The old adage of being a rooster one minute and a feather duster the next pretty much sums up sport.
Whether it be a dramatic, short-term fall within the space of one match or a more sustained decline over a longer period, individuals and teams all have their glorious moments in the sun while also suffering scrutiny when things look grim.
Each and every year, the A-League farewells four of its teams as the competition enters the finals, and thank goodness for that. Many suggest that even the sixth-placed team are pushing their luck by participating in the knockout phase.
Perhaps that argument loses a little weight this season, with the Phoenix enjoying a terrific mid-season run on the pitch under new manager Mark Rudan.
Their crowds have risen as on-field performance improved, and the importance and potential impact of the New Zealand franchise was clear.
The same cannot be said of the bottom four and it is time we all wave goodbye to them, in the desperate hope that they return in October with something better.
The Wanderers continued their nomadic and lonely existence as a seemingly lost club; yearning for a return to their spiritual home in Parramatta. While that will undoubtedly be a significant moment, supporters know there is far more to be done to improve the results on the pitch than merely taking up new digs.
In the end, it was a season of just six wins, inconsistent play and dwindling support in the stands. Markus Babbel has kicked stuff, laughed at some of the comedy his team has produced and seems destined to move on multiple members of his squad during the off-season, in what stands to be a tough and disciplinary rebuild.
Markus Babbel (Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images)
The fans will no doubt flock on opening night at Parramatta but they won’t stay for too long should Western Sydney’s current form bleed into next season.
However, the sight of a bubbling RBB and a Wanderers side in the winner’s column early in the season might be just what the comp needs.
Newcastle head into hiatus with a host of farewells on the cards. Ronald Vargas and Jair have been flat-out failures. While not something anyone would enjoy suggesting, with the quality of visa players so important to the overall standard, Ernie Merrick’s imports have been consistently inconsistent. His best players are locals.
On Saturday night, Joey Champness and Dimi Petratos played the starring roles in a commendable 2-0 victory over Sydney. The memories of the grand final appearance in 2017-18 are now well and truly distant and reinforcements are required.
As for Brisbane, well, I’m not sure exactly what I just watched. Described by a colleague as that nasty car-accident at which you can’t help but look as you drive by, Darren Davies was left to pick up the pieces after John Aloisi’s squad continued in reverse early in the season.
One win in the first nine led to Aloisi’s departure in December, despite claims there was a strong belief in the playing group that he was the man to turn around the Roar’s fortunes.
In reality, the quality and work ethics of imports Alex Lopez and Tobias Mikkelsen were seriously questionable and along with ageing legs elsewhere, the Roar lacked the speed and potency of the top A-League teams.
Davies’ decision to play Dylan Wenzel-Halls, Zachary Duncan, Nick D’Agostino and Izaack Powell late in the season confirmed that Brisbane have shifted their focus to the future – and rightfully so.
With just four wins, it was another unacceptable season from the Queensland franchise and an off-season of change looms with Robbie Fowler scratching his head as I type.
The Central Coast are a special case. A third wooden spoon in four years, just three wins and a sacked manager all made for the season from hell. Alen Stajcic took over as caretaker with just six matches remaining and did manage two wins – a remarkable achievement considering the appalling confidence levels within the playing group.
Mike Mulvey begun the season with a refreshed playing roster after massive changes and the same appears likely to happen under Stajcic when he signs his new three-year deal. The Roar broke an A-League record by allowing 71 goals this season, yet the Mariners conceded 70 and miss out on the dubious honour.
The re-emergence of Matthew Millar was a positive for the Mariners and the fact he has now departed becomes somewhat symbolic of their season.
Thanks to Western Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Central Coast: it was nice of you to buy a ticket and participate. The league needs all ten clubs humming along, with minor fluctuations in form a part of the natural cycle of change.
The four departing clubs were less than consistently competitive this season and will need a considerable rethink and replenishment over the off-season.
Let’s hope they all get it right.
jbinnie
Guest
Nem - Your slip is showing once again. who mentioned player development? Halloran played 26 games for GCU and knocked up 27 games playing for Roar. More importantly you missed completely the point I was making about ex-Roar players playing with different clubs today. It was actually a "hit" at the recruitment policy in vogue at Roar in recent years, when a lot of these players, on returning from overseas, appear not to have raised any interest at Roar, despite all of them being regarded as HAL material. Get it? Cheers jb.
Nemesis
Guest
"and another ex Roar player in Halloran" No. Ben Halloran is an ex-Gold Coast United player. Started in the GCU NYL team that were irresistible to watch, coached by Mike Mulvey. Brisbane Roar fans have got to stop inventing stuff about their development.
John Allan
Guest
As I see it, appointing a legend of the game although unproven as a coach is fraught with danger. Should the Roar not improve in the next couple of years, they would be faced with a difficult decision particularly as Fowler sees it as the start of a potentially successful career in coaching.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
I actually laughed aloud Waz! As someone who played a bit as a CB I didn't agree more, though the left backs I played with all seemed to take a belting free kick too
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Thanks Nem, always draws you out when we mention all those former Roar players you guys have picked up. Let's hope we go well in the finals.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I solve the problem by turning the sound off
Nemesis
Guest
Very amusing to see the Brisbane fans lamenting players they've lost. Sums up Brisbane Roar - forever living on past successes. Here's a News Flash for Brisbane: players move clubs. Brisbane Roar Double Winners under Ange who played for other A-League clubs before being poached by Brisbane Roar: Theoklitos, Matt Smith, Susak, Stefanutto, Barbarouses, Redmayne, Jurman, Nick Fitzgerald,
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Thanks JB. Some go back a long time, like Zulo (you could add Brosque too), and some others departed for valid reasons (like Halloran, Barbarouses, Brattan and Petratos, overseas taking their careers to the next level. But others were let go too easily, particularly in the Aloisi era who always thought he had a better player lined up. Broich said that Roar was a destination club, one players wanted to come to and stay. But that's certainly no longer the case. Let's hope we can change that. BTW JB, what's your thoughts on Roar's new head coach? I see your comment above about being foreign to Brisbane regards looking up or across, but surely that applies to all new coaches in a new club/city?
jbinnie
Guest
Stuart - Know you don't see all the games but Aloisi did try a back three on more than one occasion in the season just gone. He may have been influenced by Ange dabbling in the same system with the Socceroos. Cheers jb.
jbinnie
Guest
Lionheart - The other day, in another column, I named a team that is still playing in the HAL today. As you may have missed it I spell it out again for your consideration,----- Redmayne, Franjic, Donnachie,Jackson, Zullo, - Petratos, Halloran, and Brattan,- Barbarouses, Mclaren, and Champness. With the exemptionof Jackson,Petratos and Champness (all playing at Jets),all of the above mentioned players will be playing in the finals series. The other common factor they ALL have is that they have ALL played at Brisbane Roar. Cheers jb.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Waz is pretty spot on with his list above of who'll be shown the door at Roar. As the RSF posted on Faceboook today, along with retirees McKay and Henrique, Roar has confirmed the following will go: Kristensen, Devere, Holman, Bautheac, Babalj, Caletti, Lokolo-Ngoy, Lopez, Mikelsen, Nigro, Tongyik. This is a good first move by the new coach.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I think you’re taking my comment too seriously jb (Although I will admit in the twilight of my playing years refusing to take throw-ins and making the younger full backs canter 50 yards to do it lol)
Nick Symonds
Guest
Who would you prefer as commentator: A) Andy Harper B) Kamahl
jbinnie
Guest
Waz - As I said a nonsensical answer to a nonsensical question. You are entitled to have an opinion ,(which I often admire), but in this one, the least said the better. Cheers jb.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Yes I watched the same game and listened to Sydtv commentary too. Not all the time, but consistent in the sense that it was Sydney-centric. If you watch any of the club channels you expect a certain bias yet sometimes I find their commentary more objective - just that they get more excited when their club scores.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
and because he was at Roar. Muscat has said he loves Brisbane Roar players, and you only got to look at his recruits for the proof. We haven't seen much of Akbari this year but would he rate higher than Leck or Duncan or even Jay Barnett? If he does it's not significantly higher, I'd have thought.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Good Afternoon All, I would like to ask if anyone watched the Jets v Sydney FC game last weekend. I watched on Kayo and in my opinion, between Andy Harper and Old Mate assisting in the commentary, they sounded like a very cheap Sydney FC promotional video. Yes, I follow the Jets, but some positive commentary regarding the fact that Newy scored 3 players into the Olyroos squad (a big positive but untimely A-league wise) the fact that they can deprive an opponent of the ball and play fluid, fast counter-attacking football. The dialogue persistently centred around the dearth of goals scored by the Jets, but nothing about the fact that Roy O'Donovan missed the first 10 rounds. There is reason Newy is out, and it has nothing to do with ability or quality. And as Bozza suggested, maybe taking the foot off the pedal was not the best preparation for a team that will have to play Melbourne Victory in a couple of weeks time.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Wait to see if victory keep Akbari. He was only signed because they didn’t have enough U23’s of their own.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Because he finished in 6th. That’s it. Bottom half of the table.
Nick Symonds
Guest
I thought you said that you played left back at the Football Writers Festival. If I'd known you had experience in goal I would have put you there instead. No need to worry of course, it's not like they'll be relegated or anything if they get the wooden spoon again. Speaking of wooden spoons, why don't FFA actually make a real trophy out of one? They already have one in the MLS but it was created by fans and isn't official. - Major League Soccer In Major League Soccer, the last place team in the overall standings is generally considered as the "wooden spoon champion".[14] However, unlike other Wooden Spoon awards, there is an actual "trophy" for the award. Before the start of the 2016 MLS season, the Independent Supporter's Council decided to create an official "trophy" for the lowest place team in the league, as a complement to the Supporters Shield which the ISC also manages.[15] The trophy is passed to the “winning” team at the annual ISC Conference, and the holders of the Spoon must possess the spoon for the entire following season. At the end of the year every group awarded the Wooden Spoon are allowed to do what they will with the trophy.[15] The Chicago Fire Soccer Club were the “winner” of the inaugural 2015 wooden spoon and their supporters had the responsibility of creating the first spoon. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooden_spoon_(award)