Some off-season musings and mutterings

It’s the off-season and I must admit to feeling a bit jaded after the 2019 campaign.

Before I contemplate going round for a 42^nd year of reporting on the game, I need to recharge the batteries.

As I am doing that, I feel less and less inclined to pick up the pen again (or is it tap the keyboard?).

I’ve read some interesting books, including “Quiet Genius:  Bob Paisley, British Football’s Greatest Manager”, by Ian Herbert, and Andrew Downie’s “Doctor Socrates:  Footballer, Philospher, Legend”.

Just to try and get in the writing mood, I’ll just note a few recent developments in the local game.

You probably already know all of this from other sources, but I do want to keep my own records up to date.

Rick Coghlan, as expected, left Devonport and returned to Queensland where he is now coach of Logan Lightning FC.

He has taken with him two of Devonport’s best players, forwards Max Fitzgerald and Eddie Bidwell.

The new Devonport coach is Suraj Pillai, who comes from India but who was recently coach of Manly Vale in the Manly Warringal Football Association in New South Wales.

Hobart Zebras midfielder Jordan Muller has joined NPL Tasmania rivals Glenorchy Knights.

Muller took a while to establish himself as a Zebras regular, but once he did, he was an indispensable part of their midfield and he will be missed.

Polish born goalkeeper Alex Cisak, 30, who was in the Burnley English Premier League squad six years ago, is back in Tasmania and has been appointed goalkeeping coach at NPL Tasmania outfit Kingborough Lions United.

At that age, he’d be in his prime as a goalkeeper, so don’t be surprised if you see him don the gloves at some stage for the Lions as he must surely have plenty to offer.

He was a junior for South Hobart before heading to England to pursue his dream.

He made five appearances for Australia’s Under-20s and played for a host of clubs in England, including Accrington Stanley, Oldham Athletic, York City and Leyton Orient.

For the past couple of years he has been the second-choice keeper at A-League club Sydney FC.

On a closing note, what do readers think of the VAR system?

I think it’s wrecking the game we know and love.

Referees appear to be afraid to make a decision and are relying more and more on the Video Assistant Referee.

You might as well have a robot refereeing games and dispense with humans.

I reckon goal-line technology is as far as it should go.  They don’t have this in the A-League because it would cost $250,000 per ground to add it to the VAR suite used now.

Which leads me to another topic:  The use of technology in the A-League.

I couldn’t believe it the other day when a player was ‘wired for sound’ during his team’s warm-up and he was making comments as part of the television coverage of the game.

I thought interviewing players and coaches as they came off at half-time was over the top, but really, this makes it appear a Mickey Mouse League.

There’s no way Sir Alex Ferguson would, for example, have allowed goalkeeper Mark Bosnich [one of the A-League commentary team] to be ‘wired for sound’ during a Manchester United warm-up.

These examples  -  if we, indeed, need any more examples  -  demonstrate that in Australia’s top-flight competition, as in the rest of the world, it’s the TV tail that wags the football dog.

Oh, and I think the A-League have made a huge mistake in cutting links with Football Federation Australia and going out on their own.

This means there’ll be no more bailouts of clubs experiencing financial crises by FFA.

Good luck going it alone, fellas.  You’ll need it.