ALM Mariners V Perth Glory -New Years Eve Match

[Ironbark]

I think the AFC Cup has been a massive boon to our squad development this season. That's a number of competitive games we'd have had to play in the A-League in order to gel, learn structures etc. I'd suggest it was the AFC that helped us get back on track so fast

 

[Stuartmcateer]

I think the AFC Cup has been a massive boon to our squad development this season. That's a number of competitive games we'd have had to play in the A-League in order to gel, learn structures etc. I'd suggest it was the AFC that helped us get back on track so fast

Yes and no.

I think there was a point early on where the travel and extra fixtures took away from the time on the training park which slowed our development. We were basically playing weekend and Wednesday and the sessions in between were recovery.

It’s no coincidence we improved markedly between the roar game and the jets game when the international window was on, no afc games/ travel and there was time to work on things at training.

 

[Coastalraider]

I think the key here was the international break. First period the gaffa had to implement style while not having to contend with double games, rest/recovery etc,

We haven’t lost a game since that window - it was essentially his pre-season.

 

[Tim]

$1500USD per player when divided amongst the whole travelling party doesn't even cover airfares.

Aren’t we or the competition sponsored by an airline? Surely that would include discounted/free flights?

 

[Insertnamehere]

Aren’t we or the competition sponsored by an airline? Surely that would include discounted/free flights?

The discount is taken back in shitty routes to get to the destination.

 

[Jerem]

Didn’t see tulips reaction to the first penalty til watching the replay. Actually cried a little seeing what this club has helped him achieve too, can’t wait to see NIZ and kuol booth find their shooting radar

 

[Big Al]

Yes and no.

I think there was a point early on where the travel and extra fixtures took away from the time on the training park which slowed our development. We were basically playing weekend and Wednesday and the sessions in between were recovery.

It’s no coincidence we improved markedly between the roar game and the jets game when the international window was on, no afc games/ travel and there was time to work on things at training.

Agree but also allowed him to see the full squad in action quicker and it showed some obvious weaknesses of some players and MJ has reacted accordingly

 

[Corsair]

$1500USD per player when divided amongst the whole travelling party doesn't even cover airfares.

It does with AirAsia on your shirt and flying the shittest flights available

 

[Hello Sailor]

I seriously doubt that MJ or RP have excluded visa players

It certainly sounded like it when he was interviewed by the snake

 

[pjennings]

It certainly sounded like it when he was interviewed by the snake

It sounded to me like they are happy to go with the players they have. However, if a player became available that fitted the budget and added to the team they would bring them in.

 

[Big Al]

It certainly sounded like it when he was interviewed by the snake

Don’t believe too much in those as they usually try and say as little as possible. Especially as things are probably changing every day before the window opens

 

[Coastalraider]

But also this is the least effective window to bring in a visa player.

 

[Meerkat]

But also this is the least effective window to bring in a visa player.

Didn’t we bring in Cummings in January?

 

[Meerkat]

Great post.

Arguments citing the past to justify present whining are naive at best. Most long term forumites on here are rusted on Mariners fans since V1. And no one has been arguing that we should’t try to sign well, or try to keep our best players or should run on fumes. straw man arguments all round.

On the other side, people like PP and others have taken the time to give factual informed counter arguments. But these are ignored or quickly forgotten so people get fed up.

And no one’s against anyone from having a bit of a vent every now and then of their fears of frustrations.

To the contrary, everyone expects some emotional outbursts, criticism and frustration after playing or losing badly etc, forum can be therapeutic that way, and black humour and cynicism, even pessimism all has its place, again been here for a long time and no one takes issue with the odd spray of pessimism on here, especially after a shit performance.

But what is hard to get your head around, can be beyond tiring and worst, potentially damaging, is the conflation of anything that doesn’t go our way with it being because of some deeper failing or evidence of bad intentions, negligence, wrong doing, that the dark ages are returning or the end times are nigh.

Now hey you can say that it’s all justified because of what happened years ago under different management… or because after losing our coaching staff and several key players it actually took more than three weeks to rebuild,.. or us now being in the globally unique football club position of losing our best player in a January transfer window…

Or… you could say, holy shit, after paying the typical price for winning a grand final, we just rebuilt in near record time, we’re undefeated in six, broke the Suncorp hoodoo, all but the same for Melbourne away. won our AFC group, team morale is high, our football is great… and we’re doing all this on a small budget…

Because those things, unlike being unable to stop your best player from wanting to advance his career, are actually substantial evidence that we must be an incredibly well run club right now with a coach who really knows what he’s doing.

To me it’s pretty bloody good times right now in football land and yep, that won’t last forever, every year someone has to spoon, so it surely makes sense to at least try and enjoy it a little when your team/club is on the up.

However for anyone who’s still determined to play the killjoy, okay, but as you’re experiencing, I wouldn’t expect to be too popular around the waterhole right now. Maybe watch and learn from FFC - the forums most gifted and enduring cynic.., at least he knows when to relax, enjoy and
just sharpen his daggers for a bit.

I have sat on this one overnight and first and foremost, I love your writing. You have a unique talent which I hope outside of here is being well utilised.

However, as much as I agree with a vast amount of your perspective and agree that most of your points are valid and very well constructed, calling people naive for having some lingering trauma from the past and not wanting history to repeat itself, is both patronising and offensive. I love your buoyant outlook, but no doubt you have greater understanding of the human psyche to believe that people can switch off fears and doubts, and expect blind faith and optimism on all counts. There are groups like that, and religion tends to be the emphasis, more than sport.

What you are calling for isn’t what a forum is actually for, which is open discussion in a balanced and constructive way. That means, both sides of opinion. Let me tell you, outside of here, my public opinion of all things Mariners is nothing short of roses and champagne. However, this space should be a safe one to vent and raise concerns.. all very cathartic as you well mentioned. Shut that down and you don’t have a forum FP, you have an ill factual misrepresentation of the fan base and those who do feel contrary to “popular” opinion will simply fade away and their “feedback” will never be heard.

Anyhow, my daggers are relatively sharp but respectfully withdrawn.

Onwards we go.

 

[Coastalraider]

Didn’t we bring in Cummings in January?

Yep we did, and I’d have to say he’s an exception, not just because he was a Jan transfer, but a visa that hit the ground running and didn’t take 6 months to hit his stride.

Tulio, Nkololo, Torres, Moresche, Kaltak,Ayongo, Kalechi, Doka…

The list of player who either took time to get comfortable playing in Aus and our summer/hard pitches or never got CNK for table at all is a lot longer than the list that were effective from day 1 - hence my comment that visas are a more effective recruit in the off-season as they get a preseason.

But… like MJ said in his post match press conference, if the right thing turns up - ala Cummings being essentially disowned by UK football and struggling for a club - Then we would take it.

 

[Avoca]

Didn’t we bring in Cummings in January?

Yup, late January. We knew he was quality too, because the following week, Victory didn’t want him to play in the FFA Cup final.

 

[Meerkat]

Yup, late January. We knew he was quality too, because the following week, Victory didn’t want him to play in the FFA Cup final.

Ha yes, exactly! Remember it well!