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On The Other Side

On The Other Side

60 minutes had passed when I was sitting in the SFS watching the Round 1 Grand Final replay between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory. Sydney were up 2-0 and I thought to myself that things couldn't get any better. The Sky Blues were playing quite well with crisp short passes between players and ... 10 Sep 2010

This like watching the Grass Grow

This like watching the Grass Grow

So the Central Coast Mariners are starting yet another long away period where they will be on the road with numerous away games and even a few ‘away from home' home games. Personally as a Mariners fan I find it a little disappointing that this has happened a second year running. The net ... 10 Sep 2010

One Week To Live

One Week To Live

So apparently an ultimatum has been issued to Rovers' management. One week to front up the money or wave goodbye to the A-League. Now as a fan of Rovers before they have even kicked a ball in anger, let alone sign a coach, players, get a stadium, have an official supporter's name et al, this is ... 10 Sep 2010

Learned His Lesson? Well...

Learned His Lesson? Well...

He may not have been thinking it at the time but Sunday's yellow card for simulation was the best thing that could've happened to Jean Carlo Solorzano. For those who missed it, barely five minutes in to his A-League debut Solorzano contested a header on the halfway line by throwing his arms ... 9 Sep 2010

Dark Clouds Loom

Dark Clouds Loom

And not just for Newcastle Jets. If Newcastle are struggling with low gate takings what do you think must be the situation in other locations? We all know the scandal of Gold Coast United and the crowd cap. What a laugh! What a way to "grow" the league and "expand". The local news says that the ... 9 Sep 2010

Ticket Troubles

Ticket Troubles

I'm normally a fairly prompt and organised person. I give myself more than enough time to get somewhere. I plan in advance what is going to happen when I get there. I make sure that I cover any feasible reason for delay. Maybe that makes me sound like a bit of a ... 6 Sep 2010

How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us

How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us

So the new A-League season has well and truly begun, and so far the signs are looking good for Perth Glory. Crowds have been impressive at nib Stadium, Glory are sitting pretty on top of the table, and Robbie Fowler is ensuring that the club garners headlines both at home and abroad; ... 6 Sep 2010

A-League Awards - Round 5

A-League Awards - Round 5

Too much football is never enough. But what a banquet of games we had over the weekend. With the Socceroos in the wee hours of Saturday morning, a host of UEFA Euro qualifiers, plus, of course, the staple five courses of A-League fare, there was plenty of football for fans to feast on ... 6 Sep 2010

No Man Is An Island

No Man Is An Island

It is a truth universally acknowledged by football fans that for every moment of anger and frustration, sometime somewhere there will be a moment of supreme satisfaction. These moments may be weeks, years or even decades apart but if you keep the faith, good times will surely come. On ... 6 Sep 2010

Byes, Bruce and sickbeds

Byes, Bruce and sickbeds

The season so far seems a little, well, under the weather. I subscribe to the camp that the season should not start in the finals of its rivals, but I'm more concerned with the consequence of having 11 teams. How can the scheduling boffins realistically look at the draw and decide a team ... 5 Sep 2010

First Impressions

First Impressions

One game into the Osieck reign and what have we learnt? Not a whole lot to be honest, which was always going to be the case with the familiar squad, but there is clear potential to work with should he take a few chances. Firstly, high praise to the man for finally offering Matthew ... 4 Sep 2010

1984 A-League Season

1984 A-League Season

This season could go down in history as the season of 1984. Not the year but rather the George Orwell classic novel depicting a police state where your life is controlled and ran by Big Brother. Big Brother could quite easily become the new name for the Match Review Panel. The whole issue of ... 3 Sep 2010

Quit Your Whinging

Quit Your Whinging

They say you can't pick your family but you can pick your friends. They don't say anything about the people seated around you at the football. More's the pity. One of the joys of following a football team is the opportunity it affords to meet new and interesting people that may have nothing ... 3 Sep 2010

Take it like a girl

Take it like a girl

I like a man who's good with his feet, a young Baryshnikov springs to mind. I like a man who stays on his feet even better. Watching a highly skilled footballer swan dive into the turf unaided is an acquired taste I've never - well - acquired. Without casting aspersions, it's safe to say ... 3 Sep 2010

The Untouchable

The Untouchable

After watching a relatively dull and uninspiring match on Sunday afternoon, my mind started to wander. After seeing a sumptuous through ball to Kruse end up in the back of the net, I began to thank my lucky stars that we had one of the best playmakers in the league, if not the best, throwing his ... 2 Sep 2010

Terra Accido

Terra Accido

Terra (Ground/Land/Alex) Accido (Fall down/Hack/Reach by falling) can pretty much sum up the extent of my feelings on the weekends A-League action & drama, and subsequent suspensions handed out to both Michael Baird and Patricio Perez by the FFA. My opinions mirror a lot of the comments I ... 1 Sep 2010

FFA's own goal

FFA's own goal

Here's a random fact: A broken wrist is the single most common bone fracture in people under the age of 65. Number one. Numero uno. Here's another - the three main causes are: falling, sports injuries, and traffic accidents. You know why? Because instinct will take over. Without ... 1 Sep 2010

Perez falls victim to a fair cop.

Perez falls victim to a fair cop.

Whether or not Liam Reddy's glove brushed Patricio Perez's boot has become the talking point that has set this season of the A-league afire. But our dear pundits you have been talking about the wrong thing entirely, because Perez didn't cheat until after he fell down. Whether or not there ... 31 Aug 2010

Can't Touch This

Can't Touch This

In theory, the A-League's Match Review Panel sounds like a really good idea. The opportunity to crack down on simulation, violent conduct and aggressive behaviour? Absolutely brilliant. If only it actually worked. I'm all for cleaning up the A-League (even though, in comparison to many foreign ... 31 Aug 2010

A lot can happen on a week off

A lot can happen on a week off

I was dismayed today when reading that the Jets players have not been paid. The story around the unpaid wages is of course wider than the Jets management, involving the stadium and the Newcastle Knights NRL team as well. But it is a concern that Con has left the club in a position where ... 31 Aug 2010

The 45 Minute Genius

The 45 Minute Genius

Every so often a player comes along. A real player. Welcome Marcos Flores. The A-League is a tough competition. Aussies like their football played with mind and muscle. But just below the skin of most football fans lies a pulse of hope that our games might be brought to life with some real, ... 30 Aug 2010

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