Plenty of people think it’s madness that an A-League club wouldn’t want to take a player like Ronaldinho if it could raise the necessary cash to pay for him, but I see it from the point of view of the coaches.
I say ‘coaches’ because when it comes to the clubs that could most likely raise the cash, it is the coaches who would have the biggest say in cases like this.
Graham Arnold at Sydney FC or Kevin Muscat at Melbourne Victory, for example.
More football:
»Happy New Year to the A-League’s persistent critics!
»The future of the A-League’s evolution
There has been a lot written recently about Ronaldinho’s availability for a spell in the A-League. It was too late for him to be considered as a full-season marquee man, but a stint as a 14-game guest player over the second half of the season is the reported alternative.
If Ronaldinho did join the A-League for a guest stint, he would obviously give the club involved and the competition as a whole a huge injection of star power, but let’s be serious about how difficult it would be for a coach to manage the situation.
Coaches work hard to achieve the right balance of players on their rosters when it comes to not only ability, but personality.
Players have to fit in with each other. You don’t have to expect every player to like every other player in the squad, but you expect them to be able to work together. And the biggest threat to players being able to work together is one player who expects to be treated differently to all of the others.
Ronaldinho is obviously past his best in terms of the levels he has played at during his fabulous career, but would anyone seriously think he would come out here to play in the A-League and not expect preferential treatment?
Some players wouldn’t care at all about that and would love the opportunity to play alongside someone like Ronaldinho no matter what, but others would resent the situation.
It would be an impossible job for a coach to handle all of that and keep everyone happy.
Those who like the idea of Ronaldinho joining the A-League will point to Alessandro Del Piero’s spell with Sydney FC and say that was great for the game, but what was the lasting effect?
Sydney didn’t make the finals in Del Piero’s first year at the club, and only made it in fifth place out of the 10 teams in his second year. The club was eliminated in the first week of the finals series.
Del Piero received preferential treatment to a degree, but at least he was at Sydney for an extended period. There was what seemed a genuine commitment from him.
Ronaldinho coming out here for a half-season guest stint would be a hit-and-run affair that might be good while it lasted but would be over before you knew it.
Back 10 or 20 years, when the coaching in the national competition wasn’t as good as it generally is now, it probably would have been easier for a coach of a high-profile club to embrace a superstar like Ronaldinho.
But these days, the better coaches see the concept as something that risks damage to what they are trying to build, because it is only a temporary measure. It is regarded as a distraction, an inconvenience almost.
If they didn’t change the way the team played to suit a player like Ronaldinho, then what would be the point of having him?
And if they did overhaul the approach to fit in with him, what then are they supposed to do when he leaves? Go straight back to what they were doing before he came?
Good luck to Ronaldinho if he manages to fill his pockets with a rich deal somewhere, but it’s not as if the A-League is obliged to take him.
The clubs and their coaches are entitled to make their own decisions without being made to feel guilty about saying no.
Luiz d
Guest
put all A league players in history together, and he is still today without any training is a much, much , much better player
MarkfromCroydon
Guest
Fully agree Mark. Comments on TWG are left pending for a day or more and then not posted at all, and that's even comments that are supportive of Les, Fozz or whoever. Woe betide any hint of criticism of anything at all to do with SBS or the afore-mentioned football gods, because if there's even a smell of it, your comment will immediately be deleted without ever seeing the light of day. I've lost a lot of respect for TWG due to this, as I see that they are fully pushing their own agenda, and can't accommodate any point of view but their own.
MarkfromCroydon
Guest
Ronnie would be great for the league, but not necessarily for the club he played for. The big clubs challenging for the title don't need him and he could be a liability for them, and if any club was going to get him it would have to be the 'smaller' clubs. For me, the only clubs that it would make sense for him to go to would be Newcastle, CCM, Wellington or Perth. Any other club would be wasting their time and money. Of these clubs, Wellington and Perth might be able to pay him, but with both those clubs, could he handle the travel every second week? If he couldn't, then Ccm might not be able to afford to pay him, and that only leaves Newcastle, which is currently 'owned' by FFA. FFA appear to have their own issues at the minute and seem scared to pay for him as a marquee and potentially burden any future owner with salary costs so I don't see that as a strong likelihood. To me, it seems like just wrong timing. If Sydney, or Brisbane or WSW were struggling on-field then you could see one of them buying him, but that's not the case. Victory don't need a marquee, City can probably get a younger guest player who might make more impact from the CFG structure, and Adelaide don't have a stadium big enough to get the larger attendances to justify it for their club, and they appear a bit 'light on' for funds to be able to do it.
BES
Guest
Nicely put Mark. Totally agree.
Evan askew
Guest
Brisbane with broich, berisha, corona and dare I say it, Henrique Liam Miller and even Charlie Miller in his first season are the type of imports I like to see. Broich corona and the millers because they had decent European careers and berisha and henrique are the other type who are diamonds in the rough who reset enter their careers in oz.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Freddie, I have given you my point of view on the matter. We can agree to disagree. If I keep posting it will just mean we end up in circles. I have given my thoughts on why the A-league needs to go on a slow burn. It is the only way for the competition to remain sustainable, credible and have fans who will be here for the long haul. Like you my main focus on the A-league has been the quality on the field. It is at a standard now where watching A-league is highly entertaining, technical and quite tactical. The response from our foreign contingent of players tells me it is a standard that they also appreciate. In other words its coming along nicely. If the standard of football remains high, which it has been, then I along with others who watch the A-league will continue to watch and be entertained. In fact 3 of the most entertaining matches I have watched in 2015 involve watching the A-league and I watch enough football here and around the world to know we are doing ok. The A-league isn't going anywhere.
Freddie
Guest
RBB, again the antagonism in your view shines through regarding the Eurosnobs. I agree they are frustrating, and God knows I've tried most things to get such people to go to games. However, the fact remains if 80,000 people are willing to turn up to watch Chelsea or Real Madrid, they are doing so for a reason; and it seems clear they want to see stars of the game. So let's give them stars, because quite honestly, many clubs (WSW may be an exception), desperately need their money. You don't have to bend over backwards to accommodate them, but the clubs do (or at least some of them), because at the moment, what they are doing isn't working. Furthermore, the real problem is lack of eyeballs on TV, which is what is really hurting the A-League. Viewing figures were at their highest when ADP etc were in the A-League, we can't afford to be snobbish about it. Saying "they need to get with the program, not me" is simply burying our heads in the sand. You can't just expect people to turn up, they need a reason to go. If it's not tribalism (yet), then there has to be another incentive. Marquees have history of working in this regard, so why not use it as a tool to get them along? If, in 10 years time we can do without them, fantastic. But we're not there yet. The simple fact is this. If the A-League continues on its current trajectory, it will end up the same way as the NSL, which brings me onto your next point. Yes, NSL clubs had academies (many still do), and produced good players, probably better than the A-League clubs do now. Their investment in the game is to be appreciated and applauded. But at the top end of the game, they failed miserably to sell the sport to mainstream Australia, which is why we have the A-League today. You may not view academies as a cost, but I can assure you, the club owners do, because it's their money, not yours or mine! Final point. I know you couldn't care less whether the uncommitted turn up or not, because it probably doesn't affect your enjoyment one way or the other, but if crowds don't start turning up in bigger numbers (and more pertinently, watching on tv), then you may not have a league to enjoy at all in a few years time. Think about that.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Freddie, I appreciate the time you have taken to reply to my posts and I appreciate the fact you have your own opinion and are sticking to it. I have mine and for parts of your post I don't agree with you. I have no issue with that, each to their own. The first point is correct, I support WSW in the A-league. I think for the most part we have owners who are willing to listen to their fans and are engaging with them. In part they are connecting with their community in a good way, they were formed in much the same way. Its no secret they are a success, but it could easily have been a disaster. The club was only formed 6 months before the 2012-13 season. They have been successful because they work hard at it and they haven't swayed from their original promises when the club was formed. Each A-league club is a master of their own destiny, they all have their advantages and disadvantages and its up to each one to work them out and drive their clubs forward. Onto your second point. If Eurosnobs want to sample the flavour of the A-league it is there already. I am not going to bend over backwards to convince someone to come and see the A-league, especially to a bunch of prats who think they know better, they don't. There is not point in preaching to ignorant football fans. If they were as passionate as you say, they would head of to an A-league game, because quite frankly, its an awesome experience. Its starts to reek of desperation if I beg someone to come or if I put up a gimmick in order to appeal to the these "so called football" fans. The amusing part is that they have this patronizing view of the A-league and its fans. What they don't realize is that fans of the A-league are also fans of the Euro leagues as well as the A-league. The idea is you can follow football globally, but you really should be supporting locally and that goes for whichever country you happen to be in. The world of football does exist outside of the EPL, it is such a narrow minded view to think otherwise which is why I could care less about pandering to them. They are the ones who need to get with the program not me. Onto the 3rd point you raised and I sort of covered it in the previous point but everyone needs to go on their own football journey. The best football journey and the longest lasting is one that is organic. It can't be forced or manufactured. In the case of your friends, well you need to plant the seeds a little better or perhaps pitch the A-league in a different way. But that's for you to decide. I am more than willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but it goes both ways. I have seen enough football both here and overseas to realize we have a pretty fantastic league and if I have to get on my knees and beg someone to come to an awesome football experience, then I am not going to bother. Your next point about academies needs to be addressed. It has been a blight on our game for a number of years and it is something that should have been addressed a lot earlier. Now before the A-league existed just about every club in the NSL had academies or junior teams. I don't view them as a cost, but an investment and that's how they should be viewed. It would be helpful if the A-league could re-introduce transfer fees in order to facilitate this process, but as I have mentioned in numerous posts previously there are parts of the A-league that need to be restructured, its not perfect but slowly but surely these issues will be worked out. If NSL clubs in the past could have them in a semi-professional era then I cant see why A-league clubs cant have them. Its simply an excuse. The last point of your post I will address. There is a reason that Victory, WSW and SFC are doing well. The first two clubs its because they have their act together and are doing the right things to become proper clubs. The third club SFC is getting its act together because WSW have dragged it along kicking and screaming, because they now know they have a serious player in their backyard. In other words they were a little bit lazy and we have given them a jolt. They also have the benefit of a very generous and wealthy owner who is probably using SFC as a tax write off and couldn't care less how much money he loses when he plays with his little toy. Above all else the integrity of the competition is paramount, the quality of football and how much bang for the buck we get. So in essence I am not against having a Marquee, but I am against having one for the sake of having one. They need to be a right fit, they need to be a good fit on the field first and if they happen to drag your ignorant friends along then I guess that's an added bonus, other than that if they don't show up. I couldn't care less. Yes Sheesh.
Freddie
Guest
RBBAnonymous, I think your view of the issues here are clouded by the fact that WSW (I assume that is the club you support, given your nickname), doesn't suffer in relative terms, in the same way as some of the other clubs. Let's take each of your points in turn. First, you don't see the point of trying to appeal to the Eurosnobs. Why? They have football in their blood. It's about developing their innate tribalism to benefit the local perspective. How do you know they won't stick with it if they get a taste for it? As I pointed out, an extra 6k that arrived around the same time as ADP have stayed on board at Sydney FC. Happy for the A-League to remain our little secret? This is the most damaging view of all. Exclusivity rather than inclusivity. "You don't understand, therefore you are ignorant" approach. Pathetic. Needs no further explanation. All sports want to grow in Australia, if we take this view then football will never be successful. Marquee needs to be the right fit. Agreed. Shinji Ono was certainly that for WSW. That's up to the clubs to find the right ones. You are happy for improvements but not at any cost, including academies and development. Don't you see the two are inter-connected? Without proper finance, clubs can't afford to build or run these academies! There's a reason the NYL has been downgraded this year, and that's because the clubs cannot afford to finance a nationwide youth league!! Better revenues through the gate equals better marketing spend equals better publicity equals better advertising & TV deals equals more cash to spend on academies etc etc etc etc!! Dispense the salary cap? Agreed. Make provision for a national second tier? Agreed. Cater to football fans who matter who come week in, week out? Agreed. There's just one small problem. Outside of Victory, WSW and Sydney, there just ISN'T ENOUGH OF THEM!!! Do we want a three-team league? Sheesh.
Mark
Guest
Signing marquee players is not growing the A-League pie, it is throwing some ice cream on top. Sure, the pie may then look more impressive, but before long the ice cream has melted and dripped away and you're back where you started...unless you put another scoop on top. No football league has ever been successful with a business model of signing washed up former superstars.
Mark
Guest
He's was given the same opportunity in Mexico, at higher money than he would be paid in Australia. Flopped. Signed for Fluminense and was so uninspired he left after 7 games. I appreciate your idealism, but face facts. He's past it.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Hey Towser, I did post a comment last night but unfortunately it didn't get past the Roar moderators. Anyway, I fully understood the context in which you replied. I never misinterpreted your statement at all, obviously the sarcasm of my post was lost somewhere along the way, as I was having a gentle crack at our AFL trolls. I thoroughly enjoy your posts by the way.
Mitcher
Guest
A fair argument could be made that the arrival of the Wanderers has been far more responsible for the sustained larger FC crowds than any lingering candy apple ADP effect.
Towser
Guest
RBB Read again, the whole sentence in context, it is in reference to comments by others not me, I am actually agreeing with your comment. I can see though if read quickly it could be misinterpretated.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
I don't see the point of appealing to a group of fans who will come to games and point out every fault and make reference and comparisons to the Elite Euro leagues of the world. All you will get every match is "Ohh that's rubbish, it would never happen in the EPL". Whether these so called "football fans" want to sample the local fare is up to them. I am more than happy to look for long term solutions that do not mess around with the integrity of our competition or what makes it so unique. To tell you the truth is just becomes tiresome. Happy for the A-league to remain our little secret. If you cant convince your mates to come without a big name signing then they never will. The point is a Marquee needs to be the right fit for the league, it needs to be the right fit for the club, it also needs to be financially viable as well. I don't like something which will turn our competition into something resembling an event rather than a competition. I am more than happy for improvements to the league but not at any cost. This would include proper academies and development of our players, this would include recalling our best players in Europe when it seems appropriate (Carl Valeri is a perfect example, Tim Cahill is not). It would include eventually dispensing with the ridiculous salary cap, developing a proper professional second tier with the idea of one day having pro/relegation (A very slow burn of 20 years or more). Its about A-league clubs properly connecting with communities, its about being proud of our footballing history and being proud of where we came from, no matter how painful it may seem. Its about catering to the football fans who matter, who come week in and week out, because they in the long term are your bread and butter. Its about making A-league teams wearing the home jersey against touring teams. Its about selling those same matches as an A-league experience ie selling a home end so that matches aren't sterile and so that people who do come to these matches can get a taste of what a real A-league home end is. The Melbourne Victory match vs Liverpool in the end was a farce in this regard. An opportunity missed. That's what your missing here.
Freddie
Guest
Unfortunately, this is the sort of A-League fan that can't see the wood for the trees. It's not about pouring scorn on the "Eurosnob" it's about trying to get them to watch the local product. I'm an A-League fan, I AM proud of the league, and so, I want others to watch it too. If they aren't watching it now, and clearly they aren't, then what can we do to attract them? You don't want the league to grow? If you are denying that the likes of ADP put bums on seats, then you are truly deluded. Clearly you didn't read the part where I said ADP put 6k on Sydney FC's average gate over two years, and that extra 6k have stayed with the club, even though he is no longer there? Of course football is about having a deep connection to the team, that's what we are trying to achieve. In the short-term, its about getting people to the stadium. Marquees are one way of doing that. Slow burn? Perhaps, but the burn is so slow at the moment, it may just burn out, and if it continues, there will be no clubs left for even the diehard fans to engage with. That's the stark reality of where we are at.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
No you are truly missing the point. There are other ways to build fans for the A-league and it certainly isn't to cater to the likes of theatre goers or the Eurosnobs out there. Eventually they will all turn around in the end. It has to be a slow burn, there is no other choice. The way football garners support is through history and having a deep connection to your team, it is about going to the football with your mates and having a few beers, its about your community and how your A-league clubs connects with it. Its not about appealing to some guy who thinks he is a Merseyside local as he wakes up bleary eyed at 3 am to watch his "local". Your avin a larf geezer. The signing of Alessandro Del Piero was for the most part excellent, but again there were parts of his stay here that just didn't sit well with A-league fans. A classic case in point was the fact that he had his own individual dressing room. That is just laughable and what is more laughable is that SFC was prepared to accomodate him in the first place, and they did. That's whats wrong with Marquees. The stands may have been filled but what was his lasting legacy, was it selling the most jerseys, increasing crowds for one year or was it coming 7th in the A-league. Perhaps it was his now famous stare down of Frank Farina for being substituted because the defensive side of his game was not up to par with the coaches expectations. That's whats wrong with Marquees. Lets not even start with his salary, which I am not saying he doesn't deserve. He could have earned similar numbers in any number of Leagues including at Liverpool who he was rumoured to have spoken with. The question is was he true value for money for the nearly 4M salary per annum that he earn't while at SFC. That one is debatable. You are correct in one sense. We do have an immature football market. Immature in the sense that we can't be proud of our local product, which is of a decent standard considering the financial constraints of the league. We are always ready to put down our league as inferior or not even comparable. This is where your mates are missing the point. Its more than comparable because its a decent standard, its an awesome match day experience, its a credible competition which is how I would like to keep it. It doesn't need all the gimmicks of a central fund, or a forced Marquee for every team if they want it or not. This is where you are missing the point.
Freddie
Guest
You're missing the point. There aren't enough A-League fans (or TV viewers) at the moment. The pie needs to grow. Not asking for owners to necessarily spend millions. Bring a sponsor in for the whole concept, find a way. Speculate to accumulate, that's what smart businesses do. I'm sure you couldn't care less about those who don't attend A-League games, but that again, misses the point. When ADP arrived at Sydney, their average crowds were 11,000. For the two years he was here (despite their troubles on the pitch), those crowds increased to 17,000. They have remained there, despite his departure. He also brought valuable exposure to the product, and was in part responsible for the increased TV deal, because the game was "hot" with mainstream media. We would all like a competition that survives on its own merits, but Australia is still an immature football market, hence we are where we are, in big financial trouble because no-one, outside the dedicated fan base, is watching the games.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Jardel Mk II
RBBAnonymous
Guest
@Qantas & SBS support Australian Football Wouldn't we all like to see him play. That's part of the problem, he hasn't played in months. He has not respected himself as a being a professional for a long time now.