Newcastle Jets’ Fabio Vignaroli (right) congratulates Jin Hyung Song. July 26, 2009. Sydney FC and the Newcastle Jets drew 1-1. AAP Image/Paul Miller
Much of the attention on last weekend’s absorbing round of A-League action was focused on Etihad Stadium, but while Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC played out a scoreless draw, elsewhere a couple of clubs were making moves of their own.
One such outfit was Brisbane Roar, with Ange Postecoglu’s side recording their second win within the space of three days to establish themselves in the top six.
Brisbane’s midweek victory over North Queensland proved not only that fans will come out to see the right kind of marquee player – in this case the Fury’s Robbie Fowler – but also that there are plenty of other useful foreign signings to snap up.
Sergio van Dijk may have arrived in Australia as an unheralded Dutch journeyman, but the burly striker has vindicated the Roar’s scouting department with some devastatingly effective performances of late.
Just as impressive is the faith new coach Postecoglu has shown in some of his youngsters, with the pace of Michael Zullo, Adam Sarota and Tommy Oar set to cause constant headaches for opposition defences over the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Branko Culina’s Newcastle Jets recorded their fourth win in succession in a thrilling 3-2 victory over the unlucky Fury, as the Novocastrians moved into outright fourth in the table.
Temperamental club owner Con Constantine must have been tempted to give Culina the flick following Newcastle’s dismal start to the campaign, yet his patience has been rewarded with an impressive surge up the standings.
All of which would be redundant were it not for the A-League finals.
Newcastle’s rise from the foot of the table to top four contenders has been impressive, but few would care were it not for the fact that the Jets can now actually win something.
There are plenty of purists out there who insist that the A-League champions should be decided solely on the basis of first-past-the-post.
That might be how it’s done elsewhere, but doing away with the finals series robs mid-table teams of the motivation to persevere at the back end of the season.
What incentive would Perth Glory have to continue busting their lungs if it weren’t for the fact that they could belatedly sneak back into the top six?
Yes, the current finals format somewhat rewards mediocrity – but if Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC have been as dominant as their points haul suggests, they should be able to account for whomever they come up against in the finals.
After all, Melbourne have twice lifted the A-League title after winning the premiership, and every club is well aware of the pitfalls of finals football.
The first-past-the-post school has merit, but whether it’s a short-term option for the A-League is a matter for debate.
How much longer the Asian Football Confederation continues to tolerate finals football is also open to interpretation – although I’m not sure where their new-found belligerence stems from, given that a few years ago they were about as organised as the Fury’s back four.
But with Brisbane and Newcastle now surging into form, I’d be happy to see them rewarded with the opportunity to play finals football.
I’m also intrigued whether the bottom four can conjure their own late surge towards the stop six – including last season’s runner-up, Adelaide United.
There are many fans who believe the finals should be discarded post haste – but I don’t think they’re such a bad idea, at least for the foreseeable future.
A run to the finals maintains interest until the final round of fixtures when there’s no relegation battles to mull over, and gives those who miss out on topping the table a second chance to win the main event.
But is that even something the majority of A-League fans want? Share your thoughts here and we’ll find out.
Rob
Guest
Man this is twisted logic if Ive ever heard it.....So if the Nix or NQF scrape into 6th spot and then string together some lucky games, maybe with our traditional hopeless refereeing decisions...then they are the "true champions of the league" Methinks your talking bollocks my friend!
Simmo
Guest
“Here is a question though – as a fan, would you prefer if your club won the Prem or the Champ? Okay, a genie has told you you could have one or the other, but not both. Which do you want? I want the Prem. ” Winning the GF is probably the bigger *event*. As such, I'd like to win it in Melbourne against the Victory. That would be so sweet I'd die of diabetes.
Simmo
Guest
Why can't they be of equal value?
Simmo
Guest
why? the Australian way is perfectly fine. it's what we all understand, hardcore and casual fan alike. The onus is on the 'European' way to demonstrate that it is better than the current system. It is a decent system but it's not inherently better and IMO we shouldn't blindly copy something that happens overseas without clear benefits. If you look around the world there's a huge variety in the way that different countries run their leagues. Our way isn't quite unique but it works for us.
Footbal Person
Guest
"Here is a question though – as a fan, would you prefer if your club won the Prem or the Champ? Okay, a genie has told you you could have one or the other, but not both. Which do you want? I want the Prem. " First of all I like your system and definetly favour first past the post, however as to what trophe I would like my club to win (at the moment) is definetly the toilet seat because of its prestige, when compared to the ( insert comical nickname here ).
albe
Guest
yeah the second tier won't be here tomorrow, but the league overall should be set up to allow for that (with P&R) down the track. The media deal won't come close to the top league for A2, but its more of a development league and most wouldn't be ready for the top flight. The operating costs would only match the top tier for those teams with immediate ambitions for promotion. Whether the interest is there to fill say eight spots? Something that only a debate and sounding out of interests will achieve. But we already have four or five waiting in the wings, who missed out on the first 12 spots. Maybe those guys would love the chance to play off on the pitch for promotion, rather than just having to convince the FFA board. Down the track, it would be ideal for those decisions to be sporting, as well as financial and strategic. (Which is where 'criteria' would come in... similar to the deal with the initial A-L licenses.)
deadman
Guest
In the a-league it is about which team is less injured rather than who is more consistent which is why first past the post is a flawed option
Nath FC
Guest
I don't see the problem with the finals series at all. In the future when we have promotion and relegation whilst also having the FFA cup. A final series could still work. For example - The team that finishes first is the premier whilst also recieving the automatic ACL place and the teams that finish 2-5 playoff for the second ACL spot. The same could work the second division. The team that finishes top gets promoted and the teams that finished 2-5 playoff the promotion. This everyone wins. The so called purists get their first past the post and the media / FFA / Fans get a finals series and the FFA cup.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
They hardly “envy” our grand final/semis structure as someone suggested earlier. I think that was me your referring too and I didn’t really mean it like that, just that Grand Final day is an exciting event. It was so even when we had only 8 teams and the finalists had likely played each other 4 times. I think the best build up for the FA cup final recently was the Man U vs Arsenal match when they were both the top teams. I reserve the right to change my mind if they get the cup formula correct as a good replacement. Benjamin from 442 about a 2nd tier in Australia and I think he nails why it is a long way off Realistically, if the A-League move onto the $60m/year deal that's being talked about, you would expect that the best the 2nd tier would get would be around the $20m/year we're already getting - gate receipts would inevitably be lower, sponsorship would be lower, corporate hospitality would be lower, and the chances of getting into the ACL would be negligible... All this and at the same time operating costs would be virtually the same as the A-League. I don't see where the minimum 8 franchises would come from - especially considering that so few of the bids for the A-League franchises have been able to get anywhere near the required financing. I talk to lots of football fans, I reckon anecdotally only half those follow the A-League coz most fans of the EPL etc don’t take our league seriously. The way the league is structured is part of that. The 6 teams from 10 is obviously poor for credibility, no argument from me their.
albe
Guest
they changed the whole league to the EPL back a decade or so. They didn't change it from a League premiership then coz most fans there like it the way it is. They hardly "envy" our grand final/semis structure as someone suggested earlier. i'm just talking about the long term direction of the league. Once a second div, an FFA Cup and P&R comes in, they should go for a purely 'first past the post' league title. And have the FFA Cup Final as that big 'season ender' that everyone wants, replacing the AFL/NRL style grand final. This could also appeal to the existing world football fans in Australia who already follow leagues like the EPL and are familiar with the successful European model. It can work here too in the long term, but of course it has to come with all those over things that make club football in Europe so exciting. I talk to lots of football fans, i reckon anecdotally only half those follow the A-League coz most fans of the EPL etc don't take our league seriously. The way the league is structured is part of that.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
The English comp has been home and away for as long as I can remember that's why they will never change it, not because it's better or worse it just is. If we take away finals we are left with just a race for first. We don’t have relegation nor do we have 2 different continental cups to qualify for too create the English version of finals (the top 4). I don't think we can replicate the European leagues, everyone else does (bar the Americans) but which league has risen to prominence from outside the top sphere recently? Only the J league and perhaps in future the MLS. If we just copy the EPL model we will always be a minor league …same system but with a population of 22m. Australian football should be a fusion of what works overseas and then adapted to what will work here. I think while we have less than say 16 teams for pure full home and away and we play on during international breaks their needs to be finals and once we have 16 teams we should keep finals because people want them. I am not sure if your just advocating that the team that finishes first on the ladder is best not the grand final winner (fair enough) or that we should only have first past the post?
albe
Guest
yeah i agree Clayton... the Premiership >>> the Grand Final winner. The finals are fine as a seperate cup comp, it recognises the best team over a few week period. The Premiership is about a league season over 30 or so weeks which is what we are heading towards. Colder beer sounds like a winner too... u have my vote !!! :P
albe
Guest
for EPL fans the season ends with the FA Cup final and it seems like they enjoy the system as it is. The first past the post league has its merit or they would have changed it by now. You sometimes might read talk about alternatives, but its never done as its fine the way it is. I think we can learn more from the successful European leagues rather than some supposed 'Australian way' that other sports go with.
clayton
Guest
I believe that the most consistent is the best. And that the winner of a one off game is ... the winner of a one off game. Nothing more, nothing less. Seeing people say that Aussies like finals feels strange. I am an Aussie, and I like first past the post. First pass the post is best. The changes that will happen to the A-league after I become world ruler will provide the best of both worlds, for all fans. Prizes for those that excel across the season. Prizes for those that have a good cup run and reasons to keep trying for all the clubs. I will also lower the price of beer at stadiums and make it colder.
Ben
Guest
To answer your question Clayton, The Grand Final Thats what the finals are. They are contest of the best and your season should be geared towards finetuning your squad to hit your best form for the finals so you can try defeat the best. Like some kind of gladiatorial final battle. No team gets lucky. Some teams just cant handle the big stage, the pressure, some can. It happens in so many sports,ie. Olympics, the World Cup, Gridiron, yet football fans dont flinch for a moment when they say first-past-the-post is the best. Its not. Its flawed. It doesnt discover the true champion. It discovers the most consistent. And as a follower of sport, I demand the true champion.
clayton
Guest
When I take over running the World, this is how I will run the A-league ... A first past the post league based on a balanced home and away. A simultaneously running knockout comp, lets call it the Australia cup, including A league clubs and top state league clubs. A pot of money for clubs to receive based on the year`s performance (1st gets more, last gets less). Staggered entry into the next year`s Australia cup based on league performance (1st joins the cup later in the competition whilst last enters the competition right at the start). But until then I guess I`ll cop whatever the FFA puts on. Here is a question though - as a fan, would you prefer if your club won the Prem or the Champ? Okay, a genie has told you you could have one or the other, but not both. Which do you want? I want the Prem. I am not a Victory fan, but respect what they have done winning the Premier`s plate and the Championship twice. Are there teams that have hit form at the right time or just plain got lucky to win the Championship? I think so. Does that make them the best team of that year? I don`t think so.
Ben
Guest
Again, I just want to reiterate this point. Finals football allows us to discover the true champion of a league. Not just the most consistent side over 6-9 months. Finals shows us the best side, as the side who wins the finals beats the rest of the best, thus proving themselves the cream of the crop. I will use the example of Liverpool in the EPL last season where they thumped Man Utd twice yet finished 2nd behind them. From memory Liverpool also did well agst Arsenal and Chelsea (the top 4) yet they didnt win the title. Why? Because they drew with too many average sides. So they weren't the most consistent, despite being the best of the best, so therefore they werent champions. I think that's a flawed system. I'd have loved to have seen a Man Utd v Liverpool GF last season to decide the title.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Because we enjoy finals and those that don't tolerate them. Their extra cream on top becasue you get your home and away season for the purists (and an ACL spot) and then finals. You could go home and turn of your tv once the Premiership is decided albe.... but you would be missing out. I think Grand Final day is one of those rare ocassions EPL fans can be jealous that their season ends with an away win at Bolton rather than 1st vs 2nd. I like my NRL/AFL format, fairly even competition and unsegregated crowds. Just because I like nutmgs and sliding tackles doesn't make me sophisticated :)
albe
Guest
Why is everyone so down on Europe? They're the pinnacle of world club football. We should aspire to be like the best over the long term. Its the same direction FFA are taking with the football department. Plus there's the familiarity factor for existing football fans who follow the EPL or otherwise. Not that league/cup style seasons are even limited to Europe. What's the alternative? Continue to copy the AFL and NRL format forever ... and that is what its about. Not South America or MLS or K-League :P
dasilva
Guest
I like the final series but I do believe that First past the post should get a lot more prestige. The winner who wins the league first past the post should be considered equal in prestige as the team who wins the final series. They should get similar amount of prize money as well and the last match of the season, all matches should be played at the same time so the team who wins can celebrate the premiership. I would have forgiven the 6 teams out of 10 in the final if the first past the post system was equal prestige as the finals.