Let's look forward - Squad for 2007/2008

[marinermick]

nothing on their website about it

may well be true as sully wasn't at post-match

[alicia]

I assume Danny will be given the #1 jersey this year.

Trotty # 20?

[jazasydneyfc]

Is Sully an Aus citizen?
If so I'm going to give Terry a call...

[DJ]

I know Sully has heard nothing from the club in terms of a new contract yet, I certainly think he deserves a 1 year but Lawrie may be looking at securing people for 2 or 3? Maybe he thinks Sully doesn't offer what he wants for that time scale?

Most of what Jaza says I agree with, we need 2 new strikers IMO 1 with pace who can trouble defences and another goal poacher. We certainly need a new left back with no Heff and Tomasevic IMO not being good enough for the HAL, we also will need another CB I feel to cover Boags and Clarky isn't getting any younger. With Spenny thou, I don't think we will see him here next year, but IMO Mile is the perfect defensive midfielder for us and will be a fantastic signing next season (assuming he signs). I would also look at getting a new left sided midfielder who can run and defenders and whip a perfect ball into the box.

[greenpoleffc]

If true, Spencer I can live with but Sully is a bit of a surprise. Maybe it was an age/fitness/budget issue??

As for Vanstone...........she should be banged up with D Hicks IMHO

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

jazasydneyfc said:

Is Sully an Aus citizen?
If so I'm going to give Terry a call...

TBH, he'd give checkers a bit of a run for that spot methinks. he's not a spring chicken, but he's still good- very quick, good tackler and has less of a tendency to launch the ball 20m over the goal line when crossing.

[Pete]

A lot of players certainly have ability to do well IMHO.
But, depending upon what tack Lawrie and his management team wanna take, some players will have to be cut. Managemnet could look to develop some youngsters they've had to training sessions, they could look at getting some established names or they could mix it up.
This season showed how poorly we fared without a good finishing striker or two, and the two strikers we had, were more formidable out wide on the wings (Petrie and Kwasnik). Which does lead to the question, why were they filling spots in the midfield when we have a midfield instensive roster?
Two main reasons I think:
1) Both Kwasnik and Petrie were holding their own out wide and they would be able to get forward.
2) The usual incumbents for those positions (I'm thinking Pondeljak, Osman & Hutchinson) all had injuries and obviously didn't convince Lawrie they were right to return for a match.
The other thing to consider is this. The club has saved a fair amount of money IMHO, by having Nik Mrdja out injured. As Marinermick has said a few times, Insurance pays his wage while he is injured. Same also applies for all the other injured players we've had over the 2 seasons.
Theoretically, we've probably save a decent amount of money having Insurance take care of the wages, and the Mariners only having to find short term solutions. The replacements for Mrdja (McMaster, Mori & Simon) for example, would not have cost as much as they budgetted for Nik. Hence the saving.
Throw into that equation, Crawley (Trott his substitute) and Boogaard (no short term sub) and you can see that the Mariners might have more money in their kitty than some might think.
I feel the time is right, to now get into the market and really get Lawrie what he wants as a player. If there's someone he feels is really needed, and the player initially baulks at leaving wherever they are, and playing for the Marienrs, I think the club should have the kahoonas to get right back to them with a better offer.

[mariners4ever]

my squad for next season:
1.danny
2.a decent back like milligan since sully has released
3.o' grady
4.mile jedinak
5.porter
6.gumps
7.hutch
8.macca
9.mjdra
10.tommy
11.brownie ( one more season )
12.stewie ( if he is retired adecent attacking mid )
13.vidmar
14.bozanic/holland
15.clarky
16.boags
17.ossie
18.wilko
19.kwassie ( see how he goes )
20.trott/redmayne
21.decent striker
22.decnt back up goalie
23.overseas quality player

clarky/gumps for captain

[Farthing]

alicia said:

I assume Danny will be given the #1 jersey this year.

Trotty # 20?

Danny will most probally just keep the same number, the number doesnt matter to much really. If we dont keep trott i think signing readmayne (think thats how u spell it) would be a good idea, seeing he will be under 20 (i think anyway)

[razza]

i heard we were heavily linked with Greg Owens who has family up in Newcastle and wants a local club. I also heard through the vine we were offering him ridiculous amounts of money which i hope to some extent is not true. I would prefer us spending it on a striker.

Don't know about these players contracts but i would defintely be in for Bruce Djite and Mark Bridge. They can the job done

[jazasydneyfc]

dibo said:

jazasydneyfc said:

Is Sully an Aus citizen?
If so I'm going to give Terry a call...

TBH, he'd give checkers a bit of a run for that spot methinks. he's not a spring chicken, but he's still good- very quick, good tackler and has less of a tendency to launch the ball 20m over the goal line when crossing.

More thinking for RB (as opposed to LB where Checkers plays). I'd rather have Sully for a season and look for a replacement for Season Four (perhaps from OS) than be forced in to Jade North or such as it seems we are now.

Would also suit Butcher's "hard work/no dickheads" policy

[Jesus]

I hope it is false about sully
If not i will have to get to work on a "Bring Back Sully" sign

[LeedsMariner#4]

i hope sully isnt going
i would be surprised if players are released at this time of the year as there would be a few commitments in the early parts of the off season that the club would need all players to be available for
and wouldnt their contracts run till the end of may??

[Jesus]

end of april i think. Sydney was complaining about having to sign new players in time for ACL and yet the salary capcontinues til the end of april. I am not sure if that was just really close to, or maybe even after they have to officially give their squad. But since when did Sydney worry about the cap?

[nick]

i agree with permboy we need brazilians
sully must stay
and sign bridge, wouldnt it be great to sign our first player from the scum, imagine the abuse he would cop and then imagine the abuse we and he could giv when he scores the winner against them

[Rowdy]

nick said:

i agree with permboy we need brazilians

F U C K THAT! I don't mind hit'n the pubes around the edges with the whipper snipper after I've mowed my front lawn, but to suggest we all go the full wax, ala Telly Savalas is another thing.

Permboy just had his 'perm' fully removed, is this his cryptic clue for the ladies that he got downstairs done as well?

[offtheball]

If it is true that Sully won't be offered another contract you would have to read between the lines to fathom why. He certainly has been far from our worst player this year.

You would have to presume then that there is a push for another overseas player and we have to off load an international to fit under the FFA quota.

Presume this also means Petrie will be offered an extension unless they are chasing two from OS.

[marinermick]

offtheball said:

If it is true that Sully won't be offered another contract you would have to read between the lines to fathom why. He certainly has been far from our worst player this year.

You would have to presume then that there is a push for another overseas player and we have to off load an international to fit under the FFA quota.

Presume this also means Petrie will be offered an extension unless they are chasing two from OS.

maybe it is a push for a younger and more mobile squad

lack of pace, with the exception of kwassy, wilko and tommy, certainly hindered us this season

many of the players who were exceptional version one players at their peak are now a few years older

[lrr]

nick said:

i agree with permboy we need brazilians

i disagree (kind of). we need a player - any player - that has the ability to hit the back of the net regularly and find space for himself in the box. we had that with mori and for 6-8 weeks we were red hot. he's 36 for god's sake!

therefore i think we need a player that fits into our system and works hard for the team, whether brazilian or not. lawrie was right in pre-season when he criticised allessandro with respect to the way we play - his style would not fit the mariners. find me any player that knows where the net is first and foremost and i'll be happy.

[DJ]

marinermick said:

offtheball said:

If it is true that Sully won't be offered another contract you would have to read between the lines to fathom why. He certainly has been far from our worst player this year.

You would have to presume then that there is a push for another overseas player and we have to off load an international to fit under the FFA quota.

Presume this also means Petrie will be offered an extension unless they are chasing two from OS.

maybe it is a push for a younger and more mobile squad

lack of pace, with the exception of kwassy, wilko and tommy, certainly hindered us this season

many of the players who were exceptional version one players at their peak are now a few years older

Agreed - lack of pace hurt us this year

I think Sully had a good season this year and made some very good tackles which saved us 1 or 2 certain goals, but by the time season 3 kicks off he will be 33. Certainly not over the hill but perhaps as I mentioned earlier we are looking at 2 or 3 year contracts and some younger players?

Time will tell but Lawrie knows what he's doing