sloake

hi Guys

just wondered what information any one has about Queensland Lions Soccer club.

Moving to Brisbane next year, and as the Lions are the only local team in the new ASA League thought I should back them..

However, their website has to be the worst football website ever.. nothing about the team, only stuff like beers of the month (well thats a good plan actually) , and "entertainment"... It does give scores but no match reports?

So any Brizzies want to comment on whether my support of the lions is worthwhile?

Ushas

Ah they sound a bit rubbish don't they???

Try supporting Perth Glory! They were back to back NSL champions before they decided to do this ASA thing. (By the way...not that we're biased but we're going to Perth )

Hubby already has his first Perth Glory shirt. And he's already a regular on the Perth Glory Forum. We don't get there till January!

Perhaps Brissie has a Lions forum you could post to and ask a few questions? Perhaps they will improve the site once the ASA actually gets up and running.

Hubby is a wealth of info on this topic... he said do you realise it's going to be known as the FFA (Football Federation of Australia) and the competition will be called The A League. They were going to call it the APL (Australian Premier League) but they changed their minds. And Last week the Aussie Soccer Gurus decided that it would be acceptable for soccer to be called Football (as it should be) hence the ASA to FFA change.

TheAncientGeek

They're crap

Been reading this forum for a while (Ushas is Mrs Geek) but never found the motivation to subscribe to yet another forum. But this is football we are talking about, so well worth making the effort over lol

There's something of a revamp going on in Aussie soccer/football, the previous NSL was wound up, and players' contracts rendered null and void in the process. Teams were invited to register their interest in joining the new league.

Soccer Australia recently announced that the new league will be called the Hyundai A-League, comprised of 8 teams initially. The announcement can be read here.

Since then there has been some activity with teams signing up players and coaching staff. Sydney seem to be the most active, but Perth Glory finally got around to making a couple of announcements this week.

Another recent announcement has been that Soccer Australia will now be known as Football Australia, more details here.

I believe that state-level soccer leagues have continued to play games, it's just the national league that has had a "gap year". Must have been frustrating for fans over there, but at least I'll be able to stand in the Glory Shed chanting abuse at the opposition come August

ScuntoBris

Difficult to say as they have not been in the National League for a few years, the Brisbane Strikers were the previous side in the in the national comp, until being replaced by the Lions for next years comp.

The main problem really is that the Lions were competing in the local scene, against other local teams, who are now supposed to turn around and support them in the new A League. They have agreed a lease to play out of Suncorp although the top 2 levels won't be open. I believe they are hoping for approx 10,000 for each game, but could be anywhere from 1000 up which is not a lot of people in a big stadium like Suncorp.

There is talk of a possible name change before the season starts, so as not to confuse with the Brisbane Lions who play some other strange Australian game!

Worthwhile? - Yes, To make the new league work they need to get the publics attention and attendances, so personally will give them a chance, the Football profile needs lifting, which the new league will hopefully do. Terry Venables has signed up to Manage/Coach Newcastle United, and more big names should hopefully push the profile up.

TheAncientGeek

Not 100% sure of the current state of play, but the last I heard (Thursday), Newcastle United Jets have put a contract on the table but El Tel has yet to sign. The club are saying that it should go ahead, but the man himself is keeping fairly quiet over it all.

Curiously, I did see mention of El Tel being in discussions with the Aussie version of Newcastle United, not long before he was in discussions about becoming Bobby Robson's replacement.

Roy Hodgson was also linked with the manager's job for Sydney, but he's turned it down.

Other familiar names being connected with the new league include Duncan Ferguson, Teddy Sherringham, and Mark Bosnich.

By all accounts, the new league has the potential to be a huge success. They've got TV deals in place, and seem to be ready to make the effort to market the game in Australia.

Fingers crossed, the A-League is my only hope of getting a football fix!

sloake

Well as i will be in Brisbane should support the local team..

Duncan and Terry playing in Oz would be brilliant.. total respect for Teddy (even though I am a Chelsea fan) but Mark and El Tel.. wouldnt touch with a barge pole..

TheAncientGeek

You could always move to Perth

Seriously though, I think the A-League is a great opportunity for football in Australia. The more fans there are for all the teams involved, the better.

The rest of the world needs to worry though, we all know what happens once the Aussies take a sport seriously...

sloake

could move to Perth but the flights across the country to see the B/f would be a nightmare...

Agree.. got to back the new league...Cant go a weekend with out see a match..although sitting alone in a big stadium aint good..maybe we can get Chelsea down there to show them how football should be played?

Ushas

Ooohhh yeah! A Chelsea v Man Utd demonstration match. Show 'em how the game should be played...with skill and determination (and the odd tears and dive from Chelsea obviously!!! )

sloake

How dare you... !!! (Mock Outrage !!)

its a well known fact that man utd fall over at the slightest breeze and are the second most violent team.. (even arsenal beat them at that)

Maybe we could have Chelsea V Chelsea old boys.. real demonstration of the beautiful game..

Ushas

But Reyes said Man Utd were really really mean and they did hurt him. And he said they knocked him black and blue all over and they were just mean! And it wasn't fair cause they picked on him, especially those really mean big boys the Neville brothers!

Bl**dy baby!

I could even stand seeing Chelsea win the league so long and that smug french sod and his winging mob don't!

sloake

Thanks.. we will try our hardest.. ha ha

Ushas

No problem....just don't tell anyone I said it!