That's how they do it Down Under Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson produced a very special celebration after scoring against Wellington Phoenix. WAGs are a little harder to come by in the A-League, so Thompson had to settle for a corner flag, which in fairness does bear a passing resemblance to Posh Spice.

by Saxon Durrant
Every year from August to February 10 teams fight it out for the privilege of being crowned Australia's best team. They call it the A-League. Formed in 2005 from the scraps of the old National Soccer league (NSL) the competition has now entered its 6th season and has had some very entertaining seasons and finals.

photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar

The Team: G'day readers! Today I am going to tell you about the Australian Nats, who cruised through qualifying like a schooner through Sydney Harbor. In fact, they only gave up one measly goal the entire campaign.

While the name choice is slightly questionable, there's no doubting the level of adorability (yes, adorability) that is Axel Thompson. For those not in the know, the son of Melbourne Victory's Archie Thompson is a four-year-old curly cutie and we presume he is secretly pondering how much his shirtless-kit pics could command in club sales when he turns pro like his dad.

Apart from watching 6 hours of Election Night coverage, I watched three riveting A-League games this week..and the A-League like the Election was exciting for the Independents.
Adelaide always entertain at home and Matthew Leckie had me cheering after just two minutes. Whoops there goes a World Cup centre-half.

Before the 2006 World Cup, it was Archie Thompson. In between, there were Bruce Djite's delusions of grandeur. Now, a recalcitrant Joel Griffiths has become the latest to attempt to hold his A-League club to ransom over a career move of doubtful value.
Griffiths' indiscipline in China has cost him precious game time, but even had he starred at Beijing Guoan, would a 30-year-old striker with a record of blowing his top in pressure situations really come into consideration for Pim Verbeek's final 23?

It's hard to say whether last night's draw with Kuwait consitutes a point gained or two lost. Normally, one would say that squandering a two-goal lead indicates the latter. But given how poorly the Socceroos played in the second half, the former comes into consideration too.
An instructive comparison can be made with another second-string Socceroo performance, against Bahrain in 2006 (our first game as a member of the Asian confederation, in fact).

Usually shirtless kit launches are only reserved for rugby fans, but we're delighted to report that Melbourne Victory has solved the age-old dilemma of how to generate good press while selling shorts: positive word of mouth.

If you're not familiar with the club, MVFC is a professional football team playing in the Australian A-League.

Usually shirtless kit launches are only reserved for rugby fans, but we're delighted to report that Melbourne Victory has solved the age-old dilemma of how to generate good press while selling shorts: positive word of mouth.

If you're not familiar with the club, MVFC is a professional football team playing in the Australian A-League.

And so it all comes down to next Sunday at the SFS for the premiers' plate. The A-League's apparatchiks, after a season of poor crowds, can afford a little grin of satisfaction...even if they must be cursing themselves for scheduling the game for Sydney rather than Melbourne!
The initiative for the encounter must be with the hosts, with both Kevin Muscat and Archie Thompson unavailable.

Wellington lost 4-2 to Sydney in the A-League semi final in front of 13,000 fans at the SFS.
As many have suspected Wellington's finals were played at home the last two weeks, and despite their equalizer to make it 1-1 and a dubious hand of payne goal for Sydney to ease back into the lead, the Nix were never in this.

Football, the football I love is about forwards, and skill.
Today Paul Ifill for Wellington Phoenix waltzed past our Aussie great hope Ben Kantarovski Newcastle Jets, not once not twice but maybe ten or more times in the game. Mostly with a drop of the shoulder and an explosion of pace.
In extra-time after much huffing and puffing Ifill scored.

The three Roar players, Tommy Oar, Adam Sarota and Michael Zullo left for Utrecht last week.
All players will receive the Dutch minimum wage for overseas players with Zullo and Oar, given their representative football, getting possibly getting more.
The minimum wage in Holland is Euro 200,000 which transfers to a cool $300,000 just now.

Fussball ist eine einfach nur geile Sportart! Ich könnte das dauernd und überall spielen. So extrem wie die Engländer bin ich dabei aber noch lange nicht, die stellen mal eben so nebenbei einen neuen Rekord im Dauerfussballspielen auf! Ganze 35 Stunden lang kickten sie ohne nennenswerte Pause und verbesserten den alten Rekord so um ganze [.

The team tonight is back to almost full strength, only Eamonn's positon on the match card is vacant.
Tonight Terry, Paddy and Lucy Zee are the front three for the Nearpost. And they are smokin!
The A League is about to kick off for 2010 / 2011 and there has been more moves in the off season than a Swiss watch.

It all starts tonight...not that you would know.
The first season featuring two teams from the one town (more on that later) has been overshadowed by the World Cup hangover, but some of the teams at least look capable of producing good football. The increasing move towards foreign coaches, with two new Dutchmen and a former Czech international among the coaching ranks, will make for some interesting comments however they fare.

Although this year has seen crowd levels drop off from their stellar highs of the previous years I must say I cannot remember a more exciting race for the Premier Plate in the A-leagues short history.
Congratulations must be extended to Sydney for taking out what became a three horse race late in the year when Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney all showed that they are a class above the rest of the competition.

Adelaide United have set the pace in the A-League with their strong, flashy and pacy forward line. They've scored goals and they'll keep scoring them.
So although it's early days, with Travis Dodd and Fabian Barbiero to come back in their strength in depth is looking good.
But who can challenge them?

ARCHIE

Adelaide United have Matthew Leckie. He's fast. And I bet he doesn't cost half as much as the retirees down at Melbourne Heart!
Brisbane Roar have Matty McKay and Massimo Murdocho in the midfield they are fast, over and over again and they can wear teams down.
Melbourne Victory won two Championships using the pace of Archie Thompson.

Top scorers in Aussie football.
0.63 goals per game - Shane Smeltz (42 goals / 67 games)
0.51 goals per game - Sergio van Dijk (29 goals / 57 games)
0.48 goals per game - Archie Thompson (49 goals / 102 games)
0.47 goals per game - Eugene Dadi (15 goals / 32 games)
0.47 goals per game - Joel Griffiths (28 goals / 60 games)
0.

Top scorers in Aussie football.
0.63 goals per game - Shane Smeltz (42 goals / 67 games)
0.51 goals per game - Sergio van Dijk (29 goals / 57 games)
0.48 goals per game - Archie Thompson (49 goals / 102 games)
0.47 goals per game - Eugene Dadi (15 goals / 32 games)
0.47 goals per game - Joel Griffiths (28 goals / 60 games)
0.

Afternoon everyone. Just a "quick" match day post today to catch up on some recent news...

Afternoon all. As you can see I've managed to get around to writing a roundup/preview post, and there's plenty to talk about too.

First up, this week Melbourne Victory CEO Geoff Miles has confirmed that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of the year. This is sad news as Miles has been a very important and influential part of the Club, helping shape MVFC into what it is today.

Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson hopes he and the Australian club can work out a new deal that will keep him at the side for the remainder of his career.
The 32-year, the A-League's all-time leading scorer, spoke to Australian media recently about the situation.
"I've been here already for five years and can't see myself being anywhere else.

Have you seen Sydney FC recently?
Well the clowns pretending to be a sophisticated, move evolved football club down south are no better are they?
Australia's two most successful A-League sides domestically at least, will head into the prestigious Asian Champions League - a competition boosted by a Qatari side next year, leave it alone - heading for a disastrous campaign.

A back heel from Robbie Kruse and a finish from Archie Thompson and a smile from this fan.
This same fan still smiling after John Aloisi scored a wonderful winner the night before for Melbourne Heart.
Still smiling because Sydney didn't play.....
but not smiling now because although 10,000 fans turned up, Robina Stadium owners, the Queensland Government I believe, couldn't organise a weed on a beach.