A-League thread

[Ramps]

we played against Vasco de Gama and Man Utd. It took vasco a 35 mtr piledriver and a goal in the last minute to beat us, Victory couldnt beat the Jim Boogie Allstars if they played at this very moment.

[mightytiges]

we played against Vasco de Gama and Man Utd. It took vasco a 35 mtr piledriver and a goal in the last minute to beat us, Victory couldnt beat the Jim Boogie Allstars if they played at this very moment.

South only lost 2-0 to Man U didn't they?

Victory need to get busy in the January transfer window before the Asian club championships. Guys like Kemp and Love are turnover kings and need to be offloaded. They should cut their losses too with Ljubo Milicevic. Merrick needs to find some classy midfielders and another striker if he wants to keep his job.

[mightytiges]

The Asian Champions League groupings and draw have been announced. Victory is in Group G which even if they were playing well would be a tough group.

Group G
Melbourne Victory
Chonburi FC
Gamba Osaka
Chunnam Dragons

March 12, 2008
Melbourne Victory – Chunnam Dragons 
   
March 19, 2008
Chonburi FC – Melbourne Victory 
   
April 9, 2008
Melbourne Victory – Gamba Osaka 
   
April 23, 2008
Gamba Osaka – Melbourne Victory 

May 7, 2008
Chunnam Dragons – Melbourne Victory 
   
May 21, 2008
Melbourne Victory – Chonburi FC 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Champions_League_2008

[Hellenic Tiger]

Gamba Osaka the Japanese Champions clearly the standout team.
Pipped the current Asian Champions Urawa Red Diamonds to the J League title
on the last day of their season when the Diamonds lost to the bottom club at home
on the last day of the season. Currently the Victory are not in the league of Gamba Osaka by any stretch of the imagination which suggests the state of the sport in this country with neither Sydney nor Adelaide qualifying past the group stage last time around and the Socceroos struggling in the Asian Cup. The sport is going backwards domestically as evidenced by the aforementioned failed campaigns in the last 12 months.

[mightytiges]

As soccer isn't the main football code here it has to fit in when the other codes are in their off-season. Each country had to name which clubs would represent them in the ACL last month which hurts us as it's the middle of the A-league season and no champion has been decided. Last year the Victory should have been in the ACL whereas this year they shouldn't. The FFA needs to work out a way that the best teams from the current A-league season play in the ACL otherwise it's just a waste of time and an embarrassment.

[Ramps]

Gamba Osaka the Japanese Champions clearly the standout team.
Pipped the current Asian Champions Urawa Red Diamonds to the J League title
on the last day of their season when the Diamonds lost to the bottom club at home
on the last day of the season. Currently the Victory are not in the league of Gamba Osaka by any stretch of the imagination which suggests the state of the sport in this country with neither Sydney nor Adelaide qualifying past the group stage last time around and the Socceroos struggling in the Asian Cup. The sport is going backwards domestically as evidenced by the aforementioned failed campaigns in the last 12 months.

Only the introduction of the mighty South Melbourne FC can restore the pride and honor in Australian soccer. If theres no South then theres no success. BRING BACK SOUTH!

[Hellenic Tiger]

Gamba Osaka the Japanese Champions clearly the standout team.
Pipped the current Asian Champions Urawa Red Diamonds to the J League title
on the last day of their season when the Diamonds lost to the bottom club at home
on the last day of the season. Currently the Victory are not in the league of Gamba Osaka by any stretch of the imagination which suggests the state of the sport in this country with neither Sydney nor Adelaide qualifying past the group stage last time around and the Socceroos struggling in the Asian Cup. The sport is going backwards domestically as evidenced by the aforementioned failed campaigns in the last 12 months.

Only the introduction of the mighty South Melbourne FC can restore the pride and honor in Australian soccer. If theres no South then theres no success. BRING BACK SOUTH!

Not only South but how about another 13 other former NSL clubs of the ilk of Sydney Olympic, Marconi, Adelaide City, Melbourne Knights, Heidelberg etc.
Saw the line ups of the Central Coast vs Sydney Utd last weekend and it was by no means an NSL strong squad. Very very weak to say the least.Some  Premier League teams from Victoria or NSW would be able to account for the Victory at the moment.

[mightytiges]

Only the introduction of the mighty South Melbourne FC can restore the pride and honor in Australian soccer. If theres no South then theres no success. BRING BACK SOUTH!

Well they're trying Ramps 

2010/11 A-League Proposal
On the 14th of February 2007, South Melbourne announced their interest in becoming the second Victorian club in the A-League. After Melbourne Victory announced they would not be playing at the redeveloped Olympic Park unless it had a capacity of at least 30,000, the government suggested a second Melbourne team would play there.

A consortium of investors are willing to put at least 5 to 6 million dollars per annum into the venture, and a letter of interest from the football club has been sent to the FFA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Melbourne_FC

[Ramps]

If only Jimmy Malone had taken me more seriously all those years ago,  I was in the office out the back in the house at the back of punt rd, explaining how I could make RFC millions by putting together an RFC side for the then NSL, unfortunately- no interest. We could have turned Punt Rd into a fantastic little venue for summer soccer, the social club would have made heaps, the signage revenue would have gone through the roof. Had my budgets set to go, could have done it with $1 million annual budget. Would have made heaps. Anyway ... didnt happen.

[mightytiges]

You would have to kick the RCC and the centre wicket out of Punt Rd over summer (the reason the RFC is setting up a training ground at Craigieburn). Setting up a soccer team probably would've flopped anyway like Carlton SC and Collingwood Warriors did. The AFL club support didn't flow over to the soccer team and non-Tiger supporters wouldn't follow Richmond just as Richmond footy supporters didn't follow the Carlton or Collingwood soccer clubs.

Hopefully with the redevelopment of Punt Rd, at least some VFL games will return to Punt Rd Oval after Williamstown (under Collingwood) complained about the showers  .

[Ramps]

From memory, most of the cost per annum would have been covered by sponsorship- it was a long time ago now, anyway we would have only needed a couple thousand people to make decent money. From memory to make very decent profits I was only budgeting for like 3000-4000 people to attend games.

[mightytiges]

With the season gone, the Victory now decide to pump 5 past ladder leaders Central Coast. Victory won 5-2.

[mightytiges]

Victory head honcho Geoff Lord has said on the news that Merrick will be coaching next season while not surprisingly Ljubo Milicevic looks like getting the flick. 

[mightytiges]

Victory knock off the top side away for the second week in a row. Final score 2-1 over Queensland. All too late (Newcastle would have to lose their last 2 games and Victory win both theirs) but at least the Victory are rediscovering some good form before going into the Asian club championships.

[mightytiges]

Half-time: Victory 2-0 up. 12 shots to nil