Warren Joyce is a genius, and after dropping the most popular player in Melbourne City’s history, he’s won the public relations battle now and forever.
We’ve read those words before, only this time there’s no sarcasm intended after Melbourne City accounted for Adelaide United 2-0 at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.
Could it be that Joyce has all the answers? City have won two and lost two without Bruno Fornaroli in the side.
And while we probably shouldn’t read too much into yesterday’s victory – things might have been different had Craig Goodwin buried that header just before half-time – it’s clear Joyce has won his personal duel with Fornaroli.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
The little Uruguayan is now surplus to requirements, and if it was a case of ‘back me or sack me,’ Joyce clearly has the trust of City’s hierarchy.
Couldn’t Adelaide do with a striker like Fornaroli? You won’t score too many goals without a recognised striker – not that City aren’t giving it a red-hot go.
Marco Kurz should pull out all the stops to try and sign former Sydney FC striker Bobo in the January transfer window, because unless the Reds find an answer to their goal-scoring woes, they’ll lose more games than they win this season.
It’s interesting how quickly things can change in football.
Fornaroli has scored 48 goals in just 70 A-League appearances, while current Alanyaspor striker Bobo scored 42 goals in only two seasons at Sydney FC – and now neither player can get a game for their respective sides.
It’s a shame City won’t release Fornaroli to another A-League side – even if you can understand it from a footballing point of view – because at the end of the day, the competition needs all the entertainers it can get.
That point was rammed home once again when Perth Glory beat the Newcastle Jets 2-0 in Sunday’s other fixture.
Let’s start with the obvious. The weather, to put it mildly, was not on the A-League’s side this weekend.
And Glory will struggle to win a game in more fortuitous circumstances, after Jair forced a fine save from Liam Reddy less than ten seconds in, before the visitors raced up the other end and won a penalty in faintly ridiculous fashion.
Neil Kilkenny slotted home with ease – remember him, City fans? – before Jair saw his thumping header cannon back off the post.
And when Jets goalkeeper Glen Moss spilled a high ball into the path of Jason Davidson, the meagre crowd in attendance could see the writing on the wall.
The 6,701 fans who braved the stormy conditions deserve plenty of plaudits, even if the Jets broke their all-time record this week with 11,320 members.
But there’s a bigger worry right now than just paltry crowd figures, regardless of how much the usual suspects will try and claim that attendances are irrelevant.
It’s the fact there’s virtually no buzz around the A-League whatsoever. Not in the stands, not on TV and certainly not on social media.
I’ve said it before, but indifference will be the death of the A-League, and right now it’s happening before our very eyes.
Will an A-League run independently of Football Federation Australia’s control help boost the competition next season? Here’s hoping.
But with fans dropping out at an alarming number – ‘the Melburnians’ released a statement yesterday claiming that next Saturday’s derby will be their last as Melbourne City’s home end – something needs to be done.
It gets back to the question of what we want our clubs – and by extension, the A-League – to be.
Warren Joyce might have won his battle with Bruno Fornaroli, but at what cost?
If no one turns up or tunes in to watch these clubs play, then what’s the point?
This weekend’s round of action was hugely entertaining.
But with a new year upon us, it’s time for everyone in the game to hit the reset button and remind those who have written off the A-League that it’s a competition worth watching.
Peter Morgan
Guest
Havent watched a moment of the A League this season after the farce that VAR made of last years GF. Felt cheated and disenfranchised so A League can jog on.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Kangas, that's just bad parenting :)
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Actually not a bad thought, Gaelic Football is only big in certain Counties, whilst Hurling is big in others, a few counties have a cross over and they are good and popular in both. The greatest Hurling County, Kilkenny, Gaelic Football is not that popular, nor are they particularly good at it.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
The Hungarian league is in Europe right? How do you think they would go against Sanfrecce? How about Austria, that's in Europe right? How do you think LASK would go up against the Urawa Reds?
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Mike, clearly you don't have a clue, Indoor and outdoor are separated in ABS data (and that data also shows that Football is bigger than all others) Various methods of counting leave certain participants in or out, yet EVERYONE of those show that Football comes out as the highest, so no matter how you want to slice the cake, Football has the highest number
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
You could say that but you would be wrong
oldpsyco
Guest
If you take out those by Mr Football & Nemises its only about 20. Two who like to hear/read their own opinions
oldpsyco
Guest
Rubbish! They print what they want you to read! They decide, You dont!
ACTFedUp
Guest
Not watching, never have, never will, not rich enough to have fox and don't have a team close that is worth watching. This a-league, players and it's administrators, are too corrupt for my liking. Sick of the crap spread over the news all the time from this rubbish league - e.g. poor decisions made my refs coerced by diving players - then there are the jokers who corruptly run it trying to justify they are all out for the sport, they are not, they just take the foxmoney and the $$$ paid by grassroots football to the FFA.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#RF "There are times I despair of Australia and the threadbare culture here" I find that a rather sad comment - and it makes me reflect on the following: Back in 1895 'Mark Twain' (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) traveled to Australia - as part of a world tour of 150 lectures, largely from which experiences he wrote "Following the Equator" (1897). At this point in time - prior to Australian federation - Twain wrote of Australia: "Australian history is almost always picturesque; indeed, it is so curious and strange, that it is itself the chiefest novelty the country has to offer, and so it pushes the other novelties into second and third place. It does not read like history, but like the most beautiful of lies. And all of a fresh new sort, no mouldy old stale ones. It is full of surprises, and adventures, and incongruities, and contradictions, and incredibilities; but they are all true, they all happened." About 120 years on - there has been much evolution of history and culture. However there are those who are unable or unwilling to recognise what is before them. Twain at the time described the Eureka Stockade “may be called the finest thing in Australian history”; and the Melbourne Cup: “The champagne flows, everybody is vivacious, excited, happy; … Cup Day is supreme – it has no rival.” Anyway - a nice Aussie movie "The Merger" is out on DVD now, worth a watch if you haven't seen it already. I challenge the sports-zealots to watch it without their sporting bigotry coming to the fore (but somehow I doubt that can happen).
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Beni Iniesta I was running off a quick google which adds in Northern Ireland and delivers a number of 242,495 km2. In which case the UK is a smidge bigger. And population attributed as about 66 million. If you run with Great Britain the population figure drops to 60ish million. The point still is that you can't compare a 2nd/3rd tier comp in that setting with a 2nd / 3rd tier comp even in Victoria. Similar land mass but vastly different human scalar components.
Nemesis
Guest
They're bored and incredibly lonely. The poser with the hotpants & singlet photo must be the loneliest poser in Australia. His only enjoyment every day is to write snarky comments on the Football forum. Not just this one. He's on multiple forums & social media with the same, repetitive jibes at sokkah. This is not normal behaviour. This is one very disturbed individual.
chris
Guest
So Beni you agree with the rest of my comment that AFL supporters are bored out of their minds so they infest football tabs (including the league tabs) and have to tell us how big they are and how small (insert other sports) are blah blah blah. Small man syndrome I think someone said the other day.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Well put Punter. We all empathise with those marooned by their love of the Australian Fantasy League. One day, when I have time, I will emulate my esteemed co-commenter Mr F and write an article for the Roar. My subject will be why the AFL is the prime example of Australian cultural cringe.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Because we feel sorry for the AFL, 6 months off season, they have to look for other things to do, spend time in a football tab, invent women's sport, introducing professional sport into China, wondering why the rest of the world is not as obsessed about the game as much as Victorians, South & west Australians.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Or AFL = Football in England AFL = Football in Malaysia AFL = Football in Costa Rica AFL = Football in Cameroon AFL = Football in Germany AFL = Football in Ivory Coast AFL = Football in South Korea AFL = Football in Brazil AFL = Football in Mexico AFL = Football in Bolivia AFL = Football in Turkey AFL = Football in Vietnam AFL = Football in Italy AFL = Football in Argentina AFL = Football in Portugal AFL = Football in Zarie AFL = Football in Spain
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Yes, 300 comments is a decent milestone
con tripodis
Guest
yes fadida because their fickle and manufactured fans ,true fans that love their team and identify with it stick thru thick and thin you guys missed out on a club that would have showed you what passion is the FFA has gone for more manufactured clubs
AR
Guest
“AFL = Gaelic football in Ireland. End of lesson.” Exactly. Or... AFL = sumo in Japan. AFL = Muay Thai in Thailand AFL = Kabaddi in Bangladesh AFL = American football in USA (Though I’m not sure why you guys are so intent on talking about AFL in a discussion about the ALeague.)
con tripodis
Guest
oh nick ,boy did u miss the point or what where is the passion mate thats what i am talking about ,where was the shouting, whisling ,hand clapping, cheering ,no they were busy put there boho food together i have never seen a picnic at a soccer stand before that is melbourne cite or heart NO PASSION