JCS is easily talented enough to be at the Nix, but jesus… can we stop with this idea? God forbid we sign players from our own academy that a) we pump so much money into, and b) is undoubtedly one of the most successful in Australasia in recent years.
No wonder they’re prioritised - rightly so. They’re nurtured by familiar coaches and are completely familiar with their surroundings. Thought this was exceedinly obvious but most NL players will have comfortable jobs and aren’t able to relocate or pause studies, let alone be ready and willing to drop everything to be a squaddie for a year in the A-League with no guaranteed future.
Yeah, some absolutely deserving players in the National League who are good enough for the A-League. But acting like it’s a travesty that nothing’s been agreed this window is just absurd lmfao. Wonder how many people were begging to sign up NL players instead of Singh and Cacace
I'd really question the narrative, that the Nix have had undoubtedly one of the most successful Academies in Australasia in recent years. That's if we use the barometer of young players being signed by Euro clubs. I think other teams in the ALM have done better recently. CCM, Adelaide & Melb City come to mind.
Weenix are most likely in the top half. But they haven't been that great on this measurement (overseas signings) of late. Singh, Cacace & then Waine. Good but not super great. And last season there was paucity of Academy kids getting ALM mins under Talay. From memory Nix were near the bottom of the table re mins to young players last season. Things look like changing under Chiefy, so will be interesting to see how many of these Academy kids succeed in making the step up.