Mitch Langerak doesn't listen to the Nearpost...or else he'd have got their first on the weekend.
John Aloisi, The Cove, Steve O'Connor, Sydney FC Melbourne Heart, Westpac, Tommy Oar, Lucy Zelic, Con Stamocostas, Gold Coast United, Wellington Phoenix, Terry McFlynn, Graham Arnold and Terry Henry..it's all here.
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Sydney drew with Queensland Roar last night 1-1. A good game and with the Roar leading 1-0, Australia's fattest import Charlie Miller heading towards goal with a minute to play....there could be only one winner.
Charlie, okay I'm a Celtic fan, and the wee Ger is scoring goals galore despite his girth, was sure to score to make it 2-0 at the death.
Much like Michael Zullo did last week in Melbourne. But he struggled to get to the ball and blasted into the small group of Roar fans behind the goals.
Nay bother, game over.
But as often happens in the A-League this season a goal comes in the last ten seconds.
Sydney had played "Fosteresque" nice passing football all night particularly once they'd gone behind early in the second half. But in truth their forward play where it counts was woeful.
Hardly a shot all night nor an attacking ball of note.
In fact not since John Aloisi's played, who had his best game last night, has Sydney mark 4 looked potent.
This was a team that put three past the Central Coast early on. Without Aloisi!
Anyway the ball was slung in and fell to Musialik who placed it home. 1-1 Cue delirium in the stands, but really Sydney offered little.
Just after half-time Charlie Miller, the slowest man on the field, had found space behind Stuey Musialik and touched the ball about ten times before the Sydney defence thought "hey up, this guy can score from here," but it was too late as Charlie wellied it past Clint Bolton 1-0.
What an import the Roar have in Miller, not to mention his five goals. Good work Charlie, I'm loving it.
And Aloisi, cut his hair to be like Zdrillic and now looks like him and is starting to play like him.
Tries hard, runs a lot just not very fast, is strong but just can't score.
And when you see Charlie Miller scoring, Reinaldo creating havoc with his mobility, Bruce Djite last season, Cristiano for Adelaide it seems the older reputable Aussie striker can't make it in the young mans A-League.
David Zdrillic, Ante Milicic, Paul Agostino, and now John Aloisi.
Aloisi is not a lone striker, never has been in my view....or Gus Hiddinks.
And his lack of pace is playing right into defenders hands.
Gary Van Egmond recognised this in last years Grand Final, every club must be delighted to see Aloisi setting up for an afternoons stroll around the box.
Sure if he gets a chance he may well score, but he hasn't yet.
And Sydney are now dropping points, or maybe still saving them.
Alex Brosque is restricted now by Aloisi's central position. Mark Bridge slung wide as well.
Against the Mariners it was the creativity of Brosque, Bridge and Corica than appealed. Movement across positions. Hard to track and players appear faster when moving with some freedom.
When Aloisi is in pole position Sydney's assets appear stunted. Bridge and Brosque told to toe the line. Stevie Corica and John Aloisi lacking pace to hurt any team.
Shannon Cole has been moved from an attacking position to full-back although he still got more balls into the box then any other player.
Adam Casey has wicked pace, Adam Biddle is strong and quick, Brendan Santalab too. As the game went on Kossie needs to play his bench. At least two of the pacey young players could be called on. It wouldn't hurt the impact surely. Ask Frank Farina.
So what will Kossie do?
Persevere and hope Aloisi scores? He will score eventually. But enough?
And more importantly will Sydney score enough with Aloisi the so-called main strike weapon.
Seven games gone and Aloisi has shown little for anyone to fear.
More significantly he is restricting the Sydney style of play and potential creativity and excitement this Sydney side could produce.
Don't believe me?
Look at what Archie Thompson is doing for Melbourne this year. For that matter Danny Allsopp.
Two strikers. Mobile.
If Aloisi is to succeed the formation needs to change. Two strikers. But in the pacy modern game who can risk that when the slowing Steve Corica is just behind.
Not to mention Stuey Musialik still some way off the pace of the games and Terry McFlynn a player of some note, but still limited in forward play.
Queensland the ever-ready men didn't look so ever-ready last night. In the last 15 they couldn't get forward. Not so energetic after all.
But a great game of cat and mouse but Sydney need to revisit the attacking plan and dare I say it, leave Aloisi on the bench.
Or are we about to see another Zdrillic unfold.
And remember Aloisi is three times the cost and is signed up for next year.
And he won't be any quicker then will he?
Maybe the Gold Coast should buy him!
Full squad from the FFA below for the Singapore game on Saturday night is below. Watch Canberra's Nikolai Topor-Stanley make his debut.
Is Sydney FC's John Aloisi finished with the Socceroos?
If so $1.4 mill is a massive amount of dosh for an Australian non-Socceroo!
QANTAS SOCCEROOS SQUAD FINALISED FOR SINGAPORE MATCH
Qantas Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has finalised his squad for the friendly international match against Singapore to be played at their National Stadium on Saturday.
Verbeek has added Fulham’s Adrian Leijer to the team along with Harry Kewell, Michael Beauchamp and James Troisi who have all arrived early from Europe.
In addition Verbeek has invited Ryan Griffiths to join the squad in Singapore. Griffiths is currently with Chinese club Liaoning FC.
Only the players involved in their respective Asian Champions League matches to be played tonight are yet to arrive with Melbourne Victory players due in from Bangkok on Thursday afternoon and Adelaide United’s players to arrive later that same evening.
The match against Singapore will be shown live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS and is a vital warm-up ahead of a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against China to be played four days later.
FOXTEL is the presenting partner of Australia's World Cup qualification journey.
MATCH DETAILS
International Match
Singapore v Australia
Saturday 22 March 2008
National Stadium, Singapore
QANTAS SOCCEROOS SQUAD TO PLAY SINGAPORE
Michael Beauchamp (Nuremberg, Germany), Nigel Boogaard (Central Coast Mariners), Mark Bridge (Sydney FC), Leigh Broxham (Melbourne Victory), Nathan Burns (Adelaide United), Billy Celeski (Melbourne Victory), Ante Covic (Newcastle Jets), Bruce Djite (Adelaide United), Tarek Elrich (Newcastle Jets), Adam Griffiths (Newcastle Jets), Ryan Griffiths (Liaoning, China), James Holland (Newcastle Jets), Mile Jedinak (Central Coast Mariners), Harry Kewell (Liverpool, England), Adrian Leijer (Fulham, England), Jade North (Newcastle Jets), Nikita Rukavytsya (Perth Glory), Archie Thompson (Melbourne Victory), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Perth Glory), James Troisi (Newcastle, England), Tando Velaphi (Perth Glory), Ruben Zadkovich (TBC)
Who is the highest paid footballer, in any code, in Australia?
It used to be Union's Matt Giteau (Western Force) some thought maybe Chris Judd (AFL) or maybe Willie Mason (Rugby League).
Well, it's an A-League player, an Australian. As of this morning it's John Aloisi who has just signed with Sydney FC.
What an interesting message that sends to our sports fans across this wide brown land!
Queensland Roar 2. Central Coast Mariners 1
The Roar are coming, in fact so are everyone else!
The Mariners were desperate for a win against their nearest challengers and took the lead through a John Aloisi tap in.
The Fox Sports commentators claimed Matt Simon passed it across goal, but we all knew it was a dreadful dreadful shot which Aloisi tucked home.
1-0 to the Mariners and one foot in Asia.
But then it all went wrong.
Robbie Kruse attacked Dean Heffernan who is being caught out defensively time and time again this season. Kruse fired the ball in and ageing Tony Vidmar lifted a tired leg and steered it home for an own goal.
Then Kruse played the ball of the match to set Matt McKay free he and Danny Tiatto exchanged passes and Mackay scored with a deflected shot off Tony Vidmar.
Craig Moore and John Aloisi had a great battle, and great games. Matt Simon worked his socks off and caused the Roar's defence a host of problems.
Greg Owens hit the post, and had chance to level it at the death, but the Roar should have been out of sight.
Massimo Murdocha and Matt Mackay are small in height but motor all over the park and set the Roar's tempo. Even on this humid night they never stopped.
The Mariners couldn't match them and were lucky to take the lead and luckier still to remain within a goal of the Roar all night.
Thanks to Danny Vukovic. He was outstanding saving time and time again from anyone who tried to hit the ball as hard and as straight as possible for the Roar.
Robbie Kruse, for me, was the man of the match. A sheer joy to watch. Danny Tiatto played his role well.
The Mariners missed the creativity of John Hutchison or Tom Pondeljak but tried hard to earn a point.
Justice prevailed. The better team won.
A fiercely competitive game, a great crowd of 16,442, and the league minor premiership and that guaranteed place in Asia is wide open.
Now that is fantastic news. Well done John and well done to the Central Coast!
Well done Australia. A-League rocks!
John Aloisi had signing talks with Sydney FC and Queensland Roar recently.
According to Sydney Coach Branko Culina, Aloisi wanted a three year deal and more money than Robbie Fowler.
Then we heard Swansea were interested. Presumably as his agent tried to entice Sydney back to the table.
Now its a Scandinavian club.
And so Aloisi will not come back to Australia for love nor money.
Imagine. He chose Swansea or a Scandinavian team over Sydney FC.
Once again the Australian players show their desperation to come back and help the game in Australia.
This time Sydney did the right thing and now we have Juninho.
But where will Aloisi end up? I'd still like him to stay and add to the quality of the league.
I know we've all seen it before, but the crowd reaction is...well amusing
