Not a Local League for Local Coaches: Round 7 Sydney FC Analysis

One of the best things about your team getting a win when they play badly is the reaction of the losing coach. 


Having to front a press conference after watching your team out- play the opposition is bound to make the coach say some crazy things.

So it was no surprise that ex Sydney FC boss Branko Culina marched to the front of the pack in the A League Coaches Sore Loser Award:

"I don't care what their coach says and the fact that he's on $500,000 and I'm on 50 bucks or whatever it is, but if that's what the foreigners are going to bring to this game, let's have more local coaches."

"There was only one team that really deserved to win that game, but we can only blame ourselves, we can't blame anyone else."

John Kosmina has usually taken out the award every year and he even managed to win it when he took a year off from coaching.

Isn’t it time to move away from the most boring debate in Australian Football? The overseas coach’s vs local coaches debate makes me yawn and say things like oh dear..........

To me the debate sounds like an episode of League of Gentleman featuring  Tubbs (Michael Cockerill) and Edward (Branko Culina) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOGAAlHzF4o
Tubbs (Cockerill): “I haven’t seen you before are you a local?

Edward (Culina): “Are you a local coach? This is a local league for local coaches......this is a decent town and a local team; there is nothing for you here!

So to the action on the bumpy SFS surface. If you take out Mark Bridge’s goal (that by the way was deceivingly brilliant because he got a friendly SFS bobble that usually sees the ball land in the middle of bay 23 next to deadpool who holds the megaphone) and Corica’s excellent taken penalty the performance by Sydney FC to quote Jorge Valdano “was like watching shit on a stick”.

One of the positives apart from winning was seeing Stuart “Disco Stu” Musalik play in midfield again; he is one of my favourites. Simon Colisimo had another good game; but the performances of his teammates are making him look good.

The decision to rest Karol Kisel, Stephen Keller and John Aloisi due to injury or otherwise at least showed that Sydney FC has some depth. The performance of Musalik Sebastian Ryall and Mark Bridge means that all three veterans will have to work harder at training this week, it might be tough to get back in the starting line up since the instruction by Lavicka all season has been “quicker, play quicker!”

Alex Brosque hasn’t scored a goal yet but he was won three penalties. Memo to his teammates: Just give Brosque the ball when he is in the box running towards the by-line. Like bees to honey and flies to shit A League keepers are attracted to the option of bringing him down when there is no apparent danger.  

So forget about watching a slick passing team that will play exhilarating football. Sydney FC will win games because they hard to beat. Branko and all the other local coaches may have a right to be jealous at the huge salary our Bohemian maestro is getting. However if the Czech delivers the precious things that us Sydney FC fans covets then there certainly will not be any trouble here!

A League Round 7 Review: Sydney FC Go back Top

Sydney FC Go back Top

If round six was dominated by the imports then round seven was owned by the locals. Sydney FC’s Mark Bridge, Perth Glory’s Wayne Shjroj and Melbourne Victory’s Nick Ward dropped some bombs this week, even if not all of them reached their intended targets.

Round seven of the A League also saw the reigning champions (Melbourne Victory) the wannabe champions (Sydney FC) and the most criticised team in the A League (Central Coast Mariners) announce that they will be a force to be reckoned with.

Perth Glory had a rare away victory and for once didn’t through away a winning position, while Wellington did

Friday night football in Adelaide kicked off round seven, 15 000 Reds fan filled Hindmarsh stadium hoping to get a win over their most bitter rivals Melbourne Victory. Bleak city welcomed back influential skipper Kevin Muscat who had an excellent game and a 2-0 away win seems like Melbourne has started to begin life without veteran Striker Danny Allsop.  

It was Allsop’s replacement Nick Ward who had an immediate impact, scoring the opening goal and possibly the biggest the fluke of the A League so far. A run down the right saw Ward fire in ball toward goal, at first glance it looked like a cross. Instead the ball flew past Eugene Galekovic and into the back of the net from an acute angle that stunned the home crowd. It’s one of those goals only the most talented and freakishly of talented players score once in their lives, not someone like Nick Ward.

The Saturday evening fixture in Gosford saw Central Coast Mariners win the battle of the Coastal cities beating the league leaders Gold Coast by three goals to nil. The Mariners cool Britannia trio of Chris Doig, Michael McGlinchey and Nicky Travis shone for the home team. Mat Simon gave a nice ball to Travis and the Englishman finished well to open the scoring for the home team.

Gold Coast United Goal keeper Jess Van Stratten played his first game for his new club and the Central Coast junior did not have a happy homecoming, he was embarrassingly beaten at his near post by Mat Simon who made the score 2-0.

The Gold Coast looked rather ordinary.  The White Shoe Brigade’s most influential players so far this season Jason Culina and Shane Smeltz were kept quiet and the latter was sent off by Mathew Breeze for suggesting the assistant referee should invest in some glasses.

A Sunday afternoon kick off and a crowd of just over 10 000 witnessed a hart fought contest between Sydney FC and the Newcastle Jets. 
Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavcika made some big calls by dropping John Aloisi, Karol Kisel and Stephan Keller and it worked as the Sky blues enjoyed a 2-1 win over the Jets. 


Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge played up front while Sebastian Ryall left his off field dramas behind him to start his first game of the season for the Sky Blues.

The game was full of drama especially the first half. Sydney FC were lucky they were not down 1-0 nil after Fabio Vignarioli needed no invitation to fall down in the box after the Jets Italian Marquee had his shirt tugged absurdly by Stuart  “Disco Stu” Musalik. Mat Thomson the Newcastle Jets captain had his weak spot kick saved by Clint Bolton. It was the Sydney keepers’ second penalty save of the season.


A few moments later two Jets players combined to give Sydney FC the lead. Mark Bridge scored a fantastic solo goal for the Sky blues after being fed by Stuart Musalik, Bridge turned the Jets defence and found some space to shoot just outside the box. As Bridge lined up the shot he received a friendly SFS bobble, instead of the ball heading into the stand the ball curved into the Jets goal, while Ben Kennedy stood like a mime statue in Circular Quay.

One of the craziest games of the A League finished off round seven. Perth Glory was thankful that the Roar gifted them three goals in a rare away victory that finished with a bizarre 4-2 score line.

Looks like the A League shuffle is in full swing as no one team is dominating proceedings. The Gold Coast doesn’t seem to like the quiet life much after suffering losses in Newcastle and Gosford, while Sydney and Perth looked unconvincing in their victories. After three and a bit seasons Wellington still don’t know how hold on for a win; the more things change the more they stay the same in the A League.

A League Import Watch: Chris Doig, Michael McGlinchey and Nicky Travis impressed for the Central Coast and so did Surat Sukha for Melbourne Victory.  Brisbane Roar pocket dynamo Henrique was one of the few imports that provided any spark in attack. The Jets unleashed Iraq International Ali Abbas and his 20 minute cameo against Sydney FC has me thinking that his name will appear in this section more often in the future.

A-League Socceroo Watch: Pim's spies would have reported that Simon Colisimo had another good game for Sydney FC and the Mariners Mat Simon did well also.

Hot Spot: Are you a local? Even though this is a not a  local League for local people only, the locals outshone the imports this round. About time the Aussie boys started to represent.

Odd Spot: Mathew “Hallmark” Breeze sent off Shane Smeltz for gesturing to the linesman he should get glasses. Haven’t you learnt that around “Hallmark” these kinds of Shenanigans will not be tolerated?

Quotes of the Week: "I've been practicing them after training, it was a half shot, half cross,"   Melbourne Victory attacker Nick Ward said when questioned about his fluky goal.

“I remember watching Nick Ward when he played for QPR (Queens Park Rangers) and I can tell you that he never meant that shot,” Ex- Manchester United defender and Fox Sports pundit Scott Parker suggesting that Nick Ward may have meant to cross it rather than shoot it. I concur with the ex -Red Devil great.

Goal of the Week: Mark Bridge just loves scoring at the Sydney Football Stadium against the Jets.

Nutmeg Of the Season: Kaz Patafta is finally getting some consistent game time this season, and not before time. His nutmeg on Byun not only embarrassed the Sydney FC left back but it led to an equalising goal.

Miss of the Season: The Wellington Phoenix attacker Daniel leads the candidates for miss of the season when he literally nutmeged himself from only three only yards out.

Team of the Week: GK:Bolton (SYD), LB:Sukha(MELB)CB:Muscat(MELB), CB:Colisimo(SYD), RB:Kemp(MELB), LM:Travis(CENT)  CM:Shroj(Perth) CM:Hutchinson(CENT), RM:Pondejlak(MELB), FW:Bridge(SYD), FW:Simon(CENT)

Team		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Gold Coast United	7	4	1	2	14	8	6	13
2	Sydney FC	7	4	1	2	9	6	3	13
3	Central Coast Mariners FC	7	3	2	2	8	4	4	11
4	Perth Glory FC	7	3	1	3	12	10	2	10
5	Brisbane Roar FC	7	2	3	2	12	12	0	9
6	Melbourne Victory FC	7	2	3	2	9	9	0	9
7	Adelaide United FC	7	2	2	3	6	9	-3	8
8	Newcastle Jets FC	7	2	2	3	7	11	-4	8
9	Wellington Phoenix FC	7	1	4	2	8	10	-2	7
10	North Queensland Fury	7	1	3	3	8	14	-6	6

Round Eight Predictions: Newcastle Jets 1 v 1 Perth Glory Gold Coast United 2 v 2 Melbourne Victory Wellington Phoenix 1 v 1 Central Coast Mariners Brisbane Roar 1 v 2 Sydney FC North Queensland Fury 1 v 0  Adelaide United

Half Time Heroes Adam Spencer Interview

If you have ever listened to Triple J, ABC radio or watched ABC television in the last decade you would have heard and seen Adam Spencer. 

Adam is a mad football fan.

In fact after the Socceroos triumphant and dramatic penalty win over Uruguay in 2005, a moment that secured Australia’s qualification for the World Cup after a 32 year wait, Adam Spencer ran onto the pitch, and joined in the wild scenes of joy and jubilation. (see photo above.)

Half Time Heroes: How did you come to love the beautiful game?

Adam Spencer: I played football from under 5’s with the Gladesville Ravens, and then went off to Gladesville Uniting for six years, and then at High School I played for St Aloysius. I have never played a game of League in my life and maybe three games of Union. I love the poetry and individuality of Australian Rules, a truly beautiful game, but the world game has a natural beauty for mine.

HTH: Your A League team?

AS: S-Y-D-N-E-Y, I am Sydney till I die. (Except when I am at my mother in laws house on the Central Coast, in which case the Mariners go pretty well too.)

HTH:  Your Overseas Team

AS: The First game of English Football I ever saw was the 1927 FA Cup Final, which my beloved Manchester United won 2-1. Mum and Dad let me stay up past midnight as an eight year old to watch and I have repaid the Red Devils for that life changing experience with everlasting loyalty. As for Adults who say they say they support United and can’t name a player pre-Ronaldo I have as much respect for them as a Chelsea fan who doesn’t own a Jersey more than three years old!

HTH: Favourite overseas player?

AS: Andrei Kanchelskis went alright ……as did Peter Schmeichel …….There will never be another Ryan Giggs.

HTH: Favourite Australian Player?

AS: I was lucky enough to say on air about five years ago that “Tim Cahill could well end up the greatest player that this country has produced”……..I feel vindicated.

HTH: Tell us about the World Cup Qualification in 2005?

AS: I had done the pre-match on field entertainment….So as the shot(Aloisi’s penalty) went in I flashed my badge and hopped the fence……The fat guy in the background doing the victory lap that’s me……Don’t believe me……(photo attached)

HTH: How do you think the Socceroos will fare in South Africa Next year?

AS: We’ll give it a red hot crack – I can’t wait to see the draw we are given as the 14^th team in the world-if we don’t jag a group of death we’ll go fine.

HTH: Have Socceroos been boring, does it matter how they play or is it just about winning?

AS: Huh…What’s that over there……The Score board!!!!.......Sorry –What was the Question?

HTH Can Australia can host the World Cup in 2018/22 and why?

AS: Yes…..Why not.

HTH: Most cherished moment in Football?

AS: The final whistle in the North Western Suburbs Womens’ football all age 3^rd grade Grand Final 2006. As coach of the 3-0 victors I could have cried (Actually I did-don’t tell the girls)

HTH: Can you believe we are on our way to our second World Cup in a row?

AS: What amazed me was the muted reaction to qualifying….. As a nation we expected it……What a transition.

HTH: What does football need to do or change?

AS: Offside rule should give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side-only if the assistant referee can see clear and unambiguous space behind the fullback should the attacking player be called offside

HTH: You are a pretty smart guy does the tactical side of the game interest you? Any ideas about formation and shape you have?

AS: In advance of my team “702 United” Stepping on the pitch for the master games 04/05 World Championships, I can’t comment on formations or Tactics……..suffice to say I’m very excited.

Click the link to got to the HTH page:  http://issuu.com/nearpost/docs/halftimeheroessept09/6

Sydney FC - North Queensland Fury Analysis: 442 Blog

Biblical Improvement Needed

IMPROVEMENT needed and of Biblical proportions.

What a fabulous sight it was to see all those Liverpool supporters at the Sydney Football Stadium cheering Robbie Fowler and the North Queensland Fury on Saturday night.

Ummm........ Let me re-phrase that. What a pathetic sight it was to see all those euro-snob Liverpool supporters get off their euro-snob stained football couches and grace us with their presence.

I hate euro-snobs as much as I hate waiting, music genre-snobs and Jamie Oliver. I'm sure there are things that I hate more but I'm too hateful to list them right now.

For me, anyone who attends an A- League game with a replica shirt besides the home team or away team colours should be banned.

It's matter of respect. When attending a football match appropriate dress standards must be observed.

It's like seeing a Wallabies jersey worn at Socceroos games. Remember John Howard in his Wallabies tracksuit pretending to watch the Socceroos play at the World Cup in 2006? Sure I like to present myself as an anarchy-loving Greek from time to time but as a football supporter there are unwritten rules that must be followed.

Anyway rant finished for now. I was so disappointed after leaving the SFS. Sydney FC showed no fight and had no solutions.

During the lead up, the game was promoted as Aloisi vs God. Cue the joke about Aloisi's mortal mistake in missing the first half penalty and Fowler's goal being a divine act. Those puns never get boring do they?
Eamonn Flanagan in the latest edition of my Half Time Hero* (out now) wants people to stop the 'God' nickname, claiming only a minority of Liverpool fans called Fowler such a title.

To try and dissect that game and to offer solutions would be harder than threading a camel through the eye of a needle. Maybe the midfield could do with some tinkering or perhaps Sydney just didn't want it. Who knows?
What I do know is the return of ex Sydney FC Coach Branko Culina to the SFS on Sunday with his hot and cold Newcastle Jets has me worried.

Last season it was exactly the same. Terry McFlynn got injured and the good start to the season saw Sydney eventually fall away. I just don't think we have any weapons in attack and in the last three games the defence has gone to sleep at critical moments.

The space that Robbie Fowler found himself in when he ran onto the Daniel McBreen flick on that led to the goal will be making Viteszlav Lavicka yelling "discipline" twice as hard at training this week.


* Half-Time Heroes is back for it's second edition. Nearpost blogger and radio host Eamonn Flanagan and 442 Sydney FC blogger Con Stamocostas have combined to bring over twenty football bloggers, writers and cartoonists together.

This edition is fifty seven pages in length and full of Australian football. ABC's Adam Spencer reveal his football passion, FourFourTwo's Fiona Crawford checks in from the Homeless World Cup in Milan, W-League, A-League, Socceroos, it's all covered.
Here is the link. http://issuu.com/nearpost/docs/halftimeheroessept09/6

Join the debate at 442: http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/112532,blog-biblical-improvement-needed.aspx

A League Round Six Review

Round Six of the A League was dominated by the imports. Specifically Brazilian Cassio, Scotsman Charlie Miller, Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez and Scouser Robbie Folwer all showcased their finishing prowess.


The game of the week purely because of the pre-match hype was the Saturday night fixture between Sydney FC and North Queensland Fury. A London type double-decker bus was used to promote the game during the week; a Beatles cover band serenaded the fans as they entered the Sydney Football Stadium and even the Liverpool supporters club of Sydney put aside their Euro snobbery and decided to watch a local game of football. 


The promotion seemed to work as a healthy crowd of almost 17 thousand came to see Aloisi take on God (only a handful of Liverpool supporters actually called Fowler God, but what the hell….).

John Aloisi was ready to play the part the script called for, but the Socceroo hopeful fluffed his lines. Aloisi missed a first half spot kick and that failure sure proved that Aloisi was a mere man mortal. The most famous penalty in Australian sport arguably changed the fortunes of Australian football forever. This time the feat could not be replicated.

The second part of this contest would prove that we are all mere mortals in the presence of Robbie Fowler.

After 10 minutes of play in the second half, Fowler scored a goal that football scribes all over the land used big words to describe. If you haven’t seen the goal yet, look it up on YouTube because it was a cracker. Never mind the space that Sydney defender Simon Colosimo allowed him, never mind that Clint Bolton was in no-man’s land; the finish was just too good, even though special mention must be given to the Sydney FC defence or lack of it.

Perth Glory was unlucky not to get a win over the league leaders Gold Coast United. The battle of the Iron Ore Cup (a reference to the owners of both clubs mining escapades) began with the Glory opening up the Gold Coast defence like a child opens presents on Christmas day. Perth’s Serbian striker Branko Jelic got the opening goal and Victor Sikora added a second to make the score 2-0 after less than 20 minutes played.

The White Shoe Brigade came back in the second half with a header to Dutch defender Van Den Brink to make 2-1. Perth looked comfortable enough for most of the game and it looked like they would get the win, but with hardly any time left substitute Gol Gol Mebrahtu chased down fellow substitute Amaral to the half way line and the stole the ball off the former Brazilian International. Amaral then did a rugby league type tackle on Van den Brink. Van Den Brink took a quick free kick led that set Pantelids free down the right hand side, he gave a beautiful cross to Shane Smeltz and the New Zealand International was in the perfect position for the Gold Coast to snatch an unlikely away point. Smeltz has nine goals in sux games.

It was an excellent week for the Queensland team s in round six, some excellent goals were scored, the crowds are starting to come back and the competition is as tight as a Camels arse in a sand-storm.

A League Import Watch: Robbie Fowler is synonymous with some of the most blasphemous of acts. He must be making the Christians very angry every time he is called god but even the most dogmatic person would have to put down their bibles and admire the sublime volley that the Scouse legend produced to beat Sydney 1-0. I feel lucky to have watched it live, and I’m a Sydney boy.

Adelaide United midfielder Cassio and Melbourne Victory attacking midfielder Carlos Hernandez showed the locals how to take a free kick. The Brisbane Roar trio of Henrique, Reinaldo and Charlie Miller stole the show in Newcastle. While Perth’s Branko Jelic is starting show that his CV was not made up.

A-League Socceroo Watch: I wouldn’t rush to buy any travellers cheques if I was an A League based Socceroo. It was the imports who “showed themselves this round”.

Best Name of the A League: The Central Coast Mariners Jamaican import Woolry Wolfe was the contender for the prize but Gold Coast United’s Golgol Mebrahtu who was born in the state of Eritrea, a country in the Horn of Africa gets the prize.

Hot Spot: Who else but Robbie Fowler. The winning goal against Sydney FC was not a product of divine intervention rather the sublime volley is the closest man will ever come to perfection.

Odd Spot: Spotting all those Liverpool supporters (Euro Snobs) at the game on Saturday night made me wonder what would happen if the club promoted its own players with as much enthusiasm?

Quotes of the Week: “He was actually from my school. I didn't know him to be honest. I used to go to a school in Liverpool called Nugent and he was telling me he was from there, “said Robbie Fowler after the win against Sydney. Fowler was speaking about the Liverpool fan that ran onto the pitch to celebrate with him after he scored.

"There are obviously better places we could've done it. We were just talking about our old gym teacher!" added Fowler.

Goal of the Week: Okay, okay, no surprises here God gets the goal of the week again.

Team of the Week: GK:Henderson(FURY), LB:Traore(GCU), Moore(BRIS), Dodd(FURY), RB:Middleby(FURY), LM:Cassio(ADL), CM:Talay(Fury), CM:Miller(BRIS), RM:Henrique(BRIS), FW:Reinaldo(BRIS) FW:Fowler(FURY)

Team		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Gold Coast United	6	4	1	1	14	5	9	13
2	Sydney FC	6	3	1	2	7	5	2	10
3	Brisbane Roar	6	2	3	1	10	8	2	9
4	Central Coast Mariners	6	2	2	2	5	4	1	8
5	Adelaide United	6	2	2	2	6	7	-1	8
6	Newcastle Jets	6	2	2	2	6	9	-3	8
7	Perth Glory	6	2	1	3	8	8	0	7
8	Melbourne Victory	6	1	3	2	7	9	-2	6
9	Wellington Phoenix	6	1	3	2	7	9	-2	6
10	North Queensland Fury	6	1	2	3	7	13	-6	5

Round Seven Predictions:

Adelaide United 1 v 1 Melbourne Victory 1

Central Coast Mariners 0 v 2 Gold Coast United

Wellington Phoenix 1 v 2 North Queensland Fury

Sydney FC 2 v 0 Newcastle Jets

Brisbane Roar 2 v 2 Perth Glory

Hyundai A-League 2009/10 – Leading Goal-Scorers

9 – Shane SMELTZ

4 – Robbie FOWLER

3 – John ALOISI, Carlos HERNANDEZ, Branko JELIC, Archie THOMPSON, Sergio VAN DIJK

2 –Chris GREENACRE, HENRIQUE, Jason HOFFMAN, Lucas PANTELIS, Paul IFILL, Victor SIKORA

This article was first published by Goal Weekly an excellent magazine sold in Newsagents across Melbourne