City in the headlines

[cadete]

 

 

 

Are you arguing against friendlies at all, or high profile friendlies in particular? Surely there is some benefit to friendlies, the likes of which Heart play against local teams? You have to go into the season having had at least some opportunity to gel your squad before beginning competitive action?

I'm against any high profile friendlies tbh, they do nothing for me and are quite boring tbh. They should be adding an extra week or two to the season over getting Liverpool or some other club i don't give a fuck about to play against the 'a-league all stars'

 

Every United fan that I knew who went to the All Stars Game said it was boring as fuck...

 

IIRC I've been to three - a game at Princes Park vs. some Italian outfit (it was so exciting I can't remember who it was), one at Olympic Park vs. West Ham (drew about 4,000 people) and vs. Manchester United at the MCG (agreed, totally boring).

 

Would be very reluctant to go again, and certainly would not go to an AFL ground.

 

When Celtic came I attended two training sessions and saw them play both in Sydney and Melbourne and I would say it was good experience but I would also have to say nowhere near as good as I thought it be when the announcement was first made.

 

 

The Liverpool game at the packed MCG that the media still rave about all because PPL sung the words of a screen for two minutes... was actually less lively than a decent AFL game in front of a half packed MCG. A few Scouse blokes I knew at the match were actually pissed off at the atmosphere in "The Kop" section and it was easy to see why when only three chants were sung all match.

[Bannon]

that was a shocking game the celtic game at aami park was so much better still shit chants but at least it was played on a football ground ffs

[Shahanga]

Whoever came up with the All Stars concept should be shot.  Purely and simply.

 

In regards to the big European clubs touring in general I think you've got to take it for what it is- a chance to see these guys have a bit of a kick around in the flesh.  I've been to 3 games:

1. 1984.  Australia "A" vs Nottingham Forest (then a power house!) at Lang Park, Brisbane (the old Suncorp Stadium to the young uns).  

This was a chance to see the Aussie "greats" in the flesh, including the great Charlie Yankos, my hero at the time, against quality opposition.  Went with some mates and my old man, who drove us up from the Gold Coast.  We enjoyed the game, but talked about Rugby League all the way home.  

2. 2010. Melbourne Heart vs Everton.  

3. 2013 Liverpool vs Melbourne Victory.  This game might have been a bit of joke, but it was the first time Liverpool had ever come to Australia and perhaps the only chance i would get to see these guys in the flesh, so I went and enjoyed it for what it was.

[KSK_47]

I went to the Socceroos vs FIFA World "Allstars" in 1999 for the official opening of the Olympic Stadium.

 

Yup. It was as crap as it sounds

[CaNNaVo93]

 

 

Are you arguing against friendlies at all, or high profile friendlies in particular? Surely there is some benefit to friendlies, the likes of which Heart play against local teams? You have to go into the season having had at least some opportunity to gel your squad before beginning competitive action?

I'm against any high profile friendlies tbh, they do nothing for me and are quite boring tbh. They should be adding an extra week or two to the season over getting Liverpool or some other club i don't give a fuck about to play against the 'a-league all stars'

 

Every United fan that I knew who went to the All Stars Game said it was boring as fuck...

 

I wonder how the Juve game will go. I'll be there.

[belaguttman]

Just think about the All-Stars game as the football version of the WWE. It's entertainment, not sport

[theresonlyonebzamora]

 

 

 

Are you arguing against friendlies at all, or high profile friendlies in particular? Surely there is some benefit to friendlies, the likes of which Heart play against local teams? You have to go into the season having had at least some opportunity to gel your squad before beginning competitive action?

I'm against any high profile friendlies tbh, they do nothing for me and are quite boring tbh. They should be adding an extra week or two to the season over getting Liverpool or some other club i don't give a fuck about to play against the 'a-league all stars'

 

Every United fan that I knew who went to the All Stars Game said it was boring as fuck...

 

I wonder how the Juve game will go. I'll be there.

 

 

You're a Juve fan though, so of course it'll be interesting for you.

 

Bela's point is from a neutral perspective they don't really add anything

[Heart of Melbourne]

Stick to the subject. Who cares about friendly games.

[theresonlyonebzamora]

Stick to the subject. Who cares about friendly games.

 

should we talk about how samaras is GOAT again?

[Heart of Melbourne]

Just talk about Melbourne Heart in the headlines. That's all.

[cadete]

Just talk about Melbourne Heart in the headlines. That's all.

[Heart of Melbourne]

Nice post Cadete. Lol

[LR9]

Are you arguing against friendlies at all, or high profile friendlies in particular? Surely there is some benefit to friendlies, the likes of which Heart play against local teams? You have to go into the season having had at least some opportunity to gel your squad before beginning competitive action?

I'm against any high profile friendlies tbh, they do nothing for me and are quite boring tbh. They should be adding an extra week or two to the season over getting Liverpool or some other club i don't give a fuck about to play against the 'a-league all stars'

Every United fan that I knew who went to the All Stars Game said it was boring as fuck...

IIRC I've been to three - a game at Princes Park vs. some Italian outfit (it was so exciting I can't remember who it was), one at Olympic Park vs. West Ham (drew about 4,000 people) and vs. Manchester United at the MCG (agreed, totally boring).

Would be very reluctant to go again, and certainly would not go to an AFL ground.

When Celtic came I attended two training sessions and saw them play both in Sydney and Melbourne and I would say it was good experience but I would also have to say nowhere near as good as I thought it be when the announcement was first made.

The Liverpool game at the packed MCG that the media still rave about all because PPL sung the words of a screen for two minutes... was actually less lively than a decent AFL game in front of a half packed MCG. A few Scouse blokes I knew at the match were actually pissed off at the atmosphere in "The Kop" section and it was easy to see why when only three chants were sung all match.Bit like a Heart game the past couple seasons, eh?

Edited May 6, 2014 by LR9

[cadete]

Are you arguing against friendlies at all, or high profile friendlies in particular? Surely there is some benefit to friendlies, the likes of which Heart play against local teams? You have to go into the season having had at least some opportunity to gel your squad before beginning competitive action?

I'm against any high profile friendlies tbh, they do nothing for me and are quite boring tbh. They should be adding an extra week or two to the season over getting Liverpool or some other club i don't give a fuck about to play against the 'a-league all stars' Every United fan that I knew who went to the All Stars Game said it was boring as fuck...IIRC I've been to three - a game at Princes Park vs. some Italian outfit (it was so exciting I can't remember who it was), one at Olympic Park vs. West Ham (drew about 4,000 people) and vs. Manchester United at the MCG (agreed, totally boring).

Would be very reluctant to go again, and certainly would not go to an AFL ground.When Celtic came I attended two training sessions and saw them play both in Sydney and Melbourne and I would say it was good experience but I would also have to say nowhere near as good as I thought it be when the announcement was first made.The Liverpool game at the packed MCG that the media still rave about all because PPL sung the words of a screen for two minutes... was actually less lively than a decent AFL game in front of a half packed MCG. A few Scouse blokes I knew at the match were actually pissed off at the atmosphere in "The Kop" section and it was easy to see why when only three chants were sung all match.Bit like a Heart game the past couple seasons, eh? No - I don't and I don't think most PPL would see any similarities between the two.

[Murfy1]

A-League bosses visiting Man City

 

7 May 2014

 

A delegation of A-League club owners is heading for England as special guests of Manchester City to study the English Premier League model – and assess whether it could be applied to Australia.

 

With a push from some owners to explore whether the A-League should be run by an independent commission rather than under the auspices of Football Federation Australia, Perth Glory's Tony Sage, Brisbane Roar’s Chris Fong – the Bakrie Group vice president - and Central Coast Mariners's Mike Charlesworth – will meet high ranking City officials late this week to discuss how the EPL runs autonomously from England's Football Association.

 

“We are just going out there at the behest of the other owners, and with the knowledge of FFA, to see if there is a better way of running things,” Sage said.

 

“It’s an important fact finding mission and down the track we will also be sending another delegation to the MLS in the States, to get a take on their model and see what we might learn from that also.”

 

The trio will also tour City’s state of the art, multi-million dollar, Carrington training and youth development complex to see how the club, which now majority owns Melbourne Heart, nurtures its talent.

 

Sage, Fong and Charlesworth will then attend City’s final game of the season at home to West Ham United on Monday (AEST) as Manuel Pellegrini’s men bid to seal the title.

 

“I am not saying we have got things all wrong here in the way the game is structured but as owners we need to see how others do things and there has been a lot debate how much autonomy the clubs should have in running their own affairs independent of FFA," Sage said.

 

"We want to see if we have got that balance right to wether another system where the clubs have more control and FFA does not hold the levers to A-League might be a better system.

 

“We want to look at the various scenarios and come to our own conclusions.”

 

Sage insisted that the 10 club owners are not at loggerheads with the ruling body but simply feel it’s time they took an initiative look at how football is administered and structured in the world’s most watched and hyped competition.

 

“We are grateful to Manchester City for affording us this opportunity,” he added.

 

“We want to take a look at an alternative futire and see what we might learn. We might decide that there's nothing that we want to adopt from the UK model but we owe it to ourselves and explore the possibilities.

 

“It's a case of looking at best practice and the UK and seeing whether or not it should be adopted by the A-League. And if not, then why not.

 

“We've had the Crawford and Smith reports into the stricture and governance of the game and both have said that FFA should give the clubs more of a say in decision making but FFA has chosen not to implement those recommendations.

 

“There has certainly been friction between the owners and FFA in the past but they have made several meaningful concessions in recent years so for us it’s hopefully more a case of collaboration that confrontation.”

 

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1188620/A-League-bosses-visiting-Man-City

Edited May 7, 2014 by Murfy1

[Murfy1]

Goal.com's team of the season:

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/4021/a-league/2014/05/07/4800774/a-league-team-of-the-season-2013-14-champions-roar-dominate

[cadete]

 

A-League bosses visiting Man City

 

7 May 2014

 

A delegation of A-League club owners is heading for England as special guests of Manchester City to study the English Premier League model – and assess whether it could be applied to Australia.

 

With a push from some owners to explore whether the A-League should be run by an independent commission rather than under the auspices of Football Federation Australia, Perth Glory's Tony Sage, Brisbane Roar’s Chris Fong – the Bakrie Group vice president - and Central Coast Mariners's Mike Charlesworth – will meet high ranking City officials late this week to discuss how the EPL runs autonomously from England's Football Association.

 

“We are just going out there at the behest of the other owners, and with the knowledge of FFA, to see if there is a better way of running things,” Sage said.

 

“It’s an important fact finding mission and down the track we will also be sending another delegation to the MLS in the States, to get a take on their model and see what we might learn from that also.”

 

The trio will also tour City’s state of the art, multi-million dollar, Carrington training and youth development complex to see how the club, which now majority owns Melbourne Heart, nurtures its talent.

 

Sage, Fong and Charlesworth will then attend City’s final game of the season at home to West Ham United on Monday (AEST) as Manuel Pellegrini’s men bid to seal the title.

 

“I am not saying we have got things all wrong here in the way the game is structured but as owners we need to see how others do things and there has been a lot debate how much autonomy the clubs should have in running their own affairs independent of FFA," Sage said.

 

"We want to see if we have got that balance right to wether another system where the clubs have more control and FFA does not hold the levers to A-League might be a better system.

 

“We want to look at the various scenarios and come to our own conclusions.”

 

Sage insisted that the 10 club owners are not at loggerheads with the ruling body but simply feel it’s time they took an initiative look at how football is administered and structured in the world’s most watched and hyped competition.

 

“We are grateful to Manchester City for affording us this opportunity,” he added.

 

“We want to take a look at an alternative futire and see what we might learn. We might decide that there's nothing that we want to adopt from the UK model but we owe it to ourselves and explore the possibilities.

 

“It's a case of looking at best practice and the UK and seeing whether or not it should be adopted by the A-League. And if not, then why not.

 

“We've had the Crawford and Smith reports into the stricture and governance of the game and both have said that FFA should give the clubs more of a say in decision making but FFA has chosen not to implement those recommendations.

 

“There has certainly been friction between the owners and FFA in the past but they have made several meaningful concessions in recent years so for us it’s hopefully more a case of collaboration that confrontation.”

 

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1188620/A-League-bosses-visiting-Man-City

 

LOL - Seems pretty obvious City had paid for some plane fares to get the other owners on board with some ideas they have for how the league should be run...

[jw1739]

I'd say it could mean that some of City's ideas for Heart have been rebuffed by FFA and City are getting in some reinforcements. No surprise it's Sage (always a bundle of energy), Charlesworth (a Pom, and CCM developing their Centre of Excellence at Tuggerah), and Fong.

 

Personally very happy with this development. Have said many times FFA has to take its heavy hand off the brake.

[malloy]

I'd say it could mean that some of City's ideas for Heart have been rebuffed by FFA and City are getting in some reinforcements. No surprise it's Sage (always a bundle of energy), Charlesworth (a Pom, and CCM developing their Centre of Excellence at Tuggerah), and Fong.

Personally very happy with this development. Have said many times FFA has to take its heavy hand off the brake.

I don't think it is the case, from what I have been told these guys love throwing in trips to Manchester as sweeteners.

I was told by a source that has connections to the current Melbourne City club that they will be paid 3 million for the name. It was agreed upon verbally and Melb City said to Man City come over and we will sign off. Man City however decided to fly them over to Manchester to seal the deal. (FWIW I am uncertain of the reliability of my source)

[Murfy1]

Posted in wrong thread. 

Edited May 7, 2014 by Murfy1

[M13]

At a guess there´s about 200-300 vip "guests" attending the West Ham game.. a couple of A-league guys will not make a difference really, and as Etihad tickets are available for free

[Murfy1]

High profile opponents targeted for Bahrain's Ballarat stay

 

 

May 10, 2014

 

[...]

 

Smith, who first initiated the idea of bringing a team to Ballarat before the Asian Cup was even confirmed for Australia, said luring an A-League team might also be a possibility.

 

“We are not sure what is going to happen with the A-League, whether it is going to be suspended during the Asian Cup or not.

 

“If it is or just before the Asian Cup there is the possibility to get Melbourne Heart or Melbourne Victory playing against Bahrain, which would be a couple of great games,” Smith said at Friday’s announcement.

 

 

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2272469/high-profile-opponents-targeted-for-bahrains-ballarat-stay/?cs=63

Edited May 10, 2014 by Murfy1

[M13]

Noticed that there´s a bunch of people from New York in Manchester as well right now, guess CFG are handing out free trips to the whole organisation..

[Falastur]

Noticed that there´s a bunch of people from New York in Manchester as well right now, guess CFG are handing out free trips to the whole organisation..

 

I read somewhere that City are basically treating this as the first three-club meet-up, albeit not the first joined training session.

[Deviant]

Article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/melbourne-heart-poach-newcastle-jets-talented-duo-connor-chapman-and-james-brown/story-fnk6rlg0-1226914874845

 

But probably the best thing i read in it was this:

 

 

Heart coach John van’t Schip and football manager John Didulica just spent several weeks in Manchester with City’s technical director Txiki Begiristain, academy director Brian Marwood and title-winning manager Manuel Pellegrini finetuning their recruiting and football strategy.

 

I love that they want to play one style and are demanding/educating better recruiting. 

[Fingman]

Melbourne Heart has reportedly signed Connor Chapman and James Brown from Newcastle Jets ahead of the 2014-15 Hyundai A-League season.

According to The Herald Sun, defender Chapman, 19, has been granted a release of his contract to move south after making six appearances for the Jets last term, down on the 17 matches he featured in during the 2012-13 campaign.

Attacking midfielder Brown, 24, started only three matches last season, and has struggled to build on the early promise he showed when he debuted in the competition with Gold Coast United.

 

Brown, who reportedly sought to leave Hunter Stadium in the mid-season transfer window, was out of contract.

Heart has secured the services of midfielder Aaron Mooy from Western Sydney Wanderers and will officially announce it after the player's commitments at Wanderers are completed for the season.

Under new owners, newly Premier League giants Manchester City, and with John van 't Schip back at the helm as coach, Heart are embarking on a significant overhaul to their squad, with international and domestic marquee positions yet to be filled and room for two more non-marquee overseas players.

 

 

http://m.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/jets-duo-to-join-city-revolution-in-melbourne-/90462

[wfc_10]

Look whose doing the poznan.. Found this when watching the Sky Sports Season review show..

[carlings]

HOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[loriente]

lol flogs.

 

except the hoff.

[Red or Dead]

Geez I really hate seeing Redders and Bolton in those sky blue and white scarves. Even Hoffman's wearing a sky blue shirt 

[Fingman]

Geez I really hate seeing Redders and Bolton in those sky blue and white scarves. Even Hoffman's wearing a sky blue shirt

They're representing City at a City game, don't be too disheartened by this.

[jw1739]

TBH, I very much doubt that the players or Heart officials care very much about the issue of the colours at all. They are there to make a living, after all, and some of them can consider themselves lucky to still have a job with Heart.

[Red or Dead]

TBH, I very much doubt that the players or Heart officials care very much about the issue of the colours at all. They are there to make a living, after all, and some of them can consider themselves lucky to still have a job with Heart.

I thought I give you your seventh 'Like' so you can get a star on your post 

[Alexxandro]

 

TBH, I very much doubt that the players or Heart officials care very much about the issue of the colours at all. They are there to make a living, after all, and some of them can consider themselves lucky to still have a job with Heart.

I thought I give you your seventh 'Like' so you can get a star on your post 

 

You're like a star fairy. 

[Red or Dead]

 

 

TBH, I very much doubt that the players or Heart officials care very much about the issue of the colours at all. They are there to make a living, after all, and some of them can consider themselves lucky to still have a job with Heart.

I thought I give you your seventh 'Like' so you can get a star on your post 

 

You're like a star fairy. 

 

Yes, yes I am...

[Red or Dead]

English losses likely to pay dividends for Melbourne club

PUBLISHED: 26 May 2014 00:06:01 | UPDATED: 26 May 2014 06:06:12PUBLISHED: 26 May 2014 PRINT EDITION: 26 May 2014

John Stensholt

Spending on youth development, community and a possible player academy by the new owners of A-League club Melbourne Heart could help English Premier League giant Manchester City pass stringent European financial tests.

Manchester City, which bought an 80 per cent stake in the Heart in January, was earlier this month hit with a record €60 million ($88.6 million) fine as well as restrictions on future squad, salary and transfers for not complying with European football financial fair play regulations, designed to curb spending by wealthy clubs.

Governing body UEFA made the decision after City, owned by the Abu Dhabi ruling family, made losses of £149.5 million ($272.6 million) between 2011 and 2013.

City was unable to argue that some of its spending or losses should have been exempt and so the club exceeded the UEFA threshold of losses of up to €45 million in that two-year period.

But English lawyer Daniel Geey, a football law specialist with Field Fisher Waterhouse in London, said ­Manchester City, and other clubs, could spend funds on several development projects that would not count towards financial losses measured for financial fair play purposes.

“It depends on the ownership of the entity in question and if that is the entity that has to comply with FFP, spending on matters such as stadiums, community and youth development are exempt [from FFP considerations].”

Spending ‘deductible’

It means that development spending could, in effect, be “deducted” from an overall financial loss to ensure a loss for financial fair play purposes is below a limit set by UEFA.

Company records show the Heart is 80 per cent owned by City’s owners, City Football Group, with the remainder owned by four directors, Melbourne Storm chairman Bart Campbell, New Zealand entrepreneur Michael Watt, BRW Rich List member Gerry Ryan and Matthew Tripp, who recently bought the Beteasy wagering business.

City officials said a major priority with the Melbourne Heart as well as commercial opportunities would be developing young players. A $20 million youth academy project has been mooted. Neither City nor Heart officials responded to inquiries.

City also owns the New York City Major League Soccer club and last week bought a 20 per cent stake in Japanese team Yokohama F-Marinos. City and Heart share some common board directors. However, one blow for City’s ­international expansion could be a decision by the club to agree as part of its settlement “that revenues from the sale of assets within their group ­structure will not be included in future break-even calculations”.

British newspapers reported earlier this year that City had claimed £22.45 million worth of deductions in its 2013 accounts for selling its ­intellectual property to “related ­parties”, which presumably included its New York team.

New name

City is set to change the Heart’s name to Melbourne City as part of its global branding strategy. Its global marketing division, run from London, will source sponsorship and marketing ­opportunities for all its clubs, including Melbourne. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a video interview last week that City would break even financially in 2014 and make a small profit next year.

He also said City aimed to make its Melbourne venture “a commercial ­success . . . and I have no doubt that with the resources we have both in terms of human capital and investment, we will make Melbourne another successful club both on and off the field.”

http://www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/sport/english_losses_likely_to_pay_dividends_SFj5cMQImRxN2AnE43pk5N

[M13]

That´s one of the more confused articles I´ve ever read.. the number of ifs and buts and pure vagueness is rather funny.

CFG in itself don´t have to comply with FFPR, MCFC does as they play in Europe.
"The City Global marketing division in London".. Well, that´s a part of CFG called CFM.

The fine is €20m actually..

Spending on youth and infrastructure have always been deductible for all clubs, nothing new there.

 

He should have focused on something like "Limits on spending by MCFC does not affect any CFG owned entities outside Europe which might be a jackpot for Melbourne"

[Murfy1]

Not sure where to put this.

 

 

Apparently Ange Postecoglou believes he was bound to get the coaching gig at Melbourne Heart (for our 1st season, I believe he's saying), but he didn't get it because of the infamous heated discussion Craig Foster had with him on live TV:

 

The media coverage for which Postecoglou is best remembered in the football community is an SBS interview from 2006 during his final days at Australia’s under-20s coach, after his side had failed to reach the  World Youth Cup.

 

Craig Foster – with some glancing blows from host Les Murray – went in for the kill with ICAC-like force. ‘‘OK Ange,’’ Foster said, ‘‘but that’s the second time you’ve failed to qualify now. You can’t just point to the players. You’ve got to take responsibility yourself, don’t you?’’

 

From there, it degenerated into an ugly 12-minute stoush between two men who dislike each other.

 

‘‘The worst thing for me is that I got defined by it,’’ Postecoglou says. ‘‘It was agenda-driven and there was some personal stuff with ‘Foz’. I’ve never got along well with him. He got sidetracked by that. I’ve been whacked plenty of times. At the end of this World Cup, if things don’t turn out, I could get whacked again. But that wasn’t really a journalist extracting information. It was a personal attack.’’

 

Postecoglou is convinced those 12 minutes of television cost him jobs at Melbourne Heart and Adelaide United.

 

 

‘‘That’s people’s first reference,’’ he continues. ‘‘If you want to appoint Ange Postecoglou, watch this interview. It didn’t paint anyone in a good light. You live with it now. People bring it up all the time. If you Google my name, it’s the first thing that comes up, apparently.’’

http://www.smh.com.au/fifa-world-cup-2014/australia-2014/ange-postecoglou-fulfils-his-destiny-by-leading-socceroos-to-brazil-20140606-zryex.html

 

 

Jeez, how different would the club's history have been if Postecoglou got the Heart job....

Edited June 6, 2014 by Murfy1

[Melbourne]

I am not so sure about that Murf. I seem to think that Sidwell and the board were hellbent on getting a foreigner as the inaugural coach and only offered Ange the assistant role. But you are right we might have won a championship or two under him.

He is a great coach and in fact the best coach that I ever had. His best asset back then was the confidence he instills in his teams, and there is no doubt that he is a much better coach now.

[RedAndWhitePride]

Googled his name, nothing comes up on the first page re that SBS interview.

 

Sherlock skillz 101.