WPM 2023/24 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Mainland FC

Excellent story about McLennan.

yeah, he was a character. He'd go out of his way to drive around the suburb of My Eden and would never drive through it because that was the home of rugby union and he was league through and through.

Mainland FC

As I mentioned elsewhere, Zawada was very complimentary in his interview to Polish TV about the facilities at the Nix.   
After all is said and done, having very good facilities should translate into tangible results: perhaps greater fitness, or shorter recovery time, or fewer injuries?   Do we see any correlation between winning performances (over time) and quality of facilities, across the A-League?

It does feel this season that the Nix have been fortunate re very few injuries. No doubt I'm forgetting someone but seems only Zawada has been out for any length of time? So maybe the NZCIT facilities are really helping in that regard. 

I remember a few seasons ago (still based in Aus due to Covid) the Nix had about 6-7 first team starters out all at once for a few weeks, and got flogged every 2nd week it seemed, with an understrength team. Was exacerbated at the time as from memory the team were playing a number of midweek catch up games (short turnarounds).

This year it does seem a very stable starting lineup from about 12-13 players. Minimal changes week to week.

Old and Sutton both spent large chunks of the seasons returning from injuries if that counts.

Sssssh! And Ball was injured pre-season, as was van Hattum?

Doesn't seem like we'll be signing anyone unless theres an injury to one of the starters.

wilbaker

Doesn't seem like we'll be signing anyone unless theres an injury to one of the starters.

Has the January transfer window closed yet?

Mainland FC

wilbaker

Doesn't seem like we'll be signing anyone unless theres an injury to one of the starters.

Has the January transfer window closed yet?

no, but Chief said we'd be assessing things over the next couple of weeks before making decisions about strengthening.

It's not my money obviously, but if I was the owners I'd be saying we've got a good chance at winning this thing and would throw some money at the team. Be great to assert our dominance in the NZ football landscape by winning the competition the season before Auckland joins.

Mainland FC

wilbaker

Doesn't seem like we'll be signing anyone unless theres an injury to one of the starters.

Has the January transfer window closed yet?

Closes Waitangi Day

Realistically this is our best shot, ever. We're 2nd and almost halfway through the season. If there was ever a season to use that extra visa player spot in the January window, it would be this one. 

I remember when we brought Dadi in in the January window a few years ago, the commentators in the next game were saying "that's a championship winning move." Of course we lost the preliminary final because of a hand ball goal (hand of Payne), but those are the sorts of moves we need to make - not just to strengthen the squad but to make a statement.

Tend to agree, if we have the spot in the squad then we should totally be filling it with an impact star. Although I suspect the owners are keeping the $$ in the wallets for the forseeable.

 our recent performances indicate that we need to recruit due to our team not functing well, even if we have started well. We have a huge need in the middle of the park who can break up play as well as start it.and as teams have figured us out, we need someone who can add a different dimension to our ball movement.  

kwlap

 our recent performances indicate that we need to recruit due to our team not functing well, even if we have started well. We have a huge need in the middle of the park who can break up play as well as start it.and as teams have figured us out, we need someone who can add a different dimension to our ball movement.  

CM Options:
- Josh Onomah (would be expensive)
- Leonard Owusu
- Christos Gravius
- Etzaz Hussain

Bonus Aussie Free Agents
- Joel Chianese
- George Blackwood
- Moudi Najjar

Edit: Another player I really like the look of. He seems to fit the exact profile of a player who can both break up play and start it.
- Filip Rogic

Would love them to spend on another visa spot but first would want them to secure Zawadas future,

Chianese had a mixed bag of a run in A-League and arguably never lived up to his potential. If he still has the speed he might at a pinch be a backup for David Ball.
How was his performance at Perth Glory when on loan there a season ago?

... and I found this gem in Wikipedia:
"In March 2015 it was reported that Chianese had traveled to New Zealand to play for Auckland City FC in the 2014–15 OFC Champions League, however Auckland failed to register him in time for the competition.[9] However, in a bizarre twist of fate, Auckland City then sold him on to Malaysia Premier League club Sabah FA for the remainder of the 2015 Malaysia Premier League after they had released Singaporean Fazrul Nawaz for disciplinary reasons.[10]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Chianese

Spin a yarn to Jamie Vardy! Finish with a PL and A league winners medal…

Jesse Lingard is desperate for a club

Roly Bonevacia is a free agent.

Seems like a sensible move for both parties

I'm calling shenanigans. I've been to their Twitter and there's no post like that. 

Signed up just to spread a fake Twitter screenshot did you, Alan?

image.png 19.54 KB

What a pointless exercise

Gooner 4 Life

Jesse Lingard is desperate for a club

Offered himself to Barca didn't he?

Absolutely no way he's getting in our XI if he can't even crack those part timers. 😉

Jazzy Jeff

Realistically this is our best shot, ever. We're 2nd and almost halfway through the season. If there was ever a season to use that extra visa player spot in the January window, it would be this one. 

Historically, mid-season Visa signings tend to make little difference to that season.

Our mid-season Visa signings:

Wootton
Sandoval
Taylor (2nd stint)
Sheridan
Ljujić
Krishna
Dadi
Fred

And looking around the ALM, it will be recency bias but the only visa I can think that made a serious impact was Layouni for WSW last season.

RR

Jazzy Jeff

Realistically this is our best shot, ever. We're 2nd and almost halfway through the season. If there was ever a season to use that extra visa player spot in the January window, it would be this one. 

Historically, mid-season Visa signings tend to make little difference to that season.

Our mid-season Visa signings:

Wootton
Sandoval
Taylor (2nd stint)
Sheridan
Ljujić
Krishna
Dadi
Fred

And looking around the ALM, it will be recency bias but the only visa I can think that made a serious impact was Layouni for WSW last season.

 I would say 6 out of the list made a solid impact. Sandoval and Wotton came in and helped us get into the top 6 don't we would've if they didn't. 

In 20/21 we finished 6th, six points ahead of 7th despite having no midfield for the second half of the season. Yes, the Sandoval/Wootton signing did help stop the bleeding.

It is just really unlikely you are gonna find a quality visa that would drive you to a title in the January window.

Take back my like on your previous post please. I thought you were being ironic.

RR

In 20/21 we finished 6th, six points ahead of 7th despite having no midfield for the second half of the season. Yes, the Sandoval/Wootton signing did help stop the bleeding.

It is just really unlikely you are gonna find a quality visa that would drive you to a title in the January window.

I'm not saying we shouldn't sign a visa, just that we should temper any expectations about what impact one would provide. Game changers are just not gonna be available, only really depth players.

Looking back at the tables, I was wrong about the impact of Sandoval & Wootton. Looks like we were 11th or 12th when they signed. My memory of that season was us slowly dropping down the table as the midfield injuries took a toll at the end of the season. 

Sandoval played 20 matches & Wootton 19 matches. Any visa signed now would play 15 games at most.

RR

I'm not saying we shouldn't sign a visa, just that we should temper any expectations about what impact one would provide. Game changers are just not gonna be available, only really depth players.

I think the great thing about this season though is that on current form, we don’t need a game changer. All we really need is a solid player to bolster the ranks. If we can get an import that is above average and contributes positively to our game then I’ll happily take that.

RR

In 20/21 we finished 6th, six points ahead of 7th despite having no midfield for the second half of the season. Yes, the Sandoval/Wootton signing did help stop the bleeding.

It is just really unlikely you are gonna find a quality visa that would drive you to a title in the January window.

Tomer Hemed was signed 2nd half of that season wasn't he?
I see his debut game as 2nd Jan 2021?  He ended up with 11 goals that season, so certainly a signing that made a difference.

FYI - the  Ligat Ha'al  has resumed in Israel despite the Gaza war, but 36 yr old Hemed hasn't scored a goal this league season. Mostly been an unused sub (only 2 appearances in 12 games).  

coochiee

RR

In 20/21 we finished 6th, six points ahead of 7th despite having no midfield for the second half of the season. Yes, the Sandoval/Wootton signing did help stop the bleeding.

It is just really unlikely you are gonna find a quality visa that would drive you to a title in the January window.

Tomer Hemed was signed 2nd half of that season wasn't he?
I see his debut game as 2nd Jan 2021?  He ended up with 11 goals that season, so certainly a signing that made a difference.

FYI - the  Ligat Ha'al  has resumed in Israel despite the Gaza war, but 36 yr old Hemed hasn't scored a goal this league season. Mostly been an unused sub (only 2 appearances in 12 games).  

Season started 28th Dec that season. His debut was Rnd 2.

The late start to the season is why Sandoval and Wootton played more than normal as a mid-season signing.

Thank fudge Hemed isn't playing for the Nix this season. The football would have become a sideshow, as it almost did there for a while in 2021.

coochiee

Thank fudge Hemed wasn't playing for the Nix this season. The football would have become a sideshow, as it almost did there for a while in 2021.

 yep, was already uncomfortable enough when he was bringing out the flag at the wanderers away

Jazzy Jeff

coochiee

Thank fudge Hemed wasn't playing for the Nix this season. The football would have become a sideshow, as it almost did there for a while in 2021.

 yep, was already uncomfortable enough when he was bringing out the flag at the wanderers away

To add to that - can you imagine the dressing room?? Lot of support for Palestine in NZ and Aus and if the players are similar then a lot may have quite strong views. Its one of those world issues which is hard to avoid.

Jazzy Jeff

coochiee

Thank fudge Hemed wasn't playing for the Nix this season. The football would have become a sideshow, as it almost did there for a while in 2021.

 yep, was already uncomfortable enough when he was bringing out the flag at the wanderers away

It was uncomfortable when he scored at Eden Park, he ran to the fans and someone pulled out a Palestinian flag. My sympathies are with Palestine but there's a fine line between a political statement and just plain trolling

I was at Moore Park in 1988 for the Australia - Israel WC qualifier game.  When Israel scored late in first half there were some clever dicks that started waving handmade small posters with swastikas drawn with felt pens. The security was slow to react, but some other fans quickly pounced on them.  It did not make the news. The game ended in a draw, and Australia did not qualify; again.

It's scum like that who give criticism of the State of Israel a bad name.