Can a stoppage-time winner ever be a bad thing? Surely Sydney FC would have been better off drawing against Perth Glory and travelling to Gosford in the first week of the finals?
The Sky Blues churned out a 2-1 win over visitors Perth in a largely forgettable encounter at Allianz Stadium yesterday, with Richard Garcia slamming home the winner deep into stoppage time.
Had he not done so, Frank Farina’s men would have had almost a week off to recover before making the short trip up the F3 to face the Mariners in Gosford – with a few thousand supporters in tow.
Instead, Sydney FC will now travel south on Good Friday to take on a Melbourne Victory side still licking their wounds after a 5-0 mauling from their most bitter rivals on Australia Day. It looks like an ambush in waiting, particularly after the Victory smashed Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in a highly impressive performance in New Zealand on Saturday.
Following a weekend of absorbing football, it looks like the Sky Blues could be the team making up the numbers after the Victory, Western Sydney and the Mariners all impressed.
You can’t say Newcastle Jets didn’t do their utmost to try and qualify for the finals, after the Novocastrians downed Adelaide United 2-0 at home on Friday night.
It wasn’t enough to climb into the top six, but at least striker Adam Taggart managed to claim the Golden Boot, despite failing to get on the scoresheet for nine consecutive games midway through the season.
The Melbourne side claimed the first significant win of the round, thumping the hapless Phoenix in an eye-catching display of attacking football.
It might be said that Ernie Merrick’s strugglers weren’t the most steadfast of opponents, but suddenly Sydney FC could be excused for quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing the Victory – even if they took seven points off their arch rivals during the regular season.
That said, it’s not like the Mariners weren’t in form on Saturday night themselves, after the Gosford outfit turned in a stunning display to down Brisbane Roar 2-0 on a patchy Suncorp Stadium surface. Nick Fitzgerald’s opener was a well-worked effort, while an Anthony Caceres piledriver put the exclamation mark on a masterclass of counter-attacking football.
Now the Mariners welcome fellow attacking impresarios Adelaide United to a do-or-die Gosford showdown, with the Reds suddenly having to shake off some faltering end-of-season form.
Of the other teams in form, the Western Sydney Wanderers were perhaps the luckiest to escape the final round with a positive result, after coming from 2-1 down to beat Melbourne Heart 3-2 in former Socceroos star Harry Kewell’s final game.
The Wanderers even put behind them a Shinji Ono penalty miss to guarantee themselves a home semi-final and ensure a bumper ANZAC Day crowd.
In fact, you could forgive Football Federation Australia chief David Gallop for twisting the knife into his erstwhile employers at the NRL and their Melbourne-based rivals the AFL, with both competitions attracting poor crowds over the opening rounds of their respective seasons.
The latter failed to book Etihad Stadium on Good Friday, leaving multi-code fans free to attend the showdown between Victory and Sydney FC in their droves.
Only the Mariners might struggle to attract a decent finals attendance, with a 4:30pm Easter Saturday kick-off against an interstate opponent perhaps not the draw Mariners officials were hoping for.
That will be the least of coach Phil Moss’ concerns after his team failed to secure a coveted top-two finish on goal difference alone, in the same week former Mariners coach Graham Arnold left his post at Vegalta Sendai.
It goes to show just how unpredictable the A-League can be, and there are six teams remaining who hope to put that unpredictability to good use.
Round 27 certainly was absorbing, but the business end of the season starts here.
Bondy
Guest
Mid I dont get into the intricacies of 5 city metros "whatever" I'd be bitterly disappointed if Ch 9 went anywhere near my sport its a boof headed boys club who just simply dont understand sport period and in fact I probably wouldn't even watch the broadcast. Look at their Olympic coverage for instance. Just my 2 bobs worth for what its worth.
Kasey
Guest
you're not going to support Roar in the Finals Series?? IMO you're a terrible supporter then. There's a trophy on the line and many fans in AUS would love to win it for their club. You and clayts need to get over your snobbery towards the Australian system of running football. We have finals. get over yourselves!
Arto
Guest
@ Peter budd: You're not bill boomer under another alias, are you? If yes, then my comment applies equally here! If not, then have a read further up the page!!
Arto
Guest
@ Stevo: It's not the WHOLE point - there's the weekend off too, so maybe you should tone down your moaning. That WSW's 1st Finals match will potentially be played @ ANZ is not so different to how the FA Cup is played at the semi-final stage, so it's not like it's a complete anomaly. I'm also surprised you don't see the oxymoron in your comment - on the one hand you advocate the competition ending once the home-and-away season is finished, but you STILL want the advantage of coming 2nd to apply to the Finals series (which you are essentially asking to be a 2nd competition, by default)!! What's it going to be?
Arto
Guest
@ Legro: For finishing in 2nd position you also get the 1st weekend off in the Finals series - as an ACL particpant, that's no small thing. CCM & MV will prove how big an advantage that is. As an SFC fan, I'm optimistic that Tue night's exertions leave MV too tired to get into their top gear and I see the game being tense and similar to the last match down @ AAMI Park a couple of weeks ago. I'm tipping it goes to penalties and IMO Janjetovic is a better shot-stopper than Coe. Of course, I have sky-blue coloured glasses on in my tipping so best not to read to much into that tip! ;-)
Arto
Guest
@ realfootball, midfielder: IMO, I see Channel 7 taking the next FTA rights for the next broadcast deal - despite their previous form a while back. If they are smart they will take on a couple of people from either Fox Sports or SBS and combine them with some ex-players who have some charisma and can handle a mic (much like Channel 10 did for the BBL with Mel McLaughlin & Andrew Maher who formerly covered the HAL). As you both contend, it seems pretty clear that for football to grow further another FTA partner needs to be involved as SBS always has & always will be a minor player in the tv landscape. @ midfielder: I like your idea of having a split for the FTA rights between SBS & another broadcaster. I'm not sure it would be much of a success for FFA to negotiate a shared split in the FTA coverage - probably better for SBS to on-sell (vice-versa is the more likely scenario!), so that way FFA doesn't undersell its product, but you are definetly on to something in trying to cater for the 2 very diverse audiences that SBS & Channels 7,9 & 10 represent!
Arto
Guest
@ bill boomer: This type of view is exactly what stops football from growing & becoming better in Aus. Why do you have to stop supporting your team now? Why can't you cheer them on to do "The Double"? Do you think their achievement in winning the league is any lesser if they don't win the GF? Or their home semi, fo that matter? Even if you treat the Finals series as a completely separate competition, don't Roar deserve your support if you like them? Hey, who knows, maybe you can even celebrate and glorify their ability to win one-off high-pressure matches like in a Cup competition if they go and win it!!! I don't think you realise how stupid your comment comes across to others on here!!!
Arto
Guest
@ clayts: Enough with the "winning the league is the only thing that counts" record - it's old & tiring! You've made your feelings known many times before on different threads, so how about sticking to the theme of this thread which is Finals football??!!
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss 5 City ... The wisdom is given the SBS ratings issues and the assumed marketing power of a commercial channel is as a rule of thump you can double SBS figures... 500 K is a nice number ... Ch 9 would assume the SBS number say an average of 240 K would equate to say 400K at 9 ... 9 will assume it can drag a number of RL folk to their A-League especially those in WS & Newcastle / Hunter .. maybe as high as 80 K ... very very close in terms of getting a ratings 9 would be interested in ... and is a natural fit as they have nothing on Saturday night other than maybe 1 or 2 ODI's ... The Socceroos on 9 would be bigger than SOO ... As I said add the mid week matches of the ACL & AC .. its mouth watering ... 9 could have 33 games + finals + Socceroos ... SBS could have 33 games .. Fox have them all ... 260 matches + Socceroos If we assume Fox pay 10 million for the Socceroos and 25 million for the A-League ... SBS pay the other 5 million... 260 A-Leagues matches at the same price as today is ... 179 K * 260 is 46.5 million add 10% is 50 million .. add Socceroos 12 million or 62 million from Fox... 9 33 matches at say 350k per match is 11.5 million add finals say 13.5 million .. add Socceroos 27 million .. SBS 33 matches say 9 million ... Fox.. 62, Ch 9.. 27 SBS.. 9 Thats 98 million with no net rights sold ... However it needs SBS to average close to 250K and Fox over 90 ...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Middy When you say: "ratings need to be above 200K averaging above 225 K on SBS to get attention." Are you talking 5-city or national? Using assumptions based on industry admissions that OzTAM does not accurately gather data for SBS, I have a figure of 165k for SBS nationally this season. It's not great, but it's not too bad given: a) Yr1 of the FTA deal b) Yr9 of the competition
Legro
Guest
That's not the point, What I'm trying to say is the home advantage is gone if we play at ANZ - that was the whole point of securing 2nd place, to play at home in front of your adoring fans.
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss and Q Q your point about ratings .... Ok I hope my reason below shows why and Fuss your question about what FTA station ... RL and Football are not natural enemies and many RL folk could name Socceroo teams and watch EPL teams... Harry K, Timmy C and the Drive Bys are often talked about on key RL shows ... A almost natural flow at 9 could be for a Saturday night A-League match if they could get the Socceroos. This would leave the Friday night match on SBS assuming FFA want two matches broadcast FTA …. It would also suit the clubs as the biggest crowds are also Saturday night… 9 could move a lot of RL support to a Saturday night A-League match. Hal 10 will be a landmark year. Lots of eyes on Football in Hal 10, it will start after the World Cup, be the first year the National Premier League will be operating and the first year for the Australia Cup, and I assume will stop and re start during the Asian Cup. David Gallop and FFA are indicating the next media deal will be 100 million plus. Also there will be 12 teams, all teams aside from Nix have had their licences expended until 2034. The Nix license subject I guess to the AFC and maybe FIFA. The four Key Performances Indicators used by media buyers are, ratings, net hits, crowds, media space [i.e. how much the local media give a team or sport]. I assume after the Asian Cup in Australia, ACL matches will receive better coverage and acceptance. Broadcast Today 27 rds * 5 games + finals is 140 games. With 12 teams 33 rds * 6 games + finals is 203 games Plus Australia Cup 32 games Plus ACL 24 [min] matches Say 260 games …. Plus National matches plus W-League. The 100 million + media deal assumes continual growth in all KPI’s. The key in this is the FTA rating and the spread of Football viva FTA should lead to an increase in Fox ratings. The mid week games be they Australia Cup and or ACL if they take off could also be appealing for 9’s number two channel. Fuss if you pushed me, it would be 9 & 10 who would want Football …. But importantly ratings need to be above 200K averaging above 225 K on SBS to get attention. SBS achieved this in the first couple of weeks and their rating have kept falling… they are a major part of the next media deal… Q I am today 100% behind SBS and want to help them ... pointing out what IMO are issues with their broadcasting is not having a go at SBS ... more saying as SBS does itself we all need to lift our game...
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
1) Ratings never concern me---we have FTA coverage that's all that should matter. 2) Ratings won't improve because that's where FOX want them to be. It's by no coincidence that SBS 2 is the broadcaster, because that is where FOX wants it to be---not on SBS 1 but on SBS 2 and who really cares anyway, I certainly don't, I can watch live Friday football because I know where to find it. And why does FOX want Slater on the SBS anyway? Why not just let SBS choose their own team? Oh yes, they want to be sure that SBS does not over take their coverage. You have criticised every SBS commenter and no mention of Slater's pathetic performances.
Midfielder
Guest
Q To show how much I have supported SBS I started a thread on 442 with the title :Lets help SBS and posted why ... very very supportive ... comments running roughly 65 % to 35% canning the SBS broadcast and many who supported comments on Bash were poor only one supported Bash and they said he has improved and is improving .. Please read and check out the thread and repeating it was a help and support appeal for SBS ... http://au.fourfourtwo.com/forums/default.aspx?g=posts&t=91688 Please sign up to 442 and argue your case ...
Midfielder
Guest
Q No one has praised SBS more than me this year ... and find one post over my posting on this or any site where I have praised Robbie Slatter... You say I have an SBS chip and Bash is a great caller ... HHHMMMmmm we will disagree TBH you are the only poster I have ever seen say Bash is a great caller ... But this is silly ... my comment was the SBS ratings by their own standards and forecasts is well below what they expected ... I have constantly said they need to be given the best games which they have not .. However all that aside how you can defend SBS A-League ratings when they were beaten by the W-League is beyond me... So lets make the question simple... Question 1 ... are you content with the existing SBS ratings ???? and how far they have fallen ??? Question 2 ... how can SBS ratings be improved ?? ... I assume your first step is to replace Slatter [ nominate a Fox person to replace him as it is a joint broadcast] after replacing Slatter what next ...
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
What old guard? You do realise that Slater is on each week giving us his ridiculous comments on every game each week? He is enough to turn anyone off the A-League. Get rid of Slater and promote Zelic alongside Bash. Yes I like Bash, he is what he is---no pretence about him on the UCL nor the A-League coverage. I never miss the UCL nor HAL on SBS 2. Your problem is that unless you have an Anglo controlling the events it's no good. Thank heavens we have SBS to give us an overall unbiased views of what Australian football and world football are really all about. The SBS/CCM chip on your shoulder is really what this is all about---isn't it?
Bondy
Guest
Points taken Mid ,I can assure you these threads do get examined by the right type of people as Fuss may agree.
Midfielder
Guest
Bondy Sorta its not like SBS are not trying ... its more SBS ideas / beliefs on how to promote Football are flawed IMO... its like they believed promoting the A-League was the same as the world cup ... I live today both on the CC and still have the family home in Sydney ... I have Fox in Sydney for the first time about two months ago ... and the difference between FOX & SBS is HHMMMmmmm ... Fox have many trained journalist supported by former Football folk... Fox are positive even when they say critical things... Its not like we don't need someone like Fossie its just we don't need everyone to be a clone of Fossie ... I am hopeful they and FFA and the clubs come together over the break and make the second year better...
Bondy
Guest
I think Mid's point is the old guard at SBS have just thought its our turn run with " new football " they appear to be more comfortable talking of Messi and Rooney more so than A Taggart or a J North. I watch all the the W League for football purposes not a perv but they're generally short and sweet with commentary and not much analysis ,do people not want to watch men's football in general,doesn't make sense.And there's not a great deal of brand awareness with womens football also.
Midfielder
Guest
Fuss News have been preparing for a 10 take over for a while ... 10 needs to fail a little more before it can launch.. When News own and run 10 ... sport will be huge... If 10 does pick itself off the ground it will be with sport ... the Big Bash, V 8's, in advanced talks with Fox over getting Super Rugby ... IMO 9 would love a Saturday night game and the Socceroos ... and they would do an excellent job ... but they need to see reasonable ratings before they bid... HHHMMmmmm I am not suggesting this but others have, if SBS are to successful they will loose the rights at the next media deal ... do they want to be hugely successful ???? Whatever the rights and wrongs SBS has a limited audience ... the biggest thing SBS bring is to run regardless of the ratings and that is important.