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Arnie and Angie take the A-League to another level

Graham Arnold has his side purring. (AAP)
Roar Guru
28th March, 2012
10

The A-League has benefitted significantly this season from the efforts of two locally raised and developed football managers, and I say that with a great sense of pride.

Graham Arnold has led the Central Coast Mariners to the A-League premiership with an impressive 2-1 away win at Wellington Phoenix to secure the title by two points, but the hard work was done over a long 27-match season.

During that time both Brisbane and Central Coast at various times broke away from the rest of the field and looked likely to take the premiership with points in the bag, but in the end it was closer than expected and the Mariners prevailed.

Graham Arnold has also been deservedly named the 2011/12 Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) Hyundai A-League Coach of the Season.

Ange Postecoglou, the Brisbane Roar football manager, led his team to an Australian record for all football codes, with a run of 36 matches unbeaten. Brisbane Roar also play some of the most attractive football ever seen in an Australian domestic football competition.

The two stars of Australian football management come up against each other again this weekend in the first leg of the A-League major semi-final to determine who has the right to host the A-League grand final.

Arnold freely admitted on Fox Sports that Ange has challenged him this season and lifted his coaching ability to another level.

Arnold himself is credited with bringing to the Mariners a solid structure and organisation, a discipline that has stood them in good stead as they battled their way through to the right to face Brisbane in Sunday’s major semi as premiers.

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Arnold and Postecoglou are former Socceroos internationals and have coached Australian international teams at junior and senior level, but they have found their greatest challenges and most satisfying rewards as A-League football managers.

Arnold says he goes to work every day at the Mariners with a great big smile on his face and its a great honour for him to work with the great staff and team he has at Central Coast.

Ange has a similar opinion of the set-up at Brisbane Roar, and echoes his own huge satisfaction of coaching in the A-League, reflecting on what he has achieved with the Roar.

Coaching the best players, competing against the sharpest minds and learning from experts in the field has clearly improved them as coaches, and perhaps given them an edge on their local and international A-League rivals.

Certainly two of the most ambitious clubs in the A-League, Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, have found themselves falling behind Brisbane, the Mariners and others, and appreciate much more the value of an exceptional football manager in getting results in the A-League.

Both clubs have shown a keen interest in contracting these managers. Ange and Arnie have also fielded offers form big-name Asian clubs and are certainly in demand.

There’s no doubt that both legs of the A-League major semi-final will bring about some very competitive, entertaining and at times thrilling A-League football from Brisbane and the Central Coast. These two teams are also favoured to progress to an A-League grand final rematch.

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The highly awaited major semi and other finals match-ups starting this weekend also give a sense of anticipation that will put the recent A-League dramas well and truly behind us.

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