Thomas Broich, Shane Smeltz and Besart Berisha headline the PFA’s A-League Team of the Decade, leaving no room for Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero in the starting line-up.
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has announced what it says are the competition’s most influential players over the last 10 years.
Those named won 25 championships between them.
The team, all of whom were eligible by virtue of spending at least two seasons in the A-League, was voted on by over 400 former and current A-League players.
The starting XI includes two-time player of the year Broich, along with fellow Johnny Warren Medal winners Smeltz and Carlos Hernandez, as well as all-time leading scorer Archie Thompson.
However, Del Piero – arguably the biggest signing in A-League history – only made it to the bench.
Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat was rewarded for his career as a fierce defender by receiving more votes than any other player and being named the team’s skipper.
His former mentor – two-time championship-winning coach and Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou – was voted coach of the decade.
“To be nominated by my peers, both past and present, is extremely humbling and something that I take great pride in,” Muscat said.
“I would like to thank Melbourne Victory for giving me the opportunity to return to Australia back in 2005. I have nothing but respect for everyone who has been associated with the club and I look forward to what the future holds.”
PFA chief executive Adam Vivian hailed the team and said all of them had made an enormous contribution to the success of the A-League.
“To have won 25 A-League championships between them highlights just how big their contribution has been, and the impact they have made,” he said.
“They, and their peers, have worked tirelessly over the past 10 seasons to build a competition that offered very few guarantees into one that is now one of the biggest success stories of Australian sport for the past 10 years.”
Selected by the PFA’s A-League members past and present, players were asked to vote for their starting 11 in a 4-3-3 formation, along with five substitutes, a coach and referee of the decade.
The PFA A-League team of the decade
Goalkeeper: Eugene Galekovic
Defenders: Cassio, Kevin Muscat (C), Patrick Zwaanswijk, Ivan Franjic
Midfielders: Matt McKay, Carlos Hernandez, Thomas Broich
Forwards: Archie Thompson, Besart Berisha, Shane Smeltz
Substitutes: Michael Theo (GK), Adama Traore, Mark Milligan, Steve Corica, Alessandro Del Piero
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Reply duly noted Fuss ;apologies to Slater then lol But on the subject of Yorke , he won the whole championship for Sydney FC the first year - he was the reason for the season you can't say that about Smeltz or Archie :-)
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
You realise it's the players - the guys on the park - who voted for this team? Yorke played 1 season, he hardly deserves a spot in the Starting XI. I don't know if you watched much ALeague in that season but Smeltz, Archie & Berisha definitely have been far more impressive than Yorke & get picked first. It's like saying Kalfallah deserves a spot because of 1 good season. He does not. I don't mind ADP on the bench. He was much more impressive than Yorke. Shinji was a classy player in his 1st season. Was not at all influential in his 2nd season. I'd have Carrusca or Rogic picked before Shinji Ono.
britesparke
Roar Rookie
I have to admit that not only referees make howlers but the choice of Stebre as referee has to be an even bigger howler than the howlers that Stebre has made. It is clear that these selections were made after the completion of an exhausting pub crawl by the panel :P
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Cassio? really? I know it's Slater that chose this squad which says it all -the fact there's no Yorke no Shinji and ADP on the bench explains itself lol
Uncle Junior
Guest
That's a good quality Starting 11 although I think Michael Theo deserves to start ahead of Eugene. Interesting to see how many current and ex-Victory players are in the team: Galekovic, Muscat (C), Hernandez, Thompson, Berisha, Theo (GK), Traore, Milligan. Even the coach has a Victory association.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
He had a couple of seasons at Gold Coast before coming to MV, his first season was outstanding, 2nd season was Gold coast's last, so it wasn't great for anyone. I for one was upset when it wasn't SFC signing him up after his stint at Gold Coast.
Justin Mahon
Guest
He was outstanding. Best I've seen on the left in the A-League ever. However, he wasn't here long enough IMHO as a MVFC member. Would have been happy for another name on that basis.
Justin Mahon
Guest
"Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat was rewarded for his career as a fierce defender by receiving more votes than any other player and being named the team’s skipper." Love it. :-) #hatersgunnahate
The Minister
Guest
Muscat at right-back with Cassio at LB replacing Franjic and Mark Rudan as centre-back. And definitely ADP in the starting line up.
Tom Jones
Guest
Defenders must be hard to come by.Thought Traore only played one season.
Mazzalenko
Guest
Where to start with this.....well here is two major points from it that has me seething: 1) How the F**K is Del Piero not in the starting 11? Been trying to work this one out since I read about it last night and I have come to the conclusion that only being in the league for 2 years was not long enough for some or that perhaps some of the players who voted were jealous of what he achieved in a short time. Yes Del Piero was past his best at his peak in the late 1990's/early 2000's but in the 2 years he was in the league he proved all class. Yes I realize the smurfs only made the finals once in that time and were eliminated by my boys but even being an MVFC I understand the impact Del Piero had and he deserved a place in that starting line up. 2) Strebre Delovski as referee please an even bigger joke should have gone to Peter Green as Delovksi has made some real big howlers but again with players voting maybe Rhyall voted for Strebre more than once.