A-League Transfers and Rumours

[Wombat]

https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/sainsbury-close-to-qpr-deal---reports-498723

Sainsbury to QPR. True Believer will be happy!

 

[Rowdy]

Mitch Nichols supposedly to be announced at Wellington tomorrow.

Can't imagine hard arse Mark Rudan putting up with any of Nichols 'shenanigans'

* Brisbane
-> Melbourne
-> Perth
-> WSW
-> Perth
-> Wellington ??

 

[Rowdy]

He's chasing down Isaka Cernak (6) & Liam Reddy's (7) legacy

 

[Rowdy]

Fcuk me, great pick-up for the Nix is former Socceroo David Williams.



Last 2 years at Haladas in Hungary.
20 goals in 66 games

- would have 'Willow' at CCM any day.

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/phoenix-snare-signatures-two-former-socceroos

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Fcuk me, great pick-up for the Nix is former Socceroo David Williams.

View attachment 1145

Last 2 years at Haladas in Hungary.
20 goals in 66 games

- would have 'Willow' at CCM any day.

https://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/news/phoenix-snare-signatures-two-former-socceroos

I think our signings of Gamerio and Simon don't look too bad on the striker front. There is a complete dearth of Aussie striker talent, Williams was the only other decent Aussie even close to being available, and in his Heart/City days he wasn't that impressive, will be interesting to see how he goes after his experience in Hungary.

 

[scottmac]

I put this in the Chelsea game thread but belongs here I think

I do not see how Perth are under the salary cap with their squad. Davidson Spiranovic Castro Italiano Keogh Torres Franjic Kilkenny Juande. All these players would be earning good coin and 7 of them guaranteed in the cap. Then add players like Ferreira Chianese Santalab Djublic Harold Reddy Lowry Mrcela who wouldn't be on minimum wage. Looks a bit suss to me.

 

[Rowdy]

I put this in the Chelsea game thread but belongs here I think

I do not see how Perth are under the salary cap with their squad. Davidson Spiranovic Castro Italiano Keogh Torres Franjic Kilkenny Juande. All these players would be earning good coin and 7 of them guaranteed in the cap. Then add players like Ferreira Chianese Santalab Djublic Harold Reddy Lowry Mrcela who wouldn't be on minimum wage. Looks a bit suss to me.

Very 'Grey' !
..... like Jason Davidson's hair.

Maybe Tony Sage has signed these x3 :


..... to help with the books

 

[Tevor]

I put this in the Chelsea game thread but belongs here I think

I do not see how Perth are under the salary cap with their squad. Davidson Spiranovic Castro Italiano Keogh Torres Franjic Kilkenny Juande. All these players would be earning good coin and 7 of them guaranteed in the cap. Then add players like Ferreira Chianese Santalab Djublic Harold Reddy Lowry Mrcela who wouldn't be on minimum wage. Looks a bit suss to me.

Was thinking exactly the same, not like they haven’t done it before.

 

[Big Al]

The SFC model in play. 13-14 quality players and some kids

 

[Woollybutt]

There are so many exemptions that it's almost impossible to actually exceed the salary cap. $200,000 is exempt for players who've played in your youth team, $200,000 for 'loyalty' players (spread over up to five players who've played five consecutive seasons, up to 50% of any one player's contract, so half of Harold's contract would be exempt), two marquees, up to six scholarship contracts outside the cap, and one mature age rookie contract outside the cap. I don't know if they spent under the cap last year, but they could also be carrying some over.

 

[Blackadder]

Wayne Brown has parted ways with the scum.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Wayne Brown has parted ways with the scum.

Could do a job for us.

 

[Wombat]

Could do a job for us.

I think you were right Fulham when you called him average when he first went to Scum. Looked v.good in some early games but lacked fitness and zip overall.
Better than Hoole and Powell as a 10 but below DDS and WeeJudas.

We can do better.

 

[FFC Mariner]

I think you were right Fulham when you called him average when he first went to Scum. Looked v.good in some early games but lacked fitness and zip overall.
Better than Hoole and Powell as a 10 but below DDS and WeeJudas.

We can do better.

Uh huh....

 

[Offsider]

Could do a job for us.

Don’t we already have four doing that job brown would suit????
and he would take up a visa spot .......... for a reserve backup for the reserve backup . Being better than powell was is nothing to write home about .

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Can do much better than Brown, if we were going for a minimum wage budget visa player would go for Tasuka Sekiya he's been insanely good for APIA as a #10 in the NPL NSW.

 

[Rowdy]

WELLINGTON PHOENIX SIGN POLISH CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER:


Wellington Phoenix have signed Michal Kopczynski on a season long loan from current Polish Champions, Legia Warsaw.

The Kiwi outfit has described the 26-year-old as one "of the most gifted and talented players to grace the A-League".

Kopczynski made his debut for his boyhood club Legia Warsaw in Poland in 2012 and went on to make 77 appearances, including playing 17 times in last season's title-winning effort.

In 2016-17 he helped The Legionaries qualify for the Champions League, playing in over 30 games - including 11 European matches - and facing off against the likes of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Lisbon.

The signing follows the recruitment of Polish compatriot, Filip Kurto, which should help ease the transition.



Phoenix coach Mark Rudan identified a deep lying midfielder as a key priority for the team.

'Michal has all the attributes for what I require in a holding midfielder and those key skills to excel in the A-League," Rudan said.

"He’s got drive, composure, skill, vision, and grit to cover a lot of ground and work hard for the whole team.

"Besides giving everything for the shirt and an incredible attitude to win, he will be the kind of player the fans will love to come and watch.

"Michal’s got all the skills to light up this league."

Kopczynski said talking to Rudan proved the deciding factor in making the switch to Phoenix.

"I wanted to experience something new in playing abroad and talking about the project with Mark helped me to decide to come to Wellington," he said.

"He’s clear about what he wants in his players and what he needs from me. I have heard about Filip (Kurto) signing so it will be good for me to help settle in."

AT A GLANCE
Professional Playing Career:

2014-15 Wigry Suwalki (Loan)

2012-18 Legia Warsaw
- Coaches: Jan Urban, Henning Berg, Stanislav Cherchesov, Besnik Hasi, Aleksander Vukovic, Jacek Magiera, Romeo Jozak, Dean Klafuric

 

[Rowdy]

Arnie must be chuckling to himself, watching Rudan trying to emulate GA in signing a 'quality' Pole similar in vein to SydFC's 'Meerkat Wonderboy' ....


'Mierkat'

'Meerkat'

.... he did kinda look like one

 

[Big Al]

Arnie must be chuckling to himself, watching Rudan trying to emulate GA in signing a 'quality' Pole similar in vein to SydFC's 'Meerkat Wonderboy' ....

View attachment 1153
'Mierkat'
View attachment 1154
'Meerkat'

.... he did kinda look like one

Yeah but he seems to be picking up decent foreigners. Certainly looking better than the other striped team

 

[Rowdy]

SYDNEY FC SIGN DUTCH DEFENDER:


Reigning A-League Premiers Sydney FC have agreed terms with experienced Dutch defender Jop van der Linden for the upcoming A-League season, pending a medical.

The 28-year old joins the Sky Blues from AZ Alkmaar after a successful eight seasons in the Dutch top divisions.

Last season he was loaned to Willem II in the Eredivisie where he played 18 times. The towering 1.88 stopper follows in the footsteps of compatriot Jordy Buijs who left Sydney at the end of last season and was a key figure in the Sky Blues' recent success.

“I’m delighted to be coming to the Hyundai A-League and to be joining Australia’s most recognisable club," van der Linden said.

"This is an exciting new challenge for me and I’m thrilled to be coming to Sydney FC.

“I know all about the success the club has had in recent seasons and everyone I’ve spoken to has made it clear the intention is to continue that success.

“Sydney FC has a reputation in Holland as Australia’s number one club and I want to be able to honour that with my performances here.”

The left footed centre back has scored 20 goals in his 205 career games.He started his career at Vitesse Arnhem before joining Helmond Sport in 2010 where he twice helped the club to third place in Holland’s first division, both times narrowly missing out on promotion to the Eredivisie.

The defender then transferred to Go Ahead Eagles in 2012 where he won promotion in his first year and spent the next two seasons in the top flight before winning a move to two-time Dutch Champions AZ Alkmaar ahead of the 2015-16 season.

Coach Steve Corica said: "Jop is an excellent centre half. We’ve watched him and had good reports about his ability and character, so I am very happy to have him on board.

“He will fit into our squad and club culture easily and will give us another dimension in the back four.

“He is strong and quick, good in the air and reads the game exceptionally well, so I think he will be an enormous asset to us this season.”

Van der Linden is set to arrive in Sydney early next week to complete the signing.