Stan Lazaridis Fails Drug Test – The Reaction in Aus Footy Circles

Perth Glory Football Club have confirmed their former Australia international footballer Stan Lazaridis has tested positive to a banned substance. Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority informed the club of a positive finding on a test sample taken in November 2006.

The Reaction:

Official PFA Statement on Stan Lazaridis

“Stan’s situation is simply one of unfortunate timing and the bureaucracy needing to service a professional athlete who plies his trade throughout the world. He has advised the relevant authorities since 2005 of his medical circumstances, and those authorities have accepted the legitimacy of his medical condition and the prescribed medical treatment.

Official Perth Glory FC Statement on Stan Lazaridis

Perth Glory FC will support Lazaridis through the process. He also has the support of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and has engaged Senior Legal Counsel.

Fox Sports Blog: Oh, Lazza. Why, oh why?

Hearing last night that Stan Lazaridis had tested positive for a banned substance, I had to sit down with a mug of Horlicks and calm my nerves. Stan Lazaridis? The guy is so nice he makes Hi-5 look like Cannibal Corpse. Surely there was a mistake. Stan the Man? Busted?

Fox Sports: Tribunal to rule on Lazaridis

FOOTBALL Federation Australia has convened its anti-doping tribunal to determine whether Perth Glory's former Socceroo, Stan Lazaridis, has breached its guidelines.

Fury as Lazaridis 'tarnished'

THE drug charge levelled against former Australia player Stan Lazaridis was labelled "ridiculous" and a "botch-up" after it was revealed that the defender had sought permission to use treatment for a skin condition 16 months ago.

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Football Australia CEO Ben Buckley Interview with Tom Smithies

Football Federation Australia CEO Ben Buckley talks to Tom Smithies about the "massive potential" of Australian football.

Q: What has surprised you?

A: The sheer amount of competitions we're in, from the men's senior team to under-17s women, beach football to futsal. The global scale of the sport, you recognise as an outsider but only once you're in it do you get an appreciation for how big it really is. I'm starting to get used to issues out of FIFA or the AFC that impact upon where we want to go.

For instance, the AFL is the controlling body worldwide - you make a decision at central office and you've made the decision, whereas decisions come out of Europe and Asia that affect how we want to operate.

World Cup qualification, a youth league, new national coach, converting participants into spectators, he's onto it all. It's only taken a century to find someone willing to do all of that, but we won't go there again.

Follow the Fox Sports link below for the whole interview.

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Media Reports Dutchman van Gaal an Australia Target

In a brief, but frank interview on SBS’ TheWorldGame TV program, Louis van Gaal indicated he’d consider managing Australia’s 2010 World Cup campaign, but he admitted that his first choice would be to manage a country that is capable of winning the tournament.

Considering that most World Cup contenders such as Spain, France, Brasil and Argentina, prefer fellow countrymen to manage them, we may be in with a good chance.

"I am always interested in a very good job and I think the coach of the Australian team is a very exciting job because I have failed with the Netherlands in 2002 and I want to participate in a world championship because I have won everything else," he said.

Given that he has already had an unsuccessful stint with the Dutch national team; it’s unlikely he’d be chosen to replace current manager Marco van Basten if he was to vacate the position, so we may see him down under by the end of the year.


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Mark Viduka Interview 'I'm 31 and I'd really love to win something'

Mark Viduka Interview in The Guardian:

In the same breath Viduka also mentioned Italy's last-minute penalty against Australia at the World Cup, when Fabio Grosso needed no encouragement to fall over Lucas Neill's leg - "I think about that very often." That brought us to Cristiano Ronaldo and United's controversial 2-1 victory at Boro in December. "I'm not really one to be diving, I'm not too fond of it. Sometimes perhaps I should go down a little bit easier."

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Les Murray's Assessment of the fledgling A-League

SBS’ Les Murray bakes a football cake and plants an A-League tree to assess Australia’s fledgling footy comp – and make a lot of sense too.

Let's hope the Hyundai A-League club bosses were paying close attention to Melbourne Victory and the impact of style and substance versus uninspiring pragmatic results accumulation.

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FFA Scourers Globe for Hiddink Successor

Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley has just returned from Europe after meeting with possible coaching candidates and has reiterated the belief that given our impressive World Cup performances we are now a very appealing prospect for some of the world’s finest coaches.

Just as encouraging is the ambition and patience the FFA is showing by not rushing into signing the first big name to put his hand up almost three years out from the next World Cup.

It appears that Graham Arnold will lead the team for at least another nine months which includes the 2007 Asian Cup campaign in July. This allows us to enhance our reputation further while allowing prospective candidates to make their decision closer to the beginning of the next qualifying campaign.

I find this considered and intelligent approach very reassuring. It’s a far cry form the dark days of Australian football administration

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Asian Champions League provides tasty topping

Michael Cockerill in the Sydney Morning Herald:

"MONEY doesn't buy success, but it helps. Urawa Red Diamonds, Japan's biggest club, recently spent three times more on one player (striker Yuki Abe) than Sydney FC, who used to be Australia's biggest club, spend on their entire 23-man squad.

Apart from the odd foray north for friendly tournaments - pioneered by St George in the early 1970s - Australian clubs have had only sporadic contact with Asia - none of it competitive, and none of it financially rewarding. The ACL is certainly competitive, and while it is not yet a money-making venture, it will be."

I'm still amazed how many in the Australian media can’t see what the Asian Champions League will do for Australian football and in particular the A-League. They still believe football is a fad that will all blow over in a few months time.

ACL competition will lead us into the Asian Cup in July, with hopefully Australia putting in another great performance like they did at the World Cup and then it’s A-League time again.

Football is all year round now and it’s not going away.

Thank God the SMH has at least one football writer.

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Australian football clubs debut in AFC Champions League

SYDNEY, March 4 (Reuters) - The inclusion of two Australian teams from the Hyundai A-League has added a new dimension to this season's AFC Champions League, which kicks off with 13 matches in 12 different countries on Wednesday.

Sydney FC and Adelaide United will both make their debuts in Asia's premier club competition, which will be contested over eight months by 28 teams from 15 countries.

It’s not ideal that both of our Champions League participants make their debuts with caretaker coaches, but hopefully both teams give a great account of themselves and further boost league attendances and media interest.



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Huge year for Socceroos as Mexico and United States join the party

AUSTRALIA will play the United States and Mexico in September in a unique double-header on American soil. The United States Soccer Federation confirmed to The Sun-Herald they are close to an agreement for the Socceroos to play two matches in the US in September.

It’s very encouraging to to see Football Federation Australia building on the credibility gained from Australia’s fine World Cup performances. Hopefully we will tour the United States as Asian champions.



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