Player Contracts - 2018-19

[LR9]

Just putting it out there for all the idiots going on about an apparent neglect of 'yoof', etc...

6 U21

Stefan Mauk 17

Ben Garuccio 18

David Vrankovic 19

Sam Mitchinson 20

Jeremy Walker 20

Alastair Bray 20

10 21-30

Golgol Mebrahtu 22

Mate Dugandzic 23

Jason Hoffman 24

Andrew Redmayne 24

Jonatan Germano 25

David Williams 25

Nick Kalmar 25

Iain Ramsay 25

Patrick Gerhardt 27

Massimo Murdocca 28

3 +30

Dylan Macallister 31

Rob Wielaert 34

Harry Kewell 34

Avg of 24.263157894736842674756264654 y/o...

Edited July 3, 2013 by LR9

[Augustine]

Hello Melbourne heart my name is Augustine Sokan I come from Ivory Coast I live in Australia I will like to play for this club Melbourne heart in Australia Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory football to is everything I come to Australia in 2009 I'm happy living in Australia today I starts playing Football for a little club call whittlesea ranges FC in 2009 top number was 11 today I known one things and learn different things that I never knew before Australia help me so much I'm bless today playing football in this country I love football . Football is my mum, father, brother,sister, my everything's in life now my dreams is to play for Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory one day-that why I'm working head to get to the top. one know that god bless me. the trust is that when I play people tell work head son you become one tomorrow so all I do is after training I training by myself over over and over. if we don't win I cry because is all I have just football I love this game so please Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory I come from ivory coast I love football thanks you for reading I help to play for this club this my dream Playing for Melbourne victory is good thing. but I think Melbourne heart will be better for me so I'm tell you all out the that I'm coming home soon Melbourne heart will be the bast club ever everyone our the you may no me Augustine Sokan that play for whittlesea Ranges This football mean everything's to me that why I went to play for Melbourne Heart to me Melbourne heart is the best club ever I'm training hard to get the that is my dream the matter what I will not give up I'm 16 year old Augustine Sokan love Melbourne heart FC club sing me Melbourne heart

[Nate]

Sign him up, sign him up!

[Jimmy]

Hello Melbourne heart my name is Augustine Sokan I come from Ivory Coast I live in Australia I will like to play for this club Melbourne heart in Australia Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory football to is everything I come to Australia in 2009 I'm happy living in Australia today I starts playing Football for a little club call whittlesea ranges FC in 2009 top number was 11 today I known one things and learn different things that I never knew before Australia help me so much I'm bless today playing football in this country I love football . Football is my mum, father, brother,sister, my everything's in life now my dreams is to play for Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory one day-that why I'm working head to get to the top. one know that god bless me. the trust is that when I play people tell work head son you become one tomorrow so all I do is after training I training by myself over over and over. if we don't win I cry because is all I have just football I love this game so please Melbourne heart or Melbourne victory I come from ivory coast I love football thanks you for reading I help to play for this club this my dream Playing for Melbourne victory is good thing. but I think Melbourne heart will be better for me so I'm tell you all out the that I'm coming home soon Melbourne heart will be the bast club ever everyone our the you may no me Augustine Sokan that play for whittlesea Ranges This football mean everything's to me that why I went to play for Melbourne Heart to me Melbourne heart is the best club ever I'm training hard to get the that is my dream the matter what I will not give up I'm 16 year old Augustine Sokan love Melbourne heart FC club sing me Melbourne heart

Hello Mr. Augustine Sokan. My name is John Aloisi and I am the manager of Melbourne Heart. Due to the great amount of passion you've shown in your post and the fact that you come from a strong footballing nation we would like to offer you a two year deal worth $160,000 AUD. Please come to Epping Stadium at 10AM on Monday to sign the papers and begin training.

-JA.

[japiedog]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

hahahahaha

[silva10]

Can I ask you guys what young Aussie players you would like to see at your club?

[moops]

How young is young?

But from our youth teem, both Mauk and Vrankovic played in the Aussie U22.

Garrucio played recently and looked lively.

Walker played a bit last year and did well.

Shroen has alright pedigree and comments have been good about him.

Mitchinson and Kaya seem allright by reports.

From A League.

Danny De Silva from Perth glory would be awesome, made his debut last year at 15yrs and 352 days old. Plays for olyroos and was wanted by Everton, but chose to stay at Perth.

Tomi Juric - WSW (22) young but not youth.

Andrew Hoole - Jets (20) young but not youth.

Overseas.

Ikonomedies - playing in greece.

I will have to come back about others (though they may possibly want to stay in Europe) as we have some in spain, England League 1&2 who may be allright.

[LR9]

Mitchell Duke, Mark Birighitti, Adam Taggart, Josh Brilliant, Jamie Maclean, Aaron Mooy.

[Tommykins]

If I had to pick 5 of the best 18-22 year old's in Australia at the moment that we might see come back here on loan or permanently, I'd probably pick;

 

Curtis Good. (Loan)

Dylan Tombidies (Loan)

Matthew Leckie.

Josh Brilliante. 

Trent Sainsbury.

[moops]

I don't think Leckie would come here imo, he is in the first XI in the Bundes 2 and doing verry well.

[JoyfulPenguin]

Braden Inman from Crewe Alexandra

[silva10]

I was thinking of players who could play for you next season that are not already at your club moops

 

I am sure the owners will target the best Aussie talent to improve the Hearts.

[Melburnian]

Braden Inman from Crewe Alexandra

Out of likes but yes please.

[moops]

I was thinking of players who could play for you next season that are not already at your club moops

I am sure the owners will target the best Aussie talent to improve the Hearts.

All good and true, I have faith in their 36 scouts over myself

Just to put some names out.

Richard Porter

Dylan McGowan

Bailey Wright

Travis Cooper - comes out of contract in about 4-5 months at VV Venlo

Tomislav Mrcela

Steven Ugarkovic

Jerry Karpeh

Opostolos Gianou

Edited January 30, 2014 by moops

[silva10]

 

I was thinking of players who could play for you next season that are not already at your club moops

I am sure the owners will target the best Aussie talent to improve the Hearts.

All good and true, I have faith in their 36 scouts over myself

Just to put some names out.

Richard Porter

Dylan McGowan

Bailey Wright

Travis Cooper - comes out of contract in about 4-5 months at VV Venlo

Tomislav Mrcela

Steven Ugarkovic

Jerry Karpeh

Opostolos Gianou

 

 

A nice list of players there moops

 

Hopefully you can obtain a couple of them or better for next season.

 

Good luck tomorrow (or is that today for you)

 

Will be working when you are playing so have set it for record and will watch it when I get in from work.

[moops]

Today

Do you work night shift too?

Get in for the vampires!

[silva10]

I work just days moops. Start at 8:30 UK time

 

When you kicked off. Looking forward to watching the game when I get home

[moops]

Well it was a fun match to watch, especialy the second half.

Enjoy.

[mulhollanddrive]

Wouldn't it be funny if Man City bought a player just to get him out of our salary cap here.

 

Purely hypothetically -  Mifsud is on 400k, and can't get rid of him next season, so he's transferred to Man City.

[Murfy1]

Wouldn't it be funny if Man City bought a player just to get him out of our salary cap here.

 

Purely hypothetically -  Mifsud is on 400k, and can't get rid of him next season, so he's transferred to Man City.

 

Yep, Man City could probably do just about whatever they want with the Heart squad. They could buy players, or maybe they could just pay out player contracts and mutually agree to terminate them. So as Murdocca said some weeks ago, no Heart player, not even players contracted beyond this season, can take their positions for granted.

[Murfy1]

I've been trying to make an up to date list of player contracts. Here's what I came up with:

 

Melbourne Heart Squad: 

 

1  Andrew Redmayne - contracted til 2015/16 (2)

2  Jeremy Walker - out of contract

3  Rob Wielaert - contracted til 2014/15 (1)

4  Orlando Engelaar - out of contract

5  Sam Mitchinson - out of contract

6  Patrick Gerhardt - out of contract

7  Iain Ramsay - contracted til 2014/15 (3)

8  Massimo Murdocca - contracted til 2014/15 (4)

9  Harry Kewell - out of contract

10 Michael Mifsud - out of contract

11 Jonatan Germano - contracted til 2014/15 (1)

12 David Williams - out of contract

13 Aziz Behich - returns back to Bursaspor

14 Jason Hoffman - out of contract (2)

15 David Vrankovic - out of contract

16 Ben Garuccio ?

17 Tando Velaphi - out of contract (5)

18 Stefan Mauk ?

19 Nick Kalmar - ?

20 Mate Dugandzic - ?

21 Patrick Kisnorbo - out of contract

22 Aaron Mooy - will be on a 'multi-year' contract (1)

23

 

References

(1) http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/wanderers-midfielder-aaron-mooy-to-join-melbourne-heart-next-season/story-fnk6pqhd-1226819016711

(2) http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Hoffman-and-Redmayne-resign/68796

(3) http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/iain-ramsay-leaves-adelaide-united-for-melbourne-heart/story-fndejmex-1226615305510

(4) http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Melbourne-Heart-FC-signs-Massimo-Murdocca/67617

(5) http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Heart-Welcome-Back-Behich/71376

 

 

The only information I've seen about Kalmar and Dugandzic's contracts is the Heart website saying just after last season that they 'have all agreed to extend their time with the Heart' (http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Heart-confirms-resignings-and-departures/64804). Although, Davutovic omits Kalmar and Dugandzic when listing Heart players out of contract, so it could be reasoned that they are contracted beyond this season.

 

I don't think there was even official confirmation from the club when Heart signed Mauk and Garuccio. The only report I've seen was done by Mfootball, which said that we signed Mauk for 2012/13 with the NYL team and he'd automatically get into the senior team for the 2013/14 season: http://www.mfootball.com.au/ais-youngster-signs-with-heart/. The article doesn't mention Garuccio's contract, although it almost seems that he has the same type of contract as Mauk.

 

 

Anyway, even going off just what's known above, there's a lot of flexibility for next season. That is, there's something like 12 players that could be released at the end of the season. And whilst I hope a number of those players are around for next season, Heart have a lot of scope to rebuild with Man City in the off-season.

[LR9]

I've been trying to make an up to date list of player contracts. Here's what I came up with:

 

2015/16

Andrew Redmayne

 

2014/15

Rob Wielaert

Iain Ramsay

Jonatan Germano

Massimo Murdocca

Ben Garuccio

Stefan Mauk

Nick Kalmar

Mate Dugandzic 

Jason Hoffman*

Tando Velaphi*

 

Out of cotract

Orlando Engelaar

Patrick Gerhardt

Harry Kewell

David Williams

Patrick Kisnorbo

David Vrankovic (could be headed home (NSW))

Gone

Aziz Behich (loan ends)

Jeremy Walker

Sam Mitchinson

Michael Mifsud

 

*apparently signed 1-year deals last month.

To my knowledge, contracts look something like this...

 

I think 2014/15 could very much be a transitional year, with so much of the squad signed up, leaving the bigger changes for the following season. They potentially have a blank canvas to work with regarding player contracts from there onwards.

Edited March 3, 2014 by LR9

[jw1739]

 

I've been trying to make an up to date list of player contracts. Here's what I came up with:

 

2015/16

Andrew Redmayne

 

2014/15

Rob Wielaert

Iain Ramsay

Jonatan Germano

Massimo Murdocca

Ben Garuccio

Stefan Mauk

Nick Kalmar

Mate Dugandzic 

Jason Hoffman*

Tando Velaphi*

 

Out of cotract

Orlando Engelaar

Patrick Gerhardt

Harry Kewell

David Williams

Patrick Kisnorbo

David Vrankovic (could be headed home (NSW))

Gone

Aziz Behich (loan ends)

Jeremy Walker

Sam Mitchinson

Michael Mifsud

 

*apparently signed 1-year deals last month.

To my knowledge, contracts look something like this...

 

I think 2014/15 could very much be a transitional year, with so much of the squad signed up, leaving the bigger changes for the following season. They potentially have a blank canvas to work with regarding player contracts from there onwards.

 

I think we have to wait and see.

 

AFAIK the definitive status we have is on:

Redmayne, Ramsay and Murdocca, who are all definitely signed for next year under existing contracts;

Engelaar, Gerhardt, Kewell, Kisnorbo, Williams, Vrankovic, Walker, and Mifsud, who all come out of contract: and

Aziz, whose loan spell ends.

 

For the others, I don't think we have sufficient information either way. It has been said that Hoffman and Velaphi have been re-signed, but that has not been confirmed, and for all the others we simply don't know. IMO most come out of contract, but I don't know for sure.

 

We appear to have signed Mooy for next season, but that is also unconfirmed.

 

I doubt that there will be any official confirmations until after the end of our season when the new owners take a firm grip on the reins.

[cadete]

I for one find it hard to believe that Aziz is going to be playing top flight Turkish football next Season...

[theresonlyonebzamora]

I for one find it hard to believe that Aziz is going to be playing top flight Turkish football next Season...

 

agreed but i suspect he will try his utmost to give it another crack at least

[hakz7]

I for one find it hard to believe that Aziz is going to be playing top flight Turkish football next Season...

Wouldn't be surprised if they sell him to a div 2 team.

[Libero]

 

I for one find it hard to believe that Aziz is going to be playing top flight Turkish football next Season...

Wouldn't be surprised if they sell him to a div 2 team.

 

 

why not us?

[Murfy1]

Just read 2 interesting points about A-League squad rules. The first being that each A-League team must have 3 players under 20. The second point is that A-League teams are allowed to sign 3 NYL players on top of their 23 player squads: 'It's worth noting that clubs can already sign three players from their national youth league teams on full-time base salary contracts [excluded from the salary cap], so effectively the current squad size is 23 plus three.' (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/open-slather-as-clubs-push-for-squad-quotas-to-be-scrapped-20120129-1qo1l.html).

 

This season, Mauk and Garuccio would have been 2 players under 20, but I'm not sure who the 3rd is. My best guess is it's Vrankovic, which seems to mean that the 3 players only have to be 19 or under at the very start of the season (as Vrankovic turned 20 on the 11th of November last year).

So for next season, Heart seem to need a 3rd player under 20 in the senior squad.

 

On the second point, if I understand the rule correctly it means we could sign 3 players like Alex Dao, who next season will be too old to participate in the NYL, to the senior team beyond the maximum of 23 players, and outside of the salary cap (although they have to be on minimum wage contracts, I understand).

 

 

Hopefully next season Heart make full use of such details and allowances.

[hakz7]

I for one find it hard to believe that Aziz is going to be playing top flight Turkish football next Season...

Wouldn't be surprised if they sell him to a div 2 team.

why not us?Depends; if he wants to give up on any European dream he has (He may as well due to an inconsistent season), I don't think he'd mind being offered to join Heart permanently if the coach/new owners want him. If he's not signed by us, I think other A-League sides won't mind having him.

I'd really want him to succeed in Turkey but I'm not sure he's capable.

[HeartFc]

Aziz will stay IMO

[Cinnamon]

Just read 2 interesting points about A-League squad rules. The first being that each A-League team must have 3 players under 20. The second point is that A-League teams are allowed to sign 3 NYL players on top of their 23 player squads: 'It's worth noting that clubs can already sign three players from their national youth league teams on full-time base salary contracts [excluded from the salary cap], so effectively the current squad size is 23 plus three.' (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/open-slather-as-clubs-push-for-squad-quotas-to-be-scrapped-20120129-1qo1l.html).

This season, Mauk and Garuccio would have been 2 players under 20, but I'm not sure who the 3rd is. My best guess is it's Vrankovic, which seems to mean that the 3 players only have to be 19 or under at the very start of the season (as Vrankovic turned 20 on the 11th of November last year).

So for next season, Heart seem to need a 3rd player under 20 in the senior squad.

On the second point, if I understand the rule correctly it means we could sign 3 players like Alex Dao, who next season will be too old to participate in the NYL, to the senior team beyond the maximum of 23 players, and outside of the salary cap (although they have to be on minimum wage contracts, I understand).

Hopefully next season Heart make full use of such details and allowances.

A great example of why I love this forum, little nuggets of info I would not otherwise know, thanks Murf

[jw1739]

Just read 2 interesting points about A-League squad rules. The first being that each A-League team must have 3 players under 20. The second point is that A-League teams are allowed to sign 3 NYL players on top of their 23 player squads: 'It's worth noting that clubs can already sign three players from their national youth league teams on full-time base salary contracts [excluded from the salary cap], so effectively the current squad size is 23 plus three.' (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/open-slather-as-clubs-push-for-squad-quotas-to-be-scrapped-20120129-1qo1l.html).

 

This season, Mauk and Garuccio would have been 2 players under 20, but I'm not sure who the 3rd is. My best guess is it's Vrankovic, which seems to mean that the 3 players only have to be 19 or under at the very start of the season (as Vrankovic turned 20 on the 11th of November last year).

So for next season, Heart seem to need a 3rd player under 20 in the senior squad.

 

On the second point, if I understand the rule correctly it means we could sign 3 players like Alex Dao, who next season will be too old to participate in the NYL, to the senior team beyond the maximum of 23 players, and outside of the salary cap (although they have to be on minimum wage contracts, I understand).

 

 

Hopefully next season Heart make full use of such details and allowances.

I thought you would have known this Murf.

 

The rule used to be, I think, that the player had to qualify as a youth player on 1st January of the year in which the season started. Not sure what it is now.

 

But on your second point, my interpretation is that the three extra players must still qualify as youth players - so IMO Dao doesn't qualify for next season.

 

The "extra" players this season have been Retre, Kaya (although he's not shown on the web-site now), and now O'Dea has been added in the past few days.

[Murfy1]

 

Just read 2 interesting points about A-League squad rules. The first being that each A-League team must have 3 players under 20. The second point is that A-League teams are allowed to sign 3 NYL players on top of their 23 player squads: 'It's worth noting that clubs can already sign three players from their national youth league teams on full-time base salary contracts [excluded from the salary cap], so effectively the current squad size is 23 plus three.' (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/open-slather-as-clubs-push-for-squad-quotas-to-be-scrapped-20120129-1qo1l.html).

 

This season, Mauk and Garuccio would have been 2 players under 20, but I'm not sure who the 3rd is. My best guess is it's Vrankovic, which seems to mean that the 3 players only have to be 19 or under at the very start of the season (as Vrankovic turned 20 on the 11th of November last year).

So for next season, Heart seem to need a 3rd player under 20 in the senior squad.

 

On the second point, if I understand the rule correctly it means we could sign 3 players like Alex Dao, who next season will be too old to participate in the NYL, to the senior team beyond the maximum of 23 players, and outside of the salary cap (although they have to be on minimum wage contracts, I understand).

 

 

Hopefully next season Heart make full use of such details and allowances.

I thought you would have known this Murf.

 

The rule used to be, I think, that the player had to qualify as a youth player on 1st January of the year in which the season started. Not sure what it is now.

 

But on your second point, my interpretation is that the three extra players must still qualify as youth players - so IMO Dao doesn't qualify for next season.

 

The "extra" players this season have been Retre, Kaya (although he's not shown on the web-site now), and now O'Dea has been added in the past few days.

 

 

 

I vaguely recall learning the first point, and maybe the second, a while ago, but I forgot about them until recently. Both points are just about never mentioned.

 

Is it known for a fact which 3 under 20 players Heart had in its senior squad this season? Mauk and Garuccio are obviously 2, but I'm pretty puzzled who the 3rd under 20 player might be. If the rule is that the player must be a youth player/under 20 on the 1st of January, then I'm pretty sure that Heart couldn't have had 3 players under 20 in the senior team this season. So the rule must now be that they just have to be under 20 at/around the start of the season.

 

 

I find the second rule real interesting and would like to know more about it. I don't think A-League clubs often announce when players are signed on what I'll call the '23+3 rule', so I'm not sure if Heart have used it at all. It was my guess that the likes of Retre and O'Dea are just on NYL contracts (not youth contracts within the 23+3 rule), and have just been brought into the senior team for a few games (as the senior team can do with as many NYL players as it wants, I understand).

I hazily recall reading an article that suggested that the 23+3 rule was desigend so A-League clubs could sign players exactly like Alex Dao, who next season will be too old for the NYL team but otherwise might not have received an A-League contract (with A-League clubs preferring older players, or VISA players, or whatever). As the quote says above, I think the +3 players just have to come "from [the] national youth league team", rather than be a specific age. It's my guess that the purpose of the rule is to reward clubs for developing good young players through the NYL team. 

 

Finally, I found some more info. More writing on the 23+3 rule here: http://au.fourfourtwo.com/forums/default.aspx?g=posts&t=30687

 

 

By the way, Dao and some others are training with the senior team, as noted in a video done today that's in the Video and Audio thread.

[mulhollanddrive]

Just doing some reading up on salary rules, this is my understanding on exemptions from the 2.5m cap.

 

- International Marquee

- Domestic Marquee

- Junior Marquee (up to 150k)

- 3 youth players (40k)

- Loan or Guest Players

 

Let's say we use those spots and include 1 loan player (Behich this season for example), which means 7 players are exempt, and so if we have a 23 man squad like we do now, the 2.5m can be spent on 16 players. 

 

Add to that we also have 4 further youth players at 40k each which means 2.38m on 12 players.  Further to that I'm guessing we have a few minimum/very low wage (50-80k) types like Kewell, Hoffman, Kalmar, Redmayne which might bring it down to 2.1m on 8 players.  Of those 8, 4 domestic and 4 overseas.

 

Doing this little exercise, it's much harder to assemble a quality squad than I thought.

[Murfy1]

Good summary of the A-League squad restrictions and allowances (as much as I understand them).

 

Although, I think 2.1m on 8 players can be pretty good, if you are paying players like Dugandzic, Ramsay, Wielaert etc. I don't think they'd cost much per season, so hopefully there's be a few hundred thousand left for a player like Engelaar.

[Tbitm]

I think Mifsud was on a pretty penny to come here, so that most certainly will open up next season. And a visa spot 

[jw1739]

Just doing some reading up on salary rules, this is my understanding on exemptions from the 2.5m cap.

 

- International Marquee

- Domestic Marquee

- Junior Marquee (up to 150k)

- 3 youth players (40k)

- Loan or Guest Players

 

Let's say we use those spots and include 1 loan player (Behich this season for example), which means 7 players are exempt, and so if we have a 23 man squad like we do now, the 2.5m can be spent on 16 players. 

 

Add to that we also have 4 further youth players at 40k each which means 2.38m on 12 players.  Further to that I'm guessing we have a few minimum/very low wage (50-80k) types like Kewell, Hoffman, Kalmar, Redmayne which might bring it down to 2.1m on 8 players.  Of those 8, 4 domestic and 4 overseas.

 

Doing this little exercise, it's much harder to assemble a quality squad than I thought.

Not sure you're quite right there.

 

As I read it you are not allowed a youth marquee and three extra youth players. The rule says that you can sign up to three additional youth players to the senior squad, with a total salary up to $150,000. The concept of youth marquee kicks in when one of the youth players is paid more than the minimum required (c. $50,000), which can occur if you choose to sign just one or two extra youth players.

[Murfy1]

 

Just doing some reading up on salary rules, this is my understanding on exemptions from the 2.5m cap.

 

- International Marquee

- Domestic Marquee

- Junior Marquee (up to 150k)

- 3 youth players (40k)

- Loan or Guest Players

 

Let's say we use those spots and include 1 loan player (Behich this season for example), which means 7 players are exempt, and so if we have a 23 man squad like we do now, the 2.5m can be spent on 16 players. 

 

Add to that we also have 4 further youth players at 40k each which means 2.38m on 12 players.  Further to that I'm guessing we have a few minimum/very low wage (50-80k) types like Kewell, Hoffman, Kalmar, Redmayne which might bring it down to 2.1m on 8 players.  Of those 8, 4 domestic and 4 overseas.

 

Doing this little exercise, it's much harder to assemble a quality squad than I thought.

Not sure you're quite right there.

 

As I read it you are not allowed a youth marquee and three extra youth players. The rule says that you can sign up to three additional youth players to the senior squad, with a total salary up to $150,000. The concept of youth marquee kicks in when one of the youth players is paid more than the minimum required (c. $50,000), which can occur if you choose to sign just one or two extra youth players.

 

 

My understanding is that the junior/youth/under 23 marquee spot/s are fundamentally different from the 3 contracts for NYL players exemption.

 

The junior marquee spot/s allow A-League clubs to pay Australian players under 23, who don't need to have come through the particular club's NYL team (they can be signed from anywhere), a share of $150,000 (which the particular A-League club can divide up anyway it wishes between three players under 23). The 150k is outside the salary cap, but the young player can be paid more money (inside the salary cap) as well. The junior marquee system was implemented around April 2008 to keep talented young Australian players, such as Olyroos, in Australia by allowing A-League clubs to financially compete (at least a bit more) with more wealthy overseas clubs (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/clubs-receive-150k-baby-bonus/story-e6frg6n6-1111116063311, PFA Link).

 

Meanwhile the rule allowing A-League clubs to sign 3 NYL players effectively to the senior team was implemented in April 2010, with the expressed aim of giving " clubs the opportunity to hold onto and develop their most talented young players" (http://m.goal.com/s/en/news/1888046/). NYL players signed on these contracts can only get youth minimum wages, and no more money. As the PFA stated prior to the 2010/2011 season, this rule (and the other dot point below it) are intended to give A-League clubs more ability to hold on to players they developed through their respective NYL teams:

 

Points of Agreement

The key points introduced into the PCR for 2010/2011 are:

• the introduction of the Australian marquee player rule (see related articles below);

• the capacity for each A-League club to contract up to 3 National Youth League players on the A-League minimum wage of $37,129.26 outside of the salary cap.  The minimum wage is exclusive of superannuation and any match payments;

• the introduction of a 7 day notice period to give an A-League club the opportunity to contract and retain a National Youth League player who has been approached by another A-League club to sign a professional contract.  The player is still free to move if he does not wish to stay with his current club; 

 

 

(http://pfa.net.au/index.php?id=5&chash=5ee7891d1e&tx_ttnews%5Bbackpid%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Bswords%5D=alex+tobin&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=214&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=5&cHash=3da2c9f855)

 

 

The result of both of these allowances is that A-League clubs effectively have roughly $300,000 to spend (150k on up to 3 Australian players under 23, and 40k [roughly the current youth player minimum wage] per NYL player, with a max of 3 NYL players) on 6 young Australian players. Altogether, it comprises a pretty respectable pool of money to spend on young Australian players.

 

 

Heart currently have at least 7 NYL players training under JVS in the senior team (according to Palatsides yesterday), namely Retre, Dao, Schroen, Petreski, O'Dea, Archibald, Stevanja. So conceivably, some of these players could be signed to the Heart senior team next season through some of these allowances for young Australian players. And given that we have a pretty good crop of young players IMO, I hope some of these young players are retained next season and become apart of the senior team.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Murfy1

[jw1739]

Well researched Murf. Thanks for clarifying it all. 

[silva10]

Do you lads believe that by allowing more foreign player slots the quality of the A league would be increased without having a detrimental effect on home grown players?

 

In the PL you have to have 8 home grown players (have to had been at an English Club for 3 years prior to being 21) over 21 of any nationality in the 25 man squad. Under 21 players are not counted in the squad and are additional to the 25 man squad.