Butcher, Wrap Him Up in Yesterday's Newspaper

Sydney FC coach Terry Butcher has to go.

The unflinching Englishman has brought nothing to the game of football in Australia. He has taken a championship winning side and turned them into a counter-attack side that plays a boring and outdated style of football.

Many will argue that he did well considering the off-field dramas (losing Dwight Yorke, board 'issues', resignations of support staff etc.) and that he did the best with what he had left over. If you look at the game of football in terms of pure results, then perhaps that may be true.

But football is not the world game by relying on statistics alone. The real beauty of football is the artistry, the technique and style of play a winning side should display. Craig Foster is correct in saying that Terry is more like the old soccer of years ago and not in line with the new football of now.

One simply fact that the statisticians should consider is match attendance. Last week's odd 22,000 to a major football final in the biggest football market (in terms of population and registration numbers) in the land is simply not good enough. The diehard fans continue to go, whilst the othe football aficionados continue to stay at home or do something else. This is surely a reflection on the overall team style of play rather than results alone.

Considering that Sydney FC made the finals series with a 3 point deduction and still get a pretty low crowd for a finals match speaks volumes.

This indicates that Sydneysiders want to see a winning side, as well as an attractive side.

Unfortunately, under Terry Butcher this cannot be achieved.

Let's hope of A-League season 3 we not only return to winning ways, but also play some decent football from the side that should be the benchmark for the league.