Australian Football Stuff - not worthy of a thread

[sydmariner]

Explained: Why the A-Leagues ladder sorting rules have changed this season

In previous seasons Melbourne Victory would be top of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men ladder right now, but a change to the A-Leagues’ Competition Regulations means Wellington Phoenix lead at the turn of the year.

aleagues.com.au

 

[Archie]

 

[Melange]

Does anyone know if the marquee fund still exists? I would have loved it to have been used to keep Cummings/Tulio with us.

I don't like the approach Arnold has of finding players who essentially have no attachment to Australia and recruiting them for the Socceroos. In my opinion there have been at least a few who weren't miles ahead of young Australian players in the same position. But since he has that approach, it's a lost opportunity letting Tulio go when he could have been eligible in a couple of years time and likely at the peak of his powers.

 

[Insertnamehere]

Does anyone know if the marquee fund still exists? I would have loved it to have been used to keep Cummings/Tulio with us.

I don't like the approach Arnold has of finding players who essentially have no attachment to Australia and recruiting them for the Socceroos. In my opinion there have been at least a few who weren't miles ahead of young Australian players in the same position. But since he has that approach, it's a lost opportunity letting Tulio go when he could have been eligible in a couple of years time and likely at the peak of his powers.

Exists for the big 4 clubs.

 

[turbo]

Exists for the big 4 clubs.

I’m fine with that if it’s a proper name but those are getting even harder to secure than they already were. As long as they aren’t just subsidising a good player that’s fine. If the Wanderers landed Zlatan or someone of that level of recognition I’d ignore the obvious competitive leg up.

 

[Ozhammer]

The marquee fund is an affront to the spirit of integrity of the competition and should never have been allowed to come into being. How any league can be allowed (encouraged even) to provide a competitive and financial advantage to one club in the league at the expense of all others is shameful and should call the integrity of the APL into serious question.

(steps off soapbox)

 

[turbo]

and should call the integrity of the APL into serious question.

It’s not an APL thing it goes back to FFA times. But otherwise I agree and by its nature it’s not even just providing an advantage to 1 club it’s providing an advantage to an already well off club since the little guys can’t afford to go in for a big money player anyway. A decision was made to put marketing and growth ahead of integrity

 

[Big Al]

Considering APL FFA love a gimmick like Star Wars round.

Should unite round have been street fighter round or fortnite for the young ones (no idea if fortnite is a fighting game but think so).

The question is not if there are fights but who fights.

Do Victory and AU punch on considering they hate each other and are next to each other or do they go travel mode and join forces to take on NSW and SFC Mariners combo.

Or should it be like the tennis and we have singles (one club fights another to move on) and doubles (clubs join with another to take on another combo)

 

[Insertnamehere]

Considering APL FFA love a gimmick like Star Wars round.

Should unite round have been street fighter round or fortnite for the young ones (no idea if fortnite is a fighting game but think so).

The question is not if there are fights but who fights.

Do Victory and AU punch on considering they hate each other and are next to each other or do they go travel mode and join forces to take on NSW and SFC Mariners combo.

Or should it be like the tennis and we have singles (one club fights another to move on) and doubles (clubs join with another to take on another combo)

Weren't those gimmicky things when we had the NRL guy in charge? Imo the league under does game day experience but gimmicks like that should stay in a gimmick sport.

 

[Big Al]

Weren't those gimmicky things when we had the NRL guy in charge? Imo the league under does game day experience but gimmicks like that should stay in a gimmick sport.

Yeah i think that stuff has died down but have definitely copied AFL NRL with this and while it’s better than the GF issue not sure our sport will suit it. Will be very interesting to see how it goes. You don’t know till you try but security will need to be on their toes

 

[Archie]

And for the 47th time, the Jets new owner us about to be finalised

https://x.com/strayafootball/status/1745213576468652523?s=20

 

[sydmariner]

And for the 47th time, the Jets new owner us about to be finalised

https://x.com/strayafootball/status/1745213576468652523?s=20

Nek minnit

 

[Insertnamehere]

And for the 47th time, the Jets new owner us about to be finalised

https://x.com/strayafootball/status/1745213576468652523?s=20

Jest deserve a crazy Italian.

 

[FFC Mariner]

And for the 47th time, the Jets new owner us about to be finalised

https://x.com/strayafootball/status/1745213576468652523?s=20

It's FTBL

 

[Stuartmcateer]

It’s not an APL thing it goes back to FFA times. But otherwise I agree and by its nature it’s not even just providing an advantage to 1 club it’s providing an advantage to an already well off club since the little guys can’t afford to go in for a big money player anyway. A decision was made to put marketing and growth ahead of integrity

In the early years it wasn’t a bad idea (in theory). Problem was clubs went for a quick fix without looking at how the marquee would improve the quality or drive the interest.

Attracting the likes of del piero, Yorke, ono, Honda, juninho, maccarone, diamante etc - even Fowler and Garcia to an extent - should have given the league a real boost (and in some cases it did). David Villa supposedly tripled the attendance in the 4 games he was here as a guest player.

There were even some great next tier marquees, not the football royalty but quality players - finkler, broich, berisha, ninkovic, Castro, Le fondre, janko, carrusca, Flores.

Even brining back some Socceroos was a reasonable idea to try and get some leverage on the golden generation - zelic, Cahill, kewell, okon, emerton

Unfortunately we went crazy and instituted versions to have U/23 Australian players just to try and keep some here.

And it became a bit of a retirement plan for old Socceroos or a way of easing them into the coaching set up at some clubs - let’s be honest the crowds aren’t coming to watch a marquee vidmar or culina or skoko or Milligan, as good as their careers may have been in their prime.

We also ended up with the gallas, sturridge, Jardel, McCormack, nani, gemmill, deane, debacles.

Yes some clubs got the big players but it should have generated coverage and interest in the league that it wouldn’t have got on its own merits. In theory it should also have lifted everyone’s crowds as the locals came out to watch some top players.

 

[pjennings]

...

Attracting the likes of del piero, Yorke, ono, Honda, juninho, maccarone, diamante etc - even Fowler and Garcia to an extent - should have given the league a real boost (and in some cases it did). David Villa supposedly tripled the attendance in the 4 games he was here as a guest player.

There were even some great next tier marquees, not the football royalty but quality players - finkler, broich, berisha, ninkovic, Castro, Le fondre, janko, carrusca, Flores.
...

TBH it has a lot to do with the fans perception and the players ability to interact. ADP, Yorke added immensely to Sydney. Juninho less so.

Exciting players, whether shown by their skill (or their personality) brings crowds in. I also think the pantomime villain character like Berisha also adds to crowds.

For us last season it was the personality of CumDingo and the joy of Tulio that attracted some people. Equally having young players that have come through the Academy excites a lot of the younger brigade that see the likes of Nizz and Fazz as someone to aspire to.

 

[Insertnamehere]

Trani gooooorn from the raw. Not surprising really. Was RAs boy and the sooky lala whinge after his team got pumped didn't win him friends.

 

[Insertnamehere]

Article in Courier Fail by Monteverde apparently APL are cooked and sacking everyone.

 

[Insertnamehere]

Gatty and Joey Lynch tweeting as well.

Aside from the job JJ is doing at the FA, everyone in this game seems to be f**king hopeless.

 

[FFC Mariner]

75% sacked.
Good only 25% greedy, useless liars left.
Give it back to FA. They were inept but mostly harmless.