We all know how lucky we were to be able to watch Alessandro Del Piero strut his stuff every week in the A-League for the last two years. But we also knew his stay was coming to an end, as was formerly announced on Tuesday.
Even the biggest critics of the whole marquee concept can’t say the Del Piero experiment wasn’t a success.
It was huge for Australian football, not only making mainstream media headlines at home, but also getting coverage worldwide and putting the A-League on the map.
But now that Del Piero is boarding a plane, saying “arrivederci” to Australia, it begs the question: what will our clubs do now with their recruitment of marquees, specifically Sydney FC?
Will they go for another huge worldwide name with a matching price tag? Or will they tighten the purse strings a touch and go for a good marquee player, of a lesser reputation and lower wage demands?
Who would you like to see come to the A-League? Would you like to see good quality players like Thomas Broich and Besart Berisha, who don’t come with either big names or price tags?
Or perhaps we should continue with worldwide superstars like a Nicolas Anelka, who would score for fun here. But with his massive ego, he would very likely cause issues in the changing room as he’s done his whole career!
Or would you go for a Frank Lampard, who’s also wanted in the MLS? He’s a top quality box to box midfielder, but is he the type of player to excite the fans? Other names like Diego Forlan and Didier Drogba have been also mentioned lately.
It’s going to be a long off season, but our clubs would surely be working on signing some stars for next season already.
The rumours and innuendo are just about to start hitting fever pitch. The silly season has become another great time of the year for football fans.
SlickAs
Guest
That kind of defeats the point of a marquee IMO. Ideally in a non-salary capped world, the big clubs with large supporter bases (that happen to be in large population centres) would spend their money in order to buy more wins. More wins mean more bandwagoners, and given big clubs are in big population centres, puts more eye-balls on the A-league, maximizes attendances, junior participation, general interest, etc. Now in a salary capped league, we have the Central Coast Mariners as 2013 champions and could almost have been playing in the grand final again this weekend. That is only possible because of the salary capped league. So presumably the big clubs (like MVFC or WSW or SFC or Brisbane), without a salary cap, would be spending more than the CCM, Jets or Wellington. The marquee spots, for mine, is a way for MVFC, WSW, SFC, etc to outspend CCM. Giving CCM and Jets and Nix $1million from the TV rights outside the cap to spend on marquee kind of defeats one of the reasons for the marquee to exist.
asanchez
Roar Guru
Marquee players are a huge risk, especially financially on the clubs. If I was the FFA, once they get a bit more money through the next TV deal, they offer all clubs a $1m kitty per season, paid for by the TV deal, on top of the normal salary cap, so that all 10 clubs can go out and chase a marquee player. I think $1m is a start, and then if certain clubs wanna spend more on a top marquee, they can outa their own pocket. David Gallop has been on record today talking about how the A-league doesnt just rely on marquee players to keep the interest up, and to some extent that's true. But its marquee players really help draw attention to the whole league, and they help get the extra bums on seats and TV viewers to the A-league, so we may not rely solely on them, but they're needed for that bit of extra glitz that they add to the league.
mahonjt
Guest
Excellent question. It is only a matter of time, but that ill essentially be a function of commercial stability / viability. Not football. Pleased to hear you are enjoying the league.
wisey_9
Roar Guru
There is talk that the Heart intend to use both the International and Australian Marquee options, as well as the guest spot that HAL clubs are allowed. What is most exciting is that it sounds like the guest spot may be used by the marquee for Man City's American franchise... Now a LOT of things need to transpire for this to happen... BUT... there is a small chance that Xavi could turn out for the Heart (or probably known as City by then) in the next 24 months... AMAZING.
Colly
Roar Pro
Even though I don't particularly like the guy, I've always thought Frank Lampard would be an ideal A-League marquee - he's not h quickest guy in the world so the effects of age won't be massive, he has a cracking (long-range) shot on him, can head the ball and has a terrific goalscoring record in a league with tough defenders in the EPL. His style of play, to me, would transfer better over to the A-League than a lot of continental stars. The next issue of course being who would buy him...
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Maybe less flashy names but younger talented players? Japanese guys like Honda or Kagawa would be great imo (but can a team afford them? prob not). In terms of Euros, I agree that Anelka would be a huge risk (that I wouldn't take). Abidal perhaps? I don't think he'll be kept at Monaco. But would an ageing defender bring much to an A league team (hmmm Gallas, Contreras...). Drogba, Totti, Ronaldhino are the obvious choices but just too obvious maybe. Trezeguet still plays and scores in Argentina (same with Thierry Henry). But again those guys have big egos and I just don't think they would fit here. There aren't many classy players like Ono or AdP around. :(
Reginald Bomber
Roar Guru
Losing Ono, ADP and Heskey all at the same time will put a big hole in the A-League's image and marketability. Not sure of the economic bottom line for those guys, but if it pays, then get the best marquees you can for your budget. Plenty of good names out there who will come off contract soon and would love to come to Australia. Even some unknown gems like Hersey, Broich and Berisha. Adds class to the competition.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
I've even been to an NRL State of Origin mate!!
Mantis
Roar Guru
Totti? I'd go watch him
Punter
Guest
NW mate.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Sorry sorry Punter, my bad my bad. I actually really like the AFL, have been to a few games in fact and try to watch it on a Saturdays on tv. Slip of the keyboard mate...
Punter
Guest
Steve, just to be clear in Australia, we have 4 football codes, the one we are discussing now, 2 rugbies, being from Scotland you would definitely be aware of at least one of them & the lastly an Australian game called Australian football, this sport is huge in Australia, outside of NSW & Queensland & is known as football in those regions. They play in a competition called the Australian Football League (AFL). In NSW & Queensland to not confuse it with other football codes it's called AFL. Please don't take this away from them.
MFairPlay
Roar Guru
Drogba, now that's someone I'd like to see!
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Cheers Towser, interesting stuff. I really like the AFL story and hope it continues to grow. Is the exact opposite of my home country Scotland where the sport is currently on its' knees.
Towser
Guest
Steven AS one brought up on English football but having lived in Australia for a few decades there is a marked difference in the nature of football support. Whilst I can put on my born and bred Wednesday hat and wouldn't give a toss about a marquee(though would like us to be EPL material consistently) I can put on my Roar hat and would very much wish to have a marquee. Let me explain the difference and it's simply that for at least a generation the vast majority of football fans have followed overseas football (either a club or International team) for quite complicated reasons in relation to the old NSL. They could be post war migrants like myself or their offspring or grandchildren even. Also they may not be post war migrants or offspring but several generation Australians who played/coached football or the kids did. This led to a put down of the standard of football in domestic football ,because quite frankly overseas(apart from a couple of ethnic clubs-part of disenfrachising of local fans) was miles ahead prior to the A-League. So the League kicked off behind the eight ball in terms of local support and needed to persuade football fans that it was worth their hard earned. Some fans bought into the league straight away or were like me gave it a chance to grow, the majority who'd previously followed overseas leagues I would say did not. So the only way to get them to the ground was to bring a little bit of that they had been watching for decades over there,over here,hence a quality marquee like Dwight Yorke ,Del Piero. However in itself your right it's a short term answer by itself,but is a lure. Now if at the same time as getting them in now and then through the gate you gradually keep improving the standard of football then there's a chance of keeping some attending regularly,hence I suggested a secondary marquee with the required technical skills as alluded to by Punter to help keep improving the standard of football. At what point the game here doesn't need a Bums on seats marquee I dont know,but purely fro my observation on the standard of football although vastly improved from season one it still has some way to go to persuade the diehard Euro skeptics. Let it be said though that there is IMO a latent Rose coloured glasses effect on many of those fans. The truth as always lies somewhere in between. Hope that helps a bit.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
I think marquees are a bit if a risk in all kinds of ways thats why most a-league clubs investigate prospective players closely before signing them .In saying that the big three (ADP ONO and Heskey ) have been great but also the A-league is moving on and growing all the time so that different needs will mean different players in the immediate future
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Guys, I have to say I'm only a casual observer of the A League, I do try to watch games when I can (they screen it live in Singapore) and am enjoying watching its' undoubted progress. I understand the reasoning and rationale behind the marquee concept. Whilst it's definitely an ideal way to get short term interest and probably bums on seats, do you think there will be a time (or when do you think that time will be) when the system would be either defunct or counterproductive? I think it's fabulous having guys like Del Piero in any league and also I think the idea of salary caps etc is a great way to grow the sport, I'm just trying to figure out what's the best way to take it to the next level which may be a couple of years away granted. Is a genuine question by the way, not atempting to stick any spanners in any works!
Punter
Guest
Keep up this idea Towser, 100% behind you. In my humble opinion, we have the salary cap to try to keep the competition as even as possible, but the marquees to allow the richer clubs to prosper & complete at the ACL level, the marquees should as Towser says; Primary bums on sat Marquee Ronaldinho Younger, technically gifted lesser known player like Broich, Carusca, Hernandez, Englaleer And as proposed by FFA a Asian marquee like Ono or Kim. This way you ensure that the foreigners are good quality, an Australian can fall into any of these categories. eg Cahill, Bresc & Brosque.
Fadida
Guest
Agree
Towser
Guest
As I've mentioned previously, at this stage of the game's development in Australia clubs need to be allowed to recruit both a Primary ADP Bums on seats marquee(paid the big dollars) and a Secondary Broich type player who adds to and improves team play(paid lesser dollars. The first draws out the Euro or non A-League football fan to have a peek at the league and the second ensures that our standard of play keeps rising and theirs more chance of more football fans becoming primarily A-League fans, rather than a fan primarily of an overseas club. It would be preferable also if the Primary marquee added to team play as well as putting bums on seats. In other words he fitted the team rather than the team fitted him as per ADP.