A-League Season Preview- Adelaide

The A-League off-season was dominated by the signings of Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton to Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC respectively however there’s a good argument that it was Adelaide who did more to upgrade their roster than either of the two glamour clubs.

The extended lay-off began ominously for Adelaide when Matthew Leckie packed his bags for Germany, and got worse when reigning player of the year Marcos Flores left to take up a lucrative offer in Asia.

As deflating as both losses were, coach Rini Coolen wasted no time feeling sorry for himself and instead embarked on a dramatic and comprehensive revitalisation of the club.

The first major change took place in the brains department, with Coolen bringing in former Wellington tactical chief Luciano Trani as his right hand man at the expense of Phil Stubbins.

Coolen’s lack of sentiment was extended to captain Travis Dodd, who wasn’t offered a new deal as well as Lucas Pantelis who was released to Wellington.

Paul Reid’s public desire to join Sydney’s Asian Champions League campaign resulted in his exit from the club while Adam Hughes was also shown the door, joining Dodd in Perth.

In a little over twelve months Coolen’s imprint on Adelaide has been as overwhelming as any manager in the league, with the Reds doubtlessly better for it.

Adelaide enters the new season with a midfield now predicated around Uruguayan Francisco Usucar and recent Ukrainian import Evgeniy Levchenko.

Former Gold Coast player Zeno Caravella will assist Ususcar and Levchenko as well as operating as an excellent conduit between the midfield and strikers.

It’s however up-front where the bulk of Coolen’s renovation is most apparent and which the Adelaide top brass have invested so heavily in.

Bruce Djite and Dario Vidosic represent significant inclusions into an Adelaide team already boasting the pedigree of last season’s Golden Boot winner, Sergio van Dijk.

Both Djite and Vidosic started their careers in the A-League before taking their talents aboard.

Though neither exactly lit up their teams in Turkey and Germany respectively, both remain strong Socceroo candidates who importantly are capable of operating as both strikers and creators.

The Reds defence also had a make-over of sorts with fringe Socceroo Jon McKain returning to Australia. As will as being made captain he'll slot into the centre of defence alongside the promising Daniel Mullen.

Adelaide shapes as a serious contender this season after falling away quite drastically last campaign while it’s worth remembering that before Brisbane took all before them it was Adelaide who set the league alight in the initial stages.

The Reds went undefeated in their first 11 games last season, netting 20 times in the process before their campaign ran out of steam and ended with a premature semi-final exit at the hands of the Gold Coast.

Coolen will be demanding and expecting a more protracted period of excellence this time around.

Prediction

Internally Adelaide will be hoping for a top two position to both challenge for silverware and to be in prime position to return to Champions League football.

They boast one of the deepest and most versatile squads in the competition along with some exciting young talent coming through.

With that in mind there’s no reason to think the Reds will be anything but one of the league’s strongest outfits this campaign.

Who'll be the A-League's next poster boy?

When Matt McKay signed for Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers, Brisbane Roar not only lost their inspirational leader and most dynamic midfielder, but the A-League also lost their poster boy.

McKay’s six years at Brisbane demonstrated precisely what can be gained from playing in the Australian game.

He developed an incredibly aerobic capacity, grew exponentially as a leader and developed his game technically to the point that he’s now an integral part of the Socceroos.

His absence will be sorely missed.

Granted, the recent signings of Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton have given the league an almighty boost that will hopefully resonate long beyond their respective playing tenures, however, in losing McKay, the A-League said goodbye to an element neither Kewell nor Emerton can bring.

As phenomenal as those signing were, they don’t necessarily provide the strongest endorsement to the standard the league has graduated to without them.

And while their presences will surely elevate the Australian game to an even higher level, the league could do worse by continually promoting the Australian players yet to leave these shores. Those who for the moment at least feel comfortable that the A-League can take their games, like McKay’s, to the very pinnacle of their potential.

There’s no shortage of Australian talent still playing in Australia who have either resisted international overtures or whose game will soon attract such interest.

Moreover, there are Australian players in this league, like McKay, who will surely remain on Holger Osieck’s Socceroo radar.

Here’s a list comprised of ten players who could be candidates to usurp McKay’s poster boy status – to carry the flame for all that’s excellent about the A-League.

Before, however, a brief criteria needs to be established. A clause if you will, which indicates why the likes of Oliver Bozanic, Eugene Galekovic, Zenon Caravella and Dario Vidosic can’t qualify.

Essentially, all left Australia at some point to pursue a possible European move. And though none of those names can be criticised for leaving – we’re in fact immeasurably blessed to have each back – they don’t have the organic element of the McKay story which underpins this exercise.

The list:

Andrew Durante (Wellington)

A-League championship winner with Newcastle in 2008, Durante’s brilliance and defensive solidity is somewhat masked by the relative obscurity of playing for Wellington.

The 2008 Joe Marsten medal winner was immediately made captain upon his arrival in New Zealand and has hardly missed a match since.

With over 100 A-League appearances, a position within the Socceroo back four shouldn’t be out of the question considering the age of Osieck’s preferred central pairing of Lucas Neill and Sasa Ognenovski.

Though Durante, 29, is yet to represent Australia at any level, such a feat is by no means beyond reach when you consider McKay and Ognenovski made their debuts at 27 and 31 respectively.

Matt Thompson (Melbourne Heart)

Thompson, like McKay possesses all the qualities which propelled McKay’s game to such an esteemed level.

Having just turned 29 and with over 150 A-League appearances- an A-league record- Thompson would be the most logical candidate to take over McKay’s poster boy mantle.

His versatility and leadership qualities were the key tenants behind Melbourne Heart making the former Newcastle captain their inaugural signing.

Thompson performed admirably in Melbourne’s debut season often filling in at centre back as well his preferred central midfield location.

Thompson’s also capable of operating as a creative midfielder scoring 19 times during his five seasons at the Jets.

He’ll likely be used in a more advanced role this season thanks to the signing of Argentinean midfielder Jonathan Germano and the stability of proven Heart midfielders such as Nick Kalmar and Wayne Shroj.

Alex Wilkinson (Central Coast)

Along with Durante it’s hard to think of a central defender over the six previous A-League seasons who’s been more consistent and reliable than Alex Wilkinson.

Only Matt Thompson has suited up for more A-League games than the Mariners captain who’s been a mainstay of Central Coast’s defence having reprasented the club in all three of their grand final appearances.

Wilkinson’s a fearless leader who like McKay sets a strong example both on and off the pitch.

A potential Socceroo birth for Wilkinson remains alive, despite the 27-year-old not wearing the green and gold since junior representation almost 10 years ago.

Stuart Musialik (Central Coast)

Capped more than 30 times for Australia at junior level, recent Central Coast addition Stuart Musialik has been lost in the contemporary Socceroo landscape.

Having recently turned 26, Musialik certainly has time on his side while his move to Gosford will hopefully reinvigorate the talented Novocastrian.

Like former Jets teammate Matt Thompson, Musialik primarily operates as a central midfielder however he’s been used in a variety of roles over his more than 100 A-League appearances.

Musialik was a vital element in Newcastle’s 2008 premiership team before a big money move to Sydney where he was once again instrumental in helping the Sky Blues claim the 2010 crown.

Matt Simon (Central Coast)

Simon would certainly qualify as the most suspect member of the group though it’s often forgotten that the ginger-haired centre forward has represented Australia at both junior and senior level.

Despite being absent from the current Socceroo calculations, one thinks if he keeps scoring goals Osieck may have no other choice but to bring him in for another go.

At just 25, Simon has scored more than 30 goals in all competitions for the Mariners (25 in his past three seasons) which places him in the top five scorers amongst active A-League players.

With the Mariners having strengthed their midfield with the signing of Musialik along with the temporary retention of Mustafa Amini, Simon should continue his impressive goal scoring form.

Jason Hoffman (Melbourne Heart)

At over six feet tall, Jason Hoffman continually shapes as the kind of front-man who’s ready to explode in the A-League.

Remarkably, Hoffman’s the fourth player on this list to have tasted championship success with the Newcastle in the 2008 grand final, though it must be said Hoffman’s career has stagnated somewhat since.

Despite being one of Melbourne’s inaugural signings, Hoffman played fleetingly in the Heart’s debut season managing just a dozen games and failing to trouble the scorers.

Despite his lack of game time there remains a buzz concerning the 22-year-old and with the retirements of John Aloisi and Gerald Sibon, now seems the ideal time for the Newcastle product to really make a name for himself in the Australian game.

And if the pre-season is any guide, Hoffman stands in good stead having scored a remarkable 17 times against an eclectic mix of opposition teams, as well as netting a handful of times for the Olyroos during the Australian winter.

Mitch Nichols (Brisbane Roar)

At just 22 Mitch Nichols has already strung together 75 games for the all conquering Roar, netting no less than 12 times along the way.

A perennial representative at junior level, Nichols will surely have some role to play with the Socceroos with the question of when rather than if being most pertinent.

Nichols will likely have a much more pronounced and responsible role to play both on and off the pitch for Brisbane in the wake of McKay’s departure, with the way he’ll handle such a transition sure to be closely monitored by Osieck and the relevant Socceroo top brass.

The only stumbling block in the way of Nichols immediately taking over McKay’s poster boy status will be how long the Gold Coast product intends to stay in Australia with international overtures doubtlessly already having come his way.

Marko Jesic (Newcastle)

Another Western Sydney product, Marko Jesic shapes as an ideal Socceroos prospect, perfectly encompassing the modern ideal of the low centre of gravity, highly skilled, adaptable player capable of scoring of goals.

It’s a skill set which has seen Jesic not only become a key component of the Olyroos campaign for London, but a mantle which has seen the 22-year-old already become the most integral ingredient of a Newcastle front line in serious transition.

Jesic’s true capability in the A-League has yet to be fully realised having already blown out both of his knees restricting him to just 36 A-League appearances.

Kofi Danning (Brisbane)

Along with Mitch Nichols, Ghanaian-born Danning is the only non New South Wales-born player on this list.

And he’s here not on exposed and consistent A-League form, but because of the sublime potential he has.

Danning’s best can be spellbinding as often demonstrated as a teenager at Sydney FC and for the Joeys however his recent output has been less than satisfactory.

Danning’s performances at the recent under-20 World Cup in Colombia left a lot to be desired while he cobbled together just 12 games for a poor Sydney team last campaign contributing neither a single goal or assist.

Danning’s off-season move to Ange Postecoglou’s Brisbane will hopefully unleash the talent clearly bubbling on the surface as too will perhaps more consistent game time which may come his way as a result of the departures of McKay, Kosta Barbarouses and Jean Carlos Solarzano.

Ben Kantarovski (Newcastle)

Kantarovski signed a professional contract with Newcastle at just 15 and won Newcastle’s player of the year award before turning 18.

In short time he’s emerged as Newcastle’s most important player, more so now with the long term injury status of Jason Culina.

At six-feet tall, Kantarovski shapes as the idea central midfielder or defensive option. He recently captained the under-20 Australian team at the World Cup in Colombia with the team comprehensively falling apart when he aggravated a knee injury in the tournament opener.

Still a teenager, Kantarovski has already represented Australia almost 40 times at junior level while it wouldn’t surprise if he finds himself with a ticket to Brazil should the Socceroos qualify for the World Cup in 2014.

Cahill's benching isn't cause for concern

Somewhat dampening the excellent result enjoyed by the Socceroos against Saudi Arabia in Dammam last week was the reaction in some quarters to the presence of Tim Cahill on the bench.

The Saudi match indeed presented a marked improvement by the Australians whose opening World Cup Qualifier against Thailand demonstrated few of the qualities that took Holger Osieck’s team to the Asian Cup final in January.

For the Saudi match, Osieck fiddled with the team’s formation and composition to affect a game plan which was far more midfield and centrally-orientated.

Matt McKay switched to the midfield from left-back, Mile Jedinak returned to the starting line-up while most importantly Brett Holman operated as a shadow striker of sorts, functioning behind Josh Kennedy who scored twice.

The changes were employed to add steel and sharpness in midfield, as well as mitigating the stream of mindless crosses which characterised the Thailand victory.

For some, however, the fact Tim Cahill wasn’t utilised overshadowed what was in effect a brilliant display by Osieck’s charges.

It demonstrated the Socceroos are capable of beating the biggest teams in Asia, with or without the team’s most accomplished players such as Cahill or Harry Kewell.

Indeed Cahill’s temporary omission from the Socceroos starting eleven caused mild hysteria among some pundits who went so far as to question whether Osieck still has plans for the Everton-based player through to the World Cup in 2014.

Furthermore, and equally ludicrous, was the charge that Cahill and Kennedy are perhaps incapable of operating up front together.

To be fair, the Cahill/Kennedy combination against Thailand bore little fruit, however to suggest their combination was the chief factor contributing to the team’s laboured performance in Brisbane is folly.

Rather the duo’s lack of production against the ‘War Elephants’ had little to do with either’s ability to compliment each other’s games, but rather plenty to do with the truckload of crosses sent their way.

That Thailand’s defenders were prepared for the tactic was hardly surprising. That it failed to discourage the Socceroos from sending in more than 50 efforts was surely more worthy of examination and intrigue.

For the Saudi fixture Osieck sort to rid the mistakes of Brisbane and opted for a formation motivated by midfield possession against a team supposedly considered more capable than Thailand and in a hostile environment with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees.

For that specific match, against that specific team and in those specific conditions, Osieck went for a more narrow approach which succeeded in maximising the space afforded to the team’s sole striker, in this case Kennedy.

It was a move that worked to great effect and reduced the tendency to cross it in at the first opportunity.

In this respect, Osieck’s game-plan worked remarkably well. If such a move however casts doubt on Cahill’s green and gold prospects, than I’ve missed something.

Tim Cahill’s benching was neither punishment for a sub-standard showing against Thailand nor does it foretell an immediate Socceroo future which won’t require his premium services.

The Socceroos performance in Dammam should have been celebrated as a resounding success where not only was the coach able to demonstrate his tactical acumen, but to also prove there’s more to the Socceroos attack than Cahill and Kewell – the very issue which was most pressing in the wake of last year’s early World Cup exit.

Cahill will likely play a major role in the upcoming friendly against Malaysia as well as the third Qualifier against Oman. Indeed Kewell won’t be too far behind him either.

However in the meantime Osieck reserves the right to experiment with the squad and the formation, and to continually develop contingency plans for the variety of teams scheduled across the qualifying campaign, and hopefully into the Socceroo’s third straight World Cup.

For sure, sporting personalities shouldn’t be immune from serious analysis or speculation.

However we really should be spared the histrionics where something as bogus as Cahill’s Socceroo future is concerned, at a time where there really is plenty to be celebrating.

NFL 2011- AFC Preview

The AFC has dominated gridiron proceedings over the last decade, bringing home no less than seven Super Bowls.

All the while decent, ten win type teams routinely missed out on post-season play purely because there weren’t enough spots to go around.

The power balance has somewhat shifted in recent years with the NFC bringing home the bacon the last two seasons running.

However, AFC standard bearers Pittsburgh and New England along with upstarts Baltimore and the New York Jets have re-booted their rosters, as too have perennial bridesmaids San Diego, giving the impression that the brief supremacy enjoyed by the NFC may already be under threat.

AFC NORTH

Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens have comprehensively dominated this division in recent years sharing no less than eight of the past nine division titles. Meanwhile there’s little that minnows Cleveland and Cincinnati have done to suggest that ascendancy won’t continue.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most impressive franchises in all of US sports. They’ve an air-tight philosophy which preaches defence, a strong running game and consistent quarterback play by Ben Roethlisberger. In recent years such pillars have held the Steelers in good stead as they’ve contested three of the past six 6 Super Bowls, winning two along the way.

The Ravens, as always, will be right on Pittsburgh’s heels, and like Atlanta in the NFC, have drafted in some weapons on offence to compliment the extremely reliable arm of Joe Flacco. Last year the Ravens traded in former Arizona wide-out Anquain Boldin who contributed strongly to an improved passing game while this year they’ve added former Buffalo Bill Lee Evans who’ll provide a consistent down-field threat. To show how serious the Ravens were on offense they used two of the first four draft selections on receivers while also bringing in veteran running-back Ricky Williams to assist Ray Rice in the back field.

Where Cleveland and Cincinnati are concerned the only pertinent question is whether either of these franchises will be good enough to pull off any more than 6 wins- a feat the Browns have accomplished just once in their past eight seasons.

DIVISION TIP: Baltimore
WILD CARD CHANCE: Pittsburgh

AFC EAST

Like the North, the AFC’s East appears to be a match in two with New England and the New York Jets expected to tussle for the crown.

The Patriots and mastermind coach Bill Belichick have been as active as always in their efforts to improve their roster, recently adding resident NFL lunatic Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson as well as the equally mentally unstable Albert Haynesworth.

The Jets have also been busy in the off-season, matching the Patriots where controversy is concerned by granting former Giant wide-receiver and recent convict Plaxico Buress a second chance. The Jets also bought in 37-year old Derrick Mason as another weapon for Mark Sanchez’ often-times wonky arm.

The Jets strength however remains its predatory defence and powerful running game which last season ranked as the second most prolific unit in the NFL behind Kansas City.

Although many feel the Patriots to be Super Bowl favourites the Jets are one team to have consistently troubled their bitter rivals in recent years, winning four of their encounters in recent years. In addition it’s the Jets who have contested the last two AFC championship games and not the Patriots who haven’t appeared in the AFC title game since their barnstorming 2007 season.

The Miami Dolphins are the clear third pick here and if not for residing in one of NFL’s most challenging divisions, they’d perhaps be considered a play-off chance. The Dolphins can boast a consistently good, play-off calibre defence though their offence is highly suspect. Quarterback Chad Henne was repeatedly booed by fans throughout training camp, though some relief arrived when former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was traded in to assist their struggling ground game.

The less said about the Buffalo Bills the better. A play-off drought now in its 12th year and a defence which last year gave up astonishing 2,700 yards on the ground says just about everything we need to know. Anything but a last place divisional finish would be a mighty surprise.

DIVISION TIP: New York Jets
WILD CARD CHANCE: New England

AFC SOUTH

Unlike the other seven divisions in the NFL, the AFC South has been about two names for the best part of the last twelve years; Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Play-offs in 11 of their past 12 seasons, eight divisional crowns and a Super Bowl to boot, the Colts have been the talking point where the South is concerned. And form a player perspective there’s few bigger names in the NFL than Peyton Manning who’s collected four league MVP awards while not missing a single game since being drafted in 1998.

The natural order of the division is however under threat largely because of degenerative neck problem Peyton Manning was recently been diagnosed with. It’s an injury which threatens to derail the Colts season and which is being treated so seriously the Colts recently coaxed veteran quarterback Kerry Collins out of retirement as insurance for Manning.

The Houston Texans are the popular pick to unseat the Colts should Manning not return.

To do so Houston simply must improve its porous defence which was positively scorched though the air last season, giving up more than 4,200 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.

To Houston’s credit they’ve reacted strongly by hiring Wade Phillips to run the defence with the former Cowboys head coach already promising to overhaul the Texans by implementing a 3-4 defensive scheme which should improve their pass defence, but which may mitigate the effectiveness and sack potential of Mario Williams.

The Tennessee Titans were once a worthy advisory of the Colts however the Nashville-based team are now in a period of significant transition having axed long-time head coach Jeff Fisher as well as trading out Vince Young to the Eagles.

Tennessee have bought in former Seattle quarterback Matt Hasslebeck to groom top pick, Jake Locker, however the Titan’s predominant strength remains its running game which is led by Chris Johnson who’s amassed an incredible 5,500 all purpose yards in his first three season of NFL football.

With some luck, coupled with a relatively easy schedule the Titans could surprise this season, though like Houston, must sharply improve its defence.

A dark cloud hangs over the small-market Jacksonville Jaguars who’ve failed in recent years to generate much local enthusiasm and which has continually seem them linked with a possible relocation to Los Angeles. In the meantime the Jaguars have struggled on the field winning just 20 games over the past three seasons, down from more than 30 over the three prior. A winning season would be considered something of a surprise in Jacksonville this year.

DIVISION PICK: Indianapolis
WILD CARD CHANCE: Houston

AFC WEST

In recent years this division has proven the most deceptive in the NFL with the San Diego Charges perpetual favourites but who’ve inevitably found themselves in trouble due to their habitually slow starts to seasons. Last year they were unable to make up for their 2-5 start and conceded their divisional crown to Kansas City for the first time since 2005.

This season the Charges are expected to reclaim their title and progress deep in the play-offs largely due to a more settled roster thanks to the full-time return of wide-out Vincent Jackson. The Charges have also been granted a much kinder schedule and are entitled to feel extremely comfortable in the hands of standout quarterback Philip Rivers. Last year the hyper-active front-man and MVP contender threw for more yards than any other player in the NFL and tossed more than 30 touchdowns for the second time in his career.

The Kansas City Chiefs turned a 4-12 season into a division title last year on the back of an inspired running game which was the NFL’s most durable and explosive. Meanwhile Matt Cassel threw just seven interceptions all season while making excellent use of the highly talented Dwayne Bowe who caught more than half of Cassel’s touchdown passes.

If the Charges once again fall asleep in the early weeks, expect the Chiefs to take advantage once again despite not playing consecutive years of post-season football since the mid 90s.

The Oakland Raiders were one of the most improved teams last season and like the Chiefs made strong strides largely on the back of a solid running game and limited turnovers from quarterback Jason Campbell. Oakland has made a change at coach, promoting former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to take over from Tom Cable. They’ve an easy draw and would expect another strong season.

It’s been a sorry fall from grace for the Denver Broncos winning just 4 games last campaign and missing the play-offs for the fifth straight season.

The Broncos have installed former Carolina head honcho John Fox as head coach however he’s sure to find life tough in the Mile High city with innumerable holes which need plugging. Chief among his concerns will be resolving a comical quarterback situation which is currently being fought on three fronts.

On a more positive note the Broncos did land Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller with the number two pick in the draft, a player each and every ESPN expert have nominated as their probable defensive rookie of the year.

DIVISION PICK: San Diego
WILD CARD CHANCE: Kansas City

Predicted AFC seedings following the regular season: Baltimore, New York Jets, San Diego, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, New England.

Conference Championship Game: Baltimore over New York.

Super Bowl prediction: In what promises to be yet another engrossing NFL season I’m going with a Philadelphia-Baltimore spectacular. At this early stage, and based on Philly’s extremely impressive signings, I’m going with the Eagles.

NFL 2011- NFC Preview

For the first time in fourteen years the NFC won back to back Super Bowls on the back of an incredible Green Bay team who snuck into the play-offs courtesy of a wildcard.

The Packers will open the new season on Friday when they host New Orleans, winners of the previous Super Bowl.

NFC North

The Super Bowl champion Packers should feel comfortable as favourites to not only win the division but to potentially go back to back as world champs.

They’ve made minimal changes to their roster, host a second place schedule and can boast one of the NFL’s most balanced teams.

Chicago took this division by storm last campaign, won a heap of close matches and ended up clinching home field advantage for the playoffs.

The Bears however are expected to slide (not one of ESPN’s 12 experts have them returning to the playoffs) largely due to a tough schedule and a highly suspect offensive line that gave up no less than 52 sacks last season.

Their offense has been upgraded with the addition of wide receiver Roy Williams who’ll instantly become Jay Cutler’s primary target.

This division will be rounded out by both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit. The Vikings’ season completely imploded last year which culminated in their stadium literally falling apart.

It was indeed a spectacular fall from a grace from a team who contested the conference championship the season prior.

They’ve a new coach in promoted defensive coordinator Lesie Frazier along with the addition of veteran quarterback Donavan McNabb.

Improvement is expected from the perennially awful Lions who’ll be aiming to use their undefeated pre-season as a springboard to avoiding their 12th straight year without playoffs.

Division Pick – Green Bay
Wild Card Chance – Chicago

NFC East

The Philadelphia Eagles were unquestionably the story of the NFL’s off-season with frenetic activity during free agency inviting comparisons to the NBA’s Miami Heat.

The Eagles have comprehensively bolstered their roster which hopes to be able to progress deep into the play-offs this campaign. Quarterback Michael Vick recently signed a huge contract extension on the back of a stellar season which saw him nearly nab the league’s MVP award.

The New York Giants and the Eagles have been the cornerstones of this division for some time and I don’t expect the pecking order to change.

If the Giants however are to top the Eagles they’ll need Eli Manning to hold his horses where ball release is concerned. The Giants quarterback threw an NFL-high 25 interceptions last season, completely offsetting the career high 31 touchdowns he was good enough to toss.

I have little faith in the Dallas Cowboys making too much of an imprint of the NFL this season.

Despite quarterback Tony Romo suiting up for just six games last year and the requisite pre-season good will which arrives before every Cowboys season, Dallas simply have too many areas which it must improve sharply in; Chiefly their pass defence which gave up a whopping, NFL-worst 33 passing touchdowns last season.

The Redskins, recipients of routine Cowboys-like pre-season hype, will likely struggle once again.

Division Pick – Philadelphia
Wild Card Chance – New York Giants

NFC South

This strange division has not only shown itself to be the NFC’s most consistently good- its sent 6 teams to the past 9 NFC championships games- but has also shown itself to be a remarkably inconsistent division, with not a single team repeating as champion since its inception ten years ago.

Such a stat doesn’t bode well for the incumbent Atlanta Falcons who on paper at least appear to have a team capable of bucking the trend.

The Falcons have invested everything into this season, trading aggressively to bring in elite rookie receiver and former Alabama wide-out, Julio Jones.

He’ll compliment Matt Ryan’s passing game perfectly along with a consistently strong running game led by Michael Turner. On defence the Falcons have recruited former Viking defensive-end Ray Edwards who’s amassed 30 sacks in his first five seasons of pro football.

What’s not in Atlanta’s favour is one of the league’s most challenging schedules which pits them against four play-off teams in their first five games.

The New Orleans Saints are the obvious pretenders to Atlanta’s crown however there’s some serious questions of this team who became decidedly one dimensional last season.

They had little production form their running game which ranked just 28th in the league while their defence came up with just 9 interceptions, significantly down from the 26 they produced in their Super bowl season a year earlier.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers produced one of the more surprising seasons last year winning 10 games, up from 3 the previous year.

They got excellent production from quarterback Josh Freeman who tossed just 6 interceptions in his sophomore season, down from his rookie output of 18.

While playoffs would be an internal expectation for Raheem Morris’ team, continued improvement and another winning season would be viewed as huge gain within an always difficult division. Carolina appears to be the weakest team here and have made some serious changes on and off the field.

Head coach John Fox has left for Denver, replaced by defensive guru Ron Rivera. Top pick from the National Draft and former Auburn Tiger, Cam Newton, is expected to be the team’s starting quarterback.

Division Pick – Atlanta
Wild Card Chance – New Orleans, Tampa Bay

NFC West

Welcome to the worst division in US pro sports. Last season the division’s top seed Seattle qualified for post season play with just 7 victories- 3 less than Tampa Bay and New York who both missed the play-offs.

There’s little to suggest any of the combatants will consistently challenge anyone outside their division. For what it’s worth my pick goes to the Arizona Cardinals predominantly because they’re the most consistent out of this bunch and have strengthened their quarterback situation by bringing in former Eagle, Kevin Kolb.

Most importantly Arizona re-signed perhaps the NFL’s best receiver in Larry Fitzgerald, however significant improvement is needed from a running game which ranked dead last in the NFL last season.

The St Louis Rams may loom as the biggest threat to Arizona on the back of a good season by rookie quarterback Sam Bradford who threw for a highly respectable 3,500 yards in his debut year. The Rams haven’t however seen post-season play in seven years.

The Seattle Seahawks are in a similar position to their divisional foes while a repeat crown wouldn’t exactly shock.

They’ve made same major changes to their roster which boasts a distinct Minnesota feel with former Vikings’ Tavaris Jackson and Sidney Rice expected to fill the quarterback and primary wide receiver roles respectively.

Seattle had the league’s least productive rushing game last season and will need to rely on Marshawn Lynch returning to some of the form he displayed in his first two seasons in Buffalo.

San Francisco remain one of the league’s perpetual disappointments although its hoped former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh will be able to restore some credibility to this once-great franchise.

Division Pick – Arizona

Predicted NFC seedings following the regular season – Philadelphia, Atlanta, Green Bay, Arizona, New Orleans, Chicago

Conference Championship Game – Philadelphia over Atlanta.

Tomorrow- AFC preview and Superbowl selection.

Dogs must pay a visit to the Butcher

On Monday, Mark Robinson of the Herald Sun reported that four Melbourne-based clubs had shown an active interest in luring Port Adelaide’s John Butcher back to Victoria. The Western Bulldogs were not among them.

In a season which clearly didn’t meet expectations, cost Rodney Eade his job, confirmed Barry Hall’s retirement and looks likely to claim Callan Ward, the Bulldogs ought to be active in the market where out of contract and disgruntled players are concerned.

As disappointing as Ward’s imminent departure is, the Dogs simply can’t afford a woe-is-me approach during what’s an extremely delicate period for the club.

Chief among priorities for the Bulldogs this off season - along with finding a coach- is securing the services of someone capable of fulfilling the power-forward vacuum which for too long has been the Dogs' millstone.

Talk surrounding John Butcher, regardless of its authenticity, is understandable and will remain vibrant until he inks another deal with Port.

Butcher is from Maffra in Central Gippsland. He’s currently part of a Port team seemingly going nowhere fast while his family has expressed a strong desire for him to return home.

Adding to the intrigue is the fact Butcher’s present contract is set to expire; he’s a former top ten pick, whose last three games have been scintillating.

He’s kicked ten goals in his last two games, and is averaging 3.3 contested marks per match, a figure only Travis Cloke can claim supremacy over.

That there would be at least four Melbourne teams acutely interested in the 197cm Butcher is hardly surprising.

That the Western Bulldogs aren’t apparently one of them is baffling.

The Dogs have been crying out for a key forward/goal-kicking option for the last twenty years. An arrival came in the form of Barry Hall, however, his time at the Bulldogs was fleeting and as brilliant as it was, didn’t culminate in a long sort after premiership.

In the meantime, the only key forward to really take genuine strides at the Dogs has been Liam Jones whose sophomore year has been excellent.

He’s operated as a true centre half forward, missed just two games and collected a team high of 43 contested marks, bettered by only four players in the competition.

Jones hasn’t however seriously troubled the scorers this season with Hall and Daniel Giansiracusa preferred inside 50 options. With the former set to play his final game this weekend and Giansiracusa well and truly in the twilight of his career, the Dogs’ forward setup looks as precarious as it was before they landed Hall.

Outside of Big Barry and Giansiracusa, the Bulldogs have had little return from players supposedly equipped to be target men; Jarrad Grant’s form has been patchy, Ayce Cordy’s still extremely raw while Jordan Roughead looks far more adept in the ruck than when operating as a forward.

Most alarming is that the Bulldogs are the only team in the competition to have just one player (Jones) to have taken more than 20 contested marks this season, while only Sydney and the Gold Coast have taken fewer total marks.

Damning statistics and evidence that when it comes to big bodies up forward, the Bulldogs are sorely lacking.

It was reported that in the Dogs’ efforts to keep Callan Ward, they were prepared to part with $1.3 million dollars, spread over three seasons.

Small fry in comparison to the money being offered by the Western Sydney Giants, but proof nonetheless that the Bulldogs indeed have the capacity to get their hands on some serious money where player spending is concerned.

Such money now needs to stay on the table in pursuit of a key forward.

Not that all that money should be offered to Butcher, a veteran of just four senior games, however the Bulldogs simply have to be active in the trading period and must wholeheartedly investigate finding a long-term solution to their power forward dilemma.

At just 20, it’s far too much an ask to expect Liam Jones to carry the forward line by himself.

John Butcher may well stay in Port Adelaide, after all they drafted and nursed him through some serious back injuries in his rookie season. However if clubs are to be linked with him, then the Bulldogs simply must be among the suitors.

In addition, the Bulldogs should be front and square in any conversation regarding want-away Brisbane Lion Mitch Clark.

They’ve nothing to lose by enquiring about Geelong’s Tom Hawkins or even Essendon’s injury-plagued Scott Gumbleton. Jarryd Roughead’s situation at Hawthorn should be monitored.

The Bulldogs must knock on all doors and as potentially laughable as such a mission is, it’s the precise kind of diligence which prized Callan Ward away from the Dogs and the same kind of opportunism which has been responsible for some of the most inspired moves of the last decade.

Nothing can be lost from asking pertinent questions not only of your own squad but the players which comprise other teams’.

No club has ever lost premiership points for making enquiries. Plenty however have failed to win games by sitting on their hands and doing nothing.

If knocking on John Butcher’s door was good enough for four Melbourne clubs, why wasn’t it for the Bulldogs?

Time for Durakovic to deliver the goods

The Anthony Di Pietro led Melbourne Victory board put everything on the line in its ultimately successful pursuit of Harry Kewell.

From initially compromising their ‘search’ for a new coach to further risking their credibility as each of Kewell's signing deadlines came and went.

Yet the Victory finally did get their man, indeed pulling off the greatest signing in Australian sports history.

Not only will Australia’s most vaunted Socceroo be playing in the A-League for the rest of his footballing days, but the Victory board have comprehensively exonerated themselves from a potential PR disaster.

That the board have done an exemplarary job in pulling off the Kewell deal is unquestionable. Yet the pressure will now be placed firmly on the shoulders of Mehmet Durakovic who’ll have his work cut out to accommodate Kewell amid the plethora of scoring options he inherited.

Durakovic won the Victory job because he was in the right place at precisely the right time. He promised to work cheap and importantly had Kevin Muscat on his ticket- a factor somehow regarded as essential for the future of the club’s brand.

Whether right or wrong, it’ll be with Durakovic where the buck stops regarding the Victory’s performance, with intense scrutiny expected all season upon what’s certainly now one of Asia’s biggest clubs.

To begin with Durakovic will need to demonstrate how he intends to utilise Kewell in a squad blessed with attacking options.

He’ll need to make harsh game to game decisions upon the likes of Archie Thomson and Danny Allsop as well as recent Roar signing Jean Carlos Solórzano.

Durakovic will also have to resolve the increasingly problematic Carlos Hernandez situation which continually finds the precociously talented Costa Rican in substandard physical shape.

Durakovic simply can’t afford to have his club’s second largest asset wasting away in the Victory doghouse and will need to make his mind up quickly about what role-if any- Hernandez has with the club.

Most importantly however Durakovic will need to reconcile a significant imbalance in the Victory squad. While their attacking prowess is without question, Melbourne lags behind their fiercest A-League rivals where defensive depth and midfield grit are concerned.

While Kewell’s capture indeed provides the impression of a slick Ferrari, the reality is that the Victory host an engine underneath which is suspect at best, derelict at worst.

Brisbane launched their rampant season last year not on the back of dynamic strike options, but by an industrious and highly skilled midfield driven by the likes of Eric Paartalu and Matt McKay, complimented by the polish of Thomas Broich, Mitch Nichols and Henrique.

The Central Coast’s biggest off-season recruit Stuart Musialik speaks volumes for Graham Arnold’s commitment to the centre of the park, while Adelaide and Sydney have both focused their player recruitment drives around further developing their respective midfields.

Meanwhile the Victory runs the risk of serious exposure to far more robust, faster and diligent A-League outfits, especially if they’re to rely upon the ageing Grant Brebner and consistently maligned Leigh Broxham.

Billy Celeski is a contender to pick up some of the midfield slack, though his reconstructed knee remains a query. Diogo Ferreira has shown promise but may still be a bit raw where the rigours of midfield combat are concerned.

The Victory is crying out for a midfield enforcer and help for Roddy Vargas and Adrian Leijer in the centre of defence if they are to justify their recent elevation to competition favoritism.

As it stands they have forward options the envy of any team, but a midfield which simply doesn’t look likely to propel them to the top of the table and a potential return to Champions League football.

Melbourne’s pursuit of Kewell was long and drawn-out, however with the start of the A-League just six weeks away, they’ll have to work much quicker to secure areas of the park which really must be addressed.

As comprehensively brilliant as the Kewell capture was, his arrival in Melbourne won’t have the same lustre without a winning team to compliment the celebration.

Arsenal's chance to regain some lost pride

It might not be a long bow to suggest that Arsenal’s first leg Champions League qualifier tonight against Udinese represents one of the biggest games for the club in recent years.

Though not something you’d expect from a fixture in mid-August, Arsenal have a lot to prove to both themselves and the greater football world against the Italians.

With the Cesc Fabregas saga finally culminating and with Manchester City ever closer to stealing away Samir Nasri, Arsenal is effectively having the heart ripped out of their organisation, day by day.

It’s a combination of factors which is resulting in the Arsenal exodus.

However, it’s a phenomenon which isn’t entirely new to the Londoners, with a litany of stars having left in the last decade to pursue better deals elsewhere.

However, Fabregas’ and Nasri’s probable departures are unquestionably the most significant, based on the club simply not being in a position to replace either of the dynamic midfielders.

It’s also most painful as both are at an age where their very best football is well and truly in front of them, which wasn’t the case when the likes of Viera or Henry left Highbury.

What is, however, most concerning is that the defections have left them with a perception that they’re now nothing more than a feeder club for larger European powers, in spite of the highly attractive football they’ve displayed under Arsene Wegner.

It’s a similar agony the A-League is facing, where for all the improvements on the field, there’s an undeniable reality that it will never be big enough to maintain the enormous talent they’ve so prudently sourced.

In Arsenal’s case, it’s particularly tragic as just five years ago they were playing off in a Champions League final against Barcelona, in addition to having only two years earlier blitzed the English Premier League in undefeated fashion.

These days, Arsenal are considered little chance to win the Premier League with European qualification and domestic cups glory being their most achievable goals – goals not dissimilar to much smaller English clubs such as Tottenham, Everton or even Fulham.

It’s ironic that tonight Arsenal will be facing Udinese, themselves painfully fully aware of their contemporary status having recently lost their brightest star Alexis Sanchez – also to Barcelona.

It’s an extremely difficult situation Arsenal have found themselves in, but one which perhaps would have been prevented by winning trophies, an issue Fabregas and recent defector Gael Clichy sighted in justifying their departures.

Thankfully, Wegner can perhaps start things off tonight and rectify precisely what they were unable to do on the weekend against Newcastle.

A victory over Udinese certainly won’t make up for the pain of Fabregas’ departure, however it will go a long way in allaying fans’ fears that where Europe is concerned, Arsenal’s still a club that’s highly relevant.

I’d hate, however, to think what reaction a failure will produce.

A-League set to lose the nose from its face

If for a moment we close our eyes and pretend the A-League has a fully functioning and vibrant marketing department, we have to acknowledge that it’s about to lose the face of its campaign.

By the end of the week Brisbane Roar captain and Socceroo mainstay Matt McKay is expected to sign a deal with Scottish champions, Glasgow Rangers.

It’s a surprise move from a player so steadfast in his loyalty to Brisbane and so integral to their recent success.

It’s a move that doesn’t exactly bode well for the A-League either, though it’s one that is understandable.

At 28, and playing the finest football of his career, Matt McKay has every right to pursue the biggest contract he can get his hands on.

Though he’ll receive some criticism for leaving the A-League at one of its most delicate times, the fact is McKay owes nothing to the league as he more than anyone else has helped build the brand’s identity over the years.

McKay is a shining example for the A-League and an embodiment of all that’s great about the league and all that can be gained by staying to play in Australia.

For six seasons he toiled away in a variety of good, bad and exceptional Brisbane teams, slowly developing himself into the elite player he is today.

Renowned for his exceptional fitness, McKay added a number of layers to his game over the years, developing his left foot into a more potent weapon and utilising his footballing nous to be of immense value in a variety of positions.

His development earned him a surprise call up to Holger Osieck’s Asian Cup squad earlier in the year, which at the time was seen as somewhat of a token gesture – a symbolic offering that the A-League had a role to play where the Socceroos were concerned.

However when Brett Emerton succumbed to an injury in the group stage of the tournament, McKay proved just why Osieck had selected him, instantly demonstrating his versatility at both left back and as a key midfield cog.

McKay’s memorable cross to Harry Kewell deep in stoppage time of their quarter-final against Iraq became the most indelible moment of the tournament for the Australians.

So with less than two months away from the A-League’s start it does come as some surprise to learn that McKay will be joining Rangers imminently.

Ange Postecoglou’s decree that he and his club won’t stand in the way of one of its players taking advantage of a better deal overseas is now undergoing its sternest test.

The Roar already lost Milan Susak to the Indonesian Premier League as well as Jean Carlos Solórzano to the Melbourne Victory earlier in the year.

The team’s top scorer last season, Kosta Barbarouses, recently departed as well, taking up an offer in second division Russia of all places.

With Postecoglou now about to lose his captain, perhaps cracks are starting to appear in Ange’s nascent empire?

However the most puzzling question to emerge concerning McKay’s departure is why Scotland, in a league surely not profoundly better than our own, and a climate substantially worse?

And while McKay doesn’t seem to be a player particularly motivated by oversized pay-cheques and endorsements, one would think he could have found a similar deal in second tier Italy or Spain, or perhaps somewhere in Germany, as a host of equally accomplished Australians have recently.

My guess is the Scottish move is more motivated by a part of McKay’s game which he feels needs particular development in, and which he’s determined the Scottish Premier League is best equipped to fulfil.

It is a mystery, though not of the sordid variety, and one which McKay’s accumulated credits should exempt from being investigated with any degree of malice.

But still, why Rangers?

More than one way to skin a cat

It should be regarded as a great sign for soccer in this country that both the direction and formation used by the national youth teams are so hotly debated.

These days not only is the notion of playing, say one or two strikers cause for heart burn, however so too are the nuances that comprise the ever-popular 4-3-3 formation.

Australia has indeed come a long way where the world game is concerned. So quickly that hearing such debate concerning tactics is akin to suddenly discussing the virtues of Chekhov or Borges having previously relied on a reading diet confined to Twitter Feeds and Facebook posts.

Where Australian soccer is concerned no issue gets tongues wagging more than the direction of Australia’s youth teams and particular what tactical formation they adopt.

The national mandate established by the FFA and endorsed by technical director Han Berger is that all representative youth teams in this country make use of the 4-3-3 template.

The rationale is that this formation -most popular in the Netherlands in the 70’s, but employed so brilliantly by Barcelona in recent years- is the most sophisticated and reliable where maintenance of possession is concerned.

It’s the formation which allows the greatest degree of midfield flexibility and interchange, while also being the system most conducive to playing with width.

Defence plays arguably the most important role in such a formation, called upon to set up attacks through precise ball movement from the back, rather than panicked clearances which inevitably finds the ball returned moments later.

Doubtlessly the biggest criticism of the formation is when the opposition is dominating possession. At such times a team’s wingers are required do their fair share of defending leaving the sole striker quite isolated, when and if possession is won back. When things aren’t going right in the 4-3-3, a striker’s life can be hopelessly lonely and terrifically frustrating.

Throughout both youth World Cups this year Coach Jan Verselijen has been loyal to the formation, though not always to the letter based on personal and the prevailing match situation. After all the man is a coach, not a robot.

In the Young Socceroos final match at the Under 20 World Cup in Colombia and needing nothing less than a win against the all conquering Spaniards, Versleijen threw the 4-3-3 out the window. He selected the most attacking team he had at his disposal along with a formation incorporating two strikers.

With Australia’s hopes of salvaging some pride from a tournament gone wrong, Versleijen's move was both brave and commendable. Ultimately however he’ll lose his job for it.

The young Australians were crushed 5-1 by Spain, having shipped all five within the first half hour of play. It made for a dismal end to a poor tournament.

The convenient excuse for Versleijen's chop will be the radical deviation of a tactics and ignorance of the FFA mandate.

One wonders however what would have happened had Versleijen actually pulled it off? What if Verselijen showed the FFA that there’s a much bigger world outside of the indisputably admirable 4-3-3?

The ripple effect would have indeed been enormous. Instead of Versleijen being made to look like the incompetent rebel, questions may have been asked of a system steadfast in its unwavering faith in a formation which frankly failed both teams in Mexico and Colombia.

And it failed because in Colombia particularly, with this crop of players, the 4-3-3 wasn’t the most ideal for them. And it’s a genuine shame as this group was perhaps a once-in-a generation type squad, despite the results suggesting otherwise.

To commit to a 4-3-3 and put so much strain on the defence-clearly the team’s Achilles heel throughout- was foolish. To not utilise the brilliance of Mustafa Amini in a meaningful and consistent role, and to starve Kerem Bulut of opportunities to shine were highly regretful.

To select a team with virtually no defensive midfield cover for Ben Kantarovski was particularly harmful.

To be sure, Football Federation Australia will have every right to look elsewhere regarding its next youth coaching appointment. However I sincerely hope the move is based on how unacceptable the results were along with the squad’s composition, rather than a very brief deviation away from the vaunted 4-3-3.

In the same way the next coach of the Melbourne Football Club should identify just how integrated the ‘demon legends’ are at the club, the future Australian youth coach should know precisely how much his coaching will be dictated and determined by a fixed formation from the sport’s governing body.

For coaches throughout the world and in any sport to be forced to do their job under a prescribed mandate is akin to telling a chef there’s only one way to make chicken soup or a comedian that there’s only one way to tell a joke.

The beauty of sport is that each game is vastly different to the previous with a plethora of different factors prevailing.

To be married to one fixed idea or formation is simply wrong.

Young Socceroos must take their game up to the Spaniards

In tonight’s match against Spain, the Young Socceroos have little to lose in what’s likely to be their final game at the Under 20 World Cup in Colombia.

It’s been a largely forgettable tournament for the young Australians characterised by a nervous back four, an unsettled midfield and an attack which has been hung out to dry by coach Jan Versleijen.

The Australians enter tonight’s game on a nine match winless streak at Under 20 World Cup level which stretches back to 2003 and against a team, who like their men’s counterpart, are at the very top of their game.

An unlikely victory over the dominant Spaniards and the Australians might not only restore some wounded pride, but perhaps even collect one of the ‘lucky loser’ wildcards these youth tournaments kindly and routinely dispense.

However dreaming about beating Spain and actually doing so are two very different propositions.

For starters the Australians have looked a long way from decent, despite Thursday’s loss to Costa Rica producing a better effort than the drivel served up against Ecuador.

Crucially however it’s a team working for a coach who’s simply failed to maximise the team’s abundant individual talent.

Versleijen’s Young Socceroos haven’t been restrained in Colombia as much as they’ve been bogged down by technicalities and conservative football theory.

The coach seems intent on a philosophy driven by a patient, possession orientated game that begins at the back, which professes to work the ball gently through the midfield and which relies on that killer pass to the sole striker.

In theory, Versleijen’s plan is commendable however in practise it’s been chopped apart by the Central and South Americans who’ve based their outfits around optimising the strengths of youthful exuberance and instinct, rather than textbook theory.

When Verselijen hasn’t been so dogmatic and been left with no choice but to attack, the results have inevitably been better.

When Bernie Ibini entered on the hour in the opener against Ecuador he provided much needed support to an increasingly alienated and frustrated Kerem Bulut. The Australians scored fifteen minutes later.

Against Costa Rica, Ibini was again belatedly introduced, as was Mustafa Amini, and despite trailing, the Australians found a certain bounce and pep which before too long was good enough to tie the scores at two-all.

If not for yet another defensive lapse minutes later, the Australians may have gone on to win.

It’s that same kind of improvisation and commitment to attack, witnessed so far only through desperation, which must be employed from the outset against Spain.

Coaches motivated more toward conservatism in any sport need to appreciate that an attacking mindset needn’t necessarily be viewed as working to the detriment of defence. Instead it can actually be of great assistance and relief to a defence and midfield constantly at work.

With that in mind, and as far as I’m concerned, both Kerem Bulut and Bernie Ibini must start up front together from the opening whistle against Spain.

It’s a combination in Colombia which has operated together for a total of one hour but produced two goals. In the two hours of play when Belut’s been isolated, just one goal has been scored, thanks only to an instinctual tap in by Tommy Oar following a hail-Mary type throw in.

In order to play Bulut and Ibini together however, a savvier approach to the midfield needs to be adopted.

It needs to function both as the source of supply for the strikers while providing cover for what’s been a shaky defence all tournament.

Most importantly it’ll need to find some grit and energy to compensate for the loss of captain Ben Kantarovski who’ll be unavailable through suspension.

If Versleijen had the temerity to drop Amini against Costa Rica, then he surely has the pride to be so brash as to play two strikers tonight.

His contract is already hanging by a thread and I doubt clinging to a game plan which does little to maximise the team’s strengths will likely get him a new one.

Leaving the tournament with one point from three games, but with a message of teaching the fundamentals is an overly worthless exercise in a major tournament.

Serving it up to the Spaniards from the opening whistle however, regardless of the end result, would be something else.

Harry's Wake Up Call

I don’t fancy it will, but Harry Kewell’s omission from Holger Osiek’s 18-man squad to face Wales should act as a reality check for the Socceroos star.

Next week’s assignment, despite being against an opposition ranked almost 100 places below the Australians, looms as a crucial tune-up for World Cup qualifying which begins just weeks later.

For Osiek to not include Kewell speaks volumes, not only regarding his stance on a less than glamorous fixture, but as a value judgement upon the Socceroo’s most famous name.

Plain and simply Kewell and his management have been playing an increasingly alienating game of funny buggers for the best part of the last three months. Far too long where Osiek and the Socceroos are concerned.

Internationally, Kewell’s been linked with Queens Park Rangers and Fulham in the Premier League as well as various MLS clubs in the States.

The saga regarding his possible playing in the A-League has been well documented with Sydney FC, but most consistently Melbourne Victory, speculated to be ever so close to securing his services.

However for a variety of reasons, mostly wage related, Kewell remains clubless and with all major European leagues set to get underway in the next couple of weeks, Osiek was left with no other choice but to leave the perennial Socceroo out of his short term plans.

And thankfully so, as Harry’s in desperate need of a reality check, with a temporary absence from the national team perhaps working as the tonic.

For Osiek, now shapes as an ideal time to send Kewell such a message as he attempts to perform a face lift of sorts in the area of the park the Socceroos are in most need of generational change.

Osiek needs to make-over an ageing attack and identify reliable sources of goal outside of Kewell and Tim Cahill. Its’ why Robbie Kruse has been a regular since the Asian Cup, why James Troisi continues to feature and why Scott McDonald is on the kitchen bench de-frosting.

In fact Osiek’s currently in Colombia watching the Under 20 World Cup, closely monitoring the progress of the likes of Bernie Ibini, Kerem Bulut and anybody else capable of causing some headaches up front.

Meanwhile, the coach has decided that for now- and possibly beyond- he can live without Kewell, regardless of the legacy and skill set he still brings.

Unfortunately for Kewell it's a stance most European and A-League clubs might start adopting too. Melbourne Victory in fact has given the thirty-three year old until close of business tomorrow to make up his mind.

Time is indeed running out for Kewell. For the sake of him, his reputation and perhaps future role with the Socceroos, he sincerely needs to sort out his club status.

Thankfully Osiek’s sent him that particular message in the form of a Socceroos squad which for a rare time neither requires, nor includes him.

Poor start to the Young Socceroos World Cup campaign

If this Young Socceroo team is the most talented in years, then I’d hate to see one perceived as run of the mill.

The Australians opening game at the Under 20 World Cup against Ecuador made for poor viewing with the team escaping with a 1-1 draw thanks only to one of the most outrageously brilliant goals in Socceroo history.

Tommy Oar’s late free kick saved what was in reality a deplorable evening for the Australians who were outplayed from the start and created few opportunities.

It was Ecuador’s game to win and it was a genuine mystery how they weren’t up by a couple of goals by the time Oar struck his free kick with a minute to go in regulation.

The names that comprise this edition of the young Socceroos are individually impressive, however based on this morning’s performance, look collectively a look a long way off the requisite international standard.

For all the talk of the Australians playing a more sophisticated, possession orientated game, the truth is Australia’s youth teams appear incapable of living up to the rhetoric.

Instead of bringing the ball out of defence competently and with structure, the Young Socceroos appeared petrified of coughing the ball up, which they inevitably and repeatedly did.

Far from advocating a long ball approach, one wonders whether they would have been better served with anything other than the panicked delegation which prevailed in defence throughout the opener.

To be fair, Australia’s injured Captain Ben Kantarovski seemed calm, composed and committed to a more responsible role prior to being subsituted. Beside him, Dimitri Petratos got better and more influential as the game progressed.

Mustafa Amini on the other hand seemed out of position and lifeless. He was subbed off in just the 55th minute having hardly touched the ball. Kofi Danning drifted in and out of the game while if Tommy Oar hadn’t scored the equaliser and covered himself in so much glory, his game could have been interpreted as poor and scattered as well.

Up front Kerem Bulut looked sharp, though starved of opportunities. When Bernie Ibini joined him in attack, a buoyancy and unpredictability emerged.

Coach Jan Versleijen's second substitute, Sydney FC’s Terry Atonis looked good, and in combination with club teammate Petratos, provided the impression the Australians still had a pulse where the middle of the park was concerned.

These youth World Cup and continental tournaments are of serious importance to soccer in Australia. They’re the product of a lot of planning, the result of a lot of money and the recipient of an enormous allocation of intellectual resources.

Indeed it's these tournaments which work as the sport's debutant ball showcasing to both the soccer and wider sporting world just what the youth ranks have to offer.

In Colombia, our darling stumbled onto to the dance floor, seemingly drunk and with lipstick smudged all over her face.

Again, if not for Oar’s sublime goal, the embarrassment would have been total, rather than partial.

If there is a consolation, apart from salvaging an improbable draw, it’s that the Australians have two more games to make up for the poor showing against Ecuador.

That opportunity will arrive Thursday against Costa Rica, themselves reeling from a 4-1 rout at the hands of Spain.

A win by the Australians would indeed have them back on course, however a game played in the same manner as their debut will surely result in an early exit.

When and if this young team sobers up, they’ll have some serious questions to ask of their performance and overall philosophy.

Hopefully Oar’s freakish goal won’t mask some of the serious questions that must be addressed.

Hangover Cure

In the dizzying wake of Cadel Evans’ extraordinary success in France, Australian sporting fans can be forgiven for frantically searching for where their next hit will come from.

While there’s indeed the World Championships of swimming in Shanghai along with the Women’s Under 19 World Basketball Championships in Chile, the next main treat on offer is FIFA’s Under 20 World Cup which kicks off in Colombia this weekend.

The young Socceroos have sent a team widely considered to be a once in a generation type squad with an expectation that this crop of youngsters can go far in Colombia with a quarter final berth by no means beyond the realms of possibility.

Leading into the tournament there’s however a query over the technical acumen of Coach Jan Versleijen and chiefly his ability to instil the dynamic, interchangeable and possession orientated game which has been his charge to implement.

At the recent Under 17 World Cup in Mexico, Versleijen’s Joey’s failed to grasp the 4-3-3 system and progressed out of the group stage thanks only to a scheduling quirk. They were soon crushed by Uzbekistan 4-0 and departed Mexico with as many red cards as goals. Most alarming however was that in the face of sustained pressure the team reverted to an unsophisticated, long ball and overly panicked game.

With Versleijen’s present contract set to expire at the end of the year, the young Socceroos performance in Colombia will go a long way toward determining whether he’s indeed the most ideal candidate to be in charge of Australia’s youth stocks.

The Australians haven’t exactly been dealt the kindest of draws for the World Cup with games scheduled against Ecuador, Costa Rica and reigning men’s world champions Spain. It’s a group that tricky, but not insurmountable.

The campaign begins on Monday morning with an assignment against Ecuador in Manizales, Colombia’s coffee epicentre. The squad should be buoyed by lead in form which saw them runners up in last year’s Asian Cup along with a friendly victory over Germany in May. They’ve recently been based in Colorado to acclimatise to the elevation of Colombia and in modified games against South Korea and England have performed steadily.

A concern for team is a couple of the absentees which include Mathew Leckie and Brent McGrath whose German and Danish clubs have both stubbornly refused to make the players available for Colombia. It’s a significant blow as both may have indeed started up forward together. Fortunately Brisbane Roar’s Kofi Danning and Czech based Kerem Bulut are capable of filling the void while Central Coast’s Bernie Ibini will use the opportunity to shine. The blistering speed of Tommy Oar down the wings should create havoc for defenders.

The true strength of this Australian team however lies in the midfield where they’ll be lead by the iconic Mustapha Amini and team captain Ben Kataroskvki. Crucially, central midfield in tournament play is pivotal to a team’s prospects and for the Australian’s to have two of their most technically accomplished players operating there gives the squad a significant boost.

Amini and Kantasrovski will be assisted by Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant who operates as an energetic midfielder capable of covering plenty of yards. With players the calibre of Dimitri Petratos and Terry Anotis coming off the bench the Australians are blessed with an array of talented depth in the most crucial area of the park.

At the back Australia looks solid with the experienced central pairing of Melbourne Heart’s Brendan Hamill along with Dylan McGowan. The wing back positions are expected to be filled by Central Coast youth team products Trent Sainsbury and Sam Gallagher. Adelaide’s Mark Birighitti will keep goal however it’s curious that Mariner’s Matt Ryan- so inspirational in his debut A-League season- couldn’t crack into Versleijen's final 21 man squad.

Like all tournaments the first game will be critical to the team’s chances and the young Socceroos must look for a win against perhaps the group’s most inferior team in Ecuador who’ll be competing in just their second Under 20 World Cup, and their first in more than ten years.

An Australian youth soccer team hasn’t made a dent in a world tournament since 1999 when the Joey’s made the final of the Under 17 World Cup in New Zealand. An Under 20 team hasn’t progressed past the group stage since Qatar 1995. In that tournament a certain Mark Viduka scored four goals in the group stage while one Josip Skoko started each game and Clint Bolton kept goal.

Progression to the quarters or perhaps the semis won’t surpass Cadel's efforts in France- it’s hard to imagine what Australian sporting performance will in the coming years- however a strong performance will go a long way in assuring Australian soccer fans that the future’s in good shape.

A group stage exit, coupled with the substandard performance by the Joeys in Mexico last month would however raise some serious questions.

By lunchtime Monday we’ll have a good picture of what the Socceroos may look like in the coming years.

Worth the Weight

When the Women’s marathon gets underway at this year’s World Athletic Championships in South Korea, Australia’s best distance runner won’t be there.

Instead, Lisa Weightman will be in Melbourne, curled up on the couch with her husband Lachlan closely eyeing the form of her competitors.

Though qualified, Weightman’s decision not to run this year in Daegu says a lot about how far she’s come as an athlete and how much she appreciates her body and its limitations.

To understand Weightman’s ascension to the top of Australian distance running is impossible without noting the veritable laundry list of injuries she’s overcome throughout her career. Seven stress fractures in nine years, countless hamstring strains, a severe stomach upset which landed her in hospital and more recently osteitis pubis, have at various stages held Weightman back. However, had it not been for those challenges, she may never have become the runner she is today.

‘Being injured has taught me two basic things; patience and balance. Patience because with injury you have to wait and recover before you can run again and be doing what you love. Balance because injury breaks have given me the time to develop my professional career and spend more time with my family who are very special to me.”

Her maturity as a runner underpins Weightman’s decision to forgo the expected sweltering conditions of South Korea, which will bear no resemblance to what’s predicted for the London Olympics next year – conditions Weightman knows only too well after competing at the Delhi Commonwealth Games last October where she won bronze in a punishing marathon.

‘Following Delhi I was just exhausted. The marathon was run in thirty two degree heat in the most gruelling conditions imaginable. We flew home the next day and I remember walking through the airport, barely able to support myself. My knee just buckled at one point……I was a bit of a mess.’

Upon returning to Melbourne Weightman immediately resumed her full time role as a business consultant for IBM as well as moving apartments. All the while sporting a strained quad she’d picked up in Cairns in preparation for the Commonwealth Games. The strain on her body from the Games experience contributed to a restricted training program through to Christmas.

‘We only moved from one apartment in the Northern Suburbs to another yet the experience was surprisingly quite an effort. It was a frustrating time as on the one hand I was over the moon to have won bronze in Delhi, however my body simply wasn’t allowing me to get back to doing what I wanted it to.’

Weightman initially burst onto the marathon scene with her debut appearance at the distance at the London Marathon in 2008. She not only finished 13th but posted a time (to the very second) equal to the best Australian debut set by Lisa Ondieki in 1983. Weightman’s time also qualified her for the Beijing Olympics where in only her second marathon she came in 33rd.

‘Competing in Beijing was so surreal. To have made my first Olympic Games after my debut in London was so unbelievable. I also think the Olympics prepared me well for what I expected in Delhi. I’m hoping that experience helps me get to the finish line in London in a much better position.’

Weightman’s performance in Beijing certainly raised her reputation in the athletics world, but it was what she achieved over the following two years which solidified her status as an elite runner.

At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin Weightman ran 18th in a faster time than what she ran in London on debut, and three and half minutes faster than her time in Beijing. In April 2010, in perhaps her best performance to date, Weightman won the prestigious Nagano Marathon in a personal best time of two hours and twenty eight minutes. In that race, Weightman not only beat her nearest competitor by more than three minutes, but in the process became the first Australian to ever win the event.

‘Nagano was a surprise to some but not to my coach or those closest to me. I was in personal best shape going into the race and I knew I had a really big chance to take it out. What I didn’t expect was to be leading so early and for so long. To record that win was just so enormous to prove that I could be up there with the best.’

Weightman’s presently in recovery mode again, having been diagnosed with osteitis pubis (severe inflammation and bruising of the pelvic bone) in February. Her recovery has consisted of regular visits to the Victorian Institute’s of Sport’s medical team along with calling upon her famous intestinal fortitude which has helped her through similar hard times in the past. She’s only just started running again which for the moment consists of nothing more than a gentle stroll around Princess Park.

In late August her coach Dick Telford has scheduled some altitude training in order to fast-track her recovery and to place her in a better position to record another sub two hour, 32 -minute marathon which is the qualifying standard for the London Olympics. At this stage a location hasn’t been set, however it’s quite possible Weightman will be following in the footsteps of her beloved Collingwood players with a trip to Arizona leading the list of possibilities.

At just 32, Weightman is only now entering her prime and can take comfort in the fact that the winner of the 2008 Beijing marathon, Romanian Constantina Tomescu, was 38 when she crossed the line. And though Weightman will be watching August’s World Championships from her couch, she can be pleased with how incredibly far she’s come in recent times in addition to her numerous achievements outside of athletics.

Next year and those beyond will hopefully be about bringing all facets of her life together. Hopefully minus the injuries.

The Invisible Emus

The Australian Men’s Under 19 Basketball team, the Emus, are currently engaged and excelling at the most prestigious youth basketball tournament on the planet. Yet you’d hardly know.

Latvia is currently playing host to the FIBA Under 19 World Championships, a two-week tournament contested by 16 of the world’s strongest basketball nations and their most promising young talent.

Yet coverage of the tournament in Australia is virtually non-existent; no television coverage, very little print media, while even Basketball Australia’s own website isn’t too fussed about the team’s deeds.

This is unfortunate because the Emus are truly shaping up as one of the genuine contenders to win the competition, or at least bring home a medal-a feat rarely achieved in men’s basketball in this country.

By virtue of an increasingly healthy and consistent soccer media, Australian fans have been treated to significant coverage of major tournaments in recent times and know precisely what’s happening where both the national team and overseas based players are concerned.

Each of the Joey’s Under 17 World Cup matches in Mexico was shown live, as will the Under 20’s exploits in Colombia early next month. The Matildas in Germany have received unprecedented exposure recently with all their games broadcast, in addition to a nightly highlight package of every other World Cup match.

In the coming weeks SBS will increase its live coverage to incorporate the final stages of each competition. For good measure they’ll also be screening the last phases of South America’s premier tournament, the Copa America, currently being staged in Argentina.

The broadcaster’s commitment is a key and profound element in aiding the development of the sport. With moving pictures of the best players in the world’s biggest competitions the game will flourish. Without them, the sport runs the risk of stagnating. Which is precisely what’s happening to basketball right now.

Its popularity in youth ranks is equal to soccer in Australia, yet Basketball Australia has been sitting on its hands for too long and now seriously runs the risk of missing out on a major opportunity for the game to grow in this country.

As Australian soccer success has produced a number of players talented enough to play overseas so too has our appreciation and interest in the foreign leagues they inhabit and covet. The Australian audience is now much more proficient in its knowledge of international leagues and continental competitions as well as the characters who contribute to them.

The popularity of basketball in Australia, at least at youth levels, isn’t too dissimilar to soccer, nor is the international achievements by its players. The US college system contains many of our players, as does the NBA, while the bulk of successful Australian basketballers ply their trade in Europe.

Yet TV or press coverage does little to illuminate the public’s understanding.
For the college game we can thank ESPN for showing us pictures. Ditto the NBA where the exploits of Andrew Bogut are concerned, yet we know very little of the countless Australian faces based in Europe. The leagues they play in and the teams they play for remain essentially anonymous. Without the internet, international basketball in Australia would be a virtual ghost sport.

If the Joeys or the young Socceroos achieved anything similar to what the Emu’s are doing in Latvia there’s no way whatsoever, and thankfully so, that they’d go unnoticed in the media. Furthermore you can be sure they’d be live on TV.

For a team like the Emu’s to be doing so well without any media attention is a real shame and a golden opportunity missed to enhance and fortify the sport’s future in Australia.

At the World Championships the Emu’s cruised through their first round of matches with strong wins over Argentina and Taiwan, squeezed in between a narrow loss to the hosts.

The second phase of the competition has proven even more successful for the Emu’s with a stirring come from behind win over Russia followed the next night by gritty six point defeat of Brazil. In the Emu’s final group game they triumphed over Poland by 20 points to seal top position in the group.

The Emu’s will now enter the quarter-final stage split from the US section of the draw, thus increasing the chances of a possible final against the world’s strongest basketball nation.

Unfortunately Australian basketball fans will likely have to scrounge around for a result on the net or through box scores at FIBA’s website throughout the elimination process. Which is a shame, but one which Basketball Australia clearly isn’t too concerned about.

Basketball fans in this country should know that Anthony Drmic has lit the tournament up with 17 three point baskets and is second in scoring only behind the recent fifth pick in the NBA draft, Lithuania’s Jonas Valanciunas.

Fans should know about Jackson Aldridge from Ryde in Sydney who’s been running the point for the Emus all tournament and who’ll next year be playing for the Butler Bulldogs in the NCAA.

Bosnian-born Igor Hadziomerovic has provided a great second-scoring option to Drmic, while Adelaide 36s Mitchell Creek has arguably been Australia’s most important player. The Horsham born youngster is top of the pops for boards, assists and steals while he’s second only to Drimic where scoring is concerned.

Then there’s Will Sinclair. The 206cm centre form Lilydale who’s getting more minutes as the tournament progresses and who will be crucial to the team’s success in the final stages.

The Emu with the most potential however is Hugh Greenwood. The Tasmanian represented Australia at the last World Championships when he was just 17. He’s since grown into a more mature, well rounded basketballer and was recently signed by to the New Mexico Lobos NCAA team. In the Emu’s most recent win over Brazil, he top scored with 17.

It’s been an amazing tournament for the Emu’s which from an Australian audience perspective would have been all the more wonderful with the some pictures or at least some enthusiasm from Basketball Australia and the relevant media networks.

Instead the tournament continues, as does the scrounging around for box scores on the internet.

And the winner is Mehmet....For now

Tuesday's announcement that Mehmet Durakovic would be the new Melbourne Victory coach came as little surprise.

After a supposedly lengthy and exhaustive international selection process it became increasingly clear that caretaker coach Durakovic would be handed the keys full time.

Why? Because it was the easiest and cheapest option. And the one which kept Kevin Muscat at the club.

The only real surprise from yesterday’s announcement was that Francis Awaritefi will be the club’s 'director of football' - a role not previously held at the Victory, and given to someone who’s worked as a TV analyst for the last decade.

Durakovic won the job on the back of five patchy Asian Champions League matches which ended with just one win and a last-place finish in their group. He employed a slightly more attacking formation throughout, however few new faces were introduced. He connected well with the media which ensured his name remained relevant and positive throughout the questionable selection process.

In Tuesday's press conference, all the right things were said. The usual boasting about the being the biggest club in Asia and the predictable rhetoric about wanting to play like Barcelona.

However to be fair to Durakovic, I don’t believe he was complicit in all the shady dealings and half-truths of the last couple of months. Instead I think he was a pawn in a much larger game.

The truth is Durakovic won the job for two main reasons above all else: because he’ll work cheap, but most crucially, he has Kevin Muscat in his corner. Or at least on his ticket.

Muscat’s role in Durakovic’s hiring simply can’t be understated. The Victory hierarchy both pre- and post- Ernie have been seduced by him and view him as a prodigal son. Where others see a thug, the club sees a passionate soldier. Instead of a dogged defender, Victory sees a tactical genius. Most of all they view him as crucial to ticket and membership sales and the logical successor if things don’t quite work out with Mehmet.

No, Durakovic was always going to win the job because any other outcome would have spelled the end of the Muscat era at the Victory.

Which brings us back to Durakovic. First and foremost, he should be warmly congratulated on winning the role. He was neither groomed for it, nor possessed the text-book coaching or playing pedigree despite more than 60 caps with the Socceroos.

What Durakovic does bring to the job is genuine enthusiasm and charisma. He mightn't be the most articulate and inspiring media performer but he developed an excellent rapport with the players at a time when morale was at its lowest. Most importantly however, he was in the right place at the right time. An accidental hero if you like.

When Merrick was sacked, the board’s plan A was to poach Ange Postecoglou from Brisbane. The only problem was Ange wasn’t ready to return to Melbourne while the Victory wasn’t actually in possession of a plan B.

Thankfully for the board Durakovic’s ACL rehearsal wasn’t a complete embarrassment which meant they could publically justify their decision rather than going with a more profiled, perhaps more experienced and qualified candidate. Having the media on their side throughout, helped a great deal.

Yet none of this is to say that Durakovic can't emerge as the real winner from this unfortunate set of events. For starters, he’ll inherit a decent team strengthened by the additions of Marcos Rojas and Jean Carlos Solorzano while he’ll surely have a far fitter Carlos Hernandez to work with.

The best Durakovic can do is put his head down and concentrate on the job of making the Victory the relevant force it once was and perhaps mould the team into the regional force it keeps telling us it is. The worst he can do is to start second-guessing his appointment and looking over his shoulder at Kevin Muscat.

Yes, the Victory appointment was underwhelming yet so too was Postecoglou’s at Brisbane and Holger Osieck’s at the Socceroos yet both will go down now as among the very best in the history of the sport in Australia.

Hopefully Durakovic can ride out all the board’s double-speak and prove them wrong and win the job for a second time. This time under more transparent circumstances.

Boom Recruit

In this Friday’s NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers will select Duke University point-guard Kyrie Irving with the number one pick.

Not only will it be a major step in the healing process for Cavs fans in the wake of LeBron James skipping town a year ago, but in selecting Irving, the state of Victoria will amazingly have its second NBA number one pick in five years.

Irving was born in Melbourne in 1992 to American parents while his father Drederik was in Australia playing for the Bullen Boomers. The family moved back to the US when Kyrie was two and went on to have a staggering high school career in New Jersey, along with an impressive, albeit brief, spell at Duke.

Most importantly, however, for future Boomers prospects, is the fact Irving still indentifies with Australia and hasn’t totally ruled out playing for his country of birth.

In a recent interview with BackPageLead’s Ed Wyatt, Irving stated: ‘I’m an Australian-American African-American’. In a separate interview Irving added: ‘You know, it would be great to play for my country, which is primarily Australia. I was born there and want to represent Australia….I want to be claimed by Australia’.

It might indeed be wishful thinking for Australian basketball fans to contemplate Irving playing representative basketball for a country he spent just two years in. However there’s a compelling case to believe it’s a possibility.

As it stands the US national team is currently loaded with established NBA talent at the point-guard position. To think Irving could jump the cue and supersede some of the world’s very best, so early, is doubtful.

It’s where reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose plies his trade, along with team US members and perennial NBA all-stars such as Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul. Others like Rajon Rondo, Derrick Williams, Stephen Curry and Russel Westbrook also excel at the point-guard position.

It would, of course, be an incredible coup to recruit Irving to the Boomers’ cause, though there are still some obstacles standing in the way, forgetting for the moment Irving himself has given no guarantee of intent.

The major problem is that Irving has previously represented the US at junior level and there are strict FIBA regulations that prohibit players competing for two nations.

However, there exists a vague stipulation where FIBA’s Secretary-General may authorise such a move if he or she believes it would aid the development of basketball in that country.

If Irving were to play for Australia, it would certainly aid development.

The Boomers have contested 12 Olympic tournaments and 10 World Championships over the past 50 years, yet failed to win a single medal in either competition.

For all of Australia’s basketball achievements, which include individual accolades in both the US and Europe, the national team has proven somewhat of a let-down.
Especially when considering the success of the women’s national representative team - the Opals – who have contested 18 major tournaments for seven medals, including gold at the 2006 World Championships in Brazil.

Whether Irving opts to play for Australia and whether FIBA would back the plan are two outcomes which are currently in the air. However Basketball Australia would be remiss to not explore all opportunities.

It could well be the difference in securing a long sort-after medal and the difference between further developing the game in this country.

In Pods we trust

When Geelong hoisted the AFL premiership cup in 2009 nobody could have foreseen that the key ingredient to winning another would be a 28-year-old full-forward who’d been running around in the VFL for a decade.

In December that year Geelong drafted James Podsiadly as a mature rookie in a move more motivated by the staffing needs of the fitness and conditioning department than adding another foot soldier to its impressive cavalry.

Two years later, Podsiadly has become one of the most crucial cogs in the undefeated Geelong machine and one whose form will go a long way in determining the club’s premiership prospects this season.

To quote The Age’s Greg Baum ‘a man either knows how to play full-forward or he doesn’t’. And in a position increasingly hard to define and one quickly losing its romance, Podsiadly’s one player who operates as something as a throwback to a time long past.

Unlike many, Podsiadly was able to craft his ancient trade for a decade in a competition not nearly as scrutinised as the AFL and in an environment where his style was allowed to flourish.

The problem was it took ten years for an AFL club to see that his talents were transferable to the big league.

Podsiadly runs straight and kicks straight. He’s a no-nonsense type forward who understands his role perfectly. He contests the ball at its highest point and by virtue of a combination of his pace and brain is adept at creating space for Geelong’s many and varied swoopers.

In Podsiadly’s short AFL career that’s spanned just 29 matches, he’s kicked 72 goals and 46 behinds at a remarkable accuracy of 61%. In the 13 games Podsiadly has kicked 3 or more goals the Cats have prevailed each time and by an incredible average of 65 points.

In short, when Podsiadly’s on his game the Cats are near enough to being unstoppable. When it’s down and his goal output is less than 3, the Cats have tended to struggle boasting a 10-6 record with an average winning margin that slips to 25.

As the season develops Podsiadly’s role will be increasingly important to the Cats as will his dead-eye accuracy which in close matches like Saturday nights’ game often represents the difference between winning and losing.

Geelong can rest assured it made the right move in giving Podsiadly the chance when it did and when no one else would.

Without him Geelong’s predicted slide would have surely arrived by now.

That would be Kewell

It’s dangerous to jump to conclusions and break out the champagne when it comes to rumours in Australian soccer.

Fanciful notions concerning players who may be on their way here, along with the string of managers perennially linked with a move down under have been a mainstay of the sport. Think Gabriel Batistuta’s link to Perth Glory a few years ago or the recent spotting of Roy Keane in Sydney that soon turned into the fiery Irishmen becoming the Victory’s next coach.

Granted, there’s sometimes an element of truth to the rumours and it’s often simply the tyranny of distance or money, usually both, which keep the rumour form eventuating. Regardless, such innuendo adds colour to the Australian soccer scene along with genuine hope, however fleeting and far-fetched.

The current status of Australian soccer is hard to define. On the one hand, participation at a junior level is second to none in this country while the Socceroos under Holger Osiek have emerged as a formidable team who is now ranked inside FIFA’s top 20.

On the other hand, the sport’s governing body in Australia, the FFA, has proven something of a different beast.

Despite the ever improving on-field quality of the A-League, the competition has been plagued by infighting and economic mismanagement since day one. It’s continually been marketed deplorably and after six years struggled to capture the public’s imagination. Crowds are dwindling and not a single club operates at a profit; one was thrown out last season while one was still-born. It’s broadcasting deal, due for negotiation, remains in limbo.

Thankfully, steps are being taken to lift the competition’s status. Recently, the League’s start and end dates have been modified so it doesn’t conflict with the AFL or NRL finals whilst extra revenue has been allocated to marketing. Most importantly, the national team coach has endorsed the League’s standard resulting in promising players thinking twice about leaving for Europe on the first available flight.

But the problem for the A-League has never really been the standard. Getting people to watch has been the real issue.

This is where a player like Harry Kewell can help.

Kewell’s one Australian player who needs no introduction. No singing of his brilliance, no regaling of his feats.

Simply put, Kewell’s the most recognisable soccer player this country has produced and for those not the slightest bit interested in soccer, it’s his face that’s most easily identified in a green and gold line-up.

At almost 33 Kewell still has something to give. He proved this at January’s Asian Cup where he was the Socceroos most potent threat for most of the tournament. And there’s no reason to think he won’t still be by the time the 2014 Brazilian World Cup rolls around.

In the past three seasons he’s scored 33 goals for his club side Galatasaray in the Turkish league and if not for the teams’ failure to qualify for Europe next season, Kewell would more than likely have earned himself another contract there.

So essentially he’s now a free agent. Newly promoted EPL side Queens Park Rangers have apparently expressed an interest, as too have a host of MLS sides in the States. And now Melbourne Victory.

Kewell would have plenty to gain from a move back to Australia. Financially he’ll be offered big bucks now that the Victory has shown its hand and one can soon expect other A-League clubs to follow suit. Sydney FC has declared an interest as too has the Newcastle Jets based on Nathan Tinkler’s sizable wallet coupled with his passion for sport in the Hunter region.

From a professional point of view, Kewell has nothing to fear from returning. Holger Osiek has put his money where his mouth is in regards to Socceroos playing in the A-League; Brisbane Roar’s Matt McKay is now a fixture in the Socceroo midfield, likewise with Victory’s Robbie Kruse. Newcastle’s Jason Culina’s Socceroo status is more determined by his own injuries rather than his chosen workplace these days, while many others such as Mile Jedinak and Sasa Ognenovski are previous A-League graduates.

It might all be pie in the sky and Kewell might just be testing the waters for the best possible deal, wherever that may be, however in the meantime Australian soccer has been provided with one hell of a day dream to contemplate.

Watch out if this one comes true.