Zidane come to Sydney - oh dear

Unfortunately it is 1 June when the Socceroos are playing Iraq in the most important 2010 World Cup qualification match so far. The FFA are not happy at all.

What I learnt from the AFL guy

I had a very interesting conversation with an AFL expert this week and learnt a lot about our game. For a start, I learnt what AFL's brains-trust thinks of football.

I don't think they see it as a threat. In fact they may even think that they are winning the battle for young minds. Apparently, the key success factor getting kids to stay/sign up with a sport is the career path. Even if it is only in their dreams. Through AFL eyes, football has a major - major draw back. You can't access the big stars. In AFL you can, in football you can't. The really good players have to go overseas in football, so we will only see the best at the beginning and the end of their careers. Plus going overseas is a lottery. You make it in Australia in AFL and you have made it, you make it in football here and you have taken the first step.

For AFL they are continually looking at ways to make the big stars readily accessible to young fans to counter the games modernisation, professionalism and training regime.

Don't be surprised if Ben Buckley uses the FFA as a pathway back into AFL - perhaps CEO. AFL would see FFA as a challenging experience for potential executives. But don't expect too many 'guns' to take that path. There is too much happening in AFL. Too many new ways to grow the sport.

A-League clubs need to find ways to access more money so that they can become more professional in their interactions with fans. They need to find a way to keep the kids wanting to watch and play. AFL is certainly thinking about how to win them.

Tommy Oar - on his way to the Roar

The Queensland State League is doing its job - even if some teams are finding it a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

Tommy Oar bends free kicks like Beckham. He is 16 and he is signed for the Roar! He currently plays for Queensland Institute of Sport and is being watched by QAS and Roar keeper-coach Fernando Alves. Last week FFA National Development Manager Rob Baan watched him bend a free kick around a 5 man wall and into the goal. Can't wait to photo this guy.

The Brisbane Strikers is being used as a base for a few second shots at glory. Our mate Stewart McLaren is captain coach (again), and another former Roar from version one Reece Tollenaere is there too. And former Striker from Frank Farina's days Chay Hews is there too. Chay has made it clear he is out to prove to Frank Farina that after stints at Vastra Frolunda, IF Sylvia (Sweden), Carlisle United (England), and Bellmare Hiratsuka (Japan), he has something for the Roar midfield. Mmmmm. Tough battle for that position at 32.

'By The Balls' Blogview

By The Balls
I found a CD version of Les Murray reading his autobiography 'By The Balls'.

I have always viewed Les Murray as a hero of football. Even when I drifted away from the game I was always pleased to see that he was there promoting it. One step down from Johnny Warren, Les was there as a key player.

When it became clear that finance had become the critical factor in the game's sustainability and the FFA and then the A-League came along, I felt for SBS and Les Murray. They had invested a lot and expediency meant that they were being sidelined.

I like getting CD books because it means I can do 'reading' when I am driving and it only took me 4 days to get though Murray's work. We are given insight into to the man behind the TV personality, his escape from Hungary, his football playing days, his singing and work as an entertainer, his football commentary and presenting career steps. But for me there was something missing. For example, initially his father's role is key in his interest in football and the bravery in being questioned by guards when escaping Hungary. But later he appears to be dismissed as a drinker (even his father's claims to have played for a top team are treated with skepticism). There is very little coverage of Les Murray's joy for football. Even at the end he is longing to be up in the stands with the fans.

Les Murray seems to have used the book, as we can all use writing, to get a few things off his chest. For a journalist, he seems to have little empathy for the other side of any argument. And the heart of the book is an extended rank against Frank Farina. Why? Frank was a straw man in the performance of the Socceroos before world cup qualification. Clearly, SBS, one of its journalists in particular and Les Murray were doing little to help other than singling out a young coach that had been given 6 years of intense tripe - the Socceroos wins are ours, the losses were clearly lain at Frank's feet. Contract or no contract, out of respect for the position of Socceroos coach, SBS should have changed interviewers when it was clear there was a personality clash and criminal charges should never have been threatened against Farina.

Les Murray doesn't focus on the joy of football and only really gives us a picture of Johnny Warren in the process of dieing. Which is a shame. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder and this chip seems to have green-lighted the jaundiced view that we now get from SBS on football in Australia.

Hang on a minute: another view on Danny Vukovic

If you think Danny Vukovic was treated harshly, have a read of what happens if you are, say, 11 or 12 and you hit a ref. This is a quote from Football Brisbane's Disciplinary Policy 2008 (ie after Vukovic on Shield - note also that Shield is a Brisbane based ref):

"Deliberately striking a match official by way of physical contact with any part of the body or the use of any object. Recommended minimum penalty: 10 years suspension from all facets of the game (player or team official), $5,000 fine on club."

or even a much lesser offence:

"Deliberate physical contact with a match official... Such conduct would include, but is not limited to, deliberately pushing a match official. Recommended minimum penalty: 2 years suspension from all facets of the game (player or team official), $800 fine on club."

10 years or 2 years that is the end of football for a 12 year old.

Joel Griffiths and Danny Vukovic were saved because they are part of the football establishment. Some kid who loses it - is finished.

Not GC but LA: Beckham comes to Brisbane in November

Version 4 could be the Roars most vital season.

Struggling through critical financial pain in versions 1 and 2, we can assume that the club, with its restructured shareholder base, did OK in version 3. The sale of Reinaldo, with a season to run on his contract should have helped (although it doesn't appear to have helped him - from what I can tell - and the Korea league is not very transparent - he doesn't seem to have have played yet).

The Roar are now in pre-season. And I am looking forward to trial matches to have a look at Tim Smits and David Dodd in Roar shirts.

Apparently, the Roar is trying to sign two Brazilians. Hopefully one will be a giant full back. Just a suggestion Frank.

Hopefully no one will succumb to temptation and sell Robbie Kruse. With a bit more energy, Kruse could be the best player in the A-League. And it seems bizarre that Zullo and Minniecon where chosen ahead of Kruse for Olympics training camp.

The Roar's 4th season opens in Wellington on 17 August. The first 2 home games are against Adelaide (remember Og anyone?) on Sunday 24 August and Central Coast on 31 August.

Making up for our turn at the 10 home game season, it looks like the Roar will play Beckham's LA Galaxy in November. However, the traditional v Sydney end to the season has been stuffed up, with the Roar playing Sydney at home on 17 January and then poor old Perth at home on 24 January.

There is no news on a season opener, similar to last year, against an African team

I am surprised that while other exiting players have been removed from the Roar's player list Stuart McLaren is still there. Given the lack of power at the back, let's hope he stays. He is currently captain coach of the Brisbane Strikers in the Qld State League. The Strikers are coming 4th in a field of 10 after 5 rounds. The biggest news from this league for Roar fans is the emergence and signing of 16 year old Tom Oar currently with the Queensland Academy of Sport. QAS is sixth with only one win. But Oar is leading the most valuable player ratings. Oar has scored 4 goals, well behind Barry Moran from Redlands City Devils and Shaun Blackman from leaders Sunshine Coast FC who have both had 4 goal games and who both have scored 8 goals in 5 games. The rate of goal scoring fests indicates the league quality is quiet varied.

To be a Victory fan: all this and Juventus

Juventus will play Melbourne at Telstra Dome on 30 May.

My old boss Lordy Lordy says he is only interested in foreigners who 'put bums on seats'. And he is good at that.

To be a Victory fan must be a wonderful thing.