A-League Season 2017-18

[Spargo]

I would suggest the person who is speaking on behalf of the former AUFC owners is the one who wanted to sell.
Not sure any of the others wanted to.

What makes you say this?

[Dogwatcher]

I would suggest the person who is speaking on behalf of the former AUFC owners is the one who wanted to sell.
Not sure any of the others wanted to.

What makes you say this?

Just reading between the lines.

[Wedgie]

I'm based in Adelaide, I'm Australian.
They're based in Hong Kong, they're Chinese.

At the end of the day they could be based in North Korea and it would still be a more appealing prospect than the previous group.

[Dogwatcher]

Who was the spokesman about this topic prior to the sale?
Who is the spokesman now?

Also, an initial offer was made in the past year for around $15m which was labelled not enough.
Interesting that this deal was accepted for around the same figure, if you believe some reports.
Another seemingly informed football source, meanwhile, was reporting $12m for the sale.

[Wedgie]

Who was the spokesman about this topic prior to the sale?
Who is the spokesman now?

Also, an initial offer was made in the past year for around $15m which was labelled not enough.
Interesting that this deal was accepted for around the same figure, if you believe some reports.
SBS The World Game, meanwhile, was reporting $12m for the sale.

Wouldn't surprise me if A League clubs dropped $3m in value in the last 12 months.
They knew they'd be mad not to sell as it will be worth 0 in 3 or 4 years, they are business men after all.

[Dogwatcher]

Apologies, the previous offer was rumoured to be around $20m.

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/the-cove ... siv1d5jng2

There was a Tiser article about this at the time too, but I've hit the pay wall.

Obviously these figures are all supposition.
But it's an interesting discussion.

[Wedgie]

12 million, 3 million, still doesn't surprise me, the A League is cactus.

[Booney]

Dutchman Piet van der Pol — president of China’s Qingdao Reds Lions based in Shandong province — has led a consortium to successfully buy Adelaide United.

Full name Qingdao Red Lions Football Club
青岛红狮足球俱乐部
Nickname(s) The Red Lions
Founded 14 March 2016; 23 months ago
Ground Fushan Ecological Stadium, Laoshan, Qingdao
Training Base Laoshan Football Park, Laoshan, Qingdao
President Piet van der Pol
Head Coach Guo ZuoJin
League China Amateur Football League

The investors that have purchased the Club are a group of predominantly European business people with business activities in Europe, Australia, and Asia and have company offices in Hong Kong.

Piet van der Pol, an experienced football administrator, will be the main representative of the investors in Adelaide.

Van der Pol is the current president of lower tier Chinese club Qingdao Red Lions based in Shandong province.

The Dutchman is partnered by Bruno Marveggio at Qingdao. Marveggio had already owned a 25 per cent stake in United.

[The Real Number 3]

thank god the previous bid for Adelaide United failed. them c*nts (TTA) own my club Birmingham City and as you can see by us being bottom 4 in the championship, things aint going too well

[Booney]

Can you believe it?

Isn't it the game you go to watch, or am I missing something?

Football Federation Australia is assisting active supporter groups using pyrotechnics at A-League games and is set to permit "safe" smoke-emitting devices in stadiums next season.

In what is understood to be a world first, a national federation could help supply fans with smoke-emitting devices and encourage use of legal pyrotechnics with the FFA determined to rejuvenate active support in the A-League.

The FFA has not wavered from its firm stance against the lighting of flares inside venues, which is illegal in Australia due to the extreme heat released and potential to cause serious burns. However, in helping fan groups use devices that release volumes of coloured smoke for approximately 90 seconds with limited or no heat, the FFA believes it can find a legal and safe alternative to flares.

Head of the A-League, Greg O'Rourke, is working to allow "safe smoke" devices into stadiums for next season pending approval from authorities.

"Safe smoke is not the panacea but it will just be one part of the picture to enhance the match-day colour. It’s clear that we have to do some relationship building between the clubs, the fans and the FFA and we’re looking to engage on that with any of those fan groups that wish to do so." O'Rourke said.
The FFA held preliminary discussions with police about the use of the legal smoke-emitting devices and is set for further talks in the coming weeks.

O'Rouke sought advice from the American Major League Soccer and in particular, Orlando City FC. The MLS club has successfully implemented a designated area in its stadium for the use of pyrotechnics by active supporters, allowing for more colour at games in a safer environment.

O'Rourke has already met with one A-League active supporter group over the potential use of "safe smoke" devices and flagged example products, one branded "wire-pull smoke grenade", but is yet to identify any supplier.

The FFA's confirmation of working to allow legal pyrotechnics at A-League games comes after the organisation handed a suspended three-point penalty to Western Sydney Wanderers after their fans ignited flares at the Sydney derby a fortnight ago.

The game cannot permit flares at games but O'Rourke is determined to help active supporters flourish after numbers have dwindled over the past two seasons. Supporter groups of the Wanderers, Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory are significantly smaller in number than previous seasons and O'Rourke wants the match-day vibrancy to return to maintain football's unique culture compared to rival codes.

"We need to get that atmosphere back again. We have lost a bit of that and we have lost it for a lot of reasons," he said. "It’s very clear that one of the points of difference of our game over others is the atmosphere inside the stadia. It’s the singing, chanting, the rhythm of the game that’s the point of difference that our game can bring, and people come to the venue knowing that they’re going to experience not only the game but all the entertainment of the crowd."

[Magellan]

Can you believe it?

Isn't it the game you go to watch, or am I missing something?

Football Federation Australia is assisting active supporter groups using pyrotechnics at A-League games and is set to permit "safe" smoke-emitting devices in stadiums next season.

In what is understood to be a world first, a national federation could help supply fans with smoke-emitting devices and encourage use of legal pyrotechnics with the FFA determined to rejuvenate active support in the A-League.

The FFA has not wavered from its firm stance against the lighting of flares inside venues, which is illegal in Australia due to the extreme heat released and potential to cause serious burns. However, in helping fan groups use devices that release volumes of coloured smoke for approximately 90 seconds with limited or no heat, the FFA believes it can find a legal and safe alternative to flares.

Head of the A-League, Greg O'Rourke, is working to allow "safe smoke" devices into stadiums for next season pending approval from authorities.

"Safe smoke is not the panacea but it will just be one part of the picture to enhance the match-day colour. It’s clear that we have to do some relationship building between the clubs, the fans and the FFA and we’re looking to engage on that with any of those fan groups that wish to do so." O'Rourke said.
The FFA held preliminary discussions with police about the use of the legal smoke-emitting devices and is set for further talks in the coming weeks.

O'Rouke sought advice from the American Major League Soccer and in particular, Orlando City FC. The MLS club has successfully implemented a designated area in its stadium for the use of pyrotechnics by active supporters, allowing for more colour at games in a safer environment.

O'Rourke has already met with one A-League active supporter group over the potential use of "safe smoke" devices and flagged example products, one branded "wire-pull smoke grenade", but is yet to identify any supplier.

The FFA's confirmation of working to allow legal pyrotechnics at A-League games comes after the organisation handed a suspended three-point penalty to Western Sydney Wanderers after their fans ignited flares at the Sydney derby a fortnight ago.

The game cannot permit flares at games but O'Rourke is determined to help active supporters flourish after numbers have dwindled over the past two seasons. Supporter groups of the Wanderers, Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory are significantly smaller in number than previous seasons and O'Rourke wants the match-day vibrancy to return to maintain football's unique culture compared to rival codes.

"We need to get that atmosphere back again. We have lost a bit of that and we have lost it for a lot of reasons," he said. "It’s very clear that one of the points of difference of our game over others is the atmosphere inside the stadia. It’s the singing, chanting, the rhythm of the game that’s the point of difference that our game can bring, and people come to the venue knowing that they’re going to experience not only the game but all the entertainment of the crowd."

'Safe smoke devices'? The Surgeon-General won't have a bar of it.

A-League seemingly clutching at straws here? Perhaps safe smoke devices are needed in case the ship continues to sink.

[Wedgie]

I hooe they pass out balloons, lollipops and masks too.
Hard to imagine why most regard the A League as a circus.

[Booney]

I love, just love the term "active supporters", it conjures up images of people in active wear doing daily step challenges up and down the concourse.

[Wedgie]

I love, just love the term "active supporters", it conjures up images of people in active wear doing daily step challenges up and down the concourse.

It makes me think the other supporters are mannequins.

[Magellan]

Also, "wire-pull smoke grenades?" Like they're not going to wind up being hurled onto the pitch military-style the moment the ref buggers something up.

All Not So Quiet on the Western Sydney Wanderers Front.

[Wedgie]

Surely they're taking the piss. I've never heard of something so ridiculous.

[Booney]

Sounds like they're putting the game second, no wonder attendances are the lowest they've been in 7 years.

It’s the singing, chanting, the rhythm of the game that’s the point of difference that our game can bring, and people come to the venue knowing that they’re going to experience not only the game but all the entertainment of the crowd

[Magellan]

Sounds like they're putting the game second, no wonder attendances are the lowest they've been in 7 years.

It’s the singing, chanting, the rhythm of the game that’s the point of difference that our game can bring, and people come to the venue knowing that they’re going to experience not only the game but also what it's like to be on an ocean-liner that's just been hit by a torpedo or run aground on a ******* big iceberg.

Edited for accuracy.

[Jim05]

5-2 win to United over second placed Newcastle

[LaughingKookaburra]

IF Adelaide keep that side on the park for the remainder of the season they will cause some serious issues. Only taken 3/4’s of the year to get the best side on the park.