Well, no doubt about it. Tonights result is the end of Kevin Fallons coaching career at the highest level in New Zealand after a "reasonably good" performance at NSO against Northern Spirit.
I sat in the Ericsson Stadium media room with Bruce Holloway after the 7-1 home loss in the last game of the 2001/2002 season against Adelaide, and listened to Fallon tell me that there were NO Kiwi players good enough to step up into the Kingz team.
Ken Dugdale has proved him wrong! and also exposed his coaching ability. Fallon was never up for it. It was an ego trip. The blend of players used by the Kingz tonight was spot on...and with the exception of Vlahos, Miyazawa (who had an aweful game) and Almendra we saw a Kiwi side that played as we expect them to.
No histrionics from Boutsianis and Kalagarokos to worry about, just players on a below average wage doing an above average job. Johnny Foundoulakis' couple of years in the Greek first division has done wonders for the Wellington player and Chris Jackson is like a new man. Harry Ngata played his position superbly and his 4th goal was a ripper.
Already after two games we are seeing a difference in coaching style. Dugdale and Jacobs have got it sorted. One goal conceded in two games must be a Kingz record and even then the penalty that gave Spirit the goal was weak as piss.
The referee tonight was a shocker. I thought Rugg was a sorry excuse but this fella was woeful. Jackson took a beating and it was interesting that the Spirit player sent off was the same one that caused the trouble in Wellington pre-season.
It says something for the Kingz that they were able to exact this sort of result away from home against a good mid-table side (quote the Aussie press;-) with a referee who probably could have dished out a few more cards. How on earth one wasn't issued to Tobin for an arm in the face of Raf De Gregorio, I'll never know. The poor dude was pissing blood and it looks like he has a broken nose.
Last year we were screaming out for this kind of result. After seeing this, I'm expecting more of it through the season. Perth Glory at home will be a very interesting match up.