If Melbourne City go on to lose next weekend’s grand final, it could arguably represent the greatest injustice in the A-League since Danny Vukovic was banned from the Beijing Olympics.
Not for the first time this season, Paddy Kisnorbo and his fellow Melbourne City coaches deserve plenty of praise for the manner of their side’s 2-0 defeat of Macarthur in Sunday’s rain-soaked semi-final in Kogarah.
Not just because the two goals, scored by youngsters Marco Tilio and Stefan Colakovski, were both so easy on the eye. But mainly because this season has continued to place obstacle after obstacle in Melbourne City’s way, only for the premiership winners to overcome every single one of them.
It is, quite frankly, absurd that teams have been expected to play finals football without their current Socceroos.
Melbourne City went into their semi-final missing Curtis Good, Connor Metcalfe and 25-goal Golden Boot winner Jamie Maclaren, while Sydney FC downed Adelaide United without the services of goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne and defenders Rhyan Grant and Ryan McGowan.
And while the absence of Australia’s full internationals may have helped the likes of Tilio and Colakovski become heroes in their own right, it’s a terrible look for the game to play a finals series shorn of its biggest stars.
But it was ever thus with the A-League. While COVID restrictions have undoubtedly thrown the world into a tailspin, this season won’t exactly be remembered as a bastion of smart governance.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Moving Sunday’s semi-final from AAMI Park in Melbourne to Sydney’s southern suburbs put Melbourne City at a huge disadvantage on the back of some questionable logic.
And while commissioner Greg O’Rourke insists the Australian Professional Leagues will do everything within their power to try and play the grand final at AAMI Park, with a decision expected to be made by Tuesday, the APL needs to be conscious of the fact that many fans believe the A-League is already far too Sydney-centric.
That’s not a criticism of Sydney FC, who were simply the better side against Adelaide United on Saturday and deservedly moved through to their third consecutive grand final.
But if the Sky Blues end up ‘hosting’ another grand final at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta next weekend, it will put a metaphorical asterisk next to the game irrespective of the result.
It’s hard not to wonder whether the decision to move the semi-final from AAMI Park to Kogarah Oval would have been so easily made if it was Melbourne Victory, rather than Melbourne City, facing Macarthur on Sunday.
For all their attractive football, one thing City have clearly failed to do is attract much of a fan base.
They’re no different to Macarthur and Western United in that regard, and some serious questions should be raised over the off-season about how every club plans to entice fans back through the gates.
But if all City can do is keep winning – and rather than weigh in on any of these governance issues, Kisnorbo has made it clear he prefers to let his side’s football do the talking – then all we can do is applaud their ability to keep putting these distractions to one side.
Here’s hoping next week’s decider is a game fitting of the occasion.
With Craig Noone and Andrew Nabbout both under injury clouds, you’d have to think a Sydney FC side boasting the twin strike force of Bobo and Adam Le Fondre would invariably start as favourites.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
And if the Sky Blues beat the table-toppers fair and square on the day, few could argue Steve Corica’s team don’t deserve to be crowned champions.
But it will be harsh on a City side that has overcome more obstacles than most just to get there.
It’s been a fantastic season. Let’s hope it all ends with a bang, rather than with us scratching our heads over administrative issues and wondering whether Melbourne City are cursed.
Kevin
Roar Rookie
2019 Grand Final: Perth vs Sydney.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Never played at Optus
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Just watched the Dolan/Warren awards and typically Davila won but had to share the honors with SFC's Niko. What absolute rubbish, SFC are the true snag suckers of the league. The FA went out of there way to get SFC awards this season it makes me sick. Dolan/Warren awards are rigged.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
ps, Vaccines have an efficacy of 60% usually. That means 5 x 0.6 = 3. That means if vaccinated, the spreading rate reduces from 5 to 2.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
I have the first dose of vaccine weeks ago. Everyone should do it. Have you?
Nick Symonds
Guest
OTHER INFO The new variants have an R number of 5 meaning that each infected person infects 5 others. That makes it twice as contagious as the original. Over 11 infection cycles that's 9.8 million cases and by the 12th it's 48.8 million. If health authorities can't knock it on the head early, it could spiral out of control very easily. In addition, the Chinese are saying that 12 percent of symptomatic cases need to be hospitalised compared to just 2 or 3 percent for the original virus. This means that you only need a quarter of the number of infections to overload the hospitals and with the faster rate of spread you get there twice as quickly. (if their numbers are accurate) It's very important to contain this at an early stage, before the contact tracers are overwhelmed and can't keep up meaning the elastic breaks. I think in the NSW first wave the limit was about 18,000 cases a day that they could keep up with. (don't know the capacity now) 1 5 25 125 625 3,215 15,625 78,125 390,625 1,953,125 9,765,625 48,828,125
coolncold
Roar Rookie
In the past 24 hrs, NSW has 5 new local covid cases. https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-current-situation-and-case-numbers That may be the factor determining the location.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
SFC will still have the Ref and VAR in there pocket, Its suxs ass that Melb City will lose because of this.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Melbourne it is - AAMI on Sunday at 5pm.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Looks like Foxtel, the FA, the APL, Sydney FC and whoever else is in the Sydney must win conspiracy didn't get their way. Everyone is now listening to Nomates! That's a real worry! The Grand Final is in Melbourne.
Grem
Roar Rookie
It might be time to fly Sydney FC to Melbourne before they're not allowed in and the game can't go ahead!
Tigertown
Guest
A-League coach of the year to be announced at 7:30pm tonight.
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
@Maximus Insight - I have no idea why the AFL thinks it needs a national 2nd division, it isn't like they would consider implementing a Promotion and Relegation system. The football media in Melbourne have the biggest melt down as soon as someone mentions that a team from Melbourne needs to be relocated or worse still culled. There is no way they would understand the concept of P & R.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
When will the FA make it official? Sum are saying Melbourne most are saying Sydney? For the good of the game it has to be in Melbourne.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I read that the crowd figure was not accurate. Spectators at the ground say there were only around 3000 people and that sport has the advantage of news reports and advertising from Channel 7. I think the only people who know when our teams play are us! Don't forget, this semi final was changed a few days before the game, and while it was in Sydney, it is well away from their home ground. I am making excuses but there are some reasons. I can't give you any for Sydney's crowd, though. That was a poor effort. Let's just hope that Channel 10 promote our game and there's no Covid next year.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Didn't SFC sign 'All night' Dwight York!!!!!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
You believe that crowd figure from gws giants? Generally the lower the crowd the more they exagerrate it would be lucky to be half. Collingwood Melbourne at the SCG got double officially but in reality it looks four to six times more.
Grem
Roar Rookie
But, it would be good to see clubs such as Sydney FC, which may be the biggest and best resourced club in the A League, make a better effort to engage in more communities. They should be searching for talent all over NSW and giving them opportunities. Like the majority of football supporters I really don't care about the colour of skin or ethnic/ religious background, etc. I just want to see skilful play, goals, outstanding keeping, etc. I would have loved to have seen Yengi on Saturday night and I would have enjoyed seeing him score the goal and strutting in front of The Cove. The A League needs personalities like him. I am just a supporter but I will raise the point you make with our club.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I'm certainly hoping they don't. Adelaide have an abundance of African/Australian players who I'd love to see play for our Socceroos and I think it's fantastic. I also read a great article about Jada Wyman. She, as you'd probably know is our goalkeeper in our W League team. An indigenous player who I hope can go on and play for The Matildas.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
abc have ran an article about african australian players in the a league and how adelaide has produced the majority, one of my friends linked me to a heated reddit discussion where it was brought up about sydney not recruiting black players. One of your own fans is trying to brush it off and say they're not in your 'catchment' area with clubs - absolutely hilarious, that your own fans are trying to justify it. and you still think your club doesnt have a race issue when it comes to player recruitment hahahah