Season 2023/24

[citypool]

https://youtu.be/BlMuf2NBnKs?si=_F3mN16AJLWG6IGZ

[jw1739]

JMac named as Captain.

[Mr MO]

9 hours ago, jw1739 said:

JMac named as Captain.

CF shouldn’t be captains. 

[jw1739]

6 hours ago, Mr MO said:

CF shouldn’t be captains. 

IMO neither should GKs. I think, however, that the problem is that if you look at the squad there has been such a big turnover in personnel that other than Curtis Good and possibly Mathew Leckie there is no-one else who could be considered.

[Mr MO]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

IMO neither should GKs. I think, however, that the problem is that if you look at the squad there has been such a big turnover in personnel that other than Curtis Good and possibly Mathew Leckie there is no-one else who could be considered.

Agreed, actually not fully - goalkeepers can make excellent captains as they have the play in front of them.

Leckie who have been my pick.

JMAC has yet to stand up in big games.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Mr MO

[NewConvert]

Leckie gets my vote

[mattyh001]

for one, Mark Viduka captained the Socceroos in the 2006 World Cup. shouldn't rule out a player based on position.  agreed some positions tend to see more captains; i think that some of it comes down to some positions being known for hard nosed players

as far as i'm concerned, the captain should either be a real leader of people or the one who takes charge on the field - someone you look to.  being the goal scorer he is, i don't have an issue with JMac.  

agree that Curtis Good would make a good skipper though

[jw1739]

We're going to be really stretched this season with players likely to be in the national squads. Leckie and Behich in particular, and Talbot in the U-23s.

https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/whats-coming-mens-national-team-schedule

I really think it's time that both Football Australia and APL agreed to observe international breaks for both Cup and League matches. We're just kicking our better League clubs in the teeth by being so stubborn about it. 

[Mr MO]

20 hours ago, mattyh001 said:

for one, Mark Viduka captained the Socceroos in the 2006 World Cup. shouldn't rule out a player based on position.  agreed some positions tend to see more captains; i think that some of it comes down to some positions being known for hard nosed players

as far as i'm concerned, the captain should either be a real leader of people or the one who takes charge on the field - someone you look to.  being the goal scorer he is, i don't have an issue with JMac.  

agree that Curtis Good would make a good skipper though

Based on just regular goals yes but I tend to look further than that. Players of captain material can’t go missing in big games and should not be found in experienced defenders back pockets, that is my biggest concern as it’s actually in those game captains stand up.

Hadn’t thought about Good but yes good option too.

Have we announced a vice captain?

[jw1739]

I look at it also in terms of where they might be on the field when there is an incident and everyone needs to calm down - the (old) inside forward/half-back positions were ideal for that as the captain could intervene when a player was losing control. That's why I'm not keen of CFs and GKs.

[Mr MO]

4 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

I look at it also in terms of where they might be on the field when there is an incident and everyone needs to calm down - the (old) inside forward/half-back positions were ideal for that as the captain could intervene when a player was losing control. That's why I'm not keen of CFs and GKs.

Roy Keane anyone?

 

[citypool]

https://footyweb.net/tipping/default.asp?SM=S&RAFID=62920050188870048343

 

Tipping competition if anyone is keen 

[jw1739]

Am I reading our fixtures correctly - we don't have a home A-league match between 11th November and and 17th December?

[IssySG]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

Am I reading our fixtures correctly - we don't have a home A-league match between 11th November and and 17th December?

Not quite. We do play at home on the 11th of November to Macarthur, and then there is the international break, so no games at all for two weeks. Then our next three fixtures are away.

But if you look after the fixture after that, we then play in Melbourne for the next five ALM games in Melbourne (with one of those being an away game to WU).

 

[jw1739]

I'm totally confused. So we are now observing "international breaks" but not for  Asian Cup matches?

[IssySG]

21 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

I'm totally confused. So we are now observing "international breaks" but not for  Asian Cup matches?

All FIFA date breaks will be observed for the Men’s and Women’s FIFA International Match Calendars with the Liberty A-League recognising the October, November-December, February, April FIFA windows, and the Isuzu UTE A-League recognising October, November and March FIFA windows.

This is so confusing because Keep Up is saying we are observing the international breaks, but the Socceroos are playing India in asian cup qualifier on the 13th of Jan and Melbourne are playing Western Sydney on the 13th of Jan? The APL is a mess.

But on the Asian Cup matches, so far as I can tell none of them coincide with any international breaks.

[haz]

A-Leagues poised to scrap controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-leagues-poised-to-scrap-controversial-grand-final-deal-with-destination-nsw-20230913-p5e4cp.html

[jw1739]

Hahaha. Let's hope so and then then let's see an apology from Townsend and Pearce, two of the prime movers in the whole debacle. Too much to hope for a resignation I suppose....

[fensaddler]

Absolutely brilliant if true.

[MHFC-FAN]

3 hours ago, haz said:

A-Leagues poised to scrap controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-leagues-poised-to-scrap-controversial-grand-final-deal-with-destination-nsw-20230913-p5e4cp.html

Pie in the face type stuff...

[jw1739]

6 minutes ago, MHFC-FAN said:

Pie in the face type stuff...

But they still can't quite get the message. The article says that one concept of a replacement is a "Magic Week" where all the matches are played in Sydney. This not acceptable either.

[Mr MO]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

But they still can't quite get the message. The article says that one concept of a replacement is a "Magic Week" where all the matches are played in Sydney. This not acceptable either.

Well it’s a trade off. 

I don’t mind, it’s easily done just group schedule all NSW team to play at home for that week.

[jw1739]

But there are only 5 clubs in NSW aren't there, out of 12 - Sydney, WSW, Macarthur, Central Coast and Newcastle, meaning one match will be played in Sydney that ought to have be played somewhere else. And in the future, if you count Canberra in NSW, there'll still be 6 clubs out of 14.

Depends what is meant by "all matches." But better than the GF in Sydney, I agree.

[kingofhearts]

3 hours ago, jw1739 said:

But they still can't quite get the message. The article says that one concept of a replacement is a "Magic Week" where all the matches are played in Sydney. This not acceptable either.

I'd much rather have a magic round in Sydney then leave the grand final there. Add to the fact Danny Townsend is rumoured to be leaving and it's been nothing but big w's today.

[citypool]

https://www.talkingcity.com.au/talking-citys-predictions-for-the-2023-24-mens-season/?fbclid=IwAR3d9Lgr5C72dtqXVV9gtO4P6_ZQUjZaHD-gMk_evxe2fBwa8EsHKMUEbX8

[citypool]

https://melbournevictory.com.au/news/implementation-of-facial-recognition-technology-at-aami-park?lid=sf0q8lgd1tl4

[fensaddler]

On 28/09/2023 at 12:20 PM, citypool said:

https://melbournevictory.com.au/news/implementation-of-facial-recognition-technology-at-aami-park?lid=sf0q8lgd1tl4

Largely relevant to the violent gargoyles that follow Victory. They should ban most of them.

[Mr MO]

32 minutes ago, fensaddler said:

Largely relevant to the violent gargoyles that follow Victory. They should ban most of them.

I’m aware that some supporters change clothes in the toilet so I guess this for them.

[jw1739]

As an old fogey I don't like this sort of thing. I wrote to City some time ago and asked them to consider allowing full-season members, at least, be allowed to enter without bag searches and scanning. Even at U.S. airports over-70s aren't subjected to removing belts, watches, etc. Scanning yes, but they accept my word that I have metal knees, and don't make a fuss. Didn't even get a reply. Criminals bypass any security measures - all they do is inconvenience ordinary people, and this is a perfect example. Half-a-dozen dickheads at one football club and everyone else, even the other supporters at the same club, suffer.

And we wonder why attendances keep falling.... Just think of how the atmosphere at AAMI Park has changed since the early years - it's all been gradually killed off.

Edited September 30, 2023 by jw1739

[Mr MO]

1 hour ago, jw1739 said:

As an old fogey I don't like this sort of thing. I wrote to City some time ago and asked them to consider allowing full-season members, at least, be allowed to enter without bag searches and scanning. Even at U.S. airports over-70s aren't subjected to removing belts, watches, etc. Scanning yes, but they accept my word that I have metal knees, and don't make a fuss. Didn't even get a reply. Criminals bypass any security measures - all they do is inconvenience ordinary people, and this is a perfect example. Half-a-dozen dickheads at one football club and everyone else, even the other supporters at the same club, suffer.

And we wonder why attendances keep falling.... Just think of how the atmosphere at AAMI Park has changed since the early years - it's all been gradually killed off.

Ajax supporters threw flares on the pitch against their local rivals Feyenoord, the game was abandoned. This happened on Sunday, was rescheduled on Monday and finished 2 days later without fans. Everyone has moved on already.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mr MO

[jw1739]

40 minutes ago, Mr MO said:

Ajax supporters threw flares on the pitch against their local rivals Feyenoord, the game was abandoned. This happened on Sunday, was rescheduled on Monday and finished 2 days later without fans. Everyone has moved on already.

I'm not quite sure what point you're making there. Playing behind closed doors again punishes the innocent. None of our gang go to derbies now. What's the point of wasting an afternoon/evening to see less than a full match? We all still have full season reserved seat memberships, but as we don't use them to the full some are thinking about going to 9-match GA memberships. I was the only one at the Sydney match. Let me also say that the continual interruptions to Melbourne's train services are not helping either - for example there will be interruptions on the Frankston line until 2029 at least.

I think it's up to the clubs to control their own fans. 

[mjake1234]

"I think it's up to the clubs to control their own fans."

And the best way to do this is to have genuine close cooperation with active.

[jw1739]

Which is, I understand, what Yarraside had with Scott Munn - an informal but direct line of dialogue.

I would still like to know where these APL-promised Fan Representative Groups are. Or are they just another thought bubble of no substance?

[NewConvert]

On 30/09/2023 at 12:34 PM, jw1739 said:

As an old fogey I don't like this sort of thing. I wrote to City some time ago and asked them to consider allowing full-season members, at least, be allowed to enter without bag searches and scanning. Even at U.S. airports over-70s aren't subjected to removing belts, watches, etc. Scanning yes, but they accept my word that I have metal knees, and don't make a fuss. Didn't even get a reply. Criminals bypass any security measures - all they do is inconvenience ordinary people, and this is a perfect example. Half-a-dozen dickheads at one football club and everyone else, even the other supporters at the same club, suffer.

And we wonder why attendances keep falling.... Just think of how the atmosphere at AAMI Park has changed since the early years - it's all been gradually killed off.

I have to carry an epipen and the security wouldn't let me in. They called the St John's people who were shocked that they didn't know what an epipen is.

[citypool]

https://reddit.com/r/Aleague/s/hbnUumx6tx

 

Somebody asked about the supporters group 

[citypool]

Can we talk about the women's team on here? Who's watching them this weekend 

[jw1739]

5 hours ago, citypool said:

Can we talk about the women's team on here? Who's watching them this weekend 

What women's team....?

@citypoolThere is a sub-Forum titled "W-League." Unfortunately moderators cannot change the Titles of the sub-Forums; that has to be done by the owner of the Forum - ka "Tesla" - but attempts to contact him have failed for quite some time.

[IssySG]

Anyone else feeling particularly lethargic for the season ahead?

[Le Hack]

31 minutes ago, IssySG said:

Anyone else feeling particularly lethargic for the season ahead?

Should have started a month ago. Should be playing each team 3 times each so it's at least a tad fairer competition, not this 2 and a few teams you play three times. Really annoyed about that, it's like that in AFL too and I hate the integrity of that competition as well. It will be interesting to see what happens to foxtures when Auckland and Canberra come in 2024/2025 season. Auckland looks a goer with American owner of Bournemouth looking likely to be granted the licence. Canberra still working to find an owner. Can you believe they're still asking for $25M for a licence?

[jw1739]

3 minutes ago, Le Hack said:

Should have started a month ago. Should be playing each team 3 times each so it's at least a tad fairer competition, not this 2 and a few teams you play three times. Really annoyed about that, it's like that in AFL too and I hate the integrity of that competition as well. It will be interesting to see what happens to foxtures when Auckland and Canberra come in 2024/2025 season. Auckland looks a goer with American owner of Bournemouth looking likely to be granted the licence. Canberra still working to find an owner. Can you believe they're still asking for $25M for a licence?

Yesterday I was looking at our congested fixture once the A-League starts - ridiculous. 
21/10 - A-League H
25/10 - ACL A
28/10- A-League A
3/11 -ACL H
8/11 - A-League H

Completely agree that the season has to be three rounds (as it used to be). And observe ACL breaks.

As for the expansion - well I am of the view that it is counter-productive to bring in teams from New Zealand. Fine if we were both in the same Confederation, but we're not. In an extreme case we could find NZ teams 1st and 2nd in the Premiership and so we'd be playing our 3rd and 4th teams in the AFC tournaments!

As for Canberra - what's the point of admitting a "club" to the league if it has to "find" and owner before it even enters? It isn't going to last long at that rate.