I'm not the A League's biggest fan, in fact I relish watching them when they put in horrid performances because the level of skill is so much lower than the English Premier League - the best league in the world, let's be frank - but the belief of the players and managers that they can cut it with the best is simply delusional.
Along with 19,000 other people I made the treck to Suncorp last night to see Everton FC take on the Brisbane Roar.
The difference in the 2 teams was very early evident, in the warm up in fact.
The level of skill in the Everton players ball handling and control was so superior that the Roar can only hope to one day emulate that.
But they won't unless their managers decide to get back to basics and drill their players in the simple things. Such as trapping the ball without it going 2 metres away from them. Passing the ball to their players feet without them moving, simple things like that. But they won't because they belive as professional players that they no longer need to do the simple things.
The other thing wrong with the A league is players that make up their squads. Not many of the teams have a lot of talent. It's out there because they're all over in England trialling for their clubs, apprenticing at their clubs and finding European nations with whom they have some connection and playing for them.
Luring back former stars to come back here is never going to improve the standard of the A league.
These are guys who can no longer cut it in Europe so they come back here in the hopes of an easy pay cheque and they get it.
I know our clubs are handicapped by the fact that we have salary caps in Australia, this isn't the problem, it's the size of the cap that is limiting the club's ability to put in competitive offers to overseas stars.
But then where are the clubs going to get this money?
Being a member of an opposition sport, the afl, I know how members should be treated. Like they're worth their weight in gold and they are because they love their club, love the players and would do a hell of a lot to make sure the club is successful and the players have what they need. From what i've seen of A league clubs and their relationships with their members and in public in general the difference really couldn't be greater.
The clubs need to make the members feel wanted, because they are the lifeblood of the club.
What the A league needs to do is go back to basics, bring up players when they're young, not only for the good of the club but the good of the Socceroos too.
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