There are a few good season previews around so I was not going to do one. However, when I read The Round Ball Analyst predict that the Roar would come 7th, I felt obliged to respond.
So I'm here, orange scarf firmly secured around neck, Alex Brosque voodoo doll firmly secured to pin cushion, to deliver the raw unadulterated, impartial, indisputable, good news.
Qld Roar are going to win the A-League. You heard it here first... perhaps you did anyway.
8th: Well, even Tony got this right, Perth have added two geriatrics and a bloke nobody has ever heard of to a squad which was pretty rubbish even before they signed Nikolai Topor-Stanley. At least Trinidad is from Argentina, they can all play cant they? ( /pats David Mitchel on the back in a comforting manner).
If they cant extract Eugine Dadi from his wheelchair, Glory will rely heavily on young Nikita Rukavystuya for Goals (/pats Mitchel again -this time with less conviction).
With nothing going forward, at least they have Simon Collosimo to sure up the midfield... what? he went where? Oh woops. Well... Hayden Foxe to sure up the defense... not helping?
7th: Sydney (/crosses fingers and makes a wish on Voodoo Doll). Well it could happen and just imagine how funny it would be if it did! Kind of make me happy just to think about it. "Your just the shit part of Newcastle...." Ok - so in the unlikely event that Sydney don't actually come 7th they will probably come 4th.
6th: Melbourne Victory. Less fun than dinner with Sam Newman last season, nothing much has changed. The talk about Hernandez blossoming into the new Fred is not fooling anyone. "Where's your Fred at?" will that ever get old?? Don't forget Archie "missed again" Thompson leading the line. Kudos to the Victory crowd for continuing to show up, lesser fans would have given up long ago. God, imagine if you supported Victory and Carlton...
5th: Wellington. Wellington have possible the 2nd best central defender in the league. Yes, that right folk, the suck'nd bust. I'll take this opportunity to remind those crowing about John McKain being the best defender in the league, that CU Politehnica Timisoara is hardly Rangers or Newcastle United (/tips hat to Craig Moore, there is an exchange of confident winks).
4th: Adelaide. Only really here so that Sydney can fit in 7th... will struggle particularly if Diego is lured to Korea in Summer. Of course, as any Roar fan could tell you Oginovski is useless, absolutely useless, and you cant trust him...(/wipes tear and promises never to love again).
Perhaps they will do better after all, Cristiano, Diego and Cassio are all Brazilian and only have one name. If you going to only have one name as a footballer "Diego" is a good one, but unfortunately the squad is still heavily weighed down with two named players. There is always a vague chance that Sarkies will remember that he is actually very talented. I have never really forgiven Adelaide for the way Kossi used to come to QLD, park the bus and rely on the Roar's rubbish away team charity goal appeal to kick in in the last quarter.
3rd: Central Coast. Solid all round the park, with one of the league's best tacticians at the helm. They will be particularly dangerous going forward with Mrdja returning from injury and Ahmed Elrich returning from KFC. Petrovski and Simon add imposing strength and depth to the attack and Caceres is a great signing.
2nd: Newcastle. The Jets already have the league's most statistically successful striker in Griffiths, now they have Zura who should be the goods despite being from Ecuador and having several names. Kaz Patafta will actually get some game time and the A-League will see what attracted Benfica to him. Jets will be praying that North remains, his central partnership with the other Griffiths is crucial to them reaching this lofty position.
1st: QLD Roar. This season QLD will finally overcome the impediments of their ridiculous name and garish strip to win the A-League. The victory will be all the sweeter for the pain and suffering and frustration and one-nil 90th minute home defeats and cold chips and mid strength beer endured over the last three years.
Finally we have a striker and his name is Van Dyke, Van Dike, Van Dijk or Van Dick or something like that. As I have already explained in a previous post Van Dirk is going to score 17 goals this season (scientifically proven) and Queensland will win the league. Don't worry about the second season pressure on Zullo -1) Frank will protect him by using him sparingly with Mackay starting on the left and Miller and Danny though the guts 2) Zullo has super powers that make him invincible when the den chant his name (no pressure Mick).
In concession to TRBA, the squad is a bit thin in places. If everyone stays fit, it could be our season, on the other hand if young Master Dodd and his amazing spring loaded boots are deployed, move everyone up one place and slot QLD in above Perth. 7th?? Surely not...
In an interesting side note to the last twop comments, it is an unstated fact that the Editor is betting that the Big Brazillian will be Roard's Top Scorer!
I suspect he is abusing his media platform to put pressure on Van Dijk to assist his own personal gain.
Not that it will matter....Sergio will rise to the top like cream, like a good wine get better with age and has the heart of a lion (insert your own cliches if you wish) and will prevail as the top scorer.
My tip for the record will be Roar for 3rd place....The finals are another matter entirely! :)
Posted by: David M | August 15, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Yeah Sergio might rise to the top like ice cream but Charlie will eat that up in no time and if sergio is good wine then Charlie is vintage. Vintage Youth almost! Charlie will prove that he is the man this season.
Nice little articles in the paper for Sergio and Reinaldo (Nice Little). Charlie got the double page spred yeasterday rabbiting on about he will be the glue to bond the youth and experience together. I guess he is the person (if he can) to do this. As a young player like Zullo may think to himself, Do I want to be where Charlie is when im his age?
Whilst the kiddies will learn new tricks they've never been taught before on the field by Charlie they will mostr definately learn a few off field lessons by listening to him. (Read yesterday's Courier Mail for more on Sir Charles)
I like that. Sir Charles is a good name for the man who will most definately lead the Roar to a Season win I thinks.
Newcastle can't do it as they were raped and pillaged by other leagues and the hollywood teams, As were Central Coast (Except for the new recruit Bosa who is awesome.
Sydney look like a choking team as do Perth
I think Wellington will be a suprise packet along with Adelaide.
Did I miss anyone? Oh yeah Melbourne, well they might as well just keep on moving towards Tasmania as far as i'm concerned.
Posted by: Stucksteiger | August 15, 2008 at 01:21 PM
"6th: Melbourne Victory. Less fun than dinner with Sam Newman last season, nothing much has changed."
Nothing much has changed! Time to take off your orange tinted glasses and put on my blue (not baby blue) tinted ones. The Victory has recruited well over the break and now has the greatest depth and quality of all the A-League clubs this season - bar Adelaide.
In contrast the Roar is looking extremely shallow at the back as well as being a little old and slow.
Posted by: Neil | August 15, 2008 at 01:55 PM
Neil, I'm not sure our glasses are doing either of us any favours, I reckon this season will be the tightest yet. Every team looks stronger than last season (apart from the ironically named Perth Glory).
The Roar are short on numbers at the back and a bit injury prone, however young Devere is a good looking prospect and Farina has played Danny T at left back for spells during the preseason - although I prefer him in the central midfield. Reckon we are one central defender and decent cover in the holding midfield short of a complete squad.
Stucky: thanks for heads up re Sir Charles will have a look . It is a bit worrying to think how much of our season rests on that particular gamble paying off!
Dave: I hope you are not casting aspersions over the quality of my man Heynaldo!!
Posted by: Ed | August 15, 2008 at 06:07 PM
Mate, nice new look...thought you dropped away for a while, so I'll be sure to re-add ya...
The Roar looked pretty good last week, thought they controlled it...it's gonna be a tight old season i reckon...
Posted by: The Round Ball Analyst | August 23, 2008 at 01:54 PM
Cheers Tony, Sure is hard to pick - I was sure Perth would be rubbish but now everyone seems to be raving about the Jets game. I should start knocking the Roar... might help them ;)
Posted by: Ed | August 23, 2008 at 02:46 PM