http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/a-league/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/...and-thats-why-australians-will-never-love-soccer/ The laziest thing you can do in journalism is to use Wikipedia as your principal source. Sometimes, you’ve just got to break rules. Just look at the Wiki entry for Besart Berisha, who scored the winning goal for Brisbane Roar in yesterday’s A-League grand final. It reads, and I quote: “Besart Berisha is an Albanian footballer, and an Australian renowned diver, who plays as a striker for Brisbane Roar in the Australian A-League and internationally for the Albania national football team.” They sure got the diving bit right. Yesterday, Berisha put Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham (he of the 10m platform Beijing gold medal) to shame. The audacity of Berisha’s dive in the penalty box was matched only by the incompetence of the ref, who somehow mistook thin air as a malicious opponent in much the same way as a dog barks at its own shadow. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/...and-thats-why-australians-will-never-love-soccer/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/...and-thats-why-australians-will-never-love-soccer/#item8309 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/While-the-billionaires-battle-the-code-becomes-poorer/ The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/While-the-billionaires-battle-the-code-becomes-poorer/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/While-the-billionaires-battle-the-code-becomes-poorer/#item7890 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/forget-the-fury-lets-focus-our-anger-on-the-future/ Yesterday afternoon, Football Federation Australia confirmed the game’s worst kept secret and announced North Queensland Fury would not take part in the A-League next season, the club short of cash and the sport’s ruling body unwilling to stump up its own. Given we’re one week out from the competition’s grand final, this is a Godsend for the anti-soccer brigade, who will pounce on any opportunity to shove all those “the world game will dominate” arguments back down the deluded roundball fanatics’ throats. There’s no denying the decision to close the Fury is a body blow for the code but it’s not the death knell for football. In fact, forget the Socceroos – this is the time when football in Australia really comes of age. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/forget-the-fury-lets-focus-our-anger-on-the-future/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/forget-the-fury-lets-focus-our-anger-on-the-future/#item5277 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-is-nobody-going-to-watch-the-a-league/ Another week in the A-League, another drubbing for the attendance figures. I tuned in to the Gold Coast-Mariners game on Monday and thought Fox Sports had actually started adding canned crowds to their coverage. I’m not here to beat up the A-League – I have to make a living out of and there’s enough people doing it already – but the Gold Coast attendance of 2037 is appalling. This club is a known basketcase and has never had much of a crowd but it was the same across the league. Why don’t football fans turn up? Let’s get the obvious reason out the way: its finals time for the two big codes, and they’re sucking up every possible sports fan, second of airtime and dollar that exists. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-is-nobody-going-to-watch-the-a-league/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-is-nobody-going-to-watch-the-a-league/#item4081 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/top-to-bottom-the-a-leagues-doing-it-tough/ They say a week is a long time in football – they’re not kidding. This week has to go down as one of the longest in the A-League’s short history. Dramas with refereeing decisions, last season’s champions bottom of the ladder, players unpaid, clubs on the brink of financial collapse, falling attendances, controversy over simulation and FFA’s match review panel - the list goes on, and none of it makes good reading for Australian soccer fans. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/top-to-bottom-the-a-leagues-doing-it-tough/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/top-to-bottom-the-a-leagues-doing-it-tough/#item3977 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/football-five-sydney-start-slow-chelsea-unstoppable/ We’re only a couple of weeks into the football season but certain things have become very clear, very quickly: Sydney FC aren’t going to hold onto their title, while the two Manchesters will have to prise Chelsea’s from Didier Drogba’s cold, dead hands. Domestically, the A-League is so open you’d get better odds on the federal election result than the league title. So what can we take from an instructive weekend? 1. Sydney FC have a lot of work to do. The champions were outplayed and outfought by Brisbane Roar and the chinks in Vitezlev Lavicka’s side are getting bigger by the week. At the back, they’re really feeling the absence of Simon Colosimo, who left for Melbourne Heart. Foxe and Keller are about as mobile as Easter Island heads. And deprived of Bridge and Brosque on the weekend, they offered little threat upfront - but even with both fit, Sydney are still too light to make an impact. And talking of impact, has anyone seen marquee man Nicky Carle? Lavicka’s put posters on all the lamp posts round SFS but no one’s taking any of the little tear-offs.  penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/football-five-sydney-start-slow-chelsea-unstoppable/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/football-five-sydney-start-slow-chelsea-unstoppable/#item3887 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/five-lessons-from-start-of-the-real-football-season/ 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. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/five-lessons-from-start-of-the-real-football-season/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/five-lessons-from-start-of-the-real-football-season/#item3822 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-a-league-needs-sydney-fc-to-win-the-grand-final/ For the good of the game, Sydney must win the A-League Grand Final Now, I’m just putting this out there. I’m just going to run it up the flagpole. The A-League, and football in Australia, needs Sydney FC to defeat Melbourne Victory next week. This season’s decider is the one the game had to have. They’re the best two teams on the field, the biggest two teams of the field and have a rivalry that inspires feelings of joy, anguish, revulsion and, when applicable, a hefty dollop of schadenfreude. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-a-league-needs-sydney-fc-to-win-the-grand-final/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-a-league-needs-sydney-fc-to-win-the-grand-final/#item2611 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbourne-slips-another-one-past-sleeping-sydney/ Sydney FC fans have woken up this morning feeling like they’ve had their wallets stolen – but they’ve got no one to blame but themselves. Melbourne Victory’s major semi-final extra-time winner yesterday afternoon was typical; clever Kevin Muscat exploiting the situation, too-quick Archie Thompson putting the ball in the back of the net. But what were Sydney doing? Ball-watching? Waiting for the ref? Checking their haircuts? In an open and entertaining game, Melbourne always seemed most likely to grab the all-important away goals that would earn them a home grand final. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbourne-slips-another-one-past-sleeping-sydney/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbourne-slips-another-one-past-sleeping-sydney/#item2559 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sydney-win-aloisi-redeemed-but-this-is-just-the-beginning/ So Sydney FC are minor premiers. Congratulations, they battled their way to the top with a lot more perspiration than inspiration but yesterday afternoon they proved too tenacious for Melbourne Victory. The game was interesting for a number of points. This is just the first leg of a possible three-match finals run-in between the two sides. Given the form of the pair, there is a good chance they might just meet again in the grand final. First up is the semi-final in Melbourne next Thursday. Victory will be desperate to inflict some serious hurt on Sydney, particularly after Terry McFlynn reportedly broke Robbie Kruse’s leg. It was physical at SFS yesterday, but that clumsy tackle left Melbourne seething. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sydney-win-aloisi-redeemed-but-this-is-just-the-beginning/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sydney-win-aloisi-redeemed-but-this-is-just-the-beginning/#item2399 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 The FFA has just terminated the A-League license of struggling Gold Coast United. This comes after a massive war of words between Franky Lowy and Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer, the latest instalment of which came today when Palmer tweeted: We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by incompetent FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution. As the battle rages on, here’s a nice wider perspective on the battle of the billionaires from first time Puncher and soccer nut Stewart Prins. A-League football had one of its more mysterious moments on the weekend when colourful franchise owner Clive Palmer sent his Gold Coast United (GCU) team out onto the field with the message “Freedom of Speech” plastered across the front of their playing strip. Neither Mr Palmer nor his Gold Coast United CEO Clive Messink offered an explanation for the late change to the playing strip, or for the advertising billboards quoting the same slogan.