Semper Cor

JA seems to be the coach of choice for clubs that want to cut costs and be media relevant, Bakrie’s priming for a sale of licence perhaps?

So three out of the four tenants at AAMI Park now have owners with City connections. Interesting

The salary cap is favourable for reasons previously mentioned (albeit an increased cap to allow those teams who can to attract and retain better quality players), but as long it is policed properly and enforced by the FFA with transparency and consistency. Integrity is a key part in running any organisation. If the FFA cannot guarantee that all clubs are salary cap equalled, and so far it hasn’t with the likes of Sydney, Perth, MV and the Jets (and these are the ones we know of), then at the very least a review of the cap and its’ auditing process is required (whistle blowers don’t count). If not, the integrity of the cap and the HAL can be called into question. FFP isn’t an equalising measure if anything it has ensured that the ‘big’ clubs stay top of the spending tree while putting up brick walls to other clubs who aspire to grow, therefore limiting the prospect of a breakaway super league which was touted by the now defunct G14 (something UEFA was vehemently against because of lost $). Yes it does force clubs to spend within their means, although a lot of clubs still operate in the red, but it does nothing to ensure competitiveness as the top clubs are still buying titles. At the end of the day, a good portion of success really comes down to good management, whether you’re in a salary capped league or not [insert QPR wage bill here].

Always thought the salary cap was a good thing, clubs don’t potentially put themselves in financial strife and for league competitive reasons. But what we’ve seen happen in Perth and now with MV and the FFA willing to overlook MV paying its’ players outside the cap, it is apparent that there is a strong case for removing the salary cap altogether. There is no point in having a cap if it’s not policed properly or if the organisation responsible for maintaining the cap and competition integrity, the FFA, is willing to cherry pick when and where to apply penalties to salary cap breaches and the type of penalties (Perth gets knocked out of the finals whereas Sydney retains its’ trophies). It makes the entire concept of having a cap meaningless.

Recall hearing an interview with Ange a few weeks ago. He said there were two things you really need in the HAL to give yourself the best opportunity for success: 1. Get yourself a good coaching staff 2. Make sure you get your foreign and marquee signings right How outrageous!

This scenario has probably existed for the last few months now. No excuses for on-field attitude, you would hope the players would be putting in, if for anything to further their careers at another club. Besides, JvS doesn't strike me as a good motivator at the best of times.

Hyperbole aside, he does make a point, a point that has been apparent on this forum for a while, but an important point nonetheless. The ability of a manager to have strong convictions in what they’re doing and to get the players to buy into their vision and bring out the best in them needs to be greater than the quality of players you have at your disposal. JvS doesn’t have this ability. As we are aware the A-League will not for a while at least, have the players, developed or recruited, to play the football we all want. Instead the ability for a manager to get his players to believe they’re world beaters can be an effective one, especially in the A-League. For example I don’t particularly rate Kosta Barbarouses as a good player, but in the last couple of games he’s been influencing the play significantly for MV. This is why I like Ange as coach. I don’t particularly rate him as a very good strategist or tactician, but what he can do is bring out the best in his players. As a result, his teams constantly look to take the game on instead of playing a risk-averse type of game City more often than not plays, hence the higher winning ratio. The next manager CFG will be looking at for Melbourne City will no doubt have to instil the CFG playing philosophy but will also need to understand the Australian sporting psyche and bring out the best in his players, combining the two to achieve the results everyone’s looking for. Is this maybe why Mulvey was over in Manchester?

Not sure what’s more potentially harmful to the kids, Archie’s anti-vaccination stance or JA’s coaching. And what is the “Victory Way” is that the football philosophy of pinching players and staff from Brisbane Roar?

From what I’ve read CFG preach an “effective” possession brand of football, that is you don’t always need to have the majority of possession, but rather make the most of it when you do have it. If you look at the stats throughout this season, more often than not City out-possess their opposition, not necessarily because they’re good at keeping the ball, but rather teams will allow them to have it as they are confident of keeping City out and attacking on the counter. City’s issue of being unable to break down well-structured defences and get behind the last line of defence while being vulnerable on the counter has been evident since the FFA Cup clash against Sydney and no more so again on Saturday night.

IMO, JvS has always lacked a degree of conviction and this is reflected in the team’s failure to consistently improve. As Tesla pointed out the ability to extract everything out of the playing group and instil a level of confidence, motivation and belief can be what separates the top teams from the rest in a salary capped player-restricted league, especially if you want to play in a particular style which is the CFG agenda. Don’t get me wrong I wanted JvS to succeed but he's taken this team as far as he can. Unlike Gombau at AU or Ange at BR and later at MV where you could see they were building something, there’s little evidence to suggest that the same thing is going to happen here. If CFG are worth their salt, they would be headhunting a new manager now. They would have acknowledged that the playing list is abominably bad and that any new players brought into the club would be best done by a new manager.

Not dismissing JvS’s derby record, as pointed out it’s quite good. Just highlighting the frustration that comes when the team can put in a shift that’s worthy of a football side in a derby, only to come out the following week(s) without the same level of intensity or will against another side. FWIW I’m not a JvS hater or fan, just pointing out that the teams City have beaten this season (aside from MV) have been below City on the table and all have been going through some degree of crises. Now the team is up against more stable sides playing good football. First is MV, then WP (away), PG (home), AU (home). Now doubt the derby will be intense as they usually are, but for me the next stage of this team’s development is carrying the same mentality from the derby into the following games against good opposition (or any opposition for that matter). In other words “lifting itself” for each and every match to the point where there will be no longer a need to lift itself as going into each match with the same mentality would become the norm. Interesting to note that after the home game against AU, City travel away to CCM, a side that may not be performing as well as other sides but will test complacency levels if City do not bring their killer instinct particularly when they’re creating so many chances, another test of mentality.

Results and good performances are a good way to increase attendances, but due to the change in ownership and the nature of it, this club will need to find other ways to engage current and potential fans on another level in order for fans to have an emotional attachment to the club. This will be key. FWIW, this doesn’t include wearing a 3rd away kit of another club.

Good result on the weekend but just thought it timely to mention that of the 14 matches played so far this season, only five games have been won: Two matches against Brisbane who have had internal issues and subsequently made a poor start to their season resulting in them sacking their coach One match against Newcastle where to say they are also having internal issues is a slight understatement One match against WSW who have had internal issues and looks like continuing to do so and is reflected in not having won a match all season One match against the evil empire where this club has a history of lifting itself and where it could be argued that City should have had one player sent off and a MV disallowed goal which should have been allowed As a few others have pointed out, the next couple of matches will be telling, against opposition who aren’t having internal issues and are sitting at the other end of the table. This will provide a much better test and indication of where JvS and this squad is at and how much they have progressed since the first half of the season.

Agree with the above, but JvS has never been one to handle pressure very well, you can tell this from his words and body language in the pressers. The reality is the only times JvS has achieved results was when there was no expectation or pressure to succeed for example when taking over an under-performing side last season. Then when there was some pressure to succeed, the brink of making an unlikely finals appearance, it reverts to normal programming. There was always going to be pressure with the new ownership and the manager in such a position needs to be of strong character. JvS hasn’t convinced me of this and you can see that his anxiety has rubbed off onto the players as they play with a lot of hesitation and fear.

Clive Palmer on the TV show 'Dating Naked'.