WPM 2025/26 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

coochiee

reg22

There's only Rufer and Payne left. 

As of right now, there's not a single young squad member who the club could make some transfer money from.

Have we ever been so bereft of talent?

Knee jerk comment.

AKH, LKH, Hughes, Sheridan, LBS and GSR all have potential. Certainly they all have potential to be on sold for a fee. The first 4 coming into that 2nd/3rd season sweet spot where a breakout campaign is a chance.

Re Kosta. It is depressing news on top of a depressing season.

But lets not forget is still 4-5 months of off season ahead. Italiano & Gill need to burn the midnight oil and uncover some gems. 

If they get get rid of Nagasawa, that will give them 3 visa spots. I'd keep Ishige and Olu. Josh's shot stopping can win games on it's own.

But hell maybe they will try get all those 3 visa guys to leave on mutuals, and so have a very blank canvas!!

I mean last week, folks were depressed we had 19 players retained for next season. So maybe having that down to 16 will cheer people up.

coochiee

reg22

There's only Rufer and Payne left. 

As of right now, there's not a single young squad member who the club could make some transfer money from.

Have we ever been so bereft of talent?

Knee jerk comment.

AKH, LKH, Hughes, Sheridan, LBS and GSR all have potential. Certainly they all have potential to be on sold for a fee. The first 4 coming into that 2nd/3rd season sweet spot where a breakout campaign is a chance.

Re Kosta. It is depressing news on top of a depressing season.

But lets not forget is still 4-5 months of off season ahead. Italiano & Gill need to burn the midnight oil and uncover some gems. 

If they get get rid of Nagasawa, that will give them 3 visa spots. I'd keep Ishige and Olu. Josh's shot stopping can win games on it's own.

But hell maybe they will try get all those 3 visa guys to leave on mutuals, and so have a very blank canvas!!

I mean last week, folks were depressed we had 19 players retained for next season. So maybe having that down to 16 will cheer people up.

My post said, right now, not potentially.

During every off season floods of A-Leaguers leave for European and UK contracts. Name one young player we could get a transfer fee from right now?

immortalbird

If you were Tim Payne, would you stay now???

Good thing he's locked in until he's 34.

The same can't be said about Rufer who's deal is up end of next season. 😬

LG

Perthnix Glory??
Watched Gill's interview.  Didn't give much away. Offered a him a decent contract allegedly and he turned it down. Waine Train come home.

One thing, this will bring the average age of the squad down. 

Average age done very quickly using some rushed calculations - 23.27 +/- about 0.2-0.3 as a margin.

If I was lower league European team I would be looking at a punt on GSR and LBS. They have the raw attributes for success - physically they look the part/have potential, they've got the touches, GSR can seem to read the midfield from what I've seen of him, LBS can beat players. So yeah I could see transfer fees for those 2. 

immortalbird

If I was lower league European team I would be looking at a punt on GSR and LBS. They have the raw attributes for success - physically they look the part/have potential, they've got the touches, GSR can seem to read the midfield from what I've seen of him, LBS can beat players. So yeah I could see transfer fees for those 2. 

because of their age they are limited to countries they are citizens of - so uk/nz for lbs, and I think uk/nz/brazil/china for gsr.

Anyway, the Nix have a proven track record of playing youngsters with the aim to develop them for sale which should fit any young footballer aspiring to play in Europe.

They have already made an attempt to bring All Whites striker Ben Waine back to the club following his recent release from Plymouth Argyle though Waine is determined to stay in Europe at this stage of his career.

From Rollo article

Re Reg 22's post above, I'd say some overseas clubs will already be looking at Hughes. Started the season with a few bad errors, but ended it playing good consistent football. The U20 WC will be a shop window for AKH (if fit & Gray unavailable), his twin and others like LBS & Walker.

But the evidence shows that young players are more likely to make big progress in their 2nd-4th ALM seasons. This season the Nix were shark and most of the youngsters were only in their 1st or 2nd campaign. The talent is there they just need more time.

However yes they will also need to be in a team playing attacking, winning football to showcase themselves best.

You asked has the club ever been this bereft of said talent? I'd say yes definitely in the years when young versions of Kosta and Rojas left because they weren't playing, Aussie journeymen were de riguer, and the football itself was often limited.

immortalbird

If I was lower league European team I would be looking at a punt on GSR and LBS. They have the raw attributes for success - physically they look the part/have potential, they've got the touches, GSR can seem to read the midfield from what I've seen of him, LBS can beat players. So yeah I could see transfer fees for those 2. 

Potentially, with a loan back due to international child trafficing laws. 

Our younger players are much closer to the world standard for the age. The gap tends to disproportionately widen as they get older. These two are genuine talents.

Procrastinixing

Boo, well it was inevitable.  Pretty much guaranteed to win the wooden spoon next season.  

Assuming we field a team

This must surely be our biggest EVER rebuild? We didn't recruit properly after last season, and we've lost several other very experienced key players this off-season making those big squad gaps even bigger.

Couple that with the coaching rebuild ahead and the potential for more players to get mutual, the road ahead is rocky to say the least.

The worst thing is that we can't even tease some good news/incoming players in the short-term because it sounds like nothing is in place - even with the carrot of the upcoming Wrexham game.

The club is at serious risk of burning public goodwill and support if they don't buck their ideas up.

was looking at our line-up for the semi final we lost to Melbourne last season. It's a depressing read... Only Payne and Rufer left. Downgrade at keeper, Kraev never replaced. Now no proven strikers on our books.

Stupid mistake to sign up Josh. Now only leaves us with 2 import spots.  

We are going to have to find some hidden Kiwi/Aussie gems or it's going to be a rough season again.

Starting XI:

LG

ballane

To be honest im fearful as to what sort of squad we are going to end up with. If your a visa player in fact any player looking to head to the A League. Given how this season has worked out we arnt a very attractive option. Our play style is shark there is no coaching staff or back up staff all we have going for us are great facilities.
We have had some dark times over the years and this is right up there with the worst for me.

Get ya boots out Steve, you and I are about to make our Phoenix debuts. Put. Hatter in at CB

LMAO Im good for one burst of speed for about half a metre so should fit in well. After that you will need to wheel me to where you want me. 😉😁

ballane

LG

ballane

To be honest im fearful as to what sort of squad we are going to end up with. If your a visa player in fact any player looking to head to the A League. Given how this season has worked out we arnt a very attractive option. Our play style is shark there is no coaching staff or back up staff all we have going for us are great facilities.
We have had some dark times over the years and this is right up there with the worst for me.

Get ya boots out Steve, you and I are about to make our Phoenix debuts. Put. Hatter in at CB

LMAO Im good for one burst of speed for about half a metre so should fit in well. After that you will need to wheel me to where you want me. 😉😁

If you guys want I can play striker, I’m 6 ft 9, just need to practice kicking a ball so it leaves the ground lol.

ballane

LG

ballane

To be honest im fearful as to what sort of squad we are going to end up with. If your a visa player in fact any player looking to head to the A League. Given how this season has worked out we arnt a very attractive option. Our play style is shark there is no coaching staff or back up staff all we have going for us are great facilities.
We have had some dark times over the years and this is right up there with the worst for me.

Get ya boots out Steve, you and I are about to make our Phoenix debuts. Put. Hatter in at CB

LMAO Im good for one burst of speed for about half a metre so should fit in well. After that you will need to wheel me to where you want me. 😉😁

Just make sure you pass the farking ball forward or we'll boo ya! 😆

Elemenop

was looking at our line-up for the semi final we lost to Melbourne last season. It's a depressing read... Only Payne and Rufer left. Downgrade at keeper, Kraev never replaced. Now no proven strikers on our books.

Stupid mistake to sign up Josh. Now only leaves us with 2 import spots.  

We are going to have to find some hidden Kiwi/Aussie gems or it's going to be a rough season again.

Starting XI:

• Goalkeeper: Alex Paulsen 
• Defenders: Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Scott Wootton, Sam Sutton
• Midfielders: Nicholas Pennington, Alex Rufer (captain), Ben Old, Bozhidar Kraev, David Ball
• Forward: Kosta Barbarouses

Substitutes Used:

• Oskar van Hattum replaced David Ball in the 65th minute
• Oskar Zawada replaced Bozhidar Kraev in the 77th minute
• Youstin Salas replaced Nicholas Pennington in the 77th minute

Remember at the start of the season we were panicking. 

We weren’t sure about relying on Surman. Sutton was injured. Zawada was injured and Uffie had been making the focal point the Brazilian lad through the centre. Kraev had a chronic goal drought. Old had scarcely played 60, let alone 90 minutes. We were nervous about relying on Paulsen, who made mistakes. Kosta came to us a bit broken down and out of form, with snide comments about retirement and his last gig with us. 

Wootton and Payne were okay. Pennington was hated by many. Still is.

Long story short, we didn’t know we had a team at the start of the season.

Maybe we’ll see an import forward and Supyk own!

if i were any overseas NZ footballer looking to return home, Wellington would now be my second option. Absolute shambles of a club atm compared to Auckland

immortalbird

If you were Tim Payne, would you stay now???

Watched that Gill interview. What is most disappointing to me is it sounds like we are in extremely early stages of looking for new players. Meanwhile for example Perth had offers in for Sutton and Wootton six months ago. I'd have hoped Nix would have approached many players months ago and would have one or two already over the line by now as well. Do the Nix intentionally leave it to the last minute to try and fish from a pool of players that they don't need to compete with other clubs to get or something 

Can’t see Waine coming back here. He’s not good enough for Europe anyway but he won’t come back to Wellington.

The club is in a dire state and needs big investment this off season.

imanixsupporter

Watched that Gill interview. What is most disappointing to me is it sounds like we are in extremely early stages of looking for new players. Meanwhile for example Perth had offers in for Sutton and Wootton six months ago. I'd have hoped Nix would have approached many players months ago and would have one or two already over the line by now as well. Do the Nix intentionally leave it to the last minute to try and fish from a pool of players that they don't need to compete with other clubs to get or something 

Make no mistake, our club is being operated very inadequately.

Financially stable? Sure. But not in anyway competitive.

imanixsupporter

Watched that Gill interview. What is most disappointing to me is it sounds like we are in extremely early stages of looking for new players. Meanwhile for example Perth had offers in for Sutton and Wootton six months ago. I'd have hoped Nix would have approached many players months ago and would have one or two already over the line by now as well. Do the Nix intentionally leave it to the last minute to try and fish from a pool of players that they don't need to compete with other clubs to get or something 

Yep, I posted earlier in the year, we can count on one hand (and probably not even use all the fingers) how many times we've signed players for next season in January of the previous season. We knew Sutts and Woots were leaving mid-way through the season, we never seem to hear the Nix linked with players for the following year in-season

coochiee

Re Reg 22's post above, I'd say some overseas clubs will already be looking at Hughes. Started the season with a few bad errors, but ended it playing good consistent football. The U20 WC will be a shop window for AKH (if fit & Gray unavailable), his twin and others like LBS & Walker.

But the evidence shows that young players are more likely to make big progress in their 2nd-4th ALM seasons. This season the Nix were shark and most of the youngsters were only in their 1st or 2nd campaign. The talent is there they just need more time.

However yes they will also need to be in a team playing attacking, winning football to showcase themselves best.

You asked has the club ever been this bereft of said talent? I'd say yes definitely in the years when young versions of Kosta and Rojas left because they weren't playing, Aussie journeymen were de riguer, and the football itself was often limited.

no one's looking at hughes. has some technical issues to resolve. not to say he cannot resolve them, and some of his defensive technique is excellent. but he's firmly in the 'potential' category.

i think you're right in saying we've been worse off for talent when comparing last year to those aussie journeyman years. i'd take last year any day of the week because at least there's a future in developing the young lads.

Anyone else seeing in these media stand-ups that they keep referring to the visa slots as "we've got the 2 visa guys signed up....for now" 

Gives me the vibe that they're really going to try to get rid of some/all of them. Maybe that's just how I'm reading it, but the hints seem to be getting stronger on that front.

Definitely a planned push on them to leave.

Imagine they will not exactly feel wanted when the big cheese comes out the other day and blames the imports for a shark season.

If you were an employee in any company and you heard your CEO blaming you publicly for the shark financial results, then you would jump on seek preety dam quick. 

There's a 'vote of confidence' in there too. Not really, y'know when a club spokesman has to say 'we back the coach and continue to back the coach'. Well, chief got one of those.

Also, as per younghearts post above

"we go back to the drawing board and look at what we do with the two visas that we have at this stage"

Also mentioned having a good contract for a 10, for a centre back, and now also for a striker.

I guess Kosta did not buy into managements future plans.
This is a big loss for all of us. At times, Kosta looked like the only player who played good football last season.
Thank you Kosta, you have been brilliant, all the best for you and your family. 

martinb

Elemenop

was looking at our line-up for the semi final we lost to Melbourne last season. It's a depressing read... Only Payne and Rufer left. Downgrade at keeper, Kraev never replaced. Now no proven strikers on our books.

Stupid mistake to sign up Josh. Now only leaves us with 2 import spots.  

We are going to have to find some hidden Kiwi/Aussie gems or it's going to be a rough season again.

Starting XI:

• Goalkeeper: Alex Paulsen 
• Defenders: Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Scott Wootton, Sam Sutton
• Midfielders: Nicholas Pennington, Alex Rufer (captain), Ben Old, Bozhidar Kraev, David Ball
• Forward: Kosta Barbarouses

Substitutes Used:

• Oskar van Hattum replaced David Ball in the 65th minute
• Oskar Zawada replaced Bozhidar Kraev in the 77th minute
• Youstin Salas replaced Nicholas Pennington in the 77th minute

Remember at the start of the season we were panicking. 

We weren’t sure about relying on Surman. Sutton was injured. Zawada was injured and Uffie had been making the focal point the Brazilian lad through the centre. Kraev had a chronic goal drought. Old had scarcely played 60, let alone 90 minutes. We were nervous about relying on Paulsen, who made mistakes. Kosta came to us a bit broken down and out of form, with snide comments about retirement and his last gig with us. 

Wootton and Payne were okay. Pennington was hated by many. Still is.

Long story short, we didn’t know we had a team at the start of the season.

Maybe we’ll see an import forward and Supyk own!

Worries me more that Chiefly "got lucky" that season with his players. And without that he's got no plan. 

Joey Johns

if i were any overseas NZ footballer looking to return home, Wellington would now be my second option. Absolute shambles of a club atm compared to Auckland

immortalbird

If you were Tim Payne, would you stay now???

why? It's not like there isn't lots of instances of teams doing poorly one season and the very next doing much better. MV finished 11th 2 seasons ago, then next season 3rd and grand final appearance, and two seasons prior finished 12th followed by a 2nd placed finish - so bad to good to bad to good. WU finished 10th the season MV finished 12th and next season champions.

This sounds like a f you to Chief/dome/Gill/Welnix

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Nixieboys222

This sounds like a f you to Chief/dome/Gill/Welnix

2e6740618af57ed2b437c1a031530b78.jpeg 86.26 KB

I'm sure a lot of statements through a club are checked by coms, co-written with coms or written by coms and approved by player - so I always take these statements with a pinch of salt and as pr that they basically are. it's standard stuff.

Nixieboys222

This sounds like a f you to Chief/dome/Gill/Welnix

2e6740618af57ed2b437c1a031530b78.jpeg 86.26 KB

I mean this is exactly what every player says when they sign for a new club. I feel he is just trying to make positive waves in his new job, start out on the right foot. I mean I sure as hell wouldn't start a new job and say yeah these guys aren't much better than my old job etc etc. 

Read into it how you like I guess though

Elemenop

martinb

Elemenop

was looking at our line-up for the semi final we lost to Melbourne last season. It's a depressing read... Only Payne and Rufer left. Downgrade at keeper, Kraev never replaced. Now no proven strikers on our books.

Stupid mistake to sign up Josh. Now only leaves us with 2 import spots.  

We are going to have to find some hidden Kiwi/Aussie gems or it's going to be a rough season again.

Starting XI:

• Goalkeeper: Alex Paulsen 
• Defenders: Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Scott Wootton, Sam Sutton
• Midfielders: Nicholas Pennington, Alex Rufer (captain), Ben Old, Bozhidar Kraev, David Ball
• Forward: Kosta Barbarouses

Substitutes Used:

• Oskar van Hattum replaced David Ball in the 65th minute
• Oskar Zawada replaced Bozhidar Kraev in the 77th minute
• Youstin Salas replaced Nicholas Pennington in the 77th minute

Remember at the start of the season we were panicking. 

We weren’t sure about relying on Surman. Sutton was injured. Zawada was injured and Uffie had been making the focal point the Brazilian lad through the centre. Kraev had a chronic goal drought. Old had scarcely played 60, let alone 90 minutes. We were nervous about relying on Paulsen, who made mistakes. Kosta came to us a bit broken down and out of form, with snide comments about retirement and his last gig with us. 

Wootton and Payne were okay. Pennington was hated by many. Still is.

Long story short, we didn’t know we had a team at the start of the season.

Maybe we’ll see an import forward and Supyk own!

Worries me more that Chiefly "got lucky" that season with his players. And without that he's got no plan. 

Pretty sure Ufuk had a very similar squad to that the season before and did worse. I'm sure there are several factors involved either way though - not just the coach as the sole difference maker

I am sorry for us to lose Kosta, but do not begrudge him to do what is best for him and his family. He never stopped doing his best for us while here, and may have decided now that he wants to play good productive football elsewhere, and not here, based on what he knows at this point.  
We (the club) are unable to keep him here, and that is on us, not on him - a simple reflection of his quality and marketability as a player, even at this age.

Yeah so losing Kosta is huge. Only way we're going to get out of this hole is by spending $$$ at this point. We also have to get rid of some of our visa players - either that or sign very expensive kiwis. 

WelNix better feel some pressure to correct this and fast or they risk having a second season coming second to Auckland. Maybe we continue to break records and lose 6 derbies straight?

In my opinion lots of small mistakes have occurred and lots of things have not gone our way resulting in this situation. It feels like a lot of incompetence across the organisation. 

If WelNix really wants to be competitive with Auckland we'll see it this season. I'd be expecting them to make some pretty strong moves early on. 

anaveragestem

Yeah so losing Kosta is huge. Only way we're going to get out of this hole is by spending $$$ at this point. We also have to get rid of some of our visa players - either that or sign very expensive kiwis. 

WelNix better feel some pressure to correct this and fast or they risk having a second season coming second to Auckland. Maybe we continue to break records and lose 6 derbies straight?

In my opinion lots of small mistakes have occurred and lots of things have not gone our way resulting in this situation. It feels like a lot of incompetence across the organisation. 

If WelNix really wants to be competitive with Auckland we'll see it this season. I'd be expecting them to make some pretty strong moves early on. 

The only "expensive" kiwi's can think of that may be available, and would make any difference are probably Bill T or Just. The rest won't want to come back here as they have better options. 

Really hope we don't get Billy T. He can't defend. We don't need playmaking/goalscoring defenders we need playmaking/goalscoring attackers

Billy T has been playing at a level higher than the A League for a while now... I wouldn't worry about him playing as a CB.

I want to see someone interview DOME and go... so, you've resigned the coach, but in the meantime have lost half his coaching staff and three of your most experienced and influential players. Do the players/staff have confidence in Chief?

imanixsupporter

Really hope we don't get Billy T. He can't defend. We don't need playmaking/goalscoring defenders we need playmaking/goalscoring attackers

The MLS is levels above the ALM. Tuiloma will be okay. 

But Auckland will simply be better positioned to meet his pay expectations, plus it's his home town.

Also the Nix already has someone great at attacking & scoring from corners in Piper. Him and Billy T would just get in each other's way!

Kyle Adams in the USL a more realistic target, though he seems settled Stateside

I think the absolute core attribution  of our problems is the confusion of re-sign and resign.

We've kept players and staff we should have resigned and re-signed a bunch we should have let go.

The club might have been saved all this trouble by the correct use of a hyphen.

we seem to constantly lose players to other clubs - in a salary capped league (I know there are some ways around this).

So most of these guys aren't moving JUST for money. They are moving for a winning culture and a chance of cups, asian football etc.

Elemenop

we seem to constantly lose players to other clubs - in a salary capped league (I know there are some ways around this).

So most of these guys aren't moving JUST for money. They are moving for a winning culture and a chance of cups, asian football etc.

It gets my head bitten off for saying this, but there's also moving to go to a warmer city with better shopping and nightlife. Not EVERYTHING is down to "Nix culture"