Transfer Talk, Rumours and Speculation

[MHFC-FAN]

25 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Well, yes and no. One would hardly call Antonis "really strong." Oresti's scholarship contract was until the end of next season. A little odd that he goes now perhaps?

I was more referring to last seasons squad etc and all the fringe youth players that have left us for other A-League teams. I can imagine a lot of youth players would be pretty pissed if Antonis does become a starter over giving a youth a chance...

11 minutes ago, CityBoyz said:

Same as letting Valadon go to the victory while we sign a player who couldn’t even get a game at WSW 

Yeah it didn't make much sense with Valadon, as we played him in the ACL and he looked decent but then seemed to never get a look in after then. Naturally I can understand the frustrations and looking elsewhere for playing opportunities.

[jw1739]

Things to bear in mind:
- our youth team plays in NPL2 rather than in NPL1;
- despite three successive Premierships it's not all that often that we have been in such a strong position in a match with, say, 20 minutes to go that we can afford to give fringe players a run:
- we have to have three U-21 (I think it's U-21?) players on the bench to meet the APL regulation (remember Sydney were penalised for breaching this rule).

[belaguttman]

I'm also frustrated. When we have an experienced starting 11 then it's hard for academy players to get off the bench; when we have a huge team turnover the risk is too high to get academy players off the bench. To be fair, every successful club grapples with this issue and nobody has solved it, but it is frustrating, nevertheless.

Edited July 8, 2023 by belaguttman

[NewConvert]

Which brings me as to why Rafa is no longer with us. Given that Tilio & Nabbout were playing for teh same spot as Rafa, I could understand as to why he was not getting game time (up to a point). But now with no Tilio, an ageing and out of form Nabbout, surely Rafa should have been kept?

[MHFC-FAN]

22 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

I'm also frustrated. When we have an experienced starting 11 then it's hard for academy players to get off the bench; when we have a huge team turnover the risk is too high to get academy players off the bench. To be fair, every successful club grapples with this issue and nobody has solved it, but it is frustrating, nevertheless.

You're right it is a dilemma every club faces and makes it a difficult balancing act. Can't have a best 11 comprising of just senior players 30 + and on the flip side you can't have a full youth squad of under 23s. It's just frustrating to lose a lot of the youth players to other clubs, but it's just the way this comp works...

[jw1739]

3 minutes ago, NewConvert said:

Which brings me as to why Rafa is no longer with us. Given that Tilio & Nabbout were playing for teh same spot as Rafa, I could understand as to why he was not getting game time (up to a point). But now with no Tilio, an ageing and out of form Nabbout, surely Rafa should have been kept?

Absolutely. Then what comes into play is that despite suspecting that Tilio would be off he was aware how first PK and then Rado were reluctant to drop Nabbout and to use substitutes under almost any circumstances, Rafa could see a better pathway at Macarthur replacing 35 y-o Craig Noone. I'm just guessing of course.

In Oresti's case, with four new midfielders plus Durakovic and Sulemani already signed, and likely Max Caputo, what chance has he got to progress at City?

[MHFC-FAN]

8 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Absolutely. Then what comes into play is that despite suspecting that Tilio would be off he was aware how first PK and then Rado were reluctant to drop Nabbout and to use substitutes under almost any circumstances, Rafa could see a better pathway at Macarthur replacing 35 y-o Craig Noone. I'm just guessing of course.

In Oresti's case, with four new midfielders plus Durakovic and Sulemani already signed, and likely Max Caputo, what chance has he got to progress at City?

For Rafa's sake yes the past 2 seasons has been hard for him to get many opportunities in the 11. But this season he surely would be poised to get considerable more minutes than the past 2 seasons as the squad stands presently. Macarthur however will probably give him a real slid opportunity to start there...

Oresti didn't manage many minutes at all and he definitely seemed behind in the depth chart when you consider the other young midfielders ahead of him. He is likely to get more game time at the Mariners than if he was to have stayed.

[NuggetsMcGreggor]

One of the main reasons we haven’t been able to attract the kind of quality we have in the past is that the salary cap was cut during Covid and is still at that level. So we’re seeing more players go overseas to probably sit on the bench and less money available to offer non-marquee visas. 
A review of the salary cap is due next year so that might explain all our 1-year signings. 

[Mr MO]

3 hours ago, NuggetsMcGreggor said:

One of the main reasons we haven’t been able to attract the kind of quality we have in the past is that the salary cap was cut during Covid and is still at that level. So we’re seeing more players go overseas to probably sit on the bench and less money available to offer non-marquee visas. 
A review of the salary cap is due next year so that might explain all our 1-year signings. 

And don’t forget we have an internal cap on marquee wages too. For years it’s been JMAC to be rumored sitting on a marquee spot, that also means his calibre is the bench mark. IMO that’s not good enough to have a real impact in the ACL and big games.

[Zanty]

Not surprised Oresti has left, we have Lopane who signed this season & Durakovic who got a scholarship, they are both 2-3 years young than Oresti as well

4 hours ago, NuggetsMcGreggor said:

A review of the salary cap is due next year so that might explain all our 1-year signings. 

I forgot this was happening, will be interesting to see if they decide to just keep with raising it by 50k every season or decide to give it a bit more of a boost

[jw1739]

17 hours ago, NuggetsMcGreggor said:

One of the main reasons we haven’t been able to attract the kind of quality we have in the past is that the salary cap was cut during Covid and is still at that level. So we’re seeing more players go overseas to probably sit on the bench and less money available to offer non-marquee visas. 
A review of the salary cap is due next year so that might explain all our 1-year signings. 

I suspect that almost all of us had forgotten the reduction - I certainly had. And I would say it most likely explains the quality of our signings. But I put the 1-year contracts for Young and Antonis as simply being stopgaps - in 2024-25 I would expect Beach to be our No. 1 GK and at least one scholarship midfielder given a senior contract.

And I would venture to say that it's a vicious circle for the League overall. Lower quality players being signed because of the lower salary cap, and therefore a less attractive league for spectators, sponsors and advertisers, leading to further financial restraints on the league and a lower status for the league in terms of the AFC.

At some point you have to break this downwards spiral. I have my own ideas as to measures that might be taken to help arrest this spiral, but some are politically incorrect and so I won't post them.

Edited July 9, 2023 by jw1739

[NewConvert]

20 hours ago, NuggetsMcGreggor said:

One of the main reasons we haven’t been able to attract the kind of quality we have in the past is that the salary cap was cut during Covid and is still at that level. So we’re seeing more players go overseas to probably sit on the bench and less money available to offer non-marquee visas. 
A review of the salary cap is due next year so that might explain all our 1-year signings. 

 

6 hours ago, jw1739 said:

I suspect that almost all of us had forgotten the reduction - I certainly had. And I would say it most likely explains the quality of our signings. But I put the 1-year contracts for Young and Antonis as simply being stopgaps - in 2024-25 I would expect Beach to be our No. 1 GK and at least one scholarship midfielder given a senior contract.

And I would venture to say that it's a vicious circle for the League overall. Lower quality players being signed because of the lower salary cap, and therefore a less attractive league for spectators, sponsors and advertisers, leading to further financial restraints on the league and a lower status for the league in terms of the AFC.

At some point you have to break this downwards spiral. I have my own ideas as to measures that might be taken to help arrest this spiral, but some are politically incorrect and so I won't post them.

Let's not glorify the past too much. The A-League has signed plenty of name players that were trying to extract one last pay check before retiring. And then there have been players no one had heard of that really shone. One thing is clear that the pace of the A-League is now fast enough that the Nani's of the world should not get a look in.

Secondly, re-cycling A-League players has been issue for years. The pros is that the clubs know what they are getting and the players know the league. The cons is that too many are plodders and blocking the development of younger players.

Third Australia being a small relatively isolated place likes to barrack for it's youth and since covid happened we have seen across the league young players take on the challenge and thrive. It hurst losing Bos, Tilio, O'Neill and Rafa but they will always be our boys. (As an aside, sign up Behich for one season so that the journey is complete).

Fourth, every season is a mystery to the forum as to what the club recruiters are thinking.

Finally, the downward spiral did not begin because of the players on the pitch. It began by the A-League management not knowing how to engage the fans at stadiums, the Sydney GF debacle, the Sydney Festival, etc.

[MHFC-FAN]

6 hours ago, jw1739 said:

 

At some point you have to break this downwards spiral. I have my own ideas as to measures that might be taken to help arrest this spiral, but some are politically incorrect and so I won't post them.

Nah the more we bow down to this pc rubbish the worse this country is becoming!

Just say it! 

[Mr MO]

7 hours ago, jw1739 said:

I have my own ideas as to measures that might be taken to help arrest this spiral, but some are politically incorrect and so I won't post them.

What's this now JW, are saying you want a league for vegans, full of transgender athletes? V-League!

[jw1739]

41 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

What's this now JW, are saying you want a league for vegans, full of transgender athletes? V-League!

Ah, @Mr MO in the words used in one of those parlour games played at your grandparents' on Boxing Day in those halcyon days of yore - "you're getting warm!"

[jw1739]

3 hours ago, NewConvert said:

Let's not glorify the past too much....

@NewConvert At my age the past is pretty much all I've got left to glorify...

[HughJass]

Souprayen signed 2 year deal https://melbournecityfc.com.au/news/20231007-souprayen-signs

[citypool]

3 minutes ago, HughJass said:

Souprayen signed 2 year deal https://melbournecityfc.com.au/news/20231007-souprayen-signs

Looks good 

[Mr MO]

20 minutes ago, citypool said:

Looks good 

He loves a tackle.

[MHFC-FAN]

Is he likely to be in the starting 11 and if so at LB or CB? 

 

[jw1739]

1 hour ago, HughJass said:

Souprayen signed 2 year deal https://melbournecityfc.com.au/news/20231007-souprayen-signs

I'm pretty happy with this because we need some height at the back, and maybe he'll get forward at set pieces as well.

I note the emphasis on our ACL campaign. Some of these other Asian clubs import tall timber, so overall it looks OK to me.

I also note that he has spoken with Florin. I wonder whether the latter is staying on after all?

[Tommykins]

2 hours ago, Mr MO said:

He loves a tackle.

Gives me slight Gerhardt vibes from the video.

[jw1739]

5 minutes ago, Tommykins said:

Gives me slight Gerhardt vibes from the video.

@Tommykins What video?

Edited July 10, 2023 by jw1739

[CityBoyz]

25 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

@Tommykins What video?

 

[jw1739]

Thanks, I don't do twitter.

[CityBoyz]

 

[MHFC-FAN]

1 hour ago, CityBoyz said:

 

It would be a bit of a dog move if he left the Jets for us... Would be a great pickup though!

[CityBoyz]

15 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

It would be a bit of a dog move if he left the Jets for us... Would be a great pickup though!

League needs transfer fees which then rightfully compensates jets and it would be win win we get a great player and jets get much needed money that they need to survive 

[jw1739]

9 minutes ago, CityBoyz said:

League needs transfer fees which then rightfully compensates jets and it would be win win we get a great player and jets get much needed money that they need to survive 

IIRC a couple of seasons ago this was "on the agenda?" But like so many things, it's fallen off again.

[MHFC-FAN]

2 hours ago, CityBoyz said:

League needs transfer fees which then rightfully compensates jets and it would be win win we get a great player and jets get much needed money that they need to survive 

That's enough logic from you! APL doesn't operate logically...

[jw1739]

12 hours ago, jw1739 said:

IIRC a couple of seasons ago this was "on the agenda?" But like so many things, it's fallen off again.

Poor form to quote my own post, but I was not wrong, for once.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/short-term-thinking-is-costing-a-league-millions-in-lost-transfer-fees-fa-chief-20220118-p59p5n.html

Seriously, I just don't understand how all these "initiatives" are put on the table but then atrophy and eventually die.

[Le Hack]

2 hours ago, jw1739 said:

Poor form to quote my own post, but I was not wrong, for once.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/short-term-thinking-is-costing-a-league-millions-in-lost-transfer-fees-fa-chief-20220118-p59p5n.html

Seriously, I just don't understand how all these "initiatives" are put on the table but then atrophy and eventually die.

Give you odds of 50:1 that City is one of the blockers to Transfer Fees. I'm all for them, compensation should be available to teams that players leave whilst on contract.

[jw1739]

13 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Give you odds of 50:1 that City is one of the blockers to Transfer Fees. I'm all for them, compensation should be available to teams that players leave whilst on contract.

My understanding is that it is the PFA who are against it. But, whoever is against it, it's time, indeed well past time, that FFA and APL should implement it for the good of the poorer clubs and the survival of the League.

The problem with "negotiated" agreements is that most of the time nobody ends up with what they really wanted. FFA and APL have got to look at the bigger picture. If CFG and City are against it it's time they were kicked up the arse for once.

[rass]

3 hours ago, Le Hack said:

Give you odds of 50:1 that City is one of the blockers to Transfer Fees. I'm all for them, compensation should be available to teams that players leave whilst on contract.

I'll put $20 on it then.

[CityBoyz]

 

[jw1739]

Could be Piscopo perhaps - he's played in Italy?

Edited July 12, 2023 by jw1739

[CityBoyz]

20 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Could be Piscopo perhaps - he's played in Italy?

He is but jets would have to terminate his contract which at this stage has not occurred 

[Baka1]

Diamanti announced as Academy Coach. #bloodtheYOOF

[Mr MO]

24 minutes ago, CityBoyz said:

He is but jets would have to terminate his contract which at this stage has not occurred 

Diamanti!

[jw1739]

IMO a bit of an anticlimax...