Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: JDB on January 06, 2009, 09:42:42 AM
-
Sorry Sydney's sad decline (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=606513&sec=global&root=global&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab4pos1&cc=5901)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Dasey
Going into the match at the former home of Sir Donald Bradman, coach John Kosmina joked about his team throwing down some spinners and googlies. But a rare A-League game at the Adelaide Oval turned out to be no laughing matter for struggling Sydney FC. A disastrous defeat - their fourth straight in the Hyundai A-League - to table-topping Adelaide United ended the finals' hopes of the one-time glamour club and saw them sink to an all-low. A change of ownership in March can't come soon enough for the inaugural A-League champions; Coach Kosmina will almost certainly be shown the door and star striker John Aloisi could join him. Aloisi, who missed the Adelaide game through injury, has become a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions.
Barely three years after converting the penalty that sent Australia through to the 2006 World Cup, the inspirational icon has become a millionaire marquee muppet, booed by his own fans. Fellow new recruits Mark Bridge - disappointingly benign up front - and Stuart Musialik haven't done much better. Another man to have worn Australia's colours, Simon Colosimo has missed most of the season through injury. Tony Popovic's body finally gave way mid-season and fellow national teammate Steve Corica - taking over the captain's armband - also seems to be on his last legs as a professional player. Sydney have some outstanding juniors coming through but the club - both in a playing sense and off-the-field - are in desperate need of inspiration and direction.
Ever since Dwight Yorke was allowed to head back to England after energising the side in their championship winning first season, Sydney FC have been going backwards. Indeed, seeing Sydney FC's declining crowds and failure to captivate a notoriously-fickle sporting city, a new western Sydney franchise - likely to enter the competition in 2010 - would fancy their chances of succeeding where the light blues have miserably failed.
Kosmina, Aloisi and defender Iain Fyfe - all born in the South Australian capital - might be secretly admiring the contrasting success story of their hometown club. Of course, Fyfe will be joining Adelaide United next season, Kosmina is their former head coach and don't be surprised if Aloisi turns up on the books of the Reds down the track if he's cut loose from Sydney FC. 'Less is more' could well be the motto for economical Adelaide: they're everything that wasteful Sydney aren't: cohesive, resourceful and successful. Making the AFC Champions League final and winning two games out of three at last month's FIFA World Club Cup in Japan was a magnificent achievement under the outstanding Aurelio Vidmar, a one-time assistant to Kosmina. And with an average age of just 24, things will only get better for the Reds if they can hold onto the nucleus of their squad.
Their performance against Sydney in front of a bumper crowd of 23,002 was a long way from their best but smart and clinical Adelaide - perhaps mindful of their seven games in 31 days - still did enough to win comfortably. Just like 'The Don' more than half a century ago in Adelaide, the Reds are the best in the land and have the runs on the board.
-
well,dey know what dey have to do
Bring back de old legs...for enough money he go leave dat asst coach wuk
wasnt there another T&T man in that league...kevin someting?
-
well,dey know what dey have to do
Bring back de old legs...for enough money he go leave dat asst coach wuk
wasnt there another T&T man in that league...kevin someting?
Yuh talking bout Kevin Nelson, but he was playing for South Melbourne FC in de Victorian Premier League. He was supposed tuh get pick up from one ah dem A-League sides, but it never happen.
-
well,dey know what dey have to do
Bring back de old legs...for enough money he go leave dat asst coach wuk
wasnt there another T&T man in that league...kevin someting?
Yuh talking bout Kevin Nelson, but he was playing for South Melbourne FC in de Victorian Premier League. He was supposed tuh get pick up from one ah dem A-League sides, but it never happen.
where is he now?
-
well,dey know what dey have to do
Bring back de old legs...for enough money he go leave dat asst coach wuk
wasnt there another T&T man in that league...kevin someting?
Yuh talking bout Kevin Nelson, but he was playing for South Melbourne FC in de Victorian Premier League. He was supposed tuh get pick up from one ah dem A-League sides, but it never happen.
where is he now?
He with North East Stars