Essien qualified, didn't he? I thought he just turned down the offer last minute.
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Guests are highly restrictive to get approved so it's not a reliable option. A spare Visa spot would allow us to recruit a foreign injury replacement for an Australian player if we ever needed it.
Say if Nabbout, Boogs or Ugarkovic were long term injured, finding equivalent Australian replacements is almost impossible mid season.
There is guests and then there is Tim Cahill guests where the FFA pay part of the freight.
Essien had previously agreed, not sure guest or marquee, but backed out for a regular contract.
Victory wanted the FFA to pay for part of Diamanté's guest contract out of the fund but FFA knocked them back
My wild speculation is that they got the deal signed off from Martin Lee and met with Burns to tie up the deal during the trip to China.
Just before the trip McKinna was talking down the prospects of a marquee, then he returns and it's on
Watching it again, Lawrie says they were waiting on the FFA signing off on next seasons grant which will occur this week. That was a contingency on Martin Lee approving a marquee. So yes, didn't exactly say deal would be done by Friday but budget would be and deal could then go through.
My take was that we have had a marquee offer tabled and agreed to a player already, but nothing could and would be finalised until the money available was confirmed.
His body language and what he says has completely changed from this 2 way bet stuff to now posting on twitter yesterday that supporters should be impressed at these new signings, like it's now past tense. Take of it what you will
Not saying you're wrong but I took when he said about signing 3 more players, that meant after Dimi. Because he'd been previously mentioned in the conversation and was spoken about as if it was basically done. If that was the case youd have Dimi, potential marquee, Chinese player plus 1 other Aussie maybe a Holland or Spira fingers crossed
I didn't watch the TV interview so you probably know more than me on this... however what i read in the paper made it sound like he was building up the notion of spending outside the cap on a marquee but actually just moving half of Kanta's wages and 25% of Cowburns using loyalty allowances. Happy to be wrong on this tho, just tempering myself with this muppet in charge still.
Would love to see us sign Burns tho. Dimi is better than Hoole so that's a good move I guess as well. Chinese Ronaldo could be anyone or any position or any quality, no idea. Which means we should sign probably 1 more midfielder no matter what. Doesn't even have to be a visa player, just 1 more mid better than Kanta would be a start.
Also, just realised we released Mullen so we are very light at CB now as well. Jeez. I kind of hope the Chinese Ronaldo is actually a Chinese Chiellini...
Agree, I thought so too and I have been the biggest pessimist about signing players. I was pretty certain we wouldn't sign anyone.
But it's seemingly all changed. Maybe the grant is a higher than what we were expecting or Burns has jumped at our low ball offer.
He was pretty clear on the numbers. It' was 4 with a Visa but now looking like 3 without.Quote:
Would love to see us sign Burns tho. Dimi is better than Hoole so that's a good move I guess as well. Chinese Ronaldo could be anyone or any position or any quality, no idea. Which means we should sign probably 1 more midfielder no matter what. Doesn't even have to be a visa player, just 1 more mid better than Kanta would be a start.
Also, just realised we released Mullen so we are very light at CB now as well. Jeez. I kind of hope the Chinese Ronaldo is actually a Chinese Chiellini...
Ha you could be right. I have watched it several times now and you can take what he says different ways.
[edit]The only reason I doubt that is brfore Petratos came available again, the numbers were clear that we would sign 4 more players. So to me, he is included in the 3 or 4. But we should know soon enough
Slow down and stop for a second
It never ceases to amaze me the BS this club feeds the fans and we buy it hook line and sinker
Marquees??
Burns
Holland
Milligan
??
FFS
We really should be happy in Petratos Our Caravan and Georgevski we have signed A League level players
Where the shit **** Sam Gallagher, Devante Clut like signings this year??
I call McKinna's BS more than anyone......including the signing of rubbish Toronto based coaches.. ...but this seems legit and not just a pipe dream.
Will know by next week
Totti anyone?
Looking forward to this expected player announcement today!!
Just trying to create fanciful discussion with this next theory but what if its robbie kruse and we had to wait till today due to allowing him to concentrate on last nights qualifier.
I don't mind what Kruse offers when he plays but guaranteed he'd miss part of our season with injury. The guy was on the floor within seconds of coming on last night.