Firstly I would like to thank Gerard for inviting me to
write for his blog. Like him, I'm a new addition to the Melbourne Heart
football department this season. The two of us have formed a good partnership
because I can answer all Gerard's questions about the players and teams in the
A-League and he can share with me his many stories and lessons from football
clubs around the world.
In most European leagues, the ladder correlates strongly
with the wage spend of each club, so much is decided before a ball is kicked.
Some teams know for sure they'll be competing for the title because they have
the best players, while others might take a more conservative approach to make
sure they don't end up in the bottom three.
In contrast, the A-League has a salary cap, which means
that all ten clubs must spend a similar amount of money on player wages. There
is no relegation, so the same clubs compete each year. Every club has a short
history with some good times and some tough times. We've seen many times that
clubs can go from the very bottom to the very top within one season (and vice
versa!). Every club has the same ambition, to win the Championship, and it's a
realisitic goal for everyone.
For those reasons, it's a very pure competition. It's
like a science experiment for football because each club has similar resources
to achieve the same goal, so we can see in a controlled environment how
different approaches succeed or fail over time.
A successful team is a beautiful combination of many
factors, like a delicious meal. What makes a good meal? The ability of the
chef? The standard of the kitchen? The quality of the utensils?
In the A-League we can ask the same questions of
football. Firstly, the most important variable is the quality of the
ingredients, or the players. Here the quality of players is more or less the
same at each club. That isolates the other factors and we can think about what
else makes the biggest difference. Is it coaches? Facilities? Support staff?
How important is it to have your best XI on the pitch? How crucial is fitness?
How big a factor is confidence? How important is luck?
The A-League also has a fascinating mixture of tactical
styles. Some teams press high, others sit off. Some counter-attack, some keep
the ball. Some play out from the back at all costs, others go long. Some adapt
to the opposition, some play the same every week. It's a great league in which
to study how different styles compare over a season and clash on the pitch.
It's an excellent learning environment and a place where
success, like a delicious dish, is extremely rewarding.
BRETT TAYLOR
TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION OFFICER
@behindthegoals
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