The funniest moment in Gold Coast's press conference came at the start, when Clive Palmer fluffed the big announcement of Jason Culina's signature:
"And so this morning we are announcing that, er, we have signed Justin, uh, uh, Jess Culina to come back here as our captain of the club in 2009/10."
Whoops! Miron raised his eyebrows and looked away, but nobody else in the room even sniggered. To be fair to the bloke, I think it was just nerves. I guess even billionaires get butterflies in their tummies when they are excited!
Clive said the decline in A-League crowds this season was disappointing, and compared it with high attendence at Socceroos games. He said the A-League should "take heed of what the people are saying."
"Australians want to see the best soccer," he said. "And they want to see their international team members back here in Australia."
Clive boasted that Gold Coast now had four Socceroos in the team, including Adam Griffiths and Michael Thwaite, and more wanted to join but could not because of the salary cap. He said Joel Porter should rejoin the Socceroos soon, and Jess Vanstrattan should be a Socceroo next year too.
"If we had the ablity, under the A-League rules, we could bring back three or four more Socceroos to play for Gold Coast United. Other clubs could too. So the A-League I think needs to reform itself and bring Australians the best soccer."
Palmer boasted that 13 of the 21 players that Gold Coast have signed have represented their country previously.
"So we've really got a team that can play anyone in the world, and we are not frightened of any club."
Palmer insisted that "the players you don't know are probably better than the players you do know in this team".
He said Jefferson was "nearly as good as Culina" while he described Robson as a "defensive midfielder that can kick the ball right up over the rest of the midfield and land it at the striker's feet."
Before opening the floor to questions, Palmer asked coach Miron Bleiberg if he wanted to say anything.
"Always!" said Bleiberg with a big grin, finally eliciting laughs from the press.
Miron talked about six months of "hard work". He told how he had gone to Brazil and left his money in the hotel safe, walking the streets with a plastic watch and ten dollars in his sock to watch "the real football in Brazil."
"I wasn't even flying First Class!" he explained.
"Well, it wasn't Economy either," Palmer hurriedly quipped. More laughs.
Miron said that the team now exceeded his original expectations. He thanked Clive for taking so much interest in the team, particurly during the global financial crisis.
After thanking the club's legal and media teams for their professional support, he singled out Branko Culina for playing an intermediary role over many months of protracted negotiations with son Jason.
He said Jason Culina's return in his prime was a watershed moment for Australian football.
"Don't take it lightly, but three or four years ago when we started the A-League, the best players that was ready to come here, the youngest of them would [now] be 38 and the oldest would be 45."
Palmer then explained why the club has not started marketing or selling memberships to date.
"We wanted to make sure that the people of the Gold Coast knew what kind of club they were getting, and what kind of players they would be supporting, and not just join the club out of blind loyalty."
He said fans would now be supporting Gold Coast United because of the excellence they will show on the pitch.
By this time Palmer was in his stride and talking at a fast pace. He said the club had a "unique opportunity at this point in time to remain undefeated in winning the A-League. And that's what our new goal is."
The press gallery burst into laughs, as did Miron.
"Did I turn white?" Bleiberg asked, touching his face. But Clive pushed on like a dog with a new bone.
"If we are defeated during the year," warned Clive, "Miron will be travelling economy class."
"I think on paper, our team is so much more experienced than anyone in the A-League. We all know a good team will beat a team of champions, but we think we've got the coaches to make our team a good team too."
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/92798,palmer-wants-to-be-undefeated.aspx
sure likes talking his own team up