Next loss for Ange. Shaky ground. 

They are not near the drop zone so it would be a very premature sacking. Sure, they are underperforming but surely Ange gets some respect for last year’s league win.

Looked like Ange referred back to the 3 at the back as well, they lined up as a 3-3-3-1 or 3-4-3 diamond midfield with 70% possession but had only 8 shots on goal for the match.

Deja vou with the Roos during the end of his tenor when he changed system to fit in an extra midfielder. 

It either looks like he's getting a bit desperate or he's getting a tad more aggressive to stop conceding more goals, time will tell if has an effect.

There is no relegation in the J League this year due to the effects of COVID on the season. Some clubs are using this as a development season from what I have read, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere even with a poor season. 

Ruka starting

Just scored, leading 2-1 in a Europa League qualifier.

Good win for Langerak though.

Ruka's goal and assist, 1:14  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOs_jPwigpk

Even as a big Ange fan I find his dogmatic approach annoying. But it’s like most geniuses, they aren’t out to win friends. As a formation, I actually don’t like three at the back. 

Wasn’t aware of that, so maybe Ange will be safe regardless. No doubt he has earned respect with the club owners and fans so maybe they are willing to let him experiment with any and all of his footballing philosophies this season. 

I have no idea about the quality of the Israeli league but surely given his scoring record Ruka would have to be attracting attention from elsewhere and certainly continues to put pressure on J Mac and Taggart

He's 33.  There won't be interest from elsewhere - not up the ladder, anyway.

I think that to call Ange P a "genius" is using the word so loosely that it loses any meaning.

Some reality, please.

And if they are any good, their birth countries would react the same way.

Australia has been on the receiving end of it more than most over the last 3 decades.

Arguably some of our best ever players never pulled on the green and gold for various reasons or pulled on another nations shirt.

Johnston, Dorigo, Simunic etc

Even someone like Vieri more than likely represents Australia in modern times given he lived in Australia from the age of 4-15 and was playing in Serie A by the age of 18. It's not like he's anti-Australian like Dykes seems to be either. I saw him at the boxing day test not even 4 years ago. He considers himself an Italian/Australian and still clings onto the Australian aspects of his childhood from over 30 years ago, such as being a cricket tragic.

We are entitled to be a little bit miffed at players that do it now when the pathways are a lot easier than the likes of Johnston and Dorigo and even Vieri were never able to overcome because of the lack of FIFA international breaks and mandatory releasing of players etc.

Jeggo starting

Full match for Jeggo, 3-1 win
Holland starting
Thomas and Mabil starting against each other

Leckie starting for Berlin in the cup against Eintracht Braunschweig.

2-0 win for Thomas, apparently the man of the match. Mabil playing 78 minutes.

He was in the wall for a long range free kick that went in just a minute into the game, hardly at fault though: https://streamable.com/oa33q9

Full game for Degenek at CB in a 1-3 win for Red Star in Serbia, their ninth on the trot since the start of the season. Today's opposition with an 84th minute consolation goal, only the third goal conceded for the season.

Next game is against Omonia Nicosia on Wednesday night with the winner playing off against Olympiacos for a spot in the Champions League group stage.

https://www.bt.dk/superligaen/bts-dom-wow-velkommen-til-superligaen


https://www.nordschleswiger.dk/de/sport-sonderjyske-fussball/war-klasse-sonderjyske

Leckie starting in cup vs Braunschweig. Braunschweig led 2:0 but now 2:2. Leckie got an assist. 

Holland off after 36 minutes due to injury in Austria.

Leckie's assist: https://streamja.com/3n4gE

I caught the second half of Sonderjyske/Midtjylland. Thomas looked very assured and made a couple of good saves. Mabil couldn't do much despite dominating possession, maybe he had a better first half.

Look, it was a rhetorical flourish but not delusional. It’s a worthy title and no worse than the hyperbole that others in sport attract. Ange is Australia’s best ever football coach, with several NSL and A-League titles, an Asian Cup and a J-League title. That demonstrates exceptional talent. And my reference to genius was as much about his dislike-ability and disregard for the views or feelings of people outside his inner circle, a common trait of geniuses in history. Ange is bloody annoying and hard to get behind, but he is our best ever coach. 

Guus Hiddink is our best ever coach unless you are talking about Australian coaches. Crazy that a coach who places Mooy on the bench in the Syria-Australia play off is considered our best coach.

Hiddink best ever coach? Our greatest team ever and he had what, 2 wins in five games? 

Not saying he wasn’t good but he was hardly even there. Was given millions of resources for a few games. 

https://youtu.be/zlnYigjueTw

Caleb Watts came on as a 57 min substitute in Southampton u/23's win over Arsenal in Premier League 2.

I know its only the u/23's and we've had so many Aussie lads impress at that level only to be disappointing at adult level (Beadling, King, Gallifuco etc etc) but Watts is still only 18 (and was featuring regularly for u/23's last season), Southampton has a reknowned academy and he looked great for the u/19's. Let's hope he can be one of those who progresses to the senior team in the next few seasons