A-League will always be a hopeless competition
Roar Pro
By Matthew Wilson, 28 Apr 2009 Matthew Wilson is a Roar Pro
104 Have your say
I go to as many Sydney FC games as I can and have done so since their first ever game. At first I thought, “give it time, it’s only the first season, I’m sure it will get better.” Boy, was I wrong. I’m purely there for the atmosphere now.
As we go into season five, I feel expansion isn’t going to fix anything. We have to fix what we have before we can expand.
You have players well past their use by dates as aarques who can’t even buy a goal with their overpriced $1.4 million pay-cheques.
Then the players that do show some promise are sold and shipped off to Asia or Europe.
The A-League needs fresh pairs of legs to help speed up the game. But you talk to the next generation of footballers and they all have dreams of playing in Europe.
The A-League is just a feeder competition for everyone else.
When you think about it, you pay up to $30 a ticket to watch strikers that can’t score, mids that can’t control the ball, defenders that can’t tackle or clear a ball, and keepers that can’t kick.
At the end of the day, we are paying to watch what we could go and watch at the park for free.
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Captain Random said | April 28th 2009 @ 2:23am | Report comment
This article is proof that, for some people, Australian football began on Wednesday 16th November, 2005. And I’m so sick of hearing the “feeder league” criticism. Apart from the English Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and the Bundesliga, what league isn’t a feeder league?
Michael C said | April 28th 2009 @ 6:15am | Report comment
As a non soccer person, looking from the outside, this is what many ‘neutral’ observors predicted – i.e. that a domestic soccer code really could and should only be a development/feeder league.
Others have gone on and on about knocking off the AFL (not sure why they target the AFL when the HAL has been NSW dominated thus far and the NRL is the real toe to toe combatant in places such as Gold Coast, Newcastle and Townsville).
At any rate, there’s still those with grand dreams who sprout that we must ‘give it time’, but, surely overblown expectations are the worst enemy of organic growth. (however, I realise that organic growth can be unpopular when you simply go looking for a wealthy off shore investor to come in and fund your ‘dreams’ rather than building them from ground up over time).
Dave said | April 28th 2009 @ 6:59am | Report comment
Mathew
Perhaps your problem is you’re watching a crap team! Come down to Melbourne lad and sample a great atmosphere and a decent team that aren’t a bunch of over paid prima donnas!! MV champs of Oz and soon to be champs of Asia.
MC and other knockers
Just compare football in Oz to 4 years ago!
Slippery Jim said | April 28th 2009 @ 7:34am | Report comment
I agree that the A-League (especially it’s format) is pretty ordinary right now. But our goal is not to become a new EPL or La Liga. I see it as a reachable goal to become one of the top leagues in our region – Asia. We obviously are not going to be there in the short time the league has been around, but we can get there in time.
Adam said | April 28th 2009 @ 8:28am | Report comment
Matthew, are you related to Rebecca?
The 1 and Only Master said | April 28th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Agree with MC again.
How can expansion help this competition. The quality of play has been criticised by soccer supporters so expanding the amount of teams is not going to help when you have to call on players who cant get a game presently
On top of that you have clubs which whilst losing money now have to play more games and will lose even more money. I see this as a recipe for disaster for the A-league.
DAVE,
Are you asking us to compare the A-league of today to 4 years ago when a competition didn’t even exist. What sort of comparison is that ?
Mick said | April 28th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
From what I can tell the a-league has fitter players and more running where as the old nsl had more technique…
Professional football has made players fitter, it has not improved techniques.. need a higher standard of coach in oz and ssg will help improve players
While i am at it perth glory in the nsl use to play no more than 2 away games in a row and no more than 2 home games in a row, now a professional league it is all over the shop…
Art Sapphire said | April 28th 2009 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Matthew – How about this for an alternate headline – Matthew Wilson will always be a hopeless football journalist.
Yep. I have given up on you already.
Why don’t you save your money and not go to A-League games so you can spare us your cry baby tantrums.
Oh, wait on, you want to come because you like the atmosphere. Oh, diddums!
Eamonn said | April 28th 2009 @ 9:00am | Report comment
Union would die for an A-League
Not to mention all the kids in Australia desperate to get a professional football contract and play in good stadiums with good crowds.
And Matt it ain’t the pace of the game…otherwise all the Yorke’s, Aloisi and co would have walked the ball in from a forward position. In fact the pace is one thing that doesn’t need to be fixed.
Playing the game at that speed, the speed of our now professionally trained athletes requires superb technique…this is where we need and will improve. Watch Man United these guys are freaks the pace of the game, not always apparent on tv, and the techinique needed to keep the movement.
Have no fear Matt the game and techniques will flourish.
You clearly have a blinkered few…watching Sydney:) Although Dwight was awesome in season 1.
MC…you couldn’t help yourself could you..nice one..well worth the bait Mat got MC in one:)
alan nicolea said | April 28th 2009 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Matty
Although not many people will agree with you, i do. Even if i did go and watch a Melbourne Victory game in Melbourne, the quality is just not good enough to lure me in and come back. Coming from a footballing mad country and family, i still would rather watch a game of cricket, NRL, and Union rather than to watch an A-league game. At least the players from the other codes know what they are doing with the footy.
Your last comment in the article is a true reflection of what the A-League is at the moment. Cheers