Coast Football Ramble Podcast

[VicMariner]

Next season's membership numbers will be very interesting.
I can't see us topping 7000 again, but just how low will we go?

 

[Insertnamehere]

Next season's membership numbers will be very interesting.
I can't see us topping 7000 again, but just how low will we go?

Depends on the present season hype. If like this year shouldn't be a problem till matchday 1...

 

[pjennings]

Depends on the present season hype. If like this year shouldn't be a problem till matchday 1...

Also depends on the HAL in general and what comes out of the FIFA visit.

 

[Big Al]

FFA looking to help fans get legal pyro https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/03/09/20/59/ffa-looking-to-help-fans-get-legal-pyro

Get your smoke machines ready boys

 

[Coast Football Ramble]

I don't know how I feel about smokies being allowed.
It wasn't really a priority for many supporter groups.
I'd rather see Gallop and Lowy go instead of allowance of smokies.

 

[Big Al]

I don't know how I feel about smokies being allowed.
It wasn't really a priority for many supporter groups.
I'd rather see Gallop and Lowy go instead of allowance of smokies.

Let’s wait till they actually do something instead of talk about it.

Can see why they weren’t worried about FIFA kicking them out, and we know any smoke device allowed will be something a 12yr old wouldn’t want to play with

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Hi Forum Phoenix
Thanks for the questions and also thanks for listening to the Podcast. Just to elaborate on some of this for you and everyone else reading I can only be honest and talk you through the last 12 months. When Mike made the comments at the fan forum over a year ago it was just before we were making a big play for the stadium management rights and there was a real sense of optimism that FFA would come good with the grant following the broadcast deal increase. So everything pre-season was planned around a season of growth as we aimed to move from a sustainability strategy to a growth strategy across the board. As the grant from FFA was then delivered at the end of the season far below expectations the tensions between A-League Clubs and the FFA dramatically escalated and I am sure we have all heard to much about this we started to get concerned

Even still the initial budgeting was around projections that showed we could be sustainable even if we spent the cap but the risks were increasing that it may not be as likely as we thought. The decision was made to then make sure we had money to spend in January, this is normal practice and to do this it is obvious that we cannot spend the full cap, many clubs do this. Whilst we did bring in a couple players in January they were balanced against the departing players.

We made a big play for Giannou who we really hoped would make a huge difference to our season. Had we been able to secure Giannou then I don't think we would be having this discussion as more than the cap would have been spent and if we were correct perhaps we would have had a couple more points available. We even put feelers out if we had enough for some Vi$ion and had a good conversation going but this was short lived when the UK called.

This was also coupled with a serious downturn in business across the A-League and our tickets sales are a clear indicator of us being behind budget. So yes your math is correct on those three matches were are $180k short of the projected figures plus many more matches and associated revenue streams are down as well.

It became obvious in November that we needed to be smart and not risk crisis point at the club and I wont deny having to hold my breath on the 15th of every month but touch wood we are hanging in there. Of course none of this is what any fans or members want to hear and there isn't a day or minute that the entire staff here aren't doing everything they possibly can do to "earn our stripes".

Even the marketing campaign of "Time to earn our stripes" shows the expectations that we had for ourselves and for the club. We are is not were we planned to be and not where we plan to be in the future - but no one ever said it was going to be easy.

In Mikes recent visit he directed us to play to our strengths and has put a huge focus on the clubs Academy set up and resources. This will take a few months of strategic work but the expectation here is that we must be the best development club in the country. Over the next few months this strategic position will become clearer to us and we will work on rolling out the plan as we head towards next season.

We still don't know where FIFA will land but this is a huge factor in the approach to the club will take moving forward.

The season isn't over and no one has given up yet - right now we are all focused on the remaining 6 matches and like every season a full review and plan will be put in for next season.

Thanks Shaun for caring enough to take the time to answer my post in an honest, detailed and meaningful way. It helps keep the faith and also in finding the will to go in to bat for my families gold memberships next year and also make a play for the 4 others I was targeting to join up as Gold members. Which is not a new practice for me, but our more recent track record has made it increasingly hard to convert.

Which segways back to our on field fortunes. It seems we are reliant on FIFA/FFA to change the model before we will be in a position to reliably commit the expenditure almost certainly required to ensure improved results. I hope I have characterised that fairly. As a fan it makes for pretty grim reading as we move towards a 5th year of pain that at present it seems we will not be able to course correct ourselves. Given it's hard to see the academy approach translating to significant improvements anytime soon.

Presumably the plan is with the advantage of the infrastructure of the COE, to revamp and level up what we've done before and position ourselves to scout and hoover up as much talent as possible, develop that talent and make sales, then use some of the funds to strengthen the squad. I expect it's not that we plan to recruit and train the youth so well that we will have the first U 20/s team to win the HAL sometime soon.

From where I sit, I can understand the financial necessities driving everything, but as someone who dearly loves this club and sees all the discontent and worse outright despondency taking place, I do very badly hope you can find a way to create a product that is undeniably worth purchasing next year.

For what it's worth, I'm grateful you're in charge through this very challenging phase Shaun. I'm not sure I would believe that many other CEO's stood a very good chance of steering us safely through this era... Always darkest before the dawn huh... so should be one hell of a sunrise coming our way soon. Let's hope so.

Best Regards,

FP

 

[Coast Football Ramble]

We have a long hard look at ourselves (the club).

 

[pjennings]

"The people that say it brightens up there Wednesday - you must have a shitty Wednesday". Love it - as I had painful surgery today you did brighten up my Wednesday.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Thought the confidence went out the team after we put in a superb performance and lost to Newcastle, we haven't had the same speed of pacing or effort since then. We'll be very lucky to keep Brama and Hiariej at the end of the season, if they can get out of their contracts I can see them doing so, who would want to stay with a team like us that is affecting their future career with each insipid performance we put in? The A-League definitely brought me into the fold, I was a hardcore AFL fan and had played basketball through my childhood and half heatedly followed the South Dragons, but constant exposure to the A-League and lucky scheduling of a Heart game (I was planning on going to the NBL but there was none on that day) made me into a football person. With Charlesworth's comments about promotion and relegation, which probably for us would be a terrible thing to happen, him cheer leading it was hard to take. His comments about getting rid of the salary cap floor etc. He doesn't want to spend more, he wants to spend even less then we already are, and that it wouldn't matter if we got relegated because of it because he would get to spend less again. The problem is that, in my opinion, it feels like it isn't the success and future of the club that Charlesworth cares about but rather the amount of money he has to put in.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Can't stand the E-League, I'm even in the demographic they are targeting and regularly buy FIFA and I still don't like it. If they played with exclusively A-League players I would support it, but playing with Ronaldo, Messi etc just says that even the FFA doesn't think our product is good enough.

 

[adz]

Can't stand the E-League, I'm even in the demographic they are targeting and regularly buy FIFA and I still don't like it. If they played with exclusively A-League players I would support it, but playing with Ronaldo, Messi etc just says that even the FFA doesn't think our product is good enough.

The coverage isn't bad - commentary and hosts keep things moving and fun but then the actual games where theres 4x Ronaldo on the pitch, everyone has the same players in every game... ridiculous.

 

[finally retired]

The coverage isn't bad - commentary and hosts keep things moving and fun but then the actual games where theres 4x Ronaldo on the pitch, everyone has the same players in every game... ridiculous.

they should have been forced to only play A-League players, and not have multiple versions of the same player in their team....riduculous

 

[Big Al]

How our season has been shaped by the dutch pair and why Wout’s holiday hasn’t been as fun as he’d like.

1st 9 games had Wout and Tom play full games. 3 wins 3 losses 3 draws. Blowing 5 1-0 leads in those losses and draws.

Then next 13 games and will be the same till end of season

13 games - 1 wins, 5 draws, 7 lost
With
2 full games together both draws.
3 half games together with wout 2 half games both lost & Tom 1 - 3/4qtr game for a win
8 games without one of them (will be 13 games by season end - 13 of 27 is one game short of half our season) =
5 losses - 3 without tom, 2 without wout
3 draws all without Wout

City Dec 10 - no tom - lost 1-0
WSW dec 16 - no tom - wout red - lost 2-0
AU Dec 26 - no wout - lost 1-0
Nix dec 31 - Yes - 0-0 draw
MV Jan 6 - Yes 1-1 draw
Jets Jan 9 - Yes Wout hurt 39th min lost 2-0
City Jan 14 - no Wout 2-2 draw agst10 men
SFC Jan 20 - no wout - 1-1 draw
Roar Jan 27 - no wout to start - comes on at halftime and gets the leg snap red lost 2-1
WSW Feb 4 - no wout - lost 2-1
AU Feb 17 - no wout - 2-2 Draw
Nix Feb 23 - Yes Tom hurt 73rd min won 1-0
Per Mar 10 - no Tom - 3-1 loss

Was always one playing for us every week.

Tom missed 3 of those 13
Wout missed 5 full games and 3 half games (Red against WSW, hurt against Jets, return from injury against Roar with a red card)

That with our pathetic attacknhas ruined a positive start.

 

[Big Al]

Sad to hear you boys have had enough but can’t pep talk you as everyone feels the same. Love the pod even the dribble. Haha. Something to listen to on the train.

I was expecting more critique of Paul. I see what Erin is saying about starting again but something needs to be done about the attack and continued turning back to halfway to control possession and let the defence back.

Also who has flurished under Paul’s coaching in 2 yrs. McGing is the only one i can think of and he’s hardly great. No one has grown under his leadership

I’d like to know who is responsible for Paul’s season review and potential re-signing. Is it just Shaun or the academy TD? Also Paul can’t be given the same freedoms. He had his go and failed. Needs a stricter belt on him. Needs to take advice and if doesn’t bye bye.

As for players not playing for us if he goes. There is not one player off contact that we would be going oh no we can’t loose him. Some of them are capable players and done well like Golec but i wouldn’t be held randsome by any of them. That is the problem as well they don’t want to be and play like Mariners. There is no underdog spirit. Paul has helped crush that to.

Paul’s system is broken. We are not Barcelona. Systems come and go and this system requires class players which we will never have for long enough to build it.

The club want to push the academy but they aren’t ready. All the other NSW teams now have this 2 star FFA badge that means squat so we are nothing special here. Also Paul doesn’t play them. Maybe for good reason but when you look how the AU young kids handled the step up vs ours it’s a real worry.

I know you guys love the Mariners but once you start doing these other activities it’s hard to come back. I haven’t watched a game properly for a few games. See the scores and go oh well didn’t miss much not going to bother with a replay. Used to watch live and the replay for both angles now don’t even watch half a game. Still want it to be something but it’s fading.

If you still care and talk to Shaun I’d like to hear who is envolved in coach decision, who holds Paul accountable and who decided not to renew Ben Cahn. Is it really just Paul or was it the academy TD as well. If Paul left he would have been a good candidate for our bring up coaches just like players. He would have played them and they would bust there gut.
I hear no one really likes Sully (fans on here). Why? do you have an opinion on the change especially as MC wants to concentrate on the Academy.

Heads up the offseason will be here soon

 

[Gratis]

At least we have the world cup this off season

 

[greenlig]

they should have been forced to only play A-League players, and not have multiple versions of the same player in their team....riduculous

The rules state they need to have three players from the team they represent on the pitch at all times. Beyond that, they can shape their squads as much as they like. That makes sense to me, there'd be too much variance between the squads otherwise, and the quality of the games would be much lower. Having Ronaldo, Messi, etc balances it out, the three required players adds the local dynamics and intrigue. It's kind of like a deck-building game at that point, where the skill and strategic planning from the players becomes really important. Seems like our boys have shaped really solid squads.

The real battle is between the e-league players.

 

[Big Al]

I was going to talk football but why bother @Luke Boyce-Taylor has his biggest game coming up and with the season a shambles I thought I’d offer him some unwanted possibly useless advice to the poor man (literally poor the wedding will take all your money).

We are men after all so I’ll keep it simple.
The wedding day is all about her so don’t fck it up. You will never hear the end of it (i mean that). It is not a day for getting pissed with your mates and doing stupid shit. You can do that any day but not wedding day. She’s been dreaming about this since before she was sperm.
Make sure you pay attention to her, tell her she looks great (very important). A cry as she comes down the isle will win you massive brownie points for whenever you want a boys night. Warning if you don’t cry and she watches another wedding and see’s the groom cry she will question you why you didn’t cry (have a good answer ready if you don’t cry).

Now the big one -
Don’t go to hard to early (I’m not talking about the sex either). You have two important jobs do back in the hotel room.
1. Try and get that dress off her. Bloody nightmare and not for absolutely smashed blokes. You don’t want the concierge doing it.
2. Now she is almost ready for the big dance. You have one job. Make sure you don’t Forsters flop. Here is the big tip. It’s your one night performance doesn’t matter. The pressure is so big about doing it on the wedding night it’s just about getting it done. Sounds bad to ssy that about sex but it is what it is. You don’t want to be the bloke who says nope didn’t get that far.

Now you have survived the big day there is only one more piece of advice you need for
Marriage life.
“I’m Sorry”. It’s your get out of jail free card for everything, but be warned this secret comes with a curse. It is so powerful it must be used in small doses and only when you are really in the shit. If you over use it and she catches on (they are cluey and they will work it out if over used) there is no other word or phrase that can ever help you.

Also occasionally she will go batshit crazy. Don’t stress she’s just testing you. It’s just a way to keep you on your toes and never get complacent. It could come at anytime anywhere. Always be ready.

Seriously though congratulations and have a wonderful life together. No matter how tough blokes try to be it is a blessing having a great woman as your wife.

I expect an update on the pod. Got to be better than the thrashings coming for the rest of the season.

 

[Luke]

I was going to talk football but why bother @Luke Boyce-Taylor has his biggest game coming up and with the season a shambles I thought I’d offer him some unwanted possibly useless advice to the poor man (literally poor the wedding will take all your money).

We are men after all so I’ll keep it simple.
The wedding day is all about her so don’t fck it up. You will never hear the end of it (i mean that). It is not a day for getting pissed with your mates and doing stupid shit. You can do that any day but not wedding day. She’s been dreaming about this since before she was sperm.
Make sure you pay attention to her, tell her she looks great (very important). A cry as she comes down the isle will win you massive brownie points for whenever you want a boys night. Warning if you don’t cry and she watches another wedding and see’s the groom cry she will question you why you didn’t cry (have a good answer ready if you don’t cry).

Now the big one -
Don’t go to hard to early (I’m not talking about the sex either). You have two important jobs do back in the hotel room.
1. Try and get that dress off her. Bloody nightmare and not for absolutely smashed blokes. You don’t want the concierge doing it.
2. Now she is almost ready for the big dance. You have one job. Make sure you don’t Forsters flop. Here is the big tip. It’s your one night performance doesn’t matter. The pressure is so big about doing it on the wedding night it’s just about getting it done. Sounds bad to ssy that about sex but it is what it is. You don’t want to be the bloke who says nope didn’t get that far.

Now you have survived the big day there is only one more piece of advice you need for
Marriage life.
“I’m Sorry”. It’s your get out of jail free card for everything, but be warned this secret comes with a curse. It is so powerful it must be used in small doses and only when you are really in the shit. If you over use it and she catches on (they are cluey and they will work it out if over used) there is no other word or phrase that can ever help you.

Also occasionally she will go batshit crazy. Don’t stress she’s just testing you. It’s just a way to keep you on your toes and never get complacent. It could come at anytime anywhere. Always be ready.

Seriously though congratulations and have a wonderful life together. No matter how tough blokes try to be it is a blessing having a great woman as your wife.

I expect an update on the pod. Got to be better than the thrashings coming for the rest of the season.

Hey Al, Jimmy is actually the one getting married this weekend. However I'm getting married in under 12 months so I'll take it on board .

Thanks for listening mate .

 

[Ancient Mariner]

All the best Jimmy, have a great day.