You're the manager, now win the A-League

Im aware, im a Leeds supporter. But he has lost his goalscoring ability all together. He has not 1 goal in league football for 3 and a half years!!! And thats with a full season in the championship!! Gets his goalscoring back and then he'd be the perfect versatile player. And what do you mean about kluivert having no reason to come to Australia? He is contracted to Brisbane Roar. He spends some time there and assists in development/coaching and promoting. He is a big part of why Zullo and Oar went to Utrect.

Infact id say Brisbane roar should try and convince Patrick Kluivert to pull on a kit. He is still young and a dutch living legend. Get him to play in the A-league. He is an ambassodor for the club, but their would be no better way to be an ambassodor in this country in this league than play. Could you imagine Perth v Brisbane... Fowler v Kluivert.... Mouth watering!

Alan Smith?? as a forward?? When was the last time you watched him play? He currently captains/vice captains Newcastle and plays central midfield. I dont think he has ever scored a league goal for Newcastle since crossing over in 2007. Absolutely stumped on why anyone would want him as a forward anymore, if at all. Ecspecially as a marquee in A-League!!

The Brazilian World Cup winning team of 2002 had Roberto Carlos and Cafu who tore opposition defences apart.

No wingers and full backs are universally accepted. However, the roles winger and full-backs play in other systems vary. Look at Barcelona for example, their winger hardly ever cross balls. They start wide, drift infield and play one-twos around the box with the central players. This allows their full backs to overlap and get as far forward as the by line. At this point a cross in the air is not as effective as a cut back to the penalty spot or a low hard cross to the near post. Such crosses are easier to execute. My point here is that the system which the British play has percentages all wrong. Hopeful high crosses into the area require a good crosser of the ball and also strikers capable of capitalising on them. Such combinations of players are rare even in the best leagues in the world.

Only the British believe in fast wingers and full backs? Do the others prefer slow lard ar$es?

Anyway my team would have two full backs with alot of energy (Buyn x 2) that give you width. 2 centre backs, one monster like Dogz says but I would also want one in the Colisimo sweeper mode (Hayden Foxe will be my affordable man). At keeper I think we are a bit spoilt I would want good distribution and someone that doesn't flap at crosses. Wouldn't have to be the greatest shot stopper. Midfield I would want the two workers (Murdocca and Mackay are fine) in the centre and then the third spot would be flexible depending on the opposition. Cullina would be the man but it's probably cheaper too get two players, one a deep lying playmaker and the other a linking attacking midfielder (Nichols or Dodd) and flavor to suit. Up front I want 3 quick forwards, if their quality then they dont have to press. Scoring goals on the counter will do. If they are dodgy finishers then they have to be hard workers and coupled with my midfield they will be Barcelona light with their pressuring of the opponents defenders. Gk - Theo LB - Buyn CB - Foxe CB - Luke Devere RB - Buyn 2 CM - Massimo Murdocca CM - Nicky Carle/Cullina (Marquee) CM - Matt Mackay LF James Brown (any kid with pace, that has a decent left foot) CF - David Williams RF - Costa (the speedy kid from Wellington) 2nd marquee spot is just for cap purposes

You may have noticed that the majority of coaches in the A-League thus far have been British e.g. Merrick, McKinna, Mitchell, Ferguson, Steve McMahon, Terry Butcher etc. So as you have pointed out, the approach these coaches take doesn't work. Thus proving my point (Merrick being the only exception to the rule).

We've had that approach? I must have missed it. I can only remember seeing about five decent crosses in the last five years - the rest have ballooned harmlessly over the goal line or have done straight up the full back's privaties..

Fair enough point, I've only mentioned 9 outfield positions (broadly). The 10th outfielder would be the most elusive of all: the utility, the jack of all trades, sometimes a defensive forward, other times a sweeper, sometimes tearing down the wing, other times rising in the box to meet the header that seals the deal, one second running forward to meet the centre-forwards flick on, the next second clearing the ball off his line, or getting in a last ditch tackle to save what looked like a certain goal; one second threading a 40 metre through ball, the next second stopping his opposite number from doing the same. I call this position: the Jesus Christ position. No, let's get serious now: it's known as the defensive attacking libera trequartista

Murdocca and McKay have outplayed most midfields in the A-League in seasons 1-4 (go check the possession stats). No surprise that the lack of Murdocca led to poor performances for the Roar in season 5. Technically they are both sound and their work rate in pronominal (McKay once clocked up 15 km in a game...average for a mid is about 10-12). The Roar never had problems in the middle of the park; their problem has always been finishing the chances they create. Thus why they did so well at the back end of season 4 when van Dijk and Nichols were in good scoring form.

I think Dogz plan would work all right for the Fury (on a budget and play in difficult conditions). I wouldn't go with both wingers and fullbacks in that mold though. Just full backs. Wingers I would want extreme pace (rare) or that is where I would put my "footballers". If you have a Buyn as full back you can afford someone tricky on the wing. So two Buyns please :) Brisbane Roars (Murdocca & Mckay) central midfeild fits your description and it's not enough, you need something extra as well or like the CCM as the season wears on your team would be good in the first half of the season but fall of the pace as the real teams improve. Edit: Was expeting this to be about football manager :P Edit2 your playing 4-4-1 Dogz, wheres your other athlete going. A 16 yr old fast striker to try and win corners when you launch it upfield or a 40 yr old who's only in the team because he's good from set pieces? Sign yourself Con Boutsianis.

In other words, technical football ability doesn't matter. I agree on the centre backs. The rest requires footballing ability. You're approach is what British coaches having being doing here for years now. It didn't work then, it won't work now. And, it doesn't help improve us as a footballing nation. In football, physical attributes will only get you so far. You can't just have one or two play-makers who are skilful to guide the team around the park. The opposition can easily expose players lacking in ability not matter how big or fast they are.

My formula for winning the A-League? Pretty much the opposite of what most soccer fans in Australia argue. Give me the two fastest, strongest, tallest, most athletic centre-halves, capable of scaring the bejeezus out of all other teams at set pieces. Give me the fastest, hardest running wingers and fullbacks who will run all day, outrun their lard ar$e opponents, overlap, hit the byline, and most importantly cross the ball over the hot spot time after time. Give me the fastest, strongest, most athletic centre forward who knows the art of protecting the ball, but knows where the ball is going to be and is going to get his head to it more often than his markers. Give me two strong, intelligent defensive mids, who can run hard all day, have a high work rate, can tackle cleanly and can mark those namby pamby latinos so that they never get a sniff of it - if they can hit the target from outide the box, that's most welcome. You'd win the A-Leaague title time after time (although you might get a lot of complaints for being boring and predictable).

I think he's at Newcastle United, who are back in the EPL next season. So there's no way an A-League club could afford him. He's only 30 so he's not leaving England any time soon.