Cheers Fussball!
Yarraville defeated Old Melburnians 2-0 on Monday night, so they will have the task of travelling away to play South Melbourne. That’s the beauty of cup football, having the opportunity to play against higher division teams or in unfamiliar surroundings and test one’s mental strength and character. South should progress I’d imagine.

Cheers Fussball!

With the introduction of the VPL/State League One teams entering in the 4th Round, hopefully it will attract some more mainstream media publicity.

I’ve recently started up a Facebook Fan Page, anyone interested in following me can do so by pressing the ‘like’ button on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/robertdifabio.journalism

This week’s results:

Moreland City (S2) 2-0 Melbourne Tornado (P1)
Doncaster Rovers (S2) 2-1 Ashburton (P2)
Heidelberg Starts (P3) 2-0 La Trobe Uni (S3)
Mornington (S3) 1-3 Dandenong City (S2)
Epping City (P2) 1-3 Banyule City (S2)

Cheers for the feedback.
A-League clubs should be playing a much larger role in the development and nurturing of our younger players. As mentioned, if there were a system where youth could be nurtured and monitored from the junior set-ups under the guidance of A-League outfits, then I’m sure it will have positive implications in the manner kids are taught and progress from a young age. It’s time for A-League clubs to take more of an initiative.

In regards to Gold Coast, it will be interesting to see what type of line-up they use for next season. Going by the comments of their Chief Executive, it gives us the impression that an influx of youth will be used. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.

Ashburton were leading 1-0 at half time. Doncaster scored twice in the second half to win 2-1.

Was an enjoyable interview, demonstrates with persistance, dedication and hard work anything can be achieved!

Cheers for the feedback!
The Mirabella Cup has been great for Victorian football, as we all know cup football is a unique game in itself. Looking forward to more coverage throughout the year, especially when the big boys enter the competition!

Cheers for the feedback.
I agree, I probably would have preferred to see DeVere be included in the squad instead of North, however I’m sure DeVere will get his chance as he looks to be a bright prospect.

It will be great if players like Kruse and McKay can actually have an impact in the tournament instead of just making up the numbers. From what I’ve seen this season, there’s no reason as to why they can’t contribute to the success of the Socceroos in the Asian Cup.

Kruse has been sensational this season, obviously international football is a different kettle of fish, however with confidence sky high presently, given the opportunity he could deliver…we hope so anyway.

With the crop of midfielders in the squad McKay may find it a bit more difficult to find game-time. Nevertheless, his brilliant domestic form warrants his inclusion, let’s hope he get’s an opportunity.

It has been documented that Wellington Phoenix would not be allowed to be an Australian representative at the Asian Champions League.
To be honest it’s fair enough, they are not an Australian based club and personally I don’t want one of our Champions League spots going to a team based in New Zealand.
We moved into Asia to improve the product/exposure of the Australian game. Although Wellington is part of the A-League it’s fair enough since New Zealand represents Oceania on the world stage. Until New Zealand joins Asia, then I highly doubt they will gain omission into the Asian Champions League.

I agree that New Zealand had the edge over Australia in a number of codes throughout 2010; however I beg to differ with your views on football.

To begin with, Wellington Phoenix made the Preliminary Final in the 2009/10 season (not Semi-Final), consequently they were knocked out by eventual Champions Sydney FC. A great achievement by the New Zealand outfit undeniably, however it doesn’t make them any more superior than Australian teams given they technically came third in the A-League last season.

In relation to the national teams, how did the All Whites gain bragging rights over the Socceroos?

You failed to mention how Australia triumphed 2-1 against New Zealand in the friendly leading up to the World Cup at the MCG in May.

Although Australia’s first World Cup game didn’t go to plan, the team was not eliminated after the opening match. If the Socceroos beat Ghana in the second game (1-1 unfortunate penalty/red card to Kewell which had a major influence on the game) then the scenario would have been much easier leading into the last group game. Even in the final game when Australia beat top European team Serbia, there was still a chance of progressing when 2-0 up during the second half, amid results falling our way. Unfortunately it didn’t eventuate. Australia earned four points and was eliminated on goal difference at the World Cup.
Accordingly, facts don’t lie- the Socceroos still earned more points in contrast to their Trans-Tasman rivals.

The All Whites were undefeated with a reputable three points from the World Cup. It was a wonderful and proud achievement for a nation viewed as a football minnow on the world stage. Drawing 1-1 to then, World Champions Italy was an historical moment for the nation. The All Whites seemingly exceeded expectations and it must be applauded, undoubtedly a proud moment for New Zealand football.

Amid the successful year for New Zealand football, it’s a bit egotistical to say New Zealand were superior given Wellington Phoenix finished third in the A-League, the Socceroos beat the All Whites in a football fixture and in addition gained more points at the World Cup.

Thank you for the feedback everyone!

A point I’d like to make- a bit off topic. What’s with all the code wars?
Honestly it’s quite annoying for several reasons.
To begin with it has nothing to do with the article, if you want to battle about which code is superior or has more merit etc do it on another website/forum, unless the article is about that topic. It’s rather frustrating seeing people often argue about issues which are fairly irrelevant.

Secondly, I myself appreciate diverse sports, I mainly write about football as it’s my passion, conversely I also enjoy AFL and value what the game brings to the Australian sporting landscape. Uninformed, discrete comments regarding opposing codes not only seems immature, it’s annoying when people like me (and other sport fanatics) can appreciate both games. So please, take the rivalry somewhere else.

Anyhow on topic, it does seem that the AFL is trialling many rules each season. Where does it stop one must wonder? As mentioned, with the dynamics of the game changing over the years I guess there is reason for some variations since the game has developed substantially over the years.
Sometimes I feel though, the AFL is attempting to be too innovative, for example paying a free kick against a player who holds the ball against their opponent. Too much inconsistency and confusion, leave it be.

The video replay seems logical, only if it doesn’t slow the game down as mentioned by Adrian Anderson. It’s fair enough as these decisions could potentially change the outcome/momentum of a game. We may not even see video technology take place during the NAB Cup as it’s a rare occurrence, however I wouldn’t mind if it’s introduced in the season proper, as long the flow of the game isn’t influenced.

The nine-point rule, where players can elect to shoot for a six-pointer when given a 50 metre penalty inside the 50 or attempt a 9-point goal on 50m seems fair and adds a bit of innovation and excitement to the game. For the NAB Cup it’s fine.

In regards to the NAB Cup having a distinctive place on the AFL calendar, well it’s debatable. With the unevenness of the AFL draw, the scrapping of the NAB Cup could potentially help this cause. Playing an extra 3-4 rounds as a substitute for the pre-season competition could work.
As mentioned, 2-3 competitive trial games in regional areas should be efficient enough before getting the season underway. It’s a possibility once the AFL becomes an 18 team competition in 2012 or beyond, for now though the NAB Cup is here to stay.

Thom, I understand your passion and applaud it, some of the things you wrote have due rationale. Conversely I don’t agree with some aspects you have written about.

To say it was a waste of time and pointless to bid for the World Cup seems farcical, if we won the biggest event on Earth, I doubt people would have this negative view. Bidding for the World Cup proved we are a serious football nation, even though we didn’t win it, it must be applauded that we gave it a decent shot.
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I believe the FFA has some issues at the moment; however it’s not all doom and gloom. We only need to look how far the game has developed in the past 10 years; it has been quite an achievement.

As it has been mentioned: we have a respectable domestic competition in a very competitive Australian market, albeit crowds declining there is much potential and a need for optimism, moved into Asia (playing more competitive/higher standard of games), currently witnessing the best technical standard of football the A-League has seen, an abundance of mainstream coverage from the media (in contrast to the NSL), qualified for 2 consecutive World Cups, redevelopment of the junior set-ups, higher participation rates at grassroots level, $120 million t.v deal (unheard of for football before the FFA, and will improve with the next deal), an FFA technical director, creditable National coach and set-up, a sense of admiration from the football world (for the A-League/National teams) etc.

Yes, the FFA should have improved certain aspects of their business dealings recently, i.e marketing for the A-League, engaging with the fans (what they want etc), the expansion process (Western Sydney bid) etc. However, the governing body can and hopefully will improve these aspects in due time. It’s disappointing but we will get there. Football in this country will always be fighting an uphill battle to some degree. I’m optimistic and believe these issues can be turned around.

Cheers Rob I agree with your sentiments. Interesting to hear you played at that level. How do you compare the NSL Youth League in comparison to the A-League version?

Yes I am a keeper; I guess that’s part of the reason why I wrote this article, however I just have an avid interest in writing about different issues/topics related to football.

Conversely, I enjoy accessing and studying how different keepers are developing. Where their strengths/weaknesses lay, how they have improved in certain areas, what they could have done better in certain situations etc.

As we can appreciate, goalkeeping is not an easy task and is a very distinctive position within a football team. Having a quality keeper can change the dynamics of the squad, a major influence I believe. We only need to look at Michael Theoklitos as an example (when at Victory and presently at Brisbane).

Cheers for the feedback!

In regards to Federici and Jones not plying their early years in the NSL, you are correct. I was attempting to imply that the bulk of the golden generation did their apprenticeship in the NSL.

I opted to leave Nathan Coe out of the golden generation, seemingly because he hasn’t earnt a Socceroos Cap, unlike his peers. No disrespect on his career though, to be honest I’ve never seen him play before.

As we know, it is renowned for goalkeepers to mature at an older age; hence I believe there is plenty of time for these developing goalkeepers to improve over the coming years. We only need to look at the form of Mark Schwarzer. Although he may be a somewhat exception to the cause, it is evident the keepers are a unique product. It seems a genuine trend for keepers hit their peak from 30 years onwards.

Kennedy does have some flaws with his decision making, however if we compare him to a couple of years ago, there has been much improvement in his overall game. That’s all we can ask for when accessing a young goalkeeper.

There is definitely a huge talent of depth at our disposal. From the older players in their late 20’s/early 30’s and in addition the younger crop of players, we have a bright future ahead of us, from a goalkeeping capacity anyway.

Fussball it was a great match. I think everyone played their part in the derby. The final third worked brilliantly together. The partnership between Thompson, Kruse, Hernandez and Marvin is really starting to shape up. I believe at their potential best, no other A-League team has the ability to match the Victory final third.

However in saying that, the team needs to display this type of form on a more consistent basis. The past four games have seen 10 goals, so the attack looks fine for the moment. The defence is the obvious problem.

Although, reverting to a back four system I believe will work wonders for the team. The line-up looks much more composed and not as vulnerable at the back. Vargas may have a tough time getting back in the team, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, he must be wondering if another contract will be available given his age.

Nevertheless, if Victory can keep up the form then they will be a dangerous threat come finals time.

Heart, well presently they look like a shambles to be honest. Injuries won’t help the cause with Sibon sidelined. I still can’t understand how JVS can leave Beauchamp out of the squad and play Matt Thompson in the CB role when Skoko was sidelined with injury. Heart clearly lacked firepower in the middle of the park. Thompson would have definitely helped that cause especially since he is a natural midfielder.

Nonetheless, it was a great spectacle of football and a wonderful atmosphere from both sets of supporters. A great derby experience.

Totally agree Punter. It’s really depressing seeing talented players depart for overseas to then get limited if any game time, just rotting away in the reserves. This surely couldn’t help their technical development or confidence.

Playing regularly in the A-League, with the competition technically improving each year can only be beneficial for players like Kruse. Also, it will give up and coming youngsters an abundance of confidence knowing they are proven at A-League level before making the venture overseas.

It’s a good point in contrast to Zullo. He is overseas and is getting limited game-time presently. Whereas, Kruse is performing well and is even being considered for the Socceroos. Even if he doesn’t make the Asian Cup squad, it is a remarkable achievement to even be recognised as a potential Socceroo.

Following all the media attention surrounding Kruse recently, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the hype and perform consistently for the remainder of the A-League and Champions League campaigns. This is where the genuine test begins.

Tom if it’s that painful, don’t read it, simple.

Clayts the team I support is irrelevant, I call it as I see it.
Heart haven’t been playing great football of late, hence not scoring a goal for seven and a half hours of football, and with injuries too I’m sorry I find it hard to see them coming out with a win tonight. With Terra also not available, who was a key influence on Heart’s last derby win, it’s hard to see where the goals are going to come from.

Although Victory hasn’t been winning too (amid the controversy vs. Brisbane last week), they have scored seven goals in their past three games. Victory is starting to build some momentum with Archie playing some great combination attacking football with Kruse and Hernandez.
As I stated in the article the key will be their defence. Victory was destroyed on the wings last meeting with the back three arrangements. With the re-shuffle of a back four (Sukha- Leijer- Muscat- Kemp), I believe this will work in Victory’s favour and will play a major part in the game.
I’m sorry but it’s better to have an opinion than just sitting on the fence.

Cheers for the feedback!
I believe there definitely is a place for the Fury in our competitive market place. I for one will be extremely disappointed if the club folds at the end of the season.
There’s a lot of potential in the northern region of Queensland, given their lowly position on the table and all the uncertainty surrounding the future of the club I think they have done a reasonable job.

We must remember it doesn’t encourage fans to support a team, when the FFA won’t commit to the clubs future. It’s rather embarrassing and unfair on the club that they are losing players due to the FFA not allowing them to re-sign or sign new players.

With the club emphasising that they have a successful community base model set up and will be self-reliant by the 2012/13 season, it leaves little to the imagination as to why the FFA is delaying the process of guaranteeing the Fury’s future.

Hopefully the club will be around next season, they add value to the competition and are a fan favourite.

Australian Football, in saying that Victory’s determination to win the Championship helped the club qualify for the ACL again this year, so it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
I don’t think the scheduling helped, playing an ACL game against Seongnam two days after 120 minutes of football in Sydney and then travelling to Japan at the conclusion of the Grand Final definitely didn’t help the club, especially with the injuries at the time. Hopefully the next ACL campaign can see more success.

Cheers fellas!
When I was writing this piece, I was youtubing some of Viduka’s best moments and I came across this song too. Makes you feel proud watching it, he’s definitely a legend of Australian football!
Hopefully we have a youngster who can replicate Viduka’s image in the near future; Australia needs successful players of his statute on the world stage!

So let’s get this right, the FFA want to run the season from October-April with less mid-week fixtures.

In short, they want the season to be reduced by one month (currently August-March), however have less mid-week games…how does this work if we still have a 30 game competition?

Conspiracy theory: FFA killing off the Fury?

Good read Victoryblog.
For me, one of the major disappointments is the location Victory’s home games. Staging them at the oversized Etihad Stadium seems bizarre; the club has a magnificent state of the art football stadium vacant.
With the ACL crowds lower than the average attendances in the A-League (for Melbourne), the atmosphere at Etihad won’t be too great. I’m assuming it’s because of a contractual agreement; however it’s really not good enough by the club.

As for Victory’s chances in the ACL, who knows at the moment? If the squad can replicate last seasons form and have a full squad to choose from then the Victory is capable of a top 2 finish. Even though Victory’s form in Asia isn’t anything to be proud of, I wouldn’t write the club off. Time will tell, looking forward to it.

Cheers for the feedback, much appreciated!

There may have been some debatable decisions throughout the course of the game; however these happen in every football game. The incident with Theoklitos in my opinion was just plain shocking from the referee(s). Everyone in the crowd saw it, the commentators, media journalists have commented etc. Agree or disagree, however I thought it was quite evident that he had handled the ball outside his area.

As a football fan, it’s extremely frustrating seeing these bad decisions on such a consistent basis, we are witnessing this in the A-League a fair bit this season. There is nothing worse than watching a great game of football, only for the result to be influenced by a poor refereeing decision. I understand this can happen in football or sport in particular, although in comparison to some of the benchmark football leagues its happening far too often.

Hopefully the FFA do something about it soon, overseas referees should help the situation. A couple more referees on the A-Grade panel could help the cause. Competition will hopefully encourage better performances from referees. It just seems as though referees don’t get dropped if they have a poor performance(s).

On a football note, the game was fantastic. Besides the controversy, it had everything a sport fan would endeavour for, exciting attack-minded football, great goals and heated clashes. Although the crowd wasn’t the best by Melbourne’s standards, the atmosphere generated was exceptional and really gave the game that extra hype.

I’m sure this will be replicated in a superior fashion come the Melbourne Derby Saturday.

Valid point, however as we know in Australia the majority of the sporting public view the winning team as the one who wins the Grand Final. So from a media and general fan perspective the true winners are in the finals series.
You don’t have to agree with it, I entirely don’t, however it’s the way the Australian sporting community have been accommodated towards their marketplace.

In essence, the first past the post demonstrates the most consistent team throughout the season and deserves the statue of winners, but like America this isn’t recognised to a large scale.

I guess there’s some type compensation for the club finishing top of the table, with a qualifcation spot to the AFC Champions League and the Premiers Plate.