Newcastle were blown away.
Pohang's Brazilian Denilson was the best player on the park by a factor of two. Going for and winning everything including an early penalty. His running step overs were the best and most dangerous we have seen by or against A-League teams. Could Brisbane Roar get this guy for a guest stint?
Newcastle were just too slow. The five weeks without a professional game were obvious. The change to the ACL structure has worked against the A-League (Adelaide played its stage 2 games mid-season). The FFA need to work on a package to help Melbourne and Adelaide retain their edge in the off-season. Although it is likely the 2010 World Cup will force further scheduling changes.
Egmond's inability to get his best team on the park also told. If you want to play the physical game you need the master Ljubo Milicevic (I am not sure he even plays for them any more). And Jobe Wheelhouse was just a weeks back from an appendix operation, and he paid for it clumsily losing a safe ball near the half way line for the second goal.
Sasho Petrovsksi had a great game and could have scored twice. Jason Hoffman missed two great opportunities. Jin-Hyung Song tried to match Denilson's step overs. Fabio Vignaroli had his worst performance and tried some thuggish tackles and was lucky to stay on the park - ripping a stock in missing breaking a leg. Angelo Costanzo was too slow.
All 6 goals had elements of brilliance and demonstrated the limits of the A-League salary cap when up against teams prepared to buy honours.
4 comments:
"buy their honours"?
sorry, but you make it sound like a crime to grow your club and have the financial clout to be able to access better imports.
do manchester united buy their honours? they spend so much more money than everton or stoke ... but it is fair, its the virtuous circle at play. build your club, get better players, build your club more, get better players.
why not "well done steelers"?
its a team game and a couple of good imports won`t rescue a mug team. they can make a good team better, though.
well done steelers.
clayton
Ah Honerable Clayton san
I do see your point of view. However, I also think yes 5 teams in the EPL, including Man Utd, do 'buy their honours.' And with the end of corporatisation of professional sport there will be a reckoning for that.
Korea has its own particularities in its corporatisation. Their player remuneration appears to exceed crowd interest. Not a good sign long term.
Because we are not in a sporting monoculture, the A-League would not survive without a salary cap (extended by the FFA into the ACL).
Over time, only level playing fields can prosper.
hi john,
i think the game in europe is anything but a level playing field. so i don`t know if i agree that only level playing fields can prosper over time. i`d probably argue that the cream always rises to the top.
beautiful barca hoards its tv revenues and takes on opponents with budgets 3 times smaller than theirs.
i do like how the germans run things - sounds like the most level and most fan friendly league around.
i think the biggest change we need isn`t the salary cap, but raising the standard of play and getting more players coming through.
clayton
ps. any word on mckay coming back?
Fair points Comrade Clayton
No word on Matt McKay.
Scotsman Bob Malcolm seems to be odds on. Which would mean one of Miller, Reinaldo, Henrique, or Sergio Van Dijk could be on their way.
BRFC are playing Brisbane Wolves at Tingalpa tonight. The weekend Courier Mail says Miller may get 25 minutes and that Malcolm will be rested (to focus on his fitness).
To be honest, I am disappointed as I liked Mundy and DeVere and don't see why we need Malcolm.
Oh and 'well done steelers'.
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