Farina in box seat to be Sydney FC coach

I think it's quite obvious, we've had JB talking about it & providing analysis that FFA has purposefully arranged to have the marquee games at the beginning of the season with many of the fellow football fans on the Roar. We've had Midfielder providing attendances data, I think he gets it from the MV unofficial website, must be a Melbourne thing, to be obsessed with attendances. So I think most here are aware of the increase in not only attendances, but also in ratings for the A-League, but as many football fans has highlighted, us football fans only want a fair go from the media in this country, we know we have the product to succeed, we are already the biggest sport in the world.

Happy to be proven wrong but l can't see Farina having a successful stint at SFC...his last gig at BR was pretty ordinary. He seems to have an abrasive personality ( Cranky Franky) and cannot see him having a good working relationship with the dressing room.

I'm not sure if it's obvious. There are many who may not realise that the average attendances are knocking on the door of the all-time high figure set in season 3 (2007-08). It's also worth pointing out that that mark was set on the back of 8 teams and four games per round, and the current mark is on the back of 10 teams and five games per round. The higher the quantum of teams, the tougher it is to maintain the average, let alone surpass it. So it's definitely worth mentioning it. TC

As my daughter says 'Captain obvious', we can all see the A-League's attendances trending upwards, not actually a bold prediction. As for having the NRL is their sights, well, the NRL is a TV game, so their attendances is not a reflection of the support for the NRL. Even if the A-League surpasses the attendances of the NRL, most people in NSW & Queensland knows that the A-League is well behind the NRL. Attendances is not everything, you can see from the recent article that the A-League had surpassed the attendances of the Brazilian national competition, trying touring around Brazil & telling me that Australia is a bigger football nation than Brazil.

Bondy I've said in recent weeks that the A-League is knocking on the door of its highest ever average attendances set in season 3 (2007-08) and that if that momentum can be maintained, the A-League has the NRL in its sights. TC

Bondy, his bold prediction was that by 2013 no man, woman or child will be deprived from watching the A-League in this country due to a lack of finance & watch the A-League go from strength to strength in this country. The sleeping giant has awoken. Well that was how I read it.

Yes it was TC, my point was I didnt remember your positive forecasts for the future for the A League,previously.

JAJI, Spider is bankrupt because he gambled away $500,000. Puts my weekly Lotto System 8 entry in perspective. Not sure if that makes him a bad influence at the club. BTW, the autoplayed ads and news on The Roar are still causing mild irritation to users of mobile devices.

Bondy Is that directed at me? I didn't understand any of it, sorry. TC

Barlow has married well thats for sure I have a feeling Spider is fairly important from ADP perspective

Elaborate please. I dont remember your bold predictions. What ratio by the way would you have the NRL @ AFL takeup of the A League this season?, id say 30% . Your knowledge of the sport is to extensive from your lot,no wonder we annoy you alot and vice versa. Thanks for the link.

I've always liked Frankie, in 'Frank we trust', please, please!!!! We need help. The A-league needs a good SFC team. I need a strong SFC team & that plays beautiful football & winning football.

Cranky Frankie to be unveiled at 2pm eastern today?? Fox tweeting 'big' news at 2pm and the TV deal has already been announced;)

Sometimes I get the feeling that it's just probably me, but I for one would love to see Frank back in the competition. I always quite liked him, to be honest. And feel that some of his Socceroo/Briz era has been easily looked at by pundits via the increasingly rose-tinted glasses that we have now. Remember, Frank was still managing an Aussie side with a far more irritating World Cup qualifying journey, less matches generally in the intervening period, and a comparatively less public-captivating domestic competition to select from, too.

Interesting link, cheers TC.

I don't remember Farina doing to much wrong in that second leg. Okon was a key component of the team at that stage and usually set the tempo from the middle but had a knee injury and was pretty ineffective that game. My memory is hazy but I think he made good subs (went for the goal when we needed it) rather than stand there like a stunned Mullet as Venables did in 97.

Going local now and giving time to finding a foreign coach, if that is what is wanted longer term, sounds like a good compromise between giving a rudder back to the SydneyFC ship and rushing a decision that may need to be made again in a few months time. There has to be some strategy around the next few months. Whoever gets the job now might make something of the remainder of the season, but waiting to see if the new coach works as a quick fix before chasing someone better end of season is just wasting the time SydneyFC have in finding someone to build the team longer term.

That's the first time I have heard someone say good things about Barlow other than he gets the cheques signed. A bit of a mystery man for mine. There are some people (not all of whom I would completely trust) who bag him on twitter but then you never get Barlow's side of the story.

Pierre Littbarski Managerial career "In 1999 he started his coaching career with Yokohama FC of Japan Football League and he led the club to the promotion to J. League Division 2. He has also been the manager of Yokohama FC (twice), as well as assistant manager of Bayer 04 Leverkusen and manager of MSV Duisburg. Sydney FC He was manager of Australian A-League side Sydney FC between 2005 and 2006, and led them to the FIFA Club World Championship in 2005, and a win in the inaugural A-League Championship. He was famous amongst Sydney FC supporters and the media for his stylish brown suits. Sydney under Littbarski were criticised for boring football, but the results could seldom be argued with and Sydney FC went on to claim the inaugural A-League Championship under his reign. Littbarski and Sydney FC severed ties on Wednesday, 5 May 2006, with Littbarski announcing he would not re-sign for the club following disputes over a cut-price contract offer.[1] Avispa Fukuoka In December 2006, Littbarski was appointed the manager of Avispa Fukuoka, a J-League side that was newly demoted to the second division after the 2006 season. In July 2008, he left the club and was replaced by Yoshiyuki Shinoda.[2] Saipa FC On 26 July 2008 it was announced that he became the new manager of Iranian side Saipa F.C.[3] His contract was terminated on 8 October 2008 after nine games. FC Vaduz On 4 November 2008 he signed a contract as head coach and team manager of FC Vaduz.[4] On 12 April 2010 he was dismissed due to lack of success.[5][6] VfL Wolfsburg On 9 June 2010 Littbarski signed a two years contract as assistant coach by VfL Wolfsburg.[7] After Steve McClaren was sacked on 7 February 2011, Littbarski was appointed caretaker manager of VfL Wolfsburg. Felix Magath was subsequently made head coach in March 2011." Apart from his stint at SFC(think wiki got the WCC bit wrong) his record is worse than Franks,see my post above. I would argue then that Littbarski is not the Messiah being brought back after his origonal walk over the water between the Heads. Frank may have been a naughty boy ,but this bloke will now come up against vastly improved clubs on the park & vastly improved coaches.

Miron was the first mistake the Roar made in season one by appointing him head coach. Also turned alot of fans offside...