look beyond the backyard.
if we are to get either it'll be Holmes, Dome has said they were looking for another young keeper to push Paulsen for the #1 spot.
"Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano says it was “very, very important” they signed an experienced ‘keeper to compete with 20-year-old Paulsen.
“We now have two ‘keepers from different ends of the spectrum,” Italiano said. “Jack is an experienced ‘keeper and AP is a young and up and coming ‘keeper with a lot to prove.
“If you’re the experienced ‘keeper you need a young ‘keeper pushing you through and if you’re the young ‘keeper you need someone experienced to push you as well. "
(obviously Domey and Chiefy aren't on the same page)
I don't know this guy, but if he's as bad as made out to be, then what's the purpose of the signing? He's a 30 year old Australian who couldn't hold down at spot at the Jets. If he's (hopefully) just being signed not to be first choice, then couldn't they at least look at some New Zealand keepers. You'd think Brian Kaltak's season would have opened the eyes that there is actually talent in NZ if they ever look beyond the backyard.
I don't know this guy, but if he's as bad as made out to be, then what's the purpose of the signing? He's a 30 year old Australian who couldn't hold down at spot at the Jets. If he's (hopefully) just being signed not to be first choice, then couldn't they at least look at some New Zealand keepers. You'd think Brian Kaltak's season would have opened the eyes that there is actually talent in NZ if they ever look beyond the backyard.
A-league experience is pretty valuable, especially over NZ local league experience. If he is not first choice at least he can offer experience in the league and offer that to Paulsen.
Duncan's not great but I don't get why people are saying he's the absolute worst keeper. I remember him being not that bad before he got a move to Saudi. Since he's been back he certainly hasn't been brilliant but 🤷♂️
Not totally thrilled with this signing but not surprised either. He has had his moments of being ok in the past and maybe a new team environment will help. Sail wasn't at his best this season either. Hopefully we are spending on a decent CB
if we are to get either it'll be Holmes, Dome has said they were looking for another young keeper to push Paulsen for the #1 spot.
"Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano says it was “very, very important” they signed an experienced ‘keeper to compete with 20-year-old Paulsen.
“We now have two ‘keepers from different ends of the spectrum,” Italiano said. “Jack is an experienced ‘keeper and AP is a young and up and coming ‘keeper with a lot to prove.
“If you’re the experienced ‘keeper you need a young ‘keeper pushing you through and if you’re the young ‘keeper you need someone experienced to push you as well. "
(obviously Domey and Chiefy aren't on the same page)
If this is the case I don't mind.
But if Paulsen gets another season of zero games, this time behind a very ordinary keeper... I'll wanna throw hands.
Paulsen at the very least should start the cup games which he didn't last season so that'll give an indicator heading into the season how ready he'll be.
Interesting it's one year, which kinda makes me think the battle for #1 might be closer than we think...
Paulsen is probably in the box seat, although he hasn't had to serve even half the apprenticeship that Sail did before he grabbed the starting spot, and this perhaps signals that Chiefy isn't 100% settled on the youngster being first choice next season. Who knows?
Looking at it from Duncan's position too - Does he really want to be coming over here for a season and potentially having a year on the bench with limited time on the field, before finding himself as a free agent again this time next year? Doesn't exactly strike me as a palatable & definitive footballing move for him, given he's only 30 and effectively coming into the prime years of his goalkeeping career...
I suspect that selection between the two will be closer than anticipated. I'm in the 'Paulsen for #1' camp for sure - Because we want young Kiwi's coming through and doing well for our club, and then go on to do great things in the game. By the looks of it so far though, there are a lot of people that aren't aware that the squad goes beyond just the XI on the pitch...
Anyways, in amongst the furore & conjecture - Welcome to Wellington Jack. I don't think I've seen anyone say that yet. 😅
It makes me laugh when people say Stefan was woeful in Israel. There seem a lot of experts in the Israeli football league. Did you actually watch any games? If so how did you watch them? Maybe he had a shark Defense? Personally I have seen Sail have triple the number of woeful games the Stefan did for the Nix or the All Whites and yes, they were actually watched - on sky. How did you watch your Israeli football?
Interesting it's one year, which kinda makes me think the battle for #1 might be closer than we think...
Paulsen is probably in the box seat, although he hasn't had to serve even half the apprenticeship that Sail did before he grabbed the starting spot, and this perhaps signals that Chiefy isn't 100% settled on the youngster being first choice next season. Who knows?
Looking at it from Duncan's position too - Does he really want to be coming over here for a season and potentially having a year on the bench with limited time on the field, before finding himself as a free agent again this time next year? Doesn't exactly strike me as a palatable & definitive footballing move for him, given he's only 30 and effectively coming into the prime years of his goalkeeping career...
I suspect that selection between the two will be closer than a lot of people think.
Anyways, in amongst the furore & conjecture - Welcome to Wellington Jack. I don't think I've seen anyone say that yet. 😅
Well said that man
Welcome aboard Jack. You are now one of us. In you we trust
As long as Paulsen is able to have a crack to start (he did well in those Aus Cup shootouts a year or two back), then this is a fine signing. Duncan on a one-year deal is probably good for both him and the Nix. It doesn't mean he has to shift his life to NZ for too long and gives the Nix flexibility to potentially promote an academy keeper (Alby Kelly-Heald most likely) to be No.2 in the season after next.
If he's as average as what's being said, he's probably on a peas wage, and taken what he can get for another year of pro footy.
Give AP a chance. He deserves the opportunity. Obviously massive talent. Phoenix have never given him the real opportunity he deserves. His patience on the bench has been extraordinary. Phoenix need to shake things up and go for it. It will be ok
“Whether it’s experience or in terms of their position at their other club, or if we recruit internally, I’m going to give him [Paulsen] the opportunity to be the No 1.”
Chief in a paywalled Phil Rollo article a while back.
It makes me laugh when people say Stefan was woeful in Israel. There seem a lot of experts in the Israeli football league. Did you actually watch any games? If so how did you watch them? Maybe he had a shark Defense? Personally I have seen Sail have triple the number of woeful games the Stefan did for the Nix or the All Whites and yes, they were actually watched - on sky. How did you watch your Israeli football?
I didn't watch him at all, but the stats don't paint him at his best this past season at Hapoel Tel Aviv. He conceded 36 goals from 28.24 xGOT, preventing -0.43 goals per 90 minutes (ie he conceded 0.43 more goals a game than would be expected based on where the shots on target he faced ended up; top corner shot having a much higher figure than a pea-roller down the middle) with a save percentage of 48.57%. Of course there's many factors that can contribute to poor form, based on what Marinovic said on the KFF he was never too comfortable at HTA and the fans weren't too complimentary from the very start.
For comparison with Marinovic this season: Sail this past season conceded 45 goals from 44.86 xGOT (-0.01 GPrev/90), Tzanev 51 goals from 48.76 xGOT (-0.06 GPrev/90) and Crocombe 62 goals from 53.69 xGOT (-0.15 GPrev/90). In Paulsen's small A League sample size (333 minutes in 21/22 season) he conceded 10 goals from 9.92 xGOT (-0.02 GPrev/90). For completion sake of NZ overseas keepers (except Zac Jones): Woud in the Cup last season 9 goals from 5.87 xGOT (-1.04 GPrev/90) and Sims last year 27 goals from 24.19 xGOT (-0.17 GPrev/90).
That being said, I prefer as many New Zealand players to play outside of the Phoenix as possible, so if Marinovic gets himself a gig in Europe these next couple months, that's better than having him at the Phoenix, and I say that as a guy who's always been a fan of his. Marinovic, Sail, Paulsen all playing first choice for different clubs is far more preferable than Marinovic, Sail, Paulsen at one club with one goalkeeping spot like in 20/21.
It makes me laugh when people say Stefan was woeful in Israel. There seem a lot of experts in the Israeli football league. Did you actually watch any games? If so how did you watch them? Maybe he had a shark Defense? Personally I have seen Sail have triple the number of woeful games the Stefan did for the Nix or the All Whites and yes, they were actually watched - on sky. How did you watch your Israeli football?
Please don't project your ignorance onto others. Defo didn't watch him religiously but I caught the occasional game, most highlights packages and always scanned social media and Israeli journo scoops (with the help of a Hebrew translator)
For what it's worth, I was a big Stefan fan in his day and think his is a great persistence story for any Kiwis looking to forge careers in lower European leagues. He is also still probably better than Duncan now, however the coin they each demand won't be comparable
Haha as an Israeli, i watched Ligat Ha’al often using my VPN at stupid hours of the morning… he wasnt woeful per say but not dominate and often made mistakes that were out of character for him, it was mainly from some terrible defending, but he wasn’t as dominate as he was when he first joined the nix, he was better in Nof Hagalil tbh AucklandPhoenix
It makes me laugh when people say Stefan was woeful in Israel. There seem a lot of experts in the Israeli football league. Did you actually watch any games? If so how did you watch them? Maybe he had a shark Defense? Personally I have seen Sail have triple the number of woeful games the Stefan did for the Nix or the All Whites and yes, they were actually watched - on sky. How did you watch your Israeli football?
It makes me laugh when people say Stefan was woeful in Israel. There seem a lot of experts in the Israeli football league. Did you actually watch any games? If so how did you watch them? Maybe he had a shark Defense? Personally I have seen Sail have triple the number of woeful games the Stefan did for the Nix or the All Whites and yes, they were actually watched - on sky. How did you watch your Israeli football?
I didn't watch him at all, but the stats don't paint him at his best this past season at Hapoel Tel Aviv. He conceded 36 goals from 28.24 xGOT, preventing -0.43 goals per 90 minutes (ie he conceded 0.43 more goals a game than would be expected based on where the shots on target he faced ended up; top corner shot having a much higher figure than a pea-roller down the middle) with a save percentage of 48.57%. Of course there's many factors that can contribute to poor form, based on what Marinovic said on the KFF he was never too comfortable at HTA and the fans weren't too complimentary from the very start.
For comparison with Marinovic this season: Sail this past season conceded 45 goals from 44.86 xGOT (-0.01 GPrev/90), Tzanev 51 goals from 48.76 xGOT (-0.06 GPrev/90) and Crocombe 62 goals from 53.69 xGOT (-0.15 GPrev/90). In Paulsen's small A League sample size (333 minutes in 21/22 season) he conceded 10 goals from 9.92 xGOT (-0.02 GPrev/90). For completion sake of NZ overseas keepers (except Zac Jones): Woud in the Cup last season 9 goals from 5.87 xGOT (-1.04 GPrev/90) and Sims last year 27 goals from 24.19 xGOT (-0.17 GPrev/90).
That being said, I prefer as many New Zealand players to play outside of the Phoenix as possible, so if Marinovic gets himself a gig in Europe these next couple months, that's better than having him at the Phoenix, and I say that as a guy who's always been a fan of his. Marinovic, Sail, Paulsen all playing first choice for different clubs is far more preferable than Marinovic, Sail, Paulsen at one club with one goalkeeping spot like in 20/21.
I think Marinovic was on a hiding to nothing before he even joined HTA. There had been some incident between Hapoel Tel Aviv and his previous Israeli club Nof Hagalil , which got the HTA Ultras all worked up. Never easy for any player coming in, if the hardcore fans (who often stand behind the goal) of your new club just hate on you from the start. Even worse for a keeper, where any error is open for all to see. If your confidence as a keeper gets down, you are doomed really.
Hopefully he can rebuild his career somewhere. Yes we want as many Kiwis as possible playing at a high pro level.
marinovic had a significant dip, the type all players have, but goalkeeper is an unforgiving position. sail stepped in and was brilliant. but IMO sail has dropped to a level below the marinovic dip.
we've moved on now and i'm encouraged that we seem to be showing faith in paulsen
WPX Fan Group Representative, at the next meeting with the club management: "Soooo.... what do we do with the money saved from our goalkeeping budget?"
i think an objective case could be put to paulsen that if he establishes himself at no. 1 he should sign a 2 year extension and really build up some solid experience before making a leap overseas, unless it's an extremely tempting & potentially once in a lifetime offer from a very high level club. He wouldn't want to become a woud. And unlikely another a-league team would spend a visa spot on him, it's generally quite rare for a-league clubs to use visa spots on a keeper. I think oli sail has an Aussie passport/citizenship or something? Smeltz4PM
Paulsen expiring end of next season fills me with dread that he's going to have an absolute break out season and then leave on a free...
If we’re guna win it this season it’s going to have to be a different way. Recently WU and CCM had the services of Jamie Young and Danny Vuckovic respectively. Two very experienced keepers who were more than reliable.
We’ve sorted our keepers and possibly still waiting on a starter CB(?) with Wootton, and Payne and Surman providing depth?
Our midfield is waiting on at least one more arrival surely. Are we adding to our attack? Another goal scorer?
How close are we to having finished recruitment? We seem to have a few already on the books and picked up a couple already.
Chiefy basically said he has his starting midfield sorted in Rufer, Pennington and al-Taay and that it was likely he would just look to add a midfielder from the academy or another young hungry local (kiwi or Aussie) to provide depth. I wouldn't be expecting an exciting midfield signing.
Likewise, Chiefy's comments when asked about Krishna, basically said he was happy with his attacking options and wouldn't be after Krishna or anybody else unless Zawada left. Given our last import is going to the CB spot then it isn't likely we could get a noteworthy local attacker anyway. We aren't going to get a Rojas or similar.
We can look forward to depth signings at this point other than our shiny new CB. Maybe it is possible we could get a local who could start over Sutton at LB. I'd like to see Sutton moved into midfield myself, he is a decent player but for me not a natural fullback and apparently he played midfield before being converted into a fullback for the senior team?
did he? I think you'll find he said he was on a list of players he would consider but that he hadn't even talked to him to know if he would even be interested, or something along those lines. That's my memory of his comments in his press conference when asked about Rojas Ryan
I hope we're looking very closely at Francis de Vries. ex-Pro playing in NZ after an injury, versatile enough to be either a left footed CB to replace Laws and/or young domestic LB to compete with Sutton & a known quantity due to his AWs performances.
That said, I've not seen anything about how he's getting on for Eastern Suburbs.
