I hate penalty shootouts.
No, I really do. I appreciate why they’re there, how some people can see them as incredibly exciting, but to be honest whether my team wins or loses I can’t help but feel bitter towards them.
Granted, when you win a shootout, the resulting joy drowns out this bitterness somewhat; and when you lose it’s painfully public, there for all to see. But even when John Aloisi was stepping up to the plate to knock in that penalty, I was sitting in my lounge room looking for something to club myself in the head with. I just can’t stand the tension. Hell, I even walk out of the room if I’m having to go through one in my ‘Football Manager’ game (5-3 winners over Suwon to win the 2012 ACL final thank-you-very-much).
I suppose that in a way this isn’t surprising. My shootout ‘upbringing’ as such was always mired in tragedy; I remember watching World Cup or Euro shootouts with my friends or family which always ended in tears for someone (never Australia of course; not back then) and how the commentators would harp on about the criminal injustice of it all. You know, the team that battles their way against the odds, only to get sent home by this lottery; or the highly-fancied sentimental favourite who chokes in the quarters or semis yet again. Perhaps these sad stories scarred me for life?
Of course, the greatest damage was done watching the Glory go down in penalties to the Wollongong Wolves in 2000, in what is commonly referred to as the greatest Grand Final in Australian football history. You all know the story - Glory up 3-0 at half time, Wollongong score three times in the second half, match goes to penalties, Wollongong win. The eternal image of that game for many Glory fans is James Afkos, son of former Glory owner Paul, failing to score with his penalty to give Wollongong the game and the 2000 NSL Championship.
As such, Afkos became a villain for many Glory fans - but as is commonly the case, his vilification means that other players’ failures are soon forgotten. Brazilian Edgar Junior had his shot saved; and Glory legend Alistair Edwards also failed to score what would have been the winning penalty. Of course, you don’t see either of them degraded to the extent that Afkos was - he was simply unlucky to be the one who copped the most flak as his kick ended the game.
On Sunday, there was no villain. At least not to the same extent anyway. While the shootout started normally enough - one goal apiece - Naum Sekulovski and Scott Bulloch failed to convert their chances, Wellington did not, and it was all academic as Phoenix ran out 4-2 winners. Liam Reddy, humiliated by Perth earlier in the year while playing for Brisbane, obtained his revenge by saving the penalties that could have kept Glory in the game. Much like Les Pogliacomi in 2000, it was he who broke the hearts of the Perth faithful.
Honestly, and you wonder why Perth fans hate goalkeepers so much...
The One That Got Away?
To my mind, Perth went close - damn close - to causing a major boilover on the weekend. The trip from Perth to Wellington is an epic 5,250km, give or take, and to perform like they did after a massive flight, and in front of a hostile crowd just under six times the size of the one on the Gold Coast only 24 hours earlier, is a pretty good effort.
That said, there’s still cause to have a look at the way Perth lined up. The back four was as settled as it’s always been - Jamie and Chris Coyne, Andy Todd, and Naum Sekulovski - and Jacob Burns had his normal role of guarding them. The next line of the formation is where things get interesting, though. Steven McGarry played a supporting role to striker Daniel McBreen, and performed admirably. Both ran out the entire 120 minutes and slotted their assigned penalties. On the left wing, we had Todd Howarth, who was a little quiet but still deserved his starting slot in the absence of Victor Sikora.
On the right, we had Scott Neville - playing out of position, I was fearful that he’d have a bad game as a result. I couldn’t have been more wrong - he played an absolute blinder, was a constant threat, scored a goal, and could have had another on top of that. He played so well that he was inconsolable after the final whistle; not able to believe that after all that effort, his team still lost.
The final midfield slot was filled by Wayne Srhoj, and it was here that I think Mitchell got his tactics wrong. Srhoj, judging by his season or so spent with us, is an enigma. I’ve mentioned before his excellent potential, but also his everyday mediocrity. Every now and then you see a flash of brilliance, but the rest of the time you’re engulfed in a smog of ‘so-so’. You could argue that the final needed that flash of brilliance - but I think even more importantly, it didn’t need his lethargy or lack of work rate. I believe Dave Mitchell should have given Srhoj’s role to McGarry, and handed the midfield link role to someone like Andrija Jukic, who must feel bitterly disappointed to have missed out on the game, having not even made the bench despite his recent run in the first team (which ‘coincidentally’ coincided with Glory’s late return to form).
Jukic too can provide a spark, just like Srhoj, but with him you know that you’ll at least get 90 minutes of solid effort. Srhoj was off before an hour had even been played, and he looked well and truly knackered before that point. To me, there seems little point to playing a player in that sort of condition in an Elimination Final - and I personally feel that Mitchell got his selection wrong. Would it have made a difference? We’ll never know - but I suspect it might have at least given us a little more attacking impetus.
True Grit
In the end though, this isn’t a blog deriding a questionable selection by the incumbent Glory coach. On the day, the tactics were fine and the lads in question - with one exception - looked the part. What’s more, we had some true heroes stand up on Sunday, and neither of them could be called experienced by any stretch of the imagination.
Dave Mitchell / Pim Verbeek / the fairy goalkeeper / Shub-Niggurath getting Tando Velaphi called up to the Socceroos squad for the match away in Kuwait was one of the best pieces of man-management I’ve ever seen. Since his call-up, Velaphi has been playing at the top of his game. On Sunday he demonstrated just why he deserves to be thought of as a top A-League keeper of the future, by pulling off save after important save. He’s still got a lot of time to develop - and I’m happy to admit he’s got a lot of developing to do - but knowing that the kid can stand the pressures of an away final in front of a hostile crowd is very reassuring indeed.
Likewise, Scott Neville played a man-of-the-match role for the Glory. His surging runs down the right side, combined with the sort of tracking back that we used to see from Adriano Pellegrino, and the sort of runs into the box that Mile Sterjovski should be performing every week, meant that Glory constantly looked a threat down the right hand side. What’s more, Neville fights, which is an inspiration to teammates and fans alike.
I remember him playing what must have been close to his debut match against Melbourne Victory and just throwing himself into a tackle on Archie Thompson, cleanly dispossessing one of the men considered to be among the most dangerous in the league. Thompson stood there, a bemused look on his face, and must have thought - ‘You lucky little punk’. But the thing was Neville repeated this action again. And again. And again. After a while, Archie just looked stupid, and the Glory faithful had a new defensive hero.
Since then, ‘Nev’ has had a lot of ups and downs - typical when you consider that he’s only 21 years of age, and still learning at A-League level. But to step up and play an unfamiliar role on the biggest stage of his career thus far speaks volumes for the lad. His fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude represent the values that Glory fans look for in all of their players; and while his head was bowed on Sunday, I hope that in the meantime he’s realised that he’s entitled to hold it very high indeed. Well in Nev!
Indeed, well in Glory. The club should have finished higher this season, the coach still has tactical and managerial deficiencies, and certain members of the playing staff could still do with a rocket shoved where the sun don’t shine - but on Sunday, you fought hard and did us proud.
And, for the time being at least, that’s all I’ve got to say on the matter.
