Chris Paraskevas
Stream Of Conciousness...
With all of the honour and glory of one of the dying Samurai’s in that Tom Cruise flick, I will open this week’s blog with an admission that will eventually be ripped into by the deity-figure whom floats about us: I now possess an iPhone.It wasn't even my fault really; I know I labelled the ...
Chris Paraskevas
Farewell Pre-Season Cup, It Was Emotional
ONE wonders whether the far reaches of the ever-expanding Universe lay home to a set of Gods that cast their eyes over the football galaxy that we mere mortals inhabit; if they do, then they have a wonderful sense of humour and irony.For one thing, this blog has returned in full working ...
Peng Cheng
Culina, Thank God You're Here...
PIM Verbeek has already expressed his reservations about Jason Culina returning to the A-League and the impact that this move will have on his Socceroos career. However, Culina's return could be the tonic that will vitalise the Socceroos, the A-League version that is.
In my previous article, I ...
Peng Cheng
Robbie, Thank God You're Here?
I GUESS this is what it would be like to watch a car-crash in slow-motion. So Fury have signed 'God' aka Robbie Fowler, a player who has scored over 150 goals in the Premiership, won 26 caps for the Poms and is capable of bringing Anfield to its feet simply by stepping onto the pitch. In terms ...
Peng Cheng
Disappointing, Not Surprising
‘HOPELESS’ was the term used by Pim earlier in the week. Perhaps after the performance against Kuwait, that description may even be seen as flattering. For me, the performance was very disappointing but not at all surprising. Those that remember the performances of the A-League Socceroos against ...
Peng Cheng
No Love For Cinderella
WHATEVER the result in the Grand Final, this season should be seen as one of unqualified success for the Reds.Making the finals of both domestic and continental competitions, Adelaide for the majority of this season were very much the Cinderella of Australian football.
The height of this ...
Chris Paraskevas
You Can't Beat Controversy
HOW appropriate that the only occasion football seems to have made headlines on Fox Sports news is when it is embroiled in 'controversy'.The stage was certainly set: the Hyundai A-League coach of the year, a club who have helped put Australian football on the map (to some extent in Asia) and the ...
Chris Paraskevas
What Did I Miss?
DID I miss much this weekend? Apparently Tiatto was sent off and Melbourne beat Adelaide, so nothing that I couldn't create a mental image of whilst nursing my steadily improving ankle (the results for that multiple choice questionnaire last week were overwhelmingly swaying towards 'E' for some ...
Chris Paraskevas
Coping Without Me
WHAT must have seemed to be an eternity without my influence on the blogosphere will have no doubt crystallized some rather frank facts of life for all of you loyal FourFourTwo disciples out there.Yes, life was difficult whilst I was away from the blog kingdom. Yes, this piece of electronic ...
Peng Cheng
Too Soon?
I SEE it but I don’t believe: An A-League club poaching from PSV.Not just some has-been that is well past their prime but a firm squad player that is at the peak of his career. Culina’s proven ability to dictate the game at the international level makes him a player that who you could build a ...
Chris Paraskevas
I'd Rather Have Hives
IF ONLY the A-League were as entertaining as the Hives.I of course refer to that brilliant band that played at Sydney Metro on Tuesday evening and basically packed more entertainment into the space of two hours than an entire four seasons of Australia's top flight football competition (a nutcase ...
Peng Cheng
Rock And A Hard Place
WE ARE very close to an A-League first: a complete season without any manager getting the sack.Kind of ironic given the economic downturn and the serious job cuts in other industries. The lack of managers been jettisoned mid-flight is made all the more bizarre given that both the pre-season ...
Chris Paraskevas
He Does Harper On....
IF ANY of you have ever played Shane Warne Cricket '99, you will know just how important commentary can be: (It's in the air......ammmmmaaaamazing catch!) YouTube LinkLet's face it guys, Andy Harper is no Martin Tyler.As much as the former Marconi player has been the subject of endless jokes and ...
Peng Cheng
Did Santa Come?
HOPE everyone had a great Christmas. No doubt a few A-League players, managers, fans and owners will be looking into their Christmas stockings for some treasured presents like new players, the ability to dispose of existing players, a top four finish, the Premiership and of course, Christmas ...
Chris Paraskevas
Still Obsessed...
I HAVE two avenues through which I can vent my murderous levels of rage and frustration: the first is at John Aloisi's wages, which could otherwise be spent on roads and hospitals and the second is at Football Manager 2009, which I have just quit and reinstalled for the umpteenth time – don't ...
Peng Cheng
The A-League Roo Options
EARLY in the New Year, a few A-League players will probably receive a late Christmas present in the form of their first cap in the Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia.Previous incarnations of the Pim’s A-League Socceroos have looked less than impressive with a poor showing against minors ...
Chris Paraskevas
Better Than Suicide
AFTER a Saturday night of having my old high school buddy embarrass me at a bar by giving his impression of "The Robot" before performing a Star Trek dance (yes, apparently there is one) – this was in front of single women - I needed something that wouldn't drive me to a cringing suicide: step ...
Peng Cheng
Rejecting Reality
SICK and tired of watching your manager use hopeless tactics and formations?Do you want your preferred players on the park rather that someone you don’t rate or some has-been? Maybe you should reject reality and take up the 'Greatest Job On Earth'.Well, at least that is the slogan for Football ...
Chris Paraskevas
Revenge Of The Outcast
MELBOURNE Victory minus Archie Thompson = A minimum of one point for whoever they happen to be playing that round.Even the most blindly passionate Victory fan can admit that despite all of their fairly impressive recruitment drives and Ernie Merrick's oh-so-spectacular-borderline-Hungary-at-Wembl...
Peng Cheng
Hot Topic Of The Week
HOT topic of the week: What type of player should be recruited as a marquee? What are clubs aiming to achieve by signing a marquee player? Is it a redundant scheme that is simply a way of clubs going beyond the salary cap?Looking at the history of marquee players that have been signed, for the ...
Chris Paraskevas
Being Serious For A Change
For once in my so far wonderfully fruitful and enlightening FourFourTwo blog life, I might – MIGHT – just transgress into that realm of seriousness that I have shown a complete obliviousness of thus far.The catalyst for my Optimus-Prime-like transformation?Partly my night out yesterday that ...
Peng Cheng
Sydney FC For Sale
FRANK Lowy is the majority owner of Sydney FC. According to The World Game’s Shootout segment, Lowy is willing to sell the club if someone is willing to come up the money.But would anybody actually want to buy Sydney FC? They were the inaugural champions. Along with Newcastle, they are only club ...
Chris Paraskevas
I Hate You All
BEFORE we start, let's get one thing straight: I hate you all with a passion.If you happen to see a lonely teenager stumbling his way through the Sydney streets with a Newcastle United jersey, bloodshot eyes and a disposition for any type of conflict with a significantly weaker being over the ...
Peng Cheng
Greener Pastures
THERE will be several players that will be hoping to move onto greener pastures next season.With two new clubs coming into the competition, the opportunity to find a new club is greater than usual. For me, the following players are some of the better talents in the A-League that aren’t been ...
Peng Cheng
Unsightly Ducks Out Of Water
THERE are few sights in the A-League makes me cringe more than seeing a big, lumbering centre-backing filling in at full-back. It is a ghastly sight.This situation is undoubtedly partly due by the small squad sizes or fierce competition for centre-backs positions. However, in some instances, ...
