The Deklan Wynne comeback arc is one of my favourite happenings in NZ football at the moment. Detroit City seem like a really cool team and if Deklan keeps performing he could seriously compete with De Vries and Sutton for that All Whites back-up LB spot
Agree Detroit City seems a good story with passionate fans. And nice to see Wynne hopefully revitalising his career
But Hay ain’t picking guys from the USL (except Collier & N Boxall who were both playing elsewhere last season). USL level is questionable so if likes of Wynne are looking to be serious AWs contenders, likely need to move elsewhere
Detroit go top of USL Eastern Conference for now, but 2 teams they overtake into 1st - Louisville City & Pittsburgh Riverhounds - play each other later today.
Edit - Is 1-1 end of NT. Louisville already used all 5 subs, but Detroit haven't made one it seems before end NT.
Edit 2- went to ET (1-1) and then pens. Unfortunately Detroit lose the shootout 4-2, and are knocked out of the Cup. Full game Wynne, who wasn't a pen taker.
Edit - subbed off at 86 mins in a 1-1 draw. Should have kept him on. Detroit up 1-0 when he came off, conceding in the 95th min. They drop to 4th in the USL East.
From Flying Kiwis, his assist from the weekend. Also going good in the USL: Detroit City FC. They won 1-0 away to Las Vegas Lights this week with a 63rd minute goal for Connor Rutz... set up by Deklan Wynne. Fourth assist of the season for Dekkers, to go with one goal.
The Deklan redemption arc is in full swing 😍 😍. Hopefully he can stay consistent for the next season or two with Detroit and then push on to finally succeed in the MLS.
Presumably about 1st-2nd week of September. If de Vries's Varnamo were in a relegation dogfight, might be worth leaving him in Sweden to concentrate on his club and have a look at Wynne. Likely playing at a higher level than Dalton Wilkins in Danish 3rd tier.
Also I'd say no guarantee Empoli won't try to stop Cacace, travelling all the way downunder for 2 friendlies. When Libby could be trying to nail down the starting spot.
Libby & Kirwan both skipped the January FIFA window of friendlies. Maybe Garbett as well?? Part of a deal Hay cut with their Italian clubs. Hay said sometime around that time, that the Italian club directors were the most difficult to deal with.
All Empoli have to say to Cacace - is you travel all the way downunder, and the next 2 Serie A games post the window we won't start you in that LB role, giving his rival the chance of a free run. Not saying they will do it, but you wouldn't put it past them. Club verus country little squabbles are a constant in international football, especially for what clubs see as meaningless friendlies. Empoli won't give a stuff that an actual big AWs game in NZ is rare as hens teeth.
Again not saying it will happen, but something to be mindful of.
January was a bit exceptional tbf, it wasn’t a UEFA window, just for the other confederations as they needed to catch up on qualifiers, we just used it as we missed 18 months or so. Kirwan and Garbett were both available all other windows, and their’s was probably negotiated to allow them to be there for the PNG game outside the window. Cacace was also still at St Truiden at the time the squad for January window was named (he moved on deadline day to Empoli), and Belgium played through that window so understandable they wanted to keep him for the game.
I’d be surprised if the clubs didn’t release players, they’re obligated to do so, and also it would antagonise the players if they didn’t release them. In Wynne’s case, I don’t think USL stops for the window, but I’m certain Detroit would be stoked to see a guy get called up so they wouldn’t stop him at all. It’s just up to whether Hay wants him or De Vries (or Wilkins) backing up, or possibly (unfairly) views him as a relic of Hudson that we’ve moved past.