I’m dealing with much better players than I’ve got at United and I think they’ll suit my system too so hopefully I can get them to the World Cup. I might throw the game if I have to play Australia though!

yeh – I had decided I would treat that silly tournament as a friendly and send my B-team to it (unless I fail to make it to the grand final).

So when you’re offered an overseas coaching role – do you essentially have two coaching jobs at once? Sounds like hard work! (and getting on top of all those unfamiliar names too!)

Funnily enough, as SFC kept on imploding in my game, my Nix coaching name kept coming up as a possibility and I would tell the media: NO WAY!!

At the end of the third season Dukes retired in my game so be wary of that. John Aloisi is still around though, last seen in the queue at Centrelink if you know what I mean.

I fell just short of the Plate, a couple of dodgy results meant I lost out to the Mariners on goal difference. I fixed that in the Major Semi though, winning the tie on away goals. I then went to the stupid Pan Pacific tournament and lost both matches on penalties (I have some woeful penalty takers on my team). Take my advice – treat it as two friendlies and save your best players for the GF if you make it. I rolled the Roar 3-1 in the final to make it back to back toilet seats for the Reds.

The ACL was unkind to me. Despite taking four points off all three teams I still didn’t get through. Bloody Gamba!!!

For the fourth season I signed a couple of kids and picked up Matt McKay on a free after the Roar let him go because of their money problems. I have a lot of fake players in my team now. Kaz keeps asking to leave. I finished runners up in the Pre Season Cup for the third time in four seasons, losing to Perth. I have a bit more on my plate now as I’ve been appointed manager of the UAE (I’m doing a Guus).

He’s blooky slow all right, but his touches are quite good (his skills ratings are through the roof). I’m hoping he might go good for our ACL, I’ve got him for one more season, but he’ll be 35, definitely a risk.

With the Nix (coz I’m managing two teams at once), I’ve just signed Danny Invincible, I think he’ll really give us a lift next season. I sold John McKain to St Zenit for $3.9 mill – that’s some serious money in the A-League! We’re back in the black again by the tune of $2.5 mill, and we can start planning for the future again.

I’ve just finished my season and the Nix scraped into 4th, just ahead of AU!

I now see why they drop off at the backend of the season. There was one week where I had to play two games within four days – and I had 10 players out with the NZ sqaud – I had 8 players available! and to fill in the spots they give you all these 17 year old kids – I was on a hiding to nothing!

Then for the first week of finals, the same thing happened again, I was lucky to just cop a 0-1 loss at home to the Roar, so we still have a small chance to get through. MV had a 1-0 away loss to the top team, CCM, so I am still hopeful there that we can win our way through to the GF.

But here’s another odd thing, 3 days before the grand final, we’re scheduled to play in this pan-pacific championship against Gamba – you’re kidding me!!

I think you’ve got Mullen at about the right price. I play in pounds and he’s on 600 a week at the moment. I lost him to injury and it was telling because he’s a lot faster than my other defenders. Og was out too because the silly bugger kept getting suspended. They’re both back for my next game so hopefully I will regain some form. I’ve invested in a lot of young Aussies during the transfer window. Next season some will graduate from the youth team once I sell off some of the dead wood (Sarkies, Costanzo, Younis). Ransford Osei will be ready to go next season, he’s killing it in the youth league ATM. He’s got 9 goals and 9 assists in 12 games.

It seems like you got it spot on tactically there and have been rewarded with a fine win. It’s always pretty sweet when everything comes off like that. The Adelaide side doesn’t look good though. The computer hasn’t strengthened the squad like I have. I got rid of Salley in the first season because he does nothing except collect yellow cards. He and Costanzo together sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. In my system Reid works well on the wing because of his stamina and passing – my wingers also rack up the kms. He doesn’t tire as quickly as Dodd and still gets plenty of assists. Having said that he’s not nearly as reliable as Dodd or Griffiths and he rarely scores when I play him there (the GF against the Mariners being a wonderful exception).

Dukes in the Sunderland reserves? But he’s probably a year older now? You’re in your 3rd season and I’m only in my 2nd. It’s probably a dicey decision. Have you tracked down Skoko?

Anyway, as I said, Dukes had accepted the $1,900 per week on a free transfer, 34 years old, I thought it was worth a try at that cost (it was CCM who were trialling him when I stumbled on his name, that prompted me to act, yeh, they’re always on top!).

Got all the papers formally signed last night, just in time for a match away to Adelaide! (who were sitting in 5th and challenging for a spot in the top 4).

Maayte – it was a 0-4 whitewash! On top of that, the news is that the MV supporters are wrapped that we’ve been able to attract big Dukes to our club! The hype is unbelievable!

When you see how the two teams went into their respective games – you’ll understand immediately why I won 4 zip (I’m sure you would’t have gone into the game like this).

———– Elasi ——— Allsopp ————-
—————————————————
———- Ward———- Celeski ————–
Berger ——— Broxham ———- Vasilevski
——— Muskie ——— Lee Sung ———–
—————– Di LIzia ————————
—————– Langerak ———————

I started Dukes on the bench, along with Kemp and Ryall.

Notes:
1. Arch is injured, and Lopez was on Int duty, otherwise, I think I had a full list to choose from.
2. You can see I use two strikers up one end, and a back three incl sweeper at the other, and the only width I have is from wing-backs. I use Broxham as the holding mid, and two central midfileders, with Ward used more as the go forward mid to support the front two.
3. I use Berger more as the attacking wing-back, and Vasileski more as a defensive wing-back. I keep Kemp on the bench because he can fill in either role, or play as a full back as well – Berger and Vasilevski both get through the kms going up and down the sidelines. I favour the left because of Berger’s pace and ability to get to the byline and his superior crossing.
4. I ended up bringing Di LIzia in as the sweeper because of the slowness of my primary central defenders. Lee Sung is an ex Sth Korean international, excellent positioning and headering, but susceptible to pacy forwards (as Muskie is). Di Lizia is only 18, and is pretty reliable – I’m developing a champion there for sure.
5. I use Broxham as a back up for Lopez, but he has been excellent in most games I’ve played him. I occasionally push Lopez up to replace either Ward or Celeski – he has been fantastic in the middle of the park, but I’ll have to spend $130,000 to keep him beyond this season (I’m going to try it with the board).

Anyway, this is how Viddy lined up AU (from memory):

————- Cristiano —— Younis ————
——————— Sarkies ———————
Cassio — Costanzo — Salley ———- Reid
———????——– Ogre ————?????
———- Inexperienced keeper ————-

Sorry, can’t remember the names, but the point is AU had inexperience in a back three with the Ogre, along with an inexperienced keeper. On top of that, their central midfield pairing of Costanzo and Salley was a bit dubious, as was putting Reid on the wing.

Both Muskie and Lee Sung were able to look after Younis and Cristiano. I also had Broxham tightly marking Sarkies out of the game, and Vasilevski doing the same with Cassio. I allowed all of Berger, Ward and Celeski to have free roles. Elasi and Allsopp gave the AU back three the run around. Ward opened the scoring with a header from a Berger cross, and Allsopp drilled one in soon after. To add insult to injury, Vasilevski has follwed Cassio down to his own box, and then latched onto a loose ball to drive it home from the edge of the box. 0-3 at half time, I the replaced Vasilevski with Kemp because he was out of petrol – and would you believe that Kemp does the exact same thing to make it 0-4!

I put Dukes on for the last half hour. He didn’t star, but you could see immediately that he will absolutely cruise through the league. His skill level was well above anyone else’s, lovely flick ons and angled passes that Elasi didn’t read – but when Arch is back in the team – Dukes will be devasting! (he’s very slow mind you)

The other news is that I took up your advice and went looking for Mullen, made him an offer, and the news comes back that he has rejected an AU offer to stay at the club! Nabbed him for something like $1,100 per week for three years. Good buy?

For the rest of the season, I tracked down another experienced central defender from the state comps with a bit of pace – so I reckon I am now set for an assault on CCM!

The other team I’m managing,the Nix, had a bit of bad luck when about 10 of the team were on international duty! I had to rely on a few youngsters, and they weren’t up to the task, going down to the Glory 2-1 away. That means that the Nix and MV are now equal 2nd behind CCM.

The good news for the Nix is that their new LIberian striker got his first start and he scored on debut!

Go on mate – what happened?

My mob isn’t having the best time at the moment. Some key injuries and the loss of Phil Stubbins to Burnley have seen me slip to second behind the Mariners, who are killing everyone again. Sydney are off the bottom and on a winning streak, but I’ll be addressing that in the next game…

I found Dukes in my game – he’s rotting in the Sunderland reserves.

Ok i got the thing mess up.

I was trying to find out when they changed it.

1974 and 1978 all had simultaneous matches on final group games (except for one match involving germany in 1974 world cup)

I assumed that 1974 was when they decided to change the rule.

For some reason they reverted to separate days in 1982.

Like I said you can’t get rid of the scenario fully but you can reduce the odds of that occurring.

Since that time, all final group games have been simultaneous.

Mind you, you still had the situation in 2002, when Italy scored a late equaliser agaisnt Mexico, which was enough to put both through, they immediately plonked all 11 men in their box for the last 5 minutes because they knew Croatia was losing to Ecuador in the other game. I can recall an Italian player then had the temerity to cross the half way line with the ball, and the Italian manager was furious at him.

When the final whistle went, the ref rolled his eyes, and did the sign of the cross, as if to say: thank goodness that’s over.

I think people are missing out a certain scenario. When the final matches is played and both team knows what result is needed and both team then plays towards o get the mutual beneficial results. I believe the World Cup 1974 ensured that all the team from the same group plays the last match at the same time to avoid that scenario due to a previously farcical match at a previous world cup.

Let’s say Melbourne drew with NZ phoenix and let’s pretend that NZ had equal points with Central Coast and a superior goal difference.

Adelaide only needed to draw to win the league. Central coast only needed a draw to make the top four. Both play a terrible 0-0 draw and everyone in the two teams involves are happy.

We want to prevent that scenario as much as possible as it will be truly a farce. It could still happen without simultaneous matches but the rarer the possibility the better it is.

do you want me to look after your fantasy team while you’re away on holidays?

Kaz
where are you? I wanna talk some more FM! I’ve got huge news – huuuuge!

It’s good to know your such a big fan of AFL footy that you were only fishing for a comment. Good to see, keep it up.

Jimbo,

St Kilda has that strange mix. It’s a place where you’ll see a Lamborgine parked next to divvy van which is next to a 1960′s vintage jeep full of backpackers next to punker on his skateboard who is checking out the pair of shoes hoisted above. Throw in some good restuarants right next to the crappiest and most violent night clubs on Fitzroy st and well its just plain wierd…

Redb

I think it’s a bit rich to say the luckiest team wins it under our present system. A fairer thing to say that potentially a bit more luck can come into it, but you have to survive an intense four week period, and hold your nerve at the very end – more often than not, that doesn’t come down to luck, but to preparation for the event itself.

Interestingly, at the moment people are complaining that it was luck that delivered MV its premier’s plate! (referring to Vuka using his face to make one save, or the fact that Arch managed to squeeze through that crucial second goal that probably should have been cleared by Lochead, who watched it dribble over the line, etc)

Either way – it’s all good!

~~~~~~~~~~
KB

You’re right about the McClelland trophy – I had forgotten about it – but as you intimate – all footy followers have probably forgotten about it – it’s never been the main game in VFL/AFL. The flag is the ultimate and I’m very comfortble about that, and equally I’m quite comfortable about how things work in the A-League – there’s still plenty of difference and that’s a good thing (just as it’s good that we don’t go out of our way to copy what every other tom, dick and harry does).

Yes SW Rocks is excellent for fishing particularly because of the local abattoir up there that pumps burley into the ocean all day.

Port Phillip Bay fishes a lot better than off the beach at Tugan these days unless you like your fish salty.

Give me South West Rocks any day of the week – now that is fishing heaven.

Redb

AB, thanks for reminding me of that funny line … a classic…. The AFL Mexicans south of the border take a lot for granted..

~~~~~~~~~
KB

Millster – - amazing…….you’re coming around to it?

Robbos – - I see what you mean re the non dominant team more able to win and so a season topping team is more accurate a representation potentially than a finals system…….but………..like any sport, half the battle is that of the favourite…..whether an individual in Tennis, or a swimmer in the Olympics, or a dominant regular season team in a footy comp – - the capacity to actually carry the ‘red hot favourite’ tag is as much an indication of sporting greatness as anything. but, yeah, – - in soccer, such as the FIFA WC – too much can come down to one penalty, one ref decision etc. Is that really the way to sort it out, especially if it ends in a penalty shoot out. I’m coming to understand that there’s a perfect fit for AFL, a perfect fit for the EPL…….and somewhere there and there abouts is the HAL, with no P&R and trying to get noticed in the Australian sporting landscape.

…..btw I still don’t get the 2legged early finals and sudden death in the prelim and GF.

btw – - agree totally with Redb – re the current AFL system, allowing 2 prelim finals, such that both GF contenders have effectively the same lead in. In the old days, one side had a week off.

Pip – the AFL ladder topper might in the past have earned the Dr.McClelland trophy – - where it was based on a ratio points for u19s, ressies and seniors. These days, the table topper after rnd 22 I believe still does get this trophy – - and it’s now stand alone for the senior side……..but, no one seems to care too much. A clear sign that you can do whatever you want – - but, it comes down to the mood of the mob as to what is deemed ‘worthy’.

You had to be there.

Being relatively new to the A-league, while I assume the fixture is fair, I’m not sure if this is the case. I read that that was part of the issue with the EPL considering (clubs proposing that) an extra game or two be played abroad (eg in the American market).

Adrian,
we agree on this point and it should be done before we try any other final system … A greater focus on the Premiership… Then the finals of the Championship as the last event of the season .. This would create an impression similar to the English system , FA League and FA cup..

~~~~~~~
KB

~~~~~~~~
KB

Playoffs and final series are also common in a lot of sports around the world and not just Australia.

I like the finals series, but I was also glued to the TV set to see if QR or AU could win and take the plate away from the Vics.

~~~~~~~~~
KB

Then, the GF can only be played at the ground of one of the top two teams, who only have to win one game to get into the grand final.

The 3rd and 4th teams have to win a semi and a preliminary final to get to the GF and they have to play the top team away in their home city.

It’s not just a matter of luck, the 2 best teams of the top 4 get to the final. They got into the top 4 by being consistently the best team over 21 rounds. Not just luck of the draw.

We don’t have a FA Cup style knockout comp, but the finals series is our surrogate and its biased to towards the top four. The top two teams are then given the best chance to win it.