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Our Marquee Man...


heart_fan10

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Whilst Barton would likely give us the best on field performance out of the three, there is not a chance that he'll come to Heart. He's also a much smaller name and would probably be way too expensive for us. Can see him in the MLS in the next few years.

Ronaldinho would be immense, both on and off the field. But he's still a few years away from considering the move, unless we offer him mega bucks that we don't have.

Raul is the right age and in the right situation to come to the A-League. He'd bring in the people, create headlines and I'd back him to be able to perform as well.

Raul's the man for mine.

Edited by Jimmy
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Mark van Bommel would be a great addition to our midfield, currently signed to PSV until the end of this season, but as a former captain for Bayern and Netherlands who has also played for Barca and Milan he's the sort of defensive midfielder who would provide a lot to our team and may be worth a prolonged courtship by the club. http://www.transfermarkt.com/en/mark-van-bommel/profil/spieler_3515.htmlhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/mark-van-bommel/profil/spieler_3515.html so he's affordable and would really give us a good midfield alternative to  Gerhardt who could stay at CB. He would be a very good on-field leader, he was captain at Bayern so he wouldn't put up with the sort of performances we have put in this season

Edited by belaguttman
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...and I'd suggest that, having had our Chairman reported as saying that we were going to look at signing a marquee (albeit with some caveats attached), it would be a huge let-down for supporters if the club reneged on that.

 

More than anything we need some hope for the future after such a miserable season, and I think the Board's awake to that.

 

Next season FFA will be paying the wages up to the salary cap, so much of the financial constraint on the poorer clubs will have been removed.

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Dylan, on 08 Apr 2013 - 00:21, said:

belaguttman, on 07 Apr 2013 - 21:42, said:

Marquees are outside the salary cap, will attract some financial help from FFA, extra money from sponsors.

also because of the ffa covering the cap thats an extra 2.5 to play with

~$1.3m, clubs were paying only half, not the whole lot, from their own pockets...

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Wouldn't mind Walter Samuel, expires at the end of the current season. Not a huge name, but love the bloke as a player.

 

I think Scott McDonald contract expires at the end of the year, polarises a lot of people, but good Melbourne boy that could bang them in given the right service.

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Heart has made two recent statements about signing a marquee, which were:


one from the chairman Peter Sidwell on Feb 18, 

"We anticipate picking up somebody appropriate for the club to move forward. We haven't identified anyone yet but the player will pick himself when we find the right one," Sidwell said.

 

"We'll look even more aggressively than before about trying to get a player or players that will make a demonstrative difference."

 

(source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-heart-in-market-for-marquee-signing-after-lucas-neill-miss/story-fnddhv0x-1226580652565)


And one statement from CEO Scott Munn on March 29: 

Heart chief executive Scott Munn refused to discuss marquees specifically but revealed that the owners would be loosening the purse strings next season.

 

"The board have agreed to invest greater funds on the football budget next year and we expect that will result in an improved performance on the pitch," Munn said.

"That's predominantly for the playing budget. But marquees a completely separate conversation.

 

(source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-heart-battles-to-draw-a-crowd-in-bid-to-avoid-wooden-spoon/story-fnddhv0x-1226609130309)

 

The good thing about both these statements is that they tell us the club might pursue a marquee (as hinted at by Sidwell), AND that the club will spend more money on players regardless. Both of these developments are real good. 

 

Regarding marquees, Western Sydney have shown that you don't need to have a marquee that non-football people have heard of to have a very influential and successful marquee. I confess, I hadn't heard of Shinji Ono before he came to Western Sydney, but I've tuned in to watch the Wanderers play multiple times so I could watch Ono play. Another thing going for the Ono-type of marquee is that they are players that make the team better, because they were signed with team compatibility in mind. A marquee that is compatible with the team will help the team win games, and will help build crowds and members by driving on-field success.

 

Sydney FC possess the classic big name marquee, that non-football people might have heard of. And as Sydney showed, because ADP was signed for his name and not his ability to fit in a team, the team failed on the pitch. Sure, they've sold a lot of jerseys, but personally I'd rather on field success.

 

 

I reckon Giorgos Karagounis and Mark van Bommel (and Pirlo and maybe Ronaldinho) could do for Heart what Ono did for the Wanderers. So thats why I'd like to sign a marquee of that variety.

 

 

After today's departures, it has to be said, I'm a lot more optimistic about Heart's squad and footballing potential. If we just spend well and sign 6,7 or 8 quality players for next season, including one or two very good internationals who (like Gerhardt) can be a starter for most of next season, then I reckon we'll win lots of games and finish high up the table. And if that happens, I couldn't care less about a marquee.

Edited by Murfy1
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I'm pleased you dug those out because it's best we know precisely what was said rather than assume what was said.

I felt at the time that Sidwell was more positive ('We anticipate picking up somebody...') about a marquee than was Munn, who IMO rather watered down what was attributed to his boss.

Edited by jw1739
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Scotty Mac and Raul up front with Gracia behind them in a 4-4-2 diamond. Chuck Duga and Germano on the sides and use Gerhardt as the DM. Madaschi and Vranks at CB with Jezza on the right and a new international on the left. :up:

As good as that sounds theres more chance of jarrod gilett becoming a good referee

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Pirlo would be huge for us

Yes, he'd cost as much as the whole league at the moment. He's younger than ADP, still playing for Italy and the heart of Juve's game. we are better chasing players who are a little older, retired form international football like Raul, Mark van Bommel or Javier Saviola

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Hi all

 

I've just been watching Guizou v CCM and was impressed with Zatalan Muslimovich. His goal was an awesome strike. Would he be high profile enough for what we need?

 

http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/news/former-udinese-parma-paok-striker-zlatan-muslimovic-joins-043100301--spt.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zlatan_Muslimovi%C4%87

He's about the right age and probably will be off contract soon.
 

cheers Peter

Edited by pberrett
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