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The A-League has showcased great football over its 10-year existence and has created a positive and passionate atmosphere among fans all across the nation.
The one thing that all fans can agree on is that the standard of the league is constantly improving both on and off the field.
The A-League in many respects is a unique competition, as unlike many leagues across the world the salary cap not only ensures equality among its teams, it just as importantly allows it to control its cost structure.
A key recruiting strategy of the league is the allocation of an international marquee player, which has seen a variety of world class international talent being showcased inside our stadiums.
The A-League has seen some of the most well-known players among the football world, such as Alessandro Del Piero, Robbie Fowler and David Villa grace our fields. These footballing legends have not only brought remarkable talent to the competition, but have also delivered fans to the stadiums and put Australian football on the map.
There is no doubt the recruitment of these ageing world class stars has been successful in promoting Australian football in a nation dominated by many rival codes and sports.
However, the question that now needs to be asked is, has the A-League matured as a competition to a point where we have surpassed the need to recruit ageing world class stars? Yes, these world-class players have helped promote the game, but have we come to the point where the quality and pace of the league is too much for these players?
Harry Kewell was fantastic in getting the A-League on the back pages of the dailies, however was the pace of the game and the injuries sustained by Harry over his many wonderful seasons just a little too much?
The way that the competition was initially developing, the A-League was a viable stepping stone for future players into higher class leagues, however during this process the A-League at some stages was also viewed as a retirement village for past world-class players to enjoy the twilight of their careers.
However, 10 years since the league’s inception, the current state and quality of the A-League suggests that we have surpassed the need to recruit ageing stars. Our clubs should continue to recruit marquees that are younger and in their footballing prime. The A-League needs players who can bring a unique flair, increasing the overall quality and excitement.
One only has to witness the excitement and class that the likes of Thomas Broich, Andy Keogh and Marc Janko bring to their clubs and to the competition, to understand the qualities and excitement that these players possess and the influence that they have on their teammates and among the supporters.
As the current A-League ladder stands, the top four are clubs that during the pre-season did not aim to recruit former ageing world-class players, but instead aimed to recruit players that would be able to be significant contributors on the field as opposed to being poster boys aiming to yield numbers into the stadiums.
Sydney FC have been prime examples in understanding the path in which the league is moving towards as they parted ways with Italian maestro Alessandro Del-Piero and recruited Austrian captain Marc Janko. Western Sydney also took the brave decision in letting go fan favourite Shinji Ono, which allowed them to develop new talent, leading to their famous Asian Champions League victory.
Albanian international Besart Berisha has also been a prime example of excellent recruiting as he has established himself as one of the best A-League recruits, scoring 53 goals and currently ranked third on the A-League all time scorers. Berisha, love him or hate him, will give you your money’s worth every week due to the excitement and passion that he brings onto the football pitch.
These are the types of players that clubs have to look to recruit, who not only will deliver for their fans but will assist to propel the A-League into a world class competition.
This may be easier said than done as clubs must avoid the need, however compelling the business case, to recruit the likes of Romario. The league doesn’t need players who have long surpassed their best form and who are no longer able to match it with the A-League’s best.
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