By Laine Clark
January 19th 2009 @ 6:15am
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Kossie’s future far from certain after Roar defeat
Uncertainty surrounds John Kosmina’s future after Sydney FC missed out on the A-League finals for the first time.
But there was no doubting what Kosmina thought of his rival coach Frank Farina after the Queensland Roar officially killed off the A-League glamour club’s top four hopes with a 3-1 win at Brisbane on Saturday night.
After the [...]
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Millster said | January 19th 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but there is a very real sense in which – as a Sydney FC fan – I am happy to accept this season’s result.
See, since season 1 we have underachieved on the field and also had some management and consistency issues in the general running of the club. But while there has been a malaise around the organisation the argument has always been that SFC have never been out of the finals, and that this achievement shows that the club was supposedly doing more things right than wrong.
Finally, now, we have a season result that enables a frank (excuse the pun) assessment and the chance to get some ‘clear water’ for the next couple of years. Timing-wise, that this has occurred with a change of ownership is a good thing too as the new crew will have a mandate and a reason to rebuild the club to a new image and to a new standard.
I should stress that I do not mean by this that Kossie should go. While he would certainly not be my pick as coach, I think the club has too quickly in the past made the coaching position a scapegoat for deeper problems, and this has contributed to the situation the club finds itself in. Again without particularly liking the guy I think Kossie should stay and should be a part of implementing a new shared vision for the club – on and off the field – to which all elements (players, owners, coaching personnel, marketing and community staff, scouts and international linkages) contribute. The club needs to stop being about ‘churn and burn’ and needs to start being about stability and people ’stepping up’ to the mark.
I was glad to hear that the club is already considering how to use Chinese and Russian links to bolster its recruitment. I hope that it focuses on defensive and wide midfield personnel because I am convinced from the games that I’ve seen that the failure this season has not been with our front guys – Brosque, Bridge or even Aloisi. Musaliak and Corica’s valuable work aside, the problems have been further down the park and the strikers have received mostly very poor service.
Finally a strong positive is the young guys. These blokes have been thrown in at the deep end and have done ok – indeed at times better than ok. I hope the club takes a longer term development view to them and that includes the way it sees the contribution of the older blokes. A buggered Bimbi, a crook Colosimo and an aimless Aloisi (said tongue in cheek, I have huge respect for those guys notwithstanding this year) can still have huge indirect value if they contribute to performances and development of these new young players.
Anyway, time for renewal. Not superficial renewal in terms of the coach and a few ’star’ personnel, but of the club’s culture and ethos. I believe it can be done. I also believe at the core we have a pretty strong squad supported by some genuinely exciting youngsters. I will be renewing my membership, and writing to the club to see how I can volunteer to contribute to this renewal in 09/10.
If my belief comes true then this lowest-ever result may in fact be a turning point of great importance to this club.
Pippinu said | January 19th 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
It’s true that crossing this particular rubicon could usher in improved performances over the ensuing years.
Of course it’s not out of the question that we’ll get more of the same!
Towser said | January 19th 2009 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Millster said
“If my belief comes true then this lowest-ever result may in fact be a turning point of great importance to this club.”
Not only to your club but to the A-League generally. The last 2 seasons the Roar have drawn 32,000 to the match against SFC at this part of the season. This year was 19,000. Part of the reason is because the Roar have lost momentum this year but another substantial part of the reason is the poor performance of SFC this year. Last years matches had more meaning ie they were more important in deciding the final 4 for both teams than last . Essentially only QR had a realistic chance of the four this season this match.
Plus a poor unsucesful SFC means less for the TV rights in my opinion.
ItsCalledFootballYouIdiot said | January 19th 2009 @ 9:55pm | Report comment
Millster, some good sentiments there.
Sometimes your worst performance brings out the best in you and you will do better next time, especially if you have the resources to back you up.
However, sometimes even trying harder to do better may not get you more success.
Most people believe Perth Glory had a much better season this year. They are considered a better team, have more competition points this season and have played some good football and their average attendances are up about 20% on last year.
But they finished second from bottom last season and will finish second last again this year.
Sydney’s problems are obvious to most analysts, but having the resources and a strong desire to correct them is another matter.
The managerial question is a difficult one too. Perhaps removing Kosmina is not the answer.
Aurelio Vidmar had a pretty ordinary season last year and AU failed to make the finals for the first time. The club persisted with Aurelio as manager and this year he has performed remarkably well, taking them to the final of the ACL and is a big chance to take out the Premiers Plate and a spot in another A-League grand final.
Will Kosmina show as dramatic an improvement in his second year with SFC?
On the other hand, sometimes the club’s fortunes turn around dramatically just by hiring the right manager or just by changing the manager.
With new billionaire with flair Russian owners, I don’t think John will be given that chance by SFC.
vicentin said | January 19th 2009 @ 10:28pm | Report comment
Millster – I have great respect for your opinions here but really I believe the stability should start AFTER they get rid of Kosmina. I dislike him intensely as a football manager – not because his post-match behaviour is a immature and boorish, or that he refuses to genuinely accept that any of the problem is his own making – while making scapegoats of under-performing players. He the manager for FFS, he’s supposed to be getting the best out of his players not running them down.
I just do not believe he is capable of nuturing a bunch of decent players into a decent football team. I think he constantly makes the wrong player selections, formations etc. He is not interested in (subjective term coming up) “good football” – his treatment of Juninho was appalling as has been his recent treatment of Aloisi (ok, I never thought signing him was a good idea but at least play the team to his strengths) and Corica. How Sydney could have done with Corica on the pitch against the Roar. Danning, Gan etc all would have benefitted from his service. McFlynn obviously didn’t think there was much happening in creative midfield roles if all those long balls from DM he was pumping (to no-one) were anything to go by. Moore’s long ball for the Roar’s second goal was pretty sweet though. (note, use of the term “long ball” used for Pip’s benefit – I know he loves it!)
I admit I was negative when Kosmina was first appointed (livid and depressed as all hell are terms that come to mind) and I feel fully vindicated in my negative first impressions. I’m still waiting for them to get rid of him so I can go to a game again – this was a promise I made to myself at the time and I like to keep my promises!
There is some excellent young talent in the team and with a few additions – and I’m not disappointed that a few are leaving, a decent manager and all the other things you mention in your post it could be a good season for Sydney. Thank Christ Kemeny has gone. Now let’s lose one more “K”.
cheers.
Millster said | January 19th 2009 @ 11:38pm | Report comment
Vincentin – respect back at you. I guess my argument with Kossie is one of logic rather than of affection. If one is to be deemed to have performed badly, that has to be against some consistent strategy or objective. On the one hand, ok, Sydney is the league’s supposed glamour club, well manned and in the big glitzy city of Sydney. But on the other there has been so much vascillation throughout the club over thepast 2-3 years that for all his weaknesses I’m pretty sure Kossie probably doesn’t have the foggiest of what the vision for the club is in 1, 2, 5 and 10 years. I’m saying lets bring the club together first. Lets sets ome on and off field goals. Lets put the resources and structures in place to make them happen. And only then can one really say that person X or Y is pulling their weight, or more, or less. Do you see what I’m saying… I totally share your malaise about Kossie but my view came from a broader feeling that the club has to find a rudder and start steering its own direction. Then we can talk about individual’s contributions and performances and accountability.
Koala Bear said | January 20th 2009 @ 7:31am | Report comment
Millister,
I also, always respect your views in Football terms and your argument on Kossie’s future that, he should see out his contract is the correct one .. I like his rough diamond temperament .. The media interviews are fantastic in my view, always entertaining, never taking a backward step .. How more interesting they are than the Culina bore fess we had at the close of his tender with his failed performances of his team..
Kossie was unlucky; he started the season magnificently without Aloisi, chalking up an impressive 3-4 wins on the trot .. Then the loss to key personal, Colosimo and the retirement of Poppa, would have been the down fall of any manager .. SFC with these 8 new exciting young kids brought straight into the first team squad was very brave indeed and looked very exciting… I think Kossie will have a good year next season with a much determined Aloisi, a rejuvenated Colosimo and a Corica with his experience, if he decides to stay on.
What I see Kossie desperately needs to do, is to sign on a Central Defender from Europe.. A Milan Ivanovic type of player in his prime at the very least, or better, to hold these kids together at the back.. The defensive mistakes at the back were incredibly naive and would not have happened if there was someone there with the experience of Milan Ivanovic..
I wrote before that the SFC youngsters were a very exciting bunch of kids managed by Steve O’Conner. The Kossie / O’Conner management in charge for next season will be better and fruitful.. We need stability at the club at least for another season ..
~~~~~~~~
KB
The Bear said | January 20th 2009 @ 8:01am | Report comment
Poor squad selection imo. When Sydney FC boasted these pre season signings of Bridge, Colisimo and Aloisi, I thought a big capitalised MEH!
Why bring in two more strikers and an under performing Midfielder?
I’d take Bridges and Juninho over that trio of indulgence. With Corica (he was on fire early in the season, how he fell onto the bench is just bizarre), Brosque, Musailak and Popovic – well that is the making a great “core”.
Add the Middleby, Fyfe, Irish guy, and the young kids coming thru…they should have done well this season.