fensaddler

Anything on the ticketing arrangements for the match in Ballarat? So far as I can see the latest message from the club provides no details??

Thursday 10am??

Absolutely with you on wanting to build this club. My project too. But I suspect that the struggles, the adversity, the near misses and the frustrations will contribute just as much to our commitment, togetherness and sense of shared history as any success we manage to achieve. My League 1 club is Walsall BTW! And believe me, that defines adversity...

Afraid not. Took me ages to work out what you were on about...

Ours are in the 2800s.

Absolutely BT! Think we're all a bit freaked out by shipping four against the Nix. We're worrying how many WSW will get on that basis. A bloody good performance would be really useful... We ought to have aspirations of winning the cup this year, and a home tie ought to be an advantage regardless of the opposition.

I guess my perspective is this. I've spent 35 years supporting a League 1 side in the UK. There have been plenty of "we should have done better" seasons, and the odd "how the hell did we do that" seasons. Plenty of crap managers, bad selections, baffling tactics - could write the book, as could many supporters. All just par for the course. As for last season, well some truth in our defence not being good enough, though we got better as the season progressed. Novillo's absence was at times a problem. But the real issue for me was just baffling inconsistency, sometimes being brilliant and the next match not turning up, or only turning up when we were two or three down. That is likely to be a management issue - tactics, motivation or selection. And yes, our defensive recruitment and retention/release has been baffling at times, not least in this off season.

But the same for supporters of any club. Most teams, in any given season, don't win, or achieve anything very much. Supporters are all just as committed and passionate, the same mix of optimism and pessimism at the start of the season, the same gripes about tactics or recruitment or the manager or money. I wonder sometimes if the money we've got from CFG has made assumptions of success a little too certain? Football supporters know it's mostly dross and disappointment, leavened with the occasional success, the memorable goal or derby win, or the emergence of unexpected talent. That's not lack of ambition, it's just a realistic assessment of the fans lot in life. It doesn't stop me hoping it all comes good, but it also reminds me that it's just the usual if it doesn't. Xen acceptance, rather than miserablist whinging, tends to be a better look, and better for mental health too.

The newbies may be so here, but chances are they've done their dues on terraces somewhere else. And we all know that each season brings both the hope that this is going to be the season when everything falls into place, tempered by the experience that it usually isn't. In the end pessimists are always right, because shit always happens, but they are miserable bastards to spend time with.

Groundless optimism mode. It's time for the youngsters to show what they can do. If they want careers as professional footballers this is their chance. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. Show us what you can do.

I'm hoping we'll feel better when Jacobsen and Colazo settle in and Franjic gets fit. Then we might have something approximating to a decent defence. Meanwhile...

Watching the Manchester derby last night I wondered whether he would really be out of place in the City midfield. Given his performances so far this season I'd imagine he'll be playing for someone in the Premiership next season?

Same with me. Assuming the same with everyone.

Has there been any news on the ticketing arrangements for the Jets game in Ballarat next weekend? Is it free for members, pay on the day or what?

Makes sense. We'd have an excellent front three to start with Kamau, Bruno and Fitzy. Great ace to have up our sleeve to be able to throw Tim on for the last 20. Oppo will fear that, because they know he can make something happen, especially in a tight away match where the home side have parked the bus.

You'll have to go into the blue areas, unless demand is such that other areas of the ground are opened. The white areas will be closed. You can go anywhere you can find seats in the blue areas, but there are no seat reservations.

One hell of a signing for us. And I guess the chance to get to Man City if you prove to be good enough is quite an incentive. Also let's not forget that Melbourne is a cracking city to be offered as a posting, and that's got to play a part too.

We've been led to believe that CFG are very serious indeed. If they land this one it really will be a statement of intent. We may still win every match 5-3 but it's going to be a hell of a ride.

Be interesting to see how the various categories of membership break down as the season progresses. FWIW we've really appreciated the three match deals over the past two or three seasons, as it has allowed us to make some commitment when full membership seemed too much to commit to. By last season we were up to two three match passes a season, plus other matches, and full membership became a no brainer. It didn't cost much more, and we'd increasingly found we wanted to be there for every match. So as a marketing tool, the three match passes are a brilliant idea, and a great way for engaging people gradually.

Because it's three days before the cup tie and we need the practice?

On paper looks the goods. Strong record at a decent level, not too old, left footed, known to TS. Exactly what we need. But still a marquee slot left?

I'm glad someone else's phone suffers this weird ghost quoting thing... Love this whole post, but you forgot to tell the OP (to whom also welcome as a fellow escapee from the old country) about the uniquely Australian experience of the beer shower if we score in the first ten minutes before everyone has finished supping their ale.

It's a grower. Wasn't at all convinced at first, but the more I live with it, the more I'm at least getting used to it. Maybe I'll eventually like it. At least its red and white...

It's really noticeable how much the soccer news nationally is now all Cahill and City. Whatever his impact on the pitch, the buzz this has created off the pitch is phenomenal. He's probably the only player who could have done this, to put soccer and City on the front pages and in the news bulletins.