A-League to extend...but when to start?

The A-League will extend to 10 teams this year with 27 games locked in. So each team plays each other three times.

With the finals extending to include 6 teams that means we should have an extra two months of football as we inch towards a professional football season of reasonable length.

But when to start?

If we discount the Super 14 season as any real threat, given there are only four teams and only three directly up against A-League teams..plus Super 14 interest seems to me, anyway, to be stagnant if not waning.

It's a case of League and AFL always going to be the major problem for us to get media attention and healthy crowds.

We have a few options:

1. We either start late July and end late Feb, so basically tack a month on either end of the season

This would put us up against the AFL and League seasons. They won't be happy and will use there vast resources to block any coverage of our game.

2. We start mid-August..maybe a week or two earlier bu push into March for the finals. Neither League or AFL has started and by then there is only one game, a Semi or a Final in the last couple of weeks.

As we saw this year the hype of the AFL and League seasons could swamp the A-League final in the media although if they final can't make some media breakthrough then nothing ever will. So maybe this is the best option.

3. The third alternative is to remain as we are, but increase or introduce 6 midweek games. Would the Australia public support this...in great numbers?
Not if Fox determine every game must start at 8pm.

Thursday nights have been a flop in the past...and Monday night football may be good but if that means we simply spread the games over four days on a weekend we aren't solving the problem of the extra games.

My preferred option:

1.Start August 1t. That would increase the season by say three games at the beginning and by then half the AFL and League teams are out of the hunt anyway:)

Extend the season into March...increase the season by three games at the end of the current season

3. Introduce two mid week rounds, including an extra one around Xmas/New Year.

And of course be mindful of what happens when we go to 12 teams. 36 games and a real football season!

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W-League to extend?

Looks like the W-League will be extending.

Last year we had 8 teams playing 10 games. This year it seems we'll have 8 teams playing 14 games.

so every team will play each team home and away and this time the final will be finished before Christmas.

Looking like a September start?

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This weeks podcast.

We talk Socceroos, W-League, and ACL with Adrian Caceres and Ahmed Elrich.

Download Podcast:






Local Football we talk Lightning Tournament, Fed Cup Finals and Tim Skinner talks Street Soccer coming to Canberra...starts today (Wednesday 2pm Reid Oval.)
Download Podcast

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AIS: When did Australia last create a player with flair?

No AIS creative player since Zelic!!!

Aussie media have been whinging for months about the Socceroos style of play...and I'm from the school that it's not all about the Coach.

If you don't have the tools it's hard to paint a picture.

But, until recently, our so-called best of the best came through the AIS, and therefore it's worth noting who is our most creative player to come through such an organisation...and indeed are we creating enough?

I'm no expert on AIS history but I do know that the Socceroos 2006 side contained many wonderful AIS products.

Lucas Neill, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Vinny Grella to name a few.

But when did we produce a midfield player or wide player with real top class flair?

And I can't remember one, not since Ned Zelic!!

A forward player who can get you out of your seat, a midfielder with an eye for a pass in the final third.

Go on. Name one!

Harry Kewell didn't go to the AIS. Nicky Carle didn't and if he did he has hardly reached the top anyway. Marco Bresciano...hmmn not really, not consistently, Brett Holman, the list isn't great is it?

So who?

All those years of training on the cold winter fields of Canberra since Zelic left and what do we have to show. Nicky Rizzo threatened early, Kaz Patafta promised...but now no-one will even play him, not even in the worst A-League team!

So while the AIS produces wonderful defenders, and defensive midfielders, where is the organisation that creates that something extra. A forward or midfielder with flair.

Does the AIS knock it out of them? Or does the AIS just refuse to select them. Too small, too skilful, too many touches? I have no answer.

Will the A-League Youth Structure enable more "eccentricity" in our play. More Ronaldo's. Do our Coaches encourage step-overs, hogging the ball?

Did Ronaldo get where he is by passing the ball in his younger years?

For now we've stuck with what we have, and creativity, and flair aren't there.

Robbie Kruse, Mitch Nicholls, Nathan Burns show or in Kruse's case showed potential. Nikita Rukavystya, Bruce Djite have also caught the eye and may go on to better things. Is James Troisi top notch? Doesn't feel like it to me.

Michael Zullo, Taj Minnicon, great for the A-League but they aren't Ryan Giggs are they.

We need 10 Patafta's strutting their stuff, maybe another 10 Nathan Burns and from that group we may get a Riquelme, or Giggs, or Ribery, or even one day a Ronaldo.

For now I'd settle for another young Kewell, Zelic or Viduka.

We need to plunder our best athletes. The AFL boys. If we can nick another from Melbourne, another Viduka or even a Kennedy this may be our best chance. They'll have the athletism but the skill factor is something else. Something you can't teach I guess.

Is the AIS just a conservative player production mill? Good enough, but not nearly exciting enough, not risky enough.

Can you think of a player with flare we've produced? One who gets you out of your seat, one who can thread that pass, Nakumura style, or who can dribble away like a young Ryan Giggs?

And is there even a threat of one on the horizon?

The Dutch in recent years have produced a Van Persie, a Robben so there is hope. And of course Cruyff, Van Basten and the rest before them.

They are a small nation with I daresay a similar player base to us, but they have produced many many quality players.

Maybe we'll be saved by the Dutch...maybe?

But how long before we should expect the products to start to shine...with an oranje glow?

I'm impatient.

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Nearpost Radio tonight

Tonight from 6.30 streamed at www.2xxfm.org Socceroos, Adrian Caceres, Ahmed Elrich, W-League and locally we've got the Fed Cup news with Russ Gibbs and hear all about Street Soccer coming to Canberra.

Like your club, team, individual or just want to talk or rant football, email me and we'll get you on. flanaganDOTTeamonnATgmail.com

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10,000 Victorians can't play football

"For example, in Victoria this year, Football Federation Victoria had to turn away more than 10,000 people from playing football because of the lack of available facilities."

Taken from the FFA
submission to the Government Sport Panel report
When you look at the Statistics showing which states boys and girls play football in, the numbers in NSW are huge compared to Victoria. Indeed the number of females playing in Victoria is almost the same as for the whole of the ACT!!

I'd suggest the AFL media and social dominance is a key reason but also the AFL's ability to keep grounds for themselves even if they don't have the juniors.

Ground issues continue to become an issue and with the expected continued growth in football, it will remain an issue for years to come. We need to use our networks in all States to improve the health opportunities for our young people.

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AFL: Crowd violence on the rise?

The weekends AFL crowd violence seemed to have been missed by many sports commentators. Funny they never seem to miss any football "riots."

Bottles were thrown in Adelaide at the St. Kilda/Adelaide Crows game with at least one twelve year old boy hit.

A Collingwood Dad bashed in Melbourne by three AFL fans after the game

Of course each report had a little dig at the "soccer violence creeping into our game."

And there's me thinking the violence was inspired by AFL's own Barry Hall, or maybe Aussie tennis or even cricket fans!

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Dinosaurs found in Dubbo...just not in the Zoo!

Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes won't be smiling today as the league kicks off in Dubbo...without them!

There are no dinosaurs in Dubbo Zoo but they are alive and well in the local football association.

The Daily Liberal, the local Dubbo paper, reports today that Matildas stars and local Dubbo twins Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes have been training to play with a local team in the Under 18 League.

Guess what?

It's a boys league and Jim Auld and the Local Association has said NO!

Here's the article: And don't forget to add your comment at the end of the story.

Jim said this:

“Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes are really competent and delightful young ladies with a lot of natural talent and I have a lot of time for both of them,” Mr Auld said.

And this:

“But this is just one of those things - it is a male competition, just like there are female competitions which boys would not be able to play.

And he even said this:

“It is common sense that their risk of injury would be increased if they played men and I would hate for them to get injured and jeopardise their careers.

Arguments from othersas to why the girls can't play have included, "they may get hurt, referee may treat them differently based on gender or other players may back off when contesting a ball."

Stop laughing people still really say that stuff publicly!

Come on Dubbo: Never heard of Millissa Barbieri in Victoria...playing boys football...and she's in goals!!!

You've even got a letter from National Coach Tom Sermanni...Jim, do you understand the game better than Tom and the capabilities of our elite female players?

And it's not like you will have 50 girls desperate to play the game at that level is it?

Jim methinks you are going to be a popular man across Aussie media this week...take the phone off the hook...NOW!

Full article below.


Canberra United W-League stars Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes have been denied the right to play for Dubbo Football Club in this year’s Western Premier League competition.
The twins have been training with the club and were hoping to play with the under-18s side this season as part of preparations for the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers in August.

However, with the first round of matches tomorrow, which sees the Bulls pitted against Canobolas Rangers at Lady Cutler Oval, the league has stated it will not allow the Sykes girls to take the field based on the grounds that it is a men’s competiton.

The twins were yesterday training in Canberra under the guidance of Australian Matildas coach Tom Sermanni who himself reportedly requested they play in the under-18s competition.

The girls and their family were hoping to be able to play in a strong competition locally, considering they will be undertaking Year 12 and the travel demands of being in the Matildas and Canberra United squads were already limiting their time to study.

But this will not be the case.

Instead the girls could be deprived of valuable match time which would help to keep up with the physical demands of playing on the international stage.

Ashleigh and Nicole’s father Derek Sykes said he felt the decision by the WPL was upsetting and was not encouraging for aspiring female soccer players in western New South Wales.

“What hurts most is the girls want to stay in Dubbo to complete their HSC and still play competitive soccer,” Mr Sykes said.

“It’s unfortunate the WPL won’t help a couple of kids from out west.

“They have been enjoying their training with the boys who have been supportive and welcoming.

“It is upsetting when you look at what they have put back into the Dubbo community and have pushed Dubbo at every chance. What hope does it give for younger kids coming through?”

Before their rise to stardom the girls played in the Dubbo under-15 to 17 competition with boys. Sykes said this competition and the Dubbo Women’s All-Age competition would not provide the girls with the pace of game they needed to further develop their game.

He argued that at an international level the women play just as hard as the boys and that most of the W-League players do play in men’s competitions of a similar standard.

WPL co-ordinator Jim Auld said the rules stipulated that the league was strictly a men’s competition.

“Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes are really competent and delightful young ladies with a lot of natural talent and I have a lot of time for both of them,” Mr Auld said.

“But this is just one of those things - it is a male competition, just like there are female competitions which boys would not be able to play.

“It is common sense that their risk of injury would be increased if they played men and I would hate for them to get injured and jeopardise their careers.

“There are other female competitions on a par with the WPL under-18s, such as playing for Bathurst Panthers in the Super League. There is travel involved but there is also travel involved in the WPL.”

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AFL Crowd brawl but somehow football gets a mention!

Herald Sun reporting on more Crowd Violence at the AFL..can't help but bring football into the equation.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25290100-661,00.html

And is the sourceless wonder Andrew Dimitriou always looking for an AFL spin against Football.

One witness, who asked not to be named, said the violence was more like a soccer brawl than a quiet afternoon watching the footy at the MCG.

``It's the worst football bashing I have seen,'' he said.

Did this last statement refer to bashing of the round ball game?


A crowd gathered to watch the arrest and Pies and Demons fans swore at the men in disgust, witnesses said.

Mr Jones was left covered in blood, with fears he could have been seriously injured.

Ambulance officers treated him for his injuries before he was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with a suspected broken nose and cheekbone.

Zac was cared for in the Demon clubrooms afterwards.

Demons president Jim Stynes said the club was shocked by the attack.

``We want to keep this as a family sport rather than a thug sport,'' he said.

``Fans should maintain the spirit of the game after the siren sounds and celebrate with the spirit of humility.

"First and foremost The Melbourne Football Club is for family. Everyone is welcome at our games. Everyone must feel safe and secure and free to express their passion for the club they support.

"One of the great things about the culture of AFL football is this type of behaviour is very rare. Irrespective of who you support - supporter violence is just not on.”

One witness, who asked not to be named, said the violence was more like a soccer brawl than a quiet afternoon watching the footy at the MCG.

``It's the worst football bashing I have seen,'' he said.

A statement from the Melbourne Football Club confirmed the incident.

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2010 World Cup to help ALeague4Canberra bid

Most watched PAY TV program ever!

So the Socceroos are off to another World Cup...and Canberra's A-League bid can only benefit...

There have been a few doubters, naysayers and general moaners when it comes to the prospect of an A-League side in Canberra.

Canberra's Rugby Union and League Administrators have made noises to get the thing blocked if possible. Thus far they've failed.

And even, amazingly to me, some members of Canberra's football fraternity have poo-pooed the idea.

Citing lack of interest, finances, and the Cosmos decline as various spurious reasons for the reasons why a Canberra bid will fail.

Well the Socceroos appearance, now guaranteed in my book, has clearly assisted the Canberra business case and may assist to change some people's views.

Any new business, especially one which significant start-up and running costs will always be focussed on the long-term, profile, growth and success of it's products.

Two things assisted the Canberra A-League business plan on Wednesday night.

Qualification for South Africa 2010 ensures the Socceroos and football will get increasingly positive coverage for the next 18 months or so, enabling the FFA to build on the previous successful years.

This momentum will be transferred to the young players and expect record crowds for various events in the coming couple or years.

That could be a Socceroos game in Melbourne, Sydney or dear old Canberra. And of course the A-League will make headway in Townsville, and Gold Coast and who is to say Robbie Fowler won't bring a record crowd to Sydney for an A-League game.

And expect an increase in registrations among our young people in the coming years as well.

And increasingly the business community are recognising the potential of the game and the connection to the kids, mums and dads and fans. Even a Wall Street Banker could exploit that...and succeed!

Also perhaps equally important for Canberra the record PAY TV viewing audience for any programme was broken on Wednesday night. Over 400,000 with a million tuning in at various times to watch perhaps, Australia's favourite national team. This figure didn't count ANYONE in pubs and clubs.

So the next TV deal will increase,and the current measly $1 million distributed to A-League Clubs could rise to $3 million per year. Enough to cover salaries and more, making any team profitable.

So Canberra A-League can benefit.

The growth of football in the city and region is so strong, aligned to the Socceroos brand, we got 20,000 recently for a Socceroos game, and I'm confident we can match this crowd for our first A-League game.

In fact I think we'll sell it out....and the TV future increased revenue sources aligned to a relatively low salary cap will ensure the games future.

There's a lot of work to be done but there has never been a better time to get a football team in Canberra.

And despite the naysayers none of them has been able to convince me that it can't be done. Indeed most seem hell-bent on destroying the business plan...never mind the dream.

If the numbers add up..we can do it.

And they do.

After Wednesday they just got a whole lot stronger.

With the Socceroos off to the next World Cup, TV viewing audiences continuing to rise, the interest in our game will continue to rise.

Canberra needs to get into the A-League sooner rather than later, to build on the swell of support for the game across the city and the region.

For someone involved with the Canberra bid, Wednesday night gave me many reasons to smile.

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2010 World Cup draw...I want England!

Japan, Croatia, Brazil and Italy. Last time was awesome. We couldn't have got a more interesting group and teams to play.

So this time I want England, South Korea, USA and maybe Germany/Italy or Argentina in the second round.

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Aussies off to biggest show on earth.

It was a tense first half.

Pim Verbeek played with just the one forward, at home, and he was the smallest on the field, Scott McDonald. But Verbeek crafted another win, and Australia must be off to their third World Cup despite Bahrain winning overnight.

Verbeek sent out a cautious team, maybe, but one designed to win the game over 90 minutes rather than the first ten. And didn't he get it right. The Uzbek's were so tired come 60 minutes. And by then they were 1-0 down.

It was a tough game, Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Josh Kennedy all missed out and of course our firepower, and pace in Emerton, was missing. And in the first half we needed that something extra.

Michael Beauchamp lined up in defence and he again looked under confident in the Australian shirt and he nearly conceded on a couple of occasions.

Uzbekistan exposed the Australian lack of pace in the Aussie defence on a couple of occasions but like Alvaro Recoba on that night of nights back in 2005 they failed to find the target. This game was always going to be played over 90 minutes.

Scott McDonald linked well with Marco Bresciano, and Bresciano should have scored.

A tense first half ended with no goals and some concerns around the Aussie performance. It lacked intensity, it lacked creativity. And Harry Kewell showed once more he is no longer a world class left winger. But the Uzbeks are a good side and anyone who expected a flogging clearly hadn't seen the Uzbek's play.

In the second half things changed.

Australia picked up the pace and to great effect. Australia won the ball in the Uzbek half and players started to move the ball a little quicker.

Richard Garcia got more into the game. Carl Valeri stomped his authority all night. Luke Wilkshire got down the right.

Marco Bresciano found space and Josh Kennedy on for Scott McDonald got the goal. More pressure and Garcia was fouled and Harry Kewell converted the penalty.

For me the game was won from the back. Scott Chipperfield and Wilkshire got further forward in the second half and the whole team, the whole performance benefited.

Not a great game, but Australia aren't a great team. But they are organised and they haven't conceded a goal in qualification.

But they won and have probably qualified through Asia at their first attempt.

Australia has rarely produced wonderful flowing teams. We've rarely had competitive games at this level. The game is still developing in this country at the elite level and tonights win was another important milestone in our development.

And what the League, AFL and Union organisers wouldn't give for such a qualification route to a World Cup in their respective codes.

Tim Cahill and Mark Bosnich both mentioned on TV tonight that we don't have a Maradona, yet, but we have Aussie pride and many good players and this group by qualifying are enabling the game to go further in this country as a result.

Bosnich even said once we get more of the better athletes switching or staying with football Australia will produce better players. AFL take note.

We've only had consistent competitive football since we joined Asia...just three years.

So rather than the so-called experts, Fozzie and Cockerill, discussing how we play, it's time to enjoy the fact that a group of Australians have earned the right to play at the World Cup again.

And that includes Pim Verbeek.

They've done it the hard way. 11 games so far across Asia.

Enjoy the win, I did.

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Melbourne the 11th A-League team to be announced tomorrow?

Maybe.....

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World Cup: Will the Uzbeks tire?

Sick of hearing about travel plans for the Socceroos in previous weeks, games etc, and it's impact on performance?

Well tonight we should find out exactly how much impact such travel has on performance.

Australia, in camp at least a week before tonight's game, they'll meet Uzbekistan a side that played on Saturday, won 4-0, but then had to travel to Australia...without three key players from that win against Qatar.

An improved Uzbek side should be exhausted the longer the game goes. Unless they score an early goal, they should be there for the taking.

If the Aussies don't score early, no bother, the so-called fresh legs Aussies who have been in camp for a week should cruise home.

International football is never like that....but then Uzbekistan have never had to travel to Australia 4 days after their previous game...enjoy the game!

And finally how come Jade North can come back for over a week for tonights game but he couldn't come back for an Asia Cup Qualifier last month. Pim we need him now and we needed him then!

And Josh Kennedy won't play. Harry Kewell and Scott McDonald will presumably start, although Scott has never scored so why he's a certain starter has me beat!

But I think Scott Chipperfield and Luke Wilkshire, in defence and in attack will be crucial to our performance and success tonight.

South Africa here we come...let's hope so!

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Nearpost Radio tonight: Canberra Youth Football Development

Six Canberrans have training contracts with the AIS: A record for Canberra football and no doubt a record for any similar sized town/city in Australia...and yet we have no professional team, but we did introduce SSG's in 2004.

A great interview tonight with John Mitchell, the man responsible for bringing Small Sided Games to Canberra in 2004 way before it was introduced nationally by the FFA.

John talks about this and about the changes he's introduced to a local Canberra Premier League side this year. Part one tonight from 7pm, part two next week.

Anyone interested in Youth development would be interested in John's thoughts, and how he's applied them to Canberra football over a number of years. And of course the outcomes from a programme that has now run for 5 years.

Hear John tonight on Nearpost Radio. 98.3fm or streamed from www.2xxfm.org or podcast here tomorrow.

Nationally, we talk Socceroos, relive previous World Cup memories and all the issues of the week.

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AIS beat Canberra's best...

The AIS have been playing the local Premier League teams recently.

With oldest AIS player now born in 1992, that makes the oldest player just 17.

They've already beaten Canberra FC, ANU and O'Connor Knights. Belconnen did beat them but the AIS had a player sent-off in the 15th minute so maybe that influenced the result.

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Australia focuses on the main game

If you see people walking around Canberra with huge smiles on their faces this week there's a fair chance they are heading to Sydney for the World Cup Qualifier against Uzbekistan on Wednesday.

The League has started (not for the Raiders), the AFL is running hot...(in Melbourne), the Super 14 continues (in other countries) but this is the game I've been waiting for...the rest merely a news item...and a depressing one at that as Canberra teams keep losing!

But an increasing number of Canberrans are excitedly telling me they are going on Wednesday and "can't wait," seems to be the general concensus.


I'm not going. But isn't it great to have so much competitive football. For a country so long starved of any real national football, the important games are coming thick and fast.

And if we beat Uzbekistan we are as good as off to South Africa.

And then I guess we'll all be smiling on Thursday...even those of us who didn't get to go.

World Cup Qualifier, points at stake, Uzbekistan desperate for a result, Aussies in dreamland if we win....Bring it on!

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Rugby to face football style exodus?

According to Saturday's SMH Super 14 Aussie franchises will face an exodus of players heading to Europe in the next two years.

Aussie football fans have had to deal with this for years but it will be interesting to see how it affects the Aussie Super 14 fan base if, as expected, such an exodus would leave the Aussie S14 sides even further down the table than they are this year...


With three of the four Aussie teams in the bottom four any further exodus will clearly weaken the exisiting teams.

With the Union junior base pretty low in terms of numbers, a loss of players could seriously impact on the Aussie teams, particularly as they play in an International Competition.

It's not like the NRL or AFL. Should any players leave to other codes, or to play overseas, the domestic nature of the league means the results don't really suffer only the on-field quality...but that's always hard to measure in a domestic league.

Football has always had the problem of players leaving, but the depth of the junior base, plus the ability to bring in overseas players has meant we are still able to have a strong domestic competition, the A-League.

Socceroos have always played o/s based players but Union and Wallabies "protect" the local game by only playing Aussie based players in the Wallabies.

This may all be about to change.

And it will be interesting to see how many die-hard Aussie Union players make the trip home for some meaningless "test" match against France, Italy or whoever.

Union clearly faces many challenges in coming years in Australia.

And who can forget that the World Cup will be played in New Zealand in 2011 when they could have gone to Japan. With the state of the game that is one big blooper. I thought it then, it seems even bigger today.

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NSW Football Federation = Pathetic

Do the FFA and NSW give a stuff about football development?

Imagine a football organisation that wants to improve it's organisation, it's Premier League. Well it's not NSW is it? You might argue it's not the FFA!

Australia is crying out for game improvement opportunities for its young players and NSW has an amazing opportunity to improve it's league. Put a team or two from Canberra in the league.

But because we aren't in NSW we can't get in. Have you ever heard anything so pathetic? They don't mind all our players going to Sydney or Wollongong to play do they?

NSW Premier League, through the NSW Football Federation, needs to put one maybe two teams from Canberra in it's league.

Is Canberra up to the task? Well we normally win it when we were in ..so you'd think the NSW Premier League would be desperate to add a team or two from a city that produces quality teams.

Hey it would provide a further pathway for Australia's junior players. But no they don't want us.

It's about time the FFA got involved and sorted the mob at NSW PL out.

How long can this farce go on?

Maybe Belconnen United and Canberra FC merely apply from a postal office in Queanbeyan and play in Canberra! Is that how stupid football is in Australia?

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Mariners community programs expanding in 2009

A Canberra A-League side would change many things in the football community over time.

Here's what the Mariners are doing just four years after they started, though I'm not sure what they mean by "learn to play the Mariners way." "the Mariners Way," is not my view of how the game could be played...but suppose it takes all sorts:)



The Central Coast Mariners’ community and player development program has re-commenced with a new and expansive model aimed to engage participants at all levels, while casting an eye over new talent.

With a focus on accessibility and affordability, the Mariners will host and support school holiday clinics and regional development centres across the Central Coast and the northern Sydney corridor in partnership with the Ku-ring-gai & District Soccer Association and Gladesville Hornsby Football Association.

School holiday programs scheduled for 2009 will number in excess of 40 programs, with this massive footprint set to engage over 2,000 children between the ages of 4 and 12 years in fun and developmental sessions that include visits from Mariners players.

The development centres will be conducted during school terms over eight advanced sessions to assist club-based players to 'learn to play the Mariners way'.

To facilitate the growth of the community football program, the Mariners have engaged the services of Tim Thorne as Community Development Officer – Sydney, who will work in conjunction with foundation Mariners player and now Youth Development Co-ordinator, Damien Brown.

"It’s a great time to be engaging kids in football and through the Mariners development initiatives we are driving community development to a new level," said Mariners Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman.

"The Mariners provide a pathway to professional football that is unique in football in Australia and we believe it is a part of our responsibility to provide aspiring young players at all levels with some key opportunities and milestones along their journey towards this goal.

"Football is fun and we want every player who attends a Mariners program to enjoy their experience whatever their level of development."

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USA given free passage to the World Cup.

The USA are always guaranteed passage to the World Cup. They lead a group with Mexico and the mighty Honduras, Trinidad (don't forget Tobago) Costa Rica and El Salvador.

And from those six.....THREE teams qualify for the World Cup.

Talk about a biased farce!...and if you come FOURTH you get a play-off with, this year, the South American fifth place team.
How does this region, with those teams, get 3.5 places. Corruption I guess!

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Socceroos: Local Media a little confused!

Win Wednesday and we're going to South Africa!

Japan went to the top of the group last night which according to local Canberra media is bad news for Australia...but because of that result we could actually qualify for the World Cup on Wednesday.....

so der..how is it a bad result!!!

Some people have no idea! It's great news for Australia. Australia, obviously didn't play last night, but the result pushes the third place team further behind Australia...especially if the Aussies beat Uzbekistan on Wednesday. And of course the top two qualify direct with the third place team going into further play-offs.

We win and Bahrain draw later on Wed night and Australia go to the World Cup.

So last night Japan needed to beat or draw with Bahrain Japan won 1-0
and Uzbekistan needed to beat Qatar and they did 4-0..which again was the perfect scenario for Australia.

Now to Wednesday and the best position Australia could be in after Wednesday is:

1 April, Bahrain draw with Qatar
1 April, Australia beat Uzbekistan

We would have qualified for the World Cup or with a win to us and a win to either Bahrain or Qatar then Aussies would need just 1 point from 3 games:)

Ladder Ends up after Wednesday if results go as above.:
Team--------- pts Sunday Games pld and Pts after Wednesday Max pts possible.
Australia-----...10...........5............13
Japan----------..11...........5............11
Bahrain--------...4...........6.............5..or (7)..........11 (13)
Qatar----------...4...........6.............5..................11
Uzbek---------....4...........6.............4..................11

Worse case scenario if Australia win on Wednesday, Aussies need a point from 3 games to be certain of qualification:) although if we win on Wednesday it will be enough in my view.

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Ljubo Milcevic is gone..now he's back:)

"I'm looking forward to getting back to Newcastle and its beautiful beaches and for the side to have a strong remaining ACL campaign, starting with these two massive games against Nagoya," the 28-year-old told au.fourfourtwo.com today.

Err Ljubo...how long were you away...did you really miss those wonderful beaches.
The guy can clearly play, although he looks like a 38 year old on the field not a 28.

Like Ben Cousins in the AFL you miss a year in your later playing years and you are NEVER the player you were. Ljubo will be a great addition to the A-League if he stays. He can pass!

So here's hoping he stays around for awhile. We need players of his on-field quality.

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Football on Commercial Telly...Wow!

When you see all the kids playing and the number of people involved in the game it's always amazed me that Commercial TV has been slow, very slow to get involved in one of Australia's major activities.

How hard can it be to get sponsors for this show and at the end of the day that's all Commercial Telly is about, isn't it?

How many other sports or interest groups have such a large number of women, girls and boys involved in a sport, and we are always told these are the people who influence so much discretionary spending.

Well finally Channel 9 is to show "Football Stars of Tomorrow,"..Football finally breaks through to commercially telly...what next they start talking up the code and include it in the their sports bulletins...hold on..one step at a time..but a good indication of where the code is heading...

Apart from the fact I hate those commercial stations....this is a great thing for the game...see release below

Award winning television program Football Stars of Tomorrow will in 2009 debut on commercial television, after a deal between Football NSW and Channel Nine was struck.

Fresh from claiming the 2008 NSW Sports Federation Media Award, Football Stars of Tomorrow will initially feature on Channel Nine for eight weeks beginning in late June.

Channel Nine personality Stephanie Brantz will host ‘Season Four’ of Football Stars of Tomorrow which will be screened at 2pm on Sunday during the ‘Wide World of Sports’, broadcasting grassroots football across the nation.

Football NSW Chief Executive Officer Michael Quarmby was elated with the agreement.

“Channel Nine has given our sport every chance of growing not only in NSW, but across Australia.

“Our dream of being able to deliver a national message in order to promote grassroots football has finally been realised and with the help of various sponsors and Football Federation Australia, this fantastic prospect will be taken with both hands.”

Football Stars of Tomorrow, although primarily targeted at children aged 8-16, proved to be popular with adults as well and accumulated an average of 92,000 viewers a week in 2008, resulting in a total viewership of 1.75 million.

Its’ aim was to not only promote the game at the grassroots level, but also to target viewers from various demographic backgrounds.

Season Four will feature a variety of new segments including a Football Federation Australia (FFA) endorsed Socceroos segment, Women’s Football segment, Celebrity segment and a Coaching segment with special guests from FFA.

Football Stars of Tomorrow Producer and Football NSW Commercial Services Executive Manager Tony Peters is adamant the show can be a success on commercial television with the support of the greater ‘football community’.

“Clearly Channel Nine are putting their foot in the water to test the sport; it’s up to the football family to ensure the program stays on Channel Nine long term by supporting it.

“Football NSW applauds Channel Nine in their support of promoting the round ball game at grassroots level.”

The new season of Football Stars of Tomorrow can still be seen on Fox Sports and will feature exclusive access to the 2009 TeleChoice Premier League.

More information regarding times, dates and talent will be released when available.

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Canberrans: Harder to be a Socceroo than a Wallaby

We've got many more Wallabies from Canberra than Socceroos. Our Private Schools just produce better Rugby players.

Well what a crock. This came from a Canberra Sports Journalist I met recently.

First of all the Private Schools in Canberra.....
have a long proud history of producing Rugby players but ask Marist, Radford, Grammar, St Eddies and co and they'd all talk about the huge switch to football in recent years. And it will continue won't it?

Secondly until recently there were just THREE teams in Union. Brumbies, Waratahs and Queensland.

It makes sense, to me, that the Wallabies will be chosen from those three teams. Therefore any Canberran making the Brumbies has a great chance of making the Wallabies.

There just aren't that many Union players to choose from.

As for football. The code is played across the whole country, and indeed Aussies play across the world, and therefore to make the national team from any city is a tad harder. Particularly one that doesn't have a professional team.

So I would argue the fact that so many of our players have reached Socceroos and Australian Representative Level is a credit to our development processes.

When two Tuggeranong United Under 11's rise to Socceroos level it is a huge achievement.

When four Canberrans make the current Australian Under 17 team and a further four have made the Under 18 and Under 20 teams then clearly Canberra is doing something right.

It's much harder to make the Socceroos than the Wallabies; but just because Canberra has more Wallabies it's a misnomer to suggest that it's because the Private Schools develop their Rugger boys better.

In fact it's total garbage. Long-live the Canberra journo:)

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Football the most difficult game in Australia

Take the four football codes, AFL, League, Union and Football.

I often discuss, alright argue, with my AFL mates about which code requires the greatest skills.

I maintain it's football. (No surprise there I guess!)

I reckon you can transfer from football to ANY of the other codes from the age of 12 up until 16 and you still could make a living from the game. (Of course Union and League you can transfer up until 30 or so;)

But if you haven't played football prior to 12 I reckon your chances of making it are extremely limited. The skill set is clearly superior.

I'd go further, athletes who can't master the game of football often switch to other codes.....

Makes sense to me!

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Enjoy the 2010 World Cup..next time we play we may be hosts!

We're bidding for the 2018 World Cup: Is the reason we are bidding because we know our Golden Generation retires in August 2010, and only Hosts are guaranteed qualification?

The Socceroos are so important to the growth of the game in Australia, the rise of the next generation, and there is nothing like a World Cup to focus our youth on football rather than League, Union or AFL. but it's starting to look very scary for football in Australia post-2010. (Remember the Beijing Olympic Team?)


Okay so we're nearly there for 2010,....

barring an Iranian-style finish Australia should make it. And we should enjoy it....because next time with the players we have we may not be able to get a draw in China, a win in Bahrain or Uzbekistan, we even could struggle at home to Iraq, and god forbid Qatar.

With the side that took the field in Japan in Feb, only missing Emerton, Viduka and Kewell from the one that took the field against Japan in the last World Cup....and all of these would have played if fit...

We're going to be left in dire trouble come 2014 qualification aren't we, unless you know something I don't.....

Chipperfield, Emerton, Viduka, Kewell, Neill, Scharwzer, Culina, Cahill, Grella, Bresciano, Sterjovski, Wilkshire, Moore, Coyne may all be gone.

If there are two of the above still walking around for the Socceroos that will be about it.

So welcome to the new team post-2010.

Federici

Spiranovic, Beauchamp, North, Kisnorbo, Carney..a few unproven there aren't there...can De Vere step up, Mullen Jamieson or anyone else in the next couple of years..step up to Internationl football?

Valeri, Holman, Jedinak....not the elite we have had in the past but maybe Culina can go around again, Kantarovski to sneak through as a new Zelic/Okon by 2014 he'll only be 21..the age Zelic was heading overseas.

Kennedy, Djite, Troisi, MacDonald, Rukavystya...we need Bruce and Nikita to shine in the coming years and Troisi but there's not much depth and no real star like Viduka.

Who else? Holland, Nichols, Celeski...the challenge is there and the gap between the current and immediate generation is lacking somewhat in my view.

We'd better enjoy our qualification this time...the Golden Generation is about to depart.

Milligan and Milicevic should have been able to go and be first picks in the post 2010 team but they have gone completely off the boil.

Have I missed anyone?

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Canberra A-League bid drives Wikimania:)

Canberra A-League Bid on Wikirank

Will Canberra be the 12th team in 2010; or left to wait for the 13th spot?
Time waits for no man...or football club unless perhaps Western Sydney!

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AFL the clear leader in battle of the codes.

AFL might not exist in Canberra in any real form, but you have to hand it to a code that can sell-out the MCG for a game between two suburbs on a thursday night and then expect to sell-out the next night as well.

For the life of me I've no idea


For the life of me I've no idea quite why the game is quite as popular as it is in Melbourne (I've always lived in Canberra and AFL news is pretty scare here), particular when all other codes in Australia do well to get a crowd of 30,000 plus for any league/union/football club game...and why it is sooooo popular in Melbourne especially compared to other states and indeed other codes.

AFL continues, in my view, to lead the football codes in Australia but even as strong as it is it faces an increasing challenge to match the crowds in Melbourne across the Northern States, and even as entrenched as the game appears it has many clubs with financial problems.

Indeed part of it's challenge is that it's set-up and running costs are so high at each club that they need a higher revenue than any other code to maintain the clubs.

Port Adelaide with average crowds of over 23,000 (what league/union/football club wouldn't die for that average) are in a dire financial state, even the biggest club in Australian sport, Collingwood, lost $3.5 million last year.

Which leads me to think the AFL must be the most poorly run administrations of all codes. With the sort of TV deal they have how any club loses money is beyond me.

And for those who know this stuff, go the Sainters....

Guess you have to live there!

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Ebbsfleet United v A-League4Canberra

Ebbsfleet. taken over by myfootballclub have 35,000 members who pay $100 a year.

The members are from 70 countries across the World. Ebbsfleet play in Division 5 have no chance really of making the top league, never mind the Champions League.

Canberra on the other hand would play in the top league in Australia, have an opportunity to play in the Asian Champions League and a chance to play in the World Club Championship.

An Australian Club with a Share Ownership model.

I don't think any other club in any code in Australia has such a model.
20,000 members at $100 would give over $2 million per year.

Could such a model work in Australia, for Canberra?

Imagine if you could have a say in a football club, one in the Premier League of Australia.

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