By Jesse Fink
May 2nd 2008 @ 3:43am
Super 14 tipping now live for sign-ups. Join now and invite your mates..
---------------
Liberté, egalité, fraternité and, er, Frank Farina
Blimey. For the second time in a week, I find myself agreeing with Frank Farina. WTF is going on?
Help shape the Roar by completing our survey (Roar t-shirts and caps on offer)
Soon we’ll be mates. Hanging out, playing computer games and chugging beer with Arnie, Kossie and Cocko. Have I completely lost the plot? Perhaps.
The more likely explanation is Farina is just a smarter cookie than he lets on. (Shame about the Paddy’s Markets ads, then, because he looks like a goose).
Farina came out all guns blazing on Wednesday, using News Limited journo Tom Smithies to vent his feelings about the cult of blandness afflicting Football Federation Australia and his concerns about his right to express an honest opinion without being slugged with a heavy fine and sent to Abu Ghraib for a course of mental correction.
“It almost seems like [the FFA] want to control everything - what you say, what you do, maybe even what you think… punters don’t want to read boring stuff all the time, but the way it is at the moment you can only say positive things. It almost seems like a dictatorship… it got to the stage last year where at a press conference, before there were any questions, I told the media that unless they were ones I could answer in a positive way, or put praise on someone, then they needn’t bother asking them.
“The classic was when Branko Culina just kept saying ‘no comment’ in a post-match interview. I’m not saying it should be a free-for-all but you have to be able to express your opinion.”
Farina is absolutely right. I might loathe certain personalities within the game, I might think whatever they say is rubbish (I usually do) but by god I want them to feel able to express themselves freely and without fear. Coaches, players, whoever, should have every right to criticise aspects of the game, decisions, personalities, so long as that criticism does not pass over into defamation.
The lifeblood of a sport like football is debate. It’s what fuels most of my social life, as I’m sure it does yours. I wake up most mornings, check the net, head to my local café with my laptop and soon become embroiled in lengthy discourses with all manner of people – homeless, well heeled, young, old - about football-related happenings that took place in the 24 hours prior.
We can go on for hours.
Football binds me to a community, which I love. I feel a part of something special. And the same sort of thing is going on in cafes, parks, offices, elevators, car parks, you name it, everywhere. Football is a game for thinkers, pontificators and conspiracy theorists. It’s what makes following it so fun.
But if the FFA gets its way – a code of conduct is reported to be in the works banning coaches from making negative comments about any aspect of the game or its administration – the colour of the game will start seeping away, just as it did with the AFL and NRL when peabodies in grey suits began whacking guys like Leigh Matthews and Ricky Stuart every time they opened their mouths to question a referee’s performance or a particular decision.
Press conferences, once so vital to those of us reporting on sport, became utterly worthless. And as they became bland, so sports news became bland.
Is it any wonder that real sports fans are turning more and more to sites like The Roar to get what they aren’t being offered in the mainstream press? Namely, independent opinion free of the spectre of self-censorship.
Who really bothers to read newspaper columns by serving coaches any more, knowing full well they are becoming increasingly muzzled on what they can say?
This is a retrograde step by the FFA. As I wrote in my book, 15 Days in June, about the federation’s notoriously fractious relationship with SBS, “In the FFA’s ideal world, every football commentator would be Lee Furlong and every football journalist would be a 19-year-old AAP cadet. But it doesn’t work that way in football. Football people are passionate. Success doesn’t mean that criticism simply has to stop. Criticism can be as constructive as it is confrontational.”
Criticism is also a freedom. Farina is right to stand his ground. Let’s not turn Australian football into a dictatorship.
Complete our online survey
Complete our online survey (with a chance to win Roar caps and T-shirts)
Super 14 tipping now live for sign-ups. Join now and invite your mates.
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(16)
Loading ...
Midfielder said | May 2nd 2008 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Jes
It’s a two edged sword, while I agree with the general ethos of your article, there does need to be some limits. Muzzle is not the answer but where, if at all do you draw the line, and who is the judge.
Kazama said | May 2nd 2008 @ 9:45am | Report comment
“…a code of conduct is reported to be in the works banning coaches from making negative comments about any aspect of the game or its administration…”
Sounds like something out of 1984 or A Clockwork Orange. The referees will be able to get away with any mistake now, because no one except for us ‘meaningless’ fans will be able to say anything about it. Until, that is, they start sending us to indoctrination centres in an effort to stamp out unruly crowd behaviour (a.k.a. passion).
“Is it any wonder that real sports fans are turning more and more to sites like The Roar to get what they aren’t being offered in the mainstream press? Namely, independent opinion free of the spectre of self-censorship.”
That’s why I’m here. I like being able to speak my mind without fear of having my comments banned, edited or otherwise manipulated. I think this is something everyone should be allowed, whether they be players, coaches, journos or fans. IMO, the (still young and naive) FFA cannot evolve as an organisation if no one is allowed to criticise its mistakes. No one will learn anything from press conferences full of statements like “no comment,” “I have no opinion” and “I did not see the incident.”
Spiro Zavos said | May 2nd 2008 @ 9:58am | Report comment
The only restraint on anyone, players, owners, officials, coaches, journalists, referees and fans - all the stakeholders, in fact - should be the laws of defamation and some good taste. this should be enough in australia, as the defamation laws and the well-furnished lawyers who feed off them, are very stringent.
Jesse has identified an important restraint of free speech that all the football codes, and other sports like cricket, apply despite the fact that this is an attack on natural justice. Why shouldn’t a player or a coach or a referee explain their position strongly and sometimes aggressively when they believe an injustice or an act of incompetence has been done.
This is a power play by the football officials, who are ready enough to vent their spleen when they feel like it. But no one else. The various Players’ Associations should contest this whole business, although I wouldn’t hold me breathe over this. Recently I contacted a manager of a number of players with a view to interviewing some of his stars. ‘It depends on what you want to write about them,’ he replied. With this sort of tendency towards censorship in play it’s no wonder the football authorities are emboldened to cut down on free speech.
Keep the pressure on them, Jesse.
Manfred the Milko said | May 2nd 2008 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Mark to Linesman 1 - “Did you see the handball ?”
Linesman 1 - “Yes it was a handball”
Mark to Linesman 2 - “Did you see it ?”
Linesman 2 - “Didn’t see it”
Mark to Linesman 2 - “We’ll go by your report then”
NO WONDER DANNY HIT HIM.
FFA have kept this one quiet. They have had “muzzles” on players, coaches, licensed agents, staff, officials, since the deli boy took the reins.
They have a file a foot thick on one A-League coach, but they have “fostered” the rebirth of his career.
They are aware of a national coaching staff member acting as a player agent.
The Vukovic decision was against FIFA statutes.
Perth are a shambles.
All we get from College Street is spin.
Bring back Labbo.
Cpaaa said | May 2nd 2008 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
the leash is on the coaches but if they stuck together as coaches ” all for one and one for all ” then they would have the power. as a group they could seriously bring the game into disrepute, there is… only 8 of them. (strike against theffa if u must)
i wanna see kozzie blow his top, i wanna hear farina speak his mind, we live in a democracy and football is no different.
coaches should be able to develop personalities and become public figures like players. who is australias alex ferguson and Mourninos. this they can only do by speaking their mind and being themselves…..sure they might cop a fine now and again but thats life.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 2nd 2008 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Whilst the notion of free speech is an important pillar in the operation of our society, there is also a level of responsibility that accompanies access to the media and this is something that needs to be taken into consideration. As a journalist, Jesse, you will be well aware of the need to be provocative but fair, even in opinion pieces. Coaches, players and other officials do have far greater access to media than most pundits and hence are in a position to influence opinion without having the understanding of the ethics behind usage of such media. If the media is used too often to vent frustration, as opposed to constructive criticism, then an unfairly negative view of referees and officials eventuates which may be detrimental to the game.
Muzzling those engaged in the game is not the answer though nor is open season on referees and officials. There needs to be parameters for behaviour by those who are seen to represent clubs and organisations engaged in the A-League. This should be accompanied by (and hopefully already is) training on dealing with the media and the rationale and capacity for constructive criticism. It appears from the piece written by Jesse that the pendulum may have swung too far in the direction of acquiescence which is unhelpful, however freedom to vent is not the answer. If those engaged in football wish to express themselves without fear or favour then they will probably have to stop taking the cheques and leave the paid employ of the A-League, just like the rest of us with jobs would have to do if we wanted to comment publicly on our employers. Football is like life after all.
Steve Kaless said | May 2nd 2008 @ 7:40pm | Report comment
Good point Jesse.
The A-League has had a dream run so far in terms of positive coverage, very few people have wanted to say anything negative with most football journalists so relieved to have a proper competition to report they have asked “how high” when the FFA have asked them to jump.
I see it is a mark of its maturity, with people really caring about the new franchises obviously the passion and then the anger will increase so the FFA had better get used to dealing with flak when people aren’t happy.
Just brushing stuff under the carpet and pretending it doesn’t happen never works in the long run.
Salvation said | May 2nd 2008 @ 7:55pm | Report comment
A tantalising piece of media, J, i agree totally, Let’s hope that the “sterilising” of the HAL ends this season. It’s unhealthy, but so is Sodsmina putting the choker on Muscky.
But there is a decent middle ground to be had, and it is my hope that Farina may find it, for our sake and that of the league.
cosmos forever said | May 2nd 2008 @ 9:39pm | Report comment
Salvation, Ben, Midfielder - you are talking about judgement of taste not what is appropriate or not. Your taste or values might say people shouldn’t go too far but my value set says that without unbridled critique and debate not sport or organisation can grow.
If people go too far they will either be pulled up by Spiro’s lawyers or lose credibility with the punters like us.
I’d rather dismiss deliberately controversial and small minded rent a quotes than have to assume every quote is a stage managed rent a quote.
‘Brand’ has become a euphemism for control and I don’t like it. But, FFA is affiliated with FIFA (and aspiring to be the AFL) so I guess I can’t expect much more than an pathetic ‘code of conduct’…
Towser said | May 3rd 2008 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
There are ways around everything.
Whats to Stop Frank Farina or any coach in any sport aquiring a special friend who sits alongside them at press conferences.
For football, preferably a very big loud obnoxious male supporter with several schooners behind him.
Journalist ” what did you think of the Ref today Frank”
Frank “Over to Big Red”
Big Red ” he was a Complete Expletive Expletive a blind expletive. Expletive wanker couldnt spot that handball in front of his expletive nose. FFA should have expletive stocks so we(supporters) can throw expletive rotten tomatoes at the pathetic expletives after a bad performance”
Big Red slumps to the floor.
Frank Farina ” Thanks once again ladies & gentleman”
Then departs.
Salvation said | May 3rd 2008 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Maybe Frank whould have a “Mr Hand” …
http://www.ventriloquism101.com/products/ventriloquism101.htm
Spiro Zavos said | May 3rd 2008 @ 10:50pm | Report comment
I hope Jesse’s piece on the muzzling of the football stakeholders has an influence on the A-League bosses. We don’t want football joining, say, the IOC and the Olympic movement in general in establishing a culture of official secrecy designed to intimidate critics and cover-up blatant mistakes.
Jacquelin Magnay of the SMH sports department, one of the best sports journalists in Australia, has an interesting piece on Saturday on the secrecy surrounding Nick D’arcy’s appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport Appeal. Darcy is applying for the strict confidentiality provisions of the CAS to be upheld so that the public and journalists don’t know anything about the date, venue or result of the hearing. The CAS, according to Magnay, won’t even confirm if an appeal has been lodged. It won’t the panel’s decisions so the public will not know officially if D’Arcy wins or loses.
This sort of entrenched secrecy - which is a conspiracy against the public’s right to know - is easy and convenient for officials to create.
Keep up the pressure Jesse to save football from a similar secrecy culture.
NUFCMVFC said | May 4th 2008 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
Generally agree with the essence of the article, while there is a need to obviously ensure we are cultured and don’t put people off through being seen to be bickering, and to a degree referees do need some protection so ensure we have a supply of them
But one of the issues we have now is that we are being run by Business Sports Administrators, applying business technicques etc, as part of that they like to attract sponsors and outspoken and controversial comments can have a negative impact on the “brand” of the A League and put off sponsors.
At the heart of the issue I think is that people are trying to “minimise business risk”, but it has swung too far in the oppressive direction so people can only say cliched rubbish and things are becoming quite bland and “plastic”
This cretes problems also in terms of the FFA falling out of touch of everything outside of Sydney and constructive criticism being stifled or given no platform or basically ignored, and a burying of the heads in the sand occurs and issues aren’t resolved
Salvation said | May 4th 2008 @ 6:32pm | Report comment
On an aside, Manfred, anyone … With Vukovic’s faux pas, didn’t sasho also “hit” the ref…??? i am confused… could anyone help me with this?
Manfred the Milko said | May 6th 2008 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Apparently Sash didn’t “strike” and no action was taken.
As there was no yellow, the reason Griffiths got off … why didn’t Sash get bailed up by FFA for what he DID do ?
Hypocrisy.
The HAL disciplinary processes are partially dictated by marketing influences.
DISGRACE.
john said | May 26th 2008 @ 6:57pm | Report comment
I don’t understand why Central Coast was allowed to get away with criticizing refs via journalists at the end of last season but Frank got fined. The rules should be the same for all.
Do you think your header ‘Roar’ causes confusion with Queensland Roar given that you write about the A-League?