Five things we learned from A-League Round 10

A coaching casualty and one club’s calamity capped off the final A-League round of 2018.

(Left to right) Mark Rudan, Markus Babbel and Mike Mulvey Source: Getty Images

Man on a ledge

Interim Brisbane Roar coach Darren Davies branded Saturday’s spirited performance against Sydney FC one “in respect” to John Aloisi, but in actual fact, it’s exactly why he resigned. 

Aloisi had long-lamented his side’s slow starts this season and Adam Le Fondre’s 16th-minute opener in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat again followed suit. 

The Roar have endured a torrid 10 matches this A-League season, securing just one win to sit second-last, but even that’s not new to Aloisi. 

The 42-year-old endured a difficult time in the dugout with Melbourne Heart in 2010-11, overseeing 17 games without victory, and even then, did not depart until told to. 

In each of his three full seasons with the Roar, the Socceroos great turned difficult beginnings into finals football, so why has this particular struggle, with two thirds of the season still to play, cost him so early? 

While many may brand the decision a ploy to avoid an incoming sack, perhaps hierarchical issues regarding the club’s controversial Bakrie Group owners played their part. 

Aloisi wouldn’t be the first football figure to fall foul with a club’s owners, nor will he be the last, which leaves one wondering whether he’d been walking the tightrope long before a ball was even kicked.

Everything’s falling apart

Not even a broken goalpost could delay the inevitable on Monday night as Perth Glory handed Central Coast Mariners a 4-1 defeat at Central Coast Stadium.

If Ross McCormack’s rumoured move to Motherwell didn’t leave Mariners fans fearing the worst before kick-off, Andy Keogh’s opener just three minutes into the first half set the tone for what was to come.

The heavy New Year’s Eve result was the Mariners’ eighth straight loss this season and leaves them rooted to the foot of the ladder through 10 games. 

Mike Mulvey’s men have now conceded 24 goals and it appears even their goalposts have had enough, literally collapsing under the pressure of the opposition.  

It was an embarrassing night for the coastal club, whose 6,048 supporters seemed to have halved by half-time in order to witness the annual 9:15pm fireworks.  

And such a calamity now leaves Mulvey with a world of work to do in 2019. 

Charged with resurrecting a club reeling off of just one victory in their last 24 league matches, perhaps ex-Mariners striker Daniel McBreen said it best: “f***ing dog sh*t”.

Abandon ship!

Markus Babbel has been steering a sinking ship at Western Sydney Wanderers this season and, on Tuesday, even the Red and Black Bloc thought best to abandon it. 

A dismal 2-0 defeat to a 10-man Melbourne City side bereft of their first-choice striker stunned the Wanderers at ANZ Stadium and saw fans file out with as much as 30 minutes remaining.

Known for their unrivalled passion and support from the stands, such a sight would have sent a stinging message to Babbel and his players, who seemed defeated from the first minute. 

With one win in their last seven matches, the Wanderers are in a drought far worse than first witnessed under Josep Gombau last season. 

After a difficult opening third to their A-League campaign, the New Year was meant to spark a change in fortunes for the former Asian champions, but it appears Tuesday’s display is just a sign of the things to come.

New Year’s revolution

Wellington Phoenix have officially risen from the depths of their A-League slumber, so much so that now even a draw feels like a loss. 

Mark Rudan’s men came, saw and almost conquered Melbourne Victory on Friday night, with Ola Toivonen’s late equaliser enough to leave both sides a share of the spoils in front of 20,066 supporters.

Such an impressive performance, against a high-flying Victory outfit, no less, would normally warrant a positive reaction from the Nix, but not under Rudan’s revival. 

“When you go 1-0 up you want all three points,” 43-year-old Rudan said. 

“(The players) are down and out. Last year I remember watching Wellington Phoenix against Melbourne Victory.

"They were 1-0 up and in the (final few) minutes they lost 2-1. 

“That’s another big difference in terms of mentality and how much we’ve grown as well. 

“They’re down. I had to lift them up, and that’s a great sign as far as I am concerned.” 

The Kiwi club will now bid farewell to a 2018 that leaves them sixth on the A-League ladder and will look to kick off the New Year in exactly the same fashion.

Bad luck of the Irish

Roy O’Donovan’s long-awaited return to the Hunter may have yielded a goal but it still didn’t save the Newcastle Jets. 

A last-gasp Craig Goodwin penalty was enough to hand Adelaide United the 2-1 victory on Sunday night in what was the ultimate smash and grab.

The Jets peppered Paul Izzo’s goal for the majority of the contest – taking 27 shots, to be exact – but had just one goal to show for it, a reality their Irish striker rued following the full-time whistle. 

“The result kills you,” O’Donovan told Fox Sports.

“As soon as we scored I didn’t see us losing the game … it’s frustrating for us.” 

Only the Mariners have scored fewer goals than the Jets this season, who are yet to display the semblance of form that took them to the grand final last time out. 

And should this luckless conviction continue to cost them in the current campaign, even sixth spot may prove too far out of reach.