Pre-season squad overview

[Rubbernose]

Sorry if this is doubling things up, or pointing out the bleeding obvious to some of you, but I've been a bit out of the loop and wanna make sure I'm fully up to speed on the squad and situation of some players. Or perhaps it could help newbies or part timers get up to speed...

Please correct me if I'm wrong, or if anything needs adding.

Players out
Michael Beauchamp - To Nürnberg
Dean Heffernan - To Nürnberg
Leo Carle - released
Russell Woodruffe - released
Ian Ferguson - retired
Dez Giraldi - to Adelaide...was he ever actually officially on our books?

Players in (or re-signed to longer contracts)
Jamie McMaster - signed to a long-term deal
Brad Porter - signed to a long-term deal
Vuko Tomasevic - new signing from Marconi

20 man squad
Nigel Boogaard
Damien Brown
Andrew Clark
Andre Gumprecht
John Hutchinson
Adam Kwasnik
Jamie McMaster
Nick Mrdja
Paul O'Grady
Matthew Osman
Wayne O'Sullivan
Stewart Petrie
Tom Pondeljak
Bradley Porter
Noel Spencer
Vuko Tomasevic
Alex Wilkinson
Danny Vukovic (gk)
Matthew Trott (gk)
John Crawley (gk)

Once again, no marquee.

A few assumptions/questions;

- Vuko Tomesevic is pretty much the only 'new' signing. He's a left footer, who is, from what I've heard, a tough tackler, very skillfull and comfy on the ball and has been mostly playing in central midfield recently for Marconi...but is obviously there to fill a void left by Heffernan, yeah? Will likely play a left half, left back or left wingback role?

- Trott has been signed on a short term deal to be #2 to Danny, and it's hoped Crawley can come back into the fold in the latter parts of the season, after a recent hip operation, yeah? So we're essentially down a player to give Crawley a (deserved) chance to recover.

- McKinna will be looking for O'Grady to step up and fill Meggsi's shoes?

- Mrdja's knee is still perhaps a little dodgy, but whilst he won't play a part in the pre-season cup, it's hoped he will be fit for the HAL?

- What ended up happening with Meggsi and Sonic re Nuremberg? Are both a done signed deal and what type of deal did the Mariners get, if anyone knows? On loan? Short term contract with an option to buy?

- Players who have some degree of injury concerns at present: Pondeljak (groin) Crawley (hip) Sully (?) Spenny (?) Mrdja

- Is Hutch fully recovered?

- Petrie and Kwassie can't stop scoring goals in pre-season trial games, particularly Kwassie?

- What formations has Lawrie been playing in the trials thus far. Any hint of a more regular 3-5-2 on the horizon?

Any corrections or info anyone could add, much appreciated.

[dibo (pron. "DIB-OH")]

trott isn't in the 20 - he's signed as extra cover for JC

[Perm]

good thread Rubbernose dont worry, its a chance for some sort of clarity.

[Rubbernose]

dibo said:

trott isn't in the 20 - he's signed as extra cover for JC

OK, I'm a bit confused by that though...so he's outside the salary cap and we can (if we want) sign a 20th player?

[DJ]

rubbernose said:

dibo said:

trott isn't in the 20 - he's signed as extra cover for JC

OK, I'm a bit confused by that though...so he's outside the salary cap and we can (if we want) sign a 20th player?

Yes we have 1 spot left

[dibo (pron. "DIB-OH")]

djgrounsell said:

rubbernose said:

OK, I'm a bit confused by that though...so he's outside the salary cap and we can (if we want) sign a 20th player?

Yes we have 1 spot left

still counts to the cap

[brett]

Formation-wise from the two games I've seen it's still been a 4-4-2 with...how would you say this, a more compact but less structured midfield.

As in it's been a diamond with Ossie at the back a lot and Macca on the front and players like Gumps as the fillers but the width comes from timed runs from Macca or sometimes the strikers rather than out and out wingers like Sully and Browny were last season. Need to see more of it from a better point of view to see what's really happening.

[dru]

rubbernose said:

- What ended up happening with Meggsi and Sonic re Nuremberg? Are both a done signed deal and what type of deal did the Mariners get, if anyone knows? On loan? Short term contract with an option to buy?

1 year loan was the way i undestood it. this is only from news articles and from no club source.

[tooltime]

Looks like we have a strong team.We will be a force again this year.

[greenlig]

hmmm. I hope we will be a force. Whatever happens, I am so excited about this year for the mariners.

Looking forward to seeing Mcmaster strut his stuff for us.

Oh, and come december, look out for the Mariner Bus touring the beaches of Central Coast lol!

[dru]

greenlig said:

Oh, and come december, look out for the Mariner Bus touring the beaches of Central Coast lol!

is that the brother of the shoddiest little band wagon from last season??? does whoever drove that thing still got it?

[omni]

Yea, my folks said they saw a dodgy yellow car with 'GO MARINERS' on it, so they must be.
I think Greenlig is referring to the fact that he's visiting us from his little Island down south in December.

Mrdja is still out - he's doing light training but no real chance of playing (I guess unless we're desperate). Hutchos still recovering, I doubt Lawrie would play him in the pre-season.

The competition for spots should be pretty fierce this year, with Kwassy on fire, and thus confident, the fight for strikers will be good when Mrdja comes back.

[jollyroger]

I'll look forward to seeing what a fit Jamie McMaster can do. He impressed me at different times last year and i think he will go good fully fit.

I think we are in for another good season. We are missing a couple of players but it looks like nick will be back at some stage to give us a new attacking option which i think we need.

I havent seen any of the trial matches this season

[greenpoleffc]

Jamie looked very much lighter and fitter against Lightning.

Kwassie looked very sharp and hungry - bloody quick too

[DJ]

IMO Jamie looked a little unfit at Gladesville and Lightning (they hadn't been training too much thou), Kwassy looked confident and sharp which is great as when I saw him at the end of last season he told me he just wanted another shot so he can show everyone what he can do, fingers crossed he's heading in the right direction for that.

People may or may not agree with me or understand where I'm coming from here but I hope Danny continues in the same way as he did last year and a little bit of socceroo success doesn't go to his head. I'm sure with experienced coaches like Fergie and Tobin he'll be sweet but in the trial matches he enjoyed rushing out a few times and almost got caught, better opposition could have equalled trouble. Not being over confident I'm referring to.

[omni]

But would he have done it against better opposition? I think it's good that he has the confidence to back himself but you're right he does have to keep that in check, and I'm sure the coaching staff will make sure he does, when JC gets back his spot will (I presume) be a bit more vulnerable.