A-League 2011-12 + ACL 2011

[Wezza]

FFA are incompetent idiots but I also think Clive is doing his best to help destroy the game completely.

[Dimethyltryptamine]

Originally Posted by BNE01

The FFA was pushed into a corner and were left with very few other options.

As a football fan, I really hope Palmer just walks away allows people that love the game to administer the game.

Totally agree. Luckily going to Brisbane to watch a game isn't too hard (probably easier than getting to Robina...). I just wish Clive would drop dead, he's an absolute embarrassment to anything/everything he touches. Football here had great potential (despite what Dean says), it was just run horrible from day 1 and held somewhere no one wants to go... Robina. That was its biggest problem.

[Birkish Delight]

Court case between GCU and FFA is currently getting played out and tweeted by @Tschafer9

[Wezza]

Brisbane 1 - 1 Heart

Brisbane had a penalty to win it in injury time but Bolton saved it. Only 1 point this weekend. Ah well, Sea Bogans will probably lose or draw anyway.

[Wezza]

Originally Posted by Wezza

Sea Bogans will probably lose or draw anyway.

Sea Bogans & Sydney draw 1-1. Brisbane will pounce on top spot next weekend.

[KJBrissy]

And they almost lost it! They haven't really timed their peak have they!

Hopefully Brisbane play well on Tuesday against Tokyo. I'm going and it should be a good night.

[Wezza]

ACL tonight! Roar playing FC Tokyo & Adelaide playing Bunyodkor. I think the bogans play tomorrow night.

[KJBrissy]

We played like crap and got beaten 2:0.

We just need to look forward to the next games I think.

[Wezza]

Yeah there is alot of improvement left in Brisbane. Not one of their better games. Tokyo weren't all that great TBH, both of their goals came from Brisbane lapses. The start of the ACL has come at a bad time really, Brisbane have the A-League run in to think about as well.

Meanwhile, Adelaide have nothing to play for in the A-League & they defeated Bunyodkor in Tashkent 1-2. Bunyodkor were awful, Carney plays for them now & was also awful.

[Wezza]

A bit of a disappointing display by Brisbane again today to draw 1-1 with Adelaide. Passing was sloppy again, I think Broich is still being troubled by his recent injury & doesn't look as confident in his play.

But the news isn't all because the Mariners are doing their absolute best to not finish top spot after losing 1-0 to Perth today. Brisbane only 2 points behind now.

[sbx]

Hi there guys.

Just wondering if any of you regularly attend games or are you more likely to watch on telly? I'm a Sydney supporter myself. Have been since 2005 and in the history of the league I've probably only missed 5 home matches Was a great victory against Melbourne the other night.

The title race is really hotting up! I love this stage of the season.

[Aussie Bhoy]

I was hurting after Brisbane's draw with Adelaide, all those missed chances, but CCM losing again was a lovely consolation. Roar still on target!

sbx, good on you for attending so many games. I try to when Brisbane are at home, but I work shifts and my work often prevents me making games, like yesterday.

This isn't a slight on Sydney, so don't take it the wrong way, but why are Sydney's crowds so low? They get less than Brisbane average, but have twice the population supporting the one team. They have a history of doing well, big name players, a well located stadium and I've noticed good press support. When I'm in Sydney the newspapers there seem to have a much larger football (soccer) section than the Courier Mail bothers with. Sydney probably has a bigger "ethnic" population as well, who might be pre-disposed to support soccer first.

[sbx]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bhoy

I was hurting after Brisbane's draw with Adelaide, all those missed chances, but CCM losing again was a lovely consolation. Roar still on target!

sbx, good on you for attending so many games. I try to when Brisbane are at home, but I work shifts and my work often prevents me making games, like yesterday.

This isn't a slight on Sydney, so don't take it the wrong way, but why are Sydney's crowds so low? They get less than Brisbane average, but have twice the population supporting the one team. They have a history of doing well, big name players, a well located stadium and I've noticed good press support. When I'm in Sydney the newspapers there seem to have a much larger football (soccer) section than the Courier Mail bothers with. Sydney probably has a bigger "ethnic" population as well, who might be pre-disposed to support soccer first.

Hmm we don't really have that good press support. We're usually buried at the bottom of the sports pile unless it's something really big (i.e Emerton). Sydney's crowds have always been a bit on the low side you're right. There are many factors involved IMO. The club competes in one of the most competitive market places in the world. I think we're one of 30 clubs across all codes. There's a lot of noise out there and the club isn't able to advertise as well as we might like. We don't have anywhere near as much money as the League/AFL clubs do. The 'ethnic' population you refer to are greater in percentage out West. Some are still supporting their smaller ex-NSL clubs and others are waiting for the West Sydney side.

Crowds are improving however. The league average has fluctuated over the years but this season Sydney's crowds have risen by 70%. Ultimately though, the Sydney public is a very fickle one. The population here just isn't as loyal or have a membership culture like Melbourne for example. I think football in this country also struggles because it's not the 'best of the best'. If you look at all the other codes - AFL, RL, Rugby Union - they all have the top sportsmen on the planet for that particular sport playing week in week out. The A-League doesn't have this and not by a long shot.

My 2c!

[CULWULLA]

my only whinge is that ccm had to play in freezing fucking china last week and then back up in 40deg heat in perth few days later. really stupid system aleague managment have going.
ccm never going to be a threat that game.
still on target no1.

A-League 2011/2012 Table
Pos Team Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD Points
1 Central Coast Mariners 25 13 6 6 37 23 14 45
2 Brisbane Roar 25 12 7 6 46 26 20 43
3 Perth Glory 25 12 4 9 36 30 6 40
4 Wellington Phoenix 25 12 4 9 33 27 6 40
5 Melbourne Heart 25 9 8 8 32 31 1 35
6 Newcastle Jets 25 10 5 10 35 36 -1 35
7 Sydney 25 9 7 9 32 38 -6 34
8 Melbourne Victory 25 5 11 9 30 39 -9 26
9 Adelaide United 25 5 9 11 25 42 -17 24
10 Gold Coast United 25 3 9 13 26 40 -14 18

[sbx]

Originally Posted by CULWULLA

my only whinge is that ccm had to play in freezing fucking china last week and then back up in 40deg heat in perth few days later. really stupid system aleague managment have going.
ccm never going to be a threat that game.
still on target no1.

It's hardly the FFA's fault It was all just luck of draw. The fixtures for both A-League and Champions League have been pencilled in for months.. It was just unfortunate you drew a side in those conditions!

[CULWULLA]

either way not good for the players or the sport.

[sbx]

Originally Posted by CULWULLA

either way not good for the players or the sport.

It's certainly not ideal but teams in Europe deal with this all the time. Champions League/Europa Cup Qualifiers, FA Cup games, round-robin etc. Some clubs have three games within the space of a week. Australian players are struggling for match time as it is. The European/Asian leagues play up to 50 games a year with a 2 1/2 month break. The A-League in its current format play 27 week seasons with a 4 week finals series. The average A-League off-season is 5 months!. Therein lies the argument for more games/more teams/longer seasons to compete with other leagues and countries around the globe.

I can definitely see your point, but that's just my perspective. Are you a Mariner yourself Cul?

[Wezza]

Originally Posted by CULWULLA

whinge

That's all we ever hear.

[CULWULLA]

^champion


sbx-not a mariner but mariners suppoter. many people on central coast love sport and have gotten behind the mariners since inception in aleague a few years ago. its a great institution on a sat or sun arvo, heading towards bluetongue.

[Wezza]

Brisbane beat Newcastle 2-1 & the bogans managed to get a win. The premiership will go down to the final round. Brisbane will play GCU at Skilled & the bogans play the nux in Wellington.