WPM 2021/22 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination

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WeeNix
730
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580
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over 4 years
Seems like we're heading for another off-season rebuild. 

Most likely departures so far according to recent news:

Matthew Bozinovski (end of loan)
James McGarry (Newcastle Jets)
Gael Sandoval (end of loan)
Reno Piscopo (Europe/Melbourne Victory/City)
Jaushua Sotirio (Newcastle Jets)
Louis Fenton (most likely let go)
Sam Sutton (Europe/Overseas)
Oliver Sail (Europe/Overseas)
Gary Hooper (returning to UK)



WeeNix
740
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620
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over 15 years
Dunno if Sutton is 'yet' at the level where someone is paying a transfer fee for him
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
Magnificentman
Seems like we're heading for another off-season rebuild. 

Most likely departures so far according to recent news:

Matthew Bozinovski (end of loan)
James McGarry (Newcastle Jets)
Gael Sandoval (end of loan)
Reno Piscopo (Europe/Melbourne Victory/City)
Jaushua Sotirio (Newcastle Jets)
Louis Fenton (most likely let go)
Sam Sutton (Europe/Overseas)
Oliver Sail (Europe/Overseas)
Gary Hooper (returning to UK)




Yeah feel these 'Outs' are probably all on the money except Sutton. Despite his poor game last night, he's had a very good season and will be generating some interest overseas. But still has 2 years left on his contract. No hurry for Nix to look to sell him for a fee.

Another season developing in the ALM, under Talay, where he will most probably be a locked in starter. A full proper home season, alongside his mates Waine, Old etc. No hurry, for either club or player.

First Team Squad
3.4K
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1.3K
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over 6 years
Players to sign:
- Import striker
- Import AM
- Import DM
- Piscopo replacement (Rojas pls)
- Midfield depth (e.g. Nieuwenhof, Nisbet, Thurgate, Schnell etc)
- Sotirio replacement (e.g. Champness, Buhagiar)
- McGarry replacement (e.g. Wilkins, Jacob Farrell)
- Backup goalkeeper (e.g. Aidan Munford etc)
- AM depth (e.g. Najjarine, Jelacic)
- Bozinovski replacement (e.g. Tongyik, Schrijvers, Stanger etc (or Pijnaker lol, bit ambitious))
- Fenton replacement (e.g. Kalua etc)

Big list but it’s all achievable and if done right (which Uffie seems to do when covid isn’t absolutely wrecking his recruitment opportunities) we could well be a title challenging team.
First Team Squad
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1.9K
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almost 17 years
Pijnaker hasn't played a lot of senior first team football; surprisingly little seeing as he always looks capable for NZ teams. Would be good for him to get a season in the A League and regular first team senior action. 

Also can't see Rojas coming back he seems to like living in Melbourne and saves his best for MV. 

Champness seems capable talent wise and more a case of if he mentally is up to committing a full season with no issues based on his club history; others who have played with/coached him will know best, from a fan perspective I'd like him at the Nix seems like a guy Talay could really improve similar to Sotirio. 
Marquee
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over 13 years
Talay said in the post match press conference  that we have 14-15 players signed and we're looking at a few visa players but are not in a hurry to sign them. Also, the biggest gap this season was no goalscorer.

If we look at the players who are out of contract, the only ones I'd keep are Sotirio and Piscopo - but even then, Sotirio is replaceable and Piscopo is patchy and injury prone. He also, apparently, doesn't like Ufuks system and would prefer to play a role where he has to defend less.

I probably wouldn't keep Sandoval, I definitely wouldn't pay a transfer fee for him or pay him what he'd be on at Chivas. Hooper is looking really slow and unfit and while I was happy to have him back, I'm glad he's not around next season.

I wonder if the Nix can get access to the new marquee fund.
Marquee
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5.4K
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over 11 years
If Sandoval is cheap enough, I'd keep him. He has been on loan his whole career it seems. I think he would like a 2 - 3 year contract where he knows he will get to play.

Would like to see some early signing in the midfield.
Marquee
3.7K
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5.8K
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almost 17 years
MetalLegNZ
If Sandoval is cheap enough, I'd keep him. He has been on loan his whole career it seems. I think he would like a 2 - 3 year contract where he knows he will get to play.

Would like to see some early signing in the midfield.
Dont think it matters if its early as long as its someone who will fit Talays systems. Hopefully with us being home he wont have to much of a problem attracting players look forward to him at last assembling the squad he wants and us being able to be a genuine threat.

RR
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Bossi Insider
9.2K
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33K
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over 15 years
MetalLegNZ
If Sandoval is cheap enough, I'd keep him. He has been on loan his whole career it seems. I think he would like a 2 - 3 year contract where he knows he will get to play.

Would like to see some early signing in the midfield.

Sandoval started with a hiss and a roar but in the end showed that he just wasn't exactly what we needed. Admittedly having to play centrally for a large chunk of the season didn't help. With a long off season and borders open again, I think we can find a better fit.
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
ballane
MetalLegNZ
If Sandoval is cheap enough, I'd keep him. He has been on loan his whole career it seems. I think he would like a 2 - 3 year contract where he knows he will get to play.

Would like to see some early signing in the midfield.
Dont think it matters if its early as long as its someone who will fit Talays systems. Hopefully with us being home he wont have to much of a problem attracting players look forward to him at last assembling the squad he wants and us being able to be a genuine threat.


It’s the world’s longest off season. Uffie will take his time to get the visa signings right.

Next season starts October. As long as they arrive sometime September at the latest. And that’s still months away. Borders fully open is going to make it alot easier, non visa waiver countries being able to enter NZ from August 1st
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/128649631/wellington-phoenix-eye-return-to-normality-after-two-seasons-away-from-new-zealand

A good chunk of the squad is locked in for next season with 15 players contracted for 2022-23 already, giving Talay strong foundations to build on.

Veteran striker Gary Hooper is the only player the Phoenix have confirmed will be leaving while McGarry and Jaushua Sotirio have been strongly linked with a move to Newcastle Jets and standout goalkeeper Oli Sail and midfielder Reno Piscopo have both attracted interest from clubs in Europe.

Talay said a striker would be top of his shopping list in the off-season as he felt the Phoenix lacked a prolific goalscorer to really challenge for the title.

Hooper was supposed to be that player but his season was hampered by numerous injury setbacks and the Phoenix never saw him at his best.

They will also need to strengthen in the middle of the park with captain Alex Rufer set to miss most of next season with a long-term knee injury.

“We've got 14, 15 players signed at the moment and we'll continue to build.

“To get to the next level for us, it's consistency with the players. We probably lacked a goal-scorer this season.

“We shared the goals around with a few players but we lacked a real clinical player up front and that's something we're looking for.”

RR
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Bossi Insider
9.2K
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33K
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over 15 years
I have previously mentioned Buhagiar as a Sotirio replacement but I've been talking myself into Ibini as a good option. He has been really poor for WSW but he has pace, power, experience & impact off the bench + his stocks are at an all time low. He thrived under Arnie, so could do well under Uffie.
Starting XI
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over 9 years
RR
I have previously mentioned Buhagiar as a Sotirio replacement but I've been talking myself into Ibini as a good option. He has been really poor for WSW but he has pace, power, experience & impact off the bench + his stocks are at an all time low. He thrived under Arnie, so could do well under Uffie.

Of the two it's Buhagiar or bust for me. If we get him, then OVH becomes the option off the bench as the long term development project.

Can't see Uffie moving away from the preferred 4-2-2-2 setup either so he would be the most like for like player we could get when Jaushy hops on the Jets plane.
Marquee
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over 13 years
Early days and I do not think we'll see any new signings until our current team decides to stay or otherwise.
I get it that some here are calling Sotirio "replaceable" , Piscopo "inconsistent", and Sandoval "not what he promised". Ultimately I think a lot of teams learned how to isolate Sandoval and kick him to death, just as as much as Davila sufferred last season.  Sotirio might be replaceable but he can also be an even better player next season under a good coach and I hope it is under Talay.  As for Piscopo, he is as much a Melbourne boy as Rojas is now, but Piscopo has not developed the hard edge as yet which would make him into a match winner, and can be a bit of a primadonna (goes with the talent though).  Both Sotirio and Piscopo are replaceable but not that easily.
If Sandoval goes somewhere else next season we need a good playmaker that he almost was for us. I think he was decent if unspectacular; if he was a local guy you would be singing his praises. I wish him well wherever he goes next.
First Team Squad
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over 6 years
Mainland FC
Early days and I do not think we'll see any new signings until our current team decides to stay or otherwise.
I get it that some here are calling Sotirio "replaceable" , Piscopo "inconsistent", and Sandoval "not what he promised". Ultimately I think a lot of teams learned how to isolate Sandoval and kick him to death, just as as much as Davila sufferred last season.  Sotirio might be replaceable but he can also be an even better player next season under a good coach and I hope it is under Talay.  As for Piscopo, he is as much a Melbourne boy as Rojas is now, but Piscopo has not developed the hard edge as yet which would make him into a match winner, and can be a bit of a primadonna (goes with the talent though).  Both Sotirio and Piscopo are replaceable but not that easily.
If Sandoval goes somewhere else next season we need a good playmaker that he almost was for us. I think he was decent if unspectacular; if he was a local guy you would be singing his praises. I wish him well wherever he goes next.
If he was local he'd be in Reno's spot and we'd have an even better import AM to boot. Whilst I do think he's a quality player and I'm glad to have had him, our imports need to consistently be the best players on the pitch. Gael was close, but never quite found that level. Here's hoping we can bring in an absolute x-factor player (Christian Cueva is off contract... nah probably too expenny) and dominate the league.
Trialist
20
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83
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almost 6 years
https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/wanderers-confirm-player-departures-2

Tomer Hemed been released as well, surely we in his ear again.

Bring in fellow Israeli Nir Bitton from Celtic, confirmed to be getting released.


Marquee
6.9K
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9.3K
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over 13 years
YeeeeeTTT
https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/wanderers-confirm-player-departures-2

Tomer Hemed been released as well, surely we in his ear again.

Bring in fellow Israeli Nir Bitton from Celtic, confirmed to be getting released.


For most of the season the talk has been he wants to return to Israel.
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WPM 2021/22 Squad Speculation, Confirmation and Mutual Termination