I hope he comes back and plays with us next season. Whoever was advising him definitely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He definitely could end up in Europe again in future, but I feel he needs to serve his 'apprenticeship' - week in, week out for a few seasons in the A-League before he begins to think of making moves like Libby & Singh.
And also when he was realistically looking at being the Phoenix's second or third-choice RB, regardless of how good he looked in his few appearances at the end of last season.
Not in match day squad as Xanthi (5th) beat Doxa Dramas (10th), 1-0 Looks like Izzo, Jurman & Brilliante (bench) all still involved. Popa's two sons unsurprisingly not. https://twitter.com/fcxanthi?lang=en
I don't think he was realistically looking at being number 2 or 3. He got the chance and took it. For those last few games Fenton and Payne were available but not picked ahead of him.
I think he would have started as the number 1.andrewvoerman
martinb
YoungHeart
I hope he comes back and plays with us next season. Whoever was advising him definitely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He definitely could end up in Europe again in future, but I feel he needs to serve his 'apprenticeship' - week in, week out for a few seasons in the A-League before he begins to think of making moves like Libby & Singh.
tbf when he signed it looked like the A-league had no main sponsor or TV deal, yeh? And perhaps no start date.
And also when he was realistically looking at being the Phoenix's second or third-choice RB, regardless of how good he looked in his few appearances at the end of last season.
I hope he comes back and plays with us next season. Whoever was advising him definitely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He definitely could end up in Europe again in future, but I feel he needs to serve his 'apprenticeship' - week in, week out for a few seasons in the A-League before he begins to think of making moves like Libby & Singh.
He himself admitted he would probably be back playing Handy Prem this year if he didn't get that run of games in the bubble. So when the chance to head overseas came up out of nowhere, you can see why he took the gamble and accepted it. I'm sure Popa had plans for him, just they didn't pan out.
I don't think he was realistically looking at being number 2 or 3. He got the chance and took it. For those last few games Fenton and Payne were available but not picked ahead of him.
I think he would have started as the number 1.andrewvoerman
martinb
YoungHeart
I hope he comes back and plays with us next season. Whoever was advising him definitely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He definitely could end up in Europe again in future, but I feel he needs to serve his 'apprenticeship' - week in, week out for a few seasons in the A-League before he begins to think of making moves like Libby & Singh.
tbf when he signed it looked like the A-league had no main sponsor or TV deal, yeh? And perhaps no start date.
And also when he was realistically looking at being the Phoenix's second or third-choice RB, regardless of how good he looked in his few appearances at the end of last season.
MetalLegNZ
I don't think he was realistically looking at being number 2 or 3. He got the chance and took it. For those last few games Fenton and Payne were available but not picked ahead of him.
I think he would have started as the number 1.andrewvoerman
martinb
YoungHeart
I hope he comes back and plays with us next season. Whoever was advising him definitely pulled the wool over his eyes.
He definitely could end up in Europe again in future, but I feel he needs to serve his 'apprenticeship' - week in, week out for a few seasons in the A-League before he begins to think of making moves like Libby & Singh.
tbf when he signed it looked like the A-league had no main sponsor or TV deal, yeh? And perhaps no start date.
And also when he was realistically looking at being the Phoenix's second or third-choice RB, regardless of how good he looked in his few appearances at the end of last season.
Sorry, but that's just not factually accurate. Payne was suspended, then injured. Fenton was available, but looked well off the pace after a long injury layoff (he's been back to his best this season). At best there was potentially a contest to be had.
Dude was beating players with pace and playing with confidence. Louis and McGarry have been good in patches, but Calan had made the spot his to lose in my opinion. There was a lot of excitement about his play. Payne lacks pace and doesn't have the attributes of a winger, Louis had some serious questions about his ability to get through an a-league game and hadn't been pushing Payne for a start. Think he would have seen serious game time barring injury or other mishap.
Looks like end of the regular season with a Promotion Round to commence. Ionikos (1st) and 6 points ahead, in the box seat for automatic promotion.
I'm guessing there will be a promotion playoff spot that Xanthi will be chasing, so hard to see Elliot getting any playing time. Might be looking for a new club in a month or so?? Keen to make Hay's Oly Whites no doubt.
Looks like end of the regular season with a Promotion Round to commence. Ionikos (1st) and 6 points ahead, in the box seat for automatic promotion.
I'm guessing there will be a promotion playoff spot that Xanthi will be chasing, so hard to see Elliot getting any playing time. Might be looking for a new club in a month or so?? Keen to make Hay's Oly Whites no doubt.
He signed a 3 year deal but that doesn't mean much nowadays. Sadly I don't think he makes the Oly Whites squad, his lack of game time has probably cost him a spot.
He's been quite unlucky I feel. He came off a stellar end of the A-league season last year, was shoulder tapped by Poppa to move to Greece and with the uncertainty around the Nix and the league you can't blame him for trying (especially when offered a 3 year deal). Between not being able to get into Poppa's team and the Aussie coach being let go, he's done nothing but train all year, and that's hard. Xanthi are doing quite well so there's a chance his coach will be retained, so he might look for a lone to another 2nd division club perhaps? Or somewhere else in Europe? At his age, he needs to be playing regularly to develop.
Add to that 3 players, while short of Cacace-esque, playing fairly well in the fullback positions at the Nix.
Playing-wise it hasn’t really worked out so far, and having the coach that signs you leave is always going to throw a spanner in the works, but he still has Australian teammates to get along with morale-wise, and is also learning Greek to better integrate. The owner is also Australian, having bought the club to help Australians transition into Europe so will be sympathetic to his plight also. Being Scottish-born means he has the UK passport so visa-wise it was easier to get into Greece, so it was definitely worth a shot, and he’s definitely not out of the picture yet for playing time.
Also, whilst it’s easy to look back in hindsight and say he should’ve stayed and he’d be pushing an inconsistent Fenton for a starting right-back spot, when he left he had no public contract offer from the Nix, and would have presumed he’d return to third choice behind Payne and Fenton. Taylor and Devere’s absences, players who started almost every game last season, both happened after Callan left, so unlikely he envisioned Payne spending the entire season at centre back. The league also had no plan, at the point he left, as to how this season would work out, but, whatever way, would have probably ruled out playing for the reserves in the NZ national league.
Add to that 3 players, while short of Cacace-esque, playing fairly well in the fullback positions at the Nix.
Playing-wise it hasn’t really worked out so far, and having the coach that signs you leave is always going to throw a spanner in the works, but he still has Australian teammates to get along with morale-wise, and is also learning Greek to better integrate. The owner is also Australian, having bought the club to help Australians transition into Europe so will be sympathetic to his plight also. Being Scottish-born means he has the UK passport so visa-wise it was easier to get into Greece, so it was definitely worth a shot, and he’s definitely not out of the picture yet for playing time.
Also, whilst it’s easy to look back in hindsight and say he should’ve stayed and he’d be pushing an inconsistent Fenton for a starting right-back spot, when he left he had no public contract offer from the Nix, and would have presumed he’d return to third choice behind Payne and Fenton. Taylor and Devere’s absences, players who started almost every game last season, both happened after Callan left, so unlikely he envisioned Payne spending the entire season at centre back. The league also had no plan, at the point he left, as to how this season would work out, but, whatever way, would have probably ruled out playing for the reserves in the NZ national league.
Yes all that is true, but if he gets cut, which is likely if Xanthi get promoted, should the Nix look to sign him for next season?
Yeh definitely the right decision at the time. We were gutted iirc because he'd been the bright spark in a glum end to a campaign. I guess he could also do a job further forward too? It looks like Uffie is testing McGarry as a back up to Piscopo. Sounds promising with the passport situation and he worked hard for a long time at the Nix before getting game time. The same way situations can go bad, they can also go good just as quickly. As a fan I hope he gets game time sooner for the same reason as Sarpreet- keen to watch them play!
Add to that 3 players, while short of Cacace-esque, playing fairly well in the fullback positions at the Nix.
Playing-wise it hasn’t really worked out so far, and having the coach that signs you leave is always going to throw a spanner in the works, but he still has Australian teammates to get along with morale-wise, and is also learning Greek to better integrate. The owner is also Australian, having bought the club to help Australians transition into Europe so will be sympathetic to his plight also. Being Scottish-born means he has the UK passport so visa-wise it was easier to get into Greece, so it was definitely worth a shot, and he’s definitely not out of the picture yet for playing time.
Also, whilst it’s easy to look back in hindsight and say he should’ve stayed and he’d be pushing an inconsistent Fenton for a starting right-back spot, when he left he had no public contract offer from the Nix, and would have presumed he’d return to third choice behind Payne and Fenton. Taylor and Devere’s absences, players who started almost every game last season, both happened after Callan left, so unlikely he envisioned Payne spending the entire season at centre back. The league also had no plan, at the point he left, as to how this season would work out, but, whatever way, would have probably ruled out playing for the reserves in the NZ national league.
Yes all that is true, but if he gets cut, which is likely if Xanthi get promoted, should the Nix look to sign him for next season?
He did sign a three year deal with Xanthi so would still have 2 seasons contracted, so could well stay there, or try elsewhere in Europe, but I reckon he could well do a job if he came back. McGarry hardly got a look in before leaving to Willem II (admittedly a better team/league) and has done very well since coming back, so who knows
Elliot an unused sub. Izzo & Jurman full games. Brillante seems to be injured. So Xanthi's hopes of a return to the top flight, come down to the 2nd leg.
Elliot an unused sub. Izzo & Jurman full games. Brillante seems to be injured. So Xanthi's hopes of a return to the top flight, come down to the 2nd leg.
I’d hate to jinx things, but they seem to have stepped up after the gutsy move of sacking Popovic when they weren’t doing that badly
Heartbreak for Xanthi who concede a 83rd min pen, to lose the away leg 1-0 at Panaitolikos. They then lose the playoff series due to the away goal conceded in the first home leg, ie 2-2 on aggregate.
Full games Izzo & Jurman. Elliot not in the match day squad. What next for the young Kiwi? Soccerway says he was on the bench for 6 league games, but no playing time.
Heartbreak for Xanthi who concede a 83rd min pen, to lose the away leg 1-0 at Panaitolikos. They then lose the playoff series due to the away goal conceded in the first home leg, ie 2-2 on aggregate.
Full games Izzo & Jurman. Elliot not in the match day squad. What next for the young Kiwi? Soccerway says he was on the bench for 6 league games, but no playing time.
Hopefully Ufuk brings him back into the Nix fold, was and would be great competition for Louis.