I see alot of worried AFL fans claiming that AFL is number 1 and always will be..

There is probably a very important point to make as to why Football will become the number 1 sport in this country in the future… It, simply boils down to immigration. We are set to inherit 1 million new people over the next 3 years. This type of high immigration will continue. In the next 30 years Australia’s immigration could add around 10million people.

Now stay with me.. These immigrants are going to be interested in which sports? AFL? Rugby League? or Football??

This is also not to mention the locals, young parents, preferring their kids play Football, over AFL or Rugby League due to safety concerns.

I am sorry to say, but it is doom in the future for AFL. It will still exist and be popular, but Football will win at the end of the day.

AFL world cup, Australia vs Ireland
NRL World cup Australia vs PNG.

I think you get the idea of the appeals… Not to mention Australian businesses will want to use Football, not AFL, as a tool to impress their Asian counterparts.

I would suggest it will take at least 20 years, from now, for football to start dominating the headlines.

welcome,

welcome,

welcome.

cheers.

btw – bad luck for the doggies on the weekend (actually for Essendon too…….do you realise that North Melb have the best record against the top 5 teams this year!!!)

Redb

The Roar is trying to create an environment where sports fans can discuss and debate sports articles and issues in an informed and respectful environment. Too often too many of you on this thread are inflaming issues or going personal.

We’re also respectful of other codes – if you don’t like a code then keep it to yourself or go to another forum where this is all they talk about.

There are millions of forums out there in which flaming is perfectly normal. This is not what we’re about – so please all step back, and focus on the ball not the person.

Please contact us if you’d like to discuss; but we will start deleting long comments, and comments which are inflammatory.

Cheers,

Zac
The Roar

What are you on about?

Redb

I also suggested in a previous post that you two (with Mr C) would probably be happy to see the Footballroos lose, to which I received no reply (at that time), so It would seem I have jumped to the wrong conclusion.
I’m very happy to learn that you are both supporters of the Footballroos even though you don’t like football.

I watch the AFL occasionaly (sometimes I have no choice over at the in-laws) and am not anti-AFL as an Australian sport, I’m just sick and tired of the way AFL is marketed here and the way the AFL is targeting other codes and using its money to try and buy supporters (and football grounds which are in short supply).

OK Redb,
Sorry Zac, I would just like to make a point about Redb’s last post to me in response to my post before Redb’s post .. Did I mention Les Murray’s name in my last post? No, so yes Redb guilty as charged… Putting Les Murray’s name to a M. Gleeson AFL article to misrepresent Les Murray.. The prosecution rests your honour.. I shall return in a few weeks when the dust settles…

~~~~~~
KB

Article above is from 2006 by AFC boss MBH.
Reading it he indicates that sponsorship for Asian football leagues is out there, but the Leagues themselves are in general not professional enough to attract sponsorship.
Which in my mind is why then, the points rating system earlier this year was introduced to give Asian leagues a shake up.
Also the reason that Asian billionaires were putting their cash into estabilished professional teams in Europe.
MBH is talking here about clubs & sponsorship being mutually satisfying to both parties not hand outs to clubs & rightly so.
The Japanese are ahead of everybody at this stage but I feel Australia with much experience in the commercialisation of sport can be a big contributor also.
Another article, which confirms in my mind that we should be keeping a closer eye on what Urawa Reds & other Asian clubs are doing as much as Melbourne Victory ,if say you were another A-Leagues club supporter.

There ya go with the soccer hooligan approach again, yes AFL posters are outnumbered here.

Mischevious posting? What BS. Go to the World Game website and lookup Les Murray blogs – your not Les Murray are you?

Your kidding re the Storm article, you have been nothing but disingenous about the AFL from day one. You are constantly posting anti AFL rubbish – the shoe is firmly on your foot on that score. At least I’m upfront about my opinion on the Storm (not rugby league in general), I seem to remember many anti Swans comments from you – what’s the difference?

Ask MC the only other AFL blogger from Melbourne on the Roar about your posts of BS.

You should have stayed nestled in your tree

Redb

Yes Redb, all the Rugby folk have made up there minds about you to, and I once was truly an advocate of AFL and all codes to coexists on an equal footing, but alas, it is you who have alienated the support from folk like me with your constant bulling and head bashing … Where ever you go you get caught out, with the “Smell the Fear” slogan coined by Simon Hill.. If you stoped the antagonism like your most recent article on the Storm you may have a little more respect from posters like me. I would dearly love to be positive about AFL.. But no chance while you continually demean other codes like RL and Football..

~~~~~
KB

Redb

Honesty is definitely not your strongest suit. The book wisdom is out of reach to you my furry friend – the light of truth blinds you. Your posts are mistake ridden half truths falsely disguised as gospel.

Your intrepretations of the AFL are highly spurious. You do soccer no favours with your anti AFL rants they just alienate potential cross code fans. Suggest you take a leaf out of Dave, Towser, even Midfielders (sometimes ) book.

Now go and have a nap.

Redb

~~~~~~~
KB

Well just to bring you up to speed larrd; we were so impressed with Scolari’s honesty as we don’t get much of it here on the ROAR .. You know what I mean (Redb & MC). However, we decided ie Roman and I that the “Brazilian one” was our man when he said. ” It’s the money how could I refuse”.. Instead of the usual response of “it’s not about the money” .. One thing we pride ourselves here at the Bridge is Honesty.. Honesty Larrrd..

~~~~~~~
KB

MC,
Yes you can say that the Footballroos and supporters are breeding faster than the rabbits in Australia and spreading into Asia faster then you can order a Chinese takeaway. While the Marn Grook League (love the name) and its yellow brick road has hit a brick wall at Carrara .. I can sympathise with you with the Kangaroo culling as we just went through the process up here not so long ago.. But they never really captured the right to exist nor sympathy of the local farmers; and so eradicated the entire herd at Carrara.. I did try to stop it, but the farmer lobby was too intent and preferred the Gold Coast Auxiliary FC. Andrew has not said much more on that front I believe .. ? Anything coming from Marn Grook Headquarters except for the same old speculation on expansion..? I think Lord Mayor Ron Clarke has said no to redevelopment of Carrara from GC treasury. So any news on that front from MG headquarters I may have missed..? Maybe we are all waiting on the feasibility study being conducted for the 2018/2022 WC bid.?

Midfielder’s article was fascinating.. Do you think it’s all lies.?. ie is Benny lying as usual..? Bloody unAustralian if he is…?

~~~~~~
KB

Dave

Another problem under previous administrations was much “sweeping under the carpet”, if a problem arose.
Referees & refereeing standards has been a major talking point of the first 3 years of the A-League.
Most punters will agree that its not been good enough.
The FFA has taken this on board . See above article.
Although the way its going the song “Tulips from Amsterdam” will be have to be rewritten as ” Clogs from Cloncurry to Carnarvon”.

Keep those articles coming…a great read. Unfortunately nothing in todays Age about it.
Looking forward to the draw coming out for the next round of qualifiers and booking my tickets for the Melbourne game. Hope its one of the big teams and played at the MCG.

KB
Chelski making an attempt on the world record for most coaches in the shortest period of time…The Brazilian One (sounds painful ) will go the way of all the others

Redb

what? that Argentina wear blue and white veritcal stripes so I was almost drawn to hoping they might win…….

yep, shameful.

or that I admitted that I used to go for the West Indies in cricket – - EVEN against Australia….because I didn’t much like Chappell, Lille and Marsh…..

yep, shameful.

or that I prefer Guinness to VB………..

yep, shameful and unAustralian…….

however, I have never lobbied to kill off any of the Socceroos, Aust cricket team, VB or even Holden Commodores………

…….but, I did shoot a ‘roo once down the farm………a little shame about that………….no shame about shoot’n’ the rabbits………………

Soccer players seem to breed like Rabbits……..

Michael C,
– Warrnambool aboriginal for “water between two rivers”, don’t you love these indigenous names I do.. There should be more of an Australiana presence in this great country of ours.. Don’t you think? And what better than having an Indigenous name for the Indigenous game “Grooky” (Marn Grook) I do love the concept, it is unique to Australia, instead of that horrid name the World Game uses “FOOTBALL” yes I can see a great deal of sense in the name change that started with Andrew Dorothy Demetriou’s AFTL.. and his yellow brick road to the northern states. I bet he must be envious of Ben Buckley with all of the good news stories…

As for you being unAustralian I think Jimbo was correct when you had some nasty comment about Patriotism for the Australian National Football Team vs. Argentina National Football Team at the MCG that even surprised Pippinu on the SMH flog… Larrrrd… shameful as I recall…

Midfielder and Towser,
Isn’t it wonderful with the progress the Australian National Football Team is achieving in Asia and more to come.

~~~~~~~
KB
Ps…. back later the cheese and kisses needs a lift …can’t be accuse of running again…

MIdfielder

Link if interested above.

Good to see.
The article just further reinforces what you said.
The word momentum is interesting & is a physics term(see above link).
Ie Momentum = mass times velocity.
The smaller the mass(Oceania) the less the momentum.
The greater the mass (Asia ) the greater the momentum.
Greater speed also increases the momentum. But as the mass(Asian Football) keeps increasing you can keep up a steady velocity(speed) & stilll see the momentum growing because of increasing mass(read dollars political/business influences etc).

And there is more with the FFA out of the red …….. and into the black (BTW good stones song) ………. see smh article today below

Obie One ………. is delivering and all I can say is ……….. Sun Shine Lolly Pops and Sugar Caoted Lemon drops ……….. everyone is happy when …………….. FFA do well.

Roos’ success puts FFA back in the black, with more blockbusters to come

Michael Cockerill

June 18, 2008

FOOTBALL Federation Australia expects to be back in the black by the end of the financial year, thanks to the Socceroos.

Eight months after reporting a staggering $11 million loss for 2006-07, the FFA is on course to return a “modest profit” for 2007-08, according to chief executive Ben Buckley. The FFA annual report is scheduled to be published in late October.

While the Federal Government’s recent election pledge of $32m over the next four years helped to steady the ship, it is the Socceroos’ success in negotiating a tricky first phase of the World Cup qualifying campaign that has provided the icing on the cake. Last weekend’s win against Qatar in Doha ensured progress to the next stage, and with a minimum of four more home qualifiers guaranteed, the FFA expects between $15m and $20m in gate money over the next 12 months.

“In many ways, qualifying for the next stage is priceless,” Buckley said. “Had we not gone through, it would have stymied a lot of the good work we’ve been doing over the last year. But now we’ve got such a positive atmosphere around the game, and that will trickle down from the Socceroos, to the A-League, and down to the grassroots.

“In pure financial terms, obviously it’s a windfall. We’ve now got a minimum of four blockbusters to continue to build our profile. Depending on where you play those games, that’s around $4m-5m in gate money for each match. When we did the financials this time last year, we were confident the fans would come to the [World Cup] games, but we’ve been delighted with the way they’ve responded.

“We’ve had two virtual sell-outs in Melbourne and Brisbane, and we’re on course for another good crowd [against China] in Sydney this weekend. And things are looking even better for the next round, because the opposition will be bigger and better.

“That means that after taking away all the investments we’re making in the development of the game, we’re now looking at making a modest profit. We’ll be out of the red, which is a pretty big turnaround in a year.”

Football’s financial resurgence is especially timely in the light of suggestions this week from former FFA chief executive John O’Neill that Australia’s ultra-competitive sporting marketplace means the four football codes are heading for a day of reckoning.

Buckley believes that while all four codes can survive “in some shape of form”, the world game is now much better placed to flourish against the competition. He has just returned from the Middle East, where Federal Government trade officials used the presence of the Socceroos for networking opportunities – a further sign of the game’s growing corporate appeal.

“I think there are challenges ahead for all of us – let’s face it, we have an incredibly competitive sporting landscape in Australia,” he said. “But I don’t see why all codes can’t survive in some shape or form. I certainly believe football will be around for a long time to come … we do feel well positioned.

“We’ve got a great participation base, we have a strong national footprint, without the geographical bias of other codes, we have both men and women playing in large numbers, and we are the most international of all the codes. Those are all fantastic building blocks for the future.”

Asked whether he felt football’s recent resurgence had spooked rival codes, Buckley replied: “I wouldn’t say spooked, but I do know that five or 10 years ago, the other professional sports weren’t as concerned as they are now.”

Meanwhile, more than 68,000 tickets have already been sold for Sunday’s “dead rubber” between Australia and China, and FFA officials are confident the crowd for the final game of the first group stage will nudge 70,000.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek is expected to announce his squad today, with a host of regulars tipped to be given a rest. China, who are already eliminated, arrive in Sydney tomorrow. there is more from smh today ………….. we are out of the red ………. good read………

Not long after I migrated(40 years ago) and started to take an interest in the development of football in Australia I realised what was the main reason it was not developing. The main one being & I quote yourself “this is why it’s so bloody great to be in Asia, we are getting regular meaningful games”. There were none in the sense of those in other confederations. I even wrote letters to the then ASF stating this point as well as the need for a National league.
I didnt envisage the hot potch that became the NSL.
I stopped writing to the ASF after a few years As I realised that it was a brick wall job for 2 reasons.
One in Oceania there were no countries of sufficient standard to provide meaningful games(NZ maybe the exception but only just) & two I was writing to a bunch of incompetent imbeciles(And I’m being kind there). Now whether it was a chicken & egg situation whereby the administrators of football became incompetent because of the confederation we were located in & could do sweet FA to improve the game or were just plain icompetent we’ll never know & its open to debate anyway.
Regardless today the line “regular meaningful games” at International & club domestic level should have a shrine somewhere in FFA headquarters.

you can beg if you think it would help with your distorted views of the world.

We are often bombarded with wonderful notions of the ‘Australian Outback’ – - yet, how many of us live there, or even visit it more than once a decade.

We are often bombarded with images of the Great Barrier Reef – - but again, how many people holiday in Bali instead

We are all fully aware of the Kangaroo and Emu on the coat of arms, yet, how many people see one on a daily/weely/monthly basis (btw – we have Roos and Emus down the ‘farm’ in East Gippy)

So – -

it holds that people can be justly proud of the Socceroos and yet NOT follow the game in general

it holds that people can be justly proud of the unique little game of Aust Footy and yet NOT live in a dominantly AFL state

any argument to the contrary is simply being contrary for arguments sake.

- – - – - – -

now, with respect to naming conventions,

the challenge is on in earnest for the GC17 name, they’ve gone public, and very soon the GC soccer side will be doing a similar exercise,

based on one Mr KB, I’d suggest the soccer side should be the Gold Coast Prawns or the Gold Coast Auxillary

btw -

KB – Warrnambool.

aboriginal for “water between two rivers”,

KB -

congratulations that the Socceroos are on a par with Megan Gale for potential for business luncheons………

No one has ever questioned the Socceroos.

that they do well is perhaps of concern to the Wallabies should the Socceroos become the preferred national team,

however, at various times the Wallabies will serve a valuable conduit for such activities,

there’s always the ‘potential’ flow on benefits – - – and then there’s the ‘actual’ flow on benefits………….

….a bit like how the Japanese forecast $25b benefits from co-hosting the FIFA WC, and the reality was more around the $4b mark……………

………….it’s funny,

a few of us AFL types just pondered dreamily what might, possibly, happen with Aust Footys cute little growth ‘explosion’ (a term used in very ‘relative’ terms) overseas, that sees us contemplate an IC tournament this year with a likely 50% increase in competing nations.
We realise theres a major gap between reality and actuality, we aren’t silly…………..

……….and yet, when the soccer folk go on using these Tim Harcourt comments as something ‘absolute’, and we question the ‘absoluteness’ of it – - we become ‘un-Australian’????

I thought it WAS very Australian to bring people back a notch or two, stop letting people get too carried away with unachieved and yet to be designed outcomes.

So – KB – live in your airy fairy dreamy world basking on the warmth of days to come……………….