For years the A-League has often been looked down upon, but in fact, it is our game’s greatest success story.
It was seen as sub-par when compared to overseas competitions, considered a mere stepping-stone for Australian players to use before moving on to bigger and better things overseas. In fact, former Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek predicted in 2012 that the poor quality of the A-League would dramatically hinder the Socceroos long-term prospects. “The A-League is OK and players like Alessandro Del Piero want to come there. But if you look at the quality and development of youngsters, that’s tough,” Verbeek told Fox Sports at the time.
Oh, how things change.
The reality is that the A-League will never have the size or appeal of Europe’s top leagues such as the English Premier League or the Serie A. The improvement the league has made in recent years, however, has transformed it into a league that attracts players rather than pushing talent away.
We have seen in the past that older players use the A-League as something of a farewell tour in the twilight of their careers with success. Dwight Yorke was the first, and soon followed the likes of Romario, Robbie Fowler, Alessandro Del Piero and Emile Heskey, all with varying degrees of success. The sheer profile of these players added credibility to the league even if they were past their prime. As beneficial as some of these signings were for the A-League, it has now begun to outgrow its status as a holiday destination.
The recent re-signing of Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy by Melbourne City not only shows loyalty from player and club, it shows the league has grown significantly. With a number of offers from overseas clubs, Mooy recommitted to City, a move that in the past would have significantly dented his aspirations of wearing the green and gold of the national team. It has not hindered him however, with the former Western Sydney Wanderer starting both of Australia’s recent World Cup Qualifiers against Bangladesh and Tajikistan respectively, scoring a sensational goal on the way.
Mooy was not the only A-League player to feature for the Socceroos in these games.
Adelaide’s Tarek Elrich and Brisbane’s Matt McKay also played a large role in the two victories, along with Mark Milligan and Nathan Burns who have only recently departed their A-League clubs. Alongside reserve goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic, and recent squad members Ivan Franjic, Luke Brattan and Tomi Juric, the A-League has been well represented at national level.
Verbeek’s comments from 2012 stating that the young players in the A-League were not up to standard now look simply foolish.
The Asian Cup winning Socceroos squad was made up of seven A-League players, five of who were instrumental in the success the team achieved. As well as becoming a breeding ground for exceptional young talent, the league is now attracting world-class talent whilst still in their prime.
Names such as Thomas Broich, Besart Berisha, Marc Janko and Marcelo Carrusca have moved to Australia and performed at an exceptional standard. They have not only helped in raising the profile of the league, as the likes of Romario and Heskey did before them, but they have significantly improved its quality also.
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While the league will undoubtedly never reach the heights of Europe’s top leagues, the A-League has emerged as a serious player in the world of football. No longer is it seen as a sub-par league and something that doesn’t deserve the public’s attention. It has developed into a bona fide league and will continue to produce world class talent.
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