You should all Bow to FIFA's Oceania Club of the Century

[dizza]

what i don't understand is rather than making this laughable new Melbourne Heart team that everyone will hate, why not turn South Melbourne into an A-League club??

The FFA forbids old "ethnic" NSL clubs from entering the A-League. They want franchise clubs that appeal to a wider audience. Mind you the Heart could go with a red and white checkered shirt and people in soccer circles would say at least they're honest lol. There could be an extra spot opening up in the A-league though if the Fury go under.

ahh ok fair enough. not sure who exactly this new team will appeal to though.

[Ramps]

Melbourne Knights fans will jump on as well as afew disenfranchised Victory people.

[mightytiges]

Melbourne Knights fans will jump on

Red and white colours a big coincidence

[gonzo]

You guys are funny.  Thanks for the posts.  They did make me smile.

[Ramps]

You guys are funny.  Thanks for the posts.  They did make me smile.

Gonzo this isnt a comedy show, this is purely and simply about the Victory supporters whose club I may add "CHOKED" in a grand final penalty shoot out giving credit where credit is due and that is to FIFA Club of the Century for Oceania in South Melbourne.
 

[mightytiges]

You guys are funny.  Thanks for the posts.  They did make me smile.

Gonzo this isnt a comedy show, this is purely and simply about the Victory supporters whose club I may add "CHOKED" in a grand final penalty shoot out giving credit where credit is due and that is to FIFA Club of the Century for Oceania in South Melbourne.
 

Shall I bring up the last 5 rounds of 1981 NSL season. On top of the ladder just 5 weeks out (no finals in those days) then go and pick up just 4 points from 5 games to hand Sydney City the title. Now that's choking South boy 

Table (top 2) after 25 rounds
South Melb  35
Syd City      34

R26: Adel City    2 - 0 South Melb                        Syd City 3 - 0 APIA
R27: South Melb 0 - 2 Bris City                 Wollongong City 0 - 5 Syd City
R28: Syd City     1 - 1 South Melb
R29: South Melb 1 - 0 Canberra City                      Preston 0 - 2 Syd City
R30: Marconi      1 - 1 South Melb                        Syd City 5 - 3 Adel City

Final table (after 30 rounds)
Syd City      43
South Melb  39

Cough cough! 

[Hellenic Tiger]

I thought three points was brought in for a win in the early 90's by FIFA to promote more attacking football and promote teams to not settle for 0-0 draws especially after a very dour and boring World Cup in Italy in 1990.

MT your table suggests than in 25 rounds with 3 points for a win the top team had 34 points and the team in second was on 30. Either the table was very clogged below that or you have misread your info.

Two points were awarded for wins under FIFA law in 1981 and 1 for a draw.
I find in favour of Ramps on a technicality.

[mightytiges]

I thought three points was brought in for a win in the early 90's by FIFA to promote more attacking football and promote teams to not settle for 0-0 draws especially after a very dour and boring World Cup in Italy in 1990.

MT your table suggests than in 25 rounds with 3 points for a win the top team had 34 points and the team in second was on 30. Either the table was very clogged below that or you have misread your info.

Two points were awarded for wins under FIFA law in 1981 and 1 for a draw.
I find in favour of Ramps on a technicality.

Doh! lol  [post above corrected]

It still doesn't make a difference with the old 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw system. Winning just 1 game in the last 5 after leading the comp. is choking by definition  .

ps. you're a Heidelberg man anyway Tucky so enjoy a dig at your archrival lol.

[the_boy_jake]

A-League in real trouble.

GC Utd averaged 5,000 and are now looking dead.
NQ Fury looking dead in the long term and Townsville will always be rugby league.
When Sydney are losing their crowds are well down. Victory are the only strong club going and I'm sceptical two Melbourne teams will work.

Australian public doesn't like soccer - fact.
You should pay for what you get and $30 to see A-League standard football is a joke. I would seriously only pay $5-$10 and I love soccer.
Why go watch A-League in ordinary atmosphere and empty ground when you can sit at home a few hours later and watch the best commpetitions in the world on pay TV with a cheap beer in hand.

Whoever can get it to work will be a genius.

I can't see any reason going to a game next season.

Dead within 5 years.

[Penelope]

Maybe they should just enter 3 or 4 sides in an Asian league?

[Ramps]

Maybe they should just enter 3 or 4 sides in an Asian league?

South Melbourne has been offered a place in an Asian competition next year. Its just the prelude to moving into a Asian League full time within Id say 3 or 4 years if circumstances dont change in Australia

Should be announced next week IMHO. Sponsors lining up 1 after the other at the moment to support South. Pity about the A League, even Clive Palmer walked out!

[Ramps]

You guys are funny.  Thanks for the posts.  They did make me smile.

Gonzo this isnt a comedy show, this is purely and simply about the Victory supporters whose club I may add "CHOKED" in a grand final penalty shoot out giving credit where credit is due and that is to FIFA Club of the Century for Oceania in South Melbourne.
 

Shall I bring up the last 5 rounds of 1981 NSL season. On top of the ladder just 5 weeks out (no finals in those days) then go and pick up just 4 points from 5 games to hand Sydney City the title. Now that's choking South boy 

Table (top 2) after 25 rounds
South Melb  35
Syd City      34

R26: Adel City    2 - 0 South Melb                        Syd City 3 - 0 APIA
R27: South Melb 0 - 2 Bris City                 Wollongong City 0 - 5 Syd City
R28: Syd City     1 - 1 South Melb
R29: South Melb 1 - 0 Canberra City                      Preston 0 - 2 Syd City
R30: Marconi      1 - 1 South Melb                        Syd City 5 - 3 Adel City

Final table (after 30 rounds)
Syd City      43
South Melb  39

Cough cough! 

Cough Cough anyone who knows anything about the NSL knows the story behind this supposed choke, Its something I cant actually write on here for various reasons.

[mightytiges]

Palmer is a whacko. You just needed to watch that 60 minutes interview he did a while back to see why. He treated the Gold Coast public like fools and ticked everyone off. CGU are denying he's quit but the denial was very flimsy when you read the CEO hasn't spoken to Palmer for over a week when there's such  a crisis. NQF at least has some community following which isn't too bad for a town of less than 200k but they can't keep up with the A-league expenses competing against a big city club like Melbourne.

The main problem with Soccer in Australia is it is controlled by Sydney-centric zealots who hate Aussie Rules with a passion and delude themselves into thinking Soccer will swamp the other football codes. From that they make braindead decisions that harm the sport financially. They expanded two quickly before consolidating (trying to reach 12 clubs before the next tv rights are up) and not only that they expanded based on fighting this 'code war'. Why else would any code apart from NRL go for 3 teams in Queensland which isn't a strong Soccer state while having just one club in Victoria and one in Sydney. So they follow the NRL and AFL into the Gold Coast and without the money to invest in a club themselves (FFA that is) they them have to rely on private club ownership controlled by loopy billionaires. The AFL learnt the hard way about private ownership in 80s but the FFA didn't learn from history. As has always been the case with Soccer the adminstration of the sport are imbeciles who always shoot themselves in the foot. The AFC hasn't helped either putting pressure on the FFA to make the A-league more like a European league with eventually two divisions, relegation/promotion, no finals, no NZ sides, and a FA-style Cup. The A-league finals is treated as a Cup competition by the AFC for ACL qualification beleive it or not. Overseas overlords just don't have a clue about the Australian sporting landscape and culture (hello FIFA and the WC bid). Soccer is a niche sport in Australia with the strongest support for the national side. Soccer should be copying Cricket's structure (National team + domestic T20 (A-league in Soccer) + junior grassroot development) rather than trying to take on the AFL and NRL in frontier markets. Less is sometimes more so you're financial models are sustainable. The NBL failed to understand that as well.

[mightytiges]

Maybe they should just enter 3 or 4 sides in an Asian league?

South Melbourne has been offered a place in an Asian competition next year. Its just the prelude to moving into a Asian League full time within Id say 3 or 4 years if circumstances dont change in Australia

Should be announced next week IMHO. Sponsors lining up 1 after the other at the moment to support South. Pity about the A League, even Clive Palmer walked out!

It's already been unofficially announced. Ben Buckley and the FFA have given the go ahead for South to be in the Singapore FA Cup. If people didn't follow Soccer forums they would've missed it. Good if it boosts South's coffers but Singaporean soccer is hardly earthshattering lol.

[Ramps]

Maybe they should just enter 3 or 4 sides in an Asian league?

South Melbourne has been offered a place in an Asian competition next year. Its just the prelude to moving into a Asian League full time within Id say 3 or 4 years if circumstances dont change in Australia

Should be announced next week IMHO. Sponsors lining up 1 after the other at the moment to support South. Pity about the A League, even Clive Palmer walked out!

It's already been unofficially announced. Ben Buckley and the FFA have given the go ahead for South to be in the Singapore FA Cup. If people didn't follow Soccer forums they would've missed it. Good if it boosts South's coffers but Singaporean soccer is hardly earthshattering lol.

You missed the point of it all ... its not about getting the invitation to play, its  the first step for our club to go an Asian League full time. We are not wanted or required by the Australian soccer authorities and our club will go where they are wanted.