Wellington Phoenix Fullback rating list

watching Steven Old at RB the other day got me thinking about this. Did he play mostly at RB? It's been a problem position and he wasn't as bad as some.

Our best is clearly Libby I think. Anyone wana help make a full listing?

Manny, Boxall and Lochhead probably our other top 4. I would consider Siggie a CB, not a RB for the purpose of this.

Next down were Louis and Disco, respectively. And Doyle? Definitely had his moments.

Candidates for the worst?  Mulligan, Lowry, Gulley? Harsh on Gulley. Again him and Lowry decent players who weren't quite there. Parkhouse was fairly bad. Some of the guys were really back ups- Rowe, Biss, Dimario, Tsatts, TAHW.

Where would Galloway sit? I can't rate Tratt too highly, as his time was limited, though he could have been top 5. I'd put Payne in the same kind of potential. Unproven, but promising. Louis had up and down form and was a better WB under Rudan. Hasn't been involved in this season much. Hard to decide where to place him.

Dylan Fox, Mullen had good minutes. Again makeshift, but some wholehearted performances.

Forgot Plodder. Didn't really watch him play a lot that stands out in the memory.

bit harsh on Parkhouse - he was a winger placed at RB cos we had no one else - sure he was a god awful winger too but having him in the RB conversation is a little unfair for mine. I'd put Fenton up with Manny and Boxall. Whilst he's had his struggles and injuries he has made the RWB spot his own for a season or two. Payne is a worthy mention too as the current RB, he has owned that space this season.

Disco should be nowhere near the 5 RB's we've had he was horrid.

Had a great game in Adelaide iirc, but never had a decent run in the side and got injured right?

I don't remember him being flash but I do remember a pretty serious injury in one of his very few appearances. Doesn't seem to have kicked on since in any fashion though.

1. Liberato Cacace

2. Manny Muscat
3. Boxall
4. Lochy
5. Louis Fenton
6. Tom Doyle
7. Tim Payne
8. Jacob Tratt
9. Troy Hearfield
10. Scott Galloway 

Suggested top ten. Was thinking based on that one game that Old compared well to Payne. 

1. Cacace

2. Sigmund

3. Lochhead

4. Muscat

5. Boxall

6. Payne

7. Doyle

I've included Sigmund because there always needs to be a place in the sport for a Tony Pulis type of full back and when he did play right back he was first class and defended very difficult situations excellently. E.G. winning far post defensive headers whilst running backwards against a forward who was running forwards.

Despite his limited time I don't think Tratt should rank too far down the list.

He was quality, one of the best I have seen in my limited time supporting the Nix.

Tratt was good, but looked better beacuase everyone else was crap at that time!

yeah, he was stuck at RW, not RB, during that stinker Kalezic season - he wasn't even stuck as an inside forward, just expected to be a right winger and whip in crosses with his prosthesis of a right leg

still winger being placed in a fullback rating list. left or right he shouldn't be in the running.

I think Mully was treated poorly by Herbert, was very handy while playing in the UK but I think we played him out of position like so many players on this list. i

In fact I think most of them are not L/RBs but central defenders, midfielders and wingers chucked there out of desperation on the right.  This happened with the Kingz too so must be a very kiwi pro footie thing (eg John Markovski). 

Lochy had some mares too at times and I personally was quite happy when he moved (was pushed?) out.

Mulligan was terrible. If he didn't have a decent free kick on him, he'd have struggled to get to the professional level.

and yet still went to the World Cup in 2010..................not saying he deserved to :)

I always rated Mully. 

He had a good pro career in a very good level in England where he was a solid defender with a good long pass, great cross, and a world class free kick.

Defensively, he wasn't in the same class as Zoro, but a good player nonetheless

I like Mulligan too.

Herbert seemed to have a knack for ruining returning kiwi players (except Smeltz).

And Plodder :-)

bit rough on Herbert, Bertos, Ifill and according to some, Greenacre did ok.

One mulligan is ok

Simon Elliot didn't do that well with the Nix. And he was a really good player. Mully didn't show much for us.

Of the Kiwis who came directly to the Phoenix from outside of Australia/NZ while Ricki was in charge (and there aren't that many), I think Moss, Boxall, Lochhead and Smeltz were successes.  On the other hand, Mulligan, Lindsay and Elliott didn't work out. 

Since Ricki left, Patterson joined from overseas and didn't do well, and Marinovic has come over and done really well.

The recruitment under Ricki was very hit and miss, but I don't think he had a particularly bad record with returning Kiwis.

I think with the beauty of time passing, we are able to look at the coaching of the Ricki era through a new lens. 

Looking back now, it was not great football but it was at times, very effective. Do you then ask that the players that did not fire, were they the result of being parts not fit for purpose or because they were poor footballers? 

Simon Elliott was basically told to pump 50 yard long balls up front. Australian defenders found that easy to defend. It was not so much about him but how he was used. Mulligan had ability, he just didn't work under Ricki. You then get players like Ifill whom I think would have been a superstar at any club in the HAL so regardless of the coach, was going to be good.
Brockie for me is another in that he needs to be used the right way, to be effective. If he is not, he looks like a passenger.

Understand what your saying about Ricki but also think he is unfairly criticized  as well at times. Lets face it some of our more recent coaches would have loved to have the finals record he had. Yes it may not have been the type of football many wanted but would you really trade that sometimes for an attractive loss. Also most would kill for that defensive record they built up at the ROF for that fortress period. Don't think there are many coaches who are able to get the best out of every player they have in their team.

Your point is correct and maybe some of it is unfair.  There are parts of Ricki that are unfairly tarnished and he did play football that gained a result. In its day it did a job. Quite like Ernie, the game has well and truly moved on from them (which is unfortunate for Ernie as I think he is a better coach) Todays game really does punish teams that play basic route one defensive football as players have more individual skill and brilliance. Good coaches are harnessing that and playing better football.

An unfair question I ask myself at times is what would Talay have done with Rickis team years ago. Undoubtly, todays Phoenix squad looks infinitely better that Rickis best so its going to make him look like a better coach.

Its interesting that since the Phoenix and AW days, Ricki really has done nothing and there are players that are giving a peak behind the scenes of his days in charge. Hes also not really producing any players like Declan for example.

Is this squad that much better than Ricki's best? We had some very good attacks and defences with those teams. Also, Mully should have done better given his pedigree.

Talay has basically had a blank canvas with his squad. 

Also Ricki's dual roles helped in shaping his squad at that time.