We're all to blame for The World Game shutting down
It doesn’t get much more on brand for the A-League than Melbourne City finally turning into a devastatingly destructive derby rival right when everyone has basically stopped watching.
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It doesn’t get much more on brand for the A-League than Melbourne City finally turning into a devastatingly destructive derby rival right when everyone has basically stopped watching.
Ben Waine’s header in the 90th minute of Wellington’s 3-2 win over Western United was yet another highlight in what might just be the most enjoyable A-League season ever.
Tonight’s clash between Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne City in Wollongong could be one of the games of the season, but is the A-League now only preaching to the converted?
Joe Gauci might have done enough to dislodge James Delianov from the Adelaide starting 11 for good, but football needs to think bigger if it’s to ever gain a foothold in Australia.
On the back of a historic weekend for football, it’s probably time we started asking ourselves what we want our competitions to look like in the short term and years to come.
Matt Simon is not only one of the greatest players in A-League history, he’s also the player most likely to lead the Central Coast Mariners to a fairytale run to this season’s finals.
There is no better indicator of the disconnect between Melbourne Victory’s board and the club’s sizeable fan-base than the fact they lost the derby at a stadium no fans want to go to.
Western United’s 4-3 win over Melbourne Victory was the exclamation point on an increasingly plausible meme – that the A-League is the world’s most entertaining competition right now.
For fans of just about every other club there’s nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to watch an A-League game on a Sunday afternoon and seeing Melbourne Victory lose.
Brisbane Roar may have come away with only a point from Redcliffe on Sunday, but it’s fans who should feel like the real winners thanks to a vastly improved match-day experience.
Alou Kuol’s rise from Victoria’s second division to the A-League as a matchwinner is the sort of story only football can tell, but the task ahead is to capitalise on an incredible start to the season.
It would be the easiest thing in the world to just sit here and bag Fox Sports after a weekend in which even more production issues spoiled an otherwise fascinating weekend of football.
Here’s a stat for you, Andrew Howe. Of the 54 goals scored in the A-League to date, 21 of them – or just over 38 per cent – have been slotted home by players aged 23 or younger.
Spare a thought for referee Ben Abraham, who made a textbook handball decision in Macarthur’s 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets yesterday that everyone assumed was wrong.
Carl Robinson’s birthplace was recently voted the happiest place in Wales, which seems important to note since Robinson is perhaps a happier person than we give him credit for.
When Tomi Juric wheeled away in celebration in front of a rapt Coopers Stadium, he signed off on a round of football that suggested the A-League is back and possibly better than ever.
There were exactly 229 days between tweets for Fox Sports’ executive director Steve Crawley, but what he posted on December 23 should be of interest to every A-League fan.
Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years and if the wretched year that is 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that I’ll never take for granted attending a football game ever again.
A frenetic start, a handful of new venues and a last-minute TV deal – the A-League is in transition, but is it enough to save the competition?
One of my favourite memories of Sydney is of a hot and sweaty November show at the city’s legendary home of alternative music, the Annandale Hotel.
The word out of the Victory camp is they tried to keep him. It was Markovic’s decision to leave.
This season has made me fall in love with the A-League all over again
I think the national teams play some sort of a role, but I’m not sure international success necessarily equates into better metrics for our domestic leagues.
Has Victory's dreadful season doomed the A-League to dire metrics?
How does the game fix it?
Has Victory's dreadful season doomed the A-League to dire metrics?
Swings and roundabouts, hey? It’s terrific to see the Mariners on top of the table.
Has Victory's dreadful season doomed the A-League to dire metrics?
I’m loathe to bag referees because it’s a tough gig and we need more of them… but from what I’ve seen W-League referee hasn’t been great this season.
Has Victory's dreadful season doomed the A-League to dire metrics?
Yes, that South Korean team the Socceroos defeated in the final – who went on to knock defending world champions Germany out of the 2018 World Cup – seemed very weak.
It's high time football started to stand up for itself
The Socceroos literally won the Asian Cup. That was Ange Postecoglou’s point.
It's high time football started to stand up for itself
The AFL grounds all look in tip-top condition, I can tell you that much.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
There was no Brisbane Strikers bid. There was no funding and no support. Those architectural renderings of an upgraded Perry Park were drawn up by a fan.
I personally quite like the Strikers and have been down to several games, but I think when Queenslanders say they want them in the A-League, what they mean is they want Perry Park in the the A-League.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
I don’t think anyone in Cairns seriously watches the AFL. Melbourne HQ has sunk plenty of funds into the city in its colonial quest for nationwide domination, but genuine Aussie Rules fans are fairly thin on the ground.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
Well, Cairns FC drew a crowd of almost 4,000 on a Tuesday night when they hosted Sydney FC in the FFA Cup in 2018. So I’m not sure it’s accurate to suggest an A-League side would fail to do the same.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
On the contrary, Micko, I write articles to generate discussions. Kind of like the one we’re having here.
Why would an A-League club work in Cairns when it didn’t in Townsville? I can think of a few reasons.
1. Cairns is not Townsville. Not only are the two cities more than four hours apart, but the latter has always been a rugby league town.
2. Football Federation Australia essentially allowed North Queensland Fury to fold once they realised Australia was not going to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. They did similar on the Gold Coast, where revoking United’s licence was the easiest way to get rid of Clive Palmer.
3. Cairns has long-standing football culture, built on the back of a sizeable migrant population from Europe. There’s a reason Mareeba Bulls used to draw big crowds in the old Queensland State League.
4. When you’re a one-team town, as Cairns has long been with the Taipans in NBL, you tend to find the locals are keen to back you in a national competition.
5. At some point, the A-League needs to stop pandering to casual sports fans and start catering to actual football fans. That’s easiest to do in cities that actually appreciate football… like Cairns.
Yes, there’s a need for investment. But that never happens without some vision, which is why Cairns should absolutely enter the discussion around expansion sides.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
Tough night for the Jets. I feel sorry for Craig Deans. That first goal was a real coach-killer.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
Brisbane Strikers have virtually no local support. If you were basing the decision on the ability to draw a crowd, the Strikers would be some way down the list.
Why shouldn't Cairns be home to an A-League club?
Too busy taking in the sights of NPL3.
How do Melbourne Victory save themselves from ruin?
If it’s the difference between the club continuing to exist or going broke at a stadium they can’t afford to play in, then yes… it’s a success.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
I haven’t given Rocklea Showgrounds much thought, Marilyn, but it would be nice to see Brisbane Roar return to the city proper. That being said, it’ll be hard to walk away from Redcliffe knowing how well Moreton Bay Council has treated the club this season.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
It certainly is. And more specifically to your question as to why Riku is here, his parent club Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and their coach Mihalo Petrovic were concerned about his lack of physicality. They’ve sent him down here to give him some match experience and see how he handles the professional game.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
Indeed. And many of the fans who’ve said they’ll never come to games in Redcliffe are the same who never came to games at Suncorp Stadium.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
We can only dream. I’m not sure anything will ever get done with Perry Park.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
I live around the corner from Goodwin Park. Terrific state league ground, but there’s a better chance of playing A-League games in my backyard.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
What would you have preferred, AndyAdelaide? A Monday column about how Adelaide lost 4-0 on Friday night? I usually cover the Sunday games.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
Not hard to see why the Roar’s attendance was down when it was
a) their third home game in eight days
b) it was Valentine’s Day
c) it looked like there’d be a storm around kick-off.
Redcliffe is Brisbane Roar's not-so-secret weapon
Hopefully he keeps winning.
This season has made me fall in love with the A-League all over again