Brisbane deserving grand final hosts
Roar Guru By apaway, 27 Feb 2011 apaway is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- A-League, a-league finals, Ange Postecoglou, Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners, football, Graham Arnold
At the end of one of the best games of the season, it was confirmed that the Brisbane Roar will host the A-League grand final in two weeks. On the strength of last night’s game, I’m beginning to hope it is against the Central Coast Mariners.
The 2-2 draw gave Brisbane a 4-2 aggregate win, after the Mariners scored twice in a minute towards the end of the first half to lead 2-0 on the night and even up the tie overall. Had they gone on to win the game and host the decider, it appears they would have been forced to play the game at the Sydney Football Stadium.
When this occurred in season three, the game sold out but their opponents that day were the Newcastle Jets and both sets of fans made it a weekend out in Sydney. I doubt that the same thing would have happened this season, with an interstate opponent assured.
Thankfully (although Mariners fans understandably wouldn’t agree), the FFA have been spared the necessity of a decision, and the venue many regard as the best football ground in the country, Lang Park AKA Suncorp Stadium, plays host. It will be the first time the A-League grand final has been played outside of Sydney or Melbourne, and happens just weeks after the ground and the city were swamped by devastating floods.
The game itself was a cracker and showcased not only two very fine teams but also two extremely talented coaches, both of whom have been maligned in the past.
Ange Postecoglou has been a revelation in his first full season as an A-League coach. His side is playing the best brand of football seen by an Australian club team, a swift, technically superb passing game which has always thrilled and has never been tedious. Postecoglou has been an accomplished man-manager as well as shown his technical and tactical nous.
Almost every move he makes seems to pay dividends. His introduction of Henrique in the second half of the game seemed to give the Roar more forward impetus and allowed Thomas Brioch to push wide and deep. Henrique’s finish secured the 2-2 result in the 92nd minute.
It was not always so for Postecoglou. You need only enter “Foster vs Postecoglou” into a YouTube search to discover that big Ange was not exactly the toast of football pundits a few years back, after failing to get the Young Socceroos to the 2007 World Youth finals.
The on-air argument with Craig Foster was amazing, and only a day after it was recorded, Postecoglou was sacked as the team’s coach. It now seems like a lifetime ago.
Graham Arnold has had the luxury of being national assistant coach for two World Cups. He was given the chance to make his mark when given the reigns as head coach for the Socceroos 2007 Asian Cup campaign.
To put it mildly, he made few friends and won less admirers when,in an ill-advised moment, he publicly questioned his players’ desire to be part of the Socceroos squad following a 3-1 loss to Iraq in pouring rain in Bangkok. Moments later, Mark Viduka, then-Australian captain, refuted his own coach’s comments. Arnold’s career as Socceroos coach was still-born.
But in the amount of notice given the Roar, it is easy to overlook Arnold’s excellent work with the Mariners. He has moulded a side that has often looked combative rather than creative, but has been as tactically sound as any in the competition.
His narrow diamond midfield has stifled most sides but has allowed the Mariners to play a direct attacking game, often with Matt Simon as central striker, and Patricio Perez slotting in behind the front two. He has been unafraid to promote youth, with the likes of Mustafa Amini and Matthew Ryan making telling contributions to the Mariners run to the finals.
Despite a redemptive coaching season, Arnold may still fail to get the Mariners to their third grand final, with either Adelaide or Gold Coast in their way next week. Postecoglou is one game from a remarkable season of achievement, and if the Roar do win the double, it will add weight to the argument as to their being the best club team in the game’s history.
Hopefully, that history will be made in front of more than 50,000 at the “Cauldron”. After a season of on-field brilliance, the FFA will be hoping that the Roar hit the heights in the stands in two weeks, now that they have one less decision to make.
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
February 27th 2011 @ 9:27am
Geordie said | February 27th 2011 @ 9:27am | Report comment
“it will add weight to the argument as to their being the best club team in the game’s history.”
I assume you are just talking about the game in Australia. I’ll be there in 2 weeks and hopefully so will 49999 others.
February 27th 2011 @ 1:51pm
apaway said | February 27th 2011 @ 1:51pm | Report comment
Geordie
Yes, good point. I was referring to the game in Australia. Much as I admire the Roar, there are a few European sides I can think of that might just pip them…
February 27th 2011 @ 11:08am
Moonface said | February 27th 2011 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Great game,
so glad I took the boys up to Brisbane to see it.
The atmosphere in that stadium just grew into a big crescendo until the Roar finally confirmed their place in the final.
Soccer in this country is getting better all the time and this was one of the best games of soccer we have ever seen.
Now all we need is GCU to make the GF and an all Queensland affair.
February 27th 2011 @ 2:04pm
Realfootball said | February 27th 2011 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
The ticket prices at $98 a side seat and $58 for the cheapest will unfortunately mean no sellout.
Families have been priced out of all but the cheapest seats. FFA have let the A-League down yet again. You really have to wonder just what goes on in College Street. This is a nonsensical decision.
My view, for what it is worth, is that FFA is run and staffed by people on large salaries who have no marketing experience. They are administrators making marketing decisions from the basis of no training or experience. There is a serious lack of talent and expertise at FFA, starting with Ben Buckley.
The pricing for the Grand Final is a calamity for the A-League and a contemptuous insult to Queenslanders from the Melbournites and Sydneysiders who run – very badly – FFA.
February 28th 2011 @ 12:41pm
French Fries said | February 28th 2011 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
March 3rd 2011 @ 10:04am
ian said | March 3rd 2011 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Oh I so agree with your comments, when you buy a season ticket you should be given a heavily discounted ticket to the final. To those that don’t have a season ticket well let them pay through the nose because they are the people who have not supported the team through out the year.
If you support the team through out the year you should be given a big discount for this match.
February 27th 2011 @ 2:33pm
damos_x said | February 27th 2011 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
It was a cracker & what a pity it isn’t on free to air so the whole country could have seen it, I fortunately got the Austar on Friday & was able to enjoy it & was glad I tuned in.Great game, some real skill & tactical play, the teams looked mature & capable. It would definitely be tenser in the GF but both teams look like champs & hey, 2 Aussie coaches ?! who would have thought….
February 27th 2011 @ 8:42pm
The Bear said | February 27th 2011 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
Yeah…. pricing out the Football family. This will be interesting. Perhaps the FFa need to look back to 1997. Just ask Harps…
February 27th 2011 @ 8:55pm
TK said | February 27th 2011 @ 8:55pm | Report comment
Real Football – where did you get the ticket prices from ? They haven’t gone on sale yet. The prices went up from the normal season prices for the semi final – we paid $38 for seats we normally pay $20 for, but there were seats on sale for $28, still an increase on the normal ‘cheap seats’, but only $8 and still affordable. I haven’t seen anywhere that the price is going to the $58 for the cheapest – be interested to know where this info is from.
I agree it is a bit sad that they have to sting the punters come finals time, but having said that, from all reports the Roar are in debt to the FFA for a few million bucks, so no surprise that they take the chance to make a few extra dollars at the business end of the season.
February 28th 2011 @ 1:20pm
Realfootball said | February 28th 2011 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Confirmed in the Courier Mail backpage story today.
February 27th 2011 @ 10:12pm
The NSL said | February 27th 2011 @ 10:12pm | Report comment
Yeah it was a pretty good game Olympic went 2-0 up early against APIA and held that lead till half-time. APIA came out much stronger in the 2nd half and deservedly pulled a goal back, but a late Olympic goal sealed the match for the blue & whites Sydney Olympic 3-1 APIA Leichhardt, anothe pre-season friendly out of the way. a month to go till kick off in the NSWPL
February 27th 2011 @ 11:46pm
VootballKid said | February 27th 2011 @ 11:46pm | Report comment
I’m still upset about that decision to rob Central Coast Mariners of a home grand final. So what if it’s only 20,000 capacity? Most people watch it on TV, so what’s the difference?
There was deal to let the winner of the top-two playoff host the final. It was stated in writing. It shouldn’t be abrogated for any reason.
So what if it’s a “showpiece”. You want to make it a showpiece, how about making the league free-to-air and removing the salary and foreign player cap? Then you’ll see a showpiece.
Yes the FFA made an A-league and Lowy integrated us into Asia. Thanks for that. Now step aside and let it grow. Sick of decisions coming out of Sydney.
February 28th 2011 @ 10:43am
Roberto Bettega said | February 28th 2011 @ 10:43am | Report comment
congratulations to the Roar for cointinuing on their merry way
two ripper finals on the weekend