By Mike Tuckerman
February 25th 2009 @ 2:57am
Related coverage
A-League Grand Final is cause for celebration
Season Four has been a difficult one for the A-League. Player departures, falling attendances and a betting scandal that engulfed three of the league’s most recognisable stars has meant media headlines were often less than favourable.
Added to that is Australia coach Pim Verbeek’s stubborn refusal to sugar-coat his blunt assessments of A-League standards, and fans could be forgiven for approaching this weekend’s Grand Final with a sense of pessimism.
Just under five years ago, however, Perth Glory beat Parramatta Power 1-0 in torrential rain at Parramatta Stadium to sound the death knell of the National Soccer League.
I was one of the less than 10,000 fans that braved the downpour on that wet April afternoon, and the fact that the A-League has rapidly become a topic of water cooler debate shows just how far Australian football has come.
For from approaching Australian club football’s showpiece event in a sombre mood, the upcoming A-League Grand Final is cause for celebration.
Queensland Roar once again frustrated the neutrals by falling at the penultimate hurdle, but even allowing for Adelaide United’s late season slump – this is a clash between Australia’s two most consistent teams.
Whether Adelaide have the wherewithal to out-fox a pragmatic Melbourne Victory remains to be seen.
Let’s see whether Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp prove a better combination against Adelaide’s catenaccio-style tactics than they did in Australia’s recent Asian Cup qualifier in Jakarta.
They were certainly in sync in Melbourne’s 4-0 demolition of Adelaide in the Major Semi-Final.
It would be a shame to lose the A-League’s all-time top scorer Thompson should he decide to return to European football, but few could begrudge the 30-year-old his desire to feature prominently at a World Cup finals.
If Pim Verbeek insists that the A-League is not the right environment for current Socceroos – as he continues to inform new Gold Coast recruit Jason Culina – then the A-League can expect to continue haemoraging fringe Socceroos like Thompson.
Yet for every Archie Thompson there’s a Fabian Barbiero – the Adelaide midfielder called up for the first time to represent his country in an Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait next month.
Barbiero is just one of a number of talented youngsters that have broken through at the Reds this season, although arguably none have been as impressive as full-backs Scott Jamieson and Daniel Mullen.
I caught my first glimpse of Jamieson in the flesh at the recent FIFA Club World Cup, and the ex-Bolton trainee turned in some eye-catching displays. It’s no surprise to see and Mullen join Barbiero in the Australian squad to face Kuwait.
And what a story it would be if forgotten man Jonas Salley became Adelaide’s unlikely hero.
Queensland Roar midfielder Charlie Miller labelled Salley “a rash” – so dominant was the out-of-contract midfielder in shutting down the Roar’s playmaker during Adelaide’s Preliminary Final win.
Qualifying for another bout of Asian Champions League football may have pleased Adelaide officials, but Reds fans are desperate for redemption following the club’s humiliating 6-0 Grand Final defeat at the hands of Melbourne two season’s ago.
Whether Melbourne skipper Kevin Muscat deserves to have another crack at the Reds is open to debate following his unsavoury challenge on Adelaide youngster Mullen in the semi-final.
But there’s no doubt that Muscat has been a constant driving force for Melbourne during the Victory’s five-year existence.
So too has coach Ernie Merrick.
He sometimes displays the kind of charisma you’d expect from a sack of flour, but Sydney FC’s trigger-happy board of directors are no doubt looking down with envy at the kind of success Merrick has enjoyed.
Victory’s long-serving tactician will hope to toast another A-League title come Saturday evening, and as another colourful crowd gets set to pack the Telstra Dome, there’s plenty to celebrate on the A-League’s day of days.
It’s been a tough old year – but then, sometimes it’s worth remembering just how far we’ve come.
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Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 6:10am | Report comment
Mike
The GF is almost sold out with restricted view tickets and a few single seats available only. Should be 50,000 plus if the Medallion members (TD members) show up. A fantastic result given that they have been swamped by AFL media talking about a local game coming up this week. Headlines for the AFL game but the HAL GF sells 50,000 tickets.
Really looking forward to a cracking atmoshere and a game between 2 teams that play the opposite styles. Defensive and dour AU vs the attacking intentions of MV. l hope for the sake of the local game the team that atacks and makes all the scoring opportunities wins. As we know in our great game that does not always occur.
Redb said | February 25th 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment
Dave,
You make me laugh, yes, man the battlements, defend the castle, spin the doctor?
Of course the HAL GF will sell out. There is even a countdown clock in the Herald Sun leading up to the HAL GF. So stop whinging and just enjoy.
Redb
Albert Ross said | February 25th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
How many Medallion Members are there?
Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 8:24am | Report comment
Well thought out and expressed article “Mike Tuckerman” , the game is doing very well albeit against a mild media that was hostile
keeper11 said | February 25th 2009 @ 8:55am | Report comment
Great article…..honest and balanced ..
but way too insightful…which means it has no place in the ultra-competitve pond that is the aussie sporting landscape..
where its all about jingoistic , simplistic and self-grandiosing slogans through your big media mates to protect market share..
so get into the spirit:
‘this been the best year ever for the A-league..maaate”
” the game’s never been better , maaate”
‘ ‘this will be the games best year ever , maaate”
” our great game just gets better and better , maaate”
Tom said | February 25th 2009 @ 10:58am | Report comment
Its a refreshing change to read an article about the state of the game that doesn’t push a particular agenda.
Towser said | February 25th 2009 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Mike
“It’s been a tough old year – but then, sometimes it’s worth remembering just how far we’ve come.”
No offence Mike but the above expression is contradicting itself. Rembering how far we’ve come & what we’ve come from this year has been ” Hammock days, knocking back stubbies of fourex, served by nubile maidens, on Hayman Island in the dry season.
Pippinu said | February 25th 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
I have to admit, I struggled to follow the prose contained in Towser’s last comment (
) but just to follow up on this question about what a tough old year it’s been – to be honest – if your a Victory fan – what was tough about it??
Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
Pip
So far agreed.
Redb
Is this the same Redb that was complaining last week about the treatment AFL receives from Sydenee media?? Something about pot, kettle and black me thinks!!
BTW Nothing said in my post is incorrect compared to the Cuz story and media build up for that the HAL GF has been swamped…the good news is in this case doesnt matter and that may well be a sign of things to come re media in Melb
Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Two more matters are cause for celebration;
1. is the creation of the FFA World Cup bid team which begins the next exciting stage of this adventure and,
2. as taken off TWG website;
” Growth and expansion of the Hyundai A-League is critical to the growth of football in Australia and is an absolute priority for FFA,” Buckley said.
“With that in mind, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Archie Fraser to become the new Head of the Hyundai A-League.”
Fraser is a former professional football player in Scotland and Queensland Premier League player in Australia.
“Archie has not only played the game to a high level, he’s also a professional sports administrator and he has a first class commercial and strategic background. Although he has worked in AFL for the past several years, he is the first to acknowledge that his number one sporting passion is, and always has been, football.”
Fraser joins FFA from St Kilda Football Club where he has been CEO for the past four years.”
Interesting times when AFL club CEO’s leave to run Sokkah…Buckley (AFL 2IC) now Fraser who next…Eddie??
Michael C said | February 25th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Dave/Redb -
I did notice on the HS website, “Cousins countdown”,
but, I think most people agree they’ve gone completely over the top – - and that they seem to have assigned a permanent 24/7 photographer to tail the poor fellow………..it’s just really, really sad!!!! Gee, BEcks only have that treatment for one or 2 days he was in Australia, Cuz is getting it for weeks/months.
Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
MC
Totally agree…hopefully he gets a few kicks and they begin to leave him alone.
BTW As usual it is that rag the HS doing most of the harrassing.
Dave said | February 25th 2009 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
Watching Ch 10 news and how did Steve Quartermain Chief AFL reporter announce the news of Archie Frasers joining the HAL…”Saints Chief quits to join the enemy” There you go…AFL media at it again to stir up community angst against football and rally the troops! YAAAAAWN.
jimbo said | February 25th 2009 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Mike another good article.
I was there at Parramatta stadium as well. What a strange and prophetic end to the stormy reign of the old NSL.
Hasn’t Colossimo gone downhill since then. I hope he can overcome his injuries and rise to his former Glory [pardon the pun].
For me there is a direct connection with the absurd and surreal comments and negative coverage in the main media [pro and anti-football] from Vidmar and Pimbo and the lower crowds for the finals. I don’t think the GF will be a sellout and the AU crowd last weekend was a disappointing aspect of a very good contest.
Where else in the world of sport do you get comments like that.
Hopefully with the excitement of the upcoming ACL games, Grand Final and the two new teams in next season we’ll see some of the crowds return.
I’m hearing voices in my head . . . am I starting to wish that AU and the Socceroos start losing badly so we finally see the end of Vidmar and Pimbo in Australian football.
Pippinu said | February 25th 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
Looks like Archie Fraser has a very good background for running the A-League.
Norm said | February 25th 2009 @ 7:03pm | Report comment
-”but just to follow up on this question about what a tough old year it’s been – to be honest – if your a Victory fan – what was tough about it??”….but pippy boy weren’t you the one complaining about an FFA conspiracy against Victory?
Midfielder said | February 25th 2009 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
I can remember in Hal 1 and pre Hal 1…. Les was discussing how the A-League should be played and Lesx and his panel said they must play attracking football to get the crowds in … and by getting the crowds the media would follow… but if the played to defensive like a win at all cost play ugly European game then the new to football would not understand what they were watching and not come.
So The Roar played the best football and lost so the coach quite ….. today the same SBS experts say in the SA case good play and by and large for Pim as well. However with Pim they do say they want to see another side of our play…
How things have changed … or how the agendas have chjanged.
I don’t think it will sell out either if the Roar where their it would have…
Sam said | February 25th 2009 @ 7:29pm | Report comment
keeper 11
“Great article…..honest and balanced ..
but way too insightful…which means it has no place in the ultra-competitve pond that is the aussie sporting landscape..”
I did have a good laugh at that one as there is a lot of truth in it. For me it’s been a season in which football has had to justify its place in the Australian sporting landscape. A lot of bullets were fired, and I think in the end with a 50,000 crowd in Melbourne in the grandfinal it will be a fitting finale. Next season hopefully we can learn a lot of what we might have done wrong this year and consolidate. Just glad in a way we can start a new season with some fresh blood.
Hopefully on April 1 also the Socceroos will cement there place in the World Cup. Hopefully people will get to the game in Sydney (I know I will be there), and the memories of the last qualifier will inspire us to victory.
Midfielder said | February 26th 2009 @ 9:42pm | Report comment
Mike
Another good article and well done… Like you I was at Parrmatta oval in the down pour that day and wondered why the game was never called off.
But you are right how far we have come … its like A football add said once that those that enjoy football no explanation is needed those that don’t know no explanation will ever do. OMG how we have come you are so right and that day at Parrmatta showed just how bad it was
Personally my memory about football history its management runs deep and much is about it failures / the almost there moments the neglect… more recently Crawford, Hal 1, Uruguay 2005, Asia , 2006 WC, Women’s League, Youth League.. the future is looking bright more so than ever before and that pre Crawford Soccer world seems like a different world to the one we have today. Where the Socceroos made almost no media attention today arguably Australia leading sporting brand. The Socceroos count in millions there fans today and unlike the few there is an army today.
The Grand Final will be won by AU, I offer no reason for this than my gut says the same as the Roar match being such an underdog makes me think they will win.
Just as an aside I have been watching the SBS web page http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/ and I am looking for the positive story about the new Head of the A-League given he coming from a football background …. I think Les & Fozzie may have mentioned this on the odd occasion … funny it’s not there …. Love how the good news stories like Pim blast A-League appear as he finishes his sentence and they keep the bad news stories that an experienced business man with a huge football background including local football and trained in the Australian by the AFL is kept from us … good work SBS
jimbo said | February 26th 2009 @ 10:10pm | Report comment
Pimbo’s words are having the desired effect.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroos/coyne-wary-of-a-league-move–174190/
I might be wrong about the A-League GF not being a sell out.
Only 2000 tickets left with 2 days to go and will all be gone by match day.
Only thing to determine if it will be a domestic football record crowd will be how many Etihad Stadium members turn up this time.
jimbo said | February 26th 2009 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
Archie Fraser has done a marvellous job at St Kilda, even turning a profit with a Melb AFL team that doesn’t have a big fan base and hasn’t made a GF in living memory.
I’m sure he’ll be a big asset to the FFA and turn the A-Leagues fortunes around in a very big way.
He returns to the sport that he truly loves and that he has played himself as a professional.
Midfielder said | February 27th 2009 @ 6:34am | Report comment
Jimo
Still nothing on the TWG site about Archie, thats two days in time three if you count the days.. Strange maybe they missed it
The Bear said | February 27th 2009 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Much kudos Mike. Great wrap up. And yes it has been a tough grind this season. I wonder how the credit crunch is going to affect us over the off-season? Hopefully the worst has been weathered already. I will be watching the game, and knowing that the two most worthy teams this season are representing the A League.
Shame Queensland – such a capitulation. Van Dijk had some shocking moments, but Nichols got the blame, shameful post match comments from VDijk and Farina. Bit too easy for Farnia, it seems. Next season won’t be so easy to face the media when if we flunk out against Gold Coast or Fury for those crunch games.
Ando said | February 27th 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Great article Mike.
It really is a tough one to decide who to support. Kevin Muscat is an absolute joke, one of the dirtiest players I have ever seen. But then, we have a team who decides that Robert Cornthwaite is worthy of a run on a football pitch. The only thing that could make me dislike this match more is if you put Danny Tiatto as ref.
I’m just hoping for an entertaining game, and that Mr Muscat is rolled of the part by a crunching tackle from Mullen. I can see the photo now “That’s for Diego”.