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Five lessons from the start of the real football season

David Hall

by David Hall

18 Aug 05:30am

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Filed under: A League, Epl, Football, Soccer, Sport

32 comments

Take a sniff, breathe it in – you know what that is? That’s the smell of deep heat and hair gel - real football is back.

It was almost three weeks between the end of the World Cup and the domestic competitions starting up again. Felt like I’d lost a limb. But after week two of the A-League and the return of the English Premier League, it’s worth taking a look at some of the early lessons of the season.

1. The A-League is still impossible to predict. Two weeks in, we’ve had three three-all thrillers, and last weekend the two most consistent teams in the competition were punished. Reigning champions Sydney FC went to North Queensland and produced a first-half’s entertainment comparable to An Audience with Kyle Sandilands.

Usual champions Melbourne Victory are showing a few cracks and Perth Glory prized them open further with their hefty boots. Two-nil for the boys from WA – possible title contenders at last?

2. Cream blazers rule. North Queensland Fury coach Franz Straka arrived in Townsville to little fanfare. “Who is he? Where is he? Why is he?” Two weeks in, wooden-spoon favourites Fury are unbeaten, second on the table and have just beaten the champions. What’s his secret? We think it’s the cream blazer. Forgoing the usual far north Queensland beer-sodden wifebeater fashion, Straka’s linen charms create the dignified air of a man who doesn’t even know how to sweat. All he needs now is a silver-topped cane or perhaps a monocle.

3. In the EPL, Chelsea mean business. Carlo Ancelotti’s double-winners finished last season with an 8-0 spanking of Wigan. They started this one with a 6-0 rollocking of West Brom. Granted the opposition pretty much rolled on their back with a “rub-my-tummy” look on their face but still – respect is due. Man Utd’s overnight 3-0 win over newly promoted Newcastle wasn’t quite so spectacular but clinical nonetheless.

4. Roberto Mancini is third favourite in the Premier League sack race. After spending the roughly $500 million – read that again, $500 million – since the Middle East takeover, the Italian is under immense pressure to dig up some silverware. On the basis of the display against Tottenham on Saturday, he has a long way to go. Should City drop out of the top four at all, Mancini could be hoisted by his own impeccably tied scarf.

5. Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is favourite in the sack race. After spending roughly three buttons, a stick of chewing gum and some marbles on his squad during the off-season, the Seasiders started their Premier League roller-coaster with a giddy 4-0 win over relegation-bound Wigan. If they hold off the inevitable implosion til mid-season, they might just have a chance. Might.

Most commented

427Australia, you have nothing to fear but fear itself
375There's no one Thomson won't burn to save his skin
313Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking
304Animal experiments won't cure me from cancer
262Who murdered the Arts degree?
246A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...
231Craig Thomson speaks. Meanwhile, in Australia...
231South Australia. It's the middle bottom bit.

32 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Al says:

      06:35am | 18/08/10

      6. Don’t transfer GCU players into your Fantasy A-League team just before their bye week ... doh! Well at least my Brisbane lads are back in. Barbarouses FTW

      Reply

    • Stewart Henstock says:

      07:09am | 18/08/10

      What!!
      I thought you mean’t NFL.
      As the Governator would say…put away your round ball and don’t be such a girly man.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      09:11am | 18/08/10

      Exactly what I was thinking.
      Pre Season NFL on ESPN.

    • Sheedy's Left Foot says:

      10:12am | 18/08/10

      Crikey, you mean that game where two lines of fatties wearing pads and helmets grunt at each other, have a bit of a cuddle and then take a 10 minute break? They repeat a 3 or 4 times and then change all the players as the fatties cant take too much?

      No thanks. Worse than watching paint dry.

    • Tim says:

      12:13pm | 18/08/10

      And by watching paint dry Sheedy’s, I assume you mean watching soccer?
      90 minutes for a 0-0 draw. I don’t know how you can stand the excitement.

    • Stewart Henstock says:

      01:39pm | 18/08/10

      Sheedy..i’d like to see you say that to Ray Lewis…Ravens LB
      I think you’d faint at the sight of him.

    • Sheedy's Left Foot says:

      01:44pm | 18/08/10

      Because Tim, only those with the attention span of an MTV viewer/average American cannot comprehend that games can be exciting, fullfilling and extremely entertaining without a 58 to 40 score line. Points does not make things exciting, it merely keeps the score.

      Plus it is harder to score in soccer, much harder. All as a tubby NFL chap needs to do is lumber over a line the width of the pitch with the ball in hand to score. Piece of cake, or breakfast as an NFL tubster would call it.

      Seriously, a break every time something happens, special teams, offensive teams, defensive teams it really is a poor excuse for a game.

    • brendan says:

      02:58pm | 18/08/10

      Stewart, why would Sheedy have to repeat anything to Ray Lewis?  That’s a typical thuggery/football moron comment, just because our guys can beat up anyone in your football game and you supporters, we are better than you, grow up !

    • Tim says:

      03:33pm | 18/08/10

      Sheedy’s Left Footy,
      i’d suggest that the soccer riots that occur frequently tell a different story.

      Bored, unfulfilled and unentertained yobs venting their frustration after yet another draw.

    • james mcdonald says:

      01:43pm | 20/08/10

      Tim, what riots? What frequent riots are you talking about?
      Please name at least 3 riots by soccer fans in the last 5, 10 or 20 years?
      Idiot.

    • S.L says:

      07:26am | 18/08/10

      Thoughtfull comments Dave. At least this year my Mariners are predicted finalists even though in the first round the yet to kick a ball Heart were favourites. Even last Sunday once they remembered where the goal was they should have beaten Adelaide.
      Good on the Fury and Perth! The stronger the comp the better. Wellington are back to scoring although I’m surprised Europe didn’t poach a few All Whites after ther World Cup. Should be a good year.
      Ok who can stop Chelsea? My prediction Liverpool and I’m not even a fan of theirs!

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      09:20am | 18/08/10

      The Reds can’t win the EPL without a World Class “Engine Room” type midfielder. They need someone who can dictate the game. Losing Xabi Alonso took them from 2nd to 7th. They need someone in his mold to step up (Chelsea have Essien / Lampard / Mikel, Arsenal have Fabregas, United have Carrick / Fletcher / Scholes). Until they get that Deep Lying Playmaker into their team they will not be able to win another Premier League.

    • Davo from St Kilda says:

      09:07am | 18/08/10

      The REAL football season? If soccer ever gets the same crowds and number of paid members that AFL does then it can be considered the real football. As it is, footy has been around for over 150 years and no other sport in this country even comes close when it comes to popularity.  Nil-all draws after 90 minutes of play (yawn!)? Soccer and rugby can fight over second place while AFLwill dominate the sporting landscape. Always has, always will.

      Reply

    • Muttley says:

      10:25am | 18/08/10

      It may be close to a religion in Mexico but to all those north of the border we really dont give a damn about it. The soccer guys are discussing soccer. Show some manners and leave your ridiculous aerial football out of it.

    • Dave Hall says:

      10:26am | 18/08/10

      Davo - your comment - yawn! This isn’t a blog about which is best or most popular, it’s just a post about football/soccer.

      Do you just interrupt other people’s conversations in the pub if you disagree with their opinion of the $5 steak?

      If you’ve got something to say on the subject at hand, please join in, otherwise just don’t bother.

    • Macca says:

      11:33am | 18/08/10

      Bravo Dave,

      Also, where can I purchase one of these $5 steaks you speak of? Such increadible Value

    • Campbell says:

      12:09pm | 18/08/10

      Realistically, football should should be played with the feet, AFL is more reasonably called ‘handegg’ because that describes it better.
      Also, AFL is played seriously in one country. Football is the most popular sport in the entire world.

    • Tim says:

      12:17pm | 18/08/10

      Dave,
      Do you write your own headlines?
      If that’s not bait for comments from AFL/NRL fans then I give up.

      Do you yell your opinion of the $5 steak at the pub so everyone else has to hear it?

    • neil says:

      03:36pm | 18/08/10

      Campbell,

      Soccer is player with the feet, knees, chest, shoulders, head and the goalies hands, how does that make it more football than other codes?

      And soccer is not the most popular sport in the world, fishing is followed by true world game, cricket.

      Ever wondered why there are eleven players on a soccer team? Because it evolved out of a cricket training game in the early 19th century.

    • Raymond Scott says:

      01:55pm | 20/08/10

      Neil,

      Let me give you a lesson. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world because it is the only sport in the world played by every single country. Soccer fans worldwide number in the billions, cricket does not. Cricket is played by a handful of countries, most of which are Commonwealth.
      Soccer DID NOT come from cricket. It was evolved from Rugby. Many years ago there was a disagreement between rugby players that you should be able to use your hands, thus soccer came about with no hands and rugby obviously with hands.
      How on Earth you think cricket and soccer are related almost floored me. What did floor me was the fact you think fishing is a sport, please, that’s like saying watching paint dry is a sport. To say it’s more popular that soccer is interesting, I don’t see billions of people fishing every day, do you?
      Last of all, soccer is football because you use your feet 99% of the time, whereas in AFL, you use your feet 1% of the time (due to the massive amount of handballing going on) and rugby where you use your fee 0.5% of the time.

    • Sheedy's Left Foot says:

      09:10am | 18/08/10

      Ian Holloway is fantastic. Even if you hate football, watch his post match intervierws, they are preiceless. After an ugly win against Huddersfield he onbce said:

      “To put it in gentleman’s terms if you’ve been out for a night and you’re looking for a young lady and you pull one, some weeks they’re good looking and some weeks they’re not the best. Our performance today would have been not the best looking bird but at least we got her in the taxi. She wasn’t the best looking lady we ended up taking home but she was very pleasant and very nice, so thanks very much, let’s have a coffee”

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      09:42am | 18/08/10

      haha, some of the Championship (well, not for Holloway anymore..)managers come out with some crackers. I still love seeing Roy Keane blow his top. The Ireland / France one is still one of my favourites

    • Gregg says:

      09:15am | 18/08/10

      Kinda looks a bit like the Fev in the banner and wonder whether he’ll still be a lion for the start of the real season next year.
      Meanwhile the real season proper gets going in September and on form, looks like it’ll be the Cats and Pies slogging it out.
      Cats in a close one as the Pies choke.

      Reply

    • Pete says:

      09:32am | 18/08/10

      Has been a cracking start to the A-League season and so good to see Perth with great turn out in rd1 followed by a solid win over the Victory.
      Am looking forward to seeing the Heart hit their stride.  Plus Sydney is in town this weekend WOOT!!
      Get out their lads and support your A-League teams!

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      09:39am | 18/08/10

      6. Everton always start slow, while Aston Villa always start strongly. All those playing Fantasy need to remember this.

      7. Teams are built over many seasons, not one. Manchester United are still getting results out of Giggs and Scholes who are both closer to 40 than 30.  Chelsea have barely opened the cheque book in the past 3 years. Manchester City will not finish in the top 3 this season. They may sneak into 4th depending on how Tottenham responds to ECL and if Liverpool pull their thumb out. Villa are a chance if they make good with the money they get from the Milner sale and get a quality Manager. Don’t hold your breath

      8. FoxSports needs more commentating talent. Robbie Slater got smashed last night by Harry Kewell. Surely some of the retiring Socceroos could do a decent job with all the media training they would have got in the UK

      9. The Grass is not always Greener. Danny Vukovic.

      Reply

    • S.L says:

      12:05pm | 18/08/10

      What’s wrong with Robbie Slater? Him and Bozza are doing fine in my opinion.
      Vukovic should get a start somewhere! He’s too good a talent to sit idle. Maybe a reserve spot on Europe?
      Macca I read and take your coments to heart BUT Liverpool now has the Roy Hodgson factor! Fulham couldn’t have done what they did without him (or our Mark for that matter) and he has a lot more top talent at his disposal now.

      Reply

    • Kyle says:

      05:39pm | 18/08/10

      It was evident in the Liverpool - Arsenal game Liverpool lacked class for title-contenders and gave the ball away far too much. The gunners still have Fabregas, Van Persie and maybe Schwarzer to come in, don’t count them out!

      What I want to know is why Man City, at White Hart Lane, were favourites to beat Spurs, who finished ahead of them last season?? Regardless of how much money City wasted pre-season.

      10. City will flop.

      Reply

    • Daniel says:

      03:48am | 19/08/10

      To all you Soccer fans out there.
      Try turning up to an A-League game every once in a while, until you show up to the games Soccer will always be a minor sport in Australia

      Reply

    • Stewart Henstock says:

      07:33am | 19/08/10

      Sheedy your comment on the NFL just shows you lack the intelligence and thus understanding of what the game is about.
      Unlike your code where players can barley put two words together when trying to form a discussion these guys have intelligence which is required to remember the 20 to 30 different players required in any given game.
      As far as revenue goes you would get more revenue from one college game than all of the soccer games combined that are played in Australia.

      Reply

    • NS Welshmen says:

      08:29am | 19/08/10

      Again David, Soccer - Too many draws and too many bores. When you lead with borrowed words from real football what do you expect from the supporters of Australian Football to do, take a dive!

      Reply

    • Bruce says:

      07:19am | 20/08/10

      This A-League season is shaping up as a great one. So far all the teams (apart from Central Coast) have played very good football, and dished up some great competitions. After a couple of seasons of bedding in, the league on the field is starting to show style and maturity. I hope the fans react to this. The A-League is not as skillful as the EPL however it can be just as entertaining. The unpredictability and lower wages in many ways make the A-League a more pure form of football than the prancing sports car driving millionaires.

      As for the AFL trolls. Stick to your own sport’s forums; or join in the fun.

      Reply

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      04:29pm | 09/03/12

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