Will not be strutting his sizeable stuff back in Scotland he has just signed for a team in Australia
watch this space.

He's interested in joining ex-Hun pal Craig Moore at Queensland Roar. Alright for some.

Will be interesting to see what the locals make of him. Will report back.

They'll think he's a fat b*****d surely?

He will need to be outstanding because people over here turn their noses up at anything or anyone to do with the British football style, mostly because of the muppet pundits on SBS
Kuato when you get here and watch the Champions League matches on SBS on the Wednesday and Thursday mornings I warn you to put in some ear plugs when Foster and Murray start talking, they talk the biggest amount of shite

When I was across in November they seemed to be making a big thing about Michael Bridges signing for Sydney on loan. "A prolific scorer in the English Premiership" they kept harping on about!


Brendan Foster and Murray Walker? What do they know about fitba'??

Young James Baty is/was on trail with Roar. He left Queen's in the summer having been on loan at Threave Rovers for two years. Not sure if he has a deal or not, he says the standard is not that great.

I knew he was heading down under but didn't realise that he'd gone to a specific team yet.

Did I read somewhere that he was staying with Warren Moon and hoping to get a deal through him?

Does Moon play for Queensland Roar?

He's not listed - Roar players

worse than archie macpherson??

Moon doesn't, James has played for Warren's team though got MoM in his first game he says. Says A league players play in the league he is playing in as well, the season don't run parrallel or something. He just trialed with the roar, not heard anything else.

They dont rate British players or coaches highly over here (Terry Butcher is a perfect example), the pundits obsess with South American and Spanish football too much, SBS the worst for it.


He is right the standard of the A-League isnt that great but a far cry better than what it used to be I suppose.


He must be playing in either the Victorian, NSW or QLD premier league then, its like one step down from the A-League.

It's difficult to judge the standard of a league just from looking at it on its own- from watching a few games and the players that are in it, I would say the A-league's about the same standard as the top of Scottish division 1, maybe bottom of SPL at a push.

I'm basing this on guys like Scott Tunbridge, Karl Dodd, Mark Paston, Grant Brebner (who's rated reasonably highly), Simon Storey who have played in both recently.

There's also guys who at their peak would have been above this level like Craig Moore and Juninho but both are at the pension-collecting stage. If Miller can keep himself fit then he'll be pretty good at that level.

Not sure about the two QoS boys, but as Bluenose said, they're playing a level below the A-league which by my above reasoning is probably lower half of div 1 (i.e. worse than QoS) at best.

I got that, considering James never once looked like breaking into the first team I didnt expect the level to be better. Warren Moon did fairly well for us at time tho.

First Charlie Miller update - he scored....a goal!! QLD Roar 1-1 Adelaide Utd, missed an absolute sitter beforehand.

Thats 2 goals in 2 games for him at QLD now but how old and unfit does he look
Victory back to winning ways

From what I've seen of the A-League (which admittedly isn't very much) the standard isn't that brilliant but it's certainly heading in the right direction. And the crowds and general atmos are far more vocal and less artificial than MLS. It also helps that, for the most part, the stadia are football specific. Or at least only slightly modified from rugby. Obviously I'm excluding the Telstra Stadium as it's a big bowl of a thing but it still generates a hell of a noise when it's full.

If the organisers can keep the momentum going and find a bit more cash the A-League can certainly give MLS a run for it's money, although in terms of fanbase and infratructure they've both got a long way to go to catch the J-League.

I was talking to a guy from Australia at the Rovers v Alloa game a couple of weeks ago, he reckoned that the A-League standard was probably on par with the SPL in general. He did say though that the level below was way worse than Scottish division 2.

Its had a decent first 3 seasons and is growing as they are putting a Gold Coast team into the competition. At Melbourne Victory we have the best support in the league by far, even a half full Telstra Dome (Telstra Stdium is in Sydney ) can generate a decent atmosphere


Its definitely not on a par with the SPL thats for sure, its a long way to go to be on a par with the SPL, not nearly quite as good. As there is no 'real' division below the A-League but rather the Premier Leagues in VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and all the other states. VIC & NSW Premier League is the best out of the states and I would say a few of the clubs in both of those would be mid to lower half Scottish Div 2 and then you go to the likes of the Premier League in Tasmania or NT for example where its basically pub league standard Bit of a mix.

There was an ex Gretna player, Ryan Baldacchino I think it was, that went out and signed for a team in one of the Australian provincial leagues whilst trying to win a contract for an A-League team. I think he was on amateur or semi pro terms though.

All state leagues here are amateur but all clubs pay their players money as the higher you go up the leagues the better money you get. Ryan Baldacchino is at Altona Magic here in the Victorian Premier League who are a top 6 club in the VPL.

Appologies for mixing up the Telstra Dome and Stadium - didn't realise there was the 2 of them! I'm guessing the Dome is/was the MCG and I've read the Stadium was the Sydney Olympic stadium (now called the ANZ Stadium?). This corprorate naming thing gets on my tits.

Anyway. Do you think the closed shop of the 8 team A-League is going to make it hard for teams to improve? Or is it just a case of the A-League taking it a step at a time, consolidating the 8 teams they have then looking to expand at a later date?

There seem to be a few towns/cities that perhaps have lower levels teams that could perhaps take the step up at a later date. Saying that I have no idea if the likes of Geelong, Wollongong, Rockhampton and Hobart have the population, infrastructure or market for top level sides.

As you may have gathered it's a league I've taken a bit of an interest in (for no apparant reason!) and I, for one, would welcome updates.

How is chris boyle doing down under?

The Telstra Dome is a completely different stadium to the G, its situated next to the Docklands area whereas the G is on the other side of the CBD next to Melbourne Park where the Australian Open tennis gets played. We used to play our home games at Olympic Park which is across the road from Melbourne Park but eventually outgrew it so moved to the Telstra Dome. Your spot on that the ANZ Stadium was the Sydney Olympic stadium in Homebush however Sydney FC play their games at the Sydney Football Stadium which was formerly Aussie Stadium which is across the road from the SCG. Im with you on the corporate naming of stadiums, gets confusing. But I hope thats cleared it up for ya.


The FFA are just taking it a step at a time with the A-League which is the best way to go about it I think. Next season there will be 10 teams in the league with a team from the Gold Coast and one from Townsville entering the competition, there was interest from Canberra, Tasmania, Wollongong to enter a team and also Melbourne entering a 2nd team. The big downpoint is that no team can get relegated just as it was with the old NSL but its hard to decide which team would get promoted as each state has their own leagues as ive pointed out earlier in this thread.
The teams will improve only if the State leagues improve so that the youngsters coming up are of a good standard but at the moment lots of clubs are signing old guys coming back from their time spent playing in leagues like Romania etc and also signing D-rate Brazilians and South Americans just because of their nationality. If that trend continues then the league wont improve but there have been some good signing of overseas players like Fred who eventually went to DC United in the MLS.


Geelong football teams play in the Victorian state leagues and cant see them having an A-League team anytime soon although they have an AFL footy team but Victoria is a AFL state so they survive well in that. Wollongong used to have a team in the old NSL and were interested in getting a team in the A-League but whether they would survive long remains to be seen as I dont think they would be able to get the crowds like the other NSW teams like Newcastle would get. Rockhampton wouldnt get a team and isnt big enough for a team, if Tasmania were ever to get a team in the A-League then it would be based in either Hobart or Launceston but I could see a team going to another place like Canberra or Wollongong before Tasmania get one.


You should support Melbourne Victory come on you know you want to
Id be happy to have updates if you really want. We play Newcastle tonight.


Who is he with? Not heard of him in the A-League or Victorian leagues.

I'm taking my time before I decide which team to follow! It'd be easy to go for Victory - by far the most successful team, seem to have the biggest support and had the Aussie legend that is Archie Thompson! (Is he even still there?) It'd also be easy to go for Queensland Roar given the ex-Rangers players. I seem to have a thing for perennial underdogs tho - Chicago Cubs, Everton, even Western Bulldogs (when they were just called Footscray) when I watched the AFL as a boy!

I'll watch the highlights for a few more weeks on Sky Sports and make a decision!

Easy 5-0 drubbing of Newcastle tonight
Archie Thompson still plays with us and even scored our 2nd goal tonight. We definitely arent the most succesful team in the A-League, our first season we finished 2nd bottom then 2nd season we won it then 3rd season finished with a shit season again. We do have the best supporters in the league as we are the most passionate and loyal I suppose Western Bulldogs are no longer underdogs anymore unlike the 90's, one of the best teams in the AFL at the moment. C'mon Carlton
Well Victory sitting nice at the top so far, hope we can stay there.

I'm actually going to pay attention to the league this year, obviously from a Pheonix point of view. I might even go down for a couple of games.

Agree, it looks like lower SPL standard, and it is heavy with South American imports. I don't know if there's a limit on foreign players, but I would limit the numbers in order to try to encourage local talent get through the ranks.

Bluenose will know about it though.

You'd be better supporting Adelaide Utd. all the best players come from Adelaide, greatest football state in Australia. Dont listen to Bluenose, Melbourne are inconsistant premadonna's. (Grant Brebner for example) Surprised he hasnt bankrupted them with all his gambling depts

The quality is not great, each club has two or three good players but they are mixed with some absolute dross that wouldnt get a game at Saturday Amateur level in Scotland.

As for there pundits on SBS, Craig Foster must think he played for Man Utd or Real Madrid cause the way he carrys on you'd think he'd done everything football has to offer.

Oh Bluenose, you're right about Carlton though, best club in the country mate.

I wouldn't say SA was Australia's best footballing state, Victoria and NSW are far ahead domestically. Our team is inconsistant though as I have said previously but arent premadonnas and Grant Brebner barely plays for us now even though he scored on the weekend for his like 2min appearance. Just aswell SBS dont have the rights to any football apart from the Champions League as I couldnt stand listening to that twat Foster mumble on about how great Barcelona and Spaniards and *insert South American here* are and how they can do no wrong and even how they were great and a better team even if they lose and how he hates British football with a passion. Pity about Fevola finishing on 99 goals this season, would be gutted.

The A-League is well... not great but developing. Its all a bit to franchisey for me, and most of the teams have stupid names. A scottish 1st division team would do well in the A-league.

Just caught the end of the A-league highlights on Sky there, another goal for Miller, into a now fat and balding Mark Bosnich. The QLD keeper was total comedy though, came rushing out his box to cost not one but two goals.

Phoenix looked good in pre-season but seem to have reverted to being shit in defence again.

I have to be honest and say I'm leaning towards Sydney FC - fantastic looking stadium and a really vocal support in the game against Perth Glory. And Shannon Cole looks a real talent. Not 100% decided yet though!

Sydney FC and vocal support dont go together, they have a crap support.
We have by far the best in the league even the commentators keep saying it
Givin it to the Sydney

What a "riot"!

Aye? Seemed fairly noisy against Perth. Maybe that was just one game though. And are you entirely sure there isn't a wee bit of Melbourne bias creeping in?

Yeah I know, im not the person who put that up mate, there was fighting and all that after that game though but not in that video.


Im not being biased at all, even other teams and all the media in Australia even say we have the best support. Adelaide, Newcastle and Central Coast all have better support than Sydney.

4 goals in 4 games for Charlie Miller now! Queensland only sitting mid-table as the 3-0 away to Perth was their first win of the season.

This was on the tv a couple of weeks ago, hopefully you can view it in the UK.

I'm not fat, I wear baggy shirts!

I seen that. Only time I have watched The World Game show this year, cant stand listening to Foster talk rubbish. Miller has proved his critics wrong anyway.

I must admit Miller as been immense, especially when he ran the show against Melbourne at the Dome a month or 2 ago. Head and shoulders above anything else that night, complete with his trademark belly. And he got a goal at the weekend against Perth. Would love it if Melb signed him, swap him for Brebner who has always played terrible when I've been to a game!

I like the Brazillian Fabiano for Melb but the comedy player has to be Allsopp, no pace and no control! Absolute gash!!