The Beautiful Game

The A-League is in absolutely no doubt its healthiest ever state - record attendances and record memberships, combined with a higher degree of marquee quality is getting fans and administrators excited this year. Add to that, some bloke from Spain amongst the plethora of quality foreigners seen around the league, a dedicated channel for football on Fox Sports, and live Friday night SBS coverage, it appears everyone is matching this increased interest with improved media to keep fans in the loop, however one Melbourne clubs is bucking this trend. Melbourne City have seemingly implemented an almost blanket ban on media relationships from higher ranking officials to their player, meaning most media communication is being done by the coach. The move is one of many changes implemented by the City Group that was seen when they first took over at Manchester City. As a result there has been a significant decrease in the amount of information fans and other media outlets have acc...

Just under 44,000 crammed into Etihad Stadium to witness what has been described the best Melbourne Derby ever. The match itself was incredible. A hotly contested first half, and a comeback of epic proportions. The hype in the lead up to that game however played just as crucial a role in the derby's success, as it always does, fueling the electric atmosphere of both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart  City fans. That profound atmosphere was in part driven by one player - David Villa. Prior to the Derby, Villa boasted a perfect A-League record of 2 goals from 2 games, saving City from defeat. Two bumper crowds flocked to see the Spanish superstar, over 20,000 in Sydney and over 15,000 in what is now City's largest ever non-derby home attendance. Melbourne City can also boast record membership numbers (having just eclipsed 10,000) and unprecedented Media coverage. David Villa has left an impression on Australian football, but to what extent has Australian footb...

David Villa once again left his mark on the scoreboard and the table with a match defining strike that gave City a share of the points against Newcastle. It was a pretty surreal sight to see David Villa celebrate that goal but that wasn't limited to his own presence. All tiers of AAMI park were open and a 15,000 strong crowd cheered on Melbourne City in what is now their largest ever non-derby crowd and the only time the entire AAMI park has been open for an A-League game Melbourne Victory weren't playing. It is a remarkable feat that shows how far the other Melbourne team has come but with change comes loss and the early rebirth of Victory's cross-town rivals has come at a cost of Melbourne Heart's identity. As I watched Villa run arm in arm with Australian team mates it wasn't the goal that shocked me, it wasn't his presence, the sizable crowd or the open stadium. It was the colour. Watching the game I felt like I could have been looking into any r...

Did FFA Cup scheduling rule our any chance of a  Palm Beach win? This week Palm Beach, ended their fairy tale season fittingly in the grave yard of Gold Coast Football. A 5-0 demolition at the hands of a quality Central Coast outfit leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of a club that had an almost faultless season. Palm Beach dominated in Queensland posting a remarkable 17 wins from 26 games in the season proper, 7 points from their nearest rivals. The Sharks also added a State Level NPL Grand Final win, a National Level NPL Semi Final berth and of course a Semi-Final berth in the FFA Cup. It was a hugely successful year for the Sharks, topped off with strong crowds of over 2,000 to watch them in the FFA Cup that would surely set them up financially for season to come. However despite the accolades something doesn't sit well. A 5-0 loss to Central Coast. A team that despite playing great football did itself face a tight turnaround from the previous weekend's match, ...

The A-League is back and with it comes the fanatical, vocal support unlike anything in Australia. Victory opened the season this year against the Wanderers in what is, hands down noisiest match the league has to offer. This fixture's timing in particular was rather fitting considering the importance the League has placed on first round impact in recent years. Over two thousand Wanderers faithful made the trip south to support their beloved team against  Australia's biggest club and even as an outsider, boy did they deliver. Melbourne was treated to 90 minutes of passion similar to that of the early seasons of the A-League that Melbourne was once accustomed to... It's no secret the atmosphere at Melbourne games isn't what it once was. Amazingly an a different type of growth either end of the ground has changed the match day experience. The South end have grown like a maturing professional and organised chanting is seldom at best. It's participants are c...

This week I came across a very interesting article on The Roar . Ignoring the title and the somewhat 'old-soccer, new football' undertones the writer brought something to my attention. He is undoubtedly a football fan, and finds himself in a similar position to my own and one shared by many of you, he is a keen follower of both A-League and EPL, however his own story somewhat represents the antithesis of my own. As I take an interest in foreign football after first following our domestic A-League, he experienced quite the opposite turning to the A-League after being brought up on a football diet of Chelsea and Manchester United. Why do I bring this up? you may ask. Well the answer is simply to illustrate how varied people's own connection to football is. On one hand I felt disconnected to the EPL by the sheer physical distance of the game, he on the other hand growing up at a time of the old NSL couldn't connect to the game's domestic mentality (than i...

It may come as a shock to you but not everyone at TBG is a passionate football mad fan, well to be honest most of us are but I can't honestly say that I fit into that catagory. It seems like an odd thing to say, especially considering there has been nothing written by our group for close to 8 months and that this has to be the unfortunate ice-breaker. It is however true that during yet another excruciatingly long A-League off-season I have found myself bored to death and bar the Socceroos' qualification to the FIFA World Cup, football has lost my attention. What is that I hear? What about summer transfers? Internationals? The imminent return of major European football? Quite frankly I could not care less and never really have. I have never followed European football at any level with the same passion as my favourite A-League team, am barley in touch with the couple of national teams I feel represent me (including the Socceroos) and my knowledge of players is largely...

English Premier League outfit Reading have expressed serious interest in the Central Coast Mariners' young gun Thomas Rogic. The rumour comes as no surprise as only last year Rogic was close to finalising a deal with Reading until visa issues held back the deal. The "Nike Chance" graduate appears to have rekindled interest from international clubs after a string of strong performances in the A-League and carries an estimated transfer value in excess of $600,000.

Melbourne Victory's Gui Finkler has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2012-12 A-League season. Scans revealed Finkler will require a full knee reconstruction after being injured early on during Victory's 2-1 loss away to Western Sydney. The injury will no doubt hurt Victory's title chances and will require their under-performing marquee man, Marco Flores to step up.

News from Gosford has confirmed that the Central Coast Mariner's top two clash against Adelaide United is at risk with temperate in excess of 38 degrees predicted today. Proactive measures have been considered including possibly postponing the match. At temperatures above 35 degrees players are considered to be in danger of heat stroke and previous A-League matched played in similar conditions have seen drink breaks included at the midpoint of both halves. How should the A-League counter the problem? Comment below

Ange Postecoglou has taken proactive measures in rebuilding his new club signing young Australian players  Jason Geria and Jordan Brown on three year contracts The two youngsters join the Victory in the midst of a significant culture change for the Victorian clubs who have significantly adapted their recruiting mentality and overhauled their youth team in compliance with Ange Postecoglou's footballing philosophies. Jason Geria, 19, joins from fellow A-League outfit Brisbane Roar after captaining the club's Youth Side. Brown, a 16 year old Victorian has signed after a stint with the AIS. Brown has a strong connection with the Victory with his sister, W-League young player of the year, Ashley Brown having established herself as an integral member of the rapidly improving W-League side. What do you think of the Victory's new signing mentality? Comment below

Del Piero has helped to lift A-League TV ratings With the valuable addition of free to air broadcasting to the A-League's already growing media footprint it appears the war to win viewers has already begun. This ratings war is not against traditional Friday night ratings winners in the AFL, NRL or "Better Homes and Gardens" but in fact between A-League clubs themselves. Since the announcement of a FTA Friday night match to be televised on SBS from next season clubs have been queuing up to increase their own brand's exposure. Speaking on the issue, Melbourne Victory Chairman Anthony Di Pietro backed his clubs to be heavily involved in the FFA's free to air strategy. "We've got the highest ratings on the Friday night" Di Petro stated Melbourne Victory's case is strengthened by their prominence in the A-League's TV ratings records featuring in 10 of the top 10 highest rating matches ever up until the inclusion of Del Piero. It ap...

Sydney FC have signed ex-Socceroos coach Frank Farina on a deal that will see him take the reigns of the team for the remainder of the A-League season. Sydney FC Chairman Scott Barlow has welcomed Farina “Frank has coached at the highest l evel and has dealt with the demands of coaching a high profile team. He also brings with him a wealth of A-League coaching experience that will serve him well as he joins us part way through our season." “We believe Frank has the experience, leadership and coaching acumen to have a positive and immediate impact on Sydney FC.” With the recent resignation of former coach Ian Crook and a string of poor results blighted further by lack of on-field quality it appears Sydney FC will overhaul their squad and management staff to rekindle what seemed likely to be a promising season. With pressure from the media, namely SBS football analysis Craig Foster for Sydney to define its playing style it appears the club will prioritise coaching st...

Was the SA Government right to fork out $9 million for Lance Armstrong? This season of the A-League has left nothing to question about the significance of marquee players. The UK has been captivated with Heskey as he asserts himself as a decent footballer and Italy's romance with the little magician has seen them telecast Del Piero's matches. People are talking about the A-League around the world and talking about Australia. Domestically TV ratings are up 40% crowds up by a similar figure and it appears that the wider Australian sporting community is finally starting to embrace the A-League. According to twitter David Beckham's prospective move to the A-League is leading every sports bulletin. For these and many more reasons it upsets me and angers me that the South Australian Government refuse to support David Beckham's move to Australia. Despite Adelaide United's stunning run of form, crowds are dwindling bellow the magical 10,000 mark. The Reds...

It appears David Beckham has officially ended his stint in the USA after declaring he will not continue playing for the LA Galaxy after the end of the month when his contract expires "I've had an incredibly special time playing for the LA Galaxy, however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career," Beckham said. Beckham's comments suggest that A-League clubs have a serious chance win his signiture with some reports suggesting Beckham be playing down under before New-Years. Who do you think Beckham will play for next? Let us know in the comments section.

State Leagues provide an important yet unappreciated service The recent announcement of the FFA’s $160 million deal has satisfied fans and guarantees the financial sustainability and media interest of the game for at least another four years. Many people are happy to see the FFA get their top order prime product in order in the A-League and the Socceroos, but what about the rest of their operation? Working down the pyramid leaves us in the awkward world of state leagues... and yes, we really do mean awkward. Not only do many teams feel disillusioned by the Soccer Australia’s negligence and the fall of the NSL but many are fighting for financial stability and relevance in a world that sees A-League teams poach their top talent for free if they aren’t ignored completely! The rise of Victory cult hero Andrew Nabbout is a high profile example of the potential riches that lie hidden in the murky waters of State Football so what can be done to bridge the gap between...

After 7 years of nothing but subscription television coverage the A-League will find a new home next season with SBS signing on to televise one game a week live. The A-League’s latest television deal totals a $160 million dollar investment into the game over a four year period commencing in June 2013 and running through to June 2017. The A-League television and digital rights have been sold which may result in possible subscription access to games online. SBS will be broadcasting Friday night matches, a strategy implemented by the NRL that will lead nicely into  Foxtel’s weekend broadcast and is hoped to drive subscriptions and ratings. SBS will televise all A-League finals on a one hour delay. Socceroos World Cup Qualifiers will also be broadcast on SBS on a one hour delay with Foxtel to cover all Socceroos games live.

Even ADP wasn't enough to lift the Sky Blues After a week to forget Sydney FC were keen to bounce back with a win against the reigning Premiers. The Roar also found themselves in trouble languishing on the wrong side of the ladder. Keen to avoid the fate of Crook, Vidosic needed to somehow revitalise the Roar and prove that they could move on without An ge Postecoglou. Insanity is the repetition of the same act and expecting a different result and last night proed that Sydney should be institutionalised. Poor defending again put Sydney out of the contest as Brisbane scored at will converting four times in a night to forget for the Sky Blues. Brisbane opened the scoring when Broich's 40 metre free kick went untouched and slowly bounced into the back of the net. Brisbane built on the momentum just 3 minutes later with  Paartalu effortlessly beating Sydney's man marking and converting a rebound of Necevski's save. However Sydney's s...

Emerton, Culina, Ono, Del Piero, Heskey, Beckham? In the A-League? Just a few months ago you would have laughed at the proposition, but football changes each week, so a few months is more than enough time for even the most impossible hypotheticals to precipitate into an even more inconceivable reality. Central Coast don't have the funds so Beckham is out of the question unless he buys the club with his spare change and signs himself. Sydney already have ADP although the prospect of Beckham, Emerton, Culina and ADP in the same line up is mouthwatering it is unlikely due to ADP's already high price tag. (Please note Terry McFlynn is of too high a quality to be mentioned in the same sentence as the players mentioned) Melbourne Victory... have openly said no. Yes, Ange Postecoglou has said NO to David Beckham. Western Sydney have stretched the FFA's budget as it is so Posh Spice won't be taking the train though Parramatta any-time...

True fans stick around for the football, regardless of the hype. Nothing is a gaurantee Beckham to  # aleague  is tantamount to a sugar high and we all know what follows after a sugar high. # sustainableGrowth Francis Awaritef's tweet summarises my suspicions about the A-League's recent hype. The knee-jerk reaction of the Australian sporting community has felt more like a small earthquake. Facebook feeds have been flooded with Beckham news, the A-League has taken out top spot on top news sites such as the ABC and the AAP and A-League is trending on twitter... not bad for a Friday afternoon! But as with all bandwagons, the ride must eventually come to an end and it appears highly probable that we will all wake up on Monday morning wondering if this was all a crazy dream and get on with our lives. Yes, I know it may be hard to settle with just Del Piero in our league and it is easy to get sucked into the hype, Lord knows I have, but as supporters of Australia'...