The Wanderers held their own against Leeds on Saturday night, but it won’t stop many online fans from comparing the A-League unfavourably to English football.
How good was the atmosphere in Leeds United’s 2-1 win over Western Sydney at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday?
It was helped, of course, by the raucous support of thousands of Leeds fans – who were some of the loudest supporters of an English club we’ve ever seen on our shores.
But the real bonus was seeing the new stadium in Parramatta packed with Wanderers fans.
A crowd of 24,419 fans was an excellent turn-out for football’s first ever game at the stadium and no doubt the Wanderers fans in attendance liked what they saw.
The safe standing terrace wasn’t quite full but it will no doubt be jam-packed for the first A-League game at the new venue in October.
And on the pitch Wanderers fans had plenty to smile about.
It was interesting to see the contrast in approach to their respective friendlies between Wanderers coach Markus Babbel and Perth Glory tactician Tony Popovic.
While Popovic was happy to shut up shop and try and limit the damage against Manchester United at Optus Stadium, the Wanderers were content to play a more expansive game against Leeds.
And it looked like it would cost them dearly when Polish teenager Mateusz Bogusz side-footed home an accurate finish early on.
The visitors fashioned plenty more decent chances throughout and were it not for some wayward finishing from Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford, they’d have run away with the game.
As it was, the Wanderers stuck defiantly to the task and were rewarded with a superbly taken goal from Kwame Yeboah shortly after the restart.
The defence-splitting pass from Keanu Baccus was a gem and it’s hard not to believe Yeboah will be one of Western Sydney’s key players if he keeps up the sort of form he showed on Saturday.
Swiss goalkeeper Daniel Lopar also got in on the act with a superb save from Bamford and even if the Wanderers were no doubt sliced open a little bit too easily for Babbel’s liking, there were still plenty of positive signs.
Pablo Hernandez’s late winner was no less than the visitors’ deserved, but all in all it was an enjoyable hit-out for both teams.
And the whole thing was covered expertly by beIN SPORTS, for whom first-time commentator Glen Lauder and sideline reporter Carly Adno both performed admirably.
About the only thing missing in the aftermath was some mind-numbing online debate about whether the A-League is the equivalent of The Championship, League One or League Two.
(Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Why does a certain section of A-League fans obsess over this dubious metric?
Where does it come from? Is it from playing video games? Is the A-League ranked somewhere between League One and League Two on FIFA 19 or something?
I’ll never understand why some fans in Australia insist that the standard of the A-League is equal to or worse than whichever specific English lower league.
Like, firstly, who cares? And secondly, how is it even measured?
Not surprisingly, more than a few fans got themselves in a lather when new Brisbane Roar coach Robbie Fowler turned to the United Kingdom for talent.
Many insisted that his new signings mustn’t be up to the standard of the A-League – without ever having seen them play, of course.
But with Aaron Amadi-Holloway having scored in each of the Roar’s two friendlies so far and Tom Aldred already looking like he might be one of the best defenders in the competition, it’s safe to say the notion doesn’t exactly ring true.
The A-League doesn’t need to compare itself to England’s lower leagues.
What it needs to concentrate on is producing exciting football played in front of big-time atmospheres, something the Wanderers did in spades on Saturday night.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
I read your preview and really enjoyed it. (For what it's worth, I'm a long-time reader of When Saturday Comes... so I'm familiar with the trials and tribulations of English lower league clubs).
The Gurgler
Roar Guru
Some of us do, as our team is so rubbish we have no choice. If anyone is genuinely interested in League One, I wrote a preview for the season which kicks off this weekend. https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/08/01/a-2019-20-efl-league-one-season-preview/
Chen Yang
Roar Pro
on a separate note, what do yall think of ramy najjarine replaceing goodwin at adelaide?
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
5th tackle rule stopped the so called mighty dragons in their tracks
Nemesis
Guest
"Actually I watch 90 minutes of all leagues in the UK down to National League North, some Italian lower division games and many from Germany." When you get a chance, can you please advise how we can watch, in Australia: England: League 1, League 2, National League, National League North. Italy: Serie B, Serie C, Serie D Germany: Bundesliga 2, Liga 3 If you're watching pirate streams, fine. That means you're either watching some matches, not all matches; or, perhaps you're recording the blurry, buffering pirate streams & watching them on replay all through the night & during the week. Quite frankly, I don't believe you. Unless, you're a professional football analyst & you watch the broadcasts for your job, I don't believe anyone is watching all the matches from all those leagues you mentioned. Even a fan of a League 2 team in England wouldn't watch all the matches in League 2.
Le Mans 99
Guest
Ha ha! Drunk and go home. That told me! Equaly I am tired of people assuming that others only watch 2 minute highlights. Actually I watch 90 minutes of all leagues in the UK down to National League North, some Italian lower division games and many from Germany. So I believe your comment about watching 2 minutes of highlights are a little astray. And to correct you, Baumjohann learnt his trade at Schalke and Borussia. Only played a handful of games for Bayern so perhaps you were drunk when you researched. If you had read my whole comment you would have noted that I fully support the A League and that there is no real way to objectively compare all things considered. But from a pure on pitch perspective......no comparison, perhaps Sydney at the moment and Victory excepted and it hurts! I would love, and I mean, love for a Australian team to take part in a meaningful game in Europe to see where they really do stand among the better League 1 teams. Heck they may even prove me totally wrong and I would be pleased if they did! Anyway it's only opinion so we are both entitled to have them. By the way, I am at home.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
I thought he was talking about the young couple banned from the AFL for fighting last week
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Wrong, on a number of fronts. Baumjohan was taught his trade at Bayern Munich, hardly a lower division club. Players shine and fail in leagues all over the world based on a variety of factors, club structure, team dynamics coaches philosophies. The article isn't about 'top divisions' which if you ask me only exist in 4 places (I believe Serie A have regained their place in top 4 ) this article is looking at League One and Two, now if you think that the a league doesn't rate against those two then I think you are drunk and probably need to go home. I am tired of people who watch 2 minute highlights from other leagues and say that is the quality of the whole game/league. It bloody well isn't. Watch some full games between Grimsby Town and Cambridge United, I dare you.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I think he was talking about yet more racial abuse in the AFL this weekend
Buddy
Roar Rookie
When I am overseas and talk to almost anyone about A League, I usually find people want to gauge where it fits “in their heads” at least. On Friday night I engaged in quite a few conversations with LAFC fans “new kids on the block” in the MLS. They asked questions about WSW, the active support and wanted a comparison between A League and MLS. At least a couple referenced lower English leagues. To me it is simply that the lower leagues in England are well known and have some famous clubs scattered throughout, many of whom have graced the EPL at some point. The leagues get a fair bit of coverage on television and I am not aware of any coverage of lower leagues anywhere else so people make the connection. I get asked about ticket prices etc and they sometimes need putting in perspective. Whilst we might complain about the subject on these pages, my own experience suggests they are in fact relatively cheap by comparison. I paid $100 a seat for the LA Derby and the ticket pricing was fairly flat. Dollar comparisons inevitably lead to discussions about perceived value for money etc, and that once again takes you back sometimes to where everything sits. It doesn’t matter where I go around the globe, (outside of England, Spain, Italy and Germany) football fans unanimously talk about epl and just how good it all is and although I attempt to debunk their theories by quoting poor games and repetition etc, it remains heralded as the best. Whether that means it is marketed and packaged and sold the best is a different subject altogether. Here in the USA at the moment, some fairly famous teams are playing pre season friendliest. The media focus sticks firmly withEPL teams plus Spanish giants and yet the footballing public is incredibly diverse.
oldpsyco
Guest
The comparisons are made based on the fact that English Football has promotion and relegation thereby ensuring that the Premier League is better than the Championship which is better that !st division etc. Everybody in sport likes to know where they sit in the ratings, that what sport is all about, coming first etc. So it should be no surprize that people want to know where their A-League fits on some table. Since No table exists, they compare to a know level, the English Leagues which are a known scale they can identify with. Nothing sinister, nothing strange, quite normal activity for anyone with an interest invested in their sport! Hope that explains it! Its a normal behaviour!
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
What happened in the west? Was there trouble at an AFL game again?
Punter
Roar Rookie
The late 50s & 60s were the golden ages for all the state football (all codes) leagues, with the mighty Dragons.
anon
Roar Pro
It was good to see the crowd behave itself after what happened in the west.
Justin Mahon
Guest
Amen to this. Improvement, in anything, is ultimately a function of beating your best. Your best as a person and as a team member. The measure of such is therefore you and your team relative to your opponents. When Leeds United join the A-League one day, I'll gladly say something about their performance relative to their opponents that's meaningful. Untill then I'll support our league and demand it be better than last year. Every year.
Waz
Roar Rookie
HAL supporters are a little bit sensitive to comparisons as if it makes a difference; the HAL standard is what it is and it’s not a better or worse competition whether it’s equivalent to League One or the Championship - it’s still the HAL and we shouldn’t get drawn into these debates.
Le Mans 99
Guest
Usually, maybe, but there are many out there that have played, coached and supported at many levels that have viable opinions. Sadly, and yes nobody really cares, Australian A-League is not comparable to the top divisions in Europe because the standard is not there. You only have to look at the players, considered to be Australian elite, that have ventured over there only to return a season later having played little or no football. Sure there are exceptions but in the most part they are not up to it. If you watch EFL, League 1 or other equivalent European leagues they are a far better standard. This is where players like Baumjohann grew their wings and are clearly a step ahead of most in Australia. Is it sad? Yes of course it is! Who would not want their country to be the shopping mall for world soccer players? Unfortunately soccer is the poor relation in Australian Sport and until such time the structure is put in place to support and nurture talent rather than exploit it at junior level it will remain so. Until that time comes it is all I have to watch and I will continue to support the A League. But the fact remains, however you measure it, there is no comparison, nor is there really a way to objectively do so. However I agree 100% that, at a working level, all the A League needs to do is provide an exciting well supported spectacle that can grow
Garry Jr
Guest
Probably not, or at least not in large numbers. I suspect the thought process is something like "in terms of quality, A-League is not as good as EPL, and neither are the English lower leagues. On that basis, A-League is probably on par with one of those lower leagues."
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
That's true Kanga, but is anyone in Oz actually watching League One or League Two? Because that's essentially my point. These comparisons are usually based on nothing.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The late 50s early 60s was the golden age for the state soccer leagues.