lineup (63).png134.62 KB This is the lineup I'd probs start with. Hopefully, Old can have a good season and become a starter. Obviously this is a lot of IF's but I think the academy players LKH, Surman, Conchie, Old, Sutton all become starting-level players like we saw at CCM it actually looks like a decent team capable of getting top 6.
Also needed is Kraev, Wootton and Ball to show some more from last season to help settle in the kids. One thing I noticed about this lineup is the height we'd have. All defenders are above 6ft with LKH and Surman 6'4+ and then you also have Rufer, Zawada, and Kraev 6ft+ so you'd think we'll be a big threat from set pieces finally.
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
Totally agree. Would of thought he at least would earn a trial. But maybe there is other stuff going on which means it can’t work.
I don’t think we’re that far behind now. Missing a couple more goal threats or perhaps we’ll find them from the academy signings like Conchie and Kelly-Heald or with form improvements from Kosta, Rufer, Kraev, Pennington, OVH, Ball or Old…
Top 5 goal involvements to date pre-season and cup games: 1: OZ 2: OvH 3:BK 4: Penny 5: Kosta
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
I did enjoy listening to Domey on the pod, but it came across that the Nix really ain't interested in older NZ players like de Vries.
It's all about the Academy kids and getting as big as possible transfer fee/solidarity payment when some of youngsters are sold to a European club one day. Only potential non Academy signing he mentioned was some anonoymous kid currently in a NZ age group team, where the parents want him to be a bit older before moving to Welly.
So yes as someone else wrote an Auckland ALM team will hopefully provide NZ domestic players a new pathway.
I don’t think we’re that far behind now. Missing a couple more goal threats or perhaps we’ll find them from the academy signings like Conchie and Kelly-Heald or with form improvements from Kosta, Rufer, Kraev, Pennington, OVH, Ball or Old…
Top 5 goal involvements to date pre-season and cup games: 1: OZ 2: OvH 3:BK 4: Penny 5: Kosta
Was happy to see how Kosta was playing during the cup! And BK and OVH’s interplay was good too. Kelly-Heald had a booming long pot at some point.
A league goals and assists and winners being the proof in the pudding of course…
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
I did enjoy listening to Domey on the pod, but it came across that the Nix really ain't interested in older NZ players like de Vries.
It's all about the Academy kids and getting as big as possible transfer fee/solidarity payment when some of youngsters are sold to a European club one day. Only potential non Academy signing he mentioned was some anonoymous kid currently in a NZ age group team, where the parents want him to be a bit older before moving to Welly.
So yes as someone else wrote an Auckland ALM team will hopefully provide NZ domestic players a new pathway.
He didnt say they werent interested, just they'd prefer to use the academy if similar players were available, aong with the "there are some players who just dont want to play for the Nix" - de Vries could be one of these.
lineup (63).png134.62 KB This is the lineup I'd probs start with. Hopefully, Old can have a good season and become a starter. Obviously this is a lot of IF's but I think the academy players LKH, Surman, Conchie, Old, Sutton all become starting-level players like we saw at CCM it actually looks like a decent team capable of getting top 6.
Also needed is Kraev, Wootton and Ball to show some more from last season to help settle in the kids. One thing I noticed about this lineup is the height we'd have. All defenders are above 6ft with LKH and Surman 6'4+ and then you also have Rufer, Zawada, and Kraev 6ft+ so you'd think we'll be a big threat from set pieces finally.
this is the same formation as Uffie played, I was under the implression that Chiefy would be playing something different.
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
Totally agree. Would of thought he at least would earn a trial. But maybe there is other stuff going on which means it can’t work.
As per a source who shall remain nameless, there was more interest initially from Australian clubs than there has been from the Phoenix.
Although this interest from across the ditch may have waned somewhat. I'll have a chat.
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
Totally agree. Would of thought he at least would earn a trial. But maybe there is other stuff going on which means it can’t work.
Pushing Sutton to LW and signing FDV to compete with LKH seems very logical to me considering our lack of quality forward depth. I'd certainly love to see it
De Vries covers CB too? Or midfield? Sutton not a likely candidate to play every minute this season anyway I would have thought… I’m still a little confused at how the LB and LW will work in practice on attack. You want Sutton delivering and also running at players, and thirdly playing a bit of tiki Taka, tap and go business around the penalty area.
But we really need RB cover right? We’ve got Payne or nothing currently? Unless we have a rapprochement with Elliot? Surely if any of the academy signings were better than Payne at RB we would have heard?
De Vries covers CB too? Or midfield? Sutton not a likely candidate to play every minute this season anyway I would have thought… I’m still a little confused at how the LB and LW will work in practice on attack. You want Sutton delivering and also running at players, and thirdly playing a bit of tiki Taka, tap and go business around the penalty area.
But we really need RB cover right? We’ve got Payne or nothing currently? Unless we have a rapprochement with Elliot? Surely if any of the academy signings were better than Payne at RB we would have heard?
I echo your statement completely! Don't know why a bigger deal hasn't been made out of it, unless Al-Taay really is going into that position based on his appearance against Peninsula Power...
However, Elliot is in Scotland at the minute, and as yet no word on a new club for him. But I doubt he'd come back to Wellington to be honest.
Maybe another A-League team comes knocking? But it's all gone a bit quiet with him as it currently stands.
Must say I'm a bit disappointed that we don't seem interested in Francis de Vries. Yeah we have Sutton & promoted LKH at LB but his set pieces alone are worth looking at. We are going to end up with Payne hitting the first man at corners all season & not providing Zawada anything to get on the end of.
Totally agree. Would of thought he at least would earn a trial. But maybe there is other stuff going on which means it can’t work.
As per a source who shall remain nameless, there was more interest initially from Australian clubs than there has been from the Phoenix.
Although this interest from across the ditch may have waned somewhat. I'll have a chat.
Maybe FDV has turned down the Nix, but I'd be somewhat surprised. If he wants to stay in the AWs (was no 2 LB behind Cacace in the last window) he'll need a plan better than NL football. Especially with likes of Mcgarry & Wilkins now at a reasonable level in Europe.
I think OVH has to start scoring goals when given the chance of an appearance otherwise he might end up at Auckland FC and likewise for Old, if he cannot stay fit enough to contribute. Both have been given a lot of leniency and support over the last 3 years in return for pretty much zero.
I like Old but if injuries are going to become a regular occurrence his future is has to be questionable. He certainly has the talent but spending it in the treatment room is not good.
I loved the dry comment about the Golf. The Sports Commentators have to mention it every time he actually does take to the field.
OVH should be given a run of a few games to see how he pans out, but in the past too often, his cameos were too short and hence his goal return as a striker have been not up to what you would hope.
I don't think OVH has done nearly enough to make an Auckland A-League side want to pick him up.
I'm sure there are a lot of decent kiwis running around in the NZ national leagues more deserving of that spot then him
I dunno, he might get a couple years at the start. Splitting kiwi talent across two teams will limit options, I could see another team taking a punt on him at least on a short term deal.
guys, OVH has been feeding off 5-minute scraps for the last two seasons with very little reserve team football being available to him. obviously, it's difficult to develop in these circumstances. hopefully for him he gets the opportunity this year
Surprised no one picked this up on a tweet from Rollo the other day.
Riley Bidois has been back in Wellington training with Phoenix after scoring five goals in the final of the OFC men's Olympic qualifying tournament. Made a handful of A-League Men appearances in 2021-22 before joining NPL club Dandenong City. https://t.co/XiqxKfqnEt
Thought he did well against China earlier in the year when they were here, and obviously he went and filled his boots in his only Olympic Qualifier appearance against Fiji in the final recently.
Didn't get a whole lot of minutes in NPL VIC 2 with a niggly injury (Mostly sub appearances + a few starts) but he still had a pretty good goal return (0.74/90) for minutes played, and he managed four goals for their U-21's too, when not in first team consideration.
I mean he would probably slide back into NPL/NSD football if he wasn't able to pick up a gig here, but interesting that we're possibly looking to give him another go of it.
Surprised no one picked this up on a tweet from Rollo the other day.
Riley Bidois has been back in Wellington training with Phoenix after scoring five goals in the final of the OFC men's Olympic qualifying tournament. Made a handful of A-League Men appearances in 2021-22 before joining NPL club Dandenong City. https://t.co/XiqxKfqnEt
Thought he did well against China earlier in the year when they were here, and obviously he went and filled his boots in his only Olympic Qualifier appearance against Fiji in the final recently.
Didn't get a whole lot of minutes in NPL VIC 2 with a niggly injury (Mostly sub appearances + a few starts) but he still had a pretty good goal return (0.74/90) for minutes played, and he managed four goals for their U-21's too, when not in first team consideration.
I mean he would probably slide back into NPL/NSD football if he wasn't able to pick up a gig here, but interesting that we're possibly looking to give him another go of it.
Thoughts?
A friend who trains at NZCIS has confirmed that Bidois has been training there with the Nix.
I thought I’d heard a rumor about Bidois being in contention! Makes even more sense if he’s now playing as a CF. Lots of positions covered and some potential goal threat.
I thought I’d heard a rumor about Bidois being in contention! Makes even more sense if he’s now playing as a CF. Lots of positions covered and some potential goal threat.
Are we looking at him as a Zawada understudy, or more of a David Ball / Kosta potential? His earlier stint at the Nix was short and I did not see him play.
I always forget how delusional the majority of hardcore Phoenix fans are.
Appears most of you have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league and instead have just accepted that we're now solely existing just to give academy players a professional contract with the hope of one day selling them for some money. That's if they ever get past the disappointment of likely being one of the worst teams this season.
Anyway it's not the kids faults, it's the lack of ambition from the club. How players like Kosta, Ball and Pennington can continue to sign professional contracts baffles me.
I thought I’d heard a rumor about Bidois being in contention! Makes even more sense if he’s now playing as a CF. Lots of positions covered and some potential goal threat.
Are we looking at him as a Zawada understudy, or more of a David Ball / Kosta potential? His earlier stint at the Nix was short and I did not see him play.
He’s a proper number 9 type of striker so would be Zawada’s understudy in place of Waine. Old, OVH and Josh Rudland will be the ones pushing for Ball and Kosta’s spots.
I always forget how delusional the majority of hardcore Phoenix fans are.
Appears most of you have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league and instead have just accepted that we're now solely existing just to give academy players a professional contract with the hope of one day selling them for some money. That's if they ever get past the disappointment of likely being one of the worst teams this season.
Anyway it's not the kids faults, it's the lack of ambition from the club. How players like Kosta, Ball and Pennington can continue to sign professional contracts baffles me.
You think because we’ve gone all in on this strategy, during a difficult transfer market, that’s how it’s always going to be?
Sure we were better when we had Cacace, Hemed and Davila. Or Sotirio.
But hey even at our worst point we’re not the Knights. We’ve got a club with two teams and an academy. We’ve got owners who are always thinking how to keep the club going.
Don’t think anyone is thinking we’ll win the league this year with this squad, but the best place to find out if we’re fifth, eighth or lower is on the pitch.
Certainly can understand the owners point of view that they backed Uffie last season and didn’t get a whole lot in return. More’s the pity.
Maybe it’ll be a better strategy than sign a good team and see most of the integral players leave on a free the next season for four times the money to our rivals?
To be fair, I certainly have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league. We don't have the resources and we never will because that's how the A-League runs and those are the terms for even having a sustainable club at all. The joy of being a Nix fan will be watching young Kiwis get developed, do some great stuff and then go off to a better future.
To be fair, I certainly have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league. We don't have the resources and we never will because that's how the A-League runs and those are the terms for even having a sustainable club at all. The joy of being a Nix fan will be watching young Kiwis get developed, do some great stuff and then go off to a better future.
To be equally fair Doloras, you've never been the most positive towards the team's success.
I always forget how delusional the majority of hardcore Phoenix fans are.
Appears most of you have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league and instead have just accepted that we're now solely existing just to give academy players a professional contract with the hope of one day selling them for some money. That's if they ever get past the disappointment of likely being one of the worst teams this season.
Anyway it's not the kids faults, it's the lack of ambition from the club. How players like Kosta, Ball and Pennington can continue to sign professional contracts baffles me.
I think you've said it well when you described us as "hardcore Phoenix fans". Those who haven't been here since day 1 can't quite understand a) the privilege it actually is to have our own A-League football club in Wellington b) the trials and tribulations this club has had. From Terry to #SaveTheNix, Warner, Tsattalios, the Sherminator, Toto etc etc... WellNix have done an amazing job of providing stability and direction for the club. They have invested in both seasoned pros and youngsters, with overall pretty good outcomes.
Would I like us to have a squad like City's? Yes. Do I think we will this season? No.
Can I fault a group of investors who have been losing a lot of their own money for a number of years for tightening the belt and focusing on academy players right after they gave us arguably the most expensive squad ever and we still achieved diddly squat? Also no!
To be fair, I certainly have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league. We don't have the resources and we never will because that's how the A-League runs and those are the terms for even having a sustainable club at all. The joy of being a Nix fan will be watching young Kiwis get developed, do some great stuff and then go off to a better future.
To be equally fair Doloras, you've never been the most positive towards the team's success.
And this is why, when we come 6th yet again and our out in the first week of the final, I have a sunny disposition when you lot are all moaning and grumbling and giving yourself ulcers
All I'll say is about the current squad is that anything is possible. Plenty of pundits were picking the Warriors (NRL) as wooden spooners this year but if all the experts were always correct then the TAB wouldn't be a thing and sport would be very boring.
Chances are we might be slightly below 6th place this year (which seems to be the general consensus on here) as our squad is a bit underdone. Equally though there are many completely unknown factors. Maybe our coach is an absolute mastermind like the Warrior's coach appears to be? Maybe we have some absolute guns in the squad that haven't yet been given the chance to shine or haven't shone for a number of seasons? Maybe it all comes together and we have a fantastic season or it could all fall apart and we're wooden spooners.
I would guess that is the reason most here continue to return with lots of hope each season much like myself.
I also totally disagree with anyone critiquing the clubs lack of ambition. I think they have heaps of ambition and try a lot of new things. They just don't have a budget and connections like bloody City!
Saw a Facebook post at the weekend that Adelaide are relying on their academy rather than imports this season. Sound familiar?? And they have lost Craig Goodwin to a Saudi team.
I really do think that we are not in too bad a shape if the academy players step up. I am heartened by the fact that the academy was not that strong in the Central League a couple of years ago, now they are one of the teams to beat there. Clearly, Chris Greenacre is making huge strides as a coach as his playing squad is hardly static in terms of the personnel at his disposal. Maybe he should be part of the first team coaching squad unless he sees the academy as his baby??
The Saudi league has squeezed the availability of decent European imports with their second tier being set up. The A league is going to become more and more now about Australian and New Zealand eligible players.
To be fair, I certainly have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league. We don't have the resources and we never will because that's how the A-League runs and those are the terms for even having a sustainable club at all. The joy of being a Nix fan will be watching young Kiwis get developed, do some great stuff and then go off to a better future.
This nonsense about resources.... Glory, Adelaide, Mariners have all won the league on pretty similar budgets to ones we've had. It's the A-League, hardly a league where the same teams dominate every year and are impossible to topple.
My problem is not actually with the amount we're spending. We know we spent too much last season for little reward, we now have the ALW team to cover for as well and the owners lose money every year.
My frustration is HOW we are spending and how we have planned as a club. Where to start - the long deals for Ball and Wootton at their age with their limited pedigree were ridiculous, and have hampered our ability to plan around new visa signings. Kraev is on high wages for his talent (pretty average for an AL visa player). Players who were good for a bit but have sunk in performance levels (Payne and Kosta come to mind) get to stick around and have scant contest for their place. Then the club insists on promoting and playing heaps of academy guys and full on refuses to look outside the Nix Academy within NZ (you can't tell me NZ domestic league players would be expensive gets).
And the funniest part is that we are now like oh look at us and our academy players when we were TERRIBLE at giving them gametime last season. Paulsen, Surman, Conchie as well should have seen more minutes but didn't and others should have gotten some run-outs. Instead now the club is like oh yeah we'll fall back on you guys and throw you all in the deep end together, good luck!
To be fair, I certainly have given up on the club ever putting together a competitive squad in this league. We don't have the resources and we never will because that's how the A-League runs and those are the terms for even having a sustainable club at all. The joy of being a Nix fan will be watching young Kiwis get developed, do some great stuff and then go off to a better future.
This nonsense about resources.... Glory, Adelaide, Mariners have all won the league on pretty similar budgets to ones we've had. It's the A-League, hardly a league where the same teams dominate every year and are impossible to topple.
I mean, to be fair, the issue is that WelNix are savvy businesspeople, and have made the Nix sustainable financially - even given our relatively lame crowds - to the point where we're valued and respected by the other club owners. And they've done that by *not* splashing the cash on marquee players in the hope of winning the league.
My problem is not actually with the amount we're spending. We know we spent too much last season for little reward, we now have the ALW team to cover for as well and the owners lose money every year.
My frustration is HOW we are spending and how we have planned as a club. Where to start - the long deals for Ball and Wootton at their age with their limited pedigree were ridiculous, and have hampered our ability to plan around new visa signings. Kraev is on high wages for his talent (pretty average for an AL visa player). Players who were good for a bit but have sunk in performance levels (Payne and Kosta come to mind) get to stick around and have scant contest for their place. Then the club insists on promoting and playing heaps of academy guys and full on refuses to look outside the Nix Academy within NZ (you can't tell me NZ domestic league players would be expensive gets).
And the funniest part is that we are now like oh look at us and our academy players when we were TERRIBLE at giving them gametime last season. Paulsen, Surman, Conchie as well should have seen more minutes but didn't and others should have gotten some run-outs. Instead now the club is like oh yeah we'll fall back on you guys and throw you all in the deep end together, good luck!
did you listen to the recent podcast? Domey explains and answers a whole lot of your issue with "not looking" outside the acandemy. They actually do look at all players in the NZ scene, obviously they favour their own academy players cos they now their skill and talent and have trained and grown them into the players the club wants/needs. Sometimes the NZ player YOU want in the club either isnt seen as being a better option than one we have already or just doesnt want to be part of the Nix setup.
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