A-League thread

[mightytiges]

Last night I went to see the Victory play at the Dome for the first time and picked a good night to go with the game finishing 3-3 and 2 red cards handed out to Victory players lol.

The crowd went off when the late equaliser was scored  . They have about 4 or 5 different cheer squads spread around the ground to boost the noise factor. Perhaps something a AFL club with a large supporter base could take off at the Dome which amplifies the noise. Pre-game and half-time is pretty much the same as AFL (nothing much apart from the little leaguers). The only difference is the music is cranked up about twice as loud and the teams enter the ground together to "top 40" songs rather than their club theme songs.

Oh and well done to the kid who got himself kicked out, just as the teams came out onto the field, for chucking a toilet roll from the top deck and not realising two cops were standing right behind him as he did it   . 

[Ramps]

there all hooligans down at the Victory toilet rolls pffft ... you guys should go to Bob Jane...we are the epitomy of good behaviour 

[WilliamPowell]

I wonder if South Melbourne are any show ramps of getting into the A-League - and I am being serious

Because the really have to do something about New Zealand  and wouldn't that open up a place in the competition

[cub]

I wonder if South Melbourne are any show ramps of getting into the A-League - and I am being serious

Because the really have to do something about New Zealand  and wouldn't that open up a place in the competition

Too closly associated with a particular ethnic group - Wont happen, Soccer Australia wants to keep that poo out of the game and thats a good thing, even though I don't really care.

Haven't been to a victory game yet, have to have a look one day, not at that craphole Dome though 

[mightytiges]

I wonder if South Melbourne are any show ramps of getting into the A-League - and I am being serious

Because the really have to do something about New Zealand  and wouldn't that open up a place in the competition

Too closly associated with a particular ethnic group - Wont happen, Soccer Australia wants to keep that poohe out of the game and thats a good thing, even though I don't really care.

Spot on CUB. The FFA wouldn't allow Hellas in despite the support they have. As for another non-ethnic Melbourne based club being created, I can't see it happening. 11,000 members and crowds of 28,000 are excellent figures for the Victory but it probably says having another club in Melbourne is non-viable. Soccer should be content with having one long-term financially secure club like the Victory in each city.

The NZ Knights are a joke but they have a 5-year deal with the A-League.

[Ramps]

to be honest I dont see south getting in but they may be part of a consortium which wouldnt be to bad.

[mightytiges]

Did anyone else here go to the soccer tonight? A crowd of 50,333. Who would have believed getting a crowd like that to a domestic soccer game even 3 years ago. I don't remember seeing the Dome that chockers before.

As for the game -> and not just because it finished nil all. Most of the match was flat and Sydney FC kept most their players behind the ball so Melbourne only had 3 or 4 good chances all night. The biggest cheer was for when the record attendance was flashed on the scoreboard lol. Flooding ruins any football match no matter the code.

[mightytiges]

Because the really have to do something about New Zealand  and wouldn't that open up a place in the competition

NZ knights are getting the flick at the end of this A-league season. They'll give up their license in exchange for paying off their debts. 

[tiga]

Whilst I agree with you MT on the one town one team sustainability plan, I fear that the A-League may have shot themselves in the foot from a growth perspective. They can't really have another "melbourne" named team and changing names would be financial suicide so they will have to do what they've done in NSW and go for regionals like Geelong or gippsland. Unfortunately for Ramps sake, IMO there will never be another cultural or community based team in the NSL/A-League.

[Ramps]

I cant see South getting in as they are at the moment but they may be part of a consortium. Anyway the A League has got quite a few problems.

18 months in and the A League has cancelled NZ Knights licence
Brisbane cant afford the rent at Suncorp and are investigating a move to Ballymore
Perth have lost 50% of there crowd since the old NSL Days
and theres afew other bits and pieces. Anyway for the sake of the code I hope they all get there act together.

[mightytiges]

The Victory playing a good attacking brand of soccer and flying at the top of the table has united soccer fans here so the old ethnic problems no longer exist.  You may be able to support two teams  but IMV having another Melbourne side will just rob the Victory of crowd support. The FFA has to watch that it doesn't get greedy and overexpand beyond the A-league's means. As Ramps has illustrated support can drop away pretty quickly if sides are losing. Domestic Soccer doesn't have the large traditional supporter base that the AFL teams have and that's when teams could get into financial trouble.

I agree tiga the A-league's growth prospects are limited and I think the new replacement team for NZ will come from either Woolongong or North Queensland (Cairns/Townsville). In the past teams from regional Victoria, Canberra, etc have flopped.

[Ramps]

I believe that Melbourne will get a 2nd side, I hope it has some South involvement but im not expecting miracles. For the development of the game Nth Queensland corridor in Townsville Cairns should come in and Id consider bringing in Singapore as well.

[mightytiges]

The Victory better rediscover their form next week in the first week of the finals or they'll go out in straight sets in the final. Seems Merrick has done a Neil Craig and fiddled with changing the side too much.

[Ramps]

did anyone see the dust up between Merrick & Muscat lol....Melbourne Victory one big happy family  ...

Ben Buckley should bring in South Melbourne...the Victory can beat up sides like NZ and Central Coast and all the other rubbish but unless they can win championships against the might and power and the glory of South then they havent won anything.

[mightytiges]

did anyone see the dust up between Merrick & Muscat lol....Melbourne Victory one big happy family  ...

If everything was going to plan as Merrick claims then Muscat wouldn't have had a tantrum over being taken off last night.

Ben Buckley should bring in South Melbourne...the Victory can beat up sides like NZ and Central Coast and all the other rubbish but unless they can win championships against the might and power and the glory of South then they havent won anything.