The Socceroos might have been a disaster, but all is not lost in the world of Australian football if the weekend’s round of A-League action is anything to go by.
That a largely conservative 65-year-old with a relatively ho-hum managerial record should have been shown the door some eight months out from a World Cup shouldn’t really come as a surprise.
Holger Osieck simply carried on where predecessor Pim Verbeek left off, and one might reasonably ask why Football Federation Australia signed a coach with a reputation for dour, risk-adverse football in the first place?
Don’t expect any answers though – FFA will instead be deflecting attention towards what was a hugely successful opening round of A-League action.
It’s a convenient escape route given that more than 100,000 fans clicked through the turnstiles and the five fixtures served up an enthralling mix of end-to-end action and nervy, tactical battles.
It started with Sydney FC’s surprising 2-0 win over the Newcastle Jets – a result which didn’t so much make the hosts look good as it did the visitors diabolical.
Zenon Caravella had better hope his wine business is in good health because the Jets midfielder turned in an absolute shocker against the Sky Blues.
Not content with dragging down his own defender to gift the ball and opening goal to a pirouetting Alessandro Del Piero, Caravella dribbled straight into the Italian once again on the hour mark, allowing the former Juventus star to set up Joel Chianese for Sydney’s second.
It was a dreadful Newcastle performance and one which suggests the heat could well and truly be on coach Gary van Egmond over the early rounds of the campaign.
The grand final replay lived up to its billing in front of a sizeable crowd in Gosford, with former Melbourne Victory man Marcos Flores starring for hosts Central Coast.
He set up Mitch Duke for a superb opener and it looked like the Mariners would hold on for all three points against Western Sydney, in no small part thanks to an excellent goalkeeping display from Justin Pasfield.
But Youssouf Hersi’s pinpoint right-wing cross was expertly dispatched by substitute Tomi Juric, who could well prove the missing link for the Wanderers in attack.
For those watching on TV – and ratings were reputedly solid across the weekend – the grand final replay served as a mouth-watering precursor to the Melbourne Derby.
But despite the ground-record 45,000-attendance, the match itself turned out to be a bit of a damp squib, with both sides tiring markedly in a scoreless draw littered with niggling fouls.
Perhaps playing the derby in Round 1 wasn’t the best way to go, with both sides looking somewhat short of match fitness in a clash punctuated by staccato bouts of cagey counter-attacking football.
It was actually Wellington Phoenix who proved a breath of fresh air the following day, taking the game to Brisbane Roar and going in front thanks to a well-taken Stein Huysegems goal.
What a pity for new Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick then, that his team should twice fall asleep and allow Besart Berisha and Ivan Franjic – the latter with the latest of late winners – to snatch the points for the Roar.
All that was left was for old rivals Adelaide United and Perth Glory to go head to head and the pair served up the match of the round in what was a bruising encounter at the rebranded Coopers Stadium.
Jeronimo looked in fine form in this full-blooded affair, nabbing two opportunistic goals either side of a Ryo Nagai header.
The Reds looked to be cruising when Fabio Ferreira back-heeled home a cheeky third, only for red cards to Isaias and Nigel Boogard to keep new Adelaide coach Josep Gombau on the edge of his seat.
The Socceroos may be at their lowest ebb, but there’s evidently life in Australian football yet.
Osieck’s era has come and gone, but a superb weekend of domestic action suggests there’s enough reason to consider the glass half full.
AZ_RBB
Guest
as much as I love the Socceroos, at the moment they're making me crave A League even more. so just a few random points. mostly of the WSW kind. - most notably. email was sent to all RBB members ie season ticket holders in the active bays. it outlines in detail that one, the expectation that the code of behaviour is followed with emphasis on projectiles and two, if you're in those sections you must participate or you will be asked to leave. everyone seems very happy with this stance from the club. - fan forum tonight. more active support related discussion expected. also general back patting over how things are going. - tickets. match vs the Nux has sold out. derby is selling very well. I reckon we're down to the last couple of thousand now. would be amazing to have WSW play to 6 consecutive sold out crowds (SF, GF, Round 1 - 4)
Mitcher
Guest
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/england-line-up-australia-friendly-2368124
zutto
Guest
Tennis score? 6-0 6-0 4-6 6-0??
Australian Rules
Guest
gibbo, that's a can of worms right there...and not one I seek to wade into. In short, there are many supporters of the world game (in Australia) who consider the utterance of the word "soccer" to be an affront. Please do not consider the irony of that with respect to the nickname of our National Team.
AZ_RBB
Guest
it was a great shame seeing a couple thousand empty seats at the grand final which was an instant sell out. despite efforts by the club and organisers to have non-attending Trust members give up their tickets. Either way can't imagine those people effecting the atmosphere much. The RBB active allocation of 6 bays is sold out. Non active WSW has sold quite strongly as well probably no more than 500 tickets left. Up to SFC to sell out the rest of the stadium.
Jukes
Guest
It should make for a brilliant atmosphere. Cant wait.
kylesy sky blues fan
Guest
Already at ~30k tickets sold + Sydney FC members. Will be fascinating to see if SFS members turn up considering this is probably the best game they have available in their membership, but 60% just do not give a damn.
Avon River
Guest
#Fuss Oh dear what a lovely stst. 50% over at half time!! Actually 100% of games played out their full 4 qrtrs. Btw season 2013 H&A 21% of games saw half time leader lose with a max overturned deficit of 38 pts. Avg deficit about 13 and avg turnaround of 29 with a max of 60. (A tale of two halves clearly). 13% of games saw 3/4 time leader lose again max deficit was 38 and avg decicit 12.3. Avg turnaround of 22 pts and max again was 60. No doubt you'd suggest most half time 5 goal margin games as being 'over' ; however fans live and breath hope. Equally soccer fans live and breath hope to overturn a 2 goal deficit. Of the 135 H&A A-League matches in 2012-13 there were 86 in which at least 1 team scored 2 goals or more. 65 of those saw only the one team achieving that so clearly to start with in 75% of games with at least one team getting 2 goals then a clear case of first team to 2 wins. Avg margin 1.86 goals. In the other 21 games there were 6 draws. 1 draw so a 2 goal deficit hauled in. Jets v Hearts the only game where a 2 goal halt time deficit was not game over. For come from behind wins in these other matches the almost impregnable rule of first to 2 goals wins (doesn't lose) was only broken in rnd 6 (Vctry reeled in SFC 0-2 to 3-2) & rnd 13 (Nix hauled in Heart 0-2 to 3-2). So of those 86 games first team to 2 goals won 90% of the time and drew 7% and 3% of such games so a turnaround. Back to the AFL above and for games with a 30-39 pt margin were overturned by the final siren there's a similar ratio to the 2 goal reverso in the A-League. (7-10% covers the draws + wins). Fans live in hope. Aven if 90% of the time that soccer 2 goal deficit will prove terminal or that AFL 5-6 goal half time margin may prove terminal. However I can just as easily assert that half the A-League matches last season were over by half time. Just don't tell the fans to give up hoping.
mahonjt
Guest
I can assure you it is absolutely derogatory. It has been carefully chosen to be so. Just so there is no confusion, it allows football fans to remind those who just hate and fear the world game that they are ignorant. I hope this clears things up for you?
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Agreed...
ChrisUK
Guest
It hasn't been reported in England at all that such a match might be arranged. They've only come out of Australia.
Jukes
Guest
I am still worried about losing 6-0 to Canada before we even get to England.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah tbf by and large there's always going to be a couple of boring games and a couple of good ones. Here's hoping the good ones make their way onto SBS! Sometimes we have those rounds were there are about 4 really good games
AL
Guest
gibbo, the term is used to put association football fans in their place by the eggball media types. It has nothing to do with the Australian accent and everything to do with being dismissive of our sport and reminding us that we are second class citizens. The term is often used by association football fans as a rejection of the dismissive nature of the term to us and our sport.
my left foot
Guest
It is becuase football/soccer has been derided in the past, with the media putting the sport down at every oportunity. Things are slowly improving in regards to the media coverage and overall acceptance of the game, but people are still wary of the media in regards to football. If there is negativity then old wounds can open and by saying someone says sokha (rather than football) is perposely derogative, as it is generally calling them uneducated bogans. If you want a read on Australia's past culture and football history, 'Poofta's sheila's and wog's' would be an interesting read for you.
my left foot
Guest
The Jets need a lot of work, their positioning was terrible, was why they resorted to a few long balls, there was at most one player to pass too when they had the ball and some of their defensive positioning and overall play was dismal. A pity, as they have a few good players. The CCM and WSW look good again and AU look ok and will only get better.
Jorji Costava
Guest
Nah, England will play us back into form. Their cricket team is better than their footie team.
gibbo
Guest
I'm new here and confused Is using the term "sockah' (sic ) some kind of dig against those who speak with an Australian accent ? You know like using 3 syllables to pronounce Australia (viz Aus-tray-ya ) or for that matter Mel-bun, Bris-bun and a thousand other terms ie ridiculing how most Australians -of all educational levels and degrees of language fluency -actually speak the Australian variety of English From the context it does seem to be used in a derogatory way presumably to mock those who don't have some mythical Oxford /received English/ Queens English pronunciation I'm thinking ( I can't help thinking of Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle ) It just strikes me as weird . And gratuitously rude . But maybe it's some in joke that everyone else but me understands
yewonk
Guest
well you cant say gallop is not doing his job pushing football forward.
dasilva
Guest
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1170273/Socceroos-set-to-take-on-England-at-Wembley So Australia may play England in Wembley in November Now normally I would love Australia to play England but right now, 'm pretty scared of a 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 score line against consecutive top ranking teams