Transfers

[mus-28]

Marc Warren might be worth a look for some squad depth as a back-up LB. Was released by Sheffield United at the end of the season and is only 20 with plenty of Youth International experience. Could also allow for Aziz to play LW if needed.

Still some pickings available from the GCU carcass. Ante Rozic still hasn't been snapped up, a 26y.o 6'3" Aussie CB who looked solid, and Peter Jungschläger is a proven quality CM still without a club but would expect or last 2 VISA spots will go to a striker and winger.

Edited June 28, 2012 by mus-28

[Libero]

Get Rozic as the new Curtis.

Prefer him to Gray TBH, but ill still have faith - whichever way JD and JA go.

[jw1739]

Assuming it all gets confirmed, contratulations Curtis Good.

But IMO this leaves a big hole for us whichever way we look at it. Colosimo and Gray both 30+. Looks like an opportunity coming up for one of our NYL players.

I've read all the arguments about taking our time etc. etc., but as fast as we sign a player another one leaves, and we still have only just over half a squad.

Think we need to ratchet up the pace a notch or two.

[Vostro]

Get Rozic as the new Curtis.

Prefer him to Gray TBH, but ill still have faith - whichever way JD and JA go.

+1 Has he found a NSWPL club this season?

[toogood18]

Kristian Konstantinidis

[Luke]

What A.i.s players are available ?

[biancorosso7]

So the situation is:

• Babalj went for $500K 350K (over 2 years)
  
• Good is reportedly going for $600K
  
• Shroj was on (allegedly) $400K and presumably hasn't reached terms with the Club
  
• JvS was reportedly on $750K.
  

That means there is $2.25 2.1 million in wages that the Club no longer pays. PLUS there is Worm, Terra etc. who have also gone.

How is it that we, despite wanting to "run a surplus" (essentially), still can't figure in $1 to 2 million for a guy like Flores or Bresciano in the midfield, or a top quality European striker?

I am more than happy to be told that these figures are completely wrong and that my statement makes no sense. However, in that absence, it puzzles me why we cant land a big name/useful/quality player who 1) is in the prime of their career, and/or 2) will have crowd pulling capacity.

Edited June 29, 2012 by biancorosso7

[LR9]

Babalj went for 350k, and we only get half of it now.

[cadete]

Babalj went for 350k, and we only get half of it now.

His point is still valid there should be money around for the club to target pretty half decent Striker...

[Braveheart]

Babalj went for 350k, and we only get half of it now.

Wasn't it €350,000?

Edited June 29, 2012 by Braveheart

[jw1739]

So the situation is:

• Babalj went for $500K
  
• Good is reportedly going for $600K
  
• Shroj was on $400K and presumably hasn't reached terms with the Club
  
• JvS was reportedly on $750K.
  

That means there is $2.25 million in wages that the Club no longer pays. PLUS there is Worm, Terra etc. who have also gone.

How is it that we, despite wanting to "run a surplus" (essentially), still can't figure in $1 to 2 million for a guy like Flores or Bresciano in the midfield, or a top quality European striker?

I am more than happy to be told that these figures are completely wrong and that my statement makes no sense. However, in that absence, it puzzles me why we cant land a big name/useful/quality player who 1) is in the prime of their career, and/or 2) will have crowd pulling capacity.

The quoted amounts received for Babalj and Good are transfer fees payable to the club. They're a one-off windfall cash income, and are nothing to do with wages.

Potential savings in the player wages bill are not that great. AFAIK we are compelled to pay a minimum of 85% of the salary cap, so, assuming we were at the cap last season (in fact we were under it) the maximum we can save is 15% of the cap - slightly over $300,000.

It is true that we must be saving considerable amounts in coaching salaries department. Let's just say $500,000 as a guess, making the total possible savings on wages about $800,000.

Our alleged loss last season was $3m. Far in excess of the potential savings in coaching and playing wages, plus the windfall from Babalj and Good.

Hence the necessity to increase income from memberships and attendances.

[biancorosso7]

The quoted amounts received for Babalj and Good are transfer fees payable to the club. They're a one-off windfall cash income, and are nothing to do with wages.

So what we then have is a one off deposit to MHFC from Red Star Belgrade for 350K (dollars or euros) and a one off deposit to MHFC from Newcastle United for (reportedly) $600K.

True, their wages were say $50K a year. But doesnt that mean that what you actually have is the wages per year for years left on that players contract, plus the one off transfer fee to be able to spend on a new player's wages?

[mus-28]

Shroj was on $400K and presumably hasn't reached terms with the Club

Edited June 29, 2012 by mus-28

[HeartFc]

400k! I don't think so.

[cadete]

I think he means his total contract was worth 400k.

[heart_fan10]

srhroj was no where near 400k.... Fred is on 200k a year and is one of the top earning players at the club next to Colosimo and Boloton (not sure if bolton has taken a wage cut on his new contract)

The thing is we have had A LOT of players moving out of the club, but besides Srhoj, all of those players were pretty much on basic wages (ibrahim, taseski, zahra, good, babalj etc...) I'd say Srhoj was around the 150k mark.

What is most annoying about players like Good and Babalj leaving, is that it's almost impossible to find a player to replace them who has the same potential and will accept the same wages. We have a lot of space in the cap to work with there's no doubt about that, but we have a lot of positions to replace which isn't necessarily a good thing. It would've been better to have this amount of space in the cap with only around 4 signings to make, but it looks like the club is going to have to try and find some "undiscovered talent" again, just like babalj and curtis, who will be on basic wages.

[LR9]

Fred is on $216k, Colosimo $238k, not 100% on Bolton, whilst Thompson is also there or there abouts.

Srhoj was definitely in the 200 club and Worm and Terra where on at least 250-300k combined.

Edited June 29, 2012 by LR9

[moops]

Promotion from the youth league? I don't mind signing to make up the starting 11, but we should be showing the younger guys that there is opportunity within the club, isn't that what we're about after all?

I hear good things about our youth , everyone raves about this Zack Walker, time to make him a sub player and push for a starting position.

[heart_fan10]

Promotion from the youth league? I don't mind signing to make up the starting 11, but we should be showing the younger guys that there is opportunity within the club, isn't that what we're about after all?

I hear good things about our youth , everyone raves about this Zack Walker, time to make him a sub player and push for a starting position.

IMO since we are a club that has a "philosophy" of promoting youth and youth development. We should make it a tradition that on a certain date every february, ONE player from our youth team is given a contract for the following season. The club would hold a press conference with that chosen player form the youth team and really pump up this player by saying the club sees him as "part of the future, he was seen the best player in the youth team, it's another example of our club sticking to its philosophy" etc etc....

(Obviously if the club believed more than one player from the youth team is capable of stepping up, they could sign them at the end of the season)

If this was done, we would have had Goodwin signed up on basic wages from february, and it's a great way of holding on to our young players. It also acts as a bit of a lure to players around victoria and australia, knowing that if they can perform well for the MH youth team they are pretty much guaranteed a professional a-league contract to kick start their career. We would also see more talented players trialling for our youth team. There's nothing more disheartening for a young player than knowing there's no chance of getting a contract, and sooner or later they'll start to look elsewhere.

Edited June 29, 2012 by heart_fan10

[moops]

√ I like it.

[jw1739]

So what we then have is a one off deposit to MHFC from Red Star Belgrade for 350K (dollars or euros) and a one off deposit to MHFC from Newcastle United for (reportedly) $600K.

True, their wages were say $50K a year. But doesnt that mean that what you actually have is the wages per year for years left on that players contract, plus the one off transfer fee to be able to spend on a new player's wages?

I'm afraid it doesn't. True we don't have to pay Babalj and Good their wages in future years, but we have to pay someone else's to replace them, because we are compelled to have 20-23 players in the senior squad.

It is of course possible to spend the windfall from the sale of a player or players on wages for a star player, but then you negate the benefit of receiving the windfall, and so you continue to make an operating loss. Unless, of course, the star player brings in the extra receipts that you need. Scott Munn doesn't believe in the 'star player' route to profitability, but I am not convinced that he is correct.

For us to be sustainable we have to have a cash balance position that is either zero (cash in equals cash out) or positive (cash in exceeds cash out).

The fact of the matter as it stands is that we have to get more people though the gate at AAMI Park.

[jw1739]

What is most annoying about players like Good and Babalj leaving, is that it's almost impossible to find a player to replace them who has the same potential and will accept the same wages. We have a lot of space in the cap to work with there's no doubt about that, but we have a lot of positions to replace which isn't necessarily a good thing. It would've been better to have this amount of space in the cap with only around 4 signings to make, but it looks like the club is going to have to try and find some "undiscovered talent" again, just like babalj and curtis, who will be on basic wages.

IMO since we are a club that has a "philosophy" of promoting youth and youth development. We should make it a tradition that on a certain date every february, ONE player from our youth team is given a contract for the following season. The club would hold a press conference with that chosen player form the youth team and really pump up this player by saying the club sees him as "part of the future, he was seen the best player in the youth team, it's another example of our club sticking to its philosophy" etc etc....

(Obviously if the club believed more than one player from the youth team is capable of stepping up, they could sign them at the end of the season)

If this was done, we would have had Goodwin signed up on basic wages from february, and it's a great way of holding on to our young players. It also acts as a bit of a lure to players around victoria and australia, knowing that if they can perform well for the MH youth team they are pretty much guaranteed a professional a-league contract to kick start their career. We would also see more talented players trialling for our youth team. There's nothing more disheartening for a young player than knowing there's no chance of getting a contract, and sooner or later they'll start to look elsewhere.

Like very much indeed.

[moops]

Heart_Fan10, you have a following!

[kingawesomeness]

Fred is on $216k, Colosimo $238k, not 100% on Bolton, whilst Thompson is also there or there abouts.

Srhoj was definitely in the 200 club and Worm and Terra where on at least 250-300k combined.

Srhoj, Terra and Worm were all on $200k+.

Fred is our international marquee on $216k, however I think that is so we've got more room to move inside the salary cap.

In terms of cap space opened up from our departures over the off-season (before signing Redmayne and Gerhardt) we would have at least the follow to work with:

Srhoj - $200,000

Terra - $200,000

Worm - $200,000

Sarkies - ?$50,000

Ibrahim - $42,000

Roganovic - $42,000

Maycon - $42,000

Taseski - $42,000

Zahra - $42,000

Babalj - $42,000

?Good - $42,000

Total: Approx. $954,000 cap space.

Income from transfers: $370,000 (Babalj) + $600,000 (?Good) = $970,000

My feeling is that we'll focus on getting two high wage signings and then secure young "potential" players from either the AIS, VPL or our NYL.

In b4 Richard Porta rumours start...

[Huzie]

People people people, with all the incoming fees (600k for good and 400k for Babalj) we do t just have 1mil sitting in the bank, agents get a slice, players get a small slice and we have to pay taxes. 1 mil might only turn out to be 600k...

[moops]

No tax expert, a lot has changed over 5 years, but it deepends on a variety of factors, plus Eli's fee is stagnated.

even the enhancement of the training grounds may offset the tax? Tax is a minor issue compared to income, though it's my opinion so means little.

[Huzie]

Walker just scored again, sign this kid up! Scores in YL and VPL, give him a chance!

[Sash]

Sounds like we should.

[Che]

Promote my boy KK, easy days. He was an absolute gun in high school, and from what i've read he's only gotten better. So excited for his prospects at the club now.

[moops]

KK the purple dragon lol. What, who?

Time for Zack to walk the .... Walker.

[Huzie]

Zac Walker with his second!

[jw1739]

KK the purple dragon lol. What, who?

Time for Zack to walk the .... Walker.

Kristian Konstantinidis, member of the NYL squad. Central defender if I remember correctly. One of a number of young players who impressed last season.

[marn11]

Zac Walker with his second!

Are you there Huzie?

If so, is he creating chances outside of his two goals?

[Huzie]

Nah just live updates mate, at work

[Tesla]

Disregard Gray, give my boy Philip Petreski a full time contract FFS. He is ready to make the step up. At least 5 year contract please.

[moops]

Kk, because he has had a lot of mention, most obviously Zack Walker, let's see what the lad can do,even off the bench.

there should be two more spots on the bench, cannot fathom why there are four, including second GK.

It's holding the league back and allows little tactically.

[markn]

Fred is on $216k, Colosimo $238k, not 100% on Bolton, whilst Thompson is also there or there abouts.

Srhoj was definitely in the 200 club and Worm and Terra where on at least 250-300k combined.

Thats what P'ves me off about the a-league.

They over pay on player wages. On what plannet would srhoj be worth 200k???

Lets be smart business people here. Pay a player what his market is worth, not what his playing ability entitles him to.

Not on any planet would srhoj be worth over 100k.

In my opinion players are over paid in this league! This is the reason clubs fold, or suffer financial difficulties. Srhoj is not the only one.

Remember a player would rather play in Australia than in second rate conditions in other parts of asia etc. Thus pay what the club can afford. if all a-league clubs operated in this manner, players would not be over payed!

The great part of the a-league is that it is a great feeder league. The a-league offers exposure that many clubs in asia would find hard to match.

[dRoy]

Does the A-League not have a salary cap anymore??

[jw1739]

Thats what P'ves me off about the a-league.

They over pay on player wages. On what plannet would srhoj be worth 200k???

Lets be smart business people here. Pay a player what his market is worth, not what his playing ability entitles him to.

Not on any planet would srhoj be worth over 100k.

In my opinion players are over paid in this league! This is the reason clubs fold, or suffer financial difficulties. Srhoj is not the only one.

Remember a player would rather play in Australia than in second rate conditions in other parts of asia etc. Thus pay what the club can afford. if all a-league clubs operated in this manner, players would not be over payed!

The great part of the a-league is that it is a great feeder league. The a-league offers exposure that many clubs in asia would find hard to match.

Unfortunately, this is brought about by the agreement the FFA has with the Professional Footballers Association. The minimum total wages paid to the 23-member A-League squad must be not less than 85% of the salary cap.

It is one of the conditions that a licensee must agree to when holding a licence to have a team in the A-League.

Basically, then, it is the FFA and PFA that are helping to send clubs broke. The other guilty parties are the State authorities who charge exorbitant rentals for clubs to use stadiums built using public monies.

[Herman Cain]

So can anyone actually confirm the Babalj fee? Was it $350k or $500k+ as most of us thought? I thought it was $325k now and $325k in January or something similar to that.