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I love reading articles about hypothetical situations that for obvious reasons are unlikely to happen. A debate that I have often had is about how A-League clubs would fare in the Premier League.
It is true that Melbourne Victory gave Premier League giants Liverpool a strong match, but it is safe to say that that showing would not be reciprocated on a week in, week out basis.
So in the name of hypothetical football, here is my rundown of where each A-League club would be sitting if they were competing in the English football league set up.
Please note that tier one is the Premier League, tier two is the Championship, tier three is the League 1 and tier four is the League 2.
Adelaide United
The Reds would be in the company of some of English football’s big clubs such as Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
This would not transpire to the pitch, where Adelaide look to implement a new free flowing style under Josep Gombau – a style of play that is foreign to the English leagues.
Their keys players such as Michael Zullo and Jeronimo Neuuman are Championship quality, but as a squad they would be surrounded by the likes of Bradford City and Walsall, leaving them in seventh spot in the League 1.
Brisbane Roar
In my opinion that Brisbane Roar are Australia’s most advanced team, with individual talents the would feature in the upper clubs of the Championship.
The Roar would be competitive in the English second division with the playing style that would allow them to beat some strong English clubs.
The would be in between Wigan and Ipswich in 14th.
Central Coast Mariners
The Mariners have solid foundations that teams find difficult to break down.
Under the guidance of Graeme Arnold, it is foreseeable that they would be able to avoid relegation in the Championship.
Marcos Flores is a fine player and would supply the Mariners with the goals to see them edge into 20th spot among Charlton and Birmingham.
Melbourne Heart
The Heart boost the quickest attack in the A-League and in the English game speed is a key attribute.
This, combined with the defensive organisation of former Leeds man Patrick Kisnorbo and Patrick Gerhardt, is key to a side looking for a mid table finish in the League 1.
Star player Harry Kewell would relish the prospect of playing in England once more. The red half of Melbourne would finish a respectable 14th, wedged between Swindon and Colchester in the English third tier.
Melbourne Victory
Often referred to as the biggest club in Australia, the Victory could also be seen as the Australian Liverpool having not won anything in more recent times.
The club has some big names such as Mark Milligan, who was targeted by Premier League side Crystal Palace, and Pablo Contreras, who at his peak would have been a solid defender at most mid table Premier League clubs.
They also have a wealth of attacking options that would be handy in the English second and third tier. The Victory would be able to take out the League 1 in front of well known English clubs in Wolverhampton and Leyton Orient.
Newcastle Jets
A club that does not seem to know how it wants to play.
Spearheaded by English cult hero Emile Heskey, the club looks to play robust with wide players in James Virgili and Craig Goodwin, however this does not result in attacking football or consistent goal scoring.
On a positive note, the Jets, a club whose Wikipedia page can get linked with Newcastle United, have a relatively solid defence set-up that includes Middlesbrough target Conner Chapman and former Derby County midfielder Ruben Zadkovich.
They would be a strong side in the League 2, finishing in second place behind Oxford United.
Perth Glory
A club that used to be more known for defensive steel than the state it is in now plays decent passing football.
Michael Thwaite, who is soon to be paired with former Chelsea and Arsenal captain William Gallas, make up a dominant defensive core that is screened by the most underrated player in the A-League in Jacob Burns.
With goalscorer Shane Smeltz leading the line, it is easy to predict that the Glory have the ability to finish 10th in the League 1 – just above MK Dons and a few behind Adelaide United.
Sydney FC
Yes, they have Alessandro Del Piero, who could probably still get a run at a club as good as Swansea or West Brom.
But like Newcastle, they are a club that does not know how they play. Without the legendary Italian, they seem to play with zero confidence in the attacking third and for some strange reason his absence unsettles them in their defensive third as well.
This combination is aided somewhat by the experience of former Premier League players Brett Emerton and Richard Garcia, which could propel them to fourth in the League 2 behind the Newcastle Jets and Fleetwood Town.
Wellington Phoenix
I hate bagging a bad thing but is there a worse sight in football then an empty stadium and a nil-all draw?
The answer is no. Despite the signings of Carlos Hernandez and the retention of Jeremy Brockie, the ‘Nix are a poor offensive side whose defence is at best adequate.
They are good enough to remain in the English professional leagues, but only by a handful of places. They would come 14th in the League 2 between Southend United and Hartlepool United.
Western Sydney Wanderers
The new boys of the league are already one of the league’s big guns.
Shinji Ono has played in three World Cups with Japan and is perhaps the A-League’s most technically correct player. Their defence is rock solid, and the giant trio of Michael Beauchamp, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Matt Spiranovic would be near unbreakable in the English third tier.
Tomi Juric upfront has been akin to former Leeds, Middlesbrough and Newcastle forward Mark Viduka, which makes for a successful League 2 side.
This said they are probably a bit better than that, finishing in 24th place in the Championship only a couple of points behind the likes of Barnsley and Yeovil.
What you should gather out of this is that yes, the A-League does not yet have a team of Premier League quality, however all the teams would be competitive in one of the other top three English professional leagues.
The Championship is the world’s strongest second division, ranked 19th overall in the FIFA League Rankings Coefficients – higher than the Swedish First Division, the Scottish Premier League, the Mexican Premier League and the cashed-up United Arab Emirates League.
The League 1 and League 2 also feature in the top 80 leagues, which can not be said for any other third and fourth division.
What do you think about these placings? Have I been too hopeful with my calculated guesses? Or not hopeful enough?
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