By Tony Tannous
February 8th 2010 @ 5:15am
Related coverage
A choice between Oar and Leckie, but the rising star system needs tinkering
Sydney's Shannon Cole (left) and Brisbane's Tommy Oar (right) during the round 25 A-League match between Brisbane Roar and Sydney F.C at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
When the A-League’s Young Footballer of the Year is announced at the annual awards night a week from today, it should be a decision between the two outstanding youngsters of season five, Tommy Oar and Mathew Leckie.
As was the case on Saturday night at Hindmarsh Stadium, I would expect the Adelaide flier to come out on top, but not by a great deal.
But before that can happen, the FFA has the not so clear-cut matter of confirming that Leckie will be the January nomination for the best under 21s player of the month.
Amazingly, the Adelaide flier has yet to be nominated as one of the five monthly award winners, but if order is restored, based on his stirring efforts throughout what has been a dismal campaign for the Reds, that should be confirmed some time this week.
The five nominees to date have been Kofi Danning (August), Leigh Broxham (September), Oar (October), Rostyn Griffiths (November) and Ben Kantarovski (December).
The anomaly in the monthly nomination process is that there are some mighty fine performers, especially in the second half of the season, who will miss out on a nomination.
Provided Leckie does receive the January gong, check out this list of rising stars unlucky not to figure in the selection panel’s final deliberations:
Mitchell Langerak
Robbie Kruse
Luke DeVere
Sean Rooney
Adam Sarota
The most unlucky of those would be Kruse, whose form in January, and since, has been excellent.
Despite Kruse’s claims, it would be a tragedy if Leckie missed out on one of the monthly awards, thus ruling him out of the overall prize. I made my thoughts on Leckie’s impact this season clear in a previous article on The Roar.
Others who may have had a sniff of a monthly nomination throughout the season included Mate Dugandzic, David Williams and Michael Zullo.
All up, there has been some sound development among Australia’s emerging talent, and that’s not even factoring in guys like Michael Marrone, Tarek Elrich, Ivan Franjic and Andrija Jukic, who don’t quite make the under 21s cut-off.
But if you were to list a field of the best six under 21s performers of the season, four of the five monthly nominees to date would be lucky to sneak in. My six would be;
Mathew Leckie
Tommy Oar
Robbie Kruse
Mitchell Langerak
Sean Rooney
Luke DeVere
That’s to take nothing away from someone like Broxham, who has had a very consistent season and finally cemented his spot in the Melbourne Victory 11, or a Kantarovski, who I feel has a massive future, but it is more a reflection on the need to look at the overall governance of this award.
To my mind, the current model of a single monthly nominee over six months isn’t quite the best solution to identifying all the kids that have emerged throughout the season.
Certainly, it gives the award and its sponsor monthly “space” throughout the season, but from a purely footballing perspective, it means kids like Kruse, Langerak, Rooney, Sarota and DeVere miss out on some recognition, when they deserve it.
One solution, for next year and beyond, might be to adopt the AFL’s Rising Star model, where one player is nominated every round, from which the selection panel pick the overall winner.
If there are not enough emerging youngsters in the A-League to warrant a weekly nominee (remembering that there are less teams and less players on the pitch compared with the AFL), then another option might be to select three or four nominees at the end of every third of the season.
That would have given us nine or 12 total nominations this season, which most likely would have captured the likes of Kruse, Langerak, Rooney, DeVere, Sarota Dugandzic, Williams and Zullo.
This season’s selection panel, consisting of Pim Verbeek (when he has been available to watch the games of that voting month), Young Socceroos coach Jan Versleijen, national technical director Han Berger, assistant national technical director Alistair Edwards, Fox’s Andy Harper, plus a writer from Fairfax and News Ltd, have painted themselves into a corner a touch by having to choose between Leckie and Kruse in January.
But having a more flexible agenda next season will certainly help the panel, and our emerging talent.
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Towser said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:04am | Report comment
As a Roar fan Oar shows promise at a young age. He still doesnt deliver consistently. Leckies performance is more consistent to me over the season.
By observation over the whole season Leckie is the standout. End of story.
Davstar said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:01am | Report comment
I agree but both will wear the green and gold one day if they keep it up
Jase said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Towser, you are obviously not a Roar fan!!
Tommy Oar has accomplished much more than Leckie this season imo. No discredit to Leckie, but I think the best is yet to come from him next season, where he should dominate.
Tommy made the national training squad, was Man of the Match for a number of games in the A league, represented Australia in the U20 World Cup has been as standout for the Roar.
Towser said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Definitely a Roar fan. Missed 3 games in 5 seasons.
I’m making a personal observation. I dont care who makes what squad. I judge football by what I see on the park & Leckie trumps Oar. Oar promises but hasnt delivered for me yet,particularly for the Roar. Still easily dispossessed once a defender works him out. Crosses vary too much still. But thats football. You have your opinion, I mine.
Would hate to see him go overseas like David Williams & return ,tail between his legs.
Would like to see him mature a bit more at the Roar,that is another season before he goes overseas.
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:39am | Report comment
If he was at a non basket case club then that’s good advice but I don’t think he is going to learn much staying at the Roar.
Even though he has been one of the few good things about the Roar this year hopefully he goes to Feyenord…. I think going to a club like Feyenord for various reason is a lot different than the blokes who went to Scandanavia and Romania too early.
If you fail at Feyenord it’s not the end of the world, you will still earn a lot and being ex feyenord is a lot better than ex whatever team Dave Williams took the cash from in Scandanavia.
Towser said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:08am | Report comment
AndyRoo
Dont buy this going overseas to learn more line too young. Its about maturity ,being ready. I’m telling you nothing by saying its ultra competitive in Europe. Brett Emerton was in the NSL at Olympic till 21. Now I dont believe Olympic were any better than the Roar in preparing Brett for Feyenoord. But I can tell you this Brett was way more than ready than Tommy is for making the transition into European football. Far more developed player.
Better in my book to be ready when going overseas. Read the “Away Game “recently. It further convinces me of this.
Viduka was around 20 also. Very strong & developed for his age when he left the Melbourne Knights for Dinamo Zagreb.
What were seeing now with the A-League is that its more obvious than in the past who our potential Socceroos are. That is more are starting in the A-League rather than Chesterfield at 16 or 17(& nobody is yet to convince me that statistically thats the level where 90% of them stay. At that level. Harry & the like are the minority).
That doesnt mean though they should depart early. Viduka & Emerton were standouts in the NSL. So was Frank Farina even Graham Arnold & Robbie Slater although a little older. Also Bresciano & Grella. You could see they were good enough. Ready to step up.
Not so sure about Tommy Oar ,even Leckie.
Look at Nathan Burns,Djite both looked to me almost ready, but not cooked enough. There not exactly setting the world alight overseas.
Art Sapphire said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Absolutely agree with Towser – a young player should play at least two dominant seasons in the A-League before even thinking of heading OS.
Tommy Oar and Leckie should play another 2 seasons in the A-League. If they realise their potential they should be the dominant players for their respective clubs and become the the biggest fish in the A-League sea just like Viduka and Emerton.
They also leave Australia commanding a higher price as their value is not just based on potential but sustained match day performance and we the public are rewarded by seeing these talented players develop in front of our eyes.
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:41am | Report comment
That’s a great book, I lent it to someone and never got it back L
I strongly agree that players should be shining at this level if they are really that good but I think in regards to the Roar he is one of their top players now. Van Dyke is on the way out and I really think if an opportunity like Feyenord came up he should take it.
He has a good passing game, good close in ball control, a fine crosser and a decent shot but the Roar play one up front. Sure they select two strikers but Reinaldo …. total waste of space and I think that’s holding him back.
Against the Jets (not the last one in Bne) where Oar was clearly Brisbanes best threat he was getting aimless balls pumped at him from team mates that half the time went out on the full … If I was him I would have started looking to move right then.
Surround him with good players like an attacking midfielder to link with and he will look much better. Nichols and Zullo have all stalled in development it seems whereas I think the SFC kids will get even better next year under Lavicka.
Towser said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:59am | Report comment
What is it about football books. My SW&P book went missing after I lent it, for 2 years. Had to chase it up.
Reinaldo,absolutely agree. A Brazilian without Brazilian skills. If Ange keeps him next season I will seriously doubt his sanity & ability to judge players.
Even Kluivert cant pass on his knowledge.
Art Sapphire said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Disagree AndyRoo – Nichols development has stalled because he is a limited footballer.
What’s the rush with you wanting Oar going to Feyenoord. Emerton was 21 when he went to Feyenoord. It did not harm his career. Infact, it probably helped as he was ready to play for their first XI. People forget, but Emerton cost Feyenoord $1 million for his transfer back then.
James Holland is another example of someone going off to early. He would have been better off sating at the Jets.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
1. I’d put Nichols in the same category as a Matt Simon.
2. I would have thought that Sydney’s younger players have had less of a run under Lavicka than they had had the previous two seasons (perhaps out of necessity).
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
I am normally one to say that they should stay until they are a clear star. But Oar is surrounded by Muppets and I supect his coach is one too.
If your at a good club with a good coach and in with a shot at the first team I say stay. But personally the way the Roar are turning over players then it’s not exaclty risk free to stay at the club.
The K league has sent 3 players to Europe this year. Two were 20/21(Bolton and celtic) and the other 18 (Ajax). All 3 have gotten game time so I beleive in different strokes for different folks.
For Lekie I would suggest he stay, he seems rather raw and Adelaide are also in the ACL and have everything to look forward to next year.
Art Sapphire said | February 8th 2010 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Andy Roo – Using the your Korean example backs my argument.
Chung-Yong Lee – 21 years 6 months get regular game time at Bolton – Over 1500 minutes of football. This is his 1st season at the club. The 21 year old went to Bolton as a finished article from the K-League for 2.25 million Euros !!
Hyuin Jun Suk – 18 years 6 months – Sum total of senior football at Ajax – 11 minutes at the end of a 4-0 win.
Spot the difference
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
Art
Spot the difference
Touche. no coming back from that strike.
Art Sapphire said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Thanks Andyroo – I will give you one more example before I sign off for the day. Rising Japanese international Keisuke Honda went to VVV Venlo on a free transfer from Nagoya Grampus in Jan 2008 at the age of 21. After starring for 2 years he was sold last month to CSKA Moskow for 5.34 million Euro. What a great piece of business by a little Dutch team.
Tman said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Oar has much more finesse than Leckie. At the moment anyway.
Australian Football said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Tony,
Leckie v Oar—-not much to choose between them, both are very exciting prospects—-how they progress form here is anyone’s guess. But I would select Leckie over Oar, for the reason he just has that bit more football vision. Leckie will lift his head to see what is going on around him—where as Oar tends to keep his head down just a tad too much and go it alone once too often. Yes Leckie is my choice by a hair’s whisker.
~~~~~
AF
Cas said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:50am | Report comment
I have to disagree with you there. Oar has fantastic vision and this has been reiterated by his coaches in the A league, and both national coaches. If you remember the October/November games for Roar, Oar absolutely dominated. Leckie has had a fantastic season, but particularly of late. I think it’s hard to compare the two when they have been performing well at different times. People forget what happened last week, let alone the first half of the season.
Australian Football said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Nah Leckie lifts his head and Ora doesn’t that’s the difference I see. I have felt that all season and last Friday night it was most evident with wonderful cut back by Leckie––he lifted his head to see where Barbiero was to cut it back (not blindly) for AU’s first goal.
However, it’s a game of opinions. Doesn’t mean I don’t think Oar is not a terrific prospect he has fabulous close control and a powerful shot he will succeed in a different way than Leckie. And that’s good for they will offer two different distinctive styles that can be both accommodated in the National team.
Cas said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:25am | Report comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbboDFC5deo
There’s vision.. there’s head lifting..!
Punter said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:38am | Report comment
I think Ben Kantarovski is the best young player in Australia.
I agree with Towser, Oar has been good, but doesn’t deliver enough. I also rate Leckie very highly, I’m looking for reasons not to rate him, mainly due to the fact that he never played in the under 20 WC. Something I’m not seeing that they are seeing.
cruyff turn said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Agree with you about Kantarovski. When you talk about vision and reading the play, Kanta is the best young player hands down. Probably his defensive position doesn’t allow him to shine, or get noticed, like attackers such as Oar and Leckie. Still, can’t believe Tony didn’t include him in his best under 21 players.
Punter, like you said about Leckie, he didn’t play in the under 20 WC, but at that stage he was barely known, and in his position there were Kofi Danning and Tahj Minniecon, both of whom already had A-League experience. Infact, it was Mark Birighitti, the reserve keeper at Adelaide, who recommended Leckie to the Reds. So there was a real chance he could have flown under the radar and not been picked up by any A-League club.
Punter said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
Cruyff turn, love your name, BTW,
This is what I’m saying, how did Leckie, a player with his ability go under the radar of the A-League clubs, it’s not as if we are overly blessed with young stars. I was looking for something that allowed him to fall under the radar (does that make sense). He is raw no doubt, but he has pace, he has power & even showed vision, he also looks hungry.
Art Sapphire said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
Punter – football is littered with examples of talented players being spotted late. Here is a good one -
Les Ferdinand started his career in non-league football, first at AEL (a KOPA Cypriot team in England) then to Southall then moving to Hayes. He was spotted by Queens Park Rangers at 21 years of age and moved there for £30,000. He then became one of QPRs greatest ever players. He was sold to Newcastle in 1995 for £6 million, with Hayes receiving £600,000 due to a sell-on clause agreed following his move to QPR (with the money received Hayes built a function suite and named it ‘The Ferdinand Suite’ in his honour).
Punter said | February 9th 2010 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Art,
I was in an away QPR crowd that kept singing his name Sir Lesley Ferdinand against West Ham, many moons ago when QPR was in the premier league.
I understand players being missed in England, they have such a large pool or even some who may mature later.
But here in Australia, how could someone like Leckie be missed? This was more my point.
Phutbol said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:45am | Report comment
I know everyone always goes on about physicality not being as important as technique etc blah, and I tend to agree generally but Oar really doesnt look strong enough yet. He looks spindly and easily broken. like a young boy (i know he is young) rather than a man. Needs to fill out a bit. like it or not even the ‘more technical’ Europeans are still pretty hard physically.
Leckie on the other hand looks like he wont be easily pushed off the ball, and has shown that this year.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
There’s no doubt that Leckie is far more physically developed than Oar (but he needs to be, playing more through the crowded middle than Oar does, who is a classic winger).
But the gist of your post is a good one, and a timely one, many Australian soccer fans, many still learning about the game to be honest, appear to have concluded that there is a choice to be had between possessing physical attributes and possessing technique, with the preference being clearly in favour of the latter.
But there is no such choice.
If you are lacking in physical attributes (be that strength, stamina, pace, athleticism, etc), generally speaking, you are less likely to have the capacity to play at a top professional level.
Did Kaz Patafta ever find his way back to Portugal?
Would anyone ever suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is lacking in any physical attributes (all of which are best of class)?
How about that fantastic goal Hernandez scored against the Fury, the opener, out of nothing – that was a combination of good technique (ultra accurate finishing and terrific ball control), with a strong display of physical capacity: strength, low centre of gravity, good balance, turning on a five cent piece, holding his opponent back with one arm, and creating space for himself with what is the most explosive three steps in the game (for a player who is not very fast over, say 25+ metres).
People who thing there is a choice to be had been the physical and the technical are deluding themselves.
Australian Football said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
People who think there is a choice to be had been the physical and the technical are deluding themselves.
I wouldn’t tell that to Josep Guardiola the Barcelona Manager—they have the smallest midfielders in Europe and are Champions of Spain, Europe, and are the current FIFA World Club Champions. Technique is most important attribute in their Football Philosophy and with that the ability for a group of midfielders to control the match with football interaction between the group—the midfielders being absolute in technique and reading a game to perfection.
Club Barcelona pride themselves on that capacity through their football academy. Seven of the current squad are from the Barcelona Academy all coming through at the age of 10yrs old together.
~~~~~~
AF
Phutbol said | February 9th 2010 @ 11:25am | Report comment
AF – are you Craig Foster?
No doubt FCB highly value the technical aspect, but I’m very confident that all those ’small’ midfielders are fully developed physically but of diminutive stature. ie they will all be fast, strong, and have great stamina, just in a small package. As opposed to being technically brilliant but physically less so, which is my point with Oar.
As Dogz said, Patafta is a great case in point, and on the other end of the scale would C.Ronaldo be so good if he wasnt a supreme athlete as well?
Australian Football said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
People who think there is a choice to be had been the physical and the technical are deluding themselves.
Phutbol,
Dogz R Barkn with respect made the above statement which is “crap” as I said Barcelona have the smallest midfield in Europe and yes Craig Foster has made that point, Iniesta and Xavi both 5′ 7″ their two best starting midfielders in their squad constantly move around the field and clock up the most klms in 90mins averaging over 110klms for 90 mins hardly make any physical tackles and read the game better then any. They made the ELP teams look like second division teams all with big midfielders going on 6+ feet tall. Barcelona world Club Champions says it all.
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
When people say physicality is important but it’s not as important as technique their talking about developing players. You have to have some natural athletic ability for sure.
No technique and your going nowhere because after a certain age it becomes very hard to improve in a meaningful way. You can’t really coach speed but you can improve strength, endurance etc when a bloke gets to 18… whereas by then a lot of the technical skills needed to be already learnt.
Your not going to have a good left foot if you haven’t worked on it before your 16 but I know personally from about that age I got a lot faster and stronger
Dogz R Barkn said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:51am | Report comment
AndyRoo
I find on these sorts of forums, and in these sorts of discussions, that people inevitably narrow their definition of “physical characteristics” to mean physicality alone, but that’s incorrect.
When we’re talking about the “physical attributes” of a professional footballer, we are talking about everything to do with the player’s body – and that’s quite broad: strength, height, pace, agility, stamina, and other similar traits, including athleticism more generally.
Too many assume that those with the very best technique are somehow lacking in some of these areas – but they very rarely are – this is where people make an error in turning it into an either/or discussion.
As I said, Kaz Patafta hasn’t returned to Portugal, and as the once captain of our national U17 side, he was once hailed as the next big thing, certainly a once in a generation find in terms of “technique” and skill with the ball.
Yeh – but the thing is that he has been lacking in so many other areas – in fact, you could argue he has been highly deficient, and therefore, quite incapable of making to the upper echelons of the game.
In wasn’t just the physical side that he lacked, but his overall competitiveness, agression, and willingness to do the hard things has also been open to question.
In the modern game, being good on the ball is just one thing of many that the professional player at the very highest level needs to demonstrate.
Davstar said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
To the conversation between Tower, Andyroo and Art
Look I’m against players staying in Australia if they get a chance to play oversea why not? If you make it you become a socceroo ie. Vidosic if you don’t you come back to the A-league and bring your experience ie. Lijer (captained MV last week). In the end of the day it will ether benefit the A-league or the socceroos or both in the long term, remember not everyone is going to make it.
clayton said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
Nathan Burns, David Williams, Bruce Djite – proof against leaving early.
Rhys Williams, Dario Vidosic – proof for leaving early.
Scott Jamison, Haliti at Newy, Zennon Caravella, Leijer – proof you can go OS, fail, and come back a better player.
Kristian Sarkies, Stu Musialak, Mark Bridge – ??? did they stay too long ??? or were they never good enough to go OS anyways?
I don`t think there is one pathway that works, and one that doesn`t. Reaching your anticipated potential is not easy, and a lot of guys will fall by the way side … the most competitive sport in the world (think of the number of players, from how many countries they have to compete with to get game time in Europe).
Davstar said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Djite is doing alright now, Burns is doing very well now and David Williams became a better player for overseas but he was in some random team in the Danish league a weak league in europe.
Going OS you need to go to a good league:
Here is my list:
England, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Holland, Scotland, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland that it, I might of missed one or two leagues but that’s the majority of it. If you don’t get a transfer/loan to one of those places don’t waste your time I would be telling player. You can’t just say go to Europe because there is a big difference to were you go. I don’t rate any league in Asia the J-league is a good league but not a great one it’s over-rated if you ask me Japanese players are significantly weaker physically the domestic team couldn’t beat china they drew to them in Japan.
clayton said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
slight tangent guys –
how would you rate the current top youngsters against earlier A-league versions?
Leckie or Oar compared with a Burns, Holland or a Ruka for example …
My gut feeling is that the kids are improving, but I am curious as to what others think.
Davstar said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:06am | Report comment
probably about the some imo. A-league hasnt had a youth system long enough to have produced improved players
Dogz R Barkn said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:39am | Report comment
I can’t see a quantum shift, to be honest.
Tony Tannous said | February 9th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
Cryuff turn, love the name, but not as much as I love the move (truth is, it’s the only one I’ve got)….thanks for the comment.
On the subject of Kantarovski and why I didn’t have him in my six best under 21s players for this season, I just feel that he hasn’t had a particularly great season. He’s been good, but nothing special this season. A fair bit of it he has been down to injury, but I thought last season he was just brilliant.
I’m with you though, I think he has a big future if he continues to buckle down and work hard on his game. To play at the elite level, as a defensive player, the key is to be consistently mistake free (ie reliable), and last night wasn’t a great one for him.
A couple of months ago, after Kantarovski was one of the few to impress at the u20s WC, I was of the view that Verbeek might consider taking him to the WC as one of his “L Platers”, if he is inclined to go down that path (as Guus was)…
I was thinking Vukovic, Oar and Kantarovski…
But I’m not so sure now. I think Verbeek, if he does take any kids, it’s more likely to be Federici (it would be thoroughly deserved I believe) and Vidosic (again, deserved), with Leckie as a possible smoky if he lights up the ACL…
cruyff turn said | February 9th 2010 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Cheers Tony!
Probably this season hasn’t been as good as his last one. Ironic, given the Jets finished bottom in 08/09.
Tony Tannous said | February 9th 2010 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
cruyff, is it a trend? Look at Leckie, stand out for bottom placed (maybe!!) Adelaide…
Certainly, for a poor performing side, a youngster has a good chance to shine.
george said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:19pm | Report comment
I feel these boys might not take the next step as they have already reach their potential from what the a league can offer . They must be pushed day in day out 10 months a year , at a far greater pace than what the aleague offers . Watching academy league games in europe they are already behind on pace , endurance ,speed and movement of the ball . There is alot less time on the ball to make decisions .
These are only learnt by training in these situations on a daily basis , and the younger you start the better . Shane lowry now starting every game for leeds , been with villa since 16 . Rhys Williams the same at middlesbourgh , Dean Bouzanis at Accrington Stanley on loan from liverpool , Chris herd at Lincoln City , these boys and more are all getting 1st team starts each week in competitions of a higher standard than the aleague . And there are many more who took the chance and moved to different countries around europe at a young age .
Will be interesting to see where the next crop of socceroos are picked from , sure there will be a few from the aleague , but i bet most will still come from the boys in europe , as they would have a far greater knowledge of the game and be at a higher standard than that of their aleague counterparts .
Tony Tannous said | February 10th 2010 @ 7:57pm | Report comment
Just in case you didn’t catch up with the news earlier today;
http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=32483
I particularly enjoyed the following comment from Vidmar;
“He doesn’t care who he plays against, he could play against the best player in the world tomorrow and he’ll try and run him ragged, that’s what he’s like.”
Go on Pim, you can do it!!