Goal.com editorial on the resignation of AEK President Demis Nikolaidis:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=835263
Greece articles:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=834707
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=835867
Interview with Joey Schirripa for Four Four Two Australia:
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/83388,joey-that-could-have-been-me.aspx
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Interview with Shannon Cole
Here's a slightly longer version of my interview with Sydney FC man Shannon Cole that appeared on Goal.com:
Shannon Cole came within centimeters of elevating himself to cult-hero status amongst Sydney FC fans on Saturday night, as he saw one of his trademark
free-kicks crash against the left-hand post during his A-League debut against the Melbourne Victory. The winger was Sydney’s stand-out performer on a night when John Kosmina’s sky-blue outfit seemed devoid of attacking substance, with Cole’s energy and raw athleticism suddenly turning heads in the Australian football sphere. But the sudden rise of the 24 year-old former Sydney Olympic man has at its heart, a humble beginning…
It is appropriate perhaps, that Cole secured his dream move into the world of professional football from a club with a history synonymous with the working-class and an ethos built upon the poetically simplistic ideals of its founders. In some ways, Sydney Olympic Football Club – the club which was instrumental in Cole’s A-League move – has a lot in common with Shannon Cole.
The winger’s form for the former National Soccer League giants has been irrepressible this season, with his familiar long-hair (now cut, to the dismay of many-an-admirer) identifying him to a small but loyal following at the soon-to-be-demolished Belmore Sports Ground. Cole’s previous hairstyle – bordering on an 80s mullet, as my limited understanding of the concept allows me to imagine it – embodied perfectly his character on the pitch and his importance to the club. For the few who still bother to turn up to Olympic matches, Cole’s attacking swagger and general tenacity have brought a sense of nostalgia to a fan-base of an almost mythical era. With his endless crusades down the right and left-hand flanks and an aggressive attitude toward set-pieces, he has entertained and brought joy to a football community that have had little to cheer since their ungracious demise.
Despite a widespread reluctance of A-League clubs to trust in local talent from the second-tier of Australian football, the manner in which Cole has inspired Olympic to Johnny Warren Cup success and for the most part been the driving force behind their attacking play this season, has been an irresistible lure for Sydney FC manager John Kosmina. Kosmina – a former Olympic player himself – has so much faith in Cole’s abilities that an eight-week injury suffered by the winger was not enough to discourage the club from signing him.
Cole’s talents are many. He is defensively sound, ultra-fit, aggressive, disciplined, two-footed, a set-piece specialist and a possessor of raw attacking ability. A diamond in the rough he may be – mainly the result of the fact that he has never played full-time, professional football – but his is a future on which the Sydney club must surely invest.
Despite a virtual man-of-the-match performance against the Melbourne Victory in front of 16,000 strong crowd on his top flight debut – Cole has become accustomed to crowds that have at times numbered 300 at state league level this season – the 24 year-old employed his characteristically modest simplicity when speaking about his first ever taste of professional football.
“I was just trying to focus on my job defensively and in attack, just on what I was asked to do.” says Cole. “I noticed it’s a lot noisier out on the pitch, you can’t really hear your team-mates so you’ve really got to stay switched on. There were a few times in the game where I got caught - I’m not to sure what you would call it - not ball-watching but not aware of runners going beyond me so that’s something I’ll definitely improve on next time.”
The arrival onto the domestic football scene of Shannon Cole brings a refreshing element of honesty and innocence to a football world which every day becomes increasingly dominated by hyper-inflated mixtures of ego and wages. To put it simply, here is a young man who purely loves football and whose life off the pitch reflects his dedication on it. Where the run-of-the-mill professional might forget that theirs is a privileged life, there are no such thoughts running through the mind of Shannon Cole, whose late blossoming will surly yield the most likeable of success stories in years to come.
What is most unique and typical of Cole’s success story has been the fact that the player has never graced the perfectly laid fields of a football academy. His is a football development which has been raw: spawned from the archetypal suburban streets, parks and back-yard. In a country which has become so fixated on establishing a successful, centralized and financially viable youth development culture, perhaps the idea that the world’s greatest footballers were forged in some of the poorest slums on the planet has been forgotten. Cole’s story partially resurrects the universally successful concept of the childhood dream.
Goal.com catches up with Sydney FC winger Shannon Cole to discuss family, football, college in Detroit, sleeping patterns and why playing at the park with his younger brother in Concord West was the best football education he could have wished for…
Goal: Shannon, a couple of weeks ago you were playing in the Tiger Turf Cup against the Bankstown City Lions in front of around 2,000 people and on Sunday you were playing in Sydney FC’s A-League opener against their bitter rivals the Melbourne Victory in front of 16,000 fans. What have your first impressions of the league been like?
SC: Based on my one game, I’d say you get less time to rest. It goes from one job to the next, so you’ve constantly got a task that you’ve got to focus on. That might change with Sydney though. There might be games where we dominate and I might get a chance to rest but Melbourne had a lot of the ball, especially in the first half, so for me it just seemed like it was constantly one thing leading onto the next.
Goal: Despite the fact that you’ve been playing semi-professional football this season, you appeared to be one of the fittest players on the pitch. What’s your secret?
SC: Craig Duncan, out fitness trainer at Sydney Olympic. He got our whole squad extremely fit this year. When I went to Olympic, fitness wasn’t one of my worries but being mentally aware for 90 minutes is different though. I think that’s what I’ve got to work on; being mentally switched on for the entire match.
Goal: You’ve just signed a one-year professional contract with the club, which means you can now totally devote yourself to football, as opposed to working a day-job and training only once or twice a week. Has your life changed considerably now that you are playing full-time?
SC: No, my life hasn’t changed that much really. My family is extremely supportive. I’ve got a lot of family around the world who have sent all their love over the last couple of weeks. But I haven’t done anything differently.
I’ve been sleeping a lot to be honest, having a bit of a nap in the afternoons because I’ve been tired from training! Nothing’s really different though, everyone’s been really supportive and wished me all the best and congratulated me. My mobile phone died from a bunch of text messages that I got on Sunday night!
Goal: You took a big gamble when you initially trialed with Sydney FC. Given your age, if you hadn’t been signed by Sydney, would you have considered giving up on your dream of playing professional football? Was this your last chance?
SC: I just put all my eggs in one basket when I trialed with Sydney because I couldn’t commit to both work and training so I just had to give it a good shot.
If Sydney hadn’t signed me, I wouldn’t have given up on football. I still enjoy playing and still want to play at the highest level I’m capable of. I haven’t really thought about giving up to be honest, I’m the type of person who tries to focus on what I’ve got in front of me now rather than what could have been or what should have been.
Goal: You’ve basically been an unknown to the general Australian football public for the last few years. Can you give us a little bit of recent background of your football exploits?
SC: I played for a few different state league teams, I went over to the [United] States for a year, went over to New Zealand for a year, came back and played for Parramatta for half-a-season, then went to Olympic after that.
I used football as a way to see the world and also to learn. When I was overseas, I learnt things from guys that I would otherwise have never played with. For example, I played with a couple of Jamaican boys in the ‘States who showed me things that I’ve never seen anyone do in professional football or amateur football. My attitude was that even if I wasn’t going to play professionally, I still wanted to learn and to improve my game and see a bit of the world at the same time.
Goal: Can you tell us a little about your time in the USA?
SC: My team in the ‘States were a small college side but we had a very diverse team with a number of people from all over the world, so there was a flair from all over the place. It was a fun team to be in and I learnt a lot over there at the Waza football academy and it was something unique that I would never have experienced had I not given it a go.
I was very lucky that our coach Dominic Scicluna loved a beautiful style of the game and because it was college and didn’t have the pressures of semi-professional or professional football; we were free as players to try things.
Some of the football we played - for a college team - was very good and I got a lot of confidence from my team-mates over there. It was almost like we went out to entertain every week because it was only college. We came sixth in the country, we wanted to win but we also really wanted to entertain and we played to play pretty football, especially with the Jamaican boys and the European boys in the team who brought a bit of football that they’d been brought up with and everyone kind of played to put on a show.
I went over when I just turned 20, just for a year. I’ve got family there and my girlfriend is still there finishing her education. I got a college scholarship but there were a few visa problems and the college made mistakes with my transfer. There was a chance that I’d have to go 16 or 17 months without playing a game, so I told them I couldn’t do that and it didn’t work out.
Goal: Yours isn’t the typical football development story. The absence of any academy education is a unique characteristic of your football life. Is it something you wish you had experienced?
SC: When I was younger I was the type of player who’d watch football and whoever was the best player, that was the one I’d try to be like. Some games I’d watch Beckham and he’d be the best, sometimes it would be Pablo Aimar, one of my favourite players. So I’d go away and try to copy and learn from them.
I’d practice things thousands of times, practice the step-over thousands of times until I got it perfectly. I obviously didn’t go to any academies when I was younger, I didn’t get picked for NSWIS or the AIS or anything like that, I was never really considered for it. I just wanted to be the best footballer that I could be and my training came from myself and my brother going to the park with my best mate, doing things over and over again until we got it perfectly.
Everything I’ve learnt, I’ve learnt with my brother, watching games over and over again and picking moves and just practicing them until it was time to go to bed.
The amount of times we’ve had one-on-ones in the front-yard; that’s where you learn to be the player you are, with stuff like that. In my opinion, you don’t learn how to be a footballer in an academy. You become a footballer in your front yard or on the streets.
I still don’t know how you get into NSWIS or the AIS or how it works. It’s something that I missed and don’t have to worry about because I’m very happy with the player I am and what I could turn into. So I’ve got no regrets.
Goal: What did signing for Sydney FC mean for you, particularly in light of the fact that you had spent a crucial part of the state league season sidelined with injury?
SC: I can’t thank enough Kossie [John Kosmina] and the Sydney FC staff for being patient. For me to get injured and miss eight weeks of football and for them to be patient and still want to have a look at me, that really did mean a lot to me and that really gave me the extra motivation and determination to come back from my injury and perform.
Goal: How have you fit in at your new club? Have the players been fairly welcoming?
SC: They are a very good bunch of boys and funnily enough, the higher profile players are the more friendly ones. Obviously now, everyone’s fine but at the start the higher profile players were the ones that went out of their way to make you feel welcome, so it is a very comfortable environment.
Goal: You’ve only been at the club for a short-time but from your experiences so far, what do you make of John Kosmina’s managerial style?
SC: He is the boss but he’s very open. Steve O’Connor does a fair bit of coaching with the side as well, there’s a lot of discussion, it’s not a dictatorship, the sessions are very enjoyable and you get a lot out of them, so I’m definitely enjoying it so far.
Based on the way the boys play at training, some of the one-touch football is out of this world, so I’ve no doubt it my mind that we can really entertain as well as get results this season.
Goal: Who has had the most influence on you since your arrival at Sydney FC?
SC: Probably John Kosmina to be honest. It’s a pretty daunting thing to walk into such a big club but ‘Kossie’ the whole way has shown how much faith he has in my ability. He takes the ‘mickie’ out of me just as much as anyone else but when it comes down to it, he’ll give a little world here or there like “Go on, don’t be afraid to try things and play your natural game”.
Goal: We’ve seen similar success to yours in the form of Predrag Bojic, who enjoyed a superb debut for the Central Coast Mariners after signing from state league club the Sutherland Sharks. Are the state leagues an untapped resource of player talent?
SC: I think there’s definitely talent in the state leagues, especially if A-League coaches have the patience to work them up to the professional level. Speaking about Sydney Olympic specifically and my former team-mates, a number of those guys - if given the right time and patience - could definitely step up.
Even though we say the boys aren’t full-time professionals, a lot of the guys in the state league are very professional, whether they get paid as much as A-League players or not, there are a lot of us who really take the game seriously and want to achieve something with it.
I rarely go out, I don’t drink, I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize my career. Every week I go out with the belief that I have to play the best game I’ve ever played and that’s how I’ve always approached the game.
Goal: A few months ago you were recovering from a serious ankle injury on the state league treatment tables and by the end of this season there’s the chance that someone like Pim Verbeek might have even considered you for Socceroos selection. It must all be a little surreal for you at times?
SC: It’s very early on and I’ve only played one game, so I can’t really think about all of that. It does slip into my mind occasionally but then I wake up and it’s time to go to training!
Goal: Thanks for your time Shannon and good luck with the upcoming A-League season.
SC: Cheers
Shannon Cole came within centimeters of elevating himself to cult-hero status amongst Sydney FC fans on Saturday night, as he saw one of his trademark
free-kicks crash against the left-hand post during his A-League debut against the Melbourne Victory. The winger was Sydney’s stand-out performer on a night when John Kosmina’s sky-blue outfit seemed devoid of attacking substance, with Cole’s energy and raw athleticism suddenly turning heads in the Australian football sphere. But the sudden rise of the 24 year-old former Sydney Olympic man has at its heart, a humble beginning…It is appropriate perhaps, that Cole secured his dream move into the world of professional football from a club with a history synonymous with the working-class and an ethos built upon the poetically simplistic ideals of its founders. In some ways, Sydney Olympic Football Club – the club which was instrumental in Cole’s A-League move – has a lot in common with Shannon Cole.
The winger’s form for the former National Soccer League giants has been irrepressible this season, with his familiar long-hair (now cut, to the dismay of many-an-admirer) identifying him to a small but loyal following at the soon-to-be-demolished Belmore Sports Ground. Cole’s previous hairstyle – bordering on an 80s mullet, as my limited understanding of the concept allows me to imagine it – embodied perfectly his character on the pitch and his importance to the club. For the few who still bother to turn up to Olympic matches, Cole’s attacking swagger and general tenacity have brought a sense of nostalgia to a fan-base of an almost mythical era. With his endless crusades down the right and left-hand flanks and an aggressive attitude toward set-pieces, he has entertained and brought joy to a football community that have had little to cheer since their ungracious demise.
Despite a widespread reluctance of A-League clubs to trust in local talent from the second-tier of Australian football, the manner in which Cole has inspired Olympic to Johnny Warren Cup success and for the most part been the driving force behind their attacking play this season, has been an irresistible lure for Sydney FC manager John Kosmina. Kosmina – a former Olympic player himself – has so much faith in Cole’s abilities that an eight-week injury suffered by the winger was not enough to discourage the club from signing him.
Cole’s talents are many. He is defensively sound, ultra-fit, aggressive, disciplined, two-footed, a set-piece specialist and a possessor of raw attacking ability. A diamond in the rough he may be – mainly the result of the fact that he has never played full-time, professional football – but his is a future on which the Sydney club must surely invest.
Despite a virtual man-of-the-match performance against the Melbourne Victory in front of 16,000 strong crowd on his top flight debut – Cole has become accustomed to crowds that have at times numbered 300 at state league level this season – the 24 year-old employed his characteristically modest simplicity when speaking about his first ever taste of professional football.
“I was just trying to focus on my job defensively and in attack, just on what I was asked to do.” says Cole. “I noticed it’s a lot noisier out on the pitch, you can’t really hear your team-mates so you’ve really got to stay switched on. There were a few times in the game where I got caught - I’m not to sure what you would call it - not ball-watching but not aware of runners going beyond me so that’s something I’ll definitely improve on next time.”
The arrival onto the domestic football scene of Shannon Cole brings a refreshing element of honesty and innocence to a football world which every day becomes increasingly dominated by hyper-inflated mixtures of ego and wages. To put it simply, here is a young man who purely loves football and whose life off the pitch reflects his dedication on it. Where the run-of-the-mill professional might forget that theirs is a privileged life, there are no such thoughts running through the mind of Shannon Cole, whose late blossoming will surly yield the most likeable of success stories in years to come.
What is most unique and typical of Cole’s success story has been the fact that the player has never graced the perfectly laid fields of a football academy. His is a football development which has been raw: spawned from the archetypal suburban streets, parks and back-yard. In a country which has become so fixated on establishing a successful, centralized and financially viable youth development culture, perhaps the idea that the world’s greatest footballers were forged in some of the poorest slums on the planet has been forgotten. Cole’s story partially resurrects the universally successful concept of the childhood dream.
Goal.com catches up with Sydney FC winger Shannon Cole to discuss family, football, college in Detroit, sleeping patterns and why playing at the park with his younger brother in Concord West was the best football education he could have wished for…
Goal: Shannon, a couple of weeks ago you were playing in the Tiger Turf Cup against the Bankstown City Lions in front of around 2,000 people and on Sunday you were playing in Sydney FC’s A-League opener against their bitter rivals the Melbourne Victory in front of 16,000 fans. What have your first impressions of the league been like?
SC: Based on my one game, I’d say you get less time to rest. It goes from one job to the next, so you’ve constantly got a task that you’ve got to focus on. That might change with Sydney though. There might be games where we dominate and I might get a chance to rest but Melbourne had a lot of the ball, especially in the first half, so for me it just seemed like it was constantly one thing leading onto the next.
Goal: Despite the fact that you’ve been playing semi-professional football this season, you appeared to be one of the fittest players on the pitch. What’s your secret?
SC: Craig Duncan, out fitness trainer at Sydney Olympic. He got our whole squad extremely fit this year. When I went to Olympic, fitness wasn’t one of my worries but being mentally aware for 90 minutes is different though. I think that’s what I’ve got to work on; being mentally switched on for the entire match.
Goal: You’ve just signed a one-year professional contract with the club, which means you can now totally devote yourself to football, as opposed to working a day-job and training only once or twice a week. Has your life changed considerably now that you are playing full-time?
SC: No, my life hasn’t changed that much really. My family is extremely supportive. I’ve got a lot of family around the world who have sent all their love over the last couple of weeks. But I haven’t done anything differently.
I’ve been sleeping a lot to be honest, having a bit of a nap in the afternoons because I’ve been tired from training! Nothing’s really different though, everyone’s been really supportive and wished me all the best and congratulated me. My mobile phone died from a bunch of text messages that I got on Sunday night!
Goal: You took a big gamble when you initially trialed with Sydney FC. Given your age, if you hadn’t been signed by Sydney, would you have considered giving up on your dream of playing professional football? Was this your last chance?
SC: I just put all my eggs in one basket when I trialed with Sydney because I couldn’t commit to both work and training so I just had to give it a good shot.If Sydney hadn’t signed me, I wouldn’t have given up on football. I still enjoy playing and still want to play at the highest level I’m capable of. I haven’t really thought about giving up to be honest, I’m the type of person who tries to focus on what I’ve got in front of me now rather than what could have been or what should have been.
Goal: You’ve basically been an unknown to the general Australian football public for the last few years. Can you give us a little bit of recent background of your football exploits?
SC: I played for a few different state league teams, I went over to the [United] States for a year, went over to New Zealand for a year, came back and played for Parramatta for half-a-season, then went to Olympic after that.
I used football as a way to see the world and also to learn. When I was overseas, I learnt things from guys that I would otherwise have never played with. For example, I played with a couple of Jamaican boys in the ‘States who showed me things that I’ve never seen anyone do in professional football or amateur football. My attitude was that even if I wasn’t going to play professionally, I still wanted to learn and to improve my game and see a bit of the world at the same time.
Goal: Can you tell us a little about your time in the USA?
SC: My team in the ‘States were a small college side but we had a very diverse team with a number of people from all over the world, so there was a flair from all over the place. It was a fun team to be in and I learnt a lot over there at the Waza football academy and it was something unique that I would never have experienced had I not given it a go.
I was very lucky that our coach Dominic Scicluna loved a beautiful style of the game and because it was college and didn’t have the pressures of semi-professional or professional football; we were free as players to try things.
Some of the football we played - for a college team - was very good and I got a lot of confidence from my team-mates over there. It was almost like we went out to entertain every week because it was only college. We came sixth in the country, we wanted to win but we also really wanted to entertain and we played to play pretty football, especially with the Jamaican boys and the European boys in the team who brought a bit of football that they’d been brought up with and everyone kind of played to put on a show.
I went over when I just turned 20, just for a year. I’ve got family there and my girlfriend is still there finishing her education. I got a college scholarship but there were a few visa problems and the college made mistakes with my transfer. There was a chance that I’d have to go 16 or 17 months without playing a game, so I told them I couldn’t do that and it didn’t work out.
Goal: Yours isn’t the typical football development story. The absence of any academy education is a unique characteristic of your football life. Is it something you wish you had experienced?
SC: When I was younger I was the type of player who’d watch football and whoever was the best player, that was the one I’d try to be like. Some games I’d watch Beckham and he’d be the best, sometimes it would be Pablo Aimar, one of my favourite players. So I’d go away and try to copy and learn from them.
I’d practice things thousands of times, practice the step-over thousands of times until I got it perfectly. I obviously didn’t go to any academies when I was younger, I didn’t get picked for NSWIS or the AIS or anything like that, I was never really considered for it. I just wanted to be the best footballer that I could be and my training came from myself and my brother going to the park with my best mate, doing things over and over again until we got it perfectly.
Everything I’ve learnt, I’ve learnt with my brother, watching games over and over again and picking moves and just practicing them until it was time to go to bed.
The amount of times we’ve had one-on-ones in the front-yard; that’s where you learn to be the player you are, with stuff like that. In my opinion, you don’t learn how to be a footballer in an academy. You become a footballer in your front yard or on the streets.
I still don’t know how you get into NSWIS or the AIS or how it works. It’s something that I missed and don’t have to worry about because I’m very happy with the player I am and what I could turn into. So I’ve got no regrets.
Goal: What did signing for Sydney FC mean for you, particularly in light of the fact that you had spent a crucial part of the state league season sidelined with injury?
SC: I can’t thank enough Kossie [John Kosmina] and the Sydney FC staff for being patient. For me to get injured and miss eight weeks of football and for them to be patient and still want to have a look at me, that really did mean a lot to me and that really gave me the extra motivation and determination to come back from my injury and perform.
Goal: How have you fit in at your new club? Have the players been fairly welcoming?
SC: They are a very good bunch of boys and funnily enough, the higher profile players are the more friendly ones. Obviously now, everyone’s fine but at the start the higher profile players were the ones that went out of their way to make you feel welcome, so it is a very comfortable environment.
Goal: You’ve only been at the club for a short-time but from your experiences so far, what do you make of John Kosmina’s managerial style?
SC: He is the boss but he’s very open. Steve O’Connor does a fair bit of coaching with the side as well, there’s a lot of discussion, it’s not a dictatorship, the sessions are very enjoyable and you get a lot out of them, so I’m definitely enjoying it so far.
Based on the way the boys play at training, some of the one-touch football is out of this world, so I’ve no doubt it my mind that we can really entertain as well as get results this season.
Goal: Who has had the most influence on you since your arrival at Sydney FC?
SC: Probably John Kosmina to be honest. It’s a pretty daunting thing to walk into such a big club but ‘Kossie’ the whole way has shown how much faith he has in my ability. He takes the ‘mickie’ out of me just as much as anyone else but when it comes down to it, he’ll give a little world here or there like “Go on, don’t be afraid to try things and play your natural game”.
Goal: We’ve seen similar success to yours in the form of Predrag Bojic, who enjoyed a superb debut for the Central Coast Mariners after signing from state league club the Sutherland Sharks. Are the state leagues an untapped resource of player talent?
SC: I think there’s definitely talent in the state leagues, especially if A-League coaches have the patience to work them up to the professional level. Speaking about Sydney Olympic specifically and my former team-mates, a number of those guys - if given the right time and patience - could definitely step up.
Even though we say the boys aren’t full-time professionals, a lot of the guys in the state league are very professional, whether they get paid as much as A-League players or not, there are a lot of us who really take the game seriously and want to achieve something with it.
I rarely go out, I don’t drink, I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize my career. Every week I go out with the belief that I have to play the best game I’ve ever played and that’s how I’ve always approached the game.
Goal: A few months ago you were recovering from a serious ankle injury on the state league treatment tables and by the end of this season there’s the chance that someone like Pim Verbeek might have even considered you for Socceroos selection. It must all be a little surreal for you at times?
SC: It’s very early on and I’ve only played one game, so I can’t really think about all of that. It does slip into my mind occasionally but then I wake up and it’s time to go to training!
Goal: Thanks for your time Shannon and good luck with the upcoming A-League season.
SC: Cheers
Portfolio Update
Shannon Cole Interview:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=827908
Greece Editorial:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=824105
Greece articles:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=826248
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=826872
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=827911
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=828070
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829284
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829294
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829329
http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=830144
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=834707
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=831661
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=830117
Perth vs Newcastle, Round 2 Match Report:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829980
Wellington vs Melbourne, Round 2 Match Report:
http://jp.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=832178
FNSW interview with Joey Schirripa:
http://hosting3.sportingpulse.com/www.footballnsw.com.au/index.php?id=17&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1200&tx_ttnews[backPid]=222&cHash=4dc853e0f0&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1220291&utm_campaign=The%20Official%20Football%20NSW%20e-newsletter
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=827908
Greece Editorial:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=824105
Greece articles:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=826248
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=826872
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=827911
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=828070
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829284
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829294
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829329
http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=830144
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=834707
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=831661
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=830117
Perth vs Newcastle, Round 2 Match Report:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=829980
Wellington vs Melbourne, Round 2 Match Report:
http://jp.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=832178
FNSW interview with Joey Schirripa:
http://hosting3.sportingpulse.com/www.footballnsw.com.au/index.php?id=17&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1200&tx_ttnews[backPid]=222&cHash=4dc853e0f0&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1220291&utm_campaign=The%20Official%20Football%20NSW%20e-newsletter
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Portfolio Update
Adrian Alston interview for Four Four Two Australia:
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/82223,alston-honour-our-history.aspx
Nathan Sherlock - new Mariners recruit - for Four Four Two:
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/82222,sherlock-hones-in-on-trophies.aspx
A-League season preview on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818612
A-League season opener match report for Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=820361
Wellington vs Queensland match report:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=822473
PAOK Editorial for Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=819724
Greece articles on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=814516
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=814528
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=815963
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=815999
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=816841
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=817326
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818454
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818019
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=820371
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=819844
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=821241
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823755
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823748
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823737
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/82223,alston-honour-our-history.aspx
Nathan Sherlock - new Mariners recruit - for Four Four Two:
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/82222,sherlock-hones-in-on-trophies.aspx
A-League season preview on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818612
A-League season opener match report for Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=820361
Wellington vs Queensland match report:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=822473
PAOK Editorial for Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=819724
Greece articles on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=814516
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=814528
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=815963
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=815999
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=816841
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=817326
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818454
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=818019
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=820371
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=819844
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=821241
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823755
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823748
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=823737
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A-League Season Preview
My preview of the upcoming season as on Goal.com:
Energy Australia Stadium will be the stage for the opening match of ‘Version 4’ of the Hyundai A-League on Friday evening. The name might be more suited to the release of the latest Pro Evolution Soccer title but the reality of suspensions, injuries, disjointed squads and questionable player recruitment policies will hit some clubs harder than others as Australia’s premier football competition enters its fourth season...
It would seem logical to look toward the Pre-Season Cup as an indicator of the potential fortune of the eight participating sides over the next season. If we were to follow such a trail of thought, we would arrive at the conclusion that the A-League ‘trophy’ will be heading to the Victorian state, with the Melbourne Victory becoming the first ever team to win two A-League titles.
The form of New Zealand-based outfit the Wellington Phoenix might also suggest that their worth is more than that of wooden-spoon candidates, which so many local journalists have been all to happy to brand them with. In reality, such a title carries little significance in a
competition of only 21 rounds and 8 teams, where a run of three straight wins can lift you off the foot of the table and into finals contention. In any case, the early form of the Phoenix appears to have justified a shrewd player-recruitment policy, a continental blend of footballers taking the club to a first ever Pre-Season Cup Final, where they were more than a match for their more illustrious rivals from Victoria.
The Rest
As for the rest of the competition? The convoluted nature of the Pre-Season Cup should theoretically mean there isn’t much room for true reflection of a squad’s abilities, particularly given the fact that – as its name suggests – it is nothing more than an avenue for pre-season preparations for managers. Having said that, the Central Coast Mariners won the inaugural Pre-Season Cup in 2005 before going on to reach the first ever A-League final later t hat season. Similarly, Adelaide’s success in the tournament during the second season of the A-League previewed a highly successful season, during which the club secured a Grand Final appearance and qualification for the Asian Champions League.
However, the cup has lost and will continue to lose its credibility as a legitimate title so long as the league’s salary cap keeps rising and the trend of importation of foreign talent increases. More and more, the cup is being used by managers as a stage for new recruits to settle-in to the Australian football landscape rather than as a statement of their sides’ A-League credentials.
This idea leads to the obvious question as to why pre-season preparations are arranged between sides who will be competing against each other during the coming season, rather than preparing against clubs from the state leagues or even from overseas. The most rece nt issue surrounding the cup is the fact that suspensions will carry into the regular season, with some clubs particularly decimated by a combination of injury and ill discipline – Sydney FC being the most publicized case.
Appropriately, on the note of perpetually whining administration and coaching staff, I will attempt to give as best a summary on the recruitment, make-up and potential fortunes of the eight clubs competing in the 2008-2009 A-League. Just to prove my complete objectivity, I’ll even list the sides via the universally accepted principle of alphabetical order…
The problem? After a season of inconsistency, where the performances of his team largely rested on the shoulders of attacking prodigies Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite, Vidmar has now lost the services of both to the green pastures of European football. The loss of the teen sensations has manifested itself into ominous pre-season attacking form, with Vidmar’s side managing two nil-all draws against the defensively depleted Perth and Newcastle.
The purchase of former Eredivisie forward Cristiano seems to be the potential tonic to the Reds’ attacking ills, with the forward showing a clinical touch against the Melbourne Victory, scoring two goals in a 2-1 pre-season win. Analysis of his record in Europe raises more questions than answers however. The Brazilian striker enjoyed early success with NAC Breda and Roda JC in the Netherlands, before experiencing sharply contrasting fortunes at Basel and Willem II. The ability of Cristiano to rekindle the form of his early European career will be crucial to Adelaide’s season, particularly in light of the injury-prone nature of Paul Agostino and the relative inexperience of state-league goal-machine Robert Younis, who was prolific for APIA Leichhardt during the latest state league season.
Adelaide’s strength will undoubtedly lie in defense. The central defensive partnership of Angelo Costanzo and Michael Valkanis was the foundation for the side’s success under Kosmina and the impact of the latter’s injury woes on their campaign last season cannot be understated. Where they sacrificed depth for quality, Vidmar has restored balance. The signing of the powerful Sasa Ognenovski from Queensland might just be enough to turn the club’s fortunes around. Not only is the ogre-like defender a likely source of goals but his raw power and imposing figure might be the perfect foil for the classy, ball-playing culture offered by Costanzo.
What makes Vidmar’s summer recruitment and squad composition unique is the choice of his source for attacking flair. Where other clubs have gone in search of creative midfielders, the Adelaide manager has at his disposal attacking full-backs. From last season remains supposed set-piece specialist Cassio, now abetted by former Cruzeiro and Juventus right-back Alemao on the opposite flank. The capture of teenager Scott Jamieson from the depths of Bolton’s reserve side further illustrates Vidmar’s desire for width, which might be a sensible option in light of Costanzo’s distributive abilities.
Summary: The late arrival of Paul Reid from the lower divisions of England should give steel to a midfield that previously lacked character. Vidmar will use a water-right defense as the foundation for his side’s A-League campaign but their fortunes appear to lie squarely on the shoulders of striker Cristiano. Poor form or an injury to the striker will leave the Reds worryingly thin up-front and might just spell the end of their finals hopes. Enough quality to avoid the wooden spoon but not enough depth to earn a finals place. Vidmar might also become pre-occupied with the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League.
Prediction: Will probably finish 6th.
One of the most balanced sides in the competition, with a strong sense of team unity and a reputation for consistent football and a competitive nature. They have been involved in two grand finals and were unlucky to lose both of them. Scottish manager Lawrie McKinna has built a squad on the virtues of hard-work and team unity – stereotypes about ‘ugly’ football are false.
McKinna has made the most intelligent move of the transfer summer with the release of the ageing, chronically injured John Aloisi, leaving financial space for the acquisition of Socceroo Ahmed Elrich and striker Dylan Macallister. The pair should provide McKinna’s side with a steady stream of opportunities and goals respectively, in a squad whose weakness has been the absence of a key center-forward to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities of the club on a consistent basis. Macallister might just be the man to deliver, arriving back to Australia after an unsuccessful spell in Norway.
Former Socceroo and Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich might also sign with the club, at least on a short-term deal. McKinna’s move for Aloisi last season provided the near-perfect blend of football pragmatism and off-field profile. Whether the unfit but immensely talented Bosnich is the appropriate cover for promising ‘keeper Vukovic is a totally separate issue but it has been the main focus of an astute summer recruitment drive by the Mariners coaching staff.
The psychological impact of having narrowly and undeservedly lost two Grand Finals might be the biggest obstacle to finally claiming the A-League title this season. The biggest weakness of the side resides in a lack of creativity and drive in midfield. The ageing legs of Gumprecht and Pondeljak delivered these qualities sporadically during the first three seasons of the league but the injury worries of the former and the move to Melbourne of the latter leave a noticeable lack of quality in the center of the pitch.
Summary: On paper, the only squad that rivals Melbourne in terms of realistic depth across all areas of the pitch. The addition of Sutherland Sharks captain and former Northampton center-back Bojic may yet prove to be McKinna’s best signing, whilst the acquisition of Adrian Caceres from Melbourne could provide the injection of flair that the side so desperately crave. A lot could rest on the form of Elrich, a potential match-winner who is yet to find the same form domestically which saw him secure a move to Europe years ago.
Prediction: Genuine title contenders.
Without a doubt, the most talented and quality-laden squad in Australia. The absence of Fred and poor early form of potential replacement Carlos Hernandez killed any chance of a title defense last season but Merrick’s recruitment delivers more depth to an already impressive side.
Defensively sound, with the league’s most dangerous strike partnership in Allsopp and Thompson, Merrick’s campaigns have often faltered on a non existent link in midfield. Fred and Brebner provided it during the second season, where off the back of their fine form Merrick’s side clinched a Premiership and Championship double. The loss of those the Brazilian was too big an obstacle for the Scott to overcome during a catastrophic third season, in which the Victory returned to their disjointed, uninspired and frustrating first-season form.
Merrick has had the luxury of being able to recruit quality rather than quantity – a trait he shares with fellow countryman Lawrie McKinna – and it is no coincidence that both managers are the only to have their services retained by their clubs since the start of the league.
As a result of his gradual squad-building, Merrick has had the enviable task of adding the finishing touches to a well-balanced and familiar group of footballers. The addition of Brazilian Ney Fabiano is a potential title-winner, with the attacker displaying imperious form with Thailand outfit Chonburi in the Asian Champions League last season. Costa Rican Jose Luis Lopez might have the most important role of all this season and his ability to form an understanding in midfield with fellow countryman Carlos Hernandez might prove a crucial determinant in the style of football the Victory employ this season.
A Pre-Season Cup Final victory only showed glimpses of promise for the squad ahead of the new season. Defensively they were superb, with the central defensive partnership of new recruit and Socceroo Michael Thwaite and Rodrigo Vargas shaping up to be one of the most imposing in the league. In terms of attack, there were disturbing similarities to the absence of shape and penetration that plagued their unsuccessful title defense. It is here where one out of a plethora of creative options, which include Celeski, Pondeljak, Hernandez, Fabiano and Ward, must step up.
Summary: On paper, champions – though it was a similar scenario last season. This is the strongest squad assembled in the history of the A-League and ironically, seemingly limitless quality might be Merrick’s biggest obstacle to a second championship. So convoluted is the talent stock at Melbourne that Merrick might struggle to find a winning team and formula – and be able to stick with it.
Somewhere down the line, some very good players will be sitting on the bench. Will it destabilize the squad as the exit of a certain central defender’s did last season? Questions might also be raised about Merrick’s tactical acumen, given the lack of success with a talented squad last season; the Victory played some of the worst football in the competition. This is the season for the Scott to silence his critics, a number of whom are partisan Victory fans.
Prediction: Champions.
Van Egmond has turned the club’s fortunes around with a combination of tactical awareness and his ability to get the most out of his most important players, no more so than talisman Joel Griffiths who inspired the city of Newcastle to its first ever football trophy – despite the absence of Nick Carle.
An initially slow start to the transfer summer has been partly rectified by the loan marquee signing of Ecuador international Edmundo Zura and of Dane Jasper Hakansson adds some pedigree to Van Egmond’s side but will it be enough to defend their title with?
The good news for Van Egmond is that it appears he has won the full trust of traditional team meddler, chairman Con Constantine, whose insistence on playing Paul Okon cost Nick Theodorokopoulos his job and whose emphatuation with Jardel almost cost the club a first A-League title.
Van Egmond is talented as a coach, of that there is no doubt. His managerial abilities however are a different aspect of his character altogether and have been severely tested during a difficult summer recruitment drive. The squad lack depth in some key areas, with the absence of a natural left-sided midfielder the most obvious of weaknesses.
The loss of Olyroo Stuart Musiliak to Sydney is a massive blow to the side – his ball-playing abilities were the driving force of Van Egmond’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Similarly, the ability of Bridge – however inconsistent his performances – to score important goals will also be sorely missed. The retention of Griffiths is Van Egmond’s saving grace; he is the competition’s only pure ‘match-winner.’
In an off-season with more losses than gains, the future of Jade North suddenly becomes crucial to Van Egmond’s title defense. If he goes, a Jets side lacking in defensive depth and quality can kiss goodbye aspirations of a successful retention of the championship – or of any chance of making the finals. The signing of Kaz Patafta won’t be enough to galvanize a depleted squad.
Summary: Simply haven’t recruited well enough. Van Egmond is in for a long season, particularly if Hakansson and Zura don’t adapt to the physical aspects of the league. The expected lose of North will be catastrophic.
Prediction: North will go and so will the finals. The Jets will crash to 7th.
Once the great hope of Australia’s domestic football scene, now the league’s traditional stragglers. A lack of quality in the coaching department, an administration complacent and out-of-touch with their local community and an odd player recruitment policy: the ingredients for a disastrous A-League existence for the former NSL heavyweights.
David Mitchell inherited a club in crisis last season. Not much appears to have changed. A marquee player in Stan Lazaridis who was banned in comical circumstances epitomizes a rough first few years for the Perth Glory, who should have been one of the foundations for the success of the new league.
The loss of Colossimo probably won’t be too much of a blow to the club, given his injury troubles and lack of form during his stint with the Glory. One gets the feeling when looking at Mitchell’s new squad that his recruitments were made more out of desperation than a well-considered plan for the future. To be quite frank, Mitchell is desperate, and the acquisition of a bizarre mix of footballers that include two 34 year-olds might not inspire Glory fans with the greatest of confidence for the long-term.
Having said that, the captures of Dadi and Amaral will offer a wealth of experience to the Glory squad, which carries with it certain undeniable positives. Mitchell appears to be pinning his side’s hopes on unknown Argentine attacking midfielder Adrian Trinidad. Altogether, the summer signings add up to a globally-flavoured gamble upon which the Glory’s fortunes rest this season. The big question is, will it pay-off?
Summary: Mitchell’s coaching credentials are as questionable as his temperament. This is a club whose problems lie deeper than the surface of the first-team and extend to a recently unstable administration and the apparent lack of a direction in terms of the club’s football ethos. They should have invested heavily in youth for the future. What they did instead, was construct the most unbalanced squad in the entire competition.
Prediction: Time was needed for players of distinct football backgrounds and cultures to gel. Lack depth in defense and midfield. To finish dead last…
Farina has inherited a healthy football culture from former manager Miron Bleiberg. His off-season recruits are amongst the most impressive in the competition, with Dutch striker Sergio van Dijk looking to be his smartest move. Similarly, the acquisition of Charlie Miller is a risk the Roar can afford, with the enigmatic Reinaldo also returning to the club ahead of the
2008/2009 season.
The main strength of Farina’s leadership is his willingness to trust in youth. Queensland boast one of the most talented and youngest squads in the competition, which gives them the injection of pace, acceleration, fitness and overall athletic ability that so many other sides lack in the A-League; it is an advantage which could prove crucial in the race for the finals this season.
Contrastingly, a distinct lack of speed in defense is a weakness which might be exposed during the regular season of the A-League. The defensive stocks of Farina’s side have not been replenished, an area which might come back to haunt Farina as the season wears on.
The Roar also tend to lack discipline. The loss of Ognenovski will help out in this department but his presence at the back will be noticeable – he seemed to form a good understanding with former Socceroo Craig Moore last season. Tiatto and Moore bring a wealth of experience to the youthful side that surrounds them. If they can keep their cool, finals football for the second year in a row is a distinct possibility for Farina’s men.
Summary: They will concede. A lot. The loss of Ognenovski leaves Moore without a quality central defensive partner, which will hurt the ageing legs of the former Newcastle United man. Tiatto showed glimpses of energy and quality last season but his ill-discipline hurt his team and himself – literally. If the pair can assume responsible positions of leadership in the squad, the likes of Zullo and Kruse should have plenty of room to weave their magic.
Prediction: Assuming Tiatto and Moore play the ball and not the man, finals football is on the cards.
A lack of youth has always been the undoing of the self-proclaimed ‘glamour’ club of Australian football. Kosmina has the extremely difficult task of rebuilding a squad which has been decimated by the departure of three managers in three seasons. A lack of administrative stability has not allowed for the club to establish a clear direction with which to take it’s football – it is an aspect of the club’s character that Kosmina simply must address if he is to be a long-term employee of Sydney.
Kosmina’s summer recruitment has been the source of much publicity, particularly the acquisition of injury-prone center forward John Aloisi. Whether his signature had more to do with a bizarre obsession by the club to lift its off-field ‘profile’ rather than the effectiveness of the move in terms of workings on the pitch is open to debate. His status as one of the highest-paid professionals in Australian sport means that the pressure is on the famed spot-kick taker to perform in his first season with the light-blue outfit. Both on and off the pitch, Aloisi simply must be a success for Sydney FC.
Having said that, Musiliak should prove to be the club’s best signing and don’t be surprised if Colossimo chips in with the odd quality performance out of midfield. It will be interesting to see where Bridge will fit into Kosmina’s plans but more importantly, it will be interesting to see whether Kosmina uses this season as a foundation for the construction of a squad for the future or whether he is fixated on results.
A cut-throat, win-at-all-costs atmosphere might prove disastrous for Sydney, with the new signings needing time to settle into their new environment. Too much pressure on the likes of Colossimo and Aloisi could result in unnecessary strain on ageing legs, whilst youngsters Musiliak and Bridge could do with guidance rather than pressure.
Ultimately, it will all come down to the attitude adopted by administration and coaching staff. A short-sighted, results-centered philosophy will spell disaster for the club both on and off the pitch.
Summary: A squad of undoubted quality but without the depth of the Central Coast and Melbourne. They also don’t quite have the quality and experience in youth that is a fundamental part of the Roar’s squad. Expect an unspectacular but effective Sydney team.
Prediction: The defining quality of the club is their ability to produce results when it matters. Whether this serves them well in the long-term is a separate issue but might have to battle with Wellington for a finals spot and will probably just scrape through. 4th place for Kosmina’s men.
The Phoenix have an interesting mix of footballers who should play some entertaining, attacking football this season under Herbert. They will again look to All-White Shane Smeltz for goals but Adam Kwasnik might surprise a few pundits with his pace and simplicity. Both are quick, mobile and hard-working and might just form an awkward partnership for A-League defences to deal with.
Undoubtedly the acquisition of Socceroo John McKain appears to be one of the signings of the season. Herbert desperately needed to reinforce a woeful defensive line and the cultured McKain will do just that. Gao adds an assured touch in midfield, whilst Bertos’ pace and trickery will keep crowds entertained.
Herbert’s attacking philosophy is reflected in his player recruitment. It isn’t necessarily the most effective form of football but importantly for the Phoenix, it will win them plenty of admirers this season as the club tries to build its reputation in the New Zealand sporting landscape.
Summary: Herbert has recruited well and his side played some aesthetically pleasing football in the final against Melbourne. His main obstacle will again be a lack of pace in midfield but Dodd and McKain will form a solid central defensive partnership. The development of Hearfield could be an ace up the sleeve of the Wellington manager but the loss of Felipe might just have deprived the Phoenix of the creative quality needed to breach the top four – Daniel is no replacement.
Prediction: Will battle Sydney for 4th and just miss out – Herbert is one season away from the finals. 5th place.
Energy Australia Stadium will be the stage for the opening match of ‘Version 4’ of the Hyundai A-League on Friday evening. The name might be more suited to the release of the latest Pro Evolution Soccer title but the reality of suspensions, injuries, disjointed squads and questionable player recruitment policies will hit some clubs harder than others as Australia’s premier football competition enters its fourth season...
The form of New Zealand-based outfit the Wellington Phoenix might also suggest that their worth is more than that of wooden-spoon candidates, which so many local journalists have been all to happy to brand them with. In reality, such a title carries little significance in a
competition of only 21 rounds and 8 teams, where a run of three straight wins can lift you off the foot of the table and into finals contention. In any case, the early form of the Phoenix appears to have justified a shrewd player-recruitment policy, a continental blend of footballers taking the club to a first ever Pre-Season Cup Final, where they were more than a match for their more illustrious rivals from Victoria.The Rest
As for the rest of the competition? The convoluted nature of the Pre-Season Cup should theoretically mean there isn’t much room for true reflection of a squad’s abilities, particularly given the fact that – as its name suggests – it is nothing more than an avenue for pre-season preparations for managers. Having said that, the Central Coast Mariners won the inaugural Pre-Season Cup in 2005 before going on to reach the first ever A-League final later t hat season. Similarly, Adelaide’s success in the tournament during the second season of the A-League previewed a highly successful season, during which the club secured a Grand Final appearance and qualification for the Asian Champions League.
However, the cup has lost and will continue to lose its credibility as a legitimate title so long as the league’s salary cap keeps rising and the trend of importation of foreign talent increases. More and more, the cup is being used by managers as a stage for new recruits to settle-in to the Australian football landscape rather than as a statement of their sides’ A-League credentials.
This idea leads to the obvious question as to why pre-season preparations are arranged between sides who will be competing against each other during the coming season, rather than preparing against clubs from the state leagues or even from overseas. The most rece nt issue surrounding the cup is the fact that suspensions will carry into the regular season, with some clubs particularly decimated by a combination of injury and ill discipline – Sydney FC being the most publicized case.
Appropriately, on the note of perpetually whining administration and coaching staff, I will attempt to give as best a summary on the recruitment, make-up and potential fortunes of the eight clubs competing in the 2008-2009 A-League. Just to prove my complete objectivity, I’ll even list the sides via the universally accepted principle of alphabetical order…
Adelaide United
Last season was without question their most disappointing. From being arguably the most consistent and cultured side during the opening two seasons of the Hyundai A-League, the acrimonious exit from the club of manager John Kosmina sparked a downward spiral which his successor and former assistant – Aurelio Vidmar – could not halt.
The problem? After a season of inconsistency, where the performances of his team largely rested on the shoulders of attacking prodigies Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite, Vidmar has now lost the services of both to the green pastures of European football. The loss of the teen sensations has manifested itself into ominous pre-season attacking form, with Vidmar’s side managing two nil-all draws against the defensively depleted Perth and Newcastle.
The purchase of former Eredivisie forward Cristiano seems to be the potential tonic to the Reds’ attacking ills, with the forward showing a clinical touch against the Melbourne Victory, scoring two goals in a 2-1 pre-season win. Analysis of his record in Europe raises more questions than answers however. The Brazilian striker enjoyed early success with NAC Breda and Roda JC in the Netherlands, before experiencing sharply contrasting fortunes at Basel and Willem II. The ability of Cristiano to rekindle the form of his early European career will be crucial to Adelaide’s season, particularly in light of the injury-prone nature of Paul Agostino and the relative inexperience of state-league goal-machine Robert Younis, who was prolific for APIA Leichhardt during the latest state league season.
Adelaide’s strength will undoubtedly lie in defense. The central defensive partnership of Angelo Costanzo and Michael Valkanis was the foundation for the side’s success under Kosmina and the impact of the latter’s injury woes on their campaign last season cannot be understated. Where they sacrificed depth for quality, Vidmar has restored balance. The signing of the powerful Sasa Ognenovski from Queensland might just be enough to turn the club’s fortunes around. Not only is the ogre-like defender a likely source of goals but his raw power and imposing figure might be the perfect foil for the classy, ball-playing culture offered by Costanzo.
What makes Vidmar’s summer recruitment and squad composition unique is the choice of his source for attacking flair. Where other clubs have gone in search of creative midfielders, the Adelaide manager has at his disposal attacking full-backs. From last season remains supposed set-piece specialist Cassio, now abetted by former Cruzeiro and Juventus right-back Alemao on the opposite flank. The capture of teenager Scott Jamieson from the depths of Bolton’s reserve side further illustrates Vidmar’s desire for width, which might be a sensible option in light of Costanzo’s distributive abilities.
Summary: The late arrival of Paul Reid from the lower divisions of England should give steel to a midfield that previously lacked character. Vidmar will use a water-right defense as the foundation for his side’s A-League campaign but their fortunes appear to lie squarely on the shoulders of striker Cristiano. Poor form or an injury to the striker will leave the Reds worryingly thin up-front and might just spell the end of their finals hopes. Enough quality to avoid the wooden spoon but not enough depth to earn a finals place. Vidmar might also become pre-occupied with the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League.
Prediction: Will probably finish 6th.
Central Coast Mariners
One of the most balanced sides in the competition, with a strong sense of team unity and a reputation for consistent football and a competitive nature. They have been involved in two grand finals and were unlucky to lose both of them. Scottish manager Lawrie McKinna has built a squad on the virtues of hard-work and team unity – stereotypes about ‘ugly’ football are false.
McKinna has made the most intelligent move of the transfer summer with the release of the ageing, chronically injured John Aloisi, leaving financial space for the acquisition of Socceroo Ahmed Elrich and striker Dylan Macallister. The pair should provide McKinna’s side with a steady stream of opportunities and goals respectively, in a squad whose weakness has been the absence of a key center-forward to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities of the club on a consistent basis. Macallister might just be the man to deliver, arriving back to Australia after an unsuccessful spell in Norway.
Former Socceroo and Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich might also sign with the club, at least on a short-term deal. McKinna’s move for Aloisi last season provided the near-perfect blend of football pragmatism and off-field profile. Whether the unfit but immensely talented Bosnich is the appropriate cover for promising ‘keeper Vukovic is a totally separate issue but it has been the main focus of an astute summer recruitment drive by the Mariners coaching staff.
The psychological impact of having narrowly and undeservedly lost two Grand Finals might be the biggest obstacle to finally claiming the A-League title this season. The biggest weakness of the side resides in a lack of creativity and drive in midfield. The ageing legs of Gumprecht and Pondeljak delivered these qualities sporadically during the first three seasons of the league but the injury worries of the former and the move to Melbourne of the latter leave a noticeable lack of quality in the center of the pitch.
Summary: On paper, the only squad that rivals Melbourne in terms of realistic depth across all areas of the pitch. The addition of Sutherland Sharks captain and former Northampton center-back Bojic may yet prove to be McKinna’s best signing, whilst the acquisition of Adrian Caceres from Melbourne could provide the injection of flair that the side so desperately crave. A lot could rest on the form of Elrich, a potential match-winner who is yet to find the same form domestically which saw him secure a move to Europe years ago.
Prediction: Genuine title contenders.
Melbourne Victory
Without a doubt, the most talented and quality-laden squad in Australia. The absence of Fred and poor early form of potential replacement Carlos Hernandez killed any chance of a title defense last season but Merrick’s recruitment delivers more depth to an already impressive side.
Defensively sound, with the league’s most dangerous strike partnership in Allsopp and Thompson, Merrick’s campaigns have often faltered on a non existent link in midfield. Fred and Brebner provided it during the second season, where off the back of their fine form Merrick’s side clinched a Premiership and Championship double. The loss of those the Brazilian was too big an obstacle for the Scott to overcome during a catastrophic third season, in which the Victory returned to their disjointed, uninspired and frustrating first-season form.
Merrick has had the luxury of being able to recruit quality rather than quantity – a trait he shares with fellow countryman Lawrie McKinna – and it is no coincidence that both managers are the only to have their services retained by their clubs since the start of the league.
As a result of his gradual squad-building, Merrick has had the enviable task of adding the finishing touches to a well-balanced and familiar group of footballers. The addition of Brazilian Ney Fabiano is a potential title-winner, with the attacker displaying imperious form with Thailand outfit Chonburi in the Asian Champions League last season. Costa Rican Jose Luis Lopez might have the most important role of all this season and his ability to form an understanding in midfield with fellow countryman Carlos Hernandez might prove a crucial determinant in the style of football the Victory employ this season.
A Pre-Season Cup Final victory only showed glimpses of promise for the squad ahead of the new season. Defensively they were superb, with the central defensive partnership of new recruit and Socceroo Michael Thwaite and Rodrigo Vargas shaping up to be one of the most imposing in the league. In terms of attack, there were disturbing similarities to the absence of shape and penetration that plagued their unsuccessful title defense. It is here where one out of a plethora of creative options, which include Celeski, Pondeljak, Hernandez, Fabiano and Ward, must step up.
Summary: On paper, champions – though it was a similar scenario last season. This is the strongest squad assembled in the history of the A-League and ironically, seemingly limitless quality might be Merrick’s biggest obstacle to a second championship. So convoluted is the talent stock at Melbourne that Merrick might struggle to find a winning team and formula – and be able to stick with it.
Somewhere down the line, some very good players will be sitting on the bench. Will it destabilize the squad as the exit of a certain central defender’s did last season? Questions might also be raised about Merrick’s tactical acumen, given the lack of success with a talented squad last season; the Victory played some of the worst football in the competition. This is the season for the Scott to silence his critics, a number of whom are partisan Victory fans.
Prediction: Champions.
Newcastle Jets
Van Egmond has turned the club’s fortunes around with a combination of tactical awareness and his ability to get the most out of his most important players, no more so than talisman Joel Griffiths who inspired the city of Newcastle to its first ever football trophy – despite the absence of Nick Carle.
An initially slow start to the transfer summer has been partly rectified by the loan marquee signing of Ecuador international Edmundo Zura and of Dane Jasper Hakansson adds some pedigree to Van Egmond’s side but will it be enough to defend their title with?
The good news for Van Egmond is that it appears he has won the full trust of traditional team meddler, chairman Con Constantine, whose insistence on playing Paul Okon cost Nick Theodorokopoulos his job and whose emphatuation with Jardel almost cost the club a first A-League title.
Van Egmond is talented as a coach, of that there is no doubt. His managerial abilities however are a different aspect of his character altogether and have been severely tested during a difficult summer recruitment drive. The squad lack depth in some key areas, with the absence of a natural left-sided midfielder the most obvious of weaknesses.
The loss of Olyroo Stuart Musiliak to Sydney is a massive blow to the side – his ball-playing abilities were the driving force of Van Egmond’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Similarly, the ability of Bridge – however inconsistent his performances – to score important goals will also be sorely missed. The retention of Griffiths is Van Egmond’s saving grace; he is the competition’s only pure ‘match-winner.’
In an off-season with more losses than gains, the future of Jade North suddenly becomes crucial to Van Egmond’s title defense. If he goes, a Jets side lacking in defensive depth and quality can kiss goodbye aspirations of a successful retention of the championship – or of any chance of making the finals. The signing of Kaz Patafta won’t be enough to galvanize a depleted squad.
Summary: Simply haven’t recruited well enough. Van Egmond is in for a long season, particularly if Hakansson and Zura don’t adapt to the physical aspects of the league. The expected lose of North will be catastrophic.
Prediction: North will go and so will the finals. The Jets will crash to 7th.
Perth Glory
Once the great hope of Australia’s domestic football scene, now the league’s traditional stragglers. A lack of quality in the coaching department, an administration complacent and out-of-touch with their local community and an odd player recruitment policy: the ingredients for a disastrous A-League existence for the former NSL heavyweights.
David Mitchell inherited a club in crisis last season. Not much appears to have changed. A marquee player in Stan Lazaridis who was banned in comical circumstances epitomizes a rough first few years for the Perth Glory, who should have been one of the foundations for the success of the new league.
The loss of Colossimo probably won’t be too much of a blow to the club, given his injury troubles and lack of form during his stint with the Glory. One gets the feeling when looking at Mitchell’s new squad that his recruitments were made more out of desperation than a well-considered plan for the future. To be quite frank, Mitchell is desperate, and the acquisition of a bizarre mix of footballers that include two 34 year-olds might not inspire Glory fans with the greatest of confidence for the long-term.
Having said that, the captures of Dadi and Amaral will offer a wealth of experience to the Glory squad, which carries with it certain undeniable positives. Mitchell appears to be pinning his side’s hopes on unknown Argentine attacking midfielder Adrian Trinidad. Altogether, the summer signings add up to a globally-flavoured gamble upon which the Glory’s fortunes rest this season. The big question is, will it pay-off?
Summary: Mitchell’s coaching credentials are as questionable as his temperament. This is a club whose problems lie deeper than the surface of the first-team and extend to a recently unstable administration and the apparent lack of a direction in terms of the club’s football ethos. They should have invested heavily in youth for the future. What they did instead, was construct the most unbalanced squad in the entire competition.
Prediction: Time was needed for players of distinct football backgrounds and cultures to gel. Lack depth in defense and midfield. To finish dead last…
Queensland Roar
Farina has inherited a healthy football culture from former manager Miron Bleiberg. His off-season recruits are amongst the most impressive in the competition, with Dutch striker Sergio van Dijk looking to be his smartest move. Similarly, the acquisition of Charlie Miller is a risk the Roar can afford, with the enigmatic Reinaldo also returning to the club ahead of the
2008/2009 season.The main strength of Farina’s leadership is his willingness to trust in youth. Queensland boast one of the most talented and youngest squads in the competition, which gives them the injection of pace, acceleration, fitness and overall athletic ability that so many other sides lack in the A-League; it is an advantage which could prove crucial in the race for the finals this season.
Contrastingly, a distinct lack of speed in defense is a weakness which might be exposed during the regular season of the A-League. The defensive stocks of Farina’s side have not been replenished, an area which might come back to haunt Farina as the season wears on.
The Roar also tend to lack discipline. The loss of Ognenovski will help out in this department but his presence at the back will be noticeable – he seemed to form a good understanding with former Socceroo Craig Moore last season. Tiatto and Moore bring a wealth of experience to the youthful side that surrounds them. If they can keep their cool, finals football for the second year in a row is a distinct possibility for Farina’s men.
Summary: They will concede. A lot. The loss of Ognenovski leaves Moore without a quality central defensive partner, which will hurt the ageing legs of the former Newcastle United man. Tiatto showed glimpses of energy and quality last season but his ill-discipline hurt his team and himself – literally. If the pair can assume responsible positions of leadership in the squad, the likes of Zullo and Kruse should have plenty of room to weave their magic.
Prediction: Assuming Tiatto and Moore play the ball and not the man, finals football is on the cards.
Sydney FC
A lack of youth has always been the undoing of the self-proclaimed ‘glamour’ club of Australian football. Kosmina has the extremely difficult task of rebuilding a squad which has been decimated by the departure of three managers in three seasons. A lack of administrative stability has not allowed for the club to establish a clear direction with which to take it’s football – it is an aspect of the club’s character that Kosmina simply must address if he is to be a long-term employee of Sydney.
Kosmina’s summer recruitment has been the source of much publicity, particularly the acquisition of injury-prone center forward John Aloisi. Whether his signature had more to do with a bizarre obsession by the club to lift its off-field ‘profile’ rather than the effectiveness of the move in terms of workings on the pitch is open to debate. His status as one of the highest-paid professionals in Australian sport means that the pressure is on the famed spot-kick taker to perform in his first season with the light-blue outfit. Both on and off the pitch, Aloisi simply must be a success for Sydney FC.
Having said that, Musiliak should prove to be the club’s best signing and don’t be surprised if Colossimo chips in with the odd quality performance out of midfield. It will be interesting to see where Bridge will fit into Kosmina’s plans but more importantly, it will be interesting to see whether Kosmina uses this season as a foundation for the construction of a squad for the future or whether he is fixated on results.
A cut-throat, win-at-all-costs atmosphere might prove disastrous for Sydney, with the new signings needing time to settle into their new environment. Too much pressure on the likes of Colossimo and Aloisi could result in unnecessary strain on ageing legs, whilst youngsters Musiliak and Bridge could do with guidance rather than pressure.
Ultimately, it will all come down to the attitude adopted by administration and coaching staff. A short-sighted, results-centered philosophy will spell disaster for the club both on and off the pitch.
Summary: A squad of undoubted quality but without the depth of the Central Coast and Melbourne. They also don’t quite have the quality and experience in youth that is a fundamental part of the Roar’s squad. Expect an unspectacular but effective Sydney team.
Prediction: The defining quality of the club is their ability to produce results when it matters. Whether this serves them well in the long-term is a separate issue but might have to battle with Wellington for a finals spot and will probably just scrape through. 4th place for Kosmina’s men.
Wellington Phoenix
A clever, continental mix of summer signings should ensure Rikki Herbert’s New Zealand side avoid the wooden spoon. Herbert is an extremely shrewd manager and did superbly well with a Phoenix squad lacking in quality last season.
Undoubtedly the acquisition of Socceroo John McKain appears to be one of the signings of the season. Herbert desperately needed to reinforce a woeful defensive line and the cultured McKain will do just that. Gao adds an assured touch in midfield, whilst Bertos’ pace and trickery will keep crowds entertained.
Herbert’s attacking philosophy is reflected in his player recruitment. It isn’t necessarily the most effective form of football but importantly for the Phoenix, it will win them plenty of admirers this season as the club tries to build its reputation in the New Zealand sporting landscape.
Summary: Herbert has recruited well and his side played some aesthetically pleasing football in the final against Melbourne. His main obstacle will again be a lack of pace in midfield but Dodd and McKain will form a solid central defensive partnership. The development of Hearfield could be an ace up the sleeve of the Wellington manager but the loss of Felipe might just have deprived the Phoenix of the creative quality needed to breach the top four – Daniel is no replacement.
Prediction: Will battle Sydney for 4th and just miss out – Herbert is one season away from the finals. 5th place.
The bitter end...
Watching below-par sides progress at the expense of the Olyroos was one of the most painful experiences one could bestow upon any fan of Australian football.
Let's not kid ourselves: Serbia were terrible, Argentina were useless at the back and the Ivory Coast were just plain ... terrible.
It seems to me as though a picture is being painted of the Ivory Coast as a brilliant side. I even saw some descriptions as Kalou's goal as 'Great'. Great? Obviously ball-watching constitutes artistic merit, in which case a tap-in at a local pub league rates higher than Van Basten's volley.
A description for the goal, that epitomizes Australia's time in men's football? Inevitable, boring, tedious, mistake...any one of those will probably do.
Is anyone else bothered by the fact that Australia should have progressed comfortably from these group stages? The most frustrating aspect of the Olyroos campaign is that I just couldn't shrug off a never-ending voice in the back of my mind that kept repeating over and over again "We can win this, we can win this, we can win this..."
Before the Olympics started, there didn't seem to be much of a chance that the Olyroos could compete with the technically sound Serbs, star-studded Argentines and the raw talent of the Ivory Coast. How wrong such a view was...
Admittedly, it was a view that I held. I stand corrected. Australians actually are decent footballers. A little cultured direction is all we need (see Hiddink 2006). Sigh, football is such a simple game...
Having said that, the competitiveness of the Olyroos probably had little to do with Arnold. It had more to do with the fact that our opposition at the Olympics were sub-standard. Perhaps the Olympics aren't an appropriate stage for football? Were other managers confused as to whether medals or development were the main objectives at Beijing? The Serbs and the West-Africans both lacked direction.
I am surprised at the low quality of men's football at Beijing. Admittedly, I've only really been following the Olyroos but judging from the snippets I've seen of other matches and the comical results from Brazil's group, things aren't too different elsewhere.
It has been an odd football campaign for which Arnold should take the blame for our pitiful tactics against the Serbs and the Ivorians. Exactly why were we sitting back against sides who couldn't score themselves? Sure, they played the occasional one-two or rehearsed set-piece but it isn't as though these sides were superior to the extent that they were unbeatable.
The irony? After the execution of our fearful, one-dimensional tactics, we still had the better chances to qualify...
Let's not kid ourselves: Serbia were terrible, Argentina were useless at the back and the Ivory Coast were just plain ... terrible.
It seems to me as though a picture is being painted of the Ivory Coast as a brilliant side. I even saw some descriptions as Kalou's goal as 'Great'. Great? Obviously ball-watching constitutes artistic merit, in which case a tap-in at a local pub league rates higher than Van Basten's volley.
A description for the goal, that epitomizes Australia's time in men's football? Inevitable, boring, tedious, mistake...any one of those will probably do.
Is anyone else bothered by the fact that Australia should have progressed comfortably from these group stages? The most frustrating aspect of the Olyroos campaign is that I just couldn't shrug off a never-ending voice in the back of my mind that kept repeating over and over again "We can win this, we can win this, we can win this..."
Before the Olympics started, there didn't seem to be much of a chance that the Olyroos could compete with the technically sound Serbs, star-studded Argentines and the raw talent of the Ivory Coast. How wrong such a view was...
Admittedly, it was a view that I held. I stand corrected. Australians actually are decent footballers. A little cultured direction is all we need (see Hiddink 2006). Sigh, football is such a simple game...
Having said that, the competitiveness of the Olyroos probably had little to do with Arnold. It had more to do with the fact that our opposition at the Olympics were sub-standard. Perhaps the Olympics aren't an appropriate stage for football? Were other managers confused as to whether medals or development were the main objectives at Beijing? The Serbs and the West-Africans both lacked direction.
I am surprised at the low quality of men's football at Beijing. Admittedly, I've only really been following the Olyroos but judging from the snippets I've seen of other matches and the comical results from Brazil's group, things aren't too different elsewhere.
It has been an odd football campaign for which Arnold should take the blame for our pitiful tactics against the Serbs and the Ivorians. Exactly why were we sitting back against sides who couldn't score themselves? Sure, they played the occasional one-two or rehearsed set-piece but it isn't as though these sides were superior to the extent that they were unbeatable.
The irony? After the execution of our fearful, one-dimensional tactics, we still had the better chances to qualify...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The search for the new Fred...
A little break from the Olympics. Here's an A-League editorial that I had published on Goal.com a little while ago. Your thoughts?
One cannot understate the impact that Brazilian midfielder Fred has had on Australian football. The entire landscape of the country's domestic - and perhaps international - football scene has been altered by the season-long exploits of the crafty import who has since gone in search of pastures new in the MLS.
It wasn’t just that Fred single-handedly woke the sleeping giant that is Victorian football by delivering the Victory their first title. Nor was it that his fine form ‘coincidentally’ spawned the resurgence of two of the most productive strikers on the domestic football scene (a type of player that has long been a rare commodity in Australian football). The fact that Fred’s performances helped pull crowds of 40,000 on a consistent basis will also not be his
main legacy to the round ball game on the southern continent.
One cannot understate the impact that Brazilian midfielder Fred has had on Australian football. The entire landscape of the country's domestic - and perhaps international - football scene has been altered by the season-long exploits of the crafty import who has since gone in search of pastures new in the MLS.
It wasn’t just that Fred single-handedly woke the sleeping giant that is Victorian football by delivering the Victory their first title. Nor was it that his fine form ‘coincidentally’ spawned the resurgence of two of the most productive strikers on the domestic football scene (a type of player that has long been a rare commodity in Australian football). The fact that Fred’s performances helped pull crowds of 40,000 on a consistent basis will also not be his
main legacy to the round ball game on the southern continent. So why was Fred so important?
The answer is right in front of the eyes of every single one of this country’s supporters, coaches, scouts and administrators. It is a simple answer, yet its consequences are complex and many: it is that Australian football is desperately trying to replace him – without success.
A player of Fred’s character has not been seen in this country for an entire generation. In fact, one might have to go back to the days of the National Soccer League to find the last of the Brazilian’s species: essentially, a match-winner. Fred was the type of player who could inspire a very ordinary side – which is essentially what Melbourne have been in the two seasons without his presence – to extraordinary performances.
Over-zealous praise and constant media hype surrounding Melbourne’s ‘double’ in the A-League’s second season merely clouded spectators’ views of the true catalyst for the sudden change in the fortunes of the Victorian club. Keep in mind that Melbourne’s first season in the Hyundai A-League was fairly disastrous in terms of results and that their title ‘defence’ was a complete catastrophe.
The man who was once hailed as a hero by a supposedly partisan fan-base, was suddenly typecast as the villain and destroyer of everything that was beautiful and good about Victorian football in its A-League form. But can Ernie Merrick truly be blamed for the third-season calamity of the Victory? On the surface, his side played some dreadfully disjointed football and were a shadow of the ‘entertainers’ that had graced Olympic Park and the Telstra Dome the previous season. Surely, Merrick was to blame...
But if we delve deeper into Melbourne’s failings in their title defence and the contrastingly meteoric rise of the Newcastle Jets, a disturbing pattern emerges. Consider the fact that the Jets were in a similar position to Melbourne during their second season: seemingly disjointed and perhaps torn-apart by the rumoured in-fighting between manager Nick Theodorokopoulos and forced recruit Paul Okon. There was no inspiration to be found in a side bereft of the archetypal hero – that player coveted even at the highest levels of football and society in general, who transcends the apparent failings of those around him to provide a shining light that inspires positive, collective action in those around him.
Melbourne had Fred, an unknown Brazilian recruit with nothing to lose, everything to gain and no pre-conceptions about his new surroundings: a ‘pure’ footballer, innocent from the establishment which so often stifles the magic on the pitch.
Fast-forward a few months and Fred’s expected departure to the football gold-rush that is the MLS – coupled with the exit of potential midfield successor in Grant Brebner – and suddenly it was the Melbourne of ‘old’.
Merrick – a fairly intelligent manager – immediately identified the shortcomings of his squad and went in search of the new Fred. He thought he had found him in the form of Costa Rica international Carlos Hernandez, who even offered something Fred could not in the way of international pedigree.
The thing about Fred though, was that he was a freak happening, a Hailey’s comet of A-League football. A player of his apparent natural fitness, drive and ambition – coupled with the necessarily skills and intelligence to consistently negotiate his way past the nation’s ‘finest’ defensive lines – will become even rarer now that the MLS offers a fast-track to the professionalism that so many South-Americans crave.
Back to that ‘pattern’ that I had earlier identified with the Newcastle Jets. Many might point to Gary Van Egmond as a ‘tactical genius’ but such claims are naïve considering he has only been a top-flight manager for a season-and-a-half. Van Egmond is talented, of that there is no doubt. But like Merrick before him, his success can be attributed to the unearthing of an unorthodox hero in the form of Joel Griffiths. The hot-headed, single-minded attacker was just what an unsure outfit needed. For a side completely lacking in confidence, here was perfect the tonic: a man with arguably too much of it. His set-pieces, capacity to produce the unexpected and clinical nature inside the penalty area were enough to finally deliver the city of Newcastle the piece football silverware that their long-serving fans deserved.
What does this all mean for Australian football on a domestic front? For one, it means that the A-League can be won by champion players, rather than champion teams. Is this necessarily a bad thing? One might point to what is arguably the strongest domestic competition in the world in the English Premier League and the influence that players such as Henry and Cantona have had in recent years, arguably single-handedly delivering trophies to what were once unspectacular sides.
Realistically though, it is perhaps a sign that the Premier League is good enough to attract and nurture players of such calibre and ability, rather than such players dictating the league itself. With regards to the A-League, the irrepressibility of the likes of Fred and Griffiths may be an indication of the relative weaknesses of their opponents in what is still young and essentially undeveloped competition.
Whilst the marketability of superstars may prove invaluable to the A-League and its clubs – one can only speculate as to how many extra season tickets and television viewers the arrival of the likes of Yorke and Ju
ninho generate – the interests of football development may be cast aside in favour of the ‘Number 10’. Perhaps where Yorke, Juninho and Hernandez were pandered to by their clubs, the development of the likes of Patafta were hindered, which may not benefit Australian football in the long term.
Contrastingly, the idea of the archetypal hero could be embraced in the right way, in that it will raise the profile of the league with a view to attract more talented coaches, players and administration to the game. But this idea in itself carries a whole host of new issues, stretching from financing to football. If we were to ignore the financial constraints and uncertainties of the league during its infancy, an increased influx of foreign players and coaches might be carried out through the sacrifice of production of ‘local’ talent. It is a familiar theory which is often attributed as the cause of the lack of success of the Three Lions over the years but it is not one to which I will subscribe for the moment.
However, with recent suggestions that Queensland Roar’s Brazilian born striker Reinaldo will be nationalised and eligible to play for the Socceroos in the future, perhaps the impact of Fred will transcend the pitch and extend to racial and nationalistic ideals in relation to the direction of Australian football. This journalist certainly hopes not…
The arrival and swift departure of the enigmatic Fred certainly poses a variety of potential outcomes for Australian football. I for one, am uncertain as to the direction that will be taken as a result. One things is for certain though: in a results-driven environment where the future of A-League managers depends upon the amount of trophies they deliver rather than the quality of players they develop, the search for the new Fred will continue during season four of the nation’s premier football competition.
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