Patch

Alright here we go:Standard is not good. Soccer is pretty low down the list of spectator sports in Oz.It''s third behind AFL and Rugby League. Cricket is in with a shout too I guess.I saw the Brisbane Srikers play a home game a few years back - slow uninspiring game with little talent on show. You get more skill and passion at my local club (Diss Town)! Brisbane Strikers are a state league side, basically non-league. The difference in quality between that and an A-League side is vast.Unfortunately they try an use to many americanisms to sell the game over here and i think it detracts from the league. Silly nicknames, guest signings, finals series that sort of thing all make it hard to take it seriously.1. Silly team nicknames? Not an American influence, all our sports do it.2. Fair call on guest signings.3. Fiinals series have nothing to do with America. Just like the nicknames, all our sports have a finals series, football is no different.

[quote user="Metatron"]Yes, Saturday was Theo''s biggest match of his career so far. That''s what you get for signing an Aussie keeper without much of a track record.[/quote]A few of you have said that and it''s not at all true. He played in two grand finals in the A-League, both in front of over 50,000 people going mental. Clean sheets in both games. More pressure there than an opening day fixture in League One.

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]sad thing is we may never see what ability he has... im guessing Ben alnwick will start in goal on Tuesday with young Declan rudd on the bench to take Theo out of the firing line.. if Ben does well then theos not going to get back in the team... he wont want to sit around playing 3rd choice to a loanee and an 18 year old will he?  you might be getting him back sooner than you thought! lol! jas :) [/quote]If he can''t get back in the team then hopefully he would return to us. Our replacement is a kiwi who looked very average as we went down 2-0 on Thursday.Bugger it, we''ll take Theo, they can have the kiwi back and we Aussies will promise not to send you anymore of our players. Everybody wins! :P

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="Patch"]Wow I just watched the goals, no wonder you guys are fuming. He really looked lost out there.Ah well, I''d have him back in a heartbeat. He was great for us. Sorry guys! :([/quote] never seen the game in Australia but im guesing your leagues are slower tempo and possibly not the quality that they are in England.... maybe Theoklitos is a low level/Semi pro/Amateur goalkeeper... sadly he will never be up to the standard here if yesterday was anything to go by.. it really wouldnt suprise me if he isnt already on a plane back home. jas :) [/quote]Well as I said the general feeling amongst those of us here and those overseas who have watched our league it''s about League One level. Slower tempo I''d certainly agree with however, so maybe that was the problem. All I''d say is don''t write him off after one game, he''s got ability. Must''ve left it in the dressing room yesterday, though.

Wow I just watched the goals, no wonder you guys are fuming. He really looked lost out there.Ah well, I''d have him back in a heartbeat. He was great for us. Sorry guys! :(

Melbourne Victory supporter here.Look, I haven''t seen any of it so I can''t comment on whether he was at fault for any or all of them but judging by the majority of the posts, he had a shocker. Fair enough. But are you people serious in actually suggesting he never play again, be released etc.? It''s the first game of the season! Surely some of your greatest ever players have also had terrible games. Aren''t you glad the club didn''t cast them out straight away?Anyway the general idea seems to be that A-League level is about the same as League One, if you''re being very generous then bottom of the Championship. So he''s capable of playing at that level, but obviously he still needs time to settle. So perhaps a few games in the reserves would be good because he''s not as bad as 7 goals conceded suggests. Someone mentioned he has played for Australia, he hasn''t actually. He was called up in an all-A-League squad (which rarely happens) but didn''t get any game time, which is why he moved to your mob so he could try and put himself in a position to get a call up (playing in Europe > playing in Australia no matter what according to our national team manager) for a "real" squad.Anyway, in short: he''s a decent player, give him some time.