Kudos to North Queensland Fury. The Fisters might have come in for some criticism from me for their stupid name and wasting all that money on Robbie Fowler, but they’ve picked up one of the most promising young players in Australian in Osama Malik.
I really can’t get my head around how Aurelio Vidmar and his mates out the back of Bada Bing (sorry, the Adelaide boardroom) could let this kid – he’s 18 – go.
He’s been a breath of fresh air every time I’ve seen him play and was brilliant for the Reds in their Club World Cup match against Gamba Osaka.
Adelaide have a habit of letting go of players that other clubs are more than happy to pick up: Diego Walsh, Jonas Salley, Jason Spagnuolo, Matthew Kemp, et al. Not to mention the losses of players of the ilk of Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns, which were inevitable but hit the club hard.
Vidmar is playing down the team’s chances of replicating its success of 2008/09, which is a usual coaching ploy before the commencement of any new season.
But I have a feeling he’s bang on the money.
At this moment in time Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and (believe it or not) Sydney are my picks (in no particular order) for positions one through to four at the end of 2009/10, with the new “top six” for the finals rounded out by Brisbane and possibly Adelaide in sixth, at best.
Perth really impressed me at the end of last season and I’m shattered we didn’t get to see Eugene Dadi and Nikita Rukavytsya lead the line for Glory for another season. With Rukavytsya in Australia for another twelve months and finally hitting his straps, I truly believe the West Australian side might have had what it takes to become champions.
But he’s gone to FC Twente, which is good for him and good for Australian football, if not good for the A-League.
I don’t know enough about his replacement, former Energie Cottbus striker Branko Jelic, to really comment, but I really hope for Perth’s sake he’s even half as good as the young Ukrainian-Australian, who scored one of the best goals I’ve seen from an Australian striker, against Queensland Roar in January.
Which brings up the question of how Ruka wasn’t picked for the expanded squad selected by Pim Verbeek for the “Super June” World Cup qualifiers.
Surely a 21-year-old (he turns 22 on 22 June) picked up by a club that finished second in the Eredivisie last season under Steve McLaren and ahead of Ajax and PSV on the ladder, and which plays Champions League football next season, should have been a passenger to Dubai this week, even if just to hang around with the senior players and “bond” or put out the cones on the training paddock?
But, then again, there’s a fair few of those about on the FFA staff, isn’t there?
Art Sapphire
Guest
Its been a long day at work - sorry for the sloppy editing.
Art Sapphire
Guest
On paper Perth have done well Picking up Branko Jelic He's just turned 32 - which is not over the hill. Most significant stats 2000–2003 Red Star Belgrade 68 Aps - 22 goals 2004-2005 Beijing Gouan 48 Apps - 34 Goals 2008-2009 - Energie Cottbus 30 Apps - 6 Goals He went from the Serbia to the CSL and then the Bundesliga for the season just past. He should be able to handle the transition to A-League. FK Vojvodina Beijing Guoan Xiamen Lanshi Energie Cottbus Perth Glory 0058 (19) 0068 (22) 0021 0(6) 0048 (34) 0024 0(7) 0031 0(6) 0000 0(0) 1 Senior club appearances and goals
The Bear
Guest
i enjoyed the article jesse but admittedly felt it was difficult for two reasons 1) bit all over the place 2) premature for the HAL season. LOl, what do you care... you're the journo/pundit. whaddeva, thanks for reminding me that there is another season ahead.
SFC_Fan
Guest
Osama Malik looked like he had potential in the brief glimpses we've seen but it's better for all concerned that young talent goes where he will get a chance and he will certainly get more game time in a dismal looking NQFC outfit than a relatively solid looking United midfield. And I don't agree with you very often Jesse, but the Fury name is absolutely disgusting. Whoever rubber stamped that abomination of a name needs to get the sack at FFA. I truly, truly, truly HATE that plastic, disaster of a name.
whiskeymac
Guest
reminds me of that guy who got a contract for Southampton or Portsmouth a few seasons ago who just could not play =) measure of how good - contracts versus gametime maybe? lots of reasons why they don't get a game. was interesting on the guardian blog how someone said Smeltz was our golden boot last season but only conference level in the UK. a tad unfair considering he was a rumoured Euro target. some guys need a chance to play (Carney Liejer Sterjovski) some chose the wrong clubs (derby it seems) or league(romaninan) . Will be interesting (in comparing HAl to lower english leagues) to see how JoelPorter does. great strike rate in div1, i wonder if it can be replicated here or he finds it harder.
Kazama
Roar Guru
If they "plainly aren't good enough to begin with" how do they get contracts?
eh
Guest
Pllus some plainly arent good enough to begin with.
Kazama
Roar Guru
I don't think that the problem is that our guys aren't good enough, it is that they go over too young and get stuck in the reserves and youth teams - i.e. that they aren't really getting opportunties because the competition for places is more intense than it is here. So they might as well do what Emerton did and stick around until they have developed a bit, heading over when they are capable of getting a spot in the first team, rather than rotting away in reserves and not fulfilling their potential as a result.
sledgeross
Guest
If an A League cant play in a League 1 Squad , there is problems. I mean, League 1 is still slightly better than A League, but blokes who are good in the HAL should be able to compete at L1 or even Championship level if given the chance.
whiskeymac
Guest
if that is the case GCU doesnt seem to have much of long term future? carney and zadkovich left, came back. left....will they return sooner than later despite their denials?
Kazama
Roar Guru
Pippinu, agree mate, he's probably more concerned with the here and now, but I can dream. If he is in for the long haul with the Coast, and I hope he his, then it would be a smart investment for him to get a top youth coach, wouldn't it? Maybe someone with Clive's ear can do us all a favour and convince him that is the case.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Absolutely. I think the message is clear, don't head overseas unless you are positive you are ready. Look at Emmo - stuck around in the NSL for a couple of extra years and then headed off when he was ready, and hasn't looked back since. Then you get someone like his former u/21 teammate Raphael Bove who clearly left for greener pastures too early and didn't have much of a career as a result.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Kaz Palmer doesn't strike me as the sort of bloke to open up the cheque book and invest in the future, but more the type to buy whatever silverware is on offer right now.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
You may be right, Kazama. Like Ryan (actually in the same spot as Ryan) I watched Malik on that cold, cold night in Toyota Stadium and he didn't look out of place at all in from of 38,000 people. Hopefully you are also correct re: Jameison however another good performance in the ACL is going to have him up in lights and I do not doubt at all that the J-League sides will be watching with interest, let alone anyone from Europe. I see him as the natural successor for that left wing back role that Chippers plays with aplomb. Interestingly he is one who has come back from Europe to develop his career rather than the other way round. If it works for him then it will send a powerful message to others struggling in Europe, as may Troisi's move to Turkey. Sometimes you have to step back if you want to step up.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Ben, that was the excuse used by Vidmar in the media for not signing him. Personally I feel that Malik is versatile enough to play up front, out wide or in the middle, so I would rather have had him than not. It wouldn't have created an overload in one position IMO like the episode that Viddie referenced, when we had Pantelis, Petta and Spagnuolo fighting for the left winger spot. I think if we'd done the smart thing and offered him a contract before he went up to train with the Fury he'd be wearing red this season. I agree though that it is good he and several other NYL players have landed contracts. The NYL is the best thing that has happened to Australian football since we joined the AFC. Does anyone know if Wellington and the two new franchises will have Youth League teams this season? If that is the case, I hope moneybags Clive opens the chequebook and signs a top international youth coach for his Gold Coast youngsters. Would be fantastic to see something like that happen, and he certainly has the money to make it so. Ben, I think Jamo will stick around at least until the end of the ACL Group Stage. Hopefully for AU's sake I am right.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Malik is good however Adelaide already have players of similar ilk and with small squads it is crucial to have the right mix of players. The main thing is that he gets a contract somewhere. This shows that the NYL is working and that all clubs are given a chance to peruse young talent on offer. Malik's move to North Queensland is a real positive for youth development in the country. The question I ask is how long can Adelaide hold on to Scott Jamieson.
Ryan Steele
Roar Pro
They essentially had two squads worth of players - considering they changed 10 men around the 60-minute mark - which included some of the youth stock for the upcoming season. Costa, who played on Tuesday night, was signed the next day. He's only 16, but he looks like he has some potential. I doubt he'll be terrorising squads anytime soon, though, and is probably set to be a future investment, more than anything. And with Francesco Monterosso being promoted from the NYL (where he was last season's golden boot winner), alongside Lloyd Owusu (who I haven't really seen, since he wasn't involved in the match), the attacking stock is looking a lot better than it has, and we'll probably see a better-flowing, two-man forward line. Fyfe didn't have many chances to play his game, since there wasn't a lot of work to be had in defence, until late in the game. But so long as he plays as well as he did for Sydney (if not better), he should be a valuable asset to the club. Being the first pre-season match, it's really hard to make too many evaluations. There's one more local match, next Tuesday, and then they're onto the A-League pre-season. That should provide some better insight.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Ryan did anyone new get a decent run? that are likely to be one for one replacements for the half dozen or so players that have left? Did anything stand out suggesting that the new players bring slightly different qualities?
Ryan Steele
Roar Pro
I can see what you're saying, Pippinu, and I do agree. It all comes down to whatever's in Aurelio's mind. Their first pre-season match, against Para Hills Knights, didn't really reveal much, and it seemed to focus more on getting the players ready for the upcoming season, rather than playing out new tactics. I guess we won't really see Vidmar's scheme until August.
whiskeymac
Guest
Although there are exceptins to pims rule - Carney (Coyne) comes to mind. but it's a different positiion which is, as pip pointed out on tony Tannous' article yesterday, a bit short for the roos (left side defence) - i think thats a very valid point Stifler.