Embracing the All Stars concept
Whilst many sit and question the All Stars concept used by the A-League it does represent an opportunity to see a world class opponent on Australian soil, a chance we may not have without the concept.
Clubs in the A-League attract interest from clubs throughout the world wanting to come here, spread the word about their club and take on some of our local clubs, but do these clubs encapture the target market of the FFA? It’s fantastic that Malaga have decided to visit our shores and play against Adelaide and Perth, time will tell just how much interest the La Liga club holds in the views of your average Australian fan, but at the end of the day they don’t compare to the Italian giants Juventus.
The league relationship with Alessandro Del Piero no doubt helped Andrea Pirlo and his team consider the trip to Australian shores but the resources of the FFA are stronger than any one individual club and this represents the best chance for these clubs to visit Australia.
Last season saw both Manchester United and Liverpool visit Australia in somewhat of an anomaly for football fans in Australia. Preseason tours allow the perfect (and possibly only) opportunity for European clubs to visit Australia but we now compete against Asia, the Middle East and the United States to attract clubs here. Even New Zealand managed two premier league clubs (Newcastle and West Ham) for their Football United tour. Sydney and Wellington gain valuable experience against superior opposition, but the real winners are the New Zealand football public.
The timing of the game needs to be worked better within the FFA Cup schedule if both are to be taken seriously, and the selection process needs to be tweaked. Having a member from all 10 A-League clubs is the politically correct style of selection, but does this give our best XI and truly reflect the standard of the league.
Next month Australian football fans will get the chance to see some Italian superstars in the flesh, and be touted against a mix of the best A-League players. The All Star concept is only in its infancy and there are plenty of factors to improve but as football supporters in Australia we must embrace this, for some fans this represents the best opportunity to see some of the world’s best footballers.
A-League Squad:
Alessandro Del Piero (no club), Marcelo Carrusca (Adelaide), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide), Thomas Broich (Brisbane), Matt Smith (Brisbane), Nick Montgomery (Central Coast), Josh Rose (Central Coast), Storm Roux (Central Coast), David Williams (Melbourne City), Besart Berisha (Melbourne Victory, Gui Finkler (Melbourne Victory), Mark Birighetti (Newcastle), Youssof Hersi (Perth), Ali Abbas (Sydney), Bernie Ibini (Sydney), Sasa Ognenovski (Sydney), Manny Muscat (Wellington), Albert Riera (Wellington), Tomi Juric (Western Sydney), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney).
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