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I keep on hearing that the standard of the A-League is less that that of last season; that the league is “harmed by a decline in on-pitch quality this season”.
I often read these comments on this site. There’s only one problem. I don’t believe they’re true.
It annoys me that the case is never made as to why it is worse this season. It is just stated and assumed, with no evidence whatsoever to support it.
Here’s why I think otherwise.
The performance and style of the teams is not worse
Attractive, attacking, possession-based football has never been more evident in the A-League than this season as possession-based attacking is now a more dominant coaching philosophy.
Now if it was by a team from Sydney or Melbourne, the comments would no doubt be that this was the best season ever. But when this style of play comes from Brisbane, Adelaide and Wellington, the standard is obviously lower, right?
Let’s break it down team by team…
Brisbane Roar
Playing markedly better than last season. They are exercising better use of their whole squad than they did under Ange Postecoglou, with goals coming from all over the park rather than relying on a single striker.
Mike Mulvey is bringing out the best of youth players who noone had heard of before in an exciting way. Apart from the disturbing anomaly of losing out to Jets more often than an aerial firing range, it’s been a truly great season.
Conclusion: Playing much better.
Western Sydney Wanderers
With the possible exception of their marquee, the Wanderers are playing a similar style of game at a similar standard with the same coach as last year. I reject the notion that Wanderers are playing manifestly worse this season.
Opponents have adapted to counter the Wanderers strong counterattack of last year. That’s life in football. The reality is that teams adapt to other teams systems over time.
Conclusion: Playing similar, but with not quite the same results.
Adelaide United
Don’t get me wrong, I like John Kosmina. But bringing in Josep Gombau is the best thing that has ever happened for the future of Adelaide United – and yes, I’m including their amazing run all the way to runners-up in the AFC Champions League.
They are playing beautiful attacking football and have developed a great club philosophy around playing football right, and expecting the results to come. And come they have.
Conclusion: Playing much better.
Melbourne Victory
While Kevin Muscat did more hacking than most cyber-terrorist groups as a player – and he’s no Ange Postecoglou as a coach – Melbourne Victory have a good team, performing similarly to last year.
A few substandard results belie the fact that their team is a really positive one. I’m enjoying Tom Rogic for the Victory also.
Conclusion: Maybe slightly worse, but not by much.
Central Coast Mariners
While selling off the talent pool and the coach has finally caught up with them, they still play great football, find great talent and have great systems.
Conclusion: Maybe slightly worse, but not by much.
Sydney FC
Despite the brouhaha about Frank Farina, the Sky Blues are doing better this season. The owner and board just need to realise they can’t just win because they’ve spent more money, often unwisely. And the club actually needs a playing philosophy.
But they are playing better this season. Farina is a reasonable coach with a great assistant, even though he shouldn’t be allowed as head coach again.
Conclusion: Slightly better.
Wellington Phoenix
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Ernie Merrick’s amazing work has positively transformed this team into one that is amazing to watch and playing beautiful football.
The self-belief and skill of this team makes me want to watch them, rather than poke my eyes out with rusty sticks to avoid the pain that was watching them last season. Their fluidity in attack, unique structure and counterattacking flair are a pleasure to watch.
Conclusion: Playing much better.
Newcastle Jets
A great team to watch earlier on in the season, until they fell apart. Giving Gary van Egmond the heave-ho hasn’t helped either.
The Jets have struggled since, though three wins against Roar are nothing to sneeze at. They haven’t played as badly as their position on the table suggests.
Conclusion: Not quite as bad as last season.
Perth Glory
Good on them for building up youth, but the quality of their squad is a bit down on last year. And sadly, coach Ali E is no longer indahouse.
Conclusion: Worse than last season.
Melbourne Heart
Though they are in last place, they are now playing great football. With John van’t Schip back at the club, I suspect they’ll finish strong.
Conclusion: Playing better than last season, particularly now they’ve replaced Aloisi.
The coaching is not worse
Lots of complaints have been made about the coaching. It’s really a mixed bag, but most of the time I’ll take this season’s coaches over last season’s.
I’d take Mike Mulvey over Rado Vidosic, Josep Gombau over John Kosmina, Frank Farina over Ian Crook, Ernie Merrick over Ricki Herbert and John van’t Schip over John Aloisi.
Sure, I’d pick Ange Postecoglou and Graham Arnold over Kevin Muscat and Phil Moss, but then again the teams are effectively being managed in the same systems and procedures of their predecessors – and reasonably well too.
Tony Popovic is obviously as good as last season’s Wanderers coach.
This only leaves Perth – where Alistair Edwards seemed to be doing a good job apart from literally having jobs for the boys – and Newcastle, where van Egmond seemed to if anything do a slightly better job this season until things went sour with some players.
Market value of the players in the league
I sought to get a quick and easy estimation of the value of squads and players in the A-League this season, so I went to a reputable worldwide source of players and their market value.
Their assessment? This season all clubs except the Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Heart in fact increased the value of their squad, at an average 8.1 percent increase from last season, from €72.65 million to €78.5 million in total value.
The non-marquee foreign players in our league are also better this season.
Miscellaneous
This season has had some really close, enjoyable games watched by more people on free-to-air television and at the stadium.
You still have a whole generation of great young players coming through – how good has Taggart been for the Jets or Dimi Petratos for the Roar, or Mooy for the Wanderers or Rogic for the Victory?
It’s great to see players like Stein Huysegems from the Phoenix step up as well.
The scoring stats are more even all round, and the trend away from a few strikers dominating the score sheet is really positive.
Conclusion
Until I hear good reasons rather than rhetoric that this year’s A-League is worse than the last, I will reject it and the doom and gloom merchants of 2013/14.
Why talk down the awesome league you have rather than sing its praises?
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