Championship-winning coach Graham Arnold believes there are too many foreign players in the A-League, warning their prevalence is hurting the Socceroos.
Admittedly it has a slight impact, but it’s only one of many bigger components that need ongoing management.
From the costs of playing at the grassroots level through to our previous and current national coaches who have had very little impact in the running Australian football from the ground up, the question of too many foreigners gets lost somewhere in between.
Arnold isn’t the first and sure as well won’t be the last to fuel this particular debate; a debate that rages on in many leagues around the globe; and a debate that brings even the most patriotic footballer to their knees.
Patriotism is one thing though, nativity is another.
We, the game, have to be humble and realistic enough to recognise and embrace those overseas influences that will benefit football in Australia, integrating such qualities with our existing strengths in order to enhance our own identity.
Sure, early on you could argue that A-League clubs were importing low-level, poor imports – those players who are no better (or in some cases a lot worse) than the local players they replaced. A quantity rather than quality approach.
Those low-level purchases will always be queried and no doubt they could harm football in Australia if not properly managed.
Now, on the back off arguably the best season since its inception, the A-League is slowly getting to a place of quality rather than quantity. A good mix of local youth and class foreigners. The game is not there yet though. There’s still a way to go before the argument of too many foreigners has any credibility.
For months, instead of indulging in a social life like the majority of people my age, I undertook what quickly developed as my Saturday ritual, A-League followed by more A-League. I suspect that I’m not the only one.
Obviously the acquisitions of Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono have been massive draw cards for supporters. However, these guys are developers of talent as much as they are players.
You only have to watch a few of the games to see how their prowess and heightened skill levels rubbed off on teammates and opponents alike, improving the overall class of the competition as a result.
It’s quite simple really. The more quality the A-League attracts, the more our young players can learn. Playing alongside or against the best can only make you better.
The ongoing challenge for any competition around the world influenced by the brilliance of imports is to ensure they also develop and retain individual strengths that will distinguish them from the rest.
In saying that, like in many walks of life, balance is the key.
At this point in time, there is only one conclusion. There are not enough top-class foreigners in our league. The likes of Ono and Del Piero and co will always be a welcome addition.
Bring on the 2013/14 A-League season!
Ian
Guest
Nick, My only point is really saying A-League is a decent league. If we can get a few more of these exceptions over here that can only be a benefit. I didn't think you were biased or disrespectful. Europe is always going to be the number one drawcard.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Fair enough Ian. I think every player has a different story and different reasons to pursue their career in a country rather than another. I agree that there are and always will be exceptions like Broich. Unfortunately, I think that at this stage they are exceptions. Up and coming, promising footballers tend to stick where it all happens : Europe. Sure I am biased as I am a euro guy but I still do think old Europe is still a big magnet for young football talent: they have the leagues, the supporters, the money, the media etc. I really didn't want to be disrespectful towards the A league but it's still a league in its infancy. The salary cap in place doesn't allow them to attract more than a few quality players per team. I was reading this week that Joey Barton, a very average midfielder if you ask me, is still on 80,000 euros a week (around 100k aud) on loan at marseille ( mostly paid by QPR though). Not a single HAL club could pay 400k a month to any player let alone an average one like Barton. It's just another world. Doesn't mean that it's not possible to attract some talented players, but they are exceptions to the rule am afraid. Just my opinion anyway, no harm done.
Towser
Guest
And watch the crowds dwindle.
nearpost
Guest
Agree with Arnie. We need more Aussies and after 8 years it's time to see more Aussies getting game time. Sydney refused to play Triantis, Antonis, Powell and many others at times. Instead Lovrek, Yau, and many others get the gig and do they really bring so much more. Melbourne Victory played a heap, much younger than the Sydney, Perth boys who could hardly be risked. Victory were a much better team to watch...a good modern coach should be able to integrate more Aussie boys, more often, particularly if they are surrounded by Lucas Neill, ADP and co. So why not drop the visa spots by just one, just one! After 8 years our young boys are ready. Let them play and if they don't perform, well guess what there's a whole youth team desperate to break in..
Matthew Skellett
Guest
I agree with Ballymore and others about this laying off the 'nativity' lol Yes seriously ; we need foreign marquee players and more of them i say -if a young aussie player is good enough he's/she's good enough in any company and there will be exponentially more places to fill as the A-league expands anyways in the coming more and more exciting years woohoooo!!!!! (as (Albert Einshtein said on the back of a bike)
Ian
Guest
i agree with your first paragraph though i don't like taking the view that every import that comes here is a reject from their native country, be it european, south american or asian. the history of imports suggests that they can be better technically and tactically but they can't come in and run circles around australian born a-league players. showing my own team colours, but knowing Thomas Broich's background and the documentary on him, he can still cut it in germany. he had issues in the past and always wanted to play abroad. part of the doco back around 2007 or so he even commented he may end up playing in australia, i'm sure he is not the only one who has stayed in australia as he enjoys the lifestyle (berisha says the same thing) as well as playing in a competitive league. each situation is different, while some obviously come here at a later stage of their career, or aren't all messi's, i don't consider australia is the last chance saloon league. getting ranked the number 20 league in the world recently is a decent effort.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Didn't think any HAL coach or person involved in developing football in this country would make such a statement. Football is all about exchanging talents, ideas, cultures, tactics etc. there isn't one nation who has succeeded by closing their borders. If the HAL was THAT rich and THAT successful that it would attract all the best foreign players I would, sort of, understand his point, but it's clearly not the case. Ronaldo, Messi, Ibra, Rooney, Iniesta and co aren't going to move en masse to Australia. The foreign players who might be interested in coming here are either passed their prime or not good enough to cut it in Europe's big leagues. If the local talent can't beat those guys here they should play another sport.
shogun
Guest
What about introducing an Asian quota for each A-league teams as an exceptional for restricted numbers of the imported players like J-league does? J-league teams are allowed to import an AFC registered national player (ex. Joshua Kennedy in Nagoya) as an exceptional for maximum imported players restriction so that they can attract Asian market. Now that the success of Ono has seen broadly in global level, some famous players might be lured to play in A-league and so does people in those countries, too. Would be perfect way to organize and promote the Asian Cup 2015 in Aus. European players might be nice to have but as a geographical and time-zone reasons, Asian market should be focused to explore for A-league.
crashy
Guest
So the a-league clubs lose a collective $20 million due to (amongst other things) paying massive amounts for overseas players. Sydney FC made a loss this year despite del pierro. Surely this needs to stop somewhere...
Football United
Roar Pro
Yep hit the nail on the head. Youngins should not get it easy. The higher we raise the standard, the better the youngsters have to be and that is good for the NT. This is why it is good we have the NPL going, the player who won't make into the top tier can always work their way up through there
Prosnecki
Guest
If you look at Sydney FC last season, most of their best performers were youngsters, eg Peter Triantis, Blake Powell. You could probably add Joel Chianese to the mix if he didn't have injury problems as well. Out of the older players, the only one who really earned his keep was ADP, a foreigner. Emerton sturggled, Bosschart had injury porblems, Lovrek was a disaster and Joel Griffiths was even worse. Now ask yourselves this question: Had Del Piero not joined Sydney FC, would Triantis/Powell/Antonis have played as well as they did?
Towser
Guest
Ben If only it was so little. Whats the cost of pharmacy in Phnom Penh? If its cheap maybe you can wander up to the nearest one with a wheelbarrow ,fill it up & send the tablets to me. I'll pay the postage dont worry.
oly
Guest
The argument of Arnold's doesn't make any sense. Just like the argument doesn't make any sense when people say there are too many foreign players in the EPL and it is hurting the England national team. If there were less foreign players it would just mean they would be replaced with state league players, who wouldn't be Socceroos standard. Also it surely helps a young player's development to be playing in a squad with a handful of players from different countries with different experiences in the game. The other main argument against Arnold is that the Socceroos don't just draw from the A-League for a squad. We have players right across the world to select and aren't restricted to locally based players.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
GA may not be aware however due to our existing caps we are already in a rather advantageous position in relation to our player trades. It's simple maths; how many foreigners are there in the A-League vs how many Australians are in leagues equivalent to or better than the A-League? Advantage us.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
A dose of worm tablets before dinner should deal with that little ailment, Towser :)
Johnno
Guest
Arnie please". Get out of the white bread suburb's. Have you Arnie hear dof big fish in a small pond. Look at Andrew Johns and SIlverchair in Newcastle, massive. Andrew John's used to talk about it all the time, and how he finds sydney so much easier as he is in a big city he just blends in more, but if your star in small town you stand out big fish in a small pond. Also Gary Ablett senior and junior at Geelong. Gary Ablett senior before internet and that, he was the whole town Gary Ablett senior was Geelong. Imagine if Harry Kewell in his prime was at the Mariner's he would of been massive.
striker
Guest
I think Arnold has a point in regards to a marquee in Central coast wouldn't have the same effect as a marquee in Sydney or Melbourne would and i tend to agree on this.
Ballymore
Guest
Protectionism has no place in HAL. If a young player loses his spot to a 'mediocre' foreigner he isn't Socceroo standard anyway. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Towser
Guest
"Blood on the Wattle" Arnie wears his heart on his sleeve,nothing wrong with that, but patriotism does tend to blur reality at times. I mentioned a while ago about the "twitch & squirm " test when watching the A-League. So the more I twitch & squirm in my seat at a Roar match or at home in the armchair watching the A-League generally,the less I am watching professional football in comparison to Overseas leagues. This can also be applied to individual players in any A-League team. So we'll add to the T& S test the "Jump of the seat test" or Jump test for short. So the more I jump from my seat the more I relate the play to professional football in Overseas Leagues. Which players then in proportion to numbers in the league currently give you "The Jumps" & which players make you T&S. For instance at the Roar Broich gives me more TJ's than any 4 Australian players ,closely followed by Berisha(if he ever receives the ball in a favourable position). When ADP's on I become a Pogo stick & Ono gives you the occassional trampoline bounce into the stratosphere. Heskey will deliver if he gets the right service. Even unknown Hersi is like Van Persie when compared to his Aussie teammates. When the JT favours the Aussies in the A-League the T & S test will be almost obsolete, but the game heres a long way off that yet if ever & ADP,Ono ,Broich & the like will always be needed.
Johnno
Guest
Agreed if the USA soccer in the 70's was able to get Pele and Beckanbaur at the Cosmos, we can have stars like that in the A-league the very best, we can have Pele, n our A-league why not. If US soccer in the 70's could get there guys in there North American league we can get player's like that in our A-league. Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Pele types.