A-League clubs need to broaden recruitment nets

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By Paddy Higgs, 29 Jan 2009 Paddy Higgs is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: A-League, Asian Champions League, Central Coast Mariners, football, Football Federation Australia, Fox Sports, Glory, Melbourne, Melbourne Victory, Perth Glory, Wellington, Wellington Phoenix

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The discovery of gold in Australia in 1851 attracted thousands of Asians to our shores in search of their fortunes. More than 150 years later, the roles have been reversed in Asian football’s own version of the gold rush.

The effects of the 3+1 rule – brought in in October last year – are beginning to be seen.

Cashed-up Asian clubs from the likes of Korea, Japan and China obviously view our domestic clubs as a rich source of affordable players, hence the likes of Jade North, Sasa Ognenovski, Joel Griffiths and potentially Mark Milligan departing the A-League.

Perhaps the only way to turn the tables, under the current financial restraints, is for A-League clubs to begin to broaden their own recruiting nets.

International fixtures such as last night’s game with Indonesia are a fine opportunity for A-League coaches to do a bit of recruiting.

Even those at budget-minded clubs could have pulled up a pew to watch Fox Sports’ coverage.

With Indonesian players such as renowned striker Bambang Pamungkas (who has trialled with European clubs and has been prolific in stints in Malaysia and at home) they would have been stupid not to.

On January 21, China defeated Vietnam 6-1 while Malaysia was thumped by the UAE 5-0. Singapore took on Jordan while Thailand played Iran last night.

Is it inconceivable that none of those four matches would have involved players that could be both affordable and up to the standard of the A-League?

A further look at some of Asia’s best will be the Asian Champions League, where the Newcastle Jets and the Central Coast Mariners face teams from Japan, China and the Korean Republic.

There is always some sort of risk to signing players, particularly those from different cultures. A-League clubs have been burnt by forays into Asia in the past.

Queensland had its fingers charred by China’s Yuning Zhang, while Gao LeiLei’s second stint in New Zealand ended with his Wellington Phoenix contract being cancelled.

But the same could be said for the league’s Brazilian obsession. For every Fred, there has been a Claudinho.

The panache of Jin-Hyung Song has added flair to the Newcastle squad despite its struggles. But his real value may yet be seen with his know-how of Asian club football as the Jets begin their ACL campaign.

Nor do the players actually have to be Asian. Melbourne Victory signed striker Ney Fabiano from Thai side Chonburi, while Perth Glory took Argentinian Adrian Trinidad from Malaysian club football.

Still, those outgoing are beginning to far outnumber those coming in, and Football Federation Australia must be concerned with the exodus of quality.

It is a far different scenario to players departing for Europe.

Instead of leaving to improve themselves as footballers or to thrust themselves into Pim Verkeek’s plans, Ognenovski, North and co. have been lured by lucrative contracts.

Here’s hoping moves are already afoot by the FFA to plug the leak.

In the meantime, it’s up to the A-League clubs to replace the quality they are losing.

This week, Wellington Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata said the days were gone of signing players from DVD or YouTube footage.

Maybe the answer is just on our doorstep.

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The Crowd Says (33) | Page 1 of Comments

NUFCMVFC said | January 29th 2009 @ 7:37am | Report comment

Generally agree, Recruitment nwtworks and structures need to be developed

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Kazama said | January 29th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment

I agree Paddy. A-League clubs need to take SE Asia more seriously in terms of recruitment and engagement.

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Midfielder said | January 29th 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment

May have to soon if we keep loosing our best.

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Pippinu said | January 29th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment

That A-Leagues should look well beyond Brazil and Europe to recruit foreign palyers is a reasonable enough point to make (witness MV’s success with recruiting two Ticos).

But I will make this very important point: if the East Asian nations are generally out of our reach finance wise (Japan, Sth Korea and even China), the bulk of the SE Asian nations are not far behind.

When SFS played Kediri (?), it was mentioned than that their salary bill was 5 or 6 times that of Sydney’s.

Bambang would be earning decent money, which means you can only recruit him as a marquee (that would be a very bold decision – let’s be clear – he only played 3rd division in Holland).

A bloke came off the bench for the Indonesians last night who at one stage was keen to come across to the A-League, but his salary wasn’t affordable.

The best players in the tiny Singapore league are earning as much as the A-League players, pretty much the same situation in Thailand. Vietnam is probably still affordable – and for good reason.

In these sorts of places, once you move down the rungs to the affordable players, they are simply not of the necessary quality.

In conclusion, as Jimmy says in Khe San – the answer sure ain’t there.

Where is the value for money?

My list: sub-saharan Africa; central America; Oceania, and maybe pockets of Asia like Uzbekistan (although even they are rapidly moving to the upper echelons of salary ranges within Asia).

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Paddy Higgs said | January 29th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment

Not sure I totally agree with all your points, Pip. Yes, it may be too much of a risk to entice a player over as a marquee, and Africa is a source which needs tapping. But i still believe that there are players to be had in Asia. As I pointed out, Song has been more than serviceable for the Jets, while as a Melbourne supporter I bet you are content with Fabiano’s place among the Victory squad. Melbourne was able to entice him over – surely there are other players available who would add to the A-League, all without paying a mint for.

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Pippinu said | January 29th 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment

Paddy

Mixed feelings about Ney – has quality, but consistently looks overweight, definitely above average as far as the A-League is concerned – but I’m sure you will recall that Cameroonian in the Chonburi side, Baga, who bagged one from 30 metres – now there was someone worth chasing!!

Song is an interesting case that may well prove what I am saying. I don’t know the full story, but he took a significant pay cut to come to Australia because he thought it would do him a lot of good as far as his European ambitions go – which is fair enough, and that certainly is a selling point of the A-League (a point worth pushing in places like Costa Rica) – but he did take a pay cut, and in truth, you’d only describe his game as serviceable.

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True Tah said | January 29th 2009 @ 9:13am | Report comment

Pip

in the past I have mentioned that maybe the HAL should look at implementing an exemption for Oceania players at HAL clubs – this would encourage them to develop their networks in the Pacific…whilst Oceania is a differant confederation, it may not be that way in the future (it should become a regio within AFC).

Aside from the French taking a few (e.g. Karembeu), generally Oceania players have not really been prominent in too many overseas leagues, I know a few Solomon Islanders have played in the NZ domestic league.

Im aware that the Oceania sides have not really performed too well on the highest stage at either the FIFA or futsal world cups and Im not sufficiently versed in futbol to comment, but do you think there would be any diamonds in the rough in say Solomons/New Caledonia/Tahiti which might be worth signing? They do not have access to the facilities our youngsters do.

One benefit from this move would be the goodwill it may well win FFA in FIFA, and help us win hosting rights for world cups – something which may count against Australia is that we haven’t really done a huge amount for futbol’s poor, and places like England are doing this – and thats who we are competing against.

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Paddy Higgs said | January 29th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment

Pip – I still think both players have at least added depth to their respective clubs, and that is worth pursuing in Asia given that it is so close to home and the resources for club scouts are much more accessible.
True Tah – some very good points as well. AFL club Western Bulldogs has awarded a scholarship to talented Fijian kids this year, who have barely played the game. An Oceania spot at A-League clubs would be great, even if it was a youth team place to a talented Samoan kid or the like.

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Kazama said | January 29th 2009 @ 9:39am | Report comment

If we are talking about Oceanian players, how about the young Fijian who played for Waitakere at the CWC against Adelaide – Roy Krishna? From what I saw of him in that game he could be a decent pick-up for an A-League side (he has trained with Wellington Phoenix in the past) and I doubt he’d be expensive.

It might also be a leg up to have a Fijian in the A-League for the football development programmes in that country:

http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/fiji—fiji-football-set-for-revamp

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Pippinu said | January 29th 2009 @ 9:56am | Report comment

TT/Paddy/Kaz

I like the idea of Oceania getting some sort of special consideration – it would definitely be a two way street.

I can recall in the mid 80s Canberra Olympic recruiting a couple of young kids from Fiji, or somewhere in the Pacific, at least one of them ended up having a decent NSL career: Manis Lamon? (or something similar), fast, skillful striker I recall.

Interestingly, I’m into my second season of FM09, and MV are struggling to maintain their 3rd place finish for my debut season as manager. Just before the transfer window closes, I have managed to grab a striker from the Solomon Islands, and an attacking midfielder from Liberia – both look like likely lads at decent prices!

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