Aussie Joe joined us at the Nearpost in January on his mid-season break. Last night his Croatian side downed Germany 2-1. Can Canberra's greatest footballer go all the way in his third Euro.
And they might, as there is no Australia o knock em out this time:)
Michael Zullo got $30,000 last year for starring for Queensland Roar according to Mr Football Les Murray in a recent article.
With the continuing drift of Australian footballers to Europe I was wondering which were the top six paying leagues in the World.
And the reply I got was interesting. We're not talking quality football here, we're talking dosh, average wage.
No peeping until you've had a darn good guess. Answer below.
In order highest first:
English
Italian
Spain
Germany
France
and the English Championship
Obviously wages vary greatly within leagues and even clubs. Some Japanese or even Australian Clubs would be paying more to certain individuals.
Celtic and Rangers would presumably pay on par with the English Championship, and even some lower EPL sides, maybe.
But for an average wage, the English Championship coming in sixth stunned me.
TV revenue is the reason.
And still wages in the Championship can vary from $50,000 a year to $700,000 a year.
Explains perhaps why Nicky Carle, David Carney and Ruben Zadkovich are heading to the Championship rather than a better standard of football.
And also makes the $150,000 Olyroo marquee figure perhaps a tad insignificant don't you think?
The Weekender is a football article written every week by anyone. Today it's me. It covers Canberra football or football in it's broadest sense. It's aim is to ensure Canberrans can wake up on a Saturday to an article re:football written by one of their own.
With 17,000 players that's the least we deserve!
The Daily Telegraph's David Davutovic was on Total Football this week discussing Socceroo Nathan Burns rumoured July 1, $500,000 transfer to Norwegian side SK Brann Bergen.
"I think it would be a step-up." said Dave, and he wasn't joking!
Dave, didn’t you see Shane Stefanutto's one and only Socceroos performance last year after years in the Norwegian league!
And even Dave, if as you point out, Brann Bergen are in the Champions League, whoopee do.
They are in the Qualifying rounds and when they draw Liverpool or Arsenal is Nathan really going to improve after just two games chasing Lampard and Gerrard around the park. Then what back to the Norwegian league?
Burns has the potential to create a goal. More than former Sydney FC’s Ruben Zadkovich, more than ex-Newcastle Jets tricky Nicky Carle and more than flying winger and Socceroos full-back David Carney. All three, it should be noted, have gone to England to the Championship.
And goal creation is worth big dollars in any league in modern football.
So why is Burns off to Norway?
Has Graham Arnold and co suggested it? Can’t imagine they would think a couple of years in some Norwegian backwater is going to lift his game and profile higher than playing Olympic football, A-League and potentially the latter stages of the Asian Champions League.
Maybe Burns himself is under confident. He’s not that quick, a crucial ingredient for any player no matter how skilful in the modern game.
But neither is tricky Nicky and he’s making his fortune in England, or so it seems.
Burns certainly lacks consistency. But the injuries and travelling involved for Olyroo qualifiers hardly helped his cause last season.
But Burns can score, and Burns can influence a game much more than many A-League Australians.
Burns can win a game single-handedly. How many Australians in the three years of A-League football can do that?
So Burns should stay one more year.
Then forget Norway.
Head to Holland, the English Premiership, Germany or even Italy.
85% of players going overseas never move beyond the level of club they first move to. That must be a concern for Australian fans, if not for Burns.
Imagine staying in Norway for the rest of your football days. Why bother going?
Burns is one of our shining stars. He already has a Socceroos cap, Asian Champions League, and Olyroos experience.
He’s played Grand Finals, he’s won games.
He can get you out of your seat with a flick of the hips, a slide of a pass, a dribble. How many Aussies can do that in the A-League? With his style?
Australia needs the boy from Bathurst to improve, potentially be part of our World Cup campaign, and maybe burst onto the World Stage in 2010.
It’s only 2 years away. Will he burst on to the World Cup stage from Norway?
Maybe we've overrated Burns, but many of us who saw Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Vinnie Grella and Jason Culina running around the old NSL have a good measure.
With Viduka the goals told us everything. Emerton ran so hard no-one could ever stop him, or Culina. Grella, was not fast, but he played the ball years above his age. Burns is not fast, but he can create.
He’s not Harry Kewell, not at 17 or even 21.
But Burns may be another Tim Cahill. A late developer. Who, in Australian football, knew Timmy at 21? Kicking around for Millwall in the Eastend of London.
Five years later, he’s as well known in Australia as any other sportsman.
It seems Burns will head to Norway. If he does it would be a disastrous move for him, and for Australia.
Is Norway the best league one of our star Olyroos can get to? Carney, Carle, Michael Beauchamp, Dario Vidosic and Zadkovich suggests not.
And Adelaide United, and the FFA, should ask who is advising him.
Dave, from the Telegraph, it’s not you is it?
Mike Salter reviews the teams in the Euro Champions League Semi's.
And my mind wandered. Who will be the next Aussie to play in the tournament?
Harry Kewell normally gets a final gig should Liverpool make it.
Jason Culina at PSV normally gets a game. UEFA Cup for them this year.
Zeljko Kalac at AC Milan. They're out now, no coincidence surely.
Scott McDonald made the last 16, well for a few minutes at Barcelona. That counts.
But who will the next Aussie of that quality?
A Timmy Cahill transfer, Matthew Spiranovic?, Carl Valeri moves to the Swiss Champions or maybe David Carney stumbles into Bayern Munich or maybe Josh Kennedy gets a move from Karlsruhe, unlikely.
It's hard to see, for me, where our next European Champions League player will come from.
My money is on Mathew Spiranovic. I've never seen him play, but given his position on the field, the club and league he plays in, he seems to be the most likely.
But will he be an Australian when he gets to the Champions League, or will our Croatian friends have stolen him from us?
Who do you think our next Aussie in European Champions League will be?
And FourFourTwo stats man Damian Davies forwarded this response. Thanks Damian.Possibilities for next Aussies in Champions League...
Scott Chipperfield at Basle (leading the Swiss league)
Nathan Coe at FC Copenhagen (sat on the bench last CL campaign)
Mate Dugandzic at Dinamo Zagreb (if you believe the hype, he will be in the team for the next campaign, they have the title sown up)
Adam Hughes and John Tambouras (Drogheda, Ireland have qualifying for next campaign based on leading the league end of 2007)
Michael Petrovic (Sivasspor are well in the race for a CL berth)
Sasa Radulovic (Ujpest are a point from the top in Hungary)
Luke Wilkshire (Twente may yet slip into qualification)
Jess van Stratten (often in the squad at Juventus although yet to start)
Ned Zelic (Dinamo Tbilisi are leading Georgia title race)
Not sure if all those league qualify for Cl, some may be UEFA Cup.
Plenty of guys have a shot. Based on current form, I would have my money on Hughes, Tambouras, Zelic. I would imagine Kewell and Culina will both transfer in June. Culina may great to Rangers at end up playing CL. Similar story for Schwarzer and Kewell - may be at Celtic next season
David Carney is a wizard from Oz.
Not my view it's the view of the Guardian, one of England's better newspapers
Carney scored the only goal in the FA Cup match in his club's 1-0 away win over Premier League side Bolton.
He's turned down a $3 million dollar move to Anderlecht and is waiting to see if the Bayern Munich interest comes to anything!
Socceroo Matthew Spiranovic came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute to help FC Nuremburg, known in Germany as 'Der Club', win the German Cup.
Nuremburg beat Bundesliga Champions Stuttgart in the final 3-2.
No place for fellow Aussies Michael Beauchamp, Josh Kennedy or Dario Vidosic in the Nuremburg side. Presumably Beauchamp and Kennedy are injured.
Matthew Spiranovic is only 18. Since Harry Kewell, Australia has never had an 18 year old playing at such a high level in the game.
Clearly Spiranovic, who made his debut this year against Bayern Munich, has a huge future ahead of him.
It will be interesting to watch his progression. A German Cup Final winners medal is not bad for starters.
Asian Cup winners medal next?
Also although of Croatian heritage, he has chosen to play for Australia. That makes me feel good!
Is Matthew Spiranovc the hottest property since Harry Kewell, what do you think?
AC Milan beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League this morning
Harry Kewell cam on after 60 minutes, good news for the Socceroos and our Asian Cup campaign.
Zeljko got the $500,000 individual player bonus as he sat on the bench and watched his Brazilian team mate Dida at work in the Milan goals.
Nice work if you can get it!
What was the best bonus you ever got from working? I got 665 pounds once for working in poor conditions, no heating and the like. Take that Zeljko!
A few Australians will be playing in Cup Finals in the next few days.
Harry Kewell may play tonight in the biggest final of all. The Champions League Final in Athens, Liverpool v AC Milan. Zeljko Kalac will be on the bench for AC Milan.
On Saturday Nuremberg will look to win their first German Cup in 45 years when they meet Stuttgart.
It could be a double celebration at the final in Berlin with Michael Beauchamp and Matthew Spiranovic looking to add to the good news that they have been included in the Australian squad to play Uruguay with a winners medal for Nuremberg.
On Monday the city of Berne will host the Swiss Cup Final with Qantas Socceroos Mile Sterjovski and Scott Chipperfield likely to line-up for FC Basel as they face FC Luzern.
Predictions:
AC Milan to win
Stuttgart to win in Germany
Aussie Basel to win in Switzerland
Agree? Tell us what you think.
Harry Kewell scored from the spot for Liverpool, Mark Viduka scored 2 for Middlesboro, Lucas Neill won at Manchester United to survive the drop. Josip Skoko and John Filan' Wigan won at Sheff United to avoid the drop and send Neil Warnock's team down.
Will Viduka stay at Boro? I think not. If you've followed his career he generally lifts his game and talks up his decisions when he is on the move. 19 goals this season he'd be worth a fair bit.
I reckon Man United could do with him to support the flying Ronaldo and Rooney?
Do you think he'll stay at Boro? Let us know.
Socceroo and Canberran Carl Valeri is in involved in a crucial game on the weekend.
His Italian Serie C team Grosetto needs to win its final game of the season away to Padova to win the league and secure its place in Serie B.
p pts diff
GROSSETO 33 59 18
SASSUOLO 33 58 14
PISA 33 58 13
CITTADELLA 33 53 12
VENEZIA 33 51 11
Monza 33 51 9
Padova 33 50 11
If Valeri's team finishes second or lower, it will join four teams for the play-off rounds for the second Serie B place. Involvement in the play-offs may mean Valeri could miss selection for the Uruguay game in Sydney on June 2nd.
Winning would ensure Valeri would be available for selection for the Socceroos game against Uruguay. With Vince Grella likely to be involved in relegation play-offs in Serie A, Valeri could be the obvious man to take his place for the Uruguay game after his strong performance in the recent friendly against China.
Good luck Carl Valeri.
You can follow the online text reports at the Grosseto site, (game is Sunday 11pm AEST time) but you might have to know a little Italian!
http://www.usgrosseto.com/portal07/home.htm
John Aloisi is off to Queenland Roar or maybe the English Premiership or a Chmapioship side.
Nigerian International Jay-Jay Ochocha is off to Sydney FC if Sydney don't sign Phillip Cocu from PSV Eidnhoven. Oh, but they may both end up in Dubai!
Rumour with an Aussie angle. Good for paper sales! But who has signed this year who isn't Australian?
Money seems to be the stumbling block.
How is that the Australian guys which have reportedly made a lot of dosh overseas can't reduce their wage at the end of their career to aid the Australian game?
Aloisi's career is hardly over. If he came back to Queensland, surely sponsorships, TV work, coaching are just of some of the work he could get when his playing days end.
Should the Aussies come back and play for a mere $400,000 per year? What do you think?
What did Socceroos fan Rod do while waiting for the World Cup to start in Germany?
Filled in his time by nipping across to Scotland to do an SFA coaching course.
On been told to warm-up all thirty coaches, including ex-Celtic star Brian McClaughlin all ran off around the oval. Rod, being an Aussie, grabbed a ball and warmed up with the ball.
Oh and if you want to know how he went on the course. The SFA criticised him on one point.
Cones. When setting up a drill, coaches used four cones to make a square, Rod was marked down for using cones of different colours!
Sure enough, when he looked at all the other coaches set-ups everyone had four little white cones.
No wonder Scotland never make the World Cup these days.
At the mid-way point in the group stage of the ACL, Sydney FC and Adelaide United have a lot of work to do if they are to advance.
see full article here http://www.netfa.com/NS_BTP_current_art.html
Australian's Mark Viduka and Richard Garcia scored crucial goals overnight for their clubs.
Viduka earned a point for Middlesborough against Manchester United at Old Trafford. United were held 1-1. This will allow Chelsea to close the gap to one point if they win today.
Garcia scored for Colchester United against Roy Keane's Sunderland in the Championship. With two games to go leaders Sunderland crashed 3-1 to United who are chasing a play-off place.
