Join us » Force was integrated into the High Performance Unit of the ARU

Theyre clear favourites to win Tuesday nights World Cup qualifier, but former Brisbane Roar captain Matt Smith has warned the Socceroos might struggle to contain Thailands `Messi.Diminutive playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin, fittingly known as `Messi J, will be Thailands tricky trump card at the Rajamangala National Stadium.Former Socceroos defender Smith, who won three A-League titles the Roar, has himself been on the receiving end of Chanathips cunning game.Smith plays for Thai Premier League outfit Bangkok Glass while Chanathip steered champions Muangthong United to last seasons title.In terms of their attacking strengths, he would be the one the Socceroos would have the most trouble with, Smith said.Hes probably the cleverest, hes very good on the ball technically - he could definitely play at a higher level.He tries to get the ball into the smaller pockets and hes very comfortable linking with players around him.With a name like Messi J he literally floats around.Hell get himself into transition and look to counter-attack pretty quickly.Hes good around the box and he can see a lot in terms of forward runners - and he can finish.Smith expected Thai fans to come out in force on Tuesday, in what will be the first opportunity for the community to show public national support following a 30-day mourning period after the death of their king.Despite Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou predictingThailand would set up defensively, Smith felt their real strength lay in attack.I see it week in, week out, he said.They can defend also, but in terms of picking one over the other they attack very well.Smith was on the sidelines watching Socceroos training over the weekend, taking up a rare opportunity to reunite with former Roar coach Postecoglou.The 34-year-old has been attempting to implement Brisbanes football philosophy at Bangkok Glass, where he is their first foreign captain.The team also has another Australian influence in new coach Aurelio Vidmar, appointed in August after his contract with the Australian national teams wasnt renewed.I think our club is ready for a coach of Aurelios stature, Smith said.Hes settled in well, now weve got a good opportunity in the pre-season to work on stuff hes been trying to implement. 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Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Harrison Butker Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Western Forces radical public ownership initiative has won the approval of Bill Pulver, with the Australian Rugby Union chief executive open to the idea of other Super Rugby franchises adopting the model.RugbyWA announced the ownership model last week to secure the future of the Western Force Super Rugby team ... in direct response to mounting speculation that the [ARU] is planning to cut one of the five Australian Super Rugby franchise teams at the end of the 2017 season due to financial pressure.The model, based on community-ownership principals, such as those that govern Spanish soccer powerhouse Barcelona and Green Bay Packers, is based on the sale of 5000 ownership certificates at a value of $AU1000. The certificates will not be transferrable, except to family members, while owners will be entitled to a range of benefits including voting rights to an advisory committee and the new Western Force board of management and approval of the reappointment of key positions within the Western Force organisation.Pulver said he was encouraged by the efforts coming out of the west.If there is strong financial support for any franchise that gave it a clearly sustainable financial future... Im all ears, The West Australian quoted Pulver as saying. The dialogue thats going on out west is incredibly relevant. If there is some new news that goes to the heart of our financial sustainability I want to hear about it.If there is any new financial news that could impact our final decision, if they are able to find potential partners or plans that result in a more sustainable environment for rugby, thats a great thing. To me it would be an important piece of the overall mix.Pulver told The Australian when asked whether he would like to see Australias other four Super Rugby franchises adopt the model that its one structural option that we would always be prepared to look at.If there is a third party interested in looking at any franchise that would result in greater sustainability, wed be prepared to look at it. [Public ownership] is certainly novel. I dont know that Ive heard of that approach in any other rugby franchise, but if there was a proposal somebody wanted to bring forward, we would certainly have a look at it.The development comes five months after the ARRU and RugbyWA finalised an alliance agreement that would see the Force continue as a West Australian team.dddddddddddd.Under the new agreement, the professional rugby program of the Western Force was integrated into the High Performance Unit of the ARU and all Western Force players and professional rugby staff became employees of the national body. The agreement comes after weeks of planning from both the ARU and RugbyWA as they addressed financial concerns resulting from the challenge of basing a rugby side away from Australian rugbys traditional heartland on the east coast and the changing economic climate in Western Australia, which has affected the clubs bottom line.The ARU and RugbyWA have collectively created a model which we believe will be more sustainable for our Super Rugby organisations in Australia, Pulver said in announcing that alliance.?Ultimately the alliance aims to deliver financial sustainability and improved high performance outcomes for the Western Force.The other really important outcome is that the Western Force will continue to be deeply entrenched in the Perth community. They will continue to have a brand which is unique to them.The Canberra-based Brumbies, meanwhile, are reported to be in discussions with the ARU about forming a financial alliance, with interim chief executive Phil Thomson telling The Australian that his board was undertaking a detailed strategic look at all medium- to long-term options to ensure the financial viability of the Brumbies.The ARU is looking to save money after announcing in April a loss of $AUS9.8 million for 2015 -- up from $AUS6.3 million in 2014.?The increased deficit was the result of having staged only two Tests in Australia in a Rugby World Cup year -- with subsequent impacts on broadcast, sponsorship and match day revenue -- and financial assistance provided to the Melbourne Rebels. The ARU hosts six inbound Tests in a non-World Cup yearARU officials said the financial forecast was stronger than 12 months before, thanks primarily to the 2016-2020 media rights arrangement that delivers an extra $AU170m over five years compared with the previous agreement. ' ' '