A-league Season Preview Part 1
Despite the A-league curtain raiser being 50 days away, we got bored of waiting for Victory to sign a marquee. So here it is, our annual A-league Season Preview Part 1!
SBS SAdelaide United
Following Kossie's decision to go and teach football to a group of individuals who might actually listen to him, an elite band of mercenaries were assembled to appoint a new Head Coach. Led by chief Barcelona cheerleader Craig Foster, they gave up before they began. Shortly after SAdelaide's board appointed former Barca youth coach Josep Gombau and Foster's employers SBS announced that they would be broadcasting a high proportion of SAdelaide's Friday night games. Coincidence? We think not.
Out on the park Gombau has his work cut out. Tomi Juric, Iain Ramsay and Iain Fyfe's beard have all left for pastures new, whilst the incoming Head Coach has committed to changing SAdelaide's footballing culture and is now trying to teach his tiki-taka Catalan style to Tarek Elrich, something that Josep himself acknowledges will "take time to work". No kidding.
Epic success or epic fail it'll be entertaining to watch.
Bling FC
"A graveyard for football", they said. "A very sad end to one of the great careers", they epitaphed. "He's just looking for one final pay check", they scoffed. Well what do they know!?!
The Del Piero Effect has proved his ($2million a season) worth yet again with the team's pre-season tour of Italy. A tour which, according to Tony Piñata, came about after The Del Piero Effect stated, "I don't really want to come in winter in Sydney so you guys come to Italy." Take note Harry Kewell, THAT'S how to negotiate!
Meanwhile Cranky Franky has brought in Richard Garcia to nonchalantly chew gum in the forward line. Enigmatic midfielder Nicky Carle will re-join after his brief stint in the UAE to be generally enigmatic in midfield whilst cockiness' Corey Gameiro and Pedj Bojic will run around energetically. At the back Matt Jurman and Tiago Calvano will consistently collect the man and not the ball. And Terry McFlynn (Irish for "crap") will hack. And hack. And hack. But worst of all is the news that Paul Reid has taken over as their Community Football Officer. Just think of the children.
Perth Glory
August 1, 2013. FourFourTwo Magazine.
"Currently there's interest and it's Asia, America and the Middle
East. But to be honest, it's going to have to be an amazing offer to
pull me away from the Melbourne Knights" - Ljubo Milicevic.
August 20, 2013 Herald Sun. "Ljubo made contact about 10 days ago" -
Alistair Edwards, Perth Glory Head Coach.
Few things have caused The Ancelottery more joy this winter than the
phoenix-like rising from the ashes of Ljubo Milicevic and his rather
fetchy hat.
The Fairfax Media Most Fascinating People in Sport 2011
finalist (seriously) says he's done with the "controversy and angst"
of his "theme park" life and has instead decided to focus on "being
true to my inner being". All those in favour say "Om".
That sound you hear is Alistair Edwards humming furiously as he now gets chance to give Ljubo "strange looks" because he's "dressed like a bohemian vagabond.” We hope we don't look back on this entire situation as a Sara-Marie moment - funny at the time but somewhat regrettable and a little bit embarrassing for all involved.
Football-wise for Perth it'll be tiki-taka mark II - although with Ljubo, Steve Pantelidis and Isaka Cernak to carry out the orders. What can possibly go wrong?!?