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.

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.

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)

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

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.

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…

btw Midfielder, this is in Mikes article… did you miss reading it.. ?

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

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.

They seem more interested in the WC bid right now.

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…

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.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/skills/default.stm

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.

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.

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?

Quality wise their good value even though their more defensive than most teams.

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.

If managerial education continues to develop then in 10 years we will see a vastly different A-League to the one we see now.