Studs Up: Why football fans can be excited about the upcoming A-League season
All signs point to a timely reboot of the once stagnant A-League, DAVID DAVUTOVIC is excited and here’s why football fans should be too.
Football
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The last fortnight suggests that fans have a few reasons to get excited about the impending A-League season.
It has been seven years since I’ve been able to say that.
The stench of negativity of the last few years has been replaced by unity and optimism, as A-League clubs, Football Federation Australia and the players union collectively drive the game forward.
Even Greg Griffin — the A-League clubs’ chief agitator in the FFA stoush — was upbeat in speaking of an “extremely positive” three hour teleconference between clubs on Monday night, planning for the new season.
The A-League will officially become independent from August 1, and while there is much work to do with the legals and before the season kicks off in October, the new season will have a new look and feel — beyond the addition of Victorian expansion club Western United.
Most cause for optimism was the sight of Western Sydney Wanderers returning to Wanderland, which was rocking last Saturday in the friendly with Leeds United.
It was great to see the RBB in full voice and the stadium — wow. From the steep stands, to the atmosphere, I thought I was watching a top-line European game.
That alone, replacing the soulless Spotless Stadium, will give the A-League a massive boost. These are the other reasons to get exited:
— Watching a hungry Bruno Fornaroli respectably duel with Manchester United’s defence, he looks set to fire a prove a point to his old club Melbourne City;
— An enthralling three-way battle will emerge in Victoria, with new boys Western United kicking off;
— Socceroo Robbie Kruse backing himself to return to Melbourne Victory and silence the Socceroos boo boys, and showing how far he’s come since moving to Germany as Marco Kurz begins to stamp his mark on Victory;
— Higher calibre signings are coming, with the dynamic Alessandro Diamanti among the new attackers set to excite and capable of scoring decent goals;
— A host of kids set to emerge, as the Joeys prepare to play at the FIFA U17 World Cup;
— Second division plans will continue to evolve;
— The continued rise of the W-League;
— Socceroos World Cup qualification starting, which adds a player of intrigue to A-League games;
— Obvious and subtle changes will be evident throughout the season as the independent A-League begins to take shape, with A-League clubs working together to drive the marketing campaign for the first time.
While the A-League clubs are racing to cram their entire wishlist in before Round 1, all signs point to a timely reboot of a stagnant competition.