WPM 2024/25 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

WanderingSheep

Smeltz4PM

Surely we could afford to give Surman a pay bump which includes 1 extra year if it would in all likelihood increase a future sell on fee. 
I also thought his existing deal was signed after only a handful of first team games so would probably not be particularly high value as it stands, although could well be wrong on that

Had heard he may be having a trial with an English club this summer / off season.

What club / where did you hear?

I wonder if Des Buckingham could come calling now he has a freshly minted Championship side? Would any of the current crop of youngsters have worked with Des or are they all too young?

Somewhere like Oxford United could be the perfect next step for Surman. Not sure about Old though, he might prefer to go somewhere to get a break from being kicked off the park ... 

EDIT: (Just checked ... Longer ago that I thought! From his time with U20s more the Singh, Cacace, Bell, McCowatt, Waine era. Perhaps Oxford as a change of scene for some of this brigade?) 

loyalgunner

WanderingSheep

Smeltz4PM

Surely we could afford to give Surman a pay bump which includes 1 extra year if it would in all likelihood increase a future sell on fee. 
I also thought his existing deal was signed after only a handful of first team games so would probably not be particularly high value as it stands, although could well be wrong on that

Had heard he may be having a trial with an English club this summer / off season.

What club / where did you hear?

Exact club wasn't divulged, but one of a current player's former clubs. So there is quite the range to choose from !

Smeltz4PM

Yeah Duncan would be a no brainer if he is keen.
Good league experience and clearly has a good attitude towards doing whatever he can as a backup to helping AP and the rest of the lads. 

I live in Upper Hutt and sometimes work from home.  When I do, I like to pop down and watch training for 20 minutes or so while having lunch. I know, I am sad old duffer.

The weekend the quarter finals were played and we had a week off, they played an inter squad game on the Friday, full on game.  In the time I was there, one team had the normal starting back four with Duncan in goal.  The other had Zawada, Old, Kosta and Ball.  Good opportunity for the defence system being led by Duncan and not Paulsen against quality attackers in a sort of live match environment.  I saw Duncan make two or three good saves, one being top drawer. He did not concede while I was there.

Across the season, it seemed that Duncan trained very hard and is very fit.  He also appears to be a top team man.  I never once saw him have any sort of bad attitude at training despite the fact that after a whole season, he is yet to make his Phoenix A League debut.  Paulsen has gone public with comments at his award winnings thanking both Duncan and Ruben Parker, the GK coach.  I am fairly sure that the great form of Paulsen has, in part, been influenced by Duncan being closer behind him than we possibly think in terms of selection. Plus, the fact that along with the youngster Ably Kelly-Heald, they are a very tight group.

I want us to keep Paulsen obviously for one more season at least.  But if he does go, I for one will not be overly concerned if it ended up with Duncan as the go to GK

I was dubious about Paulson before the season started. mainly because of his age, I doubted that he would be able to perform consistently enough at a high level. I am glad to be wrong, and now think he has been a revelation for this team, and is deserving of all the accolades he is getting.
Jack Duncan was an average A league goal keeper at Newcastle before he joined us. (Looked a tad inconsistent in the performances I saw). I think it would be a hard act to follow if Paulson left, and it would'nt take long for people to start criticizing his performances if we don't perform as well as this season just gone. (aka Sail at Perth). But it sounds like he is a solid team player and probably deserves a chance if Paulson leaves.
But for me one of the big reasons CCM have done as well as they have last few season is because of the performances of Vukovic. Having a top performing goal keeper is often under rated in the context of whole team performance.   
But then I was wrong about Paulsen before this season started so ......

Ben Old doing his best to up his transfer value tonight!

Settle down, they're playing literal Geordie children 

You can only play who’s in front of you!

And these are apparently.some of the best young players around... and a lot of them have been purchased.

MetalLegNZ

And these are apparently.some of the best young players around... and a lot of them have been purchased.

They'll have bloody nightmares about this trip to Australia. So the opposite of when Newcastle came out with Steven Taylor and mates. Great games, and Taylor obviously loved playing over here.

I didn't realise but Newcastle played Tottenham in front of 78,000 at the MCG on Wednesday, and then sounds like most of that team flew back to the UK straight after. I guess a fair number have to start national team preparations for the Euros coming up.

So was always going to be kids they played last night. Sydney football fans getting the rough end compared to Melbourne fans. Bet those who paid $395 last night for a ticket to the A League Marvel All Star Lounge, would have felt a bit short changed.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/tottenham-hotspur-v-newcastle-united-live-updates-epl-clubs-clash-at-the-mcg-20240522-p5jfmk.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13455533/Newcastle-thrashed-8-0-League-Stars-controversial-post-season-Australia-tour-ends-embarrassment-Eddie-Howes-youngsters.html

coochiee

I didn't realise but Newcastle played Tottenham in front of 78,000 at the MCG on Wednesday, and then sounds like most of that team flew back to the UK straight after. I guess a fair number have to start national team preparations for the Euros coming up.

So was always going to be kids they played last night. Sydney football fans getting the rough end compared to Melbourne fans. Bet those who paid $395 last night for a ticket to the A League Marvel All Star Lounge, would have felt a bit short changed.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/tottenham-hotspur-v-newcastle-united-live-updates-epl-clubs-clash-at-the-mcg-20240522-p5jfmk.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13455533/Newcastle-thrashed-8-0-League-Stars-controversial-post-season-Australia-tour-ends-embarrassment-Eddie-Howes-youngsters.html

Very poor from Howe. 

Had he played two or three players for thirty minutes it could have been fun. As it was it was an insult to the fans and the A league, dull and expensive, leaving the impression that they were above playing us and didn’t want to waste their time on us. 

He didn’t have to play a full strength team against Tottenham. He could have rested Almiron or Joelinton or Barnes, and played them and Dummet and a youngster like Anderson or Hall for part of the match. 

That would have been the classy way to do it. Or not accepting the All Stars game at that time at all. 

But also, our young uns played against some of their promising young uns, and made a statement.

Let's go big Old contract!

OzNix

It's great that Kosta has committed to stay for season 24/25. It's sad to see Oscar leaving, but we can't be having a player on that level of coin being injured 60% of the time and then sitting on the bench in between injuries. 

Thank you for the wonderful farewell present Oscar. We won't ever forget it!

I'd let Salas go back to Costa Rica. He's been good, but not at the level we need from a visa player.

I'd be stoked if we can keep Kraev and Pennington.

I'd prefer we give another young Kiwi GK a chance instead of Duncan.

*Oskar

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Ranix

I was dubious about Paulson before the season started. mainly because of his age, I doubted that he would be able to perform consistently enough at a high level. I am glad to be wrong, and now think he has been a revelation for this team, and is deserving of all the accolades he is getting.
Jack Duncan was an average A league goal keeper at Newcastle before he joined us. (Looked a tad inconsistent in the performances I saw). I think it would be a hard act to follow if Paulson left, and it would'nt take long for people to start criticizing his performances if we don't perform as well as this season just gone. (aka Sail at Perth). But it sounds like he is a solid team player and probably deserves a chance if Paulson leaves.
But for me one of the big reasons CCM have done as well as they have last few season is because of the performances of Vukovic. Having a top performing goal keeper is often under rated in the context of whole team performance.   
But then I was wrong about Paulsen before this season started so ......

You are lucky you corrected yourself at the end.

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I hope Rufer makes a move this year. He's been Epic this year and deserves to play for a "bigger" club while he's at his peak.

Or maybe he's happy just being a Phoenix man for life?

Seems to me like Rufer is pretty happy at the Nix, but you never know if an offer came in what he or the nix would do. I actually doubt we will see too many leave this off season, given we have 17/18 on contract and with the success they've had.

Good to see Rebecca Lake re-signing too!

You would have to think if a Swiss club came in for him, that he would have to be interested however considering his heritage- probably the type of league which he may be at the right level for as well 

theprof

Seems to me like Rufer is pretty happy at the Nix, but you never know if an offer came in what he or the nix would do. I actually doubt we will see too many leave this off season, given we have 17/18 on contract and with the success they've had.

Good to see Rebecca Lake re-signing too!

I think for sure Surman will go. Been rumoured interest from Championship club(s) for awhile, he has a UK passport, his contract expires in 12 months, and Nix will want to get a transfer fee whilst they can. Issac Hughes has showed he can step up. If Old leaves the highly touted (though still very young) Sloane-Rodrigues will get lots of mins. OVH is on an improvement trajectory, and will improve his finishing

Melb City & Mariners both sold 4-5 players after last year's GF. CCM lost their coach. Yet next season they won the treble!

With sound owners, good leadership, a top Academy, some transfer fee cash in the war chest and recruitment networks it's possible to rebuild. CCM seem really good at signing unknown hungry Sth American (presumably cheap) players. I'm sure Chiefy & Gill are looking at that. 

Paulsen & Surman will be big losses, but all of the ALM clubs will be in a similar boat, selling their better young players. Nisbet and Farrell will most likely be leaving the Mariners. Reasons to be optimistic.

coochiee

theprof

Seems to me like Rufer is pretty happy at the Nix, but you never know if an offer came in what he or the nix would do. I actually doubt we will see too many leave this off season, given we have 17/18 on contract and with the success they've had.

Good to see Rebecca Lake re-signing too!

I think for sure Surman will go. Been rumoured interest from Championship club(s) for awhile, he has a UK passport, his contract expires in 12 months, and Nix will want to get a transfer fee whilst they can. Issac Hughes has showed he can step up. If Old leaves the highly touted (though still very young) Sloane-Rodrigues will get lots of mins. OVH is on an improvement trajectory, and will improve his finishing

Melb City & Mariners both sold 4-5 players after last year's GF. CCM lost their coach. Yet next season they won the treble!

With sound owners, good leadership, a top Academy, some transfer fee cash in the war chest and recruitment networks it's possible to rebuild. CCM seem really good at signing unknown hungry Sth American (presumably cheap) players. I'm sure Chiefy & Gill are looking at that. 

Paulsen & Surman will be big losses, but all of the ALM clubs will be in a similar boat, selling their better young players. Nisbet and Farrell will most likely be leaving the Mariners. Reason to be optimistic.

Even losing a few of key youngsters and Zawada, Salas we're still gonna be in a lot better position than most clubs. Adelaide, Macarthur, Jets, Perth are gonna be having to do a massive rebuild.

Imagine being the MAC owners/coaching staff right now. What a right mess they are in. How do you plan for next season at the moment. Very hard.

In a way I hope Rufer gets offers because he deserves them.

He’s only 27! That’s 7 or 8 years at least of pro football if he keeps in shape. It’s easy to think of him as 32 because he’s now an off the shelf model. He’s ready to go. Or at least one year gearing up his fitness to the Championship level and 3-4 playing some very good stuff. 

It would be great to see him stay at the Phoenix. But to be honest with you, Conchie is coming through and we’ve got Pennington and Al-Taay. Pennington off contract maybe? 

The only way his level is going to be truly appreciated is if he has a spell overseas. And you also want to do it in your twenties or early thirties. 

Too late to get on the phone to Zawada if we've got Paulsen money in the post?

What about a Gray loan to replace AP? Should be a better comp than their National League .

Hutcho137

What about a Gray loan to replace AP? Should be a better comp than their National League .

He's about to have a chat with Piney on Weekend Sport over on Newstalk ZB. Might get some insight as to what the next season might look like for young Henry.

Highly doubt it'll result in him coming back down to this part of the world though.

**
Lot's of water to go under the bridge between now and the start of season of course, but he's talking of another loan out for 24/25 and even potentially being the #3 goalkeeper for the season to accustom himself around the big stage and give him that 'matchday experience' - obviously limits his playing time though if that's the case.

One year left on the contract, but he ain't coming back any time soon you'd think.

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/5/31/what-comes-next-for-the-wellington-phoenix-blokes-after-their-best-ever-a-league-season

Another thing to track is that David Ball will have been at the club for five years as of July 2024. In that time he has played 123 A-League games for the club, scoring 16 times. He remains under contract for one more year and this is relevant because as long as the immigration office doesn’t look unkindly upon the time the club spent in Australia during the pandemic... he could have New Zealand citizenship by the time the team next plays. 

As to who those next up academy lads might be, here are a few names to get knowledgeable with...

Fergus Gillion (Born 2005) – Goes without saying since he’s now the most established fella left on an academy contract. Mobile midfielder with a headstart on the rest of his WeeNix pals. Also could instigate a delicious aspect of the new Wellington Phoenix vs Auckland FC rivalry if, as rumoured (or is it merely wishful thinking?), his brother Liam Gillion gets signed by the newbies. Liam recently won Player of the Tournament at the Oceania Champions League with Auckland City. Sister Emily Gillion played National League for Eastern Suburbs last year and is also a highly regarded futsal player. Huge tekkers in that family.

Nathan Walker (Born 2006) – A speedy winger with a knack for goals who made the U17 World Cup squad last year while playing for NRFL Championship club Fencibles. Has since made the trip down to Wellington to link up with the many U17s teammates already at the WeeNix and hasn’t taken long at all to get settled.

Anaru Cassidy (Born 2007) – A technically-gifted midfielder, very good passer, who joined the Nix Academy from Waterside Karori. There are a lot of good midfielders at the club from first team downwards and he’s definitely one of them. He was another of the 2022 U17 World Cup crew.

Dylan Gardiner (Born 2006) – Tall central defender who was starting games for Hamilton Wanderers aged sixteen. Easily recognisable for the cleanly shaven head. Spent some time training in Spain at the start of the year and then returned to join the Phoenix Academy. Yes, he did go to the U17 World Cup as well.

Tze Xuan Loke (Born 2005) – Captained the WeeNix in their last few games so there are leadership credentials here. TXL is a fullback who can play on either side and the Nix always need fullbacks. Bit of a different style to possession-based guys like Kelly-Heald and Sutton, Loke is more dynamic and will absolutely bomb forward. He joined the academy from Green Island in Dunedin.

Notice how the WeeNix recruit from all over the nation. Notice also how Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues, who was born in 2007 and is the Phoenix’s youngest ever A-League player, is still younger than every single hombre on that there list.

I doubt we'll use all import slots, but still good if we can free one up just in case.

From the press conference, the language used. I'd be very surprised if Duncan was the #1 keeper. 

"Cheify, has a certain way he wants to play"
"We have to find that person to fit his system" etc.. 

Duncan has had a year to learn that system, if he hasn't got it by now,.probably won't. He may be looking to go, doesn't want to spend another season on the bench potentially.

Kees Sims on loan!

So now that just leaves Duncan, Kraev and Pennington off-contract?

You have to wonder if the cash for Paulsen changes anything at all as far as recruiting for next year (aside from needing a keeper) or if it just all goes in to the pot to cover running costs

It's surely just going into the pot to cover costs. We probably need to be consistently getting 2 Paulsen units in transfer fees a year for there to be anything left over that could go into boosting the wage spend. 

You get the feeling, Chief is going to be very specific on the type of keeper he wants to replace Paulsen. Doesn't sound like it will be Duncan, who is maybe happy to be the no 2 again, and perhaps has GK coaching ambitions??

So if Chief can't find someone suitable in NZ or Aussie, he could decide to use a visa spot on a keeper. Like Rudan did with Kurto. If Ball becomes naturalised, he'll have 3 visa spots available. 4 if Kraev isn't re-signed.

Edit - and yeah the APL payout is going to drop by $1M? The fee for Paulsen is great news, but likely don't change things too much. All the young kids who got playing time this season deserve a payrise first & foremost. But if say get another $1-2M of transfer fees from say off loading Old, Surman or even Rufer then yeah, Welnix will likely give Chief some extra cash for recruiting.   

All the clubs will be in the same boat. Dealing with the APL payout drop and then seeing what transfer income they can make to offset that. The $2M plus CCM got for winning the AFC Cup will be really handy for them.

I am hopeful that it means there's budget to pay Kraev what he's worth, and maybe retain Pennington as well.

As a keeper myself, I find it hard to imagine the mindset that you would need to be Jack Duncan - never getting to play except intra-squad games at training. It's a better mindset than I have, that's for sure.

Doloras

As a keeper myself, I find it hard to imagine the mindset that you would need to be Jack Duncan - never getting to play except intra-squad games at training. It's a better mindset than I have, that's for sure.

He's definately a special kinda player, if, as reported, he was happy being the #2 to AP. I wonder if that will remain the case, I'd expect that after a season working with AP and Chiefy he's shown he has the skill set to do what Chiefy needs as a keeper.