By Tony Tannous
October 16th 2009 @ 2:51am
Related coverage
Is the A-League boring? No, just the headlines
Sydney FC'S Mark Rudan (centre) competes for the ball with Saso Ognenovski (left) and Reinaldo da Costa of the Queensland Roar during their A-League clash at Aussie Stadium, Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. AAP Image/Jenny Evans
Flicking through the latest football news filtering through the wires last night, I came across the following headlines to the same Australian Associated Press story: A-League is ‘boring’, Rudan and ‘Boring’ A-league lacks character, Rudan.
Opening it, I was expecting to read Mark Rudan’s take on how the A-League was failing to live up to on-field expectations.
Given their form this season, Rudan and his side might indeed be construed as boring, but that could hardly be said of the entire league, I felt.
Surely he didn’t say that, I was thinking.
Instead, what we got from Adelaide’s central defender is a fair assessment on the calming of hostilities between Adelaide and Sydney over the past couple of seasons.
Many fans will remember the early days and the tinderbox that surrounded games between these two sides, with firebrands like John Kosmina, Sasho Petrovski, Pierre Littbarski, Angelo Costanzo, Ross Aloisi and Carl Veart often ensuring an edge to proceedings.
Personally, I always found the niggle a bit boring, and much preferred the odd moments when Dwight Yorke, Steve Corica and Shengqing Qu were on the ball.
This was Rudan’s take ahead of tonight’s clash at Hindmarsh;
“I wish it hadn’t (lost some edge) because it was always good for the game. It was always good when I was wearing the blue shirt playing against Adelaide and Melbourne and some of the comments that used to come out of both camps I thought was brilliant. It’s really been timid and a little bit boring (since), there’s not enough characters in the game. I’ve been away (overseas) for a couple of years and this season there haven’t been any outrageous comments or anything like that to give you a good laugh.”
From that, apparently the A-League is “boring” and needs characters, so the headline writers say.
Talk about taking comments out of context.
Sorry, but the game had and continues to have characters. People of the ilk of John Kosmina, Terry Butcher, Frank Farina, Danny Tiatto and Miron Bleiberg, and what exactly has that produced?
The odd headlines maybe, an appeal to the larrikin perhaps, but is it really what the game needs?
Or does it need more of the all-round football quality produced by Vitezslav Lavicka and his men last week in Melbourne? And more discussion about the actual football?
Rudan himself later acknowledged this with the following complement of his former team, and it was pleasing to see this make the AAP copy;
“They’re leading the competition for a reason, they’re playing fantastic football, well-drilled, well-coached, a lot of discipline in that side this year, and they’re a joy to watch I must admit. I really do enjoy watching Sydney play, and it’s a big test for us tomorrow night.”
When Branko Culina let fly in a post match press conference a few weeks ago, Lavicka refused to bite, letting it slide through to the keeper.
While it remains to be seen if Lavicka can continue to produce the football he did last week, starting tonight, I’ve hitherto found it refreshing not seeing him get caught up in the banter Rudan is talking about.
What the game in this country needs is less about character and mis-leading headlines, and more about quality and accuracy.
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(16)
whiskeymac said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:01am | Report comment
I got to admit to enjoying Blieberg’s banter, but cringe at some of the surly repostes and excuses dished up by the others at times. Ultimatley though i agree that the theatre and drama should be played out on the field, and in that respect i think the hAL is a marked improvment of v1.
Does Rudan mean peronalities are the same as trash talking? Tediously making noises under the guise of “mind games” is something i hope HAL coaches dont devolve into for their sound bites here, but then again maybe any media exposure is better than none.
gazgoldcoast said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:22am | Report comment
Show me a headline writer who can resist goading readers into taking a peek at a story and I will show you a publication going out of business. Well, actually there are hundreds of newspapers hitting the wall right now, and sensationalized headlines are even more commonplace than they ever were. So there you go.
Blame Rupert Murdoch, whose racy tabloids revolutionized the industry. Or blame human nature: people should have boycotted Murdoch’s trash a long time ago, but they can’t help themselves.
Of course the true football connoisseur (like yourself, Tony) still prefers to focus on the football. But the unwashed masses will always demand entertainment, characters, plots and sub-plots on and off the pitch. And if the A-League want to bring in new fans from NRL and AFL, we need a two-pronged attack: nice shiny packaging on the outside, and then a quality product in the box.
whiskeymac said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Maybe Rudan wld prefer we had old fatso himself over here?
(cut and paste from the Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/15/diego-maradona-argentina-world-cup ….) “You lot take it up the arse,” were Diego Maradona’s words to the press immediately after his team secured a place at next year’s World Cup finals. It was almost adding injury to the insult when he scanned the room and added, “if the ladies will pardon the expression”. Looking increasingly Botox-ridden, the angry yet victorious Argentina coach was somehow able to raise a nervous chuckle from those on the receiving end of the abuse…. “But certain people who have not supported me, and you know who you are, can keep sucking,” he added.
Grotesque and undignified, Maradona then grabbed his genitals with both hands, signalling some sort of manly insult to the TV cameras in the tunnel outside the dressing room.”
BigAl said | October 16th 2009 @ 9:08am | Report comment
You’re reading The Guardian and this is your biggest concern?
AndyRoo said | October 16th 2009 @ 9:38am | Report comment
Unfortunately Argentina are through to the World cup so Diego isn’t available for the Brisbane Roar…. shame.
Lachie said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Boo hoo Tony. I’m sorry but you just committed the journalistic equivalent of taking a dive. Harden up.
Vicentin said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Whiskey – yes, not exactly a dignified press conference was it? Your Guardian mention prompts me to post this link to Rob Smyth’s great article (book extract) from earlier this week on the Danish football team of the mid-eighties and early nineties. Danish Dynamite featuring Elkjaer, Molby, Olsen (in Melbourne these days?), Laudrup (M), Lerby – fantastic team and a cracking read. Tony, sorry for distracting but I wouldn’t want anyone interested to miss this article …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/13/forgotten-story-denmark-1980s
As to the sideshow and the “boring” comments – I’m far more interested in the football and I believe it should do the talking rather than the buffoons such as Kosmina. Can’t wait for the game this evening to see whether Sydney can continue with last week’s form – and I have to say that although Keller is a great defensive presence in the team I think we play better football when he’s not there …though Cornthwaite may get some chances on his head in box this evening in his absence.
keeper11 said | October 16th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment
Sockah related headline out of context in the Australian commercial media…
Who would have thought……
Guess thats what you get when you hand 80% of national print media to the Murdoch trash….
Sam el Perro said | January 19th 2010 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Is this the same Murdoch trash that the FFA has handed 100% of its HAL broadcast rights to?
Luke W said | October 16th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment
If Rudan wants to make the league more exciting, maybe he should consider retirement. Nothing frustrates me more than old, slow defenders like himself that resort to cheap fouls and physical tactics to stifle the young, quick, skillful talents of this country.
AndyRoo said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:59pm | Report comment
Your point is valid…but ironicly Rudan pulled off the tackle of the season tonight.
Fantastic stuff from the old man.
constantine said | October 16th 2009 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
no its great, love the a-league
md said | October 16th 2009 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Just to prove that it’s all in the reporting – the context to Rudes comments can actually be found, if you look hard enough – at the bottom of this SMH article about Ange Postecoglou.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/a-league/roar-pounce-on-postecoglou-for-long-term/2009/10/15/1255195875800.html
Suddenly it all makes more sense.
Pippinu said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:05pm | Report comment
HT
Ade 1 Syd 0
Adelaide reduced to 10 men early on – but they have actually controlled the game since that point.
Cristiano headed in an excellent Jamo corner – got up above McFlynn – very poor defensive effort by him (but why he was marking Cristiano, I don’t know).
Necessity is the mother of invention – what better way to keep the ball in wet miserable conditions with only 10 men – it’s called first option – one touch – don’t think about it – keep it off the other mob is the only rule.
In contrast, Sydney seem to be playing as if they are already 1-0 up, as if they’ve got all the time in the world, as slow as slow can be, they have even booted the ball into the stands on a couple of occasions – why??!!
Best chance for Sydney came from a long ball that released Brosque for a one on one, but Rudan recovered to lay on just abou the very best block you are ever going to see.
I’m sure all neutral A-League fans join me in hoping for a surprise win to the Reds!!
AndyRoo said | October 16th 2009 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
What happened to vidmar, started with two upfront. They went down to 10 men and he kept 2 up front!
Great stuff
AA said | October 20th 2009 @ 5:13pm | Report comment
Fine work Tony, how much more do have to admire your work before a big-time Media outlet signs you up
