The hugely talented Nagoya Grampus - loaded with dollars as well - came to Adelaide last night and were beaten 1-0 by United in the last sixteen of the Asian Champions League.
And what a great game of football it was.
Despite the defensive nature of United there was a lot to like about the Aussies performance up against such craftsmen from Nagoya.

Ange Postecoglou has finally been unveiled as the new Melbourne Victory manager at a press conference today, signing a three year deal with the A-League's biggest club. Postecoglou quit his position as coach of Brisbane Roar on Tuesday in order to join Victory and he says he's ready for a new challenge; "It's a big club, with

Has the Mariners' loss to Seongnam caused Nick jr to snap? More than likely. Was Berisha's winner for Brisbane a penalty? Paddy Bordier, Aaron Walker and Nick Amies tell you their views on the incident - and the rest of the Grand Final - in this week's edition of the Nearpost. Let the off-season begin!

By Chris Wright

Brisbane Roar secured their second A-League title on the bounce on Sunday evening, though the manner in which they did so will make your mind swim as your synapses struggle to comprehend the weapons grade 'what the f**kity' on show.

With the score level at 1-1 and the last few seconds of normal time ebbing away, Brisbane striker Besart Berisha blustered through the Perth area to find himself clean through, swung his leg at a bobbling ball, missed entirely and then fell on his arse to cap off the show.

Great stuff Perth - you dug in, bought a whole heap of ageing stars and almost snatched the Championship.Phew - you would never have been worthy Champs, not to the neutral.
So what not?
More of the same?
How long will Travis Dodd be able to bust a gut for 60 minutes, or 34 year old Jacob Burns control games in the Aussie heat.

The World Game are reporting today that Ange Postecoglu has agreed a deal with Melbourne Victory to become their new head coach for the 2012/13 season: The World Game understands Postecoglou – on the cusp of a second successive A-League title with Brisbane – is believed to have struck an agreement to return to his

It wasn't pretty football in the West but it was a belter of a game. Perth v Wellington. And arguably two of my least favourite football teams are playing much better football than years gone by.
But it's not Swansea is it.
Great to see my most hated Coach ex-Ger Iain Ferguson using brain and craft to play full-back Scott Neville in a switch for my man of the match Billy Mehmet.

Right, can anyone remember where we left the Kickette camper van? Images: Matt Roberts/Getty Images, Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.

When it comes to the Australian A-League, our flighty affections lie squarely in Melbourne, where Harry Kewell and his fam are nearing the end of plying their cuteness.

Shane Smeltz stole the headlines as Perth put a strangely negative Melbourne Heart to the sword.
Perth aren't pretty for the neutral and with Liam Miller off his game it was dire stuff. A strange second "goal" that clearly wasn't killed the game all hats off to Smeltz for celebrating early - did he influence the Perth-based linesman who gave a goal.

Come on Roar. The big train trip next Sunday.
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 18-Mar-12 48 46 40 40 25-Mar-12 51 49 43 43

Brisbane could pay a heavy price for poor finishing against Adelaide. CCM now favoured to win.
Brisbane - gee - doing it the hard way.
Should have beaten a hapless Newcastle defence 6 or 7 -1 including Henrique missing a penalty. Mitch showed him how to do it a bit later. Brisbane fielded a weakened defence - why hasn't Hingert started before now?

Brisbane could pay a heavy price for poor finishing against Adelaide. CCM now favoured to win.
Brisbane - gee - doing it the hard way.
Should have beaten a hapless Newcastle defence 6 or 7 -1 including Henrique missing a penalty. Mitch showed him how to do it a bit later. Brisbane fielded a weakened defence - why hasn't Hingert started before now?

Wellington were not in this game and will better shooting from Archie Thompson this could have been 6-0. As it was Archie who set up all three goals - all magnificent.
Victory showed us why they are the most entertaining team to watch. But. Also why they, on average, perform so badly. Too many balls pushed too long with little chance of reward - just giving the ball away.

If you've ever watched the Brisbane Roar play - and most Aussie's don't have Fox Sports so will never have seen them - they play to instruction, tactic and a tempo rarely, some say never, seen in Australia.
There is many elements to their game but one is critical to Australian football development at all levels.

The French have often been linked using a particular amount of style, sophistication, class and luxury. Be it their clothes or their architecture, their information within the fine arts or their excellence in audio; there is certainly no denying that the French know ways to do factors, the most effective way.

CCM and Brisbane will want to win next week to lock out Wellington and Perth.
Brisbane ripped off as A-League's top misses an obvious penalty.
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 11-Mar-12 45 43 40 40 18-Mar-12 48 46 43 43 25-Mar-12 51 49 46 46

I must say I thought this game was at Suncorp. But it is being promoted at Skilled Park. And tickets will be available here.
Interesting to see how that goes. Brisbane will probably need the win to ensure a top 2 finish.

Defending Australian A-League champions Brisbane Roar FC have unveiled PUMA home and away kits for their 2012 AFC Champions League campaign. Both kits feature the PUMA King shirt design used...

Nascido em Munique há 31 anos, Thomas Broich é um dos jogadores que mais brilha na primeira liga australiana, onde representa o Brisbane Roar há duas temporadas. O médio ex-Nuremberga adaptou-se rapidamente e tornou-se uma das principais figuras do campeão daquele longínquo país, tendo na sua época de estreia marcado seis golos e feito 14 assistências, sendo eleito o Jogador do Ano do Brisbane Roar.

90+ minute equaliser keeps CCM a win ahead of Brisbane.
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 28-Feb-12 44 41 36 34 4-Mar-12 45 42 39 37 11-Mar-12 48 45 42 40 18-Mar-12 51 48 45 43 25-Mar-12 54 51 48 46

Clive Palmer, A-League Club Owner and Billionaire tries to takeover football, all of it - yet he can't even get his own Franchise right.
Before we forget:
Here's five things Clive did really well -
Signed Jason Culina and made a splash.
Appointed Miron Bleiberg and got plenty of coverage.

CCM will be thinking 'Two wins and a draw', Perth (now) and Wellington may think so too for 2nd.
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 28-Feb-12 44 41 36 34 4-Mar-12 47 42 39 37 11-Mar-12 50 45 42 40 18-Mar-12 53 48 45 43 25-Mar-12 56 51 48 46

Roar now within 3:
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 28-Feb-12 44 41 36 34 2-Mar-12 47 44 39 37 5-Mar-12 50 47 42 40 8-Mar-12 53 50 45 43 11-Mar-12 56 53 48 46

To be updated after every game:
Max Points at: CCM Brisbane Wellington Perth 28-Feb-12 47 41 36 34 2-Mar-12 50 44 39 37 5-Mar-12 53 47 42 40 8-Mar-12 56 50 45 43 11-Mar-12 59 53 48 46

The top 2 teams plus the winner of the Grand Final go to the ACL. Unless one of these teams is Wellington (New Zealand is not part of AFC). So, if Wellington finish top 2, the 3rd team goes through. This makes it most likely that CCM and Brisbane will represent Australia again next year. Plus one.
Sorry Jets fans, with 4 weeks left I am calling that the top 2, bound for the ACL next year, will come from the top four of Central Coast Mariners (CCM), Brisbane Roar, Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory.

A very good morning to you. Its a nice day here in Melbourne but our boys are playing away this weekend as they take on Brisbane Roar tonight. The past seven days have been fairly busy in the world of Victory with talk of transfers, injuries and the like so lets re-cap on the weeks

After a disappointing loss to Brisbane Roar last weekend, Alex Smith and Wellington Phoenix face another difficult task when they visit A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners on Saturday.

Safee Sali has extended his deal with Pelita Jaya, reportedly making him the highest paid player in ASEAN in the process. There had been a feeling that Safee, under pressure from the Malaysian FA to play for a club in a recognised league, would return to Malaysia or even sign for a Thai team but I understand Muang Thong United baulked at his wage demands.

The result was important - but the attendance of 1750 at the weekend semi final was a record for Canberra United, has all associated with football in Canberra delighted.
In fact the crowd increased by over 100% from the previous game - could the same happen for this weeks final?
Brisbane will take on United in the W-League final this weekend and it should be a cracker.

Sentenced to three days in a freezing pond, Besart Berisha (right, front) attempts to explain to his team mates exactly what he was hoping to achieve by 'offering out' Sydney defender Pascal Bosschaart. Image via couriermail.au

There were some ugly scenes that followed Brisbane Roar's 2-0 victory over Sydney FC in the Australian A-League recently, after Brisbane striker Besart Berisha scored his side's stoppage time-winning goal: he removed his shirt (not ugly) and gestured for Sydney FC's Pascal Bosschaart to follow him into the tunnel to 'sort things out' (where things proceeded to get ugly).

Fantastic the football on the weekend.
Tucked into two games. Victory and Adelaide and Brisbane v Sydney.
What treats.
Harry Kewell turned back the clock with a wonderful performance, again. If Archie or Danny could have finished one or two of their Harry inspired chances Victory would have won.

I'm not going to lie. I booed when Mehmet Durakovic's face came on the big screens at my first game of the season vs Brisbane at Etihad (as I did for all other home matches). I arrived in Melbourne with my unused membership in hand a week before the Roar game, having to sit through

I'm usually not one to brag but I could see this result coming. As I said in my preview of this game we're the type of team that would help Brisbane back to winning ways, and look what happened! Despite going a goal up early in the game (well done Harry) we're incapable of defending

Rocky Visconte was the man of this match. Not because he was the best player, but because he played so much better than he has before. Ange starting him over Issy added new Broich like movement to the Roar on attack. For the first time in 5 games, Brisbane had a midfield that was always searching forward, looking to beat the first defender and so drawing the second across and creating space elsewhere.

Thomas Broich's importance to Brisbane Roar was always fairly clear but the club's recent losing streak has more than highlighted just how urgently they need the German back fit. Broich's absence from the team has coincided with a run of defeats – as predicted by numerous soccer betting tips that has the potential to undo all the hard work the club did on their way to a record 36-match unbeaten run.

Ho, ho, ho Argentine midfielder Jonatan Germano thought he had the perfect seasonal celebration when he scored for Melbourne Heart against Brisbane Roar: he put on a Santa hat and did a happy dance over near the corner flag. Scrooge McReferee was having none of it though and booked Germano for his exuberance in the [.