Melbourne Saint

......if you were playing against the Perth Glory defence. I must say I'm happy to see the A-League getting a run in Estonia as well. As a new league you can't expect miracles. If Australia is going to be successful on the world stage we still need our best players playing in Europe. However the league is improving and it will expand to 11 teams next season and 12 the following season. It pains me to say it but Dwight Yorke was terrific when he played for Sydney FC and he was subsequently snapped up by Sunderland in their promotion winning season. Therefore it's not beyond the realms of possibility that a fit and rejuvenated Robbie Fowler could have a big impact if he returned to England. I just don't think there's a place for him at Saints.

As much as I love the A-League and supporting Melbourne Victory we're just not in the same ballpark as Saints. An interesting case in point is Michael Theoklitos. He was a star goalkeeper for Melbourne and was named the best in the league for the last two seasons. At the start of the season he secured a move to Norwich, conceded 7 in the first game of the season, and hasn't been seen since. The league isn't much but it's ours. It was never created to compete with the major overseas leagues. We just wanted to give our best young players the opportunity to get some first time experience in a professional league before making the move to Europe whilst luring some high profile aussies back home to raise the profile of the sport. We also wanted to stop losing players to lower league clubs. It's been successful in achieving these objectives, whilst capitalising on some local rivalries (Melbourne vs Sydney/Adelaide) to spice things up a bit. If Saints or any other clubs were to take advantage of our players need to move overseas, it would have to be January. A player exodus would adversely affect the competition on the verge of the finals but you can understand why the players feel the need to move. Archie Thompson would look good in red and white but I think with the likes of Lambert, Connolly, Lallana, Waigo, etc we're pretty good in that area.

Not a great group for us but if you went back in time 5-6 years and was told that we would make the second round of the 2006 WC and easily qualify for the 2010 tournament you'd have taken it in a heartbeat. And with our 2018/2022 WC bid in full swing, let's hope we are hosting one in the not so distant future. Actually on that note, if you went back 6 years and were told we'd have a new professional league up and running and attracting relatively good crowds (in Melbourne at least) you'd be very happy as well. Hopefully we can push 40,000 for the game on Saturday night against Sydney FC. Why wouldn't you go? 1 vs 2, Melbourne vs Sydney, Kevin Muscats 500th league game.....Bring it on!

Lambert has 6 assists for the season which is #1 in the league to go with 6 league goals. I can only listen to games so you'd know more than me but how can anybody be critical of his performances this season? Just a brilliant signing. And with Connolly he's now got the ideal foil so hopefully we've got even better to come.

Arizona, Completely off topic but was your avatar from last years Running of the Bulls? I'd finished the run and was in that area just over the fence reflecting on the stupidity of what I'd just done and suddenly a bull jumped the fence and we all had to dive into the crowd.

After what the club has been through it's been hard to be patient this season but at the moment things are looking pretty good. Full credit to AP. Bringing in the players he wanted and getting them to play in the way that he wants was never going to happen straight away. You have to hand it to him. He's made some really astute signings, none more so than David Connolly which seemingly came out of the blue. I can't wait to see (well hear:() how his partnership with Lambert goes. Big game against the MK Dons next week but we've got nothing to fear.

Keenan couldn't get a game for Melbourne Victory and after being released by Hibs recently he's back in Australia on trial at the Newcastle Jets. I think we can look for players a little better than him.

I'm not sure if any of you caught the Ireland vs Australia game that was just on but there are a number of Aussie players who are not getting game time for their clubs. One in particular I think we should look at is David Carney who has been completely frozen out at Sheffield United. He's currently on trial at Anderlecht but if that's not successful he's going to need find a team by the end of the transfer window. The players have basically been told if they don't get first team football they won't be in the WC squad. He's a left sided attacking midfielder that has been successfully turned into a left back for the national team. Anybody who saw his strike from 30+ yards in the final minute of the game tonight had to be impressed.

Maybe one more signing before the weekend according to AP. Plus the other stuff Pugwash said. :oops:

1-0 at HT

Woohoo! Great cross by James to set up the goal.

Free header for Holt which he puts over the crossbar. Sounds like it is taking a while for us to settle down and they're starting to gain in confidence.

I can't get it working either. Rarely had any trouble with Saints TV.

He's just had an unsuccessful trial with the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.

I've been in Sydney for the last 4 days and haven't had net access. Barring a dramatic collapse, and there have already been a few so we can't rule it out, we should hold on for the draw. I'm sure there will be a number of changes for the fourth test, but none could be more important than Rudi Koertzen getting dropped. The poor guy just isn't up to it anymore. We've been outplayed for the past two games as it is but it's just unacceptable to be able to reel off 7 or 8 bad decisions in the last two tests (including another one 15 minutes ago).

Just signed with Leeds unfortunately.

Yep, joined Wellington Phoenix in the A-League. You guys would know more than me on the players over there that we should be looking at but Adrian Leijer at Fulham is one player I would suggest if they want to loan him out again. He's a young aussie central defender that's been at Fulham for 2 seasons. He finished last season on loan at Norwich.

If our players don't return with The Ashes they can stay in England because they sure as hell aren't coming home.

Let's just hope once Saints find their feet in League 1 they go as well as their aussie rules namesakes.

I have to admit I started watching the golf when it appeared Goggin was a chance and the Aussies weren't. Hopefully Watson can win the playoff now. Obviously I'd still take a draw if it was offered to me but if we can get through the first hour tomorrow things might get interesting. Unfortunately our batting doesn't go as deep as it once did. Johnson is a very good batsman and many have said he's on the verge of all-rounder status. I just hope he bats better than he has bowled so far. Hauritz could possibly hang around for a while. Siddle is more of a hitter but can hold the bat. Hilfy can't. Whatever happens, it's at least been great to see a bit of fight. However it's very much advantage England and it could possibly be all over in the first hour should you guys get an early breakthrough.

Doesn't it always rain in England?

1-4 ft

Thought I'd pop in here while most of you at the Ajax game. Terrible performance yesterday. I mean to lose FIVE players to a hook/pull shot is ridiculous. I'll excuse Hughes because it was one of those unlucky dismissals where you get a touch to a poor ball outside leg stump but there's absolutely no excuse for the rest. I can't believe that a couple of our batsman would be stupid enough to be caught on the boundary when the opposition have put two men back. Please rain. For two days.

Our Kiwi friends are yet to see the funny side.

We're all taught how/when to do it in junior cricket.