Mariners Squad - 2019-2020

[marinermick]

I find all the Matty bashing on here a bit disrespectful and slightly annoying.

He was the Captain last year because no one else was a suitable candidate.

He is our all time leading goal scorer. He is a warrior and a true Coastie.

Would I pick him over Murray....without doubt.

Should he be be our number 1 striker.....no we need higher quality and younger if we are to challenge.

Matty Simon is a legend of our club and should be afforded respect.

Have to agree on every point you made here. He has done so much for the club and bleeds yellow.

Most of the people shooting their mouth off here wouldn’t have the guts to say it to his face.

 

[Ironbark]

An opinion on his club role isn't the same as disrespect. I love Matty and everything he has been a part of for this club. But making him Captain more or less starts him every game and if he's not performing - and he's definitely not - he shouldn't be our starting striker.
If he earns his starts I'll be thrilled for him to start games.

 

[Tim]

In my view, there is a middle ground here. Matt Simon is a club legend and certainly deserves our respect and admiration but even he surely would admit that last year wasn’t good enough and this season he (so far) hasn’t looked much better. If he is named captain for the season proper he faces the possible humiliation of being stripped of it mid-season if things don’t improve. Captaincy almost certainly places an obligation on the coach to select him and possibly affords him additional time other players wouldn’t have in relation to holding their place in the team. In my view, the best move would be for Matt to graciously step aside before the season proper commences with a view to the future (naming his successor - a different conversation) and then he can be picked on form or otherwise. This way he may protect his legacy and will be viewed (at least by me) as a true club champion who put the team first and let the selection cards fall as they may...

As for talk of “mutual termination”, he has a family to feed, signed his contract in good faith and is entitled to stay as long as his contract permits...

 

[Michael]

I find all the Matty bashing on here a bit disrespectful and slightly annoying.

He was the Captain last year because no one else was a suitable candidate.

He is our all time leading goal scorer. He is a warrior and a true Coastie.

Would I pick him over Murray....without doubt.

Should he be be our number 1 striker.....no we need higher quality and younger if we are to challenge.

Matty Simon is a legend of our club and should be afforded respect.

I usually agree with you wombat and I 100% respect what matty is for our club and always will. But he is plain and simple not upto the level anymore. He can be as inspirational and motivating as he or we like but when his ability isn’t half of that anymore questions need to be asked and should be expected. He orders the boys around from striker as if he’s the CB or DM. Instead of doing his job of leading the line. And it shows, his focus isn’t on scoring goals or getting opportunities.
What I’m saying is, what’s more motivating? Your captain who has great ability and is inspirational or your captain is probably your worst player ability wise but is inspirational? At any level?
Yeah he’ll still crunch defenders and score a couple goals this season. But it’s simply just not enough.
And if as a captain you can’t be a regular, you can’t be captain.

Mutual termination would cause more harm then good so that’s not even an option. See out the season as an impact sub, a few starts, then I’m sure the club can look after him and find a role for him in retirement. Maybe play for CCU

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Have to agree on every point you made here. He has done so much for the club and bleeds yellow.

Most of the people shooting their mouth off here wouldn’t have the guts to say it to his face.

Nobody disagrees on your first sentence. But being passionate isn't enough.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Anyone at Maitland in the week now knows that Simon must never start for us - 2 clear cut free headers butchered. 2 years ago he would have nailed them but he cant jump the way he used to and he got under them and they went over.
I am told that the new striker (when that happens) is a starter so we will get what we want (Matty on the sidelines)

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Anyone at Maitland in the week now knows that Simon must never start for us - 2 clear cut free headers butchered. 2 years ago he would have nailed them but he cant jump the way he used to and he got under them and they went over.
I am told that the new striker (when that happens) is a starter so we will get what we want (Matty on the sidelines)

What concerns me is that I wonder how his reliability is as an impact sub. An impact sub running at tired legs still NEEDS to be able to finish. I really hope he's able to score goals from us and that he improves from last week in his finishing. If he's not captain hopefull not having that pressure will help him - as long as he doesn't let losing that get inside his head, or being on the bench (if that's the case).

 

[Tevor]

I’ve accepted we are paying his contract until season end, does not mean we have to see him on the field. Wouldn’t be the first player and definitely not the last. Maybe a spell is what he needs if he turns it around and adds to the season I would be happy but that does not look likely.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I find all the Matty bashing on here a bit disrespectful and slightly annoying.

He was the Captain last year because no one else was a suitable candidate.

He is our all time leading goal scorer. He is a warrior and a true Coastie.

Would I pick him over Murray....without doubt.

Should he be be our number 1 striker.....no we need higher quality and younger if we are to challenge.

Matty Simon is a legend of our club and should be afforded respect.

Wombat, I don't think anyone is trying to be disrespectful, or are happily bashing Matty.

I think what is being stated is what has been obvious for quite a while and that is Matty is not a starting striker at A-League level any longer. It is the elephant in the room that became obvious through every game last year.

Matty was put in an intolerable situation by being made captain of the train wreck that Mulvey put together last year.

I think it was appropriate for Matty to be brought back to the Coast after SFC, but it was obvious that he should have been brought back as Club Captain and not as team captain and that he should have been employed in a similar role on the pitch to that which Arnie used him.

I used to love watching him play above his skill level through shear determination, allied with a wonderful balance that allowed him to stay on his feet when others would have been on their arses.

That determination was misused frightfully last year and led to serious frustration. No one here wants to see that happen again.

If the powers that be have any sense they will name him Club captain but name someone else team captain and allow him to contribute as he is best able, in what will be his final year playing in the A-League.

He is a Club legend. He still has something to offer.

He must be allowed to contribute, plus retain the dignity that a club legend deserves.

The role he played last year and the other night allows neither.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

The role he played ...... the other night allows neither.

How so?

 

[Ancient Mariner]

How so?

We saw a player put into a position as a starting striker, a position that he is no longer up to.

Last year that, and, being made responsible (as captain) for a train wreck of a team led to understandable frustration that led to unreasonable abuse of officials.

No striker could have contributed in that team and any captain would have had to have been a saint not to lash out in any direction in frustration.

I'd have thought it was obvious.

 

[turbo]

No striker could have contributed in that team

I think a certain type of striker could have done more but I agree with the general sentiment. A speedster or someone who can run at defenders and make their own chances could have done more but it still wouldn’t have been a miracle cure. Someone like Krishna or Roy when he played for us, or Kosta. A Toivonnen or Mclaren wouldnt have fit the setup and changed much.

 

[nebakke]

I don't really disagree that Matty isn't the starting striker he once was, but I'm with Wombat on the language being used about Matty - even after my wounded outbursts after he scored against us... I recall period somewhere around 2010 when there were people booing Hutch, deeming him well past it.
I also think that people seem to have bought into the story of Matty as a particularly dirty player - a story which hasn't generally been borne out by his sanction status. He stuffed up biting back against the ref, for sure, and I get that a captain should be better, but I reckon it's time to move on from that particular one.

He's older and slower and he had a shit game last week, but I'm not sure we could sign a better replacement on a similar contract at this point.
So let's get the visa player in and see what Staj might get out of Matty... if we're lucky he can also cover enough at the back that we have a guy there when all the CBs including the ones on the bench, suddenly get injured...

 

[style_cafe]

In my view, there is a middle ground here. Matt Simon is a club legend and certainly deserves our respect and admiration but even he surely would admit that last year wasn’t good enough and this season he (so far) hasn’t looked much better. If he is named captain for the season proper he faces the possible humiliation of being stripped of it mid-season if things don’t improve. Captaincy almost certainly places an obligation on the coach to select him and possibly affords him additional time other players wouldn’t have in relation to holding their place in the team. In my view, the best move would be for Matt to graciously step aside before the season proper commences with a view to the future (naming his successor - a different conversation) and then he can be picked on form or otherwise. This way he may protect his legacy and will be viewed (at least by me) as a true club champion who put the team first and let the selection cards fall as they may...

As for talk of “mutual termination”, he has a family to feed, signed his contract in good faith and is entitled to stay as long as his contract permits...

Well said.
He could also be named as a "Club Captain" and be part of the leadership group.
Then a team captain could be named

 

[garlo]

Ashley Young was just named United captain ‘when he is on the pitch’. Fingers crossed for a similar situation with us and Matty.

He bleeds for the Mariners and is an absolute club legend but we need better. Plain and simple.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

We saw a player put into a position as a starting striker, a position that he is no longer up to.

Last year that, and, being made responsible (as captain) for a train wreck of a team led to understandable frustration that led to unreasonable abuse of officials.

No striker could have contributed in that team and any captain would have had to have been a saint not to lash out in any direction in frustration.

I'd have thought it was obvious.

That's why I deleted the part about last year ;-) (for a little while I actually thought he was doing well as captain and I was actually happier with some aspects of his performance than some others on here last season) I was just curious as to what you meant about last week's game - but your point was that he isn't a starter. I thought you might have been getting at something else there, all good.

 

[turbo]

Ashley Young was just named United captain ‘when he is on the pitch’. Fingers crossed for a similar situation with us and Matty.

Another reason I think we’ll see a new captain in Ziggy or GG is the appearance of being a new mariners era. We’ve had a bunch of player changes to overhaul the squad and the face of the team is part of the marketing effort. It’s a mentality thing for both the team and the public. That’s not to say he won’t have a presence but I doubt he’ll be the face of the team.

 

[pjennings]

Alen apparently usually plays 4-1-4-1 and sometimes 4-2-3-1. I'm going to assume Sang-Ho or another visa attacker will be signed plus the visa striker. I've also factored in a possible CB addition.

The discussion should be where does Matty sit in a starting XI not whether we respect Matty (which should be a given). I can't see him being a regular starter without injuries. Who do you drop for him in the line ups below with the possible exception of swapping Sang-Ho and McGlinchey in the first side and playing him wide right.

4-1-4-1
--------------------Birighitti--------------------------
Gordon-------Gallifuoco----Rowles/New CB----------Clisby
-----------------------------Eun-sun--------------------------
Sang-Ho/other visa ----------------------------------McGlinchey
---------De Silva----------------------Oar---------------
---------------------New Striker------------------------

4-2-3-1
--------------------Birighitti
Gordon-------Gallifuoco----Rowles/New CB----------Clisby
---------------Eun-sun--------Nisbet/Melling------------
Sang-Ho/other visa----------De Silva-------------------Oar
---------------------New Striker------------------------

Bench

Pearce
1 of Rowles/ New CB / Tongyik
1 of Melling / Nisbet / McGlinchey
2 of Murray / Silvera / Simon / McGlinchey

 

[Tevor]

I’m not even sure he is the super sub either, when at SFC that was a shit hot team and very different to what CCM is this season. We will probably need a goal in the last 25 mins where SFC didn’t and he did not score very many at SFC in that role he was more of a disruptive player helping them hold their lead which he did well and was praised for it. As proven that did not make him a good option for us as our main striker last year. I 100% blame MM for everything not Simon.

 

[Ironbark]

What's the bet some *journalist* will read this thread and soon we'll see an article called 'Should Matt Simon remain Captain at the Mariners?' or something