Four 'Double Winning Football Sides'.....how do they compare?

Since originally putting out this article SPX 1st XI have once again produced a double winning side.....I've added their story by way of comparison. Interestingly, the 2014 team also got to test themselves against NSW benchmark side Westfield Sports High, just as the 1995 JPII side had done.

People often try to compare champion sides across different time periods. In this article I'll be doing just that for four three teams in which I was involved, all four three won 'the double' which included their own league plus an external cup competition.
These sides are:

John Paul II High, Marayong 1995
St Pius X College, Chatswood 2000
St Pius X College, Chatswood 2012
St Pius X College, Chatswood 2014

John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 1995

MCS Champions and NSWCCC Cup Winners

Our first team to consider was the 1995 John Paul II Senior High School side that won the MCS and also the NSWCCC Cup. In my coaching experience in Australia this Western Sydney based MCS league was probably the strongest schoolboy competition in NSW. It included Catholic schools from Campbeltown, Penrith, Fairfield, Parramatta, Ryde, Eastwood, Dundas, Greystanes, Auburn and of course our team from Blacktown. The competition involved one complete round then a semi and a final. On the subject of winning the MCS league title at the time I wrote,

'To appreciate how successful the 95' side was it is worth looking at some of the seasons statistics. In regular season MCS games they won seven, drew one and lost one scoring 31 goals and conceding just 3. A MCS Minor premiership being the reward. In the Semi finals McCarthy were finally overcome 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 score in regular and sudden death extra time. In the Grand Final the opposition was Patrician Brothers, Fairfield, the only side to beat us in the regular season. The Grand Final lived up to expectations finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes. Numerous injuries had taken their toll in the match and all squad players got a run, JPII emerging 2-1 winners in extra time. Sheer perseverence and a strong belief in their own ability brought a deserved victory.'

When they played in the statewide NSWCCC Cup we were part of an historic season for the school. 
In what must have been a unique school achievement JPII won both the Football and Rugby League Competitions at both MCS and NSW State level in 1995. The NSWCCC and Commonwealth Cup competitions respectively. At the time I wrote,

Our cup campaign saw us go from the early weeks of term one eventually finishing in term three. Our first opponents were De la salle Cronulla and JPII ploughed through the mud to win 5-1. All Saints Casula proved stiffer opponents in the next round and we had tocome from behind to win 2-1. Oakhill College were next and represented probably the toughest side in the whole competition. We led for the whole tie only to be pegged back in the last few minutes. Worse still Oakhill scored again in extra time and led 2-1 with 5 minutes remaining. Michael Pfeiffer then scored a great equaliser making a penalty shootout likely. Captain Adam Scarpin had other ideas and he stormed out from sweeper to net the winner right on full time. This heart stopper earned JPII a two day trip to the country, Kempsey the destination. Opponents St Paul's College arranged the kickoff for 3.00 and promptly brought out the whole school to support them. The country boys took no prisoners and we were relieved to walkoff with a 1-0, Michael Cunico the scorer. The semi-final tie with St Francis Xavier, Hamilton was played at Melita Stadium JPII winning 5-0 despite fielding a below strength team through injury.

Thursday 27th 1995 July saw JPII crown a fine season with a well deserved 2-0 Grand Final victory over Christian Brothers, Lewisham. Once again the game went to extra time Adam Scarpin and Trent Worrall scoring the goals. Michael Cunico had missed the final being on international duty with the Joeys but the team managed to win it for him.

Victory in the NSWCCC Cup brought a 'Champion of Champion' game against Westfield Sports High. This was the first time such a game was played and summary of the contest included,

 In 1995, a challenge took place for the first time between the premier 'State and Catholic sides'. Westfield State High School were the opposition having won the Commonwealth Bank Cup. As NSWCCC Cup winners JPII took on the challenge at Francis Park, Blacktown. Westfield, a speciaist Sports High School, had blitzed all State High school opposition by taking out their Grand Final 8-0 against Sydney Tech! David Barrett the Westfield coach was surprised that the two teams had not faced each other previously. JPII, the Catholic champions overcame early pressure to dominate the first period. Ongoing second half pressure gave JPII a deserved lead through Jason Vella who scored from 20 metres. Unfortunately a second goal was not forthcoming but just as the game was in JPII's grasp they conceded an equaliser from a corner kick. The game had hardly restarted when the referee blew full time. It was agreed that the result be left as a draw the sides being declared joint inaugeral champions.

With only one competitive loss in the 1995 season JPII were a true benchmark side. Scoring 52 goals and conceding just 7 they were truly formidable. The MCS league competition was tough enough before they went on to play statewide allcomers. Playing Westfield Sports High as Catholic Champions and getting a draw was a crowning acknowledgement for the side.



John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 1995

                  P     W   D   L   F   A

MCS         10    8     1    1   34 3

NSWCCC 6     6      0   0   18 4

St Pius X College, Chatswood 2000

ISA Champions and Sydney Cup Winners

                                 W        D             L         F             A

ISA	8	1	1	40	9
Syd Cup	6	5	0	19	2
Trials	2	2	1	9	8
NSWCCC	2	0	1	6	5
NSWCIS	2	3	1	14	8

  

Another time, another place another competition. St Pius X Chatswood play in the ISA competition in Sydney. It is true that the college had previously seen success in its own league in 1998 but it wasn't until 2000 that they truly stepped up to make multi-competition impact in one season.

The side made the quarter final of the NSWCCC Cup in this year going down to a hot Oakhill team 2-1. Wins over Holy Cross Ryde 1-0 and Gilroy College 4-3 had come in their first taste of outside competition and they were to learn quickly from the experience.

Involvement in the 12 team, two day Sydney University Cup was a first for St Pius X. Playing in group format the college beat Newington, Shore and St Andrew's before downing St Patrick's in the sem-final. In the Grand Final they went on to over-run St Paul's Penrith 7-0! Playing so many games in quick sucession was really a test of endurance for the boys and one they passed very well.

An epic run was  also made by this side to the Final of the NSWCIS Cup competition. We beat Northolm Grammar 7-2 in a replay before going to Knox Grammar on a Sunday afternoon and coming away with a hard fought 3-2 win. In the next week we played St Aloysius and St Patrick's with just a two day turnaround winning both games in a penalty shootout to make the Final against Trinity College.In a game we really dominated we slipped up to go down 1-0 out at Valentine Park Parklea missing a big opportunity to be champions.

Gladly we were given a great chance to make amends in the ISA Final the following week at Christie Park in the ISA Grand Final. Our opponents, as ever, were St Patrick's Strathfield. In a hard fought game we led and then led again to run out worthy 2-1 winners completing a 'double' of ISA and Sydney Cup Winners 2000.

ISA 1st XI Football 2000

Date	Competition	Opponent	Score	Scorers
May-12	NSWCCC	Gilroy	4-3	Demasi Cuthbert;	w
				D Prentice2
May-19	NSWCCC	Ryde	1-0	Demasi	w
May-20	ISA	Chevalier	9-0	Demasi2;Hukins;Feeney2;Jako2;	w
				Mastroianni2
May-27	Trial	Cranbrook	1-1	Wickenden	d
May-30	Trial	Barker	2-2	Demasi; Baker	d
Jun-03	Trial	Newington	0-2	-	l
Jun-09	NSWCIS	Northolme	2-2	Demasi; Wickenden	d
Jun-10	Trial	St Aloysius	2-1	Baker; Nahabidian	w
Jun-16	NSWCCC	Oakhill	1-2	Kargarian	l
Jun-17	ISA	SCECGS	3-2	Baker3	w
Jun-22	NSWCIS	Northolm	7-1	Baker;Toole; Kargarian2; Vacarella; D Prentice; Wickenden	w
Jul-13	Sydney Cup	Newington	0-1	-	l
Jul-13	Sydney Cup	St Andrews	6-1	Kargarian; D Prentice3; Cuthbert; Demasi	w
Jul-13	Sydney Cup	Shore	5-0	Toole; Wickenden; Baker; Mckintosh; Vacarella	w
Jul-14	Sydney Cup	St Patricks	1-0	Kargarian	w
Jul-14	Sydney Cup	St Pauls	7-0	Kargarian3; Baker; D Prentice; Cuthbert2	w
Jul-17	Trial	St Josephs	4-2	Kargarian2; Wickenden; Nahabidian	w
Jul-22	ISA	St Andrews	4-0	Kargarian; Demasi; Baker	w
Jul-29	ISA	St Spyridon	2-0	Baker; Jerrimiasse	w
Aug-02	ISA	St Patricks	0-0	-	d
Aug-05	ISA	St Andrews	5-1	Demasi2; Vacarella; Cuthbert; Nahabidian	w
Aug-06	NSWCIS	Knox	3-2	Vacarella; Demasi; Mckintosh	w
Aug-12	ISA	St Patricks	0-2	-	l
Aug-15	NSWCIS	St Aloysius	2-2	D Prentice; A Demasi	w
	Quarter-final			- Won on penalties
Aug-18	NSWCIS	St Patricks	0-0	- Won on penalties	w
	Semi -final
Aug-19	ISA	SCECGS	4-3	Toole2; Saunders; Demasi	w
Aug-23	NSWCIS	Trinity	0-1	-	l
	Final
Aug-26	ISA	St Spyridon	1-0	Kargarian	w
Sep-02	ISA	Chevalier	12-0	Baker 3 McIntosh 2 A Prentice	w
				D Prentice A Demasi
				W Jeremiasse A Nahabidian
				V Jako C Toole
Sep-06	ISA Final	St Patricks	2-1	Kargarian; D Prentice	w

St Pius X College 1st XI 2012

ISA Champions and NSWCIS Cup Winners



Back Row

Assistant coaches; Marc Cinelli; Simon Yue; Nick Moribito; Will Richardson; Lachlan Pollet Tommy Matic; Luke Sullivan (Captain); Peter Kastropil;

Jean-Claude DiManno; Adrian Prieto; Mitch Cook; Coach Steve Quilty

Front Row

Greg Bayer; Ben Haughton; Christian Barker; Joel Olivieri; Tom Higham;

Luke Capra; Daniel Guirenoni; Jayden Milat

The third side I want to look at here is the St Pius X College 1st XI 2012. Again, like the other two sides they were double winners. As is the way with the 1st XI we set up plenty of trial / friendlies to get it right. We have had 5 players for those 4 defensive spots and I will admit it....the central defenders were the best pairing I have ever coached and that includes NSWCCC, NSWCIS, ISA and MCS representative sides as well. Luke Sullivan and Nick Moribito being the players concerned. In the season we played 38 games....won 25 drawn 8 and lost 5.
Probably our two toughest ISA games of 2012 were played  in quick succession.....a 2-2 Draw at home to Oakhill and then what was a rare revenge 5-1 demolition of the 'Men in black from Stathfield".....we were now flying!
In July we set off to play in the Southern Skies week long tournament in Brisbane....this our seventh visit. Victories over Sydney Grammar, Clairvaux, Bethlehem and Kings were brought to a halt by defeat to John Paul College a Queensland academy with a nucleus of quality Korean players.
We had made the semi final and in a great game went to penalties against a finely matched St Peter Claver eleven. In a heart breaking finale captain Luke Sullivan hit the woodwork with his kick and we went out 5-4 on penalties. After what was a great tour for SPX... Luke Sullivan was deservedly named in the 'All Stars' Team of the Tournament'. Striker Joel Olivieri scoring eleven goals in the week!
On 6th August we faced St Joseph's College on the 'all weather surface' out at East Gardens.
Few who saw that match will ever forget it .....we led 2-0 with just 4 minutes to go and somehow let them back into it to push the game to sudden death extra time! In the second period Kastropil again stepped up in the clutch moment to score a wonder free kick...all over 3-2 we were in the Final!
In the ISA we also wrapped up a finals spot by winning 2-1 at Oakhill and faced Chevalier in a
1st v 4th play off at Oxford Falls. On the day we were too strong for the Bowral side and won 5-0 to go into the ISA Grand Final against Oakhill at their home field. This game was on the Saturday...our NSWCIS Final being switched to be just 3 days later on 28th August.

The Oakhill final saw us largely out fought for the first half Kastropil pulling us level at 1-1 from the penalty spot. Our boys were calm and convinced that Oakhill could not maintain the high tempo of the first half. This proved true as mistakes crept in...their discipline dropped and we got on top. A fine volley from Tom Higham came from our often used long throw routine:) We won the ISA Final pleasingly delivering on the promise of a long season with just one ISA defeat.

 

On Wednesday 28th August we set out to make some football history in the NSWCIS Final.

St Pius X College had played the final twice before but not won. A vocal college crowd had come out to East Gardens to cheer us on. As is often the way with finals, the game was tight, tense and inconclusive. The score was 0-0 at full time. Newington probably had the best chances but we had dominated most of the play. Sudden death extra time came and went and soon we were down to penalty kicks. Karma had certainly made a note of our captain Luke Sullivan's football movements because here once again he was entrusted with taking the last kick in the shoot-out just like Queensland!
Typical of the player he is ....Luke did not flinch....up he stepped and drilled it into the corner....all over....we were NSWCIS Champions. Things had come full circle....he had put the wrong right:) We were first ISA side to win it.

Opposition	Day	Date	Time	Score	Scorers	Team
Northbridge 18A	Sunday	12th February	1.00	2 - 5
Wakehurst	Sunday	26th February	10.00	2 - 0	Sullivan Kastropil
Asquith BH	Tuesday	28th February	3.45	2 - 2	Oliveri Faschkha
Forest Killarney 18A	Sunday	11th March	9.30	1 - 1	Kastropil
Oxford Falls Grammar	Wednesday	14th March	4.00	2 - 1	Kastropil Warren
Old Boys	Sunday	18th March	11.00	2 - 3	Kastropil Capra
Barker	Tuesday	20th March	5.00	2 - 3	Haughton OG
Mt Colah	Sunday	25th March	9.30	9 - 1	Haughton 2 Claudio 3 Sullivan 2 Guerinno Matic
Redfields	Saturday	31st March	8.00	8 - 0	Oliveri 3 Haughton Guerinno Sullivan Matic Barker
Kings	Wednesday	11th April	3.00	4 - 1	Haughton Kastropil Richardson Cook
St Aloysius	Saturday	28th April	9.15	2 - 0	Haughton Oliveri
St Patrick's	Saturday	5th May	1.15	2 - 3	Kastropil	Milat
SCECGS	Saturday	12th May	9.15am	7 - 0	Haughton 2 Oliveri Guerinno Matic 2 Capra
St Andrew's	Saturday	19th May	9.15am	4 - 0	Haughton  Oliveri 2 Guerinno
Chevalier	Saturday	26th May	9.00am	2 - 1	Sullivan  Matic
Kings Sevens	Sunday	27th May	9.00-2.00	2-0 Kings 0-0 Trinity 0-0 AFA
NSWCIS Trials	Tuesday	29th May	8.00-4.00	-
SCECGS	Saturday	2nd June	11.10am	1 - 0	Capra
Broughton Park	Wednesday	6th June	3.45	5 - 1	Kastropil 3 Higham Milat
St Andrew's	Saturday	16th June	11.10am	2 - 0	Higham	Matic
Riverview	Wednesday	20th June	Penalties3.45	3 - 3	Higham Kastropil 2
Queensland Tour	Sun-Friday	1st - 6th July
Sydney Grammar	Monday	2nd July	9:45am	3 - 2	Olivieri 2 Matic
Clairvaux MacKillop	Monday	2nd July	1:45pm	4 - 1	Olivieri 3 Kastropil
Bethlehem College	Tuesday	3rd July	10:45am	3 - 1	Olivieri 2 Matic
Clontarf Beach	Tuesday	3rd July	3:45pm	4 - 1	Olivieri 2 Milat Matic
The Kings School	Thursday	4th July	11:45am	3 - 0	Olivieri  Matic 2
John Paul College	Thursday	4th July	2:45pm	2 - 5	Olivieri  Matic
St Peter Claver	Friday	5th July	Penalties	2 - 2	Matic 2
Sydney Grammar	Friday	5th July	11	1 - 2	OG
Chevalier	Saturday	21st July	9.00am	1 - 1	Matic
Trinity	Wednesday	25th July	3.45	3 - 0	Richardson Olivieri Barker
Oakhill	Saturday	28th July	9.15am	2 - 2	Olivieri 2
St Patrick's	Saturday	4th August	9.15am	5 - 1	Olivieri 2	Matic 2 Higham
St Josephs	Monday	6th August	6.45	3 - 2	Olivieri  Kastropil Higham
Oakhill	Saturday	11th August	10.15	2 - 1	Sullivan Richardson
Chevalier	Saturday	18th August	9.00 am	5 - 0	Sullivan Matic 2 Olivieri Cook
Oakhill ISA  GF	Sunday	25th August	3.00 pm	2 - 1	Kastropil Higham
Newington	Tuesday	28 th August	5.00 pm	0 - 0	Won on penalties 4 - 2
St Johns Dubbo	Wednesday	5th Sept	3.30 pm	1 - 1	Lost on penalties 5- 4			Haughton

St Pius X College 1st XI 2014

Queensland High Energy Cup and NSWCIS Cup Winners

Proudly I have now been involved in another double winning side ....the St Pius X College 2014 1st XI team captained by John Chapman. Elsewhere I wrote that the college is in the middle of a rich vein of talent and success, winning five major trophies in just three seasons. This record is something that probably places us as the premier school in Independent football at present. Next season will be tough in many ways not least because we will need to recruit ten new players for the squad of sixteen!

The story of the 2014 side revolves around two sucessful but contrasting cup campaigns...that for the High Energy Cup in Queensland and the CIS Cup played in NSW. The Queensland competition is a long established international one where SPX had been participants for over ten years without ever winning the main cup. Previously, we have faced sides hailing from Malaysia , French Caledonia, New Zealand and this year one from Africa. In addition many of the top Sydney and Brisbane college teams take part such as John Paul College which has a Korean Academy as part of its football program.

NSWCIS Cup 2014

In 2014  St Pius X College 2014 1st XI had a fantastic run in the tournament winning our first seven matches without conceding a goal, only conceding in the last 15 seconds of the final. Wins came against Clairvaux 7-0; BBC 2-0; SHORE 2-0; Scots NZ 3-0; St Peter Claver 4-0 and African Youth 1-0,SHORE 2-0. In the final we played St Peter Claver once again but this time on a larger much more dusty pitch with a very partisan Brisbane crowd supporting the opposition. The game was scrappy and error ridden. Our boys must have conceded thirty free kicks in a game where the officials failed to appreciate our commitment :) We led 1-0 at half time but failed to add to that score. A the game progressed second half it was clear that Claver believed that they were still in it, so much so that we were pushed deeper and deeper. Just as time ran out, the last 15 seconds in fact, one final ball was swung in and found its way across the line, 1-1. Extra time came and went and led the inevitable penalty shoot out. SPX missed early on but Claver did the same after two kicks. Keeper Frelingos made a fine save down to his left. Up stepped centre back Ben John to score the winner despite being unaware that is what it was. What a great week! Winning all eight matches scoring 22 goals and conceding just 1. We returned to Sydney full of the confidence you build on a good run.

High Energy Youth Cup

In the event we lost our first league game back there, to Strathfield, 2-1. Most agreed that this did not harm us as we prepared for the NSWCIS Cup Final at Hensley Park. Oh what a night. With many SPX supporters in the crowd of 400 we made the worse start possible in the final, conceding in the first minute! What followed next has gone down in the annals of our football history. We drew level by half time with a penalty from John Chapman but we absolutely overwhelmed the opposition in the second half. The final score of 6-1 in no way flattered our side. We were NSWCIS Champions for the second time in three years. Claudio Rosano scored four second half goals in a brilliant performance. This second cup win really placed SPX 1st XI at the pinnacle of NSW Independent football for 2014. They had continued the dominance established in the previous two seasons but kicked on in terms of attacking intent also winning the ISA minor premiership by five points, scoring 136 goals across all competitions. Attacker Claudio Rosano playing as the main striker, hit 50 goals including eleven hatricks! The fact that wide player Joe Esposito also scored 20, with Refenes on 12 shows the potency of our attack. Finishing up with the 2014 side brings the end of an era for me personally because I had worked with team captain John Chapman and most of the squad, for four of the previous five seasons. Winning a cup double in two states places the side up with the best I have coached. The squad was without a weakness and played with a cool efficiency and composure that starved opponents of possession. Claudio was blessed with amazing supply in 2014. We were able to attack with breathtaking pace with Refenes Esposito and Bersee all capable of dribbling through a defence on their own. Another great 'double winning' side - SPX 1st XI 2014.

Great night out at Hensley Park with a 6-1 NSWCIS Cup win over Barker College

Comparing sides across time is difficult. As you can see all four of these teams were able to dominate their own competition but then also go on to match sides from outside across the state. They all won the 'double' in their time and will be remembered for doing so! Lets leave it at that :)

SPX 1st XI 2014
Opposition	Score	Scorers
Northbridge	5--3	Drake Chapman Claudio Esposito Morton
Berowra	2--2	Claudio 2
Mt Colah	7--2	Claudio 3 Drake Refenes Warren2
Hornsby Heights	6--0	Claudio 3 Refenes 2 Rizk
St Augustines	3--0	Claudio 2 Boceski
Old Boys	6--0	Claudio 4  Esposito
Thornleigh	12--2	Esposito 4 Claudio 3 Bersee Refenes Morton Desa 2
St Aloysius	4--1	Chapman Refenes 2 Bersee
Knox	5--5	Claudio 4 OG
Riverview	4--2	Refenes 2 Esposito Bersee
St Andrew's	0--0
Waverley	0--3
Trinity	1--1	Warren
Barker	0--2
High	2--1	Warren Bersee
St Spyridons	2--0	Refenes  Claudio
Oakhill	4--0	Claudio 3 Drake
St Patricks	2--2	Esposito Bersee
Redlands	14--1	Claudio 5 Drake 2 Desa 2 Esposito Liucci  Bersee Chapman Morton
St Andrew's	5--1	Claudio 3 Refenes 2
Chevalier	5--1	Claudio 2 Morton 2  Bersee
StJoseph's	1--0	Drake
Oakhill	2--1	Claudio 2
Clairvaux MacKillop	7-0	Claudio 3 Esposito 2 Chapman Desa
Brisbane Boys College	2-0	Morton Bersee
SHORE	2-0	Chapman Luicci
Scots College	3-0	Morton Chapman Esposito
Sir Peter Claver	4-0	Claudio Desa Esposito Bersee
African Youth United	1-0	Esposito
SHORE	2-0	Esposito Refines
St Peter Claver	1-1 AET  Claudio (4-3 PENS)
St Patricks	1--2	Bersee
Barker	6--1	Claudio 4  Esposito Chapman
St Andrew's	5--2	Morton Chapman Drake Browning Clay
Chevalier	2-0	Esposito Desa
Redlands	8--0	Claudio 3  Esposito Clay 3 Morton
St Patricks	1--2	Chapman
Holy Spirit	1--2	Refenes
Westfield	0--3

Sydney is Red and Black

Western Sydney Wanderers take a bow...not just the football but also the fans. You have, in a short time set the benchmark for passionate support in Australian sport. League, Union and AFL don't come near in terms of noise and participation. Melbourne Victory had been the supporters setting the pace but they have been surpassed. The real success story here is not how the side is outperforming onfield but how the West has embraced this fledgling club. You won't read it anywhere but methinks that there are many Olympic, United and Marconi fans actually giving them support. Why not, after all the A and State Leagues barely overlap. It is healthy for Sydney football yet more importantly goes against the stereo type of Sydney sport support being soul-less.....the city is now Red and Black. North Sydney Bears anyone?
I wrote a while back on the issue of a second Sydney side....I think I got a couple of things right. A few of those old NSL supporters were out at Parramatta Stadium tonight!
Two points I would make on this topic. First, the change undertaken to bring Australia the A League, involved marketing people rebranding the sport. They listened to ordinary Aussies and reported back that to become a main-stream sport Soccer needed to move away from ethnic based clubs and in the process reclaim the name 'Football' from the various nationwide pretenders to the title, AFL, League and Union. Recent history shows that this path was embraced with a non-ethnic....territory based model emerging. The one team per city / region idea was one of the base elements of the new eight side A League competition. Unfortunately, taking such a path meant that the old NSL was dead and few, if any of it's good aspects preserved. The old sides of the competition did not go away completely but played on in the various state league competions across Australia. Sydney Olympic, Sydney United and Marconi three of those in NSW. By abandoning these clubs completely our national competion is probably the poorer because we now have a 'disconnect' between the A League and the State competions where these clubs still play.
This takes me onto my second point on the A League and the way forward. Any second Sydney side should be in the Western Suburbs. Unfortunately, the FFA ignored reality and not only failed to foster relations with existing Western Sydney clubs but planned to base any expansion side out of Homebush! What could they be thinking? The NRL proves every year that this stadium / venue is not a week to week proposition for a club side. Why would a new football team want to play in a massive 3/4 empty stadium? This view can be backed up by a story from the old NSL days. Marconi and Sydney United both had sides in the NSL. So what you may say. Well the west not only provided these two National Soccer clubs but they are almost in the same suburb! You can see one stadium from the other! Absurd but even more incredibly no one seemed to acknowledge this...was it because few Sydney, NSW or Australia based people ever went out there to disover this fact? To me expansion of the A League will require talks with these old school participants of the game. Italians and Croatians and others in Bossley Park could put together a strong club using one of their existing stadiums. Nearly a decade has passed since the schism left the old NSL people disconeected from the national game. Here is an opportunity that could bring these elements back to the mainstram and in the process strengthen our National competion, the A League. Frank Lowy probably realises that some welcoming back into the fold is necessary. An A League side based in Bossley Park or Blacktown would deliver a very strong football area back into the fold....time to revisit a few hasty decisions for FFA?

Wenger again......

With all the turmoil once again surrounding Arsene Wenger at the Arsenal ...I decided to re-run a blog I did from Sept 2011 on the troubles there...15 months on RVP and Song gone....not a lot has changed from my viewpoint.

 

Monday, 26 September 2011

Arsenal: When the succession plan starts to unravel.

I'll start immediately by saying that I see Arsene Wenger as one of the top three coaches in the world, currently working. Apart from SAF he'd probably be my number 2 .....ahead of the special one. Why then does it appear that Arsenal seem to have lost that aura of brilliance they had for so long? The obvious answer would be to point to the recent departure of Cesc and Nasri. Losing two world class players would tax even the best. Yes, but no, this is only part of the story.
We all know that Arsenal have walked a financial tightrope since building and moving to the Emirates, from Highbury. A new stadium which cost £390 million, plus the cost of associated infrastructure...... £470 million all up. They played their first competitive Emirates game on 19 August 2006 but in truth had been seriously budgeting for several years before then. Arsenal were fortunate to have Wenger who had world class contacts particularly in Europe. Since 1996 he had continually blended his established stars with an assembly line of low cost young French players. True, he had inherited a bed rock team including Adams; Bould; Winterburn; Bergkamp; Dixon and Keown but quickly brought in Petite, Vierra and a young Anelka. The glory of the unbeaten season 2003-4 saw Arsenal at it's peak.....Henry, Pires, Ljungberg and Campbell made up a great side. Since then things have been tougher for Wenger. No trophies since the FA Cup win in 2005 has put pressure on everyone connected with the Emirates not least the supporters. The frugal transfer market strategy of the club has been widely applauded and criticised......depending upon who you are. Wenger must be almost unique among coaches and managers in his disciplined approach to transfers. Here is a man with a deep insight into the tightrope the club has walked for nearly 10 years. It is hard to imagine (bar SAF) a coach who would not have demanded cash to buy success. For Wenger the line of succession has generally come from the steady flow of youngsters gradually graded into the first team squad.
What has happened to alter this putting him under such pressure? Firstly, Cesc was always going to go.....Arsene was buying time right to the end. No, the real shock came when upstarts Manchester City managed to prise an 'in contract' Nasri away from them. In July, Wenger had insisted that he would not have to sell either Nasri or Fabregas Wenger said: "Samir's situation is clear for me. He stays. We are in a [financial] position where we can say 'No', and we will … Imagine the worst situation, that we lose Fábregas and Nasri; you cannot convince people that you are ambitious after that."
The 22m that Arsenal received for Nasri is more than the 15.8m they originally paid for him but this transfer is a signal about much more than money. Arsene Wenger has now said that he doesn’t want another replay of the Nasri saga and intends to try and tie Robin van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen and Theo Walcott down to new contracts this season, as they will all have just 12 months remaining next summer. It looks like the horse has bolted .....even Arsenal will now struggle to rid themselves of the 'selling club tag'. This at a time when rivals Tottenham held out to keep Luka Modric from the clutches of Chelsea in spite 40m of oil money.....a line in the sand indeed. Perhaps worse of all for the club, the new generation have not yet stepped up as they did in the past decade. This is the point, they not only failed to hold Nasri but the new crop are struggling, prompting 'transfer window' last minute buys, Gervinho; Mertesacker; Arteta and Benayoun, reasonable at 28m but still leaving some doubt on the quality of the squad to compete......especially with long term absentee Wilshire. The massive reverse up at Old Trafford is an overt sign of the problems Wenger faces to be competitive on a comparative shoestring. On a deeper level the question is now being posed on how far have Arsenal declined....is it terminal? An early test comes on Sunday against Spurs who for the first time in a generation may be ready to slip past the gunners.....surely not the succession plan Arsene Wenger had in mind!