It isn’t the money or the players, or even the marquee players or the system; it’s the coach, stupid. Ange Posticoglou is doing a great job with Brisbane Roar and the players are responding.
They go into this weekend’s game against Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp with the chance to equal Eastern Suburbs’ (rugby league) 75-year-old record of 34 games unbeaten of any major Australasian football code.
That would be some achievement.
Then the following week against the Jets at Ausgrid Stadium would present the chance to establish a new Australasian sporting record with a run of 35 games unbeaten.
Who knows where it’s going to end?
The coach and the players are hungry for it too. On the ABC’s Offsiders, Postecoglou said that they want the record, and will not lie down and lose on purpose just to take that pressure off them.
Why would they? They seem to thrive on that pressure.
It hasn’t always been rosy for Ange as an Australian football coach.
He was a spectacular failure as the Australian men’s youth coach and endured some terrible public grilling at the hands of Australian journalists and football commentators like self-proclaimed professor Craig Foster.
Something akin to what Jan Versleijen is going though now.
But Ange didn’t let that sort of treatment end his football managerial career forever. He learnt from his mistakes and came back bigger and better than ever after a stint in Europe where he spent time improving his trade.
He’s come back to set the benchmark in the A-League and has already attracted some overseas interest, which is sure to grow.
But Ange is not just doing it for himself and for Brisbane football fans; Ange is doing it for the A-League and for this footballing nation.
No seriously – by lifting the standard of the A-League, the other clubs will have to follow.
With the increased standard come better players, more entertaining games, more satisfied fans and better quality overseas players are attracted to come here.
Paul Bosschaart was told not to expect much from the A-League before he left Holland to link up with Sydney FC.
But after a few rounds and a tough pre-season campaign, FC defender Bosschaart has been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football in Australia and teams like the Roar.
And he knows it will not get any easier playing here.
As for his A-League experience, Bosschaart said before training yesterday: “In Holland they told me the A-League was not that good, but it surprised me and the level has been quite good.”
“To be honest, I think Sydney FC can beat most of the teams in Holland.”
And not just the A-League, Postecoglou and the Roar have raised the stakes for the Socceroos and the up and coming youth players.
And how dearly the FFA would like Ange to be in charge of the Australian men’s youth team right now. He couldn’t take over from Versleijen quickly enough for Lowy’s liking.
Ange is also responsible for Matt Mackay’s recent meteoric rise into the Socceroos and with more Brisbane players like Zullo, Oar, Nicholls, Paartalu and so on to follow, he is also lifting the standard of our national football teams playing stocks as well.
How long before Ange makes a triumphant return as the Socceroos senior men’s team national coach?
For now he’ll have to bide his time, because we have a very good national team manager in Holger Osieck.
But strong competition for places, even at the national team level, does improve the performances of those who want to stay at the top, players and managers alike.
That’s not a bad thing for the A-League and Australian football.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/asteroid-on-track-for-close-encounter-20111107-1n3ve.html Tomorrow is a lucky day for Sydney.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Easts had 3 draws in their 34 game unbeaten run and there were less teams in those days with different rules and no tackle count, etc etc if you want to put it in perspective. Its not a comparison - they are facts to be interperted however you want. Whether you call it football or soccer, Brisbane Roar are in the history books - just need to see where their unbeaten run will finish. Great effort by Ange and the boys, which will take a lot of beating.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
I agree that all A-League teams can continue to improve. We still have a long way to go as a football nation, but we are making progress. The emergence of the Roar and Ange as a manager has been one of the great improvements made in the past few years and I look forward to more players, coaches and officials and administrators coming to the fore. There is a great need for more great football people to make a contribution to our great football nation.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Bondy, I have been involved in football most of my life as a player, coach, manager and on the committee of my club. I still play over 35s and love the game and enjoy watching it wherever I can, but my biggest joy is to see young Australians developing in the game and going on to do well at it. My biggest hope is that one day the Socceroos make the final of the FIFA WC.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Agree
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Yes but what a team they would make together and well worth the FFA investing a couple of million to get Ange back into Australian youth football development,
It'sAlsoCalledSoccer
Guest
Oh, and on the number of games unbeaten. A fantastic record and great to see the publicity, but is it necessary to compare it to other sports? Why not just be proud of the record they're setting in Australian soccer? Why do we always have to measure soccer against other sports? As it stands it's apples and oranges anyway, there are far less draws in RL so by just taking that into account the Easts run is a much more impressive record.
It'sAlsoCalledSoccer
Guest
Ange continues to say that the Roar can still improve. I didn't see the game the other night but a couple of commentators have talked about the Roar's inflexible approach and not having a second tactical option as one of the reasons they couldn't break down a (necessarily) defensive Victory. Perhaps this is what Ange is talking about with improvement, I look forward to seeing the team continue to develop. I don't think we have to worry about Ange leaving to coach elsewhere for money, a number of factors will play a part, he seems very thoughtful and patient when deciding his future. Hopefully I'm right and we can see him here for at least another few years and taking the Roar to the Club World Championship.
Atmos
Guest
"Then the following week against the Jets at Ausgrid Stadium would present the chance to establish a new Australasian sporting record with a run of 35 games unbeaten." Oh dear, that was the one team the Roar failed to beat all of last season and at Ausgrid they can be ruthless. 34 might just be all she wrote...
Bondy
Guest
ICF, Who are you, your an educater of football students in some way shape or form .
Bondy
Guest
fuss , how are you finding the new website .
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Bondy, the A-League is an even comp and one of the great things about the A-League is that it has a salary cap and it doesn’t pay that well so it evens up the compeition as one team starts to dominate and their better players [and manager] leave. Maybe the overall standard is not up to the best European leagues, but some of the A-League games I've seen, both live and on TV, have been great drama and entertainment.
Bondy
ICF. I dont think Mr Postecoglou is looking for a youth gig again it will be the big one next time and with my blessing .
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Fussball, seems iniveitable doesn't it and some of the Roar players will leave too. Like you, I watch with interest how the Roar will go without him and I'm sure players like Broich, Beshart, Paartalu etc will be snapped up by other A-League clubs if Ange is not around and they want to stay in the A-League. People complain about players and coaches leaving for overseas, but one of the great things about the A-League is that it has a salary cap and it doesn't pay that well so it evens up the compeition as one team starts to dominate and their better players [and manager]leave. I saw how vulnerable teh Roar can be and I'm not putting my money on teh Roar winning Back to back A-League titles just yet.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Cheers QsAF, wonder if Ange would go the whole circle and take the job as Socceroos youth coach now than Versleijen is leaving. Ange said he didn't want to leave Australia or teh Roar, but could he be tempted - I'm sure he would do an excellent job now.
Bondy
Guest
ICF I watched Real play Ossasuna last night they get mauled that badly that it's pretty hard to watch really, i drew to the conclusion for drama the A League is better than La Liga .
Bondy
Guest
All valid points I.C.F also in watching Offsiders there's been some speculation of late about Ange departing our shores but from what i could tell he'll be there for another two years .
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
I've never met Ange, but he just seems like a delightful character. He was part of the Offsiders panel (ABV TV) yesterday and he's just such a humble, straight-talking guy. When he's asked a question, you don't hear robotic cliches or meaningless replies, you actually learn something from his answers. I'm afraid the HAL will lose him by the end of this season to an o/s club and then I will be eagerly watching his new team's results with the same anticipation that I review the w/e scores of all the o/s teams featuring our Aussie lads.
striker
Guest
This the A-League deserves more credit than people will give it, just look at Kewell and Emerton they have no way have dominated the league as people might have thought shows how good this league is, and Ange is showing that again on how good this league is with a team like brisbane even if there performance was not the best on Saturday night.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
It is really quite an amazing story. Ange much maligned national youth manager and out of favour in the Australian Coaching sphere for a long time, then to make a triumphal return to Australian coaching, taking over at the Roar FC to show us we were wrong about him is quite an achievement. When you cast your mind back to the day he took over the Roar, the senior player group were defiant laying down demands to the owners "Either he goes or we go" they said. And we are talking about high profile Socceroos. Luckily for the Roar fans, the owners stood fast and accepted the resignations of these senior players. Hats off to the owners at the time as normally in the past the owners would buckle and sack the manager. Now Ange has shown the way forward for Australian Football. You just don't declare to the world that you have arrived and are now a full time professional football club as we did in year one of the HAL. You have to act like one off the field as well as on the field. This means a lot of hard work at training---it begins early in the day with 5:00 am starts in the morning---putting in the full conditioning and training sessions that most top European clubs take for granted during the week, preparing tor the weekend's fixture. We owe Ange a lot showing us at last it's not just about recruiting talented footballers from wherever you can get them. Its about choosing the right dedicated footballers who are willing to act like true professional footballer for the club---ready to put in the hard yards on the training pitch. Thanks Ange..