The development of the A-League continues
Roar Pro
By David, 15 Jan 2010 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- A-League, football, Pim Verbeek, Socceroos
When the Australia media asked Pim Verbeek what was wrong with our A–League his answer was “do you have an hour?”
Since the origin of the A-League, it has been heavily criticized by some, often unjustly. Many are quick to dismiss our top football competition.
However, I feel it’s time to take a look at where we’ve come from, where we are going, and perhaps some of the potential problems of the A-League.
What the A-League has done.
I’ve watched many A-League games, and although I do believe the league still has development to do, I think considering it’s only in its fifth season, the league needs to be given credit.
It has given Australians a professional league to play and develop football talent and has given fans a chance to build a real football culture, as well as a chance to watch and support some of our local talent.
The A-League needs to be given credit and support as it continues to support Australian football.
It’s fair to say the football is still in its infancy. In terms of skill and development, Verbeek has pointed out a number of criticisms of our league.
Our national team coach has mention the fact there is too much space and that the tempo of the league has got a way to go, which I guess is fair enough.
However, the recently appointed coach of Melbourne Heart, John van’t Schip, has been quoted as saying that the A-League is “on par with the Dutch second division.”
So perhaps were not as far behind as once thought. Since then, Alex Brosque has been chosen in a 23 man Socceroos squad when our first team European players were available.
So where do we go from here?
It’s safe to say football in this country has came leaps and bounds from where it was at the start of the century.
As for the, A-League it must aim to do three things to keep improving:
first, it must continue to build support for football across the nation, keeping ticket prices cheap, and keeping a football atmosphere in every game building a culture of football.
On the field, teams need to get quicker, with a greater reliance of skill not strength, as well as more complex tactics followed with an exciting brand of football.
Lastly, the A-League need to continue to produce players of international standard to play overseas. Dario Vidosic and Mile Jedinak are two A-League success stories.
Every exciting player the A-League produces lifts the standard and expectations.
We must take constructive criticism and continue to build a league that will one day be the best in Asia.
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Robbos said | January 15th 2010 @ 5:48am | Report comment
Very good article David, to understand the A-League is to undestand where it orginated from.
I’m a life long football fan, following the mighty Derby County is the 70s, but only 5 years ago did I have a local team in our local competition to follow.
Joe FC said | January 15th 2010 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
sadly Robbos the adjective “mighty” can no longer apply to the Rams.
cab711 said | January 16th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment
Which team is that?
MV Dave said | January 15th 2010 @ 7:26am | Report comment
That we now have an all inclusive professional football league with tv coverage (albeit pay tv), with strong rivalries devloping (after less than 5 seasons), and with decent stadia and facilities to watch in is fantastic and what football in this country has needed for so long. This isnt to discredit what went before but in reality what we have currently is light years ahead IMO. The history of the local game should not be forgotten but in years to come people will be able to reflect on the great leap forward taken in 2004-5 with the introuction of HAL.
Yes HAL is in its infancy and plenty of mistakes have been made and yes the standard needs to keep improving. Dont forget this is only the 2nd year of the NYL a pathway for the best young players to come through and in reality it will take another 5 years or so for the benefits of NYL to fully shine. There is now a National Curricula for development of players…CCM have spent $millions on a new state of the art (to be built) football academy).
The MV and from next seasom MH, have given me, mates, family and tens of thousands of other Victorians a chance to see live football and gain part ownership of this game. l have coached Juniors and played the game, watched overseas games on tv, been to see my ManU play, watched the Socceroos live (when in Melbourne) but never had a chance to watch and follow, on a weekly basis, a team for me which is representative of the whole state/city. l had just about given up on having such an opportunity but feel greatly priviledged know that its here.
My allegiances now are far more for the local game/team than for anything overseas (doesnt mean l’ve stopped supporting ManU and will see them play live whenever the opportunity arises). MV and the HAL in general are pioneers in this country for the sport of football and in years to come people will look back with great fondness and pride on what was built by those involved in this great game during the noughties. The fact that our teams now play internationally against the best in Asia and have the opportunity to play other clubs from around the world is icing on the cake.
Australian Football said | January 15th 2010 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
MVDave,
As Chelsea go forward looking for their historic treble this year…. 
I don’t think anyone of us will blame you if your support for Man U is waning or a lot less now for this season or the years ahead…
~~~~~~~
AF
MV Dave said | January 15th 2010 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
AF
Only problem when they come up against each other in the WCC final in 2010 
l did hesitate before putting that line in thinking it could be used against me! ManU will always be my team, as the great city is my birthplace…but of course have lived in Melbourne most of the life so MV are my team…2 teams is always better than one
Australian Football said | January 15th 2010 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
MVDave
I have three teams—-just to be sure of some silverware at the end of the season—-that said, It looks like it’s going to be a bumper of a year… I’m looking at joining all three clubs with an overhead walk way across two states and two continents joining all three club trophy rooms so I can amuse my self during the off season
~~~~~~~~
AF
Simmo said | January 15th 2010 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
terrific sentiments, well expressed, MV Dave.
gammon said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:40pm | Report comment
The HAL has everything except increasing crowd numbers and any real competition for the viewing audience (domestic cricket does not count).
mahony said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:06pm | Report comment
Spot on MVDave. Over the last two years my interest in following the EPL very closely has wained (it helps that I am a Liverpool fan). It has been a slow, subtle shift over time – but the A-league is MY league and I am rusted on now in a way that I struggled to be with the NSL as a Canberra / Inter Monaro (yes, look it up! lol) fan.
jimbo said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment
Good post MV Dave,
my sentiments exactly and I’m looking forward to the remaining SFC games, particularly against Victory in the last round.
Not just the A-League but look at what the Socceroos have done in the last 5 years and we’re in the running to stage a FIFA WC here – fantastic progress.
Football is the number one football code played and followed by Australians and more growth coming – not that it has to be number one for us to enjoy it.
Looking forward to the next five years.
gammon said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:40pm | Report comment
It has been number one for the best part of 80 years.
Robbos said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
The next 5 years should be some interesting developments, as mentioned by David, we must observe constructive criticism, not everything done in te first 5 years were correct.
The development of players, finally we are heeding those who thinks, while we produce good strong footballers, generally our technique is way behind the standard required to be a top 20 side in the world. The National Curricula & the NYL are steps in the right direction.
The creation of a FFA cup , to bring the excitment of cup football as well as getting all the State federation into line with the FFA. This will also help bring back the old NSL clubs into a major club competition in Australia.
Improving the standard of the HAL, we will never be as good as the big competitions in Europe, this is not being negative, this is being a realist, judging our econmic status in the world. But there are alot of talented Australian footballers playing in the lower leagues O/S that would help improve our standard. We will always lose the Kewells & Cahills but should we be losing the Carneys & Carles.
FTA TV for the A-League & socceroos is a must but when is the question. No doubt the FFA needed the money that Foxtel provided. But we do not want a FTA TV deal like what Channel 7 gave us afew years back, we must ensure the service is as good as Foxtel or even a shared with Foxtel & FTA like the AFL & NRL. With a bigger fund from TV rights the FFA will be able to lift the salary cap, hence the standard.
WC bid, how awesome that this country, whose football adminstrators at the begining of the decade couldn’t run a chook raffle, are now in a position to bid & be one of the favourites to win the WC bid, thank you Mr Lowy.
Football in this country is growing & being part of it feels just great. I’m a football fan & proud of it, I may not have been brave enough to say that 20 years ago.
tinhat said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
Too true Robbos.
tinhat said | January 15th 2010 @ 8:43pm | Report comment
I don’t think it was bad 20 years ago though. Practically every kid of the generation currently in their 20′s and 30′s was playing football at least at some stage when they were young. Their parents cant all have hated it that much.
mahony said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
I have heard the sporting business model described as a pyramid, with grass roots as the base, elite player development and national league the middle and national team(s) as the pinnacle. Football has long had a massive base, but with a poor middle, the pinnacle suffered in a lot of ways. This ‘balancing problem’ in our code is being slowly addressed by the FFA. At present the base and the pinnacle are outpacing the middle, but is it only a matter of time before this is corrected as the Socceroos drive exposure and fund the development of elite players from the grass roots for national league participation (i.e symmetry is achieved). The AFL does not have a pinnacle to manage (or benefit from) and the pinnacle for the rugby(s) is so small by comparison to football that a moderate base and middle are sufficient for long term stability. Football will be the biggest for two reasons (1) it should be; and (2) it has to be.
AndyRoo said | January 15th 2010 @ 9:22am | Report comment
There have been some quality games that I don’t think could have happened in season one.
MV and Bne Roar 3 all for entertainment.
And MV vs SFC 0-0 was critisised by some but I thought it was a good match. I found the game entertaining and of quality and too say that about a nil all shows the league is doing all right.
I think Paul Ifil said that the quality has a lot of variance. In the same team you can have conference level players next to premiership quality players. And that seems true to mine but things like the NYL have raised the quality of the worst player on the pitch for sure.
It’s far better than the first season where the reinforcements were a real mixed bag and plucked from anywhere.
I also think most teams would beat the first season version of themselves so that’s a good indicator too.
deadman said | January 15th 2010 @ 10:41am | Report comment
The trouble is not at the A-league level, it is at the state level. In almost every state at the “semi-pro” level there are too many teirs and not one of them quality in both the on-feild or off-feild sence. If put though the AFC Crieria for participation in AFC club competitions, not one of the comps would be able to fullfill in entirely the criteria for the AFC cup let alone ACL. Given the wide berth of economies that operate under the AFC it is not un-reasonable for the 5 main state competitions to be ACL suitable.
IMO A lot of blood letting and sheding teirs need to take place.
Clubs would be given 4 choices: go though a bid process, Merge, Relocate and/or relegate to strict amature comps in a bid to be ACL compliant
Once this is in place It would be alot easier to set about p&r and cup competitions
Lazza said | January 15th 2010 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Great article and it’s about time someone pointed out the positives. I wrote yesterday that we just have to be patient, accept that they’ll be a few ‘dips’ and lows along the way. This is a long term project. Having been a ‘basket case’ of a sport here in Australia for over a century we aren’t going to turn it all around in 5 short years. Remember where the sport has come from and what it was like a few years ago compared to now.
Davstar said | January 15th 2010 @ 11:56am | Report comment
1st off thanks for your support guys i wasn’t sure how people would react to this Article.
I think people need to do two things Accept our league isn’t perfect but also they need to Accept that its got a lot of positives.
Robbos – Your comment about the Carles and Carneys i have to say is an interesting one but I would like to float this idea by you. I think Carle should consider returning but i think Carney is doing ok playing off the bench and in Cup games, I think weather our players succeed oversea or not they should all try there luck. I think eventually most players we send overseas will return at some stages or another to the A-league and bring something back to our league. I don’t think staying in the A-league is the best option for young gifted players that have potential I believe every player that has the opportunity to try play in Europe’s top leagues should give it ago.
Our league can only improve once our best return such as Kewell, Cahill etc. So the Carneys will eventually do the same. In the long term sending players overseas benefits the A-league by raising the standard when our players return just look at the return of Jason Culina how much has be brought to our league. Even look a Lijer the MV defender he went to Fulham for 3 seasons came back and has brought his experience with him, we must look at every player we send can massive potential to give something back with that our league will become strong.
A guess and example would be Craig Moors influence on the defenders at the Roar. He gave them advice and knowledge that they wouldn’t learnt if he didn’t play for the roar for 3 seasons.
Also in the short term it brings financial gain by selling players overseas in the long run sending players overseas is what will improve the A-league.
Don’t get me wrong I don’t expect all of them to return but a large number of them will, some won’t make it oversea and will return early, some will come back to finish their career in Australia ether way training and learning different styles, systems, tactics and technical abilities will only ever improve our A-league.
That’s why I think it’s important to stress that the A-league is still young and many players have left for overseas but not returned yet. And for every two or three players that leave one or two will return to bring something back. That is how a league is built it takes time hard work and effort Rome wasn’t built in a day
Manfred the Milko said | January 15th 2010 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Interesting opinions David … some I share, some I don’t
The Heart coach – see “don’t bite the hand that feeds”. The A-League is on par with Euro “C” leagues, but is NOT as good as Dutch 2nd division.
Steve Corica, one of the leagues brightest stars, couldn’t get off the Walsall reserves bench … nuff said
Davstar said | January 15th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
That’s a fair point but by that logic Jason Culina was playing CL and was on the 1st team at PSV that’s doesn’t mean the whole league is as good as PSV or could compete at CL of course not maybe one day.
You don’t judge a league by a single player? At least I don’t, I look as amount of space between players, the overall general technical ability of players, the general ability of keepers, the leagues ability to compete with other leagues of its confederation and general finishing and passing play. I know the A-league has to improve in all areas but I think we are doing well for five years out and with the amounts of money we have.
MV Dave said | January 15th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
“Steve Corica, one of the leagues brightest stars, couldn’t get off the Walsall reserves bench … nuff said” Corica played 73 games for Walsall scoring 9 goals, he also player 100 games for Wolves scoring 5 goals and Leicester City 16 games for 2 goals! As well as playing in the J League 43 games for 14 goals. Did a little more than sat on the bench!
Australian Football said | January 15th 2010 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
“Steve Corica, one of the leagues brightest stars, couldn’t get off the Walsall reserves bench … nuff said”
Manfred the Milko,
Hey wash your mouth out
AndrewM said | January 15th 2010 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
It is also important to state that grass roots development underwent a major overhaul last year. Small sided games!! I think that is a huge change which should hopefully start developing more skillful and tactically rounded players in the future.
Not only are the juniors playing this configuration, but their coaches are also being taught.
So an under 9 player today, playing under this system should progress to the NYL then onto the HAL. So in as little as 8 years, or 2018, we should start to see quite a big change in the standards of the league.
The only thing missing at this stage is what is after the small sided games, and before the NYL.. We do have a gap, which should be addressed through elite sporting schools, or academy’s like the mariners. Ideally it would be fantastic if all the HAL teams had academy’s, and could take in talented juniors.
Once you get gifted players being produced in higher numbers, the HAL should aim at retaining these, be it through higher media exposure etc etc.., which utimately leads to a higher salary cap..
This league can really blossom it just requires investment now in junior development.