Adelaide United at home on Friday night. Sit back and enjoy what should be an awesomnal game.
Yes that's a new word. Me and the big man. Bill Shakespeare, both writers both creating the new words.
And the Derby, Heart v Victory. Belter on Saturday for sure. Can't wait.
Kevin Muscat delierately strikes an official from an opposing team in the stomach and gets a "slap on the wrist."
Fantastic role-modeling by Super Kev, Super FFA. So you can strike one and just get a wee monetary fine.
I say: Six weeks minimum.
What do you get in the local league for striking someone. This guy is a former Socceroo Captain, voice of the A-League oh and has a Derby coming up!
Melbourne Victory defender Kevin Muscat was effectively given a "slap on the wrist" at a disciplinary hearing for his part in a post-match incident following the game against Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park last week.
Muscat was found guilty and handed a suspended $1500 fine and given a reprimand, making him eligible to play in the derby against Heart on Saturday.
Check out the recent report on Aussie Sports Stars Wages
• Full-time players in Rugby League, outside the first tier roster of 25, receive incomes less than the Australian adult minimum wage; and
• Netballers, who are employed on a seven month contract, have minimum payments less than the adult minimum wage, as do most swimmers and, indeed, many women athletes in a number of sports.
Which goes to suggest that the FFA set the bar too high in terms of costs to start an A-League side.
Where will we turn when Lowy, Sage, Tinkler and Palmer move on?
A wide ranging discussion on the state of the game, mainly the A-League, was entertaining if depressing viewing last night on PAY TV.
Although given FFA's lack of vision, planning and direction Ben Buckley may well have been scribbling notes prior to FFA's Thursday Board meeting.
While Andy Harper, Bozza, Simon Hill, Mark Rudan and Mike Cockerill all flew through the issues - and there were many - the problem is we are still no clearer about our future.
Why is it the FFA didn't have a plan B - the so-called A-League review all completed and ready to go on Tuesday - after the Bid.
Why didn't FFA have Western Sydney, the Fury etc locked in or out, by now.
Mike Cockerill raised one stunningly naive solution.
Frank Lowy should put his hand in his pocket to fund the League, Fund the Fury and Fund Western Sydney.
There has been plenty of money spent, already. Too much I'd argue, with salaries clearly depleting owner resources.
More of the same from Frank. That is not a sustainable business model Mike, so forget that tosh.
However agreed with Mike when he said we started the league early, with mid-week games, and Ben said that was our line in the sand, but we're changing again.
Reminds Mike of the NSL. Absolutely.
How many more changes to the preferred model do we need? How many can we take?
Probably lots, but proactive or under Ben do we always have to be reactive?
Lucy Zelic, Paddy Bordier, and Aaron Walker talk and spin all things Aussie football.
How many football poddies only cover Aussie football?
We are clearly Australia's number one football poddie, apart from all the others, We discuss all the news from Australian football. What more could you wish for from the Australian media?
Download.
or play right from your computer....
It's all happening.
Post World Cup defeat - the plan announced by the FFA is:
Extend Ben Buckley's contract.
Reduce the A-League season
Reduce it seems the number of teams in the A-League.
Start the season later.
So no Plan B, nothing exciting but clearly a reduced season a later start (crowds haven't changed from early season to mid-season despite end of other codes season.) is not good news for football and footballers in Australia.
How will our players develop if the season is less than 30 games. Pathetic.
And still no vision, no plan.
Oh a review of the A-League!
Sadly all of the above has the smell of ........Ben Buckley's leadership.
If ever there is a time for a positive announcement for football it would be now, today.
Certainly under John O'Neill this would have been the case.
A reclaiming, restating of ground while admittedly having to put the Bid behind them.
Frank Lowy and Ben Buckley are to front the Press. For what?
For Buckley to resign? His contract ends on Dec 31st. To go over the Bid, big news that?
Or to lift the torch high with a vision, an announcement to keep the game moving forward.
Of course any organisation worth their salt would have planned for life after winning the World Cup hosting rights and one without.
Have we planned for life without?
Guess we're about to find out.
Canberra United thumped lowly Adelaide United 4-0 on the weekend, no surprise there, but maybe Coach Ray Junna has found a solution to the teams surprisingly low-key performances this season.
Under Coach Robbie Hooker and last season under Junna United performed well. Reaching the final four each time, playing some entertaining football in both seasons, while missing it seemed just a ruthless finisher to go one step forward.
This year United has signed last years top scorer in the league, Michelle Heymann, Matildas stars Caitlin Munoz and Sally Shipard returned and the best of the rest were one year older and wiser.
It could only get better, or so we thought.
It hasn't not yet. Or is that just me. We've not lost, thumped two poor teams and drew with Brisbane, never a mean feat.
Emily Van Egmond was pushed further forward at the top of a midfield diamond it seemed to me, and with touch players Grace Gill and Kahlia Hogg in the starting line-up there could be hope for improved football performances as the season goes on.
Better results? I'd rather more football, more entertainment - but that's just me!
But is there enough time for a new pattern? The season is so short.
Adelaide were brushed aside, due in part to their woeful defensive opening rather than any great United skill. That said United punished them quickly and ended the scoring after 23 minutes or so.
I'd predicted 6-0 and rain before the first goal went in. I got the rain right at least.
From the 23rd minute until the match was abandoned due to rain early in the second half United surprisingly failed to dominate Adelaide a team lower in the table, playing away from home, and already 4-0 down, and not a Matilda in their line-up.
I was puzzled.
Adelaide had chances, too many, to score.
Canberra won. Delighted I was. Injuries may have forced the team change in formation. But with a heavy pitch and interrupted game it's hard to know yet if United have an attacking potency, and shape, to take on the best.
Three road trips will test them.
For me we're a long way off last seasons best. The two new defenders are yet to settle into a sweet passing distribution game; hence the ball from the back is often sent long and then lost.
But Emily Van Egmond pushed forward could be our wild card. Strong, fast and a shot to die for - when released from her midfield responsibilities she may yet turn into a powerful asset for the team.
Captain Brush and co have high expectations on them after their first two seasons, if not in results, certainly in attacking football.
In truth only the performance against Melbourne Victory left me completely surprised, and last weeks early attacking display against Adelaide may set the tone for the rest of the season.
Next up it's the Jets - away. Having recently dumped Sydney FC, Canberra will need to be at their best.
Many football fans already see the EPL and European Champions League as the providers of the best football and footballers.
With players flogged thru many many games, few perform to their best level come World Cup time. Think Ronaldo, Messi and Rooney to name a few.
The World Cup - is it losing it's appeal?
With more domestic football, more tired players, a load of over-valued and over-played and meaningless international football friendlies, come 2022 the FIFA World Cup may well be on it's way out.
This weeks decision may be the beginning of the end of the World Cup as we know it.
208 countries make up FIFA.
So how come only 24 FIFA members get to vote? Democracy at work under Blatter!
Only 24 get to vote for the biggest Sporting contest, or 22 if Mohammed Bin Hammam has anything to do with it, not to mention the financial benefits that come to that country in terms of business contracts. How come the rest of FIFA don't get to vote.
And the sad thing to me is not that Australia didn't get the decision, but it's more that the World decides one of it's biggest decisions in such a manner.
Collusion, bribery, lock-outs etc etc what a world we have created.
The only way you can win a decision of this magnitude is to bribe, collude, and scheme your way to the top.
In 2010 this leaves a huge stale taste across the World.
And this could be the beginning of the end of FIFA.
2022 will stain the sporting world for a long long time. So it should.
Blatter will long be remembered for taking FIFA down an immoral path. And god help us if Mohammed Bin Hamman takes over in time.
They already have a team bought in from Uruguay, Brazil and elsewhere.
Watch the providers of World Peace form a team to dream for.
Money can buy a World Cup in a desert, I'm pretty sure building a team of World Superstars is next.
Let's dump the Global Greenhouse Polluters out in the first round; even if they have the next Messi and Ronaldo in their team.
Actually that is an ugly thought isn't it.
Are these Qatari's really going to watch their team, built from locals go out in the first round in 2022?
First we had the entertaining sight, for the neutral, of Michael Theoklitos running and grabbing the ball from outside his area - then proceeded to set up a match winning punt.
That was prior to the Kevin Muscat assault on the Brisbane official - six weeks please.
And secondly we have Peter Green in NZ sending off Travis Dodd for nothing.
Both games were fantastic spectacles, both had wonderful passages of play, both Refs dramatically changed the result with shockingly inadequate performances.
Have you seen Sydney FC recently?
Well the clowns pretending to be a sophisticated, move evolved football club down south are no better are they?
Australia's two most successful A-League sides domestically at least, will head into the prestigious Asian Champions League - a competition boosted by a Qatari side next year, leave it alone - heading for a disastrous campaign.
Melbourne Victory despite an enthralling comeback and second half display against Brisbane on Friday still look like they have learnt nothing from Asian football forays.
The former Champions who have played fast, ferocious football lead by Fred, Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez at various times are still relying on the quick transition, especially now Archie is back.
And it never works in Asia - as the Victory are always chasing the ball.
And as the Roar showed in the first half, a side that can control the ball - most ACL teams can, can easily walk their way past a ragged and ageing Melbourne.
Victory in Asia - no hope based on the current playing style.
And Sydney? They have no chance in any competition.
Who ever thought getting rid of your five best players and replacing them with five, not one of whom is equal to, never mind better than any of those that left, and thought the team could perform as Champions - "We want a Premier team in Australia's Premier City," doesn't seem like it to me.
The ACL in 2011 could be very embarrassing for Australian sides based on current team formations, coaching strategies and ball holding/fitness ability of the two sides who have qualified.
Think ball retention, player mobility, think Brisbane Roar.
Think Asia, tactical nous, cat and mouse, great defence, pace to break with, think Adelaide under Aurelio Vidmar.
Think Asia think successful tactical game - you never think Ernie Merrick do you?
Suppose Qatar, the saviours of the Third World, bringers of Peace to the Middle East, liberators of World drunkenness, will stop at nothing now.
Apparently they are hot favourites for:
The Commonwealth Games (I know they ain't in it) all EPL games to be played in Qatar from 2022, World Cup moved to January, AFL final moved to Qatar, State of Origin and Bledisloe Cup will be played between Qatar and Queensland, Qatar and New Zealand. Olympic games, yes all of them, only to be followed by the:
Qatari Winter Olympics.
"We can make snow, we'll transport it all to the Snowy Mountains or England and dump it there right after the games," said head of World Peace Mohammed Bin Greedy.
"All events will be held in blazing heat - but conditions will be normal for contestants," he smiled.
All followers of Canberra Football should check out the little interaction, indeed why not add to it on Facebook.
I raised a couple of issues re-funding for football.
http://www.facebook.com/andrew.barr.mla/posts/10150104413286654
Now why can't we have some of what the AFL boys are getting?
Planning, strategy etc etc. We just haven't done it right yet, not the A-League bid, not Capital Football, and not our football club community.
What a fantastic game of football at AAMI Stadium last night. Brisbane Roar 2-0 up soon to be pulled back to 2-2 only for Robbie Kruse to sneak a winner. Or so we thought.
Then Michael Theoklitos grabs the ball outside his area in the last minute - or less - and the Roar go down and score with everyone from Melbourne in disarray.
Kevin Muscat lashed out and hit a Roar Official - nine weeks anyone - although in Melbourne, in AFL you get knighted for such behaviour. Muscat should walk.
The surface helps football - and most of the best games in the A-League have been played at AAMI Stadium.
Last night was no different. Great football from two great Aussie attacking football sides.
And of course while this game took some of the World Cup pain away, it showed we have an awful lot to like about football in Australia.
Even if we are still surrounded by wankers.
And they are out and about this weekend.
Wanker no 1.
Alan Kohler, ABC, and Eureka Business Report wrote this:
Qatar
"Australia Loses World Cup Bid to Qatar" blared the headlines yesterday. Actually that's not quite accurate. Australia lost to everybody; we came last. Or rather, we were the first to be eliminated, with one vote in the first round. Oh the humiliation, the burning shame of it. All of the frantic sucking up to FIFA by Frank Lowy, Mark Arbib, and the rest, all the money that was spent, the cartoon kangaroo with Julia Gillard, the arguments with the AFL over stadium usage – all came to nought.
It's easy for us AFL fans to sneer at the soccer carry-on, but it's apparently quite a popular game for some reason. Lots of people like to go and let off flares and punch each other, but more importantly a lot of people around the world like to watch it on TV. As a result, the World Cup has become a big broadcasting event like the Olympics, attracting large dollops of cash from advertisers. At a time when television is under threat from pay TV and the internet, live events – like MasterChef – have become its lifeblood.
So the hosting of the events has itself become a sport. Training, preparation, money … then the big race, and … "WE WIN! Hooray!" Or in our case the devastation of loss, lying on the track weeping and gasping for breath, followed, of course, by: "WE WUZ ROBBED". Or rather, "We was lied to". Or perhaps: "We paid off the wrong corrupt official". Maybe it was like the movie Pulp Fiction, in which Bruce Willis takes the money for throwing the fight and then wins, before later killing the bad guys.
Qatar is a nation of 1.7 million people on a peninsula in the Persian Gulf. Basically it's Perth, if you include Bunbury and Margaret River, except it's stinking hot, an absolute monarchy and rich beyond the dreams of avarice because of the accident of sitting on top of a lot of oil and gas, a legacy of the desert around there having been a jungle long ago.
And so the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa as-Thani, and his wife, were able to promise to spend $US50 billion on new airconditioned stadiums (it's 46 degrees) in which to play soccer in 2022, which would then be dismantled and shipped off to Third World countries, presumably complete with the massive airconditioners. In other words the 2022 World Cup will be played in porta-stadiums. It was a masterstroke. Why didn't we think of that? Permanent footy fields like the MCG are totally yesterday. Knock 'em up and then whack 'em on the back of a truck so they can sit empty somewhere else. Frank, you're an idiot. Sell Westfield.
Next time we bid as Fozzie says we must learn from our loss.
Bid as a city, not a country.
Cooper Pedy (shades of Qatar, or Wollongong. No football, no sport, shades of well yes, Qatar.
We clearly this time went too big, too wide with that whole continent thing.
Instead of the tourist video let's get the whole Sydney Gay Pride event happening on screen, and forget Elle, get Pauline.
Imagine Pauline at the Presentation - talking to the FIFA Executives.
And get the Gold Coast team in full flow, to give some real fan culture and experience.
Ben Buckles leads this A-League, now he leads our bid, Ben can lead FIFA 2030 World Cup. What a selling point. Bringing the revenue home for FIFA.
Unique present to the World.
Our motto: More games, less crowds.
And why promote the World Cup we never do that with the A-League. That's another special little Aussie secret.
Wait there's more.
We've got a million kids but we don't know who they are.
And unlike Qatar we won't build stadiums and give them to well third world countries, we'll build them and give them to AFL.
Oh and the World Cup is about football - Demetriou told us it was about Collingwood and that's why we had to have them in the presentation. Didn't work this time, next time we'll put The Swans, the Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants in as well.
In fact come to think of it our problem was we ran the bid, and let the AFL interfere a bit.
We should have given AFL the whole Bid to run. We'd have probably won the thing!
We lost the bid. Time to move on and despite your energies been depleted Ben Buckley and co, it's time to sell the A-League, with new energy, passion and skill.
The A-League, the grassroots all need focus, urgent focus.
The game didn't die, if anything it will rebuild, albeit from a stronger base than we've ever had in the past.
Many of us have been dismayed by the FFA leadership in the last two years, yes interestingly about the time we started heading into World Cup Bid mode.
So the boys at the top might be tired and disappointed but with the support for football in this country spread across the whole country there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Time to put all the energies into strengthening the A-League and the grassroots facilities/clubs.
Having heard the details and vision of the Qatar bid; peace in the Middle East, Stadiums to be rebuilt and moved to developing countries etc etc, Australian presentation now looks, as Fozzie says, less than visionary, targeted, professional and football focused.
And with the Stadium deals in place for the AFL and Rugby League had we won perhaps, perhaps the loss is no bad thing - long term.
Fozzie gives a great perspective on the loss. See shootout.
Disappointed? Of course. But losing to Qatar makes FIFA seem more corrupt than even I thought they were.
No doubt there will be big repercussions for Australian football, it's leadership and growth. Time will tell how the FFA respond.
Tonight:
Melbourne Victory perhaps the best team to challenge the flying Brisbane Roar should keep the masses happy.
Still would have been a bit better if we'd have got the bloody FIFA Cup!
If I wake up tomorrow and we've won - I'll smile all day, in fact I'll smile until the end of the year - non-stop.
Qatar - there is just no way they can have a World Cup - no no no!
They don't deserve it, they're about money and nothing else, it's not good for the game, the human race, nothing.
FIFA don't even consider Mr Bin Hamman and his bid - the World will not be impressed with such a choice, no matter how much money they have.
A lot of Aussie media snobs have been cringeing at the World Cup Bid presentation.
The same media who love Rugby League talk, AFL cliches etc etc, but seem to think Australia without it's natural wonders and diversity has something else to sell.
They should leave our shores a little more and talk to people who want to come to this place.
What inspires others to come to Australia?
All the things on the Bid presentation I guess.
We didn't need Elle, she was poor but other than that it was a presentation, could have been better, could have been worse.
Of course most watched the six minute video presentation - maybe they need to have seen the whole 30 minutes - maybe they should have been following the Bid for two years and more before they make their comments. Many don't really get what could be coming.
Either way can't imagine the Presentation makes any difference.
Fox Sports Simon Hill and SMH Mike Cockerill haven't called a game, filed a story from anywhere for days.
Are they working for the FFA?
Have Qatar nicked them as well?
Just odd that these two should take holidays this week, of all weeks!
If Australia wins the World Cup bid I wonder if the Canberra football community, Capital Football lead this, are ready to take advantage.
Sure we'll see statements from Capital Football about how the World Cup will be great, (even I could write that) but will there be a press release to show how it will benefit our community, in terms of facilities for football, community football, attracting business to football.
Is their a vision, work being done to plan for a positive result tomorrow. And of course if we win will we see the landscape in Canberra change over the 11 year lead-in. And how does our Peak Body see this happening.
How will they take advantage of it? I fear they won't.
If we win we are handed a gift. But one which only Canberra Football given our past could fail to take advantage of.
Canberra will get a superb new football stadium if we win the bid - which will be great for League and Rugby as it stands at present.
But still no football team in the nation's capital - not even a threat.
Australia are the only bidder for the Asian Cup in 2015, we're guaranteed to get six games in Canberra irrespective of the World Cup Bid.
I hear nothing to suggest this city has a plan to take advantage of such a football event - other than promote six football games, see them come see them go, much like the Sydney Olympics.
AFL grabbed $30 million from the ACT government recently. The richest sport gained the richest funds. How does that work?
Seems to me given the lack of foresight and lobbying power of the biggest community in Canberra, lead by Capital Football - the only winners from a World Cup Bid in Canberra will be -
The Brumbies and Raiders!
Canberra United, A-League Youth team and A-League team (in the future) could all benefit from Capital Football lobbying.
Why settle for grants for grounds, our community deserves that anyway as does the AFL and Cricket grassroots communities.
But why can't we access some additional dollars for our showpiece/professional teams just like the other codes seem to get so easily?
Can't believe we are going to win the 2022 World Cup, but you always hope don't you.
Should we win?
Hold on to your hats. Watch the corporate dollars rushing to get a piece of the pie. Watch the reaction from across the country, the other sporting codes, the anti-football lobby etc etc. Could be fun!
Should we lose?
Watch the reaction from across the country, the other sporting codes, the anti-football lobby etc etc. Could be fun...for them as the knife is stuck in - with a smile.
It will be time to rebuild the A-League with some real serious focus. But also expect some fall-out.
Ben Buckley to go?
Bonita Mersiades the former Press Officer to tell her story?
Frank Lowy to take a break?
Who knows what the fallout will be, but it certainly will expose the game, financially at least.
I wonder how much the FFA are depending on winning the bid to hold the A-League, the W-League and many other parts of the game together.
We dare not lose!
But either way:
Football goes on, The A-League - barely based on last nights record lows - the Asia Cup will come and we'll host it in 2015.
Sydney won, just. If Paul Ifill had finished his chance, and he should have done, just before Mark Bridge scored his first goal of the season Sydney would never have won.
"Are Sydney back on track," asked Mark Rudan Fox Sports
"We'll see," said Sydney striker Bridge.
No-one is fooled.
But interestingly Terry Antonis made the second goal. Another young, very young Aussie.
And if Sydney had kept Iain Ramsay, and a few others who knows Sydney might have had some pace and flair in the final third all season.
Stephan Kellar wasn't missed, Hayden Foxe had a strong game with the younger faster Seb Ryall alongside. Maybe Sydney have a pairing at last. And they only conceded one.
Nicky Carle, Bruno Cazarine are still to return which will strengthem the squad options.
Byun should be ditched leaving Scott Jamieson at left-back and Brendan Gan, Rhyan Grant, Terry Antonis among others to provide some pace in the midfield - at least for part of a game - Sydney badly need pace and movement in the front six. Slow to pass the ball, slow movement from the players.
Is it a team lacking confidence, or just a team incapable.
Lavicka sets the tone. It wasn't fast last year, or exciting. This year its worse.
But a few good results have now been achieved. If Sydney are to have any momentum this season, now is the time.
Idle thoughts:
Just wondering if MR AFL Andrew Demetriou has spent any of his AFL millions on bribes to the FIFA Executive........check his passport in the last two years anyone?
