A League: Who are the FFA trying to kid?
Paul Williams
To claim that temperatures in Perth were not hot enough to force the postponement of the Perth Glory vs Adelaide United clash is, quite frankly, ridiculous.
As is often the case in these situations the FFA have hidden behind the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which is about as clear as the Duckworth-Lewis System in cricket. According to the FFA a WBGT reading on 28 degrees plus is required before conditions are considered "unacceptable".
The reading in Perth just before kick off? 27.1 degrees. It's splitting hairs. Ask the players who had to play out in the heat what they thought. We know what the fans thought, with Perth registering by far their lowest crowd of the season. No one wants to sit in a stadium with limited shade on a day when the temperature peaked in the high 30's.
One just had to look at the post-game interview with new marquee signing William Gallas after the game. The experienced Frenchman could barely string a coherent sentence together so fatigued was he - and he only played 30 mins. Spare a thought for those who played the full 90 minutes.
Just who decided to schedule a game in Perth at 2:30pm in November, when there is every chance that temperatures will be in the 30's, in the first place? Was it done to appease FOX SPORTS? Why couldn't the game kick off at 7pm Perth time (10 pm AEDT) at the conclusion of the Western Sydney-Melbourne Victory clash?
They're questions that need answering and as you would expect, the PFA are on the case, releasing a statement earlier this week supporting the post-game comments of Perth coach Alistair Edwards who slammed the FFA for the scheduling.
The questions need answering, but more importantly the FFA must ensure it never happens again.
There was one thing hotter than the Perth sun last weekend, however, and that was the heat applied to Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi. On the weekend that we celebrated the eighth anniversary of that penalty against Uruguay, the man who scored the winning goal that evening found himself at the other end of the spectrum, booed and taunted by his own fans, admittedly not for the first time since he returned to the A-League.
Heart's small supporter base let their feelings be known during and after their insipid display at home against Sydney FC. Some fans unfurled a "Aloisi Out" banner, while the Yarraside taunted the coach with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" ringing out during the second half.
In a season in which they desperately needed to regain some ground on big brother Melbourne Victory, Heart couldn't have asked for a worse start to the season. Winless after five games and looking worse as each week rolls around the club needs a win more than Lucas Neill needs a PR makeover.
Two other clubs who need a win are old rivals Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory, who face off at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night. With Josep Gombau preaching patience the fact remains he needs a win or two to keep the wolves at bay. After a promising first up win against Perth in Round 1 the Reds remain winless, and while there are signs that Gombau's philosophy is sinking in, there is only so long the fans can accept not winning. That point is fast approaching.
For Melbourne, and new coach Kevin Muscat, it's been back-to-back defeats from their back-to-back trips to the Harbour City. There was always going to be a transition period after the departure of Ange Postecoglou, but three losses on the trot has never been acceptable to a club that demands success, especially if two of those are against arguably your two biggest rivals in Sydney and Adelaide.
After the departure of the two best coaches in the league in Postecoglou and Graham Arnold from two teams expected to challenge for the title, that 'favourites' title is now squarely on Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanderers, who have been easily the two best teams across the opening five rounds.
After a shaky start to his tenure last season Mike Mulvey has Brisbane playing with the kind of zip and flair we came to expect under Postecoglou and Western Sydney have picked up from where they left off last season, proving to be nigh on impossible to break down.
It will make for a tantalising clash when the two meet tonight in Brisbane - the best defence in the league against the best attack in the league.
It's one part of the schedule the FFA has got absolutely right.
Copyright © Paul Williams and Soccerphile.com
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