So Tom Rogic becomes a hero, Arsene Wenger wins another trophy and we learned, once again, that the FFA Cup final should be held on a Saturday.
Has Rogic played his last game in a Celtic jersey? Surely there was no better way for the Canberra-born midfielder to end an injury-plagued season than by scoring the winner in the Scottish Cup final.
And what a winner it was, as the Socceroos star skipped past two defenders before squeezing a low drive beyond Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win for the Bhoys and wrap up a domestic treble.
Is there anything left for Rogic to accomplish in the green-and-white half of Glasgow? There’s regular UEFA Champions League football, to be sure, but that’s for a side routinely outclassed in Europe.
In fact, with Scottish football now a one-horse race following a season in which Celtic went unbeaten in all three domestic competitions, the time is right for Rogic to test himself down south. A move to the English Premier League surely awaits.
Will Arsene Wenger still be there? He silenced his critics – to an extent – by winning his seventh FA Cup trophy in a 2-1 upset of Chelsea.
What a performance from the Gunners, who battered the newly-crowned Premier League champions and should have won by an even bigger margin.
They got lucky with Alexis Sanchez’s opener – surely Aaron Ramsay was interfering with play? – but they outplayed the second-best Blues thereafter.
And how satisfying was it to see referee Anthony Taylor send off Chelsea’s Victor Moses for a blatant dive in the second half?
Taylor was perfectly positioned to spot Moses’ sorry act of simulation, and the second yellow card meted out helped change the complexion of the game.
It still needed a late winner from the mercurial Ramsay to win it and finish an otherwise miserable Arsenal campaign on a high.
Whether it’s enough to keep Wenger in a job after 20 years at the helm remains to be seen, but there can be little doubt we may never see another manager like him.
When every other club goes the other way and fires managers at the drop of a hat, Arsenal have perhaps erred on the wrong side of caution and kept Wenger in charge for too long.
But there’s no denying the Frenchman helped revolutionise the game in England, so perhaps he deserves the opportunity to go out as he sees fit.
Elsewhere, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund won the Spanish, French and German Cups respectively, on a monumental night of European football.
Of the three, perhaps Dortmund’s was the hardest-fought, with the black-and-yellows putting a run of three consecutive German Cup final defeats behind them to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at a packed Olympiastadion in Berlin.
Defeat was tough on Eintracht – who last won the Cup in 1988 – as one of Germany’s most passionately supported clubs left the capital empty-handed after Ante Rebic scored either side of an Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal – the latter chipping home his 40th of a prolific campaign from the penalty spot.
Barcelona predictably saw off plucky Alaves 3-1 in the Copa del Rey final, with the only question remaining whether Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players in history.
Plenty argue Cristiano Ronaldo is his equal, yet Ronaldo doesn’t possess the skills to influence a game like Messi does – his pass for Paco Alcacer’s third was simply out of this world.
And all across Europe – and our TV screens courtesy of SBS and beIN Sports – fans celebrated the end of their domestic seasons with action-packed Cup finals.
Our domestic calendar means we may not be able to replicate that in Australia, but we could at least get one thing right.
We should play the FFA Cup final on a Saturday, and give fans the chance to experience a massive build-up like they do in Europe.
Nemesis
Guest
@northerner What makes you think I don't love Asian Cuisine? I do. In fact I probably eat more Asian cuisine than European. That's largely due to ease of cooking than anything else. I was responding to a weird premise that European food is mediocre. It is not.
northerner
Guest
Nemesis: I've never been in a comfort zone of steak and burgers and pasta. Well, at least not since I was about ten years old. As it happens, I've visited many of the countries on your list, and lived in several of them. And I stand by my rating of their cuisine. I think you have to have a very Eurocentric view of food to think that most of it ranks higher than mediocre when compared with the really great cusines of the world. Most European cuisines can't hold a candle to Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese or many of the various Chinese cuisines. Indian food, both North and South, is remarkable for its use of spices and interesting flavours. Middle Eastern food likewise - Greek cuisine is, in my opinion, a pale imitation of the Turkish food from which it developed. And I've spent enough time in both Athens and Istanbul to be able to make a comparison. Perhaps, after all, it's you who needs to move out of your comfort zone.
Chris
Guest
I was kidding punter!
punter
Guest
You could say the same, why eat Italian when the local food in Vietnam is sooooooo good. The point with Grobbelaar is that in Sydney & Melbourne you have the variety. The point with Nemesis is that local cuisine in southern & even mid European nations is pretty special, Italian, Spanish, French, Swiss, Portuguese, Turks & even the Greeks. Much better then what is perceived of that of local cuisine of Australia or Nth America. But both Australia & Nth America are very multi cultured much more then Europe or Asia & the variety is greater.
Chris
Guest
No need to eat Asian when the local food is soooo good in Italy : )
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Nemeis Northerner makes a fair point. For the most part, European cuisine is over rated. The range and diversity to be found in Australia's capital cities, especially in Melbourne is truly staggering. Consider this: we have many, many restaurants specialising in specific regional cuisines of the major Asian countries right here in Melbourne. Outside of London, you won't find that sort of range of cuisine anywhere in Europe. Try looking for a hot and spicy Sechuan fish soup anywhere in Italy - you won't find it. Italians have a reputation for being cosmopolitan, but actually they are probably the least worldly and least travelled of all of Western Europe. Sure, a thumbs up for authentic margarita pizza, arancini and good coffee, but, well, you know...
Nemeis
Guest
My apologies about misreading the comment about Italian & French food. I was flabbergasted that anyone would suggest Euro food was mediocre. Europe has a diversity of food that is as good spectacular. Even within a country there is huge diversity from region to region. I see you've already changed your comment to include Spain. Thank heavens. No one who has been to these countries would call the cuisine mediocre: Portugal, Croatia, Poland, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany (so many variations as you travel across the country), etc. etc. But you must be willing to move outside your comfort zone of steak & burgers & pasta.
northerner
Guest
You might want to read what I said again. I specifically excluded French and Italian food from my comment - they're the exceptions. And I was quite clear on that point so I'm not sure what your issue is. For the rest, I find Central and Eastern European food heavy and uninteresting, Scandinavian likewise, and I've eaten enough of all of them to feel that's fair comment. Greek food is nowhere near as good as Turkish food or indeed any Middle Eastern/North African cuisine. I probably should have made Spanish food another exception though so guilty on that count. And if you were half as well travelled as you pretend to be, you would know just how varied and interesting North American food, especially from the west Coast, but also from the east Coast and the Gulf, can be. And, given your alleged experience in Eastern Europe, I'm amazed you'd even try to argue the point about the superiority of European cuisine..
Nemeis
Guest
You being serious? You are calling Italian & French cuisine "mediocre"? Let me guess. Canadian & American food is exciting to you? Steak & tomato ketchup. Bit of Mexican to show you're ok with ethnics?
northerner
Guest
I have lived in Europe. Italy and France aside, the food is generally mediocre - heavy, unimaginative, relying on historical preferences rather than daring to reach to the future. Much like Europe itself.
Euromasters
Guest
There is still a TRUCKLOAD you need to learn from the European masters. Not only how to run a Football organisation (besides many other things) but also how to cook some decent food. We continental Europeans tried hard to give you a food culture (so you don't have to eat spuds and corned beef every day), but you still can't cook some decent food for 6 referees. You're a disgrace. And your management skills are as dodgy as your cooking skills. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/brisbane-roar-fined-17000-for-failing-to-provide-adequate-meals-to-afc-officials-20170527-gwen4l.html
Midfielder
Guest
LIVE on Facebook Bulleen Lions v Oakleigh Cannons LINK: https://www.facebook.com/FlipTVAustralia/videos/463731680629193/?permPage=1
At work
Roar Rookie
I don't think it's ridiculous at all; if you polled A League fans I'd think they would overwhelmingly support their clubs starting in earlier rounds. As would fox Sports I imagine.
Nemesis
Guest
@BenPP My previous comment was a reply to At Work. Having said that, I didn't think it was rude.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Now, now, no need for being rude. At no point have I suggested your view expands beyond 3 data points.
Nemesis
Guest
I've no idea what you're talking about. We've had 3 versions of the FFA Cup. It's ridiculous to pretend to identify some trend that suggests the Cup needs a format, or structural, change.
Realfootball
Guest
As good a reason to throw a game as I can think of.
Steve
Guest
The ability to influence games signifies who is the best. There is more to influencing games than scoring. Messi influences games more frequently than anyone else, whether it is scoring, assisting or 'hockey assisting'. The Copa Final proved that again. Hell, Real Madrid were 9 wins in 9 Liga games his season without Ronaldo. Meanwhile two of Barca's 4 losses in the league this season came with Messi not playing or starting on the bench. That's Mike's point and I agree - you were the one who argued the toss here. Anyway good luck this weekend.
punter
Guest
It was you who brought the context of the best. All I said was I feel someone who scores 3 goals each in 2 of the biggest games in the world, does mean he influences games. I know a fullback role is to create crosses for goal assists, midfielders are to dominate & strikers are there to score. Who is the best is a matter of opinion. Ronaldo has won 3 Ballon d'ors, he has helped his team be the best club team in Spain, the best club team in Europe, & vieing to do it again this weekend, helped his team be the best team in the world. He has also helped his country be the best country team in Europe. Don't really think he has that much to prove to you or me. He has respect from his peers. Raphael Varane on Ronaldo & Buffon. 'They are immense," he said. "They made history. Their duel in the next game will have an influence on the Ballon d'Or. We're not acknowledging enough how Ronaldo is making football history right now. I'm lucky to play with him."
Steve
Guest
Obviously not luck, you don't score that many only on luck. But the context of the goal scoring is what makes me say he is not THE best. That's perfectly ok btw. Good luck against a Juve this weekend. Hopefully your hero Ronaldo can finally win a UCL Final in regular time. And maybe even get his first MoM award in UCL Final...