Adelaide United’s sweet timing

By Millster
September 26th 2008 @ 7:01am

Loading ...

Over the next week, some 150,000 live fans will see the grand finals of the two domestic winter codes in Australia - AFL and NRL - and countless conjecture will be consumed on the basis of those two games.

The timing of Adelaide United’s result at Hindmarsh is, in this context, nothing short of perfect.

Because, when the dust settles, the 17,000 souls who attended the ACL fixture on a Wednesday night attended what is head-and-shoulders the most important club sports result of the year (and I would argue ever) in the land.

Irrespective of what happens in the two domestic competitions on the next two weekends, those results are an end in themselves.

The finals being played are proud, major traditions no doubt. But they are also revealed by Adelaide United’s success for what they really are - the pinnacle of insular closed suburban competitions with no greater stage, no external measure of absolute standards, and no context beyond the internal histories of the two codes.

In a practical sense, once the final hooters sound, both codes will switch to a period of hiatus most notable for administrative shufflings (drafts, player movements, salary cap wranglings) primarily intended to ensure that the competitions are re-levelled for the next season and the spoils of winning are not institutionalised within the successful clubs. Then, it just starts over again.

In stark, glorious contrast, humble Adelaide with its $1.7m player roster and still embryonic history took it to the champion club (boasting a $22m roster and notable internationals) in the strongest league in the continent and came out on top.

They already were in uncharted waters for Australian club sports, and their adventure continues on behalf of all of us who seek something beyond what the dominant codes have offered us for the last century.

There is infinitely more meaning, more external validity, more merit in what Adelaide achieved last night than what will go on for the next couple of weeks.

Thank you Adelaide for doing us so proud. Thank you Adelaide for flying the flag for an Australian club sports on a stage that is truly significant, and truly competitive.

And thank you for giving us a dream that, for once, really means something. It is you, and only you, that have created history in late September 2008.

Recently popular

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...

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 9:08am | Report comment

Agree with all that you have said Millster. It will be interesting to see if the rest of the Australian sports media get on board with the Adelaide United story (once there respective codes finals are finished)…as you say it is a real sporting David v Goliath in every sense of the term. This is what the sports media crave in terms of something new, exciting, involving an Australian team full of Aussie’s in the biggest game of all. underdog spirit to win against the odds etc etc. From what l hear Adelaide are on board but what about the rest of Oz?

Redb said | September 26th 2008 @ 9:18am | Report comment

Millster,

Your claim of the most important club game is out of touch with reality and AFL fans are accused of hubris.

Redb

Pippinu said | September 26th 2008 @ 10:01am | Report comment

Millster
this would have been a good read, if it wasn’t for the fact that followed on directly after Eamonn’s exaggerated piece on the exploits of AU.

As I’ve just written elsewhere, I won’t be cheering to loudly for AU, because it’s MV’s birthright to be the first Australian club to win the ACL - and we will be!

AGO74 said | September 26th 2008 @ 10:27am | Report comment

I’m with Redb on this one. Be careful boys. I don’t mind AFL, but it is definitely full of itself. I love the A-League and the result the other night was fantastic for its progress, but don’t get too carried away and leave yourself open to the same accusation you throw at other codes such as AFL.

jimbo said | September 26th 2008 @ 10:33am | Report comment

Millster,
there have been some notable achievements for Aussie football in the past few years and the history making and record breaking events just keep coming and we all (all Australians) have good reason to be very proud of what we have achieved.

Certainly Adelaide’s victory is one of the greatest achievements for club football in this country, but will be tempered by peoples sporting likes, dislikes and biases in this great sporting nation of ours.

Pip,
no reason why AU can’t go on and win the ACL title this year. They have a very good home and away record in Cup competition and they have just beaten the Japanese League and Cup champions and the tournament favourites.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 10:52am | Report comment

If you going to pay out AFL
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right

If we want to be number 1 sport in Australia. Going out and attacking AFL and Australian “Insularity” is not going to get us there. Significance of sports and the achievement doesn’t always has to be level of international competitions. People are not obliged to like a sport because it is globally popular. If you don’t like the game then why should you care how far Adelaide go despite the level of international competition, financial disparity etc. The reason why AFL grand final will get more coverage then Adelaide involvement is not because of insularity. I happen to believe Australia is quite a successful multicultural society and respectful and open to ther cultures. It’s because of different taste.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 11:00am | Report comment

YEs to me it is the most important sporting event of the year. Nevertheless thats because I’m a massive Football fan. I don’t want to impose that thinking to other people.

Just be happy that Australian Football is getting coverage and respect than it ever has. That’s only going to get even better as year goes by.

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 11:13am | Report comment

Well said DaSilva -

I so often get sick of the ‘cultural cringe’ that some people feel towards Australia that they always want to measure themselves by some notion of international superiority.

“there have been some notable achievements for Aussie football in the past few years ”

Yep, another season of record crowds and club memberships……

….the steps forward of the International Cup ‘08………

…GC17 coming closer to fruition……

there’s nothing quite like good old ‘Aussie Football’…………

btw - Then, it just starts over again.

all ‘competitions’ - once completed, tend to ‘just start over again’…………….the ACL will, the FIFA WC will, it just goes on and on, finish one 1 year period, or 4 year period, whatever cycle is in place…………..and it just starts over again……………….that’s how it works!!!!!

btw - the pinnacle of insular closed suburban competitions with no greater stage, no external measure of absolute standards, and no context beyond the internal histories of the two codes

‘closed suburban competitions’??? what, no P&R, is that your problem? Suburban? Across the country. Do you prefer contrived one city one ‘team’ privately owned franchises to clubs the grew from suburban origins?
No greater stage? THe NRL are about to embark on their World Cup, they have a club champions match each year with the premier playing the superleague premier. They have a ‘greater stage’…………….for all that it matters.
No context beyond the ‘internal histories’…………………gosh……….for me, I like seeing that the US REvolution Players on their first night in Australia charged off to Telstra Dome and saw St.Kilda playing……..for a few of the members of this all American side (no Aussies) this was great, because, St.Kilda is their team…………..so, if it matters that St.Kilda only has an ‘internal history’, well, they have now got global appeal and global context - - - not huge, but, growing………….and, in that market, they only compete with 15 other AFL teams - - -not a whole world of soccer sides. So, sometimes an insular and internalised structure and history is something that might stand like a beacon, a lighthouse, that stands out from the ocean of soccer sameness that surrounds it.

cheers
(now, back to work - let’s see if I can get this code to fall over again!!!)

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 11:56am | Report comment

First time i have seen M.C mention league in a “well” lets say minor shining example. Sorry Millster, your historic feat has largely gone un-noticed by the genaral public, why, because the footy finals are on, and also because there is not to many people who rate japan as a sporting capital. Or asia for that matter. Its the truth, people think this way, if you cant beat them in football then football has a problem, no other code. Aussies like to think that we are the sporting giants just like the yanks think this way, afl dominates, league dominates, union dominates, almost, and football seems to be moving to asia.

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 12:29pm | Report comment

oikee -

common foes create unusual allies…….

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 12:40pm | Report comment

Millster,
your last paragraph says it all, and of course we the Football Family are totally in agreement with you .. No one thought in their wildest dreams that the “Australian National Football Team” could get within 3 matches to win the FIFA World Cup .. Adelaide United have progressed to the ACL semi finals and stand a very good chance to progress through to the final and to take it out ..

I believe that it is achievable and there after the “FIFA World Club Cup tournament against the best club sides in the world .. Could the Reds pull that off– extremely unlikely. However, to be in the same company of clubs like Man U and others will surly be the best career moment for the Adelaide lads could hope for in their club careers.. Nevertheless, win lose or draw; the lads I’m sure will give it their best shot to win against all the odds .. They are full time professionals now, and this means anything is possible once you are in a tournament of that stature. A goal against the run of play can win the most important tournament for you in the world.. We’re with you lads .. btw Millster a double cheer from me..

~~~~~~~~
KB

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 12:50pm | Report comment

MC and oikee in bed together…who would have thought???

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 12:52pm | Report comment

‘really means something’

that’s subjective.

It’s a bit of a ‘if a tree falls in a forest’ type thing………..the history is only important to as many people as A. care, B. can convince others to care or C. care about whether anyone else cares.

Late September 2008 - - there’s a lot of history being created - - -and on the front of Ade Utd, the vast majority of Australia who are caught up in NRL and AFL finals - - probably to them, Ade Utd is that tree in the forest for which they don’t care.

But, as for the care factor amongst how many Uzbekistanis are we going to measure our self worth by?????? Gawd, what lows we’ve taken ourselves to…………..a club from Adelaide makes the back page of the Uzbeki major daily and we jump up and down and claim ‘landmark historic occassion’!!!! Whoopee………..

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 12:56pm | Report comment

Adelaide’s win plus the other ACL QFinal results and vision were shown as one of the leads on BBC World Sport and EuroSport Channel News. Both of those have tens of millions of viewers around the world!!!! Now thats a real whooopeee

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:02pm | Report comment

Yep, Dave - - that’s great.

How many of those 10s of millions probably thought big ‘whoop’ and were waiting for the news on Aston Villa, AC Milan, Read Madrid etc etc.

Look - - I’ll draw an analogy of where I’m coming from.

For many Americans, if you ask them to nominate there most famous Australian movie, how many would put forward ‘Crocodile Dundee’.

And, would you figure then that our cinematic history therefore should only include that which gained overseas attention/acclaim/audiences etc.

Of course not.

We have a far, far richer internal cinemtic history - - but, according to the logic of some, we should only write in our history books of the movies that gained an audience in Uzbekistan or Japan or France.

And that’s absolute rot.

At least, I think it is, I reckon we have a great domestic cinematic history. Telling our stories, living our adventures, creating our communities - - that’s OUR INTERNAL history and it actually means a hell of a lot more than what some soccer fan in Uzbekistan or Japan deduces from a 20 second splash of action (what? one goal, how many angles did they show?).

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:10pm | Report comment

Ok michael C

I think you gone too far there.

I’m quite sure this results send shock waves throughout Asia and not just Uzbekistan, including the superpowers of Asia such as Japan. Anyone who follows Asian Football would have been shocked by that result. Urawa reds (the biggest club in Asia) will probably think Adelaide are one of the biggest threats for the ACL. THat is an achievement. That match signifies the rise of Australian football and some respect.

I don’t know what is the reaction are in other states but in Adelaide it is fairly big news (admittantly because Adelaide Crows and Port Power are knocked out in the AFL). On talk back radio I hear people calling in saying that they are normally not soccer fans but came in and watch the match and was so entertained by it that they consider attending some A-league matches. This match may actually have converted some fans in to football. If that is true then that I will consider that to be the greatest significance of that victory.

True Tah said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:15pm | Report comment

Outside of Japan, would it be fair to say that the bulk of the futbol (and therefore sporting) interest is taken up by European futbol and not in the local leagues?

I know in Singapore, the no. 1 sport is futbol, but the local league is not well attended, do the Vietnamese, Thais, Indonesians, Burmese, Taiwanese, Filippinos, Laotians and Cambodians take more interest in their local league clubs (which compete in the ACL) or in EPL leagues?

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:19pm | Report comment

“How many of those 10s of millions probably thought big ‘whoop’ and were waiting for the news on Aston Villa, AC Milan, Read Madrid etc etc.”

Actually I’m happy that no one cares about them.

I see them as the greatest threat to A-league.

Culture is not something that is static and stays the same forever. I always believe that every thing you do today determines the history and culture in the future. That’s why I see Adelaide UTD are pioneers not just in the international sense but in a local sense as well. So far there are a lot of people who don’t care about what Adelaide does in the ACL but that is always slowly changing. Adelaide Utd performance and getting people in Adelaide to get behind this team creating INTERNAL history is the greatest achievement of this team. When you have people who normally don’t watch football call in and say it was a great night then that means more to me then international recognition.

I feel 50 years in the future. People will look back at this match as one of many watershed moments in Football influence in AUstralia. We haven’t reach that mass mainstream yet but if we do then the pioneers from Adelaide would have played a large role in it (a long with the Soccerroos of course).

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:25pm | Report comment

Just because we have a strong local AFL code likewise doesnt mean we cant celebrate and enjoy victories in another code which has an international flavour. In our lifetime football will never surpass the AFL in Melb, Adel etc for media, crowds etc on any consistent basis but there will be times when it shines and deserves to be the no 1 story and gain some deserved attention. At this time of the year it is difficult to get such recognition due to finals in other codes taking the spotlight…however at least in football there will be recognition from the outside looking in and so BBC, Eurosports, ESPN Asia all become very important in the bigger picture. It may just be the AU gain some international sponsorship or are invited to take part in a wealthy tournament in Asia or the Middle East or players from those regions say hey looks a good place to go and play etc etc So there is more interest from outside the country than in it. The reverse obviously occurs for AFL.
In a sense it is almost ironic that such a big victory occurs at this time of the year when the rest of Oz dont really care. l am sure more attention outside of Adelaide will be shown should they win again in October because as you have said many times not much is going on in the sporting arena.
BTW Doesnt mean Oz will be seen o/s as the country in which AU beat the Japanese team. But it is important to gain such recognition particulrly in Asia as that is where it matters in such a global enterprise.

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:36pm | Report comment

True Tah

No doubt many Asians enjoy Euro football and shun their local leagues jeez where have l heard that before. However when it comes down to the finals/knockout stages interest spikes and this is the significance of AUs victory. Watchiny highlights of Urawa Reds win in Japan with 60,000 spectators decked in red sends a tingle down the spine. This is now big time and there will be huge interest from here…l hope AU vs Urawa Reds as a dream final. Check out the little clip of their home support;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XWnK2wFI0o&feature=related

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:44pm | Report comment

Dave -

at no point have I said anything other than good luck to Adelaide United - - however - - there’s a bit of over hyped gushing going on - - such that MVFC supporters (and Vics who just traditionally can’t support Adelaide in anything) are being told we should be ‘justly proud’ of Adelaide Uniteds achievements…………

………….that is as grating as all this rot in the papers about ‘Victorians celebrate’ because we have 2 Vic teams in the AFL GF - - - who cares if it’s not your own side, most of us probably find ourselves supporting the team we least hate!!!! Does that mean we’re going to walk away full of pride in their achievements??? ‘course not!!!

And the simple fact that there’s an international flavour - - is that alone supposed to make me celebrate Adelaide doing well? I know to you it is reflective of the strength of the HAL and all that - - - that’s a code specific broader issue. But, to people OUTSIDE of that code - that code specific broader issue doesn’t come into it.

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 1:58pm | Report comment

DAve -

re October - -
certainly true - - timing is everything.

Always.

It’s not always what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in what ever justified grand scheme of things - - it’s still about ‘timing’.

The irony, that article showing that the FFA are holding their marketing monies up their sleeve for the end of AFL and NRL seasons -
says 2 things -

1. a recognition that many of their attendees/supporters are cross code type people for whom their HAL soccer clubs are ‘2nd string’

2. that they under estimated Adelaide Uniteds chances OR that they realise that the ACL is still in it’s infancy and doesn’t really carry any serious marketplace ‘currency’ just yet

or perhaps a 3rd??

3. too great a focus on the ACL might actually serve to detract from the HAL and that isn’t in the interests of the FFA whilst the HAL is in it’s early evolution, especially this tricky consolidation phase combined with expansion - - - which reeks of double ended burning candles.

Dave said | September 26th 2008 @ 2:05pm | Report comment

If AU had won it 3 years in a row then sure other supporters would be a little blase about it…however it is the 1st time such a feat has been achieved…with the promise of more to come. You know a bit of a sporting fairytale, David v Goliath situation. Football people should celebrate this achievement together as we as a group havent had many great successes in the past to crow about. There may well be a feeling that AU are trailblazing for others to follow just as ManU did for English clubs in Europe in the 1950s or (the closest thing l could think of in AFL terms) WCE did for interstate AFL clubs when they won in 1992…there is no longer any reason to feel inferior and so on.

Michael C said | September 26th 2008 @ 2:13pm | Report comment

yep - - -and certainly, if they manage to go all the way - - it’ll be a nice sporting fairytale as you say…….good luck to them…………..but, it doesn’t change that key fact that to most of us Victorians that they are a Sth Aussie club!!!!…………………it’s like for some poeple Holden vs Ford…………………………

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 2:32pm | Report comment

Dave, thats the sadest thing (video) i have ever seen, they are not a comunist country are they? it looked like a rehearsal to the olimpic games. God help australia if we ever get to this situation. Gee thats sad. I am looking forward to the riots though.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:01pm | Report comment

Dave, i dont know if you are from Aderlaide, but, if you are here is a video from Suncorp just to show you what your missing out on, and these guys dont kick a ball around with there feet after doing this. Congratulations Aderlaide, good luck in Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_BCKZqDLUM

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:03pm | Report comment

oikee,
if the Broncos had that sort of support you may well still be in it. I think Lockyer would have loved that fanatical support last week to get them over the line… You can’t be serious with your last statement.?. Nothing sad about it, except if your team goes out because you didn’t have the 14th player — as they say in football .. Your home ground should be a fortress… Oh when did Japan become communist country comrade..

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:11pm | Report comment

Koala you are kidding aren’t you, the broncos got over 50 thousand to there last game and the crowd rides the wave of excitement, they dont sing, they dont dance they just follow the excitement, so thats how you measure a crowd, not by singing all game, why do you think i turned off soccer in the 70’s, i heard the crowd in english games and could not separate the singing for a goal scored. It becomes a little bit plarsay after awhile. But each to their own.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:21pm | Report comment

Oikee,
Give me Waltzing Matilda.. any day; Or ole ole ole… oleeee Aussie Aussie ole ole ole oleeee Aussie Aussie.. .. Hopefully not Aussie oi oi oi … that sounds like a disgruntled piglet… ;(

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:35pm | Report comment

Okiee,
yes they had their 50k+ but they failed to intimidate the opposition .. That’s what I mean your home ground should be like a fortress.. Chelsea FC have not lost a home game in 70 appearance; that’s not always because of the 12 man factor, but they got home a lot when the chips were down through the help of the 12th man (in football)… The better that the home team crowd are organised the more silverware you win .. It works.. .. I

~~~~~~~
KB

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:40pm | Report comment

Or in that case the more you spend the more you win? Its sole-seaching to lose a game at home. Origin is the greatest leveller in the game and as you know we get beat at home sometimes. Just makes the next win all the more sweet.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:41pm | Report comment

Also if you go by what you are saying, Aderlaide have no chance of winning in Japan, so why bother.

True Tah said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:45pm | Report comment

Dont know how we got on to discussing the Brisbane Broncos, we were talking about Adelaide United, and well done for them for becoming the new pioneers in Australia-Uzbek futbol relations.

KB the Broncos lost because they were beaten by a side which played for 80 minuts, not because of the crowd.

I dont know about you, but I thought the idea of professional sport was that the game entertained the crowd, not the other way around.

Midfielder said | September 26th 2008 @ 3:57pm | Report comment

Excellent article Millster and some throughful posts.

To the non football bloggers ………. I can accept you do not understand or appreciate what it is like for your own club or in our case an Australian club to beat a top team from overseas in a knock phase of a finals comp.

Not wishing to offend but you are missing something if you cannot get on board. But as an aside the match in Japan alone would have drawm over 100 million ……….. SO F***ING WHAT this is Australia ……………. Clive Plamer and business and government do care thats is important and that is what will fund football until the next media deal whether thats good is open to debate but this result has ensured support for many other A-League bids.

Redb said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:15pm | Report comment

Midfielder,

I stand by my comments which were not meant to detract from AU’s win just to point out the sudden elevation to most important club game in Australia ever! as just plain silly.

If the article stayed clear of any code comparison if might have got some merit in the context of the large TV audience overseas ,etc but it specificially references the Australian club game context.

“Because, when the dust settles, the 17,000 souls who attended the ACL fixture on a Wednesday night attended what is head-and-shoulders the most important club sports result of the year (and I would argue ever) in the land.”

I assume in the land means Australia, thus in context:

Crowd 17,000, TV audience in Australia 150,000?

Media interest outside of Adelaide and futbol fans, neglible. Both Sydney and Melbourne are consumed by their own relevant club games - suburban they maybe but in context huge in this land. It’s a not contest and silly to compare.

In context, Hawthorn got 10,000 fans to a training session this week.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:27pm | Report comment

Oikee,
“Why bother?” hmm now are you being serious ? Of course you go… That’s being a bit like saying why even enter the tournent in the first place .. You do your best with what you have got; but you do all you can within the rules to get the result..

True Tah,
yes they were beaten by the premiers; I am aware, however, you don’t underestimate the 12th man factor. It definitely works especially in the UCL .. Unless you follow football you do not really have any real understanding .. Oh but yes that’s why the Bok smashed us in Sth Africa .. The Bok were awesome, and the crowd was intimidating– playing in their fortress where we have never beaten them .. You would know of the stadium, the name of it escapes me for the moment..

Pippinu said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:29pm | Report comment

The ACL is potentially huge, perhaps one day in the future it will be second only to the UEFA CL. But at the moment, it’s costing AU money everytime it plays a game and Redb is right that interest in Australia is minimal. A bit of constraint at this point, and some accurate reporting, is no bad thing.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:36pm | Report comment

I actually have to agree with Oikee in this one about the way the japanese supports their team.

I was at awe with the way Kashima supported their team I have to question whether they were actually watching the match. Its very difficult to watch a game while singing and dancing throughout the entire match. When Adelaide scored the goal they kept on singing and dancing like nothing happen even though the stadium erupted with joy. Either A) they were unaware or B) show that it doesn’t bother them as they were confident they will come back and win.

You don’t just attend matches to help your own team win. You also there to watch the match, enjoy the spectacle. When I was watching live - I like to see the match in detail - single out who’s playing well, watching the intricate passing. I then get filled with tension when the opposition is threaten and build up in anticipation when my team is attacking. If I’m jumping and dancing during the match then what’s the point of watching football in the first place when you can’t absorb the contest (also i’m too unfit to do that as well) . To me if I was expected to do what the japanese fans did in that match then I wouldn’t attend any football match at all because I will not enjoy the game. Sure it may help my team win but what’s the point if you don’t enjoy it.

Cpaaa said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:42pm | Report comment

Millster this was a brilliant read, your finest piece yet. Adelaide flying the australian flag on the international stage with such glory and honour for both adelaidians and the homeland.
i cannot say i like adelaide utd, actually i like them the least of all 8 clubs. but when they are representing the southern cross in uncharted waters, then isay Adelaide ……. i salute you.
what you have written is with heart and anyone that criticizes your article have missed the message and are living in a box filled with jealousy.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:43pm | Report comment

I criticise that article Cpaaa and I’m an Adelaide United fan.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:49pm | Report comment

Redb,
Oh yeah 10k at Hawthorn training yes I heard .. But did you go..? If Adelaide United FC made it to the FIFA World Club Cup Final “the holy grail”.. I should think you may get 17k at Hindmarsh to watch the Reds train for the match against Man U FC .. Well we just have to wait and see won’t we.. ? I know its a nice little dream .. But that would be something for the best Australian club in SFC to conquer maybe .. Now that I think about it; Millster may have had that one in mind..

~~~~~~
KB

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:52pm | Report comment

Welcome to Football Dasilva, why do you think that league is big in the north of england, they have a choice yet they still choose rugby league, thats what i have been saying, i could see this way back in the 70’s but now its a global menence.
Any how like i said , i am looking forward to the riots, be some good reporting over the next decade. Could you ever imagine Japan and oz getting along together, And K.B has already told us that they cant win in Japan.

True Tah said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:58pm | Report comment

oikee

you’re a goose, league is nowhere near as big as futbol in northern England.

Manchester United average like 85,000 every game, what do the likes of Bradford, Wigan and St Helens average? They would be lucky to crack anywhere near 15,000 per game. Plus you have Middlesborough, Newcastle, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton, Burnley, Blackburn and Preston North End, all of whom would average over 30k for every game easily.

Outside of the Socceroos, Im not really a futbol fan, but that post shows blatant ignorance of reality.

Cpaaa said | September 26th 2008 @ 4:58pm | Report comment

dasilva i dont get your last comment??

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:01pm | Report comment

We don’t have to copy other countries in the way we support football oikee.

I don’t mind choreograph singing now and then. I don’t mind when the team is down the crowd do its part to lift their team. In fact I was disappointed that Adelaide Utd was a bit flat compared to Kashima. I just think should be a right balance as I certainly think the support of Kashima goes to one extreme that may assist their team to win but it defeats the purpose of watching sport. So far in Adelaide Utd - things a bit too quite during the match and only the crowd got going when theire was a goal in the last 10-15 minute of the match. A bit of unity barracking from Adelaide would have add to the atmosphere.

Midfielder said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:02pm | Report comment

We are at crossed purposes I was not referring to you ……. simply some on this forum some have a difficulty in seeing past their own code, ……… my message was essentily I can’t help the way they feel but its sad they cannot get on board ……. but beyond that the overseas audience means little to the average Australian ……… but it means heaps to a lot of well to do business types and govwernment and football needs these people to make 2013.

Football past management has meant it has a small budget to work with, next to no friends in the elotronic media aside from parts of Fox and SBS ( not a big TV rater) and is expanding in difficult economic times …… with by other codes standards small crowds……… the win helps ensure those business and government people with some cash to splash about will fund football.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:04pm | Report comment

Cpaaa,
I think Millster, is Nostradamus.. God I’m glad that ones has been taken off my shoulders

dasilva,
I remember when Frank Arok took charge of the Socceroos way back the media asked him how would Australia go in the Gold Cup in Australia.. He said “I am the ultimate optimist” With that they beat the current World Champions Argentina 4-1 at the SFS.. One of the best occasions on my life.. The Australia National Football Team really played beyond their capabilities..

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:07pm | Report comment

OK Cpaaa - I have commentted earlier criticising Millster for having a go at AFL and RL. I thought it was completely unnecessary and counterproductive to the game. If Football ever becomes a number 1 sports in Australia, it is not going to happen if we declare war with other codes but to make peace with them.

To convert someone - you have to respect their original belief.

In any case I’m an Adelaide United fan. I was at Hindmarsh stadium and It was one of the greatest sporting moment in my life. However I think this article would have been a better article (like what redb commented on) if they left off any comparison with other codes.

Oikee
I don’t believe KB said it was impossible to beat Urawa red in japan or that it is impossible to beat chelsea at their home. I think the point is that it is extremely difficult and if a side achieves it then it would be a great achievement.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:07pm | Report comment

I am not saying league is bigger, i just said they have choice like we have here in oz, but just outside of man u and around the middle of the country is league, and its growing, i also think that league in london now is the fastest growing sport, so i am not being ignorant, i am just stateing the facts as i know them, i have said once before after being called ignorant, if you dont do reseach yourself then you are the ignorant one not me. Anyway, get on with it, i’ll come back when the riots start, probably in Africa next world cup. Might be in Japan if Aderlaide win.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:08pm | Report comment

Dasilva we dont have to copy, but we are trying dont you think, be honest.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:16pm | Report comment

True Tah,
that save me replying to Okiee.. He is just passionate, good on him.. We all make mistakes.. Not that there’s anything wrong with that

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:17pm | Report comment

And i have no dough that football will be the number one code, it brings all the baggage that the government wants by holding a world cup, along with other world cups for other codes, i think the queensland government has surgested that the league world cup will bring around 15 million to the economy, so it makes sense to try to hold a football cup here. So Aderlaide into Asia makes sense for the long term benifits of the country budget. And sponsers into Asia. The fans are just the added cattle.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:18pm | Report comment

I dont have a hate of football, i like the game from a distance.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:22pm | Report comment

Koala Bear

I was still an infant during that time. So forgive me for missing that match.

I would love to obtain old soccerroos match from SBS archives and watch some classic match.

2-2 draw with South Korea followed by 1-0 victory to qualify to world cup 1974.
Australia defeating Uruguay with Ray Baatz scoring two goals but ending his career due to karate chop.
Australia infamous away win against Israel during WCQ 1986 (I love hearing Les Murray story about the build up to that match. i think that was the birth of stereotype that AUstralia is a rough and dirty football team)
Also the match where they played German national anthem instead of Israeli
Australia losing to Fiji, defeating Tahiti 2-1 in extra time. Lowest point in Australian football history in terms to performance against weak nations
Olyroos victory over Yugoslavia for 1988 olympics. Olyroos victory over Netherlands in qualification due to Zelic freak goal.
Australia match against Argentina in WCQ and the gold cup.
Australia reaching the final of confederation cup including the freak goal from Mark Viduka.
Harry Kewell’s debut against Chile

All this match has been etch in Australia football history and yet I’ve only read about them. I always wonder what’s the match really like. Perhaps SBS should have a classic soccerroos match segment during the world game.

oikee said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:27pm | Report comment

I am just watching a under 20’s toyota cup game and there must be about 30 people in the stands at the sydney football stadium, i dont mind, i enjoy the game for the game, not the crowd.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:36pm | Report comment

oikee. You can always enjoy both. It may be a great match with 30 people. It could be even better with 10k (depends on type of crowds you get of course)

Pippinu said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:44pm | Report comment

A bit off subject but the FFA has just announced that the Peter Sidwell consortium has just received the nod ahead of the Southern Cross bid for the 2nd Melbourne license. This essentially puts an end to the hopes of all Hellas supporters.

The new team is currently known as Melbourne Heart. It will play out of the new Olympic Park stadium, but will have its training facilities in the City of Casey, a far flung outer suburb past Dandenong and Franston. It has been in the news lately for a gas leak from a nearby disused tip forcing residents to evacuate. They looked mean and angry too.

Koala Bear said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:52pm | Report comment

dasilva,
Yes I would be giving my age away when I tell you that, I was in the Noble stand at the SCG, the Australian National Football Team (Socceroos) played a friendly against Uruguay and saw the infamous karate chop to the neck of Ray Bartz .. Just prior to the 1974 FIFA WC.. I was right behind the goal when he just about tore the net down with his thunderous left peg.. Boy, he could hit a ball in those days .. I can recall all of those games and I would have been to all the home fixtures in Sydney .. With my loutish, hooligan, beer swelling, football mates (just joking) Ah yes, I would be as old as Les Murray and new Johnny Warren well from my very early days playing junior football with the Earlwood Wanders Soccer club in the Canterbury, Marrickville, Newtown, district for quite a few seasons as a kid .. Of course he went on to be Mr Football and I went on to be Mr No-where man.. But fine memories they were … Cheers

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 5:57pm | Report comment

Some people say that Ray Baartz was a better player then Harry Kewell and is the best player Australia has produced.

What’s your verdict Koala Bear

midfielder said | September 26th 2008 @ 6:11pm | Report comment

Dasilva

I read in the English 442 an article last year of their 100 best imported players, This was where fans of English football voted rfor the best imported and the voting numbers were like mega large. It comes as no surprise that most of the players where from the last 20 years.

Australians that made the list where from the bottom up Timmy, Dukes, Bozza, & Kool.

Only two players made the top fifty Kool he was our top……. but number 2 and by far the oldest player picked for a team that has not played in the top divisions for over 35 years was Joe Marston, MBE

Taken from the FFA site is his profile but I would love to see some footage of Joe & of Ray Baatz to. However my point is for Joe to still live in on and have played so long ago he must have been a very good player.

From the FFA

Leichhardt born in 1926, Joe Marston joined Leichhardt Annandale in the NSW League in 1942 at the age of 16, making the first grade team in 1943. Playing right full-back, he went on to represent Sydney, NSW and Australia between 1944 and 1949 before going to England to join first division club Preston North End. He stayed with Preston from 1950 to 1955, played in the 1954 FA Cup Final, losing 3-2 to West Bromwich Albion, and in 1955 represented the English League against Scotland in Glasgow. Marston returned to Australia in 1955 to rejoin Leichhardt, again gaining selection in the national team to finish with 25 appearances, 24 of them as captain, before retiring in 1964. After a time in coaching, he was awarded the MBE in 1981, inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and in 1990 Soccer Australia introduced the Joe Marston Medal for the best player of the National Soccer League Grand Final.

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 6:17pm | Report comment

Joe Marston must have been a great player. I read about him in the great book “Our Soccerroos”. The fact that he is still considered a legend in England and in Preston means he must have been a good player. He is the pioneer of the euroroos.

I wish I could see some footage of him as well.

Shame - I don’t think even Les Murray, John Warren and Koala Bear are old enough to seen him play and any film footage of him would even be more rare then Ray Baartz

midfielder said | September 26th 2008 @ 6:19pm | Report comment

Desilva

I left off Craig Johnson he was also on the list

dasilva said | September 26th 2008 @ 6:27pm | Report comment

He is not really Australian though isn’t he. When has it been considered Australian to play for England?
It’s funny that we get up in arms about Joe Simunic, Ante Seric and Joey Didulica but Craig Johnson is forgiven. I wonder why the double standard huh?

Cpaaa said | September 26th 2008 @ 6:30pm | Report comment

dasilva
i suggest you read the article again for all i can see is that millster was stating the bare facts.

“There is infinitely more meaning, more external validity, more merit in what Adelaide achieved last night than what will go on for the next couple of weeks.”

…is the only part that might suggest to you that an attack was made. i understood millsters article in a way that what adelaide utd achieved on wednesday nite is something that grooky and league fans can only dream about. truth is, in the next 2 weeks afl and nrl will come to a full stop. to be repeated next year again and again and ……again.
ttruth is, which grooky fan or nrl fan wouldnt wont another competition with fresh teams to take on the best of the entire region. and then the winner having a crack at the club champions of the world. Sally Fletcher is good on Home and Away but Russel Crowe and Eric Bana have rocked the world. get my drift.
the best of your country will take on the best of ours. “give me all you got”
im in no way attacking afl for they are the best at what they do in australia, beyond that no one really

By Millster
September 26th 2008 @ 7:01am