For everybody associated with Adelaide United, life suddenly looks incredibly rosy. Having defeated Sydney FC 2-1 at Allianz Stadium on Friday night, the Reds sit proudly atop the A-League, safe in their position regardless of other results this weekend.
Yet of all the smiles to be found at Hindmarsh Stadium, few are likely to be broader than that of gaffer John Kosmina.
Nearly one year ago, the Reds were lingering near the foot of the A-League table, appearing to lack the tenacity and desire that was once a Hindmarsh staple.
United chairman Greg Griffin needed decisive action and sacked Dutch boss Rini Coolen, sending out a desperate cry for a candidate to bring passion and success back to his beloved club.
From the outset it only ever seemed that one man was capable of playing Lazarus and awakening the sleeping giant of Australian football.
For those who were familiar with Kosmina’s first reign as Reds boss, passion was a quality that could never be brought in to question.
Few could forget the infamous throat grabbing incident, which saw Kosmina come face to face on the touchline with the man so frequently the target of Reds fans jibes, Kevin Muscat.
Yet could this passion translate in to the success that so agonisingly eluded Kosmina throughout his first reign?
Early indications could not be more promising.
As Kosmina watches on with his trademark coffee in hand, his Adelaide side seem full of beans, playing a brand of football that is too hot for rivals to handle.
An impressive run in the Asian Champions League, that saw the Reds just miss out in the quarter finals, has been matched by an eye-catching start to the league campaign.
Perhaps most importantly, Kosmina seems to have gotten the absolute best out of marquee acquisition Dario Vidosic, whose superb start to the season has been rewarded with a Socceroos call-up.
The leaky defence that plagued United last term has also been revolutionised under the stewardship of Kosmina, conceding a miserly five goals in eight games so far this campaign.
Football is a funny game and from the jaws of success can often come defeat; one needs only ask Roberto Di Matteo.
Yet in a season that has been perhaps overshadowed by marquee players such as Del Piero and Heskey, United continue to grind out results that make them hard to ignore.
Whether success or failure waits, one thing is for certain; Kosmina is up for this challenge and will not die wondering.
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
I like that Kasey. Well played. ;-)
Kasey
Guest
Problem is..Brisbane raised the bar over the last 2 seasons...they entertained AND won. I don't think we'll see the return of full-house sign at Hindmarsh until the Reds start entertaining as well as winning. Oddly, We seem to play more adventurous entertaining and attacking football away from hombut in front of our adoing fans JK reverts to the one striker up front format, removing our two most damaging players (Jeronimo and Ramsay) from the midfield leaving poor old Dario Vidosic to create everything all on his lonesome.
Kasey
Guest
Minister. If you replace tunnel with defence and trains with opposition players dribbling the ball then your line about tunnels and trains sums up the Sky Blues season. I am really looking forward to Sydney Derby 2 on December 9th. the league's most toothless attack v the league's most porous defence. Should be an interesting day at the SFS. I imagine there'll be a large TV audience tuning in too, mainly out of curiosity factor. Reminds me of my first report from the Directing Staff at HMAS Creswell (RAN Officer training school) "His men would follow him anywhere - mostly out of curiosity to find out just where the hell he is going!"
Neuen
Roar Rookie
They call tactically outsmarting your opponent ugly football these days which is sad to see
Cameron
Roar Guru
Would you rather have Kosmina coaching your side who currently sit in first place or a side like Brisbane that dominates most aspects of a football match and can't seem to win? problem for Roar is no real motivational speakers look like coming along to lift the Roar any time soon.
Adam
Guest
Success wasnt that elusive in Kossies first reign, winning the Premiership. He is having success again by following his own methods, and its not very wise to question them when they have us at the top of the table.
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
Nice...I like that quote Kasey. SFC play ugly football and lose a lot so there won't be much humping going on at the end of the season. Or at least we are impersonating a tunnel with lots of trains going through it. :-(
Kasey
Guest
pretty football?? it's not figure skating mate. you either win draw or you lose. with apologies to Hollywood: " pretty football ? Losers always whine about ugly football. Winners go home and f*ck the prom queen!" ;) [the Rock, 1996] We are solid at the back for once(least goals conceded after wk8 especially with Galekovic between the sticks and Dario uninjured this season(he's like a new player for us after being U/S most of last season) Any football person will tell you that a solid defence sets you up to win trophies. Will we win trophies? buggered if I know. I think we are a decent chance this season. The table doesn't lie and we'll just have to wait and see.
Kasey
Guest
Kossie doesn't have carte blanche, there are a sizable portion of AU fans who don't think Kossie is dynamicor swift enough to change plans appropriately and swiftly on game day when Plan A draws a blank. I'm one of them. Quite why Ian Ramsey cant get a start is beyond me, the team always looks more threatening with him on the wing. Every now and again we stumble across a line-up that seems to click, like our second half at home to Perth(finished 1-1) a team that had Serge van Dijk up front with Vidosic and Jeronimo feeding him from a joint #10 role with Ramsey marauding on the Right and Cassio overlapping on the Left. Not sure why JK has resisted starting games with this line up especially at Hindmarsh?
brisvegas
Guest
Another good result for AU; they've had a few this season. But I certainly wouldn't call them eye-catching. Apart from the game against Brisbane (for obvious resons) I've yet to be able to sit through a whole game without either falling asleep or finding something else to do. I really don't know why that is, because they play some good football at times, but I just can't get into them. It might be because I think Kosmina is a dickhead.