Coach and Staff Thread

[Uskana]

 

 

Someone has to take responsibilty for our inept performances on the pitch in 2016/17. .

 

Rnd 1 @ home v's Smurfs 0 - 4

 

Rnd 6 away v's MV 3 - 0

 

Rnd 10 @ home v's MV 0 - 3

 

10 goals against, zero goals scored.

 

Is anyone out there, hello, anyone???

Just listen to the press conference. We are playing well in fact we are playing better than before.......they are in denial.

1-0 down at half time all over them I'd have said that. 3-0 at full time I wouldn't.

 

press conference should have been

 

"We missed a bunch of sitters, we gave away stupid goals, the team with great striker and the half decent goalkeeper won. Any more questions?"

Yes I have a question, do you have a plan B?

 

Also, do you think it's coincidence or not that the 3 teams that spent big on bringing in quality are sitting in top 3 while you retain rubbish and let go of quality, sit in 6th?

[marron]

No to both questions. Next?

[lloydy136]

Someone has to take responsibilty for our inept performances on the pitch in 2016/17. .

 

Rnd 1 @ home v's Smurfs 0 - 4

 

Rnd 6 away v's MV 3 - 0 

 

Rnd 10 @ home v's MV 0 - 3 

 

10 goals against, zero goals scored. 

 

Is anyone out there, hello, anyone???

 

yeah the 'we created chances' line is getting tiresome - trying to present it as 'bad luck, bounce of the ball, could have easily gone our way' type stuff. but we are getting repeatedly hammered by the decent sides in the division. its not bad luck or taking chances its the reality. they are better, we should be better but we are not.

[StringerBellend]

 

 

Someone has to take responsibilty for our inept performances on the pitch in 2016/17. .

 

Rnd 1 @ home v's Smurfs 0 - 4

 

Rnd 6 away v's MV 3 - 0

 

Rnd 10 @ home v's MV 0 - 3

 

10 goals against, zero goals scored.

 

Is anyone out there, hello, anyone???

yeah the 'we created chances' line is getting tiresome - trying to present it as 'bad luck, bounce of the ball, could have easily gone our way' type stuff. but we are getting repeatedly hammered by the decent sides in the division. its not bad luck or taking chances its the reality. they are better, we should be better but we are not.

This

 

its round 10 not 3, we are where we are on the table because that is where we deserve to be, losing a game 1-0 might be bad luck. getting done 3-0 is not bad luck

 

 

Someone has to take responsibilty for our inept performances on the pitch in 2016/17. .

 

Rnd 1 @ home v's Smurfs 0 - 4

 

Rnd 6 away v's MV 3 - 0

 

Rnd 10 @ home v's MV 0 - 3

 

10 goals against, zero goals scored.

 

Is anyone out there, hello, anyone???

yeah the 'we created chances' line is getting tiresome - trying to present it as 'bad luck, bounce of the ball, could have easily gone our way' type stuff. but we are getting repeatedly hammered by the decent sides in the division. its not bad luck or taking chances its the reality. they are better, we should be better but we are not.

This

 

its round 10 not 3, we are where we are on the table because that is where we deserve to be, losing a game 1-0 might be bad luck. getting done 3-0 is not bad luck

[wswtragic]

 

Someone has to take responsibilty for our inept performances on the pitch in 2016/17. .

 

Rnd 1 @ home v's Smurfs 0 - 4

 

Rnd 6 away v's MV 3 - 0 

 

Rnd 10 @ home v's MV 0 - 3 

 

10 goals against, zero goals scored. 

 

Is anyone out there, hello, anyone???

 

yeah the 'we created chances' line is getting tiresome - trying to present it as 'bad luck, bounce of the ball, could have easily gone our way' type stuff. but we are getting repeatedly hammered by the decent sides in the division. its not bad luck or taking chances its the reality. they are better, we should be better but we are not.

 

The Smurfs mugged us in the first game, and have gone on to hold the top spot since, so that one could be dismissed as us underdone and them being on a roll.

 

The MVC games have been a collective embarrassment, because while it appears every team (apart from Mariners) has no genuine fear of us putting a goal past them, MVC know precisely how to absorb our (at times meandering and confused) possession plays and then hit us on the counter and make it stick.

 

Until we find someone who can fill the genuine striker role (and let's face it, we've NEVER had one like Berisha, McLaren, or Fornaroli) we're always going to be the team that has 60% of the ball and can't score, and teams will just sit back and let us doddle around. We don't have the right CBs, 'keeper, or striker - sadly can't see that changing this season.

[Sithslayer1991]

Games against MVC I have always seen as the measuring stick because they always expose weakness in a team and lets be honest they are the benchmark. You have that feeling if you win against them and win well that it gives belief into a squad to do well in the season. Remember when we killed them last season and went on a 10 game run

 

We have had two similar games now this season and its clear we need to get some reinforcements for GK and striker. Popa has no plan B and when we are pegging the the 18 yard box its screaming for another striker to come on to get a result and instead he brings on like for like substitutes... The only time he has played 2 up front is in the ACL when we had to win in the knock out

[ColdRock]

[chubba07]

Everyone blaming Redmayne but no one punting finger at Kalac as goalkeeper coach. He is a failure but of course Popa mate has a cushy role.

Remember how Vedren was mistake ridden under Kalac.

[WSW2166]

It was always going to be the case when you gamble with your buddy Kalac.

[Neverbloom]

It was always going to be the case when you gamble with your buddy Kalac.

[Uskana]

Ron Corry made Covic great? Kalac isn't to blame. Redmayne was average at Heart too, Covic was great befote he came and after he left. Covic had a bad run with us maybe like Bouzanis having a decent run at City.

 

Should we say we can't score anymore because we no longer have Milicic?

 

The quality of a coach makes the difference between a title or not. But rarely will a coach make relegation team into champions.... except for Leicester season in one season lol

[theguyyouwishyouwere]

i agree with chubba - Kalac has been poor all season. Hasn't made one save.

[Zelinsky]

Coaching is not the issue. Recruitment is.

 

The club took a gamble by signing too many low cost/project players. After 10 rounds I'd go so far to say that the worst squad we've ever had plays the best football - at times at least. 

 

For the individual players to score they have to be comfortable enough in front of goal. Nico, Jumpei, Bulut lack that comfort. They haven't had regular game time in years, have never been consistent goal scorers. Nichols seems to be struggling with the higher pace of the game, and now Santa have been infected. A true goal scorer like Berisha doesn't have such issues.

 

The club knew that they had a problem after 20 goals walking out of the door with Bridgey, Dario and Castelen. They made a rather outlandish (desperate?) two-weeks-too-late attempt for McDonald. Outcome as to be expected. Enter Bulut. The rest is history. For me the single biggest **** up this season. Scotty Mc instead of Kerem - we would have had very different conversations in the last two, three months.

 

I've been moaning about the lack of a proven No 9 since July, but I did not expect us to have such problems at the back. Borda, Cornflakes, Hamill,  - words fail me. The club must have thought that they had at least the departure of NTS or Alberto covered. The reality is different. It is a mystery to me how we could get it so wrong.

 

Redmayne was ok last season behind a solid defence. This season the defence in front of him looks shaky. Time for him to step up, to give something extra. Instead, he went backwards with his CBs.

 

In the last press conference Popa said that the coaches couldn't ask for more of the players. In other words: these men are playing on the limit, they are giving all they've got. One or two percent are missing to be successful up front, and avoid simple errors at the back. That bit of extra won't be found in this squad but has to come from somewhere else.

 

The next transfer window can't come soon enough.

[GD07]

I'm not sure if McDonald would have really solved anything. I think he would be a bit iffy up front on his own, he usually plays off a main striker. A bit like the role Nichols already has.

[Zelinsky]

I'm not sure if McDonald would have really solved anything. I think he would be a bit iffy up front on his own, he usually plays off a main striker. A bit like the role Nichols already has.

 

I challenge you on that one, respectfully. He is a centre forward who can also play on the wings.

http://www.transfermarkt.com/scott-mcdonald/profil/spieler/13799

 

McDonald may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he knows where the goal is, and how to get the ball into it. Less can be said about the other attacking players we signed.

 

Scotty Mc 172 games 41 goals in Championship (add to that another 91 goals in 208 SPL games)

Andy Keogh (for comparison) 233 games 43 goals in Championship

Nico 168 games 13 goals since 2010

Jumpei 195 games 20 goals since 2009

Bulut 85 games 9 goals since 2010

 

And rumour has it that we might just find out as of January how he compares with Bulut, Keogh, Nico and Jumpei...

[GD07]

 

 

I'm not sure if McDonald would have really solved anything. I think he would be a bit iffy up front on his own, he usually plays off a main striker. A bit like the role Nichols already has.

I challenge you on that one, respectfully. He is a centre forward who can also play on the wings.

http://www.transfermarkt.com/scott-mcdonald/profil/spieler/13799

 

McDonald may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he knows where the goal is, and how to get the ball into it. Less can be said about the other attacking players we signed.

 

Scotty Mc 172 games 41 goals in Championship (add to that another 91 goals in 208 SPL games)

Andy Keogh (for comparison) 233 games 43 goals in Championship

Nico 168 games 13 goals since 2010

Jumpei 195 games 20 goals since 2009

Bulut 85 games 9 goals since 2010

 

And rumour has it that we might just find out as of January how he compares with Bulut, Keogh, Nico and Jumpei...

Yeah…I'm not so sure about that. He was at Celtic for 3 seasons and I don't remember him playing on the wing. He was usually up front with Jan vennegor. At Motherwell he usually plays off Louis Moult.

 

He does still know where the goal is but he's definitely playing a different role to what he was 4-5 years ago. Celtic played Motherwell not that long ago and he definitely got around the park in a very Nichols-like role.

[StringerBellend]

Nico isn't a goal scorer he is a provider, the guys passing and crossing is boss. We just have no one on the end of it. He will chip in with a few goals too

[Hughesy]

Coaching is not the issue. Recruitment is.

 

The club took a gamble by signing too many low cost/project players. After 10 rounds I'd go so far to say that the worst squad we've ever had plays the best football - at times at least. 

 

For the individual players to score they have to be comfortable enough in front of goal. Nico, Jumpei, Bulut lack that comfort. They haven't had regular game time in years, have never been consistent goal scorers. Nichols seems to be struggling with the higher pace of the game, and now Santa have been infected. A true goal scorer like Berisha doesn't have such issues.

 

The club knew that they had a problem after 20 goals walking out of the door with Bridgey, Dario and Castelen. They made a rather outlandish (desperate?) two-weeks-too-late attempt for McDonald. Outcome as to be expected. Enter Bulut. The rest is history. For me the single biggest **** up this season. Scotty Mc instead of Kerem - we would have had very different conversations in the last two, three months.

 

I've been moaning about the lack of a proven No 9 since July, but I did not expect us to have such problems at the back. Borda, Cornflakes, Hamill,  - words fail me. The club must have thought that they had at least the departure of NTS or Alberto covered. The reality is different. It is a mystery to me how we could get it so wrong.

 

Redmayne was ok last season behind a solid defence. This season the defence in front of him looks shaky. Time for him to step up, to give something extra. Instead, he went backwards with his CBs.

 

In the last press conference Popa said that the coaches couldn't ask for more of the players. In other words: these men are playing on the limit, they are giving all they've got. One or two percent are missing to be successful up front, and avoid simple errors at the back. That bit of extra won't be found in this squad but has to come from somewhere else.

 

The next transfer window can't come soon enough.

When it comes to recruitment, it's very easy to sit back after the fact and say: we should've done this, this and this and avoided this and that. 

 

Bulut's return was treated by 99.9% of WSW fans as being a modern day remake of the prodigal son that caused celebration across Western Sydney. I disagree that it is a **** up when so many people begged the club to bring him back for a long time. He was put on a pedestal, arguably higher than what his actual ability is and now that he's not reaching these heights, people are blaming the club in frustration and disappointment.

 

The recruitment of Australian players could perhaps have been executed a bit more effectively, though I'd ask to what extent could it have actually been made better (within the limits of a salary cap)? There also appears to be this assumption that every available Aussie footballer is just lining up to play for WSW. If a player doesn't want to come here then there's nothing Popa or WSW can do about it. Same goes for retaining players too, if they want to move on then we have to accept it. These stories of Popa withdrawing contracts the minute a player negotiates are just pure speculation, none of us have a clue what really happens/ed.

 

In terms of foreign players, unless you're talking about FFA funded level marquees, then it's a complete lottery. If you could guarantee that an import would definitely work out, they wouldn't be coming here to play. Let's not kid ourselves. 

 

In terms of money, well that argument is largely nullified for as long as there is a salary cap in place. It's not as if we are well under the minimum cap spend like CCM. When the club did actually spend some money on a marquee to bing in Pio, everyone complained when it didn't work out. If we don't end up with Keane I'm sure there'll be plenty of people who'll complain about tight arse Lederer for not spending a squillion bucks on him for 5 minutes of work and a glorified holiday. The money argument is also another one based around a lot of speculation/rumours and few hard facts.

 

My only proper criticism of our recruitment that genuinely frustrated me would be that an offer was never made to Danny Vukovic who confirmed so on twitter and sounded fairly disappointed by it too. 

 

Ultimately, it all comes down to our mother nature in the A-League which is the salary cap and you cannot outsmart it long term, it will always catch you. We are experiencing the very purpose of it right now and I think people are struggling to accept it. 

[Uskana]

Adelaide - Galekovic, Cirio, Carrusca

Brisbane - Theo, North, McKay, Broich

Victory - Thompson, Berisha, Broxham

Smurfs - Brosque, Ninkovic

 

Point is, I think the majority would agree we are about 3 key players short of a top notch squad. The teams who have won/done/doing well seem to keep key players.

 

Salary cap is not an excuse when you have 2 marquee spots available. Let alone when you look at the squads of other teams.

 

E.g we keep Bridge on marquee rather his goals and assists leaving, we have a different season already.

[Zelinsky]

Hughsey

 

We have to agree to disagree.

 

Never mind being the wiser after the event. I've been keyboard-screaming for six months that we need at least one proven goal scorer up front. We signed Bulut instead which would have to have been Plan C or D. Western Gambling Wanderers - we were asking for trouble, and we got it. If it wasn't for Santa's high conversion rate we'd be totally stuffed.

 

We are not paying, that's why we ended up with the players we have. Too many dumping price no hopers on a Western Sydney Mariners budget. What we have on the bench is depressing.

 

I give em that: we play well, all things considered. But we let in easy goals, and we are unable to score - you get what you pay for. Should have gone to specsavers.

[DinoPresinger]

I'm content to write off the a-league this year and focus on the ACL instead.

 

I feel like if we build on the good recruitment this year, krping Nico replacing Dimas with a good Striker and Borda with a class CB we won't be complaining so much next year. If we have the same revolving door next year I'll be seriously concerned.

 

On Bulut: I said it then and I stand by it. I don't care if he never scores a goal ever again Bulut is Western Sydney and I'll always love him for that. Bulut $tays.

[StringerBellend]

I'm content to write off the a-league this year and focus on the ACL instead.

 

I feel like if we build on the good recruitment this year, krping Nico replacing Dimas with a good Striker and Borda with a class CB we won't be complaining so much next year. If we have the same revolving door next year I'll be seriously concerned.

 

On Bulut: I said it then and I stand by it. I don't care if he never scores a goal ever again Bulut is Western Sydney and I'll always love him for that. Bulut $tays.

You want to get rid of Dimas but keep Bulut?

[WestSyd]

 

I'm content to write off the a-league this year and focus on the ACL instead.

I feel like if we build on the good recruitment this year, krping Nico replacing Dimas with a good Striker and Borda with a class CB we won't be complaining so much next year. If we have the same revolving door next year I'll be seriously concerned.

On Bulut: I said it then and I stand by it. I don't care if he never scores a goal ever again Bulut is Western Sydney and I'll always love him for that. Bulut $tays.

You want to get rid of Dimas but keep Bulut?

The thing is you remove Bulut, Redmayne and Hamill from the team, and the team has been competitive when neither one of them has been playing.

[tardotz]

 

 

I'm content to write off the a-league this year and focus on the ACL instead.

I feel like if we build on the good recruitment this year, krping Nico replacing Dimas with a good Striker and Borda with a class CB we won't be complaining so much next year. If we have the same revolving door next year I'll be seriously concerned.

On Bulut: I said it then and I stand by it. I don't care if he never scores a goal ever again Bulut is Western Sydney and I'll always love him for that. Bulut $tays.

You want to get rid of Dimas but keep Bulut?

The thing is you remove Bulut, Redmayne and Hamill from the team, and the team has been competitive when neither one of them has been playing.

And .... Cornthwaite

[Pup55]

Hughesy, not sure if you saw my post from the other day.

 

We did offer Danny a contract.

He agreed to it.

The reneged and went to the Victory for more cash.

 

As far as Popa was concerned, that was bridge burnt and when he then needed to come to Sydney 12 months later, we weren't interested and didn't make an offer.

 

Whether or not you think that's the right call, that's up for debate.

[Prydzopolis]

Interestingly enough, Vuka publicly has said that he never received contact from WSW.

 

Perhaps he never received that contract when reneged and went to Victory. When you carefully plan out your signings & allocate every dollar of your salary cap but then it all goes out the window when a player, I can imagine why he'd be angry. Just imagine if we had Vuka last year instead of Redmayne. Game changer.

 

The one thing I've come to realise, is that you don't want to cross popa. I've got the feeling that Vuka crossed that line.

[Hughesy]

Where did this story about Vuka come from? It's interesting. I can't remember whether his confirmation on twitter that WSW made no offer was before or after his stint at Victory

[Prydzopolis]

Where did this story about Vuka come from? It's interesting. I can't remember whether his confirmation on twitter that WSW made no offer was before or after his stint at Victory

It was when we let go of Covic, Vuka at Perth & we all blew up that he went to Victory as opposed to us. Twitter asked him why he didn't come to WSW, the comment was along the lines of "no contract was offered"

--------------------

Are we all going to go mental on Ciriro for taking a dive?

[Hughesy]

 

Where did this story about Vuka come from? It's interesting. I can't remember whether his confirmation on twitter that WSW made no offer was before or after his stint at Victory

It was when we let go of Covic, Vuka at Perth & we all blew up that he went to Victory as opposed to us. Twitter asked him why he didn't come to WSW, the comment was along the lines of "no contract was offered"

Yeah I thought that was then. What about pups story though? That's the one I'd like to know where it came from

[Prydzopolis]

The worst is when you here differening versions of how it went down, each being convinced that there story was the "real story". Leaves me going