By Mike Tuckerman
January 26th 2010 @ 3:32am
Related coverage
Is physical football ruining the A-League?
Of all the conjecture surrounding Robbie Fowler’s shock omission from the North Queensland Fury line-up, not much of it has focused on the reasoning behind coach Ian Ferguson’s decision to change his formation and play a lone striker up front.
“We went down the line of changing my formation to 4-1-4-1 and I just needed a big striker up there to try and run at the corners and try and hold it up for us,” said Ferguson – who went on to explain that he felt that Fowler was a “a bit jaded.”
Far be it from me to second guess a man who played more than 400 professional games and who has cut his managerial teeth in the A-League, but surely the visit of Brisbane Roar shouldn’t facilitate such negative tactics?
The Roar are hardly the A-League’s most in-form team, and a quick glance of the table reveals that Brisbane possess the equal second-worst defensive record – with only North Queensland having conceded more goals.
But despite both sides still harbouring a mathematical chance of qualifying for the finals, fans were treated to a tepid encounter littered with heavy challenges and the sight of the A-League’s most recognisable star watching from the stands.
However, if some of the weekend’s other fixtures were anything to go by, Ferguson’s decision to pack the midfield and “run at the corners” makes at least some degree of sense.
In a weekend full of rash tackles, brutal aerial challenges and simmering flash points, physical football was well and truly on the agenda.
It prompted Jason Culina to label the Central Coast Mariners “the dirtiest team in (the) A-League” in his weekend column on The World Game, but many of those who left comments did so to lambast Culina for so frankly airing his views
That’s despite John Hutchinson’s X-rated challenge on Zenon Caravella sparking an unseemly melee which saw both clubs earn misconduct notices from the FFA, as did Perth Glory, Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United.
Of course, Culina’s admonition of the Mariners should come with a disclaimer, since his Gold Coast team-mates Steve Pantelidis and Shane Smeltz have both been involved in their fair share of illegal challenges this season.
But if the A-League wants to shake off the tag of being overly reliant on the physical side of things, Round 24 was hardly a positive advertisement.
In a sobering editorial for Goal.com, Asian expert John Duerden recently claimed that the A-League “needs Asian technique in order to improve” and went on to suggest that an injection of “Asian technique and pace… needs to be a hefty one.”
Fortunately for A-League fans, the weekend’s final match between Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC at Energy Australia Stadium provided some semblance of attractive football, as both teams knocked the ball around and kept the bone-crunching tackles to a minimum.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with physical football, but I can’t help but feel that it’s a shame Ian Ferguson felt compelled to play journeyman Dyron Daal at the expense of Robbie Fowler because he wanted his team to “hold the ball up.”
And in a competition that has seen the likes of Fred, Nicky Carle and Juninho all come and go, I’d hate to see creative talent turn their backs on the A-League because of an over reliance on ‘hard yakka.’
We all know that A-League coaches need results to stay in the job. But every now and then, surely we’d all like to see a little bit of ‘the beautiful game’ too.
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Midfielder said | January 26th 2010 @ 7:51am | Report comment
Mike
Not at all … I guess I will be the lone voice, dirty play and hurting people is different… but the physical stuff is part the the Australian make up…
Having said this we still need to greatly improve our technical ability and the maintain focus for the entire 90 minutes..
Punter said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:10am | Report comment
I think you will be the lone wolf here Mid.
I rather watch Juninho than Roy Keane.
Carle more than Hutchinson
Or Fred more than Brebner.
Unforunatley in the A-League the Freds, Juninhos & Carles are gone & we have left with the Brebners & Hutchinsons. Don’t get me wrong, these guys do their job & do a good job, I quite like Hutchinson, but you just can’t go into tackles like he did last week, winning the ball or not. Both times was automatic red cards. Iif creative players can’t feel safe, they will just end up injured or leaving our competition.
Punter said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:14am | Report comment
BTW, this is not an attack on CCM, Smeltz’s tackle on Fyfe was just as bad. This sort of play should be stamped out of the game, excuse the pun.
We have sufficent sports in the country that relies heavily on physical presence.
Giri said | January 26th 2010 @ 11:25pm | Report comment
I think we should stop talking and try and Learn and understand what football really is!!! That means start watching European countires such as Spain, Italy, England etc. Those countries who really love the game and not do it just for bloody BUsiness.
They will teach the A league how to play proper football and stop just cockie all the time with Physical stuff. ( Useless)
RickG said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:30am | Report comment
I think you’ll find plenty of casual observers like me can’t stand all the play-acting and diving that goes on elsewhere, so if there’s a bit of physicality in the Australian game then all the better. We’re raised on full contact collision sports here so it follows that we’re going to tolerate and even want more physical style of play.
Tinnie said | January 26th 2010 @ 9:50am | Report comment
I’m very much the same.I caught some of the matches that were broadcast from the womens world cup a few years and was genuinally impressed at the level of physicality shown by the players made it very entertaining. Also the lack diving/crying and carrying on in general was very refreshing.
Football globally has some negative characteristics that cant seep too much into this competition for it to be a success. Soccer fans may see these antics as just part of the game, but to the people they’re trying to convert into soccer fans will only see such behaviour as unprofessional, or dare i say unaustralian.
AndyRoo said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:21am | Report comment
I don’t like diving or players spending time on the deck. i have always believed in just playing on if an opponent is injured (unless it’s so serious they will be subbed off).
However their is a lot of late and clumsy stuff that needs to go. It’s not needed, detracts from the spectacle and wouldn’t nmake the game any softer.
Fisher Price said | January 26th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Oh yeah because diving is far worse than breaking someone’s leg through a bad tackle…
Mister Football said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
(Comment deemed poor by Roar community - click to read)
Joe FC said | January 26th 2010 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
An interesting analysis on Fred Mister Football, and you might be right, although Melbourne were not the same team without him. I would agree that Hernandez has had few peers over the 5 HAL seasons.
Victer said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:19pm | Report comment
hey was a quick link man in the final third. he had a huge motor as well, i remember him running out most of the match
ItsCalledFootball said | January 27th 2010 @ 8:47pm | Report comment
Fred never existed – a myth created by MVFC.
Davstar said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:57am | Report comment
Yes it is destorying the A-league
MV Dave said | January 26th 2010 @ 9:29am | Report comment
The physical aspect is part of the game. Every team has their enforcers and so every league has their ‘hard men’ of the game. It is only in the elite leagues of the world where those players with the greater skills consistently overcome those who are more physically inclined. Those elite leagues have the money to pay for the best.
It is only in the lesser domestic leagues around the world that the true differences in style of play, reflecting the national identity, are seen. Australian sport in general, supports the values of hard work and athleticism as much as, if not more so, than individual skills.
Although football in Oz has been played at a decent level for decades it is not until recent years that any coordinated blueprint has been established and now put in place for development of highly skilled individuals (not to say they havent been produced in the past but more on an adhoc basis).
Once the fruits of these coordinated programs have had chance to ripen and mature there will be a gradual change in the ’style’ of the Australian game. At the moment we are still in the development stage and so our local league will obviously reflect and support the more traditional values of athleticism and graft, that never give in desire to win and refusal to be beaten.
It is when we have the true merging of both the skill and athleticism on a consistent basis that our league’s standard will take the next leap forward (at the moment improvement is there but almost incremental).
The physicality is not ruining the local game IMO. Those with the skills to rise above, stand out eg Hernandez, Brosque, Corica, Culina and with some very talented youngsters coming through, the change in the style of play will occur over the next decade or so. In the meantime l will continue to be fascinated by the battle between those with the ability to win a game through their own skill and those who want to stop them.
hazza said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment
A perfect example of this was on Saturday night. Adelaide unleashed its enforcers on Victory. Adelaide were issued with something like 6-7 yellow cards. ( I lost count after the fifth yellow card). This is not the first time that Victory has had deal with the physical approach of teams against its more creative players. The referee must protect the more creative players
in the league.
Horza said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:33am | Report comment
re: Fergie: he’s straight out of the McKinna mould – likes his players big, tough and with the workrate to boot.
He’s had a poor recruiting budget and his town isn’t much of a drawcard but his entire squad has last night’s gameplan stamped all over it. Closest thing they have to a creative mid is Talay who’s now playing deeper than ever. That Robbie Middleby gets runs in centre midfield says it all.
They’ve done well to still be in finals contention and I don’t think the people of Townsville mind the gameplan so long as they win, so it’s a bit harsh on Ferguson if they are moving to sack him over the Fowler fracas – no matter who the player is they’re there to play to the coach’s instructions.
agga78 said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
There is nothing wrong with a hard tackle or two throughout a game, not everyone can play like Barcalona, though Craig Foster believes they should. I think you will find the more physical sides in the A league are the less talented sides in the league, when Melbourne play Gold Coast this week you will see open attractive attacking football, but Gold Coast versus Central Coast was always gong to be a battle, Central Coast don’t have many creative players and rely heavily on physical players in Midfield and up front, it has worked for the club for a number of years, there is nothing wrong with the way they play, it takes all types of playing style to make a league interesting, if we go the way of the Asian teams and play an attractive game without any real physical presence in the game, then Australian teams will win nothing
Gaz said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:38am | Report comment
Good blog, Mike, and interesting comments.
Personally I think we should just get rid of the referees altogether and let the players go at it hammer and tongs until the last man drops. Think of the spectacle! Blood all over the place, broken bodies lying twisted and crushed all over the field, and just one player left standing, clenching the ball between his teeth, howling at the floodlights like a demented baboon.
The TV cameras would love it, and every nation around the world would be under huge financial pressure to copy “the new Australian style”.
Of course we would need extra military personnel on hand if we were to ever host the World Cup, but just imagine what a rip-roaring shin-dig that would be! I’m getting tears in my eyes on this beautifully hot global warming Australia Day, just thinking how proud I would feel to be a part of such a True Blue sporting spectacular. AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!! OI! OI! OI!!!
marinator4LYF said | January 26th 2010 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
did you miss the line where he said robbie fowler is the most recognisable figure in the league. I was looking forward to your bullshit dribble about how culina is better but maybe you’ve realised that hes actually NOTHING, he brings nothing to the sport but immaturity, he reminds me of a two year old whose had their ball taken from them ahahahahahahahahahahaha
Australian Football said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:48am | Report comment
Midfielder,
you are blinded to what CCM have become. They have stooped to the lowest level of football by playing Pub Football. We had it at SFC with Butcher and thank God he has gone… McKinna, Mitchell, Postecoglou and Ferguson in round 24 have taken Football back to the dark ages.
~~~~~~~
AF
Ben of Phnom Penh said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Indeed physicality does prove detrimental to those who wish to see flowing football however as some here have noted this is what we have to work with at the moment. It will be interesting to compare today’s football with that of a decade from now when the kids who have been brought up within the new youth development structure start to enter the league.
Mick said | January 26th 2010 @ 11:05am | Report comment
The a-league is played with more athletism & the players with the great skills, good techniques are being run out the game.
cruyff turn said | January 26th 2010 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
Disagree Mick.
Players with skill, technique, and vision can thrive ANYWHERE. It’s these things that separate them from the rest. Just look at Carlos Hernandez, or Nicky Carle in 06/07.
Probably fairer to say we haven’t produced enough players with skill, technique and vision. I think this will steadily change with the new generation coming through, becuase of better coaching.
westy said | January 26th 2010 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
I can just imagine the blog on the J League “We need to be more physical ” ( and they do).
I do not doubt for one moment that we need greater technical ability in the A league.
I just baulk a little at times once we come down from the heights of the EPL or Serie A or Spanish football and to make realistic comparisons..
I saw a 1st division Belgian match and it was very physical , my observation of Greek games is it is no place for the light hearted..Dundee v motherwell ain’t a place for technical bliss either.. indeed some Turkish football teams may now have higher technical skills.
We must judge the Aleague just do not lose sight of where it is in its developmental path or of the reality that technical ability in some of long standing but lesser European leagues is no where near as high as many would have us believe and the overtly physical dimension quite apparent.
sadly in the African Cup African flair seems to being influenced by the worst of European influences negative football…
Al said | January 27th 2010 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Dundee maybe, Dundee United on the other hand!
Ben of Phnom Penh said | January 26th 2010 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
Of course you can always have the Cambodian version where there needs to be improved technique and physicality.
MV Dave said | January 26th 2010 @ 8:50pm | Report comment
Plenty of skill from MV tonight in their masterclass over Wellington…pace, passing, finishing and creativity were all there for the 19,000 at the ground and thousands more on TV to see. Just come back from the ground…well done Hernandez and co, just about performance of the season.
TheMagnificent11 said | January 26th 2010 @ 9:38pm | Report comment
I think the league would benefit from a few more Asian players. However, there Asian players will not be a success unless referees protect them from the Hutchinson on Caravella type challenges. If the refs issued more cards for violent tackles, the players would eventually get the picture and be more careful.
We can’t afford the best Japanese and Koreans but we can afford the best from the ASEAN nations e.g. Thailand and Indonesia. Players from these regions are very skilful but lack game smarts, mental and physical toughness. I’d like to see each A-League club bring in 1 or 2 18/19 year olds from these countries and give them a season or two in our NYL to get used physical football (any younger would be frowned upon). Then they would then be prepared for the A-League. This will also assist football development in our region and win us valuable political points. The same could apply to Pacific island nations. If we are going to bring in Asian players, we have to do it in such a way that they can succeed. The FFA should have some sort of scholarship program. Who knows, these kids might end up wanting to play for our national team instead.
jimbo said | January 26th 2010 @ 9:44pm | Report comment
Dave excellent result for MV and certainly provided good entertainment for the fans tonight.
MV top of the table again as expected and move into favouritism. They now have their destiny in their own hands – three wins to sew up another Premiership Plate no matter what the others do, but two of those games are against Gold Coast and SFC away from home.
MV have a tough assignment at Skilled Park next Friday and if they don’t win, then they will probably lose top spot to Sydney or the Gold Coast. SFC away to Brisbane, but depending on which BR turn up, it could be an easy SFC win.
Round 26, SFC should win at home to Perth and MV to beat Fury at home and Gold Coast should beat Wellington at home.
Final round will see Sydney and MV playing at the SFS and Gold Coast away to Fury.
An SFC or MV victory could see either claim the Plate. But if they draw and Gold Coast win, then the Gold Coast could still snatch it from under their noses.
Should be a very interesting finish to HAL Season 5 and looking forward to the finals with SFC, MV and GCU, the best teams in the competition, likely to be in the top 3.
Savvas Tzionis said | January 26th 2010 @ 9:49pm | Report comment
Physical is an Anglo Australian trait….NOT a Continental European trait.
But I guess us wogs need to know our place.
Mike Tuckerman said | January 27th 2010 @ 9:36am | Report comment
That must be why Greece dazzled the world with their free-flowing football at Euro 2004.
Art Sapphire said | January 27th 2010 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Very nice reply Mike.
However, football has always been a balance between physicality and technique. You need both to succeed.
The positive is that Australia will always have the physicality to match it with the best sides in the world. Just need to catch up on the technical side of things. But as with the Greece example. Get a fit, physical team with some techinque and get the right tactics and you might go places
In regards to the A-League – why waste your time watching CCM or the Fury when you could be watching MVFC.
Their 4-0 demolition of Wellington was replete with some beautiful football. Marvin Angulo and Co. put on a wonderful display and showed the type of football that is possible in the A-League if you get your recruiting right.
AndyRoo said | January 27th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
The top 4 teams are also the best to watch, that’s a good sign and bodes well for the big games coming up.
markwakefield said | January 27th 2010 @ 11:18am | Report comment
sydney is not a good team to watch… the other three are… its alright to play boring football as long as your coach comes from europe…
AndyRoo said | January 27th 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
I enjoy watching sydney play…I even enjoyed the 0-0 against MV.
Quality wise their good value even though their more defensive than most teams.
Punter said | January 27th 2010 @ 8:52pm | Report comment
I don’t think you watch Sydney play too often if you think they play boring football. They might not have the speed of a MV or GCU, but SFC plays some beautiful football, they totally outplayed Newcastle on the weekend, playing football.
markwakefield said | January 28th 2010 @ 11:17am | Report comment
i’ve seen plenty of them this season… not that you would know…
beautiful football… ? or are you just easily conned by outward appearances and media hype?
i’d suggest the latter…
by the way… gambling is for inbreds…
AndyRoo said | January 28th 2010 @ 5:35pm | Report comment
by the way… gambling is for inbreds…
that’s not what I meant by value.
Maybe I have just been lucky with the games I have seen but they play out from the back, thier full backs get forward (even if buyans crossing isn’t great) and their strikers are at their best when the ball is at their feet.
A lot better than Adelaide and CCM to watch that’s for sure.
Savvas Tzionis said | January 27th 2010 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Greece didn’t butcher anyone.
The point I am trying to make is that the A-League is, as per usual, trying to woo the non-soccer loving anglo public with so called ‘Australian’ attributes.
Cobblers!!… to use a good old Enlgish term.
Al said | January 27th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Greece played to their strengths which was a physical, ultra defensive yet extremely frustrating game to watch (they did have a German manager afterall)
RickG said | January 27th 2010 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
The point I am trying to make is that the A-League is, as per usual, trying to woo the non-soccer loving anglo public with so called ‘Australian’ attributes.
What’s so wrong about that Savvas? Doesn’t the premier domestic comp in Autralia need to do that?
I don’t see why the Aus game needs to as pretty as you probably think the European or Latin American game is – where strikers seem to resent being challenged and fall over almost before contact is made to ‘win’ a penalty.
You might want to refrain from using meaningless ethnic stereotypes like ‘Anglo’ too. Do you really mean someone descended from a Germanic tribe, or just soemone who isn’t in your eyes a wog?
Savvas Tzionis said | January 27th 2010 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
The Premier competition should be attracting all those Soccer lovers who do not go! Like me!
These ‘New Dawners’ may be attracted but only as a secondary sport to their beloved League, Aussie Rues, Union, etc.
Once the economy falls or some other change in society is upon us, they will drop of the World Game before their first choice.
In other words, A-League crowds are much softer than what many people realise.
The term Anglo will do… it covers the English supporters of the game, the Anglo heritage of the ‘new dawners’, and the overall culture that is permeating the league.
Art Sapphire said | January 27th 2010 @ 8:03pm | Report comment
Savvas, I can tell quite categorically tell you that for example, MVFC is not an “Anglo” club. Its made up of people from many backgrounds who happen to be Australian. You are stuck in the the old paradigm where an NSL club had one dominant non-Anglo culture. We are now in a new paradigm. If you and others feel that A-League clubs are too “Anglo” than why don’t you do something about it and turn up to an A-League game and make it more “Australian”. You argument is redundant.
MV Dave said | January 27th 2010 @ 8:25pm | Report comment
” The term Anglo will do… it covers the English supporters of the game, the Anglo heritage of the ‘new dawners’, and the overall culture that is permeating the league.”
What a massive chip to be carrying round on your shoulders! Yeh lets go back to Melb Croatia vs Preston Macedonia and more cops than spectators? Get over it man…you dont like new Sokkah?? Dont go. But dont try and give some pathetic excuse that its not Euro enough or the standard aint good enough or that ethnics are being forced out or thats its too Anglo..what a joke! Have a look at the MV squad list and tell us all its too Anglo.
Australian Football said | January 27th 2010 @ 9:06pm | Report comment
Art and MVDave,
it won’t do you lads any good trying to divert the real issue here; your visit to Fortress Miron is behind this sudden change of discussion… I can see what you and Savvas are trying to do here… It won’t work; we are awake and ready for you on the Gold Coast.
Just don’t try any funny business or rough stuff with us Golden Oldies—-we know all of the tricks in the book there are to be known. Your seemingly discontent on the terraces; it’s the old Trojan horse trick again—-been there and dealt with it before… You are not fooling us one bit…
We’ll have the sea food welcoming platter on the table for you, but the only thing you lads will be taking back to Docklands will be the crustaceans and not the Plate…
pimbo said | January 27th 2010 @ 6:47pm | Report comment
From what I can see the FFA are doing SFA to woo fans (of any nationality).
They seem more interested in the WC bid right now.
ItsCalledFootball said | January 26th 2010 @ 10:12pm | Report comment
I thought “soccer” was a girl’s game and only played by pansies because their mummies won’t let them play real games like Rugby or AFL, where they would get hurt?
We are coming to the end of the season and games are becoming do or die or Premiership winning results, so you’d expect a bit of competition for the loose ball.
Australian footballers are no more violent than Irish, American or Uruguayan footballers.
Kevin Muscat and Adrian Leijer can be just as dirty as any of them, so lets not just single out the Mariners.
The A-League (Australian) physical style of play probably has little to do with attracting marquee players or sending our best players away.
Its called money (or lack of it).
Jason Culina is a key player for the Gold Coast and of course he will be closely marked. Jason didn’t expect to come to the A-League and everyone would step aside so he could have a clear shot at goal or make that telling pass.
He missed many games while playing in Europe through injury and being heavily tackled as well, so its not just the A-League.
I think Jason is a great player and even greater players like Pele, Maradonna and Messi get the same treatment and know how to deal with it and still shine.
Towser said | January 27th 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Tough tackling is part of football. But there is a massive difference between tough & crude. As a former defender I admire the tough tackling of Craig Moore. What I saw the other night in the CCM vs GCU game was crude. Massive difference.
Tiatto is crude,committed but crude. Tackling is an art as much as scoring goals. If Hutchinson was a painter I’d have him in the kindergarten class, still finger painting.
Forget what Miron said ,note the players reaction, a melee why?. Because players are no mugs they recognise a tackle that could end up with a serious injury,purely because it was crude.
Perhaps the new “National Curriculim” needs to place a great deal of emphasis on the “Art of tackling”also.
Whats the point of developing a Messi if the bloke tackling him hasnt learned the difference between a ball & a Fibia?
Australian Football said | January 27th 2010 @ 11:02am | Report comment
I think people are missing the point here—-there’s a difference between physical and cynical and we saw a lot of cynical tackles in round 24.. I have now problem with hard physical football—-but I will not tolerate refereeing letting players go in with cynical, studs up, and over the ball tackles from the side and definitely not from behind.. Hutchinson’s (CCM) double on Caravella should have resulted in a red card for his second on Caravella (GCU).
Zullo’s (BR) behind the player tackle on Brockie (Fury) ending his world cup dream was a disgrace and that should have resulted in a straight red.. Players should not tackle unless they feel they can get a foot on the ball first before they collide with the player—-end of story.. If they don’t get any of the ball then a yellow for the first and definitely red for the second… In Zullo’s case, if I was the ref it would have been a straight red as he came in from behind and focused on Brockie’s ankles not the ball.. “OFF YOU MONGREL ! ! ”
~~~~~~
AF
Albal said | January 27th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
I have to agree with Towser. Tackling is an art and Australian players don’t understand what a well timed tackle is. I would also like to add that there is no doubt in my mind that the Australian league is the most violent league the world. Some of the challenges on the weekend are staight reds in pretty much all leagues around the world except here.
Just have a look at the yellow cards that are given. You usually see yellow cards given for disent (kicking the ball away) rather than a leg breaking tackle. That is just plain stupid. The tackle by Zullo that left the kid with a broken leg should have been a straight red. That tackle was criminal.
I disagree with ‘theycallitfootball’ comments that the A-league is no more violent than other countries such as Uruguay. I have lived there and spent a lot of time watching their league. Yes they do play strong football but not stupid. Meaning you see professional fouls in Uruguay, but not leg breaking, missed timed tackles that end the careers of players.
We will never see any technical football if we continue with this type of game. Why do you think we get labelled internationally as a physically barbaric football nation?
Art Sapphire said | January 27th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
The best way to rub out a potentially leg breaking tackles is for the refs to do their job properly and send off the players.
Ok – the refs can’t do much in getting teams to play attractive football. But what they can do is punish and send players off according to the rules of the game. Incompetenly, this did not happen in the Roar v Fury and CCM v GCU games.
Rellum said | January 27th 2010 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Completely agree with Towser, Art and Albal. Players like Tiatto and Hutchinson need to be evolved out of the game here, and the only people who can do it are the refs. If they send of players for two footed lunges through the legs of players, and yellow card players for shoulder charges into the backs of players as they are about to receive the ball, then managers will eventually change their tactics, or will be sacked for those who will.
If managerial education continues to develop then in 10 years we will see a vastly different A-League to the one we see now.
clayton said | January 27th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
Here`s another way of thinking about things.
Physical football isn`t bad.
Mistimed, badly executed tackles are bad. Players unable to make or receive simple passes is bad. Referees losing control of games and letting too much sh!te happen is bad. Teams that don`t have a plan B are bad.
Continued exposure to Asia through the Asian Cup and the ACL can`t be a bad thing. We have things to improve, but I think that Aussie teams will always have a physical edge to their games. Part of the Aussie temperment.
Towser said | January 27th 2010 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Agree, if Australia loses its physicality it wont be Australia.
Personally I believe with proper training you can get the correct balance of technique & physicality regarding tackling.
As a lad used to spend hours with a mate on slide tackles. Always in hard,always targeted the ball. Never considered the man. To me thats the only time a defender should stretch for a ball. Otherwise its a lottery a lunge. What I saw last weekend was amateur stuff.
Going back to Craig Moore. Extremely physical. In for the tackle hard . Players are often left on the ground with a bruise somewhere by the sheer venom in his tackles. But he has the ball. No lunging like Zullo or Hutchinson.
Lunges are desperation,slide tackles are cleverly timed tackles with great technique required.
MV Dave said | January 27th 2010 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
Kevin Muscat has been described as a dirty player by opposition supporters…however the vast majority of MV supporters would describe him as a commited, never say die Captain who leads his team from the front. He is propared to break up opposition attacks through fair or foul means and reality that is his job to stop the opposition scoring. It is the referees job to penalise him if he breaks the rules.
BTW He was just about best player on the ground last night vs WP, reading the play, breaking up WP attacks and starting attacks deep in his own half…in the context of HAL, a true masterclass.
Dink said | January 27th 2010 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
I dont think physical football is ruing the A-league, bad refereeing letting thuggery rule the game is though. Theres nothing wrong with players being strong, physical and determind to win the ball, but when a player is jumping in from all angles to attack the player and not look like touching the ball then thats when things get ugly. I sometimes wonder why the referee lets so many bad tackles go and then dish out a yellow for someone who kicks the ball away or pulls a shirt. Surely attacking the player with intent to hurt them is by far the worse offense and we are not seeing those players being punished. Its got me buggered how Hutchinson will be allowed to play this weekend.
Towser said | January 27th 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Looking for tackling techniques & found this site. Quite useful for a football novice to get an idea of what the games all about without going overboard. Simple stuff then more advanced Brazilian style stuff:-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/skills/default.stm
Midfielder said | January 27th 2010 @ 6:31pm | Report comment
HMMMMMMmm
Interesting debate… I like the Germany league and have been watching it on Ch 10 … it is quite physical, very fast, technically well played with a lot of skill on the park… but heaps of big tackles and heaps of shoulder to shoulder…
I like this league more than the Spanish… maybe that is just me but as I said in I think the third post on this thread I and many Australians like the physical stuff… So That is where I stand…
KB
You keep refering to the Mariners and Hutch…. like the good saints of the Fold Coast… HMMMMMMm me thinks.. Glass houses stuff… Smeltz pulled off one the worst tackles seen in the A-League a few weeks ago and Steve Pantelidis has more yellow cards then any other player.
Like Tow said there is a difference between hard and crude play… Coaches also can inflame suititions and sometimes create feelings… Just over 60 % of goals scored against the Marinrs have come from corners or free around the box…
I would never say that Side Show Bob said if I say crude guys etc and then fall down all match … ERRrrrrrrrr that the special boy would ever go down and play act…
But I don’t wish to start naming teams or players except that IMO there are a number of sides and all sides at times that very physical..
IOM I think a lot has to do with the ref and this is sadly where we let ourselves down… on the whole very poor and poor decisions can inflame games and bring on bad tackles .. yes it should not but it does…
Dcisions where some players are never questioned or if a player goes down then they get a free or the reverse the ref lts anything go… I would love FFA to invest in developing our ref’s to a much higher standard…
Australian Football said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:19pm | Report comment
If you like Pub football good for you and CCM have achieved their goal to become the best Gosford Pub team in the HAL in round 24… (you should be pleased) I’ll take the beauty over the vulgar anyday, as Fozzie TWG has always believed in… btw you are the only one who has taken exception to my criticism of CCM… Report after report on the game have backed up what I have written notably all of the Fox team have condemn the display shown by CCM in round 24 as brutal naming Hutchinson for his two brutal fouls on Caravella within 10mins of each other.
Australian Football said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:48pm | Report comment
“That’s despite John Hutchinson’s X-rated challenge on Zenon Caravella sparking an unseemly melee which saw both clubs earn misconduct notices from the FFA, as did Perth Glory, Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United.”
btw Midfielder, this is in Mikes article… did you miss reading it.. ?
ItsCalledFootball said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Only Australians are crude at football?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx0DHVB2mNo
Some of the greatest players ever letting off steam.
Stop believing the Murdoch press and stereotyping the A-League and Australians – we ain’t that bad.
Mick said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
There is tough tackling & there is butchering which in oz we call tough & physical
Plenty of players this season are lucky they do not have broken feet / legs due to poor tackling
Put a european ref in charge of an a-league game & you would be lucky if nobody is sent of in any matches
Rellum said | January 28th 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
I differ from most here it seems in that I would love Australia to lose it’s physicality. I want us to retain our athleticism, but be known for our technique and game intelligence.
I still don’t understand why people think a tough physical game will bring in the fans. I watch League for it’s toughness, speed and aggression. Football will never be as tough or physical as league so why try and match it. Football should be focused on what makes it stand out, skill, creativity, speed and tactics amongst others.
Towser said | January 28th 2010 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Rellum
There is no reason not to have physicality,technique & game intelligence. Going in hard for a ball with the correct technique is as valid as a Messi dribble & can be equally admired. Nothing to do with matching the physicality of Rugby League but all to do with how the game should be played particularly from a defensive angle.
Football has its own physicality in its own right. Because its not as obvious as RL doesnt mean it isnt part of the game.
Brazil the greatest exponents of skill, creativity, speed and tactics didnt become 5 times World Champions on just those attributes. THere had to be some steel in their tackling & winning possession.
Its just that many people miss it because their tackling technique is very clean. But their going in strong & its physical by virtue of their physical strength being channelled into the tackle. No holding back. A sure way to break a leg
Rellum said | January 28th 2010 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
I have nothing against a well executed slide tackle. I just want us get to the point where people in asia and else where don’t have slide tackles and shoulder charges as the first thing to come to their mind when you say Australian football.
Pizzaro and his effort at the weekend are a perfect example how how slide tackles should fit into the national reputation. A player know for his skill and play making can also execute a perfectly timed slide tackle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMrk4hAisr8
(With Juve commentator for added humor)
Towser said | January 28th 2010 @ 5:19pm | Report comment
Now thats what I’m talking about. Agree about the perception in Asia.
Perhaps well rounded players are what we are striving for. Great example you show. Perfect sliding tackle followed by perfect cross.
Dogz R Barkn said | January 28th 2010 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
Fantastic post Towser.
I can sick of all this Technique vs physicality discussions, as if it’s one or the other – clearly it isn’t.
Towser is spot on – Brazil is a great team no just because they know how to knock the ball around, but they know how to win it back, and they win it back very cleanly and have a very low foul count (on average).
And of course you need a bit of steel in your line-up, and this is precisely why most of the Asian nations are pretty hopeless – let’s not beat around the bush, at WC level – they’re hopeless!!
They lack the steel – and they are gun shy even with a gaping goal mouth.
If you don’t know how to use your body, be it in the slide tackle, or guarding the ball, winning it back cleanly, shepherding the ball over the goal line, legitimately blocking an opposition player’s run to a corner, or even occasionally giving a player a clip over the ear when he deserves one, you can forget about playing at the pinnacle of the sport – just forget about it – go play hackey sack at the park instead.