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January 31st 2009 @ 12:15am
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If only we’d signed Van der Sar not Bosnich
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that Manchester United’s move for Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich ten years ago cost him the chance to sign record-breaker Edwin van der Sar as Peter Schmeichel’s successor.
Former Netherlands goalkeeper Van der Sar, 38, can break the Football League record for not conceding a goal — set by Reading’s Steve Death [...]
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![AFL stars and fans are declaring war on Channel 7. And for good reason. The network has confirmed it won’t be showing Friday night AFL matches live, as it’s committed instead to Better Homes and Gardens.
The continuation of delayed coverage has the AFL world fuming and has already sparked discussion over the AFL’s [...] Adrian Musolino: Battlelines drawn over live Friday night footy](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/grant-birchall-hawthorn-th.jpg)
![$163 million for the services of one football player is excessive, and while the news of Ronaldo’s exorbitant transfer fee caused a ripple of amazement, there was also a feeling of disgust from many quarters. Is sport risking alienating itself from society due to the gulf in riches between them and us?
It’s a genuine [...] Adrian Musolino: Sports risking alienation from fans with exorbitant costs](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/sports-risking-th.jpg)
![A week ago, everyone was talking up a two-horse title race between Sydney and Melbourne in the A-League. Yet after the weekend’s results, which saw the top two lose, that idea has been flipped upside down. But we’ve heard this before and that’s the beauty of the A-League, it’s predictably unpredictable.
Indeed, it seems every second [...] Ben Somerford: Unpredictability is the A-League’s biggest asset](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/is-a-league-boring-rudan-ognenovski-costa-th.jpg)
![In the end the Wallabies defeated England quite comfortably 18 – 9 to win the first Test of this Grand Slam tour. This was a Test the Wallabies had to win. And they won it playing inventive, attractive and skilful rugby with a confidence that grew as the Test developed.
The Grand Slam dream remains alive, although [...] Spiro Zavos: The Wallabies slam England in a terrific Test](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/how-wallabies-look-th.jpg)
![The most overheard phrase around the Olympics must surely be “there should be no politics in sport.” What a load of rubbish! There should be more, lots more. It makes it more interesting.
The most exciting part of these year’s Olympic build up is wondering just when the Chinese might roll out the tanks.
Giving the Games [...] Steve Kaless: Why we need more politics in sport](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/olympics-2-th.jpg)
![As was demonstrated so vividly last season, Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar isn’t afraid to voice an opinion. His latest target is the big spending ways of some A-League clubs, a stark contrast to what he has at his disposal.
“Most A-League clubs are trying to find their feet still after four years and [...] Adrian Musolino: A-League needs big spenders and bigger stars](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/vidmar-th.jpg)
![Carlos Spencer said it, and I believe it. Super 14 crowds are nothing compared to what they used to be.
Once upon a time, the Super 14 was one of the hottest tickets in town, particularly in Sydney which is its biggest Australian market. But crowds in the Super 14 are falling away, to the point [...] Andrew Logan: Who’s to blame for falling Super 14 crowds?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/waratahs-berrick-barnes-th.jpg)
![Bear with me here, readers, for I’m about to break one of Sheek’s golden rules of citizen sports writing on The Roar: I’m broaching the topic of politics. And by “politics”, I mean “ridiculously stupid political decisions.”
Last week, ACT Sports Minister Andrew Barr declared that Canberra might withdraw its support for a united Australian World [...] Brett McKay: ACT Government shoots itself in the foot](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ACT-government-shoots-viduka-th.jpg)
![Seventy-odd years ago, former Surrey and England captain Percy Fender noticed Don Bradman step away from a short pitched ball on a news reel. It was footage from Australia’s 1930 tour of England. Word got around to Douglas Jardine, that this Bradman may not be perfect afterall.
And so Bodyline was born.
Today, that ‘news reel’ [...] Benjamin Conkey: Phil Hughes treated like Bradman by the English](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/phil-hughes-treated-like-bradman-th.jpg)
![Thanks to Roar reader Freud of Football’s suggestion a few days ago, I have researched Test cricketers who have represented their country in rugby. This post does not claim to be exhaustive, but it is interesting.
Part I looks at versatile Test and one-day international (ODI) cricketers who have represented their country in rugby at [...] Kersi Meher-Homji: Test cricketers to have played international rugby](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Test-cricketers-have-played-international-rugby-jeff-wilson-th.jpg)
![Saturday’s AFL Grand Final loss is a bitter pill to swallow for the St Kilda Footy Club after such a tight contest, but as reflected by Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt in his post-match captain’s speech, it’ll be the source of great motivation to go one better in 2010.
Speaking on Sunday, beyond the immediate emotion of [...] Ben Somerford: Can the Saints get their own redemption in 2010?](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/can-saints-redemption-2010-Riewoldt-th.jpg)
![Maybe it’s the frustrating search for parking or the smell of the local junior footy club’s sausage sizzle, or perhaps the sight of the dodgy scoreboard and antiquated timer, but watching Aussie Rules at a suburban venue certainly has its charm.
Indeed, my senses were on ‘nostalgic overdrive’ on Saturday morning as I made my way [...] Ben Somerford: The AFL pre-season belongs in the suburbs](http://www.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/eagles-nick-naitanui-th.jpg)



