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It's a good idea for fans of young leagues in countries where soccer is not the number one sport to keep an eye on each other's progress and ideas. Perhaps more than aping long-established leagues where soccer is a sunk in part of a country's culture, those like myself who want Major League Soccer to grow could do worse than look at the developments in Australia's A-League, for example: at both its successes and its failures.

"The Cove", Sydney FC's supporters section
Australia's A-League faces many of the same challenges that MLS contends with in the United States; secondary status to more popular professional sports, issues over how best to market the league and its teams, questions of financial stability, how to approach the signing of aging marquee players, etc.

I don't know very much about the A-League. If you want some really interesting in-depth stuff about a league you might not know that much about well, then head over to the rather excellent A-League Offside, which has taught me what little I know. What I do know about it is this. It's got 10 [...]

The Gonzalo Higuain non-pass that made Cristiano Ronaldo mad... Why Lyon won but their sponsors lost in the above game (BNET) Ice hockey offers soccer solution to penalty shoot-outs (NY Times) Extra Kiwi defender uncovered in Denmark (New Zealand World Cup Blog) Imaginary advertising at World Cup 2010 venues (Sport 24M) Proof that Americans love soccer.

Sevilla: good at football, better at dancing. [101gg] Felix Magath loves chess, can't beat a 5yo. (Uli Hesse) All the Queen's men now reassigned to Wayne Rooney. (The DA) While he's out 2-4 weeks. (guardian) For Fulham, it's happily not quite business as usual. (When Saturday Comes) Bombers who can score goals and live easily in cold conditions.

Here is the list of excuses/reasons I have heard why GCU don't get a good crowd on the Gold Coast. These are from the club, other supporters, general public and newspapers. I may have even used some myself.

Its been a long time coming but the very first Melbourne Derby is nearly upon us. As the cliche goes...

Afternoon everyone. I woke up this morning feeling miserable. I haven't felt like this since...

Over the last few months we have seen some crazy goal celebrations from Stjarnan FC in Iceland, but it seems our very own Brisbane Roar have come up with a celebration that is just as good, if not better, than anything Stjarnan came up with.

Nearpost get stuck into the Socceroo wannabees, Roar and Moore and Postecoglou...all the news; is Viteslev good news for Sydney, should the Griff get gone, and a quiz question to die for from our own Paddy Bordier. Lucy Zelic and myself complete the panel of "experts."
Hope you enjoy our enthusiasm for the Aussie game.

The Australian A-League has several matches on Saturday, January 9, 2010 including Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar. The match will be covered live on our other site, Free Live Sports TV, at the link below.

Free Live Sports TV Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar Australian A-League Saturday, January 9, 2010 06:00 GMT

The Australian A-League has several matches on Saturday, January 9, 2010 including Central Coast Mariners v North Queensland Fury. The match will be covered live on our other site, Free Live Sports TV, at the link below.

Free Live Sports TV Central Coast Mariners v North Queensland Fury Australian A-League Saturday, January 9, 2010 08:00 GMT

The Australian A-League has several matches on Saturday, January 9, 2010 including Gold Coast United v Adelaide United. The match will be covered live on our other site, Free Live Sports TV, at the link below.

Free Live Sports TV Gold Coast United v Adelaide United Australian A-League Saturday, January 9, 2010 10:00 GMT

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A-League is ramping up as the race is on for the finals spot and the first Asian Champions League spot.
We've got all the moves, news and views, quiz and commentary.
Why didn't Taj Minniecon's pass to Joel Porter get mentioned time and time again.

Every year the A-League is churning out new Aussie stars. This year is no different. There's more this year than any year in my view and a couple with real quality others with real potential.
Some like Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton and Ned Zelic will go straight from the domestic league to top European sides.

Is Matthew Leckie a World Cup bolter, can the Phoenix stop the Gold Coast, Is Kevin Mucast the dirtiest player in the A-League, should Arnie Coach in the A-League and all the news you'd ever wish to hear...and who will win the Premiership?
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Australia's A-League's newest expansion team now has a name and a logo: Melbourne Heart FC. The name was the suggestion of a fan in a name-the-team contest.

The team will play at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, the brilliantly named venue we featured here recently.

The Heart already face a challenge from the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation of Melbourne, who are claiming the name and logo infringes their trademark rights.

[101gg] If we're going to bring you the high points of the A-League, it's only fair to flip it over and show their red-cheek moments, too. The dives are wonderful, some of them even worthy of a spot in the Diving Hall of Fame, but they really pushed the envelope with the mid-80's infomercial montage set to [.

We had a heap of highs both on and off the field as well as some lows. But that is Football and I wouldn't give up the emotional roller coaster of being a fan for anything.

One of Australia's best football podcasts is here once more and there is so much football to talk about.
Socceroos, Matildas, A-League, Asian Champions League, Quiz and dedications what more could you want.
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And yes we've got a new player...woo hoo!

If you're still awake or just waking up, the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC are playing in the Grand Final of Australia's A-League right now. The match is on live on Fox Soccer Channel. How nice of the A-League to finish up their activities before the Aussie Rules season starts next weekend. There is some CONCACAF interest in the Grand Final, as Costa Rica's Carlos Hernández and Marvin Angulo have prominent roles for Melbourne Victory.

A-League, Asian Champions League, Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Mitch Langerak, and why Mitch will be our last Socceroos keeper EVER!
Con Stamacostas joins Eamonn as technically and tactically Lucy Zelic and Paddy Bordier are knocked out, one two bang.
Quiz, dedication and news we've got the lost.

A-League, Asian Champions League, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United, Socceroos.
Paddy Bordier takes the chair, Lucy Zelic and Eamonn are technically and tactically knocked out.
Quiz, dedication and news; we've got the lost.
Download.
or play right from your computer.

A-League, Asian Champions League, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United, Socceroos.
Lucy Zelic takes the chair, Paddy and Eamonn are up for the quiz question, and did Zeljko mean it...the goal not the comments!
Quiz, dedication to Lucas Neill and news; we've got the lost.
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A-League, Socceroos, Robbi Fowler, Nearpost, Perth Glory, Matildas, Asian Champions League, FFA, Asia Cup, India, South Korea, World Cup Memories we've got it all.
Lucy Zelic, Paddy Bordier and Eamonn Flanagan take you through all the Australian football news and views, quiz and this weeks dedication to SBS lover of all things English football!

He's the treble winning legend who always played with a smile on his face, the goal scoring machine who was loved by every Manchester United fan. Yet there he was at 38 years of age, playing against...
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The wait is almost over. Season 6 of the Hyundai A-League is nearly upon us. In a league that is...

This year was going great. Gold Coast United finished 3rd in their first season in the A-League, Kevin Muscat missed a penalty in the Grand Final and my wife and I went to the World Cup in South Africa. As a fan of the game I go to the Football to have fun. I do [...]

The memories of a seven year old child normally last a lifetime as Manchester United supporter Jonathan Howcroft can testify after meeting one of his childhood heroes thousands of miles away from...
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Big diving controversy in Australia this week, which I found out about while reading David's post on the A-League Offside blog. Patricio Perez of the Central Coast Mariners and Michael Baird of Perth Glory both won penalties over the weekend with suspicious looking falls to the floor. Not so strange, because that happens in every football league in the world.

I came away from last Sunday's game feeling very flat and unimpressed. Was it because we lost? Was it because of the Crowd Cap? Was it because of the lack of numbers in the crowd?

Union

KYW talks to Justin Mapp.

From head coach of the soccer team at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark to vice president of business development and international affairs for the Philadelphia Union, here's a profile on Rick Jacobs.

Big Soccer has a mock 2011 Expansion Draft thread going for the Union.

A-League new boys Melbourne Heart have apparently said "thanks, but no thanks" to Ronaldo's offer to wear their (checks Wikipedia) red and white striped shirt. Not because they think the great man would struggle in the A-League, but because El Fenómeno was apparently asking for $100,000-per-game on a sort of celebrity guest appearance basis.

Our first midweek match has proven to be a difficult one as we drew 0-0 with the Phoenix last...

Lucy Zelic, Paddy Bordier and Eamonn Flanagan discuss all the news from Australian football. 30 minutes of news views opinions and more. Quiz, dedications and we make the hard calls.
Who are the Olyroos who will play for the Socceroos and who are the Olyroos who'll never make it?
We call the Young Socceroos who will make it; and those who'll never play for the Big Boys.

And so another week passes us by and it was another goalless draw for the Victory. The third in a...

As a club it may be only little more than six years old, but Melbourne Victory is fast becoming a key part of the historical make-up of Australia's premier football competition, the A-League. Not only has this club been the most successful club both and off the pitch in the league's short history, but it also has been involved in many of the league's key historical moments.

As a club it may be only little more than six years old, but Melbourne Victory is fast becoming a key part of the historical make-up of Australia's premier football competition, the A-League. Not only has this club been the most successful club both and off the pitch in the league's short history, but it also has been involved in many of the league's key historical moments.

As a club it may be only little more than six years old, but Melbourne Victory is fast becoming a key part of the historical make-up of Australia's premier football competition, the A-League. Not only has this club been the most successful club both and off the pitch in the league's short history, but it also has been involved in many of the league's key historical moments.

As a club it may be only little more than six years old, but Melbourne Victory is fast becoming a key part of the historical make-up of Australia's premier football competition, the A-League. Not only has this club been the most successful club both and off the pitch in the league's short history, but it also has been involved in many of the league's key historical moments.