MCG boss Stephen Gough has urged Football Federation Australia to “hurry up” and say exactly what it requires from the stadium in any soccer World Cup bid.
Gough said the MCG was in the dark over claims that if Australia hosted the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, organisers could require exclusive access to the nation’s biggest stadium for four months.
He said the MCG had not been given any firm timeframe from bid organisers about how long the stadium would be needed to prepare it for a World Cup.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has suggested any 16-week requirement for the MCG to be out of action for a World Cup could lead to his competition being cancelled for that season.
“There’s been speculation on how the MCG might be used but we don’t really know exactly what it might be,” Gough said on Monday.
“Those discussions with the AFL are crucial first, then I imagine we come in as part of that.
“We don’t really know until those discussions have been finalised.
“We need to hurry up. If you want to get the bid documented, you need to talk to the AFL and you need to talk to us in parallel to make sure we’re right behind it.”
It is understood the MCG may need to be refitted in a rectangular configuration to host matches, which would mean the addition of seating and perhaps a bigger delay than first anticipated.
The MCG is contractually bound to host AFL games during the winter months, and any World Cup would need to rely on goodwill from the code to proceed.
Gough said the MCG had never been configured in a rectangle – the closest parallel he could draw being when a running track was established around the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
“That was part of the bid works so you knew early, so that work was just incorporated into the normal building process – it didn’t have any impact at all,” Gough said.
“But this would be a different situation given the time of the year.”
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pete said | December 9th 2009 @ 11:41am | Report comment
On the venues theme here the AFL still has a number of options like Optus Oval (Princess Park), SCG, Gabba, WACA, AAMI, Geelong, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Manuka oval in Canberra. Looking overseas the AFL have also played matches in London, LA, Dubai, Wellington in the past and are also looking at playing in China and India. Is it going to be that much of a problem if they shift 2 months worth of matches in 8 or 12 years??
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
some of those options depend upon whether or not FIFA can be convinced to provide a host city exemption.
Ini 8 or 12 years, who knows just what the lie of the land will be, however, the NRL is a far more of a TV beast, the AFL draws double(+) the attendances and the clubs draw 10 times the revenue from memberships compared to the NRL (for example) – - – live attendance is a major factor.
I have no desire to have to travel with the kids to Launceston/Hobart/Darwin etc every week for home games.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment
this is the MCG boss talking – he doesn’t know anything more than what AD knows – it just goes to show that the FFA has been deliberately obfuscating every step of the way – and need to accept the blame for a half ar$ed bid.
And yes – the competence of the people in charge of the bid needs to be questioned.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
The Age has a very good rundown of the 12 stadiums under consideration for the WC bid – but I’m unsure whether you can get this online.
The 12 stadiums proposed:
Etihad, Melbourne
MCG, Melbourne
SFS, sydney
ANZ, Sydney
Parramatta
Energy Aust, Newcatle,
Adelaide Oval
Suncorp, Brisbane
Canberra Stadium
Subiaco, Perth
Carrara, Gold Coast
Dairy Farmers, Townsville
Interesting points:
1. we’ve heard nothing about Perth so far
2. not really sure what the status is of Canberra
3. first time I’ve known that Parramatta is actually part of the bid (did NRL people know this?)
4. the loss of Etihad clearly sets the cat amongst the pigeons – but when did Etihad officially become part of the bid??
If there is still funding wrangling going on between the Feds and States/ACT – isn’t that a little bit late in the piece?
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
Your point? Na don’t worry, we all know your point.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Punter
there has been a sad acceptance of commercial reality throughout the past month on this issue. That’s one point we can put to the side for the moment.
but one would have thought that the FFA would at least have had all of the various governments lined up with the money – don’t you think?
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Mate, I know I’m not going to convince you, but it appears to me that it’s AFL fans & AFL CEOs who are all up in a quandry about this WC bid & how weak it is, you, Michael C & Kurt amongst others have already stated the bid is dead & buried, the bid won’t stand up, etc why this wasted energy on it then?
Let if go. The bid will continue despite your rantings, the codes will project a united front for face & if the bid is as weak as you think it is the FIFA committe will throw it out & you can watch your footy at home and all us football fans will have to watch it on TV.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Yes – it was a very weak bid from the word go – the fact that 5 cricket ovals are required tells us that.
But someone will be pointing fingers, and at the moment I’m pointing the finger straight at the FFA.
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Yep I was right with my first line.
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
the funding issues seems the concern – - how can the states and Fed Govt agree when stadiums is up in the air and $150 million is considered too much??? Looks flimsy.
Brett McKay said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
Pip. that’s the first time I’d seen Parramatta OR Cararra named, and likewise both Etihad AND the SFS (previously they’d been suggested as an either/or scenario, under the “only one two-venue city” criteria from FIFA, as we’ve discussed on the other thread today)
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
This is one point that has remained a mystery to me the whole way through.
I too thought that only one city could have two stadiums nominated (but Art has mentioned the English example, and let’s be honest, no one in FIFA is going to be worried about the stadiums of big Premier League clubs being put forward).
Because if there was a restriction of only one city having two stadiums, that means we need 11 cities.
And where the hell are the 11 cities?
You can add Wollongong, maybe Gosford at a pinch – but we’re pushing it.
Michael d’s proposal of putting Geelong forward as an option, is not that bad an idea all considering.
AndyRoo said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Guidlines Pip just guidlines.
Michael DiFabrizio said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Maybe someone out there can clear this up. From what I understand, just because something is in the World Cup bid, it doesn’t mean it will be in the World Cup itself.
South Africa, for example, had 13 venues to begin with — two of which were in Jo’burg and two of which were in Pretoria. Then FIFA applied its one city, one venue rule to the second Pretoria venue and cut the overall list down to the 10 venues we have now.
So, if FIFA requires 12 stadiums for the bid, does that not necessarily mean they will need 12 stadiums for the actual tournament?
And assuming this is how it works, what will happen if FIFA stumble across that plan to reconfigure the MCG and say “We want you to go ahead with this”?
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
That last question is an interesting one.
Buckley says they just had it in there as an option – not a serious one.
Oh really??!!
And yet the report done for Government includes this option as one of its recommendations.
Just another case of FFA obfuscation.
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
be nice if the FFA just came clean about this process.
That MCG plan – the fact that the plan exists as an option – - speaks for itself. For whatever Ben Buckley says to try to gain support now – Frank Lowy would go behind his back in an instant to win over the FIFA delegates.
The AFL I reckon have realised this – - have realised that Ben Buckley isn’t the person to be negotiating with anymore.
PErhaps Frank Lowy has realised that Buckley won’t go hard enough.
or – perhaps Ben Buckley is just a giant pr!ck and is off Demetriou’s xmas card list.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
Many have skirted round this issue, trying to paint Demetriou as the bad guy – when Buckley and the FFA, with Government approval, was trying to pull a swifty here – get it through without the knowledge of either the MCG or the AFL.
Good on Demetriou for blowing the whistle on it.
AndyRoo said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Or just perhaps the codes really are co operating to get every last cent out of the government….”look we need a new ground in Melbourne”
I know you just built it but it’s only 150m…..both standing their with puppy dog eyes.
Sure it’s a bit of an odd theory but we have heard a few allready, what’s one more?
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
there’s something fishy going on.
The FFA just doesn’t seem coherent at present,
they can’t be that clumsy,
so, there MUST be some swifty going on.
Springs said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Parramatta? There is a plan to upgrade the stadium to 30,000 or so in the next ten years. If it is part of the bid then do we really need another 40,000 stadium in Sydney? I’m sure Eels games will look great with 15,000 fans in a 40,000-seater. And why Carrara instead of Skilled?
AndyRoo said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Have you been asleep for the last 12 months?
Parra are going to go pretty close to filling their stadium next year as they are now really pushing memberships. Don’t expect the good NRL teams to be sitting still attendance wise we are talking about 2022.
Skilled can’t be upgraded.
Springs said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
Memberships alone won’t increase attendance. Parramatta, if they continue to play well, will have a average attendance of 16-17,000 next year. ’05 they had 16,000 and were minor premiers. The plan is already to upgrade Parra to 30,000. If Parra has a few bad years then they’re attendance will be around 12-13,000, like it was earlier this year. I cannot imagine Parra’s crowds to average anymore than the capacity it is now, at least not in the next ten years.
AndyRoo said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
I had seen Carrara mentioned before and vague mentions of Western Sydney finally getting a 40k plus rectangle ground but never Parramatta getting the nod.
If it’s Parramatta stadium that would be brilliant, Parra are getting the money to add approx 3k but a massive upgrade or new Stadium in Parramatta park up to 40 or 45k would be huge.
Hope it’s true and that Rovers will play their rather than take the cash from Homebush.
Jameswm said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
But Geelong is in Victoria, and Victorians watch AFL and don’t want the WC.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
James
didn’t I mention already that 20,000 recently turned up at the Dome to watch a Socceroos game?
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Some have already referred to the PriceWaterhouse report commissioned by government to look at the net benefits of hosting the WC.
The Financial Review had an article on it today, this is a good place to summarise.
Governments would have to spend a minimum of $2.9 billion in today’s dollars on upgraded stadiums.
There would be a net benefit of $345 million, assuming no increse in expenditure on stadiums, $1.64 billion boost in tourism (with tourists spending $290 per day), and an increase in GST receipts.
But some states would be left worse off. The big beneficiaries are the three biggest cities.
Both Perth and Canberra would be worse off.
Perth because it has to spend $760 million (probably why we haven’t heard anything), and Canberra because it spends $254 million but will get far less back in tourism.
There’s another big talking point – this report was done on the basis of a rectangular MCG.
Interesting – looks like this idea has been floating around for a while, with government support, but with neither the MCG or AFL knowing anything about it.
I note on another thread I was accused of making defamatory remarks – but if the hat fits….
Jameswm said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
The Vicrorians can just count themselves lucky they have you to speak for all of them.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
I don’t speak for all Victorians.
But take all of MC, Kurt, redb, I and others together, and you get an inkling of how the average Victorian thinks – not all – just on average (and those from WA, SA and Tassie are not too far different).
Other Australians can mock that, Lowy can choose to ignore it – but if he does – he can hardly cry about it.
The Observer said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
I have been reading all the threads on this WC / Stadium issue here on the roar, and would like to compliment you on your understanding of the issue. On top of that, when abused by ignorant people you have responded with intelligence and grace.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Thanks Observer.
Midfielder said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
To the AFL Guys
I am growing weary why the AFL adm are all angles and saints and the FFA guys are all sinners and devils…
I also grow tired that when we are 12 years out you need an answer NOW…
I also grow tired AD fires off a question today and it is what is talked about.
I grow tried of people saying we have the worst bid when the worlds bookmakers say we have an excellent bid.
I grow tired of BB & Obie Wan being called liars.
I grow tired of all the stupid debate … sorry ranting… I am very busy and do not have time to post much…
The one sided view and lack of understanding of how complex this is and it is being reduced to weird claims and remarks…You said yesterday that you wish the WC would not come to the Southern States … you may get your wish..
Me I have not been at one of the meetings … nor do I have any knowledge of the communication between FFA & AFL / NRL and FIFA … I assume you must with the conclusions you have reached…
Every poll I have read even in Melbourne does not support the views you express …
The most honest think to say is we fear the WC coming to Australia and just say we don’t want it end of .. something that will happen for at most four weeks of the season itself and 6 to 8 weeks for stadiums in 180 years is being blown up and talk of in terms of the end of the world..
I have an article I am finishing off on the future of TV to send in and will from now on comment only briefly … my business partners and myself have agreed to enter and develop a new business line which will require a huge amount of time.. and money … so you will not hear from me all that much in the future…
I can tell you for sure whatever PR battle you may be winning in Melbourne is being totally lost in Sydney
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
alas you may be tired of that,
but, BB lied, when he claimed public funds helped MCG and the Gabba because of the 2000 Olympics soccer – - that was a lie.
and I grow tired that AD is call a liar when obviously the FFA DID produce a plan involving rectangularising the MCG – - and the FFA is trying to back peddle on it, but, for a plan that they reckon was never that serious – - there’s been a bit of work done around it.
and I grow tired of soccr people claiming that AD is putting the bid at jeopardy – - – how??
and I grow tired of soccer folk who seem to not comprehend that the AFL is ready to forgoe the MCG for up to 10 weeks and support the WC……
…because – to some people, it seems like a religious faith must be had — total and absolute support without question or critical analysis.
Losing the PR battle in Sydney for the time being is more due to the ignorance of Sydneysiders, and the over the top reporting that is claiming that the AFL will derail the bid by holding firm on Docklands……just how will that derail the bid??
it’s simple – it’s $150 million for a soccer dedicated 50,000 stadium that all the advocates claim they so deserve and want……and suddenly $150 mill out of a Govt back WC bid is too expensive……..I don’t buy that.
Barking Glider said | December 9th 2009 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
“Losing the PR battle in Sydney for the time being is more due to the ignorance of Sydneysiders,” Oh please! Now it’s the customer’s fault that they don’t see the merit in your product? You’ve got to do a better job of selling your product. Following the Rudd selling strategy won’t work.
Redb said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
Midfielder,
I’m growing tired of being labelled a bogan, told I’m against Australia hosting the World Cup, bogus polls being used to support arguments, Aussie Rules being demonised at every point.
For the record I’m an Essendon fan not an AFL fan. Its not Andrew Demetriou I go to watch at the ground or watch on TV its my club. Every other fan of an AFL club is exactly the same.
You and others can scare monger about AFL this and that, but I dont go watch to ‘AFL’ I watch and support Essendon. It is a distinction many fail to realise as do 400,000 fellow Melbournians who are members of AFL clubs.
What Demetriou says or not wont stop me going to support my club and we number in the hundred of thousands easily the biggest supporter base in this country. Think about that.
Redb
KB said | December 9th 2009 @ 4:09pm | Report comment
I’m not tired of it—this is really damaging for the AFL brand and eventually will have to close down for a whole season, then remerge as Marn Grooky—a new start…. Keep it up lads, this is fantastic stuff and long live Marn Grooky in 2019… A new beginning for Marn Grooky, along side Australian Football…
~~~~~~~
KB
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
Again this man says it all & truthfully. Well done Mid. Shame you’re a CCM fan
Art Sapphire said | December 9th 2009 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
Good Post Mid – The AFL PR Battle will also be lost here in Melbourne. Tragically, what the AFL zealots don’t realise is that its not only the “soccer” fans that want the WC to come to Melbourne. It is the most of the Melbourne community. A lot of these people will not even be interested in attending a game and don’t even follow “soccer”. But, they do wish to be part of the biggest sporting event/party in the world.
All this grandstanding that we have been subjected to by the AFL will appease the AFL zealots but it will do the AFL brand more harm than good in the long run.
Good luck with the business venture, but not CCM this weekend
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
Quite simply – Buckley and Lowy should have done a better job of it.
Buckley has been caught out telling porkies – and with some government connivance to boot – if that’s the way people want to run things – they reap the harvest that they sow.
People want to continue thinking that you can have the MCG out for a full footy season, and Etihad out for 10 weeks, and everything will be hunky dory.
Well, it won’t.
And with the ongoing denigration of our local game that I keep reading on the Roar, and on 442 – I have zero sympathy.
I’ve been watching the WC on TV since 1978 – and I can continue doing the same – no problem.
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
You’ve missed the point surprising yet again Pip.
As Art says some people won’t even be attending the matches, they will be partying. The WC is a celebration, the football is just part of it. watching is at home, yeah it’s good, but being part of it in your country. It’s the whole package Pip, come on be part of it, it’s not that hard.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
Punter
but it’s still a big ask to cancel a full AFL season just to attend a party.
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
Pip, if they cancel the whole AFL season & it’s all the fault of the FFA or FIFA, I’ll sit on the sidelines with you.
There will be disturbances, like there is when someone nearby throws a party, but you are invited to say sorry for the inconvience.
Art Sapphire said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
This cancel the whole season line is utter nonsene. Everyone knows it.
This is the sort of stuff the North Korean PR machine dishes out.
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Mate -
in Melbourne the Neil Mitchell’s and Eddie McGuire’s and the like are setting the dills straight when they come on and say stupid things like:
why don’t the AFL just take the game to all the country grounds,
or,
why doesn’t the AFL play as curtain raisers to the WC games,
or
it’s only 4 weeks,
or
just go interstate
and the beautiful dill this morning who suggested that instead of being just Melbourne, how about we share the WOrld Cup with the rest of the country………groooaaan!!!!!
etc etc
the level of ignorance amongst the masses is astounding.
They have no idea about FIFA exclusivity, pre matches or host city exclusions, they have no idea about the economics of big business and no idea of contracts or a need for trust and……well, one that I’m with them on….no idea why the Swan St stadium is not an option.
AndyRoo said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Michael C
This is what the AFL’s seem to have failed to realise. Sure there will be some people that do understand why the AFL has to dig in but plenty of people just watch the game with no inclination or care about the economics behind it.
Their the type of people that won’t really care if AFL stops for 4 weeks, why not they say (stupid AFL they will say). They are also the people that won’t understand why there is no AFL for the two weeks lead up time when nothing is happening (stupid soccer they will say).
If it’s a hot day and the air conditioner is not on then I become one of these people . . . . And I think judging by our newspapers and TV they are the silent majority.
This is why both the FFA and AFL should be trying to keep their tiff in house now that the lines have been drawn and made public or it will damage perceptions about both codes. For an example there is no Eddie Maguire educating Sydney siders.
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
Man, I’m talking about partys & celebrations & you’re ranting.
I have no idea who Neil Mitchell is, but I’m not surprised Eddie McGuire is worried, there will be 1 million tourists in Melbourne & they won’t know who he is when he walks down the Melbourne main street, a knock to his ego.
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
so true.
although 2UE is looking at getting Neil Mitchell up there, and he’s been a voice of reason here on this topic – and he loves his ‘Dees’ and footy, but, never holds back in bagging the AFL or Andy Demetriou. (I think ‘cos Andy D has his regular spot on the ABC talk radio with Red Symons – the main morning competition for Mitchell).
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
I hope it’s a horrible draw.
Art Sapphire said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
I’ll take a point, but I doubt it will be that horrible
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
You are playing CCM, oops sorry Mid, no seriously 2 top teams should be good.
Go Sydney FC.
Midfielder said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Thanks Art for the good wishes..
We have had our meetings, had the research undertaken on this new market where and who value… then looked at where we may fit…
Now to make it happen maybe 1, 000 to 1, 200 development hours to invest… take out rental options furnish the place hire staff … sell it to the stake holders .. Add the money invested in the meeting and research to date… timelines to met plus keep existing clients happy…
As for the the annual flogging of the Tards … I will be there singing on Matty BOOING every time Mr Clean gets near the ball.
It’s 6 – Nil to date … make that 8- nill after Saturday night…
Pip hope you feel better soon .. talk to KB he has some weak blue pills that might help … they lack any real punch but still ask…
Finally remember the great song Imgaine… change the words a little to World Cup in Australia and sing along…
Art I tend to agree with your comment about it is doing the AFL more harm than good … AD came out swinging on Monday and when BB said in his door stop made the claims seem silly … you can only cry wolf one or two times … then when the wolf is actually there no one believes you…
As I said work starts on Monday so will pop in every now and then … but much less .. all in a good cause tho .. me…
Your’s in Football Midfielder
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
re the liar tag,
Michael Lynch has shown Buckley to be still peddling his lies about the MCG -
Buckley said there would be substantial benefits for all sports from the infrastructure that will be created to support the World Cup bid.
”You only have to look over history, the MCG was upgraded and built on the back of an Olympic Games, a Commonwealth Games. ANZ Stadium was built on the back of the Olympic Games. We have seen that major events like these can leave a strong and lasting legacy for sport.”
That might be correct re the MCG if it were govt funded – - however,
the current config of the ground, the Great Southern STand – zero govt funds – built in time for a cricket world cup and nothing to do with Olympics or C’wealth games – - and done because of the money made off the AFL.
THe C’wealth games upgrades – only $77 mill of $434 mill from the public purse – the C’wealth games have been and gone- – - and the AFL and MCC are paying off their stands.
The Olympics had nothing to do with it.
The claims of Buckley that these events built and upgraded the MCG is either false (re Olympics), and or misleading – re the C’wealth games.
IF the C’wealth games works had been publicly funded – then yes, he’d have a point. It wasn’t . It has no correlation to the FFA or FIFA WC.
Just rubbish and that’s tiring.
Football said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
The question is what will this do to the AFL brand in Sydney, they already look like the bully in Western Sydney & now they want to take away a once in a life time opportunity for all of Australia.
Pippinu said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
Why blame the AFL?
Why not blame the incompetence of Lowy and Buckley?
Why not blame whoever planned the new rectangular stadium in Melbourne?
Why not blame the idiot who thought we could actually bid for 2018?
Yes people – some idiot actually thought we could bid for 2018!
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
I’ll do a Pauline Hanson -
please explain just how you figure the AFL is wanting to take away the opportunity to host the world cup.
please do. How will the AFL having Docklands stop it – when, there’s a perfectly good $150 mill option to extend Swan St to what it should be…..a 50K FIFA compliant rectangle stadium.
You’re just peddling this same anti-AFL hysteria.
Punter said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
What about his other comment? Bully in West Sydney?
Michael C said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
not sure how the AFL is bullying anyone in West Sydney.
THey aren’t asking the NRL to stop or move out?? The AFL are bringing their own money to the table, and aiming to be there for the long haul rather than 4-8 weeks.
Just typical of the hysterical rantings that have blighted theRoar in the last day or two…….ironically, the hysteria is from those now who at first might have been a tad justified in attacking the ‘hysteria’ around the AFL season perhaps having to shut down in a worst case scenario (which is a scenario admitted to exist, seemingly not likely, but, also not ruled out and with FIFA around – - god knows!!!).