It probably is more to do with the price than the AFL. Apparently there is quite a substantial additional fee to bring the stands in. MV probably just playing it safe and maximising profits.

Etihad in Oval config on Saturday. 

Someone might correct me, but I don't think we've had any football game there (MVFC/Socceroos) in Rectangular mode since AFL took control of the stadium. 

He's the sort of bloke who can really help promote the club in Asia, simply because of his profile - if he continues to have a good time here, I have no doubt he'll do what Delpierre does and recommend the club to all and sundry. Considering the calibre of player that Honda would know, this could be very lucrative in the future, particularly in Asia where A-League clubs have historically struggled to gain a foothold.

He has just slotted in seamlessly - there is no doubt we've got our money's worth both on and off the pitch with Keisuke.

I'm also suspicious he wears really small shorts, because there is no way one's thighs can be that big! Guy doesn't have an ounce of fat on him!

I am over the moon with Honda - he's the perfect marquee (name and performances).

He plays on the right in the diamond midfield.

What position was Honda playing he looked really deep

More than just a player, a really larger than life guy and a consummate pro. So glad we've got him.

How good is Honda?! I mean skill wise he is obviously sublime, but just the way he conducts himself, never rolls around carrying on, never gets in peoples faces, (from what little I've seen) seems very accomodating to fans. Absolute pro. Even the fact that he is concurrently a national team manager would have gone unnoticed if there was no coverage of it.

Higuys, just wondering if Victory will has any training session at Jubilee Oval before this Sunday's match? Any idea? Cheers!

Keep forgetting the BB is this Sunday.

-PB

3-1 win over Laos for Honda's Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar's draw has ruled them out for the semis, unfortunately.

Their last group stage game is away to Vietnam but that's the day before Sydney away.

very impressive talent. my worry with Hope is that he won't get enough gametime with so many midfielders in our squad and will end up elsewhere. he needs to make the most of every chance he gets (like Theoharous last year). obviously scoring will go a long way towards that. 

Wadda Daimyo

-PB

Honda scores last night and is managing Cambodia tonight

I know it was only CCM but Toivonen looked good with the few touches he had. Should fit in very nicely with the rest of the attack.

Hopefully he teaches King Kenny a few things about first touches too

Josh hope looked  the goods. He has a big future ahead of him. Arkbari  for the minutes he was on showed something.  Wanna see birkim (sp) in the team as well 

Victory now undefeated by CCM in well over five years, since the 2012/13 Semi Final under Ange, with our 16 game streak (12 wins, 4 draws) all under Kev.

Surely a head to head club record, and definitely must be a record for a coach against a team.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

-PB

Toivonen wasn't named in the squad so he probably won't play

Troisi mentioned he had been training alone with Anthony Crea but has been training with the team in the last two sessions. I'd prefer 10 mins max at this stage. Hoping we can really ease him in.

which is fine. ease him into it with 30 minutes late in the game.  

It sounds like he will get some minutes off the bench. We should win this one comfortably even if he is rested.

Toivenen playing this week i believe. 

Which is something second tier leagues in Europe and South America cottoned on to 40 years ago when the game was beginning to go professional. Clubs like Ajax, Benfica, Porto et al organise their entire clubs around developing and polishing youth and onselling them with a significant mark-up - I'm not saying we need to become a youth only club, far from it. But if the club can get to the point where we're able to on-sell one promising player to Europe or Asia every season, then it'll go a LONG way to ensuring the viability of the club long term. Add in various sell-on clauses so that one in a million that becomes a superstar and sells for megabucks to European clubs, we get a slice.

There is very little money actually within in Australia to sustain professional sport - football is so blessed to have access to international finance on a global scale, whether it be directly owning clubs or simply selling players overseas. Each dollar we receive in a transfer is more money in the local game that wasn't there before.

Its been  fully funded yes but still need  to pay progress payments and have a contingency  as building anything can blow out . Just look at Tottenham 

Not discounting it at all, my point was to actually highlight the importance of developing players and having players performing well to catch the eye of clubs with deeper pockets. In the current climate of football in Australia, international transfer fees are vital for profits to occur. 

pretty sure that has already been fully funded ($10 million from the state government and 11 million from Victory). which is why we opened the chequebook a little more this year to get Honda. 

did lol

It's part of the business model for A-league sides to sell players. Admittedly it was a pretty big year in that regard, but I don't think you can just discount it. End of this year might end up seeing us sell Troisi (hopefully), Antonis, and Deng for decent cash. And I'm sure we can probably sell Milligan again somehow, even if he happens to play in Scotland now.

Don't forgot Victory would be putting extra money to the accademy now too with that starting to get underway.

But then how much of those  fees then spent on Toivenen and Honda?