A-League 2011-2012

[Troy]

Crazy last week for the A-League with Nathan Tinkler handing back his liscense after he claimed he couldn't work with FFA anymore. I can understand his frustration since he did seem to cop a bad deal, like having to pay $5 million for the team rather than $500k like most others paid, he did turn the club around but still couldn't do what he wanted with them. FFA are claiming that they have a binding contract and so they won't let Tinkler go but then Clive Palmer now chips in because he had a binding contract and FFA managed to rip that up.

In the end Ben Buckley and Frank Lowy need to go. In the past two years the A-League have lost three teams when they are meant to be expanding and they were in charge during the failed World Cup bid. Get some fresh ideas in there to save the league and lead it in the right direction. TV rights contract is coming up next year as well so they need some strong leaders to get them a good deal. They need to get some games on free to air next contract to expose the game to more people. Even if it is only two games a week on SBS that is a good start.

 

[Andrew]

Perth plays Brisbane in the Grand Final this weekend, I worry more of next season with all the FFA crap going on.

I'm going to predict Perth wins 2-1

 

[Troy]

It is bad that all the off-field drama is overshadowing the finals. It would have been much better if this Tinkler stuff happened once the season was over.

Brisbane Roar have to play an Asian Champions League game a couple of days before the final so I wonder how much that will impact on their performance.

 

[Andrew]

Head of Hyundai A-League Lyall Gorman stated that Lawrie McKinna will not be the coach for the new Sydney club representing Western Sydney, as fans met to discuss the formation of the new football team.



More than 150 people were present at the forum held at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre, where the big decisions on the new club were discussed – name, logo, colours, playing style and where the team should play.


Fans who couldn’t make the event also took to social media to have their say on the formation of the new club and its characteristics. Here are some of those responses from facebook and Twitter:


@Bigdogonfire – “as some1 who grew up in Syd nth west in the NSLdays I can tell u if #NewSydneyClub is in Fairfield it will not be a club for all WSâ€


@DeanRosario – “Judging by passion being roused by #newsydneyclub, #mvfc may finally have legitimate challenger for best off-field support - BRING IT ON!â€


@efcso - “@NewSydneyClub You live here? You're Australian. Shouldn't matter where your family "originally" came from, or when!â€


@Dougodarbs – “’@NewSydneyClub:"We should be proud to be from the west. Proud to be Australian. We should be united." #NewSydneyClub†so it's West Syd Utdâ€


@GameinSpain_Oz – “#NewSydneyClub I kinda like West Sydney Pride but i prefer a classier, continental name like West Sydney Athletic or West Sydney Sportingâ€


What should be the club’s playing style and personnel?

Toby Berger - “Attacking. A-League clubs seem to reinforce going back all the time to keep possession, and some games get boring to watch through this ideal. Make the playing style an attacking one with goals in mind. I don't know if that’s just me to think that or not. Not too sure on personnel though.â€


Hayden Collins - “entertaining with young local western NSW talentâ€


What about colours, name and logo?



Ryan Galea - “Red & Black vertical stripes!â€


Daniel James Osgood - “Western Sydney Pride! Cos' were the Pride of Sydney!â€


Chris Gkondras – “west sydney athletic red & blackâ€


Sam Lane - “Western Sydney Athletic - all white like Madrid, that's class.â€


Tim Graham - “F.C Western Sydney. All red. It'll make the players look 6 feet tall.â€



Where should the home ground be?

Andrew Ison – “Spread it around - Penrith, Campbelltown, Parra, Homebush.â€


Andrew Porter – “Penrith ,cambelltown and homebush for massive games to bring in $$$ but cheap tickets.â€


Michael Scala – “A ground that the away team will feel rocked by the atmosphere of the home support, its gotta be a fortress ! Cant be ANZ the atmosphere is damaging to the sport!!â€


Grant Watson – “Blacktown sports park! Failing that Parra or Penrith with games also at Campbelltown. NO HOMEBUSH!!!â€


Brad Chamberlain – “How far west do people think penrith is.penrith is a great location for it.plenty of free parking and space.station near by and easy for fans to get to ground.the team is west Sydney so let's keep it out west and not at Parramatta.â€


You can join in on Twitter @NewSydneyClub and on facebook at www.facebook.com/newsydneyclub.

What would you name the new club and what colors would you have them as?

I'd have the new team in Dark Blue with Orange Strips.

Sporting West Sydney would be a decent name or West Sydney Athletic
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[Troy]

I like the names you suggested and either one would be really good. If they go with United I am going to hate it because it is too generic and with Adelaide United and Gold Coast United we don't need another. Keep it original for the A-League but steal the best idea from massive clubs over the world. As for colours I like red and black vertical strips for the home strip and then pure white for the away strip.

Any idea on what big names they can get for this new club? Is Lucas Neill ready to return to Australia yet?

 

[Andrew]

Not sure on the big names but they'd need a marquee player that's for sure.

I'd look at getting someone from Czech Republic National side or one of those Eastern European guys who could bring in a lot.

 

[Troy]

I really think they need a couple of big Australian names to get them over as a local side. Be interesting to see what happens with Newcastle Jets because if they go under they may get some players from there plus from Gold Coast.

 

[Andrew]

BESART BERISHA YOU FUCKING DOG.

CONTROVERSIAL FUCKING DIVE AND BRISBANE GETS THAT PENALTY IN THE DYING SECONDS TO WIN 2-1. NOBODY TOUCHED BERISHA.

 

[Aniking]

Just saw a quick replay after watching none of the game. Looks to me like he swung to shoot and just fell over, but because he was surrounded by Perth players the referee probably assumed he was tripped. Pretty disappointing way for Perth to lose if that was the case.

 

[Andrew]

So controversial.

Ange is going to quit now, Berisha lost his footing clearly. Also he started celebrating once it was paid a penalty before even kicking it, would have been better if he missed.

A-League's fucked now anyways with the FFA shit still going on.

 

[Andrew]

The commentators and one of the guys giving the awards is calling Besart Berisha a hero, mega boo's from the Perth fans. Surprised no flares or damage is being done yet.

Melbourne's 6-1 win over Adelaide a few years ago had flares all over the place.

 

[Troy]

It was a ridiculous dive and I can't believe that the ref fell for it. It was really disrespectful that he started celebrating being handled a penalty as well. Roar were the better team all year but it should never have ended this way. Would have been better if it went to penalties rather than ending in controversy.

 

[Andrew]

Thread needs to be re-named;

Sydney FC' s search for a coach to replace Vitezslav Lavicka continues after Graham Arnold stunned the Sky Blues by knocking them back to stay at the helm of the Central Coast Mariners.


Sydney officials thought they had got their man and were shocked to learn on Monday that the former Qantas Socceroos boss had elected to stay at Bluetongue Stadium.


Sydney FC director Gary Cole was obviously disappointed with the outcome and hinted they were not happy with some 'last minute demands'.


“Sydney FC presented a very attractive offer to Graham based on the understanding that he was free to join the Club,â€￾ said Sydney FC Football Director Gary Cole.


“We thought our offer gave everyone the best opportunity to come to terms.


“We had asked Graham for a final answer by today but we were presented with some last minute requests, which we were not prepared to meet.


“We have been working on a small number of alternative options for the Head Coach role and those discussions will continue.â€￾


It's believed Arnold may have been swayed by a late increase in his Mariners offer instigated through a third party.


It's a huge boost to the Mariners ahead of a crucial Asian Champions League trip to Japan - and a devastating blow to Sydney's hopes of returning to the top of the league next season.


Sydney will go back into the coaching marketplace and may again look overseas for Vitezslav Lavicka's replacement.


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Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy has revealed he personally initiated a face-to-face meeting with Newcastle owner Nathan Tinkler in a bid to keep the Jets in the Hyundai A-League next season.
Newcastle's future in the competition had looked particularly grim over the last month after Tinkler's company, the Hunter Sports Group, handed the club's licence back to the FFA after incurring a significant financial loss last season.
The decision from Hunter Sports was also in protest at several perceived injustices after they had complained to FFA about the amount the Group had paid to take on the Jets licence and had issues surrounding insurance payments for injured marquee player Jason Culina.


But speaking to Eddie McGuire Tonight in a candid interview that will be aired on Sunday night, Lowy revealed how he persuaded Tinkler to change his mind, with Hunter Sports Group announcing last week it would honour a contract to maintain the licence.


"I think life is about compromise," said Lowy.


"He had a beef about certain things and of course I compromised and he was happy that I got there.


"I knew he wanted to stay. If he would not have wanted to stay, it would have been a different story.


"(In) Newcastle, football is entrenched for many, many years. ... there's 10 to 12 thousand people who come to every game, so there is a game there that is needed.


"Tinkler needs Newcastle and Newcastle needs Tinkler so I took a different approach for him.


"Last weekend, I flew to Brisbane where he was working and I met him and we sorted it out.


"The people of Newcastle, he made a promise to them and they wanted him to keep that promise so lots of things happen around there and I get on famously with him now."


Lowy said Tinkler's willingness to stay in the game was the difference between him and fellow billionaire Clive Palmer, who saw his licence for Gold Coast United stripped off him towards the end of the Hyundai A-League season after a series of provocative stunts.


"Palmer didn't really want to stay in the game I don't think," said Lowy.


"Because he was vacillating, one week he was in, the next week he was out.


"He broke many rules and you've got to pull the shutter down sometimes," he said.


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[Aniking]

The A-League is so fucked. I haven't watched a game since two games after Brisbane Roar's record-breaking streak ended. Only watched them because of how impressive they were, but then they played terribly once it was broken and I lost interest. Week after week they got beaten, managed to get some form going and are now champs again... so their manager decides to jump ship to Melbourne.

They really need to stabilise all teams before adding any more. First the New Zealand Knights go bust after just 2 seasons, then North Queensland after 2 seasons too, and now Gold Coast is gone after 3 seasons. There have been 7 seasons and already 3 clubs are gone, yet while Newcastle sounds like it's struggling to survive, they decide to bring a team into Western Sydney, an area where the AFL only just started a club around 2-3 years ago.

Point is they're trying to grow the A-League WAY too quickly and it's causing strain on other clubs. The only exception for me is Melbourne as Melbourne really is the sporting capital of Australia. It's the heartbeat of the AFL, their NRL team has been dominating for the past few seasons, and the Victory are the most popular and most accomplished team in the A-League (they have the highest average crowds in every season other than the first, as well as being minor premiers twice, champions twice, and losing at a third grand final). I can see the Heart surviving for some time if they can come close to or match the Victory on the field each season as more people will adopt them as their team. Also, the Heart's average crowd in 2010/11 was only bettered by Adelaide, Brisbane, Newcastle, Perth and obviously the Victory, meaning they came 6th in that department. This past season it increased and they remained 6th, after being overtaken by Central Coast & Sydney but overtaking Adelaide & Perth.

Both Melbourne teams are capable of surviving for the forseeable future. Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Wellington are the only teams for their state/country, so they should all survive. New South Wales will soon have FOUR A-League clubs, and out of them Central Coast & Sydney are stable. Clearly Newcastle are not, whereas I don't have high hopes for Western Sydney. I guess we'll wait and see.

 

[Andrew]

Melbourne Heart FC have just confirmed former Socceroo John Aloisi will be taking over as head coach of the Club for the next three Hyundai A-League seasons.

Interesting to see Aloisi taking over, I'd like to see Heart be more stronger next season.