Where are we headed?

[JoyfulPenguin]

With only ten players re-signed ahead of the most important pre-season in our history, two of whom have been told they can look elsewhere, where are we headed? With our best performing players from last season all departed, how are we going to do better next season? How are we going to be able to offer better than what Western United let alone the other established A-League clubs? We have to spend the full cap and more, there are no more more valid excuses. How will we compete for signings without proper financial backing which Charlesworth seems reluctant to give?

As fans should we be optimistic or baying for blood? Should the pitchforks and torches be raised now? The threat of relegation is hanging over our heads, even hardcore Mariners fans are questioning our continued existence. Can we survive another unorganised and unprofessional pre-season?

The quality of our currently signed players would be lucky to get us into the top four of NPL sides. How will we compete with former NPL clubs when the Championship starts, because we certainly seem to have less money than they do and that's when getting a giant TV dividend.

Where are we headed? Why are the only rumours connected to us about a "project" striker or a young player with potential in a position where we already have a young player with potential? Why was Jacob Melling given a two year contract rather than a one year with extension triggers? Why were Roy O'Donovan, Mitch Austin, Paul Izzo, Storm Roux, Trent Buhagiar, Liam Rose, Scott Galloway, Fabio Ferreira, Tom Heward-Belle, Gianni Stesness, Alan Baro, Johnathon Asprotamitis, Matt Millar, Lachie Wales and Connor Pain allowed to leave without at least matching their offered contracts or in some cases even seeing them out? Why have we never negotiated our contracts properly?

Why do we want to strip our academy for parts when that was supposedly going to be our basis for success? Why do we trust none of our young players when the experienced ones let us down? Why did we get rid of Ben Cahn? Why did we have no strength and conditioning coach for nearly an entire pre-season? Why did we think Usain Bolt and two Sheffield youth players would be better than our own young players?

Where are we headed? Why is there a new direction every two weeks, a new half baked idea?

We are heading into oblivion.

 

[Insertnamehere]

To oblivion and beyond!
To keep doing the same thing, making the same errors baffles me. Like I've said before it's time for a management cleanout.

 

[midfielder]

Hang with me on this post ... the framing I think is needed.

Many many to many moons ago, as a young man in Yennora [part of Fairfield] things were not going well for a kid two out of school, taken on to much as youth often does, and between parties, football, weekends away other things were left undone.

I received my academic results and they were not good, failed a third of the year and just passed other subjects..

I was at a lost and had two or three things in mind what to do and had to decide if I could still party, surf, hold my new job which I was massiveness under qualified for... as well as work out a difficult position with a former girlfriend who still wanted to be the girlfriend and I did not ...

I drove to Villawood where they where starting to build a massive immigration centre and parked my car to think .

As I looked across the clay earth works a Moody Blues Song came on called "Question" some lyrics in one part of this song almost spoke to me and I think its where our club is today... so I will write the stance or paragraph that I think applies to our club and the "SHE" in the song is not a girl or through it could be ... the "SHE" is what you want or desire and this is where I see Shaun in particular .

Shaun you need to choose where to lead us, and your decisions are today massively important.... anyhow to the lyrics

Between the silence of the mountains
and the crashing of the sea
Their lies a land I once lived in
and she is waiting there for me
But in the grey of the morning
my mind becomes confused
Between the dead
and the sleeping
and the road that I must choose.

 

[pjennings]

With only ten players re-signed ahead of the most important pre-season in our history, two of whom have been told they can look elsewhere.....

I have heard about Shabow, who is the other one?

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I have heard about Shabow, who is the other one?

Weemac wasn’t t it?
Or is that just my wishful thinking.

 

[pjennings]

Weemac wasn’t t it?
Or is that just my wishful thinking.

I know a few of us had said it - not only because his impact is so much lower than his previous incarnation - but because he is taking a visa spot. Sell him to Balzan. At worst loan him. Come on Anton - he would be a great pick up for Balzan!!

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

I have heard about Shabow, who is the other one?

I thought Gauci had been as well, or maybe I imagined it.

 

[BrisRecky]

Which two got told to look elsewhere?....although to be fair I’d have more than two

 

[Wombat]

I thought Gauci had been as well, or maybe I imagined it.

Gauci was at training this week. The trailists/ youth players are all decent players. 1 or 2 not so good but most of them very competent.
Shabow was impressive again.
Interesting to note he is only 2 or 3 inches taller than Nizzy.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

I know we're all wanting some fast action....but let's not forget that Staj has come in late.
If his approach is to not move fast but to thoroughly research the players currently with the club, then is that really a bad thing?

I mean, from the last game it's clear that he still didn't know our players all that well - given the decisions he made in that game, wouldn't you want a bit more consideration before making decisions that affect next season?

There's probably a lot of big conversations happening with MC over money, there's a new football director to think about...there's a lot affecting the future of the club.

But yes, we need to be prepared to make some decisions quickly if needed - but it's more important to make the right decisions.

Although conversely, we made a very quick decision on signing that WSW striker for reasons none of us understand.....

We're all dying for something to give us hope. In all honesty, the club hasn't given us anything yet. I'm simply not going to get excited about a new coach (again) until we start seeing an actual difference.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Yep exactly this for mine also.