We Are The Reds

sounds like groundhog day. Build a squad and watch the eastern states raid them. Rebuild

sounds like groundhog day. Build a squad and watch the eastern states raid them. Rebuild

I'd say Elsey would be another one and then AP and Richards. Then of course Goodwin jetting off overseas.

The good thing about the long off season is the length of time to find replacements. We have kids like Armiento, D'Arrigo and Pacifique waiting in the wings too.

We always find a way to rebuild quickly enough, but this one could be big. Players like Lia and Marrone probably on their way out and the import merry go round as well, could be a huge squad change.

Elsey has a long term contract, so the only way he is going is via transfer fee overseas.

From what I can tell this is who is still contracted for next season (or beyond )
Jakobsen, Goodwin (2021), Boland, Halloran, Elsey (2021), Margush, Kitto, Isaias, N.Konstandopolous, Izzo, Strain, Niyongabire

Mileusnic overseas would be fair enough, to go to WSW would be a real kick in the teeth.

I thought Viddie said Tongyik was going O/S,now he's signed for Roar, he's the exact guy we need.

There is just no way we can keep most of the players we have come to rely on as they were signed on lower wages with an eye to their potential.

Scott Galloway was on a 1 year deal and probably a career lifeline. Suddenly he is in demand and australia has a very short supply of quality in his position.

Nikola Mileusnic was an NPL experiment that eventually came good. Reportedly has 4 other clubs after him plus overseas interest.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has proven himself as a striker who has a professional career ahead despite minimal wages.

I think its fair to say these guys will be looking to double their salaries with a new deal. So my question to the critics is how do we double their salaries while simutaneously staying within the cap and not discarding goodwin, isaias, halloran and quality visa players?

The answer is we cannot.

The cap prevents growth at both the top and bottom clubs.

There is just no way we can keep most of the players we have come to rely on as they were signed on lower wages with an eye to their potential.

Scott Galloway was on a 1 year deal and probably a career lifeline. Suddenly he is in demand and australia has a very short supply of quality in his position.

Nikola Mileusnic was an NPL experiment that eventually came good. Reportedly has 4 other clubs after him plus overseas interest.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has proven himself as a striker who has a professional career ahead despite minimal wages.

I think its fair to say these guys will be looking to double their salaries with a new deal. So my question to the critics is how do we double their salaries while simutaneously staying within the cap and not discarding goodwin, isaias, halloran and quality visa players?

The answer is we cannot.

The cap prevents growth at both the top and bottom clubs.

There is always going to be perceived interest in players. I'd be pretty bloody annoyed with my agent if they aren't able to drum up some sort of story/rumour that I'm making a move somewhere else if I feel I deserve a pay rise.
But most other clubs will be in the same position as us beside Melbourne's club and Sydney who are probably taking advantage of every salary cap loophole there is.
It'll be interesting to see what Galloway does. This is the first season since one he had with MV that he;s shown to be quality. But since then he played with two other HAL clubs and had a tough time of it. So would he risk moving again in the hope that form follows? Or stick with AU that's got him back to the standard he's at?
AP is another one, he's certainly look good at times. But so have a few other young strikers at other HAL clubs but are yet to pin down a starting position consistently.

IMO it all comes down to Kurz, I think if AU can lock him in soon. We'll see some squad stability.

I tend to prescribe to Stuckey's approach on this one. I can't see Galloway being that keen to move within the HAL, however outside interest may be another matter. AP is still very young and whilst looking good hasn't done enough to suggest a move within the HAL would result in more game-time. I can see AP moving into Blackwood's role if the latter decides to move on.

One thing that is changing though is the addition of two extra teams which will open further opportunities; this needs to be taken into account.

I tend to prescribe to Stuckey's approach on this one. I can't see Galloway being that keen to move within the HAL, however outside interest may be another matter. AP is still very young and whilst looking good hasn't done enough to suggest a move within the HAL would result in more game-time. I can see AP moving into Blackwood's role if the latter decides to move on.

One thing that is changing though is the addition of two extra teams which will open further opportunities; this needs to be taken into account.

Yes that does offer clubs a new challenge. But if it results in players like AP and Blackwood getting more game time that I'd personally be happy to see either of them leave, especially if there is a good chance they'll play 20 games next season.

I think my point was missed somewhere along the line , or i didnt quite articulate my point well. Its more a critique if the yearly outrage over a player exodus.

Every year outrage ensues that we are letting out most promising players leave , players who have played well above their minimal salaries.

Totally agree there will always be outside interest and l it is of course a factor some may leave. We can agree or disagree this is good for football.

All aleague clubs are forced to watch their youth products walk away despite wanting to keep them. More often than not the salary cap is the limiting factor.

This is just a reality of a league where we have a salary cap in the form of the one in the aleague, the yearly outrage about a x players leaving is totally irrational and doea not take into account the salary cap limitations .

Im sure the athletic bilbao model is the stuff of fantasies for aufc fans. All im saying is for better or worse its just not possible under our cap.

Take a look at this 6 minute clip for reference

Eliminate the cap and it would become even harder to keep our improving good young players. The big clubs would always be able to offer more than we can and no amount of money from us would stop a young player going overseas if the chance came.

All that would happen with removing the cap would be that all clubs wage bills would go up and smaller clubs would be risking going broke if they wanted to compete.

Eliminate the cap and it would become even harder to keep our improving good young players. The big clubs would always be able to offer more than we can and no amount of money from us would stop a young player going overseas if the chance came.

All that would happen with removing the cap would be that all clubs wage bills would go up and smaller clubs would be risking going broke if they wanted to compete.

Nobody has said a word about eliminating the cap?

Its hard to have a nuanced conversation if you cannot get beyond there only being binary options

Next 2 seasons in particular are going to be a challenge. Some clubs and agents like to run their mouths more than others too. I'd be surprised if the club aren't talking to out of contract players from other clubs at the moment as well.

Really though, nail the 5 foreigners we sign + Isa, that's already more than half a starting 11. Season the side with some promising youth like Armiento and a few of our journeyman players who are unlikely to leave and we'll be there or thereabouts.

I think my point was missed somewhere along the line , or i didnt quite articulate my point well. Its more a critique if the yearly outrage over a player exodus.

Every year outrage ensues that we are letting out most promising players leave , players who have played well above their minimal salaries.

Totally agree there will always be outside interest and l it is of course a factor some may leave. We can agree or disagree this is good for football.

All aleague clubs are forced to watch their youth products walk away despite wanting to keep them. More often than not the salary cap is the limiting factor.

This is just a reality of a league where we have a salary cap in the form of the one in the aleague, the yearly outrage about a x players leaving is totally irrational and doea not take into account the salary cap limitations .

Im sure the athletic bilbao model is the stuff of fantasies for aufc fans. All im saying is for better or worse its just not possible under our cap.

Take a look at this 6 minute clip for reference

Yeah obviously losing someone of value is always going to be a tough thing to take for some people. But we often only really read extreme emotions from people on here or elsewhere. If you're fully against a player leaving then there is a natural impulse to make noise about it. If you're happy they are leaving I doubt we'd read much from that person.
I think McGree leaving and the circumstances round that and the circumstances round Euge leaving are the main two exits I've found tough to take for different reasons. The McGree exit hit me hardest and I really took a step back from the club for a bit around that.

On to your other point. Personally I don't see the attraction to such a regimented recruitment system like Bilbao's so much debate on whether players a eligible and so many technicalities allowing players to sign.
Plus I'm not confident that even with a huge focus on development will we see an AU side comprised of purely SA players win anything. That's not to say there isn't a good amount of SA players around. But I feel it would be far more straightforward to aim for a SA only side but then fill the gaps with smart recruitment.
A good example is the Barca model of a few years ago. Lots of La Masia players making up the bulk of the squad with the holes filled with great players from elsewhere.
Now obviously AU aren't in a position to sign the best players but you get the idea I'm sure.
But since AU is still struggling to get a decent development structure in place. We can't really point to the great developmental clubs of Spain and say that's what we need to be doing. AU needs to walk before it can run, and their development systems are barely crawling along!

Next 2 seasons in particular are going to be a challenge. Some clubs and agents like to run their mouths more than others too. I'd be surprised if the club aren't talking to out of contract players from other clubs at the moment as well.

Really though, nail the 5 foreigners we sign + Isa, that's already more than half a starting 11. Season the side with some promising youth like Armiento and a few of our journeyman players who are unlikely to leave and we'll be there or thereabouts.

Its a great time to be an aussie striker i think with 2 new teams coming in as australian strikers capable if scoring at aleague level are sadly rare.

I really would not be surprised to see guys like blackwood and AP attract some very healthy salaries.

Im willing to bet we unearth some hidden gems in the aleague in the coming years as playing stocks will be even thinner, forcing clubs to look at npl players and take a punt. IMO this can only be a positive.