90 Minutes, 90 Emotions
Roar Rookie By cbowden9000, 6 Sep 2009 cbowden9000 is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- A-League, Central Coast Mariners, Perth Glory
The A-League slogan, “90 minutes, 90 emotions” could not have been more true during the game between the Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory. As a Mariners fan, watching this game unfold was a crazy emotional roller-coaster.
Allow me to describe it for you:
I was afraid in the first 20 minutes – happy and feeling lucky from being one up thanks to Wilko, then depressed and doubtful after Porter’s handball. I was happy Vukovic saved the penalty, but then I had the sad realisation that I should stop cheering because Sterjovski collected the rebound and did what he should have done the first time.
I was then depressed during the last third of the game because we should have been still in the lead. Then I had the attitude of “these things happen in football.” I was in absolute disbelief that Tando Velaphi could just give the ball away, and then I was so hoping the pass to Simon wasn’t intercepted. Oh, and I was hoping Simon didn’t hurt himself running into the up-right! Then there was the free kick at the very end of extra time, where I was hoping and praying we didn’t concede a goal.
I know many of you comment on the “poor quality” of our A-League players but, to some extent, the uncertainty in our players ability creates anticipation and excitement. Sure it also creates a lot of disappointment, but I don’t allow my expectations to raise too high for the A-League. I love it for what it is, and I will embrace the day when it is full of quality.
I used to be fan of the NRL until I opened my eyes to football about two or three years ago. I have seen so many NRL games, but none of them truly immersed me in the way that last night’s game did. Being a hardcore supporter of the Mariners, I was sitting on the edge of my seat completely into the game just hoping we could get the points.
The variation of the goals and the way the game can instantly change its pace is a trait that other codes just do not possess.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- A-League, Central Coast Mariners, Perth Glory
September 8th 2009 @ 7:24pm
Pippinu said | September 8th 2009 @ 7:24pm | Report comment
When the writer talks about the variation in goals, is he talking about the three in this game?
To be honest – they were hardly classic goals!! (but it is true, I can’t recall seeing a keeper gift a goal like that in the A-League – can anyone else?)
September 9th 2009 @ 10:09am
cbowden9000 said | September 9th 2009 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Pippinu,
I was referring the variation of the goals in football in general compared to other sports where you dive over a line in the corner of the field, or kick a ball held in your hands between posts that are 50m in the air. But yes, the goals in Friday’s game were extremely varied:
1) The captain, a defender, scored his first ever A-League goal by kicking it between the legs of not 1, but 2 playes, with the second one being the keeper!
2) A penalty that was saved by the keepers legs, only to be regained and put back in the net.
3) The most hilarious goal in A-League history. That is, if you aren’t a Perth supporter.
September 9th 2009 @ 10:26am
Pippinu said | September 9th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
cbowden
fair enough.
But to be honest, if you know your own sport well, you understand the nuances sufficiently to make the claim that there are a large variation of goals.
Thus an aussie rules fan is going to see just as much variation in the goals of the game they follow closely (a game in which 30 or more goals might be scored – all of them different from the other) – as you will see in a game where 3 goals are scored.
To suggest that there is less variation in goal scoring just because the posts are high is really a very silly suggestion.
I could turn the argument around and say that there is less variation in goal scoring in soccer because the goals are small.
One point of view is every bit as silly as the other.
September 9th 2009 @ 5:04pm
cbowden9000 said | September 9th 2009 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
I see what you’re saying, but surely there must be many more different scenarios for goals scored in football compared to Aussie rules. The fact that a goalkeeper is involved means that once a player is in front of goals and his strike is on target, he is not guaranteed a goal. This brings in the challenge of “beating” the keeper.
If there was no goalkeeper and a goal was worth 6 points, there would just as many scored in football as there are in Aussie rules, but would they be in any way as exciting?
September 9th 2009 @ 5:20pm
Pippinu said | September 9th 2009 @ 5:20pm | Report comment
In answer to your last question – no – it wouldn’t be very exciting – the dynamics of the game would change completely, plus, there wouldn’t be a lot of enjoyment from someone having a ping at goal from the other end of the field – which would be possible in soccer because:
1. the field is extremely small compared to aussie rules; and
2. the ball is such that it can easily be kicked 60+ metres.
The aussie rules field is almost four times the area of a soccer pitch, so you can’t just have a ping from anywhere – you actually have to work it into a scoring position first, and even then, to kick a sherrin 60+ metres (accurately) is actually a lot more difficult than many non-AFL people on the Roar realise.
Now – if you were to ask me what would happen if we had a game of soccer on an aussie rules ground with no off-side and a keeper who could touch the ball in the goal square (very small area) – I would say to you – I have absolutely no idea.
But my gut feel is that you might be surprised at the variety of goals a smart coach was able to manufacture.
Nevertheless – no aussie rules fan would feel that their game doesn’t have a variety of goals – the idea would seem absurd to most.
One problem is that the sports news and highlights always show a few set shots at goal (from a mark or free), and I can see that people are influenced by this poor selection of “highlights”, but:
1. these might account for less than half the goals a team scores;
2. they will involve a variety of distances and angles; and
3. what happened leading up to that set shot will invariably be different from the last one (and the highlights rarely show that bit – which is the most important bit).
Just as the actual spot kick is rarely a highlight in soccer (with some exceptions), what led up to the ref’s decision is actually the important bit.
September 10th 2009 @ 11:33am
cab711 said | September 10th 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
They should get rid of extra time in finals and just go straight to the penalty shoot outs again. You want emotion, try a penalty shoot out, they will make you sick with worry! No other type of game can give you the same nervous feeling, but if your team wins….ohh the ecstascy!