All valid points but theyre all costs we probably had to take to get the players to sign on and get the stability and success we’ve had in recent seasons.
All valid points but theyre all costs we probably had to take to get the players to sign on and get the stability and success we’ve had in recent seasons.
I don’t remember seeing any indication in the media, at the time or since.
I’ve seen people on here speculating that he was paid a lot (up there with ALF/Ninko/Kosta last season), but I’m unconvinced. I’ve suspected, particularly because (a) he was so vocal about wanting to stay in Sydney, (b) he was getting into his 30s, (c) the timing of burning a foreign spot on securing him before we had more important positions (most notably replacing Brillante at CM) locked in; that he isn’t on nearly as much as people think.
After last season, where he was already losing his spot to Caceres, if he was really earning such a significant amount of money then we surely would have effectively forced him out (or saved a lot of cap, maybe enough to keep Le Fondre) by making him take the full 30% cut that we were entitled to offer.
All good points, BlueSky. Those issues were all there last year and probably even earlier, but Alfie’s goals certainly papered over a lot of cracks.
Your comment on Retre I guess is a bit of a double edged sword for him, which is a shame as I’m a fan of his.
It’s probably the thing that’s kept him in the squad, but his versatility has maybe been his down point as he’s had to train and play in a number of roles without a real opportunity to cement a specific position.
Just to build on BlueSky’s point a bit, if we were to assign grades to each player (not just from the three games of this season - since the COVID break so we have a decent sample), how many would get a pass mark?
Ninko, Brattan, Caceres, Grant, Redmayne (?), for mine. I’m high on Hoff, but I don’t think we’ve seen enough to grade him fairly. Buhagiar had a good ACL, granted, but I don’t think he’s shown enough in the league.
I’d have to say we’re simply not getting enough from the majority of the squad, going back a while.
Retre definitely shades of Grant before Grant got told to play RB. I remember Grant also getting shuffled all over from RB/CM/LB/CAM/RM/LM. It as great in getting Grant minutes but he did his best when he stuck to a position
I’m a bit sceptical of the stability argument. In previous seasons we’ve done a good job of having stability in players but some squad refreshing to bring in some fresh players. This season we’ve done the former but not the latter and I think it just means we’ve looked a little… stale? We have some youth players but they’re still learning the roles compared to an established player who is A-League ready.
I think ABJ has to start although how we squeeze him in the team is the problem I guess. Bobo will feast on some of his classy passes.
I’m assuming Bobo will come in for Kosta?
Change of formation might be needed. If we keep playing two CAMs, you obviously don’t drop Ninko and it’d be hard to make a case for dropping Caceres.
I think at the end of this season we should try to poach some of the better/younger Aussie players from the other A League sides to help freshen up the squad. I’m thinking players like Ugarkovic, Mcgree, Burgess, Mileusnic etc.
Ugarkovic has signed for WSW.
McGree has gone back overseas.
Burgess will be 27 next season.
Mileusnic has gone overseas.
We have plenty of young players already on the books (King, VdS, Flottman, Hof, Zuvela, Swibel, Wood) that can be used to rejuvenate the squad without having to poach and pay overs for players from other clubs.
Damn didn’t realise 3/4 players had moved recently. Ugarkovic is good pickup for WSW. Pretty sure we have a few players coming off contract after this year though as well so we may have some more $$ to play with. Would be great to promote from within but realistically I can’t see all of those youth players making it at A-league level, if 3 turned out to be good enough that would be a fantastic outcome.
I don’t think you can call Flottman and Zuvela as youngsters at 23/24 years of age.
King, VDS, and Hof are proven to keep in the squad, I’d give Wood more exposure to first team football cause of his age but Zuvela, Swibel and Flottman i think will find it tough to keep an a league contract beyond what they have. There’s players of their age playing week in week out at other clubs getting the game time.
I think we should utilise our stature to lure the best of the best next gen though. All the big clubs in each country do the same thing.
Edit: I would’ve also liked to have kept Tilio and Teague and let go of Retre but hindsight is always great, especially from the sidelines.
The thing I have noticed over the last few years with SFC is the loss of 3 great players who have not been replaced with players of similar quality.
Jordy, O’neil and ALF.
Add to that, Kosta has not been performing to his potential for a while, and some senior players are starting to get older. It is going to make the going this season tougher.
I still think SFC will be close to the top by the end of the season, but “The Empire” is starting to look a bit vulnerable.
Apart from Kosta’s terrible form the current “issues” affecting the squad are not personnel, they’re tactical. There is absolutely no need to go for wholesale changes to the squad the younger players just need game time which, at this early stage, appears to be happening.
The one player the club should make an effort to bring back in is Project Milos, Jake Hollman. Other than that I’m more than happy with the young kids coming through.
I guess the disappointing thing with the squad and young kids is I’m pretty sure everyone here, and probly the club as well, didn’t expect Ivanovic to hit a wall like he has done. Everyone really expected him to kick on and be a solid option up top. Be it starting or off the bench.
Ivanovic is in desperate need of game time but he’s hardly pressed his case to be included with the time he has been given. The problem is that it’s hard to see another club taking a punt on a player like that by taking him on loan.
I don’t think we should be writing Bernie off just yet. I’d like to see him get some extended time I the team first. His last outing wasn’t great but let’s give him a go first
Promoting juniors is definitely a great way to go, not only in developing local talent, but also as a money making exercise for the whole game.
The problem is, you have to give them game time to allow them to develop at this level, which means putting up with the errors, that come about due to lack of experience, which in turn harms the game results.
Last year CCM lost a lot of games through errors brought about by inexperienced players. However the Club had no option but to persist with them. Hopefully, that experience gained is now starting to pay off.
It probably comes down to what each club sees as important. Some will import and buy experience. Others will, either by choice or financial circumstances develop youth. It will come down in the end to getting the balance right. Those that do will thrive.
All part of the evolution of the League.
Every time we lost a great player we brought in a better one, that hasn’t happened this season. We lost ALF and ONeil and didn’t get better players.