Ange Postecoglou signed a new three year deal with Brisbane Roar today and FFA CEO Ben Buckley is delighted.
Sir Ben said:
“Earlier this week I said we would make it a priority to clear up the uncertainty around the coaching position at the Roar and I am pleased that we have been able to achieve that.
“I would like to congratulate Ange on his new deal and thank him for his professional conduct during negotiations.”
Magnificent Mariners - now three Grand final losses - but this one will really hurt.
Why didn't they mark from the corner in the last minute?
and for Graham Arnold is this worse than Iran.
2-0 simply the most dangerous lead in football - bar 3-0 if you're from AC Milan.
Now if we could just find an owner for Brisbane - any ideas?
But will be great to see a packed house once again for another A-League Grand Final.
The local game packs em in.
So the North Queensland Fury have been booted from the league. No surprise there and no surprise they didn't have the funds to meet the FFA's rising costs of running a licence.
1. Why the hell did the FFA let North Queensland in based on a population base of just 170,000 people in Townsville. (Canberra region is 700,000 and they wouldn't come near us.)
2. And did the FFA do their due diligence on a Fury business model; if so why did the Fury have to be financially restructured in season 1 only to fold in season 2.
3. The Fury cost us, the football community, $9 million Big Ben Buckley dollars according to the FFA. So who puts up a business franchise model that is so well funded, so well-resourced it will only need $9 million of the FFA's money to keep it going, and then be dumped. In just two years. FFA are a basket case.
Chief Commercial Operations Manager at the time of entry was John O'Sullivan - he did Canberra no favours - and it seemed the FFA's commercial sense is shot to pieces. O'Sullivan is gone? Was he responsible? Is it Buckley?
Why is it impossible for a town in Australia to run a football team?
Maybe the FFA has the cost structure all wrong. Particularly for regional teams.
And now another region much like Canberra and possibly the Gold Coast could be alienated from the professional game for a long time.
We've lost two W-League teams, two A-League teams (remember NZ Knights) and never found a Western Sydney bid despite the skulduggery from the FFA Bidding process.
Does Ben Buckley really deserve another shot at the A-League?
His report card is looking bleak.
Not only has the A-League been in free-fall he's actually alienated a fair share of the future football community - and that's a crime. It takes a special talent to do that after 2006 and two World Cups.
Guess North Queensland Football died today.
That's not acceptable in the modern era is it?
Sitting watching the Adelaide game at the Canberra Labor Club yesterday a friend noticed the SBS World Game crew walking in with five minutes to go.
Craig Foster, Sir Les Murray, David Zdrillic, Zeljko Kalac, Kimon Taliadoras,and David Basheer. ACT Senator Kate Lundy was with them.
What they all up to?
And the answer sent in by email is -
The SBS World Game Team are in town to play the Politicians at Parliament House for Harmony Day.
Ange Postecoglou Championship winning Coach of Australia's most unbeaten football team ever - up against Graham Arnold one-time Socceroos losing dispirited Coach, dire Olyroo producing Coach but long-term Assistant to Hiddinka and Verbeek.
Over two legs Ange won the day - in fairness he had all the confidence and momentum going into the first game - and despite the Mariners playing much better than in previous games Arnie's men couldn't score.
Arnie had learned much from his teams 5-1 debacle earlier in the season, employing his forwards much wider, using Perez to push forward to restrict the Roar playing out to their two wide full backs themselves always pushing up.
Last night the Mariners seemed to pull back to compact the space into their own third, never mind half, at times. Similarly the Roar - but the Mariners seemed to play their two strikers even wider this week when defending the ball.
Did it work?
Yes and no.
The Mariners created wonderful chances early, before the Roar had 67% of possession going into the break. The Mariners had scored two - stunned the pants off Arnie and the watching gallery but in truth the Roar had enough chances to score themselves.
Ange wouldn't have been to worried at half-time given their possession - notwithstanding their 2-0 lead was gone - and mental stuff starts to happen.
In the second half the Mariners were on top, getting good ball, good possession as the normally composed Roar started to look - awful.
Arnie must have thought the win was coming - but Ange switched Henrique for Nichols, more pace, same skill with Broich moving in to Nichols place and the game was won.
In an instant.
It was so simple, a little change and the Roar got McKay on the ball - he kept it, released a team-mate or two and the Mariners unassailable ascendency was gone.
Norwich in goal for the Roar still had to make a match-winning save but somehow the Roar had got out of gaol.
I'm still not sure why such a substitution was so powerful, so effective but Arnie will be rueing this one.
He had the Roar on the ropes - home Grand Final on the way - and suddenly it was gone.
A fantastic game, nip and tuck, with some fine football being played by Australian's finest - a feast.
Don't miss the final - I'm a big Adelaide fan but maybe only the Mariners have enough around the park to make the final a fascinating battle.
Let's hope it's a rematch of last nights game - would be a proud day for Aussie sport.
And with 50,000 at Suncorp we might even get some positive coverage for football's finest domestic day!
Mitch Langarak plays for Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich - Dortmund win 3-1.
Asian Champions League starts Tuesday with Melbourne Victory away to Gamba and Sydney at home to Suwon Bluewings. We'll have the coverage on the Nearpost radio/podcast.
Fozzie gets stuck into Jesse Fink - two SBS bloggers going head to toe. Nice one Fozzie and come on Jesse Fink mate before you write.
Kosta Barbarouses misses many many chances for the Roar - did he forget how to shoot - but Thomas Broich makes sure this years final will have a huge crowd again - this time in Brisbane.
Brisbane Roar packed in 25,000 into Suncorp last night and Adelaide United's minor Semi if sold out this afternoon.
Football at Hindmarsh is always something special and this afternoons game will be no different - will Gold Coast spoil the party. I hate to say it but I think so.
Last night the Mighty Mariners showed why the Grand Final can be a humdinger if the yellow bellies can win their Semi and come back to Suncorp to take on the Roar.
The Roar has the momentum, 2-0 and 67% of the ball in the first half but were 2-0 down.
In truth this game could have been 3-3 at half-time with both teams missing many chances.
A tactical switch, Mitch Nichols being withdrawn, Henrique on and Thomas Broich into midfield changed the game - instantly.
The Mariners were looking the most likely in the second half with the Roar stumbling to find the rhythm of the last 26 non-defeated games.
Mariners keeper 18 year old Matt Ryan made a big NEARPOST error and the Thomas Broich took full advantage.
Who wouldn't want to see these two sides back in the Grand Final.
The Roar showed as they did in the first leg, the Mariners can and will create many chances against them. And indeed next time the Mariners may well spoil the party in front of 50,000 Brisbanites at Suncorp.
Great week for football.
Violence in football on and off the field is not acceptable, and I love my Old Firms Derbies, just not the violence that surrounds it - Of course in AFL, League or Union the more violence the better but that's another story.
But I'm not interested in which set of fans are more violent, we know in Australia it will be football, its flares and fans that will come under the most biased scrutiny from the media.
So what, deal with it.
No flares, no tv news.
No tribal mass swearing, no offensive sound coming through your TV set.
No fighting, running at each other in packs, no throwing bottles etc, no problem.
And let's keep the police out of it.
We only have ourselves to blame.
The recent game in Adelaide between Victory and Adelaide showed the problems that would surround our game, still, if crowds grew.
Adelaide/Melbourne, Sydney/Melbourne are the flashpoints - and only these games it seems.
I neither know nor care why but the solution is simple.
Fan culture - The Barmy Army self-police, and have a policy of non-violence, it's about time Melbourne Victory away support did the same, Adelaide and Sydney supporters should do the same.
Maybe Victory do - it ain't working is it!
No violence no story and maybe then we can all concentrate on the positive sides of the fan culture, and indeed the game itself.
Fan culture - let's hear it and see it and stop whingeing at the police, the security guys, the mums and dads of Australia - or else you'll be singing to an empty stand.
Interesting: How come all this stuff is coming out anyway just before the AFL season with AFL pre-season cup struggling to get crowds to match Football and Union? Media works in mysterious ways - make that predictable ways.
First Wellington Phoenix slumped out of the finals series as the Dylan McAllister led forward line couldn't score in the proverbial brothel despite putting in a strong performance in Adelaide on Friday.
Then they have to watch as their former young gun Kosta Barbarouses single-handedly delivers a fantastic semi-final opener, only to supply the Grand Final home ground second goal against the Mariners.
Oh Ricky how must you weep!
All the hype about Patricio Perez the Mariners star Argentinean counted for nothing as he failed to deliver in the game that mattered, the A-League semi-final.
A close game and the Mariners were perhaps unlucky not to score as they hit the post a couple of times but in truth it was Perez with some key space and ball, particularly in the second half who could not deliver a final ball, or test the Roar keeper with any decent shot that saw the Mariners needing a miracle in Brisbane.
John Hutchison was preferred to Mustafa Amini - the enforcer over the playmaker and perhaps it was the football purist in me who smirked as Matt MCKay stole the ball from Hutch and then released it instantly for Kosta Barbarouses. The young Kiwi has a lot to do, but he done it as Robbie would say, and 1-0 Brissy.
Matt McKay and Brisbane's fitness again started to shine through as they simply over ran the Mariners men. McKay found the heat no problem starting and ending the move that could see 50,000 in Brisbane for a Grand Final in three weeks.
When it counted McKay beat Perez hands down.
1. Rini Coolen's steal of the year. Iain Ramsay is given game time and wins games creates goals. Nice one only ruined by the ending.
2. Ange Postecoglou - turns a team of good players into a passing, moving, dream machine.
3. Ange - so good I mentioned it twice.
4. Graham Arnold - for turning the Mckinna dour Kilmarnock inspired Mariners into the Magnificent Mariners - the West Ham of Aussie football.
5. Graham Arnold - for quickly learning from his dumb decision to attack the Roar in the 5-1 defeat game.
6. Vitaslev for turning Sydney FC into a slow boring rabble into something with shades of rebirth inspired by Nicky Carle, Dimitri Petratos and Bruno Cazarine.
7. Ernie Merrick for building a talent pool better, faster and more skilful than Melbourne has ever had. Exciting times ahead.
8. Ange P for teaching Aussies that just because the salary cap is equal doesn't mean the Coach can't effect and make a huge impact.
9. Ange for making us ask why are Perth, Gold Coast, and Sydney at times so crap from a fluent football point of view.
10. Graham Arnold for introducing, and harnessing M Armini, unleashing Josh Rose, finding Mr Perez and getting enough mobile skilful players so Matt Simons presence is okay - sort of! We love you Matt!
1. Miron Bleiberg - Youth Development Encouragement Award. Not!
Taking Chris Harald, 18, off after 38 minutes and slagging him of on National TV.
Aside - notice how Taj Minnicon has floundered under Miron and his "when the whistle stops it's who evers in the white chairs first' team picking policy.
2. Miron signing import Peter Pertchold late in the season. Arnie gives M. Armini, 17, a fair go - Miron thinks the Captain of his Youth Team, Stephen Lustica Aussie U20, is worthy of how many games?
3. Ricky Herbert - Sick of Kiwi's and gets rid of Kosta Barbouroses for Dylan McAllister. Lost you the finals Ricky - nice one.
4. Iain Ferguson - Was he responsible for putting this years squad together? Getting rid of Tando to bring in Danny Vukovic - any real difference?
5. Iain Ferguson - rumoured to be bringing in Dean Heffernan. Give Youth a go! Although in Perth anyone under 30 is youth - go Deano.
6. Rini Coolen - Young Gun Iain Ramsay replaced by S. Slory - ageing Dutch nobody. Bet he gets his books online as well.
7. John Van Schip - three pensions and you're crap. John Aloisi, Gerry Sibon and Josip Skoko. Just two pensions too many. Which two, is up to you.
8. Vitaslev Lavicka - Hayden Foxe. Signed for what reason exactly? Because he was better than Matt Jurman, Seb Ryall or any other Aussie willing to play centre back or because Poppa was in his ear - maaaaattteeeeess.
9. Branko Culina - for letting Ljubo Milicevic out of his cage. Ljubo was running the show. No Ljubo, no Jets. Ljubo got Branko a 4 year deal, what oh what can Branko do now.....get Jason?
10. Vitaslev Lavicka - this one was announced half way through last season - get rid of two time champions Clint Bolton and bring in Reddy steady benched a lot - Liam Reddy. Didn't work did it?
Why is it the Nearpost knew the outcome of all these dumb and dumber decisions before the players took the part.
Do you really need your Coaching Badges to understand football and football players - i don't even have grassroots but I'd back myself on team selection, team recruitment and team development against some of these decisions.
And Fergie's trying to get in early next season already. Evan Berger and Dean Heffernan - two left-backs but with one thing in common!
Love Adelaide United, love Travis Dodd, and love that goal last night.
Flowing football at its best, Brazil, to Argentinean, to Dutch slotted by an AUSSIE!
While all the focus has been on Paul Reid I'm more intrigued by the Iain Ramsay debacle.
Why has Ricky Dicky Coolen given us Mr Slory. Dutch version of mates rates?
He had Iain Ramsay up left, Lucas Pantelis can do a job, and with Dodd and Matthew Leckie on the right why oh why did he bring in Slory.
Is he really any better than Ramsay. Not yet he isn't and they've only got one maybe two games to go.
Ramsay is Australian.
Ramsay has created goals, scored goals and can you would think only improve. And would benefit from further games.
Now he's never going to play again is he?
Young Aussie helped Adelaide into top four, but come final time they've signed Slory.
Slory looks up for the fight, make that any fight. He's not Aussie, he's not young and he's probably not cheap.
Aussie is young, has had some great games, he's Aussie so why would you sign a replacement?
That's exactly what is ruining most of our clubs.
So you aren't allowed to have a Youth team - because of FFA paranoia, finances, rules, whatever - and yet you play professional football against other clubs, ten of them, most who have a Youth team and after six years of football - we're seeing heaps and heaps of young players filling in as your stars get injured or are out of form.
Think Matthew Leckie, Iain Ramsay, and more many more.
Wellington Phoenix.
Got to feel for them. Gave a wonderful display last night against Adelaide, against all the odds but Ricky lost this one pre-season.
Who wants to live in New Zealand? Not even Troy Hearfield - he's off back to East Coast of Australia.
Overseas stars? Well if they are paid enough they'll go there instead of Tramere, Bournemouth or Leeds.
But most want to go to Sydney I guess.
But when Ricky and co do find a young jewel, they need to polish it, value it and keep it.
Brisbane’s Kosta Barbarouses - he's Kiwi - 5 times the player this year than he was last year when Ricky Herbert never played him.
And they let him go.
Now they have another young gun - the enlightened Kiwi fans unearthed him, not Ricky.
Then again Ricky likes three big buggers upfront - Dylan McAllister in Kosta Barbarouses out, out, out.
Why would you do that? A young Kiwi out and an failed old stager in?
Wellington trying to emulate Perth?
Ten years ago research shows that midfielders in Europe had 6-8 touches every time they got the ball.
Five years ago it was down to 3-5.
Now studying the Quarter Finals of last years Champions League it was down to an average of 1.8 touches per midfielder.
Who says?
Coach from Dinamo Zagrab one of the top ten Youth Development Production Factories in Europe. Check the video here.
Check out your club on the weekend. Sydney FC fan? Oh you can't guess Stuey Musialik's average was a little higher - you know I think it might have been!
Both young guys are from Canberra football - both have played many many times for the Australian under 17 and now Under 20 teams both had to travel thousands of miles to learn their trade at a very young age.
Bushie probably had the steal on Stephen Lustica in the early years - getting more game time in more Rep teams at a younger age, but Lustica made his mark loud enough, soon enough, running out time and time again for the U20s.
Both went on to play for "their" (Canberra doesn't have any football for young men) Youth teams, Lustica at the Gold Coast, Captain no less and Bushie, just a little further away, in Brisbane.
And while Lustica is a little older what part chance takes in development?
Miron rarely plays young Lustica bar Mirons-Mad decision to debut him against Victory away in centre-midfield. In front of 25,000 his team are thumped 4-0 what a shocking experience for a young player.
Ange brings Bushie on with 30 to go on Saturday, cruising at home to the Gold Coast - a taster for next season perhaps. In front of 20,000 a great experience a wonderful start.
Both played in Brisbane on Friday night.
Add with Canberra born Baresic, Topor-Stanley, Pilkington, Rogic, Casey, Milanovanic, and a few others in the wings and you'd have a youth team producing bigger and better players over and over.
Canberra keeps producing them. How many more would we produce after five years of A-League football in Canberra?
Must be hard for the other codes in Canberra to keep grabbing the talent pool - then again you need to do a lot of work in the gym I'm told for the other codes.
Of course I'm a Celtic fan and this is our song.
But anyone at the Socceroos v Uruguay game and indeed watching the Brisbane Roar game on the weekend will know that this song can work in Australia as well.
So many fans in Australia want their own song, their own anthem, after six seasons, few clubs it seems has one, one that any fan can join in.
If I was Brisbane Roar - I'd grab it now and call it their own.
50,000 Roar fans at a Grand Final? Well I reckon they'd all get into it before kick-off even if they'd never been to a game.
An anthem needs to be able to be sung on occasions by anyone in any part of the ground - YNWA - one club should grab it.
The Roar heard it sung by the Celtic fans a couple of years ago, they poignantly rolled it out on Saturday.
Lock it in Brisbane.
When was the last time three players, u20, scored in an A-League team, or NSL team for that matter in Australian football?
Mariners young forwards Mustafa Amini and Bernie Ibini-Isei and debutant Mitchell Duke all opened their A-League scoring accounts last night.
Significant?
You bet and a sign of the times not just at the Mariners but across Australia football.
So the young guns keep pushing and the beauty of it is there will be another three and more coming through next year, and the year after that.
With the U17 and U20 into the World Cup Finals and these guys making a mark on the A-League the future of Aussie football is getting brighter by the day.
Nothing better than watching Australia play in an International Tournament. And tonight it's Aussies v India.
Can't wait. No matter how good or otherwise India are meant to be, this is a game that has to be won, and to set us up nicely for the cracker against Korea.
One player up front, maybe on Friday, surely not tonight as Australia go for broke.
I'm not expecting too much but still will be great to see the team in action.
Meanwhile in Melbourne yesterday.
What a fantastic game of entertaining attacking football. Is it the stadium? Or are all teams playing better in the Aami stadium because the crowd is so big, so close?
Hindmarsh seems to bring out similar entertainment. Flores helps of course!
And Musky off - nice one!
