By Jesse Fink
October 31st 2008 @ 1:04am
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Stop strangling the straight talk, FFA
A coffee mate of mine, an Italian called Giovanni Mele, who from time to time gives me the goss on Serie A I’ll never glean due to my extremely poor to non-existent grasp of the Italian language, sent me this YouTube clip during the week.
It shows Inter coach Jose Mourinho mouthing off at one of his players, striker Julio Cruz. At about 2:30 on the tape you can clearly see the former Chelsea and Porto boss say “vaffanculo to Cruz, which according to Giovanni, means “f**k off.”
According to the English edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s famous sporting daily, “Rather than directly disobeying the coach, who wanted him to play just behind [Zlatan Ibrahamovic], the Argentine player (whose tactical awareness has been amply demonstrated in the past) played his own game.
It is well known that he is unhappy at how little he is playing; now the issue of his contract may arise. It expires in 2009 and the club has never offered a renewal, so from next January ‘El Jardinero’ will be able to agree a free transfer to another club.”
Mourinho wasn’t censured for his outburst, did not get slugged with a fine of any sort, from federation or club (Inter boss Massimo Moratti didn’t want to know about it), which prompted Giovanni to ask me: “Was that a good example for the few million people including kids who were watching the game on TV? In Italy everyone probably already forgot about that little incident but would they in Australia?”
Giovanni raises a good point, especially in light of the recent disciplinary penalties handed down to Queensland Roar coach Frank Farina and, before him, notably, John Kosmina and just about any A-League coach you care to name.
Football Federation Australia is so intrinsically conservative in its handling of incidents that are perceived as harmful to the image of the game that it has a habit of overstepping the mark.
In the case of Farina, of whom I have never been a huge fan but respect immensely for his straight shooting (albeit when he’s not talking to SBS), the FFA came down on him with what I regard as unnecessary force.
All he did, need readers be reminded, is lament that Mark Shield and the assistant referee had made a gaffe in not calling back Adelaide’s Cristiano for offside in a move that resulted in a goal to Robert Cornthwaite and won the Reds the match 2-1 over Farina’s side.
He did so albeit rather colourfully, going on record in the post-match conference as saying “two blind mice missed it” and “[Shield] must be blind Freddy”, but it was pretty tame stuff all the same, hardly warranting the $2000 fine that was imposed.
Farina then turned around and said he wouldn’t tell it how he saw it any more: “The biggest lesson to come out of [this fine] is make sure you don’t tell the truth.”
Which is ultimately a bigger loss for the game than the money filched from the Roar’s pockets.
I don’t condone Mourinho telling Cruz to “f**k off” any more than I condone Farina having a veiled swipe at Shield – both incidents could probably be handled differently – but I do think coaches should have the right to say what they think without being whacked with ridiculous sanctions from overly stitched-up bodies overseeing the game.
In Italy, clearly, it’s allowed to ride. In Australia, it’s not. And as a result we lose a little part of the soul, colour and character of the game.
The names and shirts of the eight A-League franchises are antiseptic enough. There are more by-laws, articles and codes of conduct in the game than are necessary. The football we’ve seen this year in the A-League has been comparatively dull to that seen in recent seasons.
So please, FFA, for the sake of the sport and the interests of fans, stop asphyxiating the life out of it.
Shield is a big boy and should be handle to some scrutiny of his decisions. Farina lost the game because of a contentious decision and should be able to express his mind, colourfully or otherwise.
The kids of Australia aren’t going to be permanently scarred. Hell, they might even come to like the A-League a bit more.
And that’s the whole point of promoting the game, isn’t it?
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NUFCMVFC said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:38am | Report comment
Agree Jesse, it’s not like he went on some massive expletive ridden rant, I can recall seeing footage of a Manager being interviewed in Scotland and he has lost it and attacked the interviewer
Speaking as a fan, and more specifically a Melbourne fan, this Eureka flag and the issues surrounding it are an excellent example
Part of the reasons for MVFC fans backlash over HEM is because it is over-controlling, but some of the side-comments coming by FFA CEO after he announced the rescinding of the Eureka flag ban about us not thinking we can use it as a sign to create trouble (I don’t think there is anything to back up that notion?) and comments about “flags seeing more games than we will are uncalled for.
In particular reference to this article
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24561191-5003460,00.html
It alludes to an incident that occured on the way to the match, FFA have probably picked up on this given chatter on our forum, what really is disgusting though is the fact that the FFA are trying to pre-empt any media coverage by position the MVFC fans as “radicals” and that the police heavy handedness and behaviour was anticipation of us causing trouble because we thought we could somehow because we like the Eureka flag. Football fans have been shockingly msitreated as they always have in this country and our governing body is positioning itself to attack the fans, and this “source” of Gatts doesen’t have the courage to put his comments on the record. Anyway, some people are in the process of complaining to the Office of Police Integrity in Victoria over the matter and some others are trying to establish a meeting with Police officials
FFA to my knowledge have never helped fans to lift draconian stadium regulations regarding musical instruments and flags, people ahrp on about Suncorp being the best football stadium in the country, it’s reputation amongst football fans is that it is the worst to be a supporter. The Australian Home End is a dysfunctional joke at Home Socceroo games in part because of these type of regulation
Anyway back on topic, I heard Farina’s comments, I know there is a bit of a dearth of referees and they need a bit of protection, but the game needs constructive criticism, which will promote debate over constructive solutions, second of the A League will simply become boring without a bit of character
NUFCMVFC said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:44am | Report comment
I understand there is a need to distance football from problems of the past, but I don’t think the people from the past should be completely whitewashed out of the game for a start, but secondly it is over the top to become over-controlling and take the character out of the game and make it some dull, lifeless artificial ocnstruct
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 7:21am | Report comment
Melburnians are already labelling the FFA as being more controlling and overbearing than the AFL - now that’s some kind of achievement!
Slippery Jim said | October 31st 2008 @ 8:03am | Report comment
I think referees should be far more accountable then they are for their wrong decisions in football, however I would never condone Joe Kinnear-style expletive laden public interviews as persons in the public spotlight should be setting an example for kids, both in their behaviour and respect for officials, but if the rather mixed messages in this article in any way are condoning this because “the kids of Australia aren’t going to be permanently scarred. Hell, they might even come to like the A-League a bit more” then I’m sorry but I cannot agree - you obviously don’t have kids yourself Jesse if that is what your are saying.
Kazama said | October 31st 2008 @ 9:13am | Report comment
I think it is a no-brainer that referees should be allowed to be criticised. We keep saying they are only human and as such make mistakes. In my experience people only really learn from their mistakes if they are criticised for them. It is like we are running some sort of middle-ages religion here, where if you say or do anything out of order you are killed for being a heretic.
I do agree to an extent with Slippery Jim though - any criticisms should be constructive rather than vengeful outbursts and whinges. Of course referees should be respected, a basic right any person should have, but people should also have the basic right of being able to speak their mind. We are, after all, living in the 21st century not the 16th. I’m not a father yet, maybe I never will be, but if I become one I hope I don’t have to teach my kids to be liars.
By the way Jesse, Adelaide beat Queensland 1-0 not 2-1.
Millster said | October 31st 2008 @ 10:01am | Report comment
SJ - I would agree with you if Farina had uttered uncontrolled obscenities on the public record. But “three blind mice” is a set of words that I think makes the point and shows an understandable measure of contempt while staying within the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
I’m 100% with Jesse. We either have real post-match comment or we have none at all. Once things get past a certain point of sanitisation, they become totally false.
Not advocating we go as far as the Italian example give, for culturally Anglo-Saxons relate to each other with significantly more reservation that continental Europeans (I should know having a veritable tribe of French relatives!). But if in the EPL a manager can appropriately let the press know what he thinks of an opponent’s tackle, a rteferee’s decision or some other problem he has with a game, then there is no reason we shouldn’t be able to have the same as part of the HAL.
Midfielder said | October 31st 2008 @ 10:05am | Report comment
I have heard it said that the over regulation of the Shed by FFA in Hal 1, was the main reason for Glory’s fall off in crowds.
It is a vexed question the Home End provides great viewing ……… but can they step over the line whatever and how that line is measured. ………….and how will the media report report these things given past history…..
A classic example was at the Northern spiit games to the old song “Can you here the Golory (insert any name”
In the first few games it went like this
Can you here the Glory Sing
NO …. we can’t hear anything
To by season 2
Can you hear the Glory sing
NO ….. we can’t here a Fucking thing.
In the early version hands were raised with the we can’t hear …….. when we moved on often those hands held beer which splashed over people starting some interesting arguements and often resulting in a fight.
So the HE is a very interesting question, for me I would get all the HE leaders together and with the FFA set up a sorta acceptable code of behaviour ….. ins and outs …. with both sides giving a bit …….and FFA accepting that every now and then the HE will over step the mark . But have faith that those that run the HE will pull it back into line.
As to your question Jes about officials commenting about the game I am more than happy to relax theno comment unless its nice rule ………..
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Two diiferent types of examples are used to make a point - apples and oranges. A coach swearing at one of his players well gee…that’s unusual. Caught on TV well now the club has an issue perhaps. Was Mourinho bleating about the refs…no.
I dont agree there should be a free for all on refs and lets blast every mistake they make…unless you want to go down the line of video refs? Robots who could control the game to make sure there is no chance of any controversy…gee then what will the coaches have to complain about? Their teams shite performance? QR were poor and deserved nothing from that game FF should concentrate on fixing up his team. Decisions will even out over the year.
The refs have a review panel and some have been dropped for poor performance…does it help if a coach makes derogatory remarks? The mistakes will be pointed out to them anyway.
As we can see with player behaviour and language towards the refs there is already some lack of respect. Now a coach bagging the refs after a game…what happens when the ref has that team again the following week?
Whether you like it or not kids watching will copy behaviours and words used by players/coaches. Learning respect starts from a young age.
Anyway there should be stiff fines for coaches derogatory remarks vs refs…wont stop the whinging but at least they will pay.
Perhaps the refs could make comments about the shite coaching performances after a game…why did he take off ??? he was really spurring the team on etc. That would be worth a listen.
dasilva said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:20am | Report comment
If Frank Farina just said that it was offside and was a wrong decision and leave it like that without resorting to colourful mockery of the referee I’m quite sure there would be no fine.
Jesse Fink said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Slippery Jim said: “You obviously don’t have kids yourself Jesse if that is what your [sic] are saying.” I do. A five-year-old girl, in fact, who hears me curse and swear and all sorts of things, usually when I’m driving, in car or at the golf range. She responds by telling me I said a bad word and it doesn’t seem to affect her in the slightest. I’m not the kind of person who believes kids should be inoculated from what the real world throws up in everyday situations. Some do. Good luck to them. But my girl is just fine, thanks very much.
dasilva said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Dave
you’re right. Referee make mistakes as players and coach do and I would like to see how they feel if they were under the same scrutiny as the ref (and I know how Farina will feel being under limited scrutiny).
Although saying that it is virtually impossible for the ref to get drop unlike in England. Why? We don’t have enough referee. once we drop a ref, who do we replace them with. This has been explain in the world game that if a ref had a poor match he will undergo additional training and counselling but he can’t be drop because FFA doesn’t have many referee that meets the standard in their roster.
Because of this referee are under very strict protection under FFA and that’s why there is zero tolerance of dissent from players and coaches. FFA having a hard enough time obtaining referees and they are doing what they can to encourage referee to stick with the game.
dasilva said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:51am | Report comment
Jesse Fink
What do you do if she starts swearing?
Jesse Fink said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:54am | Report comment
“What do you do if she starts swearing?” Impose a no-icy-pole rule until she desists.
dasilva said | October 31st 2008 @ 11:56am | Report comment
Shouldn’t you practice as you preach as a parent. Or do you say do what I say not do what I do
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
DaSilva
Perhaps it would be more fun if Frank referred to his strike force as the “3 blind men” cos they certainly cant see the goals at Suncorp
referees are an easy target for a coach when they lose a game…they should perhaps be a little more honest in assessment of their own performance and playing staff before mentioning the refs.
Slippery Jim said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
Fair enough Jesse, I was being overly presumptuous perhaps, although I would certainly not condone dropping the F bomb around five year olds personally. The real world is bad enough without deliberately exposing kids to unsavoury elements of it and making them feel that certain actions are acceptable when they should not be.
The “no icypole” punishment seems a little cruel and unusual as well lol!
Here is an amusing, yet insightful article that points out what a difficult job referees have, and how unfair it is to be overly critical of their breed:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/giles_smith/article4995234.ece
However, if an obviously wrong decision is made that has an impact on results/finances etc of a club, surely it is in keeping with the ‘respect’ campaign for referees to apologise publically (or perhaps be involved in a post match interview as some managers have suggested).
hawkjay said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
the farina fine is a disgrace and just shows you how young the a-league is. the guy was 3m offside! i can sort of understand shield missing it but the assistant has made a horrible mistake. does anyone know if that assistant got demoted or had a week off? it definitely would have happened in most other codes as well as english football
Joe FC said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
I’m going to have to disagree with you Jesse. Referees should be accountable, no problem with that. But there must be an appropriate, professional and responsible avenue through which this is done. From a disciplinary perspective for Australian football what may or may not happen elsewhere is irrelevant. I believe the FFA have a responsibility and obligation to set and enforce behavior codes in relation to all the game’s stakeholders. How consistent and effective the FFA is in carrying out this role is another issue. The game needs characters and personalities for what they can do not for what they can say. Neither you, I or anyone else can know for certain what the long term consequences of anti social behavior might be on children or indeed adults.
This does not mean that codes of conduct should be set in concrete never to be reviewed. Such guidelines must be an evolving and dynamic process, constantly undergoing assessment for efficiency and efficacy. Respect for referees and each other is paramount if the game is to be enjoyed by all.
Jesse Fink said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
Dasilva, of course I’m being hypocritical. But I’m an imperfect being. Aren’t we all?
Jesse Fink said | October 31st 2008 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Slippery Jim, I never said I condone swearing in front of my kid or “deliberately expose” her to foul language; but, that said, if she hears me curse, which I occasionally do, her world isn’t going to be ruined. People swear. They get angry. They react. It’s life. And the icy-pole rule is cruel but unbelievably effective.
Slippery Jim said | October 31st 2008 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Thanks for sharing Jesse, I appreciate the personal touches you add to your articles and occasional comments. Of course, it goes without saying that how you raise your daughter is entirely your prerogative, even if she does grow up swearing like a sailor!
dasilva said | October 31st 2008 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
Then we probably shouldn’t condone coaches abusing players and coaches in public either. It may not ruin the life of your kids but its not acceptable behaviour either.
In the public domain coaches should behave themself and if they don’t then a fine is an appropriate punishment. or at the very least formal reprimand. Want to hear swearing - go watch pulp fiction but not the football field.
jimbo said | October 31st 2008 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
By trying to eliminate ethnicity in Australian football and stifle nationalism, the FFA has painted itself into an ethical corner and is having trouble trying to get out of it while retaining the loyalty of some fans.
There are some of us and players and managers and officials alike who like some passion and self expression in the game. This can sometimes be misinterpreted as dissent or disobedience (or maybe even violence) that needs to be stamped out.
The FFA is learning to be more measured in its responses and not to react too quickly, but still continues to make mistakes.
Some coaches and players say things they shouldn’t, but hey we’re all human and I like that aspect of the game and think that people on both sides of football should calm down, stop taking it so seriously and have a good laugh at each other and get on with it.
Kazama said | October 31st 2008 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
dasilva: “Then we probably shouldn’t condone coaches abusing players and coaches in public either.”
Agreed. As I said in my earlier post: “Of course referees should be respected, a basic right any person should have.” As much as people enjoy the whole soap opera angle to some match-ups because of verbals exchanged between coaches, players and coaches and players (sometimes on the same team, as in the Mourinho example), it really shouldn’t have a place in our game. It is, after all, only a game.
jimbo: “By trying to eliminate ethnicity in Australian football and stifle nationalism…”
How so?
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
Jimbo
““By trying to eliminate ethnicity in Australian football and stifle nationalism…” Explain?
jimbo said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Kazama,
the FFA’s A-League “model” is a non ethnic all embracing football club that is not linked to any overt racial or national sentiment. They clamp down on “ethnic behaviour” and any association with the bad old days of the NSL.
I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the policy and in some ways it has been very successful.
Its just that there are a lot of grey areas, like the Eureka flag as opposed to a Brazilian flag, which is OK.
Once you start making a lot of rules you get peoples noses out of joint and offend people and lose some fans - is this a bad thing?
I think the whole thing is getting too serious and we should concentrate more on the fun and entertainment of the game rather than who is waving what flag and what Cranky Franky mumbled at the referee.
Westy said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Kazama and Dave ……do any Aleague clubs have an ethnic name or are they connected with any overseas flag or ethnic symbol.? The answer is no…..Goodbye Marconi/Olympic/Sydney United/ White Eagles etc. etc..
jimbo said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
Westy,
these teams are not gone, they are still there and quite healthy. They get crowds that are better than the Auckland Knights did in the A-League.
You can go along to a Sydney Croatia game and be as Croatian as you like or go to a Sydney Olmpic game and be as Greek as you like - flags, whatever.
They just weren’t permitted to join the A-League, not even in disguise - like the Southern Cross bid.
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Jimbo makes a good point.
Westy
The Queensland Roar still have very strong links to the Hollandia soccer club which to this day retains Dutch connections, thus explaining the orange in the Roar’s kit, and the nick name occasionally used by Roar fans: Oranje.
Personally, I reckon “Oranje” sounds a whole lot better than the “Roar”, but considering that Orange is the sporting colour of the Netherlands (and indeed, the colour of their royal family), and the word “Oranje” (Dutch for orange), is the nick name for their NT, then one could argue that Roar fans retain a hint of ethnicity in their support.
Certainly far more than is contained in the present Eureka flag, which is more a State symbol than a national symbol.
Seeing that we have broached this subject again, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that FourFourTwo has started a series of club blogs, the MV ones can be accessed from the club page:
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/aleague2008_club.aspx?team=melbourne
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
jimbo
l see people of all ethnic persuasions, genders etc at MV games. The fact is there are people of ethnic background involved in running the A league clubs, players who have ethnic origins etc. They have not tried to eliminate the ethnicity in Oz football rather stopped people from creating clubs of one ethnic background to enter the A league. l see these as 2 distinct issues. The majority of people involved in football in Oz would have ethnic heritage, nothing wrong with that and l dont see the FFA trying to stop them.
At the suburban level these single ethnic clubs exist as you rightly mention but particularly in Melb will find it harder and harder to remain so.
I havent see any indication that FFA has stifled nationalism when l go to the Socceroo games. The venues are handing out flags usually.
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 3:49pm | Report comment
Pip
thanks for the link…l have added it to my favorites and will access it regularly.
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Cheers Dave - glad to hear it - now you’ll know how I look the next time me and Redb are stumbling around the upper reaches of the Dome!
What about your views on the article: “The Usual Laments Reappear”?
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
A lot of these suburban clubs are community clubs, allowing people from similar backgrounds to get together each weekend, etc.
I remember in my playing days coming across an Armenian club (who were very good and gave us a bit of a touch up) - I imagine the Armenian community would have been quite small, and this club would have been their focal point.
jimbo said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
Dave
yes agree with all you say and I see many ethnics at SFA and Socceroos games and no trouble from them at all.
Not taking sides, but what would the FFA do if the MV fans or Melb Heart fans brought blue and white Greek flags to the game?
Would it offend you?
Would the FFA allow it?
By nationalistic, I meant a nation that is not Australia and likely to incite trouble.
Supporting the Socceroos is supporting your country.
etat said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
Pippinu
I think “Queensland (except for Nth Qld & Gold Coast) Roar” are in the process of changing their links to Hollandia at the moment. As part of a move to Ballymore next season the club will be severing the last links to Qld Lions / Brisbane Lions / Hollandia. Perhaps they can say goodbye to that orange and maybe include some of the Brisbane colours of yellow, blue and white. Hopefully, the club will see sense and use the name of the city they represent in the club name. The “Roar” mascot naming seems to be the result of an early attempt to include some reference to the pre-existing club when it was all setup for season 1 of the A League. I don’t know what they’re going to do with that part of the name though.
On topic, I reckon Frank copped it nicely. Nothing like it when a coach raises the battle flag and goes charging in whatever the post match odds. Great entertainment.
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Jimbo
Given our football history in Melb it is an absolute must that such flags are not permitted and there is no reason for them to be there…MV are not a Greek or Turkish or English club they represent Melb Victoria. Anyone of any ethnic background can come and watch in peace without fear of ethnic tensions.
My son has been playing for a Greek club (we are not Greek) in the state leagues and the people are fantastic to him but…l dont want to see that club in the national league representing my city/state.
Pip
My thoughts have fluctuated over the years on Merrick. Apparently he is a very friendly likeable person (according to my son who has trained under him). In coaching terms though l have my doubts. The 1st year was very poor with a decent team IMO. Year 2 was the Fred factor but also credit to Merrick for many of the performances.
Year 3 he seemed way to cautious and turned many new fans away with negative selections eg 4 at the back and 2 holding midfielders.
This year performances have fluctuated wildly and no doubt suspensions have hurt but…again in recent games too many defensive minded players - 2 holding midfielders at home?? MVs record at TD is not that good. We really struggle to break down defences of visiting teams and the lack of width in our play is almost a crime against football. Unfortunately the only game l missed this year was vs New jets! He took an attacking gamble it seems that day and l would be happy for him to take that gamble more often at home.
What is clear from recent games is that our back up players are very average eg Pondeljack, even Cilevski has disappointed, and so he needs to give more youth a chance.
Kazama said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Cheers jimbo. Just wanted to see exactly what you meant there.
Dave: “l see people of all ethnic persuasions, genders etc at MV games. The fact is there are people of ethnic background involved in running the A league clubs, players who have ethnic origins etc.”
Dave, I believe jimbo did make reference to that point - jimbo: “the FFA’s A-League “model” is a non ethnic all embracing football club…”
IMO the move from these more multicultural clubs from the old ethnic clubs is driven more by a need for support than anything else. I think some of those old clubs suffered a bit from ‘ethnic exclusivism’ in that the clubs really only catered for a specific ethnicity and left everyone else out (despite the efforts of some those clubs to welcome people of different backgrounds). Here in Adelaide we only had Adelaide City from 1999 until they left the NSL, and being an Italian-formed club most of its supporters were of that background. Then we formed Adelaide United and suddenly we have people with Asian, African, South American and all European heritages coming to the games. So, to me, the A-League model is about getting as many fans to the games as possible and giving the game every chance to reach its potential here, whatever that may be.
Pippinu: “A lot of these suburban clubs are community clubs, allowing people from similar backgrounds to get together each weekend, etc.”
Indeed. Ethnic soccer clubs are very important in that respect, IMO.
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
etat
I think you’re right - by the way - I should say I don’t mind the use of Orange - in fact, I’d be happy for them to have full Orange strips - did you see the shots of Kool after he scored recently with his Turkish club - Orange with a tiny bit of black trim - looked very classy. ( I referred to the Orange and Dutch connection above just as an example of how grey this area can be)
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
Dave
you’re right about our record at the Dome - even in season 2 we dropped quite a few games there - and from memory our away record was actually much better than our Dome record that season - balanced against that has been 6-0, 5-0 and 4-0 wins - it’s quite mystifying!
Did you see Fox FC the other night? They showed stats of MV winning 55% of all available points in rounds 1-7 in first three and a half seasons, and then 35% of all available points in rounds 8 to 21 - quite damning.
etat said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
Pip
yeah, I know the pics you mean. It did look good. Generally I’m all for orange too, even picked it for a 6-a-side team strip for a tournament a few years back. Can really recommend the colour if games are being played under dodgy suburban lights.
My only reservations would be the association with the old hollandia for Brisbane - but I’m not too fussed. It’ll be interesting to see what the marketing bods at Brisbane come up with.
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Pip
Frustrating is the word. l took 7 members of the extended family on Sat night and it is fair to say thet weren’t impressed by MV. Will take some persuasion to get them back l fear. They enjoyed the atmosphere but not the performance.
Pippinu said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
etat
Did Hollandia wear all Orange?
Dave
Embarassing performance in every respect - you picked the wrong game that’s for sure!
etat said | October 31st 2008 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
From memory it was orange and blue - but I could be wrong on that.
Kazama said | October 31st 2008 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Like Queensland Roar wore in the first two seasons?
Dave said | October 31st 2008 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
Pip
…and yet tonight one of Victory’s best performances of all time?? Twice behind including a blatant dive by Christiano (hope he gets a good flogging plus a week off) and score the winner with 5 minutes to go. Sort of restores some faith…until next week
jimbo said | October 31st 2008 @ 9:56pm | Report comment
Pip and Dave,
lucky the FFA needed AU to lose to even up the competition and give SFC a chance to top the table again - so you got 2 penalties from Breeze.
Now to beat the one legged pirates and regain top spot.
Well done the Merrick Men of Melbourne.
AU looked a bit tired and I hope they can hold out ok against the Gamba Osuckers. Looking forward to Weds night’s game.
Dave said | November 1st 2008 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Jimbo
How many weeks should Christiano get?
jimbo said | November 2nd 2008 @ 8:17pm | Report comment
Normally Dave, you’d expect 2 weeks, but the referees were specifically instructed to stop diving in the game, so Christiano will be made an example of and could get 5 to 8 weeks like Fabiano got to try and stamp out spitting.
Fair or unfair, I think the heavy Fabiano penalty has worked and spitting has stopped, so yeah, he will be hung in the main square for all to throw rotten tomatoes.
In normal speed and the camera angle it did look like he got tripped, but the match review committee will be watching the slow mo a hundred times, using all angles and measuring how far his shin was from Vargas’ boot.
Its part of a South American’s natural game – even Fred and Juninho did it.
Washington and Bare did it a lot in the Urawa game.
Pippinu said | November 2nd 2008 @ 8:56pm | Report comment
Dave
Definitely a bit of a roller coaster ride the other night! But we went for the win, and in the end I thinik we earned it.
AU were dead on their feet those last 10 minutes or so - could be a bad omen for them for this Wed (and I’m really cut up about that).
Jimbo (and Dave)
Following the Tiatto incident, I’m wondering how the FFA could actually do anything? The ref saw the incident and dealt with it (by paying the penalty).
In any event, if Breeze had picked up the dive in the first place, what would have happened? It would have been a yellow - so I’m not sure if the FFA can do anything?
jimbo said | November 2nd 2008 @ 9:08pm | Report comment
Pip,
yeah I thought AU were tired too and MV were better as the game went on.
But AU lost 3-0 to SFA before they went to Japan and drew 1-1 away to Kashima.
They haven’t really put in a bad performance in the ACL yet and I hope they can win it over 2 legs.
The Bear said | November 3rd 2008 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Just thought i’d throw my hat in the ring, here, too. FFA: you can’t win hearts and minds with a net. We need to be seduced. The average punter relates more to Farina, then Buckley…so be more accommodating to your audience.
Graciously,
The Bear