City Football Group (CFG) [Owner of Melbourne City]

[Tesla]

Remarkably, New York City FC is having a much worse season than Melbourne City. NYCFC has started with 6 losses, 3 draws and only 1 win over their first 10 games (they lost the first New York derby today, even though NYCFC had 11 men vs 10 for the last 60 minutes):

 

 

 

Despite the fact that Melbourne City inherited a team where David Williams was the Player of the Year last season, Melbourne City picked up twice as many points, 12, over the first 10 games with 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses:

 

 

 

 

 

Also, David Villa has only scored 2 goals for NYCFC over 510 minutes, even though he's being around for a full pre-season. Villa scored 2 goals for Melbourne City over 312 minutes despite joining the team 6 days before his first match.

 

 

It will be interesting to see how CFG handle the on the pitch matters at NYCFC.

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

Edited May 11, 2015 by Tesla

[stewmac]

Send Willo over to help out

[Thrillhouse]

Can't believe we're not the worst CFG club           

[NewConvert]

 

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

 

 

Wow, Tesla that was out of left field. After reading this forum you can sort of predict where people are coming from: Murfy detailed analysis par excellence, Bela straight to the point, Tesla that is just an excuse not a reason, always. And now you are excusing the performance of NYCFC... Goes to prove if you live long enough you will see everything

[Deeming]

And the Lampard stuff up added to this means that those who were lukewarm supporters or unsure are likely to not get on board.

But at least they can wear sky blue...that's something

[Tesla]

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

 

Wow, Tesla that was out of left field. After reading this forum you can sort of predict where people are coming from: Murfy detailed analysis par excellence, Bela straight to the point, Tesla that is just an excuse not a reason, always. And now you are excusing the performance of NYCFC... Goes to prove if you live long enough you will see everything

I don't think all my posts are like that.

Anyway, the point is the higher the league's standard, the harder and more expensive it is to find available players to fill a new team. I'm no expert on the MLS, but I also believe there are a number of rules making it even more difficult, as access to free agents is more restricted, and the concessions the MLS provides to the new teams probably doesnt make up for it.

[Murfy1]

 

 

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

 

Wow, Tesla that was out of left field. After reading this forum you can sort of predict where people are coming from: Murfy detailed analysis par excellence, Bela straight to the point, Tesla that is just an excuse not a reason, always. And now you are excusing the performance of NYCFC... Goes to prove if you live long enough you will see everything

 

I don't think all my posts are like that.

Anyway, the point is the higher the league's standard, the harder and more expensive it is to find available players to fill a new team. I'm no expert on the MLS, but I also believe there are a number of rules making it even more difficult, as access to free agents is more restricted, and the concessions the MLS provides to the new teams probably doesnt make up for it.

 

 

 

I'm not sure what rules make it "more difficult" in the MLS.

 

 

But I do know that the MLS effectively has 3 international marquee spots (3 "designated player" spots), and that NYCFC is paying the like of David Villa and Frank Lampard 6 Million USD per season, with Villa's contract alone easily being worth more than Melbourne City's whole squad, marquees included.

 

Also the MLS salary cap is 4 Million (Australian), much more than the A-League's 2.5 Million cap.

 

And the MLS allows for more foreign signings. NYCFC is allowed to sign up to 9 foreign players, 4 more than Melbourne City or another A-League club.

 

So if anything if looks significantly easier to built a squad in the MLS than the A-League, especially if there's a blank slate and CFG's money to work with.

 

 

And I do know that if Melbourne City was winless in 9 out of its first 10 games, with David Villa playing in 7 of those matches, then this forum would absolutely have exploded.

[KSK_47]

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

Wow, Tesla that was out of left field. After reading this forum you can sort of predict where people are coming from: Murfy detailed analysis par excellence, Bela straight to the point, Tesla that is just an excuse not a reason, always. And now you are excusing the performance of NYCFC... Goes to prove if you live long enough you will see everything

I don't think all my posts are like that.

Anyway, the point is the higher the league's standard, the harder and more expensive it is to find available players to fill a new team. I'm no expert on the MLS, but I also believe there are a number of rules making it even more difficult, as access to free agents is more restricted, and the concessions the MLS provides to the new teams probably doesnt make up for it.

I'm not sure what rules make it "more difficult" in the MLS.

But I do know that the MLS effectively has 3 international marquee spots (3 "designated player" spots), and that NYCFC is paying the like of David Villa and Frank Lampard 6 Million USD per season, with Villa's contract alone easily being worth more than Melbourne City's whole squad, marquees included.

Also the MLS salary cap is 4 Million (Australian), much more than the A-League's 2.5 Million cap.

And the MLS allows for more foreign signings. NYCFC is allowed to sign up to 9 foreign players, 4 more than Melbourne City or another A-League club.

So if anything if looks significantly easier to built a squad in the MLS than the A-League, especially if there's a blank slate and CFG's money to work with.

And I do know that if Melbourne City was winless in 9 out of its first 10 games, with David Villa playing in 7 of those matches, then this forum would absolutely have exploded. You're not wrong about that!

Edited May 11, 2015 by KSK_47

[Tesla]

Come on, it's a brand new team, and the standard in the MLS is high enough that you can't build a top team right off the bat (unlike in the A-League where every team, even a new team, has the opportunity to become a top team during the off season just by signing a bunch of free agents).

 

Wow, Tesla that was out of left field. After reading this forum you can sort of predict where people are coming from: Murfy detailed analysis par excellence, Bela straight to the point, Tesla that is just an excuse not a reason, always. And now you are excusing the performance of NYCFC... Goes to prove if you live long enough you will see everything

I don't think all my posts are like that.

Anyway, the point is the higher the league's standard, the harder and more expensive it is to find available players to fill a new team. I'm no expert on the MLS, but I also believe there are a number of rules making it even more difficult, as access to free agents is more restricted, and the concessions the MLS provides to the new teams probably doesnt make up for it.

 

 

I'm not sure what rules make it "more difficult" in the MLS.

 

 

But I do know that the MLS effectively has 3 international marquee spots (3 "designated player" spots), and that NYCFC is paying the like of David Villa and Frank Lampard 6 Million USD per season, with Villa's contract alone easily being worth more than Melbourne City's whole squad, marquees included.

 

Also the MLS salary cap is 4 Million (Australian), much more than the A-League's 2.5 Million cap.

 

And the MLS allows for more foreign signings. NYCFC is allowed to sign up to 9 foreign players, 4 more than Melbourne City or another A-League club.

 

So if anything if looks significantly easier to built a squad in the MLS than the A-League, especially if there's a blank slate and CFG's money to work with.

 

 

And I do know that if Melbourne City was winless in 9 out of its first 10 games, with David Villa playing in 7 of those matches, then this forum would absolutely have exploded.

From what I understand, there basically aren't free agents in the MLS, so yes it makes it significantly more difficult to build a squad from scratch. Even with the expansion draft that let NYC and Orlando pick up the 2nd string players from other teams. The quality of the foreign players (apart from DPs) is pretty limited as you dont want to spend transfer fees since the players are owned by the MLS.

End result is a few high quality DPs, and a squad of sub standard players.

I dont see there being any advantage to the higher salary cap, since that goes hand in hand with the higher quality of the league. Like I said, that makes it more difficult to find available players.

[Murfy1]

We'll have to agree to disagree. IMO comparisons are fair enough to say that NYCFC have had a more disappointing first 10 games than Melbourne City.

 

 

 

Pretty interesting article here written by a Man City supporter who recently moved to Melbourne, who attended the derby semi-final on Friday. It's a bit long (it puts my posts to shame) but it's a good read, especially on the differing supporter experience in the UK and Australia:

 

FEATURE: Melbourne City, The Derby And A League Football

 

 

 

After Chelsea were crowned champions of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League with three games to spare last weekend, the best Manchester City can officially now hope for from this season is an inglorious, trophy-less runners up spot.

 

But imagine for a second that wasn’t necessarily the case.

 

Imagine that rather than the league season finishing after 38 games and the team with the most points being deemed the logical winners of the competition, we were instead about to embark upon an end of season play-off tournament to decide which of the top six teams in the division would be considered the overall champions of the country.

 

I know, I know, you’re probably thinking that sounds stupid, unfair, disingenuous and frankly, a pointless waste of everyone’s time and I’m inclined to agree with you, but if you happened to be an Australian follower of the Hyundai A-League then you wouldn’t know any different and would probably think it was “pretty bladdy bonza actually” (or words to that effect).

 

Since moving from Manchester to Melbourne earlier this year, I’ve naturally taken a passing interest in Manchester City’s Antipodean counterpart, Melbourne City FC, and when it was announced they’d be facing city rivals Melbourne Victory in the semi-final of this year’s play-offs on Friday night it felt like a perfect opportunity to sample some of the local footballing culture.

 

 

Formed in 2005, the Hyundai A-League presently consists of 10 teams (nine from Australia and one from New Zealand) who play each other three times in a 27-game league season. At the end of the 27 games, the team at the top of the league (or ladder, to use the native nomenclature) is presented with the Premier’s Plate and, along with the rest of the top six, entered into the Finals Series tournament, the winners of which are awarded the A-League Trophy (nicknamed the ‘Toilet Seat’ due to its resemblance to…well, you can probably work it out) and officially crowned champions of Australia. Melbourne Victory finished top of the ladder this season, earning them a bye to the semi-final of the play-offs where they’d face Melbourne City, who finished 5th and overcame 4th placed Wellington Phoenix in the quarter-final.

 

As one of the eight teams to feature in the inaugural A-League season and having done the Premier’s Plate and A-League Trophy double on two occasions prior to this season, Melbourne Victory, or ‘The Big V’ as they are sometimes known,  are generally considered one of the powerhouses of Australian football (I should clarify at this point that when I say “football” I am of course referring to what us Poms know as association football and not Australian rules football, which is a different story altogether) and have the largest supporter base in the country.

 

Melbourne City, on the other hand, didn’t join the A-League until 2010 (beginning life as Melbourne Heart until they were acquired by the City Football Group last year) and are yet to get their hands on a single Toilet Seat, making them very much the ugly duckling of the city at the time of writing. Unlike the Citys of Manchester and New York, Melbourne City play in an all white strip with a sky blue and navy trim (almost identical to Manchester City’s 13/14 third kit) after the owners of Sydney FC objected to another A-League team being allowed to wear the sky blue they believed had become synonymous with their club and the state of New South Wales.

 

The Melbourne Derby, or ‘Mel Classico’ as I’ve decided to dub it, is regarded as one of the biggest fixtures in the A-League calendar and renowned for drawing large, atmospheric crowds. The previous meeting between the two teams in February saw Victory run out 3-0 winners in front of a crowd of over 40,000 and the attendance for Friday’s semi-final was said to have pushed, if not surpassed, the 50,000 mark, which isn’t at all bad for a minority sport in a city obsessed with Aussie rules (ten of the eighteen teams currently playing in the Australian Football League (AFL) are based in Melbourne).

 

Although the rivalry between the two clubs may not yet be as fierce as its Mancunian equivalent,  there does exist a growing animosity between the two sets of supporters with Victory fans known to dish out jibes relating to City’s smaller fan base and lack of both history and success while City fans seem to regard themselves as a purer, more passionate bunch than their near neighbours. Remind you of anything?

 

The A-League may not be able to offer the same standard of football we’re used to in the Premier League but there’s a strong argument to suggest it instead offers its supporters a superior matchday experience. For starters, the tickets are much cheaper. Friday’s semi-final took place at the Etihad Stadium (which, rather confusingly, is where Melbourne Victory play the majority of their home games; Melbourne City play across town at the smaller AAMI Park, as do Victory occasionally) and the average tickets were priced at just $35 (roughly £17.50) with even cheaper tickets available to those happy to stand up on what is essentially an open concourse on the ground level of the stadium.

 

 

 

And if the novelty of being able to safely stand up and watch a football match wasn’t enough, the fact that football supporters (and indeed spectators of all sports) in Australia are granted the freedom to consume alcoholic beverages in full view of the playing field is something of a mindblowing concept to those who’ve been indoctrinated into believing that football fans are all drunken thugs who simply can’t be trusted.

 

The liberty and respect afforded to football supporters in this part of the world goes a long way towards helping generate vibrant atmospheres inside the stadiums and the two Melbourne clubs both possess noisy, buoyant match-going supporters who make it easy to forget that the football they’re watching isn’t necessarily the best representation of the sport on the planet.

 

The Etihad Stadium was designed and is principally used for AFL and its oval shape doesn’t lend itself particularly well to a football field with fans on all four sides finding themselves a fair distance from the pitch. In spite of this, the large crowd managed to maintain a consistent level of noise and excitement throughout the evening with the hardcore, ‘ultra’ supporters situated behind both goals acting as ringleaders to the rest. It’s difficult to shake the sense when you see Australian football fans letting off flares and performing choreographed chants that what you’re really watching is just a pale imitation of the trendsetters of the San Siro, Stadio San Paolo and even Selhurst Park, but what they lack in authenticity they more than make up for in enthusiasm and sometimes, it’s nice enough just to see people having a good time.

 

All clubs in the A-League must adhere to a strict salary cap and are only permitted to have five foreign or “visa” players in a squad of 26 at any one time meaning the City Football Group wouldn’t be able to pack their team full of aging, world stars and dominate the competition even if they wanted to. At the present time, A-League clubs are unable to spend more than $2.5 million on wages per season and the minimum salary for an A-League player is set at $50,000 per year, which you probably don’t need me to tell you is less than some European-based players earn in a single day.

 

Despite the financial restrictions, which some believe are hampering football’s progress in Australia somewhat, the teamsheet on Friday night wasn’t without a few familiar names. Former Premier League stalwart Damien Duff has been unavailable to Melbourne City due to injury for a couple of months now but the ex-West Bromwich Albion and Hull City midfielder Robert Koren started the match alongside former Dutch international Kew Jaliens, while the former Leeds United and Leicester City centre-half (and Melburnian) Patrick Kisnorbo captained the side. Melbourne Victory’s squad isn’t exactly a who’s who of the Barclays Premier League circa 2008 but in manager Kevin Muscat they do have a former Crystal Palace, Wolves, Rangers and Millwall journeyman and the perpetrator of what is possibly the most mis-timed tackle ever committed on a football pitch

 

(An atrocity exhibition which coincidentally occurred during a Melbourne derby in 2011).

 

The match itself wasn’t much of a spectacle in the end with Victory comfortably winning 3-0 and advancing to the Grand Final, where they must overcome either Sydney FC or Adelaide United in order to win the third A-League Trophy in their history.

 

City began proceedings brightly with the talented Aaron Mooy (a player who looks capable of gracing a bigger stage than this one, his previous stints at Bolton and St. Mirren notwithstanding) pulling the strings in midfield but goals from Bersart Berisha and Kosta Barbarousa gave Victory a two-goal half-time lead. City had plenty of the ball in the second half and looked at one point like they might haul themselves back into the game but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal was telling and a third strike late on from the A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer Archie Thompson was enough to seal the victory for Victory. In the context of the game, 3-0 perhaps flattered the cruise-controlled home side but in the context of the season it was a just result for the A-League Premiers.

 

There’s a feeling amongst football supporters in Melbourne that this is just the beginning for Melbourne City and the influence of the City Football Group has already blessed them with a  new training facility which is arguably the best in the A-League.  Following the success of the Australian national team in this year’s Asian Cup, it’s fair to say football is a game which continues to burgeon Down Under and if Melbourne City are able to continue their development and ride the crest of that wave there’s no reason they won’t be challenging their cross-town rivals for silverware again in the near future.

 

As for an end of season play-off in the Premier League? I can’t see it happening somehow, but personally I’d take it over a meaningless post-season trip to Toronto any day of the week.

 

 

Written by Dan Burke

 

http://www.typicalcity.org/2015/05/11/feature-melbourne-city-the-derby-and-a-league-football/

Edited May 11, 2015 by Murfy1

[Heart_fan]

^^ Great read that one.

[Torn Asunder]

New partnership for CFG

 

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

[mjake1234]

New partnership for CFG

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

Were these guys associated with the Essendon footy club?

[M13]

The CFG Chairman having his yearly video.. I´ll leave a link to the 2nd part where he mentions some things about Melbourne

 

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/citytv/Interviews/2015/June/Khaldoon-Al-Mubarak-CFG-interview

 

[Attack11]

I watched the Video earlier today and where he mentions briefly about Melbourne City FC leads me to believe the club is in great hands.

The CFG views our season as a success given we finished (as they see it) in 4th place the highest in the clubs history. It's clear to me after the interview that whatever happened in the Heart days does not matter and has no importance to the CFG. The fact that our club has under achieved in the first 4 seasons has no bearing. Therefore our perspective as supports should change.

He also states very clearly that the plan across all of the clubs is to have sustained grow and success. They are definitely in it for the long term.. I believe now (after watching the interview) that the CFG view our 4th place finish as the bench mark, anything less will be deemed unacceptable therefore the standard has been set. Finally.

I believe that Melbourne City FC is putting together or reshaping the playing squad to make sure we are highly competitive next season, maybe we won't win it but will come close because anything less and it will be viewed as a failure.. This is all I have ever wanted for this club. Higher Standards, improvement year on year and to be highly competitive.. Now we have that...

[Torn Asunder]

Worth a watch ... clearly CFG has very good people running the show.

 

Key points for me; We will see progressive growth, progressive development and progressive success.  The operation must be financially sustainable and has to be successful both on and off the pitch.  Any CFG club is not there just to be in the mix, but to be among the top in its respective league.

[Moraiwe]

Seriously guys?  He certainly spoke well, but this was a series of softball questions.  There really isn't anything to be learned here. 

[thisphantomfortress]

Seriously guys?  He certainly spoke well, but this was a series of softball questions.  There really isn't anything to be learned here. 

100% all just shitty questions with shitty generic answers, nothing to see here.

[Torn Asunder]

What questions should have been asked?  What more would you like to learn?

[thisphantomfortress]

It was a Man City PR piece for the end of the season, nothing asked in that interview was gunna be hard hitting and none of the responses would have any real substance.

[jw1739]

It was a Man City PR piece for the end of the season, nothing asked in that interview was gunna be hard hitting and none of the responses would have any real substance.

You haven't answered the question. What else would you expect? What more should a Chairman do other than talk up the show that he runs? Pick everyone in the organization to pieces?

 

I'd say CFG has a lot to be proud of this season. The City Football Academy being the highlight. Melbourne got a few mentions and rightly so - $27m invested here to create the only A-League club that comes close to being a club in the accepted sense of the word.

 

I've got no reason to doubt what Khaldoon said about the future for all CFG clubs as related by TA above.

[rass]

Imagine the responses if Melbourne weren't mentioned at all...

 

Sometimes you can't win either way...

[Moraiwe]

 

You haven't answered the question. What else would you expect? What more should a Chairman do other than talk up the show that he runs? Pick everyone in the organization to pieces?

 

 

I wouldn't expect anything different to what was done, and that is why the piece itself has no value. 

[Tesla]

New partnership for CFG

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

Were these guys associated with the Essendon footy club?

Nah, the shit Essendon used works.

[bt50]

 

 

New partnership for CFG

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

Were these guys associated with the Essendon footy club?

 

Nah, the shit Essendon used works.

 

Debatable

[loriente]

 

 

 

New partnership for CFG

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

Were these guys associated with the Essendon footy club?

 

Nah, the shit Essendon used works.

 

Debatable

 

I'm an Essendon supporter. Not even remotely debatable, just flat out wrong lol.

[Tesla]

New partnership for CFG

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/musclepharm-and-city-football-group-announce-multi-year-partnership/o7u9vdi6yam91grvu7j9ra11u

Were these guys associated with the Essendon footy club?

Nah, the shit Essendon used works.

Debatable

I'm an Essendon supporter. Not even remotely debatable, just flat out wrong lol.

In that case, yeah it's similar stuff.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Tesla

[bt50]

I meant debatable as in they were still shit anyway, but yeh whatever...

[Falastur]

Surprised noone has picked up on that he got our final position wrong. We finished 5th, not 4th.

I was kind of hoping that Melbourne City would get their own chairman's interview but guess it's too soon for that. It did rather sound like he was setting out a marker for next season, though - and I'd expect no less.

[n i k o]

Yes I just watched it and picked up on that as well. The only assumption I can make is he meant we lost in the semi final of the finals series.

Edited June 12, 2015 by n i k o

[Peter]

After listening to that video, I feel like I am supporting a bank.

[bt50]

4th after finals.

According to FFA cup seeding we finished 4th too.

[n i k o]

Let's cut the bullshit though. We finished sixth.

[thisphantomfortress]

Let's cut the bullshit though. We finished sixth.

Agree CFG rewriting history to suit themselves. Sack the board next owners please.

[bt50]

Meh the afl draft order is based on finishing position after finals. More than reasonable.

[Jimmy]

The afl draft order is based on finishing position after finals.

[KSK_47]

Let's cut the bullshit though. We finished sixth.

This

[M13]

After listening to that video, I feel like I am supporting a bank.

 

A bank... How do you work that out?

[Murfy1]

Interesting new Sponsorship deal with the City Group, that seemingly will make some more footballers known to Melbourne City:

 

Digicel have announced a new multi-year partnership with Manchester City and New York City FC to create an array of multi-media content for audiences of both football clubs as well as community coaching in many areas across the globe. 

The largest communications network across the Caribbean, Central America and the South Pacific will work with the clubs on a range of community initiatives as part of their Digicel Kick Start coaching programme across 15 markets. The top 24 players from these 15 markets will be invited to the training academies of MCFC and NYCFC as well as Australian based Melbourne City FC to show off their skills to the coaches of the three clubs.

 

http://www.insideworldfootball.com/world-football/17212-digicel-dial-in-to-the-city-football-global-play

[drewmelbcity]

Let's cut the bullshit though. We finished sixth.

If your cutting bullshit we finished 4th, why because Perth cheated the salary, we went over to Wellington and beat them fair and square. However you look at the final "ladder" ultimately it's about winning the toilet seat and in that regard we finished fourth.