General Asian/Oceanic Football Thread

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TEAM first. Stadium... a long second.

That is the order of business if Ipswich is to ever have a rugby league/football stadium to accommodate an NRL or A-League side in future, says Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.

Cr Pisasale spoke recently on The Daily Football Show about the possibility of an A-League side in the western corridor and whether there were plans to build a stadium.

The QT has covered this subject in recent years but the fact remains that if the Western Corridor NRL side or a western Brisbane A-League franchise becomes a reality they will play out of Suncorp Stadium initially.

Cr Pisasale told the QT there are simply no funds in the coffers for a stadium.

Long term planning has a stadium slated for Ripley towards the end of next decade and the council owns land in Springfield that could be turned into an elite training facility and boutique stadium holding up to 15000 people.

That was in the works when the Brisbane Lions were considering a move of their training base to Ipswich.

"The money is not there in the council budget for a stadium so it will have to be done privately or with state and federal funding," Cr Pisasale told the QT.

"But Suncorp Stadium is not used to its full potential and we have the rail line to it, and that is where an NRL side would play.

"You don't have to build a $200 million stadium.

"Down the track, we could then create a stadium here by building up North Ipswich Reserve to hold 15000 and we do have some business modelling at Springfield.

"Soccer, AFL and league are all sniffing around and looking at Ipswich to base a side and whoever acts first is going to get the return on investment.

"At the moment the people in charge at the elite level are not taking the lead and letting the community know what they are doing.

"How long is the NRL going to take to make up their mind? The Ipswich community works its guts out to support league and create the environment for juniors. But there is no communication from the top. We need some direction.

"You can't sell the product to the business sector unless you know what the product is.

"But if they create the team, the sponsors and fans will come."

A plethora of top flight companies are now based in Ipswich and corporate support for an elite team would also come primarily from big brands looking for national exposure.

The NRL is yet to make a decision on expansion but the Western Corridor NRL bid remains a front-runner should the game grow.

"But unfortunately it seems to me that communities come second, behind the advertising dollar and broadcast rights deals," Cr Pisasale said.

"I am sure the NRL plans to create a team in Western Australia for that reason, but whether it works is another matter.

"But it is the fans who are important. Everyone knows we are rugby league mad out here. Yamanto has the biggest Broncos membership base in the nation.

"Creating an NRL or A-League team in the western corridor would also be good for the juniors. How many players are falling through the cracks because they don't have those pathway opportunities?"

Cr Pisasale said he was a fan of A-League boss David Gallop, who had his eye on READ MORE


www.qt.com.au/news/time-for-the-nrl-a-league-to-claim-ipswich-pisasal/3022030/

Yeah nah m8.

Build the stadium or gtfo. Sorry but sharing suncorp for an ipswich team, that is beyond stupid, its nearly 40kms from Central Ipswich to Suncorp Stadium on road, thats a good hour and a bit drive on a good day, up to 2 with bad traffic (especially with the run in on a weekend). Also by train its over an hour also which is rubbish also (the only saving grace for that, its on the same line)

He needs get the stadium built or can forget the NRL or A-League coming to, honestly it is about time the state put in money for a new stadium there anyway, Townsville is getting a new stadium, whilst the brisbane region barely has a 2nd one (not that Townsville doesn't need it, if the Fury get some half decent management they should be brought back in)


Basically all teams bidding should have some kind of stadium or stadium deal that makes sense (a team representing Ipswich shouldn't be playing in Central Brisbane which is over an hour away)

Oh and underutilised, the stadiums overutilised actually. Broncos (NRL), Reds (Super Rugby) and Roar (A-League) all play here, not to mention the several concerts that all the 2nd rate talent hold during the season (looking directly at you Taylor Swift), if anything Brisbane needs a 2nd stadium, or at least an Upgraded Perry Park/Renovated Ballymore with good transport links (i.e. Bus Services aplenty).

TLDR; no stadium, no team

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South Melbourne an A-League franchise stuck in “lifeless” NPL

Domenic Favata
May 10, 2016

South Melbourne have given their biggest indication yet they want to be at the forefront A-League expansion, declaring themselves a ready-made A-League franchise.

Featuring on the Daily Football Show’s latest instalment of their special expansion series A-League NEXT , South Melbourne Director Nick Maikousis was adamant the club would be a success in the A-League should they get the call-up.

“We consider ourselves an A-League franchise playing in the NPL,” he said.

“We’re playing in the depths of winter, and what I consider a lifeless competition with no media support at all.”

Perhaps the biggest factor in the club’s readiness for an A-League license, despite their proud history and existing supporter-base, is their biggest “asset”, Lakeside Stadium.

Shared with Athletics Victoria, the facility has undergone a State government funded $77 million refurbishment in recent years, with capacity at 15,000 and 8,000 seated. With the trust that manages the facility open to making the venue an all-seater with temporary grandstands for a tighter football feel, it only strengthens the club’s shout for an A-League call-up.

“One of the game-changers for us is securing Lakeside Stadium for the next 40 years. And when you consider the PNL statements of the A-League franchises, their stadium costs are enormous and in some cases of $2 million. That’s a direct saving we have. We’ve locked down that facility for the football community,” he said.

“If you go back to the origins of the A-League, it was all about boutique facilities, and a few things have been lost in translation over that period of time.”

Maikousis said the club’s current modelling if they were to be in the A-League estimate regular crowds of 12-15,000, which is a very respectable figure comparable to the average crowd figure for the past season of12,706.

“For our big games, we’d take them to other venues, but for your regular home and away games it’s a perfect venue.”

outside90.com/south-melbourne-an-a-league-franchise-stuck-in-lifeless-npl/

Souths will come in very soon i think. They basically would have a relatively seamless transition to the A-League and don't have nearly the overhead with stadium costs that all the other teams have (especially the Roar or Glory who pay stupid fees). Actually if they get anything more than 6k average they are making a profit i think, and given they expect 12-15k (not that fanciful, conservatively i'd say 9-10k), they'll be in the black for sure. Probably a better rival to the Victory than city are (basically South Melbourne would be what the Wanderers are to Sydney)

If i was Gallop, i'd pretty much have them ready for the new TV deal since most likely Foxtel and most FTA's will want more games (5 a week is hardly that much). I said i'd put them in later, but in terms of readiness they're good to go now.

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Brawl in the Chinese Cup

Wuhan Hongxing players attacked Jiangsu Suning after their 1-0 defeat.


Yeah...... This is something relatively common in the middle eastern leagues, not so much in China and other leagues in the region. Sort of surprised really but at the same time not really, it can get rather heated.

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Fringe Socceroo Left Back Micheal Zullo has signed for Sydney FC

Great signing for them, they needed a LB desperately since losing Gersbach and now Ali Abbas (who moved to Pohang Steelers btw, wow).

As a Roar fan i can't help but say FFS, this was the one guy we needed the most (since Corey Brown is inept as a defender of any capacity), but nope we have to be cheap and not sign anyone yet, i bet you we go into the season with Brown as starting LB and struggle badly because of it. Also Zullo you are now in the Judas category. One does not simply play for Brisbane and then sign for the Smurfs down the line (it works the other way but Jurman was clearly a secret agent for them given how he defended).

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A change to the draw principles for the Westfield FFA Cup 2016 will make the Round of 32 even more unpredictable for the 10 Hyundai A-League clubs, Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced today.

This year, all of the Hyundai A-League clubs will be placed into one pot, meaning any one of the 10 professional clubs could be pitched into a knock-out tie in the suburbs against a semi-pro Member Federation club.

In previous years, the four Hyundai A-League Semi Finalists were placed into a separate pot, which guaranteed them a tie against a Member Federation club in the Round of 32, with the other six A-League clubs drawn against each other.

FOX SPORTS has again committed to provide comprehensive coverage from the Round of 32 onwards for Australian football’s national knockout competition in 2016, which began with a record 691 Member Federation clubs competing in the Preliminary Rounds of the competition.

The match schedule for the Westfield FFA Cup 2016 Final Rounds, which is when the ten Hyundai A-League clubs join the fold, remains predominantly similar to last year.

The Westfield FFA Cup 2016 Round of 32 is set to commence on 26/27 July and, similarly to last year, will comprise of four (4) match days (four matches per night on either a Tuesday or Wednesday night) over a three week period, while the Round of 16, Quarter Finals and Semi Finals will each be played over the space of a fortnight.

The Westfield FFA Cup Final 2016 will be played on Tuesday 29 November to determine the third winners of the competition after Adelaide United claimed the trophy in the inaugural year before Melbourne Victory won it in 2015.

The more open and intriguing Round of 32 draw will again feature three (3) all Hyundai A-League Club matches, nine (9) all Member Federation club matches, and four (4) Member Federation club v Hyundai A-League club matches.

As the Westfield FFA Cup prepares to again take centre stage on the national football calendar, FFA CEO David Gallop said another captivating year of the competition lay ahead.

“With the addition of the Hyundai A-League clubs, a total of 701 clubs will have taken part in this year’s Westfield FFA Cup, which continues to go from strength to strength and capture the imagination of football fans around the country in just its third year,” said Gallop.
“The competition’s unique selling point is the appeal of watching grassroots clubs playing at suburban grounds against the pros from the Hyundai A-League.”
Similarly to last year, FOX SPORTS will show 11 matches LIVE (one match per match night) while providing coverage and updates, as well as LIVE streaming, of all non-broadcast matches.

Details regarding the FOX SPORTS broadcast and streaming will be announced closer to the start of the Round of 32.
Gallop commended Fox Sports’ continued support of the Westfield FFA Cup.
“Fox Sports have done a fantastic job in their coverage of the Westfield FFA Cup in the first two years and it’s fantastic that they have again committed to extensive coverage in order to bring the magic of the cup to people wherever they are around Australia,” said Gallop.

Following the success of the first two years of the competition, Member Federation clubs are realising the significant benefits that come with making a run deep into the competition as Hume City found out in reaching the Westfield FFA Cup Semi Finals last year, so these clubs will be as determined as ever to go and put their name up in lights.”
On the announcement of the schedule and details for the Westfield FFA Cup 2016 Final Rounds, John Batistich, Director Marketing, Scentre Group National Marketing, reinforced Westfield’s delight in being the competition’s naming rights partner.
“We are extremely proud to once again be the Major Partner of the Westfield FFA Cup,” said Batistich.

“Just like the local clubs that participate in this competition, our Westfield Shopping Centres are very much part of their communities and we look forward to showing our continued support to all the teams taking part in the Cup’s third season.”
Slot allocations for the Westfield FFA Cup 2016 Round of 32 remain the same as last year with Football NSW receiving five (5) slots, Football Queensland and Football Federation Victoria four (4), Northern NSW Football and Football West two (2), and Football Federation South Australia, Football Federation Tasmania, Capital Football (ACT) and Football Federation Northern Territory each getting one slot.

The remaining Member Federation slot is filled by Blacktown City FC, who received automatic entry into the Round of 32 after being crowned PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Champions of Australia last year.

Each State/Territory will know their final Member Federation entrants in the Round of 32 on the following dates:
18 May – Football NSW
6 June – Football West
11 June – Football Queensland
13 June – Football Federation Tasmania
15 June – Football Federation Victoria
18 June – Capital Football (ACT)
18 June – Football Federation Northern Territory
19 June – Northern NSW Football
25 June – Football Federation South Australia
* Dates are subject to change

The draw for the Round of 32 will be conducted in the last week of June with details to be announced closer to the date.
Features of the Westfield FFA Cup 2016 Final Rounds

Match Schedule
The Round of 32 draw will see all ten (10) Hyundai A-League clubs placed into the same pot, unlike previously which saw the four (4) Hyundai A-League Semi Finalists drawn out of a separate pot and guaranteed to face a Member Federation club in the Round of 32.
The match schedule remains predominantly similar to last year, with the Round of 32 to be held over three weeks, the Quarter Finals played prior to the start of the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 Season, and the Semi Finals completed by the end of October.
The draw principles that will see at least one Member Federation club reach the Semi Finals will remain unchanged.
Member Federation clubs will always host matches against a Hyundai A-League opponent.
The match schedule provides Hyundai A-League clubs with more competitive pre-season matches and gives Member Federation clubs the opportunity to field stronger line-ups.

The Westfield FFA Cup Final 2016 is scheduled for Tuesday 29 November 2016.

FOX SPORTS Coverage
The FOX SPORTS broadcast schedule will consist of 11 LIVE full broadcast matches and coverage of all other 20 matches from the Round of 32.
Round of 32 will feature 16 matches across four match days. FOX SPORTS is committed to broadcasting four of the matches LIVE with cameras at the other 12 matches.
Round of 16 will feature eight matches across two match days – two LIVE full broadcast with cameras at the six other matches.
Quarter Finals will feature four matches across two match days – two LIVE full broadcast with cameras at the other two matches.
Semi Finals will feature two matches across two days, both broadcast LIVE.
The Westfield FFA Cup Final 2016 will be broadcast LIVE.

Read more at www.theffacup.com.au/article/draw-re-vamped-for-2016-westfield-ffa-cup/1jd7tvvrqsl9r19j49c0p3hk1d#x4zkG1ofBmq0aZdl.99

Well its about damn time

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Micheal Carrick has been linked to Perth Glory as a marquee player (how? unless they don't bring back Castro because Keogh is a marquee and surely Castro would be on marquee wages)

Anyway this would be good because him and Herd could form a really good Defensive mid partnership with Castro playing in front of them. (4-3-1-2?)

Also on the marquee fund:

FORMER Barcelona and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o is the first name on a short list of potential glamour signings for the A-League as the competition’s new marquee fund is finalised.

The 10 A-League clubs will be formally briefed next week on the criteria for signing stars whose salary could be augmented by Football Federation Australia’s multi-million-dollar fund.
Could Fernando Torres play in next season’s A-League competition?

Emboldened by what is effectively a marketing budget designed to add star dust to the competition, A-League bosses hope the clubs will be able to move quickly on a list of names already highlighted as coming off contract and potentially available.

Though Eto’o is under contract at Antalyaspor in Turkey, it’s understood he has appointed an agent to make overtures to A-League clubs, with FFA having indicated his would be a signing it would support financially.

Once European clubs formally release players in coming days, A-League clubs and a number of leading player agents will be encouraged to make contact with those off contract or who it’s believed could secure a release, to test the possibility of them coming to Australia.

Players coming off contract include Fernando Torres at Atletico Madrid, Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and Emmanuel Adebayor at Crystal Palace. Torres has an offer on the table to stay at Atletico but also interest from the MLS and the Chinese Super League, having told Spanish media he wants to decide his future before the Champions League final on May 28.

Though the offer from China will dwarf any other, A-League officials have told clubs they hope that a significant financial offer twinned with a lifestyle pitch is worth making to any player.

Tim Cahill is also likely to be a leading figure in discussions, despite the spat between him and FFA in January over the extent of the latter’s desire to bring him back to the A-League.
They may have had their differences but the FFA would love to lure Tim Cahill to the A-League.

Cahill comes off contract next month with Hangzhou Greentown and remains by some way the Socceroo with most box-office appeal.

Seven-figure support could be made available from head office for a candidate who could have a effect similar to Alessandro Del Piero on the A-League, with potential signings clearly needing the potential to add to attendances home and away, as well as drive up TV ratings.

Outgoing A-League boss Damien de Bohun confirmed that clubs were being urged to move quickly.

“The timing is perfect with the end of the European season looming and a number of top-class players coming on to the market,” said de Bohun.

“Now is the time for clubs to explore all options”.

“The key difference with the new marquee fund is that FFA wants to be involved at the start of any discussions, instead of the back-end. Any investment that FFA makes will be based on clear criteria that will see the marquee player impact the entire league, not just one club or one market.

“The clubs will still need to carry the substantial part of the investment, but FFA will build out a package to make the A-League a highly desirable destination.”

www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/ffa-hoping-marquee-fund-can-lure-likes-of-samuel-etoo-fernando-torres-tim-cahill-to-aleague/news-story/2577d18da83e5ab33fd14f7f0190e6a6

Cahill to the Wanderers - Obvious Reasons, hometown boy needs to return home.
Samuel Eto'o to Sydney FC - Because Bling Bling needs a striker who can bang in goals. Would be good next to Berisha in Melbourne
Fernando Torres to City or Adelaide - Adelaide because its little spain and City just in case Fornaroli goes, though in saying that, he could go to the Victory also.
Emmanuel Adebayor - Why Sydney didn't sign him in January is beyond me, they needed him and he would have come in for like 1-2 mill per season, and he can bang in goals
Mikel Arteta - Would take him at the Roar, we need a Defensive mid, also we need a mid who can pass in general, him, McKay, Corona would form dads army in midfield but it would be the best midfield. Probably one of the biggest improvements that are needed.

Other names i can think of:
Robinho - Was linked earlier this season, would be a good fit for City (due to past affiliation) and Sydney FC
Dario Conca - Is 33, and with both Shanghai clubs looking at other players (such as Van Persie and Nani), he could be available
Dimitar Berbatov - Was linked with the Victory, he can score them, but not the worlds hardest worker as we all know. Wouldn't fit the Victory's hard working, industrious style of play but i could see Arnold adapting him)

Obviously Mariners and Jets should be in consideration for a few of these players, but honestly Mariners are a joke right now due to ownership. Hopefully with the Jets new owner being announced soon (rumored to be Martin Lee), they are willing to bring in a big name for the Jets, they deserve it, they get good crowds (11k) for a city of only 500,000 (comparable to Adelaide which has a population of 1.2 million and Perth which has a population of 2 million). Would give the team a good boost, oh and make inroads since in the NRL the Knights are an abomination right about now.

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some other names:

Arjen Robben
Mario Gomez
Radamel Falcao
Ricardo Quaresma
Claudio Pizarro
Hugo Almeida
Peter Crouch
Fernando Torres
Francesco Totti
Antonio Di Natale
Miroslav Klose
Didier Drogba
Xavi
Andres Iniesta

Robben isn't 100% realistic yet (same with Iniesta), Totti is most likely a Roma player for life (as it should be) but most of the other players are attainable

Now Sydney and Brisbane (though we don't marquee ever) would make the most sense, along with Newcastle, City, Mariners and Nix all don't fill their stadiums nearly as much as they could (Brisbane only fills 15k out of 50, Sydney around 18k out of 45, Newy 11k out of 30, Nix 7k out of 35, Mariners 7k out of 20, City 9k out of 30)

Those are the teams that need bums on seats. Sydney got a boost, because they where averaging around 10k, Del Pierro came and their crowds doubled, and whilst post del pierro there was a drop off (by around 2k), their crowds remained high, much higher than before marquees.


In saying all this, i rather see the money going towards expansion teams and working on a sustainable, stand alone 2nd division (that can eventually lead to Pro/Rel well down the line)

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Max Mason, appearing in the SMH on 16 May, 2016 wrote:

Optus is pursuing broadcast rights for the A-League and a number of Socceroos matches to bolster its football offering as it faces criticism for limiting its English Premier League coverage to its own customers.
Chief executive Allan Lew told Fairfax Media that Optus is running its ruler over Football Federation Australia's broadcast rights.
"We're looking at it seriously," Mr Lew said. "If it makes sense and it adds value to what we are providing football fans, at a commercial deal that we feel is fair, then we will see how we can bring it across. But, it's early days and let's see what happens."

Optus is creating a 24-7 dedicated football channel that will be available on Optus TV with Fetch - signing the A-League and Socceroos matches would provide more valuable content for that offering.

"Having got EPL we will build a content suite around people who are football fans," Mr Lew said.
"We will be building something around that to engage football fans when there is no live game, or nothing interesting to watch in terms of football."

Key differentiator
Optus has faced criticism over its planned coverage for the EPL, which it secured as part of a $189 million deal. The service will only be available to Optus customers and Mr Lew was adamant that the telco would not revisit that strategy.
"One principle that we will always stick to is that you have to be an Optus customers to get it because it's something that is a key differentiator for us. I cannot move away from that principle," he said.
"On an individual basis, we will see what we need to do to solve some of these problems for customers."
However, the fight for A-League broadcast rights is unlikely to be a walkover for the telco.
It is understood that the Ten Network is keen on a Saturday night A-League game and chief executive Paul Anderson has publicly declared his interest in the competition.
Sources said that subscription providers are open to free-to-air television playing an important role in the new deal.

Important property
Optus signed a deal with SBS, following the telco operator's acquisition of rights to the EPL, that allowed the television broadcaster to show one match per week on Saturday nights for the next three seasons.
The agreement with SBS gave Optus broadcast rights to FIFA events, including the 2018 men's World Cup and the 2019 women's World Cup.
The FFA has been engaging with a number of interested parties and official negotiations began in late April, as first revealed by Fairfax Media.
Incumbent rights holder Fox Sports, which is keen to hold onto the rights, has first and last rights and has held rights to the A-League since its inception in 2005.
Fox Sports chief executive Patrick Delany told Fairfax Media that the A-League is an important property to the pay TV sports provider.

"We have been an unfalteringly strong supporter of Australian football and specifically the A-League and that dates along way back to the time when the A-League was only a glimpse in the eye of Frank Lowy," Mr Delany said
"We're committed to continue to work with the FFA and the football community to build on what's happened in the last 10 years and continue to mission of making football more popular in Australia."
The majority of World Cup qualifiers, many of which are owned by World Sports Group (WSG), will be played out before the current deal expires.
WSG owns round three World Cup qualifiers as well as the Asian Champions League and Asia Cup.

Market surprised
The current $40 million per season, four-year deal, which expires in mid-2017, sees Fox Sports show all matches, including the weekend's higher rating derbies and rivalry games. SBS has rights to show one Friday match live each week, and the finals series on delay.
Prior to the beginning of the A-League season, which just finished with Adelaide United winning its first grand final, it looked as though SBS might sell its current free-to-air rights to a commercial broadcaster such as Nine Entertainment, Seven West Media or Network Ten. However, a deal failed to materialise.
SBS's desire to exit the A-League may see a deal finalised before the current rights agreement expires.
Oliver & Ohlbaum are advising the FFA on the negotiations. They were recommended by City Football Group, owners of English Premier League giants Manchester City and 80 per cent of A-league club Melbourne City.
Fairfax Media revealed in January last year that the FFA were confident of an uptick in the value of broadcast rights, potentially as high as $80 million per year. However, this would be contingent on bidders believing they could achieve higher ratings than the sport currently gets.
In November, Optus surprised many in the market by swooping on rights to the EPL and agreeing to pay $63 million annually, which is understood to be more than double the $20 million a year that Fox Sports is currently paying.
Foxtel responded to the loss of the English Premier League by signing new deals with six of the competition's biggest teams to broadcast the clubs' own channels, as revealed by Fairfax Media.
Foxtel, which is 50-50 owned by News Corporation and Telstra, will broadcast matches, on delay, for Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
The pay TV provider also struck a deal with beIN Sports to move its high-definition channels over to the regular sports package, providing Champions League, Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A.

www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/optus-enters-the-fray-for-aleague-socceroos-broadcast-rights-20160512-gotuig.html

Well this would be as bad to football here as channel 7 was

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Shandong Luneng 1-1 Sydney FC

Shandong equalised in the last minutes of the game, but they where unlucky to not win 3-1. In saying that they looked bang average and pretty unfit. Sydney looked worse and are incredibly lucky to have made it out of China with it even going back home. They will have to be a lot better in Sydney otherwise they'll be done

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ROAR star Thomas Broich has helped an Iranian refugee realise his dream of settling into a new home — and playing football again.

When a fan told Broich about the plight of Behzad Ariayee, a top goalkeeper in the Persian Gulf Pro League until he fled his homeland with wife Maryam under the threat of religious persecution, the 35-year-old midfielder stepped in to “give hope” to the family.

More than two years in detention, including stops at Christmas Island and Nauru before being moved to Darwin for the birth of his son, Edwin, left Ariayee questioning whether he would take the field again.

Broich visited the family at Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation several times to encourage Ariayee to find a home in football. The 31-year-old and his family gained refugee status in January and he is now a first-choice goalkeeper in the Brisbane Premier League.

“I’m so happy now. Soccer is my blood, running through my body,” Ariayee said.

Broich said witnessing the family’s painful situation was a sobering experience. “It’s a really tough place to go and to see a young family like that. It feels suffocating and I guess that is what people need to realise,” he said. “Here is this guy who had a career as a footballer, had to flee his country because he wasn’t able to live freely and then it just hits him even harder he ends up in a prison-like facility where he can’t leave, where he’s told what to do, what not to do and is forced to raise a child in there.

People really need to feel their lives matter to others and that’s what we were trying to do here.”

Broich made sure Ariayee had tickets to the final home games of the Roar season and enlisted the help of goalkeeper Jamie Young, an ambassador for the Create Welcome refugee welcoming movement. “When I found out about that it clicked immediately for me. Youngy’s a keeper, Behzad is a keeper and so I got Youngy to talk to him after a game and give him some gloves,” Broich said.

Ariayee coincidentally plays at Young’s junior club, Albany Creek Excelsior, north of Brisbane, where he is training the next generation of shot-stoppers. He said the support of the Roar players had been invaluable to his family feeling accepted in their new home.

“Everyone has come together to help me. Really I appreciate it,” Ariayee said. “Australia has looked after me and my family and I have to say thanks to all of Australia.”

www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/brisbane-roar-star-thomas-broich-helps-iranian-refugee-find-home-and-football-club/news-story/ff5a5be32c16d3c1b1c740798b5662e9

Albany Creek are in the Brisbane Premier League and are pretty decent, nice feel good story here.

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Jerrad Tyson signs on with the Western Sydney Wanderers after being released by Perth. He returns to the Club after a season in Perth. They need an upgrade over Redmayne and this does it, though ideally they get Vuka from the Victory (since Lawrence Thomas should finally get the start)

The Glory have signed 26 year old english left back Joseph Mills.

He last played for Oldham Athletic and has had stints at Burnley, Reading and Southampton where he is a graduate of the youth academy

It seems like an astute signing but Warren was pretty good last season, either way left back is a position where their isn't too many quality Aussies so using a visa spot isn't a bad idea. They still need to make sure they resign Castro and maybe another attacking mid or defensive mid, depending on where Herd and Williams play.

Internationally apparently Arsenal, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading are looking to sign Tom Rogic on a pre-contract

He wouldn't get near the starting lineup at Arsenal so thats pointless.

Reading are in the championship next season

My pick would be Wednesday if they go up, he could come in and make a big impact for them and be a starting CAM, not to mention they play decent football.

If not them then a low-mid tier premier league team like Swansea.

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A-League: Melbourne City not looking to sign marquee until revenue-raising opportunities improve

Matt Windley Herald Sun


City are working hard to get Bruno Fornaroli signed to a new deal.
MELBOURNE City is set to baulk at splashing the cash on an international megastar signing until it feels clubs can maximise returns on marquee player investment.

The A-League is crying out for big-name players.

But despite having the backing of its wealthy Manchester owners, City isn’t currently in the market for an overseas icon.


Aaron Mooy is heading overseas to continue his career.
City is all but certain to have two marquee slots open with Robert Koren gone and midfielder Aaron Mooy set to pursue a European opportunity.

Bruno Fornaroli will fill one of those spots if the club can successfully sign the striker to a new deal, but the fact City will likely have one other slot available had given rise to hopes that a multi-million dollar star would be recruited.

But having seen the losses Sydney FC incurred in recruiting Alessandro Del Piero, City wants revenue-raising opportunities increased before it plumps for a big name.



The matter was raised at a meeting of A-League club chief executives on Wednesday.

Clubs have previously been unable to sign car sponsorship deals that clash with A-League naming rights partner, Hyundai.

Football Federation Australia has recently relaxed those rules, which may pave the way for City to reap the rewards of a lucrative partnership with Nissan already enjoyed by brother clubs in Manchester, New York and Yokohama.

But City feels more can be done, particularly on game day.

City discussed the possibility of owning more matchday revenue opportunities, for example FFA currently takes about 50 per cent of LED signage exposure time with ads promoting centralised sponsors.

“The clubs see marquee players as a vital part of the A-League marketing mix,” FFA said in a statement.

“These big names drive membership, crowds and TV ratings.

“The commercial model that underpins the A-League is a separate program that’s not directly linked to marquee player acquisition.

“Having centralised corporate sponsorship allows FFA to accrue funds that largely go back into the running of the competition, but we have also returned some key categories to the clubs, such as apparel, automotive, telcos and airlines.”

The City Group bought Melbourne Heart for $11.25m in 2014.

The building of its $15 million training facility, among other things, has ensured the club has lost more money in the past two years than almost all other A-League franchises.

And while the club’s off-shore ownership has given it the league’s “moneybags” tag, it still operates within a tight local budget afforded to it.

City spent $2m over two years on 2014-16 marquee Koren, while Fornaroli — still contracted under the salary cap for next season — has been offered a comparable amount to stay long-term.

All well and good except for one thing

1. You haven't fired JVS (why, he has to be the worst coach in the league aside from Walmsley)
2. Melbourne Victory has over 25,000 members, how are you going to compete exactly when you aren't winning and not bringing in names
3. The City group bought it so (unfairly or not) it is expected that the owners splash some cash to bring in a marquee player of sufficient caliber, like what has happened in New York.

Fornaroli should be marquee 1, Mooy is leaving so getting a good attacking mid is important, i mean their are enough out there. A guy like Robinho wouldn't be that expensive, or even some of the more recent releases from China (the foreigners) seem like good options. Names usually aren't neccesary (see Roar in terms of bringing in unknown players and making them big names within Australia) but i think Melbourne City need an identity other than Satellite team to Man City, ain't nobody going to watch that alone

[clueless1]

Wellington Phoenix midfielder Albert Riera will not return to the football club next season after terminating the final year of his contract.

The 32-year-old former paramedic, who arrived in New Zealand as a backpacker and finished up as one of the most respected players in the A-League, has decided that the rigours of day-to-day training is no longer for him.

After the Phoenix' final game of the season Riera told coach Ernie Merrick that he no longer wanted full-time football and while the coach persuaded him to think it over there was no going back for the easy-going Spaniard.

"It was a very hard decision to make but I had been thinking about it for seven months," Riera said from Spain where he is travelling with his family.

"My time at the Phoenix has been the highlight of my life; a fairy tale that it was hard to believe was happening.

"I've had a few injuries lately and as you get older it becomes harder to shake them off.

"It has nothing to do with money; it is a very personal thing and it was difficult to tell Ernie what I wanted to do.

"I only went to the Phoenix for a year and ended up at the club for three years loving every minute of it and making some great friends.

Merrick said it was "a big surprise" when the player said he wanted to finish so he "could do a lot of other things" and that he asked him to take some time to think it over.

"He did that but is convinced it is the right decision for him," the coach said.

"I have to respect what he has decided because he has been fantastic to have at the club.

"You can see why he was a paramedic because he wants to help people. Everyone liked him and he had time for everyone.

"He also made the A-League All Stars team to play Juventus and had a terrific game.

"Signing Albert was one of my best decisions in football."

Riera played 68 games for the Wellington Phoenix.
www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/304445/riera-quits-phoenix

big loss for the Phoenix, he was one of their better players over the last 3 years. It really was a fairytail, a guy from spain on holiday getting a professional contract.

Thinking a lot of it had to do with the a-league being a lot harder on the body than semi-pro and at 32, injuries are taking its toll.

Anyway i think he will be back in the ASB premiership or even going over to Hong Kong and playing their (Kitchee would be a likely team). Either way i don't think he's done.

[clueless1]

FOOTBALL Federation Australia officials are waiting to hear from Brisbane Roar’s ­Indonesian owners the Bakrie Group about their commitment to the three-time A-League champions, who are almost rudderless and unable to plan for next season.

Roar chairman Rahim Soekasah and fellow director Demis Djamaoeddin have both left Brisbane, leaving the club without off-field leadership after the resignation of chief executive David Pourre.

The football department, headed by coach John Aloisi, continues to function, with the squad set to train until June 4 before breaking for the off-season.

But Aloisi and his right-hand man, football director Craig Moore, are understood to be frustrated by the lack of support they are receiving from the owners, raising fears that they might follow Pourre’s lead by quitting if the club’s ­future remains uncertain.

FFA had hoped to hear from Djamaoeddin or Soekasah by Friday after they were due to meet with club owner Nirwan Bakrie in Jakarta.

But late on Saturday, FFA had yet to hear from the Bakrie Group’s representatives about their plans for the club, including the appointment of a new CEO and their commitment to stick to the financial agreement they made to avoid being stripped of the licence last year when the Roar was close to folding due to huge debts.

Nothing good football wise ever comes out of Indonesia i swear

FFA are going to buy us again, may be why the club has gone incredibly quiet and Pourre quit. FFA should have taken back the license last year. Anyway no way we aren't in next year that much i know. Last year we nearly folded because of debts (even then i doubt it, because the FFA will want a Brisbane team in at all times) so this year surely is the year they're stripped of the license.

I reckon we should go for a multi-stakeholder model like the Victory. Coffee Club comes back in with about 4-5 other groups as well as maybe the club being 20-30% fan owned. That would be a better model than having one rubbish lot of people own a team and run it to the ground

[clueless1]

Mark Bridge expected to join Thai Super League on multi-million dollar deal

ONE of the foundation stars of Western Sydney Wanderers is poised to leave, with striker Mark Bridge in advanced talks for a move to the Thai Super League.

The Daily Telegraph understands that a deal worth some $2 million before tax is on the table from Chiang Rai United, with the Wanderers prepared to sanction the move in recognition of Bridge’s service to the club.

Assuming Bridge is able to complete administrative requirements including a work permit, the deal is likely to be concluded when the Thai transfer window opens a month from today. The exit of the 30-year-old will remove one of the last faces remaining from the Wanderers’ debut in the A-League less than four years ago, with just captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley and utility Shannon Cole remaining from the inaugural squad.

Bridge was the target of interest from a Chinese club in January, along with fellow attacker Mitch Nichols, but Western Sydney refused to consider a departure mid-season for either player.

Now though, the expectation is that the grand final that Western Sydney lost to Adelaide United on May 1 was Bridge’s last game for the club, despite having another year to run on his contract.

It comes after four seasons for the Wanderers in which he has played 95 games and scored 25 goals — including 10 this season as Western Sydney reached what was their third grand final in his four years at the club.

The season just finished was in many ways his finest yet, forced to become the club’s No.9 after Italian import Federico Piovaccari proved to be such a disappointment that he was dropped from the squad entirely.

On the eve of the grand final, Bridge made it clear that he is at a stage in his career where financial security has become a defining issue, especially after his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child last year.

Formed in 2009, Chiang Rai quickly gained promotion through Thailand’s minor leagues to reach the Premier League in 2012.

Currently fifth in the top division, they are coached by former Thai youth international Teerasak Po-on and have invested in several Brazilian imports including striker Danilo, who played several seasons in Europe.

If Bridge completes the move he will become the fourth Australian playing in Thailand, the most prominent being former Brisbane Roar captain Matt Smith, who is now the captain of Bangkok Glass.

Bridge’s exit would also add to the turnover of players at Western Sydney, with Liam Reddy, Alberto, Andreu, Golgol Mebrahtu, Matt Sim, Piovaccari and Romeo Castelen among those to have been released.

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/western-sydney/mark-bridge-expected-to-join-thai-super-league-on-multimillion-dollar-deal/news-story/e51f5be58dc3dccd6a52eb955896cbd4

Good move for bridge, he was with the wanderers since the beginning so getting a nice pay day is well earned