Not widely reported after Melbourne Victory’s loss to Beijing Guoan on Wednesday night were the comments from Kevin Muscat.
After the severely undermanned Victory managed just one goal (a Muscat penalty) in the five matches thus far, and had just struggled to a nil-all draw before less than 7,000 fans, Muscat was quizzed about his future, along with the match and crowd.
His response might just be tainted with sour grapes.
Muscat also fired a shot at the quality of the competition, saying the tournament’s administrators needed to toughen up on gamesmanship.
“To be honest, playing in Asia, is not all that enjoyable,” he said.
“People going down left, right and centre, stalling for time. It’s not that enjoyable playing in the Champions League.
“I think it’s evident for people to see. Being involved in it and watching it I can understand why people don’t come and watch. People going down … it just seems that authorities can’t take control.”
Now Adelaide United are obviously quality reds. More fortified, perhaps?
Michael C
Roar Guru
ah mate.......hate is a very strong word and I'd prefer not to 'hate' sports.....just administrations!!, such that, ....whilst not specifically a 'soccer supporter in disguise',........I reckon as a general sports observor/fan that I'm allowed to listen to the news and interviews on SEN for example.......or to look forward to Denmark taking on Australia in a WC warm up match. Surely nothing I've done or said would be rendering me excluded from that?? I don't though - - - do I?? - - - need to be a banner waving, card carrying devotee of every sport though do I???......after all......the vast majority of soccer fans in this country certainly ain't card carrying A-League fans....
Cpaaa
Guest
MC Im beginning to think that you are a Football supporter in disguise. Much like Ogre was an Alpha Beta and then converted in " Revenge of the Nerds". ..Lamda Lamda welcomes you, theres always room for one more. :o)
Art Sapphire
Guest
I find it remarkable that some one comes on the Roar and uses 2 signatures concurrently and claims not to know anything about the things he has written in the past.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Nice pun, Ben! That is the best one yet. :-)
Dogz R Barkn
Roar Guru
It's good to have a fresh perspective on soccer in this country.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I think that some comments from one disgruntled member hardly reflects the attitude of the entire club. After all, every rosé has its thorn
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Just like how Adelaide are outplayed, but they manage to grind out tactics, or they result to pushing everyone over, it's the sotry of Australian clubs in Asia as wemostly get outplayed, Adelaide are better than MVFC at it atm, not some great analysis but just a passing comment for my part in a pretty funny thread
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Of course not, their will be no compliments for football unless their of the backhanded variety from the MC camp. But at least you know what you get when you vote for them :)
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
I actually heard that when it's dry is when the wine flavours are best - the intensity of flavour is not diluted by all that water in the grapes, but your point remains, I suppose. That was apparently what made the very first Grange Hermitage so good - drought. Anyway, there's a good chance we're squeezing the last drops out of this wine metaphor as it is...
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Indeed, puntastic is the word for it. However, will Michael C write a new article next year if Melbourne do well in the ACL entitled: "Muscat's Grapes of Wrath - Melbourne reborn in the ACL" That is what I would like to know...
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Beijing away Melbourne was comprehensively outplayed. Tempo, possession and chances were all in Beijing's favour - sure, Melbourne had a couple of chances, but overall were bossed out of the game. It was pretty much the same in the game at home against Pohang, but Langerak was brilliant and Muscat tucked away his penalty for a fortunate win. Beijing in Melbourne were also way better, so I disagree with your analysis, NUFCMVFC, but that's cool, because conflicting opinions are what makes this game great for us fans - we can dissect everything, having seen the same games, and come up with completely different ideas about the game, especially if one is partisan.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Michael C writing a football piece You did not watch the game, infact you hardly watch any games of football. You told me half way thru the the last A-League season that your viewing amounted to 10 minutes. No doubt you must have been happy with the crowd figure :) I look forward to your next football piece. Keep this up and you might give Corran, Tuckerman et al a run for their money :)
Nick
Guest
Get your facts straight. Melbourne didn't lose to Beijing on Wednesday, it was a draw.
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Well, Australians and people form the UK tend not to like gamesmanship, we all know that from the 2007 Asian Cup, and then there was an issue with Socceroo football manager Gary Morretti's comments which caused a mini storm Let's not descend into simplicity, Vidmars teams finished bottom of the A League, were overly physical and "thuggish" rather than sophsiticated and and annoyed Pohangs Coach just as Muscat was annoyed but focussing on different elements Most fo the problems come from playing in the A Lewague finals at the same time, we weren't massively outplayed except for Kawasaki away, we are missing our main striker/s
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I wrote the post then realised the pun so I quickly added the bold. I thought it was puntastic work from me.
AndrewM
Guest
Whilst the depth of the team does come into their diastorous run in the ACL, questions must be getting asked about Merrick.. He has been shown up by the asian teams time and time again, whilst vidmar at adelaide has been able to work wonders. If Melbourne didn't make the finals this year in the domestic comp I reckon his head would have rolled.. Im a sydney fc fan, but I really do hope that melbourne can get a better coach, and team, otherwise they are going to go down hill fast, considering there is a new melbourne team with a dutch coach.
Mattay
Guest
Muscat sounds to me like a bit of a PLONKer
Redb
Roar Guru
Heard this on SEN as well, what a poor loser.
Tadpohle
Roar Rookie
No beverage made from grapes would be any good in the Melbourne Victory vineyard. 2009 has been a very dry year in their part of town. "Whines" have developed a very bitter and acidic taste, with a sour attitude prevalent. Maybe a new wine maker will make a difference next year.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Oh, Andy Roo, stop it with the wine jokes! We've had enough already from Michael C! But yeah, I heard those comments from Muscat and thought that it was a bit rich, coming from him. And to denigrate the continental competition isn't really that smart, is it? It seems that Melbourne don't have the palate, nor the coach, for it. I was going to make a wine joke, but that would make me hypocritical, having criticised AndyRoo for the same thing (nice touch with the bold font - just to make sure we got the pun, huh? :-)