As the current A-league season meanders along there are two teams that have been the standouts of the comp. Melbourne Victory last season’s A League champions who have continued to exert their dominance this season and Perth Glory who have put together their strongest team since their dominant time in the dying days of the NSL. Both teams have been putting together impressive results with a style of play the envy of the competition. Full credit has to go to both Kevin Muscat and Tony Popovic who have brought in players and adapted a playing style that is free flowing and pleasurable to watch.
Let’s start off with Victory who had players from last season’s championship such as Barbarouses, Troisi, Broxham and Thomas. Also young players such as Deng and Antonis that added the youthful spark. Bringing in Honda, Toivonen and Niedermeier has been a real masterstroke for Victory and added an X factor to the side. Honda of course is getting the plaudits and so he should. The Japanese superstar has lived up to his star billing and also brought a higher demand of his teammates to meet his standards. This has pushed players such as Antonis, Deng and Storm Roux into career best form. Toivonen has a first touch from a striker not seen in this country since a young Mark Viduka left our shores and Niedermeier has brought a steadiness and resilience to the defence. Muscat has also reinvented himself in encouraging a fast passing style that could well suit their tilt at this season Asian Champions League.
Perth Glory meanwhile have been kicking big goals this season. Like Victory, Glory had a good core of players such as Reddy, Lowry, Castro and Keogh. However, Tony Popovic’s magic touch in bringing players to help the team excel has worked again. Davidson, Ikonomidis, Kilkenny and Santalab have added a huge spark to the team and have made them frontrunners for this season. Popovic has a way of uniting a team and have them excel and has opened up his style of play to a more open and attacking form of football.
These two locally born and bred coaches are showing in terms of our coaching stocks we might be reaping the benefits of the golden generation of the early to mid 2000’s, which hopefully means a better standard in the A League
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About Vaughan Menlove
Obsessed with Richmond, Luton Town, Melbourne Victory and Arsenal. The Dr had a soccer career hampered by the realisation he was crap, but could talk his way around the game. Co host of It's Not Called Soccer podcast
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Victory aren’t doing themselves any favours dropping points all the time. Not that I have a problem as it keeps my boys top. The Asian Cup will make everything a little random with some key players missing. Then there’s also Sydney FC loitering just behind these top two.
Fair dues to Mark Rudan too. Did well at NPL level and finally got a chance with the Phoenix. Shows the talent locally can do it at the top level.