Roar Guru
Joined October 2011
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Melbourne Victory 1 (2) - (4) 1 SYDNEY FC 20 March 2010
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Hooliganism has no place in any Australian sport and anyone condemning the events prior to the Victory-Wanderers match was totally justified in doing so.…
This afternoon sees two sides on the final stretch of two very different seasons, with Western Sydney Wanderers looking for an A-League record ninth-straight…
Tonight Adelaide United will look to get their season back on track when they host high-flying Melbourne Victory at Hindmarsh Stadium. We'll have live…
The third and final Melbourne derby of the regular season kicks off tonight when second-placed Melbourne Victory host Melbourne Heart at Etihad Stadium. We'll…
After seven games, 19 goals, 43 cards and over 215,000 fans, the eighth instalment of the Melbourne derby wraps up the A-League's pre-Christmas weekend…
Last year I wrote an article discussing the possibility of a tournament that combined South America's Copa America and North America's Gold Cup, the…
Tim Cahill disappointed many Australian football fans when he moved to MLS side New York Red Bulls from Everton earlier this year, convincing many…
Outspoken Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has come out in favour of introducing time-outs, currently seen in US sports league such as the NFL…
In recent weeks the signings of Alessandro Del Piero and Emile Heskey, and the potential unveiling of Michael Ballack as a Wanderers player, have…
It has emerged that Japanese playmaker Shinji Ono will on Friday be unveiled as the inaugural marquee player of A-League club the Western Sydney…
Australian media reports that the Western Sydney Wanderers are in discussions with Japanese playmaker Shinji Ono to make him the club's inaugural marquee player.…
Sydney FC are rumoured to have finally signed Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero following further negotiations on Tuesday. Various media outlets are reporting that…
Following FIFA awarding the World Cup hosting rights to Qatar, it is highly unlikely that Australia will get to host the premier sporting event…
One of the bonuses of having an A-League team in Western Sydney is the creation of a second city derby. Coupled with the Melbourne…
On the 9th of March, the draw for the fourth round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil will take place.…
When the A-League draw for 2011-12 became available, one of the new developments was the introduction of a 'regional round' for the league. These…
In the world of football, FIFA’s 208 member nations are split into six different confederations, roughly based on continental boundaries. These are the AFC…
While this upcoming A-League season promises to be the best yet, and crowds look likely to be given a huge boost, one club looks…
Auckland deserves a team, Phoenix games there attract 20k crowds. Long term, Oceania is likely to be absorbed by the AFC anyway so I think a second NZ team would be great… another derby!
Wollongong, Tassie, Geelong and Townsville would all have to be in the running after the above list is filled.
Record A-League crowds and TV numbers, but job not done yet
Again Robbie, you keep pointing to economic growth as some sort of automatic indicator of football success. Football didn’t grow in Australia because our economy did, it grew because we had a golden generation of Socceroos and because we finally got organised with the FFA and the A-League.
Iraq’s economy is growing at 11%. Mogolia’s is growing at 13%. Vietnam’s is growing at 5%. Are these countries future football powers as well?
Twenty years ago China -a nation with 1.3 billion people and a leadership group committed to promoting the country through sport- had a growth rate of 14%. Where is China now? They’re ranked 109th in the world and they haven’t won a single World Cup Finals game!
Just because a country has a successful economy doesn’t mean it will grow into a football ‘superpower!’
Is India a future football superpower?
I’m sorry but while there is real passion for the game in places like Kolkata, this passion is limited to few people. Football is still light years behind cricket, and nationwide hockey is probably more popular than football. There is genuine passion for the game, but it is extremely thinly spread. While big derbies attract massive crowds, most matches see attendances below the 5000 mark- this in cities with populations of 10 million and higher.
Is India a future football superpower?
I don’t think you can call Del Piero selfish simply because he was our key man upfront. There’s a reason he took all the free-kicks and corners- he is the best man for the job. Off the park, he was an absolute success. On it, he was let down by what in the end was an extremely average squad assembled by Ian Crook. Hopefully next year Frank can bolster our squad (though the re-signing of McFlynn is a worry) and Del Piero can be surrounded by a team capable of making the finals.
Del Piero's first A-League season: fail
Football people like Blatter call India a “sleeping giant” all the time. That’s what they called China twenty years ago. Just because a country has lots of people and a massive GDP doesn’t mean the country is going to become a sporting power. Every time someone makes the claim that a country like India or China or Russia is going to become a footballing giant the only evidence they quote is population figures and economic statistics- which are useless in the footballing world.
You’re totally correct in saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day- but you still haven’t explained why India is ever going to be ‘built’ into a world football power.
Is India a future football superpower?
India won’t be a footballing power for a long, long time, if ever. Simply having a large population and growing economy isn’t enough- China is bigger and more developed and its national football team continues to struggle.
In India, The infrastructure and organisation isn’t there, and won’t be as long as football remains a niche sport in India. You can point to some really big derbies and games but the fact is that nationwide football is pretty much ignored by the mainstream.
And I totally disagree with your baseless comment that “Of the three main areas which help to develop football – investment, infrastructure and an historical passion and support for the game – India is lacking only infrastructure.” It lacks all those key things- the historical passion for football just isn’t there- it remains a niche sport popular in only small sections of the country like Kolkata. Investment isn’t there either- football lacks any serious sponsorship, player wages are extremely low, I-League clubs are often forced to take buses to away games because they lack the cash to pay for flights and hotels.
India aren’t going to be a football superpower in your lifetime or mine- and maybe not even after that.
Is India a future football superpower?
Never thought I’d say this, but… Come on you Wanderers!
Newcastle Jets vs Western Sydney Wanderers: A-League live scores, blog
Totally agree that flares have to stop. Self regulation by fan groups is the key.
Time for A-League supporters to take responsibility
The form Emmo’s been in Holger was right to leave him out. We need to move him off a marquee salary…
Socceroos vs Oman: 2014 World Cup Qualifier live scores, blog
Even as an SFC member who missed out on tickets tonight, I’d have to agree with Lyall and Fuss. Only when derbies are regularly selling out the SFS should we even consider Wanderers games at Homebush.
60k has to be a minimum for any match at ANZ.
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC: A-League live scores, blog
ALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC: A-League live scores, blog
Still dreaming of a Wanderers-SFC Grand Final…
How soon is too soon to write off a team's chances?
FULL TIME | Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 Wellington Phoenix | Crowd: 15,809 |
Western Sydney take a massive step towards winning the Premiership, now they are five points clear at the top of the A-League table with just three games remaining. They are now A-League record holders, winning their ninth straight game. In spite of a valiant performance, Wellington’s season is over in terms of Finals football. The Wanderers have rode their luck in the past three games, but have come up trumps each time and have replaced the Mariners as the team to beat come Finals time.
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
90+3′- Phoenix are hopefully launching the ball forward now; it looks as though Western Sydney have this one.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
90+2′- The Wanderers survive another Bertos free-kick and have a goal kick. One minute to go.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
90+1′- A definite defensive change for Tony Popovic, with La Rocca replacing Poljak. The Phoenix have three minutes of stoppage time to salvage something.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
90′- Fantastic effort from Jeremy Brockie! Chests the ball down well outside the box, turns and volleys- but the ball cannons against the crossbar.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
89′- Wellington are consistently pressuring the Wanderers now, keeping the ball and staying in Western Sydney’s half. Potentially a season-defining final few minutes now, for both sides.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
87′- Bertos’ free-kick is headed away unconvincingly but the Wanderers survive and swarm back into the Phoenix half.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
86′- Brockie is clipped and the Phoenix have another opportunity outside the box- Leo Bertos over the free-kick.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
84′- A very decent crowd here tonight, 15809 A-League fans in attendance. Matteo Poljak sees yellow after a rough tackle from behind.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
83′- We’re well inside the last ten minutes now, and the Phoenix’s season is essentially on the line. Three points is a must for Wellington, but such an outcome looks increasingly unlikely.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
82′- Two changes for the Phoenix. Cernak replaces Sanchez, while Ifill comes off for Louis Fenton.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
80′- Youssouff Hersi has a chance to shoot from a tight angle, but Glen Moss is up to the challenge and he sends it behind for a corner, which is followed up by a further corner. WSW in full control at the moment.
WSW 2-1 WP
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Wellington Phoenix: A-League live scores, blog
Sorry Nathan but I think that Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane are all likely to remain one-team towns. Perth and Adelaide struggle to break 10k crowds on there own, Brisbane only averages 12k or so. Wollongong, Canberra, Tasmania, Geelong, Auckland etc. should be priorities.
Record A-League crowds and TV numbers, but job not done yet