Mrdja Gooooone

[Yellowbeard]

From fox sports

A-LeagueMariners' Mrdja still out
By John Taylor
January 03, 2007 NIK Mrdja's football world came crashing down again yesterday and the hapless striker will play no part in the Mariners' home run to the A-League finals.

On an eventful day, the club yesterday made the call to put Mrdja out to pasture for the next four weeks and then was refused permission to train at EnergyAustralia Stadium - venue for Friday's mini-grand final against Newcastle Jets.

Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna was despondent yesterday after hearing the news on Mrdja and learning his team couldn't train at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

"When I saw what it (the surface) was like yesterday, I wanted my players to get a feel of it before we played Newcastle, but we were knocked back," McKinna said yesterday.

"We are both footballing teams and it's hard to play the type of game we both play."

Stadium manager Neville Allan said yesterday: "If we won't let the Jets on the field, we are certainly not going to allow anyone else on there.

"We just haven't had the right weather conditions (for the new grass to grow).

"We need warm days and warm nights but we've had cooler nights."

The state of the field aside, the Mariners were still trying to come to terms with losing Mrdja for possibly the rest of the campaign.

"There was that option to needle him but it's not part of our rehabilitation process," Mariners executive chairman Lyall Gorman said.

"There's no room for error or gambles," Gorman said. "We need to win two of our last three."

Coach McKinna thought Mrdja would be right to play against Melbourne on Sunday.

"His foot is just not responding to treatment," he said.

The Mariners were yesterday looking to give Mile Jedinak another short-term contract and sign up Matty Simons for Mrdja.

Former Australia captain Paul Okon met with Jets coach Gary van Egmond yesterday and explained he was at the game against Sydney with his young son on Monday.

Following the Jets' 2-0 loss, van Egmond said that Okon would not be involved in Friday's home game against the Mariners.

"We had a chat today - everything's fine now. He was there showing his support," was all van Egmond was prepared to say on the matter.

"He'll train tomorrow but it doesn't look good."

Van Egmond said Newcastle would have to change their style to suit the type of pitch.

[Yellowbeard]

That'll do me. Any professional sportsman that half cares will play with needles. There are plenty of blokes on here who would walk over broken glass for the chance to wear the yellow jersey in battle.
Congrats Matty - Get out there and show Nik how it's done!

[brett]

Matty's game will suit the style of pitch and the way we'll have to play on it. He's also got the aggression to debut in a derby. His height could really give North and Durante a scare. As for Nik - how much longer do we have to wait!

[marinermick]

wyomingtiger said:

Matty's game will suit the style of pitch and the way we'll have to play on it. He's also got the aggression to debut in a derby. His height could really give North and Durante a scare. As for Nik - how much longer do we have to wait!

I think Lawrie is at the end of his tether.

I would not be surprised if Nik is not here next season.

[Foriegnmariner]

What other strikers are available. Is Mark Bridge out of contract this year?
IMHO Nik shouldn't return he has offered nothing but a hat-trick in a pre-season game and a lucky deflected goal against NZKFC.

[marinermick]

foriegnmariner said:

What other strikers are available. Is Mark Bridge out of contract this year?
IMHO Nik shouldn't return he has offered nothing but a hat-trick in a pre-season game and a lucky deflected goal against NZKFC.

he is on some decent cash so it will certainly free up some dollars to invest in some strikers

[Foriegnmariner]

I thought Mrdja was our "Marquee signing" so he does not come under the Salary Cap?

[marinermick]

foriegnmariner said:

I thought Mrdja was our "Marquee signing" so he does not come under the Salary Cap?

vidmar is our marquee

mrdja is our highest paid player and fits under the salary from which the mariners are well under

[northernspirit]

i read this this morning, what a bummer
hutch was a liability in front of goals last week, we need someone with that killer instinct, i wonder if throwing someone tall up front might work like perth did with jamie harnwell - worked for them, just a thought

[marinermick]

northernspirit said:

i read this this morning, what a bummer
hutch was a liability in front of goals last week, we need someone with that killer instinct, i wonder if throwing someone tall up front might work like perth did with jamie harnwell - worked for them, just a thought

the exact thought

we need a physical presence up front

[brett]

O'Grady might be back but we don't have the luxury of choosing to throw him forward...we need all hands on deck at the back.

With Nik you get the feeling that we will let him go then he'll move on to another A-League club and be top scorer.

[rawmarinator]

Maybe we can sign him on about half the cash?? Certainly he has done nothing for us, and by the sounds of things, he won't be doing anything for a while. At 28, he really needs to get himself on the park soon, or else his career is in danger...

[northernspirit]

he's our own harry kewell
great talent but injury prone

[alicia]

I don't think Mrdja should be signed again. He should have to earn his place like everyone else. Meanwhile, someone like Brownie, who's been playing really well will be put out to pasture. It doesn't make sense to me. Does anyone know if he's off contract at the end of the year?

[marinermick]

alicia said:

I don't think Mrdja should be signed again. He should have to earn his place like everyone else. Meanwhile, someone like Brownie, who's been playing really well will be put out to pasture. It doesn't make sense to me. Does anyone know if he's off contract at the end of the year?

browny is also on alot of money - one of the highest in the squad

he was our first ever player signed and it was a great statement as he is a local

i dare say, with his impressive performances towards the latter end of the season, that he will be offerred another contract, albeit a reduced one

[offtheball]

Lawrie will just have to organise training for Newcastle beach. Similar surface!

[marinermick]

offtheball said:

Lawrie will just have to organise training for Newcastle beach. Similar surface!

the groundkeeper's excuse was that he didn't have enough warm nights to grow the grass

wtf? it is summer

[alicia]

I think if they are playing, and playing well, then they deserve it.

But if, like Mrjda, they aren't playing at all, and still getting paid, well then maybe he should be the one on a reduced wage, if at all!

[Golden Boy]

You can't cut a players wage beacause he got injured. That's heaps slack. But you can definetley get rid of the player when his contract is up if he doesn't try hard enough to get fit.

[alicia]

goldenboy said:

You can't cut a players wage beacause he got injured. That's heaps slack. But you can definetley get rid of the player when his contract is up if he doesn't try hard enough to get fit.

I wasn't saying they should cut it cause he's injured, you're right, that is slack. My point was in my opinion he shouldn't be automatically re-signed. He should have to earn his place.