Though they've yet to play a game and haven't even conducted their first training session the Melbourne Heart are going about their entrance into the A-League in exemplary fashion. Yesterday they stepped things up another notch by confirming the signing of John Aloisi, an event in itself with the former Socceroo showing off the Heart's impressive red and white strip to the scores of journalists who attended the announcement. The backdrop provided by the simply stunning Rectangular Stadium on Swan Street, itself almost complete and set to be the home of the A-League's eleventh club.
That the signing of a player who to be fair to Aloisi is past his prime and who's signed for just one season could be greeted by such fanfare and receive such media attention is something the A-League could have only dreamed of, particularly so amid the start of the AFL and months out from the commencement of its own season.
Of course there will be problems for the Heart and not everything will go as smoothly and appear so as exciting as it did yesterday. For instance they'll enter the A-League at a very delicate time for Australian domestic soccer where the bulk of its clubs aren't exactly making money and where attendances outside of Melbourne, and to an extent Sydney, have fallen slightly. They'll be equally concerned at the plight of the two most recent A-League expansion franchises with North Queensland Fury being for the moment financially propped up by the FFA, while the Gold Coast experienced dismal crowds all season with rumours persisting that their billionaire owner Clive Palmer is eager to sell.
For now however the Heart are doing precisely the right thing by assembling a squad capable of immediately competing with the likes of the Victory and Sydney FC and are doing so with an astute, systematic and balanced approach to player signings. Quite unlike the Gold Coast and North Queensland who built their squads either with a disproportionate emphasis on attack or by putting too many of their eggs in the one basket. It's for these reasons the Heart began assembling their squad from the back, adding Matt Thompson and Dean Heffernan, two players capable of fulfilling a number of roles but most home in defense. The trend continued when they recently captured the signatures of arguably the A-League's best and most experienced shot stopper in Clint Bolton and weeks later adding Socceroo central defender Simon Colosimo.
If nothing else, yesterday's parading of Aloisi reminded the football world that the Heart are both determined to be relevant in a sporting city never short of action and that they are indeed capable of attracting the big names. By adding a proven striker in Aloisi they've also demonstrated they haven't forgotten about the importance of scoring goals as the additions of Wayne Srhoj and Jason Hoffman have already proven but in which would never have generated the same interest as yesterday's event.
It really is testament to the Melbourne Heart that we're still talking about domestic soccer weeks after the Grand Final and months out from the new season. By signing Aloisi the Heart have ensured they remain in the headlines, particularly at a time when the Victory are reeling from a heartbreaking Grand Final loss along with the failure of their ACL campaign.
Just imagine what will happen if they do convince Mark Viduka to sign?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
AFL Power Rankings after Round One
1 Geelong
-Fielded a team with 11 players with 150 or more games. Only Collingwood (10), the Dogs (8), Sydney and StKilda (7 each) had anywhere near that kind of experience.
-Had 94 more possessions (36 more in the last quarter) than the Bombers. The 2nd largest discrepancy of the round.
-Their 8 goal last quarter was the largest final term of the round.
-7 players who scored multiple goals. Highest spread of the round.
-Had 23 more hitouts than Essendon. The highest difference of the round.
2 StKilda
-Laid 77 tackles, the third highest of the round.
-Took just 5 marks inside 50. The lowest tally of the round.
-Were the only team to lose the inside 50 count (45-48) and still win.
-Along with Geelong were the only team to lose the contested possession count and still win.
3 Collingwood
-Kicking efficiency of 75% was the highest recorded for the round.
-22 Marks inside 50 was the highest of the round.
-19 goals from 58 inside 50's represented the second most efficient offense of the round.
-Four players (Didak, Swan, Davis, Medhurst) with 3 or more goals. Largest spread of the round.
-Took 21 bounces. By far the most recorded.
-8 goal first quarter was the best for the round.
4 Bulldogs
-Conceded 129 points, the highest score of the round. Only once last year did the Dogs let in more points.
-Laid just 47 tackles, the lowest recorded for the round.
-Were the only team to not score a goal from less than 15 metres.
-13 goals from 58 inside 50's was amongst the least effective offensive performances of the round.
5 Hawthorn
-Conceded just 61 points. The lowest of the round.
-Had 18 more inside 50's than Melbourne. The highest discrepancy for the round.
-Took 50 more marks than Melbourne.
6 Brisbane
-20 marks inside 50 were the second highest for the round.
-Kicked 4 goals from outside 50, second only to Fremantle's 6.
-Along with Geelong the only team to be trailing at three quarter time, yet still win.
-Seven goal last quarter, bettered only by Geelong's 8.
7 Carlton
-Had 137 possessions more than Richmond, the highest discrepancy of the round, while 432 was the second highest total for the round.
-Along with Geelong and Fremantle were the only team to have more than 300 uncontested possessions.
-78% effectiveness for total disposals. Equal highest with Collingwood.
-6 players who scored multiple goals. 2nd highest spread for the round.
-No goals conceded in last quarter. Only Fremantle achieved this.
-Laid 78 tackles. Second most for the round.
8 Fremantle
-Had more (314) uncontested possessions than any other team.
-Along with Carlton were the only team to not concede a goal in the last quarter.
-Had 17 more hitouts than Adelaide. Only Geelong had a greater difference against its opposition. Also 50% of their hitouts weer deemed effective. Easily the best of the round, with West Coast the next best with 29%.
-Scored 6 goals from outside 50. The most of the round.
-Gregg Broughton had 13 last quarter possessions. Only Gary Ablett recorded the same last quarter number.
-17 goals from 44 inside 50's was the most efficient of the round.
9 Essendon
-Along with Sydney were the only team to have more contested possession and still lose.
-Along with West Coast the only team to be leading at three quarter time and still lose.
-Gumbleton and Neagle combined for just 12 touches, 4 marks and 1 goal.
-Very poor 58% kicking efficiency, the second lowest only to Port Adelaide's 57%, which was recorded in far worse playing conditions.
-In 93% game time Mark Williams did not lay a tackle, accumulated just 8 touches and failed to score a goal.
10 Sydney
-Along with Essendon were the only team to win the contested possession count and still lose.
-Bradshaw and White combined for just 17 touches, 6 marks and 2 goals.
-Were the only team to have more inside 50's than their opponent and still lose.
11 Adelaide
-Along with Richmond were the only team to not score a goal in the last quarter.
-62 points was the second lowest for the round. Only Melbourne scored less.
-Kurt Tippet had just 8 touches and 1 goal for the match.
-Made the 2nd least amount of interchanges for the round. And had 34 less than their opposition. Easily the biggest discrepancy of the round.
-Just 3 goals from general play was along with Melbourne the lowest recorded for the round.
12 Port Adelaide
-Recorded 86 tackles. The most for the round.
-16 0f their 22 players had less than 100 games experience. The most for the round.
-Were the only team to win without a player kicking more than 2 goals.
-Along with Richmond were the only team to have less than 200 uncontested possessions. They had 185.
13 West Coast
-Laid only 52 tackles. The 2nd lest amount for the round.
-Had only 9 marks inside 50.
-Along with Essendon were the only team to be leading at three quarter time and still lose.
14 North Melbourne
-7 marks inside 50 were the second lowest for the round.
-David Hale had just 4 possessions after spending 100% of the match on the field. He did however kick 2 goals.
-Ryan Bastinac (along with Melbourne's Trengrove and Scully) was the only player taken in last November's National Draft to have more than 20 possessions.
-Made 39 last quarter interchanges, the most by any team. Scored 5 goals to 2 in the last quarter.
15 Richmond
-Had only 170 uncontested possessions. The least for the round.
-Along with Adelaide the only team to not score a goal in the last quarter.
-Only scored 1 goal from a mark. The least for the round.
-Had just seven marks inside 50. Only StKlda had fewer.
-With 295, were the only team to register less than 300 possessions.
16 Melbourne
-8 goals from 44 inside 50's means they were the only team with a less than 20% scoring efficiency.
-Had scored just 1 goal to half time. Their final score of 61 was the lowest of the round.
-Made just 84 interchanges. Easily the lowest for the round and staggering from a team who had scored just 3 points to quarter time. In fact made just 19 first quarter changes, once again the fewest.
-Scored only 3 goals from general play. Along with Adelaide, the lowest for the round.
-Had 50 less marks than Hawks.
-Had a round high 18 less inside 50 forward entries than their opponents.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Rotten Orange
After two and half years Socceroos' coach Pim Verbeek yesterday confirmed what everyone knew was coming. That following the World Cup he'd be stepping down as coach and looking for a move to club football. More than likely in Europe. Like our previous Dutch Head Honcho we'll probably never see him again. We'll hear of the clubs he'll be rumoured to go to and eventually the one he'll sign with. And from a distance, and in the early hours, like we do with Gus' stomach and his inexplicable tan, we'll watch as Pim gets pastier and pastier and as that insipid tuft of hair doggedly fights on.
Nasty, I know. And cheap. But I got sick of Pim, just as I got sick of Hiddink.
Nasty, I know. And cheap. But I got sick of Pim, just as I got sick of Hiddink.
The obsession with all things orange in regards to soccer in this country happened by accident and became ingrained. Maybe this is what happens with all accidents. Ramifications. In our case, something incredible happened, but also unforgivable. We qualified for two consecutive World Cups, became a good team without being great and made the national team something everybody who plays soccer in this country desperate to be apart of. To be sure, the Socceroos now constitute the most closely followed and scrutinised national sporting team in the country, something completely unthinkable ten years ago. Yet despite this, despite the miracles of Germany and Pim's uninspiring negotiation through Asia we've all been left with a slightly unsavoury feeling about the both of them. And I think its time to we admit it. That we got swindled.
Gus came here for money and left for money. Pim got the job because of his connection with Gus, because he was Dutch and like Gus, got paid a whole heap of cash. While he was here he got progressively more prickly as fans, the media and Socceroo wannabes all became increasingly frustrated by Pim's rigid and impenetrable fortress, both strategically and personally. The former revolving around a game more concerned with stopping goals then scoring them, the latter categorised by being cold and aloof.
However what was more disturbing than Pim's tactical conservatism, admirable for teams unaccustomed to success and when playing teams far more accomplished (not Oman or Indonesia), was Verbeek's utter scorn for the A-League which was astonishingly allowed to prevail and continue unchecked.
When Verbeek landed the Socceroo job all he had to do in regards to the A-League was pretend he liked it. To piss in our pockets. Instead he arrived, walked straight through the house and into the backyard to treat the prize dogs locked away in the backyard and to get them ready for show. Which granted, was what he was paid for. When we gently asked him while he stroked Lucas Neill behind the ears or scratched Brett Emerton's chin whether he'd like to have a look at some of the younger pups he robotically answered by telling us they'd be better off in Europe. Indeed for two and half years Pim did his best to imply that all that was wonderful about soccer resided in Europe, in the process treating the A-League as some sort of laughable impostor. When he did attend A-League games he looked to be there under sufferance and seemed thoroughly disinterested, often tucked away at the back of a grand stand and hidden behind a pair of dark sun glasses. European designed no doubt. He created a culture of fear amongst World Cup hopefuls that if they were plying their trade in Australia they stood no chance of selection. When you think about the only decent thing Verbeek ever did for the A-League was waiting 48 hours until after last Saturday's engrossing Grand Final to reveal to Australia that he'll be moving on.
When Verbeek landed the Socceroo job all he had to do in regards to the A-League was pretend he liked it. To piss in our pockets. Instead he arrived, walked straight through the house and into the backyard to treat the prize dogs locked away in the backyard and to get them ready for show. Which granted, was what he was paid for. When we gently asked him while he stroked Lucas Neill behind the ears or scratched Brett Emerton's chin whether he'd like to have a look at some of the younger pups he robotically answered by telling us they'd be better off in Europe. Indeed for two and half years Pim did his best to imply that all that was wonderful about soccer resided in Europe, in the process treating the A-League as some sort of laughable impostor. When he did attend A-League games he looked to be there under sufferance and seemed thoroughly disinterested, often tucked away at the back of a grand stand and hidden behind a pair of dark sun glasses. European designed no doubt. He created a culture of fear amongst World Cup hopefuls that if they were plying their trade in Australia they stood no chance of selection. When you think about the only decent thing Verbeek ever did for the A-League was waiting 48 hours until after last Saturday's engrossing Grand Final to reveal to Australia that he'll be moving on.
The next coach of the Socceroos won't be known until sometime after the World Cup. At this stage Ben Buckley has given no indication whether Football Australia will again go Dutch, or as hoped, look elsewhere. For the moment the only noises the FFA are making in regards to future Socceroos' coaching is that the disastrous scenario of a care taker coach at January's Asian Cup will be avoided. And thank heavens as the last time we tried this our interim coach Graham Arnold led the team to a disappointing campaign which lasted no longer than the second round and which will be remembered for a bitter spat amongst its heat addled players.
Whoever is hired by the FFA should be warned that Australia is absolutely determined to have a successful domestic league in this country, one in which we've already worked hard at for five years and which is indeed growing, but which like all infants is still quite delicate. We need the successful candidate to be patient with the A-League but more importantly to work closely with it and to be supportive of it. And to of course impart his ideas to it.
Moreover our next coach may have no other choice, as it will be players from this very competition which he'll need to call upon for the Socceroos' first major post-World Cup international engagement in next January's Asian Cup. And what better scenario for a healthy working relationship between the A-League and our new national coach to be forged.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
By Scott, I was wrong. Asia can wait
My last blog entry concerned the brilliant piece written by Scott McIntyre and appearing on the SBS website this week whereby Melbourne Victory's motivation for tonight's A-League Grand Final against Sydney FC was questioned. McIntyre argued that the following Tuesday's Asian Champions League encounter against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale was of more importance than the A-League from both a prestige and financial standpoint. The article was highly engaging however what was most noteworthy was the bravado and left of centre nature of the piece where McIntyre went so far, and with due cause, to suggest the Victory field a diluted line up so as to have a better chance on Tuesday night.
I was quite taken with the article, so much so that I squeezed in every free moment at work on Thursday to churn out far too many words which did nothing more than re-state McIntyre's stance. And I ultimately agreed. However I've thought a lot about the matter since, in addition to my laborious re-hash, and I felt I needed to say that I now disagree. I was wrong. Asia can wait.
Tonight's A-League Grand Final between Melbourne and Sydney FC may well constitute the most important domestic game of soccer yet to be played in Australia. Just as important for Melbourne it represents an opportunity to definitively confirm its dominance of the sport within this country and to add yet another Championship to its already enviable trophy cabinet.
For now, and within an ACL campaign already in trouble, the Victory should do everything in its power to secure victory tonight. If that means playing the best team Ernie Merrick thinks fit, then so be it, for what's at stake tonight is of equal or more importance than Tuesday. Win and Melbourne has its third A-League championship, a gap that at the very best could only be at minimum equalled by this time 2012. In other words unequivocal bragging rights for at least another two years. Lose however and Sydney would not only draw equal with Melbourne on two championships, but also claim its first Premiership-Championship double, a feat only only Melbourne can boast to have achieved. And twice at that.
Etihad Stadium will be packed to the rafters tonight in one of the last games the Victory will have at the venue before moving to its more impressive home ground on Swan Street. The TV audience will also be enormous for a clash that never lets down, with two teams who don't particularly like each other and between coaches with sharply different football philosophies. And surely that's great for football in Australia.
Melbourne simply isn't ready to dominate Asia in the same way they've dominated the A-League. Its first two ACL games have certainly proven this. However in any city who've become accustomed to success there exists a desire to have such success transferred as far as possible. For Melbourne this means Asia. And potentially the Club World Cup.
For now however, really, dinner needs to be properly eaten, and enjoyed, before we even start thinking about desert.
I was quite taken with the article, so much so that I squeezed in every free moment at work on Thursday to churn out far too many words which did nothing more than re-state McIntyre's stance. And I ultimately agreed. However I've thought a lot about the matter since, in addition to my laborious re-hash, and I felt I needed to say that I now disagree. I was wrong. Asia can wait.
Tonight's A-League Grand Final between Melbourne and Sydney FC may well constitute the most important domestic game of soccer yet to be played in Australia. Just as important for Melbourne it represents an opportunity to definitively confirm its dominance of the sport within this country and to add yet another Championship to its already enviable trophy cabinet.
For now, and within an ACL campaign already in trouble, the Victory should do everything in its power to secure victory tonight. If that means playing the best team Ernie Merrick thinks fit, then so be it, for what's at stake tonight is of equal or more importance than Tuesday. Win and Melbourne has its third A-League championship, a gap that at the very best could only be at minimum equalled by this time 2012. In other words unequivocal bragging rights for at least another two years. Lose however and Sydney would not only draw equal with Melbourne on two championships, but also claim its first Premiership-Championship double, a feat only only Melbourne can boast to have achieved. And twice at that.
Etihad Stadium will be packed to the rafters tonight in one of the last games the Victory will have at the venue before moving to its more impressive home ground on Swan Street. The TV audience will also be enormous for a clash that never lets down, with two teams who don't particularly like each other and between coaches with sharply different football philosophies. And surely that's great for football in Australia.
Melbourne simply isn't ready to dominate Asia in the same way they've dominated the A-League. Its first two ACL games have certainly proven this. However in any city who've become accustomed to success there exists a desire to have such success transferred as far as possible. For Melbourne this means Asia. And potentially the Club World Cup.
For now however, really, dinner needs to be properly eaten, and enjoyed, before we even start thinking about desert.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
By Scott, you're right
One of the more thought provoking pieces of sports writing this week concerned Scott McIntyre's article regarding Saturday's A-League Grand Final between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC. More specifically, McIntyre's contention that Melbourne should in fact field a team predominately comprising youth league players in order to focus on its critical Asian Champions League encounter against Kawasaki Frontale, due to be played in Japan just days after the A-League finale.
Unfortunately however many sports enthusiasts in Australia will view McIntyre's argument as akin to blasphemy or downright lunacy and regard the piece as something which could only emerge from a sport so many in this country are yet to fully comprehend or appreciate. And this is a tremendous shame.
McIntyre's interests lie in Asia and so too should those of the two Australian clubs who qualify for the Asian Champions League each year. He's written and covered Asian football for some time now, particular within Japan, and was recently responsible for one of the only Asian Champions League previews to be found in Australia thanks to his impressive, two part ACL preview which appeared on the SBS website a few weeks ago. In it, McIntyre provided an intriguing insight into the 32 clubs competing in this year's ACL and generated the kind of excitement the mainstream media, in Melbourne at least, are not prepared to invest in.
Like many others McIntyre would be thrilled at the rise of the A-League in addition to the fact that its clubs now engage in the region's most prestigious club competition and, in Adelaide United's case, achieve some success. Participation in the ACL is crucial for soccer in this country and the A-League both in terms of making Australia relevant and respected in Asia and because of the millions of dollars such participation can generate. To say nothing of actually winning the tournament and the further riches that would come the winners' way due to qualifying for December's Club World Cup.
Only a few months ago in an interview with the Age Merrick claimed his biggest disappointments as Victory coach was failure to progress out of the group stage at its one and only appearance in the ACL back in 2008. If that is the case, and Merrick's disappointment was as acute as it sounded, then why wouldn't he be doing everything in his power to rectify that, quite possibly by creating a situation where Melbourne would be particularly careful with the team it selects Saturday night against Sydney. Which would perhaps be as simple as keeping three or four of his best players on the bench, only to be be deployed late in the game, and only if the Victory desperately needed them.
Scott McIntyre should be commended for writing the kind of article rarely written in Australia and for rallying for what at first appears as a radical proposal but which in actual fact has plenty of merit. By no means does Melbourne have to deliberately lose, nor does the A-League Grand Final have to have any of its lustre taken away. It just happens that the Melbourne Victory has a particularly important ACL assignment in Japan just a few days later, the kind of assignment Melbourne shouldn't take for granted as qualification for the Champions League will become a lot more difficult once the A-League expansion is solidified.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Spurs are (quite possibly) back
The San Antonio Spurs are finally starting to find their feet this season, having won 8 of their last 10 matches and reminding us there still might be life, and maybe even yet another championship run, left in those old, wily Texan legs.
The Spurs this week have back to back games in Florida against Miami and Orlando which will give us a great idea as to whether the Spurs are really indeed back to their championship calibre best, or rather just beating up on the extremely poor opponents their schedule has bestowed upon them of late.
The Spurs are playing their best basketball all year, with their line-up, despite being without '07 finals MVP Tony Parker, finally starting to have a discernible structure about it. Over that eight game span they've lost only to divisional rival Houston and the NBA's best, Cleveland, both road games, and by just 5 and 2 points respectively. During that same span they've conceded 100 just twice, while in the other 8 games they've had a defense that has averaged giving up just over 90. In other words we're talking about the way the Spurs used to go about defense. This season they've been giving up a very un-San Antonio like 101 points per game.
So what else has changed? Well for starters impressive second year guard George Hill has had more minutes as a result of Parker's injury and the young second round pick has relished his increased responsibilities. His numbers in every category have increased over the last month or so. Richard Jefferson's another who has improved of late. The $14 million a year off season acquisition has been much maligned all season however he's also stepped up his game after returning to the starting line up in recent weeks and has topped the Spurs rebounding no less than 4 times in the past 5 games, a feat the former Net hadn't accomplished all season. Even the forgotten Matt Bonner has returned, popping up to top score 21 points while Tim Duncan was able to get some always appreciated bench time in the Spurs most recent rout of the Clippers.
Whether the Spurs most recent form is a a product of sheer coincidence thanks to its recent schedule of a product of a tailored campaign designed to start hitting its peak right now, just one month out from the playoffs, will become a little clearer by week's end. At present the Spurs have just an inkling of that champion look about them, which first and foremost is recognised by its stingy defense and rebounding (now ranked 3rd in the league), pillars which for Popovich's teams have always ensured the Spurs are a threat come the playoffs.
The Spurs this week have back to back games in Florida against Miami and Orlando which will give us a great idea as to whether the Spurs are really indeed back to their championship calibre best, or rather just beating up on the extremely poor opponents their schedule has bestowed upon them of late.
The Spurs are playing their best basketball all year, with their line-up, despite being without '07 finals MVP Tony Parker, finally starting to have a discernible structure about it. Over that eight game span they've lost only to divisional rival Houston and the NBA's best, Cleveland, both road games, and by just 5 and 2 points respectively. During that same span they've conceded 100 just twice, while in the other 8 games they've had a defense that has averaged giving up just over 90. In other words we're talking about the way the Spurs used to go about defense. This season they've been giving up a very un-San Antonio like 101 points per game.
So what else has changed? Well for starters impressive second year guard George Hill has had more minutes as a result of Parker's injury and the young second round pick has relished his increased responsibilities. His numbers in every category have increased over the last month or so. Richard Jefferson's another who has improved of late. The $14 million a year off season acquisition has been much maligned all season however he's also stepped up his game after returning to the starting line up in recent weeks and has topped the Spurs rebounding no less than 4 times in the past 5 games, a feat the former Net hadn't accomplished all season. Even the forgotten Matt Bonner has returned, popping up to top score 21 points while Tim Duncan was able to get some always appreciated bench time in the Spurs most recent rout of the Clippers.
Whether the Spurs most recent form is a a product of sheer coincidence thanks to its recent schedule of a product of a tailored campaign designed to start hitting its peak right now, just one month out from the playoffs, will become a little clearer by week's end. At present the Spurs have just an inkling of that champion look about them, which first and foremost is recognised by its stingy defense and rebounding (now ranked 3rd in the league), pillars which for Popovich's teams have always ensured the Spurs are a threat come the playoffs.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Bulldogs, Barry Hall and a confirmation of premiership legitimacy
The Western Bulldogs comprehensively smashed the Saints in last night’s pre-season Grand Final, leading St.Kilda all night, ultimately winning by forty points and definitively confirming that 2010 is indeed the Bulldogs’ best chance yet to win a second club premiership.
Six months ago the Dogs played St.Kilda in a preliminary final with the Saints winning that night thanks predominantly to one of Nick Riewoldt’s most signature performances (18 touches, 11 marks and 4 of his team’s 9 goals), but also in large part to the Dogs’ own inability to take advantage of a match they for the most part controlled but whose opportunities they were simply unable to convert.
Though the Dogs lost twice to the Saints in last year’s home and away season, quite convincingly on both occasions in fact, the Bulldogs were, by the time the finals came around, a far more cohesive and competent unit than what they’d demonstrated for the bulk of the regular season. In that final against the Saints they were able to prevail in most meaningful statistical categories, even registering more tackles than the Saints, an area St.Kilda’s remarkable 22-3 season was unquestionably defined by. However in addition to its tackling, the Bulldogs also topped the Saints by an incredible 57-40 inside 50 count, a statistical discrepancy which last year alone accounted for a 96% win rate. For the Dogs to have lost by a mere seven points it was quite clear they were lacking just one element. A competent key forward to compliment its midfield supremacy. They now have one.
Barry Hall was acquired last October by the Bulldogs for virtually nothing. Though he came to the Dogs with a reputation which toward the end of his glittering Swans career had be spoiled by acts of stupidity, which were mostly violent in their nature, what was never in doubt was Hall’s ability as a footballer, which in his best form was categorised by a physicality and a commitment to a team ethic which in Sydney was mandatory. After all it was Barry Hall who captained the Swans to their remarkable premiership in 2005, and Barry Hall who kicked more than 600 goals while never operating as a traditional full forward and in a team not noted for its silky and precise movement into its forward line. No, the only real question that the Bulldogs and the general football public had and have of Hall was whether the actual part of Barry's head, which truth be told had always looked a little shaky, had in fact completely dislodged sometime over the last couple of years. And though that’s a question that might never be answered, what is clear is that if the pre-season’s anything to go by, Hall has certainly lost none of the playing attributes he was defined and largely applauded for, while the Bulldogs themselves look to have finally found the key forward they've been sorely lacking for so many years. Never more so than in last year’s preliminary final against the Saints.
Throughout the pre-season Hall was nothing short of outstanding for the Bulldogs, looking fit and strong as he kicked 17 goals over three excellent games which culminated in a remarkable seven goal, best on field performance in last night’s Grand Final. To be honest, Hall looked unstoppable.
However just as importantly the Bulldogs over the pre-season looked to have surpassed the Saints in tackling intensity and general defensive pressure, thoroughly dominating the Saints in their cherished tackling count last night (67-46), in addition to tackles made forward of centre (38-19) while once again the Bulldogs midfield was able to take the points, having generated ten more inside 50’s than their opponents, commanding the bulk of possession and looking by and large far quicker while committing fewer skill errors than the Saints who once again had an unhealthy reliance on Nick Riewoldt to perform constant heroics. Something to be fair to the Saint’s captain he’s more often than not capable of.
Understandably it is only the pre-season and it will be another six months until we’ll have any sort of answer as to whether the Dogs are on the verging of claiming their second premiership, or in fact set for another agonising final's exit. However what the pre-season has confirmed is that the Bulldogs most definitely have the appearance of a well oiled machine who’ve quite clearly worked tirelessly on both their fitness and tackling intensity over the pre-season, while they’ve just as importantly proved themselves capable of beating the Saints who’ve had their measure over the last few years. More than anything else however the Bulldogs finally have the power forward they’ve waited so desperately long for. Come September they’ll have all boxes ticked and recourse to no more excuses. They may even have their second premiership.
Six months ago the Dogs played St.Kilda in a preliminary final with the Saints winning that night thanks predominantly to one of Nick Riewoldt’s most signature performances (18 touches, 11 marks and 4 of his team’s 9 goals), but also in large part to the Dogs’ own inability to take advantage of a match they for the most part controlled but whose opportunities they were simply unable to convert.
Though the Dogs lost twice to the Saints in last year’s home and away season, quite convincingly on both occasions in fact, the Bulldogs were, by the time the finals came around, a far more cohesive and competent unit than what they’d demonstrated for the bulk of the regular season. In that final against the Saints they were able to prevail in most meaningful statistical categories, even registering more tackles than the Saints, an area St.Kilda’s remarkable 22-3 season was unquestionably defined by. However in addition to its tackling, the Bulldogs also topped the Saints by an incredible 57-40 inside 50 count, a statistical discrepancy which last year alone accounted for a 96% win rate. For the Dogs to have lost by a mere seven points it was quite clear they were lacking just one element. A competent key forward to compliment its midfield supremacy. They now have one.
Barry Hall was acquired last October by the Bulldogs for virtually nothing. Though he came to the Dogs with a reputation which toward the end of his glittering Swans career had be spoiled by acts of stupidity, which were mostly violent in their nature, what was never in doubt was Hall’s ability as a footballer, which in his best form was categorised by a physicality and a commitment to a team ethic which in Sydney was mandatory. After all it was Barry Hall who captained the Swans to their remarkable premiership in 2005, and Barry Hall who kicked more than 600 goals while never operating as a traditional full forward and in a team not noted for its silky and precise movement into its forward line. No, the only real question that the Bulldogs and the general football public had and have of Hall was whether the actual part of Barry's head, which truth be told had always looked a little shaky, had in fact completely dislodged sometime over the last couple of years. And though that’s a question that might never be answered, what is clear is that if the pre-season’s anything to go by, Hall has certainly lost none of the playing attributes he was defined and largely applauded for, while the Bulldogs themselves look to have finally found the key forward they've been sorely lacking for so many years. Never more so than in last year’s preliminary final against the Saints.
Throughout the pre-season Hall was nothing short of outstanding for the Bulldogs, looking fit and strong as he kicked 17 goals over three excellent games which culminated in a remarkable seven goal, best on field performance in last night’s Grand Final. To be honest, Hall looked unstoppable.
However just as importantly the Bulldogs over the pre-season looked to have surpassed the Saints in tackling intensity and general defensive pressure, thoroughly dominating the Saints in their cherished tackling count last night (67-46), in addition to tackles made forward of centre (38-19) while once again the Bulldogs midfield was able to take the points, having generated ten more inside 50’s than their opponents, commanding the bulk of possession and looking by and large far quicker while committing fewer skill errors than the Saints who once again had an unhealthy reliance on Nick Riewoldt to perform constant heroics. Something to be fair to the Saint’s captain he’s more often than not capable of.
Understandably it is only the pre-season and it will be another six months until we’ll have any sort of answer as to whether the Dogs are on the verging of claiming their second premiership, or in fact set for another agonising final's exit. However what the pre-season has confirmed is that the Bulldogs most definitely have the appearance of a well oiled machine who’ve quite clearly worked tirelessly on both their fitness and tackling intensity over the pre-season, while they’ve just as importantly proved themselves capable of beating the Saints who’ve had their measure over the last few years. More than anything else however the Bulldogs finally have the power forward they’ve waited so desperately long for. Come September they’ll have all boxes ticked and recourse to no more excuses. They may even have their second premiership.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Asian Champions League deserves more from Melbourne
In Yesterday’s Age Micheal Lynch wrote a brilliant and much needed piece questioning the Australian attitude toward the Asian Champions League. Not so much from a club perspective, or even from the perspective of die hard football fans in this country, but more so concerning the general public, and to an extent the media, both responsible for the crowd of less than 8,000 people who turned out for Melbourne Victory’s ACL home opener last Tuesday night. The smallest crowd in fact the Melbourne Victory as ever played in front of in more than five years of competition.
Lynch wondered whether the midweek time slot was something not fully yet understood or appreciated by the Australian public, a shame seeing as Australians and Melbournians are said to be sports obsessed. More embarrassing seeing as no such gimmick factor exists in either the U.S, Europe or Latin America regarding elite midweek sports.
Most importantly however it’s Lynch’s own paper which should take a large degree of responsibility for the deplorable crowd last Tuesday night. The Age, and the Herald Sun for that matter, have done very little to promote the Asian Champions League, far and away the largest club competition in the region. In fact prior to the commencement of the tournament neither paper provided any sort of preview for the prestigious and lucrative competition while scores for any of the other games played over the most recent two match days, (with the exception of games involving teams from Australian groups) were nowhere to be found.
I’m willing to accept that it may well take some time for the Asian Champions League to take off in Australia. After all, we waited basically an eternity for the A-League to arrive, while we’re only now starting to witness, to a degree, the kind of coverage our own and ever improving domestic league warrants. So it may well take another five years for the ACL to enter into the everyday vocabulary of Australian sports fans. In the meantime we really do need our own mainstream news sources along with our own apparent sports obsessive city to support it. For after all without the Asian Champions League, the A-League can never really be considered as anything more than a spruced up NSL.
Lynch wondered whether the midweek time slot was something not fully yet understood or appreciated by the Australian public, a shame seeing as Australians and Melbournians are said to be sports obsessed. More embarrassing seeing as no such gimmick factor exists in either the U.S, Europe or Latin America regarding elite midweek sports.
Most importantly however it’s Lynch’s own paper which should take a large degree of responsibility for the deplorable crowd last Tuesday night. The Age, and the Herald Sun for that matter, have done very little to promote the Asian Champions League, far and away the largest club competition in the region. In fact prior to the commencement of the tournament neither paper provided any sort of preview for the prestigious and lucrative competition while scores for any of the other games played over the most recent two match days, (with the exception of games involving teams from Australian groups) were nowhere to be found.
I’m willing to accept that it may well take some time for the Asian Champions League to take off in Australia. After all, we waited basically an eternity for the A-League to arrive, while we’re only now starting to witness, to a degree, the kind of coverage our own and ever improving domestic league warrants. So it may well take another five years for the ACL to enter into the everyday vocabulary of Australian sports fans. In the meantime we really do need our own mainstream news sources along with our own apparent sports obsessive city to support it. For after all without the Asian Champions League, the A-League can never really be considered as anything more than a spruced up NSL.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Real Madrid. Really pathetic
In the last European Summer Real Madrid fired Juande Ramos and hired Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, becoming the club’s eighth manager in seven years. The same administration then proceeded to spend more than a third of a billion dollars (at the height of the Global Financial Crisis) bringing in arguably the world’s two best players in Kaka and Christiano Ronaldo in addition to one of the world's most promising in Karim Benzema. Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa were also secured, as was Valencia’s centre back Raul Albiol, for 15 million Euros, ironically presented with his jumper by a player out for the season with unresolved heart problems.
Today Real were knocked out of the Champions League. The very competition this obscene amount of money was explicitly invested in with the purpose of winning. And knocked out at the Round of 16 at that. For the sixth season in a row Real Madrid have failed to join the final 8 teams in the world's premier club tournament.
How a club, anywhere in the world, and in any sport, can spend that kind of money and still fail is baffling. Disregarding the ethical elements of this question (both socially or on a sports equality level) or the fact of where the shady, Almodovar like character of Florentino Perez (or how any of the other Real stake holders for that matter) get their hands on this kind of money is scary to contemplate. What sports fans however are just as interested in is how a team who already has a host of other seasoned internationals such as Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Guti and of course Raul on its books is unable, at minimum, to advance to the final eight of the European Champion’s League? Not to mention from a club who last season finished a credible second to the all conquering Barcelona in La Liga.
Ruben de la Red, I sympathise with your heart problems. I’m just thankful my own investment in Real wasn’t near the $350 million mark.
Today Real were knocked out of the Champions League. The very competition this obscene amount of money was explicitly invested in with the purpose of winning. And knocked out at the Round of 16 at that. For the sixth season in a row Real Madrid have failed to join the final 8 teams in the world's premier club tournament.
How a club, anywhere in the world, and in any sport, can spend that kind of money and still fail is baffling. Disregarding the ethical elements of this question (both socially or on a sports equality level) or the fact of where the shady, Almodovar like character of Florentino Perez (or how any of the other Real stake holders for that matter) get their hands on this kind of money is scary to contemplate. What sports fans however are just as interested in is how a team who already has a host of other seasoned internationals such as Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Guti and of course Raul on its books is unable, at minimum, to advance to the final eight of the European Champion’s League? Not to mention from a club who last season finished a credible second to the all conquering Barcelona in La Liga.
Ruben de la Red, I sympathise with your heart problems. I’m just thankful my own investment in Real wasn’t near the $350 million mark.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Cavs first to 50 wins
The Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday became the first NBA team this season to register 50 wins, a feat achieved thanks to a 2 point home win against the San Antonio Spurs who smashed the Cavs in the '07 finals. Why is this important? Well firstly it was a victory delivered without LeBron James and with a depleted Cavs front court keeping Tim Duncan to just 13 points and 5 boards. It's doubly important because in the last two seasons the first team to claim their 5oth win has gone onto claim that year's Championship.
The Cavs reaching 5o wins leaves them just 10 short of 60 with just 17 games remaining. Should they get there, and they more than likely will, they will become only the sixth team in the last twenty years to secure back to back 60 win seasons. The previous five to have done this have all gone onto make the finals, with three of those winning the championship.
Chicago '90-91/'91-92
Chicago '95-96/'96-97
Utah '96-97/97-98 (Lost to the Bulls in the finals 2-4)
Dallas '05-06/'06-07 (Led the 06 finals 2-0 against Miami before losing 2-4)
Boston '07-08/'08-09
Cleveland '08-09/'09-10 ?????
Its arguable that Cleveland, a city who's sporting calamities are infamous, will ever experience a more nervous next few months as the Cavs try to win their first NBA championship and help rid the city of one of the longest and most torturous droughts in professional sports history. Failure to do so will no doubt compound the pain which may only be worsened by the departure of the very man who has bought them so far, and has so many believing that this may indeed be their year.
The Cavs reaching 5o wins leaves them just 10 short of 60 with just 17 games remaining. Should they get there, and they more than likely will, they will become only the sixth team in the last twenty years to secure back to back 60 win seasons. The previous five to have done this have all gone onto make the finals, with three of those winning the championship.
Chicago '90-91/'91-92
Chicago '95-96/'96-97
Utah '96-97/97-98 (Lost to the Bulls in the finals 2-4)
Dallas '05-06/'06-07 (Led the 06 finals 2-0 against Miami before losing 2-4)
Boston '07-08/'08-09
Cleveland '08-09/'09-10 ?????
Its arguable that Cleveland, a city who's sporting calamities are infamous, will ever experience a more nervous next few months as the Cavs try to win their first NBA championship and help rid the city of one of the longest and most torturous droughts in professional sports history. Failure to do so will no doubt compound the pain which may only be worsened by the departure of the very man who has bought them so far, and has so many believing that this may indeed be their year.
Melbourne's ACL campaign already in big trouble
Melbourne Victory lost 2-0 last night to seven-time Korean Champions Seongnam Ilhwa leaving Ernie Merrick's side's chances of progressing out of the Asian Champions League Group E hanging by a thread.
For the most part Melbourne were outplayed and outsmarted by their more experienced opponents while the Victory were themselves unable to create any meaningful scoring chances, with a lack of fluidity and imagination highlighting an overly uninspiring display. The poor result further compounded by the other Group E result which saw Beijing Guoan once again victorious, this time in Japan and against Kawasaki Frontale, thanks in large part to another two goals to Australian striker and legitimate World Cup hopeful Joel Griffiths.
And so after two games Melbourne finds their second ACL campaign in serious peril, already six points adrift of the second qualifying spot in their group, with their next game to be played in Japan only three days after the Victory contest their third A-League Grand Final. In addition it will be against the pre-tournament group favourites Kawaskai Frontale, themselves desperate to get their own stuttering ACL campaign back on track.
It all makes for great disappointment as the Victory have yet to replicate their dominance of the domestic game, categorised by a trophy cabinet more cluttered than any of the other Australian clubs and a game style widely considered to be the most attractive and adaptable in the land. One that has this season yielded more than 50 goals, and a season which has already produced Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors and quite possibly its third A-League Championship. In Asia however they've for the most part been stifled and frustrated by teams who have employed games styles much more conducive to group stage, high intensity international football, punctuated by a patience that Melbourne has more often than not lacked. Sydney FC have employed a similar style to great effect in the bulk of their encounters this season against Melbourne, so successfully in fact that it kept Melbourne from this year claiming their third premier's plate and automatic qualification to next year's ACL.
Perhaps Melbourne need only to recall that this season's A-League campaign also started with some significant hiccups when they were mired toward the bottom of the ladder, dealing with an array of injuries, losing at home and routinely conceding the same type of goals they let slip last night against their Korean opponents last night. However back then Merrick was able to change things around, starting with a vigorous reshuffling of his formation which only six months earlier had helped his team claim their second Premiership-Championship double.
The concern however is that the Asian Champions League, unlike the A-League, doesn't afford the luxury of a 27 game fixture to experiment, and in Melbourne's case, set things right. What it means is that for their next ACL game, both itself and Kawaski will be playing an elimination game of sorts.
For the most part Melbourne were outplayed and outsmarted by their more experienced opponents while the Victory were themselves unable to create any meaningful scoring chances, with a lack of fluidity and imagination highlighting an overly uninspiring display. The poor result further compounded by the other Group E result which saw Beijing Guoan once again victorious, this time in Japan and against Kawasaki Frontale, thanks in large part to another two goals to Australian striker and legitimate World Cup hopeful Joel Griffiths.
And so after two games Melbourne finds their second ACL campaign in serious peril, already six points adrift of the second qualifying spot in their group, with their next game to be played in Japan only three days after the Victory contest their third A-League Grand Final. In addition it will be against the pre-tournament group favourites Kawaskai Frontale, themselves desperate to get their own stuttering ACL campaign back on track.
It all makes for great disappointment as the Victory have yet to replicate their dominance of the domestic game, categorised by a trophy cabinet more cluttered than any of the other Australian clubs and a game style widely considered to be the most attractive and adaptable in the land. One that has this season yielded more than 50 goals, and a season which has already produced Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors and quite possibly its third A-League Championship. In Asia however they've for the most part been stifled and frustrated by teams who have employed games styles much more conducive to group stage, high intensity international football, punctuated by a patience that Melbourne has more often than not lacked. Sydney FC have employed a similar style to great effect in the bulk of their encounters this season against Melbourne, so successfully in fact that it kept Melbourne from this year claiming their third premier's plate and automatic qualification to next year's ACL.
Perhaps Melbourne need only to recall that this season's A-League campaign also started with some significant hiccups when they were mired toward the bottom of the ladder, dealing with an array of injuries, losing at home and routinely conceding the same type of goals they let slip last night against their Korean opponents last night. However back then Merrick was able to change things around, starting with a vigorous reshuffling of his formation which only six months earlier had helped his team claim their second Premiership-Championship double.
The concern however is that the Asian Champions League, unlike the A-League, doesn't afford the luxury of a 27 game fixture to experiment, and in Melbourne's case, set things right. What it means is that for their next ACL game, both itself and Kawaski will be playing an elimination game of sorts.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Let's stop pretending the pre-season doesn't matter
The media tells us so, the tv commentators try to play things down, the clubs certainly do and the coaches make no doubt about it. Even the fans do, particularly so when their teams are knocked out early. It seems everyone's in on the idea of insisting that winning the pre-season competition isn't a priority and that the sole purpose of the NAB Cup is getting crucial yards into their players in addition to seeing what their newest draftees are capable of prior to the commencement of the 'real stuff.'
However surely now that the Bulldogs and the Saints have come this far, and certainly considering these two sides battled out a fierce preliminary final only six months ago, and are sure to meet in meaningful encounters over the coming months, there's no way that both clubs won't be going all out to win this Saturday night. Just as much as they will be when they start their premiership campaigns a couple of weeks later.
Both St.Kilda and the Western Bulldogs are candidates for the most tortured professional sporting clubs in Australia. They harbour just two premierships between them with their only flags arriving in 1954 and 1966. Along with the Demons they are stranded with the longest premiership droughts in the league and in the case of the Saints and the Dogs are not only desperate to change this fact around, but are this season genuine contenders to do so. Winning the NAB cup this weekend would be ideal for either team.
Despite so many doomsayers, the pre-season competition, at least over the last twenty years, has given us a good indication of what might follow. In fact eight of the last twenty winners of the pre-season have either gone onto to win that year's premiership, contest that year's grand final or at least be alive come preliminary final weekend. Winning the pre-season cup was imperative for North Melbourne in '95 for the ensuing premierships they claimed in '96 and '99. The Saints won the pre-season tournament in '96 and a year later made their first 'real' grand final in 26 years when they started favourites and lost to the Crows. Port Adelaide won back to back pre-season tournaments in '01 and '02 before they were able to win their club's first ever flag in '04, while Geelong, (a club not so long ago with the same stigma as the Saints and Dogs) had to get the monkey off their back by winning the pre-season in '06 before they could take the AFL by storm and claim the real thing in '07 and '09.
Winning's a habit and standing atop a podium and being presented with a cup, albeit one that's given out in March, is something that's neither easy or something that should be taken for granted. Rather for clubs who don't have 15 or 16 premierships, clubs precisely like the Dogs and the Saints, and previously the Kangaroos and Geelong, the pre-season really should be seen as an apprenticeship that needs to be served before winning the real thing.
However surely now that the Bulldogs and the Saints have come this far, and certainly considering these two sides battled out a fierce preliminary final only six months ago, and are sure to meet in meaningful encounters over the coming months, there's no way that both clubs won't be going all out to win this Saturday night. Just as much as they will be when they start their premiership campaigns a couple of weeks later.
Both St.Kilda and the Western Bulldogs are candidates for the most tortured professional sporting clubs in Australia. They harbour just two premierships between them with their only flags arriving in 1954 and 1966. Along with the Demons they are stranded with the longest premiership droughts in the league and in the case of the Saints and the Dogs are not only desperate to change this fact around, but are this season genuine contenders to do so. Winning the NAB cup this weekend would be ideal for either team.
Despite so many doomsayers, the pre-season competition, at least over the last twenty years, has given us a good indication of what might follow. In fact eight of the last twenty winners of the pre-season have either gone onto to win that year's premiership, contest that year's grand final or at least be alive come preliminary final weekend. Winning the pre-season cup was imperative for North Melbourne in '95 for the ensuing premierships they claimed in '96 and '99. The Saints won the pre-season tournament in '96 and a year later made their first 'real' grand final in 26 years when they started favourites and lost to the Crows. Port Adelaide won back to back pre-season tournaments in '01 and '02 before they were able to win their club's first ever flag in '04, while Geelong, (a club not so long ago with the same stigma as the Saints and Dogs) had to get the monkey off their back by winning the pre-season in '06 before they could take the AFL by storm and claim the real thing in '07 and '09.
Winning's a habit and standing atop a podium and being presented with a cup, albeit one that's given out in March, is something that's neither easy or something that should be taken for granted. Rather for clubs who don't have 15 or 16 premierships, clubs precisely like the Dogs and the Saints, and previously the Kangaroos and Geelong, the pre-season really should be seen as an apprenticeship that needs to be served before winning the real thing.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
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