CityHeart

Caceras isnt even NPL quality! Guy has to be one of the worst, if not they worst 'name' player in a long time in this league. Just too slow of mind and foot - utterly hopeless in the playmaker position. Utter dud.

who has said sickness has gone through the squad exactly? This team simply can not win. End of story.

anyone else feel this is the worst build up to a season for the a-league yet? Just waaaaay too late. Seriously, finish the season before the AFL/NRL start, and start the league earlier. In the cooler Sept, play more day/3pm kick offs etc. All of the AFL/NRL finals are night games away, and not on Sundays. Spring Carnival is half way through, and cricket is a few weeks away. WTF are we doing?

On the points. 1. Behind goals is not 'sub-optimal'. Yes it is, and the pricing of every stadium in the history of sports would agree. Sure, some may disagree but overall they are the 'cheap seats'. 2. Yep, a smaller stadium isnt without major issues - but it the job of our CEO to work with local, state, federal Goverments & FFA/other clubs to find solutions. 2 of the Melbourne based applicants for expansion have solutions/are bringing their own boutique grounds so that is the competition we are facing. We are at serious risk of a new entrant coming in and making us look like the worst run "club" in the history of sports. 3. Aami park is unbelievably ugly, and I can not believe that the tennant clubs havnt succusfully lobbied for 2 things (at a minimum): a) all of us have a shade of blue/purple and white in our colours/logos. Surely the seats can all change to a scatting of sky blue/dark blue/purple and white like the gabba. Makes it hard to see exactly how many fans are in as you cant tell an obvious empty seat from a wide camera angle. b ) the scoreboards are a laughable joke and should be significantly increased in size and clarity. for a 'new' stadium it really does suck IMO.

I disagree with all of that, and IMHO proof is in the pudding. Our membership is utterly stagnant as we do the some thing as everyone else, and we will never make the membership 'attracitve' without incredible success over the long-term (maybe) as the issue is simple maths - having 8K fans in a 30K arena is never going to create the urgency for membership. And that is the backbone of memberhip - urgency, fear of missing out etc. Gaining access to finals tix you may not get if you are not a member. We have none of that, none. Rusted on members will still come. Sure, they may whinge but they will come. We are not Collingwood or Richmond. The league isnt the AFL. The stadiums are not fit for purpose. Sure, changing it up may not change much or not work at all. But at least try SOMETHING. Rocking up and getting a premium seat is obscenely expensive IMHO. I have taken people (like we all have) in the general seating behind the goals, and lets be frank they are the worst seats in the house and and is not a good advertisement to someone wishing to come more. Why dont we do what I have seen at some smaller european clubs - tarp up/dont sell the ends (behind goals) and force all seating to the sides/wings (upper and lower) so everyone is in the premium seating? Surely that could be a start? Do we go the full hog and explore a smaller home stadium? I actually think this is the bit which the a-league has really missed out on. Packed, 10K type stadiums with soccer-style chanting and fans would be great for a TV and ground experience product. The A-league 'package' is just laughable for 90% of games. Stadiums cause this - and this directly flows onto smaller teams inability to grown members. But by all means, lets keep doing the same thing year after year and wonder why we will be a going concern if our rich owners give up on us.

said it before, ill say it again there is just no need or urgency for memberships for our club (and most a league clubs Id imagine). the crowds are too small, the stadiums are laughably too large - there is just no need to commit to a membership. None. And if you were really specific and wanted a great seat every week, then you'd be a member already. No matter what the club does will change this much. If Im the club, Id start becoming a leader in the industry rather than a follower. Big Bash tickets are much cheaper, and it is just so easy to rock up and get a decent seat in a family environment. We shouldnt have membership or reserved seating (bar say corporates and top end) - throw it open. $20 adult tix including fees, kids under 12 free, students/concession $10 - let's work to grow this thing and get people to the game! Grow the interest, grow the urgency in a more organic way that will force the club to then go to a ticketed environment. We shouldnt even think about fully ticketed until we can get 15K plus (50% capacity) every game. If that is a very low target. Open up the whol lower tier to general - walk in and grab a great seat. Do something. Be imaginative. This whole league is like a stale loaf of bread sometimes.

blind freddy can see there are no goals in this squad. All up to Bruno. Might be a very frustrating season - we may all die of boredom. Just kicks you in the guts when at the same time, ccm sign ross.

ah thats right thanks.

tell me about it! any reason why this season is seemingly starting so late? 2 weeks later than normal?

The tweet above, if correct meant ikon was out of calculations anyway. He isnt marquee material. keeper, done. Marquee fwd. ? Good. ?

so Birighitti is official! wondering if he is the key to taking control of the back 4 structurally? so 1/3 confirmed now. if the foreign forward is already here, surprised it hasn't leaked already so the announcement would be imminent you'd think.

That would have been 10-0 with Bouzanis.

Bouzanis out, Birighitti in? http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/the-covert-agent-melbourne-city-in-talks-to-sign-mark/gq22aboovruy1tw6t1skefevu

yep, playing each other twice is obviously what is required. Even with more teams, Id look to utilise midweek stuff to try and get clear air at one of the ends (finals IMHO). Just sucks to see the end of the season swamped by the start of the AFL season.

God, could talk about this for ages. I think the issues need to be separated - firstly big picture competition/FFA type issues & secondly issues specific to our club. The big ones off the top of my head: FFA/A-League: The season is too long. playing teams 3 times makes no sense and causes both ends of the season to be swamped by AFL/NRL. Needs serious consideration. Someone mentioned netball - 8 teams, 14 week season home & away. Perfect (for them). FFA/A-League: Stadia. Just not selected/built for purpose. They are all simply way too big for most of the clubs causing a absolute eye-sore at the game and on TV. Utter "destroyation" of atmosphere. Small, intimate, atmosphere-based stadia are the backbone of the sport in europe etc. Club Specifc: Forget specific issues, first 'port of call' should be a CEO (or President's role?) that is specific and entrenched into the Melbourne and Victorian sporting landscape. Victory had one of the best AFL CEO's of the past years (Hawthorn and Essendon) who pumping them up on SEN weekly. We are just invisible. Utterly invisible. We need to best possible person/people as this is a large, but very fragmented market. You dont just put up a sign and hope it will just happen. Big Bash is booming - took off more than anyone could have hoped. Sure, the sport is bigger here but even still, the Renegades and Stars went out and specifically teamed up with the bigger names in sport in this city (cant avoid AFL in this is market) getting the likes of Eddie McGuire, Dunstall, Brayshaw involved. Simply cant have the attitude of us against them etc - this is an AFL mad city and we have to live in it. I love both sports, and Im sure many of our members also have a footy club they support. If you notice, the Storm tread very carefuly in wording and using AFL heads to games and to comment on when they can, in this market. It is just a no-brainer.

Firstly, I would like to think there is still a slight chance he is loaned back to us. Not convinced at all he is ready at all go to holland or belgium and spend large amounts of time on the pine. He is young, and needs to play and develop into a 90 minute player at adult level. He isnt even there yet. For his development, coming back to us as a starter for a year is the best thing. Interesting to see what he does and how CFG play it. Ok, on the transfer - I really think some need to look at the bigger picture. It is absolutely imperative that he gets a seamless transition from Melbourne to Man City under the CFG banner. Following Mooy, now Daniel - this will be HUGE for us in relation to the best talent in the country choosing us as their pathway to Europe. Anything else is just madness by us - not that of course it would ever be considered. We are owned by CFG, and we are party of the family. The industry is cut throat, and will spit out people the second they are not needed. For players in Australia to see such a clear, professional and frankly second to none pathway to to the global world of football - it's worth its weight in gold!

this club needs an absolute reset, but Im not sure what the catalyst is going to be? Got to hand it CFG, they are a patient bunch but I think it is getting long in the tooth now.

A home & away season. The season length should correlate to the number of teams or it risks irrelevant, low drawing and low-rating games. Surprise Surprise. It really isn't that difficult.

This whole summer sport thing is really intriguing. Just recently, I think it was spoken on SEN, I heard that the NBL is already looking to abandon summer and move back to winter. why? The big bash. I dont even think cricket purists (who say they hate it) realise the effect it is having. I had nearly given up on cricket, but the BBL has reignited my consumption. I hardly have watched a test or ODI for over a decade. Whilst its on, unless City or a big A-league game is on I am watching BBL if at home. It literally dominates 7 nights per week too. That brings my to the AFLW and more importantly the AFLX. I have no idea what the plan is for AFLX, but it sure as heck aint a one-off carnival like 2018. If it takes off, I think it is the AFL's answer to T20 cricket and something they can perhaps run a separate league (lesser/younger players, non-drafted players etc) in the off-season, somewhere between Oct and Jan at night. Would be huge - look at the impact of AFLW already and it is absolute rubbish. The landscape will change significantly IMO - why? The AFL now owns Etihad stadium. I cant see the Victory or the Renegades being in the AFL's long-term tenant plans for Etihad (yes I know Victory signed a long-term deal just before the AFL took over) if the AFLX goes gang-busters. The A-league needs to know its place, and understand the landscape. The season is too long, and is played in stadiums which are just too big and presents horribly on TV, and no atmosphere at best for most encounters.

something definitely changed a a few weeks ago. Changed the team and tactics - started to use the bench properly and the balance of play has changed. Not always sitting back etc. Not sure if it was a direction from above, or part of his 'plan'. I guess we will never know.

because I watched the game and watched him. TBO - some are getting too far ahead of themselves on that game. The result was great, the performance wasnt as great. Bit like Liverpool - sure they beat Man City but their 4 goals were from outside of the area, very rare freak type stuff you cant rely on (mostly within 10 mins too interestingly) Just got hot. Wont happen every week and alas, they lose to the bottom side next up. We were a bit the same - goals that just wont go in normally were finding the back of the net, and their one on ones just werent working. That can easily change next time out etc. We have to beat Newcastle convincingly for me to accept anything has changed. For individuals and the team. This sport has never been about one result.

whilst I thought the goals were average (at best) - the first Bud goal was due to a deflection - BUT WITHOUT SHOOTING WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE IN! Seemingly, this woke the team up that we dont have to pass it around and try to find the ultimate through ball, or walk the thing into the old onion bag. We have striking talent - striking the ball talent that would be the envy of the league. Ross, Dario, Budz - get in or around the area and dont be scared to shoot. We have been so gun-shy this season. This game hopefully opened our eyes a little. It aint Buffon in goal in this league!

cant agree with that and it has nothing to do with wazza directly. He chose us from Sydney 2 years ago as it seemed and should still be the case, that the pathway is just chalk and cheese with us and anyone else in the region. That has to be a fact. If he wasnt getting games ie overlooked I would agree. This bloke in a handful of games has become our most talented and best offensive threat already. If he goes back to Sydney, we have to seriously have a look at ourselves.

still looks average to me, and they were pretty poor goals lets be honest. But he is finding the back of the net, and thats all there is to it. Run whilst his form hot - his touch and general skill level still seems off. Can crack a ball though.

Let's be honest, if he goes to another a-league club it would be a disaster and a massive wake up call for this club. In fact, even if he choses to leave the city group and pursue international options himself it would be a wake up call. The advantages we have in relation to resources, connections etc should mean one of the best prospects for his age in this country should have no hesitation in staying with the group. It would be a sign than the 'gloss' is coming off the CFG structure in this country = due to CFG allowing us to sleepwalk and totally balls up everything we touch.