Top 10 Players in the A-League

Top 10 Players in the A-League

I found this feature on the Daily Telegraph (Sydney Newspaper) site where they name their Top 10 Influential A-League players.

No Phoenix players are included although in the write up they do say...

"Shane Smeltz misses out despite scoring a clutch of goals for Wellington - despite his haul Phoenix remain bottom of the league - and it's hard to justify inclusion on a list of influence in that context."

Although they then name Simon Colosimo (Perth) at number 7.

Check it out there -

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22902560-5006068,00.html

(there's a small check them out link under the A-League logo)

Same old Aussies.

Joel Griffiths at no 1.  Stay away from our friend Hard News after he's read this!

Read it yesterday... once they ruled out Smeltz because we were 'last' the article was closed.  If you can't even read the league table, credibility - nil.

thats pathetic... plain pathetic.... how the hell can u rule us out cause we're bottom when we're not even bottom.. both smeltz and moss deserve to be in that list easily. Rofl at aussie arrogance to think a player cant be influencial in a team thats lower down the table. moron

More arrogant Aussie journalism at it's best.

wtf

Just read it.  That article is extraordinarily jobbies. 

Take a deep breathe.

What a joke

OK, I�ve been mulling over this one all day, so sorry about the length of this post.

 

Just in case you haven�t had a look, here�s the list put forward by The Daily Telegraph � �The 10 most influential players in the A League.�

 

10. Cassio (Adelaide)

9. Alex Brosque (Sydney)

8. Archie Thompson (Melbourne)

7. Simon Colosimo (Perth)

6. Ante Covic (Newcastle)

5. Mark Milligan (Sydney)

4. Matt McKay (Queensland)

3. Craig Moore (Queensland)

2. John Hutchinson (Central Coast)

1. Joel Griffiths (Newcastle)

 

Of those, I think the top five belong on the list.  I have question marks about the other five and I think the following are worthy of inclusion.

 

Shane Smeltz � I think we all agree he has to be there.  How can the joint top scorer in the league not be in the top ten most influential players?  If Joel Griffiths is #1, Smeltz has to be up there too.

 

Robert Cornthwaite � an ever-present for Adelaide apart from a game out with suspension.  For a guy who started the season hoping for the odd game, he�s been a rock in the absence of Michael Valkanis.

 

Danny Vukovic � if any �keeper belongs on this list, it�s Vukovic.  The best defensive record in the league belongs to Central Coast � Vukovic has been between the sticks for 13 of their 15 games, kept 6 clean sheets and made 50 saves.  While Covic has been good, his team is fourth and CCM are top.  Who has been more influential?

 

Jamie Harnwell � he is Perth�s catalyst, not Colosimo.  A straight swap.

 

Michael Zullo � the brightest young talent in the league.  Pace, close control, vision � excitement for the crowd and danger for defenders whenever he gets the ball.

 

Others who deserve a notable mention are�Glen Moss (Phoenix), Grant Brebner (Melbourne), Travis Dodd (Adelaide), Ufuk Talay (Sydney), Iain Fyfe (Sydney), Matt Thompson (Newcastle) and Jade North (Newcastle).

 

So, my top 10 are�

 

10. Robert Cornthwaite (Adelaide)

9. Jamie Harnwell (Perth)

8. Michael Zullo (Queensland)

7. Mark Milligan (Sydney)

6. Craig Moore (Queensland)

5. Matt McKay (Queensland)

4. Danny Vukovic (Central Coast)

3. Shane Smeltz (Phoenix)

2. John Hutchinson (Central Coast)

1. Joel Griffiths (Newcastle)

How does Brebner make your notable mentions list? Did he have a blinder against the Nix or something?

Haha, Brebner has been one of the worst players out of the whole comp. Good last year but this year he's been non-existant.

Can't quite see how the guy who has completed more passes than anyone else in the comp can be non-existent, but there you go.  Some people also thought George was worth a start....

LF1 - just wondering, could you pse put up the url for the webpage/s that have the pass completion stats etc?

I Think There Is More Than 10 Players That Deserve To Be In There.

It's called the top 10 for a reason. Because only 10 players can make the top 10. Jesus...

Jesus, that makes eleven!

How Smeltz misses out is amazing. What does Brosque do better than Smeltz, apart from blow many a goal-scoring opportunity?

Smeltz has scored 7 goals in about 13-14 games (he missed a couple for the WCQs), which is a goal every 2 games, which is impressive. He also finds the target more often than not

Joel must ave sack wacked the Journo until he put him at number 1.

ROFL at that article.

Moving on a little I have been thinking of best of.

BOO at your strikers!
Cosimo2007-12-13 08:58:56

great site LF!, cheers

'anorak heaven'

recommended for addicts, anoraks, the unemployed, and the about to be sacked (edit - ooops- or sports journos, who may or may not fit some of the preceding criteria )

interesting to look at how high our passing figures were for the Adelaide, sydney and melbourne games (only got back that far as yet)

and 30 crosses and 13 corners v Adelaide and only 7 shots  (though those two pens we were robbed of would have made that 9 shots!!!) - no wonder ricki went to twin strikers v perth


tigers2007-12-13 09:54:43

Michael Burns may be worth a sneaky mention

It really doesn't matter how the team is faring, because if the leader scorer wasn't playing for them, they'd be doing even worse. That's what I call influential. Bloody Aussies...

I dont know how Archies on there, he isn't the player he was last season... not in a million years.

1. Yellow Fever
2. Glen Moss
3. Glen Moss
....
9. Glen Moss
10. Shane Smeltz


...11. Frankie Mac