Will Dean Heffernan return??

[brett]

When we pwned pre-season it was

Crawley
- - Wilko Clark Beauchamp
Sully - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Heff
- - - Gumps Spenny Tommy
- - - - - - - Nik - - SP

That's the only time I remember us with a back 3 Mick, and Qld in rnd 3 0-0. What other time was there?

Obviously trade in Danny, Viddie and Mile for Crawley, Meggsi and Spenny. Matty Osman has the goods to play that right wingback. He has an unbelievable work rate. Owens would be a good first replacement for Gumps or Tommy. Sasho in for SP.

And there you have it.

[marinermick]

there were times in the season v.1 and v.2 (cannot remember specfic games) where lawrie flirted with a back three and it did not go successfully

wish my memory was up to it

[alicia]

Do we even know if Stringers will be fully fit by start of season?

[marinermick]

alicia said:

Do we even know if Stringers will be fully fit by start of season?

physically he should be ok

[DJ]

Lawrie is a 4-4-2 fan, in the pre-season Cup 2005 we actually only used it against Newcastle (Lawrie's words). IMO we will always have a flat back 4 (depending on injuries), if anything we may revert to 5 in the middle or 3 up front but I can't see the back line changing. This is why I would like to see stronger players in the RB and LB positions, however, I think we will probably see RB get shared between Clark, Porter and Osman?

[marinermick]

all this talk in the heffernan thread has sparked up a google ad for bill heffernan - how horrendous!

dibo, can you pls fix it

[brett]

Only Bill can fix it...by falling on his sword.

[marinermick]

wyomingtiger said:

Only Bill can fix it...by falling on his sword.

his tries his best but still manages to survive

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

marinermick said:

all this talk in the heffernan thread has sparked up a google ad for bill heffernan - how horrendous!

dibo, can you pls fix it

thread name changed, but i'm not fixing the subject lines of the 140 or whatever it is posts that have gone before.

beware teh heffalump!

[Andy]

.................Danny
Clarky...Wilko...Viddy/Stringers...*****
.................Jedi
Pondeljak...Gumprecht...Owens
..........Sasho...St Nik

Trott
Viddy/Stringers
Hutch
Kwasnik

[roonytunes]

That looks good Andy, but playing ten is a bit cocky...or are those stars for heff or a mystery left back? Anyway, that front five in front of "Mile the enforcer" looks very classy, dunnit!

[marinerbhoy]

you miss my point mick. i am just saying you cant just write off his season already. you havnt seen enough of him. watching his nsl will give you no insight, a lot has happened since then, incl an overseas sojourn. i agree with you on our left sided defence being priority, but i think we need another striker, even if just an apprentice(not simon) because of mrdja's injury problems. we all know what he can do(well some of us do), now its just a matter of him doing it, which is the hard part. time will tell i guess. i am just saying we should wait til he has a fair chance to prove himself on the field until we write him off there.

[marinermick]

marinerbhoy said:

you miss my point mick. i am just saying you cant just write off his season already. you havnt seen enough of him. watching his nsl will give you no insight, a lot has happened since then, incl an overseas sojourn. i agree with you on our left sided defence being priority, but i think we need another striker, even if just an apprentice(not simon) because of mrdja's injury problems. we all know what he can do(well some of us do), now its just a matter of him doing it, which is the hard part. time will tell i guess. i am just saying we should wait til he has a fair chance to prove himself on the field until we write him off there.

I don't miss your point - I just don't agree.

We all know his potential and he is worth a go but we do not have enough decent cover in attack if things go wrong for Nik or Saso for the following reasons:
- Nik has been out of the game for three years
- Saso is in his thirties and likely to pick up injuries
- Nik was only a bench player at Perth and while the signs are promising we do not know what the outcomes could be. It may well be great but we just do not know with a player that has lost so much muscle mass and has been hit hard psychologically.
- I believe Nik and Saso are similar players and we are lacking some mobility up front
- We need another good striker putting pressure on Nik and Saso for them to perform week in week out so their positions in the team are not guaranteed. Every other position has this pressure.

I am not writing Mrjda's season off and if you read my postings you will know that. We all see the potential Nik has and he may well set v.3 on fire but given the last three years it may take a few seasons before that potential is realised. It will be a massive adjustment getting the body used to professional football again even with a full preseason under his belt - those who were at the Mariners v Lightning game will attest at how much out of sorts he is.

In the meantime what harm is there in getting a strong backup or using Nik as a backup until he finds his feet? Financial issues aside of course.

[marinerbhoy]

In A-League news, Spiranovic's Nurnberg teammate, Dean Heffernan, has been given a deadline of next week to decide whether to return to Australia and resume his contract with Central Coast or seek a new club.

Heffernan and Michael Beauchamp left the Mariners last year to join the Germans on a season-long loan, but, while Beauchamp has since become an established first-teamer, Heffernan has failed to make the breakthrough.

Beauchamp's move will become permanent on July 1, but Nurnberg have told Heffernan he is free to leave. It is believed he has a firm offer from English lower-league side Walsall.
www.smh.com.au/news/football/baan-to-pass-on-olyroos-reins-after-first-stage/2007/05/11/1178390547958.html

makes sense, richard money would have seen a lot of him.

[northernspirit]

hmmm walsall? i know they got promoted and all but theyre still only gonna be league one...
hes better off being back in oz, if he can make an impact he will have another chance o/s

[Pete]

northernspirit said:

hmmm walsall? i know they got promoted and all but theyre still only gonna be league one...
hes better off being back in oz, if he can make an impact he will have another chance o/s

I agree with you NS, but the lure of "playing overseas" looks good on an Australian football player's CV. And he would be very close to all the action come transfer window time and not have to worry about travelling half way around the world to trial.

[dru]

Que Sera, Sera

we'll know soon enough either way.

[mariners4ever]

marinerbhoy said:

In A-League news, Spiranovic's Nurnberg teammate, Dean Heffernan, has been given a deadline of next week to decide whether to return to Australia and resume his contract with Central Coast or seek a new club.

Heffernan and Michael Beauchamp left the Mariners last year to join the Germans on a season-long loan, but, while Beauchamp has since become an established first-teamer, Heffernan has failed to make the breakthrough.

Beauchamp's move will become permanent on July 1, but Nurnberg have told Heffernan he is free to leave. It is believed he has a firm offer from English lower-league side Walsall.
www.smh.com.au/news/football/baan-to-pass-on-olyroos-reins-after-first-stage/2007/05/11/1178390547958.html

makes sense, richard money would have seen a lot of him.

wow, it also says in the link that lawrie mckinna is considered for the olyroos job along with john kosmina, david mitchell and ron smith as rob baan is almost certain to step down as coach.

[Rubbernose]

I've totally lost track of where Heff sits contractually, does anyone have any idea?

[omni]

Full text here

Walsall have been linked with Aussie left back Dean Heffernan by Aussie website www.tribalfootball.com.

Heffernan has spent the 2006/7 season on loan with German Bundesliga side Nurnberg. He struggled to get first team games in Germany but was a regular for their reserves. Having returned to Australian A-League club Central Coast Mariners, he has been told he can leave on a free transfer this summer.

In the 2005/6 season Heffernan scored 8 goals from 23 games in his debut season with the club. He has established a reputation as an attacking left back and he could easily follow in the footsteps of Walsall's past foreign attacking left backs Zigor Aranalde and Diego Padula.

So their source is Tribal Football, so probably not true but interesting given it's Dick Money's club.