I know it's easy with hindsight but one of the dumbest things FFA done was to put in another two QLD sides before Western Sydney. Good to see that they are building things from the ground-up this time and providing a solid base. A lot of decent footballers have come from that area so I think that ultimately they need a team in the HAL.Originally Posted by MFKS
.Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets head coach Gary van Egmond says the Jets still have room for improvement and won’t be resting on their laurels, despite their F3 Derby win over the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday.
While van Egmond said he was very pleased after the Jets secured the three points against their fierce local rivals, he said there were still aspects of their game that needed work.
“I was reasonably happy with the performance, but I wouldn’t say it’s something you can hang your hat on,” van Egmond said.
“I still think you have to play better than that if you’re going to be a force this year. I think overall Central Coast was probably the better team performance-wise, but we were probably a little bit hungrier for it.
“The one thing that we do look like at the moment, is that whenever that ball goes in that front third, there looks like there’s goals in us and we look dangerous.
“We’ve still got some work to do and we’re under no illusions about that, but I was very, very happy with their attitude and their effort.
“We talked about their character and this is the type of game to see what sort of character you have as an individual and as a team.”
The Jets took the lead through a Ryan Griffiths penalty in the fifth minute, but then had to weather an attacking storm by the Mariners for a portion of the first half.
Van Egmond said he was pleased with the way the Jets responded to the pressure applied by the Central Coast in what was a typically intense derby atmosphere.
“The match probably didn’t settle for a good 15 minutes, both teams didn’t find their rhythm too early and I think Central Coast were definitely on top at the beginning of the game.
“We came back into it part way through that first half, but it was real derby atmosphere.
“We’ve worked on our defensive shape and made sure we’re a lot thriftier in regards to letting goals be conceded against us.
“On the transition we have to be better. We have to be better at winning the ball, getting people into position, not having so many touches and creating better rhythm in our build-up.”
Van Egmond said some half-time adjustments helped the Jets perform better in the second 45.
“What we were trying to do with our pressing in the first half, we got that a little bit wrong with the positioning and which player to take.
“We started to understand that a little bit better and that made it a little bit easier for us to close players down.
“Overall I thought their energy was good and their attitude was great and it was great to see the character of the football team come through.”
Van Egmond was diplomatic when asked about the decisions by the referee to award the Jets a penalty and rule out Patrick Zwaanswijk’s stoppage-time equaliser for being offside.
“That’s been the case since day dot with refereeing decisions and you can always interpret them one way or another, but that’s just football,” he said.
“Graham Arnold is probably looking at it that the Mariners didn’t get the rub of the green, where I’m probably thinking we did get the rub of the green. Next time we play each other it could be the opposite. That’s just how it happens.”
Surprised only 4 games are being planned, with a 6 month off season there is plenty of scope for these sorts potential of money spinners, I guess they could do a few more in aus as well.Sydney FC to cash in on Alessandro Del Piero show with overseas exhibitions
EXCLUSIVE - Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
October 23, 2012 12:00AM
Laughing all the way to the bank... Marquee man Alessandro Del Piero is set to profit from a series of Sydey FC exhibition games. Picture: Gregg Porteous. Source: The Daily Telegraph
SYDNEY FC plan to take the Alessandro Del Piero halo to an international market, lining up a series of overseas exhibition games including the possibility of a memorable encounter with Juventus in Turin.
Just as LA Galaxy sold out stadiums overseas on the back of signing David Beckham, Sydney have set their sights on a lucrative post-season tour of Asia to cash in on Del Piero's huge popularity.
The games were included in the contract negotiations that brought Del Piero to Australia, and include the option for him to organise and promote a fixture in Italy.
The Italian star will share in the revenue from the games, and receive all the proceeds if he takes up the option of organising a game between the sky blues and an Italian club - Juventus is the logical first point in negotiations.
It's understood that the Asian countries under consideration include Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Indonesia - the latter hosting one of the largest Juventus fan clubs in the world outside Italy, according to the Italian club's own website.
The exact amount it will be worth to Sydney remains a work in progress, dependent on markets, the sale of TV rights and similar factors.
When Galaxy first came to Sydney in 2007 they received $1.25 million as a fee, a contribution to their airfares and accommodation at what was then Star City as a sponsorship.
But Football Federation Australia was able to sell 80,000 tickets at an average of $70 each, as well as a broadcast deal with the Ten Network, and it's unlikely that the markets under consideration for a Sydney FC tour would sustain prices anywhere near that.
Nonetheless, the games will boost both Sydney's bottom line and its profile, with kit sponsorship available for such one-off games as well as fees for playing in the games.
The games are being arranged by the FIFA-accredited agent Lou Sticca, who worked with Sydney CEO Tony Pignata to bring Del Piero to Sydney as well as arranging Shinji Ono's move to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Sticca has arranged tours here and overseas since the days of the NSL - including bringing Juventus to Melbourne this year - and confirmed he was looking at an itinerary for Sydney FC.
"Sydney have asked me to plan their post-season and I'm in the middle of doing that right now," Sticca said.
"We've spoken to a number of possible destinations, and there's lots of interest though nothing yet confirmed.
"It will be immediately after the A-League season, so late April and early May, and the club have agreed to up to four games."
Though Del Piero is wildly popular in Japan, it's believed that market is seen as saturated, especially given the recent visits of EPL clubs.
Sydney will shortly introduce a dedicated Del Piero range of merchandise beyond just named shirts, with the club hoping to make substantial overseas sales.
Coach Holger Osieck hopes to continue the Socceroos' momentum after confirming Australia will face South Korea in an international friendly next month.
Having defeated Iraq 2-1 last week, Australia sit second in Group B of the final round of World Cup qualifying in Asia.
Seems this bloke has always got another issue, if you rated these kids so highly why did you wait to lock them in earlier.Adelaide United chairman calls on Football Federation Australia to help clubs keep young players
Val Migliaccio
The Advertiser
October 23, 2012 12:00AM
Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin. Picture: Matt Turner Source: The Advertiser
ADELAIDE United chairman Greg Griffin says Football Federation Australia must protect clubs from losing youth investments after two SA teenagers signed for rival Melbourne Heart.
Griffin was angered when Adelaide-born pair Stefan Mauk, 17, and Ben Garruccio, 17, joined Heart after stints with the Australian Institute of Sport.
"I'm very unhappy about it," Griffin said.
"What I'm saying, it's incumbent of the FFA probably with JALSC (Joint A-League Strategic Committee) to introduce proper protection for A-League clubs that invest heavily in time and in resources to develop players.
"That they (players) go to the AIS and then they just get basically pinched and it's not good enough.
"Until there are changes young players that come to us and say, `We want to play for Adelaide United, shall we go to the AIS?' we're going to say, 'Why would you? It's not going to advance you one iota with us."'
Griffin is adamant allowing SA-based players to join the AIS is a ticket out of Adelaide United's youth program.
Garruccio and Mauk went to China with Adelaide's youth side last year and featured for the Reds at the international Weifang Cup.
Griffin said the pair was also invited to be part of the Reds in China this year but they were made unavailable.
"They got pulled out at the last moment," Griffin said.
"We got a message saying they weren't available because they were training with other A-League clubs and we then expected them to train with us. Instead they were sent to Melbourne Heart."
Griffin, however, says there is a solution, believing A-League clubs should have more control over their youth.
"Every youth player that an A-League club invests in should get put on a list," Griffin said.
"There should be a first right of refusal for any of those players for a period of say 12 months."
Tony Vidmar, boss of the AIS soccer program, said Mauk and Garruccio had made up their own minds.
"I gave Greg Griffin the heads up about Stefan and Ben and the interest from other A-League clubs after we had discussions before this year's Weifang Cup," Vidmar said.
"In the end it was the decision of the boys.
"I have never had a say as to where or which club they should go to."
It seems they lost these kids because of sheer laziness
I expect someone to drop a bag of $100 bills out side my house every week but it does not mean it will happen."We got a message saying they weren't available because they were training with other A-League clubs and we then expected them to train with us. Instead they were sent to Melbourne Heart."
This is from the same club that shunned Goodwin, looks like a greater pattern of Adelaide not showing enough respect to the talent on their doorstep.
Will be interesting to see how long the ratings can maintain the current levels, form and novelty factor will have an impact sooner or latter then the real progress can be seen.Sell-out crowds and bumper television ratings prove a marquee result
Jamie Pandaram and Tim Elbra
The Daily Telegraph
October 23, 2012 12:00AM
Sydney's Alessandro Del Piero (front) and Newcastle's Emile Heskey (back) have been a huge factor in the A-league's crowd and ratings boom. Source: AFP
A-LEAGUE boss Damien de Bohun says the competition continues to make unprecedented gains in the sporting market after three weeks of the new season.
Crowds and television ratings have soared on the back of high-profile recruits Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono, with gate attendances up 51 per cent on last season's average, and Fox Sports ratings up 37 per cent on the same time last year.
"Public interest in the A-League has been at an all-time high and it was fantastic to see the sold-out crowd at the first ever Sydney derby on Saturday night," de Bohun said.
"On the back of the Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets match and the first Melbourne derby, average crowds have increased by over 50 per cent on last year's total.
"The other thing that is important is the nearly 40 per cent increase we have seen in our television broadcasts."
Last weekend's round-three fixtures drew an average of 82,000 viewers, with both the Sydney derby and Melbourne Victory v Adelaide games drawing 102,000 each.
Also, Central Coast have already reported huge interest around their round-five match against Sydney.
ANZ Stadium officials anticipate a crowd of more than 25,000 for Sunday's first A-League match at the ground, between Sydney FC and Perth.
* BRETT Emerton has slammed as "unfair" the claims of Western Sydney goalkeeper Ante Covic that Del Piero gets special treatment from A-League referees.
Del Piero won and converted a penalty rebound in the Sky Blues' 1-0 win over Wanderers on Saturday, but Covic called the penalty on Aaron Mooy for tripping "soft" and only awarded because of the Italian's aura.
"The fouls that (good players) draw are mainly due to their ability with the football, not because the referees are protecting them," Emerton said.
So they might fill one half of the stadium??!Also, Central Coast have already reported huge interest around their round-five match against Sydney.
Tink's seems to be Rothfields off season passion, wonder how long till the terror get the same treatment as the herald.Government chasing Nathan Tinkler for $1.2m in stadium rent
Phil Rothfield
The Daily Telegraph
October 23, 2012 12:00AM
Newcastle Knights owner Nathan Tinkler. Source: Bloomberg
HE was once one of Australia's richest men - now Nathan Tinkler's refusing to pay the full amount of ground rental for his NRL and A-League teams.
Cash-strapped businessman Nathan Tinkler owes the state government $1 million and has had to negotiate a repayment deal to settle the debt. The now Singapore-based Tinkler has been in dispute for several months over homeground rental for the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Jets.
Revelations of the money owing were raised when Sports Minister Graham Annesley was questioned at a recent budget estimates meeting.
It comes a week after The Daily Telegraph revealed Tinkler was late with player payments, superannuation and staff wages at the Knights. After months of negotiations, Hunter Sports Group has agreed to pay more than $880,000 but is still disputing another $400,000 of the $1.2 million debt.
Other NRL clubs Parramatta and St George-Illawarra play at government-run grounds but are up to date with their payments.
In a deal struck last week, Hunter Sports Group has agreed to pay $583,000 due by October 31 and another $300,000 by November 21.
HSG also owes third-party payments to players that have to be settled within 10 days.
In May, BRW estimated Tinkler's wealth at $915 million, and he was once Australia's richest man under 40.
He is in court today on another matter after failing to comply with an order to pay building company Mirvac $17 million to settle a property deal. Mirvac has lodged a contempt of court order to seize Tinkler's assets, which could involve taking thoroughbreds from his Patinack Farm racing empire.
Tinkler's chequered sporting history
The Knights' position is secure because of a $20 million bank guarantee negotiated by the club's former CEO Steve Burraston, but the Newcastle Rugby League is still owed more than $100,000 in a junior development grant.
Annesley and former NRL boss John Quayle have been in talks with Knights executives about the money owed.
"Although the discussions with Hunter Sports Group have taken longer than I would have liked I'm pleased we have now reached agreement on the bulk of the debt," Annesley said. "Discussions are continuing regarding the remaining $400,000 in dispute."
Annesley told a budget estimates meeting last week the money was owed for use of the stadium and catering services.
Hunter Sports Group spokesman Richard Fisk confirmed Tinkler had withheld payments for ground rental because of the dispute.
"As part of ongoing negotiations for a new 10-year hirer's agreement with Hunter Venues, some payments have been withheld by HSG, subject to the finalisation of the new agreement," Fisk said.
"Negotiations are anticipated to be completed within the next fortnight, with two lump sum payments having been agreed to finalise the transaction."
how is griffin the clown, kids play for adelaide for 1 year and he claims to developed them. they prob spent as much time in the adelaide youth set up as they did at the AIS. what about the amatuer club they played for?
pfft, as if that 1 year with adelaide didn't do more than 15 years of intensive training with amatuer clubs, elite youth programs and coerver coaches.
Bloke had a great game other than a couple of generous decisions to not book Coastie players for fouls.REFEREE Ben Williams and at least one of his assistants could be dumped this week after their boss admitted they had made critical mistakes during Central Coast's controversial 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Saturday.
While newly appointed Football Federation Australia director of referees Ben Wilson refused to be drawn on the immediate future of the match officials, he told The Australian there was no escaping the fact they had got at least three of four contentious rulings wrong during the spiteful F3 Derby.
His admission came as Mariners chairman Peter Turnbull called for the introduction of a captain's referral system.
Turnbull believes "it is about time for a review system" after the Mariners went behind to a penalty then had a last-minute goal disallowed.
"It is no point pretending technology is not in our sport. If we really did not allow technology, we'd still be wearing ankle-choker boots and wearing heavy woollen jerseys and using lace-up leather balls,"he said.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold was quietly seething over Williams's failure to send off Jets midfielder Ruben Zadkovic in the first minute of the match for a studs up tackle, and an offside that went against Josh Rose.
Arnold did not want to discuss the situation yesterday, but he described Williams's effort as "pretty average" during the post-match conference. "I will probably get called a whinger, but the incidents that happened in the first five minutes turned the match," Arnold said.
Wilson, who recently replaced former referees boss Mark Shield, said there was no question Zadkovic should have been red carded, that the Emile Heskey penalty decision was incorrect and that the assistant referee should not have flagged Rose offside.
"The clubs have asked the referees to concentrate on the safety of the players," Wilson said. "In Zadkovic's case, the player's safety was endangered by that tackle and he should have been sent off. Whether it was the first minute or the 90th, those sort of tackles have to be punished with a red card."
Former England international Heskey was awarded a penalty four minutes later after a collision with Michael McGlinchey.
"That decision was incorrect," Wilson said. "The contact was minimal and Heskey probably played for the penalty. The referee wasn't well positioned and it was a harsh decision."
Not long after that goal, Rose was ruled offside after he raced on to a pass and was left in open space with several teammates in support. "There is no defending that ruling, unfortunately," Wilson said. "The assistant referee was well positioned but he was focusing on the wrong player (Daniel McBreen). Rose came from well inside his own half."
Wilson said disallowing Patrick Zwaanswijk's goal for offside was right, but he conceded it could have gone either way and that the assistant referee would "not have been marked down for putting his flag up or down".
"Finally some good news," he quipped. "The player had his foot or leg off side, so it was a correct ruling, but our guys are instructed to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking team."
Wilson said it was too early to decide if Williams and his assistants would get games this weekend. "I will look at the official match inspector's report in the next day or two and that will be compared to our elite coach, who will also do an assessment through what he has seen on the videos," he said.
That match aside, Wilson was delighted with the overall performances of his match officials.
"The first two rounds have seen some great entertainment and the referees have not been spoken about," he said.
As for the captain's referral, Wilson is not in favour of it because "it isn't foolproof and as you have seen in other sports you probably get as many contentious decisions coming from the video referee's box as you would from referees".
Needs a tickertape parade does Ben Williams
Why does this sort of report only occur when we are on the good side of the decisions????
How many times have we been raped by Breezey or pumped by some other chump of a ref, and been told that the decision is final and to cop it on the chin?
Deans porked Matthew Breeze's mrs. Until he leaves, we're gonna be copping more on the chin.
Awesome wind up from the refs boss.
rubbing it in to the Gypos even further.
Good lad that bloke.
Exactly right. TBH, im surprised it has even come to this. They were contentious issues but not necessarily blatantly wrong (besides zad's).
Here's my take:
Issue 1 - The pen
Heskey gets to the ball first and is then clattered into by McGlinchey. To me that's a foul. As soft as it may or may not be, we've all seen things like this given. It wasnt as if Heskey dived with no contact. There was strong contact, Hesk went down, ref gave pen. Pretty simple really.
Issue 2 - Rose offside
Now, the linesman is looking across the line. McBreen is clearly offside. He makes a run for the ball and is just about to touch it when he realises Rose is behind him. He (McBreen) even deviates his run. Offside rule states "Making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent." To me, McBreen's run would have definitely attracted Biras attention, therefore he's offside.
Issue 3 - Zsansowieiwieleke offside
He was offside. Absolutely clear-cut, linesman should be praised. There was no need for "benefit of the doubt" because there was no doubt, he was clearly offside.
Issue 4 - Zad tackle(s)
First could have been straight red, but it was great to see the ref didnt want to ruin the game 12secs in. Well done ref. Seriously though, he could have received a straight red for either of the tackles, the one on Sterj should have atleast been a yellow.
All-in-all I dont agree they were completely robbed like theyre making out.
Whose this prick to say heskey was looking for the penalty? What striker wouldn't? It was clumsy and a deadset pen!! Has he gone on to say anything about Del Piero looking for it?
the ref also got some things very wrong against the mariners:
- how is chilli's push a yellow, yet sterj's one was not?
- when bojic got his yellow, he took two blokes out within a second. both of them were equally as bad as each other, and both deserved a yellow. i've personally never seen it done, but the ref had every right to put up the yellow twice for that one exchange, and give him a red.
- hutcho was in the refs ears all day. when chilli went in for that pen call, hutcho called the ref to give chilli a yellow for diving. put his hand up and everything. last i checked, players were carded for asking the ref to card others.
- rose on chilli. man.
i'm not saying he didn't get any decisions wrong against us, i'm just pointing out what most articles/reviews/opinions fail to.
with heskey - it's a professional dive and definately worthy of a pen. it highlights his class more than anything imo. lulz that a 60kg bloke knocks over a 100kg bloke though
as a neutral watching, i would have given zwaansvijk's offside a goal. to me, it's advantage to the attacker. he had his foot offside maybe, but he was sort of onside. arsenal would have scored a lot less goals through adebayor over the years if those sort of calls weren't given. but i understand how the linesman saw it as offside, from his PoV he's looking at a body that is in front of any other.
Last edited by pv4; 23-10-2012 at 01:46 PM.
OK
This type of thing shits me though. The rule is black and white. Whether he was 10cm or 10m offside is irrelevant. Otherwise where would you draw the line? Oh we'll let this one go because only half his body is offside but we wont let this one because 3/4 of his body was offside? If he's offside, he's offside, it's as simple as that.
It's advantage to the attacker if it's a line call. This however was not a line call, he was clearly offside. Absolutely fantastic work from the linesman.
they also missed the repeated hacking of goodwin. but you know what, i'll let it slide, cause unlike the whinging wankers from wyong, we bloody won.
and also "captains referral", fark off you tool. this isn't bloody cricket you dick.
Bojic should have had a yellow in the first half for a poor tackle, from behind, on Goodwin.
Hutcho has to be booked for that professional foul on the edge of the box on Vrigili after he skipped past Rose in the second half.
No way is Zwaansvijk's goal onside. They showed a replay on TWG last night and he was clearly offside.
That linesman on the Eastern line is the one deserving of all the praise. Hilarious work by the kid. The biggest error was missed by everyone - a defence-splitting through ball to Ibini, who was subsequently ruled offside.
He was probably 4-6 metres onside; would've been one on one with no pressure (as our defence had stepped forward). Great work!!!
For me the pen was legit (Heskey got the front position and got one from behind) and the Zwaans offside was offside. The Ibini decision proves that good things can come from the wrong decision (just ask anyone who has dropped two microdots in one night).
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