Nearpost Football: May 2012

Wednesday, 30 May 2012

Adelaide United - did you see Galekovic's save? Great game

The hugely talented Nagoya Grampus - loaded with dollars as well - came to Adelaide last night and were beaten 1-0 by United in the last sixteen of the Asian Champions League.

And what a great game of football it was.

Despite the defensive nature of United there was a lot to like about the Aussies performance up against such craftsmen from Nagoya.

A-League football is coming along nicely when Iain Ramsay, Bruce Djite, Fabio Barbiero, Iain Fyfe, Dario Vidosic, Zenon Carevello and of course Eugene Galegovic are just some of the Aussies who can compete tactically and increasingly technically against the technically blessed Japanese.

Make no mistake the Japanese are years ahead in many areas, indeed would destroy United if we came out to play I suspect, but United's use of the ball, Bruce Djite, and Iain Ramsay, over and over was good to see.

Their ability to keep the ball, move it quickly at times was pleasing on the eye and the chances and opportunities created were exciting. They more than matched their Japanese counterparts at times.

Albeit without a host of luck and a fantastic keeper in Galekovic Nagoya could have been out of sight early.

I doubt United would have won away and the nature of this tense battle suggests a one off game is much better than the two legged rounds coming up.

Eugene was immense, and Bruce Djite gave enough in his performance against the Japanese World Cup keeper and defenders to suggest a more aggressive Australian attack will cause the Japanese a few problems in Brisbane next week.

Great game and a great result for Aussie football.

Futsalroos in shame game?

Australia went through to the last four of the Asian Futsal Championships last night in their 3-2 win over Kuwait.

They have now qualified for the World Cup.

But last nights game had shades of Germany Austria back in the 80's when both teams simply failed to attack ensuring a 0 -0 score and both teams qualified.

Same last night - the Aussies winning 3-2 Kuwait knew that both teams would qualify if the score remained the same so they just passed it around in their own half for the last few minutes.

Nice work everyone. Guess I would have done the same!

Aussie Coach Steve Knight said “They (Kuwait) played a high pressure game which is typical of quality teams. With regards to the final few minutes where Kuwait kept the ball in their own half without trying to score, I understand why they did it and they played within the rules.

Wow Canberra United make the front page of the SMH

In a world where any publicity is good publicity it's fantastic to see football, yes women's football on the front page of the SMH.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/spectacular-own-goal-as-star-forced-to-choose-codes-20120529-1zhh2.html#utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tweetbutton
Not an alcohol fueled article or a wife bashing court case - no a stoush between a Coach Jitka Klimkova who simply wants her players to train full-on and be available for all games, including semi-finals and finals and a talented dual international, Ellyse Perry.

Seems fair to me.

Kahlia Hogg was similarly pressured last year when it was known she'd be leaving for the USA before the end of the season.

Klimkova won the league in her first season as coach in a foreign country - no doubt her standards and expectations contributed.

This time she's laying her standards out for all to see. And there is a fair amount of outrage from non-Canberra United fans it seems.

Ellyse Perry is a prestigious talent in both cricket and football but any observer will know that football requires so much training these days to reach, and remain at the top that sharing yourself between two codes is a nice idea but not if you want to remain at the top of your game.

Ellyse hopefully will find another club. I'm sure she will.

But anyone who has watched Ellyse burst onto the football scene will also wonder why she couldn't hold down a World Cup starting spot, and despite her wonder goal and had a pretty miserable time against Sweden.

Ellyse' development has in my view not been maintained in football at least. Indeed younger girls took her spot at the World Cup! So much for outstanding talent.

Her talents are unfulfilled in football in my view due to her cricket commitments.

Ellyse missed last years W-League Grand Final to play cricket - what coach of any sport would be happy with that?

She also missed the historic Matildas Asian Champions League tournament and win - yes to play cricket.

Football has supported Ellyse well, I'm sure it still can but United's Coach should hardly be criticised for asking Perry to make a choice.

Interesting to hear lots of football commentators and twitterers talking about this - guess they are all regular attenders of the W-League! Some have even called it a stupid decision.

It's a sign where the Coach wants to take the team - nothing more nothing less and the talent pool available these days mean Ellyse although she'll be missed by the supporters - the time has come to raise the bar once more. Should a Coach be criticised for aiming high?

I'm comfortable with United's brave decision. In fact I applaud it.

I was pretty annoyed when our star right back missed key games including the finals at the back end of last season to play cricket.

Good luck Ellyse - we loved you, your attacking runs, your great goals - but their is no i in team, well not in a football team at least.

Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Brosque to Brazil?

Alex Brosque has been in fine form for Shimizu, but will he be there in 2014? The two Nicks and Peter Funnell bring you up to speed with the week in Australian football, including the National Competitions Review and the Socceroos' friendly against Denmark.

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Saturday, 26 May 2012

Winter football looking up in Australia - bring it on!

I didn't watch the State of Origin I rarely do.

I've never watched the Brumbies despite being a passionate Canberran. Rugby just doesn't do it for me.

Football is my sport - my thing. So it is great relief that Aussie football returns after what seems like a huge break - well two weeks since the last ACL games.

And better still this one is crucial.

Adelaide United at home to Josh Kennedy's Nagoya Grampus at Hindmarsh - Winner takes all and flies through to the next round.

The loser - well that's it.

This is the type of football game I particularly love. Everything on the line. I'll be cheering long and loud for the Aussies and hope for once Josh Kennedy - if he plays - is on the losing side.

And then it's Denmark, and the real stuff begins. Other sports are seemingly well followed in Australia so they don't need me.

Asian Champions League followed by World Cup Qualifiers. Bring it on!

Sydney FC 1 Western Sydney 0

If reports from Sydney that Mark Bridge is on the move West than I going to suggest that's the first trick to Sydney FC.

Mark Bridge is a fine player, indeed scored a winning Grand Final goal for the Newcastle Jets but he never really set the SFS on fire, well not for Sydney anyway!

At the Jets he was well supported by an on-fire Nicky Carle and one man forward line in Joel Griffiths. He never had the same forward support in Sydney - not even with Alex Brosque.
He was signed to be a main striker, but one who has scored few goals, cost a ton of money so it seems and has little pace.

Interesting Sydney's biggest missing element in recent seasons has been pace.

In fact Vitaslav leadership reflects Bridge.

Good at times, missing often but always too slow to really excite.

If he has gone to West Sydney that is a smart bit of work by Ian Crook. Very smart.

A reduction in wages, an ability to bring in a new forward will add more energy and style to team.

Of course who the replacement is remains to be seen. But in Joel Chianase Sydney have more pace than any time in the last three years and he scores goals as well.

Fabio, although criticised on this blog developed into a mobile attacking left back albeit one who struggled to defend.

I'll take Fabio over Jammo. Crook releasing Shannon Cole, Scott Jamieson, Mark Bridge and Dimi Petratos tells us something about the Coach and his aspirations. Intersting times at the SFS!

Canberra astute A-League investors lose less than Facebook shares

http://eepurl.com/l--EX A-League's only investors who didn't do their dough - what implications for long term growth of football in region? If you are a Canberra A-League Foundation Member you are getting your money back - read the link and check your emails for all the information. 25 May 2012 Dear foundation member, It is with much sadness and regret that I write to inform you that our quest for an A League team for Canberra is over. I would like to thank the many people that helped us on our journey and I am still totally perplexed that despite our credentials, we have been repeatedly denied entry into the A League competition. Our credentials for inclusion were outstanding, we amassed 20,000 signatures on a petition supporting an A League team for the Canberra region and we presented this to the FFA. We have you, our fabulous foundation members (nearly 2,000 of you), who each submitted $200 towards establishing an A League team for Canberra, see the list at http://www.aleague4canberra.com.au/site/current.php We had tremendous support from the ACT Government, with an up-front pledge of $2.5m and ongoing support amounting to nearly $10m over ten years, I would like to personally thank Andrew Barr for this pledge on behalf of the Government. Support has been bipartisan with the current Government providing the pledge and the opposition (thank you Zed Seselja and Steve Dospot) also pledging that they would support. We had fantastic support from investors, I would like to name the principal financial backers of the team without whom the bid would not have been possible, namely Peter Sarris and the NDH Group, John Efkarpidis and the Rock Development/Loop group ( Belconnen markets), the Slavich family (thanks Anna for indulging me), together with a consortium led by Terry Weber and Frank Morella. We also received early financial support from Melissa Fischer and the Altona Football Club, I would like to thank them for their support, especially to help with administrative resources and to promote the Socceroos game against Kuwait at Canberra Stadium, with over 20,000 spectators. Others indicated that they would support but were waiting for a decision from the FFA. We had a major sponsorship pledge from ActewAGL and a number of other Canberra based businesses who indicated that they would support if a team got up. Capital Football also helped financially and the Capital Football board also pledged ongoing financial support, thanks go to Heather Reid as CEO and Rachel Harrigan Board Chair representing board members. In total we had $4m in up front capital and several hundred thousand dollars per annum in sponsorships pledged and ongoing financials to support a team each year, turning a profit in year 4. I would also like to thank the support of PwC, through Terry Weber, Shane West and Renee Dockrill who provided the financial analysis and support for the bid. I would like to thank the trustees of the foundation, namely Terry Weber and Andrew Satsia (I am also a trustee), who have safeguarded the trust funds, that are held with Service One Members Banking and for all their support and help I would like to thank Service One CEO Peter Carlin, Andrew Sella and Rebecca Dorahy for all their admin support. A huge thank you also goes out to the members of the A League 4 Canberra bid committee that I chaired. Namely, Terry Weber (PwC with financials), Ron Forrester (who also helped with media), Andrew Satsia (RSK legal support) Eamonn Flanagan (football tragic and coordinator), Heather Reid (Capital Football), Fethon Ileris & Peter Maybury (Capital Football), Neale Guthrie (representing Canberra stadium and ACT Government), Peter Sarris (investor), John Efkarpidis (investor), Jessica Salvage (website), Ash Morgan (football tragic and marketing), Jerry Lissing (sports fan and strategy), Jessica Salvage (website) , Kylie Young, Kate Goatley, Omania Terry and Anna Slavich (admin support). I would also like to thank Zoo for their support with the website and the chief honcho Clinton Hutchison and Pawl Cubbin in particular. I would like to thank Canberra Stadium represented by Neale Guthrie in being so generous with their offer regarding games at their magnificent stadium and would like to thank both the Australian Institute of Sport and the University of Canberra for our very productive discussions regarding the use of their facilities to provide training for the team. We also had tremendous support from our media partners, namely Ken Nicolls from the Canberra Times, Nick & Julie Samaris from Canberra Weekly, Ian Miekle from City News, Eoghan O’Byrne from Canberra FM ( FM 104.7 & MIX 106.3), Leon Buchanan from WIN News and reporters Erin Molan and Greg Thomson, Tim Gavel from ABC Grandstand, Mark Parton from 2CC, SBS – the World Game, the Riotact, ABC news, 2XX, Roar – Sports opinion, fourfourtwo, Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun, sportbizinsider, the Age and a host of other local and national media. Thank you so much to the Capital punishment fan club! The trip to Sydney as coordinated by Anthony Hatton, Russ Gibbs and Eamonn Flanagan, was particularly memorable and screaming Canberra wants an A League team broadcast around the country was a lot of fun and received plenty of media attention. I would like to thank our elite football ambassadors, namely Ned Zelic, Carl Valeri ( and his father Walter who did some media for us), Amy Taylor, Caitlin Munoz, Lydia Williams, Amy Chapman and Sally Shipard. They helped promote our cause, helped gather foundation members and conducted various media interviews. Thank you also goes to the very many club ambassadors who helped us with our quest for a team and helped establish our foundation membership base. A full list of those ambassadors can be found on our website at http://www.aleague4canberra.com.au/site/ambassadors.php It is a very substantial list so I urge you to take the time to have a look as I am sure you would recognise many names from your club. I would also like to thank specific clubs who provided support above and beyond the normal level of support, specifically Canberra FC who allowed us to use their club for a major foundation event for the bid, as well as financial support from Woden Valley Soccer and Canberra Olympic. I would also like to thank all the other football and soccer clubs for their support. I am sure that I have forgotten to mention someone, if I have overlooked you please forgive me, there have been so many people involved that it is hard to remember everyone. You know who you are so thank you sincerely. We were overlooked when the comp expanded from 8 to 12 a couple of years ago and those chosen have not fired up other than Melbourne Heart. Townsville is gone, Gold Coast is gone and West Sydney did not get up. The recent eviction of the Gold Coast created another opportunity and despite Ben Buckley the CEO of the FFA admitting to me that our bid was more advanced than West Sydney, the FFA have gone with West Sydney for strategic regions because of the larger population base, pouring in $4m of FFA money and supported by $8m of federal government money. For the record, I had tried previously to obtain a grant from the federal government given that we are the Nation’s capital, but was advised that they do not support individual teams, so the West Sydney deal is somewhat surprising, although I note the support is for football in general. The following is an extract of the terms of the trust deed. “The cost of the Foundation Membership is $200 (or such greater sum as the prospective members choose) which is fully refundable to the applicant (the Applicant) for the Foundation Membership, if the committee or board of the Beneficiary (the Board) in its sole discretion determines that the application to the Football Federation of Australia for an A-League football team for Canberra has been unsuccessful (whether it be for the 2010/2011 football competition or for a later year not later than 31 December 2012).” Full terms can be found at http://www.aleague4canberra.com.au/site/terms.php. Given that the FFA has overlooked Canberra and in accordance with the terms of the trust deed, the trustees have determined to refund your money. It is my intention to run a couple of sessions at the Hellenic Club Woden on a Saturday between 10am and 1pm, whereby you will need to produce your certificate of membership and photo identification, either a licence or passport, where upon you will receive a cheque for your refund. I will provide further notice as to the exact days that we will be conducting these sessions and will endeavour to advertise on radio and in the press. Other arrangements will be made for people interstate or who cannot travel. You will have two options;- Receive a full refund of the money you deposited; or Elect to have the money you invested in our bid to further promote elite men’s football in the ACT. Please reply to this email stating that you agree to this if you elect this option. With regard to the second point, I have held a discussion with Heather Reid CEO of Capital Football, any surplus funds per point 2, together with interest earned in the trust, minus payment of any statutory liabilities, will be provided to Capital Football, to further elite men’s football in the ACT and surrounding region. Capital Football will consult with me subsequently to ensure that I am satisfied that it is being used for that purpose. Please do not respond to this email for a request of your funds now as we wish to conduct the process in an orderly manner, rest assured the money is in trust and will be refunded, we will advise when the sessions at the Hellenic Club Woden will be held over the coming month or so. There is some administration that we need to undertake such as obtaining cheque books. Please also note the following extract from the trust deed. “In the event that any Applicant(s) have deceased or cannot be contacted at the time of refund of any application fee (as the personal details provided by them have changed or lapsed), such fees will be donated to local soccer activates and community bodies in furtherance of soccer at the discretion of the Board.” Funds under this category will be provided per point 2 by 31/12/12. We will do our best to contact everyone, we have been working hard on the accuracy of the database. Once again, thank you to all who helped out, it has been an honour and privilege to have led the process and hopefully sometime in the future there will be an A League team for Canberra. Yours Sincerely, Ivan Slavich A League 4 Canberra Bid leader

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Have Canberra FC won their last football title?

With just 200 points on offer in Canberra Football under the new salary cap, assuming the administrative nightmare but beautiful plan is passed into play next season - 10 points for each player - and only 20 players in a squad; it is soon apparent that Canberra FC and Cooma are going to struggle in years to come.

How many of their current squad came through the ranks?

I've no idea but I suspect the Premier 16 and 18s are indicative of where we are heading.

Woden and Belconnen are already dominating Premier 16 and 18s football - as you'd expect two of the biggest player pools and best organised clubs to do.

And I suspect under the new model less stupid player payments by the few clubs able to spend (waste), and more money spent on resources and development, will see these clubs further flourish.

Under the new model surely Canberra FC has just won it's last championship ever. Given they are looking decidedly dodgy this year you can't see them winning again if the changes come through, can you?

Not with a junior player base of just 120 kids - of course a little purchasing of young players might be required - but I can't see it, not anymore. Each player moving from another club adds 8 points to the salary cap on top of his mandatory 10. So let's say a club has 5 or 6 players out of 20 from another club then that's 248 points before you start.

You can either drop the squad to 16 perhaps - hardly sustainable to win a title or get rid of a few of the transferring players and bring a few locals that you've developed. All good but you can't guarantee you win the league anymore can you!

No matter what you pay!

So Woden, Gungahlin, Belconnen and maybe dear old Tuggies (remember them) are expected to take the lead in coming years. In time Monaro should also flourish or whoever snaps up Brindabella Youth.

Radford, Marist and all school teams - wonder where they'll end up?

And of course a Belconnen United, Woden Valley in five or ten years, under this model could attract a much larger crowd for a Grand Final than Canberra FC/Olympic.

Wouldn't that be interesting! There is, finally, plenty of scope in Canberra to develop club, and local pride. The communities are much more likely to rally and plan financially over time if players invariably play and stay with their junior clubs. And if real development starts to happen consistently across all clubs.

Does any club really have a sustainable model for player development currently? One you are satisfied with for a player at any nominated age level. I'd like to hear if you think they have.

As volunteers there is only so much we can do and I reckon we're all doing it! But if some of the Senior Clubs turned some of their income towards junior player development instead of wasting it on older fella's well slowly we might even get a few paid coaches of our kids!

An interesting model - how Canberra FC and the likes of Cooma respond only time will tell. I feel more for Cooma than Canberra FC - I'm sure most of the Community do to.

Perhaps Canberra FC should provide their funds and home ground to Woden Valley, merge the clubs and wham bam what a power house you could have. Canberra FC will surely not let this model in without a fight - but all the other clubs, bar Cooma will probably be delighted.

Time for creative thinking from our Canberra FC friends. I'd love to hear how they will view this. I think their lack of progress as a club over the last 15 years, the sole focus on winning the men's Premier League title has come home to roost.

Have they grown their player base?

Have they grown their supporter base?

Have they got any closer to higher football - not after last years Grand Final - a final nail more like. Can they Canberra FC deliver more titles in coming years?

More importantly what can they do to remain relevant, use their football passion and expertise to develop the game further in Canberra?

We need Canberra FC in Canberra but perhaps not in it's current form. If this proud club wants to remain relevant they have to act and act quickly. What did they learn from the Grand Final wee colourful party? What will they take from this report.

Look on the bright side someone at the club will save a lot of money!

Video technology - who needs it! Henry is still a cheat!

Now I know Andy Harper wants Video Technology to assist his ageing vision, but I'm nothing if I'm not older than the great presenter and I don't want it.

Who needs it?

Let the game flow, let the disputes linger and at the end of the day does life have to be so scrutinised and judged.

England would never have won their one and only World Cup - but who cares, not this Aussie, Irishman or European!

Time to chill out - and where does the video technology stop, only on goal mouth actions, penalties, or free kicks outside the box etc etc.

And how the grassroots copy the video ref - it's tedious in Rugby League, it would be tedious in football.

So what if clubs lose money based on these decisions - football is a game before it is a business and those that enter this sort of business just have to lump it.

Let the ref make the call and here's hoping he/she gets it right most of the time.

Otherwise Diego would never have scored against England - or Thierry Henry would not be the cheat he is and Ireland not the cheating French would have gone to the World Cup.

Does it really matter? Of course but not enough to bring in the Video Ref.

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Perth Glory buying Youth?

We were shocked too but it's happening! Paddy Bordier, Nick Cumpston and Nick Amies bring you up to speed with the latest off-season developments and the ACL.

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Thursday, 17 May 2012

Aussie Head the Ball - Paul Sheehan

The usual tiresome whinge from a white, over 50 Australian journalist about the game of Soccer. This time in the Sydney Morning Herald.

And while I could reply with criticism of his "giants of the AFL and NRL, which are the pinnacles of their parochial codes" I'll make just the one point.

In AFL, Paul you can have 18 teams with 38 players in a squad - some pinnacle you have got going there. Outside the five or so truly talented athletes are the other 33 really champions of champions. The World best? And this from a talent pool of around 10 million men.

Hardly the pinnacle of sport. Challenged against who? The boys from Geelong, or GWS?

And yes your article has valid points, but always always the over 50 (you lot used to be 40 funny that) white Aussie journo and Rebecca Wilson find fault. Always.

Why do they bother?

And of course like most other tedious Aussie journo's who love to knock football they are never able to write anything with any insights about the game here at home.

When was the last time John Birmingham, Rebecca Wilson, Alan Kohler, Peter FitzSimons, Patrick Smith or Paul Sheehan or any of the usual mob who loathe the game, wrote anything positive about the game - Why are this mob such bigoted Australians when it comes to football.

United in their dislike, nay hatred and urge to write about the game they hate.

A true sports writer and observer of other sports could this week alone, write with interest and pride about Adelaide United a cellar dweller of the A-League making it through their group of Asian Champions League against teams from Uzbekistan, Japan and Korea.

Imagine if the Gold Coast Suns achieved such a feat or one of the nine Rugby League teams from Sydney.

Of course we could analyse the positive impact that Asia, culminating in the 2015 Asia Cup will have on Australia's sporting identity, how it is a building block for the century ahead and what possible positive opportunities there are for Australians.

Even for older, seemingly uninterested ones like Paul Sheehan and presumably his readers. (Guess Eddie Maguire reads Paul.) The linking to Asia through culture and sport is increasing. Football has a strong part to play.

Our clubs' girls U13 team heads to Malaysia, Borneo in fact, this year - guess it happens all the time in those pinnacle codes!

The new breed of journos will be able to transcend codes, and ideas. We welcome all ideas and debates on the culture of football.

Just not always from one perspective that these guys and gals drag up.

These clowns lack that ability, dredging their ignorance to the fore time and time again.

Hmmmn is Old Australia scared of Asia?

Paul there is a bigger picture with Aussie football - and you just don't get it. What are you afraid of?

So when in doubt or short of readers drag out the old football in Australia is crap compared to other pinnacle codes.

All codes have their place, all codes have a story. When Aussie's go for gold in obscure sports at the Olympics all of the above mentioned will be on board cheering long and hard for some athlete who gets to compete, not even win.

An Aussie Champion is an Aussie Champion in football, AFL, League or any other sport. So why the chips guys.

Football brings pleasure to many Australians young and old, and is forging ahead despite problems over the last seven years.

When did the mentioned mob write anything positive about the game?

The numbers of young Aussies now playing at home, the numbers continuing to head overseas and now to Asia. Isn't that a story?

Or the number of Aussie Coaches now coaching across the A-League - a true changing of the guard. What will this mean for our future. Will our next Socceroos Coach be an Aussie.

50,000 at a Grand Final time and time again. TV viewing figures up and crowds of over 10,000 average and sure to grow again next year with Western Sydney in and Gold Coast United out.

But no still no good news in Aussie football not for Paul.

And of course how the 2015 Asian Cup is the start of our Asian football romance - maybe that is what these folk are afraid of.

We didn't get the World Cup - but we're still making noise. Only an idiot would have thought that football in Australia started and ended with that World Cup bid. Only an idiot or a narrow minded Aussie.

Paul, I challenge you to write something positive on Australian football. Bet you can't!

Has Arnie read Soccernomics? What is Arnie up to?

If you've ever read, or even if you haven't read Soccernomics you know that all round the World it's the Clubs in the biggest cities who succeed....eventually.

Think Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Scotland, England and the answer, despite the odd temporary hitch is the same. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Celtic, all win and if they don't win it isn't long before they do.

Why?

The Economics of football - the biggest cities, with the biggest fans and resources eventually attract the biggest resources and can continually buy the best coaches, players and biggest squads. It's why Liverpool are done and dusted. Big in the 70's but can never return to the top without an Asian Oil Owner or two.

So when Graham Arnold opted to stay at the seriously underfunded Central Coast Mariners why hasn't any Aussie journo really analysed the Arnie I want to stay at the smallest team in the world gig.

What is Arnie up to?

Sure anyone might like the lifestyle along the Coast...but even with the new training facilities the Mariners are never going to do better than they are right now. Not in Australia, not in Asia.

They won't be able to keep their talented youngsters nor will they be able to keep the crowds at the already witheringly low levels if they don't perform as they are now doing - top of the pile.

And that is not sustainable for long is it?

So why did Arnie stay? Does he think he is a shoe-in for the next Socceroos gig or has he given up on it?

With Russian funds in scarce supply in Sydney never mind up the Coast who knows what Arnie's motivations are but clearly he hasn't read Soccernomics.

He simply can't succeed long-term at the Coast...or can he break the economic barrier in football. Even with our Salary Cap I can't see it. Not with a rejuvenated Sydney and Melbourne Victory.

Surely his next move can only be Asia and maybe another year at the Mariners and that is his real plan.

Or else I'm starting to think he's on a retirement route. Surely not Arnie, not yet!

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Have the FFA got something right?

With the restructuring of Australia's coaching badges we've seen an emergence of talented young coaches taking A-League positions. Nick Cumpston and Nick Amies run the show this week as they close off the coaching merry-go-round, look at all the latest player movement and dissect the latest Socceroos squad.

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Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Aussie Coaches to get their chance after seven years or are we just cheaper?

Graham Arnold and Ange Postecoglou are proven Aussie Coaches.

We are now confident that any team they put out will have a plan, a football nous to take on any team at any level.

Can they change tactics mid-game? Arnie over Ange at this stage but Ange is probably superior in his vision, just.

And now John Aloisi and Tony Popovic, it seems, are to get a gig.

A little early for Aloisi - a very high risk strategy their and similarly for Popovic.

But where else does one learn to Coach? Not in the NSW or VPL it seems.

When did the last Coach come through those ranks.

No the way through is from the Youth teams, or Assistant to a higher profile club. I wish the two new Aussies well. They join an increasing list of Aussie and Kiwi Coaches in the league.

Has the Aussie Coach come of age or are we just cheaper in our new financially stringent management ownership model?

Will Spencer Prior or Robbie Hooker be others to get a look in, in coming seasons?

AFL dropped the ball on the Asia Cup Bid...now they are playing catch up.

The AFL worked overtime to successfully kill the World Cup bid.

An impressive feat but unfortunately when they all popped their corks down in Melbourne they seemed to think their job was done.

No, football just trundles on and when Australia was given the Asia Cup bid the AFL must have been asleep.

But the AFL is awakening and has suddenly realised not only is the Asia Cup coming to Australia its also going to provide a heck of a lot of political monies and kudos for football over the next three years.

After all you can't have your 16 biggest and best Asia neighbours coming without wanting to make a huge impression on their fans, political leaders and associated business entourages.

Everyone will love football for a few weeks. Even Clive Palmer, Collingwood President's and whichever political government state or federal is in power.

The AFL might not like it, and heads must be being bashed at HQ - how the hell did we let this happen and more importantly how can we sabotage it. We need to start now!

Step 1: Get Eddie to say on his show - The Asia Cup - tell em it's a lemon, another lemon waiting to happen and start to sell the message. "We all think it's a lemon." Make it sound like we are Australia this is another little intrusion into our life from a foreign game. Make sure Eddie doesn't acknowledge it could be a great thing for all our business mates.

Step 2: Lock up the Stadiums with the NAB pre-season, pre-season cup. What do you mean they don't need our Stadiums this time?

Step 3: Get all the teams to come to AFL games. Free tickets for fans. We don't play in January Andrew?

Step 4: Place stories about tickets being priced way too high and keep mentioning flop, lemon and the expected crowd for Oman v Uzbekistan.

Step 5: Let's promote the Aussie cricket team get them to play in more than one city at one time..is that possible. Give out free HD TV's. We're getting desperate.

Step 6: DO NOT let them get funds for any stadium upgrades, ever never. This is one political fight we must win. They do not get funds for any stadiums. Did you hear me.

Step 7: How can we improve our funds, stadiums from this lemon?

Step 8: How the hell did they get a bid over the line without us knowing?

Step 9: You told me we ditch the World Cup bid then football is dead....you are so wrong, you are fired.

Step 10: Will the AFL ever get to Asia - not in your life time Andrew - Hobart is your overseas travel option in 2012....mate!

Eddie Everywhere except Asia thinks the Asia Cup is a lemon.....

So Eddie everywhere except Asia thinks the Asia Cup is a lemon as he told Sir Frank Lowy in his recent Fox Sports interview on some AFL show.

Not a bad little interview, Frank was very impressive and you have to wonder if Frank had dropped the ball on the A-League in recent years given the good news flowing after one meeting with Nathan Tinkler this week.

Eddie is a so-called Celtic fan, loves the game we're told and yet "we all think it'll be a lemon" his comment stank of AFL hierarchy once again dreading and plotting a way to sabotage the Asia Cup.

The Asia Cup will be no lemon. Games for Japan, Korea, China if they make it and Australia will be very healthy with strong travelling support.

And of course the viewing figures for Iran v Saudia Arabia will make the Collingwood President weep.

Was this the first little barb in guys the Asia Cup is coming how do we the AFL sabotage it.

Wake up team let's get on to it! Geelong v Adelaide in January anyone?

Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Adelaide United vs Bayern Munich?

With the domestic season over our focus swings to the ACL, where Adelaide United continue to smash all expectations. Could we see them playing in the Club World Cup this December? Paddy Bordier, Nick Cumpston and Nick Amies bring you the lowdown on all the ACL action as well as the latest news in the world's longest off-season.

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