The New Zealand Knights' injury toll is slowly getting under control ahead of their A-League soccer opener against Queensland Roar in Brisbane on August 28. The Knights had only 13 fit players after their last pre-season match, a 1-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners, but manager John Adshead was confident the eight-man injury list would be wittled down before the league began. "We are crossing our fingers every day. It has been so frustrating not being able to prepare as we would've liked, a bit like doing the accounts and not having all the figures," Adshead said. The two main concerns were striker Simon Yeo (groin strain) and midfielder Naoki Imaya (broken leg). Yeo was to have a scan today, while Imaya was recovering well but would be out till at least the third game of the season. The injury concerns would mean a limited build-up to the season opener, and Adshead had opted for an internally-based programme. "We would've liked three or four more matches, but there was no point when you've got nine or 10 players on the sideline," Adshead said. "Our concentration has been on getting the squad over the niggles before an intensive two weeks of inter-squad matches on a daily basis." Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3378751a1823,00.html So who thought of the idea of limiting squads to 20 players?
this just justifies that a 20 man squad is stupid and it was obvious that non-footballers came up with such a number. i guess in 2 seasons time there will be a 30 man squad and no salary cap.
25 is probably a more sustainable number. The salary cap should stay in place for ever. In the old NSL alot of clubs nearly collapsed because of over inflated wages!
Saraly & players cap must go, eventully. Its great to start up and give a level playing feild but clubs must be able to attract the very best calibare and numbers of player they can.
That is fine when the clubs are getting 30,000 people through the gate each week but when they are getting 3,000 people through the gate it is a completely different situation.
i take it the 3000 u speak of will be the Knights? lol (jk) i think the crowds will average 10-15000 and for next season the squad size will be 25-28 and the cap will be 2.5 million. which is fair. As i predict more sponsors jumping on board after a successful first season.
When A league teams are in the asian champions league final with 250 million TV viewers, just watch the sponsers run.
So it about 15 minutes before the first ball is kicked in the new A-League, just how nervous do you feel, luckily its also the last round of the AFL so we may go unnoticed here in Victoria, practically with the Victory playing away for the first round. Today is the first day, this is the beginning we must be patient we must be strong we must resist the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that will descend upon us over the next 21 weeks. In November we will defeat Paraguay for the 32nd place at the 2006 World Cup, in February ‘06 will begin our adventures in the Asian Confederation, finally real games against real quality opponents, this is the beginning, this is something that in tens years time we can look back and celebrate. In a week when our Federal Government has placed so much emphasis on values may I ask you all to be up standing and salute the A-league the Australian game.
You'll have a great first year. And then you'll slack off to an average level for a period of time until more people get interest after the novelty wears off. It's what happened here.
WOW 70 000 people saw the first round and the average crowd for round 1 was 17500. That is great. I think the only direction is UP for this league and when Aussie club sides are in the Asian champions league there will be more focus on the league games.
i think with Hyundai (a korean company) sponsoring the A-League, we may have some connections with the K-League or Korean League, Hyundai may try to send some korean players to A-League which will make A-League more familiar with Korea. what teams do you think from A-League will play in the Asian Champions League?
There are already a couple of Koreans playing for Queensland Roar. Hyuk-Su Seo and Tae-Yong Shin. Since they've only just played the first round of the A-League, it's probably a bit early to say who will go into the ACL......but I'll get in early anyway and nominate Melbourne ( ) and Sydney( ).
I thought one of the main focus when the new governing board came into power was to bring soccer to a wider audience, and the jewel of the new AFA was the A-league. Why is it then, that the A-league games broadcasts are only availible on FOXsports? Are they ever gonna have games that show live (or atleast close to) on free to air TV? I mean you can watch rugby league on FOX but they also show some games on normal TV right? Or is it that for now the best i can do is to rock up to Roars home matches?
yeah Sydney for sure but i think Central Coast might be a contender. god what will happen with NZ because they will be an OFC club now!
No they're not. I'd say they are an Oceanian Club/Team with special FIFA permission/dispensation to play in an AFC Comp (the A-League).
I totally agree! How can the game grow, if it does get mainstream coverage! At least one game a week should be live on free to tv, for the sake of the game!
yeah yeah...true true...bad marketting...and i am so sick of sbs flashing updates...so annoying...why don't they just put it on sbs or something people would watch it...
but i'm still not into the league it looks stupid, but i'll support Victory all the way (what a lame name)
I went to the Melbourne - Perth Game, not too bad. They need some better planning, it was a bit of chaos in and out of the stadium, Should have seen people swarm on me when i said i had a free ticket! The new stadium proposed for Melbourne for Football and rugby ca't come quick enough! That eastern stand and poles in the way really piss me off! I heard the new stadium will be only be 18-20 k? Needs to be at least 30-35 k!
that's dodgy but the whole A. League Clubs names are all dodgey even if it has "FC" at the end they all sound crap...and i thought the Japanese Club names were weird