A-League
FFA issued a media release on Friday morning advising of the membership of the National Leagues Working Group. It includes FFA Board members, Joseph Carrozzi and Crispin Murray, as well as five A-League club chairmen, two PFA representatives and two Women's Council members. They are due to report by the end of March. Nikou said: “The work of the NLWG will be fundamental to the future success of football in Australia. The outcomes are important for the professional leagues, the national teams and the huge grassroots base of the game and it will be critical that all those sectors are taken into account.”.
Fairfax's grab bag of snippets (called The Hairdryer) includes the NYL final missing some key Western Sydney Wanderers players who are to be made available for the A-League squad; Sydney FC signings (see below); Patrick Ziegler (WSW) to face “an extended stint on the sideline”; Scott Brown of Celtic not joining Western Melbourne Group; but Mark Rudan tipped to be their first head coach.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Western Sydney Wanderers' new recruit, Mitchell Duke, is planing to make “an immediate impact” for his new club, in the hope of a late A-League finals berth. He is part of the squad for tonight's match against Newcastle Jets. He said he always thought it would be good to return to Australia and play for the club where he came from.
Kwame Yeboah, who is to return with Western Sydney Wanderers tonight, and who is bigger, stronger and more technically skilled than when he left Australia in 2013 as a 19-year-old, says the key thing he learned after his five years in Germany is: ”There are no real friends in football, man. It’s cut-throat. The football business in general, mate, it’s not really the nicest if I am being honest.”
Western Melbourne
Perhaps mindful of the many supporters of South Melbourne who remain upset at missing out on the A-League to Western Melbourne, the new franchise has signed Panagiotis Kone as their initial marquee player, signing a two-year deal. Kone has previously played with Udinese and Bologna, and played 28 matches for Greece including at the 2014 World Cup. He is fluent in English. Will Kone entice the South Melbourne faithful?
Not that it's quite clear where Western Melbourne Group will be playing their games next season, as they have not yet finalised their supposed deal with Kardinia Park and Kardinia Park management has said they are unlikely to be able to accommodate all their matches. There's a spare stadium at Albert Park, isn't there? Meanwhile Melbourne Victory still intends to play the occasional (once a season) match there, as they have done for the past 14 years.
Sydney FC
A “double deal” for Sydney FC with the close of the transfer window bringing in Mitch Austin from Newcastle Jets, and releasing Charles Lokoli-Ngoy to join aBrisbane Roar, on top of the signing of Iranian striker Reza Ghoochannejhad on loan to the end of the season. Steve Corica persuaded Austin to join Sydney FC to add some pace to his squad.
Perth Glory
Could Tony Popovic be on the move back across the Nullabor? Some in Perth fear so, with the new Macarthur South West Sydney (MSWS) franchise keen to entice him back to his home neck of the woods. Popovic knows the Technical Director of MSWS well, Sam Krslovic.
Melbourne Victory
The interest of Jeonnam Dragons in Melbourne Victory's Nick Ansell, paved the way for a direct swap for James Donachie who was one of the “shining lights in an otherwise season of woe” for the Korean team, which has been relegated to the second division. Donachie is with Melbourne Victory on loan and is still keen to get to Europe eventually.
Central Coast Mariners
Matt Millar was sent home from training yesterday after Central Coast Mariners learned he had no interest in re-signing with the club, but instead would be heading north to Newcastle next season. The club is “furious” with him as they gave him a chance from the NPL.
Brisbane Roar
As noted above, Brisbane Roar has signed 21-year-old attacker Charles Lokoli-Ngoy from Sydney FC, with Ruon Tongyik also tipped to join to add some “defensive depth”. Meanwhile, Adam Taggart may soon be leaving with two K-League clubs said to be interested in him. Taggart signed with Brisbane until the end of 2019-20, but he “has made no secret” of his wish to return overseas. The K-League transfer window is open until the end of March.
Adelaide United
Adelaide United has bolstered its “attacking stocks” with the signing of 25-year-old Jordy Thomassen from the Netherlands for the remainder of the season. Thomassen has played 13 times for De Graafschap in the Eredivise this season, after joining them from second-tier Helmond Sport last year.
W-League
Melbourne City are out of the W-League finals for the first time on goal difference finishing the season with 19 points, equal with Sydney FC whom they defeated Sydney FC 0-2 in their match at Wollongong last night. For Sydney FC, it's the 10th consecutive finals appearance, becoming the only club to have appeared in every finals series of the W-League. The final four will comprise Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Perth Glory and Sydney with final places to be determined after matches that end on Tuesday. Melbourne Victory is in the box seat to crowned premiers, currently equal top with Brisbane Roar on 20 points but with two games to play.
Perth Glory coach, Bobby Despotovski, says the best is still to come from star player Sam Kerr. She is on target to win the Golden Boot award again; she has already won it twice in the USA; and he sees her continuing to improve over the next few years as she works on her fitness and strength.
Socceroos
The upside of our performance at the Asian Cup is that it may evidently hasten our entry to the ASEAN Football Federation (a sub-federation of Asia) Suzuki Cup. Other countries in the AFF are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
Alen Stajcic
The Alen Stajcic sacking makes the letters to the editor in Fairfax with David Goldstein of Balgowlah writing that the FFA Board should “admit it made a mistake” and that the “knee-jerk reaction” means that we have lost Australia's most successful football coach. Goldstein writes that there is “no specific allegation” against Stajcic, “no due process or right of reply” and that there is a possibility he'll end up coaching an opposing nation at the World Cup.
Weekend matches
Friday
National Youth League Grand Final: Western Sydney Wanderers v Brisbane Roar, 4.20pm local & AEDT, ANZ Stadium, entry free until 5.30pm
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar, 7pm local, 7.30pm AEDT, Marden Sports Ground
Perth Glory v Melbourne Victory, 7pm local, 10pm AEDT, Dorrien Gardens
Western Sydney Wanderers v Newcastle Jets, 7.50pm local & AEDT, ANZ Stadium
Saturday
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory, 5.35pm local & AEDT, Central Coast Stadium
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar, 7.20pm local, 7.50pm AEDT, Coopers Stadium
Newcastle Jets v Western Sydney Wanderers, 7.30pm local & AEDT, No. 2 Sportsground
Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix, 7pm local, 10pm AEDT, HBF Park
Sunday
Sydney FC v Melbourne City, 5pm local & AEDT, Jubilee Park
Tuesday
Canberra United v Melbourne Victory, 6pm local & AEDT, McKellar Park