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As expected this season’s standout side, Brisbane Roar, dominated the PFA’s Alex Tobin Medal awards night in Melbourne yesterday. With seven players in the starting eleven plus a substitute and coach all coming from the A-League Premiers, Ange Postecoglou’s Roar revolution can add another notch to its belt.
There’s a bigger message to come out of last night’s ceremony, however, and it’s that the reference point for the A-League has changed.
Since the competition’s inception football lovers and neutral observers alike have compared the fledgling league to its older siblings in Europe, but for no longer.
In Brisbane Roar and the Central Coast Mariners we have two local teams who can be used as suitable yardsticks when we consider the merits of an A-League squad and their performances.
Both clubs have based their success on “systems” that have single-handedly raised the level of expectation in Australian football, so this is a key moment in the league’s development.
No longer do we have to support Australia’s domestic competition simply because it’s ours, now we can implore our friends and families to take in a game because we’re proud of what it has become.
Furthermore, as the on field quality has improved so has our respect for the past.
What a wonderful way John Aloisi and Josip Skoko were acknowledged by Melbourne Heart on Saturday night as they farewelled professional football.
Well done to the Melbourne Heart and the Yarraside who have shown the kind of reverence and respect we should show the greats of our game both past and present.
Last night this theme was continued with the awarding of the Alex Tobin Medal, arguably the highest acknowledgement a player can receive in Australian football, to former Socceroo Mark Viduka.
It’s a credit to a man who became the second Australian to captain his side to a World Cup that we are now wondering whether he was the best our game has ever produced.
To think it wasn’t that long ago the Australian football community was debating whether ‘Dukes’ was scoring enough goals for Australia.
What all this says to me is that last night Australian football continued to grow up.
PFA A-League Team of the Season:
GOALKEEPER: Michael Theoklitos (Brisbane Roar)
DEFENDERS: Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar), Matt Smith (Brisbane Roar), Luke Devere (Brisbane Roar), Cassio (Adelaide United)
MIDFIELDERS: Marcos Flores (Adelaide United), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar, captain), Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar)
FORWARDS: Kosta Barbarouses (Brisbane Roar), Sergio Van Dijk (Adelaide United), Robbie Kruse (Melbourne Victory)
SUBS: Glen Moss (Gold Coast United), Josh Rose (Central Coast Mariners), Kasey Wehrman (Newcastle United Jets), Carlos Hernandez (Melbourne Victory), Jean Carlos Solorzano (Brisbane Roar).
COACH: Ange Postecoglou (Brisbane Roar).
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