Mrs Stankovic
04-18-2000, 11:42 AM
The National Soccer League is Australia's showcase of premium soccer.
Stretching from the West with Perth Glory, over to Australia's East Coast, where 9 teams are based, and across the Tasman Sea to Auckland, home of one of the League's newest Clubs, the Football Kingz, the NSL currently comprises 16 teams, and has gone from strength to strength, both on and off the field.
The success stories of the NSL, which was established in 1977, are well documented from record home crowds for new-comers Perth Glory and Northern Spirit .. to back-to-back Champions South Melbourne representing the Oceania region at the inaugural FIFA World Club Championship.
From players of the ilk of Mark Bosnich (formerly Sydney United), Mark Viduka (formerly Melbourne Knights), Ned Zelic (formerly Sydney Olympic & Sydney United), Paul Okon & Steve Corica (formerly Marconi), Kevin Muscat (formerly South Melbourne) and Stan Lazaridis (formerly West Adelaide), to the current crop of tomorrows champions Brett Emerton (LG U-23 Captain & Sydney Olympic), Stephen Laybutt (LG U-23 and Parramatta Power), Vince Grella & Marco Bresciano (LG U-23s and formerly Carlton), Mark Byrnes (LG Joeys captain & Parramatta Power), Wayne Srhoj and Jade North (LG Joeys & Brisbane Strikers) & Louis Brain (LG Joey & Adelaide City) .. all of these players have called and do call the National Soccer League home at one time or another.
The 1999/2000 NSL season will leave Australian soccer fans with many memories another record breaking performance at the gates, with the record 1.2 million spectators, set in the previous season, ready to be broken again guest appearances from greats of the world game .. Ian Rush (Liverpool + Sydney Olympic) .. Peter Beardsley (Newcastle + Melbourne Knights) & Nicola Berti (Internazionale + Northern Spirit) the smashing of the NSL's highest goal tally by Adelaide City and LG Socceroo striker Damian Mori and the emergence of the regionally based teams as forces to be contended with.
This season has also seen the introduction of the League's two newest teams - the Football Kingz and Parramatta Power; it's seen a tally of players reach their own personal milestones and it's seen an increase in media interest across the board, including extensive coverage via C7, the cable arm of Soccer Australia's television partner, the Seven Network, and ABC Television across Australia.
The NSL has also recently forged a partnership with International Entertainment Corporation (IEC).
The deal, which encompasses sponsorship and marketing rights for the NSL, as well as rights to both in-bound and out-bound tours for the National Teams, is the biggest ever in Australian soccer, with IEC pledging to invest some $21 million dollars into the game over the next 7 years.
A two team tussle between South Melbourne & Sydney United saw the Victorians win the Championship in 1999 - with the League counting down it's final rounds into the Top 6 series, and with one of the closest competitions in recent years being run, the first championship of the new millennium is well and truly up for grabs.
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Stretching from the West with Perth Glory, over to Australia's East Coast, where 9 teams are based, and across the Tasman Sea to Auckland, home of one of the League's newest Clubs, the Football Kingz, the NSL currently comprises 16 teams, and has gone from strength to strength, both on and off the field.
The success stories of the NSL, which was established in 1977, are well documented from record home crowds for new-comers Perth Glory and Northern Spirit .. to back-to-back Champions South Melbourne representing the Oceania region at the inaugural FIFA World Club Championship.
From players of the ilk of Mark Bosnich (formerly Sydney United), Mark Viduka (formerly Melbourne Knights), Ned Zelic (formerly Sydney Olympic & Sydney United), Paul Okon & Steve Corica (formerly Marconi), Kevin Muscat (formerly South Melbourne) and Stan Lazaridis (formerly West Adelaide), to the current crop of tomorrows champions Brett Emerton (LG U-23 Captain & Sydney Olympic), Stephen Laybutt (LG U-23 and Parramatta Power), Vince Grella & Marco Bresciano (LG U-23s and formerly Carlton), Mark Byrnes (LG Joeys captain & Parramatta Power), Wayne Srhoj and Jade North (LG Joeys & Brisbane Strikers) & Louis Brain (LG Joey & Adelaide City) .. all of these players have called and do call the National Soccer League home at one time or another.
The 1999/2000 NSL season will leave Australian soccer fans with many memories another record breaking performance at the gates, with the record 1.2 million spectators, set in the previous season, ready to be broken again guest appearances from greats of the world game .. Ian Rush (Liverpool + Sydney Olympic) .. Peter Beardsley (Newcastle + Melbourne Knights) & Nicola Berti (Internazionale + Northern Spirit) the smashing of the NSL's highest goal tally by Adelaide City and LG Socceroo striker Damian Mori and the emergence of the regionally based teams as forces to be contended with.
This season has also seen the introduction of the League's two newest teams - the Football Kingz and Parramatta Power; it's seen a tally of players reach their own personal milestones and it's seen an increase in media interest across the board, including extensive coverage via C7, the cable arm of Soccer Australia's television partner, the Seven Network, and ABC Television across Australia.
The NSL has also recently forged a partnership with International Entertainment Corporation (IEC).
The deal, which encompasses sponsorship and marketing rights for the NSL, as well as rights to both in-bound and out-bound tours for the National Teams, is the biggest ever in Australian soccer, with IEC pledging to invest some $21 million dollars into the game over the next 7 years.
A two team tussle between South Melbourne & Sydney United saw the Victorians win the Championship in 1999 - with the League counting down it's final rounds into the Top 6 series, and with one of the closest competitions in recent years being run, the first championship of the new millennium is well and truly up for grabs.
------------------
<A HREF="http://www.delije.net
www.dejanstankovic.co.yu" TARGET=_blank>www.delije.net
www.dejanstankovic.co.yu</A>