It is a shame Ian Crook’s exit as Sydney FC coach will dominate discussion this week because the A-League round just gone was one of the best we have witnessed this season.
Crook’s shock decision to step down as coach of the Sky Blues came as a surprise to just about everyone in the game.
For 78 minutes of a pulsating clash at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night, Sydney FC appeared to have exorcised the demons of their embarrassing 7-2 defeat to the Central Coast Mariners a week earlier.
Instead the Sky Blues capitulated in spectacular fashion, blowing a 2-0 lead to concede three goals in the final 12 minutes on the back of a brace from unheralded teenager Andrew Nabbout.
Crook’s distress was plain for all to see when he booted away his plastic chair on the sideline, later becoming involved in an animated discussion with fans angered by his decision to substitute Alessandro Del Piero and Yairo Yau.
Taking Del Piero off after he not only missed last weekend’s clash but also most of the week’s training sessions because of tight hamstrings was a no-brainer, while Crook later explained that Yau himself asked to be substituted.
That didn’t stop a bunch of halfway heroes from verbally abusing one of the nicest guys in football, and those ‘fans’ who thought they knew better than Crook would do worse than read Ange Postecoglou’s pre-match column about how even the A-League actually is.
For all his apparent problems, Crook’s decision to step down still came as a surprise and sadly it detracts from what was one of the most enthralling matches seen in recent years.
But judging from some of the football we’ve already seen this season, the fact Sydney FC’s showdown with bitter rivals Victory turned into such a classic was less of a shock.
The standard of football in this year’s competition hasn’t so much as surpassed previous campaigns as it has blown them out of the water.
Melbourne Heart’s stunning 4-1 thumping of champions Brisbane Roar on Friday night is a case in point.
The Heart were all over the visitors by the time Patrick Gerhardt turned home a clever near-post finish, although the Roar should have had an equaliser before the break when Henrique’s strike was controversially disallowed.
But in the final half hour we saw some of the best of Melbourne Heart – and indeed some of the best counter-attacking football – as the Josip Tadic-inspired hosts took control thanks to goals from Richard Garcia, a penalty converted by Tadic himself and a spectacular David Williams effort.
Tadic wasn’t the only foreigner creating goals, with Western Sydney’s Japanese star Shinji Ono at times tormenting the Newcastle defence in his team’s 2-1 defeat to the Jets on Saturday afternoon.
It was always going to take Ono time to find form given how sparingly he was used by Shimizu S-Pulse this year, but the marquee man is quickly winning over the sceptics with some sparkling form.
Not to be outdone, Emile Heskey once again got among it against the Wanderers, though his ‘goal’ will invariably be credited as an own-goal to unlucky Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic.
Sunday’s fixtures also heralded plenty of attractive football as Mariners phenom Tom Rogic set up a resurgent Daniel McBreen for the winner against Wellington Phoenix, while Billy Mehmet and Dario Vidosic both contributed neat finishes in the 1-1 draw between Perth Glory and Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium.
It’s a shame then that all the talk will be about Crook and Sydney FC, because the standard of football on show in the A-League is going from strength to strength.
Saturday night’s pulsating Allianz Stadium clash was a great example of the best the A-League has to offer, even if it will mostly be remembered for the wrong reasons.
Damiano
Guest
"they would have had to double the security for such games" Sounds like a dig at South Melbourne fans' behaviour TC. Were South Melbourne a spent force by the time the Heart were formed? I honestly don't know, but I get the impression they are a spent force, and have been for some time. If anyone is informed on this issue, please comment, correct me if I've formed the wrong impression. I doubt TC actually knows anything about South Melbourne, as he/she doesn't strike me as a football person, so I'll take his comments, and the dig at them, with a grain of salt.
TC
Guest
Schwarzer's save was unreal - well done to him. TC
TC
Guest
Yes, but South Melbourne could easily have attracted the average crowds that the Heart are getting AND the derbies with the Victory would have been even bigger, wild in fact they would have had to double the security for such games, plus they have their own boutique stadium AND they are the Oceania team of the century. Yet they were spurned. A mistake in my opinion. TC
Damiano
Guest
South Melbourne? Really? I saw them at a VPL game last season, ordinary quality of football and few supporters turned up. What makes you think they are A-League material? I got the sense their ship has sailed.
Damiano
Guest
Its great to see 6K loyal fans come no matter what, but surely they need more people to attend. Heart obviously need to find a way to broaden their appeal, as I imagine they are not viable long term with 6K loyal support and little else. I should qualify I want Heart to succeed, although not a supporter.
Damiano
Guest
Sydney weren't flying, but they were more capable with ADP on the pitch, he retained possession for Sydney, after he left the pitch they were unable to ever dictate the play , otherwise I'd with everything you said George.
Damiano
Guest
I was at the game, MV, were hesitant in defence, but I don't think anyone would honestly have suggested Sydney were playing better, in fact they were 2-0 up, despite not playing as well as their opposition. MV played much better than they did against Roar, and were better than Sydney FC on the night.
Johnno
Guest
lol Kasey i'd love date with pippa middleton. next too no chance though, but can still live in fairy land and hope for it, and a 3rd Melbourne team.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
Large grain of salt needs to be taken with Allia/Tana's claims.
Brewski
Guest
.... Allia also contested the official crowd figure of 9293 at the Newcastle game, saying their scanners showed a crowd of 7325, including 190 staff. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/soccer/15347760/tit-for-tat-in-glory-war/
jbinnie
Guest
Stevo - Your response is not taken as heated but a realistic observation, though to be honest I have never tried to COMPARE Heart & Victory.In the past I have made objection to the fact that the FFA "appeared" to award Heart 2 home games per season which greatly inflated their average attendance.That was not a criticism of Heart, but of the FFA. Now to the task at hand for Heart, remembering that a few years ago the FFA reckoned a 10,000 average gate was needed for a club to break even. Most teams have played 3 HOME games this season with only CCM.(2) & WSW (4) the odd clubs out. After their home games here are the clubs average gates Victory - 27,296 Sydney - 26,369 Jets - 14690 Roar - 14301 CCM - 12439 WSW - 11667 (This includes a "derby") Perth - 10221 (This includes playing in a "limited "stadium) Well. - 9269 Adel - 8886 Heart - 7577 So these figures will show you the task ahead of Heart if they are to succeed and it is my earnest hope that they will succeed. ok? jb
Stevo
Guest
jb, as much as I've enjoyed reading many of your posts, your comments about crowd number don't factor in the 5 year lead time enjoyed by 8 of the present 10 HAL sides. And in Melbourne, we're talking about making up for lost time against a well oiled publicity machine in MV - to their credit. If Heart and MV were established at the same time as the formation of HAL, I reckon we would have roughly the same membership, give or take a few thousand - the supporter base would have been split ~50/50 at HAL1. So it's going to take time but that's OK because hopefully a sustainable base is created rather than razzle and dazzle and then fizzle - apologies if my response seemed a bit heated :)
jbinnie
Guest
Stevo What are you on about man? I thought Heart played very well against a side that was almost non existent in organisation,effort and application,and from the timbre of countless other bloggers and pundits many thought the same. Heart punished them in the best way possible. Now about crowds. I have never criticised Heart for the size of their crowds but the figures I gather and quote are factual and at this point in time they (the figures) say that Heart are still the poorest supported club in the HAL with an average "home" gate of 7,577 against a league average after 30 games of 14,251.. I hope that changes soon for the team is playing well enough to attract knowledgeable football fans but there is a danger with your cross -town rivals starting to put together a few good wins so winning fans is not going to be easy ok? jb
Stevo
Guest
They represent me about about 6k loyal fans come hell or high water. Go back and suck on a lemon :(
Stevo
Guest
You seem to have it in for the HeartFC jbinnie. You either talk about low crowds or in this case it's how Roar played sooooo poorly rather than Heart playing very well. Not sure what you're on about really. Just saying.
Australian Rules
Guest
you what they say about people who assume...
MV Dave
Guest
Robbin Kruse scored his first goal in the Bundesliga also...
Kasey
Guest
Dont you remember the pressures of Adolescence? the pressure to conform? Isn't it great to be an Adult and not to give a crap about those petty things as much anymore? Of course I assume I'm talking to an Adult.
MV Dave
Guest
Mr Positive...WSW are a huge success in my eyes so far and if you had watched any of their games you would already know that. There is no more a passionate, vocal and colorful group of fans in the HAL. Heart are doing just fine and their attendances will grow each year as they already are doing. You have never been to a Derby in Melbourne obviously. If the Heart can have a successful (finish 1-3 on the ladder) season on the field attendances will grow further. The comment about Heart not representing an area is ridiculous...many of the two team cities in England for instance don't have teams representing an area...doesn't seem to effect the passion in those games.
Kasey
Guest
Reynoldsinski, I am constantly surprised at football fans and their inability to see a good thing even when it is right in front of them. By all measures, the Melbourne Derby has been great for the game’s image in a city dominated 24/7 by AFL. Think on the Melbourne Derby for a second. No MHT means no Melbourne Derby. I constantly see MBV fans calling for MHT to roll over and die. What a silly short-sighted and childish attitude. Look at the ridicule the death of the little loved GCU caused for our game and I think most people in or out of the game would say that WSW swapping in for GCU has been part of the reason this season has had such a positive feel about it. MHT are bigger than GCU - what makes you think the death of one of our prescious few 10 clubs would cause nawt but a ripple? We need to adopt an AFL-like attitude. they say, the TV deal ensures the survival of all x-number of clubs. Our new TV deal will promise Fox 5 games per w/e. No MHT mreans 4 games and a bye. Not a good start. Once the new TV deal is in place, MHT will have a guaranteed life for the length of the deal. I think its time some childish MBV fans started to see that without Batman, the Joker wouldn't exist.