A League title tracker: Come on Phoenix!

Fitzy

You’re all being remarkably level headed here and I for one am extremely disappointed by it. I wanted outrage, I wanted claims of corruption, I wanted insane conspiracies. I came here for “maybe Bill Foley caused the Dubai floods” and all I got was “that’s a sensible decision.”

 Absolutely. I think CCM should have forfeited the game

Fitzy

You’re all being remarkably level headed here and I for one am extremely disappointed by it. I wanted outrage, I wanted claims of corruption, I wanted insane conspiracies. I came here for “maybe Bill Foley caused the Dubai floods” and all I got was “that’s a sensible decision.”

Foley has been working on this in the background for ages. He kicked off the industrial revolution knowing the long term effects of climate change.

He has been playing the long game so he has plausible deniability.  I wasn't even born yet seems like far too convenient of an excuse.

There has to be an investigation.

That better?

Fitzy

You’re all being remarkably level headed here and I for one am extremely disappointed by it. I wanted outrage, I wanted claims of corruption, I wanted insane conspiracies. I came here for “maybe Bill Foley caused the Dubai floods” and all I got was “that’s a sensible decision.”

"Fellow Crusaders, looks like that little deal we made with the Infidels of Allah over yonder has just paid off guys. Up the Black Knights!!!!"

coochiee

You also have to have CCM & Nix playing at the same time on the same day, for integrity don't you?
When both will still likely be gunning for the Premiers Plate (as long as Nix avoid losing tomorrow night) next weekend?? 

Thus eliminating any possibility of some sort of 'Disgrace in Gijón' collusion, setup on either of their final games.

Mariners should have splurged on a return charter flight to Kyrgyzstan with $USD750K on the line!

Some match highlights from game last night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXSLI1YfnoQ

Integrity? A-League?

That’s funny.

You don’t even play the same teams same number of times as your title rivals.

ClubOranje

coochiee

You also have to have CCM & Nix playing at the same time on the same day, for integrity don't you?
When both will still likely be gunning for the Premiers Plate (as long as Nix avoid losing tomorrow night) next weekend?? 

Thus eliminating any possibility of some sort of 'Disgrace in Gijón' collusion, setup on either of their final games.

Mariners should have splurged on a return charter flight to Kyrgyzstan with $USD750K on the line!

Some match highlights from game last night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXSLI1YfnoQ

Integrity? A-League?

That’s funny.

You don’t even play the same teams same number of times as your title rivals.

But that's sort of outside the APL's control. There are currently only 12 ALM teams, a 22 game H&A season is too few games. I think RR said you need 26 league games minimum to be allowed to participate in AFC competitions like AFC Champions League & AFC Cup.

But then 33 games is obviously deemed too many. I'm guessing alot of that is around trying to stay primarily a summer competition, and avoid competing with the powerhouse AFL & NRL comps as much as possible. 

If Canberra & Auckland enter next season problem solved, becoming 26 games H&A. Seems Canberra won't happen next season now, but yeah getting close to a proper true fair H&A season.

This ain't Europe. Football ain't the biggest game in town, Foxtel are no longer throwing big money around & funds are tight. The APL have got to work within all that, have enough 'product for Paramount and keep a viable league operating.
 

Adelaide officially eliminated from the Finals race. So only pride to play for on the 30th.

Reds v Mariners game rescheduled for next Wednesday 1st May at Gosford.
AFC Cup final is scheduled 5th May in Middle East.
1st leg ALM Semi finals is weekend 10th-12th May

https://ccmariners.com.au/news/adelaide-united-h-rescheduled-date-and-time-confirmed/

So would we be right in thinking we actually want CCM to win their AFC cup semi tomorrow, so that they’re tempted to rest players (or just be generally lacking focus) in their final game against Adelaide? They must be leaving for the Middle East pretty much immediately afterwards. 

Yes. We want them to win. They also will have to travel back after and they will play 2 games while we rest for the semi finals. Hopefully they get completely dicked in the final to blow their confidence. 

theaucklandphoenixfan

Yes. We want them to win. They also will have to travel back after and they will play 2 games while we rest for the semi finals. Hopefully they get completely dicked in the final to blow their confidence. 

Or win and blow some of the $USD1.5M AFC Cup Final winnings payday on a 2 day bender.

CCM are through to the final, would've been nice if the game went to extra time but that adds another game to their schedule.

wilbaker

CCM are through to the final, would've been nice if the game went to extra time but that adds another game to their schedule.

Saw a tweet from someone saying CCM (if they win tonight) would try negotiate with the Lebanese club (who played their home semi playoff in Iraq last week) - to have the Final staged as Gosford. Hopefully that doesn't eventuate. Happy for the Mariners to win the Final but want them to have to travel

AFC Cup hosting system for the final means it rotates between West Zone and East Zone winner each year. Was in the East last year so hopefully even if it's not able to be in Lebanon, Al-Ahed will want it as close to home as possible for their fans to make an easy trip.

SamCoughlan

AFC Cup hosting system for the final means it rotates between West Zone and East Zone winner each year. Was in the East last year so hopefully even if it's not able to be in Lebanon, Al-Ahed will want it as close to home as possible for their fans to make an easy trip.

They played there home semi in Iraq. I expect they will go back there.

Ranix

SamCoughlan

AFC Cup hosting system for the final means it rotates between West Zone and East Zone winner each year. Was in the East last year so hopefully even if it's not able to be in Lebanon, Al-Ahed will want it as close to home as possible for their fans to make an easy trip.

They played there home semi in Iraq. I expect they will go back there.

I posted this in the ACL and AFC cup thread just before but I'll put it here too just in case - it seems the AFC have announced the final as taking place in Muscat, Oman on May 5

Inbox: The AFC has announced that the #AFCCup final between the Central Coast Mariners and Al-Ahed will take place in Muscat, Oman on May 5. Time is TBD.

— Poletti (they/them) (@ItsPoletti) April 26, 2024

That's a lot of games in a short amount of time.

Come on CCM win the AFC cup and enjoy that sweet payday.  Just lose one of the A Leagues game for it.

So I don’t risk taking this thread off topic, I’m looking to head over the ditch for the away semi so can chat over here as fixtures and plans start to firm up if others are also thinking about this away trip 

https://yellowfever.co.nz/categories/dangerous-liaisons/topics/away-semi-final-may-10-12th-sydney-or-melbourne?highlight=post_1456330

And yeah a bugger CCM ain't playing the Reds tonight.

Sounds like if Adelaide do the improbable & win tomorrow, Chief will allow the team to have a bender celebration through the night! Fair enough. Bar tab on Rob Morrison

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350254385/how-wellington-phoenix-coach-giancarlo-italiano-plans-watch-premiers-plate-decider

Barbarouses has been in a similar position before, when he won the premiership with Sydney FC in 2019-20 and was watching closely to see if their title rivals would slip up.

He was originally hoping the Central Coast game would be played on Tuesday to coincide with the Phoenix’s end of season awards, allowing the entire club to watch the match together.

Annotation 2024-05-01 161846.jpg 58.9 KB

Basically gone toe-to-toe with them since late Jan

Adelaide have been all over CCM should’ve scored a couple already!

Whelp.

We all know that the Grand Final is what means the most...

... 😭

The best result for us in the playoffs is MacArthur and City to win. I think it'll be more likely Sydney and City but hopefully Victory win because Sydney have had the better of CCM this year.

wilbaker

The best result for us in the playoffs is MacArthur and City to win. I think it'll be more likely Sydney and City but hopefully Victory win because Sydney have had the better of CCM this year.

The team I least want the Nix to play is Victory, and if they beat Melb City it's VUC we play. I'm more focused on who the Phoenix could be playing in the semis, rather than who might play CCM.

We have been lucky to get 2 draws against the Victory this season. Not a shot on target in the first game, and a late 95th Nix equaliser 2nd game at the ROF. 

Plus AAMI Park is just a graveyard for the Nix. Just can't seem to win there. Anyone but them and preferably Macarthur.

For Nix to get MAC in the semis, Melb City need to upset the VUC, and obviously MAC to beat Sydney.

WhoStoleMySock

We all know that the Grand Final is what means the most...

... 😭

Weirdly when it comes to sporting codes in Australia you aren't that far wrong. For most people it's all about the Grand Final. If you asked anyone with even a passing interest in the A League who won the competition last year I can almost guarantee most of them would say the Mariners. 

I've always found it odd that the highest finishing team in the AFL, NRL, ALM etc is labelled as merely 'minor premiers', as though the league games were just the curtain raiser to the real competition of the finals.

Outpost

WhoStoleMySock

We all know that the Grand Final is what means the most...

... 😭

Weirdly when it comes to sporting codes in Australia you aren't that far wrong. For most people it's all about the Grand Final. If you asked anyone with even a passing interest in the A League who won the competition last year I can almost guarantee most of them would say the Mariners. 

I've always found it odd that the highest finishing team in the AFL, NRL, ALM etc is labelled as merely 'minor premiers', as though the league games were just the curtain raiser to the real competition of the finals.

While I was being sarcastic, as an Aussie, I'm definitely conditioned to have the Grand Final as the one that matters most, due to AFL ruling everything around us.

If the Nix had just scraped through to finals and finished 6th, I would not have cared who the Premiers were. Now that I have a horse in this race, I just wanted silverware. Now we move on to our next opportunity which is the Grand Final, should we make it (please 🙏)

coochiee

wilbaker

The best result for us in the playoffs is MacArthur and City to win. I think it'll be more likely Sydney and City but hopefully Victory win because Sydney have had the better of CCM this year.

The team I least want the Nix to play is Victory, and if they beat Melb City it's VUC we play. I'm more focused on who the Phoenix could be playing in the semis, rather than who might play CCM.

We have been lucky to get 2 draws against the Victory this season. Not a shot on target in the first game, and a late 95th Nix equaliser 2nd game at the ROF. 

Plus AAMI Park is just a graveyard for the Nix. Just can't seem to win there. Anyone but them and preferably Macarthur.

For Nix to get MAC in the semis, Melb City need to upset the VUC, and obviously MAC to beat Sydney.

The games against Victory haven't had much in them the first game was pretty poor from us but in the last two I think we looked better in the first half of both games. With the first one we got a red card at the end of half so it made it harder for us to dominate the second half and then the latter game the conditions weren't the best so was hard for either team to really take control. 

Victory definitely aren't my fav team to play in the playoffs but I'd still take them over Sydney as I fear with Sydney on their day they can really punish teams and take a large goal differential into the next leg whereas Victory don't really do that so it plays into our advantage of having the home second leg.

I also fear playing Sydney with Talay and Italiano knowing each other so well that they'll cancel each other out or Italiano will try something different and not work.

Despite obvious "linkage" between Italiano and Talay, there are more similarities in the on-park style between the Nix and Victory than between the Nix and Sydney FC. This is particularly visible in the speed of play and in the application of close press by Sydney  while faced with Victory we should be able to have a more freedom of movement and a flowing play.  Fornaroli still makes for a huge difference, but we should be able to contain the rest. In contrast with Sydney, they have a whole number of scary customers contributing.

I suppose the reason I feel so gutted is that, with Foley FC coming in next year, this might have been the last time for the Nix to ever get any silverware. And even if we can get by either Melbourne team - both of whom have serious final experience, and let's face it we get the yips playing in Melbourne - I don't think we can take the Salties in the GF (which would be away) considering we couldn't take them in the regular season.

We were within a minute of sharing the points in Gosford a few weeks ago, and we finished the season two points behind the champions (and 11 ahead of third). This is the best Phoenix team we’ve ever seen, I’m still confident about our finals chances and can’t see any reason to be despondent. 

Fitzy

We were within a minute of sharing the points in Gosford a few weeks ago, and we finished the season two points behind the champions (and 11 ahead of third). This is the best Phoenix team we’ve ever seen, I’m still confident about our finals chances and can’t say any reason to be despondent. 

And we were without Rufer in that game. It all came down to Conchie's inexperience (not that I would blame him, or any player - just to show what a difference Rufer makes).

Doloras

I suppose the reason I feel so gutted is that, with Foley FC coming in next year, this might have been the last time for the Nix to ever get any silverware. And even if we can get by either Melbourne team - both of whom have serious final experience, and let's face it we get the yips playing in Melbourne - I don't think we can take the Salties in the GF (which would be away) considering we couldn't take them in the regular season.

Cheer up Doloras, there is no reason we should expect Auckland FC to challenge us for the silverware next season.  Corica was not exactly winning trophies last year at Sydney FC, despite their resources.
The budget (the team we retain) next season is more of a risk to our ambitions than "Foley FC".   If anything, we should look at the example of Mariners doing it all, and then some, on a relatively small budget comparing to the more blingy teams. A good coach and a good development scheme seem to be working for them, and show promise for us.

The Nix are also the only team that gets this weekend off to rest. In a complete contrast, the Mariners have to make a likely 50-60 hour round trip to Oman, to play a high stakes final with either a $US750K or $US1.5M pay day.

Sure the ALM at only 27 rounds is a short comp compared to many leagues, but there will still be lots of guys carrying late season niggles who would love a week off to rest.

The Nix players in the semi 2nd leg at home will be fresher, and buoyed by a big noisy home crowd to hopefully take the tie. They should certainly finish that game the stronger team.

I imagine that in the history of ALM 2 legged semis, the teams 1st & 2nd on the ladder (so avoided elimination finals), have most often won through to the final.

And then if it is Mariners hosting the final. 2 extra non normal advantages for the Nix if they make it. CCM having to host the final in 'neutral' Sydney, and yes as above not having had the rest week this week that the Nix have had.

We shouldn't fear anyone. 

WEL - 21 points against top 6 (12 games)
CCM at 19 (12 games)
Victory at 17 (12 games)
Sydney at 11 (12 games)
Macarthur at 15 (11 games)
City at 11 (12 games)

We may have missed out on the 'minor premiership' but I'm fully 100% confident that we're going to win the A-League Finals series. COYN.

coochiee

The Nix are also the only team that gets this weekend off to rest. In a complete contrast, the Mariners have to make a likely 50-60 hour round trip to Oman, to play a high stakes final with either a $US750K or $US1.5M pay day.

Sure the ALM at only 27 rounds is a short comp compared to many leagues, but there will still be lots of guys carrying late season niggles who would love a week off to rest.

The Nix players in the semi 2nd leg at home will be fresher, and buoyed by a big noisy home crowd to hopefully take the tie. They should certainly finish that game the stronger team.

I imagine that in the history of ALM 2 legged semis, the teams 1st & 2nd on the ladder (so avoided elimination finals), have most often won through to the final.

And then if it is Mariners hosting the final. 2 extra non normal advantages for the Nix if they make it. CCM having to host the final in 'neutral' Sydney, and yes as above not having had the rest week this week that the Nix have had.

While I follow the logic of all of this, I think at a certain point might we have to accept that CCM having unprecedented success in Asia could actually be a good thing for them, not a hindrance. 

What is all this nonsense about central coast hosting the final in Sydney?? Why can’t they do it at their home ground, they’ve had home GFs there before??

theaucklandphoenixfan

What is all this nonsense about central coast hosting the final in Sydney?? Why can’t they do it at their home ground, they’ve had home GFs there before??

CCM have not hosted grand finals at Gosford before, when they won all those years ago the FFA made them play in Sydney because Gosford isn’t a big enough stadium

Oh wow I’ve just seen that. I thought those games were on the central coast!! 
Reminds me how Adelaide couldn’t play at coopers and went to the oval.

Just going off this CCM fan website, seems that yes if the Mariners make the ALM Final, it will again be hosted in Sydney.

Either Parramatta (Comm Bank, 30,000) or
Sydney Football Stadium/Moore Park (Allianz, 45,000).

Can't see anything yet officially from the APL.

https://www.ccmfans.net/community/threads/alm-ccm-v-western-united.7198/page-3