2014/15 Expectations

[Wombat]

There was talk of Leyton Orient for Heskey and Gallas is talking about India

Poor old Heskey.

 

[sydmariner]

 

[pjennings]

Just saw this from Brendan Rodgers in todays match day program for the Liverpool derby.

"We will be working hard today to send you home with a result that makes you happy and proud." This is what I want to see from Mossy and the boys this year!!

 

[justafan]

I think we'll be to Reddy, Monty, Caceres, Fitzy, Duke and most of all Mossy dependant. If Mossy continues with the "park the bus" or the "lets wait and see what they do first" approach, a wooden spoon expectation may have to be included as another option. Tbh, I don't rate Kim"soft as butter" Seung-Yong, Vernes or Malik. From what I've seen in the pre season, they have done nothing that could be labelled as impressive. They aren't equal or better than any of the players we have or that have left. I really believe better players could have been recruited from any of the state PL clubs. Our CBs are average and a quality one is needed. Don't want to come across as negative but it's how I see it. I really hope that I'm wrong and the CCM have the biggest season ever.

 

[Capt. Awesome]

We'll be top 4 again this year. We will start slow because of a late preseason but I think we will be a lot more positive this year in our approach. Mane and Vernes won't start initially but we will see good performances from them off the bench. Kim has to step up otherwise we will see a lot more of Tricky which isn't a bad thing as he has what it takes.

Our back line isn't the best but we seem to have our structure down pat as a team to not leak many goals. Roux and Rose are the two best fullbacks in the comp.

In the DM positions we are very well covered. Monty, Caseres and Hutch are all solid in those spots. I'd expect to see Caseres play a more of an attacking role this year.

Up front I'm really excited to see what Mane can do. He looks great on either the Right, left or striker positions. Vernes is shaping up well but he will have a tough fight with Fitzy for the Left side however I'd expect to see Fitzy playing right wing for most of the season with Vernes on the left. Duke will start as striker with Mane being a great utility for the front three places.

IMO Reddy is close to being the best stopper in the comp. If you take Fantany points as guide he came second only to Covic last year and would have come first if he played the full season.

 

[pjennings]

I think we'll be to Reddy, Monty, Caceres, Fitzy, Duke and most of all Mossy dependant. If Mossy continues with the "park the bus" or the "lets wait and see what they do first" approach, a wooden spoon expectation may have to be included as another option. Tbh, I don't rate Kim"soft as butter" Seung-Yong, Vernes or Malik. From what I've seen in the pre season, they have done nothing that could be labelled as impressive. They aren't equal or better than any of the players we have or that have left. I really believe better players could have been recruited from any of the state PL clubs. Our CBs are average and a quality one is needed. Don't want to come across as negative but it's how I see it. I really hope that I'm wrong and the CCM have the biggest season ever.

McGlinchey - played 9 games before going on loan

These are the guys we lost at the end of the season

Bernie - had already left but was on loan - played 16 HAL games
Pasfield - played 4 HAL games
Seip - played 14 HAL games but the consensus was that he was overpaid and underperforming
Flores - played 12 HAL games and has an injured ACL
Sterjovski - played the full season
Kwasnik - did not play a game

We have brought in

Matthew Nash - Pasfield replacement
Liam Rose - young prospect - long term Flores replacement
Anthony Kalik - young prospect
Richard Vernes - young OS prospect - Bernie/McGlinchey replacement
Malick Mane -Sterj replacement
Not replaced - Seip
Not replaced - Kwasnik

Bosnar, Cernak, Sim, Kim and Triforo all will have a full pre-season. We need a CB replacement but we look to be at least as strong or stronger than when Mossy took over. At that stage we were to fade away. We didn't and with the right rub of the green could have been in the knockout stages of the ACL and the Grand Final. Other teams have got a lot of hype - but all except Sydney and Victory actually look weaker than last year, including Heart/City apart from the Villa 10 games.

 

[style_cafe]

Poor old Heskey.

Poor old Leyton Orient ....

 

[Roy Law]

McGlinchey - played 9 games before going on loan

These are the guys we lost at the end of the season

Bernie - had already left but was on loan - played 16 HAL games
Pasfield - played 4 HAL games
Seip - played 14 HAL games but the consensus was that he was overpaid and underperforming
Flores - played 12 HAL games and has an injured ACL
Sterjovski - played the full season
Kwasnik - did not play a game

We have brought in

Matthew Nash - Pasfield replacement
Liam Rose - young prospect - long term Flores replacement
Anthony Kalik - young prospect
Richard Vernes - young OS prospect - Bernie/McGlinchey replacement
Malick Mane -Sterj replacement
Not replaced - Seip
Not replaced - Kwasni

Bosnar, Cernak, Sim, Kim and Triforo all will have a full pre-season. We need a CB replacement but we look to be at least as strong or stronger than when Mossy took over. At that stage we were to fade away. We didn't and with the right rub of the green could have been in the knockout stages of the ACL and the Grand Final. Other teams have got a lot of hype - but all except Sydney and Victory actually look weaker than last year, including Heart/City apart from the Villa 10 games.

Forget 'rub of the green', it was the FFA's uncompromising view on scheduling that had the Mariners horribly backing up immediately after returning from Japan to face their favoured son the Wanderers; they are at again this season - the Mariners run in at the end of the season has them playing away from home four times in the last five games.
I am not sure that teams are weaker, many look stronger to me, but I am relaxed about the prospects of the Mariners - they have set high standards and will continue to do so. I agree with justafan about Kim, a player occupying, but not filling, a visa spot. I am looking forward to Bosnar leading at back, and to what Mane and Vernes can offer, but the player I am most looking forward to is Tricky Trifiro. He looks full of skill and confidence; he looks like he really wants to play.
From what I saw of Liam Rose against the Jets he looks like a likely replacement for John Hutchinson; Kalik is the one touted to be a No.10

 

[bikinigirl]

From what I saw of Liam Rose against the Jets he looks like a likely replacement for John Hutchinson

. met him at the local shopping centre a few weeks ago (membership drive thingy) ... and yes, he is a DM (according to the kid himself) ... and appeared genuinely excited about being at the mariners

 

[tsd]

We have a tone of potential and talent across the front 3rd and midfield and a ton of depth there as well

But the end of the day Anderson and bosnar are both descent CB, but every successful season we've had exceptional CB - vidmar, zwanny, Wilko, sainsbury... 3 socceroos and a guy often crowned best centre back in aleague history.

Either one of these guys next to a zwanny and we'd be rock solid but both together might not be quite enough

 

[nebakke]

Either one of these guys next to a zwanny and we'd be rock solid but both together might not be quite enough

Well put, I think a lot of people are very disparaging of our defence, I don't think that's entirely fair, I see a lot of hope still in the most eligible bachelor I'm a bit more uncertain about Bosnar. But at the end of the day, I think they'll do alright. To my mind, we're closer to the potential of the Championship team, today, than we were at the start of last season. Our defence is weaker but, on the face of it at least, I think both our attack and midfield is stronger - by a fair margin.
WeeMac is a good player but I actually see more hope for us in Mane's playing style than I did in WeeMac's, to my mind Mane is more of a battering ram where WeeMac was the lock pick, so-to-speak He has more fight and a lot more weight to throw around and he uses it. I think that's an advantage in a league like ours.
I think Duke has the potential to be much much better than Macca and I think he'll get there if he and Mane can build the understanding. I also think that Fitsy is just about pure boon and that he and Duke already have the foundations of a strong partnership...
And I haven't even touched on Kim or Vernes - to be honest, I'm not quite sure what to expect from either of them yet, but they seem promising... I was fairly impressed by Triff last season and he seems to have kept it up too... I like Carceres but, to be honest, I rather want him in DM - I think Triff does well at CAM and I think Caceres showed last season that we was more comfortable in DM....
And there's a million others in there... Yes, we've lost a couple of the pre-season games, but I honestly think we're a good chance for the usual under-the-radar thing again this season... At least they actually hit each other when passing, so we're already about half a season ahead of this time last year

 

[Arnie]

I also think that Fitsy is just about pure boon and that he and Duke already have the foundations of a strong partnership...

I'm not sure what pure boon means. Is this some sort of reference to the cricket legend?

 

[sydmariner]

Then, quite frankly, you're an idiot.

 

[Wombat]

Sydney....you do know that Synthetic cannabis is illegal don't you?

 

[sydmariner]

yes

 

[dibo]

Replying to a >3 month old post with nothing of worth? I stand by my earlier comment.

 

[Wombat]

yes

Lol....and you just don't care

 

[dibo]

Can't quite tell if he's a smartarse or a windowlicker. Suspect the latter.

 

[midfielder]

Broader A-League indicators..

Crowds to average a tad over 15K with City, AU, SFC, & Roar having big increases... breaking tho the 2 million mark

TV ratings... over the season average per week ... 700K ... Fox 90K per match SBS 250K per match ..

Net hits ... Football to be near the top across the codes..

Media coverage ... to increase and be more positive..

Socceroos to hhhmmmm yes win the Asian Cup

FFA Cup to get some decent coverage and plant a seed for the future.

NPL to be successful..

AU, SFC, Roar, City , WSW & Nix all have very decent coaches, MV, Jets & Mariners have strong coaches and this is the year to prove there worth, only PG have a question mark over their coach and he could turn out OK, meaning every match should have a reasonable quality.

Finally to where we will finish, it is going to be a very tight year I think we will come in about 5th or 6th...also our juniors to shine .. I fear more foot in mouth comments from MC .. I expect the Sour Bitter Shits to continue to be negative about us...

 

[nebakke]

I'm not sure what pure boon means. Is this some sort of reference to the cricket legend?

I don't know what crickets have to do with anything, unless they're pirate crickets of course!?