Rory Fallon (Dame Malvina Major Retirement Village)

 He would be too disruptive for the team with his attitude problems and believing in fairy tale bullshit.

Wouldn't have thought his beliefs would matter if he fit in with the team or not

Apart from scoring from corners Fallon has a lot of passion, which is more than can be said for a good percentage of our team. He would probably do more defensive work in the middle of the park than our midfielders TBH.

What's the difference between Rory Fallon and soup?

... Soup's a starter.

Well played

Heskey's record is shite and he's ripping it up in the A League.

Now Fallon isn't the same quality admittedly, but I do think he would make defenders have to work hard. When he wasn't playing up top in the front three our play was not as affective. He dominates the air and feeds a lot of ball back to players.

Would still be in the national team I imagine if not for Wood who can play a similar role and is more mobile.

You also think Tom Biss is A-League quality.

I'll answer both of you;  shame on you for a lack of gratitude for Fallon scoring the goal that got us to the world cup. he is not some hack that has spent his life playing presidents grade, he has played at a higher level than most and can still make a living playing football. yet you have the gall to disrespect him. as for Biss, I stand by my comment, he has played an A League game, was not disgraced either. Yet you and others choose to ignore that and base your theory on what you've seen him do in the NZFC.  What does someone have to do? actually play like asuperstar in the A League before you give them any credit. you are being nothing but a condescending prick.

A: no one is ungrateful for the goal he scored. He earns a spot in history. It was just one goal. Please enlighten everyone as to the wonderful things he has done since. Again, I just hear crickets.

B: one goal does not make a career. Football is littered with stories of players that had their 15 mins - Rory is no different. In fact Danny Hay has his 15 min in the premier league and now he carries on like he is some football oracle.

C: he has played higher levels than us, but no one is comparing him to us. It's relative to other footballers and from that point, he is largely been bench fodder where ever he has been since that goal.

D: I too have seen a lot of Tom Biss. He is not A League quality at the moment.

E: pot kettle black on the condescending prick comment

F: so which of the 2 are you related too to get so hot and bothered?

I'm in agreement with the other 2. Rory had his moment but that's all his career will be about (unless he has another goal somewhere)

 I don't get the hate.I know he annoyed a few with the t shirt thing a while back.Just don't see the point getting all fired up over a player who doesn't even play for the Phoenix.Just appreciate him for what he is.

 ^^ Same

He is a professional footballer earning his living in a decent league, and has been a good contributor for NZ

I don't think people hate him, it's just the contention that he would be the saviour of the Phoenix. His style is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum to the style of football we are looking to play. He would not be a good fit at all.

There is still the point on the table of what's he done since that goal. No one tabled anything to discuss... I think he is well and truly peaked and has had his 15mins in the spotlight

Rory had his time. He can finish out his career doing what he likes but in terms of the future, he has zero value for NZF. 

For me, thanks for the three goals scored in your 14 All Whites Appearances and will NEVER forget the Bahrain one. Would he Fit in in the A League, yes he would.  Would I want him at the Nix, no thanks.

Yes, I do have "the gall" to disrespect him. I didn't say anything about a lack of gratitude for his goal. Gratitude and respect are two different things. I do not have to respect Rory Fallon, or anyone else for that matter. As for your "he's played at a higher level than you......." rant, so you are telling me that you respect every professional footballer on the planet? You have never made a derogatory remark about anyone who "has played at  higher level than most and can still make a living oplaying football"? Really?

Gimme a break. Yes, he scored a goal which got NZ to a World Cup. Yes, we THANK him for that, but don't try and make him out to be some sort of superhero. In terms of the professional game, he's a journeyman at best, nothing more. Save us the BS about how wonderful he is.

I have the gall to disrespect him? Why? A journeyman player who I don't rate? Your opinion is more important than mine? I respect people who gain my respect, nothing I've seen Rory Fallon do on a football field has done that. Or off it, for that matter.

He often sits on the bench and has scored 2 decent  goals for Aberdeen but that's about it

Jag he did stay and honour his contract with no pay at Plymouth rather than gap it so I think he would certainly classify as a decent human being (mind you he was well over paid at Plymouth so...)

I don't doubt he's a decent bloke. I don't know him. I do remember the t shirt debacle though, which he didn't come out of too well.

It's not personal, I just don't rate him that highly as a player. That's just my opinion, I don't expect others to feel the same way.

It's amazing what you read when you are wearing blinkers. At no stage did I make any comparison to the level Fallon played football to the level you might have played at. I simply said he has played at a higher level than most - full stop. Those that play pro football are only a small percentage of those that play the game. If you don't respect someone that is able to play professionally, [and in his case] for a reasonable length of time, at a high level [England youth, NZ national, World Cup, Championship, SPL etc] then I think that reflects more poorly  on you than it does on me or him. In terms of my gratitude/respect point; it is an indictment on today's society that people don't generally appreciate the good things that people do for them. This is the same society [and I generalise] that doesn't honour loyalty and is only concerned about number 1. It is certainly a different outlook on life than the one I have and many of my generation. In terms of what kind of guy Fallon is, I've seen nothing that makes me think he's a prick. He seems ok when interviewed, I've no problem with his born again status and conviction in that area [and I'm not a Christian], I acknowledge and respect the level of football that he has/is playing, am grateful for his goal v Bahrain. I'm not certain that he is what the Nix needs, but I don't think he'd have a problem playing in the A League, he is good enough. Sorry I'm not a self professed expert on all things like Vader and prefer to judge people on what I have seen people do unlike Buffon who judges them on what he thinks they can't do. I'm working on being perfect.

A final question for Jag:  You said ....... " I respect people who gain my respect, nothing I've seen Rory Fallon do on a football field has done that. Or off it, for that matter." What would Fallon have to of done for you to respect him? or do you not respect any footballer? I don't know what you do for a living, but don't you respect anyone in your field that has achieved something? You're not confusing respect with like are you?

Firstly, I apologise. I transcribed the quote from your post incorrectly!  My original point still applies though.

I take your point about appreciation, but I didn't say that I didn't appreciate Fallon's efforts for the AWs, or THAT goal. In fact, I made a point of saying "we THANK him"

Respecting professional footballers simply because they are footballers? To be honest, not a lot. I like a lot of footballers, in respect to how they play and present themselves. Respect them? Not sure. The overwhelming majority were born with an ability which others weren't, and they made a career out of it. 

I've also never, as far as I'm aware called him "a prick". I've called him a donkey several times, but never a prick! As I said in my last post, I don't know him personally, he may be a wonderful person.

No, there's no confusion. There are people I've come across in my personal and professional life who I have respect for but don't like, and vice versa. What could Fallon have done to earn my respect? Probably nothing to be honest. Nothing springs to mind. The thing about seeing out his contract shows that he obviously isn't a bad person. It's not a personal crusade, he's nothing to me personally.

My outlook on life is that I do not simply respect people because of what they do for a living. Like I said, it's my opinion. You have given yours, very eloquently. Doesn't make either of us right or wrong

I think be probably  agree with each other Jag, just a difference in our interpretation of respect. I respect him/others for what they have achieved, but don't worship them. I was asked during a university tutorial I was doing "what sports person do you most admire?" I wasn't able to come up with anyone immediately because I already knew too many top sportspeople who were wankers - talented, achievers - but wankers. You're right though, achievement does not give you an automatic right to anything, I was better to have said I respected what he had achieved rather than just a blanket 'respect'. 

That's a good note to close on! Nice to have a bit of a sensible debate round here!

I can go back to talking bollocks now  :-)

Donkey D-mac was fairly good for us given Marco's service, and we've needed someone who is taller than Fenton, Brockie, Greenacre, Sanchez and able to head the ball into the back of the net.

He would give us something we don't have and add balance and depth to the squad. There is the possibility that he could bloom in the league in the same way that McBreen did. Sure we've got Stein, but he's a ball player with great feet, who has been thus far a mite inconsistent with his melon.

I wouldn't mind seeing Fallon in 'Nix colours. Think he's always put in an honest shift for country and worked hard on the field. Either he or Killen would give us something we don't currently have in our squad and an option that doesn't waste an import spot. There aren't enough kiwis around capable of playing professional football for us to be super picky imo. We should give serious consideration to any Kiwi who another coach has thought good enough to offer a contract.

Darn it... internet crash lost everything.

the meaning of life will forever be lost.

 i always rated Fallon is a differente type of fw  , smeltz , killen  are similar  and wood is the faster  of the bunch,..  i would play fallon up front with the likes of  brockie, rojas, barbarouses  coming from everywhere  in a   4-2-3-1  formation

                        paston -moss

bertos     sigmund / durante  smith   lochhead

                   reid                mc g

                              rojas

brockie                                                     kosta b

                         fallon  

bench 

gk  gleeson boxall  hogg  vicellich  clapham  fenton payne smeltz killen wood

Have to applaud you for a very well written post. Forums allow people to express opinions they would never offer face to face or in public, and of course you're never wrong in a forum... Always remember that other people are allowed different opinions

Jesus, here you go again....... Slagging off players! And you had the cheek to ask me just hours ago who do you slag off. I've often read your posts and thought what a sad soul. Can I ask if you have ever done anything in the game? What level have you played at?

Be nice, JV has an absent dad and born with a club foot..

I don't think he has a high work rate (outside of challenging for headers) I thought one of the main reasons he was removed from the AWs was that he showed that he really only had one trick (the aerial thing) and when you move away from that, he provides nothing. In an aerial ball world, he might be great form but with what the Phoenix are looking to move to, he gives us nothing. We have a big tall lad in Stein whom has a delightful first touch and can head a ball so...