Punter's Roar Profile

This is the bottom line!!!!

Australian footballers are better then what they were, this is not saying players form another era would not be as good under current conditions, but the problem, the rest of the world is also so much better.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

Evan,

While no doubt that Scottish side had some quality players in it & the part time Socceroos under Arok did a wonderful job. However, Scotland’s World cup pedigree pales into significance in comparison to Argentina & Uruguay.

So I repeat outside of Argentina with Maradona once & Uruguay twice (and a fairly poor Uruguay, by their standards (finishing 5th in Sth American qualifications) our tasks were not as difficult as some thinks.

I agree the difficulty we had was the lack of competitive games leading to these knockout games.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

Not sure how?

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

JB, different styles for different types.

Cloughie himself said that Leeds with Hunter, Bremner & a few others played a successful if not ugly brand of football, hence his stay at Leeds was short.
Being just a wee lad in the 70s, Leeds played a ugly game, British football, though there were a few mavericks, there were far too many hard men for my liking. Even now some of my English friends laments those days when a stray elbow or two were looked on with glee.
Of course, the ‘hard men’ were not confined to British football in those days.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

JB, interesting how we read things differently. I read it where I think the players now are as good as the Golden generation bar a couple & you read that would players in the 70s had done well in the game today?

I think & still do think the criticism of the players today is that we lack the technical skills (the ability to pass, move, receive & then pass again at pace, (which requires a very important great 1st touch) of which I agree, my criticism is that we have never had that, we have rarely produced players with great 1st touch.
So this is the difference, today this is a strong prerequisite, in the 70s, 80s & 90s, many a very good solid professional footballer, didn’t have a great 1st touch (when I mean 1st touch it doesn’t include elbows).

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

Outside of Argentina once & Uruguay twice, don’t recall the others being that difficult.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

All good LH, just the following of sport in 2020, it seems like so long ago mate.

The one player each A-League club should poach

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3d

But Samuel, we use to do so well in the Youth world cups!!!!!

Well that is the argument I get from them, when I say we’ve made the last 4 WCs.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

Sorry LH, 2020 has been a bit of a BLUR!!!!

The one player each A-League club should poach

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3d

Best team in the A-League, Brisbane Roar, what the team 13 pts behind, even having played 2 more games then SFC? Maybe you meant best team in the A-League that is coming 4th at present.

The one player each A-League club should poach

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3d

Thanks Stuart, while I agree with Waz that the past v present argument is pointless. Your article is one that had to be written. I have said the same thing many times over, football has changed, hence why so little of even the top British players are excelling at the top echelon of the game & they come from a stronger & bigger base then Australia.
I have been watching football in this country from even before the NSL & onto the A-league.
Like you said ‘Today’s players are fitter, faster, more agile and possess skills’ & ‘The top leagues now draws the best of the best from all corners of the globe’, now while the Golden Generation were all my heroes, I wonder how many outside of Harry, Dukes & Bresc would make it today?

Yes there is some truths in that we have lost some of those development paths, but Australia has produced very little players with the 1st touch & skills to go with their natural physical ability.

NSL dinosaurs need to ease off the contemporary Australian footballer

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2d

Thanks Nem!!!!

A finals series is just what the A-League needs right now

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Mar

He might not know what he is talking about, but Elvis sure could sing!!!!

How much trouble is the A-League seriously in?

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Mar

In season 17/18, SFC won the competition by 14 pts & was ahead of MV by 23 pts.
MV beat SFC in the semis on the way to beat NJ in the GF.
No-one could ever convince me that SFC was not the most successful side that year & I celebrated as such. It was a great season.
In 18/19 SFC won the GF after finishing 2nd to PG by 8 pts.
I was happy SFC managed to salvage a average season winning the GF, but the successful club was PG & rightly claimed best team of the season.

I like the finals series, it bring interest & it brings decent crowds, but to me the champions/premiers has always been the first past the post.
It would be interesting if Australia went down to 1 direct place in the champions league, who would get that spot?

A finals series is just what the A-League needs right now

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Mar

I only banter on here Kangga, I don’t take it all serious.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Manly was my team Kangga, they now in the NPL, but was never in the NSL.
It is funny how you say SFC has a stronger squad due to having most money should be leading by 10 pts, but make no mention that Yokohama has 10 times SFC budget in our defeat by them.
I know in the NRL the ball is egg shaped & can bounce very differently, but in football the bounce is pure because the ball is round, normally, so when discussing financial power try not to show your bias. If SFC are expected to be 10 pts clear of A-League because money bring success, you’d expect Yokohama to over come SFC when their budget is 10 times bigger.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Football skills in this country is behind, because countries like Peru & Japan has invested in skills above physical abilities, which is what football in this country has always produced. We are not alone here, most of the English speaking world got hit by the new Barcelona/Spain way. England has struggled in WCs last 2-3 world cups & countries like Scotland doesn’t even look like getting to WCs.
Even the PL clubs, some of the biggest clubs in the world, look to foreign coaches & foreign players bringing the English clubs back to the top of Europe.
This is where Australia is left behind the Japans & Perus & even Koreas, let alone the top European or Sth American clubs..

The sport itself is doing well in this country, not at full capacity, lots of agendas, but this has happened for ever with football in this country.

As for put down of NRL or AFL, not sure what you are saying. I don’t follow the games too closely & have little to discuss there, I just defend those having a go at the A-League on here. I rarely go to the NRL & AFL tabs to put them down

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Kangga, you are a regular Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde sort of character, methinks.

‘The world is moving further ahead of us’ YES.

‘The most mediocrce period in 120 years’ a bit doom & gloom don’t you think?

3 straight qualification world cups, 1 Asian cup, despite the drop in crowds, A-League still managing 10K average, higher then anytime prior to A-league (at least 1970 onwards). SFC top of the table.
Clubs playing, (yes outplayed by teams where investment in football far greater then Australia) in Asia & competing.
Football, even live football from around the world, so much even an addict like me can’t keep up.
In the 80s & 90s, I watching the socceroos, every 4 years, club football unles you belonged to nationality was not really there, football was scarce on tv & I was following St George in the NRL.
Yes, give me the mediocrity of now any day.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

AGO74, I think both contenders of coach of the year come from the Sydney FC system, Ufuk & Corica.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Kangga

I match you with these Sydney boys
Elle Macpherson
Ian Thorpe
Harry Kewell
Johnny Warren
And Nick Carle, who scored a better goal for Newcastle jets then Topper Stanley.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Come on Kangga, you smarter then that.

Brad Smith, Matthew Ryan, Ryan Grant, Mitchell Duke, Daniel Azani, Massimo Luongo, Terry Antonis, Mustafa Amini, Chris Ikonmidis, Lawrence Thomas, Demi Petratos, Matthew Jurman, Danny Vukovic, Aaron Mooy all players born in Sydney that have recently played for Australia.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Good point Stuart, Devlin as pointed out in this article has come on leaps & bounds. But he has always been behind O’Neill, Briilante/Bratten, Retre & Teague was the rising young un.
In hindsight yes. But we are still 10 pts clear.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Yes Redondo, the jealousy on here is amazing. Just because SFC keeps winning.

Devlin is on record as saying he learnt so much from watching the top SFC players like Ninkovic and O’Neill play, but no legacy from SFC.
Barbarouses unwanted by MV, who is now lying 9th but wanted by SFC, leading competition by 10 pts with 2 games in hand.
Matt Jurman was a journeyman came to SFC Arnold made him a Socceroo, got him a gig in Korea.
Everyone claims O’Neill is a PG legacy, but Devlin not a SFC legacy, O’Neill was lounging around on the fringes of PG, but SFC made him one of the top players in A-league & got him a gig in Korea.
Redmayne, floating around CCM & WSW then SFC sign him as no 2 to Vuckovic, then when Vuckovic left SFC made Redmayne no 1 keeper in A-League & no3 for Socceroos.
Brillante shot after 2 seasons of little game time in Serie A & B, lifted his game at SFC.
Calver, Pratt, Petratos, Blackwood, Chianese all running around in A-League, no legacy.
Ivanovic, Tilio, Teague, King, Van der Saar young stars coming up thru SFC this year.

No Legacy, because we too strong!!!!

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Whichever way you look at it, SFC continues to win & continues to produce players.

LEGACY, I enjoy watching those players on the fringe for SFC excelling for other teams.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

Thanks Shabab, he has been excellent this year, both in defence & attack.

Another SFC Legacy.

Cameron Devlin is on the cusp of being the A-League's most improved player

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Mar

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