Squad Speculation Thread 2021/22

Hi @phOB, @Odense, and welcome.

I’d be curious to know, assuming the transfer fee is around $300k/1-2m kr./€200k (I’m guessing) , how significant is that for OB? Would that amount of money usually mean that the player is expected to play regularly?

So pleased for Joel. We have all seen his development and now its time for him to step up to a higher level to keep progressing.

Stoked for him, shit for us.

1 Like

Has any A-League young talent that’s gone to Denmark come away better afterwards?

Mabil pre-last 18 months.
David Williams

I wouldn’t say either of them really.

Amini finally earned that step up to SFC…

9 Likes

1-2 million kroner is not a big transfer fee in Denmark. The richest clubs regularly pays 20-30 million for new players and sometimes more.

Odense has never paid big transfer fees and until now has mostly gone for transfer free players.

So, the transfer fee doesn’t decide whether he plays or not, but it sure does signal that they believe in him. Without knowing him my guess would be that he will get a few starts in the spring, and then Skjelvik will either be sold at some point or not renewed.

3 Likes

My feeling with Joel is he is a player who can become very good with coaching and experience. He is very calm and smart and has all the technique needed but a move like this is good to push him to the next level. I hope it goes well for you guys at Odense and for Joel, he served Sydney well.

As long as he doesn’t come back in 3 years and play for wanderers.

6 Likes

He will probably end up like Gersbach and not exist anymore. Should have stayed in the ALeague.

1 Like

Probably. I’d say Gersbach had more raw talent, but you don’t know if you don’t go.

Difference is that Gersbach was a “talent” but King is a professional footballer who was prematurely dropped into the deep end of being a 90 minute player every week for 2 seasons solid now. Last season he played all but 38 minutes, and he’s shown when having to step up this week and in the Olympics that he maintains a good level. His positioning and game awareness is very good I think.

If he’s able to mentally handle the more cutthroat nature of European football, where it’s a real competition to be in the team and if you don’t perform they can just find someone else, then he can carve out a solid career in a similar way to some of the other less “glamorous” Socceroos in Europe such as his fellow south coastee Wilkshire.

Gersbach had more to his attacking game (better dribbler, a touch faster, probably a better crosser) which was flashier and stands out more than King’s, who is far more rounded well-rounded defensively.

I also am not sure how much I trust my memories for a direct comparison, given that Gersbach came in after a season each of Fabio and Warren (so lots of LB time for out-of-position Grant, Jurman and even Bojić) while King was thrown into the deep end to replace Zullo (calf, 1 week), who’d spent three seasons as clearly the best LB in the league.

1 Like

Damn. Only finding out about this now. Such a shame for us, but stoked for him. Well deserved. He’s been a sensational player for us the last 3 seasons, thrown in the deep end courtesy of Zullo who was only ever a week away from return at most.

Good luck to him overseas, and hopefully he goes on to do bigger and better things than Gersbach.

How’s Gersbach doing at his new French club? Is he getting game time? I’m happy for O’Toole to see out the rest of the season, but maybe we should bring Gersbach back for next season.

Gersbach has played in 8 of the last 10 games ( I couldn’t be bothered going any further back). Grenoble are only GD outside the relegation playoff spot though, can’t see him staying there if they drop to the third division.

2 Likes

I trust someone is on the phone already.

But when did we stop calling him Leftbach?

3 Likes

Good Luck to King,he was that good that Zullo put off making an early comeback each week.

1 Like

Why does Amini give me Francine the bully vibes?

5 Likes

So maybe:
LeFondre back in 1-2 weeks
Barbarouses back in 4 weeks, although its taking longer than expected
Nieuwenhof back god knows when
Zuvela any time now
Zullo probably 2 weeks?

LeFondre is simple. He just drops in to Buhagiars spot. I reckon based on what we’ve seen there has to be zero chance of Barbarouses coming back in and taking Caceres’ spot, so he’s got to be up front right? Trying to take Kamsoba’s spot?

The others probably aren’t critical to our composition and will have to bide their time?