Round 3 of the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League season has come and gone, leaving behind a trail of shock results and controversy, whilst strengthening the claims of some for a spot in the Socceroos’s FIFA Men’s World Cup squad and placing hurdles in the path of others in the charge to Qatar.
With a lot to dissect, here are the talking points from Round 3 of the A-League Men season.
‘I need to see them live’: Socceroos boss lauds domestic quality on World Cup watch
Socceroos boss Graham Arnold is relishing the opportunity to to witness domestic games in the flesh after taking his place in the stands at multiple Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures over the first three rounds of the season.
Arnold estimates he watches 30 hours of football per week as he looks to narrow down a list of 55 contenders submitted to FIFA this week to a final squad of 26 bound for next month’s World Cup in Qatar.
With members of his coaching staff sent overseas to watch Socceroos scattered across the globe, the head coach has remained on home soil in what is a glorious opportunity for players in the A-League Men to impress.
Arnold admits the competition’s late start compared to other leagues around the world has negatively impacted the chances of A-League Men players to build up a run of form prior to the World Cup – but having closely observed the opening three rounds of the new campaign, he’s lauded the quality of the A-League Men and how it stacks up against domestic leagues in Europe.
“I’m out watching players in the A-League,” Arnold told ABC Sport on Sunday, having watched Melbourne City take down 10-man Melbourne Victory on Saturday night. “I’ve got René Meulensteen my assistant and Tony Vidmar over in Europe going around watching players over there, and I’ve got my medical staff over there visiting some players with small niggling injuries at the moment. It’s pretty full on.
“The boys overseas, probably all of them have played 15 games. Due to the start of the A-League again – and this hasn’t been an issue just now, this has been an issue for 15 years: that the A-League doesn’t start until after the September/October FIFA windows.
“The A-League boys have played two games, this is their third game this weekend – that’s why I’m getting out to watch all the games, because I need to see them live.
“You get a different perception on TV when you’re watching them, but when you get out and see them live you can see how if they lose the ball how their recovery is, after they make a long run how they back up from a long run… and how good their touch is.”
Arnold was in the stands as reigning premiers City made it three wins from three games at AAMI Park, where Socceroos forward Jamie Maclaren netted his fourth goal of the season and Mathew Leckie impressed again.
Arnold added: “I truly believe the A-League is a good standard. A lot of people compare it to the English Premier League. Well no-one in the world can compare with the English Premier League, probably not even the Serie A and Bundesliga, they’re strong leagues but they don’t compare to the English Premier League.
The A-League has got some good quality. I’ve been around the world watching games in Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Holland – and let me tell you, it’s the same level, if not some of the teams are worse than the A-League.
“Sometimes we are harsh judges on the A-League, but as I said, due to the late start it’s making it harder for those boys.”
Pre-season footage proves Austin’s debut strike was months in the making
Charlie Austin is off the mark in the Isuzu UTE A-League, and he has Joe Knowles to thank for the assist for his maiden league finish in a 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers in Round 3.
There’s a chemistry building between the two Roar forwards built off a pre-season in which the club’s marquee recruit showed dedication to improving not just his own game, but his chemistry with those around him.
Austin touched down in Queensland in July, and was immediately thrust into the thick of his new club’s pre-season friendly schedule against Premier League opponents Leeds United and Aston Villa. It was in Townsville ahead of his side’s Villa clash when KEEPUP captured Austin running Knowles through attacking scenarios after the group’s session was in the books.
In the footage, Austin directs Knowles where to be when receiving a cross from the byline, by feinting to run toward the near post before dropping out to receive the ball on the cut-back.
It’s exactly how Knowles found Austin to assist his first strike in the A-League Men. Austin pointed to where he wants the ball, and with the Wanderers defenders dropping toward the six-yard box, Knowles cut the ball across the box to meet Austin in space to finish. From the training ground to the league, putting in the extras together helped Austin get on the same wavelength as Knowles as Brisbane drew 1-1 with the Wanderers on Saturday.
‘His account could have got hacked’: Zadkovich pressed for answers after glaring Fornaroli absence and cryptic social media message
Perth Glory head coach Ruben Zadkovich attempted to play down Bruno Fornaroli’s absence as a legitimate injury concern, and the striker’s subsequent conflicting comments on social media as a potential online hack, as unrest between player and club came to the boil on Sunday afternoon.
Glory travelled to Gosford without Fornaroli to take on Central Coast Mariners; Zadkovich’s side emerged surprise 2-1 victors, falling behind to a Samuel Silvera strike before scoring on either side of half-time through Giordano Colli and Aaron McEneff to register their first win of the campaign.
In the aftermath, Zadkovich claimed Fornaroli “ruled himself out with an injury on Friday” and that there was “not really much going on there” – but the Uruguayan fuelled the rumour mill pre-game by taking to Instagram to post a comment which was released soon after, claiming he was “100% fit and ready” to travel and play with the team.
“To be honest, I’m not sure,” Zadkovich said post-match when pressed on Fornaroli’s cryptic message. “Who knows (with) social media, his account could have got hacked for all we know. I can’t really comment on it, I haven’t seen those comments. But all I know is I picked a squad that was available, and they went out there and did the job.
“He has a hell of a goalscoring record in the league, and like all the boys is extremely valuable to our club. But like I say, the focus isn’t on him act the moment. He wasn’t here, he’s unavailable, he ruled himself out with an injury – we’re worried about the ones that are here.”
As far as what happens next with Fornaroli moving forward, Zadkovich says: ”That’s pretty simple: we’ll go home and like always review the match, review where we’re at, review our injuries and talk with medical staff and players and go through that management process. It’s not really an issue.”
‘I believe it was a mistake’: Reds boss seeking clarity after Ibusuki red card
It was an enthralling, momentum-swinging encounter in which Adelaide United led, fell behind and eventually drew 2-2 against Sydney FC on Sunday afternoon.
But after the four-goal thriller, Reds head coach Carl Veart vented his frustration that one flashpoint had drawn focus completely away from all the action of an entertaining affair: Hiroshi Ibusuki’s controversial dismissal for a first-half challenge on Anthony Caceres.
Referee Daniel Elder produced a red card from his pocket for Ibusuki after the Adelaide striker had won the ball in midfield, following through with studs raised and collecting Caceres in rather innocuous fashion.
The on-field decision was red, but what perplexed Veart was what came next: VAR Kurt Ams not only upholding the decision, but refraining from calling referee Elder over to the pitch side monitor for a second look at the incident.
“Unfortunately, we shouldn’t be talking about decisions act are like that, and (instead) talking about a great game of football,” Veart said post-match. “But unfortunately, everyone wants to know about the red card – and I’m sure everyone who was watching the game will have a very similar opinion to me.
“That’s something we don’t want in the game – we’re trying to attract a lot of new supporters to the game and I think decisions that are like that might put people off.
“I believe it was a mistake – but I think that’s why we have VAR to overrule decisions like that. I’m sure, I think everyone can see that if someone looks at that and thinks it’s a red card, I don’t think you’d find too many that would say it was.
“We’ll ask for an explanation – I think everyone in the league would want an explanation, because everybody will be getting worried now that we are going to have red cards for challenges like that. I don’t think there’ll be a game finished with 11 men If that’s the standard we’re going to set.
“I’m all for protecting players, and yes we’ve been briefed with studs making contact, but there has to be some type of force that can injure someone or do damage.”
Veart added the referees had shown clubs vision in pre-season of tackles with studs raised which would be cracked down on in the 2022-23 campaign.
“They showed us examples and talked about force – there had to be force for it to be a red card,” he said. “But I said we’ve got to be careful we don’t sanitise the game too much. It is a contact sport, players don’t intentionally go out to hurt professional players.”