It was another action-packed weekend of football, with 25 goals scored across the six matches. There was a limp Big Blue, late drama and some unfortunate events, too.
Here are your A-League Round 14 talking points.
There must be an ambulance at every ground
There were awful scenes in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon when Adelaide United midfielder Juande went down after a collision with Florin Berenguer. But what came next was perplexing: the real-time discovery that there was no ambulance at AAMI Park.
We don’t have 120-kilogram forwards crashing into each other all night long, but football is still a contact sport, and these professional athletes deserve better than a 15-minute wait in the middle of the pitch. What I found even more staggering is the PFA, the body whose sole purpose is to protect the rights of the players, approved this change back in 2018. It beggars belief.
Even if it means paying the ambos triple time, this cannot happen again. In a season of farcical events, this is another shameful moment for the rudderless leadership of the APL.
Get well soon, Juande.
Scoring extravaganza showcases A-League’s quality
The box office Jets got the scoring spree started in Newcastle with a 4-0 rout of Brisbane Roar. Then on Saturday, from a speedway in Palmerston North to the palm tree-lined Industree Group Stadium, we saw three 2-2 stalemates. And finally on Sunday, Melbourne City and Adelaide produced a six-goal affair to bookend the round.
Jamie Maclaren of Melbourne City celebrates a goal. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
Warren Moon obviously wasn’t thrilled, and high-scoring affairs are rarely what coaches want to see but it’s always great entertainment for fans and neutrals.
It was a fantastic atmosphere in Gosford for the clash between Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers, which, despite some brutish behaviour from fans in the away bay, provided an energetic backdrop for probably the game of the round.
A few days ago, the ABC published a piece that outlined in gory detail how the league has failed to capitalise on the national team’s success in Qatar. But with an 8565-strong crowd and the quality of football on show, I’m not concerned that anyone in attendance walked away and said to their mate, “That was crap. I’m not coming back for more.”
If we can get more games of that standard, more goals, more excitement, maybe, just maybe, the crowds will return.
Zadkovich doing a fantastic job in the west
Many pre-season predictions, including my own, had the newly nomadic Perth Glory rock bottom of the A-League ladder in 2022-23. Well, the season is still far from over, but it’s fair to say Ruben Zadkovich has got his side well and truly exceeding even the most positive expectations.
Taking the reins of a Glory outfit that managed only a pitiful four wins in 2021-22, Zadkovich certainly had his work cut out for him. Kicked out of HBF Park, their regular home ground, Perth had little choice but to play out of Macedonia Park, at best an NPL-level ground.
A rookie coach, a very dicey squad a barely acceptable stadium: things were not looking too bright over in the wild west. Let’s face it: they had been written off by everyone.
But 14 rounds into the campaign, they’ve already eclipsed last season’s win total and are just a whisker outside the finals places. Perth might falter and miss the finals by 15 points, but something tells me they’ll be in contention until the end of the season.
Early kick-offs rear their ugly head
Finally this week to the A-League Women competition, where idiotic scheduling led to two Western United players suffering from heatstroke under the Canberra summer sun.
Admittedly, I don’t watch the A-League Women, but I’m pretty sure players suffering heatstroke isn’t normal. It’s only a matter of time until we see this – or worse – over in the men’s competition. And Canberra United’s 5-0 hammering at the hands of Western United was played in the nation’s capital, not Darwin or far north Queensland.
This tweet was debunked on Sunday, but I’m not sure the lack of hospitalisations changes the equation at all.
In the Harbour City, John Aloisi and new Macarthur boss Mile Sterjovski echoed the sentiment after the 2-2 draw at Campbelltown Stadium.
“It’s ridiculous we have to play in this heat,” Aloisi said.
“It’s hard work for the players and there’s the recovery factor. You want to see a good football game, but it’s unfair on the players and the supporters. It doesn’t invite a high-intensity game, it doesn’t invite you to press. You’re hoping players can get through a game and it’s hard to play your style when it’s like that.”
Sterjovski added: “We want to play an attractive style of football… we would prefer later kick-offs.”
I feel like a broken record, but something has got to change. Fans, media, players, coaches – everyone is sick of this foolishness. Let’s see whether the PFA or the APL have anything to say on this, because up till now it has been radio silence from the powers that be.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
You got antagonised by the family section of the Mariners. Talk about embarassing.
Redcap
Roar Guru
I'm not sure what you're quoting in that first sentence. QAS hire fees are easy to find online: https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/emergencies-services/qas-book-rates
David Shilovsky
Expert
Bozanic was excellent on Saturday.
David Shilovsky
Expert
I didn't see any antagonistic behaviour (though, admittedly, I was on the opposite side of the ground). Was it so bad that it justified the away fans charging over?
Garry
Roar Rookie
“That change was approved by PFA in 2018 and has been policy in Victoria ever since. In every other state, it remains policy to have static ambulances.“ .. Im struggling to find a place that quotes hire fees anywhere INCLUDING Queensland...but i note "If you or one of your dependents requires ambulance assistance and/or transport within the state of Queensland, that service will be provided for free if at least one of you is a Queensland resident. This is because the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) is fully funded by the Queensland Government
Redcap
Roar Guru
I don't know about the budget, Garry, and having had a look into it today, there's a bit to unpack. I'm pretty sure public liability for major sporting event venues dictates that some form of service is in place. That can be stand-by (i.e. not on-site, but ready if needed - and I imagine that's what was in-place yesterday) or dedicated (i.e. on-site). In other words, they're already paying for something, just not necessarily the optimal. I imagine it's part of the stadium rent. Looking at the fees for a public ambulance service here in Qld, and assuming a two-person crew present at the stadium for three hours, you're looking at $821 ($1428 on a public holiday). I'm not sure what the case is in other jurisdictions, and there may well be different (maybe even mandatory) requirements outside Vic. Dunno - happy for non-Victorians to weigh-in.
Melange
Guest
What did they say/do to antagonise them? Who antagonised them? As in men, women, children?
Garry
Roar Rookie
At a cost of probably 3k plus per game can we afford them? The choice atm seems to be a qualified dr or an ambulance. A Dr can provide immediate care whereas a paramedic job is to help until proper care can be provided. Ideally we want both but if the choice is one or the other? If people want ambos maybe they need collection buckets at Vic. games.
Garry
Roar Rookie
probably better than Fornoroli at least
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Of course he will, our blokes dont appreciate the wealth of knowledge and ability they have at their fingertips. They default to a bloke that is not within a Bull's roar of the ability of Popovic, Talay, Kisnorbo, Veart etc.
Garry
Roar Rookie
“In Nov. 2018, static ambulance services were withdrawn by Ambulance Victoria and instead Emergency Physicians were installed at the stadium,” the A-League boss said. “Emergency Physicians are doctors who have specialised in Emergency Medicine as specialist medical practitioners they are able to provide a higher level of care than a paramedic. “That change was approved by PFA in 2018 and has been policy in Victoria ever since. In every other state, it remains policy to have static ambulances.“
Garry
Roar Rookie
He'll be NZ's coach soon
chris
Guest
I rate Bozanich as well. A poor mans Paul Scholes in a way. (Not that much poorer!)
Stevo
Roar Rookie
So TSS, as someone very close to the games, why don’t we have players that can do the basics 100% correct, every time? Like accurate passing and stopping the ball dead, etc. Is our coaching satisfied with nearly alright as long as the player is athletic and has a big engine?
chris
Guest
But think what it would be like if you were a rugby league fan. The only way to read about your game is to follow it on a Murdoch...cough cough "newspaper" and Fox or on hysterical channel 9.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
excellent scout, I am not seeing things. Dont get me wrong, but I helped coach a team of teenagers back in the 80s/90s and struth, we drummed into them that movement is essential to give your mate with the ball options to pass, and when the pass is made you have to be sure of the pass and it has to be received by the intented target. We also taught them to "come and meet the pass" if it was intended for them. Standing there waiting for the pass to reach you only give s the opposition time to get to you or the ball. That's one observation that really annoys me, nobody is pushing the need to "meet the pass"
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
will be interesting to see if they can complete the signing of DWH, who is extremely talented but has always had the reputation of being a hot head - his career has not gone the way many within the sport expected it to
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I was really hoping that Talay, who was chomping at the bit to take the job, would have been selected. What he has done with next to nothing compared to other clubs, with the Nix is admirable to say the least. Imagine what he could do with a well stocked National squad. Trouble with Arnold is that his doctrine is based around selecting his mates
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
the reason why the quality isnt questioned is because sports like afl have nothing to compare to - football on the other hand is does. alot of fans follow the premier league which is incredibly fast, serie a is so much more tacital, while spain may be the best technical skills league in the world now compare that to the a league where players regularily can't seem to hit a 10-20 yard pass with enough power that finds a team mate or when the've got enough space to attack, they just recycle possesion (coaching problem across all age levels)
Grem
Roar Rookie
Kids and 8.30pm?