Inside the front cover of tonight's (and every other night's) Sydney United program is the email address of Ante Grabovac the Graphic designer of United's match day programmes...and a great job he does too. As detailed in each programme, Ante seeks feedback on behalf of the club on any relevant issues. I was going to automatically cc: the report below to him after the anger I felt at those 15-20 Hrvatska morons tonight, but am just temporarily considering any ramifications.
In short, I urge all to write to Ante (who I don't know from a bar of soap) to express any concerns you might have regarding United. I think he is merely the "messenger" but at least this is a starting point. I'd be surprised if the right people don't see any email directed at the club - he takes every opportunity in the programme to solicit correspondence....
I quote from page 11 of tonight's programme.... "....Or you can email me on ante@rivernet.com.au.......Please note that if you would like to be published under a different name, you may do so, as long as you give us your real name, contact address, telephone number and/or email." end quote.
Again, bear in mind that Ante is probably just the messenger - don't attack him.
A review of the Round 14 A-League match between Sydney United and Perth Glory played at Parramatta Stadium on 4 Jan 98.
In hindsight, Sydney United will be satisfied to have kept their undefeated home record in tact after tonight's return match against Perth Glory. In spite of their meritorious defeat of Perth in Perth last week with only ten men, the home side were lucky to have even picked up a point tonight - not because if their performance (for they perhaps could have won it on a "points decision"), but given that the Glory had what appeared to be a fair goal disallowed for offside. Robbed of this apparent goal, the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate which will possibly put a dent in the remarkable statistic that United up until tonight's match had topped the A-League ladder for 34 of the last 36 rounds!
First things first. To the United management: get a big rocket up ya. Due to the limited pulling power of the Pumas and no doubt the unfortunate timing of the inclement weather about 45 minutes prior to kick off (when people start to think about heading out to the match), tonight's crowd was a meagre 5,532. (So much for the curse of playing Friday night footy guys!!! Can we have some more Friday night matches now that it has been shown that it hardly affects crowd numbers at all?). With such a low turn-out, it was inexcusable that I was standing 20 deep at one of four ticket windows still 5 minutes after the kick off!!! Pathetic.
Only to get the whining out of the way, I would also like to know why the surface was in such a sub-standard state? What's it been used for in the interim? (not nearly "the best surface in Australia"!).
Finally, piss the Hrvatska boys off NOW! Admittedly this serves as something of a repeatable theme, but the sentiment was heavily endorsed by those around me (themselves apparently Aussies of Croatian background). The "Nigger/Zulu" taunting of Siasia is poor to say the least although I can understand that there will always be such base behaviour at any football match (I'm sure the Sheddies know this already). However, their explicit inciting of the crowd in the face of police enquiries/requests(?) sucks big time and is holding our game back - not to mention the none-too-insignificant issue of the whole performance being illegal. Don't worry about body-searching us at entry into the ground, get rid of the 15 Hrvatska Boys and I swear you'll end the trouble. I guarantee it!!! I've purposely sat near them at a previous United home game (Bay 69 for those Celeries that remember Aus v NZ 2nd Leg) to observe them and can confirm their dubious behaviour first hand. Although I'm certain United management know the perpertrators anyway, I'll put my hand up to point them out to any interested parties. Somehow I suspect the offer won't be taken up.....
Onwards...
The first half was only moderately entertaining with scoring opportunities limited to long-range, and in some cases clearly hopefully long-range shooting. One notable progression was finished with Danny Hay (of all people) putting Despotovski into the clear for a potential one-on-one with Kalac before it was all blown up for Bobby's offside-edness. Man does Bobby drift offside a lot. If I was one his midfielders, I'd be having some stern words with him at training regarding his oblivious regard for the positioning of his and other defensive markers. He often doesn't even check himself as the Glory advance, and in a thrice undoes a lot of hard work not to mention wasting attacking opportunities.
The half was only otherwise notable for the more administrative issues of Carbone and Barrett collecting yellow cards for mis-guided tackles and United's Phillips running off into the dressing rooms for two minutes half way into the half for some reason???? Bizarre! All I can tell you is that he came back onto the field tying up his shorts :)...change of duds? toilet break?.....
At half time, we were thinking that the absence of Tapai for Perth and Mitchell, Saad and (most importantly for mine) Richie Plesa was to rob us of a spectacle....(and let's just think about that name for a moment...granted it's pronounced "Plesha", but is it really fair to spare anyone named Dick Plesa (pronounced "Pleaser") ridicule I ask you? :)
The first 20 minutess of the second half was played in a sun- shower. In the 7th minute, Siasia showed his class above the others with a deft control and delivery from midfield to Despotovski at the cutting edge. Bobby's speed took him and the ball increasingly away from Vrkic and at the top of the box shot to Kalac's right only for the latter to scramble the ball away. Moments later - admist the "Nigger" chants - Siasia is denied a strike on goal from within the box (wide) by the recovering Vrkic.
Jason Culina, subbed on at half time for the underdone Mujanovic, was buzzing and served a great cross from the right which no-one could latch onto. Seconds later, he's doing the same from the left hand side of the field, and again delivers a valuable cross.
In the 13th minute of the half, Wilkinson puts a close range shot the wrong side of the post from a stunning set piece that caught United completely by surprise. At 25m from goal, Despo delivered a short ball after feigning to shoot which in turn was angled across the top of the box to Wilkinson on the far side from where he should have at least required a Kalac save.
In the 17th minute, the young Culina disposses Wilkinson near and facing the Glory goal, only to err in unselfishly passing to a marginally offside Bosevski when perhaps he should have summoned the courage to attack the goal himself....perhaps.
In the absence of Mitchell and Saad, United were mindlessly obsessed with delivering high balls to their forwards from deep within midfield, apparently oblivious to the numbers and height in the Glory defence. This at times took its toll and manifested in more long-range shooting from midfield - albeit not to the extent indulged in the first half. With ideas up front scarce, Bilokapic saw fit to bomb Franken's goal from somewhere nearer the half way circle than the penalty arc. The result may have been close if there had been another goal placed above the actual goal frame....perhaps.
With 15 to go, both coaches honour the commandment of coaching by replacing various bodies with fresher troops. Interstingly, Carbone was dragged for the young Afkos who looked OK, and Bosevski was replaced by NSL debutant Mile Sterjovski. Sterjovski was denied a first game goal by Franken only minutes after his introduction when the latter snuffed out a midfield cross that was destined firstly for Sterjovski's head and then no doubt the back of the Glory net but for the intervention.
Before this however came the pivotal point of the match (if one can exist in a match ending 0-0). With 33 minutes of the half gone the perrenially offside Bobby Flag-me-ovski had his goal celebrations suspended mid-yelp as he turned to see Eddie Lennie signal for offside. Unlike just about every other time however, Bobby may have been ripped off on this one. Naturally, without a replay it's a tough call..and it was a close thing...but I'm prepared to say that the goal was good. Despite the result that transpired, the build up was definitely good. Again it was Siasia (I think) supplying a sublime through ball to Despo that allowed him to fairly slice the defence apart. Under the supervision of Vrkic(?) Bobby kept his poise sufficiently to create the clearance required to strike on goal. With Kalac forever getting bigger in his view, Despotovski squeezed a ball under the Tall Thin One and watched as the ball slowly trickled its way into the net. It will be interesting to see of the retreating defender could have stopped the ball as there was a suggestion that the red shirt wasn't chasing the ball as he should on the premise that he knew the attempt had been blown up for offside...one to look out for as it may change the significance of the decision of the men in black.
This aside, Phillips almost secured the prize for the home side when after receiving a Bennett short corner, was deceitful enough to draw Franken into expecting a cross when in fact, ultimately, he had to sprawl and dive backwards to save the Englishman's curving shot on goal.
In the final minutes of the match Phillips again tried something different, even if it had been seen before. In the desperation to secure maximum points at home, one of the final thrusts of the match had Phillips attempting the Hand of God on a cross that had too much on it for a more conventional contact. Alas, perhaps it was karma that prevented the contact in light of Bobby Drift-off-side-ski's disallowed attempt. Thus it ended 0-0 at Parra. Special mention to the Glory boys, led by Bobby and Wilkinson(?) who went right to the fence at the northern end of the ground to personally thank their travelling(? surely not) supporters.
Final Score: 0-0
(All stats unofficial) Teams: Sydney United: Kalac, Barrett, Kupresak, Vrkic, Hooker, Phillips, Mujanovic (Culina H/T), Bilokapic, Jerman (Burns 64), Bosevski (Sterjovski DEBUT 73), Bennett.
Perth Glory: Franken, Wilkinson, Buljabasic, G. Naven, Miller, Despotovski, Garcia, Siasia, Hay, Carbone (Afkos 74).
Yellow cards: SU: Barrett (27), PG: Carbone (23), Buljabasic (72). Red Cards: Nil
Best: 3 pts: Kupresak (SU) 2 pts: Culina (SU) 1 pt : Siasia or Naven (PG)
Crowd: 5,532
Ref: Eddie Lennie (Rating: 7/10 Inoccuous enough)
Match rating: 6/10 - Limited scoring chances
Interesting observation of the round:
For the first time in about 6 matches tonight I saw something other than a blue team play a red team. UTS v Gipp; v Woll; Syd Utd v Newc; v Gipp and South Melb v Woll (on that fateful weekend 29 Nov 97). Haven't we got any creativity??? :)