A lop-sided competition featuring eleven teams means one side was always going to miss out every round, but we can thank Football Federation Australia for butchering the entry of a team from western Sydney for that.
I bet they’re having sleepless nights in Townsville, and not just because of the humidity, as rumours circulate the FFA will cull North Queensland Fury to create a ten-team competition next season.
There are other external factors as well. Newcastle Jets had their clash with North Queensland Fury postponed because an ill-timed motorcross event tore up the Energy Australia Stadium pitch.
It’s not the only pitch feeling the strain, with Bluetongue Stadium and the Sydney Football Stadium both returfed during the current A-League campaign, forcing Sydney FC to play their most recent ‘home’ game at Parramatta Stadium.
That’s because the FFA scheduled a friendly with Paraguay at the Sydney Football Stadium when returfing was originally organised to take place.
But in the case of the Mariners, the lengthy returfing of their pitch took place in the middle of the A-League season, with Graham Arnold’s side subsequently forced to play four games in ten days while other teams enjoy the benefit of a rest.
We talk about the need for quality football in the A-League, yet a fixture list which crams three games in a week for certain teams while others sit on the sidelines twiddling their thumbs does little to encourage it, not least because A-League squad sizes are so small.
And even when unforeseen circumstances forces clubs to reschedule matches, such as the umpteenth visit from those off-key caterwaulers U2, we’re still left to rue missed opportunities.
It’s clear Brisbane Roar have no desire to play at Ballymore Stadium – the corporate facilities may not be up to scratch, but try telling that to the 10,000-strong fans who create the atmosphere at Suncorp – but did anyone think to encourage travelling English cricket fans to attend Wednesday night’s clash against Perth Glory?
He may have only started on the bench, but the visitors had a player virtually every member of the Barmy Army has heard of – Robbie Fowler – so it’s a shame only 6,836 fans bothered to turn out to watch an entertaining affair.
But what really bugs me about the A-League fixture list are not the circumstances beyond FFA’s control.
It’s the fact Adelaide United have already played Brisbane Roar twice – in Brisbane.
It’s that Newcastle Jets have four scheduled home games in a row, and will meet North Queensland Fury twice in the space of three days in January.
Meanwhile, Fury’s upcoming clash with Perth Glory is the third meeting between the pair this season, yet the Fury’s first match against Brisbane Roar took place just last weekend.
Pin your A-League fixture list to the wall, throw a dart and you’ll find yet another piece of scheduling with no rhyme or reason to it.
A-League chief Lyall Gorman claimed midweek fixtures are a “financial disaster” for clubs, but did he ever consider that fans would appreciate some semblance of a home-away-home schedule?
Let’s just hope common sense prevails next season, and we don’t see the same teams playing each other within weeks, while others endure long waits between matches.
At least FFA are not alone in their bungling – the Asian Football Conferation’s insistence players must attend their annual awards ceremony to win the Asian Player of the Year robbed Keisuke Honda of a deserved gong – but the event shouldn’t pass unnoticed.
So congratulations to Sasa Ognenovski and Kate Gill for winning their respective Asian Player of the Year awards and proudly flying the flag for Australia.
TK
Guest
The schedule is just one area of frustration - these issues are never pyublicaly acknowledged by the FFA or addressed. What I'd like to see is the FFA put out a discussion paper for fans to comment on all the issues associated with the lurching vehicle that is the A league. The FFA needs to listen to the community and fans . They want more people at games - well why not give people the opportunity to tell them how they can make this happen. I can think of a list of items for discussion straight away: Scheduling, pricing, marketing/promotion, community education, media education (I listened to a discussion from 4 different panelists the other day on ABC radio on the topic of 'is football dead in Australia after the failed world cup bid - not one football person in the discussion and they all agreed football was only good for kids and would never succeed here). Seems to me there is a reluctance to genuinely consult with the community on the game they are trying to promote - they shouldn't be thinking they are the ideas factory for the nation on the game.
RedOrDead
Guest
Let's not forget that the FFA is all hands on deck for the FIFA WC 2022 bid hence the a-league debacle which happening and struggling and stumbling along. The good thing is probably from next Monday (after this week's WC announcement) most of the resources who were used to work on the 2022 bid at the expense of the Hyundai A-League will be back. James, I think you should add Geelong in there to make it 16 teams! Then we will have 1 team playing 15 other teams twice = 30 games (15 at home and 15 away); where there are no byes and no mid-week matches! :-) I believe next season, 2011/2012 instead of culling Nth QLD to have 10 teams, do everything you can to bring in Sydney Rovers (or Western Sydney ) to have 12 teams! A 12 team comp with no byes will mean you will play a home game every 2 weeks. Your team will play the other 11 teams 3 times - 2 home, 1 away or vice versa (33 games) - and the second year 2012/2013 this will be reversed so the team you played twice away, you will play twice at home and vice versa! In 2013/2014 - you will introduce Geelong (Geelong City FC), Canberra Utd, Tasmania Utd and Illawarra/Wollongong (South Coast FC) to bring the A-League teams to 16! These 16 teams will use the momentum and popularity gained by the successful 2022 FIFA WC bid to grow and maintain their teams and fan base and play 30 games a season as explained above.
RedOrDead
Guest
What's funny about this is even www.a-league.com.au didn't even show Brisbane playing mid-week. On the right hand side, on top of the ladder where it shows the next fixtures, it was displayed, but if you click on "A-League" just above the fixtures, the Brisbane match was not there! lol Let's not even mention how long it takes (sometimes the next day) for the A-League website administrators to update the ladder after each game!!! ...oh wait, I just did! ;-)
jamesb
Guest
the fixture list has been terrible this season. First the a-league season started in early august, then you have midweek games, including last week where there were three games. Clubs that didn't play at home for long periods like jets and mariners. Plus with no advertising from the FFA, its no surprise crowds are down. I think for the rest of this a-league season its damage control. Just finish the season off, then hopefully in the off season, both the FFA, A-league and the clubs can come and work together and put the a-league back on track for season 7. With advertising, better fixture list, I see no reason why the A-league can't have average crowds again over 10,000. The only time I think an odd number of teams would work in the a-league is 15 teams. You bring in west sydney, wollongong, canberra and tasmania. Each team has 2 byes, and each team plays each other twice, in a 28 game season
Andyroo
Guest
That's the only ellement of the poor fixture list that I don't mind. Before the game against Perth while Brisbane were first if the other teams in the top 4 all won there games in hand then there would be about a point between them. As long as that gap in games is gone as we get into the final month so we can have a proper title race I will be ok.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
I didnt even know Brisbane Roar played a mid week game this week until the last minute, and i thought i was hard core.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
what ever they are paying you in your current job Fuss it is not enough. Please send your CV to Frank Lowy. Simplicity and common sense pays very well these days. But the tragedy we are seeing is that FFA sees to think that we dont need more Football people at HQ.
djsinnema
Roar Rookie
I believe that the A-League is not the only national competition with some crazy scheduling. The AFL has done this kind of thing for about 5-6 years. One year Carlton and hawthorn played once, in the final game of the season, Next year some teams will meet each other once, in the 2nd last game of the season, others will have 2 games against each other in 10 weeks. I don't know too much about NRL, but i am certain that they have Similar shit happen.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
The problem with the LA Galaxy fixture is the fact that it sends a signal that there is much room for the ad hoc. Had the game being scheduled for a bye, then fine, however in my opinion the competition should take precedence over friendlies and re-scheduling should only occur due to (i) unforseen stadium issues, or (ii) the ACL.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
that turf at the Suwon game was truly a disgrace.... and you are talking to someone who watches games in Cambodia
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
In all the hullabaloo about David Beckham's latest lucrative trip Down Under, there's been little mention of the fact Newcastle Jets had to move what could have been their best attended fixture of the season against local rivals Central Coast, to a Wednesday night. I'm all for matches like the clash between Newcastle Jets and LA Galaxy tomorrow night, because it brings exposure to football in this country. But it does so at the expense of the A-League, and it's this disconnect so many football followers find frustrating. When A-League teams are shoved aside for the purpose of a glorified training match, how dare FFA turn around and ask fans to turn up to watch A-League matches when FFA officials seem to care little for them in the first place.
Ben Somerford
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree more, Mike. Add to that, from a fans' perspective, with some sides having played 18 games, some 14 games, some 16 games, it's impossible to know what to make of the A-League ladder. You could argue Perth Glory are actually last right now.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I gave up. It's always a maze trying to find how to put your tips in, I don't find the roar tipping page intuitive at all. You need a button that says ENTER TIPS
Brett McKay
Expert
Zac, that explains why my score is so low, I'm still waiting for those points!!
Zac Zavos
Editor
I'm trying to run our Roar A-League tipping comp and lemme tell you; it's almost impossible. Matches still not played from countless rounds ago, overlap in starting times for each round. Crazy stuff...
Seungmin Lee
Guest
In K-League, the same problems had occured for the last 2 years. In 2009, K-League was in trouble with KFA cause they was promised that if South Korea proceeded to WC2010, then KFA will withdraw the friendlies in September, allowing K-League play their games. But, the promise was broken up. So South Korea played Australia on 5th Sep and it provoked a huge debate among Korean football fans. For this year, when Seongnam played Suwon in the Quarter Final of ACL, Yoon Sunghyo the Suwon gaffer blamed on Seongnam of the poor Tancheon turf, believing it affected the team's performance as losing 1-4. (tho the right of stadium belongs to the local government) FFA should learn some lessons from it. K-League noticed the problems and set up, improved their fixture list system, turning 'one team should have rest' to the advantage to the participants of ACL as giving them the rest just before they have an away game to some far abroad.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I must admit it is looking a bit odd. Some of the stadium deals haven't been terribly satisfactory to date and this has no doubt contributed.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Fair point Sweeper ... unless, of course, "the genius" in charge of the A-League fixture decided to schedule both Heart & MVFC in Melbourne on the same w/e every round. ;-)
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Hehe, well spotted Luke. Talk about being out on your feet!
Sweeper
Guest
Point 1 makes Point 2 redundant. I've sent my excel spreadsheet of next seasons fixtures to FFA.