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Thursday, 23 May 2013

Nearpost Podcast - 21 May 2013 - ACL, Socceroos & high speed broadband



Laurie and Bushy take on the ACL, Socceroos, high speed broadband, and even the radio control board, in this comprehensive wrap up of everything A-League in Australia's most incomprehensible soccer show.

https://archive.org/details/Nearpost21May2013


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Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Nearpost Podcast - 14 May 2013 - ACL, Fergie's retirement, & Sheedy


Laurie and Bushy take on Fergie's retirement, the ACL CCM vs Guangzhou & Kevin Sheedy vs Craig Foster

https://archive.org/details/Nearpost14May2013

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Friday, 10 May 2013

Nearpost Podcast - 07 May 2013 - All Stars Game, Sth Melbourne bid, Socceroos & Swedish Reggae

Laurie and Bushy look at the A-League All-stars game, the South Melbourne bid for A-League, and yes even attempt to solve the mystery of the magic bullet, all the sublime beats of 90s Swedish reggae - they saw the sign.

http://archive.org/details/Nearpost07May2013

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Thursday, 2 May 2013

Nearpost Podcast 30 April 2013 - CCM & the Asian Champions League


Nearpost 30 April 2013 on 2XX 98.3 FM Canberra.

Laurie and Bushy bury the hatchet with the Asian Champions League, and start a new war with local media and soft drink giants.


https://ia801700.us.archive.org/17/items/Nearpost30April2013/Nearpost%2030%20April%202013.wav

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Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Nearpost Podcast - Tuesday 23 April 2013 on 2XX FM

Laurie, Bushy and Gilbo run through the A-League grand final Canberra style, with flagrant disregard for tactics and sponsors alike!

https://ia801701.us.archive.org/4/items/Nearpost23April2013/Nearpost%2023%20April%202013.wav

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Friday, 19 April 2013

Nearpost Podcast - 16 April 2013 - 2nd week of A-League finals series, and preview GF

Laurie, Bushy and special guest Gilbo give a fun-filled wrap up of all the weeks action from the A-League finals, and preview the grand final.

https://ia801703.us.archive.org/0/items/Nearpost16April201330/Nearpost%2016%20April%202013_30.wav

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Thursday, 11 April 2013

Nearpost Podcast - 09 April 2013 - The A-League finals begin!

Laurie and Bushy are back on 98.3 2xx with a look at the first games of the A-League final series. They consider the controversy surrounding Melbourne's last-ditch win against the Glory, and the aftermath of Adelaide's loss to Brisbane at home - particularly the post-game outburst by Adelaide GK Galekovic.

Now it is chopped to be half an hour, so play away!

https://ia801703.us.archive.org/16/items/Nearpost09April2013/Nearpost%2009%20April%202013.wav


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Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Near Post Podcast - 02 April 2013 - Socceroos draw with Oman & final round of the A-League

Laurie and Bushy analyse the Socceroos disappointing 2-2 draw with Oman, and the final round of the A-League.

**Apologies once again I haven't had time to chop the recording, so please start the show from 30.00 mins.

Ole!

https://ia801700.us.archive.org/33/items/20130402180001/20130402180001.wav

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Near Post Pod Cast 26 March 2013 - Sydney Derby & Socceroos vs Oman Preview

Listen from 30 mins in!  (because I didn't cut this one, the half hour show starts 30 minutes into this podcast, before that appears to be 30 mins of heavy metal, if you're into that kind of thing.

Laurie Bushy and Gerald preview the Socceroo's clash with Oman, and discuss the Sydney Derby (Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney United), the fan behaviour and the media reaction.

In addition they detail the rest of the matches of the round, and preview the matches in the final round:


https://ia801701.us.archive.org/5/items/20130326180001/20130326180001.wav

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Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Hey Sydneysiders: Who do you sing for? Let me help.

All Sydneysiders should have their team by now.

But of course you wouldn't be Sydneysiders if you all did.

Are you Red or Blue? Now that wasn't hard was it?

 Do you like bumblebees of the red and black kind or bluebottles; these one's don't sting...at least not often.

If you're from Sydney and you have played football, watched football, enjoyed football or simply love sport.

Or if you are just from Sydney. It's time.

Who do you sing for?...and you can't change...ever!

Western Sydney Wanderers or Sydney FC.

And to help you here's a few reasons:  

For Western Sydney Wanderers:

You're from the West.
You support the strugglers.
You support all things new.
You love a winner - so you jump ship from Manly, Sydney FC or the Eels early and based on latest reports Sydney Swans won't win this year as we all take turns in AFL apparently.

You love Shinji Ono.
You want to get on the bandwagon and become a supporter of the first Aussie team to win a league in their first season.
You admire Poppa and his style of play - (even if he nearly elbowed Australia out of that World Cup qualifier against Uruquay in 2005...shhh).
You like to sing at football.

You enjoy a good bit of theatre on the sidelines.
You never went to watch Dwight Yorke  

For Sydney FC

I earn so much money.
I have been with them since Dwight scored so just have to stay.
I like mental torture.
Now Butcher has gone it's actually okay.
We haven't lost at home for like....ages.
Alessandro Del Piero is here.

It's so near the City.
It's so near the beach.
It's so near the Cricket.

We can do something else instead so that can be my team. I bought a shirt already...I've got it somewhere...I think.

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Aussie football fans should not miss the Sydney Derby on Saturday

Western Sydney Wanderers will take the field against Sydney FC in a front of a sold out crowd on the weekend.

And every football fan around Australia should take a peak.

If you want technique look no further than Alessandro Del  Piero or the young Aussie Terry Antonis or check out former Feyenoord star Shinji Ono or Aussie Aaron Mooy if they take the park.

If you want tactics: Watch Tony Popovics' men perform and wonder no more why the Western Sydney Wanderers have managed to carve out a five point lead over the outstanding Central Coast Mariners, in  this the Wanderers first season.

If you want intrigue: WSW could win the Premiers Plate on Saturday in front of Sydney FC and their large travelling support. 

If you like your football sold out with engaged fans: Don't miss Saturday. Aussie fans of the two teams will sing and carry on like this thing has been going for centuries.

And you know I reckon it has, just not on the football field.

Now we have two teams. The Red and Blue, the Rich and the Poor, the Old and the New.

If you love football do not miss this third and final Derby of the season. You'll love it.

And if you are from Sydney and you play football, watch football, think football....it's time.....who do you sing for?



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2013 A-League flying debut winger...the winner is

I love watching Ange throw in the youth down in Melbourne. Particularly his wide boys.
We saw Andrew Nabbout burst onto the scene this year.

Introduced in Brisbane he did a couple of things of note in a 5-0 humiliation before producing a stunning two goal performance against Sydney FC.

If he could stunned Sydney over 20 minutes surely he could do more over 90.

Meanwhile Theo Markelis has seen his rise decline rapidly as Nabbout took the right flank, and then the central position as Ange hunted for the additional forward.

Markelis had a big wrap coming in from Valencia but rarely showed the finesse or dynamism we've come to expect from one of Ange's forwards.

 But in the cut throat world of football wingers, young wingers and pacy forwards come and go and usually before the age of 20!

Nabbout will be back, Markelis I suspect is gone for good.

Step forward Connor Pain.

The short-armed forward appeared from nowhere and of the three mentioned he has been the most consistent and grabbed that third forward spot.

The boy from the terrace is now a man on the pitch.

His pace and direct play is interesting to say the least and if Marcos Rojas leaves at season end Pain is ready to go a full season.

He has goals in him as well and I love his confidence and his desire to make things happen. To take players on and to simply shoot.

All clubs need to develop and critically assess the flying winger, early.

Ben Halloran, Taj Minniecon, Chris Harold, Iain Ramsay, David Carney, Michael Zullo, Tommy Oar, Mate Dugandzic, David Williams, Kofi Danning are just a few to grace the wings of the A-League.

To date, Tommy Oar is probably the pick of the bunch closely followed by Carney and Zullo.

 I wonder how far Pain can go.

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A-League Allstars - give the Aussies a go!

1 Matt Ryan 
2. Trent Sainsbury 
3. Connor Chapman 
4. Nikolai Topor-Stanley 
5. Ivan Franjic 

 6. Billy Celeski 
8. Mark Milligan 
10 Alessandro Del Piero 

 7. Connor Pain 
9. Archie Thompson 
11. Thomas Broich

So why not give as much experience to young Aussies as possible, throwing in two of the best overseas stars. Manchester United will attract 80,000 plus fans and rather than giving Shinji Ono, Emile Heskey or even the delightful Kiwi import Marco Rojas the chance to show their stuff...let's give as many Aussies as possible the opportunity.

It's our league so why not reward the Aussies? After all they are better than ever these days.

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Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Nearpost Football Podcast March 12th

Nick, Gerald and Clive talk about the future of the Socceroos, ground clashes with other codes and the weekend's A-League fixtures.

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Thursday, 7 March 2013

Sydney FC remains a basket case - where is your football vision

The talk is that Sydney FC has spent more than $7 million this year on their playing budget.

 Is it possible for a team to spend so much in the A-League and to return so little. And are there any signs the playing group are heading in the right direction, this year or more worryingly next?

 Frank Farina the latest Coach, has made major changes to the playing group already, but who can see any structure to a team wallowing outside the six, heading, surely, for a third straight loss against the Mighty Mariners this weekend.

 The Mariners have a plan - think Mariners, you think of Bojic and Rose blazing forward.

 Melbourne Victory the same - think twinkle toes and deft touches from the great Archie Thompson, the mercurial Marcos Rojas and the ever improving Billy Celeski. It doesn't always work, but you can see where they are heading. Western Sdyney Wanderers have a plan. It's called solid defence and great forward pressure on the ball by a very fit front six.

Do Sydney have a plan?

Have they ever?

Season 2013 has been a disaster. In fact despite winning the league under the A_Leagues most boring coach Lavicka, Sydney has never really entertained. Not since Stevie Corica and Dwight Yorke were on the park and Alvin Ceccoli and an emerging David Carney were blazing away.

There has been little excitement, little consistency and when there were signs this year, Frank booted Jason Culina, dropped Blake Powell and the outcome, two defeats. What's new!

The owners have poured money in but so far they have got little real return - bar a bunch of very old players, Del Piero aside, doing very little for their money.

The appointment of Ian Crook - didn't they know Tony Popovic was any good - started the latest disaster.

When Brett Emerton went walkabout in the first game against Wellington and Trent McClenahan was floundering you knew it was a disaster in the making. Popovic has been an assistant at Sydney FC and every man and his dog now says he was always going to be a great coach. Go figure.

Were the Sydney owners the only one's who didn't know?

 Seeing Nikolai Topor-Stanley being interviewed recently about his Socceroo aspirations simply shows up the basket case Sydney FC has become. Topor-Stanley could and should have been at Sydney FC for his whole A-League career. He went to Perth for a few more dollars, starred at the Jets and now is part of a rock solid table topping defence in West Sydney.

Couldn't anyone at Sydney FC realise that this guy was worth developing, worth keeping!

Which brings me to Blake Powell. When the pacy Powell scored in the last Sydney FC victory he was promptly dropped for the ageing Joel Griffiths.

Griffiths is fast...for a 33 year old but with Del Piero, Emerton. McFlynn, Reid, A Griffith and Neil also in the team..he doesn't look so fast does he!

Powell is fast and worth developing. Joel well..is he really the guy to lead the line?

So far Sydney have won as many games when he was suspended than with him. Interesting!

 Sydney expect to win and all of the above aged players expect to play.

Frank Farina got the team into some shape, won a couple of games and then resorted to age and names. Strangely he dumped the one guy who seemed to be helping. Out goes Jason Culina, in comes the painfully slow Paul Reid and of course Terry McFlynn is back. What has Tezza got that the goal scoring, two goals already, former Socceroo didn't have? Beats me!

Frank even had the opportunity to bring a whole new central defence since he arrived. And don't they look solid? 35 year old Lucas Neil, and Tiago Calvano rejected by the Jets, are Frank's men.

Interestingly the saviour Calvano was also dropped by Frank for the last game in Perth! Is their not a 16 -19 year old developing centre back in the whole of Sydney?

Jets, Mariners even Victory with Ansell all seem to be able to get developing centre backs. Why not Sydney?

And when they did in Topor-Stanley they let him go. Farina has blown his honeymoon period. In Triantis, Powell, Chianese, Antonis, Grant and Ryall he has some mobility to include for all or parts of games. And these guys can improve.

Unless you get better players, faster players isn't now the time to put some work into these guys. It's amazing what a bit of belief does and young guys will die for you.

Just ask Ange or Gary van Egmond or of course Arnie! When Frank wonders why his teams start so slow in recent away games - wonder no more. Your team is too old, or too many of them are.

Bringing in Lucas Neill, does he really add anything to a team struggling to push forward, at pace. Or does he have to drop back to avoid the risk of being exposed.

 It's Michell Duke this weekend. Have you seen how fast he is? Which means the gap between Joel and co should be massive. He might not even be able to see Lucas with his ageing eyes!

 Frank and Sydney remain a basket case. Frank recently bemoans the players contracted for many years but Sydney could have a current team with the current mob. No problems.

When Ange was faced with the same problem. A dodgy keeper or two. Out went Danny Allsopp, and of course have you seen Isak Cernak, Petar Franjic and other moved on and in come Francesco Stella, and Jaesse Makarounas.

Frank there are ways!

Franks task is to lay down a plan, build confidence and blend a team of pace around Del Piero.

Otherwise the little Italian will never experience finals football in Australia, not this year or next.

Joel Griffiths, Lucas Neil, Brett Emerton, Terry McFlynn, Peter Reid and Adam Griffiths can and never should start in the same team.

Not if you want to entertain, keep the ball and play exciting football.

 Frank, we need a strong Sydney FC. Everyone says it, but your recent signings in Joel Griffith, Calvano, and Neil give little confidence to this viewer!

Will Sydney FC ever stabilise, layout a philosophy, develop young players, keep some local heroes and move on from the McFlynn era.

 Frank needs to lead the whole club, the vision and take Sydney into a new era. Or is he just a coach with little of the extra. Ange has it. Arnie does it in his own way. Mike Mulvey is getting my vote early. Even Ali Edwards is talking a good game early in the West.

 Frank is in the hotseat and it's about to get hotter.

Making the finals has nothing to do with it.

Sydney FC, if they are going to spend $5 - 7milion per year are a massive A_league club but when are they going to excite the country with their football, their culture and their youth?

 Oops news just in:

 Tezza just got another contract. Did you do that Frank?

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Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Nearpost Football Show March 5th

Nick, Gerald and Clive talk about the conclusion of the National Youth League and the Mariners' Asian Champions League exploits, as well as dissecting the last round of A-League fixtures.

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Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Les Murray - no-one's embraced old soccer, not as you know it - we never will!

The new NPL and excitement around the FFA Cup, or proposed cup has got Les Murray and his mates excited about embracing old soccer.

And of course down the track everyone is thinking relegation and promotion. The question remains, given the "passion" of our crowds and ability to attract a couple of head the ball "supporters" would old soccer really be embraced. I mean really?

Old soccer - riots, flag waving and burning, pitch battles between supporters and general disgraceful behaviour surrounding so called ethnic based football fans in the NSL - ain't ever coming back or being given a chance.

Does anyone seriously think the FFA would enable South Melbourne, Sydney Olympic or any other ethnically drenched team back into top tier football and risk everything we've worked towards?

Les you're dreaming!

Could such mono-ethnic owned teams, from Sydney and Melbourne, grow a supporter base in the modern era beyond the decreasing number of fans who attend these old soccer clubs. I doubt it. And who wants to see a Sydney or Melbourne team with just 5,000 supporter long term.

One flare at those games and the non-ethnic fans - would there be any - would be gone forever.

If you think the media are over reacting now what would they do if a guy in a Greek or Croatian shirt lit a single flare and ran on to the pitch.

Would the clubs themselves have ANY strategies to take their game and club to the mainstream, thus enabling us all to enjoy and be part of such a club. Not much evidence to date as they aimed.

In South Melbourne's case they even aimed to gain the second Melbourne licence.

Sir Lez, foolishly, naively even supported such a bid. Had they/he learnt nothing from the the new A-League? Blind freddy knew they had no chance, not in their current form. Not then, not now.

I love my football, my Simunic, Boban, and Modric even...hang on has there been any good Greek elite player?....but I don't want to support a team with tinges of overseas nations emanating from the stands, and sheds.

Les Murray might be excited for a return to old NSL grounds and atmosphere, but if the FFA can't allow Sydney Olympic or Marconi to be promoted then really have we really embraced old soccer?

Let's face it, it's never going to happen is it? No matter how much Sir Les thinks we have.

When Sydney Olympic has a chance of promotion then Old Soccer has been embraced and not before.

In there current form these old ethnic clubs have no chance of being promoted do they?

 I wish them well but unless they can sell their club and message to the mainstream they will never be attractive to the A-League set-up.

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Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Grand Final Derby?

Nick Amies and Gerald Crawford discuss the Socceroos' loss to Romania, the Culina/Farina debacle, Ian Ferguson's departure from Perth Glory and the new A-League finals format.

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Friday, 8 February 2013

Thai Tims welcome Tom Rogic - love Celtic, Canberra and Aussie football go Tom!




Tom Rogic has joined a big club - here's he welcomed by the Thai Tims with a nice ditty! On a day when Aussie sport is engulfed in drugs and body building here's a little sport link to make you smile. Juventus on Tuesday Tom. I know you are not in the squad but the crowd is going to amaze you. Watch, enjoy and let's hope next time we have a European home tie you are in the shirt.

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Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Stars on club emblems, yay or nay?

Nick Amies, Gerald Crawford and Clive MacKillop talk over the Mariners' decision to wear championship stars, as well as assessing the value of the A-League finals series. We also discuss the W-League grand final between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC whilst bringing you some news from all corners of Australian football.

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Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Nearpost Football Show January 23rd

Nick Amies, Gerald Crawford and Clive MacKillop discuss the weekend's A-league action as well as taking a closer look at Wellington Phoenix..

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Football Fans: Australia Day was never like this.

A long long time as a new immigrant I'd wander along to the Australia Day events, watch with bemusement at cars carrying their Australian flag, complete with Union Jack, and wonder at the sentiments being thrown from the passing windscreens of cars. Wait for the fireworks - is there any other way to celebrate in Australia other than fireworks - and then we'd all resume normal service, until ANZAC Day when we do it all again.

Most sports fans watched cricket on Australia Day (or maybe Tennis), as they had on Boxing Day it seems, and all throughout the summer. Cricket is not my thing.

Football fans had to follow the overnight scores from England, Italy or in my case Celtic Park.

It didn't feel right.

Having grown up and enjoyed the passion surrounding football in the UK I yearned for a game, a big game, a televised game with a passionate crowd right here in my new country.

There was the occasional Grand Final in Perth or Brisbane that made me wonder. There was the Socceroos' home qualifier every four years and that in terms of big games was largely it. I know we had the NSL - I watched it all but it didn't feel quite right to me. Not in terms of crowds, stadia - remember Archie at Morwell on TV, his current stage is more appropriate - and certainly not in terms of media coverage.

Now we have our own occasions. And lots of them seem to be building.

We can even get into Australia Day, and from fans with tickets the noise is this will be the highlight of the day. What a fantastic way to end the day.

And fireworks on the football field, Archie v ADP or should that be Rojas v ADP. That's my idea of an Australia Day celebration.

Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC - sold out. Followed by the Wanderers v Heart. Two games sure to cause any sports fan to stop for a moment as they flick through the channels.

Heck! We're even grabbing and using some of the AFL ideas, you know where we make ANZAC legends blur with Lance Franklin or Chris Judd or is it the other way round.

The FFA have taken the immigration ceremonies which are held across Australia Day and planted them front and centre into the Melbourne Sydney game. I hate it, but it's mainstream and it's brilliant.

This is where the game needs to be.

And I'm sure many in the crowd will ponder their own, or their families passage to Australia at this moment.

Football is building some great rivalries, some passion in the stands and increasing quality in the coaching arena and in the teams on display. The tempo is up the skills are responding. In short we're moving, fast.

Buzz Rothfield wrote this week that football has more avid 15-34 male fans than cricket. Read that again and discuss!

If this statement is correct, it's a startling positive statistic in a country where football on tv has been largely hidden, and cricket well..you know the rest.

We've a long way to go in football in Australia, but Australia Day will become a traditional day for football fans and sports viewers.

Can't wait for Australia Day! I'd never thought I'd say that!


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Saturday, 19 January 2013

Tom Rogic - path to Celtic Park?

Canberra's Tom Rogic has signed a four and a half year deal with Scottish Champions Celtic.

And while many have seen Tom in one of his 28 professional games to date few will know that the former ANU and Belconnen United Premier League player struggled to find a pathway from his talented potential in Canberra local teams to full-time professional.

 Canberra football in the past has struggled to help our late developers. If they didn't get into the 20 man AIS national program, at 17, they were finished. All of them.

In Canberra, faced with being dumped from the local ACTAS program - Rogic didn't make the AIS national program - he simply had nowhere to go. The local Premier League, training twice a week is simply no stepping stone to professional football in it's current form.

Fortunately the visionary John Mitchell took Tom and a number of other talented ex-ACTAS players, introduced a fitness regime planned by fmr Fulham Head Conditioning Coach and Canberran Andrew Young, football intensive training guided by Fmr AIS Head Coach and Canberran Ron Smith and the team was passionately lead by John.

It took one individual to bring in this talented group of professionals to assist our local youth. (Interestingly the program was never supported by the local Football Association. Too visionary at the time it seems, the program is now dead.)

Tom of course was a tremendous prospect. Slow they said. Too gangly they said. But anyone who watched him play knew he had something special.

Futsal - he represented Australia at a very young age. Next time your coach winces at the word - check out you Coaches skills. His technical skills. Are they any good! Probably not.

Of course it's hard to go from ANU men's to the A-League.

But the Nike World Challenge helped!

Tom won it!

Competing to be one of four from Australia and NZ, Rogic made that cut.

But amazingly when competing for the Nike World title in the UK against players from Brazil, Europe etc Tom won again.

He came back to Australia due to visa requirements and was picked up by fmr Socceroo and Reading player Andrew Bernal. The Canberra born Bernal worked hard with Rogic to lift his fitness levels prior to and after the Nike challenge.

The story goes.

Bernal rang Rogic late on Christmas Eve. "Training tomorrow Tom, 6am Mount Ainslie."

Rogic was the first to turn up.

Bernal simply wanted to test the guys dedication! Bernal knew what it would take to get anywhere near a contract.

To the Mariners under the watchful eye of Graham Arnold, Rogic instantly replaced media darling and upcoming star Mustafa Amini. No easy feat..unless you were better!

He'll be marked in Scotland, unlike in the A-League where he often roamed free from Sydney and Melbourne's poor excuse for a defence.

But if he can crack a significant number of games this season and create something special, the roar from the stands in Glasgow will be like nothing he heard in Gosford.

Big club, big expectations.

A lot to learn but what an adventure.

Good luck in Paradise Tom Bhoy - every Canberra football fan wishes you well.

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Sunday, 23 December 2012

Sydney FC rorting the salary cap?

Nick and debutante Geoff run the rule over the weekend's matches. Is Adelaide a spent force? Will Mike Mulvey resurrect Roarcelona?

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Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Nearpost Podcast November 28th

Nick, Gerald and Clive are back again this week, taking a look at Holger's squad for the East Asian Cup qualifiers as well as discussing the week's news in Australian football.

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Thursday, 22 November 2012

What's Your Plan Holger?

Nick Amies, Gerald Crawford and Clive MacKillop take an in-depth look at the new A-League broadcast deal as well as running the rule over Holger Osieck's tenure as Socceroos coach.

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Tuesday, 6 November 2012

The Podcast Returns...

After a brief vacation the Nearpost Podcast is back! Nick Amies, Ben Kelly and Clive MacKillop take you through all the action of the weekend's A-League and W-League fixtures and also giving you their predictions for the upcoming round of fixtures.

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Sydney FC - Rogic is just developing, Flores and co are the final product.

You knew they'd concede heaps once Sydney came out 3-1 down on Saturday and went to a back three.

 They did.

Schoolboy Coaching? Possibly, schoolboy defending...all game.

 Confidence at an all time low? Of course 6 or 7 players out including a defence means results are perhaps not showing the real Sydney especially as its early in the season.

But you can guarantee if they can't get three out of four defenders back for this week they'll get thumped again.

Melbourne will rip them to shreds.

Worse teams than Melbourne have caused them problems this season; think game 1 v Wellington.

The pace, touch and vibrancy of the Victory front six could scare Trent McClenahan and co.

Tommy Rogic - he's just developing, Flores and co are the real thing.

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Brebner and Broxham gone - Ernie Merrick take note!

It has always been interesting to watch the evolution of Australia's biggest supported football club. Melbourne Victory.

 Ernie Merrick took them to the heights early.

Thumping Sydney FC at Olympic Park in season 1 in front of a sold out crowd, followed in Season 2 by Archie's Grand Final (I was there)demolition of Adelaide United in front of 55,000 at one of the AFL's once previously monopolised hallowed grounds.

Ernie remained, players changed.

Grant Brebner and Leigh Broxham took centre stage and Ernie couldn't see it.

The damage done to the brand, the Victory brand.

Renowned for fast flowing football particularly in season 2 with Fred flying in behind and at times ahead even of Archie and Allsopp, things slowed a little once the Killer B's took over.

In Asia Ernie's men were embarrassing. Every time. And surely that was the true test for the rampant A-League squad.

Second time in Asia, Ernie was ditched pretty early.

And so Brebner, the faithful long ball servant retired. And Leigh Broxham after just one game under Ange and a demoralising few minutes at full back where he clearly gave up against Brisbane, or seemed to, he's also now gone. Not even on the bench.

Fans, we think we know football. We'd be screaming for years that Brebner and Broxham might get a you a result or two against Brisbane but they never were going to take the club forward, into Asia were they?

 Ange must be a fan, that's all you can assume!

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Rado v Ange: Round 5 assessment

It was all Rado, what did Ange do?

Or so came the cry from some football followers and if grew a little louder once Brisbane had thumped Melbourne 5-0 in Round 2.

5 rounds in and it's time for further assessment.

Melbourne Victory are the most improved team in the league.

Their first half performance was simply stunning last night v the renowned tough to beat Wellington Phoenix. Last night Melbourne passed and passed again. It was fast and incisive, more so that Brisbane at their best? Possibly.

 And I loved it.

Archie and Marco Rojas have more pace than Brisbane ever had in the forward line and although Flinkler and Flores struggle for pace and endurance they can play a pass, a special pass, to ongoing willing runners can't they?

If anything Melbourne at their best are slightly more direct than Brisbane were at their best. Is this deliberate or just the nature of the group assets?

Brisbane are still maintaining possession but five games in they are looking far less potent and although still have a lot to offer no doubt they need to find extra pace and energy not to mention a few goals. There ball possession is still fine, but their ball movement too predictable and too slow to create real havoc. Early days?

Broich looks a little less consistent this year. Berisha also - is he following Rado's new plan by dropping deeper or is this just his frustration coming through.

The Roar without Ivan Franjic are half the team and it was no surprise with him back against Adelaide the possession and energy so reliant on wide players, returned. Not so the goals, not yet.

 Melbourne showed they have been training.

How many goals will Archie create for Rojas? At least three tap ins already. Interesting!

And with Flores and Finkler combining for one of the goals of the season, mind you the other two for Victory weren't bad were they, then you can see things are on the up.

Pace and movement in the final third is evident and thrilling. One touch.

Weakness? Clearly they couldn't sustain it beyond 48 minutes or the third goal!

Wellington came back hard which showed how well Victory had played early on. But Ange would be worried.

Flores and Finkler are no Mackay and Murdocha. Can you see Victory winning games in the last 3 minutes? Not yet, not with these players.

 But Victory have shown they can possibly perform on a par, maybe even better than Brisbane at their best.

Victory's defence, even the much-maligned Adrian Leijer, seemed more composed.

Although if the ball is down the other end all night you can pick yourself up for the odd chase and tackle I suppose.

Mark Milligan over Jon Bru is a huge improvement.

Great for the A-League to have another Ange team producing excitement. If he spends two years at each club in another 16 or so think of the quality of the league!!!

If it's not Ange that produces the quality free-flowing team, then who is it? Kevin Muscat?

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