Fahid Ben Khalfallah

[silva10]

Interesting comparison:

 

just had a read over at the tards forum and they don't want FBK for $500k - they can't justify spending 1/5 of your wage bill for one player who is 32.

 

Whereas over here at City that's the sort of thinking we CAN justify. 

 

If you are looking to have a player clean out next year and if Mooy does stay, you won't be able to pay that sort of money because not only do you have to sign a bunch of new players, but you won't have the luxury of the rubbish players that we are clearing out on the $100k range. You may have to pay more to get better players in. So having someone on $500k will just kill all hope to bring in quality squad players and we are again stuck with the likes of what we have been dealing with.

 

It may be possible to have a core of 16 players with youngsters making up the other 9 places. This could mean you would be able to bring in better quality where it mattered.

[Dylan]

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

[Dr.Dreas]

everyone just take a deep breath.

imagine this...

 

(i know some of you are gonna think i'm a dick but ahh well)

 

novillo mooy FBK in the midfield....

 

okay then imagine this...

they guy we threw a bottle at and who flipped us the bird...scored in a derby to win the match...for us. 

 

we can say all we want no ex tards in our team...but if there was a gun who was in brilliant form playing for us...cmon as if u wouldnt want him.

 

and we cant be to hypocritical...because we got Kewell Fred and Duga from the tards who have all scored against there old side. 

and as far i remember when harry scored last season most of us had to change our jocks. 

we could have that feeling again.

 

plus remember we will be off loading a lot of "dead wood" so it could be possible to fit him under the cap regardless.

 

just food for thought. 

[AlexDaGroza]

Would appeal to large Tunisian community in Melbourne

[rass]

Maybe this is where we can put the Storm 20% ownership to good use.

Offer FBK a nice contract without going over the top and arrange a nice 'Judd side deal' with Crown for him.

That way he can be kept happy whilst knowing the coin will just end up back in the sponsors hand. Win-win all round!

[NewConvert]

Maybe this is where we can put the Storm 20% ownership to good use.

Offer FBK a nice contract without going over the top and arrange a nice 'Judd side deal' with Crown for him.

That way he can be kept happy whilst knowing the coin will just end up back in the sponsors hand. Win-win all round!

 

I thought Judd's side deal was to be an environmental ambassador for Visy... There was a joke going around that his contract with Visy amounted to a single A4 side sheet with size 16 font but his contract with carlton re Brendan Fevola amounted to a 400 page document...

[Jimmy]

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

[SF33]

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

And they'd really cut deep, if he continued to play at this level in our colours.

 

I've said before, my only issue with this potential signing is that I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players.

 

The flip side to that though is: how many internationals have we got over the years that haven't quite been as good as advertised when they got here? There's no worries about FBK adjusting to the tempo, the physicality, the heat, the day-to-day stuff of the city...he's already here and he's thriving.

 

Our visa players have long been an issue with this club. How many visas have we actually poached from other A-League teams? Doesn't seem like too many at all.

Edited March 24, 2015 by SF33

[jw1739]

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

...I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players...

Me too. The CFG scouting network is reportedly 36 in number. It is inconceivable that they haven't got a ready-made list - if they don't they would have been sacked long ago.

 

I sometimes wonder whether van 't Schip deliberately ignores what CFG have to offer?

[malloy]

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

The only way I would be able to justify it in my mind is if we were intent on making Visitors our feeder club...

[cadete]

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

The only way I would be able to justify it in my mind is if we were intent on making Visitors our feeder club...

 

Edited March 24, 2015 by cadete

[SF33]

 

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

...I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players...

Me too. The CFG scouting network is reportedly 36 in number. It is inconceivable that they haven't got a ready-made list - if they don't they would have been sacked long ago.

 

I sometimes wonder whether van 't Schip deliberately ignores what CFG have to offer?

 

 

Surely not. Still, whatever is going on in the background, there's simply no excuse to not get our international contingent right. It's been diabolical for most of the years that we've been in existence, but there's been some very promising signs in recent times with the additions since January. Early signs are we've gone three for three with Jaliens, Novillo and Baharudin. I'd suggest that in any other season, if Kew wanted to stick around, we'd sign him up in a heartbeat, because he's been very good for us, pretty much every time he's been on the pitch. Now, it feels like we're going to be more circumspect than just signing Jaliens because he goes alright. Because there would have to be a good chance that we can secure a better/younger version of Kew in the offseason.

[GreenSeater]

I wont lie to you, would take. The man is extremely tallented and is a proven A League player. I'd much rather do the shitcunt move and take him from Victory that go for somebody unproven in the league but with a good resume and end up with another Koren. Plus who cares where we sign him from? I hate the Wanderers almost as much as I hate Victory but that doesn't mean that I don't like the idea of Aaron Mooy running around for us?

[Kiro Kompiro]

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

[Kiro Kompiro]

No wonder we're called Victory Lite.

[Jimmy]

I wont lie to you, would take. The man is extremely tallented and is a proven A League player. I'd much rather do the shitcunt move and take him from Victory that go for somebody unproven in the league but with a good resume and end up with another Koren. Plus who cares where we sign him from? I hate the Wanderers almost as much as I hate Victory but that doesn't mean that I don't like the idea of Aaron Mooy running around for us?

People don't not want him because he plays for our rivals, they don't want him because he's a massive cunt.

For example, I'd take Valeri and Mooy but you wouldn't want Thompson and Santalab.

[fiz.heart]

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

[cadete]

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

Edited March 24, 2015 by cadete

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

 

 

you could do that now just by watching Victory.

[cadete]

 

 

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

 

 

you could do that now just by watching Victory.

 

Yes - That makes complete sense mate.

[SF33]

 

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

 

 

I agree. More so with home-grown players than imports, but due to the restrictions within each squad, you're always going to see familiar faces bouncing around at different clubs in this league.

 

People were laughing at Victory when Berisha signed and he's been quality for them. A proven player. I definitely think we should try to unearth new foreign talent wherever we can, but there's something to be said for filling one or two visa spots with players that are proven in this competition. It's a completely different environment to what a lot of overseas players would be used to them and a lot of them take half a season to adapt. Some of them never adapt. What's wrong with a sure thing, like FBK would appear to be?

 

Is it that he stuck his finger up at some of our supporters? If so, I'd suggest a few people might want to grow a couple of extra layers of skin.

[Jimmy]

Who was laughing at Victory? People just make up what they want to believe.

[Deeming]

If a supporter doesn't care about where a player is from and only cares about success on field then Heart/City is not a great fit.
Winning is great but not at any cost. We need to set our own identity and part of that is having different players from Victory.

The world's a big place surely we can find someone else. The overseas recruitment has been pretty good this year and I've got faith we can continue that.

[jw1739]

 

 

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

...I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players...

Me too. The CFG scouting network is reportedly 36 in number. It is inconceivable that they haven't got a ready-made list - if they don't they would have been sacked long ago.

 

I sometimes wonder whether van 't Schip deliberately ignores what CFG have to offer?

 

 

Surely not. Still, whatever is going on in the background, there's simply no excuse to not get our international contingent right. It's been diabolical for most of the years that we've been in existence, but there's been some very promising signs in recent times with the additions since January. Early signs are we've gone three for three with Jaliens, Novillo and Baharudin. I'd suggest that in any other season, if Kew wanted to stick around, we'd sign him up in a heartbeat, because he's been very good for us, pretty much every time he's been on the pitch. Now, it feels like we're going to be more circumspect than just signing Jaliens because he goes alright. Because there would have to be a good chance that we can secure a better/younger version of Kew in the offseason.

IMO we have to wait and see what happens in the off-season. The way I read it, Safuwan and the Singapore FA approached us rather than the other way around (and his loan period is about to expire), and Jaliens and Harry N. are still only injury-replacement players. However, I agree that the signings, however they have come about, since January have improved the side, especially the defence. But I want to see what happens in the off-season before I become convinced that everyone is singing from the same song-sheet. The re-signing last off-season of Hoffman and Williams for two further seasons still sticks in my memory as poor judgement by van 't Schip.

[SF33]

Who was laughing at Victory? People just make up what they want to believe.

 

Well, for a start. The feeling was that he was a pretty bloody mediocre signing, as a marquee.

 

And I'm positive it got another run, after Duff had been confirmed as a signing for City: that we'd got a player that we considered to be light years ahead of Berisha inside the cap.

[SF33]

 

 

 

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

...I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players...

Me too. The CFG scouting network is reportedly 36 in number. It is inconceivable that they haven't got a ready-made list - if they don't they would have been sacked long ago.

 

I sometimes wonder whether van 't Schip deliberately ignores what CFG have to offer?

 

 

Surely not. Still, whatever is going on in the background, there's simply no excuse to not get our international contingent right. It's been diabolical for most of the years that we've been in existence, but there's been some very promising signs in recent times with the additions since January. Early signs are we've gone three for three with Jaliens, Novillo and Baharudin. I'd suggest that in any other season, if Kew wanted to stick around, we'd sign him up in a heartbeat, because he's been very good for us, pretty much every time he's been on the pitch. Now, it feels like we're going to be more circumspect than just signing Jaliens because he goes alright. Because there would have to be a good chance that we can secure a better/younger version of Kew in the offseason.

IMO we have to wait and see what happens in the off-season. The way I read it, Safuwan and the Singapore FA approached us rather than the other way around (and his loan period is about to expire), and Jaliens and Harry N. are still only injury-replacement players. However, I agree that the signings, however they have come about, since January have improved the side, especially the defence. But I want to see what happens in the off-season before I become convinced that everyone is singing from the same song-sheet. The re-signing last off-season of Hoffman and Williams for two further seasons still sticks in my memory as poor judgement by van 't Schip.

 

 

Agreed. It may have just been dumb luck, especially with Jaliens and Baharudin. It looks like we must have done a bit of homework with Novillo, but the flip side is we've seen the least of him and it could still be the honeymoon period with him (I doubt it). So time will tell if we've just fluked a couple of signings, or whether this is what we can expect in the future, with regards to quality visa signings.

[Tesla]

Honestly he is worth spending 500k on. He is even worth using a marquee spot on

But because he is 32 the retarded #yoof bias is coming up again.

[Tesla]

Ffs the man is the second best player in the league on current form, only beaten by Janko.

The tards are seriously tards if they don't resign him. Disgusting fucking arrogance from them if they think they would be doing even half as well as they are without him. He is better than Berisha.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Tesla

[Nate]

Would appeal to large Tunisian community in Melbourne

This is the defining factor for me, our crowds will finally come back in droves just as they did when we appealed to the large Maltese community in Melbourne through the messiah of Malta, Michael Mifsud. 

Expect 80k+ crowds if we sign FBK

Edited March 24, 2015 by Nate

[cadete]

If a supporter doesn't care about where a player is from and only cares about success on field then Heart/City is not a great fit.

Winning is great but not at any cost. We need to set our own identity and part of that is having different players from Victory.

The world's a big place surely we can find someone else. The overseas recruitment has been pretty good this year and I've got faith we can continue that.

So according to you I should therefore support another team then if I don't see a problem with us recruiting from our Rival in a league of only ten teams that contains a strict cap on International Players which is minor sport based in an Isolated Island Nation where half of the population lives on the coast in two states ???

 

I wish I had known this when I spent all that the money and those hours painting Yarraside Tifos or when I went on Countless Away Trips every season to every Stadium in Australia bar Gosford. Or most of all the countless number of times I found myself after games (Like many on here) being bullied by opposition fans basically due to the simple fact that I had the nerve to be an Active Supporter of a club that had a small supporter base and was thus an easy target for these idiots to try push around.

 

The reality is that: Denis Law sent United down to the Second Division, Mo Johnston signed for Rangers, and 25 different players have played for both Milan clubs just since 2000.

 

At the end of day Soccer is about Winning and Losing because teams they don't win enough in Australia don't end up playing in a Pub League like they do overseas but as nothing more than a brief Wikipedia Page or perhaps if they are lucky they might also get a couple of mentions on a place like here by posters like KSK, Malimate or myself for nostalgic reasons once a year. 

 

The best they might get is having their kits being worn by some Sport Nerds who brought them for $30 at a Soccer Fever Clearance sale as they stand in the Away Bay at an A-League game where they support neither team playing but have come to watch because they have nothing else to do on a Sunday afternoon.

Edited March 24, 2015 by cadete

[hakz7]

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

[Tesla]

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

And then they end up a dud? Why take a risk when we can get a proven A-League player?

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

 

 

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

 

 

you could do that now just by watching Victory.

 

Yes - That makes complete sense mate.

 

 

i thought you'd bite.

 

And how would THIS club any different?  Same players, same city, same home ground.  Oh its the shirt, right?

[Dr.Dreas]

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

Agreed but we all know how our marquees turn out. 

at least with FBK his already proven in the A-Leauge and it will be something different.....

 

but i get ya point.

[thisphantomfortress]

 

 

 

 

Going back to the Fred signing I thought that cost us more off the field that it did on it. People stopped taking us seriously after that.

Really?

 

Because the only time I can remember The Gimp being full to the brim for the showing of a Heart game on TV (Not a bloody Liverpool game or Socceroos game) was in the Season that a half alive Fred did about 40% of the work to get us into our only ever final.

 

FFS! How about the club build its own history of quality players rather than steal them from its major opponent?

Our history consists of the one pathetic final I mentioned above... if a player is going to allow me to see this bloody football club play a final in the flesh I really don't care where they come from... Victory, Rangers, wherever.

 

 

you could do that now just by watching Victory.

 

Yes - That makes complete sense mate.

 

 

i thought you'd bite.

 

And how would THIS club any different?  Same players, same city, same home ground.  Oh its the shirt, right?

 

 

Well if you're a cunt you follow MVFC and if you're not you generally follow MHFC.

 

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

Agreed but we all know how our marquees turn out. 

at least with FBK his already proven in the A-Leauge and it will be something different.....

 

but i get ya point.

 

 

Doesn't that tell us that that is a deficiency (of people) that WE must change? 

 

Or do we simply keep riding on someone else coat tails?

[kingofhearts]

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

Agreed but we all know how our marquees turn out.

at least with FBK his already proven in the A-Leauge and it will be something different.....

but i get ya point.

Doesn't that tell us that that is a deficiency (of people) that WE must change?

Or do we simply keep riding on someone else coat tails?

You're right. I'd rather keep our identity as a shit club by not signing one of the best players in the league and instead sign an unknown player and wait half a season before realising if he's good or not.

Honestly, you people want the club to be successful at all costs, but you only want the club to sign players from certain teams? You can't have it both ways.

I wonder if he was playing for any other team in the league if people would have a problem signing him?

[SF33]

 

 

 

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

Agreed but we all know how our marquees turn out.

at least with FBK his already proven in the A-Leauge and it will be something different.....

but i get ya point.

Doesn't that tell us that that is a deficiency (of people) that WE must change?

Or do we simply keep riding on someone else coat tails?

You're right. I'd rather keep our identity as a shit club by not signing one of the best players in the league and instead sign an unknown player and wait half a season before realising if he's good or not.

Honestly, you people want the club to be successful at all costs, but you only want the club to sign players from certain teams? You can't have it both ways.

I wonder if he was playing for any other team in the league if people would have a problem signing him?

 

 

I don't understand why we should really care what anyone from outside says about the club, especially with regards to a signing like this. 'Yeah, the guy that you've signed might be blitzing it for you now, but he was ours first!' That just sounds pathetic to me.

 

I honestly couldn't care regardless, but the only way we it would become potentially embarrassing for some sections of our supporters would be if we signed a player directly from another A-League club for big bucks and he turned out to be a massive spud. I don't think there's much danger of that happening with FBK.

[Murfy1]

Interesting tweet today from Ray Gatt. "@MichaelHuguenin yes, but city might be able to fit him under cap. Will Koren stay?". Doesn't seem 100% clear to me whether Gatt is talking about Khalfallah or Koren fitting inside the cap. I guess it doesn't overly matter, and the point is one quality player could fit inside the cap, which would free up space to put more quality in the squad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

as long as he issnt at the visitors I dont care where he goes. Although, if he comes here, I can here the beautiful ironic arguments from them now. 'Cant find their own players have to steal from other clubs etc etc'

Those arguments would be correct.

 

 

...I find it hard to believe that there isn't a single player in the world that we could get for a similar price that does everything Khalfallah does. And our scouts should be unearthing these players from nowhere (like we seem to have done with Baharudin and perhaps Novillo), getting them, treating them well and giving us a chance to commit to them before their price tag has gone through the roof. I don't understand why we have to poach so many players...

Me too. The CFG scouting network is reportedly 36 in number. It is inconceivable that they haven't got a ready-made list - if they don't they would have been sacked long ago.

 

I sometimes wonder whether van 't Schip deliberately ignores what CFG have to offer?

 

 

Surely not. Still, whatever is going on in the background, there's simply no excuse to not get our international contingent right. It's been diabolical for most of the years that we've been in existence, but there's been some very promising signs in recent times with the additions since January. Early signs are we've gone three for three with Jaliens, Novillo and Baharudin. I'd suggest that in any other season, if Kew wanted to stick around, we'd sign him up in a heartbeat, because he's been very good for us, pretty much every time he's been on the pitch. Now, it feels like we're going to be more circumspect than just signing Jaliens because he goes alright. Because there would have to be a good chance that we can secure a better/younger version of Kew in the offseason.

IMO we have to wait and see what happens in the off-season. The way I read it, Safuwan and the Singapore FA approached us rather than the other way around (and his loan period is about to expire), and Jaliens and Harry N. are still only injury-replacement players. However, I agree that the signings, however they have come about, since January have improved the side, especially the defence. But I want to see what happens in the off-season before I become convinced that everyone is singing from the same song-sheet. The re-signing last off-season of Hoffman and Williams for two further seasons still sticks in my memory as poor judgement by van 't Schip.

 

 

 

A few points here.

 

The first point, one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say. That is, one proven player is worth a lot more than unproven players. Scouting and recruitment isn't easy or straightforward even for big European clubs, so there's no guarantees that signings for a salary capped team, such as Melbourne City's, will work out well just because City have a scouting network. Therefore, whenever a proven high quality A-League player, such as Berisha or Khalfallah, is out of contract and can potentially be signed, then all A-League clubs should be on red alert, because these are very good recruitment opportunities that only pop up because of the quirks of the A-League salary cap and squad restrictions.

 

I agree that the CFG scouting networking should be unearthing quality players 'from nowhere'. There was a bit of a learning curve at the start, with it being stated that the scouts didn't know what type of players to look for until Melbourne City went over to Manchester in June/July last year. And I believe now, as evinced especially by Safuwan and Novillo, that Melbourne City, due to the CFG resources, will be unearthing a lot more quality players consistently. But still, their recruitment won't be perfect, and just because Melbourne City have CFG's resources that's no reason to overlook very good known opportunities.

 

Another point is that CFG was heavily involved in the recruitment of Damien Duff, who initially spoke to CFG's Brian Marwood before he spoke to Melbourne City staff (http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/damien-duff-set-to-show-hes-a-real-city-slicker-in-aleague-after-glittering-career-in-premier-league/story-fnii0fc4-1227003351559), and Robert Koren. Remember CFG clearly said they would work hard to find marquees that they believe would suit Melbourne City. Also, Koren first contacted CFG and then Melbourne City, like Duff. It's no coincidence that the first 2 Visa players came from England and the Premier League. This all goes to show that even when CFG are heavily involved in Melbourne City's recruitment that CFG aren't infallible, which is all the more reason why the club shouldn't overlook good signings when they come along.

 

On the matter of the Singaporean FA and Safuwan approaching Melbourne City first. I have no doubt that a great many players and player agents approach the club each season, perhaps even hundreds. So it doesn't really matter who approached who first. The important thing is does the club do its homework, its due diligence, before trialing and recruiting players? And do these processes the club undertakes ensure that the club signs quality players? That the club did its homework and trialed and signed Safuwan, instead of one of the many many other players that approach the club, means the club deserves credit for his recruiting.

 

And as has been the common theme throughout this post: scouting and recruiting is an inexact science. On David Williams, the vast majority thought it was a good deal re-signing Williams inside the cap for 2 seasons after he was one of the top scorers last season. Unfortunately though, as we all know, Williams hasn't backed up. But it was a real reasonable re-signing in the first place, and a signing (like Williams') should be judged on all the available evidence that was known at the time. Signings shouldn't be solely judged on hindsight.

 

 

A final thought on signing Khalfallah. I think the question of signing him might be being over-thought. Khalfallah will very likely be judged the best player in the A-League this season. And there is little doubt that Khalfallah wouldn't be fit to go for at least one more season (next season he'll be a year younger than both Koren and Engelaar in their debut A-League seasons, and 5 years younger than Del Piero in his debut A-League season). So therefore the question for Melbourne City is: why wouldn't you sign the best player in the league, who's got no age or fitness issues, especially if you can sign him inside the cap?

Edited March 24, 2015 by Murfy1

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

 

 

If we can actually fit Koren under the cap, surely we can find a player more notable than Ben Khalfallah for our marquee spot.

Agreed but we all know how our marquees turn out.

at least with FBK his already proven in the A-Leauge and it will be something different.....

but i get ya point.

Doesn't that tell us that that is a deficiency (of people) that WE must change?

Or do we simply keep riding on someone else coat tails?

You're right. I'd rather keep our identity as a shit club by not signing one of the best players in the league and instead sign an unknown player and wait half a season before realising if he's good or not.

Honestly, you people want the club to be successful at all costs, but you only want the club to sign players from certain teams? You can't have it both ways.

I wonder if he was playing for any other team in the league if people would have a problem signing him?

 

 

here's a radical concept: we stop buying mid 30's injury prone has beens and see how go?