Beaten brigade: what went wrong

Not quite to plan ... Del Piero trudges off after the draw with Western Sydney. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

Six teams are about to head into the A-League's first-ever sudden death finals series - three weeks of cup-tie football to determine our champions.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Western Sydney	27	18	3	6	20	57
2	Central Coast	27	16	6	5	26	54
3	Victory	27	13	5	9	3	44
4	Adelaide	27	12	5	10	1	41
5	Brisbane	27	10	5	12	4	35
6	Perth	27	9	5	13	-2	32
7	Sydney	27	9	5	13	-10	32
8	Newcastle	27	8	7	12	-15	31
9	Heart	27	8	3	16	-9	27
10	Wellington	27	7	6	14	-18	27

But four teams and two big marquee names won't be there, so before we move into finals fever, here's a look back at what went wrong for the competition's beaten brigade.

What went wrong and where to now? Let us know what you think. 

SYDNEY FC

What went wrong: Ian Crook. Shocking start. Jason Culina. Lucas Neill. Seventh place. A season of discontent for Sydney FC ... Alessandro Del Piero’s superlative impact aside, the Sky Blues lurched from mistake to mistake this term. Frank Farina inherited a shot side in late November, devoid of confidence, lacking fitness and struggling for cohesion. After working on their fitness and structure, the Sky Blues found themselves within touching distance of the finals thanks to a seven-game unbeaten run at home. But while the side showed great spirit at times, they would rue lapses in defence and appalling discipline on the road. Injuries didn’t help, particularly at the back, and despite boasting players like Joel Griffiths and Brett Emerton on the books, Sydney simply were not good enough, nor deserving, to make the finals. 

What went right: Sebastian Ryall and Rhyan Grant came of age and were Sydney’s most consistent performers all season. Peter Triantis, Vedran Janjetovic and Joel Chianese all brought something positive to the table when they played and they’ll be better for the experience. 

Standout performer: The obvious answer – on and off the pitch – is Del Piero. What a marvel he was for the A-League. Crowd averages were up to 18,500, television audiences boomed on Fox Sports and away fans flocked to get a glimpse of the Italian legend whenever Sydney hit the road. And Del Piero played his part with some virtuoso goals and touches, scoring 13 times on his way to winning the Alex Tobin Medal. Was a shame that in the crunch game against Brisbane that he wasn’t at his best. 

Where to from here: Farina has been handed the job full-time and needs to be given all the power to return Sydney FC to the summit. His first serious challenge is to conquer the transfer market. Can he lure players to Sydney who can provide the consistency and depth across the park so he can build a side capable of matching it – tactically and technically – with the big teams? The Sky Blues cannot afford to sign anymore overseas flops, either. It’s a massive off-season for the club as Farina builds the game-plan and squad that he wants. 

NEWCASTLE JETS

What went wrong: The Jets failed to secure a finals spot on the final weekend for the second straight season. Gary van Egmond preached a possession-based, high-tempo passing game, but dominating the ball is one thing, using it incisively is another. Van Egmond tinkered constantly with his side as they went on to win just four of their final 21 matches after a strong start to the season, but he couldn't get the balance right between youth and experience – especially with the departures of Jobe Wheelhouse, Ryan Griffiths and Tiago Calvano.

 

What went right: A bright start and the recruitment of Emile Heskey had the Jets confident of a promising season, but it was downhill from there. There were glimpses of decent football but there’s so much promise in the likes of Adam Taggart and Craig Goodwin, it’s a shame we didn't see it week in, week out. 

Standout performer: Goalkeeper Mark Birighitti was outstanding in his first full season in the A-League after his move from Adelaide United. He was a regular in Bozza’s Save of the Week selection. It was also Ruben Zadkovich’s most consistent A-League season.

Where to now: It’s an interesting question. Will Hunter Sports Group be satisfied with the club’s progress and direction under van Egmond’s stewardship? He needs to get his recruitment right after a few failures in recent years, and use the likes of Michael Bridges to complement the developing talent at his disposal.  

MELBOURNE HEART

What went wrong: You can’t expect to make the play-offs with the Heart’s unbelievably bad record on the road – one point outside of Victoria this season. John Aloisi's side were well in the hunt for the play-offs before losing their final five matches. Despite a talented roster on paper, consistency plagued them all season. They weren't helped by key injuries to the likes of Fred and Vince Grella in midfield. Eli Babalj didn't reach great heights on his return from Red Star Belgrade, they lost Aziz Behich to Bursaspor in Turkey, while Nick Kalmar and David Williams – unstoppable at their best – didn't reach those heights week-in, week-out. 

What went right: Heart were genuinely entertaining to watch. When it worked, they played a beautiful brand of football, which makes their failure to win away so hard to fathom. Heart have an excellent track record developing young Aussie footballers, and Golgol Mebrahtu and Jeremy Walker were two who they can add to the list this term. 

Standout performer: Richard Garcia. The former Hull City player is one of the really successful returning Socceroos. He was consistent and a real leader for his side. 

Where to now: Most coaches who fail with such a good roster would be looking over their shoulder, but Heart surely have to stand by Aloisi, given they were the ones who threw him into the furnace. He has already pledged to spend some time abroad furthering his coaching education, and he'll also have the chance to re-mould his squad if the likes of Clint Bolton, Simon Colosimo, Fred or Matt Thompson move on.

ELIMINATION FINAL 1, FRIDAY APRIL 5:

Melbourne Victory v Perth Glory, Etihad Stadium 7:30pm EDT

ELIMINATION FINAL 2, SUNDAY APRIL 7:

Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar, Hindmarsh Stadium 5:00pm EST

SEMI-FINAL 1, FRIDAY APRIL 12:

Western Sydney Wanderers v Lowest-ranked elimination finals winner, Parramatta Stadium 7:30pm EST

SEMI-FINAL 2, SUNDAY APRIL 14:

Central Coast Mariners v Highest-ranked elimination finals winner, Bluetongue Stadium 5:00pm EST

GRAND FINAL, SUNDAY APRIL 21:

Winner Semi-Final 1 v Winner Semi-Final 2, Venue TBC, 4:00pm EST

WELLINGTON PHOENIX

What went wrong: Phoenix weren't really at the races this season. A side built on solid foundations looked a rabble and disorganised, prompting the departure of long-term coach Ricki Herbert. Captain Andrew Durante called it a horror campaign.

What went right: A decent start disguised what was to come for the insipid Phoenix, whose crowd numbers also plummeted. Chris Greenacre brought back a bit more spirit to the side, with a surprise 2-1 win over Perth the highlight. 

Standout performer: Jeremy Brockie. If ever there was a one-man band, Brockie’s scoring exploits for the Phoenix fit the ball. His output was remarkable, given he was capable of scoring from anywhere.

Where to now: Phoenix have been happy to tell us that they've had over 200 applications for the top job, but the appointment is crucial if they are to re-build New Zealand’s flagship side. It is imperative not only so they can attract players to the club, but with top Kiwi stars like Marco Rojas, Michael McGlinchey or Shane Smeltz playing elsewhere in the league, they need to look at how they are harnessing their local talent as well. 

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