Besart Berisha is the A-League's best ever foreign player

I think that the best player title may be a little controversial, I understand that in the context of the discussion, Berisha has score near 100 goals in this competition, however, there may be room for an article about the best players of the A league past and present and I think that players can only be judged at the time when they were at their best, there is no point in taking into account players after they have declined. So with this in mind, we need an article about best players in the A league past and present but considering those players only when they were at the top of their game, for example: Broich 2 years ago would rate high, but of course now is on the decline, but we should not forget how good Broich was 2 years ago

I agree that Berisha can be at times frustrate opposition fans but one thing can be said about Berisha, he is a passionate player, he used to be the same when he played for Brisbane, in Victory he is showing that although he misses lots of goals and although is caught on offside many times, he is still dangerous, to proof is on the fact that he sometimes attracts two defenders to keep him quiet and even then he is able to turn and score. The guy may not be as flexible as other players, he may appear a bit stiff, but, he is very strong and is hard to mark and nobody can doubt his passion for the game and his passion for scoring

Waz, As the stupid fool who always tries to be positive (i hope you like my piece of referees tomorrow) I see your point about positive and negative articles and the earning of the positive slant. However, it is not restricted to football. My article published this morning on some of the wonderful athletes in league at the moment, versus a piece on the admitted gambling, drug addicted NRL player Tim Simona was identified by a Roarer as having one third of the amount of comments. I was unaware of this, as I don't write for numbers. I write because I love everyone who comments and feel inspired by the ensuing debate. Yet, it did reflect a tendancy across the board to focus on the negative aspects rather than the positive. You are right in that it isn't the people on this or a similar site that cause it. It is more an unfortunate trend towards negativity in the media that fails to celebrate the great things about the games we play. I couldn't help but think what the headlines would have been if they Moomba antics of the last week had occured at an A-League match.

He's won that award at a few clubs

Agree Fuss

Berisha the best ever overseas player in the a league? I'm not sure. The best ever overseas controversial player? For sure. He's the cause of switching my allegiance from victory to city. Member from 2006 till 2015. Tried to hang in there after the signing but eventually could not bring myself in supporting the team with him in it. Now i support city and intend to take out a membership next year. I now even support sydney city against victory.

Waz I have often criticised FFA... I have defended FFA against IMO articles that ignore facts or ignore other issues... Yes I keep harping back to the international break for a reason.... your opinion which you post as if it is totally correct is FFA had a choice to have international breaks and choose not to. I maintain there would have been a revenue penalty from Fox if they did. You offer one spilt round which is still a round and I offer statements made by teh head of Fox and 9 and the treatment of Super Rugby... Again if you are right I will lead the charge to throw FFA out ... If you are wrong then the entire debate changes ... and almost every article written about this is invalid ... The real question becomes how are we willing to pay to get international breaks. Thats why I get ignored ... neither you or I know the truth ... BUT hand on heart do you seriously think 4 years ago if there was no penalty FFA would have scheduled no breaks for internationals on purpose.

@Waz By any definition the ALeague was a Start-Up for the first 8yrs. Like the majority of business Start Ups, the ALeague nearly collapsed when, in mid-2012 when Palmer & Tinkler walked away, the year after NQF had been cut loose.. Then WSW came along, plus Del Piero, Ono, etc and the ALeague was rejuvenated. For the past 3 years I'd describe us being in a Consolidation Phase. We aren't growing. We aren't going backwards. We're just doing the same thing every year. Now, we have growth opportunities presenting. Not artificial growth forced upon the market by Head Office. Growth is being driven by demand from new "business units" (clubs) wanting to be part of the competition. Remember only 5 years ago we had people walking away. I have ZERO sympathy for owners who lose big money operating an ALeague club. We have 3 clubs with 3 different ownership structures in 3 different markets showing how to be financially successful. If Victory, WSW & Adelaide can do it, it is evidence financial distress in the ALeague is due to poor corporate management; not a flawed model. Stop blaming others. Point the finger at your poor ownership at Brisbane. Rubbish business management of a football club, which has finally turned around with the new CEO. And, fickle fans who show no permanent love for the Club.

Nemesis. After 12 years we are no longer a "start up", we just aren't and any suggestion we are is absurd. So do we critique the FFA for: 1. Holding on to the start up model for too long? 2. Launching a strategic plan and a whole of football plan with no mention of reviewing the operational model? 3. For allowing owners to lose more than $200m in a flawed model? 4. For lacking transparency and accountability in their decision making prices? It does not matter how much lipstick you stick on the donkey, it is still a donkey. The ffa are making a mess of things year after year.

Mid, There is no balance in your commentary. You feel compelled to defend the position of the ffa on everything. The Titanic made good progress but look how that ended. You keep harping back to international breaks and applying your assumptions as fact and mine as grossly inappropriate. There is no cost in taking a weeks break, none, nil, zip. If there were we wouldn't be in the middle of a split round would we?

JB I fully agree and feel for Waz... However what I am trying to do is to put a degree of balance into the argument. My example of International Breaks... if there was little or no penalty to FFA by having International Breaks then I would demand they all be sacked... however if there was a revenue penalty as all available points too in insisting on international breaks... then the debate needs to change ... from inept incompetent FFA to what price should we pay and what gets cut. I also want change ... but I don't want decisions made on assumptions that are incorrect. There is depending on how you gauge things a difference of opinion as to the strength of the Australia Football market. FFA have plenty of faults, by I struggle, to think of anybody today who is capable, of managing things today without issues.

And Jacob Pepper for just about the worst Aussie to play for Brisbane.

Yeah, Jardell was at the bottom of a very bad barrel, and was an owner pick as well. :-( Still have memories of Joel Griffiths standing at the top-right of the box, both arms outstretched at the spot of grass, castigating a puffing Jardell for not being there when he passed the ball. Jardell's refrain was 'just gimme the ball and I'll do the rest'.

Rodriquez - a crowd favourite with the white headband and the energy he brought into the match.

Mid - For many years I served in "committees" that ran football clubs,& football Federations, and the one thing I took away with me was the total frustration one experienced when idea after idea was "knocked back" usually because of the political support the head of a committee had built around him/her. It was this factor that caused the departure of many good people from "committees", exasperated beyond belief.. I suspect it is in this area that Waz finds himself today. The initial impetus caused and underwritten by the establishment of the HAL has now began to "stall" and it is this "stalling " that causes angst like that displayed by thinkers like Waz. Let me cite you an example of an occurrence like this. Some years ago I used to write articles for an official football magazine in Brisbane.Here is a summary of one of those articles,headed Junior Coaching---- the Professional way. Things I would like to see happen in junior football. (1) Abolishment of premiership trophies and points tables up to the age of 10. (2) No pressurised coaching up to the age of 10 (3) Seven a side teams up to the age of 10 (4) Use of small pitches up to the age of 10. (5) Introduction to larger teams and pitches, 10-12 (6) Introduction to teamwork and positional coaching 10-12 (7) Introduction to physical work 12-15. (8) Introduction to premiership aims. 12-15 (9) All this done across the nation a.s.a.p. Mid ,This magazine was headed "The Official Magazine of the Queensland Soccer Federation" and was dated 18th of September 1976, almost 30 years before the much lauded ,and dare I say very expensive National Curriculum , was foisted upon us. Perhaps this will let you understand how I can sympathise with Waz . Cheers ,your mate jb.

Waz I have no idea what you do for a living ... My experience over 40 years in business and over 30 working in my own practice. Its impossible to read media articles without access to working papers to make an informed decision. You constantly post they are out of touch etc.. Your post come across as its only FFA making mistakes and running Football in Australia is so easy a blind monkey could do it. You have posted for days as an example on the international breaks ... I repeatedly asked you for a simple yes no answer.. Let me tell you why .. by answering both ways Answer NO If the answer is no, I will personally lead a demonstration outside the FFA head Office demanding all FFA board members and senior FFA staff resign. Further I will start a petition to be sent to the federal sports minister demanding the Federal government withhold all funds to Football until the board resigns. Answer Yes This changes the entire conversation from FFA are inept, incompetent and out of touch to how much should we pay for international breaks and what would we lose. This makes invalid most articles written on this issues as the presumption is FFA had a choice. Essentially IMO FFA choose revenue over International breaks. This is the debate. So the debate on the effect on SFC and MV and Nix is about how much should the salary cap be reduced or whatever other expense is not paid, have international breaks. Maybe I am wrong maybe you are right and every single decision FFA make should be without flaw and all working papers should be posted online and a podcast broadcast explaining why decisions were made. No business I have ever been involved with is error free .. What I am glad is happening is FFA have acknowledged their errors and are talking to all stakeholders to determine a way forward... I have posted many times when their contracts are up we need new leadership ... but if I read the whole of football report and look at its conclusions and what FFA have attempted to do .... contrary to many perceptions they are working at it... they have also achieved a lot ... but who wants to talk about what they have done right ... At the end of the day I hope between the FFA, the clubs, the PFA and the Associations under the watchful eye of FIFA we develop a good system that works for all.

lol...have to agree with Jardell. What a blast from the past

Punter no arguments there. Troisi wont start I'm pretty sure. Im saying off the bench if we need a goal he's not a bad option. And I hope youre right about Mooy. Slowly but surely the aussies are starting to get into bigger teams and this will only help our cause over the next 2-3 years.

@Waz Why is it a surprise to hear that the start-up model favoured by the FFA will not work during the Growth Phase? I'd say that's the norm for every start-up in every industry. As is the need to access fresh capital to take the business to the next level. Again, this is normal in every industry that the founders have big plans that far exceed the size of their bank accounts. When this happens, private companies can seek to raise funds via : Debt, Private Equity, or Public Equity. Which is the best option? Impossible to know without a forensic examination of the A-League's financial statements - current and projected - and exploring the cost of the different capital options. Of course, the majority of private companies will say "too hard, I'm happy remaining small & relatively successful". No harm in that either, but that's not what the football community wants.

Mid There's no doubt the FFA have been caught out and yes, they have been disconnected from many supporters expectations. More so outside of the HAL. The announcement last month that the HAL commercial model is broken and cannot possibly work is a bombshell that's been largely ignored on these pages. If it is broken do we trust the FFA to find a new one? Is introducing PE capital the right way to go? Is it the HAL model that's broken or the FFAs cost model? It would seem the HAL raises enough cash to support itself but the ffa does not?