Which is better, a high-profile coach or marquee player?

We were both there for the birth of our love child RF. Now you have abandon us for another---there's no need to slag us off. But a birthday card from you every year would be appreciated. If you do not want to do it for me, at least do it for our unloved love child on the GC. Who knows, it may grow up to be a shinning star you would have been proud of :)

Hi Guys. Been wanting to mention this for a while, Gee those Sony T.V commercials Football in 3D are the best commercials i've ever seen on T.V.

Sponsorship is all very well, but you still have to find a way to get people to support the team. Unfortunately, GCU still have Mensinck and Bleiberg running the club. Until at least Bleiberg is gone it is hard to see a way forward. He has alienated pretty near everyone. I really do want Gold Coast to continue and to thrive in the A-League, but without a new set of faces for head office it isn't going to happen. As it is, GCU will continue to embarrass the League with home matchdays photographed against row upon row of empty seats. There's no egg anywhere, AF. Nothing has changed, unfortunately.

Excellent news AF! Yes, Season 7 is going to be a beauty and, with a new Football Department and players such as Rojas & Cernak to join Carlos, Archie, Marvin, etc. we'll be expecting the good times to return to Olympic Blvd. Eagerly waiting for the FFA to release the schedule of matches. The FFA & MVFC have certainly been active in reaching out to fans with detailed post-season surveys, and an email from Lyle Gorman suggests the FFA are listening and we'll have: more certainly with the next fixtures; more Gen Admin at stadia; lower ticket prices. Thank heavens we have 3 FIFA WCs to keep us occupied, as well as the UCL (another 430 a.m. start next 2 days and 4 hours of non-stop football to start the day!), the FA Cup, the Copa del Rey and the climax to all the European leagues. And, with a bit of luck ... we may even get to see MVFC extend their ACL campaign into the knock-out stage (ok i'm starting to dream now!).

Fuss---meanwhile up north a recent statement from our GCU CEO: QUEENSLAND Nickel’s (QN) corporate logo will once again be emblazoned across the front of Gold Coast United’s home and away playing strips after the Queensland-based company signed up to continue their major sponsorship of the club.“Queensland Nickel are a great supporter of football and we are delighted that our relationship will proceed into next season and beyond.” Mr Mensink said." It seems to me that all of the dooms-day-sayers in regard to the GCU and the HAL will have egg on their faces---HAL will be bigger and brighter in ver 7..

MVFC has announced that Gary Cole, who was the Football Operations Manager, has also departed the club. So, a sad end (is any ending ever happy?) for the trio from the Football department - Merrick, Cole & Healy - who brought MVFC so much success in the past. But, true fans are the only constant at Football clubs - the harsh reality is players and staff come and go. Time to move on and, with 60 applicants firing in resumes for the job of Head Coach it seems MVFC is a very attractive job in Australian Football. "The king is dead, long live the king" ...

I disagree with the thrust of this article, which asked, "Would A-League fans prefer their club to sign a marquee coach or a marquee player?" Football is an international game so it is up to A League clubs to get international financial backing that means they will not have to choose between a marquee coach or a marquee player.

Can you imagine the publicity Melbourne Victory would get when Roy rings into Special 1 tv from Melbourne.

because you are focused on the result on the pitch rather than the bottom line on the books which is red very red at the moment for all clubs.

Not that I have any proof of this, but I would imagine that a high profile coach would be able to command the attention of better players to come to a club rather than a high profile player. Unfortunately the only way to find out which is better is to give it a go for 2 years. If its good then great but if its bad its a disaster.

Id like too hear from the board of the Melbourne Victory too explain why they sacked Merrick,was it just purely they thought Postecoglou would come back to the promised land. Id like the Melbourne Victory football directors ( i hope they no their football ) to sit down with Durakovic and for Durakovic too explain his theories on the way he want's his football played, his thoughts in relation to the youth that have been under his tutelage before taking the senior post, and the way he believes the club should go forward with Muscat playing a pivitol role as assistant, their both people who have a core connection with the club for some time now which i think is important in building a brand. People may think i don't want Roy at the club not at all he's been a great footballer truly and a straight shooter and probably half decent gaffa, but would it be an appointment to keep the occasional SOCCER fans happy in Melbourne thats what concerns me ,are we a circus act for the mainstream sports media. Look ill cut to the chase id like to see Durakovic and Musci at the helm of this football club but also too scout in the America's and Europe Broich and Zwaanswijk come to mind and for the likes of Hernades, Flores, Perez i notice Solorzarno has been picked up by the Victory for next season. That model mixed with youth is pretty much what Ange and Arnie have done this season too great success those players i've mentioned have not really been Marquee signings but have worked very successfully to my eye. I might be off key with my football brain but Flores ,Broich,Richardinho,Perez , Zwaanswijk and Solorzano really worked for me this season and with no fanfare to announce their arrival.

Tell you what, if I was Roy Keane, I could think of 10,000 better things to do on my holiday in Australia than watch Lavicka's excruciating Sydney take on that awful Chinese team, the name of which my brain has already mercifully wiped from my memory. Some people go the Barrier Reef, Roy. I think you need counselling, mate, I really do.

Agree with that jamesb, the hottest property on the Australian football market at the end of the season was Ange Postecoglou and he was Victory's first target to replace Merrick. If he left the Roar it would have splintered the team and the club, cost them thousands of fans and hundreds of thousands in revenue over the next season. A good manager who gets results is worth a lot more to a club than a good marquee player. Would Victory do better this season with Robbie Fowler as marquee player or Ange as coach?

Marquee coach that would develop marquee players. I think the Brisbane Roar coach has done an outstanding job, and has developed a great player in Matt Mckay

Ossie Ardiles at MV would be a very interesting appointment!

Prefer a good coach to a name coach.Non football people won't be tempted to go to a football game just to watch Keane standing on the sidelines.

With you 100%. BTW I'm an Australian sports fan and I would chuck the biggest tantrum if the Phoenix or the Warriors were kicked out of the Australian comps, (Super Rugby is a bit more of a partnership so that wouldn't happen without a complete restructuring, plus without you guys the comp would be pretty average). New Zealand is an important part of the Australian sporting landscape, and visa versa and should be treated as such, hell, mad old Jeff Kennet wants an Aussie Rules team there. If anything there should be an aim to have two NZ teams for the A-League and the NRL in the forthcoming years.

A coach. There is a saying - sometimes a team will beat a team of stars. A good coach will take the no-names, up and coming youngsters and guide them to be top players, the no-1 in their position if they are good enough. on a slightly different topic - I'm a die-hard rugby supporter, but I've been impressed with how the phoenix have captured the imagination of the Wellington and New Zealand sporting public. They have shown many of my follow Kiwis that a choice between rugby and soccer is not a threat to the status of New Zealand Rugby, If anything the phoenix have brought sport to a whole range of New Zealanders who whom rugby is not a option for one reason or another. Football is on the rise in New Zealand, and I for one applaud it for taking its stand. This does not mean I want to see it replace Rugby as the no.1 sport in New Zealand but I do believe that the option is important and believe it would be a shame to see the club die because Tony is having a few money issues. I hope that the New Zealand government recognises the important of the phoenix and I'd advocate assistance to make sure the club stays afloat. I believe the phoenix is good for football in New Zealand, its good for New Zealand has a country since it provides kids playing football with opportunities to play the sport they love without having to go overseas, and it's good for the A-League, I know that a lot of Australian sports teams would love to see our kiwi sports teams kicked out of their competition, but we do pay our way, and we do add another dynamic to the competition. I want to see the phoenix grow and prosper into a well known and respectable brand. Well that’s my thoughts on the matter.

Fuss---thanks for the memories and I also remember that Glen Hoddle was a keen student playing alongside of the two masters---he learned a lot from these men that shaped his career.

AF Yes your memory is spot on ... Ricardo (Ricky) Villa was the other Argentinean and his 1981 winner in the FA Cup final replay against Man City is the stuff of legends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R44tPArJIy4