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This Saturday 10th October the Socceroos take on the Netherlands outfit. The Oranj as they are known come with plenty of hype and reputation. They are ranked number three in the world and while Australia are now at their highest point on the FIFA world rankings mountain, that is still around twelve places behind the Netherlands.
Disappointingly the guys at the players association chose this week to 'arc up' about player payments and concessions such as tournament accomodation and ticket allocation. Really dodgy timing given the excitement that surrounds a touring Dutch football team. How often do we get footballing royalty like this on our shores, and the dollarmites have to worm their way into the picture. Now newspapers aren't full of stories about the brilliant Dutch side and Aussie underdogs instead they are brimming with Lucas Neill (whom has a reputation for being quite the dealer) and his crew craving more cash. Boring. And I will not devote anymore column space to it from here on.
On the subject of the football/soccer I look forward once again to seeing Pim send out the Socceroos in the same formation as usual and having Scott Mcdonald struggle for opportunities. I like Pim. He has won the battle for the hearts of most Aussies and I can tell you without a shadow of doubt he has won mine. Who could forget his rendition of the national anthem. Brill! And his honesty in sledging the A - League. It may have hurt us, but god I love honesty. Honesty in a public figure is a rare quality. However, I did have a point to make in this paragraph and that is that I worry that we don't have a plan B. What happens if we're down in the World Cup quarters and can't find an in . . . is Pim going to suddenly go all 4-3-3 on us? Build the plan B
now Pim while we can still afford to get caught short.
Despite this fear which grows inside me with everyday we get closer to South Africa 2010, I still believe the Socceroos are a big show against the Oranj this Saturday. So on that I advise all responsible gamblers to cash in on the TAB Sportsbet dividend of $4.00 which is on offer.
It's a big weekend of World Cup qualification and a little shout goes out to our Kiwi brothers who are in a two legged play-off battle with Bahrain that commences this weekend and finishes up on November 14. I'm sure that I'm not the only Aussie voice wishing the Kiwis the best of luck in their bid to gain qualification for the first time since 1982.
Oh how impressive Mr Ian Rowden was in his first address to the soccer starved masses of Sydney's west. Research tells us that Rowden is a wealth of wealthiness and great business acumen. Along with Rowden the board consists of Charlie Yankos and a few other lesser lights. But what of the details of the new team. What colours will they sport? What will they be called? What will be their nickname? Where will they play?
The newly invented Melbourne Heart (dunno if that Heart moniker will remain) are currently under siege from the established Melbourne Victory. Victory are spewing forth much hyperbole and viriole over the Heart's gall to play out of the same homeground as Melbourne Victory and base themselves in the 'heart' of the city. Sounds like a good arguement to me. Second Sydney, lets call them that for now . . . are pointing at Homebush Stadium as the most likely home venue. As a man with a bit of knowledge of suburban Sydney I can tell you now we are looking at the same issue. It's barely half an hour down Parramatta rd from the Sydney CBD. Talk about playing out of each other's pockets.
As for the name of the club I will bet my Mazda 626 that it doesn't contain the word west or western. Being familiar with the culture I know the brains trust will not want the club's name to remind fans that they belong to the bogan, criminal, Datsun driving populas of Sydney. Using the word 'west' would be akin to running out in a flanelette shirt. This club will do it's utmost to shrug off the tag of 'westie' which I can already hear being chanted by the Cove.
The team's kit obviously won't be sky blue. Sydney FC own it! And Red . . . that's Adelaide and anyway I've never seen a team from that area of Sydney using that particular colour. Green can't be done, it's so uniquely North Queensland's. Hmmm, running out of colours here. How about a silver strip with blue trim. I reckon a blue collar is a certainty.
Anyhow I wish the team the best of luck and I fully expect them to swallow up Sydney FC whose supporter base is western Sydney. The evidence is there with rugby league clubs from inner city areas. Eastern Suburbs, South Sydney and Cronulla are always dragging the chain when it comes to attendances. Get out into areas like Bankstown (Bulldogs fans), Parramatta and Campbelltown and people are renowned for consistently turning up. Is this the death knell for FC? Only time will tell.
September 12th 2009 05:55
For a long time I have wondered about the popularity of soccer in Queensland. Lets be serious the state is renowned for producing more ruffians than statesmen. And now the red-neck state has three A - League teams. Puke!
Crowd figures this season have shown that the banana benders don't deserve this. Look at Gold Coast United. The best club football team to ever grace our very own regular competition is destined to play in front of mediocre crowds for at least it's first season. They can blame pricing all they like but it's first class football from the Sunny Boys and yet they can't even attract 10,000 to a game. Pathetic!
Then there is the Fury who 'hats off to them' only charge $15 for their cheapest tickets yet thay can't draw mor than seven or eight thousand. The team play all action football, they have a major drawcard in soccer 'god' Robbie Fowler and what's more they're my favourite team to watch. When the Fury play you know something is gonna happen, even if it is some dodgy decision making at the back which allows an opponent a shot at an open goal. Kudos to them for risking it. But the crowd figures . . . obviously no one cares other than the hard core support group the F - Troop, and hats off to them also.
Finally the Brisbane Boar. Supposedly the most entertaining team in the league, according to some betwixt pundits, yet you could be excused for thinking that the games are closed to fans. I heard a Brisbane Roar board member in an interview recently stating that the team could be forced to vacate the stadium due to costs but they were doing their best to get a better deal. My advice is ditch the place in order to discover some atmosphere. It's more empty on gameday than the space between a blonde's ears.
Queensland, lift your game or leave the game. We don't need stadiums full of empty seats.
Zzzzzzz. I'm stocking up with caffeine in triple doses to prepare for Saturday's clash between the Queensland Roar and Central Coast Mariners. No two teams can put me to sleep quicker than the mighty Roar and the Mariners. Not even their shiny little orange and yellow uniforms respectively can arouse me.
As an avid fan of the A - League I feel an obligation to watch every game of the league and absorb as much as possible. However, there is no greater challenge than staying awake for the entirety of a Roar or a Mariners match. On the positive side at least the two figure in the one match and they can't apply the bore-rakes to two A- League matches this weekend
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As predicted by big mouth manager Miron Bleiberg the Gold Coast are cruising through the A - League. After two matches it's the Sunny Boys who have everyone scared. Even ecclectic Aurelio Vidmar (famous for the phrase Pissant Town) has said this week that if Gold Coast United don't take the A - League title they will have underachieved.
Last week's drubbing of Robbie God's North Queensland Fury 5-nil has put the freak into all and sundry. Prior to the season kicking off all the so called experts had questions about the Gold Coast, particularly their defence. Well, well, well the Sunny Boys quipped though with Michael Thwaite showing he still has what it takes and A - League newcomer Van Den Brink settling in perfick
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Unfortunately for Melbourne Victory fans their worst fears have been realised in round one of the A - League. Kevin Muscat is down and out after busting his hamstring up really really bad. As a bloke that has suffered a hamstring tear I'll tell ya this, Muscat will be on shaky ground for more than the estimated four weeks on the sidelines he has been sentenced to. The old hammy is something that has the sufferer running around with little inklings of doubt in his mind. Muscat's age will not work in his favour either.
Melbourne & Muscat Down & Out
The Victory face Brissy Roar this Saturday and I'm sure Farina will find a place for Scottish mastermind Charlie Miller in his starting eleven for the Roar this week. This is the spark that is going to create havoc for Melbourne. Last week as predicted right here Central Coast were able to travel to Melbourne and come home with the three points. Guess who is tipping the same thing this week? Yeah I are
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I promised I would tell you the finishing order of the A - League after the 27 rounds and strap yourself in because here comes the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Lets not forget that this season we have a final six so that makes predicting the Grand Final winner even harder and with a full season of injuries and transfers ahead of us, I'm not even going to attempt that yet.
So without any further ado I'll start singing like a canary
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So Adelaide United are now under the reins of the FFA despite being one of the most successful club's in the A - League's short history. Who could forget they're freaked out performance in the Asian Champions League of 2008. All the way to the final only to be nonchalantly dispatched by Gamba Osaka. The Wellington Phoenix have no reason to even be mentioned in the same breath as Adelaide United other than the fact they play in the same league. Anyways it's my job to preview the two teams hopes for the season ahead though so we'll give the Kiwi outfit their day in the sun.
The Wellington Phoenix have gone out and purchased Diego and in addition to that strikers Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre. The pair both from lower league clubs in England. Young Costa Barbarouses should see some more game time and from last year's highlights reel the kid showed some promising signs
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New boys North Queensland Fury will sport a scrumptuous two tone green strip with a splash of white. Some have said 'puke' in response to it's unveiling but I find the strip rather attractive. Green and white look so good together. Does soccer and North Queensland go together? You bet it does. The Fury are looking to appeal to and get all warm and fuzzy with the local community . . . make themselves accessible like, yeah. Much like the Central Coast Mariners have done in sunny Gosford. Today we focus our attention on both these clubs and their preparations for A - League 09/10.
The Fury have Fowler. Known as 'Robbie God' to some. Fowler brings crowds, Fowler brings interest, Fowler brings goals. With the likes of Jason Spagnuolo, Ufuk Talay and young Rostyn Griffiths in the centre of the park, the Fury will definitely have a midfield presence. Okay at the back you've got Scott Wilson as the only guy who has established himself at a high level. But you can never deny bitterness as a motivator. The Fury have picked up Karl Dodd and Jacob Timpano who will relish this opportunity to prove their doubters wrong
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Melbourne Victory were the first A - League side to hold the trophy aloft twice. The experts are telling us that they are a really really massive chance of doing it for a third time. Today we focus our attention on the Victory's chances and those of the Brisbane Roar. The Roar are currently quoted as second favourite in TAB betting markets.
I've got to admit I'm scratching my head as to why the Roar are held in such high regard. The Roar will get off to a really bogus start when they are flattened by a revved up Gold Coast who have more guns than a flotilla of American battleships. One week later they meet Melbourne Victory away from home. Another defeat. I can't see this lot doing too much. With the dour Farina in charge I'm sure we've seen them reach their peak in the 08/09 season when they finished third
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Comment by Les
on Does Queensland Care About Soccer?
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