Official A-League Thread
I went, f****** incredible crowd. Sydney play a very European sort of game. Some say boring, some say tactical. Butcher will not be there next year as the Sydney players and supporters like attacking football, something they are not getting uder Butcher.
He kicks on the left
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!
Sydney could be in a bit of poo.
Cap scandal rocking Sydney
By David Lewis
December 14, 2006 SYDNEY FC could face an uphill fight to qualify for the A-League play-offs after it was revealed last night the club is likely to be docked points for alleged salary cap breaches over the contract of striker David Zdrilic.
The defending champion is also likely to be fined over the apparent irregularities, which centre around an invoice for $50,000 from Zdrilic family company Nesrock for services supposedly rendered by Sydney player agent Alan McGrouther.
That helped boost Zdrilic's wages to $175,000 and contributed to Sydney breaking last season's $1.5 million cap. If found guilty, it will be Sydney's second breach of player payment rules.
McGrouther's company - AMG Sports Consultants - was named on the invoice as providing "promotional services" in a letter from Nesrock to then Sydney chief executive Andy Harper. The letter was also sighted by former Sydney accountant and club shareholder Michael Crismale. Walter Bugno was then club chairman but neither he, Harper nor Crismale are in anyway implicated in the investigation.
The Daily Telegraph has seen both the invoice and the letter, which date back to early last year when the club was putting together its squad for the inaugural A-League season.
It's believed the plot to dodge the cap emanated from a former powerbroker at Sydney FC, whose identity is known by The Daily Telegraph but cannot be revealed for legal reasons.
Second-placed Sydney, who faces Perth Glory at Aussie Stadium tonight, is two points ahead of a chasing pack of three clubs and have no margin for error with three of its final four league games away from home.
McGrouther, angered by the use of his name to justify a portion of Zdrilic's salary, is not implicated in the investigation and has been debriefed by Football Federation Australia.
Sydney chairman Edmund Capon and chief executive George Perry pleaded the club's case in a meeting with FFA head of operations Matt Carroll yesterday but Carroll offered few words of encouragement, saying: "It's a close race at the top and I can understand why Sydney should be nervous (about being stripped of more than just one point)."
A finding could be handed down by the board before the end of the week.
Sydney is certain to be docked at least one point, having been fined $45,000 for a previous player-payment breach in which a one-point suspended penalty was part of the punishment.
"To be fair to Sydney they have been very co-operative in helping to clean up these lingering issues," added Carroll, who has also quizzed Zdrilic and his father Sam - who signed the letter to Harper - as part of his probe. McGrouther is perturbed at being used as a pawn in a pay game aimed at boosting a player's salary, explaining: "I'm horrified by this. I have never represented David Zdrilic or been involved in any promotions with him. "The money has never come anywhere near my company. It's a case of a club trying to beat the salary cap.
"This is obviously not ethical and is another example of how murky things can get because the salary cap is far too low. The first I heard of it was when the FFA approached me to explain what I knew after the invoice came to light."
FFA chairman Frank Lowy, whose son David has a controlling interest in Sydney FC, will take no part in the decision process. It's believed the Zdrilic affair came to light after the player's representatives approached the PFA to seek unclaimed match bonuses.
Cap scandal rocking Sydney
By David Lewis
December 14, 2006 SYDNEY FC could face an uphill fight to qualify for the A-League play-offs after it was revealed last night the club is likely to be docked points for alleged salary cap breaches over the contract of striker David Zdrilic.
The defending champion is also likely to be fined over the apparent irregularities, which centre around an invoice for $50,000 from Zdrilic family company Nesrock for services supposedly rendered by Sydney player agent Alan McGrouther.
That helped boost Zdrilic's wages to $175,000 and contributed to Sydney breaking last season's $1.5 million cap. If found guilty, it will be Sydney's second breach of player payment rules.
McGrouther's company - AMG Sports Consultants - was named on the invoice as providing "promotional services" in a letter from Nesrock to then Sydney chief executive Andy Harper. The letter was also sighted by former Sydney accountant and club shareholder Michael Crismale. Walter Bugno was then club chairman but neither he, Harper nor Crismale are in anyway implicated in the investigation.
The Daily Telegraph has seen both the invoice and the letter, which date back to early last year when the club was putting together its squad for the inaugural A-League season.
It's believed the plot to dodge the cap emanated from a former powerbroker at Sydney FC, whose identity is known by The Daily Telegraph but cannot be revealed for legal reasons.
Second-placed Sydney, who faces Perth Glory at Aussie Stadium tonight, is two points ahead of a chasing pack of three clubs and have no margin for error with three of its final four league games away from home.
McGrouther, angered by the use of his name to justify a portion of Zdrilic's salary, is not implicated in the investigation and has been debriefed by Football Federation Australia.
Sydney chairman Edmund Capon and chief executive George Perry pleaded the club's case in a meeting with FFA head of operations Matt Carroll yesterday but Carroll offered few words of encouragement, saying: "It's a close race at the top and I can understand why Sydney should be nervous (about being stripped of more than just one point)."
A finding could be handed down by the board before the end of the week.
Sydney is certain to be docked at least one point, having been fined $45,000 for a previous player-payment breach in which a one-point suspended penalty was part of the punishment.
"To be fair to Sydney they have been very co-operative in helping to clean up these lingering issues," added Carroll, who has also quizzed Zdrilic and his father Sam - who signed the letter to Harper - as part of his probe. McGrouther is perturbed at being used as a pawn in a pay game aimed at boosting a player's salary, explaining: "I'm horrified by this. I have never represented David Zdrilic or been involved in any promotions with him. "The money has never come anywhere near my company. It's a case of a club trying to beat the salary cap.
"This is obviously not ethical and is another example of how murky things can get because the salary cap is far too low. The first I heard of it was when the FFA approached me to explain what I knew after the invoice came to light."
FFA chairman Frank Lowy, whose son David has a controlling interest in Sydney FC, will take no part in the decision process. It's believed the Zdrilic affair came to light after the player's representatives approached the PFA to seek unclaimed match bonuses.
. People who went how was it?
Almost like somewhere in Europe.
The chant doesnt end. The guys at the northern end (at TD, its actually the south end) sing "we're north end, we're north end, we're north end over here"
It goes backwards and forwards.
Just ask the barmy army "dont you wish you great grandfather stole a loaf of bread"
Probably also remind them that their best batsman is actually South African, and has a strong south african accent, no matter how hard he tries to hide it.
It goes backwards and forwards.
Just ask the barmy army "dont you wish you great grandfather stole a loaf of bread"
Probably also remind them that their best batsman is actually South African, and has a strong south african accent, no matter how hard he tries to hide it.
He kicks on the left
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!
I started that chant!Koala wrote:did you need a compass?Ossie wrote:Left side, of course.Koala wrote:right side or left side?Ossie wrote:We're the South End, we're the South End, we're the South End over here.
You couldn't fool your own mother on the foolingest day of your life with an electrified fooling machine.
Good way to end the year with a 2-1 win over the Central Coast Marriners. Leijer and Thompson received yellow cards ruling Leijer out for 2 and Archie for 1 I think. I'd rather them sit out now obviously so that they don't miss any finals. Got Perth next week which is really a dead rubber and doesn't mean anything.
Victory down 2-0 at HT. Not really too fussed as we are resting about 6 starters, plus the keeper.
New Zealand Kinghts beat Sydney 1-0. Sydneys finals two games are against Adelaide and Queensland. Going to be a very interesesting final couple of weeks for 5 teams.
New Zealand Kinghts beat Sydney 1-0. Sydneys finals two games are against Adelaide and Queensland. Going to be a very interesesting final couple of weeks for 5 teams.
He kicks on the left
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!
He kicks on the riiiiiiiiigggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt
That boy Hurley
Makes Riewoldt look shite!