How?
A statue at every football stadium in Australia?
The Frank Lowy FFA Cup?
It really would be the most wonderful thing for Australia, sport and as a country if we got the World Cup.
Having said that should we lose Frank should be honoured in some way by the football community.
We've come so far and despite the skeptics, we're in the race...we think!
Lucy Zelic, Paddy Bordier, and Eamonn Flanagan 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?
World Cup 2022, World Cup 2011, Ange v Arnie, Flores and that pass, Beckham,we got it all.
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"The support has been tremendous at recent matches. 45,000 came to our game with Brazil in Frankfurt, and it was 30,000 for the USA match in Augsburg. Not so very long ago, figures like that would have been beyond our wildest dreams."
You knew when FIFA Bribery was being talked of Jack Warner would be in the allegation mix.
And he is.
From the Guardian:
Jack Warner:
Who is he? He has been the president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) since 1990 and a Fifa executive committee member for 27 years, and is a Fifa vice-president.
What are the allegations? That Warner ordered $84,240 worth of tickets for World Cup matches in South Africa this summer, in order to sell them on to ticket touts. If that had happened, it would certainly be a breach of Fifa rules; the programme describes it as "continued involvement in the corrupt sale of World Cup tickets". Warner declined to comment.
Is this new? Yes. Warner has previous form. In 2006, auditors Ernst and Young identified tickets bought in Warner's name for the World Cup in Germany were resold for three times the face value. A Fifa investigation subsequently found Warner's son Daryan played an active role, but "no concrete evidence" that Warner himself had been involved. Panorama claims Fifa privately ordered Warner's family company to donate $1m to charity to "compensate" for the money made from selling on the tickets.
What is the impact? Serious, depending how solidly it can be proven that the tickets were intended for resale. England's 2018 World Cup bid team has assiduously courted Warner for his votes.
The A-League is improving, even SBS says so, so it must be. In part, or mostly, it's due to the quality of our coaches.
But it's the much maligned Aussie Coaches, Ange Postecoglou, and former Socceroos Coach Graham Arnold who have been putting pride back into the local game and coaching fraternity. Even SBS think they have improved!
So when the two new heavyweights of Australian Coaching met on Sunday to me it was always going to be the highlight of the weekend...forget Beckham.
The Roar under Ange on fire, no real superstars though some would disagree with me there, but a flowing brand of football rarely seen by Australian clubs.
The Mariners; truly transformed with six new players, ball players and a Gus Hiddink, Pim Verbeek trained Coach in Graham Arnold.
So it was terribly disappointing to see Arnie completely change his team, by dropping Daniel McBreen, and in effect concede possession and space to the most confident ball playing team in the league.
Arnie flopped on his tactical test. The scoreline, 3-0 after 20 minutes supports this view. 5-1 all up confirms it.
Ange; he wasn't tested. Merely set the team out, as normal and off they went. If anything he may have told Eric Paartalu to mark, tightly, Mustafa Armini, but the young kid was so tired from his midweek bounces off Kasey Wehrmann Eric never had to move.
Arnie's confidence in his team, his own tactics went missing. Sure he doesn't have the complete squad, missing a forward or two to add real potency but the team has been playing well enough in recent games against the Jets, and Gold Coast despite no wins, to suggest Arnie's current mob and style could have challenged the Roar.
They did nothing.
Worse they looked like a rabble. Without energy, a plan, or confidence.
The Mariners will never get beaten again by the rampaging Roar, not this season.
Arnie will surely play a stronger formation next time?
Or will he?
At the moment Arnie may have come from Gus, but it's Ange that leads the tactical way in Australia - by some margin.
With Aurelio Vidmar, Branko Culina, Gary Van Egmond, and Miron Bleiberg there are a number of Aussie Coaches playing attractive football at times and not just this year. SBS don't seem to realise that.
Despite being the most successful coach in the A-League Ernie Merrick still has to convince this blog writer that he has the talent and tactical nous to produce a credible performance in Asia. Even in one game.
Aurelio, Gary and Branko did it over and over.
Laurie Mckinna arguably did better than Ernie.
For now it's the local game, local focus and Arnie flopped.
Will he learn from this tactical annihilation?
Come out come out wherever you are.
1. Australia, FFA or Government has given $5 million to the AFC, no problems from me, but it hasn't been trumpeted loud and proud by anyone from either group. Weird?
And the Aussie media, the football media, are so limited in their analysis of the game and the issues surrounding it that they haven't even asked a question...of anyone!
2. Asian Football Under 20 Leading Scorer is an Aussie. Kerim Bulet. He playes in Czech Republic we are told.
After blazing a way in Asia at the recent Asia tournament for the Young Socceroos he never returned to his club, so it seems. And got into, allegedly some gang stuff in Sydney.
Not one of our leading football writers from SBS, 442, SMH/AGE or even (ahem) The Australian..okay stop laughing, have found out anything about our future Socceroo.
Remember some people wanted him in the team for the Asian Cup - only it seems if it's played in gaol.
But why hasn't someone found out why he didn't return to his club - they were expecting him back - like all normal contracted players do once they finish with their national team.
What's the story - there is one, a football one, but Aussie football media are sometimes asleep at the wheel.
Australia will play Brazil, Norway and Equitorial Guinea in the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany 2011.
Good draw for Australia - but the Asian Champions will be severely tested by Brazil and former powerhouse, but declining power Norway.
The Nearpost knows nothing about Equitorial Guinea.
Two teams will go through - edge of the seat stuff I guess.
Tomorrow morning (5.25am AEDT) the top 16 women's football nations will turn their attentions to the Frankfurt Congress Centre as the Final Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011™ takes place. As well as hosts and two-time world champions Germany, the other 15 qualified teams will find out who they will be facing in the group stages of the tournament, which takes place between 26 June and 17 July 2011.
The 50-minute ceremony begins at 19:25 CET (5.25am AEDT) and will be broadcast live on FIFA.com.
Westfield Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni will be in attendance at the draw.
Four groups, nine stadiums, 16 teams and 32 matches - all will be revealed as Germany 2011 finally begins to take shape.
If Australia hasn't bribed and paid the big dollars to the FIFA members are we really in within a chance of winning the World Cup 2022? Seems not.
You can guarantee Qatar has paid.
But Benny and Frank say we haven't.
So what chance us?
SonntagsZeitung reported today: (Translation)
Four days after the designation of host countries for the World 2018 and 2022, the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported today that new suspicions of corruption within FIFA.
The Sunday newspaper reveals the existence of a list with the names of members of Fifa who received "payments of several million."
Asked by SonntagsZeitung, a Swiss resident, who had access to the list, said that members of the executive committee of FIFA are hiding behind the "corporate mailboxes" on the document. The paper said that a known member of the IOC also appears among the names.
These new suspicions are the result of the suspension on Nov. 18 of two members of the executive committee of Fifa after the Sunday Times had revealed in a survey that they had demanded money in exchange for their votes for the award of World Cups 2018 and 2022. Furthermore, the BBC should broadcast a documentary tomorrow too suggestive cases of corruption within FIFA.
Of course I want Australia to win the 2022 World Cup Bid, I'm such an Aussie optimist I still think we could win the 2018 as well - despite us pulling out some time ago.
For 2018 I'd be happy for Russia to get it. Spain/Portugal ho hum, but great for fans of course. And England - that would be nice for them but I feel no great excitement at an English World Cup.
But I'm only interested in 2022.
If Qatar win - it will provide further disgust with the game of football and it's administrators. It would be a disgrace, to the world, and to the environment. A win bought and paid for, both now and in the coming years. No model for a game supposedly setting the standards for the World of Sport.
How can the Head of the AFC Mohamed Bin Hamman be promoting so loudly and proudly his own country at the expense, and voting expense, of all Asian nations.
And the USA - can we really beat them? All Stadiums ready to go already - MSL crowds and Beckham, Henry and the like building the game over and over. Do they need a World Cup?
For us; we are a small nation, albeit attached to Asia and it's crucial timezones and population. Animosity from the other codes, maybe it will help to assist FIFA make their choice in our favour.
If they don't give the game to one of the wealthy countries such as Australia, perhaps the wealthiest country with the least developed football and football infrastructure in the World, this country may remain aloof from the professional World Game in a meaningful way forever.
Do such things matter? To FIFA?
Will FIFA look at what is good for the game, for them individually, who knows how they decide?
If we win we'll celebrate for 11 years on this blog alone.
I know, I know it didn't mean anything. The Jets v Beckham and Donovan Landon, Ricketts and co.
But I turned it on to see the crowd. A full stadium.
And then when Landon Donovan punched one in early and the A-League in the form of the Jets were being outclassed I found myself hoping it wouldn't be ugly and that Australian football would do okay.
Then Juninho scored and the game was still only ten minutes in. Fortunately it was disallowed.
And the Jets despite having half their team out began to stir.
I know it was only a friendly but seeing the Jets taking it to the Galaxy it felt good, and when Sasho Petrovski threatened and then scored, I was into it.
The Commentators pathetically discussed Beckham this and Beckham that. Pap! But I was watching.
And the Jets played well. Ali Abbas, Kasey Wehrmann, Nicolai Topor-Stanley, Ahmed Elrich were excellent. And the Young Jets stood tall in front of their biggest crowd ever. Some fine football throughout.
After it was all over - I turned to the Heart, a team I normally enjoy watching, but with few in attendance and the opposing team being Sydney FC, I just couldn't.
It ended 0-0.
The Brisbane Roar came to town but no-one wanted to watch them, the so-called best team in Australia ever - against a resurgent and increasingly stylish Mariners.
Maybe all the Mariners fans had headed to watch Beckham and co; after all where else did those 23,000 Novacastrians come from?
Maybe there is, as we seem to think, a very limited market for football, match goers in Australia.
A Rugby League clash in Newcastle may well have seen a big crowd back up in Gosford the next day. Football didn't.
What the fans did miss was an annihilation of the home team.
The Roar were simply too smart - and re-born Coach Graham Arnold failed his first real test. Arnie simply lacked belief in his own team, it's own style and made a cardinal sin.
By withdrawing Daniel McBreen and playing just one striker, at home, Arnie handed territory and possession to the team who simply have thrived on possession and territory in the final third all year. Why would you?
And so Mustafa Armini and co were simply passed off the park. Or indeed run off the park.
It was embarassing early as three goals flew in. And the game was done and dusted.
Arnie's team is not a bad team. Today they were. Arnie is not yet, the complete coach.
Ange Postecoglou however is still to be really tested in the coaching stakes, this season at least.
The Roar have set the standard. Maybe the Gold Coast will have the resolve, certainly more than the Mariners to test their neighbours. If they get their full side settled they and Adelaide could test the Roar - maybe.
Of course Melbourne Victory with Archie back may have a say.
For now it's the Roar and daylight. And great to see Mitch Nicholls fulfilling his promise.
Roar 5 - Mariners 1 in Gosford!
Anyone else noticed that the "cashed-up" FFA spent $5 million last week.
FFA gave the AFC $5 million for football development programs.
I've no problem with that but since when did the FFA have $5 million to give anyone - maybe $100,000!
Or did it come from the Federal Government - if so why hasn't it been announced or indeed is it part of our World Cup Bid?
And if our annual budget is $95 million, that is a big proportion of our budget going o/s.
Maybe it came from the AFL! They seem to be onboard now talking up the World Cup Bid just one week out.
And guess who'll be gloating one minute after if we don't get it!
http://twitter.com/#!/Craig_Foster
Craig Foster is in Brazil - his tweets are fascinating. Interested in football beyond your own game - check out Fozzie's Twitteroos.
Friday football on Fox in Adelaide. You can't beat it.
And the game between United and Gold Coast didn't let us down. The quality of the football put the NSL lovers to bed once and for all - even anti-football naysayers would have been impressed withe visual splendour on and off the field.
We're faster, more technical, more tactical than we ever were in the NSL, and last nights game proved it once more. We're moving to another level again and again. And with the stadium packed in Red, the off-field atmosphere is fantastic.
Enter Marcos Flores, one pass just one, opened up the game. But what a pass, a one-two no doubt but with a twist, a chip, and precision rolled into one. Paul Reid couldn't miss. He didn't.
I laughed as Bruce Djite cushioned a ball back to Bas Van Den Brink, I'd seen the Dutchman's woeful earlier effort. And I laughed more when Van Den Brink's second effort screamed past Galekovic on the stroke or just past the stroke of half-time.
And Iain Ramsey let's not forget the young bloke. Sydney FC having released the kid last season can only watch as yet another creative innovative forward causes havoc in the final third...for another team!
This time he provided the winner, his fourth assist of the season on top of his three goals, but he provides so much more on the left.
A great game, plenty of nip and tuck and excellent ball control throughout as both sides tried to pull/push their opponents apart looking for that crucial opening.
Organised teams can stop goals, even win games, but even the Gold Coast as good as they are couldn't stop a Flores piece of magic and a mobile Paul Reid.
All the Socceroos World Cup qualifiers will be on FTA TV from 2013.
That's the outcome of the Aussie Governments latest unique anti-siphoning tv deal.
Finally Australians will get to see some Australian football on fta tv - maybe then the game can start to develop a larger, rusted on interest with our grassroots.
Aussie kids and parents can watch the game they actually play - finally!
But what will it do to the crucial FFA revenue.
Currently FFA get $17 million per year from Fox for all Socceroos and A-League games but most of that money is said to be from the Socceroos component.
Will this money, in total, be matched or increased by splitting the Socceroos and A-League games? Football for survival must increase it's revenue or further struggle.
With the A-League appearing in the top ten programs on Fox regularly throughout the Summer season hopes of the league standing on it's own two feet financially and bringing in further revenues from TV might not be totally unrealistic.
Competition from a FTA company would, of course, secure an increase.
FTA coverage of football will be hopeless if coverage of other sports codes in Australia is anything to go by but that's a different issue.
Of course the Socceroos have more than just World Cup qualifiers to sell.
Add in the Asian Cup Qualifiers and Socceroo friendlies and there is still a worthy product for Fox to pay for and increase their spend.
Additionally which FTA station actually take the Socceroos qualifiers will be interesting to see. Could there be competition from more that one station?
If so, and you'd think so, Australian football will have really, truly entered the mainstream. Until now FTA stations have run from football indeed in Channel 7 they actually bought the rights for $1 million per year in 1997; with the sole intention of ensuring the game was never shown on FTA.
How such a Station 7,9 or 10 will promote and run the Socceroos games and indeed what they will do for football in terms of promotion around these games will be interesting and crucial for the future of the game.
FTA channels pump their news full of whatever sports they are showing. Finally some channel will be talking up football to millions of their viewers over and over. And mostly it will be positive football talk.
What impact will that have on the next generations?
Who knows how much the Socceroos alone are worth?
Football has never had a mainstream FTA bidding for and promoting the game.
The interest in the Socceroos will be as high as State of Origin or the Ashes overtime and of course there are many more World Cup qualifiers than State of Origin games.
And you can expect some huge viewing figures particularly when Australia play China, India, Japan etc.
Wonder if the FFA or the FTA TV station get to sell those rights to Foreign Countries as part of the deal - if so they could add significant revenues to the FFA coffers.
Interesting times ahead for football but it's worth noting that FFA CEO Ben Buckley was lobbying hard to keep all football and paytv or so we are told.
That suggests despite Australians finally getting to see football the FFA may not actually achieve the increased revenues the rest of the game so desperately needs.
If this is true, football might just be the loser from the anti-siphoning rules once again.
After watching hours of cricket it'll be time for some sport, sport with excitement, sport that gets an outcome in 90 minutes not five days.
And Friday night football at Hindmarsh - bring it on.
Adelaide United v Gold Coast United.
Two strong teams, tactically with a number of talented individuals on the park.
Did you see young Aussie Iain Ramsey's skilfull composed finish for Adelaide last week - class, sheer Aussie class.
And fire up for more football this weekend, my pics are Saturday: the Heart at home to Sydney - don't miss that one and of course Mustafa Amini v Brisbane Roar on Sunday.
Goose bumps!
SBS Commentator and Football Writer Jesse Fink called it at the AFC Awards last night. And of course we all get it right with hindsight. although I probably get it wrong even with hindsight, but.....
Newly minted Socceroos player Sasa Ognenovski is of main interest for parochial reasons, being shortlisted for AFC Player of the Year, with Australians featuring in seven other categories: including Kate Gill up for AFC Women’s Player of the Year.
But I wouldn’t expect much return for the Aussies. At this event you get a fair idea of Australia’s true place in Asia very quickly and that, as I see it, is at the back of the room, near the exit for the toilets
Loads of Aussies are good at football, loads of boys and girls. But how many get a chance to play at the highest level, in Australia, across the World? Not many.
Most will need an education. I'd argue all.
So here's another pathway. Football and Education.
http://www.nsrsocceraustralia.com/
Over 130 Aussies in USA I'm told doing their Education, playing football. It'll will only get bigger.
Check out the local podcast on www.nearpostlocal.blogspot.com
Matt Ryan 18 the Central Coast Mariners young keeper is having an amazing start to his career. Great stuff Matt.
With Oliver Bozanic on fire at the other end last night and Mustafa Amini doing his thing, (see earlier post) the Central Coast Mariners are the place for young talented footballers.
And don't forget Trent Sainsbury slotting in at right back at just 19.
The Jets have veteran Ben Kantarovski of course and upfront Marko Jesic who is a sharp-shooter who just needs to keep injury free and he too could soar. A hard gig given his chronic injuries to date. And isn't their keeper Ben Kennedy making remarkable improvements after 50 games.
But all praise to Matt Ryan. The keeper role is a tough one but another sound performance from the young guy last night.
He's playing number 10 for the Mariners and if you haven't seen him play yet and you're into Aussie football, it's time you did.
He's got such touch, in a key key position. And while you're about it compare him to every other Aussie midfielder going around in the A-League.
He has remarkable vision for a young player, which shows vision isn't about the age, but amazingly, to me, like all top top players he has great physical strength.
He bounced Kasey Wehrmann and co not once but five or six times and came away with the ball. And this was a midweek game for the young lad...and remember all Aussie players after one game a week or so the media keep telling me.
But it was Amini's ability to set players up with cute, oh so cute touches and then to play balls, one touch, so accurately with great awareness.
Matt Mackay, Mark Bridge, Billy Celeski and co do similar things sometimes. But I'm seeing a big big difference.
And doesn't it make a difference when a team has even one player who can play that first touch ball accurately.
Think Spain and Barca - then think Sydney FC.
Mustafa Amini, 17, Nearpost loves ya to bits. With Matthew Leckie and Amini Nearpost is starting after 6 years of the A-League and three years of blogging to build a team of young Aussies to watch and rave over.
I grew up in Burton-on-Trent. Twenty years. What a football education I had.
So it's no surprise to me that the future of English football will be based and run from this Brewery Town.
We played on the street, the neighbours knifed the ball if it ran onto his garden. Bastard!
I trained in the back garden 10m x 5m - me against my brothers. I learned to shield that tennis ball - you can't coach that stuff Mr Berger I'm afraid. Hours of it, millions of hours.
My first game of football when I was ten, I entered a league when I was eleven. Before then there were none.
And in the Senior Men's league we played in the mud, often with ice on the pitch, more brown than green at seasons end, but we always played. From August to May - that was a season.
In the local leagues Ref's ended in the river if the local club didn't get the right result; we drove in for away games against local village teams, changed in the car, stole the three points and ran quick as back to our cars and away.
We never shook hands, nor looked the mad buggers in the eye.
No river for us!
I scored the only goal once, after 80 minutes. A cup game. Important right? And as I turned to celebrate my team-mates were back in their own half. Not a well done or a thank you. Our life in our hands - local English football!
Often threatened, usually punched, black-eyed or grabbed around the throat, if you won it was worthwhile, sort of. But what if you didn't?
It was a mining area and the teams were tough - the other teams!
So you can understand why the English FA chose Burton for their HQ.
It all makes sense to me.
Midweek football is here again.
While some Aussies wait for the five day game that could end in a draw - do we all really like cricket?
Hmmmn not so sure - or else why did we have to invent the 20/20 version.
Anyway on Wednesday Brisbane at home to Perth, even the Roar can't stumble against God and co surely, or are the Roar fading?
Wellington take on Melbourne Heart with 17 year old Brendan Hamill back in the squad for the heart - watch this young defender; but have Wellington thrown their season away. They seemed to have forgotten how to win, even at home. World Cup hangover?
And of course the F3 Derby.
The Jets take on the Mariners - should be a cracker and the Mariners need to win if they are to push for a top two spot after their loss to the Gold Coast - The Jets with big Ljubo back only need Marko Jelic to keep scoring - yes a young Aussie with an eye for goal and maybe the Jets will continue to rise and improve as the season goes on.
Jets for the title? They've done it before after a woeful start. And they are starting to play.
Should be the best game of football these teams have ever produced. Arnie v Branko.
Paddy Bordier, Aaron Walker and Lucy Zelic 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.
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Football fans in Australia are starting to hone in on the above date.
The date when the World Cup 2022 is determined - I know it's the 2nd but the 3rd our time.
Of course we'd need some plan should as many expect we don't beat the USA, Qatar (is that a real bid) or Japan and Korea (again already) and here's hoping we have such a plan and here's betting we don't.
But of course should we win, and dreams do come true, there had better be a huge plan in place to take us forward in the short-term never mind the next eleven years.
The benefits of an eleven year lead-in are almost too big to imagine for Aussie football and it's supporters.
And I guess watching the AFL twitch and spend copious amounts of money to fight off Australia's most popular game will be amusing given their stance to date.
We've already had many highs including World Cup qualification, huge playing numbers and record domestic league crowds in the A-League and A-League Final series.
The interest in the game is at an all time high. Men and women, boys and girls.
But a World Cup eleven years out, what could we do with that?
Could we win the Bid? Yes we can.
And from Day One Frank Lowy has mentioned the reasons, Asia is the future of the commercial world and Australia are a safe pair of hands.
If the Aussie bid can hold off Qatar, Korea and Japan that leaves a fight with the USA.
It's a big if, but not impossible. Few thought we could get the Olympics, albeit a lesser tournament, but we did.
This time if we win, the legacy for football in Australia, the boost to the growing game will be tremendous.
Lucy Zelic, Aaron Walker and Paddy Bordier talk thru all the Aussie football issues. Catch the pod here later after the show and or on course on itunes or halftimeheroes.com.au
David Carney must be one of the few players in the World who's club is Australia, the Socceroos.
Seems to Supa Dave he has to be released by Australia so he can join in training at Blackpool.
Isn't it supposed to be the other way around.
Only Brett Holman is playing in a major European League - Ere Divisie - albeit a second tier league since the Socceroos marched out in Germany in 2006.
Add Mile Jedinak - maybe - David Carney although he rarely plays at Blackpool and that's it. Richard Garcia, Scott McDonald and Josh Kennedy have all gain Socceroos selection but they aren't playing with a top club in a top league - in my view.
And so many have called begged for our Aussie Youth to begiven a go. Now!
But let's face it at 19 Tommy Oar is not Harry Kewell. Oar while outstanding in the recent Asia Cup u19 tournament - yes against boys defending - he's hardly played for Utrecht and yet people want him thrust right into the Socceroos. Not yet.
Matthew Leckie, Ben Kantarovski have similar fans and I'd argue have more experience than Oar - but Socceroos? Not yet.
Germany dumped some of their ageing stars and gave Youth a chance, but their Youth have performed at the World Cup not the Asian Cup.
So let's see how our lads go at next years u20 World Cup.
Then if they have performed and are getting more game time with their clubs; then I'd bring them into the Socceroos.
The Socceroos might be poor at the minute but Tommy Oar and co aren't going to win the Asia Cup for us.
Not this time.
So can we not accept that we are what we are, a team of over-age with few class players coming through in that 23-28 year age gap.
Soccer Australia were responsible for this generation, and this organisation was on it's knees in those development years - it shows.
Under the FFA we've qualified for two World Cup Men's tournaments. We didn't win but we qualified.
So patience with the Socceroos, patience with the young guys.
Taking Tommy Oar to the Asia Cup may happen but taking him to play with David Carney, Mile Jedinak, Scott McDonald and the like; will that really do him any good?
Yes the A-League is better this year, much better, but that doesn't mean that Sydney and Perth are any good does it?
So it was hot, it was a "new" pitch for both teams in Parramatta, but it was incredibly boring.
Sydney FC changed half their team this year and got what?
And Mike Cockerill SMH's No 1 Football Writer keeps talking up Alex Brosque, as you know says Mike, "Holger likes him."
Does he?
Why did he give him a few measly minutes against Paraguay, and less against Egypt - yes he didn't even take him.
Broquey ain't going to the Asia Cup Mike. Aim to get Sasa in that's as much as you can do. Alex ain't that fast, that fantastic or else he would have turned Sydney's season around by now.
Dreadful, slow football and not dis-similar to the turgid stuff they produced last season. This time same patterns, much much slower.
Vitaslev you might be foreign, you might even have won a championship on penalties last year but your teams are boring boring boring and this season they have less quality, even less pace all over the park. What Coach could produce such rubbish in his second year?
Fozzie likes teams to pass it etc etc don't we all, but when a poor team tries to play that style - Sydney FC is what you get. It was so bad at half-time I'd had enough.
And don't get me started on the Michael Baird inspired Perth Glory. They are worse!
When was the last time you saw a 17 year old playing professional football in Australia in a major attacking position?
There is a lot to like about Mustafa. Not least his first time short pass. It's sweet, shows maturity beyond..well most other Aussie A-League midfielders.
Watching Mark Bridge and Stuart Musialik in the earlier game; it was too slow, too predictable and not enjoyable too watch. They should be made to watch Barcelona and Spain over and over just before a game. It might inspire the turgid pair.
Mustafa is different it seems. It's his speed of thought, speed of touch.
He plays for the Central Coast Mariners - sometimes. Be sure and watch him, but don't expect too much, just delight in the bits and pieces he does, and sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn't. And despite not scoring yet we've seen his eye and power for a goal. Can't be far away.
For 17 years of age he's a very very interesting player. A number 10. Wow?
So far the A-League has produced a few real talents, still unproven but Mitch Langerak, Tommy Oar, Matthew Leckie, Luke Devere, Ben Kantarovski and now Armini might just be the pick. There are others who's stars have waned (Bruce Djite), other stars turn on and off (Nathan Burns, David Williams) but these six maybe the golden stars we await.
