Build the club around...

[brett]

I'm not saying that the season is over, and I'm not saying players not listed here should be let go. But I am saying that we can start looking forward to plans for next season and beyond.

We need to build the new side around the following spine

Danny
Wilko
Jedi
Gumprecht
New Striker

This is a championship winning line-up. We need to bring Porter, Kwassy through and give Simon the chance to show how much potential he truly has. If Porter matures as expected he should be a great player by the time Gumps retires, and suddenly you have a team full of 21-24 year olds who are already A-League standard and still improving. Not such a bad situation to be in.

Recruitment should be made to complement these guys and teach them! The value of what we are paying Viddie should be evident in Wilko for years to come.

[roonytunes]

your really are the theoretician round here tiger, and I agree entirely with this synopsis. All the talk of football excellence is just that unless the younger squad members get game time, in the deep end, not just 20 minutes in pre-season and such like. If the club doesnt want to take risks, look at NZ... Simon has been training all year with the team, and has the perfect build and height to play point in a 4-2-3-1, now hwe is signed for the next three games, lets use him, not in the last 20 minutes, in the first 60. We played so well last night, the style I fell in love with, but reverted to a front three we already knew hadn't worked - nevertheless, we reverted to it, with Simon sitting on the bench. I say sign him for next year, and sign an old gun like Petrovski or Mori if he's interested, but its no good if they don't train with the team and teach Kwassie, Osman, and Simon the secrets of hunting. ANY new signing - full body MRI.
Some sucesssion planning...
Osman > Petrie
Porter > Clarke
Jedinak > Spencer
? > Gumbrecht - playmaker who turns the ball inwards on the ground and sets up attacks thru the middle
Simon > Burly Point striker
And some competition for Mrdja....

[johnnywarren]

good post tiger. - keep viddie and wilko for the centre. jedi and gumps to learn together and maybe as a striker we need someone like robbie fowler . looks likely to go on loan for rest of season - only 31. can score goals and would be a great name to have as a mariner.

but definetly a good start to work off.

[roonytunes]

robbie fowler sounds great! not burly, tons of experience in the EPL - is he affordable?

[Foriegnmariner]

I Agree with you tiger but Tom Pondeljak is still around and as a playmaker they don't get much better.
Gumps and Jedi what a shielding 2 that would be and spenny on the bench.

I can see it now next year's "Core" and possibly best formation.
Vuko
Brown - Wilko - O'grady - sully
Gumps - Jedi
Hutcho* - Pondeljak - Kwasnik
Awsome new striker

*May get rid of Hutcho and buy more consistant Left Midfielder or stick with Petrie if around.

I can see it now
New striker with 10 goals
pondels with 8 assists
kwasnik/left mid flying in crosses
Gumps with beautiful through balls
Wilko stedding the ship at back
O'grady scoring of corners and man marking strikers out of games.

Ahhh If only

[roonytunes]

you are missing the thrust of tiger's point here...and my petrovski suggestion went up in smoke with him going to littbarski...we need to be blooding new, FIT players continually, not just when everybody else is whacked.

[fisherman]

I think we need tommy p sitting in behind a good target man up front.

I thought Jedi did a great job on Carle the other night, we must get him next year. Kwassie as a back up player.

Spencer not sure about.

Thought the back four were ok last night.

[Jesus]

Kwassie wont play down the left. He struggles too much with his left foot. Always turns it back to his right.

[michaelf]

Short term solution is to sign as many strikers as possible, if squad sizes are increased to 23 then bring in three. We create a zillion chances a game...Longer term there is no doubt that Melbourne and Sydney will be setting higher standards esp with the prize of Asian competition, this means all A League clubs will have to raise the bar, thus phasing out the veterans such as Petrie and Clark; no longer clinging to marquee Socceroos such as Vidmar (how many games has he missed with his body not being able to take the strain?) and the willing but limited players such as Brown, O'Sullivan, Hutchison etc. Pondeljak, whose crossing of the ball is rivalled only by Kwasnik's shooting ability (sic) is on the way out too but it will take time as all players that leave will have to be replaced by better ones and there are not many available to be honest.

[Jesus]

Sydney and Melbourne wont fly ahead. That is why we have the salary cap. To create an even competition. So small clubs can compete with big ones

[johnnywarren]

jesus said:

Kwassie wont play down the left. He struggles too much with his left foot. Always turns it back to his right.

it doesn't matter - you still have two feet that you were born with.

Cut inside and there's you're right. work on the left. ala ryan giggs.

[omni]

I agree that a striker should be signed, but who, everyone agrees that we need one, but noone has produced a name, we can't just say we want an awesome striker and have one magically appear, who will be off contract next season does anyone know?

[johnnywarren]

robbie fowler

[fisherman]

omni said:

I agree that a striker should be signed, but who, everyone agrees that we need one, but noone has produced a name, we can't just say we want an awesome striker and have one magically appear, who will be off contract next season does anyone know?

We need someone with some legs left a 30 year old not a 36 year old. This season would tend to show that a 35 year old marque type player doesn't work ie Okon, Lazaridis.

I think a player similar to the age of Thompson (Victory) and Griffiths (Jets) two players similar ages late 20's early thirties both still being picked for national team.

[northernspirit]

what are peoples thoughts on mori returning?
he scored plenty of goals in rapid succession for the CCM so our style must suit his striking, of course he is just one cog in the wheel - really need a decent supporting striker - maybe someone who posseses an aerial threat that suits our style

also, this talk of robbie fowler is a waste of time - never rated him for one and two we could never afford his wage demands

[fisherman]

northernspirit said:

what are peoples thoughts on mori returning?
he scored plenty of goals in rapid succession for the CCM so our style must suit his striking, of course he is just one cog in the wheel - really need a decent supporting striker - maybe someone who posseses an aerial threat that suits our style

also, this talk of robbie fowler is a waste of time - never rated him for one and two we could never afford his wage demands

Mori is a short term solution, leave it alone, lets look to the future.

[northernspirit]

personally i think we should look for a talented young overseas player in the mould of fred from MVFC, i dont know how possible that is - ud need good contacts and a bit of luck

[brett]

Lawrie won't leave anything to luck. Every signing he has made has been a known-quantity, with Viddie the biggest exception. You can forget the Freds of the world. Scottish Prem League players may be possible with his and Fergie's knowledge + contacts.

Otherwise we'll be looking to the best of the A-League, State Leagues and ex-NSL.

I knew nothing about the NSL and guys like Ognenovski and Vargas have come from nowhere to really impress this season. Lawrie puts in the long hours to scout the state league so in the end he is the one who will produce names of more guys I (and probably most of you) have never heard of.

In terms of A-League strikers, it's a shame that if we put a list of attributes out there, the one we alreay have would fit the bill the most.

- Peak age
- Aerial abilty
- Physically good - fast AND strong
- Can finish!

Perth have two old blokes and plenty of youngsters. Melbourne have their main two and not a lot more. Sydney...looks like Sasho is gone, maybe Zdrillic? Newy can keep their scummers, I hope Coveny goes to NZ. NZ have no one we want. Adelaide have freckles who is too old, maybe Fernando or Qu? Roar have many strikers...we don't want Ante, Mori is too old. Reinaldo, Lynch or Zhang? Scottish connection with Lynch?

Looking at this list, other clubs would be drooling at the prospect of signing Mrdja.

[Fish]

Heff and Meggsy are testament to his ability to spot potential.
Guess it comes down to whos available and are they better than what we currently have.

[Sym]

Where did we get Mile Jedinak from?,