A LEAGUE TURMOIL

JETS OWNER DOES THE RUNNER

Mining (lucky guy) magnate Nathan Tinkler has attempted to pull the rug from under the Newcastle Jets in a display of petulance. The owner of the Jets had a representative host a depressing press conference where the Hunter Sports Group (owned by Tinkler) declared, they were handing back their owner's license due to differences in opinion on how the game should be run. 


HSG chief executive Troy Palmer stated ". . . propping up their [FFA] decisions that we don’t agree with is not what we think is best for Newcastle." With true billionaire contempt it seems the rich man is taking his bat and ball and going home. The tamper tantrum stems from two major issues: the $5 million license acquisition fee paid by Tinkler and the Jason Culina insurance incident. Tinkler has good reason to be bitter about the acquisition fee. The $5 million that he paid is well over the money paid by others and Jason Culina was bought as a marquee player but amazingly the player wasn't insured as the FFA has a different rule for marquee players.

So Tinkler has reason to be angry and to want answers however, trying to hand back the license is a little irresponsible. The Jets attracted the third highest average crowd figures for 2011/12, and manager Gary Van Egmond gave up his post at the Australian Institute of Sport for the job at the Jets. Tinkler has metaphorically said to the fans "to hell with you", he has metaphorically said to Van Egmond "who cares about your family and any other bills you have to pay" and the same goes for all the players.

On investigation into Tinkler's history we see some consistent patterns of this kind of behaviour. In November 2011 he finally ended his dispute with horse trainer Anthony Cummings. Cummings was one of a long line of horse trainers who parted ways with Tinkler. The list includes Jason Coyle, Patrick Payne, Tony Noonan and Mick Price. But it's Tinkler's timing which really proves his class (sarcasm). Hours after the launch of the 2011/12 A League season Tinkler ruthlessly sacked then manager, Branko Culina, who had been on hand for the launch media event. Tinkler sacked Culina for the debacle that surrounded the signing of injured marquee player Jason Culina (his son). And now on the day of the A League awards night Tinkler prods his chief executive officer into the fray to tell the world he doesn't want his 'soccer toy' anymore. Unfortunately for Tinkler he signed a ten year ownership contract and the FFA are ready for court action. By the afternoon of HSG's announcement yesterday, the 'cut and run' group were issued papers from the FFA reminding of their legal commitments to the Newcastle Jets for another eight years.

Catch Football Federation Australia's response to HSG.

NEWS BURST

GAMBA SACK SERRAO


Gamba Osaka have shut the door on manager Jose Carlos Serrao and told a large portion of his assembled coaching staff they aren't welcome either. The club had suffered three straight J-League losses and two ACL losses in a disastrous start to 2012. Club President Kikuo Kanamori revealed that the board , ". . . took into account that the kind of soccer that represents Gamba Osaka is soccer with movement, and we were not seeing this."

Matsunami

The Kansai outfit have ushered in a club legend as the new manager.
Masanobu Matsunami who made 280 appearances for the club will be assisted by Noritada Saneyoshi who made a mediocre (that is sarcasm) 236 games for the club. This weekend Gamba take on Albirex Niigata who are also sitting on a duck after three matches. Matsunami-san has promised he will ". . . work hard in this job." Relatively young by managerial standards, the new man may have his work cut out as some believe it's not just the manager at Gamba who was behind the unsuccessful start to the season, but also a playing roster that is just too old.


GRAMPUS HANG ON FOR DRAW IN GOSFORD


Wednesday night's clash between Nagoya Grampus and Central Coast Mariners saw the A - League outfit acquit themselves well. The Aussie team who have just been crowned Premiers Plate champions (akin to winning the league in most nations) had been experiencing a form slump, but the travelling Japanese club brought out the best in the Mariners. After a start which saw action from end to end before a few soft claims for free kick, Grampus eventually struck. In the 21st minute Tulio got on the end of a low flighted free kick which bedazzled the locals (I'm not sure if it was even meant to travel low to the ground). The national team stalwart poked home the opener, only for Mariners to bounce back within 7 minutes. Josh Kennedy (hardly visible all night) was pick-pocketed 5 metres outside his own box and young Tom Rogic was quick to fire in a cross from the left for Dutchman Patrick Zwaanswijk to head home. Another centre back getting in on the act.


From that point on a points decision went to the Mariners but despite their best efforts, a second goal wasn't forthcoming. With both team playing compact formations and high defensive lines the midfield was a hive of action and the 19 year old Rogic shone for the home team. It was an eventful night with the local fans jeering every free kick awarded to Grampus. An early simulation by Kensuke Nagai got the 'Gosfordians' offside and from that point on there was no turning back. One highlight was centre back Tulio Tanaka's efforts to rile the crowd even more. He played up to the crowd by slowing down play and dummying over the ball when there was no opponent within cooee. A true character that would fit in at any A - League club. If the funds were available . . . he'd be a must.

Kennedy and Co' Arrive

Josh Kennedy and Nagoya Grampus have arrived on the Central Coast. On a mission to snatch and grab three points for their Asian Champions League campaign, Grampus will start favourites. 

Despite only managing a draw in their first game of the Champions League Grampus have the smarts to beat a Central Coast team whose form is heading in the wrong direction at the wrong time. The Mariners got their Champions League campaign off to a creditable draw in China, but Tianjin aren't setting the world on fire in the Chinese Super League. With one win in their last five the Mariners have fallen upon tough times due to the loss of Rostyn Griffiths to Ghuangzhou R&F, Matt Simon to Chunnam Dragons, and others on national duty (Olyroos). While the Mariners have youngster Tom Rogic, he doesn't add the same mettle as Griffiths and this is where the game is won. 

Grampus have started the J-League with a win against highly rated Shimizu S-Pulse (including Alex Brosque) and a 3-2 defeat away to FC Tokyo. Fans of Brisbane Roar can tell you about the quality of FC Tokyo whom seem capable of emulating the deeds of the 2011 Kashiwa Reysol outfit. Reysol won the J-League in their return to the top flight. Anyways, Grampus should have to many guns with the usual suspect Kennedy, Tulio and the speedy Nagai the players to watch out for. 

Meanwhile Adelaide United are set to rock the Asian Champions League tonight when they face Gamba Osaka. Gamba lost their opener at home to Pohang Steelers 3-nil. The new coaching staff will be feeling the heat if Gamba don't get the points, but they will have to find goals against an Adelaide outfit set to play on the counter. This one looks tough, and not even Endo can make the task look easy. 

My best wishes go out to Brisbane Roar for if they continue to employ the predictable pass it out from the back style, they will get ambushed by Beijing tonight. Beijing go into the match with winning form, after toppling high spending Shanghai Shenhua (Joel Griffiths, Nicholas Anelka) in the Chinese Super League over the weekend. This hasn't deterred Brisbane manager Ange Postecoglou though, "The important thing is that we play our style of football and not to get into a negative mindset worrying about whether we win, draw or lose." 

Reds Shock Kashiwa

Urawa Reds have provided the shock result of section 2 of the 2012 J -League season. The Reds got home 1-nil in front of a home crowd of 41069. The Saitama based Reds were under the hammer for the majority of the game, but their resilience was rewarded with a 36th minute goal to Despotovic.

Japanese international Yuki Abe was given man of the match for his efforts at closing down the dangerous Leandro Domingues (Kashiwa's topscorer in 2011). The fact that the Reds' goal came as a result of a defensive blunder by Kashiwa means Reds fans shouldn't get carried away. After a loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima last week, the Reds needed this win with new manager Mihailo Petrovic saying "I knew this would be a hard match . . . but we prepared for this match and the important thing is how you react to defeat."

Elsewhere 30764 fans of largely Kansai decent looked on as Cerezo Osaka used up the very last kick (actually a header) of the game in order to deprive derby rivals Gamba of any points. With Gamba equalising from a free kick via Paulinho the first half ended 1-all. However, Cerezo weren't happy to settle for a draw and the winner came via a Kempes header. The 29 year old Brazilian was able to rise higher than his marker and headed home the sweetest of goals for the pink and blue.

Other results of note:

• Hasegawa and Ishikawa steer FC Tokyo to 3-2 victory over Nagoya
• 83rd minute goal gets Vissel Kobe a 2-1 victory over Consadole Sapporo
• Brosque and Shimizu S-Pulse in comfortable 2-1 win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima

check out the J league standings on this link

Worrying Signs for Gamba

New manager Jose Carlos Serrao will be feeling a little nervous after Gamba's first up loss in the ACL and a surprising first round defeat to Vissel Kobe in the J-League.

The Kansai team have had a great run of success in preceding seasons (finishing top 3 since 2004, except 2008) but this season the alarm bells are beginning to ring. With a new coach and a new outlook the team have added Japanese international defender Konno to shore up a leaky defence. Unfortunately the first two meaningful games of the campaign have begun with a glut of goals at the wrong end for Gamba.

The ACL game against Pohang Steelers of Korea saw three goals flow into the Gamba net. One goal was a result of new signing Konno mis-controlling, while another saw an unmarked Kim Tae Su head home from six yards. The 3-nil defeat at home prompted manager Serrao to state, "this was a big loss for us and now means that really we have to win away to qualify for the next stage."

In the J-League clash it took less than 17 minutes for Kobe to go ahead and only a long range pot-shot got Gamba back into the game before half-time. Before injury time came around it was 3-1 Kobe, with two goals coming from set pieces. Gamba pulled one back to restore some pride in front of the home fans.
Other notable results from week one were:

• Defending champions Kashiwa Reysol 3-3 Yokohama F-Marinos
• Title contenders Nagoya Grampus 1-0 Shimizu S-Pulse
• Home defeat for Omiya Ardija 0-1 FC Tokyo

Highlights available on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DSLiXncJErc

FC Tokyo in a Real Stink

Tonight's first round of the Asian Champions League sees a number of great clashes. Celebrated A-League champions Brisbane Roar take on newly promoted J-League outfit FC Tokyo, while in Japan we see two former ACL winners go head to head in Gamba Osaka and Pohang Steelers. For Australian fans their has never been greater anticipation of the tournament with Brisbane Roar touted by many as our best ever contender.

Brisbane's manager Ange Postecoglou has made no secret of his ambition in this tournament saying to The World Game (click for video of pre match interview) website "there was definitely an eye on this competition when we were kinda' putting the team together." While Brisbane had lost marquee players in Matt Mackay and Jean Carlos Solorzano since taking the 2010/2011 title, the Queenslander club were able to find capable new faces in Besart Berisha and Mohamed Adnan. The latter being slightly enigmatic, but truly fitting the 'play it out from the back' style that is now associated with Brisbane.

FC Tokyo go into the match with limited match practice and a stop-over flight via Singapore. On top of that the 'Gasmen' are missing Lucas and new captain Yohei Kajiyama so the Roar have a great opportunity to get their ACL tournament off to a positive start.

For those that like a punt, look for exotic bets like TabSportsBet's 'over 2.5 goals option. Both teams like to play the ball around and Brisbane's Postecoglou is adamant his boys will continue with his philosophy in the face of any heat the 'Gasmen' provide. Look for defender Adnan to play a significant (positive or negative) role for the home team.

Shimizu's Brosque Shines for Socceroos

Wednesday's World Cup qualifier saw the Socceroos survive a scare against a surprisingly resilient Saudi outfit. Starring for the Aussies was former Sydney-sider Alex Brosque, with two goals and an assist. Brosque's goals coming in the 43rd and 75th minutes.

The Japan based striker/midfielder revealed he was beginning to feel more at home in the Socceroos squad after some regular appearances. On his continued selection by manager Holger Osieck, Brosque said, "At the end of the day, it is about repaying that faith and showing him why he does pick you, and I guess games like tonight make you feel a lot better about being in the squad." While it sounds like Brosque may have had some issues with self belief he needn't have worried. Playing up front for the Socceroos, Brosque used his pace to run onto a  Mark Bresciano through pass and chest the ball away from his closest opponent. From there Brosque held the defender at bay and punted the ball past the keeper. His second goal in the 75th minute was a header of the highest quality, angled past the Saudi keeper making the score 3-2 Australia at that point.

The 28 year old has mentioned his ambitions to be present in Brazil 2014 on more than one occasion, and the form he displayed against Saudi Arabia will provide Holger Osieck with some welcome selection headaches. Brosque recently commented on his time in Japan saying, "I've had to develop eyes in the back of my head and play more quickly." Despite attributing some new found skills and speed of thought Brosque also sounds willing to return to Sydney at the end of the 2012 J-League season stating, ''In my heart, there is no question I'd like to come home. I still see myself as a Sydney player. I love the boys, I watch all their games on the net and I still feel like I'm a part of the club.''