WPM 2025/26 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Agree it’s not the right term.

Not sure i understand where all this money is coming from to sack contracted players. Then replace them with a whole heap of new ones.
Get used to it, it isnt going to happen.

LG

Before we get too carried away, I'm sure the original poster had no intention of causing offence. I wouldn't look too deep into it. I love being called a Kiwi.

 
Well yes and no LG. 

If you read my post, I’m sure there’s no intent at all, and in a way that’s actually very cool. 

But also it is very very different to calling someone a Kiwi or an Aussie. Give it a brief google. As you can see, it does have meaning for some, hence the reason for raising it. It’s not some woke beat up or whatever, it’s some history that not everyone is aware of and asking for a bit of consideration around that. That’s all. 

martinb

LG

Before we get too carried away, I'm sure the original poster had no intention of causing offence. I wouldn't look too deep into it. I love being called a Kiwi.

 
Well yes and no LG. 

If you read my post, I’m sure there’s no intent at all, and in a way that’s actually very cool. 

But also it is very very different to calling someone a Kiwi or an Aussie. Give it a brief google. As you can see, it does have meaning for some of us, hence the reason for raising it. It’s not some woke beat up or whatever, it’s some history that not everyone is aware of. That’s all. 

Or Calling a British person a "Pom".

LG

martinb

LG

Before we get too carried away, I'm sure the original poster had no intention of causing offence. I wouldn't look too deep into it. I love being called a Kiwi.

 
Well yes and no LG. 

If you read my post, I’m sure there’s no intent at all, and in a way that’s actually very cool. 

But also it is very very different to calling someone a Kiwi or an Aussie. Give it a brief google. As you can see, it does have meaning for some of us, hence the reason for raising it. It’s not some woke beat up or whatever, it’s some history that not everyone is aware of. That’s all. 

Or Calling a British person a "Pom".

 
Ermmmm…google it. Check out the various wartime posters, the history of internment camps and so on…I’d say it hits quite differently!

I'd noticed it too and it just didn't feel right reading it. 
Definitely the word Jap has big slur connotations from WWII. As MartinB says google some wartime posters from back then.

LG

martinb

LG

Before we get too carried away, I'm sure the original poster had no intention of causing offence. I wouldn't look too deep into it. I love being called a Kiwi.

 
Well yes and no LG. 

If you read my post, I’m sure there’s no intent at all, and in a way that’s actually very cool. 

But also it is very very different to calling someone a Kiwi or an Aussie. Give it a brief google. As you can see, it does have meaning for some of us, hence the reason for raising it. It’s not some woke beat up or whatever, it’s some history that not everyone is aware of. That’s all. 

Or Calling a British person a "Pom".

coochiee

I'd noticed it too and it just didn't feel right reading it. 
Definitely the word Jap has big slur connotations from WWII. As MartinB says google some wartime posters from back then.

Jap is the equivalent to Nip - I assume, so a slur.

Kiwi - well accepted and well used by NZ's themselves
Aussie - as above.
Pom - probably the same as above, but mildly offensive

Spot the difference

Same way that Kurto or Zawada (or for that matter Lewandowski) are referred to as Poles, and nobody calls them Pollacks. 

coochiee

I'd noticed it too and it just didn't feel right reading it. 
Definitely the word Jap has big slur connotations from WWII. As MartinB says google some wartime posters from back then.

To confirm what some of you have been saying.... (You learn something new every day on this YF site).

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

I think some things Europe and the UK experienced weren’t experienced as viscerally in the US and Asia, and vice versa, as regards the Pacific war.

But great learnings! Can we get them football sized and A league applicable please?

The players I would be happy to let go:

Anyone know any good sources for transfer speculations which I can monitor? I recall A League Hub and FernsHub from memory. 

NZPhoenixFan

The players I would be happy to let go:

• Josh Oluwayemi (50/50 on this one. He's been putting in strong performances since his return)
• Paulo Retre
• Hideki Ishige
• Stefan Colakovski
• Kazuki Nagasawa
  
  

Wouldn't surprise me if this was the case. What I've heard is there is going to be a lot of change. Guess we'll see what that means over the next few months.

I assumed Cola wouldn't come back even if he was offered another contract 

I think the Nippon guys may actually want to get out of this shark show and who would blame them. 

If Jap is a potential derogetory term, then I pretty sure Nippon guys reaches that level.

Can we maybe just say Japanese, or use their names??

We are at an all-time-low.

This is definitely worse than the Kalezic era.

For me it's not, as I get some enjoyment in least out of watching promising young Kiwis like LBS.

From memory Ridenton did shine in Kalezić's season. But this was in the years before the Academy production line was in full swing, and definitely a bigger number of Aussie NPL journeymen about.

Still going in the Dutch 2nd tier Darije. Pretty much been there with various clubs since he left the Nix.

He has ADO Den Haag this season 4th and in the promotion playoff mix.

coochiee

For me it's not, as I get some enjoyment in least out of watching promising young Kiwis like LBS.

From memory Ridenton did shine in Kalezić's season. But this was in the years before the Academy production line was in full swing, and definitely a bigger number of Aussie NPL journeymen about.

Still going in the Dutch 2nd tier Darije. Pretty much been there with various clubs since he left the Nix.

He has ADO Den Haag this season 4th and in the promotion playoff mix.

And Libby debuted. And Sarpreet, or do I have that wrong?
Ridenton got taken to Newcastle as a visa player by Ernie I think, where he did not have a stellar year. 

Although I now have memories of him and Rufer playing up front for Kalezic. 

Point is we wanted to win this season and it wasn’t an unrealistic expectation. Kalezic was interesting, but not saddled with second by 3 metres and 45 seconds.

MetalLegNZ

If Jap is a potential derogetory term, then I pretty sure Nippon guys reaches that level.

Can we maybe just say Japanese, or use their names??

Nippon is merely a formal variant of Nihon, both of which are the words for Japan in Japanese - in fact Japan's biggest airline ANA actually stands for All Nippon Airways, and it often features in other business/commercial frameworks.

Nihon is used more nowadays in day to day vernacular and Nippon has more formal/conservative connotations as far as I'm aware.

MartinB feel free to correct me on any of this!

Jazzy Jeff

MetalLegNZ

If Jap is a potential derogetory term, then I pretty sure Nippon guys reaches that level.

Can we maybe just say Japanese, or use their names??

Nippon is merely a formal variant of Nihon, both of which are the words for Japan in Japanese - in fact Japan's biggest airline ANA actually stands for All Nippon Airways, and it often features in other business/commercial frameworks.

Nihon is used more nowadays in day to day vernacular and Nippon has more formal/conservative connotations as far as I'm aware.

MartinB feel free to correct me on any of this!

Errrr! Umm. You know more than me.

I got this second hand book of photos from the first Tokyo Olympics and they call themselves Nippon there. However I don’t see Nippon here hardly at all these days. I had assumed it had been a change in the way it was transcribed in English or something similar. I imagine ANA arrived at a similar time around the tourism boom.

Though there are lots of things like different kanji readings, formality levels and so on which I don’t know much about. Because I’m fairly dim, not facile with second languages and it’s not easy. I’m sure there’s a fair few on the forum who are better with the language and culture than me. You polyglots, grrr! Plus I’m obstinate which is not a good way to meld with a new set of cultural assumptions.

But yeh suspect AucklandPhoenix being somewhat cheeky using it. In line with most of their posts! 😄However, what tends to make a slur a slur is when groups don’t use it to talk about themselves and it’s been mostly used in derogatory or worse context.
Anything to avoid talking our football huh. Here have something kawaii from a cup of vending machine (though with beans) coffee and hopefully draw a line under this thread derail?!:

IMG_5835.jpeg 3.55 MB

IMG_5834.jpeg 3.25 MB

I wonder about the process that got this little tale to the cup. It’s not a trend. There are so many coffee cups and this is the only one I’ve seen with this.
 
I like to think this was similar to a sketch or character the artist drew in the margins of their junior high school books in dull classes. Then when they ended up working for the coffee company rather than being a manga artist they still had enough confidence to show it to their boss, who liked it…I like to think…

It gives me the most hope for next season. Players’ natural artistry and determination will come to the fore!

Nippon = Japanese word for their own country.

Nip/s - shortening of above ascribed to Japanese people in WWII. I doubt Japanese people refer to themselves as Nips as NZ'rs use Kiwi.

Yep it’s the bloody name for 🇯🇵!!

NZPhoenixFan

The players I would be happy to let go:

• Josh Oluwayemi (50/50 on this one. He's been putting in strong performances since his return)
• Paulo Retre
• Hideki Ishige
• Stefan Colakovski
• Kazuki Nagasawa
  
  

We've lost 7 (?) players even prior to that list of 5. Losing 12 players would be drastic. 
Rojas, Chico, Wooten, Sutton, Al Taay, Ball, (?) Besides missing out on keeping Kraeve, Zawada, Etc.....

theprof

Nippon = Japanese word for their own country.

Nip/s - shortening of above ascribed to Japanese people in WWII. I doubt Japanese people refer to themselves as Nips as NZ'rs use Kiwi.

I have a pal in Greytown, English, married to a Japanese lady. They have one child, female, now graduated & living it up in Berlin. When she was young and living at home, my pal always referred to her as 'the Nipper.'

Jessie Merino

theprof

Nippon = Japanese word for their own country.

Nip/s - shortening of above ascribed to Japanese people in WWII. I doubt Japanese people refer to themselves as Nips as NZ'rs use Kiwi.

I have a pal in Greytown, English, married to a Japanese lady. They have one child, female, now graduated & living it up in Berlin. When she was young and living at home, my pal always referred to her as 'the Nipper.'

pretty sure that's got nothing to do with the kids Japanese heritage, in that context Nipper can easily be used for child.

In British and Australian English, "nipper" is an informal term for a young child. It's not a common term used in American English. 

LG

NZPhoenixFan

The players I would be happy to let go:

• Josh Oluwayemi (50/50 on this one. He's been putting in strong performances since his return)
• Paulo Retre
• Hideki Ishige
• Stefan Colakovski
• Kazuki Nagasawa
  
  

We've lost 7 (?) players even prior to that list of 5. Losing 12 players would be drastic. 
Rojas, Chico, Wooten, Sutton, Al Taay, Ball, (?) Besides missing out on keeping Kraeve, Zawada, Etc.....

Would it though? How many players do we actually want to retain? Have you watched this season?

Look how well Knights and even WU/Macarthur were able to build a squad from scratch in their first season.

Sure we don't have the same money but it would be great to have plenty of squad places to play around with. Why can't we at least sign fringe All Whites like Knights have done successfully?

Keep Rufer, Payne, Kosta and the young lads (though some of them could do with more times in the reserves) and idm if we have to figure out the rest. As long as we're not hamstringing ourselves by handing out contract payouts...

LT01

LG

NZPhoenixFan

The players I would be happy to let go:

• Josh Oluwayemi (50/50 on this one. He's been putting in strong performances since his return)
• Paulo Retre
• Hideki Ishige
• Stefan Colakovski
• Kazuki Nagasawa
  
  

We've lost 7 (?) players even prior to that list of 5. Losing 12 players would be drastic. 
Rojas, Chico, Wooten, Sutton, Al Taay, Ball, (?) Besides missing out on keeping Kraeve, Zawada, Etc.....

Would it though? How many players do we actually want to retain? Have you watched this season?

Look how well Knights and even WU/Macarthur were able to build a squad from scratch in their first season.

Sure we don't have the same money but it would be great to have plenty of squad places to play around with. Why can't we at least sign fringe All Whites like Knights have done successfully?

Keep Rufer, Payne, Kosta and the young lads (though some of them could do with more times in the reserves) and idm if we have to figure out the rest. As long as we're not hamstringing ourselves by handing out contract payouts...

I'd agree with the list but I'd keep Retre. Get him fit and interested. He's experienced and knows how to play midfield at this level. We're losing a fair bit of experience with Ball/Wooton/Sutton leaving. Unless he's super expensive in wages. 

immortalbird

LT01

LG

NZPhoenixFan

The players I would be happy to let go:

• Josh Oluwayemi (50/50 on this one. He's been putting in strong performances since his return)
• Paulo Retre
• Hideki Ishige
• Stefan Colakovski
• Kazuki Nagasawa
  
  

We've lost 7 (?) players even prior to that list of 5. Losing 12 players would be drastic. 
Rojas, Chico, Wooten, Sutton, Al Taay, Ball, (?) Besides missing out on keeping Kraeve, Zawada, Etc.....

Would it though? How many players do we actually want to retain? Have you watched this season?

Look how well Knights and even WU/Macarthur were able to build a squad from scratch in their first season.

Sure we don't have the same money but it would be great to have plenty of squad places to play around with. Why can't we at least sign fringe All Whites like Knights have done successfully?

Keep Rufer, Payne, Kosta and the young lads (though some of them could do with more times in the reserves) and idm if we have to figure out the rest. As long as we're not hamstringing ourselves by handing out contract payouts...

I'd agree with the list but I'd keep Retre. Get him fit and interested. He's experienced and knows how to play midfield at this level. We're losing a fair bit of experience with Ball/Wooton/Sutton leaving. Unless he's super expensive in wages. 

Big problem with Retre is keeping him interested - doesnt seem to be high on Italiano's skills.

Retre seems to do better coming on as a sub. I think Chiefy has worked that out. Keep him hungry on the sidelines then put him on.
This, however, is not a good trait for a centre midfielder.

theprof

Jessie Merino

theprof

Nippon = Japanese word for their own country.

Nip/s - shortening of above ascribed to Japanese people in WWII. I doubt Japanese people refer to themselves as Nips as NZ'rs use Kiwi.

I have a pal in Greytown, English, married to a Japanese lady. They have one child, female, now graduated & living it up in Berlin. When she was young and living at home, my pal always referred to her as 'the Nipper.'

pretty sure that's got nothing to do with the kids Japanese heritage, in that context Nipper can easily be used for child.

In British and Australian English, "nipper" is an informal term for a young child. It's not a common term used in American English. 

Kids beach life saving programs in Aussie are called 'Nippers'

I think a huge concern is this very basic timeline...

1. Chiefy reappointed
2. Plays 2nd bottom team - lose (give up 30 shots to 6)
3. Plays bottom team - lose (1 shot on goal)

That speaks of little interest in fighting for the coach IMO, no goals either.
Hugely simplistic I know, but with the prospect of avoiding a trip to Darwin they couldn't rise to that.
The football last year although highly successful was generally less than spectacular, with Chiefy relying on a small number of quality chances, but this year it's been dire in most games.
If next year wasn't a WC year, I'd be 100% certain Kosta would be off, as it is I'm 50/50, partly based on the very non-committal comment by Dome recently.
Just looks like a team with little identity and little fight. With 3 of the imports re-signed, and the only decent import heading off to Perth, there's little movement there either unless there are some (costly) mutual terminations.
Pretty doom and gloom, but hey - maybe it's the weather...

Before i say anything let me just say like others im not happy with where we are squad wise either.
But some of you really need to have a think about what your saying,im sure everyone is aware the smell of an oily rag finances the Nix run on. Yet some of you are suggesting they cancel the contracts on 4/5 players who are signed for next season. Not sure where you think the money is coming from to replace those players whose contacts you want cancelled.  

ballane

Before i say anything let me just say like others im not happy with where we are squad wise either.
But some of you really need to have a think about what your saying,im sure everyone is aware the smell of an oily rag finances the Nix run on. Yet some of you are suggesting they cancel the contracts on 4/5 players who are signed for next season. Not sure where you think the money is coming from to replace those players whose contacts you want cancelled.  

contract terminations can be funded by the budget savings from this season's under spend. 

the under spend is assumed. based on what we've witnessed.

I don't think we need cancel any player contracts, a proper pre-season will fix everything.

reg22

ballane

Before i say anything let me just say like others im not happy with where we are squad wise either.
But some of you really need to have a think about what your saying,im sure everyone is aware the smell of an oily rag finances the Nix run on. Yet some of you are suggesting they cancel the contracts on 4/5 players who are signed for next season. Not sure where you think the money is coming from to replace those players whose contacts you want cancelled.  

contract terminations can be funded by the budget savings from this season's under spend. 

the under spend is assumed. based on what we've witnessed.

there is no underspend, we spend up to the budget every season. Dome has said this many many many times.

ballane

Before i say anything let me just say like others im not happy with where we are squad wise either.
But some of you really need to have a think about what your saying,im sure everyone is aware the smell of an oily rag finances the Nix run on. Yet some of you are suggesting they cancel the contracts on 4/5 players who are signed for next season. Not sure where you think the money is coming from to replace those players whose contacts you want cancelled.  

I agree that "mutual termination" without forking out money is not easy as it sounds, considering the protracted issue of David Ball's final season. 
At the same time, I am not sure the "smell of an oily rag" moniker is valid anymore. Sure we are not in the category of Bill Foley's money; but then not many clubs are.  We were moneyed enough to keep Newcastle Jets going for a while, jointly with other clubs. WelNix are financially stable, apart from having less TV income like everyone else now.
The key is the weighing up of who we could recruit that would improve the squad, and who can be let go of cheaply and would not upset the team balance.  That is if we are discussing making people leave, rather than replacing people who are leaving of their own volition like Sutton or Wootton.  I am not expecting any mass cleanout of the squad despite what we have seen on the park this season.

When running at a loss think the term "running on the smell of an oily rag" can be applicable.
Money wise things could be even tighter next year as there wont be the money from player sales to top up what we arnt getting from the APL.
The team could help greatly by playing well which in turn would help hopefully with bums on seats at 2  Home Derbys, Waitangi Day and the game in Christchurch. 
Then hopefully Paulsen,Old and Surman can trigger some of  the bonus clauses in their sales to bring in a bit more.

I really hope they don't frontload the derbies again next season. Nix need a couple of months of decent form to attract the fans back.

imanixsupporter

I really hope they don't frontload the derbies again next season. Nix need a couple of months of decent form to attract the fans back.

Your bang on with that, surely Auckland dont get the same soft start next season they got this season.