Only this afternoon I was reading a book about soccer techniques, tactics and teamwork. Among conditions favourable to the development of a soccer team with a winning attitude it said all members should agree on a clearly defined goal, such as to prevent losing their position within a division or to move up in the standings.
Another was to have a constant squad of 18 to 25 members (30 for professionals).
How could either of the teams playing at Edensor Park this evening have developed a winning attitude?
Well, obviously they haven't.
But looking beyond the next three or four games, how could they? And think how angry their fans would be if they had any real expectations beyond 2004!
Tonight the Sydney United match program had a somewhat maudlinly nostalgic survey, inviting fans to vote for an all-star team from past United players.
Angry? They weren't angry. Angry is losing to Brisbane in the finals when you have half the Australian side in your team.
It had been a very warm day and most fans would have been hot under the collar even before the game began. But there was some cloud cover and a cooling breeze to take away a little of the steaminess.
The local fans had expectations of a victory - and the three points that would see United with a fair chance of keeping sixth place.
I was stationed as usual between the old-timers, including, on my right, my 'friend' who hasn't missed a match in 30 years. Two rows behind were the younger generation: the United Boys and Girls who, since last week, had been reading Back of the Net. They even offered to take photos for us this week!
The Boys sang 'When the Reds go marching in' as the guy to my right complained about playing the national anthem at games between two local clubs.
United kicked off without star striker Brendan Santalab and key defender Joe Vrkic (both suspended). A new face up front was Mark Beldham from the Kingz. At the back Michael Cunico moved into the centre while Mark Rudan took over from Vrkic on the right.
The back line was never going to be the problem. Beldham started okay up front but later & oh dear, Beldham was bedlam.
Spirit had a few players back from injury and national duties, including benched Matthew Osman, back from injury.
Noel Spencer, one of Spirit's best, was strong against Paul Ivanic. And Alex Wilkinson was good jumping to stop a United free kick.
Wayne O'Sullivan provided most entertainment in the first half (thanks to attention from the United Boys) and was important in the second half if only because he stopped Rudan getting a header in the dying minutes.
O'Sullivan was good humoured at first, laughing away shouts of "You're s***, Wayno!' and "Where's the pay cheque, Wayno?" - He held out his hand in response to "I've got ten dollars for you Wayne."
Matthew Langdon and Cunico sent long balls looking for Ivanic. Spencer and Tomasevic got the better of him.
Spirit kept possession for a while, across and back along the half way line. Before O'Sullivan crossed and Rudan headed clear.
Beldham, using some skills, won United a corner on the left. Langdon took it and Dean Heffernan headed to Paul Henderson.
O'Sullivan got a break on the counter but was mopped up by David Huxley.
Liam Austin played through to Beldham who won a corner on the right. United headed on to the back post where Heffernan lined up a shot that was going wide but which Henderson saved anyway. Langdon had another corner from the left which Rudan got to first and earned United another corner. Heffernan got his head to that one and Spirit blocked Rudan's shot. No corner.
Rudan hit a long ball for Ivanic who pushed left to Austin who was stopped by O'Sullivan on the edge of Spirit's penalty area.
The United Boys called out "Give it to Wayne" so they could boo him when he got it. Or yell, "Hit him!" O'Sullivan blew them a kiss, only to earn louder boos and a stream of jokes about his sexuality. Which made a welcome change from jokes about his hair(lessness).
O'Sullivan and Jonathon Richter beat Ivanic and Heffernan. Richter crossed from the right and Rudan headed away for a corner.
Stewart Petrie took it and Huxley got a touch onto Reddy.
Huxley hit Mark Milligan hard and Spirit got another corner. Cunico headed clear of Wilkinson. Langdon tried to do a Huxley'on Milligan but only managed to give away a free kick near half way.
The Boys tried a brief round of "Cro-At-See-Ah" and Ivanic showed Wilkinson too much of the ball. Then Ian Ferguson robbed Ivanic tackling back.
Beldham made a good chase after a long ball by Huxley into the left corner. He made a fine cross to Austin in front of goal but Austin was a centimetre too short and only glanced the ball wide.
Spencer cleared against Beldham chasing another long Huxley ball as United countered after a Spirit corner.
Brent Fisher was offside on the end of a Richter cross from the right after a good long ball by O'Sullivan.
Tomasevic cleared from Huxley on the end of a fine long ball by Heffernan. And Spencer headed clear of Austin chasing yet another long ball.
Over half an hour had gone.
Huxley was excellent stealing the ball and feeding Heffernan who played to Beldham who in turn laid off to Heffernan who shot high. Beldham didn't look happy with the result. The United Boys were very happy with Huxley, however: "Wayno, why can't you do that?"
Huxley hit a sharp ball through to Austin on the left but Austin's cross was cut out by the Spirit defence.
Heffernan played down the left to Langdon who crossed to Ivanic. Ivanic fell over and Spencer cleared.
The Boys mocked their own Croatia chant, making the final 'Ah' sound like a forlorn sigh.
Huxley looked for Ivanic who again fell over.
Heffernan copped a yellow for lashing out at Richter after Richter had tackled him marvellously as he was sent racing down the left by a pass from Langdon.
Richter was doing very well despite comments from the Boys about a certain lack of manly firmness.
In the 45th minute he cracked a pretty good shot on target that required a decent save from Reddy. Followed by the now familiar chant: "You don't score goals at Edensor.'
Heffernan had some trouble stopping Richter but Damon Collina had him figured out better.
Tomasevic was good on Austin.
A pretty drab or dull (depending which report you read) first half came to an end. There was some anticipation - hope - the second half would be better. The United Boys said they were happy enough, but they wanted Langdon to get more involved. United wouldnt score without him. They were right.
The second half began with Austin and Rudan conceding a corner to John Hutchinson. Richter took it and it went nowhere.
United got a shot on target as the guy next to me wondered out loud what he would be doing next year.
Reddy couldn't hold a cross from the right, but the ball had already gone out.
Ivanic got a break, O'Sullivan blocked him, and Austin shot wide to the left.
Huxley covered for Rudan and cleaned up Tomasevic. Spirit got a corner, again taken by Richter, this time better but headed clear by Cunico to Langdon.
Spirit got another corner, this time from the right, and Tomasevic air-swung his shot.
Huxley did some nice work and Heffernan crossed a bit too long for Ivanic.
Doumanis fiddled around for a while and pushed the ball gently through to Henderson - instead of shooting or doing anything else useful.
The guy to my left said, "Nothing to write about. Sorry to say, but s*** game. No goal, no action."
Rudan gave the ball away but United got a free kick when Ferguson fouled Huxley.
The United Boys called, "All we are saying is give us a goal."
Doumanis seemed to enjoy Franco Parisi replacing Ivanic in the 57th minute. Parisi had quicker feet. And made a good run into the Spirit box.
The guy on my right said it wouldn't be fair if anyone scored.
Fisher got a lucky bounce in the United penalty area - the ball bouncing over Reddy - but Cunico was in position to clear.
Beldham got a good ball in the Spirit penalty area but turned the wrong way twice and gave the ball away.
In the 63rd minute Parisi shot low at Henderson, coming into the box from the left.
Doumanis hit a good lob into the box for Parisi who tried to chip Henderson but Henderson got a hand to it. Chipping really wasn't the best option.
"Hand ball, ref!" yelled the United Boys.
"You don't get another chance like that,'said the guy to my right.
Doumanis played down the right to Beldham who crossed to Henderson. "Take him off", yelled the United Boys, who, clearly recognising United's best scoring chance, then called for Rudan to shoot from half way.
Beldham missed again and Petrie chipped not really a shot or a pass wide to the left of the United goal.
In the 68th minute Doumanis had a shot blocked. The rebound went to Beldham whose shot also was blocked. Doumanis had another ping and won a corner.
United looked more like scoring, but then again & they didn't look like scoring.
Rudan passed down the right to Austin who played to Parisi who returned to Austin who was fouled. Langdon took the kick and swung the ball high to the far post where Collina headed just wide to the right of goal.
The guy next to me, clearly not impressed, commented on how Rudan was so good settling the play. Rudan then beat Petrie.
Then came the obituary for the day. One of the United Boys said, "We don't score goals at Edensor either".
Reddy came out of his area to stop Spirit sub Adam Kwasnik.
In the 75th minute Beldham made a good run to goal and put a good ball through for Parisi at a fine angle to goal on the right. Parisi shot just wide of the left post and just too early for Heffernan to run onto.
'How could he miss!'
Tomasevic was good against Doumanis and Beldham fell over shooting wide.
Austin scored on his debut the week before but was relatively ineffective this week. He was replaced by Marco Filipovic who, like Parisi, immediately made an impact. Filipovic looked sharp but soon gave the ball away after Parisi had some space left of the area and wasted it. So much for fresh legs.
Filipovic nutmegged Tomasevic, getting the ball through to Huxley who crossed too long.
The old guys around me had seen some really good United teams in the past and were understandably frustrated with what they were seeing tonight. The ground announcer told us it was Knights 3 and Adelaide United 4. Plenty of goals there,'said the guy to my left, ruefully.
'Give us a goal!'yelled the United Boys.
Parisi stuffed his touch and missed again.
'How many chances do you need!'
The guy to my right said, "If we had Damian Mori wed be in the top two or three."
In the 85th minute Doumanis had a run at goal and swung a shot to the left.
Filipovic came in from the right, crossed and was blocked and shot and was blocked. The guy next to me said, "No f****** brains." The analysis of the United Boys was different: "C'mon boys, no heart.'
Parisi was good beating Tomasevic, the United fans called in vain for a penalty, and Huxley shot too, too high.
Cunico beat and then was fouled by Petrie and Filipovic's poor touch let a United build up down.
Cunico fouled Kwasnik but soon was very effective robbing Kwasnik on a through ball.
Doumanis crossed from the right and Rudan, who had begun pushing forward, was somehow beaten at the far post by OSullivan.
No-one would envy coaching United, but they might wonder if some substitutions could have come earlier and if Rudan and co could have pressed forward earlier. No-one would envy coaching Spirit, but they deserve some credit for defending quite well.
Someone said the match ended with a chorus of spectator criticism. Didn't seem much worse than usual.
After the game United coach Grant Lee tried to put on a brave face: "It still keeps us in amongst it all & Three points would have put us the same as Adelaide & Points are very important."
Why didn't he start with Parisi? "Franco hasn't been that type of player for us. He hasn't been a 90 minute player. Franco runs out of gas. He's more effective coming off the bench and running at people and creating things & He's done some very good things for us at times, but then he has these mental blocks about what he's supposed to be doing on the park. He has one good game and then you don't see him for two games.'
Ivanic came off (eventually) he said because he wasn't being effective and wasn't putting people under pressure. He wasn't holding the ball up for us. We had to change things. We were very stagnant in the first 45. We had to take it to them. We didn't need a draw. We needed to go at Spirit and try to cause some problems.'
A 'certain' journo noted how usually Lee complained that United missed chances but that at least this week you didn't create them to miss'. Lee objected, saying Parisi had a couple towards the end.
Spirit coach Lawrie McKinna said he thought Spirit played well in the first half and kept possession. He said Lee had to make changes because Spirit had possession without creating a lot of chances. "And then in the second half they gained the upper hand and we started losing the ball; the strikers weren't holding the ball up for us. But in the first half I was very happy." He said his side defended quite well. Henderson didn't have a lot to do and O'Sullivan got his head in the way when Rudan was up at the end. It was "a game of two halves".
He said it was a credit to both teams to still be running about after 90 minutes in the heat, considering their recent schedule. Though he said he and Lee thought NSL teams were not playing enough games each season. "Playing 24 games is a waste of time."
Lee said he wasn't that worried about having to play Perth twice in one week (though "this might come back and bite me in the arse; you never know, they might smack us'). But if we go there with the right attitude anything can happen, especially this back end of the season & The kids just have to believe in themselves enough."
What about that Sydney United all-star team? Try Kalac (Bosnich wasn't there long enough), Jennings, Popovic, Rozic, Savor, Jurin, Odzakov ('Australia's best ever midfielder'), Kovacic, Marusic, Arnold and Milicic.