Ok. Who is he...?
I'm also curious (speculation on name of new gaffer).
Wrong thread. There's a whole thread dedicated to exactly this.
Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins
I'm also curious (speculation on name of new gaffer).
Ok. Who is he...?
I'm also curious (speculation on name of new gaffer).
Wrong thread. There's a whole thread dedicated to exactly this.
Maybe SurgeQld, who introduced this off-topic gaffer speculation, could go to the correct thread and 'name names'.
Amen
Do you think Leo has re-signed with the intention of being a squad player or a starter?
Let the player show us what he intends to be before we pigeonhole him.
I'm thinking the new gaffer has just outed himself!!!
Jeez, we need that sarcasm emoticon pronto... was merely a reference to JV's use of "us" and "we".
Dirty off to India?
Simon Colosimo (Melbourne Heart), Dani Sanchez (Wellington Phoenix) and
former Perth Glory striker Billy Mehmet, who has terminated his contract
with Bangkok Glass, are among those in his sights.
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/272508,aussie-coach-papas-signs-for-i-league-giants.aspx
Dirty off to India?
Simon Colosimo (Melbourne Heart), Dani Sanchez (Wellington Phoenix) and
former Perth Glory striker Billy Mehmet, who has terminated his contract
with Bangkok Glass, are among those in his sights.
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/272508,aussie-coach-papas-signs-for-i-league-giants.aspx
Doubt Colostomy will go, Mehmet maybe. Really hope Dani gets a decent club.
Jason Pine ?@pineyzb 1h
#wgtnphoenix chairman Rob Morrison says Ernie Merrick knows which off-contract players he'll keep - he'll have those talks next week
Oohh interesting.. seems like he should have those talks tomorrow tbh - but by the sounds of it there will definitely be guys saying good bye
Think the biggest decision is Lochhead
Oohh interesting.. seems like he should have those talks tomorrow tbh - but by the sounds of it there will definitely be guys saying good bye
Think the biggest decision is Lochhead
He doesn't officially start as Phoenix coach until next week, so that'll be why he isn't having those talks today/tomorrow.
I'm picking Lochhead & Rowe to be winners of left back idol. Smith has already gone, has any one seen Dirty around?
somewhere, someplace, there has to be a cheaper, better leftback than Tony trucking Lochead...
somewhere, someplace, there has to be a cheaper, better leftback than Tony trucking Lochead...
I can't see Ernie throwing away an experienced player and hoping two inexperienced players can make the step up. He doesn't strike me as that much of a gambler.
Anyone know the latest on Dani? I personally hope as a on-looker for Wellington that he stays although he wasn't the most influential player.
Yeah I think Lochhead will be re-signed. Ernie talked about his full backs having to get up and back and Lochead remains one of the fittest players and while not lightning quick doesn't often get burned. His delivery needs work but given his experience they'd be silly to axe him, depending on the cash required. Best to stay solid there and spend money on positions than can have a far greater influence on results.
Sounds like we'll also need a right back so spend effort and time there and just lock in Lochy.
Anyone know the latest on Dani? I personally hope as a on-looker for Wellington that he stays although he wasn't the most influential player.
Think he's off trialing in Asia somewhere.
Yeah I think Lochhead will be re-signed. Ernie talked about his full backs having to get up and back and Lochead remains one of the fittest players and while not lightning quick doesn't often get burned. His delivery needs work but given his experience they'd be silly to axe him, depending on the cash required. Best to stay solid there and spend money on positions than can have a far greater influence on results.
Sounds like we'll also need a right back so spend effort and time there and just lock in Lochy.
we can't just keep signing the same players and expect to play differently
Same team, similar result.
I agree with JD, we really need fresh players who can bring something new to the club..
Lia, Lochead, Sigmund and Muscat.
We can't sign worse players and expect them to be better either.
We can't sign worse players and expect them to be better either.
and this si the biggtest problem we have, with limited import spots available we have to rely on Kiwis or Aussies and there simply aren't any around better than Lochhead, Lia etc although why manny was mentioned in the list is beyond me, sure he had a rough season but still one of the best DM/RB's we've had
We can't sign worse players and expect them to be better either.
and this si the biggtest problem we have, with limited import spots available we have to rely on Kiwis or Aussies and there simply aren't any around better than Lochhead, Lia etc although why manny was mentioned in the list is beyond me, sure he had a rough season but still one of the best DM/RB's we've had
I think we're at the point with some of these players where we've seen what they can do, we know their level and we have to take a chance that another player, given the opportunity, can either do a better job or improve in order to out perform these guys. If it was a straight decision between Lochhead and Rowe/Hogg I would start the season with one of those other guys.
But we have seen Rowe and Hogg play.
I do think that ricki was slow to drop underperforming players last season in particular though, and I doubt ernie will be the same (at least I hope he won't be)
But we have seen Rowe and Hogg play.
I do think that ricki was slow to drop underperforming players last season in particular though, and I doubt ernie will be the same (at least I hope he won't be)
I think they both have an up side that at this stage of his career Lochhead does not
Shorter and easier to spell surnames?
But we have seen Rowe and Hogg play.
I do think that ricki was slow to drop underperforming players last season in particular though, and I doubt ernie will be the same (at least I hope he won't be)
when someone has had the same coach, domestically and internationally, for the past 5 years, a change of coach can result in a different standard of play.
I actually never thought of Ricki having his favourites purely because I didn't see any evidence of it. That's not to say it was the case.
As Tegal said, you can't expect to replace players with player of a lower standard and perform better. A lot of times last year, the alternatives were not flash in most of the cases (Boxall v Siggy was one that could argued either way)
I guess the silver lining in removing that extra 'layer' of being the AW boss means that Ernie (why do I always want to say Eddie) wont have dual focuses when it comes to player management
Ricki doesn't have favourites.... arguebly the silliest comment on these forums ever.
Loyalty to his All Whites despite indifferent form would suggest that Ricki did indeed have his favourites. If a player is out of form and it affects the team, he should be dropped until things improve.
Ricki doesn't have favourites.... arguebly the silliest comment on these forums ever.
Lochhead - Hogg got a run and was shown to not be any better. Rowe the same
Bertos - spent time on the bench year prior and was reverted to RB and performed well.
Paston - Hardly responsible for the dribble playing in front of him.
Lia - Lia was not a DM and the guy that played there (Manny) was rank awful so got defaulted into that rol
And those 4 were the fan favourite scape goats each week
Others...?
Brown who went missing for almost a year never got dropped.
Bertos spent a couple games on the pine.. hardly sent packing for two years of mediocrity.
Siggy last year was pants, Boxall only got a run when Siggy was away or suspended.
Hogg didn't get given a fair crack, so i don't take that arguement for a minute.
Alternatively you could look at it as also the fact that he often failed to give certain players a fair go, instead sticking with his favourites, players like Daniel who was leading assists etc for us, but got relegated to a bit players role, or more historically Kosta, who no matter how well he was playing couldn't get a consistant start.
Or better yet how after we lost game after game by huge score lines last season he kept faith in the same players to turn the ship around when everyone could see the players he had weren't up to it and couldn't carry out the change in tactics. How bad does a team have to play before you give the other squad players a chance.... unless he has favourites and they are merely there to make up the numbers.
Does Rick really rate Lindsey for example... I mean he kept sayiing he's the future of the clubs midfield and never got a chance.
Ricki is a one trick pony manager who has little eye for talent. Kosta and Marco our two best youngsters signings were driven on the back of fans pushing for it than him actually knowing anything about it, lacks tactical knowledge and the ability to inspire his players.
To be honest, the only one I realistically would have liked to see was boxall in for siggy. Thought that was worth a go at some point in the season. Otherwise I didn't think it was that bad.
Ricki doesn't have favourites.... arguebly the silliest comment on these forums ever.
Lochhead - Hogg got a run and was shown to not be any better. Rowe the same
Bertos - spent time on the bench year prior and was reverted to RB and performed well.
Paston - Hardly responsible for the dribble playing in front of him.
Lia - Lia was not a DM and the guy that played there (Manny) was rank awful so got defaulted into that rol
And those 4 were the fan favourite scape goats each week
Others...?
You may call them 'scapegoats' but the fact remains that Lia is just not good enough, Paston was very good, Bertos was OK and Lochhead was poor.
Just my opinion.
Brown who went missing for almost a year never got dropped. (Brown did a lot of work that went unnoticed, and he was a key man for us (Trani's words, not mine))
Bertos spent a couple games on the pine.. hardly sent packing for two years of mediocrity. (played in an unfamiliar position and he was the only player we had who could play there, who else could Ricki have put at RB?)
Siggy last year was pants, Boxall only got a run when Siggy was away or suspended. (Boxall hardly helped his chances when he did get a run, was responsible in 4 of the goal in the 5-0 loss to CCM).
Hogg didn't get given a fair crack, so i don't take that arguement for a minute. (Agree with you on this one. Hogg impressed me in Auckland but didn't get much of a run after that)
Or better yet how after we lost game after game by huge score lines last season he kept faith in the same players to turn the ship around when everyone could see the players he had weren't up to it and couldn't carry out the change in tactics. How bad does a team have to play before you give the other squad players a chance.... unless he has favourites and they are merely there to make up the numbers. (Is there any point in dropping a large number of players when the players coming in to replace them are nowhere near as good as the current team, even if they were playing poorly. I'm sure we would have all loved it if Downey was thrust into the starting XI and expected to be our saviour).
My responses to some of your points in italics above.
My secretary has drafted my response above Metal Leg :o) Thanks Patrick.
I can kinda see the point you are making. I was referring more to last year but was not clear on that. I will give you Sigmund. You then expanded on the point more than just favourites so I won't reply to that in the context of the point of favourites cause its not related, whether you have a point or not.
I don't buy into this 'never got a fair crack' thing. If Lindsay was good enough in training, he would have kept someone else on the pine. Hogg was good in one game of the 3 he played. The other two he got caught out position a lot. Read the boards, the posts are all here. When Lochhead came back in, it showed he was better. You don't just give someone a run to see how they go, not in a professional football side. They earn the right to get a shot. Hogg got 3, and was good in 1 of them. I do accept though that he has more upside and probably would have benefited from more time with the team and a preseason. In the context of match to match performance, he was given a shot and was a partial success. That's pro football. You want a contract, perform with the chance you get.
I agree with you Leggy that I don't think Lia is an consistent A League footballer. I view him as a squad filler but that does not mean there were players last year he was keeping out of the lineup. If so, name them. It's the Downey clause that Patrick alluded to in drafting my response.
Just throwing this out there for consideration. Boxall & Siggy at the CB spots and Durante in as a either a Sweeper/DM or Anchor? I believe he has played there in the distant past.
Just throwing this out there for consideration. Boxall & Siggy at the CB spots and Durante in as a either a Sweeper/DM or Anchor? I believe he has played there in the distant past.
Interesting idea, but I'm not sure it would work at all. Dura's been one of the consistently best CB's in the league across the time he's been here, doesn't make much sense to move him into a new role. We would be better to sign someone like McKain who can play the DM role and leave Dura at CB.
I think LG your idea has merit, but I would suggest leaving that until we find ourselves in a hole. Give Ernie time to start the season and see what he produces because he does deserve that. If what he does works, then that's fine. If its all tits up, then perhaps your idea can be tried. I think starting with experimentation off the bat, is probably not the best way to start a season.
Just throwing this out there for consideration. Boxall & Siggy at the CB spots and Durante in as a either a Sweeper/DM or Anchor? I believe he has played there in the distant past.
merrick plaued 3 centre backs frequently at victory
5-3-2. Or 5-4-1