So the Dwight Yorke era lasted just 13 league games in Sydney’s south-west, with the former Sydney FC marquee parting ways with Macarthur Bulls after allegedly labelling his side “a pub team”.
Brought back to Australia amid considerable fanfare for his first professional managerial role, Yorke led the Bulls to immediate Australia Cup success barely three months later.
He was quick to shut down any references to his ‘All Night Dwight’ playboy reputation, with the former Trinidad and Tobago international making it clear he was only interested in proving himself as a manager.
The man who scored 123 goals in the English Premier League appeared to have particularly high standards, so the question now is whether those standards were being met by the Bulls.
Macarthur weren’t exactly played off the park by Adelaide United in their 1-0 defeat at Coopers Stadium on Friday night – at least from the action I saw.
Like many Paramount+ viewers, my live stream packed it in on the night and I missed the entire second half.
But were it not for a couple of inspired saves from Reds shot-stopper Joe Gauci – who is surely destined for bigger things – the Bulls could easily have returned to Campbelltown with at least a point.
So was Yorke’s post-match spray, which Dan Walsh of the Sydney Morning Herald suggests involved him blasting the “sub-standard culture” of Australian football, reason enough to see him part ways with the club?
It was well-connected Paramount+ presenter Andy Harper who sent the rumour mill into overdrive when he casually dropped the bombshell that Yorke had left his post at the end of Western United’s 1-0 win over Sydney FC in Hobart.
John Aloisi’s defending champions ground out that victory on the back of one of the goals of the season from Alessandro Diamanti – who, at nearly 40, is still one of the best players in the league.
The news prompted pundits Daniel McBreen and Scott McDonald, who were reporting on the ground in Redcliffe for Brisbane Roar’s free-to-air scoreless draw with league leaders Melbourne City, to link Yorke with a potential move to Sydney FC.
“The rumour mill is going to start, isn’t it?” pondered McBreen. “It comes off the back of another Sydney defeat. I’m sure if we go to Twitter now, it will be a frenzy of rumours.”
“Absolutely,” replied McDonald. “It’s a case of ‘where’s he going?’ Because he doesn’t leave if he doesn’t have another job.”
Whether that’s the case remains to be seen, but you know the best thing about those off-the-cuff comments from a couple of seasoned former pros?
It meant we were talking about some actual football matters again.
One of the worst things about the A-League is the fact that after 18 seasons, there’s still so little football culture that surrounds the game.
There’s virtually no newspaper talk, very few discussion shows, and those who do create independent media are often met with indifference by the same fan base that frequently demands more coverage.
(Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Even this column cops its fair share of criticism, with many on social media seemingly incredulous that an opinion column about the A-League could even exist – as if every other football nation around the world isn’t home to countless just like it.
One man who always gets the need for talking points is Western Sydney Wanderers manager Marko Rudan.
The Wanderers tactician was characteristically frank in his assessment of the Newcastle Jets in the build-up to the two sides’ 1-1 draw on a cattle track at McDonald Jones Stadium, implying that some pundits were guilty of giving Jets coach Arthur Papas an easy ride.
Love him or loathe him, Rudan understands through hard-won experience that the game needs talking points.
And with the APL no doubt desperate for us all to simply forget about their decision to sell the A-Leagues’ grand final hosting rights to Sydney, that’s something we’ll be doing plenty more of on the back of Dwight Yorke’s remarkable decision to go running from the Bulls.
jbinnie
Guest
Brainstrust - Your analysis of the present Roar team does not appear to take in the tactic I suspect as being used by three of the centre backs you mention. A "back 3" is not a new tactic it has been used for many years now in Europe and has as it's basis that when in attack mode the team is actually lined up in a potential 3-5-2 formation or conversely in defence they present a 5-3-2 "block" to their opponents. Presently the back 3 who are being screened in front by another learner centre back playing in front of them are doing an undisputable, very good, job as their goals against total shows and the only position I can see that can be improved upon is that of the right wing back as J. Hingert no longer appears to have the fitness to go for 90 minutes. It is from that area outwards that Roar's troubles begin and to be honest the multi changing of individuals being tried weekly by the coach is just not working and hasn't been since season's start. Hopefully the new man will fit into the left sided midfield position which also has presented a problem area since the start of season. Up front is anyone's guess as what is going to happen for the changes being rung weekly are almost indescribable with the most effective young player in Roar's team. Hore , now being touted as a "top class bench player". That's just what Roar need ,A "ferrari in the garage" that scores great goals, and a tireless midfielder who just warrants a wooden seat. I ask you?. Where are things going wrong.?????? Cheers jb.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Armiento is a better player than Maclaren and Taggart are. You cant compare when Roar had a great attacking team and set up Maclaren and Taggart for goals. The reason Roar dont score goals is they are full of center backs , three at the back , one at wing back one in the midfield. If you want to play attacking football with that formation you need non stop fast wing backs, Perth did it recently. The good news for Brisbane is they got rid of Austin that gives them a good chance .
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
off field mediocrity? You sound like a nut. WHat are you going to deduct for teams having poor active support like Roar. Sydney FC will dominate the stadium on Thursday, as their active support is allowed.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I only went back 3 for that reason - Merrick, Rudan and Talay.
WMM
Guest
What I said in my original message…with investment in key pillars, such you investment we will eventually get there….meaning more is required…I’ve been pretty vocal about it on here in the past, so if you can’t read the comment properly to begin with instead of just looking for a point of difference in everyone else’s opinion just so you can force your idiotic views on the game on the rest of us, then don’t engage with me. You’ve never played the game at any decent level nor have you been exposed to a real professional football environment. That doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to an opinion, but your logic and arguments are generally flawed and it appears what little knowledge you have is based on FIFA video games, the internet and what ever local football you’ve been exposed to.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Seem to be dodging the question the rego fees here skyrocketed around 2000 turn of the century and have kept going up since. Australia had the better talent 2000-2010 than Scotland which would have been playing youth football here 1990-2000. Scotland maybe it can look what happened after 1980 they haven;t produced the same talent.
WMM
Guest
Yeah because Australia had better players playing in big leagues across Europe than Scotland, ie Souness, Dalglish, Hansen, Nichol, Macalister, Adams, Gilmour, Gough, Robertson Tierney etc etc etc,….you’re a clown of the highest order Brainstrust….now run along before you’re dad finds out you’re playing on his phone again.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Ricki Herbert.
peter
Guest
The future of the A league! Twelve teams - each has a boutique stadium home ground (20,000?) - Bigger grounds when attendances warrant it -3 Vic/3nsw/2q/2SA/1WA/1NZ - no relegation for first 5 years - in 6th year last placed team plays off against 3 other non a league sides for promotion - candidates must pass financial hurdles prior -promotion/relegation not linked to geography Simple really. There is a healthy appetite for Australian football. It just needs a way forward. This is the answer - small stadiums with packed crowds rather then huge stadiums with a soulless atmosphere.. Im getting old - I worry that I may not live to see a league this country deserves. There are shoots of progress - the quality of the football is increasing relentlessly. Mind you finding someone to invest 550 million in its future would also be a giant help. And for Gods sake if paramount have pause in the U.S. then why is it denied to Australians? And finally don't just sit on your backsides taking the freebies - go to games! Subscribe to Paramount plus. Its not brain surgery!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
young enough to play under Corica rather old for a coach.
AR
Guest
"...the AL will never have a true on field football culture until relegation is the price clubs pay for on and off field mediocrity" I'm always amazed that so many people continue to call for P/R. Putting aside for a moment the fact that all clubs currently have a guaranteed 'licence' to play in the ALeague competition...putting aside the guarantee that broadcasters have in place that X club from X city will play in the national competition...even *if* it was possible, P/R would be the quickest way to kill the ALeague in Australia.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
How are you being honest? Money invested in youth, no its parents paying for their kids in Npl clubs to pay off their semi professionals. Australia before the rego fees had more top level players in Europe than Scotland. I dont know about Macarthur but the setup in Australia is not the issue at A-league level. Sydney FC have their own chef, and he presents great looking food, though maybe looks are deceiving it could taste ordinary. City would have a great setup. I think its the players that Yorke is referring to. Its suspicious to me the management are defending the players against the coach when they lose. I have never heard of this before, usually management and coach will take turns of the whip on the players. Suggests to me a lot of funny business going on and Yorke isn’t in on it.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Frank Lampard looking for a new gig :thumbup:
chris
Guest
It was a difficult offer to refute but the travel would have been a killer. Critto won't get an A League role as that is reserved for the boys. It's who you know and the football coaching fraternity is a very tight knit group that rarely lets outsiders (i.e not an ex Socceroo) into the tent.
WMM
Guest
Dwight York was actually pretty well placed to assess the level of our game and the standard of a lot of our players. He’s been there and done it at the highest level, his playing record speaks for itself and he is well aware of what a professional football environment SHOULD look like. Unfortunately a lot of the forum contributors on here have never been exposed to a professional football environment and really don’t know what they are talking about when discussing the level of our game. As such they are easily offended when someone who has, gives an honest opinion of where our current state of development actually is as opposed to what contributors actually think it is. Then the cries of Eurosnob start lol. Australia is slowly improving, with patience, time and investment in key pillars such as youth development, we will eventually get there but it’s not going to happen overnight and certainly won’t happen without honest self assessment. We can all sit here and agree there’s been some enjoyable games this season, but to sit here and blow smoke up each others arses about how much better we are than some of the leagues that the Aleague has been compared to on here is self delusion, not self assessment. No amount of howling and whataboutery pointing to exhibition game results or FIFA WC rankings based on 2 wins and 2 losses will change that fact and it isn’t a true reflection of where we actually sit in the world game. And I’m betting you ask anyone of the Aussie boys currently plying their trade in the SPL, they will ALL tell you the standard there is well above the A League no matter what an armchair supporter thinks.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
+999999999999999999999999999999999999999
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
cheers JB. I’m backing off the comments a bit, here and elsewhere, too distracting from a major project I must complete soon, and I’m a bit tired of the the wack-a-mole attitude of some. Roar is not a big budget club, I don’t think there’s any secret there. Aloisi let Maclaren go, refusing to pay him marquee wages, and a few others including (now Socceroo) Kye Rowles. And then there’s the rest that Fowler shoved, many now doing well at other clubs. Ivanovic came from Sydney academy, but Parsons was Roar academy, they’re two recent releases. Jelacic is an academy lad we maybe should have kept; he’s doing well at Glory but not sure he’ll be a big success. Riku Danzaki is no loss, his contribution this time around has been a waste of a visa spot. There’s a lot of positives about Roar, yes, goals isn’t one of them, but individually and collectively they’ve been steadily improving over the last two seasons. Twenty minutes in the second half aside, they outplayed City on Saturday despite having far less of the ball and losing it too easily too often when they did. Their season aim is to be a top six side, which they will likely achieve. Let’s hope their new Austrian Visa player has the goods, and they find another one who can score a few goals (the new young striker did look good on Saturday btw) .
jbinnie
Guest
lionheart - Good to have you back. No, I did not know about the lad's "sick leave" but what I see is what happens when substitutions are being made and the point you are making about "tired legs" is exactly what I see to be what is affecting the veteran Jack Hingert and yet he starts every game. Brindel South has been on the bench ,stripped for action and yet apparently was by passed in the coach's search for balance in his midfield attack. For one thing, JH is certainly not a successful wing back, that position calls for superfitness to do the job well for 90 minutes. Now, as you and I have discussed before, using the term "lovely football" is an opinionative statement and I put it to you that no matter what it appears to mean no team that has only scored 10 goals in 13 games can be claimed to be playing "lovely football". Remember my friend the main aim of the game is to score more goals than your opponent and Roar cannot be said to be doing that when in attack mode no matter what you think. You go on to mention "clearing out" being done and yet the departures are Austin and now we are rumoured the Jap joining the Scottish clan at Motherwell. The other departures in the main have been graduates from the academy and to be honest are yet to make their mark at their new clubs. You mention the club needing a striker and this may be true but if you remember that since Berisha left we have seen Mclaren and Taggart come and go without any long term effect on Roar's goals for total. Both those players are now back in Australia and scoring freely. Did Roar want them back or did the players choose to go elsewhere.? You have been watching football for a long time and I think you have to admit all is not well at Roar both on and off the field. However as I have said before "Keep the faith". Cheers jb.
Redcap
Roar Guru
I expect to see expertly deployed in your column next week. :happy:
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I might add, you are right about the publicity machine at Roar but on at least a few occasions I'm aware of, their press releases have been completely ignored by the popular press. Press like to report rumors rather than take any notice of what Roar actually say. Marco Mont. reports seem quite reliable and accurate but sadly, they don't reach far. At least Ch 10 sent some of their commentary team to Brisbane for the last match, the first time this season, maybe for two seasons.