Matthew Hall
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Sydney FC's Magic Roundabout
Surprise! It's all change. Again.
Coach John Kosmina need not clear his desk - not just yet, anyway.
Instead of yet another spin on the coaching roundabout, this time it's the A-League club's ownership structure that's getting a very interesting shake-up.
On Saturday, the Sydney Morning Herald claimed Frank Lowy was - finally - set to sell his majority ownership in Sydney FC to Russian businessman David Traktovenko.
Traktovenko, a former chairman of Russian super club Zenit-St Petersburg, was the only significant investor blocking Lowy, also Football Federation Australia's chairman, from effective total control of the club.
The suggestion had previously been that Traktovenko, who currently holds about 22 per cent of the club, would bail out before Lowy - but recent developments suggest something very interesting is happening behind the scenes.
As this news broke, I was tapping out a story to appear in The Sun-Herald this Sunday that Hollywood actor Anthony LaPaglia had quit his role at the club.
LaPaglia had poured money into the A-League start-up since 2004 but declined to reinvest in the latest round of recapitalisation that Sydney FC annually requires to stay afloat.
LaPaglia's financial input has significantly decreased since the club launched but his exit is highly symbolic. He had advice for anyone considering investing in an A-league club.
"Unless you have a lot of money and have philanthropic tendencies there's not much upside in investing in a club unless you have a real say in the direction the organisation goes," LaPaglia told me.
"If you just want to be part of an event - that's great. However, if you want some real participation and influence then you have to own a major part of your team and be prepared to recapitalise your original investment every year."
"That's because at this point clubs in the A-League are, for the most part, running at a deficit. This hopefully will change in time."
So, goodbye then too, to Frank Lowy. Apparently.
But here's the thing - like LaPaglia, Lowy loves football. He also loves football clubs.
At a press conference in Sydney last Thursday the FFA chairman hinted a Western Sydney team was the preferred option in A-League expansion.
FFA insiders quietly gasped at the claim, praying that no one in the media would pick them up. Somehow, only my colleagues in attendance can explain how, they passed without further question.
In a subsequent conversation with Ben Buckley, the FFA CEO told me that Lowy's words were perhaps misinterpreted. But perhaps not.
Lowy would be cautious about a bullish Western Sydney team if he was the major shareholder of the Moore Park mob. In fact, he likely wouldn't stand for it.
But what if Lowy, always a guy with one eye on the market and the other on an opportunity, was to now get behind a new club in Western Sydney?
Just asking, that's all.
The Sydney Morning Herald also quoted an unnamed source suggesting Traktovenko may enter a partnership with another investor "somebody with an impeccable reputation who has been involved in another sport".
Two words: Nick Politis.
The Sydney Roosters rugby league team boss wanted in with the A-League back in 2004 before changing his mind after a meeting with Lowy.
Just suggesting, that's all.
For those that know about these things, follow me on Twitter here.
COMMENTS
Agreed, this club is a basket case. Kosmina's behavior is bizarre and erratic and he is certainly not delivering football of an acceptable quality. Having attended the game on Friday the squad is absolutely woeful, and made numerous elementary mistakes (the defenders and keeper standing around the ball as it slowly rolled out for a corner springs to mind).
- by c on November 30, 2008 at 01:53 PM
I really hope not!!! Lowy's involvement in any team... especially a Western Sydney team, spells its death before its even born. I for one, can never support a Lowy backed club, so I hope this hypothetical question/idea you pose, is just that - hypothetical. I'd rather spend my time and dollars supporting Football NSW and the state league quite frankly. SFC were never going to be a successful franchise for a number of reasons - and Lowy was one of the those. Sydney needs a proper club, because lets face it - the majority of sydneysiders dont really care for SFC - its not my club.
One major theme i noticed in your article though, is the same thing i have noticed with the A-League this past year. Its obvious now more than ever that its all about the love of money and pushing personal agendas - whether they be financial, social or other... It has never been about the love of the game. Pity?
- by Jem from Sydney on November 30, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Fans like to have consistency on and off the park. Have a look at the changes to the personnel and you will see why people are turning off SFC , my son asks me every week who is that Dad ? The club went down hill when they released Mark Rudan and bought too old too slow Popovic for too much $$$ , this showed they did not understand their fans. Look at Melbourne & Central Coast and you will see what breeds success. You need to build a team , build a culture and promote loyalty .... secondly how are players like Jesic falling through the net. Were does Queensland find these young players.
- by mark on November 30, 2008 at 11:32 PM
"Friday night was an embarressment to the A League and football in general. Poor standard in front of a very poor crowd." By Simon Spencer.
Sydney FC May have being an embarrasment but I thought the performance by Qld Roar, apart from the finishing, was excelent. Minneicon and Zullo created space on the flanks and Miller was the general, spraying the ball around to begin attacks.
- by Evan on November 30, 2008 at 11:55 PM
The A League in general over the last couple of years have been an embarressment. Newcastle will be destroyed in the ACL next season but hopefully the Mariners can save some face. I am a devout Sydney supporter and have watched the good (the Yorke year) and the bad (the Butcher/Culina year). What Sydney, and the FFA need to realise is that burnt out has beens from yesteryear are NOT marquee players. It is a joke that Joel Griffiths, John Aloisi and Jade North can be considered as marquees. Griffiths and North cant even cut it in the national team (North only when injuries rip through the team). Wake up FFA!!! Go back to the foundation days when marquees were to add to the football and PR side of the league and the club. For all the banter about Yorke's playboy ways, he was loved by EVERY supporter in the league. Stop spending stupid money on rubbish has beens
- by Steve on December 01, 2008 at 09:51 AM
I have been a season ticket holder at Sydney FC since day one, as I love the game. I have never been a Kossie Fan ( Yes, good Aussie "salt of the earth" bloke and all - but if that was the criteria I might as well hire Hugh Jackman as coach) but lately he has lost me completely. His half time advice " Go stick it up our fans!!!" What a joke. Maybe acknowledging what every football fan in Australia knew, that QLD would play with what is effectively a front three, with three tight in the middle, and a back four - hence why go out with a tight diamond in midfield that simply plays into their hands, expecting to get width from our fullbacks, who are busy being pressed back by opposition forwards. Were they to bomb forward giving us width and leave our two CB to mark three guys??? And why play a 37 yr old who is in the team for a few weeks over Brosque, or Gan ( who is exceptionally talented ) who are team members and can grow and learn from the experience. He is the antithesis of a football coach, trying the worst tactics against a team who outlined how they would play a week early, with a team of people that have trained for a week and have no improvement over your talented and younger squad members = worlds biggest joke. This league needs coaches who coach - not encourage and then try to save their own ass when that encouragement (not coaching) doesn't work. Please, before I am the only member left, and trust me, of the five guys I have been members with since day one, 3 wont come back without a change of coach. So get some stability yes, but do it with a coach that tries to improve his team, inspires and uses the youth, and has any form of tactical sense. He has no tactical sense and he only played in Australia ( and 1 game (as sub) in 70's Arsenal England.) when his boot and chase method might have worked. We booted a guy who played in World Cup finals under Beckenbauer for this guy to get the offer of stability??? If Kosmina was a German rather than part of the old Sydney City mafia would he have already been booted, like poor Culina, who had no support, worse cattle and had us playing a brand of football that was excellent ( See Urawa at the SFS ) but as many poor games lost as this "motivator"!!!No wonder we have drama's!!!!!!! Sydney till I die is no longer getting sung in the Cove as half of them have been killed off with food poisoning from the tripe we have had to eat every week. Please, board, sack yourselves or the coach before the game we love goes the way of the old NSL and dies itself ( funny, weren't you all running a club then too???)
- by Bosco on December 01, 2008 at 01:24 PM
I am always intrigued by these suggestions, presented on the back of one match in one season, that claim a club is rotten from top to bottom and a whirlwind of change will fix everything.
Even someone with the shortest memory can see that if this was true, most clubs in the world would be in a state of perpetual chaos and failure.
Fact- the most successful clubs are those with stability, those that ride out the rough times as well as enjoying the good times.
Amazing how people can throw away their new toys when the batteries run out.
- by Simon Maher on December 01, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Its time for Kosmina to go,let alone Lowy.
Kosmina is a disaster,as a coach and also from a public relations point. Branko Culina was crucified by the media after a few games,this clown Kosmina obviously has friends in the right places,he`s a deadset smug smartarse at news confrences when he has no right to be,and he is not liked by the footballing public,especially us Syd.FC fans,its time for this mug to go,syd FC PLAYER ARE NOT AND WILL NOT RESPOND TO THIS FLIP.
- by Bill Rogers on December 01, 2008 at 03:13 PM
foget sydney fc, alarm bells are ringing this morning with news just in that Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo wants a move to Inter Milan. This is according to his manager and is just coming through now.. Geez !!!
- by col on December 04, 2008 at 02:09 AM
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Change can't come quick enough at FC. The club is on the 'slide' both on an off the pitch. Anybody who witnessed the events of Friday night vs the Roar would find it difficult to argue against. We need new owners, new administrators, new coaches and new players. We need a broom through the club. Friday night was an embarressment to the A League and football in general. Poor standard in front of a very poor crowd. If we produce a team that plays attractive up-tempo footy the crowds will come, I mean 2 strikers, over-lapping wing-backs and midfielders who look to attack and shoot from outside the box. But we won't get this from Kosmina. Sydney don't deserve to make the finals and when this season is over hopefully the revolution will commence with better things in 09/10.