Each and every week the football world provides us with a collection of stories, rumours and events that get tongues wagging with both praise and criticism.
England will be a hotbed of debate and discussion around the apparent racial and personal abuse hurled in Raheem Sterling’s direction on Saturday, as well as the defeat of his City team by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The latter is good football discussion, with any commentary around an unbeaten season now moot, yet the former will brew up passions in those still stunned by the Neanderthal-like behaviour of some football fans.
The frequency of the abuse, in and outside football, tells me quite succinctly that there are still a hell of a lot of racist and narrow-minded white supremacists living on this planet. Some of them enjoy football; turning up to games and spewing their hateful vitriol in the direction of black players.
Sadly, Chelsea’s brave defensive stand and subsequent upset of the champions will take something of a back seat in many people’s minds, as the game grapples with another shameful incident. It comes soon after a Spurs fan threw a banana peel in the direction of Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang just a week ago.
Australian football will experience a week of equal excitement and controversy over the next few days, hopefully without our version of the racial abuse. We all hope that the anger directed towards Jamie Young in Mudgee never occurs again.
The local game has a colossal week ahead and much to devour on the football plate.
Brisbane Roar’s slump to ninth on the A-League ladder will no doubt set the wheels in motion on the #Aloisiout express. The dapper and suave figure that stalks the sidelines at Suncorp is at the helm of a club in decline.
Sometimes, such a fall can be a cyclical phenomenon, however the general trend in Brisbane is clear and the graphs that map it head south.
John Aloisi (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
While easy to take John Aloisi’s future as the key talking point from the furnace that was Sunday afternoon at McDonald Jones Stadium, I would prefer to be discussing Lauren Barnes.
The Melbourne City defender produced what I felt was the most complete defensive performance I have seen this season from an A or W-League player.
The 29 year-old American played a game I will never forget. Alongside the returning Steph Catley, Barnes was faced with the astonishing pace of Newcastle’s Taylor Smith bombing down the right flank.
Despite the speed of the Jets’ winger and Catley’s departure from the game at half time, Barnes was astonishing, held firm and frustrated Smith; the woman touted as the speediest in the competition.
When the ball was played more centrally, her use of the head was astute, precise and clinical.
In such oppressive conditions the game was destined to open up despite the extra breaks provided for the players and when it did, the life of a defender become near impossible, as fresh legged substitutes surged towards the back four.
Barnes prevailed and led a City defence that had leaked the most goals in the competition over the first five rounds. After a bright start from Newcastle, City goals to Yukari Kinga and Tameka Butt had the visitors in front after 45 minutes.
The home side rallied in the second half and Barnes was often called upon to re-order the chaos that Newcastle created via their speed down the flanks. Jasmyne Spencer sealed the game for City in the 72nd minute, yet it was Barnes the hero in a typically blue collar performance by a defender.
It was the highlight of the day, really, yet Aloisi and to a lesser extent the dire performance from Sydney FC on Saturday were destined to be the headlines.
Wednesday presents itself as a potentially remarkable day in the history of Australian football.
Business people, ex-players, administrators and fans have all played a role in the long awaited A-League expansion process.
Bids have been built, submitted, inspected and now analysed. Wednesday will see a decision finally made after the new FFA Board meets on Tuesday. What that decision will be is anybody’s guess.
Whilst the announcement of two successful bids would be an exciting development, the reality is that a postponement is still possible. The financial demands of the FFA swirl murkily in the background, with vast sums apparently being demanded in licensing fees.
David Gallop (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Debate over the potential growth in the six regions covered by the new bidders and the impact on broadcasting and attendance is important, yet until a decision has been made, many Australian football fans still can’t believe it will actually happen.
Call me a doubting Thomas, but I would prefer to be talking about the launch of Trevor Thompson’s new book that occurs on the same day. Playing for Australia: The First Socceroos, Asia and World Football is a look at over 150 years of Asian influence on the Australian game.
Whilst Asian Confederation membership may have only been granted as recently at 2006, Australia’s footballing cultural diversity saw the region play a key role in the development of the game.
Ange Postecoglou will be present to launch the book at Gleebooks in Sydney, in what might be a fitting way to end a potentially monumental day in the local game.
The Football world never fails to produce and this week, as awful, intriguing, disappointing and celebratory as it may turn out to be, will be no different.
Hopefully, I will enjoy the launch on Wednesday night and catch up with a few old friends and colleagues. All the while, I’ll have Lauren Barnes in the back of my mind, because that is what the game is all about.
John Aloisi will have to sort things out for himself.
Luka74
Roar Rookie
Barnes is a total gun. A big part of the city 3 peat. And with Stotty returning from international duty and Steph coming back we should be very solid across the back. Adding Theresa Neilsen means 3 out of the 4 Seattle defenders, and Rebekah Stott was there till last season, so the group really play well together. It's great to see Lauren get some credit because performances such as the one on the weekend are pretty standard for her, she is very consistent. Really love watching our W League side, so much more entertaining than the A League side usually are.
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
Even if Brisbane got some results their way, it wouldn't stop them from having the worst match day experience in the entire league which drives a lot of football people away. They'd need to at least get the lower tier selling out and a total rethink that involes the Den, stadium operators and the club on how to make the matchday atmosphere at Suncorp more authentic to Football fans because atm it feels like going to a Rugby game which doesn't do anyone any favours.
jbinnie
Guest
Lionheart - I thought that I clearly stated in my opinion , that in Australian football a "club's " success is usually measured by what is happening on the field when it's top team plays,and performs. At the moment that puts Roar as the ninth best (or worst) team in Australia, Get my point?, for I too did state they should be one of Australia's great teams. The second part of your reply does pose a problem. Offhand I can think of 3 coaches who sat and passed their exams overseas,two of them at their own expense, and I know for a fact it is probably years since any of them attended a game of football, and yet they still reside in Queensland. Mike Mulvey came to this country from England having as a young player trialled with Manchester United youth teams, but signed with the old NSL team Brisbane Lions where he spent 3 seasons making only 14 first team appearances. He then moved to North Star in the local league. As a coach he has had what one would have to describe as a chequered career,coaching 13 different teams in a 19 year coaching career with various degrees of success. During his time at Lions, Mike would have come under the tuition of one of the best youth coaches I have ever seen working with young players. His name was Ian Kesson and like the others I mention Ian now spends his days ,and nights ,going to ballroom dancing. Ask me why? The answer ,I don't really know. Cheers jb.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Thanks Tezza. I agree that the A League team does that a bit, but the NYL and W Leagues? I only see an occasional match or highlight, but the W League were fabulous premiers last year, and the NYL do head their conference so can't be all bad.
Tezza
Guest
I mean similar as in all the Roar sides play the same style of football from npl to nyl to and a league. Try and keep possession for long periods without actually doing a lot with the ball. If you watch the games you will see them get the ball to the 18 yard box and then turn and play it back. When they receive a ball from the back their first touch is generally straight back to where it came from. Sides will now just sit in and wait until a misdirected pass and then catch them on the counter. Take the wing backs for example and even hingert and o`toole, no one ever wants to drive at the defender and get in the box they wait and hold the ball up and the defence gets back and resets. It is just my observations from being " around the traps" but something needs to change. Cheers.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I think that's the A League team JB. Anyone fair-minded who looks at what the club is doing, their other teams, academy, infrastructure and improvements in other areas would not call the club 'also rans'. But yes, even one eyed supporters like me admit that things are just not right in the A League team. You've been around QLD football quite a while, where are our local coaches? Surely we must have a few locals of A League standard. I think Steve Corica is it isn't he, but he's come through Sydney, and Mike Mulvey calls himself a Q'lder but he's come through the UK.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Not sure that I understand your line 'similar across all their teams' Tezza. Do you mean similar to the W League side, the reigning premiers? and the NYL side, presently leading their conference? I know the W League side are not quite the same this year, but attribute that largely to the movement of players to other clubs (and the nonsensical nature of the W League contracts), and they are developing quite a number of younger players. Looking at their goals, and a couple of Roar NYL goals from the weekend, I can only say that I wish our A League team played like those other two teams.
Waz
Roar Rookie
jb. Correct. Mike asked the question on Monday “can JA coach is way out of the hole he finds himself in?” and I think it’s fair to say most people felt “no” or at best “yes, but he’ll only crawl into a new hole”. The question is, what will the club do faced with a team in decline?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
No worries Kangas.
Tezza
Guest
Waz, if Aloisi isn`t prepared to change the way the Roar play then the lads are going to struggle . Once you work out how they play which is similar across all of their teams it becomes very difficult for them to break through and create goals and this was never more evident than last weekend eg, Bautheac and Mikkelson played all game on their preferred opposite side of the field, Mackay was in behind Enrique and at times in front, quality delivery into the box was virtually non existent.Why have quality players left the club and yet players like Holman have been resigned. WHY IS Michael De Vere not included in the squad.The team is certainly IMO in a decline and it is all because of THE MAN JA.
jbinnie
Guest
Waz - Yes it is great to list all the achievements going on off the field but in itself there is a hidden tragedy for,as you well know ,the HAL team ,which should be one of the top notch teams in the country,has been living on past glories for some 5 or 6 years now, and, though it appears to be obvious to pundits like yourself, that steady decline has been apparently ignored by whoever it is who is managing the football side of things at the club. Let us not forget, the greater football public in Australia still judge a team on it's achievements on the field and that means to many, that Roar,despite all the good things you have listed, are today regarded as also-ran's in the overall scheme of things. Sooner or later that has it's own outcomes and I think that is something we don't want to see happen. Cheers jb.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Tags is a West Australian, but Gary Van egmond and the Jets has something to do with his early success.. a golden boot and World Cup player as a jets player
jbinnie
Guest
Jordan - as an obvious Glory fan I find a lot of your comments a bit "tongue in cheek". I watch most HAL matches and over the last few years I distinctly remember McLaren as an "off bench" player who usually managed a goal or two in his limited time ,not in a small way initiated by his mutual strike partner ,Andy Keogh,who is an extremely experienced central striker well schooled in how to create space in a defence through his almost constant movement. Adam Taggart came to Glory from Jets, via Fulham and Dundee United ,and though a Perth boy, I think it would be correct to say he, like McLaren, also benefitted greatly from playing alongside Keogh who is still doing sterling work at the league leaders today,and could be said to be working his magic on Ikonomidis and or Chianese.. In old fashioned jargon both McLaren and Taggart are what used to be called "goal poachers" depending on pace and reaction time to utilise the spaces created by the work of others, if that "work" stops so do the goals dry up. Cheers jb .
Buddy
Guest
headlines and talking points will always vary according to what we want to consume and what is in our headspace at anytime. I don’t see a Brisbane club or team in decline. I just see a struggling coach and the only interesting point is how long the club tolerate him and more interesting is what the BR fans think. The headline in many Newspapers And television stations I have tuned into over the last few days in southeast asia has been a mixture of the Manchester City result and the racism angle. Big clubs, big names I suppose and yet one incident allegedly involving one person can grab so much space. There is no debate to have, but I am always curious to know whether or not shouted comments, racist, sexist or general sledging directly affect a player’s immediate performance? I do recall watching a game decades ago where the home support did the old “gee up” as the goalkeeper was taking a goal kick and it was one of very few occasions where I witnessed a player go to pieces, kick badly and then hand over the goal kicks to another player. cannot comment on Lauren Barnes as in this part of the globe A League and W League don’t appear anywhere and definitely no tv coverage - just round the clock epl and nfl!
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
That's meant to say 5 years.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
L h Brisbane import players from other clubs too , it’s a two way street. For over a 100 years the Newcastle hunter region fed the Sydney soccer cricket and rugby league clubs so many internationals it’s not funny . My small home town of kurri kurri has at least 11 league internationals from a town of 5000 people as well as 3 soccer internationals. Newcastle has produced more Socceroos then a city the size of Melbourne. Just saying it’s not just Brisbane that keeps producing talent , but kudos to what they are doing right .
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
You relied on us to get your 2 best strikers of the past 2 years. Taggart and Maclaren
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
They get good crowds at the Birdsville races too Fadida
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Well said Waz. Our club is definitely moving in the right direction. As for other clubs, let's face it, more than a few of those clubs rely on us for key players.
Franko
Guest
To be perfectly honest I don't want him sacked because I like his dress sense. There I said it.