Season 2023/24 of the A-League promised much and is delivering in spades, with a handful of coaches stamping their value as shrewd and effective operators in Australia’s top level of domestic football.
Sydney FC looked a rabble for an extended period under former manager Steve Corica. The fans were calling for change, the style of footballing being played by the team was mediocre at best and the need for a more positive and progressive style under a coach moving with the times and closer to the modern cutting edge, obvious to those with any knowledge of how the game really works.
Whilst far from being smooth sailing for the former Wellington Phoenix mentor after arriving in the harbour city, the change he has made to both the Sky Blues’ culture and performance is obvious and a team now seemingly destined for a low-table result, is inside the top six and looking for more as the final third of the competition approaches.
Since Talay’s arrival, Sydney have won eight matches, drawn two and lost to the Wanderers, Macarthur, Victory and Adelaide. It has been an impressive run and the disgruntled tone emanating from within the Sydney FC fan base has quietened dramatically as the goals have rained in under the new manager.
Few dislike Steve Corica, yet the change has been one even blind Freddy could not have missed. The fans and pundits were right. Corica had reached his use-by date.
Almost 4,000 kilometres detached from Talay’s excellent work in rebuilding a Sydney FC team that should always be competing at the top end considering all the factors at play, is former Matilda and Central Coast Mariner coach Alen Stajcic.
A friend to most and a quality human for all those gifted the opportunity to speak to and/or deal with him, the 50-year-old has proven once again that he has one of the most astute minds in the Australian game: slowly but surely lifting Perth Glory into contention after what was, admittedly, a slow and concerning start to the season.
Glory now have a new owner, seemingly determined to spring the club back into life from a corporate perspective after a lean period. Quietly, Stajcic has been doing the same on the training ground and deserves credit for it.
A 3-2 win over the Roar on Saturday parlayed the good news delivered to the club from an ownership perspective just a few days earlier and off the back of a solid period of football through January and February, Stajcic’s men are snaking their way up a congested ladder.
Unbeaten in five, Perth are still conceding far too many goals and Stajcic will still be having sleepless nights around his defensive unit that seems incapable of keeping a clean sheet. Yet, Glory are banging them in at the attacking end week after week, with my prediction for the 2023/24 Golden Boot Adam Taggart making a serious run at the award.
The run home for Glory does look a tricky one, with plenty of top-six contenders to face on the road to the A-League finals in May. However, should form count for anything and a home-ground advantage be of value, Perth have as good a chance as a few just above them on the ladder.
Coaching as well as any other in the league is Central Coast Mariner manager Mark Jackson, another guiding a team recovering after a slow start to the season.
Now second on the A-League ladder, the Mariners are flying, beaten just once in the league since November 12 and looking every bit as good as the championship-winning team of just 12 months ago.
As brilliantly as Nick Montgomery did with the squad last season, Jackson appears, despite the loss of some serious talent up front, to have the men from Gosford in equal if not better form and surging towards a top-four position.
With immense pressure on his back at the start of the campaign, Jackson has pulled the right reins with conviction. The fans are increasingly flooding back to Industree Group Stadium and the Mariner dream of a second consecutive championship is not something I would be betting against as the season develops.
Across the ditch in New Zealand, as the threat of a second club grows ever more real, Giancarlo Italiano has his Phoenix flying, with a five-point lead at the top of the A-League ladder and looking the class of the field.
The Mariners on their day can beat anyone, yet Italiano has lost just twice in 18 games and after building a team from the ashes of the Talay era in Wellington, is eyeing off a championship the New Zealanders can and could well win.
All four are coaching their proverbials off, as some others struggle and flounder in the middle of the pack. It is unlikely Stajcic can lift Glory to the top four, yet finals would be an achievement in itself. Talay looks to have his team on the right course.
However, Italiano and Jackson could well be set for battle on the final day of the season and all four are increasing their value in the process.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
im in melbourne currently until saturday, so i probably wont write one until march at this stage
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Pacific Games 2023 football was on FTA TV in Aus recently, watched a few games, SBS I think. Held in Honiara, raw crowd, big crowd, good games. I saw two matches, PNG, Fiji and Solomons in the finals series. Deserved more publicity than what they got. But in the world order, we turned to Asia away from Oceania. Not saying we should ignore them, but we really should focus more on Asia and let NZ focus on the Pacific. In some ways NZ is doing them a disservice by playing in the A League.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Perth & Jerks back to decent and MV bouncing back, and the new Auckland side ... just just just maybe but to scared to call a recovery is on the way...
Garry
Roar Rookie
yeh couldnt even hang on for the draw!! :unhappy:
Redcap
Roar Guru
Uggh! So nearly. I was ready with Victory can't score in a [insert bordello reference here]. :happy:
Garry
Roar Rookie
Go Western :happy:
Grem
Roar Rookie
Perth having stability will grow their crowd, especially if Pelligra is as good as he sounds. It also looks like he has some state government support. Snd Newcastle’s owner is about to announced (have heard that before, but it seems imminent) - this will grow their crowd. Some positive signs.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Just sharing some info... Currently from ultimate A-L, attendance for the 10 clubs before Cows & WU is 9, 086, which is roughly 86% of the pre covid figure and should pick up over the last few rounds. Not great and way short of where I think it needs to be [IMO 15K] but heading north and the Cows & WU are improving and when WU more to their own place hopefully their crowds will pick up.
Grem
Roar Rookie
There is a lot of potential with the Pacific Uskands and I hope FIFA also recognise it. As you would probably know football is the the national sport of Vanuatu. And while league might be the national sport of PNG (male dominated culture) football is the biggest sport for women.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I thought you were jousting with Stuart that’s why I thought you were tongue in cheek. My talk about youth was directed at AA or SS, but their sky blue is the sky bluest of all!
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Undoubtedly doing the pathways better than any club. And deserving the success.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Yet to watch it. One day - perhaps in our off season (if there is one).
mrl
Roar Rookie
That happened to me with under 12 boys a few years back. Other team beat us 16 - nil. Couple of months later we have them 2 all at half-time. My eldest son (assistant coach) and I were going off trying to fire them up! They asked "Can we have a sausage sizzle after the game". We then realised they were 10 and 11 year old boys!!
mrl
Roar Rookie
Ted Lasso's explanation of the off-side rule....wonderful!!
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
they seem to like our defenders Waz, and midfielders
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
absolutely Midfielder. Mariners talent identification has been first class, but mind you, the Qld kids they and Jets recruit aren't exactly hidden behind rocks. They are junior state rep players, or some from title winning schoolboy sides. Football Qld is putting a massive effort into junior player development and talent identification through their FQ Academy, which will only make it easier for clubs to scout young talent.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Grem Worked in Fiji a lot, and many don't realise how big Football is there, no doubt Rugby is King, but in certain parts of the country Football is king, BA, is considered the home of Football in Fiji... goggle the following in google imagines " BA + fiji + home of soccer signs " Watched some finals and other matches at the stadium in Loutoka ... stadium sold out holds 10K ... stadium has a running track around it, but the locals make a huge noise.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
of course (athletics and a few other sports aside). That was Warren Moon’s philosophy and style, Roar had one of the best defensive records in the A League under him, failed in attack, Charlie Austin … but I do not recall any accolades for a defence first strategy then. Remember Ricki Herbert?
Waz
Roar Rookie
No, No … not even in the same league. I may be in the same kitchen as the pots n kettles but no one writes enough about Roar for anyone to accuse them/us/me of being needy or squeezed in to articles unnecessarily :laughing:
Grem
Roar Rookie
Would get our television ratings up!