Jay Herdman and Oliver Colloty are certainly options too, even if just on loan in Herdmans case. I'd think Vancouver will want to hold onto him but not consider him ready for MLS yet; in that case a loan spell in the A-League could be a good test for him getting into senior football.
Obviously, the only player we for sure wanted to keep was Elliot but I don't think its a huge loss, probs a bit of recent bias helps soften the blow but he was always a better attacker than a defender and it looks like we wanna sort that out for next season. Will be interesting who we target up front and midfield locally as we've got some holes to fill there. I think a MacArthur raid could fill those spots nicely take Toure (ST), De Silva (CM), and Millar (RB)
I thought we had issues this year with height along our backline. Sutton, Elliot and Payne as a CB, Are all pretty short defensively. Didn't help with how we dealt with crosses and set piece deliveries. With 3 defenders amongst the outs I wonder if this is something they have identified as needing to be addressed.
Looking at further young Kiwis: - Eli Just has been struggling at Superliga level for AC Horsens, I think they may look to loan him out next season. But dependent on whether they stay up. - Max Mata as a genuine centre forward would fill that spot with a local option, has done well in Ireland. Can he step up to A-League level? - Nathan Lobo and Joe Lee at Auckland City as domestic options could be good signings as well and IMO more ready than the academy players
Obviously, the only player we for sure wanted to keep was Elliot but I don't think its a huge loss, probs a bit of recent bias helps soften the blow but he was always a better attacker than a defender and it looks like we wanna sort that out for next season. Will be interesting who we target up front and midfield locally as we've got some holes to fill there. I think a MacArthur raid could fill those spots nicely take Toure (ST), De Silva (CM), and Millar (RB)
I thought we had issues this year with height along our backline. Sutton, Elliot and Payne as a CB, Are all pretty short defensively. Didn't help with how we dealt with crosses and set piece deliveries. With 3 defenders amongst the outs I wonder if this is something they have identified as needing to be addressed.
Even Wootton and Laws aren't very tall the only tall CB we had was Surman who didn't really get minutes. For the import CB we definitely want to be targeting someone tall and quick.
Looking at further young Kiwis: - Eli Just has been struggling at Superliga level for AC Horsens, I think they may look to loan him out next season. But dependent on whether they stay up. - Max Mata as a genuine centre forward would fill that spot with a local option, has done well in Ireland. Can he step up to A-League level? - Nathan Lobo and Joe Lee at Auckland City as domestic options could be good signings as well and IMO more ready than the academy players
Of late Just has been starting with Horsens, and doing pretty well. Though Horsens apparently are a bit of a limited/almost route one team, that don't really suit Eli. If they go down, hopefully he's done enough to get picked up by another Superliga club. The ex Ole alumni for whatever reason, are never likely to give up on their Euro dreams for the Nix.
Mata will be targeting a move to League One/Two in the UK.
Francis De Vries, and then anyone domestic based who shines at the U20 WC are the obvious Kiwi signing targets. Plus hopefully some other National League players are invited to trial. Plenty of time.
Ben Waine has barely made the bench for Plymouth in the last 6 weeks. With Plymouth promoted, they will likely make signings. I can see Ben being loaned out . Maybe??? Highly unlikely he would agree to it, but he does know the scene.
Ben Waine has barely made the bench for Plymouth in the last 6 weeks. With Plymouth promoted, they will likely make signings. I can see Ben being loaned out . Maybe??? Highly unlikely he would agree to it, but he does know the scene.
He's been injured since their EFL Trophy Final in April
Ben Waine has barely made the bench for Plymouth in the last 6 weeks. With Plymouth promoted, they will likely make signings. I can see Ben being loaned out . Maybe??? Highly unlikely he would agree to it, but he does know the scene.
He's been gagging to get to the UK for a couple of years. British heritage and definitely his dream to play there. He ain't returning after half a season. If it's a loan away from Plymouth it's back to a League One team.
I do wonder which terms the Phoenix are stubborn with. If they are unwilling to re-sign a player like Elliot or Sail on terms that could let them leave the club if a Europe offer came in (for example). Sail eluded to this when signing for Glory and Gill talks about "its not money, there are terms that were not acceptable to Elliot". It's hard to build a squad base on this, especially when the depth is thin. If players want a free transfer option in the contract I'm Ok with the club saying no given it is also a reasonable source of income.
The Nix have been adamant that they'll only sell players at market value and are sick of the a league being a cut price league so it could be buy out clauses or the length of the contract
Tommy Smith probably on the chopping block at Colchester. Worth bringing him "home" for a season just as an experienced level head in the backline or too old?
Tommy Smith probably on the chopping block at Colchester. Worth bringing him "home" for a season just as an experienced level head in the backline or too old?
Another who's probably reluctant to relocate all the way to NZ with his family. Has an Academy in Ipswich. Colchester is nearby. Though yes he did move to Colorado for 2 years, and has stated a desire to try stay in the AWs for the 2026 WC.
If Colchester cut him I reckon he'll try find another L2/L1 club. It's a bit odd he was club captain, one of their better players, fit enough to play against China, but then never sighted again for CU to season end. Fell out with the gaffer? He does fit the bill of an experienced hardened CB, that the Nix are after. At his age & lack of speed (as shown with his red card against the Chinese) you would want him cheap.
I do wonder which terms the Phoenix are stubborn with. If they are unwilling to re-sign a player like Elliot or Sail on terms that could let them leave the club if a Europe offer came in (for example). Sail eluded to this when signing for Glory and Gill talks about "its not money, there are terms that were not acceptable to Elliot". It's hard to build a squad base on this, especially when the depth is thin. If players want a free transfer option in the contract I'm Ok with the club saying no given it is also a reasonable source of income.
The Nix have been adamant that they'll only sell players at market value and are sick of the a league being a cut price league so it could be buy out clauses or the length of the contract
That's a good point. I wonder though if just taking a release clause at 60% or so (for example) of what the Phoenix consider to be the player's market value is better than letting them go on a free. Receiving 60%, 50% even 40% is better than 0% which is what they got for Sail, Lewis, Devlin and Elliot.
Maybe it is true that European clubs undervalue players, coaches or achievements at non-European clubs. They also know, however, that Europe is likely the preferred destination for individuals, being the financial and competitive centre of the footballing universe. Therefore they hold some bargaining power over the player/coach, who then passes it onto the club. No one wants to be the one to deny the player his European dream - with local NZ amateur clubs it's typical for foreign clubs to 'persuade' them into waving any fees at all they might be due.
Factor in typically short A League contracts and a club might only need to wait twelve/eighteen months before they can get a player for free - so then it becomes a game of chicken. Stick to your guns at price x, both partiesknowing that the value will continue to diminish as the contract runs out if the player wants to go and won't re-sign, or compromise to get the money in hand, even if it's less than you wanted.
Some good points as always Carlind. But I'm sure the likes of Gill, Italiano & Dome are aware of all this.
Maybe negotiations with Elliott's agent just dragged on, and they were like - your form fell away a bit at season end, Goodwin showed you still have alot to learn re defending as a full back, we need to start planning ahead for next season, and any idea that you can leave on a free/or low % transfer fee - if a offer does eventually come out of Europe does us no favours, if we last minute need to find a new RB for season 23/24.
As always there will 2 two sides to the story, and as someone else said the fans will never know the complete truth.
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
So: everyone was bitterly disappointed with the failure of this season; and next season we're just going to play the kids. Wooden spoon beckons. It sucks following this club.
I think we knew that this was our last chance saloon for our very capable coach. There was always likely to be a rebuild after he left, so that put more pressure on to get results.
As for the spoon- auditioning for a job in the Aussie media much Doloras?
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
I watched Auckland City FC a couple times this year and last. Cam Howieson absolutely bosses every game he plays. Obviously it's hard to know if that translates to good performances at the level of the A-league. But domestically, every time he plays he looks a good head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I'd be stoked if Wellington went for him. But it's a big jump to the a league ...
Ryan Thomas off contract in June, Surely worth a go?
He's now more homebody Dutch boy, than a Kiwi. He'll soon sign an extension with Zwolle, and he'll likely play out his whole pro career in the Low Countries.
Are they back in the Eredivisie next season with a club that really appreciates him and he’s back playing more football than he has in some time? No chance of coming to NZ you’d have thought.
Iffy's statement annoys me a bit. How much have you been involved in the negotiation? You've probably heard only one side of the story. Just because the player came through your club doesn't mean he's your son.
Callan Eliot was actively told to fudge off by the club, if we are to believe Iffy
Loved his time at the club and was looking to stay and was in negotiations when the offer was taken off the table he has nothing sorted and will now seek a new club! https://t.co/TS2XBhEAz4
This seems poor considering he was one of our best last season. Maybe Chiefy doesn’t want him, which seems odd. At least if he’s sitting on a contract unsigned give him a deadline. I do wonder if there’s an untold story about some players, particularly Sail, around transfers. Sure Elliot made public mistakes in the final, but letting a bright spark go and bringing in…academy kids? Muratovic level Aussies? Players who have rejected us before in Howieson?
Callan Eliot was actively told to fudge off by the club, if we are to believe Iffy
Loved his time at the club and was looking to stay and was in negotiations when the offer was taken off the table he has nothing sorted and will now seek a new club! https://t.co/TS2XBhEAz4
This seems poor considering he was one of our best last season. Maybe Chiefy doesn’t want him, which seems odd. At least if he’s sitting on a contract unsigned give him a deadline. I do wonder if there’s an untold story about some players, particularly Sail, around transfers. Sure Elliot made public mistakes in the final, but letting a bright spark go and bringing in…academy kids? Muratovic level Aussies? Players who have rejected us before in Howieson?
Think we do deserve to hear more about this.
From what I've read and seen the Phoenix offered him multiple contracts over a three month period, but Callan/Callan's agent kept either refusing the offers or just not giving them a straight answer. I think after three months of negotiations you have to say: either you're okay with one of the offers we've given you, or you're not, and if you're not, negotiations are over.
Agreed that I think if the club had a choice they should have sacked Wooton and kept Sasse - but I think Wooton was already on a contract until like 2023? And if so then they probably needed to let Sasse go to make space to get a different international in
rua_taniwha
They don’t offer a contract to Sasse but keep Wooten. It was our defence that sucked not the attack.
Also the fact they signed Rufer on such a long contract is now looking like bad business for the same reason
Callan thought he was too good for the nix when he left the last time and went to Europe and regressed terribly. I don't think he has made it back to the level he was at when he left last time, he was like a right sided Libby in the last couple months of that season. I'm not at all upset he's leaving, particularly as it sounds like he was trying to extract every last dollar out of the Nix. He should have learned by now that it is critical early in your career to be playing regularly and developing, and once you've made it, you can then name your price and you will always have options. He needs better management/advisors. Good luck to him but I doubt he will be the player he could have been
Agreed that I think if the club had a choice they should have sacked Wooton and kept Sasse - but I think Wooton was already on a contract until like 2023? And if so then they probably needed to let Sasse go to make space to get a different international in
rua_taniwha
They don’t offer a contract to Sasse but keep Wooten. It was our defence that sucked not the attack.
Also the fact they signed Rufer on such a long contract is now looking like bad business for the same reason
I also don't think its the club's style to let players like Wooton/Ball go early unless they really drop off in quality, particularly when they have moved their families to the other side of the world. The club has a bit of integrity and class in that regard, which I am ok with.
They don’t offer a contract to Sasse but keep Wooten. It was our defence that sucked not the attack.
Also the fact they signed Rufer on such a long contract is now looking like bad business for the same reason
One could argue that while our attack wasn't awful this season - masked somewhat by an incredibly consistent Oskar Zawada in the final third, we did in fact spurn the most 'big chances' throughout the season across the league...
As for Scott Wootton - Given he's a visa player, I do have some very serious concerns over the level of some of the performances he's turned in this season, but it's all a moot point because unless we pay him out and handicap ourselves with his wages against the salary cap for next season we're just going to have to suck it up. Interesting though that we've said we're going to use our final visa signing on a CB, given I was 100% certain that signing was going to be used on Lewis' replacement.
As for the Rufer hate, I don't fully understand where you're coming from on that one?
I do wonder which terms the Phoenix are stubborn with. If they are unwilling to re-sign a player like Elliot or Sail on terms that could let them leave the club if a Europe offer came in (for example). Sail eluded to this when signing for Glory and Gill talks about "its not money, there are terms that were not acceptable to Elliot". It's hard to build a squad base on this, especially when the depth is thin. If players want a free transfer option in the contract I'm Ok with the club saying no given it is also a reasonable source of income.
The Nix have been adamant that they'll only sell players at market value and are sick of the a league being a cut price league so it could be buy out clauses or the length of the contract
That's a good point. I wonder though if just taking a release clause at 60% or so (for example) of what the Phoenix consider to be the player's market value is better than letting them go on a free. Receiving 60%, 50% even 40% is better than 0% which is what they got for Sail, Lewis, Devlin and Elliot.
Maybe it is true that European clubs undervalue players, coaches or achievements at non-European clubs. They also know, however, that Europe is likely the preferred destination for individuals, being the financial and competitive centre of the footballing universe. Therefore they hold some bargaining power over the player/coach, who then passes it onto the club. No one wants to be the one to deny the player his European dream - with local NZ amateur clubs it's typical for foreign clubs to 'persuade' them into waving any fees at all they might be due.
Factor in typically short A League contracts and a club might only need to wait twelve/eighteen months before they can get a player for free - so then it becomes a game of chicken. Stick to your guns at price x, both partiesknowing that the value will continue to diminish as the contract runs out if the player wants to go and won't re-sign, or compromise to get the money in hand, even if it's less than you wanted.
Couple of point here. 1) a decent buy out clause get you time to play. We saw this with Waine. we rejected Plymouth's offer and it meant we could get in another player before we sold him. A low or no buy clause can mean this can happen without warning and this is a high risk if it happens just before a transfer window end. 2) a decent buy out clause helps stop any player from packing a say looking for a mutual termination 3) It's clear the club is setting a standard across the playing group on this. Players and agents talk so as soon as one player doesn't have a clause, others will ask for it.
Callan thought he was too good for the nix when he left the last time and went to Europe and regressed terribly. I don't think he has made it back to the level he was at when he left last time, he was like a right sided Libby in the last couple months of that season. I'm not at all upset he's leaving, particularly as it sounds like he was trying to extract every last dollar out of the Nix. He should have learned by now that it is critical early in your career to be playing regularly and developing, and once you've made it, you can then name your price and you will always have options. He needs better management/advisors. Good luck to him but I doubt he will be the player he could have been
Important to remember that we played a back 5 under Rudan, so Callan’s defence wouldn’t have been so exposed when he was playing.
Positions we need to fill and the players I think we should sign to fill them:
GK: Marinovic the obvious choice. Holmes, Tracey, Woud, Munford other good shouts.
RB: Matt Millar - top level A-League RB, scored 5 goals to this season. Try grab Niko Kirwan otherwise. Kalua, Sinclair or Lorenz good shouts for back up.
CB: Import is the go apparently. Haven’t done much research yet but should be ideally left footed and a strong leader. I like Dave Bulthuis, Timothee Kolodziejczak and Erik Pieters.
LB: Sutton starts, but De Vries should be the back up.
CM: I like Taras Gomulka. Danny De Silva the other good option. Angus Thurgate is class too but going to Western apparently. Mo Al-Taay to be a back up if he signs, could promote Conchie too.
FW: Depends what formation we play but my pick is Al Hassan Toure. He can cover ST and both wings, 5 assists and 3 goals last season.
Callan thought he was too good for the nix when he left the last time and went to Europe and regressed terribly. I don't think he has made it back to the level he was at when he left last time, he was like a right sided Libby in the last couple months of that season. I'm not at all upset he's leaving, particularly as it sounds like he was trying to extract every last dollar out of the Nix. He should have learned by now that it is critical early in your career to be playing regularly and developing, and once you've made it, you can then name your price and you will always have options. He needs better management/advisors. Good luck to him but I doubt he will be the player he could have been
Important to remember that we played a back 5 under Rudan, so Callan’s defence wouldn’t have been so exposed when he was playing.
The season I'm thinking of was a covid interrupted Talay season. I dont think Elliott featured at all under Rudan?
Edit: from a quick glance at wikipedia he maybe made a couple of appearances under Rudan but it wasn't until the latter half of Talay's first season that he made the RB spot his own ahead of Fenton and payne. And that was a back 4
They don’t offer a contract to Sasse but keep Wooten. It was our defence that sucked not the attack.
Also the fact they signed Rufer on such a long contract is now looking like bad business for the same reason
It's insane to me that I still regularly see people wanting Rufer not only out of the starting XI, but out of the club entirely. Feels like way too many in our fan base don't really understand what a 6 and/or 8 does, they've consistently been the scapegoats of our squads for years.
Rufer is a really solid A-League midfielder, local boy and loyal as hell. Of course we fudgeing keep him
Callan thought he was too good for the nix when he left the last time and went to Europe and regressed terribly. I don't think he has made it back to the level he was at when he left last time, he was like a right sided Libby in the last couple months of that season. I'm not at all upset he's leaving, particularly as it sounds like he was trying to extract every last dollar out of the Nix. He should have learned by now that it is critical early in your career to be playing regularly and developing, and once you've made it, you can then name your price and you will always have options. He needs better management/advisors. Good luck to him but I doubt he will be the player he could have been
Important to remember that we played a back 5 under Rudan, so Callan’s defence wouldn’t have been so exposed when he was playing.
The season I'm thinking of was a covid interrupted Talay season. I dont think Elliott featured at all under Rudan?
Edit: from a quick glance at wikipedia he maybe made a couple of appearances under Rudan but it wasn't until the latter half of Talay's first season that he made the RB spot his own ahead of Fenton and payne. And that was a back 4
Yes it was actually Fenton who was in the form of his life at RB under Rudan. He was a big injury loss for the final few weeks of that season, and there was lots of angst at the time as to who would best replace him. Ryan Lowry played there in the 3-1 prelim final loss to VUC.
29 yr old Lowry these days in the WA NPL it looks like.
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
I watched Auckland City FC a couple times this year and last. Cam Howieson absolutely bosses every game he plays. Obviously it's hard to know if that translates to good performances at the level of the A-league. But domestically, every time he plays he looks a good head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I'd be stoked if Wellington went for him. But it's a big jump to the a league ...
With Howieson. He. Doesn't. Want. To. Live. In. Wellington.
Actually he explained it briefly last year that he can't move south, without divulging anything more. Family. Business. Who knows. But he ain't a Nix option.
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
I watched Auckland City FC a couple times this year and last. Cam Howieson absolutely bosses every game he plays. Obviously it's hard to know if that translates to good performances at the level of the A-league. But domestically, every time he plays he looks a good head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I'd be stoked if Wellington went for him. But it's a big jump to the a league ...
With Howieson. He. Doesn't. Want. To. Live. In. Wellington.
Actually he explained it briefly last year that he can't move south, without divulging anything more. Family. Business. Who knows. But he ain't a Nix option.
May of changed in the last year? He's lived in Wellington before albeit a while ago and maybe that's why he doesn't want to move from his previous time here.
When we approached him last year he would've been joining fairly down the pecking order so would've been a rotation role whereas now he'd be looking at probably a starter so an increase in wages and more appearances bonus likely with a new offer may be more tempting for him. Although I wouldn't want us to be paying way over for what he's worth just to come down.
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
I watched Auckland City FC a couple times this year and last. Cam Howieson absolutely bosses every game he plays. Obviously it's hard to know if that translates to good performances at the level of the A-league. But domestically, every time he plays he looks a good head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I'd be stoked if Wellington went for him. But it's a big jump to the a league ...
With Howieson. He. Doesn't. Want. To. Live. In. Wellington.
Actually he explained it briefly last year that he can't move south, without divulging anything more. Family. Business. Who knows. But he ain't a Nix option.
May of changed in the last year? He's lived in Wellington before albeit a while ago and maybe that's why he doesn't want to move from his previous time here.
When we approached him last year he would've been joining fairly down the pecking order so would've been a rotation role whereas now he'd be looking at probably a starter so an increase in wages and more appearances bonus likely with a new offer may be more tempting for him. Although I wouldn't want us to be paying way over for what he's worth just to come down.
I don't think the Nix approached him, it was just his name was being bandied about here as he returned to the AWs last year for that March OFC tourney (maybe even earlier for the January Jordan/Uzbekistan friendlies). At the time the Nix were seriously seriously down on midfield options. Lewis & Rufer both injured. Guys like Sutton getting chucked in at midfield. If Howieson played for the Nix then, he would have been straight into the starting 11.
I remember Goran P interviewed Howieson around that time, and though he was a bit flattered by the attention, there had been no contact from the Nix (they were still stuck in Aussie then), and he just said it wasn't possible for him to leave Auckland (even short term for Aussie), without elaborating. He ain't an option.
I watched Trevor Zwetsloot last night in a cup game for the US open cup. He plays for a USL team, the Pittsburg riverhounds. They played the number 1 team in the MLS, New England Revolution. This kid is so good. He started the last 2 games in the USL league and came on in the last half hour to secure the win. The riverhounds won the game 1-0 and are through to the round of 16. This kid is a real ball winner and great player, hard as nails. He should play for NZ.
Names thrown around on the kiwi football fix tonight: Francis De Vries, Niko Kirwan, Nathan Lobo, Marco Rojas, Jack Henry-Sinclair, Cam Howieson, Stefan Marinovic. I'd be stoked with Marinovic, Kirwan and Rojas. Don't watch enough national league to make a call on those local guys. De Vries looked a little shaky when I saw him for the all whites before he did his knee, don't see him as an upgrade on Sutton, while I think Kirwan looked the business for the national team and I'd love for Payne to be banished to the bench. Hasn't been good enough in the past season, a couple years back he looked more than good enough for a starting RB in the a-league but don't know where that player went.
I watched Auckland City FC a couple times this year and last. Cam Howieson absolutely bosses every game he plays. Obviously it's hard to know if that translates to good performances at the level of the A-league. But domestically, every time he plays he looks a good head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I'd be stoked if Wellington went for him. But it's a big jump to the a league ...
With Howieson. He. Doesn't. Want. To. Live. In. Wellington.
Actually he explained it briefly last year that he can't move south, without divulging anything more. Family. Business. Who knows. But he ain't a Nix option.
May of changed in the last year? He's lived in Wellington before albeit a while ago and maybe that's why he doesn't want to move from his previous time here.
When we approached him last year he would've been joining fairly down the pecking order so would've been a rotation role whereas now he'd be looking at probably a starter so an increase in wages and more appearances bonus likely with a new offer may be more tempting for him. Although I wouldn't want us to be paying way over for what he's worth just to come down.
I don't think the Nix approached him, it was just his name was being bandied about here as he returned to the AWs last year for that March OFC tourney (maybe even earlier for the January Jordan/Uzbekistan friendlies). At the time the Nix were seriously seriously down on midfield options. Lewis & Rufer both injured. Guys like Sutton getting chucked in at midfield. If Howieson played for the Nix then, he would have been straight into the starting 11.
I remember Goran P interviewed Howieson around that time, and though he was a bit flattered by the attention, there had been no contact from the Nix (they were still stuck in Aussie then), and he just said it wasn't possible for him to leave Auckland (even short term for Aussie), without elaborating. He ain't an option.
Like something preventing him getting an Aussie visa? Though others have said family business etc.
