It's Up Yo You, Dwight Yorke

Marc Fox ponders the realisation Dwight Yorke is the marquee signing for Australia's new A-League.

It's not only the Champions League medal around his neck, or the strike-rate of a goal every third Premier League game adorning his CV, that makes the former Manchester United striker the most recognisable ‘marquee' signing so far for Australia's A-League.

For whether it's other A-League clubs' failure or their refusal to recruit a dedicated superstar payable outside the A$1.5m annual salary cap, the fact is Yorke is one of just three bone fide marquee signings to date – with only a month until the start of the inaugural A-League season.

There is a spectrum of opinion on the necessity of a marquee player (dictionary definition: an athlete of exceptional skill and popularity). At one end, you have Newcastle Jets supremo Remo Nogarotto, for whom the signing of a star name was “a matter of urgency”, their chase finally ending with the signature of former Socceroo captain Ned Zelic from Austria's Wacker Tirol via J-League Urawa Reds. At the other, teams such as Perth Glory and Central Coast have ruled out recruiting a big name.

Then you have clubs like Queensland and Adelaide, who despite being public detractors of such a recruitment policy in the interests of maintaining equilibrium among their players, continue to be linked with stars like Teddy Sheringham, Dion Dublin and Socceroo central defender Craig Moore. Footballers unlikely to be anticipating earning something like A$200,000 (GBP 80,000) a season even towards the end of distinguished careers.

Indeed, despite coach John Kosmina's protests that he would not recruit a costly import, Adelaide United snapped up Shengqing Qu, the former Chinese international striker and league's top scorer in 1999, as their official marquee signing in April. Kosmina diplomatically sidestepped the issue of Qu's arrival causing disharmony in the Adelaide ranks by suggesting his salary would not break the bank.

"Qu's wages (reported to be A$175,000) wouldn't have fitted into what we had left over (from the salary cap),” Kosmina admitted. “He is a marquee player but certainly not, as far as I know, in the Dwight Yorke income bracket. Qu has come in, he fits in appropriately in terms of personality, the financial side of things and football wise.”

What Kosmina means is that for him, a marquee player needs to have enough about them to attract the attention of fans, the media and prospective investors without compromising the side's balance. Despite his credentials at home though, Qu is hardly a household name outside Asia. As a marquee signing, he may have the skill but does he have the popularity to do the title justice?

There is little doubt Dwight Yorke has. For every suitcase of charisma, footballing talent and appeal Yorke arrives in Sydney with, he brings a flight bag of controversy and his full duty free allowance of scandal. If the success of a marquee player is derived from newspaper column inches filled, the glamour kid from Tobago will win hands down.

Yorke has the silverware to support his place as one of the Premier League's top sharpshooters but his trademark laid-back style, so admired when things are going for him, can turn into arrogance during times of difficulty. He is often accused of lacking patience and commitment in the face of adversity. As a perfect example, more than once following the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2001, Yorke threatened to quit United if he wasn't given an extended first-team run.

Internationally too, the striker has suffered accusations of missing training sessions and failing to show his team-mates respect, behaviour resulting in a series of bust-ups with Trinidad & Tobago coaching staff and a self-exiled retirement he has only just returned from. While a colourful private life has contributed to fall-outs with every single one of his Premier League managers immediately prior to predictable and acrimonious exits.

Despite all this, many will suggest it's futile to speculate whether the former Champions League winner will command a starting berth in Sydney's forward line. Even with Hollywood backing, you don't spend a reported $800,000 every year to have your star player sitting on the bench (or beach). The problem comes though with Sydney's lively start in recent warm-up matches before the A-League kick-off in August.

Without Yorke, Sydney have negotiated a tricky tour to the Middle East, the domestic Club World Championship qualifiers and five subsequent OFC Club Championship fixtures without defeat. This unbeaten run has not only culminated in the reward of a place at FIFA's Club World Championships in December, but will have bonded the remaining 19-strong squad into a close unit.

Not only that, Sydney's twin strikeforce of David Zdrilic and Saso Petrovski haven't stopped scoring. Between them they've struck 15 goals in eight competitive games. Which one misses out when a smiling Yorke arrives in July is one of those supposed ‘good' problems coach Pierre Littbarski will have to ponder.

For all these reasons, and taking into account Australian football's wider issues of acceptance among sports fans, the Yorke signing is certainly a gamble not just for Sydney FC, but for the whole of the restructured league. A gamble, though, most spectators can't wait to see in action.

Australian A-League Factfile

• The teams are based in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gosford and Wellington, New Zealand
• A squad no greater than 23 players is allowed
• A minimum of three players must be under 20 years of age
• As with most Australian sports, a salary cap has been imposed: A$1.5m per annum
• One designated 'marquee' player can be paid outside this cap
• Top four sides at the season¡s end will play-off to decide the eventual champions in February 2006

Australian Soccer Links

The official site from the FFA: www.a-league.com.au
www.theworldgame.com.au

A-League Teams' Official Sites

Adelaide United: www.adelaideunited.com.au
Central Coast Mariners: www.ccmariners.com.au
Melbourne Victory: www.mvfc.com.au
Newcastle United Jets: www.newcastlejets.com.au
Perth Glory: www.perthglory.com.au
Queensland Roar: www.qldroar.com.au
Sydney FC: www.sydneyfc.com
Wellington Phoenix: www.wellingtonphoenix.com

Forums & Message Boards

Central Coast Mariners ccmfc.proboards25.com
Queensland Roar www.qldroarforums.com
Sydney FC www.sydneyfc-unofficial.com

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Marc Fox

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