After a couple games at home, Melbourne heads to Gosford this weekend for an away game against the Central Coast Mariners. While the news this week has been focused on Ney Fabiano's 9-match ban, there is good news too. Jose Luis Lopez returns to the squad, as does Michael Thwaite, who has recovered from his injury. Click to continue reading...

The Melbourne Victory will have to do without Michael Thwaite and Jose Luis Lopez tonight when it hosts Adelaide United at the Telstra Dome. Despite Melbourne's strong run of form so far this season, this promises to be the sternest test of the Victory's strength. Adelaide are on equal points with Melbourne, separated only by goal [. 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...

Wow. Well that settles that. Three strikers on at a time is a good idea. A very good idea. The match started lively enough, with both sides looking evenly matched. An injury to Michael Thwaite forced Ernie Merrick to make an early substitution. With no defenders to pick from, Merrick chose the most daring option: Archie [. Click to continue reading...

In Billy Celeski, Tom Pondeljak, Michael Thwaite, Jose Luis Lopez, Ney Fabiano De Oliveira. Celeski and Pondeljak featured in the ACL campaign and bolster the midfield options Merrick has at his disposal. Thwaite, a fringe Socceroo, should slot comfortably into the defence. Ney Fabiano, a bustling Brazilian who caused plenty of headaches for the Victory defence in [. Click to continue reading...

The Melbourne Victory's first pre-season match against Green Gully ended in a 3-1 loss last night. It was a forgettable match for Michael Thwaite and Ney Fabiano, both of whom were making their debút for the Victory. Matthew Kemp scored Melbourne's only goal from a penalty. But it was Green Gully, currently placed second in the [. Click to continue reading...

The FFA has run smack into a quandary. Target fostering the game at home by:

a. Making each game attract as big an audience as possible
or
b. Qualify at all costs for Africa 2010 and let that hoopla grow the game

Trouble is sometimes it is better to have a and sometimes b. Click to continue reading...

The Melbourne Victory announced last Friday that it has buoyed its defensive stocks by signing Michael Thwaite. The Socceroo joins Melbourne on a one-year loan from his Norwegian club, SK Brann. Gary Cole, on Thwaite's signing: "It's very pleasing to be able to bring another Socceroo home, albeit for only a short time at this [. Click to continue reading...

The Melbourne Victory doesn't seem to be having much luck attracting new players. Nathan Burns has re-signed with Adelaide United; and indications are that Sasa Ognenovski will be heading over there too. The Queensland Roar defender already seems to be burning bridges with his current club: last week, he got in a fight with Roar goalkeeper [. Click to continue reading...