New signings suggest A-League has finally matured

Roar Pro

By Paddy Higgs, 22 Jul 2009 Paddy Higgs is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: A-League, Anfield stadium, English Premier League, football, Newcastle Jets, Robbie Fowler, Shane Smeltz, Sheffield United, UEFA Cup, Wellington Phoenix

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Liverpool's Robbie Fowler celebrates scoring the third goal against 1. FC Kosice during the UEFA Cup, first round, second match at Liverpool's Anfield stadium Tuesday Sept. 29, 1998. AP Photo/Adam Butle

The buzz around the various football forums is that this season’s A-League will be the best to date. Much of it stems from the introduction of two new sides into the competition, adding much-needed diversity to the competition.

But the existing clubs need also be credited for part of the excitement, with the calibre of players enticed to the A-League this season as promising as any other before.

It is a good time to reflect on exactly how much things have changed for clubs in the transfer market. One need only cast one’s eye over the list of big-name flops and costly turkeys in the league’s formative seasons.

Of course, navigating through the transfer market is a hazardous and perilous business, and has claimed many a global club.

But with bad habits ranging from an early obsession to all-things Brazilian to a penchant for signing players from DVDs, A-League clubs found out the hard way on how to increase their chances of success when foraging for players.

But as the competition has matured, so has the approach of its member clubs.

It was hugely refreshing to hear Wellington Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata state earlier this year that the days of signing players on the back of YouTube clips or agent-driven DVDs was over.

Despite having had to contend with the departure of star striker Shane Smeltz in the off-season, the Phoenix has taken a softly-softly approach to securing attacking replacements.

Industrious former Tranmere striker Chris Greenacre was first, and now Wellington has announced the signing of attacker Paul Ifill.

The former Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Millwall player has spent his career bouncing between the wing, the centre of midfield and forward, but indications are the 10-capped Barbadian will play up front with Greenacre.

And like Greenacre, it’s hardly a signing to get the pulse racing to the uninformed football fan.

But this is a player – still 29 years of age – that had a short stint in the English Premier League just three seasons back.A player who reportedly commanded an £850,000 transfer fee in 2007.

Injury concerns have already been raised, but Ifill featured 33 times for Crystal Palace last season in the physical English Championship.

Of course, a solid pedigree doesn’t automatically mean success in the A-League.Just mention Brian Deane’s name in front of Perth Glory fans.

But Phoenix has shown maturity and fastidiousness in its dealings in the transfer market, perhaps to the occasional chagrin of the impatient fan.

And Wellington is not alone. A number of clubs are wisely utilising trials before handing out contracts, and indications are that the quality of player coaches are running their eye over is steadily improving.

The availability of creative China international midfielder Wang Dong would have once attracted contract-waving clubs like flies to a camping ground amenity.

But as Newcastle Jets assistant coach Mark Jones – even after stating the terrific impression Wang had made in his first day at the club – said: “It looks promising. But we are being very careful with our choice of players.”

Boy, have we matured.

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The Crowd Says (33) | Page 1 of Comments

Tom said | July 22nd 2009 @ 9:02am | Report comment

The A-league is maturing. I don’t know if we’ve ‘matured’.

I think you’ve picked a strange example to make your case. At first glance it appears that Greenacre and Ifill have mostly been signed because of where they’ve come from, rather than because of their suitability in the team. Ifill is hardly a ready made replacement for Shane Smeltz, for example.

Of course, they could well be great signings. I hope they are because Wellington Phoenix are a great institution who get a lot of things right. I just think its a bit early to say that they were signed for the right reasons.

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AndyRoo said | July 22nd 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment

Well I had heard of Greenacre and Ifil (not a lot but at least a bit) which is more than I can say of the Kingz first signings.

It’s a bit of a worry that they ever signed of Utube or a Managers DVD… although I believe that’s how Graham arnold got a deal. Robbie Slater sent a DVD to holland showing him tearing down the wings and crossing it in….. so they signed the guy that was scoring from all those crosses (Arnold) haha

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Towser said | July 22nd 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment

Tom is right maturing is where were at. But we are doing that,so that is positive a step up in learning the “street smarts” of recruiting on the International football market. My assessment of the A-League will as always be judged from what is presented to me on the park. Last season was where after 4 seasons the A-League got stuck on the plateau,(after escaping from the NSL quicksand) it started pissing down with rain & they couldnt see the ladder up the side of the mountain where thee peak was bathed in sunshine. Thanks to 2 new clubs & particularly Big Clive some clubs have taken the step onto the first rung of the ladder. As see it the fact that GCU in particular, didnt settle for mediocrity in recruiting players, has had somewhat of a snowballing affect on other clubs.
So on face value GCU have started off wisely,Perth have learned their lesson. Sydney opted for a European coach rather than player recruiting. I see that as a wise move considering their market & the fact that SFC youth were the best last season.All other clubs have strenghtened(except CCM ?). All will be revealed as they say.
I expect to see a very different season this year in terms of performance due to the increase in the season length.
As a Roar fan it seems they dont get started till about around 10 by the time their sorted its round 21. Another 6 matches could change their fortunes. As it could with others.
Good to see also that Asian players are slowly being recruited. More than likely as much to do with an awareness on Asian players part that the A-League exists after 4 seasons & participation by our clubs in the ACL. Same to with other recruits. We are becoming more savvy,but on the other side of the coin players in other countries are more aware of the A-League.

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Pippinu said | July 22nd 2009 @ 10:14am | Report comment

I have to say, given the hand wringing that occurred at the end of the last season, with Australian players heading overseas, the recruitment action we’ve witnessed right across the board since has more than restored the balance.

In a couple of months, we have forgotten altogether who went overseas.

Although my club remains very, very quiet on this front.

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- Simmo said | July 22nd 2009 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
  
  I think we can get used to this cycle. We’ll always some talented, ambitious players at the conclusion of each season but in turn they will be replaced by the up and coming youngsters and the importation of experienced professionals before the start of the following season.
  
  As long as we recognise the cycle exists and that it balances out from year to year, there’s nothing to worry about.
  
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AndyRoo said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:03am | Report comment

I’ve felt the league has improved each year. It probably helps that I mainly watch on FOX so I have seen a bit of all teams each year. If I just followed the Jets I would think the a league is going backwards J

Certain teams are up and down one year to the next as they have to fill gaps of players leaving but I feel the general trend is up. Australia has always had a fair bit of talent coming through to replace the guys going overseas and I think the NYL is a good stepping stone so we won’t see as much of an initial drop off in on field quality when a youngster replaces a departed player. The moves of players to Chinese or Korean clubs feels different than the old rush to go to lower division European clubs. I don’t feel so bad for losing those players for some reason.

Really looking forward to the Gold Coast vs Roar Match. Have never been so excited about attending a domestic club match.

The Fury haven’t been as inspiring as the Gold Coast in the recruiting stakes but I think the Fury have in some ways out shone them off the park. They had a big fan day and didn’t try and charge $30 for a friendly against a fellow A league team. I think the Fury will prove to be viable and if I lived near Townsville I would be pretty content with how they are going. …. except for their strip!
Blue and white hoops would have been awesome.

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Mackey said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:06am | Report comment

I don’t understand all these people on various forums saying that Ifill and Greenacre won’t replace Smeltz. Smeltz struggled to find the net in conference football beore joining the Nix, how many of you knew his name before then? Apart from kiwis and a few people from the gold coast and Brisbane not too many would have known about him let alone how he was going over in the conference.
Ifill has extensive experience in the EPL and CC, and has scored goals at those levels.

This attitude is along the same train of thought of poeple who think that Australian teams should smash asian teams 5-0, jsut coz we’ve never heard of them or seen them play before. Ignorance is bliss.

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AndyRoo said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:12am | Report comment

I was a bit worried when it was just Greenacre who replaced Shmeltz because even if he was as good as Shmeltz they needed to improve not stay still.

Ifill is a bigger name to me and I’m not worried about the loss of Shmeltz now.

I am horrible at predicitng how imports would go though
I was excited too see how Jardel and Juniho would go (at least I enjoyed watching the later). I thought Allsop and Agostino would score plenty based on how they went in Europe. And I thought Charlie Miller looked like a horrible signing….. keep me away from your clubs cheque book.

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Kazama said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:21am | Report comment

Mackey – I knew about Smeltz, having followed Adelaide City and then Adelaide United in the NSL. The lad back then was hopeless in front of goal – he scored just once in his only season with AU, and I think that was over in NZ against the Kingz. When the Nix signed him, I thought here we go again, another rubbish signing for an NZ side, and I was so wrong. Chris Greenacre and Paul Ifill are both coming from higher up the English football pyramid than Shane Smeltz with bigger reputations, so it’s laughable to say that they’ll be unsuitable replacements.

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Tom said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:27am | Report comment

Kazama, I’m not sure if that last line was directed at me or not, but my whole point is that you can’t just assume they’ll be successful based on what league they’ve come out of. If they’re just being signed because they’ve played in a reasonable competition then thats not really a sign of the A-league ‘maturing’.

But its good to see Greenacre scoring already in a friendly against decent opposition. Signs are positive. I hope they’ll do well in the A-league proper.

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Towser said | July 22nd 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment

Tom

Who did Greenacre score against?

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