Kruse injured for another month

Viduka was world class and he developed nearly all of his game in Australia.

Edited by Langan: 16/9/2015 11:17:08 PM

Edited by Langan: 16/9/2015 11:17:25 PM

Edited by Langan: 16/9/2015 11:17:38 PM

Can do nothing but laugh. What a joke.

Record of HAL developed AUS players compared to overseas youth developed AUS players currently playing at the highest level doesn't support your argument. Although Arzani and Maskin's generation is touted as one of the most gifted in many years, so I do think they have a better chance of succeeding overseas at a young age than others no matter which development route they take.

Edited by Higashi: 16/9/2015 11:02:06 PM

Skill-wise he was world class. Overall, he was lacking a bit. He had sheer and utter brilliance, but he went missing for games. His teammates have complained that he didn't exactly always turn up.

But in any event look at the clubs he played for. He was a part of a fantastic Leeds outfit, but that's about it. He wasn't world class in terms of success achieved at club level (notwithstanding four goals in one game against Liverpool). He didn't scale the heights of Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Ajax, PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, etc.

Overall, I don't consider him world class.

Yes he developed almost entirely in Australia. I still regard him as the exception. It's very for a player to have a hope of becoming world class while developing almost entirely in Australia. Certainly, Viduka arrived in the Premier League relatively late. Perhaps if he arrived earlier, he'd have had a hope of being world class in all aspects of his game? Although perhaps not because his issues may have been temperamental.

Viduka's teammate Paul Robinson had Viduka as the striker in the Best XI he had ever played with and that includes international teammates. Now he did say he wasn't the best trainer but he always turned up on match day. Stewart Downing named him as the best footballer he's ever played with and that was while Downing was at Liverpool.

The clubs you mentioned Man Utd, Barca, Real Madrid, AC Milan and add Inter Milan all at one time made moves for Viduka. The Spanish and Italian clubs had their bids rejected by Leeds the same way the rejected the bids for Kewell. Viduka was if the reports are correct valued at around 20 to 25 million pounds while at Leeds.

Sure he may not have been world class throughout his career especially when injuries caught up with him but there's no doubt he was World Class.

Fair play. I maintain, skill-wise he was world class. And yep he did most of his development in Aus.

But I don't think that, in all aspects of his game, he was world-class. Injuries and club manoeuvring undoubtedly played their part. I also think his mentality may have been the biggest obstacle in his career (and that surely has little to do with developing in Australia, as that's something where Australian football/sport is traditionally strong).

He's the type of player whom those who played with/against him will remember his abilities, but history won't in quite the same way. To go down in history as world class, mere ability is not enough.

That's not on him though and it doesn't detract from the fact his teammates and opponents rate him as world class. For me us fans don't decide that because we have little to draw on as comparison. If all those he played against or with and the biggest clubs in the world wanted him then that's enough for me to say ok perhaps he was world class. Perhaps he and Harry are the only two we can say in their day they were considered amongst the best in their position (maybe Bozza too).

When Terry Antonis was a kid, he was regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the world. I'm not sure by whom and it is fairly arbitrary. But we was still seen as a real talent. Don't get me wrong, he can still end up a great Socceroo. But compare him to other world class players born in '93. He won't rate a mention, at the minute. He stayed in the A-League too long.

You make a good point that it's beneficial for the A-League/Australian football if the best players play in the A-League. I agree it will help the health of the league.

I would agree it would be a problem if the A-League had no talented juniors. But the nuance is this. However much we encourage talented juniors to go to Europe, there will always be a number that stay in Australia. This is because many don't want to leave their friends and family in Australia, many don't want to miss out on the benefit of Australian secondary/tertiary education, many don't have EU passport (and thus find it much tougher to get European contracts), many find Europe a bridge too far culturally. Thus, we'll always have heaps of Australians staying here.

These kind of players will fortify the A-League and Australian football.

But Australian football needs to be strengthened on several levels. The A-League (the NC, the SAP and domestic pathways) are some important areas where it needs to be strong. But that's not enough. At this stage, it's almost impossible for a player to become truly world class (i.e. being an outstanding player in a side playing knock-out stages of European Champion's League) unless they go to Europe young.

We need players who capture the world's attention. That's the best thing for Australian football.

May I ask, adrtho, if you saw the thread asking people how they became fans of Australian football?

A number said it was seeing Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka being absolutely brilliant in the English Premier League that did it for them.

Kewell and Viduka. Those two played a huge part in getting support for Australian football.

We need more players like them. Which means we need more players to go to Europe at a young age.

Imagine if we have Rogic, Ikonomidis, Armenakas, Brimmer, Arzani, Maskin all playing starring roles at big clubs in Italy, England, Germany, Netherlands, etc?

Kids will stay up all night to watch that kind of thing. Kids will imagine themselves being the next Rogic or Ikonomidis.

That's when Australian football will really make big strides.

When Terry Antonis was a kid, he was regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the world. I'm not sure by whom and it is fairly arbitrary. But we was still seen as a real talent. Don't get me wrong, he can still end up a great Socceroo. But compare him to other world class players born in '93. He won't rate a mention, at the minute. He stayed in the A-League too long.

You make a good point that it's beneficial for the A-League/Australian football if the best players play in the A-League. I agree it will help the health of the league.

I would agree it would be a problem if the A-League had no talented juniors. But the nuance is this. However much we encourage talented juniors to go to Europe, there will always be a number that stay in Australia. This is because many don't want to leave their friends and family in Australia, many don't want to miss out on the benefit of Australian secondary/tertiary education, many don't have EU passport (and thus find it much tougher to get European contracts), many find Europe a bridge too far culturally. Thus, we'll always have heaps of Australians staying here.

These kind of players will fortify the A-League and Australian football.

But Australian football needs to be strengthened on several levels. The A-League (the NC, the SAP and domestic pathways) are some important areas where it needs to be strong. But that's not enough. At this stage, it's almost impossible for a player to become truly world class (i.e. being an outstanding player in a side playing knock-out stages of European Champion's League) unless they go to Europe young.

We need players who capture the world's attention. That's the best thing for Australian football.

May I ask, adrtho, if you saw the thread asking people how they became fans of Australian football?

A number said it was seeing Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka being absolutely brilliant in the English Premier League that did it for them.

Kewell and Viduka. Those two played a huge part in getting support for Australian football.

We need more players like them. Which means we need more players to go to Europe at a young age.

Imagine if we have Rogic, Ikonomidis, Armenakas, Brimmer, Arzani, Maskin all playing starring roles at big clubs in Italy, England, Germany, Netherlands, etc?

Kids will stay up all night to watch that kind of thing. Kids will imagine themselves being the next Rogic or Ikonomidis.

That's when Australian football will really make big strides.

Kruse will miss the Jordan game. We really need to use our depth here. I'm so disappointed for him.

Both amini and luongo got 90 mins and the Valencia keeper conceded 3 goals at home and lost so eat a dick.

Valencia have made it 2:2.

no change rogic will play?

Unlikely tbh

I think he blew his chance to up the pecking order last week.