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He’s unorthodox, outspoken and a colourful wordsmith with the media. Football pundits may be tipping his run as head coach of Gold Coast United to come to an abrupt end. But listen up homies. He’s Miron Bleiberg and he’s an A-League character we can’t afford to lose.
Miron Bleiberg is hailed as an excellent coach by many. A knowledgeable, fascinating football mind. To the A-League he is an asset, of this I have no doubt. But it’s not just because of his ability to find and foster new talent around the traps. The way he grabs the spotlight in a way only Miron can, captures our love for a outrageous yet loveable football coach.
Think Maradona, Mourinho, Guardiola.
On the sidelines he may not be as large a character as those three names, but with the fans and the media, Bleiberg is the gift that doesn’t stop giving.
Veird, vacky and vonderful, with Miron there’s never a dull moment.
He’s the man who sought the advice of a chess champion to teach his players about the importance of strategy pre-season.
He’s the man who was recently sanctioned by the FFA over calling the referee a “homey” in his side’s 3-2 final minute defeat in Sydney.
He’s the man who prior to their round one clash with Brisbane, used a whiteboard and confusing scribble (mad scientist style) to confidently tell viewers of the Fox Sports broadcast just how his team would win…all before losing and admitting he then felt “dumb”.
He’s…the man!
One hundred matches of pure madness you can’t look away from! A true character.
But last Saturday night’s dismal 2-0 loss to Perth Glory fuelled the debate over Miron Bleiberg’s future at the club he has coached since it’s inception into the A-League.
Calmly fending off doubters, Bleiberg is comforted by the longevity he’s had at the beachside glitter strip. Though the very man he says is backing him to stay, mining magnate Clive Palmer, is apparently losing faith in the former Israeli navy officer turned football manager. And it’s not hard to see why.
One lonesome win is all Gold Coast have managed this season. Two draws and six losses (which included an unprecedented five straight and counting) leaves them at dead last on the ladder. And unfortunately as Rini Coolen and Mehmet Durakovic would know all too well, for coaches results are what matter most.
As was so evidently shown last week when Gold Coast needlessly conceded two soft penalties to gift Perth the win, above all else inexperience is hurting the team most. However Gold Coast fans I’ve spoken to, remain confident in the ability of their irreverent coach to lift the team back into the winning circle before season’s end.
Should Bleiberg be dropped by yet another A-League club (he was replaced at the Roar by Frank Farina in 2006), one would hope there is at least a few clubs who could use his services to keep him in the domestic competition.
Because to lose Miron Bleiberg would be a massive loss to the game in Australia.
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