Yeah, but that means 60% of members who signed up last year haven't signed up again this year (yet).
I know there is a ****ing eternity (plus 3 more eternities, I think) till the season starts but it's not a great showing.
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Yeah, but that means 60% of members who signed up last year haven't signed up again this year (yet).
I know there is a ****ing eternity (plus 3 more eternities, I think) till the season starts but it's not a great showing.
It's painfully obvious that cost-cutting is the Jets only objective in the near future.
The writing has been on the wall for a while. Have we signed anyone of any value? Have we signed anyone at the top of their game?
GVE and Middleby can try and sweet talk us into believing that they're building for the future, but we all know that if any of these "new kids" we've signed are half-decent they'll be out of here before too long anyway.
So if their plan is, as Middleby said, to give us a thrill by watching future stars of australian football when they're first beginning, why don't they just admit that they're not building a squad to win the A-League? Why don't they say what we all know and concede that they hope to maybe get lucky and squeeze into the finals every second year to keep fans happy?
Look at our team as it stands - a washed-up 34 year old partnering an unproven 19 year old who couldn't get a start at Perth, being supplied with opportunies by a 22 year old player with barely 40 games in the league.
Just to fill me with more confidence, the teams wastes a visa spot on some 23 year old guy from Europe who nobody's ever heard of and parade it around like it's a big signing.
In summary, I'm not happy.
Oh duh. For some reason I was thinking of Tiago and Mitchell... which doesn't make any sense either. :(
Is it? You'd see just as much cost cutting going on in the back office staff as the front office. Apart from the (unpaid) Advisory Committee, I haven't heard any drastic changes going on there.
Why wouldn't they raise the season ticket prices, even just a little bit, to try and gouge the regular punters for more money?
I don't have a problem with a squad made up of largely young players, so long as they are balanced with experienced players where it counts. My personal opinion has always been that there will be a point in time when the kids who watched the Socceroos qualify for the 2006 World Cup would be the first generation of really talented players because we wouldn't see them drop out of the game like in previous generations. After them will come the kids who have had superior development through the FFA's technical program.
I'm keenly watching who they pick to fill the remaining attacking midfielder and striker positions. I think GVE has made it clear that he's looking for quality players in these positions.
Uhm to be fair to Dutchy he has never been in a position to select the players he wants.
That being said I do find it interesting that Scott Tunbridge the year after he left the Jets was the leading goal scorer in South Australia's comp.
Be interesting to see how he goes with a much better backroom, better budget for not only players but for team preparation ect.
+1 Skirt Boy.
I am prepared to reserve my judgement until we see what the final team is and how they play. If he screws up this year then it all sits firmly on his shoulders, if he produces something special I will line up to congratulate him.
scott tunbridge lol
It also doesn't make sense from the position that HSG took. They bet the house on getting a result, apparently prepared to walk away from the A-League because of the issues they listed but prepared to commit long term if they were resolved. I can't see a "we'll let you go out quietly" proposal being well received or accepted in the circumstances. The public comments cannot always be taken at face value but it simply looks like Frank Lowy went to Tinkler, and for the most part he agreed to his demands and everyone moved on. The actions of all parties seems to match this scenario.
Former employee who has been recently sacked is making negative statements about HSG and Tinks plans?? Like you haven't seen that happen before. Treat with a grain of salt. Yeah so what if we have cut off a bit of the excess in wages to players. We have actually redirected more money to our off field operations which is a much needed priority.
Anyone who thinks Tinks is planning on bailing needs his/her head read. Tinks could get out anytime he wants. Tinks could antagonise the FFA Clive Palmer way to get given the flick. No comparing Tinks with Palmer and GC is a joke. Tinks fought the FFA on a couple of points and got his point across. Once done he has moved on and continues to fund this club.
As far as the Members number only being 4k don't panic yet. Many people will only cough up the cash in the last week or two before it. People are ****ing tight arses in that regard. They rarely pay early but wait until when something is due. I still expect us to push the 11-12 k mark easily and a great signing or 2 could push us to 13-14k
If people are tight arses, surely the perpetual payment method at $15 a month or whatever it is works out a far better option than coughing up $150 a week before the season and getting a shitter choice of seats?
get on the payment in installments plan (y)
:gent:
:imisstheemoticons:
I agree, I seem to remember last season people thinking the 10,000 target was unrealistic and they got there in the end. The numbers didn't explode at the start it was just a steady climb.
There will be two more rushes for tickets this season, one just before the member seat allocations ends, then another just before the season starts.
I think we will reach 10,000 again, how much higher really will depend on the last signings.
Squad wise, I am pretty happy with how its shaping up this season. If we really do well with the last signings in the attacking area it should be a good season.
Many will stay away from Payment plans due to personal choice and wanting to pay for something outright.
Some people just don't pay things until they are due or at at the last minute. Unfortunately they are what they are.
I am on the committee of a sporting group who have 60-70 members and turns over approx 40k a year. We have an annual Membership fee of $25. We have about 30 outings a year .This group is entirely opt in and you can front once a year or 30 times a year.
At the start of the year when our fees are due I have almost the same 20 blokes cough up at the first available opportunity a couple of these even harass me earlier and can't wait to pay them. The next couple of chances I get 4 or 5 or so. This used to drag on for 4-5 months which was just a great inconvenience so we set a deadline of February or you wouldn't be eligible for an event. Still get the same situation just that now I get 30 or so coughing up on the last day available. Then I still have about 8 to 10 that I have to almost chase up with a shot gun to get them to open their wallets and cough up. These who are late or pay at the last available opportunity and ain't poor either just that way inclined. Money stays in their wallet until the last available chance
Paying when due is inherent in this club - with the previous owner it was pay on the last day of the final notice !!!
News on JC (or Cockerill speculation)...
Quote:
Culina may be next on Sydney FC's shopping list
MICHAEL COCKERILL
05 Jul, 2012 11:43 AM
Jason Culina could yet become the final piece of the recruiting jigsaw for Sydney FC after the Sky Blues boosted their attacking stocks with the signing of veteran Croatian striker Krunoslav Lovrek.
Lovrek, 32, has agreed a one-year deal after leaving his Chinese side, Qingdao Jonoon, and coach Ian Crook is singing his praises, saying: "He can finish but he can create as well so that fitted into the bracket that we wanted ... he's smart and technically very good, so I'm just really delighted to have got him on board."
Lovrek, a former Croatian youth international, has had a nomadic career, playing in Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Belgium as well as his homeland. He was a member of the Jeonbuk Motors squad which won the 2011 Asian Champions League, and having already seen Sydney FC's facilities pronounced himself happy with the move, saying: "My first impression of everything around the club is great."
Lovrek becomes Sydney FC's fourth visa player, and the club still has room for one more foreigner. Whether the Sky Blues fill their quota with another attacking player remains to be seen, and much could depend on the outcome of the speed of Culina's recovery from a career-threatening knee injury.
The Socceroos midfielder has finally reached a settlement with Newcastle Jets over compensation and insurance issues, and is now on the market providing his comeback goes to plan. Culina has been working with Sky Blues physio Stan Ivancic on his injury - effectively giving Sydney FC a head start in what could become a three-horse race for his signature. Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners are also keen on Culina, who has been sidelined for 18 months since damaging his knee playing for Australia at the Asian Cup.
Meanwhile former Sydney FC striker Kerem Bulut is the latest transfer target of the Wanderers, who need to shore up their attacking options. Bulut, 20, finished last season as a loan player with Czech side Mlada Boleslav.
smurfs will be a bit smarter than us with the get out of payment clause if his dodgy knee is no good
What's Cockerill going to do now that there are 2 teams in Sydney he (his paper) has to suck up to?
And is there any player in the country not linked to the Smurths, yet. FFS
Wait for them to try and gazump us on Griff !
What a battle between Blues and Wanderers. Some fantastic signings split between both clubs. Flores seems to be the best signing though for any A League club. Even at any price it may be. So from now Griff has to be the next big thing.
I agree that this sounds like a case of sour grapes but this bloke was very certain and is a well known fella who wouldn't go shooting his mouth off. Thats all I'm saying about it and although I hope he is being a dickhead I thought it best to put it out there what he said.
ew Head of Hyundai A-League appointed
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced the appointment of Damien de Bohun as the Head of Hyundai A-League.
Mr de Bohun brings senior executive experience in sports administration, marketing and business development to the key management role for Australia’s premier football club competition.
Damien has held the senior role as Executive General Manager, Game and Market Development for Cricket Australia since 2005.
His career includes two previous roles in football, as CEO of Football Federation Victoria (2003-04) and Operations Manager of the Hyundai A-League (2004-05).
“Damien has a wonderful mix of senior executive experience in the sports industry and a life-long passion for football,” FFA CEO Ben Buckley said.
“His recent professional focus on game and market development is particularly relevant for the A-League and FFA’s strategic objective to connect with the grassroots and convert participants into fans.
“I’m delighted to have secured a high-calibre executive in Damien. I know he has the right skills, energy and football administration knowledge to implement our goals for a stable and sustainable A-League.”
Damien de Bohun thanked FFA for the opportunity to take on the leadership role in the Hyundai A-League.
“Football has always been a big part of my life as a player, coach and referee. More recently, some of my most enjoyable experiences have been coaching our son’s junior sides and watching the next generation of boys and girls develop a love for football,” de Bohun said.
“But it’s the professional challenge of managing the Hyundai A-League that has me most excited about the new role.
“The current structure of the A-League provides a very solid foundation to build on the growth in attendances, TV audiences and memberships last season and I can’t wait to get started.”
Damien de Bohun will commence in the new role in early August.
Have also heard rumours Smurfs FC are gonna be signing former Newy invalid Jason Culina
Quite refreshingly different to see Sydney sign our cast offs or transfer targets for a change:rolleyes:
Assuming this goes ahead and Jason is recovered from his injuries and able to play at the level expected of him a midfield containing Culina Carle and Emerton is gonna look pretty impressive
lol they never change Gorman 2.0Quote:
Goal-line wizardry could be out of reach
July 7, 2012
http://images.smh.com.au/2012/07/06/...vski-420x0.jpg
Took a huge pay cut to sign a one-year deal with the Mariners ... Mile Sterjovski. Photo: Getty Images
GOAL-LINE technology has finally been given the green light, but while new A-League boss Damien de Bohun is a fan of innovation he has ''no idea'' when the expensive equipment will be seen in Australia's domestic competition.
On the same day the International Football Association Board relented to years of pressure and approved one of the biggest rule changes in the game's history, de Bohun was officially ushered into the A-League hot seat, replacing Lyall Gorman, who has left to become executive chairman of newcomers Western Sydney Wanderers.
De Bohun has spent the past seven years at Cricket Australia, but has been a football player, coach and referee, and is a former chief executive of Football Federation Victoria. ''There are clearly some challenges ahead, but you have to put things in context,'' he said.
''Football has come an extraordinary way in the last 10 years, so that tells me the next 10 years will be incredibly exciting. Football in this country has incredible natural advantages, the challenge is to make something from them.''
Advertisement
Well versed in the use of video technology in cricket, de Bohun would love to see the new goal-line technology introduced as soon as possible in the A-League, but at a cost of about $200,000 a stadium he warns clubs may have to be patient.
''I've got no idea when we'd be in a position to introduce it, but what I can say is that innovations like this add a lot to the consumer experience. It brings fans into the game, whether they're at home or in the stadium, and that's a good thing. Sport is in the entertainment industry - you stand still, you go backwards.''
De Bohun, who starts his new job next month, has put strengthening the links between the clubs and the community at the top of his list of priorities - a strategy he believes will help build on the recent growth in memberships, crowds and ratings. Improving the relationship between the clubs and Football Federation Australia, and between the clubs themselves, is another priority.
Meanwhile, former Socceroo Mile Sterjovski has cut short his stay in China and will return to the A-League to join Central Coast Mariners, who have beaten off a strong bid from Sydney FC for his much-coveted signature.
''We're absolutely delighted to get Mile on board,'' said chairman Peter Turnbull. ''He's a player of proven pedigree, he's an ex-international, and I think it's a great show of faith in our club that he's decided to join us rather than take up [other] offers.''
Sterjovski, 33, has left Dalian Aerbin by mutual consent after his family failed to settle in China, and has taken a huge pay cut to sign a one-year deal with the Mariners, with a one-year option. Sterjovski, who won't be a marquee player, left Perth Glory in February - just before the club's fairytale run to the grand final - to sign a 10-month deal with Dalian Aerbin, who had just been promoted to the Chinese Super League.
Initially used as a fullback by the club's Korean coach Chang Woe-Ryong, Sterjovski was shifted to a No. 10 role when Serb Alex Stanojevic took charge just a month into the season, and ended up making 15 appearances in the CSL before deciding to bring forward his departure. Sterjovski will be reunited with his former Socceroos boss Graham Arnold at the Mariners, who is likely to use him in an attacking role to fill the void left by the departures of John Sutton and Matt Simon. Sterjovski's wages will sit inside the Mariners' salary cap.
In a further boost to the Mariners, outstanding goalkeeper Matt Ryan, 20, has had a request for a trial at English Championship side Burnley turned down.
The Mariners are determined to keep hold of one of their prized assets unless they are offered a serious transfer fee for last season's A-League Goalkeeper of the Year. Ryan's management had hoped to take him to England today to begin a two-week trial at Turf Moor.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football...#ixzz1ztRPJyn5
On the Goal line tech price I think that's the more expensive sony Hawk-eye system, goalref is meant to be much simpler to install & produce. Can't see it being used by any of the larger associations though considering sony is a major partner with FIFA.
Good to hear he is getting back on track WSW maybe, after all the FFA is already paying him as part of his settlement.Quote:
Culina Return Not Far Away
http://i.haymarket.net.au/Utils/Imag...1071.jpg&w=653
UNCLEAR FUTURE...Culina denies talk of Sydney FC link
AFTER enduring the toughest 18 months of his professional career, clubless Socceroo Jason Culina is ready to return ahead of the 2012 A-League season.
The 31-year-old says he's close to regaining full fitness after recovering from two major surgeries and is hopeful of securing a deal and returning in the early stages of the A-League season.
"Whether it's the first game of the season or the fifth, I'm not sure," Culina says. "I can't put a timeframe on this sort of injury and recovery. You don't see progress week-to-week.
"It's more every couple of weeks, so if I was to say I'd be ready for the first game of the season - I wouldn't put my money on it but I'd like to be there or thereabouts."
The ex-Gold Coast United midfielder lit up the A-League in his first two seasons in the domestic competition but his move to the Newcastle Jets fell flat when his father and then-Jets coach, Branko, was sacked on the eve of the 2011 season due to controversy surrounding Culina's injury.
Once a mainstay in the national set-up, Culina's vision and technical ability on the ball have also been sorely missed in the A-League, with the former Ajax and PSV midfielder now training with Sydney FC head physio Stan Ivancic.
That move has led to speculation he is on the verge of signing with the Sky Blues, but Culina says his future still remains unclear.
"I've been training with Stan - he used to be my physio at Sydney United back in the day in the old NSL, 15 years ago," Culina said.
"When I got back to Sydney he was the one who offered his support. So I've been working on my fitness and recovery with him, not actually with Sydney FC. I don't know where I'll be or what I'll be doing.
"At the moment I'm still focused on my rehab. I'm probably a good month or two off actually joining a team and starting training. I'd be looking too far ahead to say I'll be going here or there."
With the highly publicised legal action regarding his sacking from the Jets involving the Professional Footballers Association and Football Federation Australia finally dropped in June, Culina said he was happy to move forward.
"Definitely, that was another hurdle that needed to be jumped. It's not easy when you're trying to deal with a serious injury and the rehab but also all that other stuff," Culina admitted.
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/24498...-far-away.aspx
+1, was a great shame we never saw him play for us.
As for signing, surely he can't sign for SFC, given they have 2 marquees ATM, unless we're going to see another marquee player suddenly become available. However, he would be a brilliant signing for WSW, gives them that bit of class and creatively they seem to lack at the moment.