Sydney FC's Nick Carle and Brisbane Roar's Ivan Franjic fight for possession (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
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Nicky Carle must be desperate to get back into the Socceroos set-up or Sydney FC have lined up a big marquee signing, as news breaks that the playmaker is heading to the UAE.
The Sky Blues announced yesterday afternoon that they are loaning Carle to United Arab Emirates-based Baniyas Sports Club for the next 12 months.
This seems a very strange move to make on the eve of the A-League season.
Is Carle unhappy in the Harbour City? Or do Sydney FC and Ian Crook not see the 30-year old in their plans in the future?
Are they letting him leave on compassionate grounds, as surely the UAE club can offer Carle a bigger salary than what he receives in Australia? Or is the move about helping him break back into Holger Osieck’s team?
Nicholas Alberto Carle has been with Sydney FC for the past two seasons, racking up 42 A-League games and 8 goals. The former Johnny Warren medal winner really hit his straps last season, recapturing some of the form that he displayed at the Newcastle Jets from 2005-2007.
Carle’s signing for the Sky Blues back in 2010 was a big move, a returning Socceroo (with 13 caps) from the UK on reported three-year deal worth $1.9 million. Along with Brett Emerton, Carle took up one of the marquee spots.
His departure allows Sydney FC to jump back into the player market and sign an overseas star. Is there a big-name transfer in the wings? The Sky Blues supporters will certainly hope so.
The midfielder of Chilean descent will need to be replaced. Carle will certainly be a loss.
He is one of the few genuine Australian-born players who can play in that number 10 position, who can score and create goals, and artfully unlock defences. He has guile and smarts. Many football fans believe he is the kind of technically-gifted player the Socceroos need.
It is hard to begrudge Carle his move to the UAE. He will set himself up financially, probably for the rest of his career.
Carle clearly thinks the move will also put him higher up on Osieck’s radar. Lucas Neill has played in the Middle East, but is now without a club, while Bresciano, Spiranovic and Ognenovski also play in the region. But it’s very debatable that a transfer to the UAE will help his Socceroo’s chances more than a fantastic season in the A-League would. Sure, there is a lot more money in the UAE, but is the standard of football better than we have here?
I don’t think so. It’s not like he is heading to a much better competition.
Still, Australia has to contend with another Asian league snapping up our best and brightest. If it’s not the J or K-League, or the Chinese Super League, it’s now the cash-rich competitions of the Middle East.
The A-League is in need of a bigger rights deal, and the positive affects that come with it, more than ever.
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August 28th 2012 @ 10:55am
Kasey said | August 28th 2012 @ 10:55am | Report comment
Carle might be keen to break back into the Socceroos, but even the player himself said that this move is about money. “setting his family up”
Funny with the AFC 3+1 rule, many thought it would be the J and K Leagues that would poach our better players, I don’t recall many words written about the oil-leagues in the sand pit? Not a lot we can do at this stage.
They have the money and we don’t. Just have to keep plugging away and building our league little bit by little bit year after year.
August 28th 2012 @ 11:12am
Vic said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:12am | Report comment
This is not great news for the A-League. It needs to be keeping all it’s talent not giving it up.
There was a positive news article I came across on A-League. Apparently Ten Network needs a sport to get eyeballs. They do not have AFL and NRL. They are looking at V8 cars, cricket and soccer apparently. It surprised me as I did not think it would be attractive to a commercial tv network and a lot of the season is out of ratings season. So, that could push the price a little to what the FFA is chasing.
August 28th 2012 @ 11:19am
Kasey said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Vic,
The HAL has survived bigger & better players leaving our shores. There is a large crop of new faces in the league this season, by rd10 we’ll have a ‘new Flores’ and/or maybe a New Berisha. Pretty soon we’ll have a new TV deal that covers the entire salary cap(which will probably get a slight increase if the PFA is on the ball and I expect the middle of the road players will be easier to keep around, the flow on is that well run clubs will be able to splash out on marquee players
Summer sport isn’t just about ratings, especially when it is used like Ch9uses Cricket. They mercilessly flog their upcoming shows during the summer. Howzat was such a success, not only because it was good television, but because people had their appetites whetted by blanket advertising during the Olympics.
August 28th 2012 @ 1:27pm
Stefanov said | August 28th 2012 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Yes read this in The Age this morning…will be writing a letter to Channel 10 to express my views on the game and why the need it.
August 28th 2012 @ 1:50pm
Sports Candy said | August 28th 2012 @ 1:50pm | Report comment
I think the A-League will survive without Nicky Carle. I’m more interested in watching the new strikers and how Chianese, Petratos and the other young stars develop.
There has to be a FTA component because the Socceroos WCQ games go on the new Anti-Siphoning List due to come in later this year.
They may throw some A-League into the deal, but they don’t have to show A-League on FTA, so it might only be Socceroos games.
August 28th 2012 @ 10:51pm
Vic said | August 28th 2012 @ 10:51pm | Report comment
The anti-siphoning list is saving the FFA from itself by the sounds of it.
If Lowy’s team could they would give it all to Fox Sports to get more cash for their little operation. A lot of the players getting around in HAL should only be semi pro, they should work during the week. I do not think the standards would suffer terribly.
Remember how big the ratings were for WCQ before Fox Sports got the rights. Now the whole thing just slides into the background. They desperately need to get back to basics and that is FTA.
Definately a weekly highlights show, with all the goals, extended action of the match of the week. Just do not know if the will is there.
I see NBL is going to the internet which will be the beginning of Aussie sports making the shift. I know it has been done in dribs and drabs by other codes, but the basketball people are moving big time in that direction. $80 a season, not too shabby if you are interested. All games live and on play back demand.
August 28th 2012 @ 11:30am
Newcastle Michael said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:30am | Report comment
Maybe the loan deal gave Sydney FC a big $ bonus, which they can use to get a star marquee. ?
August 28th 2012 @ 11:32am
AGO74 said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
As a Sydney FC fan I am disappointed to lose Nicky Carle. He really came on last year.
Having said that – I can understand why Sydney FC agreed to it. A club losing a lot of money now not only doesn’t have to pay $600k per year but they also got a six figure sum from the UAE club and are guaranteed of either getting him back in a year’s time or if a move is permanent, Sydney will get even more money Take the emotion out of it and it is a good business deal for a 30 year-old.
Even if we don’t replace him, by all reports we are travelling well and the decision may have been made to take the football risk and let him go on the basis that there is still a good enough team there to cover his loss.
One things’ for certain that Brett Emerton injury-free will be way more effective this year than last (and even then he was still pretty good).
August 28th 2012 @ 11:49am
Christo the Daddyo said | August 28th 2012 @ 11:49am | Report comment
From a playing point of view, not so great news (unless SFC have something brewing that isn’t public yet…), but financially seems a great deal.
August 28th 2012 @ 12:34pm
Ballymore said | August 28th 2012 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
My understanding was that when MVFC loaned out Richardhino his wages were still included in the salary cap. Carle is a marquee, but does that mean the ‘Australian marquee’ spot is still being used up?
Also, good news – Lucas Neill has a new club, Al-Wasl.
August 28th 2012 @ 12:41pm
phutbol said | August 28th 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Compassionate grounds?? not sure how compassionate I’d feel about releasing a player on $600k per annum so that he could get ‘one more big paycheck’… $600k not enough then?
No, I think its one of two things (or both).
FC got a massive loan fee and/or (most likely and) they also have someone else lined up for the marquee spot, they also freed up a visa spot when they got rid of Moriyasu so they could go for either an international or Australian marquee.
Could Kewell/Culina/Grella be in the mix? unlikely but you never know…
August 28th 2012 @ 12:49pm
Futbanous said | August 28th 2012 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Nicky Carle can be replaced by a better player for 600,000 if that is SFC’s intent.
IN fact if that is what he was on it adds further to my argument that the A-League should have a secondary marquee level.
The first having to be an International of World renown(or nothing)like Drogba,Viera(China) Beckham,Henry MLS & the second a player payed between say 500000 to 700000. For that price you can with smart recruiting get players better than Broich or Flores.
August 28th 2012 @ 1:28pm
Stefanov said | August 28th 2012 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
I hope you are right and it is $$$ being used to recruit a foreign star…rather than saving on bills…I have a feeling it will be the latter though
However Crooky does want to bring back the ‘bling’…but does the board?
August 28th 2012 @ 1:30pm
Stefanov said | August 28th 2012 @ 1:30pm | Report comment
Out: Carle In: Culina. That’s my call.
August 28th 2012 @ 1:40pm
Kasey said | August 28th 2012 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
A Step backwards for the Sky Blues IMO.
Culina will be lucky to play more than 10 games given he is coming back from such a serious injury and appears to be injury prone these days. His football brain is first class, but I doubt the body can keep up any longer.
Young Chianese and Antonis should and could learn a lot from him though but do they have to sign him as a player and use a roster slot to accomplish that?
Culina and Emerton doesn’t strike me as the quickest midfield pairing in the league. If they are in good touch though, the throughballs should be decent.
August 28th 2012 @ 2:20pm
Titus said | August 28th 2012 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
There is no way Culina will get marquee wages this season, Sydney has enough in the cap to offer him a chance and if he proves his fitness he could get a decent wage the season after.
I would say that Carle leaving explains why Moryiasu was payed out, I think they will bring in an international marquee.
August 28th 2012 @ 3:40pm
Christo the Daddyo said | August 28th 2012 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Yeah, I was wondering whether that might be on the cards…