After five months without a game, and having been dumped by a team that had just been relegated to the third division of English football, I must admit to having low expectations about the debut of former Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers last weekend.
Yet, the 29-year-old surprised many with a classy 60 minute performance on debut and backed it up with another strong outing on Wednesday night.
So is it a good or bad thing that a player who couldn’t get a gig in the English third division is able to walk into the A-League without having played a game since May and have such an impact?
To me it feels like a fairly damning indictment, but one which Australian football can learn from, and if we do so, the potential benefits are enormous.
First of all, let’s consider Jeffers’ main traits that have impressed in his first two games in Australia.
There’s no doubt he’s a crafty footballer with a great first touch. He’s particularly adept at sitting on the defenders shoulder then making little “half-runs” beyond the defensive line as soon as a team-mate wins the ball back in the opposition half.
On Wednesday night in particular this lead to a number of decent scoring opportunities where only a lack of match fitness let the Englishman down.
The other impressive feature from Jeffers was not just that he worked hard but how aware he was of his surroundings. If a defender hesitated or made a mistake, whether it was on the ball or in his positioning, the former England international was there to pounce.
Despite only having played for just over two hours in the A-League so far, Jeffers has already made a number of players briefly look like fools (sorry Theo). The reason Jeffers has been able to do this is because concentration levels aren’t as high in Australia as he’s used to in England.
Quite simply, in the A-League you can still get away with the odd mistake because there isn’t the quality of opponent, both technically and intellectually, to exploit it.
While this area has improved over the league’s short life span, it still lags behind what you would consider top class European football.
I’m not just talking about the strongest leagues on the continent but right across most first and many second division competitions in Europe.
A few weeks ago I sat down with Adrian Madaschi in the gorgeous northern Italian town of Portogruaro for an interview that was recently published in Australian Football Weekly.
At the time I found one of Madaschi’s comments about the difference between the Italian third and second divisions particularly enlightening and it’s just as applicable to the difference between the A-League and European football.
“Defensively you have to be a lot more alert, concentrate a lot more,” explained the 28-year-old.
“The slightest mistake can cost you. Over the last nine games so far we’ve committed mistakes that have cost us, which maybe in Serie C they wouldn’t have.
“If you’re playing in Serie C, the strikers might score two out of five opportunities. In Serie B, out of five occasions they’ll probably score three of five.
“So you’ve got to concentrate more. You’ve got to think in anticipation of what the striker’s going to do. You’ve got to think, “No, he’s not going to get that ball because I’m going to put myself there.”
“You know if you don’t get to that ball it’s going to be a goal. That’s the mentality you’ve got to take on.”
So how do we reach this level? In a word: pressure.
Pressure creates tension, which in turn increases expectations and this all helps to gradually increase the overall level of the league.
Ultimately the A-League exists to help support the Socceroos, and developing Australia’s domestic competition to this intensity will have enormous benefits to the national team.
An overall increase in technical ability may be a key requirement but it wont come without the necessary expectation from the wider football community.
It’s another crucial piece of the puzzle, so don’t be afraid to criticise and debate. Only through discourse will the game be able to realise its potential.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
David V That's a fair comment if we are talking about undiscovered, young players. But, in my opinion, if a player: a) had excellent technical ability and was playing at the highest division of any European league as a youngster, and b) now, at the age of 28+, perhaps due to injury or he didn't have that 100% will to succeed, that player finds his career has moved backwards to the lower professional leagues, then, it is very unlikely that player will ever play in the highest leagues in Europe again at the age of 28+ .. unless his current lower division team gets promoted each year. Quite simply, if you've been noticed by the top clubs as a youngster (e.g. ex-Man United: Luke Chadwick, Daniel Nardiello) but have been discarded for whatever reason, it's unlikely you're going to get a 2nd chance aged 28+ ... I can't think of too many such players?
David V.
Guest
Lower leagues in Europe give you more games and the chance to move upwards.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
AndyRoo Your point about Jacob Burns is very insightful and I totally agree. As far as I'm concerned, Australia can produce its own players with excellent conditioning and strong mental strength, but we are certainly lacking in home-grown players who have excellent technique and tactical nous. Of course, this is already changing as we start to see the input of the 1st generation of Australian footballers, who learned their craft under the new technical direction of Australian football (Amini, Leckie, Kantarovski, etc.). (We can also produce excellent, top-level GKs so, heaven forbid, we ever recruit an o/s GK into the A-League!) For me, the overseas players that have made the the biggest impact in the A-League all exhibit excellent technique and good "football brains": e.g. Fred, Carlos, Ifil, Broich, Flores (interestingly, all No 10s!). The o/s strikers, who have made an impact in the A-League are also excellent technicians: Yorke, Fowler and Jeffers should be the same and, I have absolutely no doubt, Ricardinho will have a huge impact when he plays in the proper position - imagine MVFC with Archie, Kruse, Carlos, Angulo and Ricardinho ... i'm starting to salivate!. So, if I were an A-League recruiter I'd be scouring the world for excellent technical footballers, playing in the lower divisions of European, Asian & Sth American leagues, who may be looking for better money and better lifestyles ... playing A-League in Australia in the middle of summer; or winter in the lower leagues of England - the decision should be pretty simple?
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
There are players in the lower leagues that would make a good transition to the A league who probably don't stand out in england. enigmatic talents like Ifil and Broich who played at pretty decent levels are the type I am thinking of. They probably aren't as valuable when your playing a 40 plus game season and have bigger squads. It goes both ways though because I remember when Leeds United signed Jacob Burns from Parramatta thinking what??? Then an even bigger whaaaat? when he got time on the paddock. His role is one that a thousand aussies are capable of playing (though he's better than most) but must have been more valued in England. I didn't think it was damming of the EPL that Leeds signed Jacob burns and he was getting on the field, but in Australia their are plenty of euro snobs (not davidde) of fans that will abuse Australia if anyone does well here that wasn't a superstar before. E.g. the comments about Flores and such. This one way negativity annoys me.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The ease with which Francis Jeffers has transitioned into the A-League comes as no surprise to me. Jeffers is a quality player, whose technical ability and football vision saw him rated - only 7 years ago - as one of the best young talents in England - and he was recruited by Arsene Wenger to play for one of the "big four in England". Unfortunately, for Jeffers his career at Arsenal was plagued by injuries and he also was competing for a place in the Arsenal forward structure with a couple of reasonable French footballers ... Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord! Quite simply, Jeffers is no mug and he's certainly not your archetypical footballer playing in "the lower divisions of England", so I'm surprised anyone would have had "low expectations" when Jeffers was recruited by Branko Culina - another football manager, who places a high emphasis on technical ability. Elite, professional footballers don't lose their technical ability ... certainly, not by age 29. So, even though I don't follow Newcastle, I was thrilled to hear Jeffers was coming to the A-League. But, even if Francis Jeffers becomes a consistent HAL performer, he will be the exception, rather than the norm, amongst the list of players who transferred from the lower divisions of England and tried to make a living in Australian football. From my observation, there have been more failures (e.g. Brian Deane, Steve MacMahon jnr, James Robinson, etc.) amongst the group of players, who came to the A-League from the lower divisions of English football, than there are success stories. Only time will tell if Jeffers is simply another Robbie Fowler - super-gifted and an outright match-winner several times a year, but lacking the conditioning (Fowler's body cannot work as quickly as Fowler's brilliant football brain, and Jeffers has a history of injury problems) and/or the mental attributes to be a consistent performer for 90 minutes every week for 30 weeks, at this stage of his life.
Midfielder
Guest
Also http://www.justin.tv/aleagueeveryday/dmca_violation
MattG
Guest
I had to think for a moment by what you meant by 'pressure'. Have come to the conclusion that you mean on-field pressure by players such Jeffers? Can be very encompassing, meaning also off-field pressure, competition for places, pressure from the public to display better football, new foreign coaches expectations on players' abilities perhaps? I guess I enjoy the word, and enjoy yelling it on the weekend, both on and off field. =)
gazz
Roar Pro
Isn't that called drawing a long bow or something? Seriously anthrax?
gazz
Roar Pro
Nice, AndyRoo.
AnTHraX
Guest
heres a good reason why jeffers has started promisingly http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/promising-to-deliver-burntout-jeffers-fires-up-for-jets-20101116-17vxm.html
AnTHraX
Guest
Its called the snowball effect champ. You rag on the standard, the world game rags on the standard, 442 rags on the standard. Yes you are only pointing out our deficiencies so in time we can make them strengths, but its only REAL football people who can recognise that. The general public who base their opinion on small tidbits that they hear here and there take it as gospel, and because of this they are less willing to give the domestic league a chance. Look at the decline in the A League crowds since Pim said his comment about training in Europe being better than playing in the A League. Crowds were fan f#cking tastic for most teams before he said that. Now even Victory is struggling to pull 10k. Us, as football people dont need to be overly pessimistic to get our point across anymore. The leagues evolved, so should we.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I agree, I actually enjoyed the subject and article. I guess my comment looked negative because I only addressed what I disagreed with or what I thought was contentious.
BrisbaneBhoy
Guest
I for one thought the article was a positive one. Football is a mental game, and if the concentration level across the board can be improved, then so will the standard of both player and league a like. I can't see how this can be called a negative/pessimistic article, as IMO, all that has been done is raised an issue that needs improving. It's not like it's and end of the world type article.
zizou
Roar Rookie
I have to agree with Fussball the comparison between Jeffers and Thompson based purely on time out the game is a very poor one indeed.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Davidde I think it's very unfair to compare Jeffers on his return, to Archie's return to the game. Archie ruptured his ACL, which is one of the most debilitating injuries for any sportsman - particularly a footballer. Archie was out of the game for 8 months because he had a full knee reconstruction 8 months ago. As far as I know, Jeffers was out of the game b/c he didn't have a contract. It takes a while to get confidence back after such major surgery - as we see with Celeski - but, Archie's movement and overall contribution last night tells me he is close to his best ... apart from the scoring! In 2003, Jeffers was going to be the "next big thing in England" and was signed for Arsenal by Arsene Wenger, which tells me he has sublime technique, and you certainly don't lose your technique when you are still in your prime at age 29!
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Francis Jeffers is impressive---I had only seen the highlights but he certainly has hit the tarmac running.. SFC could do with his services when he is finished with the Jets for the coming ACL campaign.. I hope he sticks around in Australia for some time to come..
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Given you think his performances are damming of the A league I think it is overboard.... it implys that he is dominating. I haven't looked up his goal tally I guess he's scored 3 or 4 goals already in his two games? Former English international looks dangerous but doesn't score and fails to finish out the game would be my version of this story.
Davidde Corran
Roar Guru
A blog on The Roar, which will overwhelmingly be read by people who already attend A-League games, is not going to turn away potential followers of the game. Yes it's important to celebrate success but open discussion of problems, weaknesses and issues is just as crucial. There is a difference between discussing something and "being pessimistic and ragging". An important distinction.
Davidde Corran
Roar Guru
AndyRoo I wrote that, "the 29-year-old surprised many with a classy 60 minute performance on debut and backed it up with another strong outing on Wednesday night." I don't feel like that is "way overboard". Compare his return to Archie Thompsons after a similar amount of time. Archie was, understandably, invisible in his first two games back.
AnTHraX
Guest
instead of being pessimistic and ragging on the standard of the a-league, which is at a very decent level despite what most people think. Why not focus on the fact that a highly talented individual in Jeffers has re-ignited his passion for football in a developing league. Its the consistent back handed compliments about the standard of Football in this country that are keeping the crowds away. The technical standard of the league is improving massively, along with the tactical aspect. I think its about time we as football fans started drawing more attention towards the positives.