Griffiths to Gold Coast
Gold Coast United has continued it’s impressive recruitment drive by signing Adam Griffiths on a three year deal.
The versatile defender is the ninth signing for the Gold Coast club.
The Newcastle Jets have now lost two fringe socceroos after the recent announcement of Jade North heading to North Queensland Fury.
NZ Government set to block out Jets’ sponsor
The Newcastle Jets have been notified that advertising regulations state that it is an offence to advertise the club’s major sponsor Centrebet in New Zealand.
Newcastle travels to New Zealand this weekend for an A-League match against Wellington Phoenix.
According to this morning’s notification, “gaming in New Zealand is controlled by the Gambling Act 2003 (’Act’). Section 16 of the Act makes it an offence to advertise an overseas gambling operator, of which CentreBet is one.”
Jets CEO, John Tsatsimas, hoped he could reach a compromise with the New Zealand Government.
“The club is considering the options available in order to resolve this issue and form an appropriate outcome for all concerned organisations.”
“It is unfortunate that we have received this notification, but we have immediately entered into discussions with the New Zealand Government,” Mr. Tsatsimas said.
Moss set for Victory
Wellington Goalkeeper Glen Moss will join Melbourne Victory as of the 2009/10 A-League season.
The New Zealand international, who is also an Australian citizen, will see the current season out with the Phoenix before moving to Victory on a two-year deal.
Moss has so far played 26 matches for the Phoenix, in addition to nine matches for the New Zealand Knights in the 2005/06 season, and has regularly battled with fellow goalkeeper Mark Paston for a starting spot in the Wellington lineup.
First-choice Melbourne ‘keeper Michael Theoklitos is off-contract at the end of the 2008/09 season, however Victory Football Operations Manager Gary Cole said the club is keen to retain Theoklitos as one of three goalkeepers alongside Moss and Mitchell Langerak for next season.
“We’re hoping Michael will stay,” Cole said.
“Michael’s made no secret of the fact he’s got ambitions to play in Europe and if something comes up we obviously don’t want to leave ourselves short.
“He’s requested to put off contract negotiations until the end of the season and we just think we’re in a great position right now with Michael, Mitchell and Glen.
“Our goalkeeping ranks couldn’t be better.”
Vidmar commits to 3 more years with Adelaide United
Adelaide United has re-signed coach Aurelio Vidmar and assistant Phil Stubbins for three more years.
Vidmar and Stubbins’ contracts were up for renewal at the end of the 2008/09 A-League season.
The 41-year old became head coach of Adelaide last year after serving as an assistant under John Kosmina and since then has not looked back, guiding the Reds to the final of the 2008 Asian Champions League.
“I’m extremely happy, it’s always great to have the confidence of the club and the owners,” he said.
“I’m extremely delighted to sign on for a further three years and continue the work that we set out two years ago.”
Reds chief executive Sam Ciccarello was delighted with the news.
“We believe Aurelio and Phil offer us the best combination of any A-League club in Australia.” Ciccarello said.
Cahill to play despite foot problems
Socceroo Tim Cahill insists he can manage a minor foot injury and expects to play a full match in the World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
…continue reading Cahill to play despite foot problems
Rukavytsya made Glory U-23 marquee
Perth Glory striker Nikita Rukavytsya has been confirmed as the club’s Under-23 marquee player for the 2008/09 A-League season.
The 21 year old recently signed a contract extension that locks him to Perth until the end of the 2009/10 season, however he is attracting attention from clubs in Australia and abroad.
“Nikita is a very exciting young prospect and has a bright future in the game,” said Glory Coach Dave Mitchell.
“He’s level headed and desperate to continue to improve himself as a player and is adding to his game all the time.
“Nikita is not only scoring goals but also contributing to the team when he doesn’t have the ball. He works hard to apply pressure on defenders and is setting up his team mates in good positions for us to attack,” said Mitchell.
The Football Federation Australia Under-23 marquee system was introduced this season to encourage the country’s rising stars to remain in the A-League.
Each club has the option of placing an Under-23 player outside their salary cap to a maximum of $150,000.
“It’s important to keep these players in Australia as they’re developing. We have a quality league and it is a terrific grounding for any player with aspirations of playing at the highest levels in Europe.
“It can be very difficult if they try to make their way over there at a young age because there is a lot of competition and they may not end up playing many games which can be detrimental to their long term development.
“I think the system could be expanded to incorporate two Under 23 players at each club because we have so many quality kids coming through the system and I can only see benefits for the A-League and Australian football,” Mitchell said.
Will AFC force A-League to dump Wellington?
Only Australian clubs will be allowed to participate in the A-League by 2011 according to Asian Football Confederation President Mohammed Bin Hammam.
In an interview aired on SBS on Sunday, Bin Hammam suggested that Wellington Phoenix could play no further part in Australia’s domestic competition in order to meet AFC’s entry requirements for a revamped Asian Champions League.
The status of Phoenix has been a murky issue and it has not been clear whether they are considered an Australian club within the AFC or a New Zealand club within the Oceania Football Confederation.
Should Phoenix win either the A-League minor premiership or grand final they would – technically – qualify as one of Australia’s entrants into the Asian Champions League, however the AFC would not allow Wellington to participate.
At the same time OFC officials have made it clear that they’d welcome Phoenix to compete in Oceania’s premier club competition, the O-League, although FIFA have effectively blocked this as an option.
Thus Wellington have remained in limbo since their induction to the A-League and now the uncertainty has deepened in regards to their status at Confederation level.
Phoenix ran out 7-0 winners in a practice match against OFC O-League Champions Waitakere United on Saturday, suggesting AFC probably need to consider the scenario more closely.
Waitakere meet Adelaide United in match 1 of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup on December 11.
Emerton and McDonald out
Brett Emerton and Scott McDonald are the latest to pull out of the Australian qualifier against Bahrain on Wednesday.
The Socceroo injury list is starting to increase with Emerton joining Vince Grella (hamstring), Queensland Roar captain Craig Moore (testicular cancer), Newcastle Jets defender Mark Milligan (Achilles), Matthew Spiranovic (ankle) and now Gordon Strachan confirming Mcdonald would not travel to Bahrain.
“He won’t fly, it’s impossible with the virus to get on a plane and be in that restricted area for that amount of time and then go out in the heat and try and train. He is weak as it is,” Strachan said.
Kewell scores again
Harry Kewell has led his Galatasaray club to a 2-0 victory over Istanbul Buyuksehir BSK in the Turkish league overnight.
Harry struck in the 39th minute to give his club the lead. It was Kewell’s seventh goal of the campaign and the Socceroo is showing no signs of slowing up leading into Australia’s qualifying match against Bahrain on Wednesday.
Australia head to Manama, Bahrain on top of Group A with six points from two games.
Up to a point
Public opinion is a fickle thing. When Adelaide United made it past cashed-up Kashima Antlers and Bunyodkor to secure a place at the Club World Cup in December, football forums were awash with messages of congratulation (or self-congratulation), hailing the growth made by the A-League, the battler spirit of Aurelio Vidmar’s boys, the supremacy of Australia in Asia, etc.
…continue reading Up to a point
