Hello, handful of readers,
Sorry to disappoint you all, but I won't be blogging for the next few months, and quite possibly indefinitely. I'm still making the games but work demands and alcohol leave me rather unable to provide coherent tactical analysis.
Please check back in after New Years - things may have changed...
Otherwise please get in touch via Twitter (@alternative_PM) or on the SFCU forum.
Thanks for reading.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
FFA should establish Western Sydney Juniors
The A League should create Western Sydney Juniors to mine the real gold of the Greater Western Sydney Sporting Boom.
The statement "Western Sydney is a sporting battleground" approaches "Moving Forward" in the vacuous mission statement stakes, but the FFA have a wonderful opportunity to seal a strong footprint in their much-lauded "heartland" (there's another cliche).
The AFL have already abandoned Blacktown for Homebush (hardly Western in most minds), while the NRL has surely reached its peak popularity and is set for a shock when the gambling bubble bursts.
According to footballing folklore, the world game is king in Western Sydney when it comes to amateur participation. But how to entice an apathetic public in a saturated market? A market which already largely refuses to support Sydney FC?
The answer is to wed the new club to Western Sydney's great strength. Western Sydney Juniors should be the next team in the A League. And not in name only - Western Sydney Juniors should become a radically different, revolutionary A League club.
The Western Sydney Juniors squad of 23 should boast no less than 12 players who were born in, or have played some junior football in the Greater Western Sydney catchment. The club should fill its five international spots with first team players, and recruit another six top class Australians.
But the other 12 should be locals. This quota system enables the manager to recruit a strong starting 11 of foreigners and Australians, but obliges the club to play and promote local talent (obviously some Western Sydney "origin" players will win starting spots - and the more the better).
The quotas should be written into the club's mission statement or constitution. Tony Popovic might understandably blanch at such restrictions when he has a couple of months to build a squad, but the club should stand for something, and stand for something from the start.
A gradual implementation of the quota might be more realistic given the FFA's timetable, but in 2011-2012 Sydney FC's Australian contingent was almost entirely made up of players who had a footballing history in Sydney. It would not be impossible for Popovic to do the same.
Juniors could still strive to attract players like Yorke, Juninho or Fowler to fill their overseas spots and boost the starting 11, but would also choose to spend big money on Socceroos with Western Sydney roots such as Neill, Kewell or even Cahill (FFA budgetary considerations aside).
The FFA raves about the heartland. Establishing Western Sydney Juniors would instantly present a future to those hundreds of thousands of juniors footballers. Each and every kid could dream of playing for WS Juniors on their way to European and Socceroos glory.
The Sydney Juniors model has several intrinsic strengths. It speaks to football's global culture. It unashamedly promotes the A League's role in training players to become world class stars.
And, perhaps most importantly, Western Sydney Juniors would stand opposite and against incumbent franchise Sydney FC.
Clubs need to be more than geographically different. They need to speak to different tribes and attract different fans.
Sydney FC is historically wedded to the Bling FC culture. It is a Sydney Kings, Sydney Roosters-style club, an outfit seduced by the eternal dream of marquee players and domination, while crowds wax and wane with the club's success.
Western Sydney Juniors would stand against the Bling. To grossly exploit the cliche, it would be a "real" team of "local battlers" against a side made up of snobby elites. The rivalry would tap into Sydney's cultural history before a ball is kicked.
But it goes deeper than that. The "Juniors" mission, placing footballing education above all, would enable the FFA to found the club with a pledge to promote home-grown youth and to place positive play before success so as to teach kids to play "the right way." The short-termism that has plagued Sydney FC would be combated by a club with a clear mission: to give kids the chance to play, grow and excel.
The Western Sydney Juniors focus on youth would instantly attract those "old soccer" fans looking for a reason to emotionally invest in the A League. Juniors would not replace those deep ties with historical clubs, but rather establish bonds with mature clubs and a pathway for the players that "old soccer" fans take pride in following.
Most football fans who don't attend A League games ask, "Why would I, when I can watch the best football on tv?" The A League is for fans of clubs with identity, and Juniors offers those fans the chance to watch local players grow into Europe-bound stars without pretending to be Arsenal or Barcelona.
We all know the financial woes of the FFA, and WS Juniors would no doubt need a number of financial fairy godmothers to establish themselves. But private investors would be enticed by a football club that is a genuine conveyor belt of talent keen to jump to higher honours.
The new Western Sydney club is genuinely too big to the FFA to fail. But while the AFL retreats and the GWS Giants become "Western" in name only, the FFA should make a bold, honest statement before the sporting bubble bursts: this is the club, it is truly here for you, and it is here for as long as you want to play the beautiful game.
The statement "Western Sydney is a sporting battleground" approaches "Moving Forward" in the vacuous mission statement stakes, but the FFA have a wonderful opportunity to seal a strong footprint in their much-lauded "heartland" (there's another cliche).
The AFL have already abandoned Blacktown for Homebush (hardly Western in most minds), while the NRL has surely reached its peak popularity and is set for a shock when the gambling bubble bursts.
According to footballing folklore, the world game is king in Western Sydney when it comes to amateur participation. But how to entice an apathetic public in a saturated market? A market which already largely refuses to support Sydney FC?
The answer is to wed the new club to Western Sydney's great strength. Western Sydney Juniors should be the next team in the A League. And not in name only - Western Sydney Juniors should become a radically different, revolutionary A League club.
The Western Sydney Juniors squad of 23 should boast no less than 12 players who were born in, or have played some junior football in the Greater Western Sydney catchment. The club should fill its five international spots with first team players, and recruit another six top class Australians.
But the other 12 should be locals. This quota system enables the manager to recruit a strong starting 11 of foreigners and Australians, but obliges the club to play and promote local talent (obviously some Western Sydney "origin" players will win starting spots - and the more the better).
The quotas should be written into the club's mission statement or constitution. Tony Popovic might understandably blanch at such restrictions when he has a couple of months to build a squad, but the club should stand for something, and stand for something from the start.
A gradual implementation of the quota might be more realistic given the FFA's timetable, but in 2011-2012 Sydney FC's Australian contingent was almost entirely made up of players who had a footballing history in Sydney. It would not be impossible for Popovic to do the same.
Juniors could still strive to attract players like Yorke, Juninho or Fowler to fill their overseas spots and boost the starting 11, but would also choose to spend big money on Socceroos with Western Sydney roots such as Neill, Kewell or even Cahill (FFA budgetary considerations aside).
The FFA raves about the heartland. Establishing Western Sydney Juniors would instantly present a future to those hundreds of thousands of juniors footballers. Each and every kid could dream of playing for WS Juniors on their way to European and Socceroos glory.
The Sydney Juniors model has several intrinsic strengths. It speaks to football's global culture. It unashamedly promotes the A League's role in training players to become world class stars.
And, perhaps most importantly, Western Sydney Juniors would stand opposite and against incumbent franchise Sydney FC.
Clubs need to be more than geographically different. They need to speak to different tribes and attract different fans.
Sydney FC is historically wedded to the Bling FC culture. It is a Sydney Kings, Sydney Roosters-style club, an outfit seduced by the eternal dream of marquee players and domination, while crowds wax and wane with the club's success.
Western Sydney Juniors would stand against the Bling. To grossly exploit the cliche, it would be a "real" team of "local battlers" against a side made up of snobby elites. The rivalry would tap into Sydney's cultural history before a ball is kicked.
But it goes deeper than that. The "Juniors" mission, placing footballing education above all, would enable the FFA to found the club with a pledge to promote home-grown youth and to place positive play before success so as to teach kids to play "the right way." The short-termism that has plagued Sydney FC would be combated by a club with a clear mission: to give kids the chance to play, grow and excel.
The Western Sydney Juniors focus on youth would instantly attract those "old soccer" fans looking for a reason to emotionally invest in the A League. Juniors would not replace those deep ties with historical clubs, but rather establish bonds with mature clubs and a pathway for the players that "old soccer" fans take pride in following.
Most football fans who don't attend A League games ask, "Why would I, when I can watch the best football on tv?" The A League is for fans of clubs with identity, and Juniors offers those fans the chance to watch local players grow into Europe-bound stars without pretending to be Arsenal or Barcelona.
We all know the financial woes of the FFA, and WS Juniors would no doubt need a number of financial fairy godmothers to establish themselves. But private investors would be enticed by a football club that is a genuine conveyor belt of talent keen to jump to higher honours.
The new Western Sydney club is genuinely too big to the FFA to fail. But while the AFL retreats and the GWS Giants become "Western" in name only, the FFA should make a bold, honest statement before the sporting bubble bursts: this is the club, it is truly here for you, and it is here for as long as you want to play the beautiful game.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sydney FC Clear Out The Best Credentialed
Sydney FC's new head coach Ian Crook has moved decisively and courageously to axe three former Socceroos. The off-season will be long but fascinating as Crook uses significant room in the salary cap to fill his roster.
Michael Beauchamp was part of the Socceroos squad for the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Scott Jamieson was the A League's Young Player of the Year in 2009 and has played for Australia three times. Shannon Cole scored spectacular goals for Sydney FC and represented Australia against Indonesia.
None were deemed worth retaining by Crook, who has worked with each as an assistant coach for Sydney FC. For a squad short on defensive options, Crook's cuts look courageous indeed. One can only surmise that some were asking for more money than Crook believed their performances warranted, or that the new coach has other options in mind. The speed of his decision perhaps indicates the latter.
But there are few Australians of obvious quality available as A League clubs cannot pursue a player under contract at another team. Left-footed fullbacks are even thinner on the ground and the new Western Sydney squad will voraciously pursue any Australian talent not yet tied down. Bruno Cazarine has also departed, despite being the club's leading goalscorer for the last two seasons, and Sydney need to add strength at both ends of the park.
Thankfully for Sydney, Crook has a lot of salary to spend and three foreign slots available. Crook will also promote young, home-schooled talent: the well-credentialed coach is the former overseer of Sydney's youth squad and has partly-chaperoned Terry Antonis, Dimitri Petratos, Joel Chianese and others into the first team.
Vacancies at left back and striker will be at least partially filled by youngsters Mitch Mallia and Daniel Petkovski, but Crook and football manager Gary Cole will pursue flashier options. David Carney and perhaps even Scott Chipperfield will fuel discussions on filling the left side. One also hopes the club will at least explore unlikely options such as Matthew Spiranovic or other members of the Asian-based defensive diaspora.
At centreback, with Pascal Bosschart injured, Crook only has Seb Ryall, who has failed to force his way into the first team for three seasons, and young Nathan Sherlock. Strikers looks similarly slim on the ground - Crook believes Chianese is more of a midfielder (despite his stunning end to the season), while Mallia is quick but raw. Mark Bridge remains the main man on the roster, despite scoring four goals in two years.
Other gaps exist: at right back Rhyan Grant and Ryall are no more than stopgaps while Brett Emerton is needed further forward. Ivan Necevski has won the number one jersey but will need competition and cover between the sticks.
Sydney's current marquee men Emerton and Nicky Carle are taking up a huge slab of the club's budget and any third big-name signing will have to fit under the salary cap. That factor, plus the appetites of cash-rich clubs throughout Asia and the Middle East, probably rule out names like Michael Owen or even James Beattie. Foreign recruits are likely to be previously-unknown surprise packets such as Thomas Broich, Besart Berisha, Carlos Hernandez or Patricio Perez.
An off-season of speculation awaits as the club again yearns for stability. A new coach, a new squad, and perhaps most importantly, a new chief executive under a new majority owner in David Traktovenko will present their class of Sydney FC to the Cove in five months time.
Crook will be under the most pressure. Will he move Sydney away from the midfield diamond? Will he alter the at-times soporific pace of play? Will he find the men he needs to do it?
It seems clear that while Tratkovenko and chairman Scott Barlow seek a new CEO, Crook needs to recruit a new striker, left midfielder, left back, centreback and find cover at right back and goalkeeper. Crook has the time and the money to get exactly who he wants. But has he burnt his best options?
Michael Beauchamp was part of the Socceroos squad for the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Scott Jamieson was the A League's Young Player of the Year in 2009 and has played for Australia three times. Shannon Cole scored spectacular goals for Sydney FC and represented Australia against Indonesia.
None were deemed worth retaining by Crook, who has worked with each as an assistant coach for Sydney FC. For a squad short on defensive options, Crook's cuts look courageous indeed. One can only surmise that some were asking for more money than Crook believed their performances warranted, or that the new coach has other options in mind. The speed of his decision perhaps indicates the latter.
But there are few Australians of obvious quality available as A League clubs cannot pursue a player under contract at another team. Left-footed fullbacks are even thinner on the ground and the new Western Sydney squad will voraciously pursue any Australian talent not yet tied down. Bruno Cazarine has also departed, despite being the club's leading goalscorer for the last two seasons, and Sydney need to add strength at both ends of the park.
Thankfully for Sydney, Crook has a lot of salary to spend and three foreign slots available. Crook will also promote young, home-schooled talent: the well-credentialed coach is the former overseer of Sydney's youth squad and has partly-chaperoned Terry Antonis, Dimitri Petratos, Joel Chianese and others into the first team.
Vacancies at left back and striker will be at least partially filled by youngsters Mitch Mallia and Daniel Petkovski, but Crook and football manager Gary Cole will pursue flashier options. David Carney and perhaps even Scott Chipperfield will fuel discussions on filling the left side. One also hopes the club will at least explore unlikely options such as Matthew Spiranovic or other members of the Asian-based defensive diaspora.
At centreback, with Pascal Bosschart injured, Crook only has Seb Ryall, who has failed to force his way into the first team for three seasons, and young Nathan Sherlock. Strikers looks similarly slim on the ground - Crook believes Chianese is more of a midfielder (despite his stunning end to the season), while Mallia is quick but raw. Mark Bridge remains the main man on the roster, despite scoring four goals in two years.
Other gaps exist: at right back Rhyan Grant and Ryall are no more than stopgaps while Brett Emerton is needed further forward. Ivan Necevski has won the number one jersey but will need competition and cover between the sticks.
Sydney's current marquee men Emerton and Nicky Carle are taking up a huge slab of the club's budget and any third big-name signing will have to fit under the salary cap. That factor, plus the appetites of cash-rich clubs throughout Asia and the Middle East, probably rule out names like Michael Owen or even James Beattie. Foreign recruits are likely to be previously-unknown surprise packets such as Thomas Broich, Besart Berisha, Carlos Hernandez or Patricio Perez.
An off-season of speculation awaits as the club again yearns for stability. A new coach, a new squad, and perhaps most importantly, a new chief executive under a new majority owner in David Traktovenko will present their class of Sydney FC to the Cove in five months time.
Crook will be under the most pressure. Will he move Sydney away from the midfield diamond? Will he alter the at-times soporific pace of play? Will he find the men he needs to do it?
It seems clear that while Tratkovenko and chairman Scott Barlow seek a new CEO, Crook needs to recruit a new striker, left midfielder, left back, centreback and find cover at right back and goalkeeper. Crook has the time and the money to get exactly who he wants. But has he burnt his best options?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)