fensaddler

Particularly after watching that excellent doco on SBS last night about WSW and their first two years, including their Asian Cup run.

He will be a huge addition back into the squad.

Yes, ratings and Paramount subscriptions did not meet targets so payments to clubs reduced. Will make a big hole in player budgets. We may be relatively less affected but we will still be spending less.

I guess it goes without saying that if there is any truth to this, none of them should ever play in the ALM again.

Apparently three ALM players arrested this morning for match fixing.... All the arrests in Sydney so at least unlikely to be our players.

Loan him out to a lower league club who would genuinely appreciate a skilful player. *cough* Walsall *cough*

Again all has to be seen in the light of reduced funding for clubs. We're all going to be running a lot lighter next season. Of those gone, only Antonis really bothers me. I liked him and I thought he offered something different. Think he'll find a gig elsewhere in the ALM. Jakolis was patchy and finished the season poorly, Natel frustrated me and slowed play, Hall failed to develop, and Fernandez was a short term cover.

I wish him well. Let's see what he can do with his own squad. Bear in mind that with cuts in income for next season, squad strength is going to be relative just as it was during COVID. We won't be as strong on paper next season, but we won't go backwards as much as other squads.

Confirmed that both Nabbout and Leckie have signed up for the next two years. Hopefully we can keep them fit. Both are evidently key players in the dressing room and hopefully on the pitch.

It also seems that the key to youth development is to have Joe Palatsides on your staff...

It's an attempt to build culture and for that I commend it.

Absolutely on board with both @MHFC-FAN and @Le Hack here. I'm excited about the opportunities tighter budgets give to our best youngsters. I want to see the kids play and thrive. Necovski sounds like a gun and I've managed to see Sulemani play for less than 20 minutes so far in an NPL game at Ballarat. But he's also had great props. Caputo we've seen and I rate him, and Mazzeo looks up to it.

It's going to be financially tight next season. We could do with a couple of young guns really coming through next season. He's one of my big hopes. I suspect we've missed him this season.

Mostly agree. I don't think our use of subs has been as poor as in previous years. We've been more willing to use those subs earlier, they have sometimes changed the game (particularly Antonis, but sometimes others) or have at least shored up tiring legs. Another factor this season has been injuries (but see also ageing squad). We've so often been without key players including the better game changers to come off the bench. Look at who was missing for the game on Sunday, and wonder what a fit Tilio, Mazzeo, Nabbout, Reis or Sulemani might have contributed. Finally, player departures or impending departures. Curtis Good was the consummate professional to the last, but we can only wonder where Maclaren's head was. And Hamza Sakhi's departure was a real loss, just when he'd settled in and found form. But having said that, yes, a grim season leavened with the occasional outstanding performance. Too often and a familiar story, we've not turned periods of dominance into goals. Albeit three more points would have put us ahead of Victory and if we believe the breathless commentariat, they are a wonderful side who have had a decent season. Only two really good sides this year, both well clear of the pack on top, and we deservedly beat one of them in the run in... The elephant in the room has been our woeful and often inexplicable inconsistency.

I understood that contact was to the chest rather than the head? If it was the head his response was justified. Certainly no intent to justify or downplay what Machach did, or the penalty applied.

I suspect like a lot of us I'm still processing this. Some random observations. - In the first half, and for much of the second, we were mostly the good version of City. We created huge numbers of good chances and played the sort of attacking football we all want to see. Our failing was not being good enough to put more than one in the net. - Rolling around holding your face and faking injury is not good enough. Especially when that player is already on a yellow and risks getting booked for simulation. Said it before re Jakolis trying the same thing early in the season, but I don't want players like that at the club. And I know Fornaroli and Arzani were diving everywhere. - It was great to have a bigger active, including trumpet. For once I was in the middle of it and it took me back about 40 years... The oldest of our crew is in his mid seventies and has just had his knee replaced. He had a ball and was waving his crutch in the air a number of times. I suspect it made him feel about 60 years younger. - We've got a hell of a job rebuilding this squad. It's already off the pace and we're losing more key parts with the end of this season. It's not going to be fixed by one off season however effective. I suspect we've got several years rebuilding ahead of us. And we need to learn a lot about both squad building and style of play from those at the head of the pack right now. If we were as effective with our resources as CCM are with theirs, it's frightening how good we might be.

Honestly can't blame him. Topping up his pension pot to look after his family.

No. I contacted Ryan for mine. He got back very quickly.

Evil Victory bastards have shoved us in the corner again.

This is abysmal. I am losing the will to live.

I maybe prejudiced but it's been my view that the Vuck aren't half as good as they, their fans or the gushing commentariat think they are. Being proven again tonight. Flash but far too little real substance.

https://melbournecityfc.com.au/news/20240424-necovski-signs/ 16 years old and 195cm tall...

Maclaren's recent comments suggest an expectation that Caputo will be leading the line much more regularly next year. Suspect we'll see more of Mazzeo too. Plus we've had a gun young striker sidelined all season that I'm keen to see. Be interesting to see how this all pans out in the next couple of months. We'll need to thread the needle in keeping some experience and continuity, but also doing better than we sometimes have in promoting youth.

And yet they still have the likely golden boot winner. How bad have the rest been?

I got the sense that we had a clear succession plan in keeping Nieuwenhuizen and signing Beach. Young may do another season to bridge until they are ready or maybe they are ready and we're just waiting for Nieuwenhuizen's fitness.