WPM 2025/26 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

Bullion

Mainland FC

I agree on Singh, but apart from the above, I do not really know whether his less than stellar turnout for the AWs during the WC qualifiers that we had in NZ was just a result of what we could call "a decline in his fortunes", or whether it was just circumstantial (he had a bad game or two, he was not 100% fit, unfamiliar with his current team makeup??? etc).   

Singh was, IMHO, very good against Tunisia and Egypt. 

He was very good against Ireland at Dublin (Nov 2023). Ran the show late on, if yes it was a very 2nd string Eire side. 

All I remember of those 2 games in Egypt (March 2024) was him failing to convert his pen against Tunisia so costing us a potential win in NT (we lost on pens). He seemed a bit down on confidence then, likely a reflection of it not going well in Germany in the intervening months.

Lets hope some time with Darije is the self belief magic potion.

coochiee

Bullion

Mainland FC

I agree on Singh, but apart from the above, I do not really know whether his less than stellar turnout for the AWs during the WC qualifiers that we had in NZ was just a result of what we could call "a decline in his fortunes", or whether it was just circumstantial (he had a bad game or two, he was not 100% fit, unfamiliar with his current team makeup??? etc).   

Singh was, IMHO, very good against Tunisia and Egypt. 

He was very good against Ireland at Dublin (Nov 2023). Ran the show late on, if yes it was a very 2nd string Eire side. 

All I remember of those 2 games in Egypt (March 2024) was him failing to convert his pen against Tunisia so costing us a potential win in NT (we lost on pens). He seemed a bit down on confidence then, likely a reflection of it not going well in Germany in the intervening months.

Lets hope some time with Darije is the self belief magic potion.

What a mental turn of events that Darije Kalezic could end up having a genuine impact on how we do at the world cup.

I asked this question in the Auckland thread, but it's worth putting in here as well IMO.

How many players in the NIX would currently make the Auckland starting 11? 

Outside Rufer I don't see anyone getting in - Payne unlucky because he is up against Sakai. The above fills me with angst, because I really really want to beat Auckland this year!

MetalLegNZ

I asked this question in the Auckland thread, but it's worth putting in here as well IMO.

How many players in the NIX would currently make the Auckland starting 11? 

Outside Rufer I don't see anyone getting in - Payne unlucky because he is up against Sakai. The above fills me with angst, because I really really want to beat Auckland this year!

 
This sort of discussion is a bit pointless given both coaches would want different things from players and certain positions. But let me humour this one for a minute

I feel like you could ask the question the other way. Perhaps Sakai makes it there with he or Payne sliding into CB role. Hall maybe for experience factor although surely a pairing of Payne/Sakai and Hughes would cover experience? De Vries (as much as he was a pest) probably would start ahead of LKH, although I could see the two sharing the role relatively evenly. We haven’t seen Eze yet so can’t judge him vs May as a forward.

I’d argue that Josh is more proven than Woud is so would say he would crack the Auckland XI. And I’d probably put LBS ahead of Francois, Gillion or the other options Auckland have in that position. So in my mind that’s 3 Nix players who would be starting for Auckland vs 3 (potentially 4) Auckland players cracking Wellington starting 11

Payne wouldn't make CB over Hall or Pinjanker and he doesn't start RB.

LKH is no where near De Vries at this stage. Picking LBS over Gillion is a massive call. Both are raw, Gillion is more polished but LBS maybe has him on X Factor. Also Gillion is a likely bench player for Auckland, whereas LBS looks a starter for us.

We haven't seen EZE as you say - but May is very good.

Yes coaches want different things, but the quality of player makes a difference and we are not in the same ball park. Aucklands new winger is better than any of our options.

sturtburt

MetalLegNZ

I asked this question in the Auckland thread, but it's worth putting in here as well IMO.

How many players in the NIX would currently make the Auckland starting 11? 

Outside Rufer I don't see anyone getting in - Payne unlucky because he is up against Sakai. The above fills me with angst, because I really really want to beat Auckland this year!

 
This sort of discussion is a bit pointless given both coaches would want different things from players and certain positions. But let me humour this one for a minute

I feel like you could ask the question the other way. Perhaps Sakai makes it there with he or Payne sliding into CB role. Hall maybe for experience factor although surely a pairing of Payne/Sakai and Hughes would cover experience? De Vries (as much as he was a pest) probably would start ahead of LKH, although I could see the two sharing the role relatively evenly. We haven’t seen Eze yet so can’t judge him vs May as a forward.

I’d argue that Josh is more proven than Woud is so would say he would crack the Auckland XI. And I’d probably put LBS ahead of Francois, Gillion or the other options Auckland have in that position. So in my mind that’s 3 Nix players who would be starting for Auckland vs 3 (potentially 4) Auckland players cracking Wellington starting 11

How to tell me you didn’t see Gillion’s goal in the Australia Cup without telling me. Sorry to say he’s currently streets ahead of LBS. 

MetalLegNZ

Payne wouldn't make CB over Hall or Pinjanker and he doesn't start RB.

LKH is no where near De Vries at this stage. Picking LBS over Gillion is a massive call. Both are raw, Gillion is more polished but LBS maybe has him on X Factor. Also Gillion is a likely bench player for Auckland, whereas LBS looks a starter for us.

We haven't seen EZE as you say - but May is very good.

Yes coaches want different things, but the quality of player makes a difference and we are not in the same ball park. Aucklands new winger is better than any of our options.

Yeah i think the only 3 players that get in is Josh, Rufer and Ishige atm. But a lot of it is based on last seasons form like Pijnaker could have a bad season and Hughes has a good one and you'd switch the two, likewise with other players. Kosta would be a good example of this, the season he had under Uffie you wouldn't pick him in a best 11 but then the next season under Chiefy he'd be nailed on.

Payne, Rufer & Josh are our only players who you could even have a conversation about. Maybe our new number 9 in a front 2 formation, but nobody knows how good he is or isn't. It would be laughable to suggest anybody else in our squad makes a combined XI. Complete joke. 

imanixsupporter

Payne, Rufer & Josh are our only players who you could even have a conversation about. Maybe our new number 9 in a front 2 formation, but nobody knows how good he is or isn't. It would be laughable to suggest anybody else in our squad makes a combined XI. Complete joke. 

And yet this is all based on last season's performance. At the end of this season we could be saying something completely different. 

The beauty of the salary capped league is that there are very few players who are to good for the league or miles better than others on the park. Winning in the ALeague is often done by the best collective rather than the best individual players 

imanixsupporter

Payne, Rufer & Josh are our only players who you could even have a conversation about. Maybe our new number 9 in a front 2 formation, but nobody knows how good he is or isn't. It would be laughable to suggest anybody else in our squad makes a combined XI. Complete joke. 

Ishige on the left over Francois would have been a convo too, would prefer Ishige there if he was in Auckland - but Lachie Brook's better, so moot point.

In my mind, there's only two conversations: 

1) Rufer vs. Auckland's second CM (Verstraete is better, so it's Rufer vs. Gallegos or Brimmer). I'd lean Brimmer but only just, I don't feel Rufer's fully recovered to his level pre-glandular fever

2) Josh vs. Woud. Being transparent, I don't believe either keeper cuts the mustard right now, so take your pick. Give AKH a few years (or any of the litany of GK prospects the Nix have - seriously, the team's set for decades!)

Look it’s perspective. 
Auckland picking yesterday’s heroes. Wellington picking tomorrow’s! 

Flowerdew and LKH! 6 preseason points worth with 2 goals and a pen. 

I guess for AFC likewise Rogerson and Gillion. Who’s gonna be more important? 

No, if it was based on last season's performance, then no way is Rufer in the conversation 

Eze looks like a ready made Phoenix legend! Natural in front of the camera. Hope he’s as comfortable on the pitch! 

Looks a unit. With him and pounds can see them both bouncing off defenders this season.

martinb

Eze looks like a ready made Phoenix legend! Natural in front of the camera. Hope he’s as comfortable on the pitch! 

Nice to hear him and Oluwayemi have made an immediate connection.

MetalLegNZ

I asked this question in the Auckland thread, but it's worth putting in here as well IMO.

How many players in the NIX would currently make the Auckland starting 11? 

Outside Rufer I don't see anyone getting in - Payne unlucky because he is up against Sakai. The above fills me with angst, because I really really want to beat Auckland this year!

Not many make it cuz you are comparing 20-21 year olds with 26-27 year old current and former All Whites etc.

The ones you point out that might be in the conversation are our 29-30 year old current All Whites.

Sounds like Chiefy has sold Eze a bit on the narrative that European clubs scout the ALM. Fair enough as it's true, and likely more so than the Iraqi league.

LBS's mum is from Zimbabwe so him & Eze have their own little half African connection.

PS - I wouldn't be shocked if by the end of this coming ALM season Hughes was pushing Pijnaker very hard for his squad spot in the AWs.

I'm not enjoying the lack of Tim Payne appreciation in this thread right now 

:-)

Zimbabwe to Nigeria would be quite a distance derby though right? My geography being bad and various projections not showing things like distance well etc and I’m too lazy to google before posting…

But wouldn’t Barcelona be closer to Nigeria than Zimbabwe, maybe even Paris?

Anyway, dude is driven to follow in Zawada’s footsteps…

lol- here we go: 

Harare is closer! But Paris has more regular flights. And much better motorway links.

Very similar Welly to Perth at 5,300 ish km.

And Barcelona is slightly further than Paris. We learn something every day…

Bet Tim Payne could do that in a golf cart!

Same continent. And before anyone states not all Africans are the same, yes I realise that. I've been to the dark continent 3 times, and visited 13 countries there. Like any massive land mass, there are differences as you move from place to place. As someone else stated there a big diifferences even with the different regions of Nigeria.

But yeah culturally Eze likely has a bit more in common with LBS, than with you or me. That's if young Luke has been exposed to much African food, music, humour etc etc through is mum. Who knows.

Fingers crossed Eze and his family settle into Welly, and he's quickly happy on and off the pitch. He certainly sounds motivated, and knows if he has a 10+ goal season, he'll get noticed. It's clear his dream is getting to Europe.

Oh & if I was in the NZ cricket team who have just had a week off between games in ZIM I would have gone to Matopos National Park near Bulawayo. Great park to visit. Dude with an AK47 walked us up (very quietly) close to white rhinos. Awesome. Your senses truly alive. TIA

coochiee

Same continent. And before anyone states not all Africans are the same, yes I realise that. I've been to the dark continent 3 times, and visited 13 countries there. Like any massive land mass, there are differences as you move from place to place. As someone else stated there a big diifferences even with the different regions of Nigeria.

But yeah culturally Eze likely has a bit more in common with LBS, than with you or me. That's if young Luke has been exposed to much African food, music, humour etc etc through is mum. Who knows.

Fingers crossed Eze and his family settle into Welly, and he's quickly happy on and off the pitch. He certainly sounds motivated, and knows if he has a 10+ goal season, he'll get noticed. It's clear his dream is getting to Europe.

Oh & if I was in the NZ cricket team who have just had a week off between games in ZIM I would have gone to Matopos National Park near Bulawayo. Great park to visit. Dude with an AK47 walked us up (very quietly) close to white rhinos. Awesome. Your senses truly alive. TIA

Just my brain melting at 31 degrees. Avoiding productivity. All sub-Saharan right? 

Not even sure Rufer makes it. Better than Brimmer, Gallegos or Verstraeten? IMO, in order, Francois, Mata and Rogerson were the weak links. Harsh on Rogerson, who was actually decent. I'd have Ishige for Francois, LBS for Rogerson. Yes, I think LBS is a better player! And Kosta for Mata. Probably Eze for Mata too, based on skimpy evidence, TBC.

MetalLegNZ

I asked this question in the Auckland thread, but it's worth putting in here as well IMO.

How many players in the NIX would currently make the Auckland starting 11? 

Outside Rufer I don't see anyone getting in - Payne unlucky because he is up against Sakai. The above fills me with angst, because I really really want to beat Auckland this year!

Piper too! 

AucklandPhoenix

Looks a unit. With him and pounds can see them both bouncing off defenders this season.

coochiee

Same continent. And before anyone states not all Africans are the same, yes I realise that. I've been to the dark continent 3 times, and visited 13 countries there. Like any massive land mass, there are differences as you move from place to place. As someone else stated there a big diifferences even with the different regions of Nigeria.

But yeah culturally Eze likely has a bit more in common with LBS, than with you or me. That's if young Luke has been exposed to much African food, music, humour etc etc through is mum. Who knows.

Fingers crossed Eze and his family settle into Welly, and he's quickly happy on and off the pitch. He certainly sounds motivated, and knows if he has a 10+ goal season, he'll get noticed. It's clear his dream is getting to Europe.

Oh & if I was in the NZ cricket team who have just had a week off between games in ZIM I would have gone to Matopos National Park near Bulawayo. Great park to visit. Dude with an AK47 walked us up (very quietly) close to white rhinos. Awesome. Your senses truly alive. TIA

Surely he has more in common with Olu than LBS?

Of course he will. I just mentioned LBS as another one in the squad with some African heritage.

martinb

Eze looks like a ready made Phoenix legend! Natural in front of the camera. Hope he’s as comfortable on the pitch! 

Exciting to listen to him talk openly, I hope he is a real handful for opponents!

cringe worthy "do you and your family speak english"! little bit of research ie google and you'll find English is almost his first language.

If Western are folding hope Chief and Gilly are on the phone to get Ibusuki to join our Japanese guys. Or else who do think they should chase.

ballane

If Western are folding hope Chief and Gilly are on the phone to get Ibusuki to join our Japanese guys. Or else who do think they should chase.

Agree on Ibusuki.

If we got Luka Coveny that would be the first father and son to play for us wouldnt it? 

Thurgate and/or Bozinovski would be huge for our midfield.

Coveny is a very solid young CB. So is 17 year old Dylan Leonard but he’s too good, will join a big Aus team or go overseas.

Matt Sutton is a great local GK and Ben Garrucio would be a statement for our problem LB position.

Kucharski and Ibusuki the other standouts for me, but both feel likely to stay in Aus.

Friar Tuck

Thurgate and/or Bozinovski would be huge for our midfield.

Coveny is a very solid young CB. So is 17 year old Dylan Leonard but he’s too good, will join a big Aus team or go overseas.

Matt Sutton is a great local GK and Ben Garrucio would be a statement for our problem LB position.

Kucharski and Ibusuki the other standouts for me, but both feel likely to stay in Aus.

Would definitely be great for us if we could get Thurgate or Bozinovski for our midfield depth and then Garrucio for LB. Coveny and Grimaldi would also be useful young squaddies. But its probably more likely we don't get any of their players and they all stay in Aus.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/western-united-stripped-of-a-league-licence-three-years-after-being-champions-20250808-p5mlh4.html

Key figures within the Australian game have for weeks been privately speculating about the club’s likely demise, and rival clubs are believed to have held back in their recruitment in the expectation that their players would soon become free agents. 

The uncertainty has also contributed to the APL having not yet released next season’s fixtures.

wilbaker

Friar Tuck

Thurgate and/or Bozinovski would be huge for our midfield.

Coveny is a very solid young CB. So is 17 year old Dylan Leonard but he’s too good, will join a big Aus team or go overseas.

Matt Sutton is a great local GK and Ben Garrucio would be a statement for our problem LB position.

Kucharski and Ibusuki the other standouts for me, but both feel likely to stay in Aus.

Would definitely be great for us if we could get Thurgate or Bozinovski for our midfield depth and then Garrucio for LB. Coveny and Grimaldi would also be useful young squaddies. But its probably more likely we don't get any of their players and they all stay in Aus.

 Thurgate would be excellent business, he has been underrated for quite a long time but is a really solid player and would be a huge upgrade for our squad. What are the squad sizes looking like for teams around the league? Not in a position to look it up for myself at the moment.

Bit sad picking over the carcasses already

AucklandPhoenix

Bit sad picking over the carcasses already

No huge change from the usual merry go round anyway

Thurgate is one of the best players in the league. Be surprised if he hasn't already got his next move lined up.

AucklandPhoenix

Bit sad picking over the carcasses already

No point waiting till they have all gone to other clubs

Also a bit of a duty of care from the league as a whole, or Professional Players Association to get all these likely redundant WU players new employment ASAP. Anxious time for them and they will probably have unpaid wages from Western.

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Chiefy I was not familiar with your game

ballane

If Western are folding hope Chief and Gilly are on the phone to get Ibusuki to join our Japanese guys. Or else who do think they should chase.

I like Ibusuki but we need a visa player at centre back or CAM/wings. With only one spot to play with he's not the right option.

Danzaki would've been great if he hadn't been involved with that spot-fixing sharke