Slater: A-Leagues heavyweight Melbourne City accused of lacking ambition, what’s next for APL
Socceroos great Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde unpack what’s next for the A-Leagues after the departure of commissioner Nick Garcia, a big club’s lack of ambition, and the NZ derby.
Socceroos great Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde unpack what’s next for the A-Leagues after the departure of commissioner Nick Garcia, a big club’s lack of ambition, and the huge New Zealand derby.
OVER TO YOU STEPHEN
Nick Garcia was up against it from the time he took over as A-Leagues boss in late 2023 following the departure of then chief executive officer Danny Townsend from the Australian Professional Leagues.
It’s therefore no surprise that Garcia finished up on Thursday and seemingly has been made the scapegoat for APL problems too deep for him to overcome.
The financial strain on the APL that he inherited was common knowledge, and despite what would often come out of his mouth in terms of how things were improving, he probably knew that he was up the creek without a paddle.
If you go by the pitiful four-paragraph statement – which didn’t acknowledge or mention Garcia at all – that the APL released late on Thursday afternoon, Stephen Conroy is now being seen as the saviour.
Previously the APL chairman, Conroy is now the executive chairman at the request of the board.
The APL boasted “significant progress made both on and off the field”.
Conroy is supposedly set to “oversee the optimisation of APL’s operations”, but what should happen is that Football Australia become involved to save the A-League.
However, because of our fractured sport, that’s unlikely to happen, with FA more worried about the establishment of a national second division.
Resources being put into the “Australian Championship” should instead be directed towards rescuing the A-League.
CITY LACKING AMBITION
Melbourne City supporters would be right to question their team’s ambitions following some of the comments made from club officials at a fan forum this week.
In a week that concludes with a Melbourne derby, comments made by City chief executive officer Brad Rowse and the club’s football director Michael Petrillo were anything but inspiring despite Saturday night’s AAMI Park clash needing a push.
Owned by the cashed-up City Football Group, Melbourne City is not your average A-League club.
Instead, it’s a team that should be at the forefront in terms of ladder position, squad talent, marquee players and responsibility to ensure the A-League lifts its standards on and off the field.
And while Rowse stressed that the CFG was “here for the long-haul and commitment to the long term growth of Australian football”, immediate action is also required.
That City didn’t sign any players during the recent transfer window, particularly considering the club’s extensive injury list, is disappointing.
Petrillo’s defence that City was “no different to any other club, we didn’t have any budget to bring any players in the window” was laughable.
City is “different” to most other A-League clubs, and how can the CFG not have money to buy players?
City’s lack of a marquee player is also not good enough for a club of its stature.
“At this point in time our view is that it (a marquee player) is not sustainable, and economics don’t stack up,” Rowse said.
Did the “economics stack up” for Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers when they signed Douglas Costa and Juan Mata respectively in the off-season?
Probably not, but it still didn’t stop both of those clubs putting their fans first, and also boosting the standard and profile of the competition by bringing Costa and Mata to the A-League.
City’s small crowds also remain a huge concern.
They need all the support they can get on Saturday night when they are certain to be outnumbered in terms of fans by the Victory.
Let’s hope for a great atmosphere at AAMI Park. The occasion deserves a packed house.
WILL PHOENIX RISE?
Saturday’s other derby – the all-New Zealand battle between Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix – is certain to be played in front of a sell-out crowd at Go Media Stadium.
It’s a derby that has quickly captured the imagination of New Zealand football fans, and there will also be a lot of supporters from Australian clubs interested in this weekend’s contest as they hope the Phoenix can do their teams a favour by beating top-of-the-table Auckland.
The Black Knights have set the standard in their maiden A-League campaign, and they will start as heavy favourites against a Phoenix team that has had a season to forget.
However, the Phoenix may yet rise to the occasion in their desperation to avoid losing all three of their games against Auckland.
There’s no doubt bragging rights currently belong to the Black Knights, and if current form is any indication, it’s hard to see that changing on Saturday.
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