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Poll
Who has been the best marquee man this season?





Comments (34)
 
Finals are necessary at the moment, and will remain so until all of the clubs are strong and have fan/member bases that are rusted on. I preferred the old system where at least one of the top 2 was guaranteed a GF place, but I can see the commercial reality requires the current system. It would be great if in years to come, we reach a stage where finals are not necessay for the league, but we have a separate cup competition. Would love to see the A-League eventually expand to 14 teams (I don't think financially Aus could really support any more teams than that). A 14 team league without finals would have a 26 week schedule (similar to current 27 round schedule). The cup comp could be between the 14 A-League teams and 2 other teams. These could be two of the 8 state/territory champions. These could be determined via a 'mini-comp' between them, then the 2 winners join the A-League teams in a round of 16. From the round of 16, there could be two legged ties then a single match final for a total of 7 rounds/weeks of competition.
Mark  |  
11 Feb 2013 02:57 PM
 
 
The finals prices are different now from the rest of the season, and HAL gets the gate so potentially the clubs themselves are getting less than a regular season gate return. Home and away fixtures for the top four would help those teams who got there consistently to shine. Also, the extra gate could go to the teams, rewarding them for their league position. So, just a semi - 1v4, 2v3, higher league place team decide where they'll play first -Higher league place finalists host final. It is a joke that this year's effort from Phoenix could be enough to reach a 'finals series', and imagine the outcry if they returned to stodgy defensive Herbertism well enough to eke out three goal-less draw shootout wins. Then they'd be defending next year without the pressure of ACL, which they are ineligible for. To those who complain about ACL matches- simple solution, drop out of the Asian Confederation. Or go the other way, and the next franchise in the league could be Singapore based.
STU  |  
2 Feb 2013 11:34 PM
 
 
I'm not sure if this applies to the A-League, but from a development viewpoint I like the idea of a finals series. Rewarding the team who finishes top of the table because they have pursued results at all costs all season is not necessarily the best way in my opinion. The coaches who give younger players a run, avoid overplaying the best players, and try to develop good footballing teams at the risk of losing a few games along the way might finish the season with a team more likely to be able to win a finals series. If that was the objective from the outset of the season, then I think that is just as valid an achievement as finishing top of the table.
Chris  |  
30 Jan 2013 10:50 PM
 
 
I agree with most of the ideas mentioned above: 36 game regular season - first past the post is the winner 12 team knockout(cup) competition - consisting of 6 A-League sides and 6 State League sides winner of the comps qualify for the AFC Champions League (in the case where an A-League team wins both comps, a playoff between the cup finalist and A-League runner-up will determine the second spot)
Matt  |  
28 Jan 2013 09:13 PM
 
 
I have always been a fan of this finals system: The top 2 teams on the ladder play a best of 3 series to determine the champion, one match at each home ground and if needed, a decider at a neutral home ground. IMO it scraps the chance of a "lucky" win on the day forces a team to win 2 ties, gives each team a fair chance of winning, and would provide plenty of excitement with each home set of fans seeing a final played at their home stadium. On the other hand, i would really like to see football in Australia follow the European style and play top of the table is the champions, but i don't think we have enough matches to really do that.
Scott  |  
28 Jan 2013 11:00 AM
 
 
Increase the number of home and away matches by 6 or 8 (make the season longer) and the club on top are The Champions. No play offs etc - If they are good enough to be at the top at seasons end, they deserve to be outright Champions, non of this Minor Premier rubbish. Then FASTRACK the Aust FA Cup - and whoever wins that, they are the Aust Cup winners. So we have two distinct, highly desirable mountains to climb, instead of the current ridiculous TV managed rubbish we have now. If you win the league, you should be in the history books AS THE CHAMPIONS, not some minor position.
Chris  |  
28 Jan 2013 08:53 AM
 
 
Unfair system, the minor premiers should go straight to the grand final at home. Let second third and fourth fight it out for the other spot. Fifth and sixth should not be in any finals in a ten team comp.
Toby Tyke  |  
28 Jan 2013 06:39 AM
 
 
The finals system is a cash grab. It rewards luck and mediocrity, and undermines the prestige of being the best team over the course of the season. At present, all ten teams can still qualify for a finals place. How it could be considered fair that the champions could be anyone other than a team currently in the top 4 is beyond me. Kill off the post season invitational, replace it with a cup competition involving the top tier state league clubs, with A-League clubs joining in the third round. Solved. More fixtures, more gate takings, more fairytales.
ADAMR  |  
27 Jan 2013 10:33 PM
 
 
Well that was totally embarrassing for so many reasons. Haha does he not realise there is a possibility that home teams would then be encouraged to sit back in every finsal, whichm would be a silly spectacle. Penalties ARE NOT a lottery. If one guy blasts it over the bar and another one coolly slots it home, clearly there is not luck involved there, Same goes for 'keepers who make good saves or get no where near. What's more (and this isnt a criticism) but SO MANY games are decided on a 'lottory' anyway. Consider how many game where the better side will scuff chances or even hit the bar a couple of times, maybe a bad call. Late winners, lucky goals, unlucky misses, the whole sport is rooted in luck, so I'm sick of people like this, who dont even justify their stance, saying pens are a lottery
Cale  |  
27 Jan 2013 05:21 PM
 
 
@dinko - we do not have anywhere near the talent depth or the supporter base to make your propsoal work. Scrap the local leagues and make them national? are you joking. So part time footballers in perth (who have full time jobs and families) need to somehow find the time and money to travel to the east coast every second week, play on sunday and be back at work on monday? a relegation system would send clubs bankrupt ever quicker than they are going now. As the ladder stands and with your idea of scrapping wellington, it would be perth glory and briosbane roar relegated. two teams (very possible melbourne or syndey teams could be promoted and all of a sudden you have somehting like 5 NSW and 3 victorian teams without a QLD, NZ or WA team. How if that a national league? Of course the Bakrie group would keep Brisbane afloat but they would lose all their good players and even if they got back in the league would struggle. Perth Glory would simply fold and we would never get a WA team in the league again. The two pomoted teams would not have the finances to support a compititve campaign and be relegated within a year. it may be an idea but its not a very good one
chloesdad  |  
27 Jan 2013 01:05 PM
 
 
Here's an idea. Scrap the State Leagues and re-organize them into a national second tier league. Scrap the local leagues and create a national third tier league. For the A-League: scrap the finals series, and create a League Cup competition, on a similar basis to the English League Cup. Also create an FFA Cup competition, on the basis of the FA Cup. Get rid of Wellington Phoenix, and add another Aussie club to the A-League - either another QLD club, or a Canberra club, or a Tasmanian club. The bottom-ranked clubs in the A-League get relegated to the second-tier league, while the top-ranked clubs get promoted to the A-League. Same stuff with movement between the second- and third-tier leagues. League Cup and FFA Cup would run concurrently with the football season, and thus the football season would be extended, which means more football for us, and revenue for the clubs/FFA. AFC would give us back our 3.5 automatic qualification spots for the ACL. The top-ranked and 2-nd ranked clubs in the A-League, as well as the winner of the FFA Cup would gain automatic entry into the ACL, and the winner of the League Cup would have to play in a play-off in order to qualify for the ACL. I think this way football would be way more exciting.
Dinko  |  
27 Jan 2013 03:11 AM
 
 
in the a-league the 1st and 2nd place team after the regular season has always won the grand final. short and sweet.
ian  |  
26 Jan 2013 11:01 AM
 
 
1. I used to favour the league system, being a system I was familiar with, but give it time. I've swapped. I now love the finals system and lets face it, it's just the Australian way. 2. Open to the idea of a draw (after extra time) presenting the game to the higher league position, although it risks making the home team adopt a counter-attacking approach, which ain't good. 3. Being forced to award ACL places based on the league position (while being foisted on us by those that don't understand, nor apparently care, about the Australian context), is probably a good way of keeping the league competition keen.
Eusebio  |  
25 Jan 2013 04:56 PM
 
 
The 3rd attempt to comment. . . . remove the block which stops positive comment. CC Mariners are the champions from last season. . . . first past the post wins the championship. Thers's no debate about that. Just read the comments provided. A FA cup styled knock out competition across all State leagues and A-Leagues clubs needs to introduced NOW. Let's not wait any longer. All the parties need to get on board.
JOHN  |  
25 Jan 2013 01:46 PM
 
 
Honestly finals series isn't fair at all. I am a big fan of English football, and have only jumped back on board with the local football 2-3 years ago. I love that in English footmall (and most of Europe) the team that finishes on top of the ladder is the champion. As they should be, they have been the strongest team for the season. Even last years EPL where for the first time the title was decided on goal difference between Man City and Man United. Also throw in that the final day of the season is a massive, exciting event when there are teams still able to win, as all games are played at the exact same time. Again I use the examply of City and United, United finished their game before City did, and when they looked up at the big screen to see their score, and that of City, they celebrated, thinking they had won the title. In the following couple of minutes remaining in City's game, they scored enough goals to clinch the title, it was exciting to watch. As for incentives for our own league to finish higher up the ladder, something I haven't been able to figure out yet, as it doesn't seem clear, is who qualifies for the Asian Champions League. Is it the top two spots on the ladder, or is it the two teams that play in the Grand Final? I feel that the Grand Final Series should be completely separate to the season. Treat it like an independant cup, where to qualify you must finish in the top 6 on the ladder. Give the ACL spots to the ladder positions, if they aren't already. Make both the League and the Finals separate, and thus increase the prestigue of both independantly.
Adam  |  
25 Jan 2013 11:49 AM
 
 
Not fair at all. From a comp of 10 teams you can get into a grand final in 2 weeks from 6th place, what a joke. Also your support of the notion that the first past the post after 26 rounds of consistant football is not the best A-league team, is also not in the best interest of this great game. Have a think about the Mariners' if for some reason they run 3rd, they will need to win the first week of the finals, play an ACL match Wednesday and win in the second week of the finals to keep the dream aliveof a grand final spot. If they run first or second they will be coming off that ACL match to play a for a grand fina spot. So much for the FFA looking after their champs. I agree with the supporters that call for a plate or round robin series that can be played for what it is a few more games, in this way we can schedule matches to look after our ACL teams Roar and Mariners. FFA get your act together and look after our teams and fans.
Eddie  |  
25 Jan 2013 10:04 AM
 
 
With the Australian Premier League conferences being set up, why not have the best 6 Semi-Amateur teams play the best 6 A-League teams (excluding Wellington) in a knock out Cup competition? The finals system is very Australian, back the underdog to have a good day despite running second to another team all year. Last year both CCM and Roar had to contend with AFC games during the finals too.
Phyl  |  
25 Jan 2013 09:50 AM
 
 
Having a drawn game going to the higher place is stupid. We have that in my association and it means that the higher placed team end up playing full defensive and playing boring football. No one wants that
Steven  |  
24 Jan 2013 10:36 PM
 
 
This is Football. We should follow the international system i.e. the major winner of the season is the points winner at the end of the home and away rounds. Scrap the finals and have an FA Cup style competition instead of the Grand Final.
Brad Ahern  |  
24 Jan 2013 10:10 PM
 
 
While most football fans respect mostly the team who is first past the post, I'm sure most also enjoy the grand final, as much as they might not like to publicly admit it. Have to say the idea for draws to be decided by the ladder standings is brilliant! So simple and fair, and would encourage a positive style of play. Hope they implement it next year.
xsi11v  |  
24 Jan 2013 09:10 PM
 
 
Sorry Howe absolutely disagree. The finals series should be considered a cup tournament, teams play each other once, if your not good enough to beat your opposition on the day then too bad better luck next year (like all other league cups in the world) The winner of the league should have the most presteige (like all other leagues around the world) I agree with the AFC's decision to allow the winner of the league immediate group stage advancement to the Champions league and with the decision to grant the winner of the finals or 'cup' to gain access to a playoff for a Champions league position. If the FFA can establish enough depth to the sport in Australia and create an FFA Cup then the winner of that tournament should also gain direct access to the Champions League group stage. The idea of no penalty shootouts should not be considered - completely rediculous
David Lloyd  |  
24 Jan 2013 08:50 PM
 
 
I hate to talk about the elephant in the room but is the finals system less about football and fairness and more about dollars? Preliminary final low crowd numbers. So we scrap it in favour of a new system. Less chances. Will hopefully mean more sold out games. Grand Finals means they can also charge more than the regular season. Will an extended season similar to the EPL net the HAL more money than a Grand Final with 6 teams where anyone can win?
Derek  |  
24 Jan 2013 06:25 PM
 
 
Get rid of the finals, whoever comes first deserves the title, and make a seperate comp like FA Cup and include APL teams in there.
WSW FAN  |  
24 Jan 2013 06:10 PM
 
 
Its a dumb system... OVER HALF of the competition make it into the finals series where it is do or die... One player out of the top team could make the difference. A team could go and win every game of the season, then have an injury or 2 in the finals and not ever be remembered. Having a grand final where it is possible that BOTH teams could be in the bottom half of the comp is a joke. The whole finals series is purely a money making setup
Mathew  |  
24 Jan 2013 06:06 PM
 
 
why not scrape the top 6 finals forma and make each team face each other 4 times and who ever finishes first at the end of the season wins, and the season is a bit longer,
mario  |  
24 Jan 2013 04:37 PM
 
 
based on your logic, the home team in a a finals match has a 70 per cent chance of winning or taking the game to the penalty shoot-out lottery. It's pretty good odds for the home team
Ben  |  
24 Jan 2013 01:37 PM
 
 
Let's call the finals a cup system and think of it in those terms. The teams play each other during the home and away season for the premiership. In the finals, the top 6 teams play in a knock out cup competition. Thinking about it in this way might separate the two a little and reduce the predominance of the 'finals' in peoples minds.
Andrew  |  
24 Jan 2013 01:18 PM
 
 
Do away with the finals so the top of the table side at end of season are champs (as much as I hate to say that being a Roar fan, particularly this year) then introduce an FFA Cup comp as the 2nd chance for Silverware.
Dave B  |  
24 Jan 2013 12:52 PM
 
 
Kevin is spot on, if the higher-ranked team goes through in the event of a draw, the higher-ranked team could just play for a draw, "park the bus" if you will. This would make for a much more boring finals system! I think the A-League need to get away from the "Aussie" AFL & NRL tradition of a finals system and adopt the European system of the team finishing on top of the ladder winning the league, that'd make regular-season games much more interesting and mean much more!
Alex  |  
24 Jan 2013 12:21 PM
 
 
I agree, it's not fair to the top teams. Try this, a big home and away series for the top six , with the away goals rule in place; and as follows...1 v 6, 2 v 5, 3 v 4 So it's knock-out over two legs, away goals then winners if one or two win they go straight to the grand final and the two lower placed winners play home and away three days apart for the right to play in the grand final?
Michael  |  
24 Jan 2013 11:08 AM
 
 
Any final series where half or more of the competition is included is a joke. With only ten teams even a 4 team (1 Vs 4 & 2 Vs 3) finals seems overkill. Perhaps to give the premiers the advantage you desire it should be a 3 team final series with the premiers automatically making (and hosting) the GF and 2nd and 3rd play off for the other spot (this would become the AFC playoff). Personally I'd prefer a best of 3 or 5 series between 1st and 2nd. The premiers get to host first and therefore have a slight advantage. The two best teams of the year are rewarded and the sudden death aspect is reduced. The concept of a team knowing it can win from a draw pre-match is just silly, and would cause all sorts of negative play. But if this was an option it should only be for nil all draws. If there is a score the team that scores last should be the winner - that way the team that leads first couldn't park the bus because if they conceed a goal they would lose. But all of this is way too complicated for the beautiful game.
Ben of BNE  |  
24 Jan 2013 10:47 AM
 
 
Under your idea of no penalty shoot outs, higher placed team wins, what is to stop the highest placed team playing for a draw, particularly if they are reduced to ten men. If they are a higher placed team, and they can't beat a lower ranked team, do they deserve to go straight through after a draw?
Kevin  |  
24 Jan 2013 09:33 AM
 
 
Fans want a Cup competition but don't want to drop the Aussie tradition of a finals system... so why not combine the two?!? Rename the Finals as the Cup and have the top eight teams compete in a straight knockout with the higher ranked team getting the home advantage in each round. It refocuses the Competition leaders as the best team in the country and allows the season to finish with a finals feel and the big cup final. In time qualification for non A League teams could occur during the final rounds of the regular season and the qualifiers could then join in with all A League teams for the cup finals. Just a thought...
Duritz  |  
24 Jan 2013 09:28 AM
 
 
Of course its not fair. the new finals system is just plain stupid. If we must have a finals systesm at all, the top two teams must have a second chance, whoever finishes high regular season must host each game (so even if the premiers lose the first game, they can still host the grand final). The idea of the higher placed team only needed a draw to proceed is also not very good. Personally i dont want to watch a game where the team that finished 5th last parks the bus for 90 minutes against the team that finished 6th last so that they can get a draw. thats not what we shoudl be encouraging. Finals format should be top 5 into the finals. game 1 - 4th plays 5th, game 2 winner game 1 plays 3rd. game 3 - 1st V 2nd. winner gane 3 into the final. loser plays winner game 2 in game 4. Winner Game 4 into final. Also each leg (except final) shoudl be over 2 legs. Whoever finishes higher on ladder hosts grand final. the new finals system is a step back for our game.
chloesdad  |  
24 Jan 2013 09:24 AM