Might I recommend Peter Scarpetis for a strikers role for us? Young Australian player thats scoring goals regularly in youth & reserve team at QPR. Being an Aussie, he wouldn't count as an import and also being 20ish, he'd fill in that role too. Scored a few for the Australian U20 team I believe.
2014/15 Transfer Speculation
Scarpetis sounds like a Harry Potter villain though.
For me, if Ifill can be included as a non import next season then re-signing him is a no brainer, as long as he still wants to play. 30/45 mins off the bench, he can still be a game changer. Great clubman, still has a lot to offer.
A lot is going to depend on his recovery from the injury. Call me a hard-hearted bastard but having someone on the books who is only capable of playing 30 minutes is not a good idea. OK one might argue that Michael Bridges at the Jets has been used in just that role, as much for his positive presence in the squad as for his ability, so I'm not saying it's impossible, just undesirable. If we have another season of injury problems we need every member of the squad ready to step up and play as close to 90 minutes as possible.
From the latest In The Zone, it sounds like he wants to get into coaching. If he isn't going to be capable of 90 minutes at A-League level he could maybe fill the Gould role of coach/injury-replacement player and let him play for teedubs.
Very good point and why let all that experience go to waste if he is happy in NZ? He's gotta start somewhere.
Ifill - 4 months into 8 to 12 month recovery period. He stated he is half way through.
Applying for citizenship June. (Permanent residency) Kiwi !!
Still has huge impact factor for the club if recovery goes to plan.
My theory on Chris James -
It does seem strange that we never gave him a shot after the Mexico games, even if just on a short-term injury replacement or something. Even stranger when you consider that Ernie has been much more open-minded than Ricki (too open-minded?) to giving players like Riera, Timmins, Krishna etc the opportunity to prove themselves.
So there must be something else going on and my theory is that the All Whites at the Nix are the ones who've told Ernie to pass on James. He has a bit of a rep for being "difficult" and I'm wondering if that's something that's got back to Ernie from guys who have spent time in All Whites camp with him.
Pure speculation of course, but if you look at it the other way - if the Nix All Whites were raving about him, he'd be playing for us already wouldn't he?
My hunch is he has some health/ injury issues we don't know about but his clubs in Finland do.
His club last season wouldn't renew his contract, despite seemingly playing quite well, nor would Tampere a few years ago after he had serious injury problems.
He seemed to get injured again at the end of the last Finnish season and missed the Cup Final but recovered enough to make the All Whites squad v Mexico.
Injury concerns would explain why no other Finnish clubs seem to be interested in James.
Merrick was quoted in early December as saying James wasn't the sort of midfield player he was looking for:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/phoenix/9492119/Ernie-Merrick-seeks-some-midfield-magic
"... I'm looking for a player that can attack and defend, and really has high level endurance, that can make crucial tackles at one end of the pitch and at the other end score goals. So I'm looking for the ideal, box to box type midfielder. But he's got to be a pretty creative all-round player and he's got to have pace."
Merrick joked that Barcelona stars Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta both fit the bill, but ruled out a more realistic play for All White Chris James. "Chris James is a good player, did a terrific job against Mexico but he's not the type of player that I'm looking for."
One of Ernie's jobs is to rejuvenate the squad, signing a 36 year old doesn't do that.
Apparently Archie Thompson's Kiwi dad was one of 14 children and Archie has about thirty cousins in NZ who come to see him when he plays in Wellington. Archie himself is one of nine children.
If some of his younger rellies became decent players, that could rejuvenate the team!
One of Ernie's jobs is to rejuvenate the squad, signing a 36 year old doesn't do that.
Apparently Archie Thompson's Kiwi dad was one of 14 children and Archie has about thirty cousins in NZ who come to see him when he plays in Wellington. Archie himself is one of nine children.
If some of his younger rellies became decent players, that could rejuvenate the team!
Fever Tour to Otorahanga?
Has anyone found a list of off contract players in the league yet?
Has anyone found a list of off contract players in the league yet?
http://m.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/studs-up-blog-112-aleague-players-are-off-contract-and-can-entertain-offers-from-rivals/story-fnk6pqhd-1226757061190
Er, the Wellington lifestyle?
Umbrella? Nah.
What about picking up Jamie Doris?
20 year old kiwi midfielder, formerly at Hibernian in Scotland.
Has played for NZ under 20s.
www.transfermarkt.com/en/jamie-doris/profil/spieler_131063.htmlWhat about picking up Jamie Doris?
20 year old kiwi midfielder, formerly at Hibernian in Scotland.
Has played for NZ under 20s.
www.transfermarkt.com/en/jamie-doris/profil/spieler_131063.htmlIs he even playing football still?
Not sure if FSE or a contract but Burfoot is/has signed apparently.
Sauce?
Do we even have the FSE anymore? Surely it'd be a senior contract.
One of his yoof mates
Sauce?
Do we even have the FSE anymore? Surely it'd be a senior contract.
Isnt' the FSE the academy? It looks pretty classy from the way they promote it on FB. See players coming in from all over the globe for a weeks training.
My info is the academy is currently only taking players born 98, 99, 2000. FSE is 2000km northwest of Perth isn't it?
Academy is different to FSE. FSE is basically in lieu of a youth team. Young players aiming to make the step up to pro. Academy is the younger age group
Any kids at Ole worth a look? Cory Brown left back?
Any kids at Ole worth a look? Cory Brown left back?
Saw Corey Brown playing for the U20 Wanderers vs. Canty, very impressive.
Not sure if FSE or a contract but Burfoot is/has signed apparently.
Ernie had ear-marked him a long time ago. Was only a matter of time.
Cory Brown .... very good player. Off to the States soon.
Probably the same day he spotted Riera JM
The return of Piney!!
Does he think the 'this' button is an 'ignore' button?
Can Benji play football?
Can Benji play football?
Probably as well as he plays Rugby.
Hahaha - there's a long-standing joke on Croatian forums that he's the worst player ever to have scored against Italy, England, Germany, Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern in competitive matches.
Cory Brown .... very good player. Off to the States soon.
Plus the Nelson quota needs to rise to 2.
One of Ernie's jobs is to rejuvenate the squad, signing a 36 year old doesn't do that.
Apparently Archie Thompson's Kiwi dad was one of 14 children and Archie has about thirty cousins in NZ who come to see him when he plays in Wellington. Archie himself is one of nine children.
If some of his younger rellies became decent players, that could rejuvenate the team!
I wouldn't be surprised if the Thompsons decided to field their own team in the A-league one day :-)
Andy Bevan must be about done with University soon, maybe worth a look?
Andy Bevan must be about done with University soon, maybe worth a look?
Maybe sign this player up? Could be good in the egg box?
If not maybe as half time entertainment?
Andy Bevan must be about done with University soon, maybe worth a look?
Taken from Contracted Players thread:
Am I right in saying that we now have 20 players signed on for next season. Watson and Gulley to join pre-season on June 2nd with Sam Burfoot rumoured to have signed, is that an indication of possibly completing the squad? Watson/Ifill? Gulley/Eager?
Yeah, I had assumed JBS had signed.
I dont think Payne will be getting picked up by TFC, as nothing has happened yet and he is back in Blackburn now. We should have a decent amount of cap available, so we could aim for a high profile Aussie striker (McDonald? Kennedy?). I would like to keep Iffy but I think its more likely he will be an injury replacement option.
Taken from Contracted Players thread:
Am I right in saying that we now have 20 players signed on for next season. Watson and Gulley to join pre-season on June 2nd with Sam Burfoot rumoured to have signed, is that an indication of possibly completing the squad? Watson/Ifill? Gulley/Eager?
Yeah, I had assumed JBS had signed.
I dont think Payne will be getting picked up by TFC, as nothing has happened yet and he is back in Blackburn now. We should have a decent amount of cap available, so we could aim for a high profile Aussie striker (McDonald? Kennedy?). I would like to keep Iffy but I think its more likely he will be an injury replacement option.
Interesting that Watson and Gulley will be involved in pre-season again, possibly looked as injury replacement players as well as Ifill? I do see that Milos Lujic is scoring a few goals at SMFC and was here over Jan. I wonder if Ernie will have a good look at Brockie over the pre-season before deciding on attacking options.
Word was that Lujic did not impress one bit when here.