Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Adelaide 3 v Hiroshima 2

Magnificent Adelaide.

Add Flores and Van Dijk to the team that came last in the A-League and now we have more examples of why this is the strongest club in the A-League. Well coached and the squad has held together well through thick and thin.

Adelaide dominated this game and could have had 7 or 8 goals. Hiroshima's 2 goals came from set pieces. They did get ahead 1-2 but Adelaide's dominance and renewed determination paid off. Plus a brilliant Cassio free kick to win it.

Hiroshima went to 10 after a very good last man send off decision.

Great game. Adelaide look fantastic!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Is a dream a lie if it don't come true? Or is it something worse?

Come on FFA. Are you happy with this?

I am not very happy about the way I have been treated as a member of Brisbane Roar. The club seems to put owners and sponsors ahead of fans. And the motivations and goals of the owners and sponsors seem to be unclear, at least to me.

Today it was announced that there would be no marquee player next season. And in 2 or 3 years, if there is one it will be a $350,000 one not a $1 million player.

Ever heard the expression going broke saving money?

And they are not sure whether they will play at Suncorp or Ballymore next year. But they have said they don't want to go to Ballymore because the corporate facilities are not comfortable enough.

Ben Buckley CEO of FFA has already made public and clear that he believes that the owners of the Roar have no plan to make the club viable. Todays announcements are more evidence of that.

Poor Ange, so much for saying that he wants to make Brisbane the A-League's biggest club.

Do people buy expensive cars and then not drive them because they are too expensive to run? So they give (not even sell) the petrol and oil away. Then think they can't drive the thing so they give the wheels away (wheels are too expensive to maintain anyway). Then park them outside their houses so people can see what a great car they own?

Friday, March 12, 2010

Frank Farina to coach Fury?

I would like to see that.

It would work on a number of levels.

It would be real home town stuff. He is a sporting hero, particularly in Queensland. Players would go there to play with him. And he would have the same type of motivation Miron had for Gold Coast - but he is a much better coach.

Brisbane fans, who didn't get a say in his dismissal, would be challenged. For many, Fury is already their second club. Fowler should have come to Brisbane but the owners were too stingy. They could see the Fury up to 4 times between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

I would buy a shirt.

Yes, give it to Frank.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

So is Melbourne automatically into next year's AFC?

Did Wellington betting Newcastle 3-1 in extra time mean that Melbourne automatically had Australia's 2nd 2011 AFC spot? Or will the FFA let Wellington let represent Australia? How will the AFC react to this? Will AFC have the final say?

Melbourne just drew 2-2 with Sydney so they go through to a home Grand Final in two weeks. 3-2 on aggregate.

FFA were hoping for 60,000 at a Sydney v Melbourne - Sydney home final. Now it could have Melbourne v Wellington at Etihad. How will this go?

Or will we have the 4th Melb v Syd in a row? Is this the future of the A-League? Heart v Rovers or FC or Victory?

Fury Update

In The Australian and the Courier Mail.

Good to see Townsville rallying behind Fury because they did really well I think.

Fury lost $4m to $6m and got $1.5m from FFA. Adelaide got $1.5m, Roar got $1.5m. Gold Coast got FFA support for home games. But Central Coast got FFA dollars? Didn't they just announce a massive redevelopment program?

I'd like to see a bit more transparency. Or maybe it is better we don't.

'As revealed exclusively in The Australian on Thursday, North Queensland is not alone in its financial woes with the combined loss of the 10 clubs in the A-League expected to go as high as $25m this season.'
"Some $16m of that loss comes from just three clubs - Sydney FC will lose between $5m-$7m and Gold Coast and North Queensland around $5m each. Fox Sports