Joel Griffiths and his brother played in the victorious Beijing team, champions of all China. Joel didn't get to play in the last game as he has a 7 week suspension - for rude gestures at opposing fans.
Could be the end of the road for Joel - the only way he is going back is if is on a free transfer - who would risk $1m for a player who could miss much of the season. Click to continue reading...

For the second successive week, the Newcastle Jets have been beaten by the odd goal in a game which they ostensibly dominated. For this viewer, there were echoes of an Olympic v. Parramatta game I watched in late 2000, with Branko Culina in charge of the former club: Olympic played all the attractive football, with Nick Carle and Greg Owens to the fore, but were undone by two typical striker's goals from the Power's experienced Scotsman Joe Miller. Click to continue reading...

They say that great goalscorers become renowned for the timing of their goals as much as the quantity.

Such a maxim might well apply to 20-year-old NSW product Jason Hoffman after he popped up with the winner in the first-half of Newcastle's historic AFC Champions League victory over Ulsan Hyundai last night.

Click to continue reading...

Under 20's Aussie Coach Jan Versliejen recently hailed Jason Hoffman as one of the best players in his squad. Although I think it's fair to say he hasn't translated any of this form or confidence to his Jets performances yet.
Versleijen's next squad is due to be announced Monday for the upcoming ASEAN tournament. Click to continue reading...

Joel Griffiths who else, tucked a scrappy goal away to earn the Newcastle Jets their first win of the season, and an away win in Fortress Suncorp:)
Uber Coach Gary Van Egmond is making the best of a bad bunch and quickly.
A side looking a shadow of their former Champion selves stuttered early in the season and got flogged 5-0 in Melbourne. Click to continue reading...

Well you could say find out week. But today is the really critical day for the Roar, Wellington and the Glory.
Find out 1 - the Roar: Was the off-season purchasing in tune with the challenges of version 4 of the A-League? Key find out: is Sergio V-D a quality striker and is Craig Moore in good enough shape to handle the A-League? Click to continue reading...

Until now Japan has not exactly been a common destination for Australia Footballers. Currently only one Australian is listed on a J-League team (Eddy Bosnar at JEF United ) while a further two (Mark Rudan and Ufuk Talay) are plying their trade at second division team Avispa Fukuoka.
This is all about to change however with news last week that the J-league has allocated a fourth foreign visa place on their squads for next year to Asian only players. Click to continue reading...

A-League Assists
If you look at the FFA Hyundai A-League player assist table it shows after Melbourne Victory's 5-0 demolish of Newcastle Jets that Archie Thompson leads the assist table with 3.
A mistake....
Surely Jade North should be on 3, and after last weeks showing Tarek Elrich should be on at least 2. Click to continue reading...

Can't wait to see Melbourne and Sydney playing at home this weekend. Both of the big city clubs have shown they have enough talent and money to keep me awake this year...
Melbourne might have the luxury of leaving Archie Thompson on the bench. Wow!
And Sydney still have John Aloisi to come in. Click to continue reading...

You wanted goals in the A-League. Here they are. Here's how they happen.
Make no mistake Glory were duped, dudded. After fighting back and scoring some great goals, they were beaten by poor ref / linesmen decisions and communication, and their defence.
Ref Zetter did not have his best game. Click to continue reading...

Big kick-off tonight with the F3 Derby. Interestingly the first Mariners Jets Derby drew 5,700. And the Mariners started the first A-League season with 600 Members. Canberra, two years out, has 450 and out team doesn't even have a name yet!
Anyway here's ten to watch and most of them aren't Olyroos:)
Central Mariners:
Well if Mark Bosnich signs up it will be him. Click to continue reading...

Joel Griffith was player of the year and Referee of the year was Mark Shield.
Alex Brosque was second. Honest:)
Danny Vukovic has been sent-off twice so he couldn't win anything. Bruce Djite was young player of the year.
JOHNNY WARREN MEDAL WINNER NAMED
The prestigious Johnny Warren Medal, which is a peer award, has been presented to Newcastle Jets' striker, Joel Griffiths, at the Hyundai A-League 2008 Awards Lunch held in Sydney today. Click to continue reading...