Shane Smeltz

[Swamp Donkey]

Big Fish, Little Pond there swampy.......

True and I agree, but he's certainly not the dud everyone is making out on here! If he's a dud then 95% of players in the A-league must come under that category. I agree, A-league is hardly the biggest pond but hey, someone has to be the biggest fish!

[devilsadvocate]

Big Fish, Little Pond there swampy.......

True and I agree, but he's certainly not the dud everyone is making out on here! If he's a dud then 95% of players in the A-league must come under that category. I agree, A-league is hardly the biggest pond but hey, someone has to be the biggest fish!

I think that's a result of Overloaded talking him up as the greatset striker the planet has ever seen.

[daicos]

Best player in the world, I don't think so...far from it, but, best player in the A-league possibly, definitely in the top 5.

As for being a "poacher" and getting "in the right position" and scoring goals, WTF?? isnt that what a striker is supposed to do??

[Swamp Donkey]

Big Fish, Little Pond there swampy.......

True and I agree, but he's certainly not the dud everyone is making out on here! If he's a dud then 95% of players in the A-league must come under that category. I agree, A-league is hardly the biggest pond but hey, someone has to be the biggest fish!

I think that's a result of Overloaded talking him up as the greatset striker the planet has ever seen.

Fair enough.

[another grub]

Smeltz is by far the best striker in the A league and anyone who thinks differently knows SFA.

Does it matter, he dominates in Australia's major league, not real significant on the world stage, but he makes every other player running around in our country look 2nd rate. His record speaks for itself sorry lads.

Spot on comment SD

[RoosterMarty]

No-one is suggesting Smeltz is rubbish but I keep waiting for this move to a big European club to happen.

[overloaded]

See, I don;t think he does. Sure he scores a lot of goals, but he's a poacher. A player who gets in the right position some of the time and gets goals because of it.

He doesn't score through class or graft, just from the hard work of others. And sure, it's a good skill to have, being in the right place at the right time, and he plays his role in the team well. But to suggest he's the best player in the league is a bit outrageous.

IMO - Ifill is a better striker.

Having said that, the Reds could do with Smeltz back on the books at the minute.

1. He was voted the best player in the league by his peers in 2009 and was second last year...how is that outrageous??
2. The Reds had their chance with Smeltz and sacked him
3. Strikers are there to get in the right place at the right time and score goals
4. Where have I ever said he was the "greatest player the planet has ever seen"

Cut the dose DA

[overloaded]

No-one is suggesting Smeltz is rubbish but I keep waiting for this move to a big European club to happen.

Because he's rubbish.

??

[RoosterMarty]

Ok well I didn't read that but compared to world class players he is rubbish.

Also overloaded, you have been suggesting that he is set for a move to a big club for a long time now.

Where is this move?

He went to China for a couple of days, had a cry and then returned home as that was probably too tough for him as well.

[another grub]

I think you will find in China his 'deal' over promised and under delivered BIG TIME. He dont get that problem with Clive Palmer

[devilsadvocate]

I think you will find in China his 'deal' over promised and under delivered BIG TIME. He dont get that problem with Clive Palmer

Which is the same as the player himself, so I guess it was a perfect match?

Seriously though, he's a good player in this league. Better than Robbie Fowler? Not a chance. Better than Paul Ifill? No way.

My comments are purely to wind up Overloaded who has given us 15 pages of "Smeltz is going to a big European club", "Smeltz is world class" blah, blah, blah.

To selectively cut my post about being a poacher is a bit much though. You blokes ought to watch him play and perhaps look back through his archives and show me a goal or two scored solely by Smeltz's pure class or invention.

Then go and have a look at a good European league number 9 and try to tell me Smeltz is on that level.

[Swamp Donkey]

Then go and have a look at a good European league number 9 and try to tell me Smeltz is on that level.

Nobody is suggesting this round we go again!

[overloaded]

here we go round the mulberry bush.

Fowler is well past his prime and Ifill is over-rated. SS is at least the equal of these.

[devilsadvocate]

Then go and have a look at a good European league number 9 and try to tell me Smeltz is on that level.

Nobody is suggesting this round we go again!

Overloaded suggested a number of times that Smeltz was on his way to a big european club.

He listed Tottenham, West Ham and a Turkish club Altalyaspoor IIRC.

Scroll back through the thread...it's all there.

Tottenham have Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch, West Ham have Carlton Cole as their no 9 style strikers. Try to tell me the Smeltz would replace any of those three

[devilsadvocate]

here we go round the mulberry bush.

Fowler is well past his prime and Ifill is over-rated. SS is at least the equal of these.

Fowler well past his prime is still better than Smeltz.
Ifill is twice the player Smeltz is.

[scoob]

here we go round the mulberry bush.

Fowler is well past his prime and Ifill is over-rated. SS is at least the equal of these.

Fowler well past his prime is still better than Smeltz.
Ifill is twice the player Smeltz is.

Do they score or set up twice as many goals as Smetlz? - smeltz has already proven he is the best scorer in the A-league and to argue against that seems pretty ignorant.

[devilsadvocate]

Do they score or set up twice as many goals as Smetlz? - smeltz has already proven he is the best scorer in the A-league and to argue against that seems pretty ignorant.

Ifill set up 3 times as many goals as Smeltz did last season.

I'm not arguing that Smeltz isn't the best goal scorer - he is and his record doesn't lie. But he's not a creative player who sets up loads of goals, he's a poacher. When GC play poorly, Smeltz generally doesn't score, because chances aren't being handed to him on a platter.

On goals scored, Smeltz definitely has the stats: (from 2009-2010)
Ifill 12 goals 28 games
Smeltz 19 goals 25 games

It's all opinions. You and Overloaded clearly think Smeltz is the best player in Aus. I disagree. Sorry for not conforming.

[mighty hounds]

Do they score or set up twice as many goals as Smetlz? - smeltz has already proven he is the best scorer in the A-league and to argue against that seems pretty ignorant.

Ifill set up 3 times as many goals as Smeltz did last season.

I'm not arguing that Smeltz isn't the best goal scorer - he is and his record doesn't lie. But he's not a creative player who sets up loads of goals, he's a poacher. When GC play poorly, Smeltz generally doesn't score, because chances aren't being handed to him on a platter.

On goals scored, Smeltz definitely has the stats: (from 2009-2010)
Ifill 12 goals 28 games
Smeltz 19 goals 25 games

It's all opinions. You and Overloaded clearly think Smeltz is the best player in Aus. I disagree. Sorry for not conforming.

i have to agree with DA on this soccer matter i'd take ifill in my team over smeltz. If smeltz was good enough he would of played for a bigger team overseas. IIRC he went to england and played league 2 and played in the conference and 5th division? Ifill played in a FA cup final for Millwall and played with them for about 8 years in the championship and played in the premier league with sheffield united untill injury cut him short and also scored goals. hes had a taste of the A-league now watch him be the leading scorer ths year

[daicos]

Fowler well past his prime is still better than Smeltz.

you just lost some serious credibility there dude

[devilsadvocate]

Fowler well past his prime is still better than Smeltz.

you just lost some serious credibility there dude

Haven't seen him play this year huh?

Anyway, if I've lost credibility in the eyes of someone who thinks Smeltz is world class and should be at a big European club, I'm not going to lose any sleep.