Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has demanded a performance worthy of a legitimate Asian Cup contender when Australia opens its tournament campaign against minnows India on Saturday night.
But there was no confirmation on whether skipper and captain Mat Ryan, who continues to wear a mask at training to protect the cheekbone he fractured last month, would start the match despite having trained fully in the lead-up to the game.
While Arnold dubbed his side’s 2-0 friendly win last weekend over Bahrain as the “perfect” preparation for Asian Cup, he wants more boldness, class and energy shown by the Socceroos in their opening Group B match at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar
“I want to see some more individual quality one-v-one situations,” Arnold said.
“Those ones can change the game, and I think that we do have the players here … that have great one-v-one actions, and individual quality, and I want to see that.”
Arnold mentioned the likes of attacking weapons Martin Boyle, Sammy Silvera, Marco Tilio and Craig Goodwin, midfielder Riley McGree and left-back Jordan Bos as the Socceroos’ potential game-breakers.
“Yes, the tactical side is very important and we’ll get that right, but also it’s down to the individual mentally to be prepared to go out there and put on his best performance, and that’s what I expect,” Arnold said.
Despite being fit to play, Socceroos skipper Mat Ryan isn’t guaranteed to start against India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The national coach has been particularly in the ear of Middlesbrough star McGree, who returned to international duty via the bench against Bahrain after being sidelined for several weeks with a foot injury he suffered in early October.
“Something that I’m pushing at Riley and talking to him about is getting in positions in the box to score because I do believe he has that quality to score goals,” Arnold said.
“Once he gets that into his game, you’ll see him go to a high level of potentially club football as well.
“Riley’s fit, and he’s ready to go. If anything, this is in a positive way, that injury that he had gave him a bit of a break, and he’s freshened up and he looks fantastic.”
Whether McGree has done enough to start against India is uncertain, with the Socceroos having plenty of midfield depth.
Arnold wouldn’t commit on Ryan taking his place in goal despite being full recovered from his fractured cheekbone, unwilling to reveal his starting side.
“Maty’s training back fully. He’s training very well. All the boys are fit, healthy and ready,” he said.
“I can’t give you the starting line-up at the moment.”
Arnold wants to see his players showcase their individual qualities. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)Source: AFP
Arnold said the Socceroos would again strive to be lethal from set pieces, particularly from Goodwin’s delivery of free-kicks and corners to giant central defenders Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess.
“It is very important … we get our set pieces right, because set pieces can change the game as well,” he said.
“We’re working on all those patterns and working on finishing, getting players in those positions to put the ball in the back of the net.
“It’s important that we’re patient and we stick to what we’re good at, and that’s retaining the ball and moving ball quickly
“We’re here to win seven games, and obviously our expectations are high.”
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is reportedly seeking a Premier League return just six months after joining the mass exodus of players to Saudi Arabia.
Henderson, who played 12 seasons for Liverpool, is playing under former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.
But things haven’t gone to plan, with Gerrard facing the sack after failing to win any of his last eight games over two months.
Henderson was heavily criticised for his move to Saudi Arabia given its conservative stance on the LGBT+ community who Henderson has publicly supported in the past.
Henderson reportedly earns £700,000 per week, but Saudi tax rules mean he won’t pay tax if he stays for at least two seasons.
But the 33-year-old has told teammates he is considering an exit after struggling to adapt to the playing conditions in his new country – and leaving early could see him slugged with a monster £7m tax bill.
The Saudi league is currently in a six-week break for the Asian Cup.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was asked about a potential move for the England international, replying: “We didn’t talk about names. At the moment, we are not talking about players.
“I saw Behdad [Eghbali], with Paul [Winstanley] and Laurence [Stewart]. I think we are going to have a chat tomorrow. We didn’t talk about names or players. For now, we are focusing on players like Andrey Santos.”
19-year-old midfielder Santos was recently recalled from an underwhelming loan spell at Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says there is a ‘possibility’ his side will make no signings this month despite a raft of injuries.
Arteta has previously said he “needs players” in order to challenge for the title, with major off-season signing Jurrien Timber still out of fitness, Fabio Vieira and Thomas Partey also injured, and Takehiro Tomiyasu at the Asian Cup with Japan.
But Arteta told Sky Sports there was a chance of no signings this window, saying: “That’s a possibility.”
“Unfortunately, Jurrien has a very long-term injury. He’s doing really well but is still far from training with the team,” he added.
“It’s what we have, with Tomi having to leave. We’re open for the transfer market, but the emphasis is of making the most of the players we have.
“We’ll work with the club to understand if there are any possibilities, and whether we have any good options. But first of all, we will focus on the players we already have.”
FA Cup Wrap: Chelsea cruise to 4th round | 02:03
OTHER REPORTS
West Ham striker Danny Ings is reportedly a potential target for Wolves in this window, with Wolves set to loan Sasa Kaladjzic to Eintracht Frankfurt this month.
Ings has made 10 appearances in the Premier League this season but hasn’t managed a goal or assist.
And Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise – and are even interested in sending Aaron Wan Bissaka the other way in a player-plus-cash deal.
Having travelled nearly 7,000km from the Caribbean island of Martinique, Golden Lion got a 12-0 mauling from Ligue 1 big guns Lille in the French Cup on Saturday.
With temperatures just above zero in the northern French city, the side from Saint Joseph, a town of 16,000 on the sunny island, could be said to have caught cold with the mercury hitting 30 degrees Celsius back home.
Golden Lion operate in a regional league in the French league’s sixth tier, while six-time French Cup winners Lille sit fourth in the top flight but Lille coach Paulo Fonseca still fielded his strongest line-up.
Lille quickly ran riot with both Edon Zhegrova and Jonathan David bagging hat-tricks and Yusuf Yazici and Hakon Haraldsson scoring braces. Tiago Santos and Amine Messoussa also added to the scoreline.
Lille had 37, compared to just one for Golden Lion.
The Island outfit had Martinique national ‘keeper Gilles Meslien in goal but the 34-year-old will escape any blame as the five-time Martinique champions also failed to register a shot on his opposite number Lille stopper Lucas Chevalier’s goal.
But in a classy move, Lille players gave the Golden Lions a guard of honour after the full-time whistle.
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Ange Postecoglou has made a major splash in the Premier League transfer window, with Spurs reportedly signing former Chelsea flop Timo Werner on loan for the remainder of the season.
According to multiple reports, a deal has already been agreed with Red Bull Leipzig for a loan move that has an option for a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
Tottenham will be without captain Son Heun-Min for a month as he competes in the Asian Cup against the Socceroos, while Alejo Veliz has potentially suffered a serious knee injury and could be ruled out for the rest of the season.
RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose said on Saturday it was “only right” that Werner wants a loan move given his lack of game time this season.
Werner, 27, has scored just two Bundesliga goals in eight appearances this season.
He scored 23 goals in 89 appearances for their Premier League rivals Chelsea after making a £45-million move in 2020, but returned to Leipzig in 2022 for just €20m.
In the Premier League, he managed just 10 goals in 56 games, missing a host of strong chances to score.
Sky Sports Germany claims that Spurs could turn the deal permanent at the end of the season for £15.5m.
Rose told Sky Deutschland a loan arrangement could help Werner secure a place in Germany’s squad for Euro 2024 on home soil.
“It’s only right that Timo wants to go out on loan. Timo would like to go to the European Championship,” Rose said.
“We wish him all the best and we’re crossing our fingers for him.”
He has scored 24 goals in 57 appearances for the national team.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold rated his team’s 2-0 defeat of Bahrain as the “perfect” preparation for Australia’s Asian Cup campaign, which starts next Saturday night against India.
An own goal from Bahrain defender Amine Benaddi and a Mitch Duke header secured the Socceroos victory in their Asian Cup warm-up clash in Abu Dhabi.
“It was a great hitout,” Arnold told Paramount +.
“It was quite a physical game, and playing against these types of nations, (and) how they sit back, as much as you can do presentations and train and get ready for it, it’s always great to play against opposition that play that way.
“It was the perfect game that we could have had leading into the Asian Cup.”
Arnold gave Perth-born, Wales-raised Bolton Wanderers defender Gethin Jones his Socceroos debut, playing him at right-back in a starting back four that also included Cameron Burgess, Harry Souttar and Jordan Bos.
Midfielder Jackson Irvine captained the team in the absence of regular skipper, goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who is yet to fully recover from a fractured cheekbone he suffered last month,
Ryan’s unavailability also allowed Adelaide United gloveman Joe Gauci to earn his second Socceroos cap.
Apart from one sharp save in the second half, Gauci was rarely called into action against a Bahrain side that hardly threatened the Socceroos.
“These types of nations, especially against us, they always sit back and they always try to hit us on the counter attack,” Arnold said.
“It was important that we had our rest defence strong, that we didn’t bomb too many players forward and get caught out on the break.
“They only had one shot at goal for the whole game, which is good.”
The Socceroos celebrate after taking the lead against Bahrain from an own goal. Picture: Martin Dokoupil/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
In attack, the Socceroos were at times clunky but that didn’t stop them taking the lead in the 35th minute when Benaddi turned the ball into his own net after a fluffing his attempt to clear a dangerous, low cross from winger Craig Goodwin,
Goodwin was also involved in Australia’s second goal in the 61st minute, when he headed a far post cross from midfielder Aiden O’Neill into the path of Duke, who nodded the ball home from close range.
Duke and Goodwin were later replaced as Arnold made six second-half changes as he further got players ready for next weekend’s Asian Cup Group B battle with India in Qatar.
The other starters to come off were Jones, Burgess, attacker Sammy Silvera and midfielder Connor Metcalfe.
The six players used off the bench were defenders Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles and Aziz Behich, attacking pair Marco Tilio and Kusini Yengi, and midfielder Riley McGree in his international return from a foot injury.
“I made a number of changes, and used players that hadn’t played for quite a while,” Arnold said.
“It just shows you that (with) those six boys I brought on, how much depth we are creating and building.
“That’s pretty much what I’ve been trying to do for the last four years as well, build depth for the Socceroos because of the old age group that we had.
“You can see some of the younger boys that are coming on, they’re doing well, (and) they’ve got that experience.”
The Premier League is set for a major six-week shake-up as a whopping 40 players are called up for national teams across two premier competitions.
Both the African and Asian confederations host their respective tournaments over the next month.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) runs from 13 January to 11 February in Ivory Coast. The Asian Cup – where Australia’s Socceroos will compete – is in Qatar from 12 January to 10 February.
Socceroos players began arriving for a pre-tournament camp in Bahrain as early as January 1, and many other players competing in AFCON or the Asian Cup have already departed their clubs to link up with their national teams.
And on Wednesday morning (AEDT), the impact was clearly felt by West Ham, who wanted to select Mohammed Kudus against Brighton for one final match before leaving for AFCON – only to be denied the Ghanaian federation.
The next six weeks could prove crucial at both ends of the table. Some clubs will be decimated by departures, like Nottingham Forest, who lose six players, or Wolves and Brentford who have four players selected apiece.
Other clubs, like Liverpool and Tottenham, lose superstars in Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Son Heung-Min (South Korea) respectively.
But some clubs will view the period as a chance to make up ground on their rivals. Manchester City, Newcastle and Burnley do not have any players competing in either the AFCON or Asian Cup.
Graham Arnold has pulled a series of shocks in naming the Socceroos’ squad for next month’s Asian Cup, including a 36-year old and three potential debutants – and another player poached from a rival nation.
Arnold announced his 26-man squad on Friday morning (expanded from 23 for the first time ever), but a series of injuries to senior players and the looming U23 Asian Cup forced plenty of difficult calls.
“I had to make a lot of tough calls,” Arnold said Friday, but declared: “I truly believe that I’ve selected a strong squad, a fantastic squad … in my view it’s a very strong squad.”
Arnold added: “I’ve got one eye on the Asian Cup but I’ve got two eyes on the World Cup (2026) and qualifying directly.”
That sees a balance of young talents and veteran faces – including a recall for Melbourne Victory’s 36-year-old striker Bruno Fornaroli on the back of a remarkable start to the A-League Men’s season, with 12 goals in eight games.
‘I’m really happy with the mix … the older ones, the 25 year olds and down to the 21-23 year-olds … I think it’s a top squad.”
Arnold said: “The most important thing for the Socceroos is form. Bruno’s done a fantastic job, he’s had a fantastic start to the season. It’s very very hard to ignore. The way he looks – his body looks in fantastic shape … that’s the type of form you want from all the players.”
But he added that the striker’s role is “a concern that position on the pitch, long-term.”
Part of the long-term planning at that number nine role sees John Iredale called up, a 24-year-old who plies his trade in Germany’s second tier.
“John Iredale is someone I’ve had in camp at the start of my reign in Turkey (in 2018),” Arnold said, adding that Iredale can play as a number nine, but also as a playmaker (10) or winger (7).
Iredale last week scored against FC St Pauli, where Socceroos veteran Jackson Irvine is captain and plays alongside international teammate Connor Metcalfe.
John Iredale (L) celebrates a goal against FC St. Pauli last week.Source: Getty Images
21-year-old midfielder Patrick Yazbek (currently playing in Norway) has been in recent Socceroos camps but has not yet debuted, while there is a third potential debutant in the squad – right-back Gethin Jones of Bolton Wanderers in England’s third tier.
28-year-old Jones was born in Perth but has played for Wales in junior internationals. But Arnold – as has become a habit under his reign – again managed to poach a player from a rival nation. It’s a process Arnold revealed has been years in the making.
“Gethin Jones is not a young talent. He’s a 27-28 year old,” Arnold said.
“He’s one we’ve had our eye on for the last couple of years. He wasn’t hard to convince but it takes time to get through the FIFA regulations to change his registration.
“I went and watched him when I was in the UK. Very impressive. Obviously with the Ryan Strain injury it gave us our opportunity.”
He added: “He’s always wanted to play for Australia, he has played for Wales at a junior level.”
Strain was one of many players to be ruled out with injuries – a list that also includes Awer Mabil, Gianni Stensness, Nicholas d’Agostino, Mohamed Toure, Denis Genreau and Brandon Borrello.
Perhaps the biggest absence due to injury was veteran forward Mathew Leckie.
Arnold said: “Speaking with Melbourne City, speaking with Lecks … Lecks was keen to come but I just feel the last six months Lecks has had with injuries – coming back and then getting injured again – I just feel it’s better he stays with his club.”
“The most important thing for me is he gets his body right … and then getting ready for Lebanon (World Cup qualifier) in March,” he said.
It hasn’t been an easy year for Leckie.Source: Getty Images
Also omitted was Leckie’s club teammate and fellow veteran attacker Jamie Maclaren, who said Thursday he was reconsidering his international future after being left out.
Arnold said: “It’s one of the phone calls that I hate making. But Jamie’s the first one to admit that perhaps Bruno has been in better form than him …
“He’s got a great future for us, he’s been fantastic for me for the last four years.”
But there was one major boost in terms of injuries, with captain and first-choice goalkeeper Maty Ryan set to be fit for the tournament opener after recently suffering a fractured cheekbone in training.
“The information I’m getting from the medical team – and Maty’s bought a beautiful mask – I do believe he’ll be fine.”
“This time next week he’ll be back in the gym and working.”
“He probably won’t be ready for the friendly against Bahrain but he should be ready for the India game,” Arnold said.
Other notable absentees are Alex Robertson and Alessandro Circati, two young talents that are more likely to feature in the Under-23 Asian Cup in April-May, which doubles as qualification for the Paris Olympics.
Ajdin Hrustic and Fran Karacic missed out after struggling for match minutes at club level, while Massimo Luongo on Wednesday announced his retirement from international football to focus on his club’s bid for Premier League promotion.
It’s been a big week in the NBL even with the Championship Series still a week out from starting with plenty of coaching moves, player movement and then an out of favour Perth Wildcats star reminding what he can do for the Australian Boomers.
Todd Blanchfield lit it up for the Boomers on Thursday night sending a reminder that the out of favour Wildcats veteran still has plenty to offer, but there’s a lot more going on this week as the build up to the Championship Series grows.
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Nick Kay has been captaining the Boomers in Melbourne and while he would like to return to the Wildcats one day, it appears no time soon while another Australian player, Nathan Sobey is liking the changes that are being made at the Brisbane Bullets.
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are on the look out for a new coach with Simon Mitchell standing down after four years and then the preparations continue for the Championship Series.
That begins next Friday between the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers.
MITCHELL STANDS DOWN, WHO WILL BE SECOND PHOENIX COACH?
Expect the South East Melbourne Phoenix to leave no stone unturned in their search for a coach to take them over a hump that Simon Mitchell went so close to doing in a four-year tenure that he deserves to be proud of.
The Phoenix have been in the NBL for four seasons but only ever had the one head coach and it’s hard to imagine a better man for the job up to this point than Mitchell.
Circumstances have conspired again him, but in all four seasons the Phoenix have been a more than competitive outfit. They started their debut season on fire before injuries ripped their team apart in the back end of the campaign.
Then in the second season, they were tantalisingly close to a championship. They started Game 3 of the semi finals against Melbourne United in blistering fashion.
They couldn’t quite complete the job and if they did, they could well be champions given what was awaiting was a Bryce Cotton-less Perth Wildcats in the Grand Final Series.
Now if you look at the last two seasons and the Phoenix have had tremendous rosters, but both have been again marred by injuries and were never given the proper chance to reach their potential just through circumstances conspiring against them.
As NBL23 unfolded, you could clearly see the exhaustion written all over Mitchell’s face every time he fronted the media post-match. After losses, he was understandably frustrated but after wins, he found himself unable to enjoy them like he deserved.
Simon Mitchell has left his post with the Phoenix. Picture: Phoenix MediaSource: Supplied
Throw in the fact that Gary Browne, Trey Kell III and Ryan Broekhoff continued to be in and out through injury, and then all of the drama surrounding Zhou Qi’s availability or lack of it, and there was a lot weighing Mitchell down.
Still, they reached the finals and it was only a 41-point fourth quarter outburst led by Cotton that saw the Wildcats eliminate them.
However, Mitchell was just exhausted. He knew he needed a break from being a head coach and that made it an easy decision to step down after four seasons.
“It probably goes stems back to last off-season when I had to replace my assistant coaches and it was just a real tight squeeze of getting everything in, getting the team together and we had a lot of injuries in pre-season,” Mitchell said.
“We weren’t able to get the majority of our team on the floor throughout the pre-season, and then going into the season missing a number of blokes as well. I guess the frustrations sort of started to rear their head with just how it was going.
“We’d always set year four as the one when we’d really put an assault on being a contender, we really thought it would be the year for it all to come together.
“I think it’s just the frustrations of some of the hurdles we faced just started to creep in, and had me thinking about alternatives to coaching on.
“Once it got to the end of the season, once you start having those thoughts it’s probably time to hand over the reins and let someone with some fresh ideas and renewed energy to freshen up the place.
“Hopefully next year the club can pull itself back together and put the roster on the floor that can contend again.”
The Phoenix are on the hunt for a new coach. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It’s now going to be fascinating which direction the Phoenix go in appointing their second ever head coach.
Trevor Gleeson and Brian Goorjian will be right at the top of that list. They might have been unrealistic for the Brisbane Bullets to chase, but the Phoenix might have a legitimate chance to make an offer they can’t refuse.
Sam Mackinnon has an amazing history at South East Melbourne going back to his playing days, his coaching fire was stoked this season at the Bullets and he might be a serious option. So might be the man who replaced him, Greg Vanderjagt.
Former Phoenix assistant Judd Flavell is another who has the potential to be a successful NBL head coach and across the league, current assistants Kevin Lisch, Rhys Carter, Jacob Chance and Mike Kelly would be worth considering.
You could also take a look into seeing if former coaches Aaron Fearne or Shawn Dennis would consider a return to the league, and possibly even Andrej Lemanis.
Adam Caporn, Anthony Petrie and Pero Cameron are other names that could come into calculations or they could go totally left-field and try to pluck an American. Either way, it’s going to be a decision to make or break where the Phoenix go in the immediate future.
Brian Goorjian is expected to be on the Phoenix’s shortlist for coaching candidates. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHANGE GALORE CONTINUING AT THE BULLETS
The Brisbane Bullets are going to be a decidedly new-look outfit off the court in NBL24 with Sam Mackinnon, Peter Crawford and Pero Cameron having now all departed while Darryl McDonald is confirmed to join Justin Schueller’s new coaching staff.
It was an NBL season that promised so much at the Bullets that ended up becoming their most tumultuous one since returning to the league back in 2016.
Despite the presence of Olympians Nathan Sobey and Aron Baynes, the NBA experienced Tyler Johnson and a good mix of youth and experience with Jason Cadee, DJ Mitchell, Harry Froling, Tanner Krebs, Tyrell Harrison, Gorjok Gak and eventually Andrew White III, it never clicked.
Having three coaches in as many weeks at one point didn’t help either with James Duncan sacked to be replaced by GM Sam Mackinnon before eventually Greg Vanderjagt took over for the last 14 matches.
Things have been just as eventual now in the weeks after the season with Melbourne United assistant Justin Schueller named the new head coach while assistants Peter Crawford and Pero Cameron have moved on.
So has GM of basketball Mackinnon. In the three games he took over as coach, he openly talked about how much of a fire it lit under him to coach in the NBL. However, he was given an ultimatum to either be a coach or GM, he decided to remain in his full-time that now he no longer has.
Sam Mackinnon has left the Bullets. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Bullets have now already announced an addition to Schueller’s coaching staff with former 486-game NBL legend Darryl McDonald joining him after both worked together as assistants with United.
The good news for the Bullets already looking to NBL24 is that Olympians Sobey and Baynes are contracted and locked in.
That gives Schueller plenty to build around as he embarks on life as an NBL head coach for the first time.
Sobey is currently in Melbourne playing in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers for the Boomers. He was last week named Bullets MVP for the season and is looking forward to putting NBL23 behind him, and is excited for what lies ahead.
“It was a frustrating year for sure. We had bigger expectation with the group we had put together, but sometimes that doesn’t work out and things didn’t go our way in a few areas. We’ll learn from it and we’ll be better moving forward,” Sobey said on SEN.
“I think Justin’s going to be great for the group. I think he brings a connection from Australian junior programs and then also having success with Melbourne United as well. I think he’s going to be great to have on board and to get us on the right direction.”
Bullets star Nathan Sobey is looking forward to putting the nightmare season behind him. (Photo by Emily Barker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BUFORD FOCUSED ON GROWTH WITH KINGS OVER NBA FUTURE
You look at the success Chase Buford has already had in the G-League and NBL as a young coach and clearly he has an NBA future in a coaching capacity, but right now he’s just focused on continuing to get better and to try to go back-to-back with the Sydney Kings.
Buford arrived at the Kings at the start of the 2021/22 NBL season having already led the Wisconsin Herd to top spot in the G-League before COVID meant that 2019/20 season was never able to be finished.
Before that, he had already worked in the NBA in various roles with the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and then with the Milwaukee Bucks while coaching the Herd.
On top of that, his father is the hugely respected and successful GM of the San Antonio Spurs, RC Buford, so it is only a natural that Buford would have a potentially long coaching career in the NBA when he chooses to pursue that.
However, at just 34 years of age he knows time is on his side and so is the need to continue to grow and develop all the time.
Buford already took the Kings to last season’s NBL championship and now has taken them to top spot this season and into the Championship Series once more starting next Friday in a best-of-five series against the New Zealand Breakers.
That doesn’t mean it’s always been a smooth ride. Buford’s passion can sometimes spill over while riding the sideline and he’s already been suspended by the NBL as a result, has attended anger management and is trying to curtail some of his more over the top reactions.
That didn’t quite work when he was ejected late in Game 2 of the semi-final series against the Cairns Taipans in Far North Queensland.
Kings coach Chase Buford isn’t thinking about a future in the NBA just yet. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
When Kouat Noi was called for a flop despite contact with DJ Hogg leaving him with a bloody nose, Buford couldn’t curtail his frustrations and was sent to the locker room early.
The fact the NBL later admitted the decision on Noi to be called for a flop was incorrect means that you can understand Buford’s anger. It’s still a part of his coaching he has been trying to rein in and he might need to continue to do that before returning to the NBA system.
However, having two championships as a head coaching while still a 34-year-old will make Buford hot property on the coaching market globally if it happens once this NBL season is over in the coming weeks.
Right now, though, Buford isn’t focused on his future and is trying to improve as a coach and person all the time, and is just worried about winning another championship for the Kings.
“I think it was just the point that our guy was sitting there with a bloodied nose and we’d got our fifth flop warning in two games,” Buford said.
“That was a frustrating trend for our team but I’ve got to handle myself better in a lot of moments. I’m growing as a person and a coach, but I think standing up for my guys and being a passionate competitor isn’t something I’m going to lose anytime soon.
“At the end of the day, you want to play or coach at the highest level so eventually I think I’d like to get back to the NBA. But right now I’m loving being a head coach, loving living in Sydney and have a great bunch of guys and staff that I get to work with every day. I’m just fired up for the finals and I’m just focused on that at the moment.”
Buford is hoping to lead the Kings to consecutive NBL titles. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
UNEXPECTED TITLE CHANCE FOR BREAKERS CAPTAIN
There’s precious little Tom Abercrombie still has to accomplish in the NBL and while he already his four championships to his credit at the New Zealand Breakers, a fifth could well be the most meaningful because he never expected to get another opportunity.
Abercrombie is already an all-time New Zealand basketball and Breakers great no matter what else he accomplishes in his career.
In fact, he could be the greatest Breaker of all-time already and his coach Mody Maor put it best talking about having someone who is already a Hall of Famer leading his group.
Abercrombie is a four-time NBL championship winner and was the Grand Final MVP in one of those triumphs where the Breakers won four of five titles in the league between 2011-15.
It has largely been tough going since for the Breakers with their last Grand Final appearance in 2016 and last finals appearance in 2018 up until what they’ve been able to accomplish so far in NBL23.
Abercrombie has played all 394 of his NBL games with the Breakers and won the four championships along the way including being Grand Final MVP and twice he has been named the club MVP.
He is also the all-time leader at the Breakers not only in games played but also points scored, wins played in, field goals, three-pointers and free-throws made and attempted, and blocked shots.
Breakers star Tom Abercrombie is hoping to win his fifth NBL title. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It’s quite the career that he’s put together but the Breakers captain had accepted that another run at a fifth championship was unlikely given the way things have gone for his club in recent years.
An ownership change took time to settle and to get the right culture and pieces in place, and then COVID impacted the Breakers like no other club with them virtually based out of Australia for the last two years.
Coming into this season, the Breakers had not won a final in the NBL since 2016 and not played in one since 2018 so with a new coach at the helm and a vastly new-look playing group, it was going to be a tall order.
However, everything has come together brilliantly starting with coach Maor to imports Jarrell Brantley, Dererk Pardon and Barry Brown Jr, and with the captaincy, leadership, experience and brilliant defence of Abercrombie.
He admits that he thought it might never be possible to have another chance at a championship with the Breakers, but now will be making most of the opportunity in the Championship Series starting next Friday in Sydney against the Kings.
Abercrombie has played a key role in the Breakers’ title push this season. (Photo by Masanori Udagawa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“The game has changed a lot in seven years and this is as good a team as we’ve ever had, but it means nothing going into the finals,” Abercrombie said.
“It’s a battle in itself once you get into a finals series and I haven’t been in a best-of-five series before either. That’s going to be a different animal. You’ve already got tactical battles and back-and-forths in a best-of-three, but I’m sure in a best-of-five that gets taken to another level.
“I think as it was before, the backbone of this team and our identity and culture is a really strong point. It’s something that’s carried us through the tough times this year and I’m just very excited to be back on that stage to get a chance to represent this club in a finals series again.
“That’s a really cool moment to come full circle and after the last couple of years, I honesty never thought I’d be back in this position so you don’t take it for granted. I’m going to enjoy this moment and go out to have fun.”
Howard among 12 ejections in wild brawl! | 01:31
BOOMERS CAPTAIN UNLIKELY FOR RETURN SOON TO NBL
Nick Kay is already a member of the Perth Wildcats’ 40th anniversary team how significant was his impact in two seasons, but despite currently captaining the Australian Boomers, he’s unlikely to be lured back from Japan any time soon.
Kay’s stocks have only continued to rise after the last of his two seasons with the Wildcats where he won championships with him currently plying his trade in Japan as part of his league-leading Shimane Susanoo Magic team.
He was also part of the historic Boomers team that won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games and is currently captaining the Australian team in their last two FIBA World Cup qualifying match ups this week in Melbourne.
Kay led the Boomers to an emphatic 83-51 win over Bahrain on Thursday night with 13 points and five rebounds ahead of another clash at the State Basketball Centre against Kazakhstan on Sunday.
The 30-year-old appears a lock to again be part of the Boomers team as well for the World Cup to be held later this year across Japan, Philippines and Indonesia starting late August, but there continues to be a focus on his return to the NBL.
Starting as the Rookie of the Year at the Townsville Crocodiles before joining the Illawarra Hawks and then having two championship winning seasons at the Wildcats, Kay was a standout power forward across his first 158 games in the NBL.
Don’t expect Nick Kay to come back to the NBL any time soon. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, he has both found a home he enjoys in Japan over the last three years and is playing some outstanding basketball on a title contending team. Throw in the fact he’s making more money in Japan than he likely could in the NBL and it’s not going to be easy to lure him home.
Working in the favour of the Wildcats, though, is the fact that Kay and his partner now call Perth home, are getting ready to welcome their first child and being together in Western Australia will soon be something they can’t keep living without.
That means that a return to the Wildcats before his career is over appears a near certainty, but unfortunately for coach John Rillie and the Red Army, it doesn’t appear it’s a possibility for NBL24.
“I am hoping to get back at some point, I don’t know when that will be but WA is home now so it will be great to be able to get back and play for those Wildcats at some point again,” Kay told SEN.
“I tried to watch every game I could this season. Obviously I’ve got a lot of friends who still play for them with Norto (Mitch Norton) and Wags (Jesse Wagstaff) so it’s great watching them.
“Obviously it wasn’t the most successful season they’ve had but I’m keen to see how they bounce back next year. They’ve got a lot of talent out there so I’m keen to see how it all progresses over this next season.”
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