Kids TV

With the A-League about to commence, so is the much anticipated National Youth League. I would love to see a TV show covering this league. Probably second only to a football fans’ obsession with the first-team is his or her obsession with the clubs up and coming youngsters. The exciting young players emerging from the various A-league clubs often quickly establish themselves as fan favourites and really, there are not too many things that fans love to see more than a young upstart sticking-it-to an established players.

Following the progress of the next generation of players will draw an audience. I’m not sure how the show is going now but FOX8’s Football Superstar started with promising ratings. And one of the most popular blogs on WordPress (not just amongst the sports blogs but overall) is Young Guns which is dedicated to covering the Arsenal youth and reserve teams. This blog is much more popular than ones covering the first team of Manchester United, Chelsea and even Arsenal. Other popular blogs covering the youth teams of Chelsea and Manchester United have since arisen. There are now blogs completely dedicated to individual youth players such as Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela, Fran Merida, Jonathon Evans etc. As far as I can tell, these blogs outnumber the ones dedicated to established stars.

All this suggests that the footballing public is hungry for information about the progress of youth players. We want to know about their trials and tribulations before they conquer the world and before the world knows about their talent. It is odd but I certainly feel more connected with Mark Noble than other players in the West Ham squad. Even though I never got to see him play for the reserves or the youth team, I would hear rumblings about a young prodigy that was going to fill the void left by the likes of Cole and Carrick. Even these little snippets of information and speculation filtering through would stir excitement and build the relationship between fans and the player.

In this battle that we constantly hear about, the battle to win hearts and minds, such a show could be a catalyst for tipping the scale in favour of football. Such a show would be a great way to connect with the grass-roots footballing communities. Because the A-League clubs do not have academies that sign kids from a very young age, players in the NYL will be drawn from clubs in the local area. I can only imagine that this will draw only very keen interest from the community associated with the club from which the youngster is signed. And the opportunity to watch such a player week in week out will only build the connection with the player and the A-League club.

How would such a show work? Well it would probably have to be on Fox. Given that they exclusively cover the A-League, they are probably the only feasible coverage option. Given that there will be 7 clubs and 3 matches a week, an hour long show with approximately 20 minute coverage of each match would be perfect. Such coverage would be long enough so that viewers can get a general feel of the quality of football being played and the style of football that the various clubs and coaches are imposing. This league is about a balance between results and development and the footballing public will be a good judge of whether the right balance is being struck.

I’m sending this suggestion to Foxtel and the FFA. I’m not expecting a reply but hey, it’s good to have a rant.

A Big Season Ahead For Mark Viduka

Thomas Rooney – Freelance Sports Journalist

Australia and Newcastle striker Mark Viduka is 32-years old and in all honesty, if his previous fitness is anything to go by, then he doesn’t have too long left as a professional footballer – certainly at the highest level. That’s why I think the coming Premier League season is a very important time for him.

He needs a season where he stays fit for the majority. Everyone knows by now that if he plays, there is a very good chance he will get on the score sheet or at least have some sort of positive impact on the game. The Newcastle fans know that, the Newcastle manager knows that and his Newcastle team mates know that. That’s why it is so frustrating when he picks up an injury.

Take the end of last season for example. Along with Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins, Viduka formed a fantastic partnership. All three strikers complemented each other well and it was a significant factor behind Newcastle’s return to form after a run of 14 games without a win in the league. Kevin Keegan’s side defeated Fulham, Tottenham, Reading and Sunderland with Viduka getting on the score sheet twice. Things were looking good for the former Leeds United man.

However, in a pattern that has plagued Viduka for some time now, he picked up a knockjust at the wrong time. Instead of finishing the season fit and in the team, he suffered an Achilles heal injury and missed the last game of the season at Everton. Once again – very frustrating.

As far as this pre-season goes, Newcastle have only had one game so far against Hartlepool United and rather unsurprisingly Viduka missed it due to a minor injury. Hopefully he will be able to get at least a couple of run-outs before the season starts. Any professional player will tell you how hard it is to play catch-up in terms of fitness if you miss the pre-season games. Newcastle face Doncaster on Saturday and I will be keeping an eye out for Viduka’s selection.

Maybe it has got to the stage now that it is accepted that Viduka won’t be playing every game, I’m not sure. Especially when you consider he only started half the league games for Newcastle last year and only made 56 league starts in three seasons at Middlesbrough. It’s a shame because I rate Viduka so highly. He has a wonderful footballing brain, talent beyond a lot of players’ wildest dreams and a natural goal scoring ability.

If he could guarantee availability for every game of the season and if I was to bet on the Premier League top goalscorer – I would certainly fancy Mark Viduka’s chances. His record for each of the teams he has played for is fantastic and I can’t help but think that he hasn’t achieved enough in his career given the ability he has. Fair enough, injuries have held him back, but should he have played more Champions League football? Should he have won more trophies as a player? Possibly.

Anyway, his focus now must be the 2008/2009 Premier League season with Newcastle United. In terms of the strikers at St James Park at the moment there is Michael Owen – who is presumably guaranteed a start – then one of Viduka, Martins or Ameobi likely to partner him in attack. The Viduka/Owen strike force looks excellent on paper and I’m convinced it would work well - let’s hope it gets the chance to do so in the coming weeks.

Despite his injury problems, I am going to stick Viduka in my fantasty team, like I have done the previous three seasons. This is because I know that if he is fit he will a) start for Newcastle and b) deliver the goods more often than not.

I’ll be following Viduka’s season very closely right here on australianfootball.wordpress.com, so keep an eyeout for more articles on the Australian striker.

A-League Preview: Queensland Roar

Ins

Tim Smits, David Dodd, Thomas Oar, Sergio van Dijk and Luke DeVere.

One of the league’s youngest teams just got younger during this transfer period. A lot has been said about teen prodigy Thomas Oar while Tim Smits has carried his hot state league form into the pre-season games for his new club, bagging a goal against Palmeiras. These new additions can probably be best described as ‘unknown’ as Smits, Dodd, Oar and DeVere are only just starting their professional careers while probably only a handful of people in Australia have seen van Dijk play in the Dutch second division.

Outs

Sasa Ognenovski, Justin Pasfield, Reinaldo, Simon Lynch, Marcinho and Ante Milicic.

A lot of experience was lost during the off-season. The losses of Ognenovski and Reinaldo will undoubtedly be felt while Marcinho was also a regular during season three.

Likely Formation

Reddy

Seo – Moore – McClougham – Packer

Tiatto – MaKay

Minniecon – Kruse – Zullo

van Dijk

Murdocca could easily be in the starting line-up while a 4-4-2 could see Smits start alongside van Dijk. The team also has some fire-power of the bench, most notably, the highly rated Oar.

Strengths

There is a lot of experience in defence with Moore and McCloughan in the centre while Seo Hyuk-Su is also a veteran. Add Tiatto in the centre of midfield (and possibly Charlie Miller as attacking midfielder) and van Dijk up front, it becomes apparent that the squad is experienced down the spine. Having experience through the middle and the flair and exuberance of youth up front and on the flanks could work well.

In Zullo, Minniecon, Kruse, Mitch Nichols and now Oar and Isaka Cernak, the Roar undoubtedly have the most exciting squad of youngsters in the league, probably only rivalled by Newcastle in this department. The likes of Zullo, Minniecon and Kruse proved last season that they are willing and able to take on and beat their direct opponent, traits which are still relatively rare in the league. These qualities can send defenders scrambling and cause absolute chaos in the final third. The wide positions are the areas of the park that the Roar is most dangerous and they probably lead the league in this department.

How well Sergio van Dijk fills the void left by Reinaldo will be critical in determining whether Queensland’s attack will be as effective as last year. Reinaldo was actually lambasted at the start of season three for his inability to finish but he was never lacking work-rate, an essential characteristic for any lone-striker. The direct replacement for Reinaldo could be a real strength of the team if he can provide better finishing than the Brazilian and given that he has already bagged a goal against Sydney, the signs are looking good.

Weaknesses

The squad already has 21 players signed up for next season so the club can only sign 2 more players max. There could be an issue of inexperience and having too many unproven players. Tim Smits and David Dodd are both from the Brisbane Premier League and will need to prove that they can make the step-up. The Roar has also signed two more kids in Luke DeVere and Thomas Oar. In total, there are 9 under-21 players, well over a third of the squad. Teams that have a very young squad tend to blow hot and cold. The Roar could go on a run if all the youngsters hit form that will make them irresistible. However, you would suspect that sometime during the year, there will be a slump. Adelaide’s young team were running hot at the start of last season before a massive slump saw them miss out on the finals. The magnitude of this arguably inevitable slump will determine of success of the Roar this season.

Given the above, Charlie Miller, a well travelled veteran, could be just the tonic for this young team. Miller made quite an impression during his short thirty minute cameo against Palmeiras. However, it is also apparent that he needs a shed a few kilos.

There are also concerns about ‘second year syndrome’ for the likes of Kruse, Zullo and Minniecon. Only time will tell whether these youngsters will suffer this common curse. One thing is for certain, they are no longer unknown and defences will be trying to keep them on a short leash, through both lawful and unlawful means.

Key Players – Moore, Tiatto, Zullo and Sergio van Dijk.

Breakout Player To Watch – Tim Smits – Everyone is talking about Tommy Oar. However, he is only 16 and the fact that he is not coming in under the radar like Zullo and Kruse could make it difficult for him to make an impression. Could Tim Smits continue his good state league and pre-season form? This is Smits’ second stab at the A-League after not being offered a contract by Bleiberg in 2006. With few out-and-out strikers at the club, Smits will get chances during the course of the season, either off the bench or alongside van Dijk.

Season Outlook – For me, the Roar is one club that is trying to strike the balance between results, youth development and entertaining football that is essential for a developmental league like ours. Because of that, I hope that they have another good season. A top four finish is probably what the fans expect. However, while Queensland has once again added youngsters to their team, other contenders such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have all gone for experience. The Roar may just scrape into the finals in fourth place, a position which I think will be hotly contested with Newcastle and Central Coast.

Interview with Jesse Fink

PC: As the resident expert on all things Nick Carle, what do you think of his move to Crystal Palace? Warnock wants him but will he fit into Warnock’s style of football (must Australians probably remember Warnock last from his time at Sheffield United and had his team playing a very physical and direct style of football)?

Jesse: Mate, I don’t really know enough first-hand or watched enough of Crystal Palace to really comment on Warnock. But I’m really happy for Nicky that he’s gone to a club that clearly values what kind of player he can be

PC: Despite your disagreements with Arnold’s selection for the Olympics, what are you expecting from the selected squad?

Jesse: I don’t want to weigh in on Arnold again. I’ve done it ad nauseaum for TWG. My views are well known.

PC: Is there any plans for another book to follow up 15 Days in June – How Australia Became a Football Nation? For those who haven’t read it, this book provides excellent coverage of the 2006 World Cup and 2007 Asian Cup and it is perfect for anyone who has been living under a rock for the last two years and is wondering why he or she is hearing so much about ‘soccer’ in this transformed nation.

Jesse: In relation to the book, I’ve been trying to get together, a follow-up book about the 2010 campaign and am currently shopping it around to publishers. Pim Verbeek and I have had some discussions about doing something together.

PC: For the rest of us bloggers who can only dream of one day earning a living by writing about the game we love, do you have any advice or pearls of wisdom?

Jesse: In relation to blogging, my best advice to you and anyone else out there who is interested in writing about football is just do it with passion. Don’t think you have to be a know-it-all to write about sport. Just write well and look at it with different eyes. That’s what I like to think I do. I’m no expert. Just a guy who loves the game and really loves writing about what it says about us as people.

Thanks Jesse for taking the time to answer a few questions. You can find more of Jesse’s work at the TWG or the Roar.

A-League Preview: Melbourne Victory

By Bobby Freakout

In

Billy Celeski, Tom Pondeljak, Michael Thwaite, Jose Luis Lopez, Ney Fabiano De Oliveira.

Celeski and Pondeljak featured in the ACL campaign and bolster the midfield options Merrick has at his disposal. Thwaite, a fringe Socceroo, should slot comfortably into the defence. Ney Fabiano, a bustling Brazilian who caused plenty of headaches for the Victory defence in the ACL, will be looking to prove himself in the higher standard of the A-League. Lopez, a Costa Rican defensive midfielder with plenty of international experience for both club and country, will probably take some time to adjust like his countryman Hernandez did last year.

Out

Adrian Caceres, Ljubo Milicevic, Daniel Piorkowski, Kaz Patafta, Joseph Keenan.

Caceres and Patafta should get more playing time with their new teams whilst Piorkowski and Keenan went to try their luck in Europe. Milicevic divided his time with Melbourne equally between the injury room and the nightclub scene in a year best forgotten by both club and player and at the time of writing had not signed with another club.

Likely Formation

Theoklitos

Thwaite – Muscat – Vargas – Kemp

Lopez

Ward - Pondeljak

Hernandez

Thompson – Allsopp

Form, international duty and injuries obviously all will have an impact on selection, but if all players are available you would expect the following line up from Merrick, at least initially. Merrick has played a 4-4-2 pretty consistently with Melbourne. An argument could be made for dropping Kemp to the bench, playing a back three and adding Celeski or Ney Fabiano to the attacking mix.

Strengths

With their new signings, the Victory boasts squad depth unrivalled in the A-League. And they’ll need it too. They have two regular Costa Rican internationals in Lopez and Hernandez and up to 10 players who would be expecting a call up for international duty with Australia at youth or senior level. Given the heavy load of World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers in the next 12 months, the squad’s depth will certainly be tested, but Melbourne look to have plenty of quality back ups in all positions to call upon when needed.

In Hernandez, Thompson, Allsopp, Ney Fabiano, Pondeljak, Celeski, Ward and Elasi there is no shortage of attacking options up front and through the midfield. On paper, a back four of Muscat, Vargas, Thwaite and Kemp would arguably be the league’s strongest. In central midfield, there are a plethora of options. Lopez would be expected, with his international pedigree, to be a starting defensive midfielder. Brebner and Broxham are also legitimate alternatives, though the former’s ability to get over recurring injuries is proving to be a major issue. Ward and Celeski are both able to play in central roles, though both are probably more suited to slightly more advanced attacking midfield positions. The versatile Pondeljak is comfortable anywhere across the midfield or up front. The squad looks to have a good mixture of experience and youth.

The fact that two current Costa Rican internationals are playing for the Victory is a real plus. No other club can boast two foreign players of their quality who will play an active part in qualifying their team for South Africa 2010. Hernandez, who played at Germany 2006 and Lopez, who captained their 2004 Olympic squad, give the squad an exciting international flavour.

Coach Ernie Merrick generally employs a free flowing game plan. Attacks are usually structured with balls played along the ground and an onus on keeping possession. This style should suit the Latino pairing of Hernandez and Lopez in midfield.

On this topic, Merrick recently had this to say: “We have a big supporter base and our fans expect us to play entertaining football…My main objective is always to win games but we like to do it in style…Our style of football won’t change because I am a firm believer of that”.

Additionally, the Victory are able to access the Lexus Centre facility for training and recovery purposes. This state of the art facility would be the envy of every other A-League club (and many in Europe) and provides the team with a distinct advantage in terms of their preparation and ability to effectively incorporate a sports science focus into their program. It’s also conveniently located right next to their main training base at Olympic Park.

Weaknesses

The most obvious weakness on the pitch would be the lack of natural wide players in the attacking half. Adrian Caceres previously provided this, but has transferred to the Mariners. Evan Berger has reportedly impressed during pre-season, and the left sided midfielder should feature more in the 08/09 campaign than he did in his debut year. Matthew Kemp is another natural wide player, but is expected to play a more defensive role this year, probably at left back. However, as Merrick’s game style generally doesn’t rely on lots of crosses in from wide areas, the extent to which this will weaken the side is debatable.

Danny Allsopp had some genuine issues with his finishing last season, and will need to rectify that if Melbourne is to get more value for the chances they create. Also, some work will need to be done with the team’s defending at set-pieces, which appeared to be an issue at different times during the last A-League season and ACL.

The sheer number of players likely to be called up for national duty at some stage during the season could be of concern. It can tire players out and disrupt team balance and momentum. The squad is very deep so they are well placed to manage this but there is always a risk that it can negatively affect the team’s performance.

Captain Kevin Muscat is 35, and showed signs of his age last season, especially in the ACL. Merrick is the kind of coach who will back him all the way, but if his performances don’t warrant him starting it will be interesting to see if Merrick will have the courage to bench his trusted general.

Despite Merrick’s game-plan being listed as a strength, many have questioned Merrick’s coaching, and it is a topic of much debate among Victory fans. If the Victory don’t make the finals in the 08/09 campaign with the squad they’ve assembled, it would almost certainly result in his removal. Merrick knows this, and after last year, the pressure will definitely be on him to not only make the finals, but to make a serious challenge for the league and championship.

Key Players – Hernandez, Thompson, Lopez and Vargas.

Breakout Player To Watch

Nathan Elasi – The young Socceroo striker has impressed during pre-season and looks a likely type. The 18 year old recently signed a two-year deal and should see increased playing time this season. He possesses pace, strength and a cracking shot.

Carlos Hernandez – Whist not a new player, he is of unquestionably high quality and with one season of adjustment behind him and a full pre-season completed, the A-League could be set alight by the electrifying Costa Rican.

Season Outlook – Victory supporters are expecting nothing less than a serious tilt at the silverware this year. A poor start to the season will see Merrick’s position come under pressure, and much will depend on the ability of new signings Lopez and Ney Fabiano to adapt to the A-League. If they have luck with injuries, they have the squad to win the double for the second time in three seasons.

A-League Preview: Sydney FC

Outs

Mark Rudan, Ufuk Talay, Ruben Zadkovich, David Zdrilic, Patrick, Ben Vidaic, Mark Milligan, Juninho, Brendan Renaud, Mark Robertson.

Kosmina (not necessarily Sydney FC) won’t really miss any of the above players other than Milligan. Kosmina clearly didn’t want to play Zadkovich. Rudan left mid-season, Talay has been adequately replaced while Juninho was constantly injured. The rest were fringe players/deadwood.

Ins

John Aloisi, Mark Bridge, Stuart Musialik, Simon Colosimo.

In addition to the signings above, the club will have Adam Casey, Jacob Timpano and Michael Enfield (although the American is injured again and will miss the start of the season with a 3 month layoff). There is room for 4 more players to fill the 23 man-squad although given the big money acquisitions, there may not be much left over for more signings.

Likely Formation

Bolton

Middleby - Popovic - Timpano - Fyfe

Colosimo - Musialik

Bridge - Corcia - Brosque

Aloisi

Or we could see a 4-4-2 with Bridge playing alongside Aloisi and Corcia and Brosque playing on the flanks. I think having five in midfield is the more likely formation given that there are only 2 or 3 strikers (depending on how Brosque is used) while the midfield is bloated with 10 players.

Strengths

Definitely in the centre of the park. The pairing of Colosimo and Musialik as ball-winner/defensive shield and play-maker could potentially form a duo that will dictate the game. Both have good distribution, Musialik in particular, and hopefully, they will form a solid basis from which the team will build from the back. I saw glimpses of Musialik’s command of the play in the game against Sutherland, despite having very little previous time with the squad. McFlynn and Talay, both ball-winners really, struggled with providing that vital first option out of defence last year and all too often, the team resorted to long balls for Brosque to chase. Kosmina’s rationale for signing the above two players could be to address this issue.

Sydney probably leads the league in the central midfield department when you consider the other available options of Corica, McFlynn and Enfield if the American can ever get over his injury problems.

In Aloisi, they have the league’s best finisher and most expensive player. For the Central Coast last year, Aloisi showed that his predatory instincts as well as technical and aerial ability are really a class above this league. His supporting cast of Bridge and Brosque look good on paper but it will be interesting to see how Kosmina gets all these players into the same starting XI. I think Kosmina will try and deploy all strikers together with Bridge and Brosque dropping into midfield and out to the flanks to help with the build up play. Brosque was excellent for the Roar when he played as a winger while Bridge also prefers to receive the ball between the defensive and midfield lines. This will also take advantage of the ability of both players to turn and run at defenders, something we don’t see nearly enough of in this league despite it proving to be such a dangerous method of attack (consider the runs made by Carle, Burns, Zullo etc. and the goals that were created as a consequence).

Weaknesses

The full-back positions are a definite worry with a lack of experience and depth. Middleby played on the right-wing last year but it looks like he will be the starting right-back this year. This is probably a good move because he offered very little as an attacking option last season. Nikolas Tsattalios is still a kid at 18 while the versatile Fyfe is a central-defender by trade. Hence, the team is definitely short on experienced full-backs. Against Sutherland, Prentice was played at left-back and I think he will be a starter in this position. I didn’t seen much of him during his time at Perth but he looked solid enough against the Sharks. Much will depend on how these two converted midfielders settle into their new positions.

There could also be a lack of pace in central defence as Popovic, Timpano and Fyfe don’t have the acceleration of the departed Milligan. Its a defence that is strong in the air but could struggle against counter-attacks. The positive is that Timpano, who looked solid against Sutherland and Blacktown, hasn’t really put a foot wrong during his come-back games despite being out for so long.

The lack of proven quality and depth on the wings is also apparent. Brendan Santalab and Adam Biddle were predominately used off the bench last year while Adam Casey is returning from a long layoff. Hopefully one of these guys can make the step up and really push for a starting spot.

Given the above weakness on the flanks, there could also be a problem of creating chances in the final third. I think getting the ball to the final third will be easy enough with the combination of Colosimo and Musialik providing the buildup play. But once there, will there be enough creativity to give Aloisi ammunition? Casey, Biddle and Santalab are all unproven in terms of being regulars over the course of a season. In fact, none of these players are guaranteed a spot in the starting line-up. Corica is more of a goal-scoring than goal-creating midfielder while I doubt McFlynn’s ability to unlock the opposition defence (although he is listed as an attacking midfielder). The onus could fall on Bridge and Brosque although this has not been the role of either players in recent reasons. You get the feeling that someone like Carle, Fred or a fit Juninho could really complete this team and make it one that other teams will fear.

Key Players - Popovic, Musialik, Brosque and Aloisi.

Breakout Player To Watch - Adam Biddle - He was the club’s Young Player of the Year last year but there wasn’t much competition. He showed glimpses of what he can do during his numerous appearances off the bench. With not much competition on the flanks, this could be the year where he establishes himself.

Season Outlook - Hard to predict but given that the club has yet to miss a finals series, you would expect Sydney to finish in the top four again. If they can provide Aloisi with good service, he will be the league’s top scorer and the club will be contenders. However, that is a big ‘if’ as creativity seems to be a weakness of the team.

A-League Preview: Adelaide United

The first of the A-League previews (thanks to those on the Adelaide United forum who provided feedback and comments):

Ins

Mark Birighitti, Sasa Ognenovski, Daniel Mullen, Alemão, Scot Jamieson, Cristiano

Outs

Robert Bajic, Milan Susak, Richie Alagich, Bobby Petta, Shaun Ontong, Dez Giraldi, Bruce Djite, Nathan Burns.

Likely Formation

Galekovic
Alemão - Ognenovski - Costanzo - Cassio
Dodd - Diego - Salley - Pantelis
Cristiano - Agostino

A very possible alternative formation is a 4-2-3-1 with Sarkies playing as attacking midfielder, Diego dropping back to become a deep-lying play-maker and Agostino or Cristiano playing up front depending on whether the opposition is more susceptible to the strength and aerial ability of Agostino or the greater mobility of Cristiano.
Another possible variation is to have Jamieson start at left-back with Cassio being pushed into midfield.

Strengths

Probably the best defence in the league. The competition for the two starting centre back positions will be fierce with the pairing of Ognenovski and Costanzo being outstanding during the Asian Cup while club captain, Michael Valkanis, will be eager to get his starting place back after basically missing the whole of season three. Add Cornthwaite to the mix and you have selection dilemmas that other coaches can only dream about.

Cassio, one of the league’s best full-backs, is now backed-up by the returning youngster, Scott Jamieson while new Brazilian signing Alemão will be looking to replicate the consistency of his Brazilian counterpart at right-back. It is a defensive four that is shaping up to be one of the most solid and attacking in the league.

The other major strength is that the team has no real weaknesses as the club has proven talent in midfield and up front. The midfield looks very balanced compared to other clubs. While Sydney is strong in the centre but weak on the flanks and Queensland has the opposite problem, Adelaide has the luxury of quality on the flanks with Dodd, Spagnuolo and Pantelis while Salley provides the steel so that the likes of Diego and Sarkies can provide the guile.

Djite and Burns are gone but the actual consequence of their loss may be overestimated by those that do not follow the club. The pair only combined for 9 goals last year. The club had to do without Djite for most of the season due to injury while Burns did suffer second year syndrome. The pedigree of Cristiano, a starting forward in the Dutch top flight for several seasons while also being a consistent scorer throughout his career, suggests that he is more than capable of making up for the loss of the two Australian youngsters.

Weaknesses

A critical weakness, which may not become apparent until later in the season, is the depth of the squad in midfield. While the club can certainly fill a strong starting four or five in midfield, losing anyone of their midfielders, particularly Dodd, Salley or Diego, could prove to be significant. Losing two or three will make things very difficult (although this applies to every A-League team due to the small squads). With two more spots up for grab before the 23 man team is complete, this weakness still can be resolved.

Adelaide may also be able to handle injuries better than other clubs due to the versatility of their players. Dodd can play as an attacking midfielder or as a striker as he showed during the ACL. Sarkies has played on the flanks for the Olyroos while Pantelis has previously played in central midfield. Their squad depth will be fully tested this year as they are the only club that needs to balance A-League and ACL commitments.

If Adelaide plays with two up front and four in midfield, I think the team may struggle in bringing the ball out of defence which may result in a lot of long-balls. Salley is excellent at shielding the back four but his passing game is suspect. He can put his team under pressure by giving away the ball cheaply. Having Diego as a deep-lying play-maker will solve this problem as this will give the defenders two short-passing options. The other factor is that having Agostino up front could encourage long-balls directed at him as the target man.

Probably the only major concern is lack of depth up front although there is no lack of quality in this department. The aging and injury-prone Agostino bagged 4 goals in 7 starts last year and certainly has the ability to be a leading striker in this league. I’ve already commented in the pedigree of Cristiano. The club should really be looking to sign a young striker in the mould of either Burns or Djite.

Key Players - Costanzo, Diego, Dodd and Cristiano.

Breakout Player To Watch - Scott Jamieson - He is still only 19 and is able to play at left-back or in midfield. The youngster already has raps from Agostino. I’ve never seen him play but hopefully he has potential as the Australian national team is very light on the left in terms of depth.

Season Outlook - I think finals football would be the minimum expectation. Given the squad, the club should really be aiming for a return to the ACL and entry through the league is a real possibility given the strength of the team.

The 12th Man

With the numerous reforms being implemented on and off the pitch, it is an appropriate time for us to consider ‘reforms’ in the stands. I have included video clips of the support provided by fans from an assortment of clubs from around the world. The clips literally take you to all corners, from Africa (El Ahly), up through central Europe (Fenerbahçe), across to Eastern Europe (Zenit Saint Petersburg), over the continent to Asian (Urawa Reds) before crossing the Pacific to South America (Boca Junior).

El Ahly

Fenerbahçe

Zenit Saint Petersburg

Urawa Reds

Boca Junior

It is well known that a number of clubs from around the world reserve the number 12 for their supporters, including Fenerbahçe and Zenit Saint Petersburg. Other clubs that have done this include Torino, Feyenoord, Lens and Portsmouth.

As you can see from the clips, the support provided by the fans from these various clubs is beyond impressive, it is absolutely frightening. In the Fenerbahçe clip, you actually see the whole stadium jumping up and down. We’re not talking about a section of die-hard fans like ‘The Cove’ for Sydney FC, we are talking about literally every person in the stadium joining to create a wall of noise and thunderous stomping that has never been seen in Australian sports. It is little wonder that the Fenerbahçe fans are so renowned.

The question is then: Can this ever occur in Australia? It certainly doesn’t occur in the other football codes, despite the AFL drawing enough fans to replicate such a spectacle. Melbourne Victory also draws crowds that would be the envy of many European clubs but like all A-League clubs, only a section of the crowd provides vociferous support. The game against Uruguay was definitely the most intense sporting event that I have ever attended and the best crowd atmosphere that I have ever been amongst. And yet, the crowd only really provided the occasional boos when they felt that the South Americans were diving or otherwise wasting time. There was the occasional chant but they didn’t last long either. There was clearly no organisation in relation to this. Unless you are in the Green and Gold Army section, you are always left to your own devices to try and support the team the best you can. However, the eruption when Aloisi slotted away that penalty was indescribable. Perhaps Jesse Fink put it best: ‘The noise inside the ground was so loud and unearthly it was as if I’d pressed my ear up against the jet engine of an airplane’. You get the feeling that the ‘noise’ is out there, it just needs to be organised.

The support in the games against Ghana and China was thoroughly disappointing. In the Ghana game, a small section of Ghanaian supporters at the far end provided immense noise and colour. And as for the China game, Simon Hill commented several times throughout that you could hear a pin drop (although the performance certainly didn’t help in getting the crowd involved).

If we in the stadiums are the 12^th man for the Socceroos and our respective A-League clubs, are we letting the team down? How is such support organised overseas? Is it by the fans alone or does the club provide a helping hand? Does this kind of support necessarily carry the unwanted baggage of supporter violence off the pitch? Is the notion of going to a football game and exerting yourself both physically and vocally so out of line with the Australian sporting ethos that is it unrealistic to believe that we can one day rival the Turks and Russians?

Personally, I would love to be part of a crowd that creates an intense atmosphere. But I also feel that the Australian sporting public is a long way from achieving what can be considered world-class support. We all seem pretty content to go to games and simply enjoy the spectacle on the pitch rather than trying to create one off it too. We occasionally stand up and protest about decisions or the incompetency of our own players but that is usually as far as it goes.

In any case, I’m going to find out (try anyway) exactly how these 50,000 Turks and Russians have been able to co-ordinate themselves to literally shake the stadium. It may be that such support is now so traditional at these clubs that no co-ordination is needed, but it had to start somewhere. It might take awhile for me to discover how it is done (and I would love to hear comments from people who already know how it is achieved), but find out I shall.

Qantas & Matildas Games

Received this from FFA today:

Both the Qantas Under 23s and the Matildas will meet New Zealand this Saturday, 12 July, at North Sydney Oval.

It will be the final home practice match for the men’s team, up against our Kiwi neighbours who are also off to China. After a grueling campaign, which has seen them play 14 competitive matches in addition to testing themselves against the likes of Mexico and Chile, the final squad are itching to once again perform before taking on the world best in August.

For the women, the ‘Football Ferns’ are also getting in match practice before their Olympic tournament starts – with the Matildas being the team everyone else wants to play at the moment!  (In fact, over night, the Matildas have defeated China in Tianjin, 1-2).

It is also the final international match for 29 year old Matildas defender, Di Alagich, who is retiring after an impressive 86 game international career which began 13 years ago.

Kick-off for the women’s game is at 12 noon, with the Qantas Under 23s game commencing at 2.00pm.

Tickets for this match are now available at $8 for children/concession, $15 for adult and $30 for family, via Ticketek. Please note Ticketek sales will stop at 2.00pm on Friday 11 July.  Tickets will then be available from North Sydney Oval from 11.30am on match day.

Get along! Considering that the Sutherland v Sydney game was packed, I’m expecting a healthy crowd to see the Olyroos off.

Olyroos - Beijing Bound

Strikers

Mark Bridge, Nikita Rukavytsya, Archie Thompson

Midfield

David Carney, Billy Celeski, Stuart Musialik, Neil Kilkenny, Kristian Sarkies, James Troisi

Defence

Adrian Leijer, Trent McClenahan, Mark Milligan, Matthew Spiranovic, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Jade North, Ruben Zadkovich

Goalkeeper

Adam Federici, Tando Velaphi

The Offsiders

Everyone is talking about the exclusion of Burns and Djite. This is what Arnold had to say: “It’s a mature and quality squad and most of them are 22 or 23 years old. Unfortunately, Burns and Djite are only 20 which made it pretty difficult for them…I was looking for maturity, quality, athleticism, speed and tactical nous“.

If you are good enough, you’re old enough. It shouldn’t be the other way around. But I’m rather glad that Djite and Burns missed out. They need a full pre-season with their new clubs. Not going to the Olympics means that they will be given time to settle into their new surroundings before the season starts and also become tactically aware of what their manager requires of them. Going to the Olympics would have made them match-fit but having that extra month to get the know their new teams could mean that they will be ready for first-team action from the off, not a few months into the season after becoming educated about team tactics. This should have been the reason for the exclusion, like it was for Harry and his search for a new club. Unfortunately, Arnold’s reason makes no sense. It could also be said that the less time they spend with Arnold, the better.

There were others that were unfortunate to miss out. Michael Zullo’s exclusion makes no sense from a footballing perspective. The squad has four central midfielders and only Troisi (and Carney depending on where he plays) is the only genuine winger. Having another wide player who is willing to run at opponents seems to be a necessary selection. Even the selection of Sarkies and Celeski don’t make sense: James Holland and Jedinak have both had better seasons in the A-League.

Probable line-up

Federici

Topor-Stanley - Milligan - North - Zadkovich

Musialik - Kilkenny

Carney - Sarkies - Troisi

Thompson

Desired starting line-up

Federici

Topor-Stanley - Spiranovic - North - Milligan

Musialik - Kilkenny

Carney - Celeski - Troisi

Rukavytsya

I’m quite sure we will play the above formation which has become the dominant formation at national team level over recent years.

Front & Back

Without Djite and Burns, the attack does look a bit toothless. Although he is the least likely to start out of the trio of strikers, the form of Rukavytsya towards the back-end of last season actually makes him the most in-form striker. He is an awkward player to defend against due to his height as well as excellent acceleration. None of the strikers have really proven that they excel at holding up the ball or bringing the supporting midfielders into the play. I guess I’d rather see Rukavytsya leading the line because I’d hate to see Thompson preventing the younger strikers from playing in what should be an under-23’s tournament while I think that Bridge will struggle without a partner to play-off.

The defence is suspect as Zadkovich, Topor-Stanley and Milligan have all shown that they are capable of making simple mistakes. The Spiranovic and North combination provides us with the most assured central pairing with Milligan being moved to the right. Both are good at bringing the ball out the defence which will be vital if we want any possession against the likes of Argentina. I think Arnold got it right with the selection of North as an overage player as his leadership and maturity will be vital.

The Midfield

How the defensive midfield duo of Musialik and Kilkenny work out will probably have the biggest bearing on the success of the Olyroos at the Games. If they fail to exert authority over this area of the park, we will get repeat performances of what happened against China with possession being given away cheaply with hopeful long-balls. Both these players need to take on the responsibility of providing the first option for defenders and ensure that their passes to the next line of midfielders are precise. Whether these two can put in such performances will determine whether we play long-balls and have little possession or whether we have our fair (or more) share of the ball against our more fancied opponents, like the Socceroos against Brazil in 2006.

If the ball flows to the feet of our next line of midfielders from Musialik and Kilkenny, the attacking midfield trio will be burdened with the responsibility of cracking the opposition defence. Playing two genuine wide players in Troisi and Carney will allow us to stretch the opposition which should create space in the centre of the park as well as make it easier for the likes of Musialik and Kilkenny to play from the back. For Troisi, as well as Milligan, this tournament is massive as they seek to secure contracts after the Games. Troisi has always looked good in patches for the Socceroos without ever putting in a dominant and complete 90 minute performance. Consistency involvement throughout the game and quality final balls are what Troisi should be aiming to achieve in this tournament.

Carney was a bit of a surprise selection although it does not bode well for his club career that his manager did not exercise the right to stop him from playing. A good tournament could allow him to escape Blackwell. We should really be talking about Burns playing in the hole but it will either be Sarkies or Celeski in this position. I haven’t seen enough of Celeski to say much while Sarkies, apart from a few performances for Melbourne Victory, has been underwhelming on the occasions I have watched him.

Final Word

The squad has now been selected. Whether we agree with it or not is now irrelevant. We should now just wish the team luck and hope that they enjoy the Olympic experience and that they learn something about tournament football.