Eddie VukovicArchie Thompson the Marquee de Sade
So Archie Thompson has signed a new two year deal with Melbourne Victory. Great. Fantastic. The payrise is thoroughly deserved. He's consistently been the most exciting and attacking player the league has seen in its three year history. But, is he a marquee player? I can only speak for myself here, but I'm not convinced. He's a good player sure, and is well loved by fans and media alike. He speaks his mind (not always making sense) and is passionate about the game and his club. I guess, by A-League standards, he can even be considered great. But is he a marquee player? Surely not.
So who is then? What is a marquee player? Are they worth it? What do they bring to league? Easy. They should excite. Not just the fans either, but the media and everyone involved in football. They should have notable reputations, should be technically superior to anybody we've got over here and shouldn't be washed up. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter whether they're foreign or ex-pats, as long as they have the capacity to draw crowds. Imagine the pull Sydney would have if Harry Kewell came back. Imagine what would happen in Melbourne if Mark Viduka was finally home. Or heaven forbid, is someone made a play for Christian Vieri or someone of that ilk. The media frenzy would be enormous, there would be a buzz in the streets.
But are they worth it? I guess it depends on how much clubs are willing to pay. A true marquee signing has the ability to market the brand and the league as a whole.
When I look over the names that the A-League clubs have touted as their marquee signings I cringe. How many of these players have the capacity to excite the crowds, to win games by displaying individual brilliance? Are there any names that worry opposing fans when marked down on the team sheet? Aside from a notable few, there's not much really.
Breaking it down into two groups, we've got foreign names and returned local players.
Foreign Imports
Dwight Yorke
Juninho
Shengqing Qu
Scot Gemmill
Mario Jardel
Returned Locals
Archie Thompson
John Aloisi
Ned Zelic
Paul Agostino
Craig Moore
Stan Lazaridis
Take out Yorke and Thompson, who were actually successful for their clubs, the list is pretty bleak. Juninho could have been special and showed glimpses of his talents, but injuries dogged his time at Sydney and even from a Melbourne fan's perspective, it was sad to see him let go. Another season from the fully fit maestro would have been great for the league. And I guess Craig Moore has been solid for Queensland, without being exceptional, but in my mind, wasting marquee wages on a rugged defender who plied his trade in Scotland isn't exactly adventurous. The rest have been woeful.
So, where to from here?
It's too early to judge this year's recruits. Newcastle's Edmundo Zura hasn't really kicked into gear yet, but Perth's Amaral looks likely to stir the sleeping giant from its slumber. Aloisi hasn't moved on from the night he took his shirt off and flatters to deceive. Agostino is still wretched and Craig Moore is still solid but unexciting. And then there's Archie. I love Archie. I think he's great for Melbourne, but I also think that four years in, with the most financial clout and with the biggest fan base in the league, Melbourne deserves a true marquee player. Someone to really get excited about.
Who that is I don't know. Maybe someone else has some ideas.
So who is then? What is a marquee player? Are they worth it? What do they bring to league? Easy. They should excite. Not just the fans either, but the media and everyone involved in football. They should have notable reputations, should be technically superior to anybody we've got over here and shouldn't be washed up. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter whether they're foreign or ex-pats, as long as they have the capacity to draw crowds. Imagine the pull Sydney would have if Harry Kewell came back. Imagine what would happen in Melbourne if Mark Viduka was finally home. Or heaven forbid, is someone made a play for Christian Vieri or someone of that ilk. The media frenzy would be enormous, there would be a buzz in the streets.
But are they worth it? I guess it depends on how much clubs are willing to pay. A true marquee signing has the ability to market the brand and the league as a whole.
When I look over the names that the A-League clubs have touted as their marquee signings I cringe. How many of these players have the capacity to excite the crowds, to win games by displaying individual brilliance? Are there any names that worry opposing fans when marked down on the team sheet? Aside from a notable few, there's not much really.
Breaking it down into two groups, we've got foreign names and returned local players.
Foreign Imports
Dwight Yorke
Juninho
Shengqing Qu
Scot Gemmill
Mario Jardel
Returned Locals
Archie Thompson
John Aloisi
Ned Zelic
Paul Agostino
Craig Moore
Stan Lazaridis
Take out Yorke and Thompson, who were actually successful for their clubs, the list is pretty bleak. Juninho could have been special and showed glimpses of his talents, but injuries dogged his time at Sydney and even from a Melbourne fan's perspective, it was sad to see him let go. Another season from the fully fit maestro would have been great for the league. And I guess Craig Moore has been solid for Queensland, without being exceptional, but in my mind, wasting marquee wages on a rugged defender who plied his trade in Scotland isn't exactly adventurous. The rest have been woeful.
So, where to from here?
It's too early to judge this year's recruits. Newcastle's Edmundo Zura hasn't really kicked into gear yet, but Perth's Amaral looks likely to stir the sleeping giant from its slumber. Aloisi hasn't moved on from the night he took his shirt off and flatters to deceive. Agostino is still wretched and Craig Moore is still solid but unexciting. And then there's Archie. I love Archie. I think he's great for Melbourne, but I also think that four years in, with the most financial clout and with the biggest fan base in the league, Melbourne deserves a true marquee player. Someone to really get excited about.
Who that is I don't know. Maybe someone else has some ideas.
