Phoenix Ownership - Rob says FTFFA

Is Ricki mediocrity?

With the strength of the squad, time a lot of the squad has been together was higher hopes for how the team would fare.

The pre-requisite to success in this, and any other, professional league is the managers / coaches ability to identify, recruit, develop and retain talent - if you don't get that right nothing else you do will compensate.

IMHO this is Herbert's biggest weakness and my main concern with an Emblem or any other coach that hasn't got a proven track record with identifying, recruiting, developing and retaining talent at a decent level and who is experienced operating in the transfer market . With affordability in mind whoever was responsible for Gold Coast's stable of very talented youngsters would be my starting point.

A big challenge in replacing Herbert with anyone any good will be having clearly defined boundaries between Herbert's responsibilities as Director of Football and the coach of the first team - preferably a 30ft thick concrete wall.

Showing it can happen, professional football here. 

The way the club is perceived (downhill for me recently).

For Ricki to have "achieved", a title, Grand Final?

Wait. I thought we established elsewhere that everyone knows Ricki is out as head coach at the end of this year? So what's all with the "what ifs"?

Everyone is assuming. There is a slight difference in what that does in terms of the direction of any discussion.

morgans latest comments to veitch were saying he expected ricki will be coaching next season, but it hasnt been formalised.

think his words were " i'd be very surprised if Ricki wasnt head coach next year"

Ha! Let the angst begin. 

Can anyone confirm the rumours of Billy Harris being linked to the job of coach next season?

8D

Nobodys picked up onit but what about austin10 suggestion of Trani. I think it might have been suggested previously ?? Makes sense to me, has the experience, knows the club, worked with ricki [still does on occassions it would seem]  and wouldn't cost a mint, one would think ??????

But I will back austin10 suggestion probably at my peril !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

trani seems like more of an assistant to me - no offence to him - but he seems more the analytical type than the motivator.

we dont want the rado effect.. but id be happier with him than other assistants floating around

For Morgan thats breakeven.

In which case he'll need to fill the RoF at least once; so two home finals at least.

I know this point's been made before but it took Ferguson six seasons to bring the title to Old Trafford. Ricki is tracking nicely against that timeline (although he's finally running out of time now!).

If Ricki is still coaching next season a contributing factor will be that Welnix have worked out how much it will cost to replace him.

It will all be about cost/benefit to them. They may find they simply can't justify the cost of bringing in someone who provides a significant enough point of difference.

The irony of that would be that this season's low attendances (blamed on Ricki's coaching style) are creating the financial pressure under which re-appointing Ricki seems like a good option.

Maybe all Ricki has to do is pay lip service to this change of style malarkey, get a few more punters in, and allow Welnix to put a brave face on accepting they can't afford anybody else decent.

This sort of sounds like how you could describe the state of things in the first 10 rounds of the season.

On the other hand... some Australian commentators seem to agree to me, that our new style is "put Fenton and Boyd (and Totori) up front and let them run and run and run until they get tired", and if we take what Ricki said about "a transition year" at face value, then this might have been the plan all along.

But we are the masters of retaining talent Not like we have ever lost the best current player in the league or anything.. Cough cough, :s

Imo the coaching debate has very little relevance at this point of the season. I think it'll all come down to how things stack up and finals time. Miss out and Ricki is gone, top 2 and he stays, 3rd through 6th and he gets one last chance. Simple as that.

McAlister is only coming off the bench lately

Tbh I see us better than every team except for mariners, adelaide and victory. So I would expect us to come at least 4th. Lower than 4th I don't feel is acceptable. Anywhere above 4th Ricky has done exceedingly well and deserves to keep developing the Phoenix

Another factor for Ricki's continuation is the World Cup. Its going to be an exceedingly busy time for the AW's. Not only in terms of the qualifiers but I also imagine the NZF will arrange more friendlies as a buildup to qualifying. If we make the WC then there will be even more time away for Ricki in the buildup.

I used to be fine with Ricki coaching both the AW's and the Nix but I now think that the A-League has moved up in quality to the extent that you need your coach concentrating 100% on the team. It has not helped that the Nix appointed such a junior assistant coach in Greenacre....he is a long way off running the show by himself in Ricki's absence(in his own admission). There is also some very important recruiting to be done. We have a number of aging players who will need to be replaced plus the academy is going to be doubled in size. We really need a coach who is completely focused on the job in hand. IMO it is impossible for one guy to do the WC campaign, sort out the Academy, do all the recruiting and prepare the Nix into next season.

Emblen is the new MAESTRO on a 25 hr a week contract at Western Springs AFC, the coming FORZA of Auckland football. He'll be developing his own talent (and possibly pinching ready-mades).

If Ricky does get the chop we could go for Henning berg.. Lasted 2months at Blackburn before getting the chop. No one else will want to take him on now 

Do you think Morgan will tell Mark Hammett what to do?

I think the NZRFU would not allow him to speak in the media in the first place and if they haven't thought about it, you can bet they have requested it after seeing this little saga...

After watching the Nix revert to hoofball against the Roar isn't it time that Gareth had a word in Ricki's ear about returning to Total football again..arf arf!. We got a draw against the League leaders and won against Heart playing like Nix-alona  

Pho-celona

Hopefully this promo will help bump up the crowd a bit:

Only if there isn't a single cloud in the sky, and no wind. Or no other free events in the city.