I get the feeling the Bozanic deal is done, he isn’t playing and the CCM coach is dodging questions about him (of course he could be going anywhere, but just get the feeling he’s the type of player we need and would sign). My concern with him is that he’s also on the older side - 33.
I would’ve thought re-signing Talbot would be one of our top priorities, but here we are…
Good to see a modern keeper steadfastly refuse to play out from the back.
I would as well if the ball was turned over to the opposition every time my defenders played the ball into the midfield.
but you’re already talking about 5 top quality senior team players. And that’s not taking into account major injuries or anything like that. I’d say 6 even as Warland is nowhere near good enough for us.
Can’t we just buy all the other clubs good players now?
When I was in Portugal last, Benfica had a goodbye match at the start of a season ins friendly for one of their long time players. There was a ceremony and everything before. Made a lot more sense, Although there was a fully sold out game for the first match if the season so a slightly different vibe,
33 would be perfect for us. Considering everybody else is almost 30 plus and the players under 30 don’t really get a shot with this Neville as coach
How does anybody here know what money he’s on?
Pretty much no one in the league is on THAT kind of money.
800k for the 2.5 years, maybe. Even that would be pretty steep.
It’s 4, I outlined that. It’s 5 if Ninko retires.
The rest of the positions are taken by our young players.
We’re rebuilding and have the players within our ranks to do it without needing to bring in an entire squad of experienced players.
If that’s the path we go down then we may as well shut the academy.
I would keep Retre*
*if he is used as the versatile squaddie he should have only ever been, and assuming all his game time hasn’t driven up wage ask
He’s been with us since 2017. That means we can offset some of his salary from next season. I know it’s only a small amount but I think it’s money better spent then throwing it at Amini.
Making the best use of the public holiday, I made a spreadsheet to help me think through it - what is the best way to post on the forum?
Although we’d like to get rid of most of the roster, reality is you can’t get anyone better for the same money - i’d concentrate on getting two quality strikers and 1 CB for Wilko.
Kosta: Gone - replace with Marquee O/S striker
Bobo: Gone - replace with O/S striker
Narsingh: Gone - replace with squaddie
Trent: Gone - replace with squaddie
Retre: Keep - It’s hard to get rid of players like Retre and replace them with better players without spending any more money… he can cover a lot of positions and as pointed out, will have offsets from next year
Redders: Keep - same as above
Brattan: this is a tough one… needs to be 100%, otherwise we have to get Bozanic or similar (but we can’t have both)
Amini: Could keep, if wages are not astronomical (which should not be, since he hasn’t killed it so far). He’s shown enough that he can come good and has quality to put pressure on the starters
Ninko: keep, assuming minimum wage (Brosque deal)
Starting 11
#17) Anthony Caceres
#22) Max Burgess
#32) Patrick Yazbek
#1) Andrew Redmayne
#2) James Donachie
#23) Rhyan Grant
#25) Callum Talbot
#26) Luke Brattan
O/S Marquee Striker
O/S Striker
O/S CB
Bench
#3) Ben Warland
#20) Tom Heward-Belle
#27) Elvis Kamsoba
#99) Adam (Alfie) Le Fondre
#6) Mustafa Amini
#8) Paulo Retre
#10) Milos Ninkovic
#28) Calem Nieuwenhof
#33) Pat Wood
Squaddie
#5) Connor O’Toole
#19) Chris Zuvela
#21) Harry Van Der Saag
#24) Corey Hollman *
#29) Anton Mlinaric (on loan to Brisbane Roar)
#30) Adam Pavlesic *
#31) Adrian Segecic *
#35) Liam McGing*
NPL Squaddie
NPL Squaddie
NPL Squaddie
Get Kucharski from the youth on a senior deal.
I hope Hoff comes good and we are making progress on his recovery. I’d have him easily above Yazbek based on their best glimpses of form.
Still a bit mystified as to Pat Wood and whether he’s already out, but we should keep him if we can.
Hoping most of all we’ve learned from the weaknesses two years ago and failures of this year: we need more mobility in the team and players who don’t just keep the ball, but can move it forward.
Really good write up in the Guardian, looking at the fundamental and deep problems with the squad at the moment, and the limitations of Corica’s approach
Pretty much agree with everything in that.
No amazing new insights, but a great summary from realistic point of view.
He just summarised these boards?
To be honest if we are not paying much for him then his versatility is useful. Nowhere near the starting line up though.
Plus wouldn’t some of his wages be outside the cap by now?