2008–09 A-League Explained

Competition:A-League
Season:2008–09
Dates:15 August 2008 – 28 February 2009
Winners:Melbourne Victory (2nd title)
Premiers:Melbourne Victory (2nd title)
Continentalcup1:AFC Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United
League Topscorer:Shane Smeltz
(12 goals)
Best Goalkeeper:Eugene Galekovic
Matches:84
Total Goals:249
Highest Attendance:31,564
Lowest Attendance:4,433
Average Attendance:12,180 (2430)
Prevseason:2007–08
Nextseason:2009–10

The 2008–09 A-League was the 32nd season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the fourth season of the A-League competition since its establishment in 2004. Two new clubs, North Queensland Thunder and Gold Coast Galaxy[1] [2] had received tentative licences from the FFA but these were revoked for the 2008–09 season on 12 March 2008.[3] Expansion plans are on hold until the 2009–10 season. Based on their 2007–08 performances, the Central Coast Mariners and the Newcastle Jets competed in the 2009 AFC Champions League for the first time.

Changes to the league included:

Clubs

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Adelaide UnitedAdelaideHindmarsh Stadium17,000
Central Coast MarinersGosfordBluetongue Stadium20,119
Melbourne VictoryMelbourneTelstra Dome56,347
Newcastle JetsNewcastleEnergy Australia Stadium26,164
Perth GloryPerthMembers Equity Stadium18,156
Queensland RoarBrisbaneSuncorp Stadium52,500
Sydney FCSydneyAussie Stadium42,500
Wellington PhoenixWellingtonWestpac Stadium34,500

Foreign players

ClubVisa 1Visa 2Visa 3Visa 4Non-Visa foreigner(s)Former player(s)
Adelaide United Alemão Cássio Cristiano Diego Walsh Jonas Salley1
Central Coast Mariners André Gumprecht Andrea Merenda3
John Hutchinson2
Melbourne Victory Ney Fabiano Carlos Hernández José Luis López Grant Brebner1
Newcastle Jets Jesper Håkansson Song Jin-hyung Edmundo Zura
Perth Glory Adrian Trinidad Amaral James Robinson Eugène Dadi Victor Sikora3
Queensland Roar Reinaldo Sergio van Dijk Charlie Miller Henrique3
Seo Hyuk-su1
Sydney FC Bobby Petta Terry McFlynn Michael Enfield
Wellington Phoenix Daniel Gao Leilei Chris Greenacre Manny Muscat2 Fred4
The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian Residency (and New Zealand Residency, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);
2Australian residents (and New Zealand residents, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players;
4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of ten games)

Salary cap exemptions and captains

ClubMarqueeJunior MarqueeCaptainVice-Captain
Adelaide United Paul Agostino[6] None Travis Dodd[7] Lucas Pantelis
Central Coast MarinersNoneNone Alex Wilkinson[8] None
Melbourne Victory Archie Thompson[9] [10] Nick Ward[11] [12] [13] Kevin Muscat[14] [15] None
Newcastle Jets Edmundo Zura[16] Adam D'Apuzzo Jade North[17]
Matt Thompson[18] 		Ante Covic
Adam Griffiths
Perth GloryNone Nikita Rukavytsya[19] Jamie Coyne[20] None
Queensland Roar Craig Moore[21] None Craig Moore[22] None
Sydney FC John Aloisi[23] Mark Bridge Steve Corica[24] None
Wellington PhoenixNoneNone Andrew Durante[25] Tim Brown
Jon McKain[26]
Richard Johnson

Pre-season Challenge Cup

See main article: 2008 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup. All A-League clubs played the pre-season cup competition held in July and August, and were drawn into two groups. Group A consisted of Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory. Group B was Central Coast Mariners, Queensland Roar, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix.

The winner of each group, Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix, met in Wellington on 6 August 2008 for the Pre-Season Cup Final.[27] With the score at 0–0 after 90 minutes, the game went to penalties, Melbourne Victory eventually prevailing 8–7, thus becoming the first team in A-League history to claim all three available trophies, after winning the Premiership and Championship in the 2006–07 season.

Regular season

The 2008–09 A-League season was played over 21 rounds, followed by a finals series.[28]

League table

Results

Round 21

Finals series

See also: 2009 A-League Grand Final.

Statistics

Leading scorers

TotalPlayerTeamGoals per Round
 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
12 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2
11 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2
11 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
11 1 1 1 112 3 1
10 1 2 1 1 2 1 2
10 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1
8 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
8 2 2 1 2 1
8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
7 1 1 1 1 1 11
6 1 1 2 1 1
6 2 1 1 1 1
5 1 1 1 1 1
5 1 1 2 1
5 1 1 1 2
4 2 1 1
4 2 1 1
4 1 3
4 1 1 1 1
3 1 1 1
3 2 1
3 1 1 1
3 1 2
3 1 1 1
3 1 1 1
3 1 1 1
3 1 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
2 1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 -->
As of the end of the home and away season
A goal was scored from a penalty kick
Two goals were scored from penalty kicks

Attendance

These are the attendance records of each of the teams at the end of the home and away season. The table does not include finals series attendances.* Adelaide United played a one-off match at the Adelaide Oval against Sydney FC in their Round 18 match. This is why Adelaide United's highest single attendance exceeds the capacity of Hindmarsh Stadium.

Top 10 Attendances

Attendance Round Date Home Score Away Venue Weekday Time of Day
53,273 Grand Final 28 February 20091–0 Saturday Night
34,736 Major SF (L2) 14 February 20094–0 Saturday Night
31,654 Round 9 25 October 20080–2 Saturday Night
28,905 Round 21 23 January 20092–0 Friday Night
27,196 Round 15 6 January 20091–0 Tuesday Night
25,398 Round 17 27 December 2008 3–2 Saturday Night
24,812 Round 4 12 September 20081–0 Friday Night
24,003 Round 20 16 January 2009 3–0 Friday Night
23,705 Minor SF (L2) 13 February 2009 2–1 Friday Night
23,447 Round 18 2 January 2009 2–1 Friday Night

Awards

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 12 February 2008 . Galaxy, Thunder to join A-League . . 17 February 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110522130651/http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/galaxy-thunder-to-join-a-league/story-e6frf4gl-1111115530475 . 22 May 2011.
  2. News: Thunder, Galaxy get go-ahead. 21 February 2008. 21 February 2008. FourFourTwo. 29 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185158/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/70598,thunder-galaxy-get-goahead.aspx. dead.
  3. News: A-League expansion plans postponed. SBS. 12 March 2008. 12 March 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080313180946/http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league-expansion-plans-postponed-108022/. 13 March 2008. dead.
  4. News: FFA: A-League WILL Get Bigger. FourFourTwo. 19 January 2007. 17 February 2008. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106010917/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/68598,ffa-aleague-will-get-bigger.aspx. dead.
  5. News: New season to start with a bang sea . AU FourFourTwo . 2 May 2008 . 2 May 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080503031516/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/75151%2Cnew-season-to-start-with-a-bang.aspx . 3 May 2008 . dmy .
  6. News: Agostino fit for season kick-off. ABC News. 14 August 2008. Adelaide United marquee player Paul Agostino has been declared fit....
  7. News: Cool Dodd new Adelaide United skipper. Daniel. Brettig. The Advertiser. 30 July 2008.
  8. Web site: Captain Wilkinson promoted to Centurion. Football Federation Australia. Central Coast Mariners. 8 February 2011. Wilkinson took the captain-s armband from an injured Noel Spencer late in the second season of the Hyundai A-League.
  9. News: Archie Thompson should play on after leaving Melbourne Victory. Michael. Lynch. The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2016. As Victory's inauguaral marquee signing....
  10. News: Archie Thompson, Adrian Leijer sign new deals with Melbourne Victory. The Guardian. 2 May 2014. Victory's first ever signing, and scorer, will join up with new marquee Besart Berisha next season, after agreeing a new deal with the club that takes him inside the salary cap.
  11. News: Marquee Glee For Victory's Ward. Jon. Ritson. FTBL. 15 May 2008.
  12. News: Slow Start For Marquee Scheme. Jon. Ritson. FTBL. 8 August 2008. Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets, confirmed they had signed junior marquees for the new season – Mark Bridge (Sydney), Nick Ward (Victory) and Adam D’Apuzzo (Jets)..
  13. News: Victory take top spot. Michael. Lynch. Brisbane Times. 7 January 2009. A second-half goal by midfielder Nick Ward, who, injury-free, is finally finding the sort of form that justified making him the club's junior marquee player.
  14. News: Muscat Takes on Coaching Role. FTBL. 29 August 2007. MELBOURNE Victory skipper Kevin Muscat has signed a new two-year contract that sees him taking on a coaching role as well as the captaincy.
  15. News: Kevin Muscat appointed as new Melbourne Victory coach. The Guardian. 31 October 2013. Phoenix’s Ernie Merrick was the Victory's inaugural coach and Muscat the club's inaugural captain.
  16. News: Newcastle Jets unveil Edmundo Zura as marquee signing. James. Gardiner. The Newcastle Herald. 31 July 2008.
  17. Web site: North heading to Korea. North is a Newcastle Jets foundation player, having been with the club since the 2005/06 Hyundai A-League season, and was instated as captain last season.. Newcastle Jets. 13 December 2008.
  18. News: Matt Thompson tipping Kaz Patafta to kick on . Stand-in Jets captain Matt Thompson has.... The Newcastle Herald. 23 January 2009.
  19. News: Nikita Fills Marquee Role. FTBL. 17 November 2008. Perth Glory striking sensation Nikita Rukavytsya has been confirmed as the club’s Under-23 marquee player for this season..
  20. Web site: Coyne leads the way for Glory. A-League. 15 August 2008.
  21. News: Moore Signs With Roar. FourFourTwo. Jon. Ritson. 24 July 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20120930141024/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/57086,moore-signs-up-with-roar.aspx. 30 September 2012.
  22. News: Former Rangers captain Craig Moore given all-clear after cancer. Moore, 32, had the operation at a hospital in Brisbane, where he is now captain of Queensland Roar.. Andrew. Lomax. The Daily Telegraph. 22 December 2008.
  23. Web site: Sydney FC put players on notice. Fox Sports. 3 March 2008. Aloisi, 32, signed a lucrative two-year deal as the marquee player.... https://archive.today/20121231054244/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23306722-5000940,00.html. 31 December 2012.
  24. News: Teenage sensation Danning lifts Sydney FC. Sydney Captain Steve Corica was left on the bench.... The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 January 2009.
  25. News: Durante named Wellington Phoenix skipper. Nine MSN. 17 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20120330072014/http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=598972. 30 March 2012. dead.
  26. News: You Can't Beat McKain: Herbert. FTBL. 11 August 2008. McKain, who will be Phoenix vice-captain this season.
  27. http://www.a-league.com.au/site/_content/document/00000680-source.pdf 2008 Pre-Season Cup Draw
  28. http://www.a-league.com.au/site/_content/document/00000678-source.pdf Hyundai A-League 2008/09 Season Draw

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