Round 14: Central Coast Mariners vs Queensland Roar
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Central Coast Mariners vs Queensland Roar
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Round 14: Adelaide United vs Wellington Phoenix
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Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
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Australia lacking technically and tactically
FFA’s national technical director Han Berger has given an assessment of Australian players on his first day.
“I think the game still has some British characteristics … strong players, a high speed in the game, physical strength,” Berger said on Wednesday.
“Technically and tactically I think there are some things to improve and that’s also what I understood from (Socceroos coach) Pim (Verbeek) and Rob Baan.”
“Starting at the basics, the skills and techniques need to be looked after in the young player development.”
“That’s the process Rob Baan started and that’s the pathway FFA wants to go.”
“If a carpenter doesn’t have a hammer and nails he cannot build anything.”
“If a player does not have the skills, no system and no tactics can be successful.”
“It’s all about technique under the highest pressure on the highest speed of the game.”
“That’s why you have to start at the bottom by developing players who have those qualities.”
Asked what he hopes to achieve during his four-year term, Berger replied: “The goal is to be competitive at the world’s top level.”
“You have to keep the strong characteristics that each country has – your own identity – but you can never be successful at the top level when you don’t have the qualities that are requested.”
“You need skill in the highest speed under the biggest resistance. That’s where the players have to make decisions, see the solutions and be able to also do it with the ball in that moment.”
The dutchman Berger has seen some Hyundai A-league matches and will deliver a an extensive dossier on the state of the game in Australia.
“We’ve asked Han within a three to four month period to do a fairly comprehensive review of what has been initiated in the last few years,” FFA boss Ben Buckley said.
“What’s working? What can be improved? What are the outstanding items that need to be added to the list of programs?”
“(He will) come back to us to say ‘here’s my insights, here’s my review, here’s the resources I’m going to need to complete that process’.”
“I think it’s worth mentioning that we wanted someone who was prepared to commit to a four year period so we could start something and finish it.”
Berger a former Dutch under-21 coach has spent time in Dutch football with Utrecht, Groningen, Fortuna Sittard and Sparta Rotterdam.
Mr. van der Ende…were you watching?
All sorts of theories have been offered as to why the A-League crowds have been dropping markedly this season. There are, to be sure, plenty of factors, including the relatively mediocre on-field product, the sameness of an eight-team competition with no promotion and relegation, and surprisingly poor marketing. But there’s a factor that isn’t widely commented upon that I think deserves a mention: the dreadful standard of the refereeing.
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Gao sets his sights on glory
Chinese midfielder Leilei Gao has paid his own way to Perth to trial with Glory.
Gao who left Wellington Phoenix mid November is wanting a new contract and Mitchell has agreed to take a closer look at him.
“Leilei wanted to come here to train with us and paid his own way over,” said Mitchell. “If someone is committed enough to do that then I’m happy to have a closer look in our training environment.
“He is a quality player and I have been impressed with what I’ve seen when we’ve played against him.”
“We are actively looking at our options for next season and to be able to see a player first hand and have them train with the squad is definitely the best way to determine how they would fit into our system.
“Leilei trained well today and I look forward to seeing what else he can offer throughout the week.”
Lowy wants 12 teams
FFA chairman Frank Lowy has revealed plans to extend the Hyundai A-League to a 12 team competition.
“I certainly hope that (for the 2010/11 season) we’ll have 12 teams and I think at that time we kind of need to reassess our capacity, our future,” Lowy said.
“And maybe the other two teams which I have some hope for will have to take a little time but (we will add two teams) next year and the year after.”
Lowy all but confirmed Melbourne and Sydney’s new teams for the expanding competition.
“We’re talking to a Melbourne (based consortium) which we have already given a preference for one (of the new licences) and we are working with a Sydney syndicate that may materialise in the next few months.”
“The one-team per city (concept) was very good up to now but I think we need to double up on that,” he said.
“First of all for Sydney spectators it would be good for them if they could watch a game every week … Sydney or Melbourne should be able to support two teams.”
“I mean (with a population of) four or five million people, and of course the distances are far and West Sydney has a definite place in this competition and we’re confident that we’ll find the right consortia and it will be successful.”
Round 13: Newcastle Jets v Adelaide United
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Newcastle Jets v Adelaide United
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Round 13: Perth Glory v Central Coast Mariners
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Perth Glory v Central Coast Mariners
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Round 13: Sydney FC v Queensland Roar
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Sydney FC v Queensland Roar
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Round 13: Wellington Phoenix vs Melbourne Victory
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Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victory
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