Transfer Talk, Rumours and Speculation

[belaguttman]

1 hour ago, Jovan said:

Alot.

Some might say I'm still paying.

Post Ladyboy Stress Disorder?

[Shahanga]

3 hours ago, AlexJones said:

Make a thread called bring back strider

I wouldn't lose too much sleep about @strider getting a ban, I doubt he is.

It seems if he hasn't got a ban at least once a month he decides he's losing his touch and not trying hard enough. 

[demba]

 

Looks like we have snapped up a 25-year-old Dutch Defender from JVS' club.

 

16:51 – 

Swap to Dutch

16:51 - Bart Schenkeveld is likely to pursue his career in Australia. The 25-year-old defender did not form part of the selection of PEC Zwolle for the home game with Roda JC on Sunday because he is completing his transfer to Melbourne City.

 

That confirms trainer John van 't Schip at De Stentor. "Bart was not in the selection because he is working on a foreign club. We give him the space to finish that transfer," said the training champion after the win. Feyenoord's former player still had a contract until 2018 at his club.

 

Schenkeveld signed at PEC in the summer of 2015 and played 32 matches for De Blauwvingers.

[Andrew Edmonds]

Looks like Palic isnt signing with us

Edited August 14, 2017 by Andrew Edmonds

[Jovan]

7 minutes ago, Andrew Edmonds said:

Looks like Palic isnt signing with us

CFG never comment. 

[NuggetsMcGreggor]

Just now, Jovan said:

CFG never comment. 

2nd last paragraph

[jw1739]

The wording does seem to make it less likely than it appeared 24 hours ago.

[Deluka]

If we are signing these two guys, the CB seems more likely, I'm pretty happy to have wrapped up the squad so early. 

Even if we were to sign another player, it's not as though he'd be a core player. 

[Hellenic Hero]

I've heard Bart has been confirmed. Announced soon.

[Mr MO]

@jw1739 where are we at in terms of filling the minimum 23 squad with those 2 players coming in?

Would love to see another leftwinger unless we are giving Arzani more playing time.

[jw1739]

8 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

@jw1739 where are we at in terms of filling the minimum 23 squad with those 2 players coming in?

Would love to see another leftwinger unless we are giving Arzani more playing time.

If both come, we will be up to 19, excluding scholarship players. Minimum is 20. @Mr MO

[bt50]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-city-on-the-verge-of-bulking-up-its-foreign-quota-with-european-stars/news-story/f48b34d28cc14d171053d5a7684d5c7e

Looks like Bart is a goer, with Palic unlikely. Hunt for a marquee CAM continues...

Edited August 14, 2017 by bt50

[DFG_82]

I'd be happy if we just signed Schenkeveld tbh seems like a solid signing under the cap. While Palic could have turned out be great. His CV seems a bit underwhelming for a Marquee. 

[neio]

I think the Dutch centre back is done, jvs pretty much confirmed it post match of his last match

Interesting player, I assume jvs has recommended him. But if he was that good wouldn't jvs want to keep him 

[Mr MO]

21 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

If both come, we will be up to 19, excluding scholarship players. Minimum is 20. @Mr MO

So these scholarship players don't count towards the minimum of 20 squad players? So we have to either sign one more senior player or alternatively one of the 7 scholarship players will come under the cap, correct?

[jw1739]

5 minutes ago, neio said:

I think the Dutch centre back is done, jvs pretty much confirmed it post match of his last match

Interesting player, I assume jvs has recommended him. But if he was that good wouldn't jvs want to keep him 

I read it that Schenkeveld is contracted to Zwolle until the end of next season. Perhaps we're paying a transfer fee to secure him? 

Just now, Mr MO said:

So these scholarship players don't count towards the minimum of 20 squad players? So we have to either sign one more senior player or alternatively one of the 7 scholarship players will come under the cap, correct?

No, they don't is my reading. They sit outside the cap. But only six can be outside the cap. There was a post a few weeks ago saying Crowley was about to be announced as a senior player, so if that's true then he would make the 20th. Assuming Palic signs that is, and seems a little less likely now.

[Mr MO]

Schenkeveld struggled to get into the starting line up after several injuries so I won't be surprised Zwolle will he let him go transfer free. He stats at his club show that he's played some games but never full seasons.

Just read, he had had a decent pre season but JVS doesn't deem him good enough as a starting left or right back.

Can be a good and talented signing.

Edited August 14, 2017 by Mr MO

[HeartOfCity]

21 minutes ago, neio said:

I think the Dutch centre back is done, jvs pretty much confirmed it post match of his last match

Interesting player, I assume jvs has recommended him. But if he was that good wouldn't jvs want to keep him 

JVS doesnt use CB's waste of money🙃

[Inferno]

What has this place turned into?

[bt50]

20 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Schenkeveld struggled to get into the starting line up after several injuries so I won't be surprised Zwolle will he let him go transfer free. He stats at his club show that he's played some games but never full seasons.

Just read, he had had a decent pre season but JVS doesn't deem him good enough as a starting left or right back.

Can be a good and talented signing.

Reading some of the various opinions of him from holland he seems fairly highly rated but injury and card prone. Did play 25 games last time around though. 

Im pretty confident with this guy, provided he can get a good run at it.

[pm37]

 

[belaguttman]

2 hours ago, neio said:

 

Interesting player, I assume jvs has recommended him. But if he was that good wouldn't jvs want to keep him 

2

Nah, JVS already has a couple of other players to play as strikers or left back

[Andrew Edmonds]

Confirmed by PEC Zwolle Bart's coming here. #WelcomeBart

[bt50]

http://www.peczwolle.nl/nl/nieuwsarchief/bart-schenkeveld-vertrekt-naar-australi2017-08-14

Thats as good as done.

[fensaddler]

Happy with this one.  Clearly he could fail to settle, not fit in or get injured, but on paper looks a decent signing to play at our level.  Just the number 10 to go now I'd imagine?

[bt50]

8 minutes ago, fensaddler said:

Happy with this one.  Clearly he could fail to settle, not fit in or get injured, but on paper looks a decent signing to play at our level.  Just the number 10 to go now I'd imagine?

Id say so. There might be a peripheral signing or two made like Crowley or such, but our marquee 10 is the last piece of the puzzle in terms of an actual game day squad now.

[jw1739]

2 hours ago, bt50 said:

Id say so. There might be a peripheral signing or two made like Crowley or such, but our marquee 10 is the last piece of the puzzle in terms of an actual game day squad now.

Yes, I think this sums it up. We'll probably go into the season with 20 senior players and 6 scholarship players to come in as required. If someone were to get an offer elsewhere and create a bit of cap space then we might take that opportunity for another signing, but otherwise it's a solid squad and it will be on Wazza's shoulders to get something out of it.

Edited August 15, 2017 by jw1739

[bt50]

28 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Yes, I think this sums it up. We'll probably go into the season with 20 senior players and 6 scholarship players to come in as required. If someone were to get an offer elsewhere and create a bit of cap space then we might take that opportunity for another signing, but otherwise it's a solid squad and it will be on Wazza's shoulders to get something out of it.

Also worth noting that any signings after our marquee 10 would have to be Australian, so its unlikely we have anyone available to sign that’s first team quality until January now. Most decent Australians will have a club already and i doubt Malik is on any more than 200k max, so thats prob not enough to lure anyone decent away from their current club.

In that regard selling Malik or what not to clear cap space doesn’t really make sense until the January window.

[Embee]

18 minutes ago, bt50 said:

Also worth noting that any signings after our marquee 10 would have to be Australian, so its unlikely we have anyone available to sign that’s first team quality until January now. Most decent Australians will have a club already and i doubt Malik is on any more than 200k max, so thats prob not enough to lure anyone decent away from their current club.

In that regard selling Malik or what not to clear cap space doesn’t really make sense until the January window.

Yeah, I would actually hope that we hold onto Osama now until January. Just get that Marquee 10 in and the squad is looking deep, especially when you consider that Bort can apparently play as a fullback too which should alleviate some concerns for those who are scared to see Muscat as the only senior RB in the team.

It's often been a case of famous last words on here, but I feel pretty good about the squad we've assembled.

[mus-28]

Right back is our only genuine weakness, seems strange that we'd go into the season with Muscat as our 1st choice in the position, but there isn't many Australian right backs who are quality and more so on the outer at their current clubs. Hopefully that means we are looking at playing with a back 3 and using Fitzy on the right as he certainly earned it late last season. 

[Embee]

11 minutes ago, mus-28 said:

Right back is our only genuine weakness, seems strange that we'd go into the season with Muscat as our 1st choice in the position, but there isn't many Australian right backs who are quality and more so on the outer at their current clubs. Hopefully that means we are looking at playing with a back 3 and using Fitzy on the right as he certainly earned it late last season. 

From what I've heard Warren seems to rate Muscat as a leader and I assume as a player. Obviously he was patchy last season (and that's being generous) but as I've said before on here I think there's something to be said for placing a bit of a trust in a guy who's obviously got a pretty sharp mind when it comes to football and talent identification in particular.

We've had the same useless managers in charge of these players for the last few seasons so I'm willing to give just about all of them a clean slate under Warren to see if they adapt better under his training regime and tactical systems. 

[GreenSeater]

9 minutes ago, Embee said:

From what I've heard Warren seems to rate Muscat as a leader and I assume as a player. Obviously he was patchy last season (and that's being generous) but as I've said before on here I think there's something to be said for placing a bit of a trust in a guy who's obviously got a pretty sharp mind when it comes to football and talent identification in particular.

We've had the same useless managers in charge of these players for the last few seasons so I'm willing to give just about all of them a clean slate under Warren to see if they adapt better under his training regime and tactical systems. 

Personally I don't think Muscat is as bad as a lot of people make him out to be on here. He's a solid, decent fullback. Yeah he had a few poor moments last season, but so does everyone. I see him as a better defensive player than Franjic was tbh. Obviously nowhere near as good attacking but still.

[Mr MO]

11 minutes ago, Embee said:

From what I've heard Warren seems to rate Muscat as a leader and I assume as a player. Obviously he was patchy last season (and that's being generous) but as I've said before on here I think there's something to be said for placing a bit of a trust in a guy who's obviously got a pretty sharp mind when it comes to football and talent identification in particular.

We've had the same useless managers in charge of these players for the last few seasons so I'm willing to give just about all of them a clean slate under Warren to see if they adapt better under his training regime and tactical systems. 

Bort played right or left back more often than people think, we might see him there with La Rocca and Jako as CB pair.

[n i k o]

2 minutes ago, GreenSeater said:

Personally I don't think Muscat is as bad as a lot of people make him out to be on here. He's a solid, decent fullback. Yeah he had a few poor moments last season, but so does everyone. I see him as a better defensive player than Franjic was tbh. Obviously nowhere near as good attacking but still.

From memory his poor moments mostly came when he was played as a centre back 

[Jovan]

It concerns me if Muscat would be our first choice RB but if it's good enough for Wazza then it's good enough for me. 

But if Bort is actually first choice RB and La Rocca/Ruon alongside Jakobsen then that seems doable also. 

[bt50]

5 minutes ago, n i k o said:

From memory his poor moments mostly came when he was played as a centre back 

Yep spot on. I recall him having one brilliant game last year (Victory R2) and one shocker (the loss to sydney where he got sent off as a CB) and the rest he was either serviceable or so-so. Solid in defence, didnt offer much in attack. So while i dont think he's a world beater, i certainly dont think he's any better or worse than say a Steffanuto in the Roarcelona days on even Geria or Ryall for our main opposition.

Undoubtedly he'll be our weakest player on the pitch if he starts at RB, but i dont think he's liability, particularly in a good side that protects its full backs. I'm not at all concerned if he is considered our starting RB at this stage, and as @Embee said, I'm happy to give everyone another chance under a half competent gaffer. Its certainly interesting that Muscat and Malik were amongst our best 2-3 players in the cup tie v Peninsula.

[belaguttman]

Muscat's performance depends on the role the coach asks him to take, he did poorly in a back 3 but this probably reflects JVS' inability to communicate players roles and to drill the team to work together. He'll perform better if he's a defensive RB without too much overlapping, as he'll struggle a bit with pace

[Embee]

Agree with pretty much all the above posts after mine.

Muscat was a bit of a victim of scapegoating, he was an unfashionable signing from the start which makes it easier for some to place most of the blame for our defensive issues at his feet, but as mentioned he was only really poor when deployed as CB which isn't his natural role. 

[Deluka]

Rob Weilaert still lives in Melbourne (and plays futsal in Albert Park), could be an opportunity there to get Bart more settled

[Dylan]

Just now, Embee said:

Agree with pretty much all the above posts after mine.

Muscat was a bit of a victim of scapegoating, he was an unfashionable signing from the start which makes it easier for some to place most of the blame for our defensive issues at his feet, but as mentioned he was only really poor when deployed as CB which isn't his natural role. 

scapegoating on here? pull the other one