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I’ve been a strident critic of many aspects of the A-League since its inception – player recruiting strategies, coaching, uncertainties over a commitment to social responsibility, a too-short season and the misguided “one team one city” policy that has thankfully been abandoned.
However, in this the sixth season of the A-League, I can now say that the league is as good as it’s ever been in terms of calibre of players and standard of play.
We have seen a much-needed injection of foreign coaching talent in the league, most notably North Queensland Fury’s Frantisek Straka, who comes even more highly rated than Lavicka in his homeland.
Straka has performed a minor miracle in making the Fury competitive on a tight budget, and has built an excellent rapport with the fans. Rini Coolen, similarly, has reinvigorated Adelaide United after last season’s disastrous showing.
Of the local coaches, Ricki Herbert is easily the best and has shown that with both club and country.
In terms of playing stocks, the A-League is the best it’s ever been.
Players of the calibre of Carlos Hernandez have been joined by Robbie Fowler, Paul Ifil, Victor Sikora, and the Argentine wave- Marcos Flores, Patricio Perez and Oscar Cornejo. Of the Brazilians to have graced the league, Cassio, Daniel and Reinaldo are the only ones to have had staying power.
But developing homegrown talent remains key to growing this league in addition to a higher calibre of imports.
The games so far have seen a more positive approach taken by many teams in stark contrast to the tedious, cagey not-lose “football” we had been foisted with.
Our league can only improve further from here – because unlike most leagues there’s plenty of room for improvement, whereas other more established leagues either plateau or fluctuate in quality.
And others, such as the Scottish leagues, have only seen a downard lurch in standards.
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