Not that there’s anything wrong with this sort of thing but when Sydney beat Melbourne in the final game of the ‘regular’ season to claim the minor premiership and install themselves as red hot favourites to go on to the championship game there was a nagging feeling that maybe that should have been that.

As reported last time the match was not without it’s controversy in the build up and I was willing to go out on a limb and suggest that Melbourne signing a player who… well… wasn’t very good was not the worst thing that could happen. And so it proved with the profligate striker lamely firing his only shot of the match straight at the post as Sydney kept out the visitors and scored to goals themselves. The first, a clear slice from Slovakian Karol Kisel from outside the area that looped up and away from the goalkeeper and bounced over line in the bottom corner sent the fans in to jubilation at one end and in to a small riot at the other for no obvious reason. With the Melbourne fans obviously very upset down one end of the stadium a plethora of policemen were rightly deployed down the other to keep an eye on Sydney’s loyal cove and the were treated to a surreal delight. Mama’s boy John Aloisi, much derided throughout his stay in Sydney as much for his huge pay packet (highest in the league) as much as his very low return won the ball in his own half and beat his man. What followed was Dali-esque as Aloisi ambled along at his top speed, a slow jog, and must have been as amazed as anyone that the Melbourne players just stood off and off and off until 35 metres later he cracked it, completely unchallenged, in to the net.

With that the league was won and whilst this seemed like the perfect night an injury to veteran Steve Corica, off within 20 minutes marred the copy book a little. According to the Daily Telegraph Kisel told Corica “We’ll fight for you.”  He wasn’t lying but none-the-less the  club captain, the man who’s been with Sydney FC since there was a Sydney FC and who’d just announced his plans to retire at the end of the season, has now been ruled out of what would surely  have been his swan song with a ruptured hamstring tendon.

Sydney’s top scorer or all time, he’ll be sorely missed and it’s not for nothing that Sydney have at times been described by the media as Stevie Corica and his ten mates. His replacement on the night, Brendan Gan, is no replacement really and in fact it was Kisel who filled his role after he went off. They’ll all need to be on top of their game now, as the play Melbourne, in Melbourne on Feb 17th. The finals then roll on with sudden death matches between  3rd (Gold Coast Utd) and 6th (Newcastle) and also between 4th (Wellington Phoenix) and 5th (Perth Glory) before Sydney meet Melbourne again for the second leg. Win over the two legs and they’re in the finals, lose, and they’re back in the mixer, playing the winner of the two winners, which, should they win it, will see them play… Melbourne victory again.

In any case a place in the Asian Champions League is now booked and the first 27 game season has thrown up some surprises, not least that hastily thrown together North Queensland Fury were better than three other teams over the campaign and weren’t far off making it to the finals although it was Aurelio Vidmar’s (roll it on your tongue, it’s like a liqueur) Adelaide Utd who finished dead last, lack of goals scored their major vice.

Top scorer was, of course, Gold Coast’s Shane Smeltz, who rattled them in like he just didn’t care and got 19 by the end of the regular season, which is more than Robbie Fowler and John Aloisi managed between them (9 each). Sergio Van Dijk of Brisbane Roar came second with 15 and it was a decent stint by Paul Ifil who got 12 but also contributed so much more with some incredible all-round performances that underlined Wellington’s surge up the table. However, goal scoring feats weren’t enough to secure Smeltz the player of the year award. The Johnny Warren medal, awarded by his peers, went to Melbourne Victory’s Carlos Hernandez who combined the third best scoring streak in the league with some visionary passing, acute free kicks, skills and deft touches to make him the favourite.

Here’s hoping things get tightened up next season with only the top four teams allowed to compete for the Championship, or even scrap that final toe to toe and introduce a cup competition to round off the season. And maybe too they could replace the minor premiership prize with something more impressive than this plate that looks like it needs some grapes on it, but until then congratulations to Sydney, who over 27 games managed to score one more point than their nearest rival and deserve to be called Champions.

The A-League, Version 5.0, is now in its last week of season proper. Out of the 27 games in the regular season 26 have been played and this is how things stand.

 If you’re not familiar with this league this is all a precursor to the finals series and the top six teams get to compete for the major premier crown. Although this means that whoever finishes 6 out of 10 can, in theory go on to win the season’s ultimate honours and entry in to the lucrative Asian Champions League it’s not clear sailing. Coming top is preferable, since it guarantees the other Asian Champions League spot and coming top two gives you a second bite of the cherry.

Put simply the top six teams play off thusly. 1^st plays 2^nd and the winner proceeds to the final. 3^rd plays 6^th and 4^th plays 5^th. The winner out of 3^rd and 6^th and 4^th and 5^th then play off for the chance to play the loser of 1^st and 2^nd. The winner of this game then challenges the winner of the first 1^st v 2^nd  for the major crown. Simple.
Whilst the order of 3^rd-6^th is still to be decided Gold Coast United have secured third no matter what whilst two points separate the top two, Melbourne Victory leading Sydney FC who they visit on Sunday. 26 rounds down and the title comes down to the biggest rivals in the league, a one-off that’s sure to be a classic on a Sydney Football Stadium pitch struggling to recover from the thousands of stamping feet that marched across it last weekend for the military tattoo, a tattoo which exiled the team across the city to Parramatta for its spectacular 3-2 win over the Perth Glory.

What happens below that is much of a muchness, with an Adelaide Utd win and a North Queensland Fury loss the only way to stop the South Australians getting the wooden spoon, but without relegation this isn’t such an issue beyond pride. Which brings us to Nik Mrdja.

The 31 year old striker has played 43 A-league came, scoring 13 goals for the Central Coast Mariners, a rather unremarkable career capped by one 11 minute substitute appearance for Australia against Argentine in 2007. Then he was playing for Graham Arnold and following the Mariners 7^th place finish it’s Graham Arnold who’ll be his manager at the Central Coast next season, Lawrie McKinna stepping in to a management role having helped bring the former Socceroos manager to Gosford. What’s unusual about Mrdja, who’s played for the Mariners this season and will do next season, is that for the remainder of this season, he’s playing for the Melbourne Victory.

Taking advantage of a loop hole that allows temporary outside of the transfer window for emergency replacements the Central Coast released Mrdja from his contract, got him to sign a new contract for next season and then Victory signed him to play for the finals series and beyond, including the Champions League, should Melbourne qualify.

The backlash has been sharp. Gold Coast Utd asked to be allowed to sign Robbie Fowler for the remainder of the season, more in jest than anything presumably, and Branko Culina of the Newcastle jets wondered aloud to the press:

“It’s not outside the rules in what they are doing but it’s not in the spirit of the game that we’d like to see. I don’t see how Nik Mrdja can go out there and kiss the badge if he scores tomorrow when he’s only just got there. Then he goes to the ACL, then back to the Mariners. How do the Central Coast supporters take that on board?”

All good questions. The FFA have agreed to review the rule to prevent this happening, the crux being that by releasing Mrdja the Mariners have made him a free agent. Not that Mrdja minds. Having been part of an underperforming team he now has the chance to clinch two titles by month’s end. And even if they do close the loophole he doesn’t seem concerned about the possibility of a ‘Nik Mrdja rule’.

”That’s always a positive, too – my name is always going to be there as the guy who done it.” He said.

True enough, even if it does leave a bit of a bad taste in some mouths given that he’s come in under the special circumstances injury replacement rule, as a replacement for midfielder Billy Celeski. FFA boss Archie Fraser has agreed to have a look at the rule come the end of the season, but until then there’s nothing to stop him playing against Sydney on Sunday.

I’ll be there, supporting Sydney and hoping that Mrdja plays (with his scoring record I doubt the Sydney back line are concerned) so that I can write all about it next week. Cue ‘Nik of Time’ puns, cue ‘This Game was Mrdja’ puns, cue “Victory for the Victory” or “Defeat for Victory” or “Melbourne Nik Victory” or… You get the idea.

NOTE

It doesn’t fit in here but Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer has been rattling the bars again, accusing the FFA of conspiracy and generally letting it all hang out like he does. Great stuff – read more here

Who ultimately backed the manager they’d appointed to replace Frank Farina following his DUI disgrace. With the sparkling talents of chubby Scot and ex-ranger Charlie Miller twinkling over to Gold Coast United Ange is unrepentant and, obviously, is asking for time.

 ”We’ve made decisions we’ve felt are right. Some people will judge us today on those decisions. That’s their prerogative . Most people will judge us in 12 months time as to whether we’re right or wrong.”

 So long term growth for short term loss it is, even if the signing of Belgium defender Pieter Collen does something to ease the blow, the fact that the ex-international has come from the Belgian second division side SK Beveren means his statement that “I hope to do it better than him – I know he’s a big name and expectations are high,” regards filling Moore’s shoes is firmly planted in the aspirational you would think.

 And that’s not all, for even FFA chief executive Ben Buckley has got in on the action, telling Brisbane to sort out their own backyard, get fans back in to the stadium or risk being turfed out to a smaller venue more fitting for their average fan base.

 This is not helped by excursions on the pitch either, with the Roar losing to Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand, newly arrive strike Eugene Dadi scoring twice for the home side, the first of which a spectacular overhead kick with his back to goal that sailed in to the net, despite not having the cleanest of contacts. The second, a classic poachers finish from six yards was a timely reminder too of the need for a bit of clinical finishing up front, where Paul Ifill, for all his endeavour, has often looked like he’s had it all to do himself, a stretch too far.

 This win took Wellington up to fifth and in to finals contention but given that the top six of  ten are finals places this season, that’s not saying much. Brisbane, to put this in context, are seventh, just one point off sixth (and a finals berth) and indeed every club except rock-bottom Adelaide are within one win of making it there with 8 rounds to go.

 For Brisbane though, next up is Newcastle Jets, a game Postecoglu believes they must win to keep their hopes alive, but that’s no guarantee. The Jets have won five of their last sixth, their only loss following the long slog to Perth, and got the result of the round last weekend. Having gone down to ten men against Champions Melbourne Victory they pushed on, eventually securing a fantastic 3-2 win, hitting the Victory on the counter. Mark Bridges (yes, that one) led the line brilliantly alone, scoring the second the get their noses in front just before half time and keeping them in the games. When Labinot Haliti spun round in the area, caught the ball on the volley and steered it expertly across the keeper and in to the side netting, you certainly felt that it was Newcastle’s day, holding on to stay comfortably fourth.

 All of which gave Sydney FC the chance to extend their lead at the top to six points by beating Perth Glory in Perth. Except Sydney did not, although a respectable nil-nil was enough to give them four points and a game in hand over Melbourne. Next up for Sydney is Gold Coast, the battle of the glamour clubs, made the more interesting by the fact that Gold Coast play Newcastle on Wednesday night, and would be able to leap frog  Sydney and take top spot should they win both fixtures, a tough ask but not impossible for the impressive Queensland outfit. Sydney defender and world cup hopeful Simon Colosimo came out warning danger ahead of the tie.

 ”It really is a danger game. They have the deadliest finisher in the league in Shane Smeltz, but that’s because the service is usually very good from their midfield.”

 Smeltz has already racked up 19 goals this season, more than any player has scored in the a-league in a complete season, and saved the day for Gold Coast, scoring at the death to gain a point for his side. Adelaide, continuing their poor run to just two wins in the past eleven games (otherwise known as half the season) deserved more from the game but are not sitting at the bottom of the table for nothing. Gold Coast coach Miron Blieberg was whimsical about the two points dropped saying 

 ”[Adelaide’s] desperation of such a proud club not to finish last was stronger than our desperation as a young club to take advantage and climb into the top two.”

 A very poetic way of saying they wanted it more.

Sure it started well. Pierre Litbarski had them working well and with the touch of Dwight Yorke class in the middle it was a romp to the inaugural title. It was fun. But how things changed. The Terry Butcher years, John Kosmina, Branko Culina, all promising so much.

But the problem… oh the problem. Players were scouted. They were seen performing well for other A-league teams, teams with a work ethic and organisation. They were purchased. They were shoved on  the pitch and they were left to get on with it. Excellent cogs in well run machines were being dumped in a bucket and asked to tell the time. It didn’t work, it couldn’t work. Until now.

Because  Vítězslav Lavička has come in and turned them in to a team, a team moreover that it more than the sum of its parts, that has a game plan, that uses it’s player to their abilities and, most of all, a team that does not feature John Aloisi. The A-league’s highest paid player gets left on the bench to stew, given a late cameo when the games stretched, a simple and effective indictment of his ability to play as part of this team.

Instead Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge have formed a devastating partnership up front. Brosque is slighter, but he is faster, and Bridge, no slouch, has that extra burst of pace aligned with his more muscular and powerful build.  Given an extended run up front this season they’ve produced some dazzling performances. True, Brosque should score a few more goals, and likewise Bridge should set more up but on current form they’re the most lethal double act going, and both these players having been bought from other A-league franchises, poorly used and both in danger of seeing their natural talents squandered.

A good example was against Wellington Phoenix last weekend. The Phoenix had, in their previous game, thrashed the stuffing out of Gold Coast Utd 6-0 and have, since, comfortably beaten the Newcastle Jets2-0 but in Sydney they were never in the game. First the Sydney front two combined with a neat one-two to set Bridge free and plant a powerful shot just inside the far post with venom. Next up Brosque just refused to give up the ball in the opposition area before finding some space to fizz a favoured left foot shot low at goal which the keeper could only parry before Steve Corica tapped it away and, saving the best for last, Brosque ran half the length of the pitch before delivering the ball in low for Bridge to sweep in to the net. Game over.

There was a scare when Wellington won a dubious penalty but justice was served when it was ordered retaken for encroachment and Clint Bolton got down easily to scoop up the second attempt. Sydney are back. Enjoyable to watch, enthusiastic, looking like they’re enjoying their football and even space in the team for fan favourite and foundation player Terry McFlynn of whom it was announced this week that he’d signed a contract extension keeping his at the club till the end of the 2012/13 season.

Sydney sit atop the table, 1 clear of Melbourne Victory and 5 of Gold Coast, who they face next at Skilled Park. A win will keep them top but also send out quite a message, since it would mark victory over every opponent they’ve thus far faced, and should they follow it up the following week against Perth Glory it will mean a win against every other team in the league. That may be no great achievement, and there’s  sure to be losses to come, but knowing that on your day your team can beat anyone has got to be good for the confidence and with an ethic, a tactic and a well balanced team, that top spot is theirs to lose.

Deep breath. ‘Anything else?’ 

“Yes, we’re bottom of the league, can’t buy a win, and our humorously named central midfielder has been sent off, and suspended for the worst dive I’ve ever seen.”

Even deeper breath.  ‘Anything else?’ 

“Just a little thing. I’ve had to get a new person in to help manage this, because it’s beyond me.”

 Enter Michelle Roberts from stage left. 

A very dull play? A knock-on effect of the global financial crisis? The first act in the end of an unhappy marriage? Maybe a little of all three. This is actually the situation at North Queensland Fury who’s dazzling ascendance in to the world’s consciousness has now become a bit of a drizzle downwards. Good results on the pitch could hide it, but as things stands it’s looking like the mismanagement of the club stretched from boardroom to dug out and there’s a genuine concern that this could descend in to farce. 

It’s not all doom and gloom though. To quote Socceroo and Fury defender Shane Stefanutto

“This isn’t like in Turkey or Greece where you have to worry about getting paid; we’re getting our money and don’t have any real worries.” That’s right, the pay cheques are still getting issued, so there’s no problem. Well, that’s one way to look at things but when a club is losing money, those pay cheques could disappear quite quickly, in much the same way that my ATM card keeps giving out money until my account is empty. Or as Fury owner Don Matheson puts it: ”Our cash flow will carry us to a certain point where we will have to make a business decision.” Ominous. 

The problem came when investor Mitch Burke decided to leave the club (having suffered losses in his employment agency business), taking his money with him, shortly after inaugural CEO Dean Hassall was sacked or possibly resigned, conflicting reports that only agree on that he’s no longer with the club following a restructure. After an short interim period where Matheson stepped up, Michelle Roberts, who’s done a similar job at Adelaide Utd and Wellington Phoenix in helping them become viable businesses and sports franchises, has now stepped in. This leaves Don Matheson as the sole owner of the club but crucially also the only backer. 

In a deft piece of rubric that should have raised more alarms bells that it did Matheson said 

“The key message is the club’s in a very strong financial position. The financial position of the club hasn’t changed – I’ve just got to put in more money.”

Which sounds like he’s coming out fighting, except he’s not got a limitless supply of wealth. The Fury are already in the slightly comical position of being sponsored by their local rival’s – Gold Coast Utd – owner Clive Palmer, who’s Queensland Nickel company are the Fury’s principal sponsor. It’s not clear whether Matheson, who’s a golf-course developer by day, can reasonably sustain a franchise alone. 

The concern is that with Matheson now sole owner, and having put in the hard work he’ll be deeply reluctant to give up control, even if a new investor is found, limiting the potential partners available. “I think I have done a reasonably good job with it, I have a good relationship with the FFA and a impeccable relationship with the players,” he said. And that may well be true but you can’t just ignore the fact that the club’s been running at a loss since its inception, has repeatedly failed to get enough people in to the stadium to even break even and have had to re-write their business plan less than half-way through the season.

North Queensland Fury, it seems, are currently, and have been, a badly run business. And whilst the FFA are happy enough to let them continue for now, and have approved all the new measures, checks and balances to turn the franchise in to a profitable concern, they were also happy with the previous business model, the one just failed, and with the current model of Matheson propping up the club, making their stamp of approval less than convincing. As much as he may be very proud of what he has achieved and done, you have to wonder whether a complete change at the top is needed. 

There’s still speculation that Fury will be switching their home games to the smaller Tony Ireland Stadium, and will be looking to pay less for the Dairy Farmers  Stadium if they do stay there next year, the worrying implication being that a crowd of just 3,500 is more realistic than a crowd of 8,500, these figures representing the break even points for each alternative. A smaller, stadium with less impressive facilities, less atmosphere, less prestige… it’s unlikely to get the fans flooding in. But, for now there is a calm following the storm. 

Everyone got worried but Matheson whipped out his bank statement and assured everyone that he could cope with it. That is not, in my opinion, good enough, and I hope for the people of Townsville that constructive steps are taken to ensure that another crisis like this is avoided. This isn’t a team playing well enough to just ride over it and the lack of fans in the crowds are not going to be overcome by heartfelt pleas. A well-run club, a well run team, the fans will come. 

“Michelle Philips will work creating the new process in the administration, new KPI (key performance indicators) for the staff, and as a club get back on track within the next couple of weeks,” said Matheson, before jumping on a plane and heading off for a whistle-stop investor seeking tour of Asia and Europe. 

As a business, the Fury need to operate profitably regardless of their performance on the field or attendances. As a football team, they need the strong financial backing to compete. It’s not fair to blame playing staff or money staff for this situation, but any long term success will certainly rely on a bit more acumen from dug out to boardroom. And let’s hope it’s not spreading!

Having moved to Australia just in time to get a season pass to the inaugural season I was treated to a deep lying Dwight Yorke dictating the play for Sydney as they romped to the title under world-cup winner Pierre Littbarski’s management, as the rest of the league struggled to find marquee players of note or a tactical system as rigidly enforced.

With the loss of Yorke, who returned to Sunderland, there were the odd interlopers, Juninho and Romario to name two, but the league was struggling under the fact that in such a small competition it seemed like pretty much any one could lose to anyone on their day and it was hard to imagine any huge talents coming in to the game. Mark Bosnich coming out of retirement to stand between the sticks for the Mariner was notable, but mainly for the schadenfraude prospects.

Partly this is because the salary cap system controls club finances and introduces an upper limit on the skills importable, and partly because the standard, throughout, was simply not that high. This season that’s changed. Things have, without a doubt, got better and it’s looking like now, anyone could beat anyone else and, increasingly, through beautiful goals.

The New Zealand Knights in their time were lamentably bad but Wellington Phoenix most certainly give a good account of themselves and New Zealand. The two new teams have invigorated the league by introducing more competition for the top places, more quality plays in the league and a playing schedule that’s less repetitive.

Admittedly, there’s been a few coups like Fowler and Jason Culina bringing their skills to the league, but more that that, the general level has improved considerably. Last year we saw a youth league and a woman’s league playing concurrent to the A-league with players from the former now breaking through to the first teams.

This means that within two seasons we’ve gone from a situation of players being sourced either from regional clubs (a big leap up) or from overseas to the nurturing of in house talent which can, of course, be custom trained to the necessities of the A-league, which remains a physical league.

So yes, the crowds are down a bit, but once the oval ball seasons are out of the way I’d expect that to change. More to the point, the A-league is beginning to make it in to the public consciousness as the media pick up on it and start running with it further and further up the news agenda. Last weekend’s clash between the Fury and Sydney was widely billed as Aloisi vs God and God, of course, won in the end, but the fact that an A-League match could produce such a headline, or such hyperbole, is a sign of how far it’s come.

Next season will see two new teams with one, based in Western Sydney, touted as being the jewel in the A-league crown even though the complicated bidding process saw a Lucas Neill backed bid fall apart following the murderer of a notorious business man. With no name, players or backroom staff yet in place, the new conglomerate creating this franchise will none-the-less be well placed to bring in some good names to what is one of Australia’s football heartlands if this season, and this league, continue to improve at this pace.

Where is everyone?

Year on year growth is wanted and needed to support new teams but as yet it’s not looking that way with average attendances down at 11,640. That said, as other codes finish up there should be a few new bums on seats and the stats are skewed by, firstly, the new franchises who’ll take time to build up a strong base and Melbourne Victory who’ve dropped as many fans as Newcastle have averaged overall.

Can Phoenix rise?

Wellington Phoenix fourth with a win, a loss and a draw? The same Wellington phoenix who looked like being consigned back to the bottom of the table after losing Shane Smeltz? I hope they can keep this up, on a very small graph they should be heading for fourth after all, and were only two points off the play-offs last season, but, a lot depends on Chris Greenacre keeping up his fine form thus far. They’re boosted too, ahead of the clash with the Victory, by injury to Melbourne’s Evan Berger, another defensive casualty that should give Phoenix hope of getting something from this game.

Will Lloyd Owusu and Cristiano Sharp Shoot Adelaide Up the Table?

Adelaide are starting to look a bit desperate. Having a solid base from which to attack is pointless if you’re not scoring goals and coach Aurelio Vidmar will be counting the days till Owusu is up and running after his extended break. The only goal they’ve scored so far has been a penalty they’re going to need some movement up front to create some space to try and change that, although you’d think they have the perfect chance this weekend when the Fury come to town. And, with rumours of unrest from Brazilian Cassio already seeping out, it might not take many more bad results for a full on revolt.

Will Lavicka’s lawn watering catch on?

The mentalness of Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka wetting the pitch before each home game using the Sydney Football Stadium sprinkler system isn’t that it’s a bad idea, per se, it’s that it’s a complete mystery what advantage he thinks he gives his own team, a question baffling fans and pundits alike. Among Sydney’s key traits, slick passing is rarely on of them and booting the ball from deep at John Aloisi’s head can’t really require much lubrication. Not to mention the fact that the enterprise has seen players slipping all over the place, including Kofi Danning, the conduit of Sydney’s hopes. Perhaps there’s a mental edge in having your coach believe your able to control the ball on a slick surface and perhaps they’re not used to it, but if they’re not able to make it work against the Phoenix in round four maybe it’ll best just to save the water.

What’s gone wrong Brisbane?

The A-league is a small league, and a small league encourages anomalies such as small points differences between top and bottom and goal difference gaining more import than it should. But something seems to have gone wrong at Brisbane. With two draws and a loss so far, they’re already 7 points off the top of the table, which after three rounds is no time to panic, but there’s not time to dawdle! Charlie Miller needs to find some more of that effervescent, clock-rewinding charm he was exuding last season and please, won’t someone update their wickipedia page! I’m not a panic monkey but, it’s not inconceivable that Brisbane will lose this weekend to the Central Coast (especially since the Mariners have finally broken that mystifying victory free stretch after some 8 months) , and that the Fury will too, leaving them a possible 10 and 12 points off their state rivals, which would be, I think, I real blow to Qld football.

As well as lengthening the season by six games for each side (all teams play each other three times), the new Queensland teams have forced the Queensland Roar to change their name to the Brisbane Roar. Why they didn’t use the opportunity when filling in the paperwork to drop the Roar too is beyond my purview, but possible match-up combinations now include; Mariners Fury, Phoenix Jets (admittedly quite cool) and Victory Roar at the top left of the screen.

Wheeling and dealing has abounded in filling up the two new franchises but with talent streaming in and out of Australia more than ever, every team is coming in to this season with a different feel and look, and, with at least an extra six games each this season, fitness is going to be a telling, maybe a deciding factor. In the first four A-league seasons we’ve had three different premier and grand final champions, only Melbourne repeating either feat. Predictions are bound to be futile.

Other than Fowler signing of the summer may well be Perth Glory’sMile Sterjovski from Derby County.It’s rare to see Premier quality players in the antipodes, and it’s fairly clear from last season that Derby were not premiership quality, but with Andy Todd joining him, as well as Chris Coyne from Colchester and Branko Jelic from Energie Cottbus, who were relegated from the Bundesliga last season, Perth are looking strong contenders for the final series, and maybe one of the major prizes.

Adelaide United obviously thought they’d done a good bit of business having snagged another Colchester boy Lloyd Owusu as a replacement for the retired Paul Agostino and there was a sense that should he prove a suitable foil for the Brazilian Cristiano, they could build up a bit of an understanding. But then Owusu got swine flu and is out till round four at least. Coach Aurelio Vidmar sounded relatively unconcerned about the flu that’s slowly destroying the world as we know it when he calmly stated

“We’re going to be really cautious with him and if it takes us six, seven, eight weeks then that’s how it is.”

Without a marquee player, Adelaide may find themselves pinning a lot of hope on a man who’s career goals to games rations is a little more than one in 3, and scratching around to find goals from elsewhere.

Having progressively got worse in almost every way, year on year since the A-league began, Sydney FC start version five with yet another new coach, Vitezslav Lavicka, who’s looking to instil a new culture in the club.

“I have three parts to my coaching philosophy,” he said. “Discipline and respect, motivation to improve and team unity. Also we must enjoy playing and the work. We must be together for the success.”

That’s the problem with starting a sentence with ‘I have three parts’ when you haven’t thought it out first. Hopefully Sydney can look like they care this season and who knows, maybe John Aloisi will start looking like the star signing he purportedly is, hopefully helped by the undeniable talent of former Sparta Prague man Karol Kisel who’s followed his former coach south.

Sacked former Sydney manager, Branko Culina, meanwhile has taken up the coaching reins once again having been appointed in charge of the Newcastle Jets whilst his son Jason lines up for Gold Coast United following his time with PSV Eindhoven. Tipped generally as the best, most in prime, great player the A-League has ever seen, not a huge challenge to live up to, the battle of the Culina’s proper won’t happen till round four when Jason gets the chance to try his luck against what was a shaky back line for Newcastle last term, bolstered this season by Ljubo Milicevic, who’s year off from football (no, seriously, he took a year off) seems to have changed the man.

“I think for the first time in my career,” he said in an interview, “my heart and my head are going in the same direction and I think for the first time in my life, people are going to see me play at a level that they haven’t seen before.”

Presumably his manager Is just hoping he doesn’t take another sabbatical.

Meanwhile, over at Gold Coast United, Jason is facing up to the prospect of playing under Australia’s closest thing to a sugar daddy. Whilst salary caps and other restrictions mean that huge spending is not really an option, United chairman Clive Palmer is helping in other ways, promising to fly his team to and from matches in a luxurious private jet. A controversial figure, he’s already complained about the state of the pitches, accused the FFA of ‘lacking respect’ for the people of the Gold Coast, aimed to go the whole season unbeaten whilst winning the title and offered Roar supporters a 25% discount to switch allegiance. A colourful character, it remains to be seen whether his team can make a splash on the field with the former Juventus (on loan) keeper Jess Vanstrattan coming out before a ball’s been kicked in anger to inject a touch of pedestrian realism.

“We have to be realistic. We’re a new team and we haven’t played together.”

Melbourne Victory meanwhile, as title holders, are obvious favourites to lead the race early on having a virtually unchanged team, but their last post-championship season saw them fall out of the final series entirely. It would be a surprise if that happened again, but should hit men Archie Thompson or Danny Allsopp get injured there is a lack of quality depth. Kevin Muscat must surely be the most hated man in the A-League ( and let’s never forget the words of Ian Wright regards Muscat: He is a nobody. He knows it, I realise it and a hell of a lot of other people think it.”) but within this league, and this team, Muscat’s without a doubt a force to be reckoned with. The danger is that this could be the year when age catches up with the thirty six year old.

No report on the A-league, Australia’s top flight of football, would be complete without a mention of New Zealand team Wellington Phoenix who had been providing the comic relief in the league before last season finishing a surprising third last. Whether they can repeat that will be questionable, having lost goal-scoring ace Shane Smeltz and replaced him with Paul Ifill, who’s going to have to improve his career strike rate of a goal every six games if he’s to be any use, although playing up front will no doubt help that.

With more teams to be added next year, this is going to be something of a transitional season for the A-league with more grounds to fill, players to pay and matches to watch but it looks set to be the most exciting yet with high profile signings who could either triumph ecstatically or flop disastrously, in either case fascinating for the observers. Melbourne kick off the season against the Central Coast Mariners on the 6th August and Lawrie McKinna’s men will be hoping to finally win their first match of 2009. With Adam Kwasnik back to lead the line up front and Michael McGlincey, who never quite made the grade at Celtic, to sure up the midfield, it’s looking a tough prospect for the Mariners who’ll have to be hoping that Melbourne have a rare off day at home.

Also in round one, Adelaide take on Perth; North Queensland, with six ex-Sydney FC players on their books will be taking on the very same in Queensland; Brisbane will be hosting Gold Coast and Newcastle will be looking to start things up with all three points as Wellington come to town. It’s too early days for results to really matter, but everyone will be looking at the likes of Fowler and Culina to really make their mark from the outset and prove that their expensive additions to the league are worthwhile, and bring in the crowds, since last season was the first that saw a drop in attendances across the board, a state of affairs that would be perilous if repeated in what should be a burgeoning league.