:lol: @ you sourcing anything at all from Tribal football.

Celtic’s Balde knocks back Nth Qld offer
17.03.09 | Andrew Slevison
Celtic defender Bobo Balde has turned down an offer to join new A-League franchise North Queensland Fury.

The Townsville-based club , coached by former Rangers and Dunfermline star Ian Ferguson, were believed to have offered the 33-year old just over $1 million per season.

The Fury recently signed former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler and have been linked with other big names such as Socceroos star Scott Chipperfield.

Balde, the Guinea international, has turned down lucrative offers from English clubs Sunderland and Birmingham in the past 12 months but is still confident of finding a club in England when his contract at Celtic Park expires.

State league striker Fraser to trial with Nth Qld
05.03.09 | Andrew Slevison
Rockhampton striker Tristan Fraser will be given a chance to live his dream when he trials with new A-League franchise North Queensland Fury.

The 27-year old has been touted as the Queensland State League player most likely to be snapped by an A-League club but a disappointing 2008 dampened his hopes.

Now the Fury have given him somewhat of a lifeline to prove his worth and potentially grab a spot on the list.

Fraser said it was a goal of most state league players to play at a higher level.

“Yes definitely, I think everybody in the State league wants to get to the next level,” he told the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin.

He also said he had improved and things were looking up.

“At the moment everything is going my way,” he admitted.

“I've just changed my thoughts and attitude.

“Before I was thinking like a centre midfielder.

“I am adapting to being a striker,” he said.

Agius to NQF is a done deal apparently.
http://www.tribalfootball.com/north-queensland-fury-complete-agius-deal-218436

Found this in an article about Osama Malik and some other young Adelaide keeper.



It makes you wonder why, assuming he's available Wellington didn't go for him.

Edited by JT: 22/12/2008 08:56:28 PM

The club will this week make a decision on whether it recruits former Juventus keeper and Gold Coast United's first signing, Jess van Stratten, as Galekovic's back-up keeper.

Silly attitude, Mirons just doing this as a marketing ploy, smart though as he might end up getting Minnocon for less than what he's asking.

Wow Reinaldo is only on $40k atm? I wonder if he's form doesn't lift will Frank cut him loose next season?

Cheeky pledge by Gold Coast not to poach

David Lewis

December 22nd, 2008

IN a move sure to raise the hackles of Queensland Roar officials, Gold Coast United coach Miron Bleiberg insists that he won't poach any of Frank Farina's squad -- because he wants to beat them `fair and square' in next season's A-League opening round showdown at Skilled Park.

Adamant he could already have signed up to six Roar aces had he wanted to, Bleiberg pledged to continue his hands-off policy with unsettled Roar rookie Tahj Minniecon, until the 19-year-old flier is officially told by the Roar there is no new contract to sign.

Unafraid to stir up an M1 rivalry with his former club already charged with ill-feeling, Bleiberg said: "I want us to beat them fair and square next season.

"I want to be gentlemanly about it. I don't want to take all their players and then beat them. I want them to be strong not weak when we beat them.

"Mitch Nicholls (another Roar whiz kid) is a Gold Coaster and we could have talked to him but we didn't for the same reason.

"In truth, I could have signed five or six Roar players, but then people would have said 'yeah, he pinched all their players then he beat them'. So I've stayed true to my word. I'll leave them to re-sign every player they can, and if Tahj isn't one of them then I'll sign him. But only then."

Young Socceroos wideman Minniecon has been linked with United -- and a host of other A-League clubs -- as talks on a new Roar contract are placed on hold until the New Year with his current deal set to expire in June.

But with a marque under-23 player yet to be snared by talent-hungry United, who have just two spots remaining on their roster, Bleiberg added: I coached the Queensland Lions for several seasons and I first came across Tahj as a nine-year-old junior at the club.

"I know him like the back of my hand. He's a player I like a lot, but he's a Roar player right now and good luck to him. My belief is they will probably re-sign him, but let's wait and see. Meanwhile, I may sign somebody else anyhow.

"Good young players are like mushrooms, always a new one popping up."

Chasing a figure of around $150,000 annually, Minniecon is stretching a Roar salary cap at breaking point with injured Brazilian striker Reinaldo's existing deal complicating matters.

Reinaldo was paid just $40,000 this season on his return to the club, and will receive far in excess of that in 2009-2010 leaving Farina little room for manoeuvre.

You might be surprised with old James, I reckon a new coach and team might be just the tonic for his ageing bones...

Yes I do wish we had him, but you wish you had ahh... James Robinson?

NQ might WISH they had VanStrattan, but he's playing for Gold Coast! o:)

If SFC lose Bolton, that's the last of the old guard and only 5 seasons gone! But I'd love to see Bozza playing regular A-League. I think he is still hanging out for offers from the UK, but if nothing good comes a long he might just say WTF...

But they've got Van Strattan.

I've heard in the grapevine that Bolton will be heading to NQF and Bosnich will be playing for SFC next year (he is training with them afterall).

Spagnuolo coup boosts Fury

December 15, 2008 NORTH Queensland Fury have won the battle to secure the services of Adelaide United midfielder Jason Spagnuolo.

Currently with the Reds in Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup, Spagnuolo has been granted his request to be released by Adelaide at the end of the season.

Several A-League clubs were interested in the 24-year-old, but the Fury have been successful in their bid to lure him north.

The signing is a major boost for the A-League newcomers, whose plans hit a snag last week when marquee signing Jade North opted out of his three-year deal to join Korean outfit Incheon United.

Fury coach Ian Ferguson was understood to have been extremely angry about North's decision to turn his back on the new franchise, despite chairman Don Matheson's publicly wishing the Socceroo defender all the best with his move to Korea.

The Fury are continuing their search for a replacement marquee player, with rumoured targets including Socceroo trio Scott Chipperfield, Mile Sterjovski and Jacob Burns.

Switzerland-based Chipperfield and Derby County's Sterjovski have previously been linked to Gold Coast United, who remain on target to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Jason Culina as their inaugural marquee man.

Marco Monteverde

Oudendyk was not interested in getting involved in a slanging match with Mandic, saying he did not conduct his business through the media.

"Tahj wants twice as much as we can afford to pay," Matheson said.

"We offered him what we thought was a good deal, but they were not interested in it."

Mandic insists Minniecon's next contract won't be money driven, reiterating the player's wish was to remain with the Roar.

But he emphasised that Minniecon should not be cast as the villain if he decided to leave the Roar.

"The people who should get the blame for Tahj leaving the club are the management, because they haven't done a single thing they said they were going to do for the past six months, and by management I don't mean (coach) Frank Farina," Mandic said.

He pointed the finger at Roar chief executive Lawrence Oudendyk.

"Frank has always said he wants the kid, the kid has always said he would like to stay there, but Frank doesn't sit there and sign the cheques," Mandic said.

Oudendyk was not interested in getting involved in a slanging match with Mandic, saying he did not conduct his business through the media.

"Unlike Mandic, we're not going to ring up journalists," he said.

"It's a matter between the club and the player."

Farina defended Oudendyk, saying the chief executive was not a "stumbling block" in the Roar's desire to re-sign Minniecon.

"We want to keep Tahj, it's as simple as that," Farina said.

"But the issue we've got at the moment is about the salary cap."

Minniecon (sore back) didn't train yesterday but is expected to be fit for the Roar's clash against the Newcastle Jets on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.

The Fury is about to unveil Dean Hassall as the club's inaugural CEO.

It sounds like Minniecon's agent is waving a flag for GCU to scoop him up, but Bleiberg is not interested. He's due to have a talk with Uncle Franks soon, NQ better get an offer in before that...