Wellington Phoenix
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Mariners would still have finished ahead on the tiebreaker if Rufer Had buried the penalty against the jets, but who knows how the season changes.
I don't think there's anyone on the team that I'd be really confident lining up a penalty. More generally, I think our dead ball work is the area that we need to improve - I think 1 goal from a corner (and even that was second ball recycled on the edge of the area and a cracking shot) and 1 goal from a free kick (that one was a good one!).
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@Bovidae said in Wellington Phoenix:
Ecstasy and then agony. Poor defending from that corner. The Phoenix were unlucky with the Old shot hitting the post but these games are all about small margins.
Let's go CCM.
Kraev's header wide of goal hurt too, he should have at least got that on target
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@Bovidae said in Wellington Phoenix:
Ecstasy and then agony. Poor defending from that corner. The Phoenix were unlucky with the Old shot hitting the post but these games are all about small margins.
Let's go CCM.
I was at the game, and the moment that goal went in was the biggest release of emotion by a crowd I've ever experienced. Just a sensational feeling to be in amongst it. I wasn't at the last sold out playoff back in the Herbert era, but I've been to other playoffs and other big crowds (both Phoenix and other sports, caketin and other stadiums). Even though we lost, still makes me smile just thinking about it.
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@Cyclops said in Wellington Phoenix:
I was at the game, and the moment that goal went in was the biggest release of emotion by a crowd I've ever experienced. Just a sensational feeling to be in amongst it.
I was there, and at that end of the stadium, for Rory Fallon's goal against Bahrain, so I know the feeling.
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The biggest disappointment was Tim Payne for me. Learn how to cross a ball bud.
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@Canes4life said in Wellington Phoenix:
The biggest disappointment was Tim Payne for me. Learn how to cross a ball bud.
Right hand side attack was ineffectual
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Wellington Phoenix keeper Alex Paulsen is on the verge of a career-defining move to the English Premier League in a deal worth more than $4 million.
The 21-year-old shot stopper was reportedly a target for Chelsea and Liverpool but could be heading to Bournemouth, according to the UK’s Sky Sports.
Bournemouth’s bid was reportedly worth £850,000 (NZ$1.77m) and could rise to £2 million (NZ$4.2m) with bonuses. It’s the sort of deal neither the Phoenix nor Paulsen can turn down.There are a couple of humorous comments about Bournemouth loaning Paulsen back to Auckland FC. They have just signed Woud so I doubt it. A great move for Paulsen if it goes through, and some money for the Phoenix.
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Corica was pretty cool on Woud as the starter though. I reckon they see him as a deputy and are lining up someone else to start. I still don't think a loan back deal is likely (and I suspect that they'd put a clause in the sale deal, and possibly even the a league itself would take an interest because of the salary cap implications).
Paulsen just signed a 5 year deal so the phoenix will be playing hard ball here I think, although ultimately if a player wants to go you have to let them go, because most players here are wanting to springboard into a bigger league.
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Ouch!
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) are upbeat that all A-Leagues clubs will survive a fresh wave of financial turbulence after they were told their central distribution for the 2024/25 season will be slashed by close to 75%. Clubs were informed after an APL board meeting on Wednesday that next year's distribution from head office would total just $530,000, down on close to $2m handed out last season. In 2018, prior to unbundling from Football Australia the annual club distribution was close to $3.6m. The A-League Men salary floor -- the minimum amount clubs must spend -- is $2.25m and the salary cap is $2.6m.
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Warning bells that Australian Rugby should be paying a very close mind to. I have made the point before that the ARU are closer to the A-League than the NRL.
Private investment money gone? Money spent trying to prop up failing team? shitty broadcast deal? it is all there.
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Pretty sure that the phoenix (and presumably the rest of the teams) were expecting this so hopefully they've planned accordingly and can either adjust or have filled their coffers through player sales (if the Paulsen deal hits the 4m that is the supposed maximum that's a couple of years, Old is rumoured to be heading to France, for presumably a lower but similar ballpark sum too).
The bigger clubs (Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC) probably have the pockets to keep spending, be interesting to see how some the smaller clubs go.
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