Marquees are a must in the A-League, both for publicity and financial reasons, and every club should be aiming to sign top, top players.
The days of Alessandro Del Piero and Shinji Ono are long gone, and now the league is starting to get desperate to sign the likes of those names.
The following players are off contract at the end of the season and could make the A-League as big as it was when ADP and Ono were onboard.
Dimitar Berbatov
The former Manchester United striker used to to be one of the deadliest players in the Premier League.
He recently signed a one-year deal with Greek club PAOK, where former Sydney FC star Terry Antonis is playing his football. Maybe some convincing could attract Berbatov to the A-League?
Preferred club: Adelaide United
Firepower in the number 9 position is a concern at the Reds; Bruce Djite has lost his mojo and Eli Babalj may return to Holland from his loan stint. A clinical striker like Berbatov could promise goals for Guillermo Amor.
Ivica Olic
The Croatian international would bring the same as Berbatov: goals! After a decorated career in Germany, especially with Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV, his experience would be a great influence on young strikers.
Olic still still has good pace at the age of 36, so could play with some of the pacy attackers in Australia.
Preferred club: Sydney FC
Alex Brosque is Sydney’s best attacking player, but age and injuries are having their toll, and Shane Smeltz and Matt Simon aren’t top strikers anymore.
News in Croatia is that he is linked with the Central Coast Mariners, but could they even afford a marquee?
Niko Kranjcar
The former Tottenham Hotspurs and Queens Park Rangers winger is still at the peak of his powers at 31. Currently under contract with Dynamo Kyiv, he could be a ‘cheap’ buy for a marquee considering the club he is coming from.
Preferred club: Melbourne City
Harry Novillo has looked to have sealed his place on the left side, it would be great to have a front three of Kranjcar, Novillo and Bruno Fornaroli.
Dirk Kuyt
The Dutchman was an unsung hero at Liverpool and is still one of the most underrated players in world football. Having played with likes of Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben for Holland, Kuyt would show Dutch class.
He has been in tremendous form with Feyenoord, scoring 13 goals in 16 appearances. A tough buy, but it’s worth a try!
Preferred club: Melbourne City
Marquee Robert Koren is coming off contract at the end of the season, as is Kuyt. It could work out if Koren does leave, but they’d make a good pairing up front.
Andrey Arshavin
Remember a guy scoring four goals for Arsenal in a 4-4 draw against Liverpool? That’s Arshavin.
The Russian spent four years at the Gunners, and is now playing his football back in his homeland.
Preferred club: Wellington Phoenix
The Kiwis need some love! IF the Nix want FFA to keep them in the A-League for the long term, a guest player could aid their survival!
Arshavin would fit with the Phoenix’s playing style of two wingers aiming to the one forward – he could be a star leader for Ernie Merick’s men.
Diego Milito
One of his country’s least talked-about forwards, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and of course Lionel Messi Argentina’s best frontmen.
Yet having won the treble with Inter Milan, including two goals in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, success is written all over his career.
He is now playing back in Argentina with Racing Club, and at 37 still has lots to offer.
Preferred club: Western Sydney Wanderers
The Wanderers have had some top strikers on their books in their short history – such as Mark Bridge and Tomi Juric – Milito would add to their firepower.
Federico Piovaccari is their marquee at the moment, but inconsistent performers mean new marquee might be the best option.
Esteban Cambiasso
The key to Inter Milan’s treble-winning season, with Javier Zanetti in midfield, Cambiasso has played with some big teams in Europe including Inter and Real Madrid, and even helped Leicester City avoid relegation.
Now contracted with Olympiakos, he could be a star playmaker in the A-League.
Preferred club: Melbourne Victory
Kevin Muscat’s young team would learn from how Cambiasso controls a game in the central midfield. He would also fit nicely with Gui Finkler and Oliver Bozanic.
Rafael van der Vaart
The creative and attacking midfielder is one of the best Dutch players of his generation, playing for huge clubs like Ajax, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. It would be so exciting to have this guy playing for your club.
Preferred club: Melbourne City
Robert Koren could leave and you never know about Aaron Mooy, so a top marquee in midfield would help City become an excellent football team.
Diego Forlan
The Uruguayan legend ends this marquee list and his career speaks for itself – winning the Premier League with Manchester United, UEFA Europa League with Atletico Madrid, and the Copa America with Uruguay.
He is now playing back in his homeland, but only on a short-term deal.
He could be the next Del Piero in this country.
Preferred club: Sydney FC
Sydney have struggled to replace the goal-scoring Marc Janko, and Diego Forlan would definitely deliver the goals.
Money, commitment and approval could make any of these signings happen. Let’s hope these teams can pull it off.
Peeeko
Guest
Agree, marquee are gimmicky ideas by those without much imagination
Screwball
Guest
Is Darijo Srna coming off contract? Considering the political climate in Donetsk he might want to come somewhere safe, and the Croatian community would come to games in droves!
Fadida
Guest
N'Zogbia? Rubbish for years. Hes a classic case of a player who'd be found out by the league. It is no place for past-it footballers
Fadida
Guest
Agree with you both. Hungry players around their peak only
asanchez
Roar Guru
This has been hot topic in the last couple of weeks but it's plain and simple, the A-league cannot afford the majority of these players, and quite frankly half those players are too old, they may give the league the media attention but they won't necessarily improve the standard of football or take the league by storm. Now let me give you 3 names; - Richard Quaresma - Franco Di Santo - Claudio Pizarro Now do they fit the category of well known footballers? To the non-football public, absolutely not! But IMO these 3 would light up the league on the park, and real football people will at least know these names. IMO they're the fans that we should be trying to scout first. They're the low hanging fruit that's still yet to take up the A-league for whatever reason. They don't need to be taught either the rules or the nuances of the game, and they already love the game, just not the A-league. The A-league needs to work out what it wants to be, a reactive league at the whim of our local, predominantly football illiterate mainstream media, or an organic, fair dinkum football league that wants to keep growing and improving, but not by having cheerleaders, monster trucks or fireworks.
Daniel T
Roar Rookie
Dont worry, Perth didnt make the cut either
Daniel T
Roar Rookie
I'd have to disagree. Sure, football is not part of the culture of 4th generation Australians, but the face of Australia itself is changing. I live in Perth, and I only need to walk down the street (Mount Lawley) or step outside of the office on my lunch break (CBD) to hear a multitude of languages and accents, and see faces from all over the world. Melbourne and Sydney (which I regularly visit for work) are definitely the same and I was assume likewise for the other major population centres of Brisbane and Adelaide. What isnt changing is mainstream media. With their content driven by editors who have been in the industry for 30 years+, news print has been losing readers to websites like the Roar for years. Even FTA TV is suffering thanks to the likes of netflix, social media addiction and computer games, as young people simply dont watch tv anymore. Their core demographic is increasingly turning to people over 40. You only need to look at participation numbers to see that football is thriving in this country. Unfortunately, the A-league has failed to connect with its massive player and passive fan base (i.e. Eurosnobs). I don't know if marquee players are quite the answer, but the "rich guy" ownership model is clearly a problem. That said, without the cashflow of a competition like the AFL, football doesnt have much choice but to rely on wealthy benefactors. The FFA should be working with clubs to do everything in their power to keep highly skilled, local players like Aaron Mooy in the A-League for as long as possible. The Bundesliga is an example of a sustainable league that has worked hard to produce and retain its country's best players, whilst the EPL seems to break transfer records on a regular basis as clubs battle to sign the best foreign "marquees". The A-league will never be able to compete with the big Euro leagues in terms of player contracts. Our only option is to produce our own talent. Marquees are a short term solution to a long term problem.
144
Roar Guru
Some other suggestions Giorgios Samaras - Great attraction for the Greek population of Sydney or Melbourne Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Zlatan - nuff said Mikel Arteta - Lots of Arsenal fans all over Australia as well as Rosicky who is available Makoto Hasebe Charles N'Zogbia Steven Pienaar
144
Roar Guru
Milito, Forlan, Arshavin and Cambiasso and Van Der Vaart are tough calls and are more unrealistic of the bunch I'd assume if QPR don't get promoted (which i dont think they will) Kranjcar might look for a way out considreing he'll be 32 years of age. Berbatov is a good shout, i'm sure there is no step up for him after one year in Greece and should look to finish his career here Ivica Olic is difficult, he isn't playing that much for his club at the moment in the Bundesliga but i still believe he is serving Croatia internationally, same problem as Janko!
Franko
Guest
Bed time Fussy....
FIUL
Guest
I'd say that's more to do with you, than the topic you're discussing.
Casper
Guest
I do as much as I can, but unfortunately nobody seems to be interested.
Midfielder
Guest
Also we as fans should talk Football up as much as possible ...
Midfielder
Guest
No its because the management of Football from the end of WWII until 2005 was patheticly managed ... we allowed ourselves to be bullied and mocked ... That is not the case today but you can't change things overnight ... but we have some smart minds working towards it... The issue is actually very easy to explain and freighting to others if we can crack the code or manage to turn it around... to date the when / why / how / because /// HHHHmmmm is unknown and more than likely its a number of things... Here is the issue ... 500, 000 registered 11 aside park players ... 700, 000 small game players ... Yet only 17% of this 1.2 million players has a connection to the A-League ... whereas the 100 + years codes have a conversation rate of 86% ... My understanding is work is being done on this but crack this and the 1.2 million + friends and family around them would create IMO the most dominate sport in Australia... However we lack money and Football is not ingrained as the others ... my guess its a timing issue .... I have my own ideas of how it can be achieved but all solutions require money and more than likely a FTA commercial network...
Midfielder
Guest
Totally agree the best buys have been in the lower leagues in Europe but still in their prime ...
Midfielder
Guest
Real ++++++++++9999999999999999999999999 to the power of 99999999999999999 to the power of 9999999999999999
RBBAnonymous
Guest
How about we let clubs decide for themselves if they need a Marquee. All this talk just reeks of desperation. We are at the half point in the season and almost every marquee that you decide to bring into the A-league will be totally ineffective. Not because they can't play football, but because it takes a good pre-season to get fit and up to speed with your team mates. You need to get good value for money because we live in a football world economy. There is a high demand for good footballers and more often than not we have to be very astute in who we select for our league. If you think you can just pluck a Shinji Ono or ADP from the shelf its not that simple. There usually comes a heavy price tag for the very best players. Usually the ones that our totally out of our price range and who usually do not provide any long term benefit for our league. All I can say is we need to stop with these band aid solutions of trying to "improve" our league. We have a league we can be proud of and one that I am happy to talk up at every opportunity, not because I am a one eyed football supporter, but because we actually do have a very decent and entertaining league. Are people actually watching and analyzing matches properly. We are seeing fluid passes and movement of players, tactical awareness from players and coaches, technical ability, great matches and some stunning goals. The match day experience is another thing that keeps me coming back. The only ones who are bored and disinterested are the police and security who genuinely have nothing to do on match days. Its not just up to Marquee players to put bums on seats, its up to everyone. If someone gives you a horrified look once you tell them you go to the A-league why don't you take 2-3 minutes to explain to them why they need to get themselves to a match. The A-league is awesome and if you are a football supporter and you haven't been to a match then you are poorer for not having that experience. The last point and the most annoying one I want to make is this continual cultural cringe we have in Australia about our football and it works in a number of ways. For some reason we love to poke fun at our league or continually put down the standard of our league and our players. If you are playing in our league "your not good enough for Europe" or when big European teams come for meaningless pre-season matches and lose. The losses are explained as flippant excuses "The teams are in pre-season or "playing the reserves". Well hello, the same can be said for our A-league sides. You only have to listen to the number of foreign players who are currently playing in the A-league who say they are pleasantly surprised by the standard of the A-league. But I forgot, what do I know, they are after all failed footballers in their own countries. See what I mean, its a vicious circle you cannot win. Part of what needs to change is our mindset. Its not Marquees that we need, its attitudes and that comes from within.
Realfootball
Guest
Les Murray is a hopelessly out of touch dinosaur. His views on Ronaldinho are ludicrous.
Realfootball
Guest
All the fuss about marquees bemuses me. The growth of the A League into the mainstream will be slow and incremental, as all cultural change is. Over the hill ex stars from overseas will do nothing for the A League beyond supplying a short term sugar hit. Coaches need them like a hole in the head. Del Piero was half decent for one season, delivering a one season boost in attendances, and was a passenger the next, with attendances returning to normal. The imperative to select him cost Frank Farina his A League career. Del Piero should stand as cautionary tale. A League fans need to be patient. There are no quick fixes, and marquees are not the answer. The football this season has been excellent. That is all the League can do.
Mark
Guest
Agree completely. The desperation of some for the A-League to get a marquee, any marquee, is ridiculous. In the case of SBS's campaign for the A-League to sign Ronaldinho, it is outright embarrassing. Les Murray is kidding himself when he says signing Ronaldinho would add credibility to the A-League. Signing players who are just coming off their peak (Beckham and Gerrard at LA, Pirlo, Lampard and Villa at NYC, for example) adds credibility. Signing players who are completely washed up and are selling themselves around the world to the highest bidder does not add credibility, it diminishes it.