By Paul Frederickson
Three weeks to go in the regular season of the A-League and it is shaping up to be the best finale in the competition's history. Both ends of the top 6 may not be decided until the final game is played on the afternoon of March 25. I hope your team has given you plenty of on-field value this season.
THE GOOD
The 2012 version of the AFC Champion's League begins tomorrow night and for the first time Australia has three competitors in the competition. This is a time for A-League fans to unify, forget their rivalry and hope that the A-League contenders do Australian football proud. Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar and the Central Coast Mariners will be competing with the best in Asia, with Brisbane and Central Coast in good shape to do well in the group stages, whilst Adelaide have the chance to resurrect a miserable domestic season.
THE BAD
When you are owned by one of the richest men in the world you are never going to be far from the spotlight. Chelsea, relatively, have struggled in the past two seasons and the one nil loss to West Bromwich Albion was the catalyst for Roman Abramovich to sack the one-time wunderkind, Andre Villas-Boas. Don't feel too bad for the Portuguese manager though, the rest of his contract is set to be paid up in full and he has the talent to take-over another big team in years to come.
THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY
The FFA and A-League have been through a tumultuous time in recent weeks and with the Gold Coast United licence being withdrawn it would be hard to believe that there could be a story that could match recent fiasco's. Then a new contender enters the arena with Sydney FC announcing the sacking of their CEO, Dirk Melton, for as yet mentioned unacceptable behaviour. The behaviour has yet to be disclosed other than to be referenced to staff complaints.
Did anyone within the A-League team management structures pass a 'fitness of character' test when they applied for their roles? Maybe the FFA could implement these changes for the 2012/13 season!
What are your thoughts? What were your weekend's good, bad and the downright ugly?
