Though the A-League may now supply as many players for the Socceroos as any other league, Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop said that an int'l break "won't be coming any time soon," according Sebastian Hassett of THE AGE. Six players from the domestic competition were selected by Coach Holger Osieck in his 23-man squad for the game, "a figure that's only set to rise in coming years given the rapid evolution of the A-League." Most professional leagues around the world comply with the mandated FIFA int'l dates "by providing the weekend off for the domestic competition." Central Coast Mariners Coach Graham Arnold "has been particularly eager for the idea to be implemented in Australia." Arnold is one of many critics who believes that "the A-League's integrity is compromised by having various kick-off times for games in the final round, giving some clubs a big advantage in knowing what they need to do to secure a place in the play-offs." But Gallop also knocked that idea on the head, saying that "the games would cancel each other out for exposure." Gallop: "We need to continue to play our games in timeslots where we get maximum exposure. And playing all our games in one timeslot is not going to do that" (THE AGE, 3/29).
