WPM 2023/24 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Ryan

That was my thought too. Good learning opportunity for him, he's clearly come back from it stronger. Glad he's onboard 

“Clearly come back from it stronger”?
Where does that hyperbole come from. The lads signed a contract, that’s been under discussion for some time, that’s all.

carlind

Friar Tuck

Gets the number 5 shirt too. If he kicks on he could well be starting by the end of the season.

Wonder if playing the defensive midfielder role in Argentina at the World Cup helped him get that. It's typically number '6' as the defensive midfield spot here, or number '4' traditionally in the UK, but Argentina are very big on the number '5' for that role. Every Argentinian (senior) World Cup squad since 1990 has featured a DM wearing that '5', Leandro Paredes the most recent last year.

 
Gets the number 5 shirt because it’s available and he chose it. When you sign you get to choose your number. Advantage of signing when the squad is only half full is you gave good numbers to chose from.

Martinb said
“And yeh welcome Finn. Everyone is rating you so sounds decent. Don’t mind a combative midfielder, but if you have to say something learn a few new words from the boys. Or even the classic Connollyism ‘Gettyfueybasa!’ “
Not sure that’s good advice. Every word he used ‘that’ day I’ve seen on this forum this week. 

Those 1st team guys have a whole vocabulary of words ge shouldn’t be using within earshot of cameras or officials.

Edit: except one, looking back at it,

ClubOranje

Ryan

That was my thought too. Good learning opportunity for him, he's clearly come back from it stronger. Glad he's onboard 

“Clearly come back from it stronger”?
Where does that hyperbole come from. The lads signed a contract, that’s been under discussion for some time, that’s all.

from the interviews with him and Chief...

wilbaker

YoungHeartHM

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗔-𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✍️

Fin Conchie graduates from the @WgtnPhoenixAcad and signs a three-year deal with the Phoenix men! 💪

Congratulations Fin! 👊#COYN! 🔥https://t.co/SAVRs4aeWc | 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/c8VieNSH6R

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) August 1, 2023

Oosh, been waiting for this one. Good luck Fin. 👏

With him serving a 10 game ban is there anything that says what matches these apply too? Do the reserve games count or is it just first team games?

10 games for what ever contest! It would be a joke from the club to let him play.

The game with his homophobic slur was back in May or June?
He can't play until October. That's long enough. Some may agrue the penalty is too tough.

But the agrument about his suspension has been done to death. He's learnt a harsh leason, been judged by all, appears very contrite and hopefully the rest of his career is controversy free. He's not Israel Folau.

There is an interview with him online.
Little tip:  If you get banned because YOU did something bad to someone else, you should start your sentence to apologize to the person you offended and not how hard the experience of the ban is for you.

I presume this gives us the academy players still in the running for a contract?

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number8

There is an interview with him online.
Little tip:  If you get banned because YOU did something bad to someone else, you should start your sentence to apologize to the person you offended and not how hard the experience of the ban is for you.

The bit of a clip of Chief with Conchie on TV for his signing included, iirc, Chief commenting he was disappointed with how far it went after Conchie apologised at the game.  And my impression - from Conchie's own remarks on TV - was that he is genuinely apologetic, had learnt and would do better.  Any other info that I've missed notwithstanding.

Maybe we leave it to those close to this at the club to manage.  They've made the call to have him in the team and the clubs pastoral care and setting of expectations will be on to it.  You'd expect.  And I'd presume contracts have a not bringing the club into disrepute type player management and potential termination clause.  

Hope he goes well.  We all live and learn.  If not there are ways to deal with it.

mjp2

I presume this gives us the academy players still in the running for a contract?

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We have 17 signed and the visa player to come. That will put us at the minimum roster size but we normally carry 20-21, so might be a couple senior deals up for grabs. We don't seem to use the scholarship deals as much as other clubs. 

No Karunaratane?!

MetalLegNZ

No Karunaratane?!

Was rumoured to have signed somewhere in Europe a few months back.

coochiee

MetalLegNZ

No Karunaratane?!

Was rumoured to have signed somewhere in Europe a few months back.

 He and his brother both played in the Central League match against Olympic on the 14th of July, so unless he's just gone overseas in the last couple weeks..

number8

There is an interview with him online.
Little tip:  If you get banned because YOU did something bad to someone else, you should start your sentence to apologize to the person you offended and not how hard the experience of the ban is for you.

It was one question during an interview to a guy with no media training caught off guard. 

I’m sorry he isn’t eloquent enough for you - he’s so obviously sorry and remorseful, he doesn’t need to spell it out

I see Pennington has changed his number (13->15). 

15's always been available for him so looks like someone else has asked for 13. Its not Duncan (25) or Al-Tay (12), and if it was another current player they would have announced the move at the same time so I think this means there is a new signing close to being announced. 

I doubt that they'd ask Pennington to move for an academy kid or a low level Aus squaddie so i think this means we have a decent new signing close to being announced...

https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/australia-cup-round-of-32-preview
If Ben Olds injury is long term as per this preview. Then surely we need to strengthen in the attacking third. Also atm who is going to cover LB and RB.
Still lots of holes in this squad. And new signing until now have not been inspirational.

My predicted XI for tonight:

IMG_5379.jpeg 405.76 KB

Friar Tuck

My predicted XI for tonight:

IMG_5379.jpeg 405.76 KB

Ball isn’t with the squad, just seen him at Rosie’s Cantina.

KiwiMancunian

Friar Tuck

My predicted XI for tonight:

IMG_5379.jpeg 405.76 KB

Ball isn’t with the squad, just seen him at Rosie’s Cantina.

Weird that he was included in the squad then maybe he got a knock just before they left?

4-3-3 with paulsen in goal. i think i like that as a lineup

Isn't it 3 at the back? Paulsen and the young defenders doing very well. Pennington a strong link. Kraev looking likely, Zawada too.

Match thread is over there ——>

mjp2

number8

There is an interview with him online.
Little tip:  If you get banned because YOU did something bad to someone else, you should start your sentence to apologize to the person you offended and not how hard the experience of the ban is for you.

The bit of a clip of Chief with Conchie on TV for his signing included, iirc, Chief commenting he was disappointed with how far it went after Conchie apologised at the game.  And my impression - from Conchie's own remarks on TV - was that he is genuinely apologetic, had learnt and would do better.  Any other info that I've missed notwithstanding.

Maybe we leave it to those close to this at the club to manage.  They've made the call to have him in the team and the clubs pastoral care and setting of expectations will be on to it.  You'd expect.  And I'd presume contracts have a not bringing the club into disrepute type player management and potential termination clause.  

Hope he goes well.  We all live and learn.  If not there are ways to deal with it.

Respect if that's what Chief said. Any person with an ounce of common sense, and morality, would agree that this went and has gone way too far.

Doloras

This can't be right. I was reliably informed, by several blokes on here, that standing him down from the Reserves for homophobic abuse would ruin his career and his life. This is obviously a misprint for "Fin Conchie has gone to live in a cardboard box on Cuba Mall, along with all other victims of the Woke Mind Virus"

Seriously: well done Fin, keep your nose clean from now on

"Keep your nose clean from now on"

What a lovely, supportive, thing to say to a kid who has just signed his first professional contract.

Ninja

Doloras

This can't be right. I was reliably informed, by several blokes on here, that standing him down from the Reserves for homophobic abuse would ruin his career and his life. This is obviously a misprint for "Fin Conchie has gone to live in a cardboard box on Cuba Mall, along with all other victims of the Woke Mind Virus"

Seriously: well done Fin, keep your nose clean from now on

"Keep your nose clean from now on"

What a lovely, supportive, thing to say to a kid who has just signed his first professional contract.

well to be fair Doloras started with "well done" which is more complementary than anything you've said about his signing. All I've seen you do is get your nose out of joint about his punishment for - reasons

Obviously if we can't call each other h*m*s, f@gs, players of the pink oboe etc on the field then the Woke Mind Virus has won and free speech is no more :(

Anyone speak Spanish?

El fichaje de Youstin Salas a Australia se cayó por una cuenta de Twitter pic.twitter.com/HZIfxOH0QL

— TDMAX (@tdmaxcr) August 6, 2023

RR

Anyone speak Spanish?

The signing of Youstin Salas to Australia fell through a Twitter account

El fichaje de Youstin Salas a Australia se cayó por una cuenta de Twitter pic.twitter.com/HZIfxOH0QL

— TDMAX (@tdmaxcr) August 6, 2023

Rather than doing something useful with my time, I ran this through Live Captions and typed the captions into Google Translate, and got this:

"Justin throws something more or less without concrete, he just threw it away, but well, people are smart, the press with the passion of wanting to do their job with the desire to investigate, because they are dedicated and they are thankful that and I don't know if Is he a journalist or not, but a Twitter account that is surely managed by a journalist from behind, I don't really remember which one it was, that is, it's not like yours or TDMax's or those of the few that don't or some registered journalist doesn't It's one of those kind of fans loose in the team and it skyrocketed, I mean, at that moment, all the journalists labeled all the people from the fans everything, everything, everything started labeling Wellington Phoenix."

Sounds like an unsubstantiated rumour that snowballed out of control? 🤷‍♂️

Here's a list of youth players currently with the first team, for reference:

30: Alby Kelly-Heald
34: Josh Rudland
35: Noah Karunaratne
36: Ben Wallace
37: Isaac Hughes
38: Dan McKay
39: Seth Karunaratne
41: Kaelin Nguyen
42: Fergus Gillion
43: Matt Sheridan
44: Josh Tollervey
45: Lewis Partridge
46: Luke Sheridan
47: Jesper Edwards
48: Charlie Beale

Jackson Manuel and Marco Lorenz also coming back I hear

Maaaaaaatt

I see Pennington has changed his number (13->15). 

15's always been available for him so looks like someone else has asked for 13. Its not Duncan (25) or Al-Tay (12), and if it was another current player they would have announced the move at the same time so I think this means there is a new signing close to being announced. 

I doubt that they'd ask Pennington to move for an academy kid or a low level Aus squaddie so i think this means we have a decent new signing close to being announced...

It may simply mean that Pennington as an Italian  never liked the number 13, what with its association with malocchio, so he swapped it for 15 and will now have a stunner of a season.

Mainland FC

Maaaaaaatt

I see Pennington has changed his number (13->15). 

15's always been available for him so looks like someone else has asked for 13. Its not Duncan (25) or Al-Tay (12), and if it was another current player they would have announced the move at the same time so I think this means there is a new signing close to being announced. 

I doubt that they'd ask Pennington to move for an academy kid or a low level Aus squaddie so i think this means we have a decent new signing close to being announced...

It may simply mean that Pennington as an Italian  never liked the number 13, what with its association with malocchio, so he swapped it for 15 and will now have a stunner of a season.

I considered that, but 15 has been free the whole time he's been here (only M. Boxall has worn it since Pennington arrived, and he came in mid-season). He also wore 13 at his prior club for four seasons so unlikely he has an issue with it! 

In any case, looking forward to him having a stunner of a season

Fijian U-20 international Faazil Ali is with us on trial from Ba. Doesn't have a crazy record in Fiji, but was starting striker in all three group stage matches in the recent U-20 World Cup

mrsmiis

Fijian U-20 international Faazil Ali is with us on trial from Ba. Doesn't have a crazy record in Fiji, but was starting striker in all three group stage matches in the recent U-20 World Cup

Gotta think that is one the WeeNix might sign. But as we saw with Calvin Harris, you are gonna have to be rather special to occupy a visa slot in the Senior team.

Anyone taking the Hazard rumour seriously?
I mean I’d fly him to welly myself but I can’t see it happening.

Until he follows the Nix on Instagram, I don't take any rumor seriously.

Hazard - Kraev - Zawada - Ball front 4 anyone?

Or Old - OVH - Rudland - Kosta for the big games.

The rumour might have started after one of the Wellington City Council releases about pavement tripping hazard outside the Phoenix HQ.

Rumour Alert. Coming from within our small Italian community. 
David Ball was the most influential factor in the re-signing of Pennington. What I heard was that Ball thinks that Pennington is either the most Skilful player on the training ground or one of the most Skilful. 
Anyway. Total rumour. Wouldn't surprise me if it were true though.

kungfu panda

Rumour Alert. Coming from within our small Italian community. 
David Ball was the most influential factor in the re-signing of Pennington. What I heard was that Ball thinks that Pennington is either the most Skilful player on the training ground or one of the most Skilful. 
Anyway. Total rumour. Wouldn't surprise me if it were true though.

Idk if I can trust comments about who's the best/skilful in training anymore after Sasse was always talked about being the best player in training...

The part that I believe to be accurate was that Ball was influential in the decision.