Brisbane's second home of football

I love watching football anytime, whether in the very early morning or deep into the evening. As many of you know, being a football fan down-under requires a lot of stamina and all too often the passion for our game overpowers the need for a good night’s slumber.

Fans across the country all have different habits; some meet together at houses, others in pubs while many supporters sit in front of their television set or laptop alone in bed.

Yet in one special place in Queensland, one man has established a tradition that has now passed on to a new generation. A tradition established thanks only to pure footballing passion.

Tucked away in the inner-city Brisbane suburb of Milton, the football-loving Euro café precinct of Park Road acts as a warm blanket to nurture fans desperate to reproduce the stadium atmosphere on a similar but smaller scale. 

I didn’t know what to expect after reserving a table at the authentic Italian Restaurant Arrivederci but the smell of pizza and roasting coffee beans emanating from behind the bar certainly helped awaken those hazy senses.

As I made my way to my table and ordered a piping hot long black and slice of the Arrivederci special, I felt an enormous sense of belonging sitting amongst the many customers of wide and diverse cultures. For me it isn’t just about the football but being surrounded by other likeminded and passionate supporters of the game.

Sport is often described as the social concrete that binds people together. Whether it be barista, boilermaker, barber or builder; we all enjoy participating or watching the round ball being skillfully dribbled and passed from one end of the pitch to the other.

Current owner David Silvestri’s deep passion for football and the hospitality industry was inherited from his parents Franco and Rita who migrated to Australia from Italy in 1969. Whilst living in Italy Franco would travel to every A.S. Roma home match at the Stadio Olimpico and sit in the Curva Sud (south end of the stadium) with the other fanatics.

The link with the Roma club was unbreakable and his deep passion supporting the game extended as far as coaching promising junior players aiming at a chance of football stardom.

When Franco eventually moved to Australia the love of his club never waned and he was always found listening to the Roma games delivered live on SBS radio every Sunday night in his native language. This was in the simple age of no internet or wi-fi cafes and next to no television coverage. 

Franco opened Arrivederci Pizzeria on Park Road in 1992. It quickly became the ‘luogo di incontro’, or meeting place, for he and a small group of his loyal football-loving friends to gather and listen to the Italian matches on the wireless.

While the numbers were small initially, this was the start of something special.

In 1994 when Italy played Brazil in the World Cup final, he opened the pizzeria at the request of customers as there was nowhere for fans to watch the action. What happened next was astonishing. To Franco’s surprise hundreds of fans turned up wanting to watch the game on a hired screen. Sadly Italy lost that final on penalties but the seed was planted. 

After Australia qualified for the 2006 World Cup, this is when the need for a football venue snowballed and got a little out of control. Franco spoke with Brisbane City Council and police to arrange a full street closure with two massive street TV screens for the round of sixteen clash between his home and adopted nation.

That night 20,000 fans gathered to watch Italy beat Australia 1-0. My mates and I remember the night vividly as do the majority of Australian football fans. After the match, as the downtrodden but proud Socceroos faithful made their way home along the crowded Park Road, Franco stood proudly by his Pizza oven with a wry smile.

From humble beginnings with a few friends crowded around a tiny transistor radio, football in Brisbane had come of age and Franco from his own humble beginnings is responsible for that. 

Franco’s deep love of football is evident as you walk in to find yourself surrounded by vast splashes of colorful sporting memorabilia with autographed jerseys and national flags engulfing the walls and ceilings. Of the many artifacts and football treasures on display, those that will always take pride of place are the signed jerseys and photos of A.S. Roma and Italian great Francesco Totti holding aloft the 2006 World Cup trophy. 

After many years dedicated to his team, Franco eventually became the proud president of the Roma Australia club before passing away in 2007. He often travelled with the team to watch matches as seen in the photo of Franco on a plane with the Roma team after winning the Copa Italia with Totti looking on in the background.

Rita and Franco passed the business to David who has continued his parents’ Italian traditions in the same spirit. David works as hard as his father and brings his own second-generation flavour by promoting the restaurant as a place for patrons to share their love of Italian food with all sports.

Be you a fan of Brisbane Roar, Brisbane Broncos, Queensland Reds or Brisbane Lions you are welcome to show your passion with fans of a similar ilk. David can lay claim to be a more enthusiastic sports fan than I. No matter what code of football is being played, the odds are that it is being shown on the big screen as he weaves around the red and white checked table cloths ensuring his patrons are happy whilst keeping one eye firmly focused on the game himself.

David will be opening for the various Socceroos qualifiers being played this year.

Australia v Iraq

Stadium Australia, Sydney

Tuesday 18 June, 2013

Kick off 6.30pm (local time)

Clean Sheet 21

Grand Final Countdown

Welcome to ‘Clean Sheet’, an inside look at the ‘Number 1’ position in world football… “Goalkeeper”

Well it is down to the last weekend of the A-League and the two best teams have made it through. The Western Sydney Wanderers will host the Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium on Sunday afternoon and it’s also not surprising that the two best keepers in the league go head to head. When you throw the stats out there you will notice just how close these two glove men are in ability and performance on the pitch.

Ryan earned his inaugural “Clean Sheet” linen Manchester package this season although it is obvious that Covic’s gloves were more worn with almost double the amount of saves required. Both teams are deserving of their place in the final after viewing their respective for and against records. A very healthy 41-21 for the WSW compared to 48-22 for the Mariners. A record any manager would be proud of.

Here’s how the two keepers measured up.

Goalkeeper	Team	Minutes Played	YTD Saves	Goals Conceded	Clean Sheets
Ante Covic	WSW	2520	90	21	11
Matthew Ryan	CCM	2160	48	20	11

There has been nothing more than a tally-ho paper between both keepers and their respective teams all season and the Grand Final may ultimately be decided by some brilliance from either Ryan or Covic to claim the coveted “Golden Toilet Seat” trophy. Good luck to both teams and I’m sure it will be a wonderful spectacle with plenty of red and black on show for the Western Sydney Wanderers debut appearance.

The season has showcased just how talented the goalkeeping stocks are in this country and it wont be too long a wait before we see more Aussie flags embroided on gloves throughout Europe and beyond. The likes of Mark Schwarzer, Brad Jones, Adam Federici and Dean Bouzanis must be looking over their shoulders proudly at the healthy pool of talent emerging from our local leagues and competition. Much of the praise should be squarely directed at the many specialist-keeping coaches continuing their great work in lifting the crossbar and widening the goal posts so our talent is always striving to improve their game.

To the EPL and this week I witnessed one of the most clinical performances from a keepers for many seasons. Alex McCarthy was lucky enough to get his first start since an early 1-1 result against relegation rivals QPR back in November.  Liverpool had 13 shots on target and dominated possession with 61% of the ball, but even with the likes of Suarez the Reds were unable to breach McCarthy’s line. His save from a sharp chance from Daniel Sturridge was the highlight of his clean sheet. In a game that showcased the awesomeness of the boys at the back, Pepe Reina was not to be outdone by his opposite number down the other end.  If you can catch the highlight reel of the match you wont see a match dominated more by a keeper than this one. Who says a nil all draw is dull and boring? For me it’s the almost the mecca for a keeper. Even Brendan Rodgers though disappointed with the result was honest in his assessment of the match. “That’s arguably the best goalkeeping performance I’ve ever seen, watching many games and being involved in many games,” Rodgers told Sky Sports. “Not just tipping it around the corner but actually holding onto the ball.”

Very fine praise indeed, and an effort that may draw some interest from other clubs coming into the warmth of an English summer. Although we’re not used to hearing anything negative from Rodgers in his first year at the Reds. Watch this space.

The misery continued for QPR against Everton but it was Tim Howard that shone like a beacon in the Toffees’ 2-0 win over a Championship destined Hoops outfit. Julio Cesar was brave in defeat at the back just couldn’t compete against Everton’s tall timber. Howard’s sharp stop from a Loic Remy bullet was one of my saves of the week.  It was Howard’s sixth clean sheet this season, but it has been Everton’s inability to close out games this season that has let them down. A positive run home could see them challenge for a top four spot but it could come down to the last round where they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs look to have the April/May wobbles again but can enjoy a small break after their Europa League woes to refocus on their clash with Manchester City at White Heart Lane this weekend. Their London rivals Arsenal have nudged ahead of them on the ladder in the all important Champions League qualification race but can City do the Gunners some favours in providing Arsenal with some mental ammunition for the final rounds.

I’d love to keep rambling on about football and my love of the goalkeeper but the quote of the week awaits. Good luck and fair play to your team’s chances this week.

Football Quote of the Week

"We must have had 99 percent of the game. It was the other three percent that cost us the match."

Ruud Gullit – Dutch Legend and mathematics honours student

Yours in football and “KEEPING it real”.

Clean Sheet: Eugene Galekovic interview

Eugene Galekovic is the goalkeeper and Captain at Adelaide United FC. He recently notched up his 150^th A-League game and a highlight reel of his saves would easily fill up the largest of external hard drives. His “Red” hot form this season for Adelaide earned him selection in the Socceroos squad for the World Cup Qualifier against Oman in Sydney.

It is a wonderful reward for Galekovic, who continues to work hard at the back while possessing arguably the sharpest reflexes of the current keepers in the A-League. There is certainly no better-equipped keeper to face the daunting task of staring down the barrel of a spot kick with a nervous trigger-happy striker. I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Eugene after learning of his call up to learn a little more about the man behind the gloves.



Firstly a big congratulations on your recent selection in the Socceroos squad! I know it wasn’t the result the team was looking for, but how was the mood in the camp? Do you tend to learn anything new that you can bring to your game by being with the likes of Schwarzer and Ryan?

Thanks! The result was disappointing for the team on the night but given that we were down 2-0, the team showed plenty of fight and courage to come away with a very important point towards qualifying for Brazil. The experience of being part of a Socceroos is tremendous and it certainly improves your focus. The increased intensity of every session is what you notice the most as you’re amongst the finest Aussie footballers playing both here and abroad) and their professionalism and experience just rubs off on you.

Not many Aussies know of or are aware of Ali Al Habsi, captain and goalkeeper for Oman, but he’s had fine year for Wigan in the EPL. The Socceroos weren’t at their best on the night but I felt he was the difference between a draw and getting the much-needed three points. Do you agree?

He’s certainly a fine keeper and pulled off some wonderful saves throughout the game. It’s certainly not surprising given that if you’re playing in the first team in the EPL you definitely need the talent and skills he possesses. He and Schwarzer had a good yarn after the match in the middle also which always builds the union between keepers.

What’s your first memory of playing football as a young lad?

It was my young junior playing days and is something that you never forget as the mates you made then are your mates forever. I certainly have very fond memories of playing in the park in many positions but the game was all about fun and spending time with your mates.

Was it always football or did you experiment with other codes?

I played most sports growing up in Victoria, but my parents were against me playing AFL as they felt it was a little rough. When I was 14 I had to make the decision between football and cricket…thankfully I chose the later! 

Who has been the most influential person/s in your football career?

Definitely I would say my parents. They have been my biggest supporters and never grizzled or complained when I had to be driven to training or games all around the state. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today.

When standing alone in front of a striker taking a spot kick, do you have any strategy? Or is it pick a side and hope for the best?

I don’t really have a strategy as such, but before the striker steams in towards the spot I try and stand as tall as I can for a long as I can. Then as soon as the ball is struck I throw myself as hard as I can to the side I choose. I also try and watch the video of the dedicated spot kickers in League to gauge their process. Unfortunately it simply comes down to luck, but you always have to give yourself the best chance possible.

Apparently rumor has it that Mark Schwarzer still wears his old favorite shin pads from his early days at Marconi? Do you still hang on to treasures from the past?

I didn’t know that about Mark! But it is really funny because I still wear the same shin pads I had from my early playing days. They are that worn and old that there is no more foam padding left and just two bits of plastic. Still I’d feel strangely uncomfortable if I didn’t wear them on every match day.

Your nickname and how and when did you get it?

Sadly I don’t have a nickname that too much thought went into, but all the boys call me “Euge” as in short for Eugene.

Any strange superstitions pre game routines? Have you ever noticed how Buffon always marks out the box before each half? Very meticulous and professional?

A lot of keepers used to do it back in the day like [Gianluigi] Buffon, but as you can receive a yellow card from the officials it’s generally frowned upon so I don’t do it. I used to always have a shave the night before game day but on one occasion I didn’t and we had a good win, so I don’t really stick to the routine anymore. It’s a strange thing but most superstitions exist from either coming off a win or a heavy loss.

Many pundits say you end up a keeper because you couldn’t make it out on the pitch. Did you start as a keeper or fall into by chance by a desperate manager?

As a kid I tried playing in all the positions from up front, mid field, defense to keeper but always gravitated ended up in the goals. My teammates always thought I was the best choice and that it was I should be. I always enjoyed it so it wasn’t a case of being lumped with the role but rather being the best man for the job.

Who was/is the keeper you looked to learn from when you were learning your craft?

I guess growing up I always enjoyed watching Peter Schmeichel and Mark Bosnich. They were incredibly gifted but hard working keepers, but in saying that they also possessed that flamboyance and confidence on the pitch that makes them very attractive to watch.

The proud thing about football is the many links with so many diverse cultures and backgrounds. How important is your cultural background to you and the game of football in general?

I am extremely proud of my Croatian background. In Croatia football is number one! The friends I made when I was younger playing football for Chelsea Hajduk and even before then are still my friends today. Football is one of those games that brings people together and is the great leveler and a common ground that everyone can relate to and talk about in any social situation.

What’s the worst football blunder you’ve made in your career to date?

It would have to be the goal I let in last season in our Asian Champions League game. It was a real howler, but it’s important to always shut it out quickly, refocus and move on.  You will always have a bad day from time to time but the more work you put in off the pitch reduces the chances of that happening.

Who is the best former defender you’ve played behind?

It would have to be Sasa Ogenovski. He’s very imposing and physical player who never lets the ball through to the back without a fight. Sasa is an extremely tough customer and was wonderful defender to play alongside when he was at United.

Who do you rate as the best keeper in world football today?

Gianluigi Buffon. He’s been at the top of his game for so long. Also you cannot go past Iker Casillas from Real Madrid and Spain. He’s just about done it all Captained Spain to win their first World Cup; two European Championships and five La Liga titles. Both are sheer class in keeping.

Who has/had the toughest shot to stop at Adelaide United?

Sergio van Dijk (when he was with Adelaide), Bruce Djite, Tomi Juric.

Who do you usually room with on the road?

I room on my own. Captaincy certainly has its benefits sometimes.

What was the last movie you saw?

“The Next Three Days”

The best and worst pitch you have played on?

Best: Toyota Stadium Toyota City in the Club World Cup in 2009.

Worst: Probably Newcastle…the surface can make it tough for keepers.

Your three ultimate dinner guests?

My lovely partner; Michael Jordan; Lionel Messi.

Shootout from the Spot

Pre-game meal

Fruit Toast with butter

Favorite overseas team?

Leeds United

Favorite TV show?

My Kitchen Rules (MKR)

Best holiday destination?

Croatia

Follow Adelaide United Football Club on Twitter: @adelutd_FC

Clean Sheet 20

Clean Sheet – Covic a mainstay as Wanderers finish top

With the International duties done and dusted for the time being, it was back to the A-League final round, EPL and a FA Cup replay. As good as the battle for World Cup qualification is on the football calendar, the week in week out battle for the top four or avoiding relegation is far more entertaining in my humble opinion.

Turning to the A-League for a moment, and the sun has set on the regular season. Despite the tabloid papers continuing with negative stories on crowd behaviour and the like, the game has grown in popularity with the marque signings Alessandro Del Perio, Shinji Ono, Lucas Neil and Emile Heskey arriving on our shores from abroad. What has really impressed me is the number of young local players who have cut their teeth and are becoming household names both here and abroad in a market dominated by rugby league, union and AFL. All codes strive to claim the crown of the “greatest game in the world”, but to be honest they can all happily co-exist by working alongside each other to schedule games to ensure each sport grows or even cross pollinates every summer or winter.

Here are the interesting statistics for the lovers/admirers of the men in the six-yard box. Being in the unashamedly former category, I marvel at the talents of the often lonely and much maligned keeper so the figures don’t tend to surprise as much as raise my admiration after the hours of work put in plying their craft. A total of 20 keepers took to the pitch for over 24,208 minutes, making a combined 866 saves, conceding 369 goals while 14 of them managed 65 clean sheets between them. Most impressive stats, however if you asked most keepers they would tell you that it can always be improved on.

Ante Covic has been one of the standout keepers this season after heading back to the Western suburbs of Sydney to play his part in history with the Wanderers winning the Premiers’ Plate in their inaugural year. Covic has played every minute of every match this season and finished equal on top with 10 clean sheets with the Central Coast Mariners Matthew Ryan. As mentioned in an earlier edition of 'Clean Sheet' if the tally was tied at the end of the regular season, the prize will be awarded to the goalkeeper who has had the fewest goals conceded for the year. In retrospect given that Covic played four more games than Ryan I will be awarding him a consolation prize for his service to the #keepersunion. Congratulations to both keepers and I look forward to getting in contact to award your prizes. The winner Mathew Ryan will proudly receive a quality set of Manchester with the highest of thread counts. Look forward to posting a happy snap with Maty in receipt of one of the highest goal keeping honours in world football!

Good luck to the teams competing in the first week of the finals with the Melbourne Victory hosting the Perth Glory in the first of the elimination finals at Etihad Stadium. Perth’s momentum has been steady of late and their recent win over the Victory only a fortnight ago will give them plenty of confidence in causing an upset.

In the other clash Adelaide United takes on Brisbane Roar at Hindmarsh Stadium. The two teams met back in early March and it was the Roar who ran away with the points after a late Ben Halloran strike. The worrying sign for the Reds is that they have only won one of their last five matches while the Roar have only lost once. I know I’m little biased but momentum is a big card to carry into the finals and the experience of the Roar is well documented and could be the difference. The Wanderers and Mariners both earn a week off but both sides will be keen spectators to analyse their potential opponents for the following weekend.

A quick look at the EPL and I managed to get up early to watch one of Australia’s living legends, Mark Schwarzer play a massive role in putting the sword to relegation favourites QPR. His penalty save off Loic Remy was vintage Schwarzer as well as his “Inspector Gadget” grab later in the match.  Chelsea keeper Petr Cech’s amazing form continued in the FA Cup reply with one of the saves of the year. His giant hand helped his side to move one match closer from a return to Wembley.  David De Gea recorded his ninth clean sheet in Manchester United’s win over Sunderland, while City’s Joe Hart streaked ahead of the competition with his 14th clean sheet in 30 games.

That’s it for this week. Next week I’ll will take a look at the Champions League keepers and how the cream is rising to the top, A-League finals action and then round it out with all the keeping news in the English Premier League.

Football Quote of the Week

"I couldn’t settle in Italy – it was like living in a foreign country."

 Ian Rush, (ex-Liverpool) when asked how he enjoyed his time at Juventus

Poor Ian could really have used Google Maps back then!

Yours in football and “KEEPING it real”.

www.cleansheet.com

Clean Sheet 19

Clean Sheet – The race for the finals heats up in Oz

Welcome to ‘Clean Sheet’, an inside look at the ‘Number 1’ position in world football… “Goalkeeper”

As the international break of football dominates this week, I will be focusing squarely on the A-League results heading into the final round before the finals. I was lucky enough to be on hand at the Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Heart match played at a Suncorp Stadium and bathed in glorious sunshine. It was magic weather until the heavens opened as if granted permission by the referee’s final whistle and giving the Roar and Heart faithful crowd a right drenching. Melbourne Heart keeper Andrew Redmayne will have recurring nightmares after a long-range Thomas Broich belter weaved, dipped, and curled like a heat seeking missile. Michael Theo’s grittiness and heroics continued at the back notching up his eighth clean sheet of the season. I’m certain that without him in the six yard box, Roar’s chances at a finals birth would be a mere pipedream.

Brisbane Roar returned to their possession hungry best and are in a good headspace for Thursday night’s battle with Sydney FC. Both teams are playing for a spot in the finals and anything less than a win will be seen as a massive disappointment given both teams rosters. I doubt this one will end in a clean sheet for with the likes of Broich, Berisha and Alessandro Del Piero all in good form.

Well don’t you just love a Derby? Parramatta Stadium hosted its second of the season in front of almost 20,000 Red and Blue fans. I am a huge fan of football so getting to sit down with a glass of wine and soak up the atmosphere in my living room was special. The Derby concept is special in football and I do miss that the Brisbane Roar doesn’t have a rivalry outlet for their loyal fans. Hopefully in coming seasons they can introduce another side in South East Queensland. Sadly the Gold Coast franchise failed where the Western Sydney Wanderers model continues to gain an unprecedented following.    

The only other clean sheet news occurred in the Central Coast Mariners away game to Adelaide United. It was rare opportunity for reserve keepers Paul Izzo (Adelaide) and Justin Pasfield (Mariners) to showcase their wares after spending much of the season warming those flimsy white Bunnings Warehouse seats. Pasfield won the battle on the day and given the possible exit of Matt Ryan to the green pastures of Europe next season, the goalkeeping succession plan at Gosford is well and truly bedded down. Paul Izzo gained some valuable game time as his mentor and captain Eugene Galekovic joined the Socceroos camp in Sydney with Matt Ryan and Mark Schwarzer.

There is always plenty of expectation surrounding the Socceroos progression to a World Cup, and heading into their home game against Oman a win would have provided a huge boost of confidence ahead of the remaining qualifiers. Their plans however have been derailed after a disappointing opening 50 mins that saw the home side two nil down and Mark Schwarzer on the end of an unfortunate Mile Jedinak own goal. Schwarzer can be excused for the first goal after a cleverly weaved nutmeg strike by Oman’s Abdulaziz Al-Miqbali found the net in the sixth minute and put the Socceroos heavily on the back foot. Again it was left to stalwarts Tim Cahill and Brett Holman to help snatch a draw that leaves the Aussies with plenty of work to do ahead of the remaining fixtures against Japan, Jordon and Iraq.

As the analysis and criticism facing the team and manager eventually subsides, I’d like to highlight the form of our goalkeepers, which has never been better. Schwarzer has been at his brilliant best for Fulham, Galekovic is a genuine spot kick specialist, while Mat Ryan continues to head up the clean sheet tally in the A-League with 10 already this season.  So when it gets to the pointy end of qualifying, rest assured the lads at the back will do their job and continue to make those boys up front look good.

Football Quote of the Week

One of the best from Gordon Strachan

Reporter: "Gordon, can we have a quick word please?"

Strachan: "Velocity" [walks off]

backpagefootball.com

Clean Sheet 18

Welcome to ‘Clean Sheet’, an inside look at the ‘Number 1’ position in world football… “Goalkeeper”.

Sadly only one clean sheet in the A-League this weekend but there is still plenty to rabbit on about. The “Big Blue” clash on Saturday evening between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC was played with plenty of passion in front of 22,233 fans. Both teams blew good chances to win the game, but it was the Victory’s Nathan Coe who stood tall and saved a penalty shot from the great Allesandro Del Perio.  A great scalp to have on your football resume and tell the grandkids about!

Sydney FC manager Frank Farina decided on starting with Ivan Necevski in favour of Vedran Janjetovic. Necevski relished the return to the starting side after an extended absence and will be hoping his effort will be enough to back up again for the sell out Sydney Derby against the Wanderers in Parramatta.

Moving onto the all-important clean sheets, and who else but Central Coast Mariners’ Mathew Ryan. Ryan heads up the list this year and brought up his 10^th against a flat looking Brisbane Roar. Despite the lifeless Roar performance, Michael Theo wasn’t lacking in the enthusiasm department with some magical saves. For the Roar it was another missed opportunity, with the Mariners coming off a long mid week Asian Champions League road trip against Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol.  They will need to improve this week at home against a desperate Melbourne Heart who have beaten the premiers twice this season.

The top six is anyone’s guess leading into the final two rounds and depending on results the wooden spoon is an open race after the Wellington Phoenix had a rare win away from home. The Nix have been a much-improved side of late and keeper Glen Moss was the difference between the two sides with some fine saves, particularly in the first 45 minutes.

In a strange way I’m not looking forward to the finals as I have enjoyed this season so much. Even though my local side the Roar has had a disappointing year by their high standard, the emergence and the success of the Western Sydney Wanderers and their fan base has been a breath of fresh air. To see veteran Ante Covic play every minute has been special making his return to the west where it all began for him. A Grand Final appearance and win would be the cream on the cake.

To the English Premier League and some top class action in the goal keeping ranks over the weekend before the much-needed international break. The big news is the huge clean sheet pulled off by Mark Schwarzer in Fulham’s win over Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs have had the wobbles of late, but it was Schwarzer’s efforts to deny Jermain Defoe and then Thomas Carroll’s slight through-ball ahead of Gareth Bale. He then showed his class by stopping Defoe once more after a well-timed left foot stab from Gareth Bale. I might be biased but if you can view a replay it is well worth a look. Vintage Schwarzer! The win is positive news for the Socceroos stopper who joins his teammates this week ahead of their all-important qualifier against Oman in Sydney on March 26.

Norwich keeper Mark Bunn was forced to do the long walk of shame at the Stadium of Light after handling the ball to deny Southampton striker Danny Graham an equaliser. Bunn didn’t contain his displeasure hitting the showers early, dispensing with his gloves and storming up the tunnel. Number two goalkeeper Lee Camp soon joined the scene only to concede a goal to Craig Gardner from the spot.

Petr Cech added yet another clean sheet, bringing his season tally to ten after a solid performance against West Ham. Cech has only leaked 27 goals this season and his form will go a long way to Chelsea finishing in the top four. Chelsea has a tough run of fixtures that see them juggling the all-important FA Cup Europa League as well as Premier League commitments. Perhaps manager Rafa Benitez may choose to rest Cech and opt for Ross Turnbull to gain some valuable game time in the Europa encounters with Russian club Rubin Kazan.

The big news in keeping this week was the performance of Arsenal number three gloveman Lukasz Fabianski. Fabianski was brought into the Gunners side by Arsene Wenger for their do or die Champions League second leg match against Bayern Munich. It was a solid return for Fabianski who has battled injury for over 12 months, but two clean sheets in as many matches has done no harm to his chances of an all important contract extension.    

      

David Dea Gea helped Manchester United secure another three points and all but wrap up the league title. In an uneventful match, United did enough against a Reading side lacking in attacking flair and entrenched firmly in the relegation zone.

Football Quote of the Week

As the Socceroos are in town for the World Cup qualifier against Oman next Tuesday night I have to have a classic from Mark Viduka.

"I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league."

Mark Viduka (Socceroos, Celtic, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Newcastle great)   

Logic was not one of Big Duke’s strong points.

backpagefootball.com

Clean Sheet 17

Well isn’t it a wonderful thing when a goalkeeper gets a much deserved man of the match award! That is what greeted Danny Vukovic on Friday night after his Perth Glory side made the long and familiar trek across the Nullarbor to Newcastle to take on the Newcastle Jets. Vukovic has played every minute of every Glory game this season and their form has been in stark contrast to their successful 2011-12 campaign. His sharp save from a short-range bullet strike from Adam Taggart was a contender for goal of the year and without his service at the back, the three points could have stayed in the Hunter. For now the Glory look back on track with a rare away win and if they finish the season off with three more wins and other results going their way, anything can happen in the final series.

On Saturday night I was lucky enough to be in the crowd for the Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Victory game from Suncorp Stadium. The first half was not without its chances for both sides, but it was the Victory who took the lead on the back of a wonderful header by Leigh Broxham despite Michael Theo’s acrobatic effort.  The Roar held the ball like a grandma holds a newborn and totally dominated in all stats for the match except for the scoreboard. To the Victory’s credit they hung in all match and an outstanding diving save from Nathan Coe denied Ben Halloran with the match winner. All in all it was high quality gripping football that gave the 12, 624 fans that flipped a coin on the dodgy weather around town, their money’s worth.

The Central Coast Mariner’s recent form slump continued after going down to a far more committed Sydney FC side at Allianz. Sydney is a vasty improved defensive unit from earlier in the season and has crept up to fifth spot on the ladder narrowly ahead of the Jets on goal difference. A big hats off to Vedran Janjetovic who notched up his third clean sheet for the season and must be a happy little vegemite with the back four starting to gel and tighten things up. Although the Mariners went down, Matt Ryan pulled off another fine angled save from the classy Allesandro Del Perio.

The Western Sydney Wanderers continued their march towards claiming the Premier’s Plate in the club’s inaugural year with a classy win at home against last placed Wellington Phoenix. Another bumper crowd turned up managing to top their NRL cousins Parramatta Eel’s figure which must please the bosses at the FFA no end.  The real positive is both codes are able to attract healthy crowds against out of town competition, despite the scheduling clashes. The Phoenix continue to improve under interim coach Chris Greenacre, but to be a competitive force next season they must address their appalling away record with only one win this season.

Tonight the Melbourne Heart host Adelaide United at AAMI Park in what is a must win one game for the Heart.  They have a tough run home with games against Western Sydney (at home) then a tough road trip that includes Brisbane and Central Coast. For the Heart it has been an up and down year with a host of inconsistent performances and only once recording two wins in succession. Andrew Redmayne will be looking to secure his third clean sheet in a season where he gained promotion to the starting side. Eugene Galekovic’s Adelaide will also be aiming to stop the recent rot that has plagued his team and bounce back to some form and cement a top four spot.

To the EPL and tipping this week proved harder to pick than a broken nose! The football filled week was dominated by a visit to Old Trafford by Real Madrid and ensuing discussion/debate on blogs everywhere over the Nani red card decision. Whatever your opinion, you have to say his exclusion from the game led to the wind escaping from United’s Champions League title hopes. With United all but cruising to the EPL title the focus has firmly shifted to the battle to defy relegation.  Aston Villa’s comeback against Reading was spirited after a wobbly start when Nathan Baker decided he wanted to be on the goal sheet and slotted one past a dejected Brad Guzan.  In a round interrupted by the odd FA Cup tie, only two clean sheets were recorded. Surprisingly both occurred the Norwich/Southampton game about exciting as watching live footage of the Papal conclave vote from the Vatican. (But whatever floats your boat?). The keeping highlight came for Southampton’s Artur Boruc when he stopped a Grant Holt’s dubious spot kick.  Equally Mark Bunn put in a solid showing for Norwich in the fluky and wet conditions at Carrow Road.

Joe Hart (Manchester City) still sits alone atop the clean sheet stat sheet on 13 with his nearest rival Petr Cech (Chelsea) back on 10 and a group including in form Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) and Asmir Begovic (Stoke City) all sitting on nine.

I will leave you this week with some utterly useless but interesting numbers. So far this season 807 goals have been scored in the EPL and an amazing 7239 shots faced by the 38 goalkeepers lucky enough to have made it out onto the pitch. This week will see some Champions League return leg games to decide the final eight. The biggest game of the week though will see Aston Villa at home to QPR. Toss a coin on this one, although the home ground fans may just help get Villa across the line for the three crucial points.

Football Quotes

“Winning doesn't really matter as long as you win. “

Vinnie Jones  (Wimbledon Great)

A rare moment of clarity for Vinnie….classic

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