Listen! Can you hear the A-League singing?
Roar Guru By Eamonn Flanagan, 16 Feb 2010 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- A-League, football, Melbourne Victory, Super Rugby, Sydney FC
More than 25,000 people turned up to watch Sydney FC take on Melbourne Victory and again the A-League roared to its finale. Fan passion poured down from the stands. Who said Australian sporting crowds don’t sing?
The Cove and their Melbourne counterparts were fantastic.
Even the stands were rocking as the normally more sedate spectators got dragged into the whole occasion. This was Australian sporting passion to match the best in the world.
There was colour and passion in abundance, and Melbourne fans cheered until the end, despite the fact a defeat seemed inevitable almost the moment Nicky Ward missed an easy chance in the first minute.
And for this football fan, Sydney FC’s win was crucial: for all the blue noses, for the FFA, and I’d argue, for every football fan in the country.
Yes, even those travelling supporters from Melbourne. Although they may not know it yet!
Every league across the world is dominated by teams from its biggest cities. Think Glasgow, London, Manchester, Buenos Aires, and Madrid.
In Australia, for our league to grow, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth need to succeed. And often. Only Melbourne have obliged to date.
On Sunday, Sydney won.
On Monday, The Sydney Morning Herald Sport’s section could have lead with the Waratahs’ opening Super 14 win over their rivals from Queensland, or a huge splash on the Black Vs White Rugby League match. Or even the Australian cricket team’s convincing destruction of the West Indies.
It chose football, a picture of John Aloisi, and the words “Ticket to Asia.”
The Sydney Vs Melbourne rivalry continues to build. Positively, mostly, although the edge is already there. I guess you have to live in Glasgow, Sydney, Melbourne, Liverpool or Manchester to really understand this tension.
The A-League, despite its crowd figures (still a healthy 10,000 average) and financial issues, continues to build. It may take another five years, even ten, to get the Sydney derbies and Melbourne derbies rivalling yesterday’s passion and tension on a regular basis.
But on yesterday’s showing, football in Australia continues to rise.
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- Explore:
- A-League, football, Melbourne Victory, Super Rugby, Sydney FC
February 16th 2010 @ 8:15am
True Tah said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:15am | Report comment
Eamon
I take it you didnt watch the All Stars game, as it was not a case of Black v White whatsocever…Im not certain what your definition of “white” is, but guys like Israel Folau, Jarrod Hayne, Benji Marshall, Manu Vatuvei probably dont meet most people’s perception of “white”.
February 16th 2010 @ 8:19am
Jay said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:19am | Report comment
Well done to the A-league. Seems it is punching above its weight, or maybe it is the beneficary of a dull summer of cricket. Maybe its becoming like RU in this country – good to watch when theres nothing else on. Either way, its a good achievement.
I still prefer euro football though.
February 16th 2010 @ 8:36am
whiskeymac said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:36am | Report comment
dont think its punching above its weight but has rather underperformed this year. sports generally have been flat over the summer but of course its all opinion, but as the game will go through a natural adjustment after a fantastic start, the crowds and media interest hopefully will now be on the up (Sydney and Melbourne with asian games is a boost for the HAL; WC and Asian Cup qualifiers and hopefully a good run if we qualify; pre season tours again for europhiles; expansion in key markets (Melb and Syd) and consolidation for NQ,GCU etc and hopefully a new and invigorated marketing campaign to help build the next season up with…) IMO things look good and the game is on track to grow.
February 16th 2010 @ 8:40am
Eamonn Flanagan said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Whiskeymac/Truetah..You’re right, of course.Mea culpa! My defence?.
Just lived with an “unnecessarily antagonistic” sports media for too long. Think Patrick Smith, Roy Masters, Peter Fitzsimons, Rebecca Wilson, Paul Kent, John Birmingham,Steve Kaless the list goes on and on. If you can beat em, join em..even if it’s rubbish! Why should I rise above the standard of the (very) average Aussie sports writers.
Difference is they are paid I ain’t….and I admit my bias..most sports writers in this country don’t.
February 16th 2010 @ 8:52am
MyGeneration said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
The traditional “They started it, mum!” defence. I think all sports crack down on retaliation these days, don’t they?
February 16th 2010 @ 8:58am
True Tah said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:58am | Report comment
why should you rise above the standards of Aussie sports writers?? Because you can!
February 16th 2010 @ 9:03am
AndyRoo said | February 16th 2010 @ 9:03am | Report comment
I would have enjoyed it more without that bit…. the AFL fans bagging the All Stars game on another thread (which raised 2m for Aboriginal League programs) and the fallout wasn’t that great a read.
Hopefully that one throw away line isn’t the focus here.
February 16th 2010 @ 9:08am
Simmo said | February 16th 2010 @ 9:08am | Report comment
What was the gist of why the AFL fans were bagging the All-Star game? Surely it was a great idea for everyone.
February 16th 2010 @ 9:27am
Michael C said | February 16th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
firstly – the main thread of late that bagged it was written by soccer loving journo Adrian M on theRoar – - and had fair concerns about the notion of a ‘Best of non-indigenous’ team playing against the ‘Best of indigenous’ as being a potentially divisive notion. (at very least – a ‘handle with care’ concept’),
personally I commented with respect to the “the game we waited 40,000 years for” type of over the top commentary – - given that indigenous all-stars matches have been played for some years in other codes and this NRL ‘event’ seemed to be getting blown out of all proportion by some folk.
That it was carried off well enough – that being in pre-season, players with nigglies pulled out – but, still mid 20K turned up and it generated $2 mill for NRL development coffers – - – lovely!!!
btw – if you like the US style ‘all stars’ public voting and all that, then fine as well. Couldn’t do worse than half the rep teams selected, and would probably help vindicate the NSW dominance of Aust Cricket sides in recent years if we simply put it down as ‘popular vote of the most populous state’!!!!! That’d save a lot of conspiracy theories and put it out on the table.
February 16th 2010 @ 12:57pm
Jay said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
i didnt like the slogan “the game we waited 40,000 years for” either… nor did i like afl’s ““the game that made australia”.
February 16th 2010 @ 1:00pm
PastHisBest said | February 16th 2010 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Well, boo-diddly-hoo. It’s marketing chum, suck it up.
February 17th 2010 @ 4:08am
Gatto Nero said | February 17th 2010 @ 4:08am | Report comment
That was a great ad! It’s done in the same tongue-in-cheek style that the lamb and beer industry ads are done in. Don’t be so precious…
February 16th 2010 @ 2:41pm
Steve Kaless said | February 16th 2010 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
Sorry Eamonn, care to furnish me of examples where I have been ‘unnecessarily antagonistic’.
Cheers
February 16th 2010 @ 3:10pm
Dogz R Barkn said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
I had actually missed that Steve’s name had been mentioned.
Quite a few of these threads are starting to appear on The Roar where soccer fans feel the need to put down the other codes because of various slights that they have perceived going back decades.
It’s all starting to sound a bit pathetic.
Be happy with whatever you’re following people – leave it at that!!
February 16th 2010 @ 7:05pm
Punter said | February 16th 2010 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
For someone who occassionly watches abit of football, you’re not shy to give your views on football with the odd put down comments. So why?
February 16th 2010 @ 10:47pm
OFTOP said | February 16th 2010 @ 10:47pm | Report comment
I think he provide a touch of reality without being nasty myself.
February 16th 2010 @ 11:38am
jimbo said | February 16th 2010 @ 11:38am | Report comment
Great game, great atmosphere – the A-League is light years ahead of anything Football fans have ever had in this country.
February 16th 2010 @ 12:00pm
Peter said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
It doesn’t take much does it. One good crowd after an entire season of total shockers and you are back with the “Smell the Fear” rhetoric.
I cannot wait for the Socceroos to be bundled of of the World Cup with three losses and see the A-League crowds in a years time (especially once the Heart have torpedoed the Victory Crowds!). Go Germany, Go Serbia and Go Ghana!
February 16th 2010 @ 12:44pm
Macs.football said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
Love that patriotism.
February 16th 2010 @ 12:55pm
Australian Football said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Peter,
you ain’t seen nothin’ yet… wait until the SA 2010 Football World Cup when the Australian National Football Team is on show. There will be 15k travelling Aussies that have already bought their tix for the biggest show on earth..
February 16th 2010 @ 1:37pm
AndyRoo said | February 16th 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Gee Peter, did a football steal your puppy as a kid. What’s with all the hate?
February 16th 2010 @ 2:19pm
jimbo said | February 16th 2010 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
Are you an Australian mate?
Probably an AFL supporter.
Can’t wait till an Australian team is eliminated from a world cup.
Pathetic – shame on you.
February 16th 2010 @ 3:09pm
Realfootball said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
Peter, I fear that red neck of yours is inflamed again.
February 16th 2010 @ 12:49pm
Australian Football said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Eamonn,
a great article and unfortunately I had to sit watching the game with no sound on at my club on this occasion. But as Al Jolson said “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet”.. There’s gong to be some great fixtures coming up in the finals so “tighten your safety belts and hang onto your hat”…
~~~~~~~
AF
February 16th 2010 @ 12:55pm
PastHisBest said | February 16th 2010 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Is that ‘singing’, or ‘sinking’?
February 16th 2010 @ 1:40pm
Spanner said | February 16th 2010 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
When Victory and Heart face off in the sold out new bubble dome in season 6 you will see and hear a noise that Australian fooball has never heard before. Cant wait.
February 16th 2010 @ 2:41pm
Peter said | February 16th 2010 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
What… crickets?
February 16th 2010 @ 3:24pm
PastHisBest said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
One hand clapping?
February 16th 2010 @ 3:33pm
AndyRoo said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Username is quite apt…. you were much funier in the 90′s
February 16th 2010 @ 3:50pm
PastHisBest said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
No I wasn’t…
February 16th 2010 @ 10:52pm
OFTOP said | February 16th 2010 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
It really ought to be about the game not the noise.
February 17th 2010 @ 4:27pm
Simmo said | February 17th 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
It’s about both. All fans of all sports go to live matches to experience the atmosphere. Otherwise we’d stay at home and get a better view on the telly.
February 16th 2010 @ 3:56pm
Art Sapphire said | February 16th 2010 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
Melbourne Heart have announced Westpac as their main sponsor for the next 3 years.
They have also announced the signing Clint Bolton.
Massive coup to get a big four bank as principal sponsor and they are colour co-ordinated to boot.
http://www.melbourneheartfc.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_newsdisplay&id=32610
http://www.melbourneheartfc.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_newsdisplay&id=32603
February 16th 2010 @ 4:12pm
Australian Football said | February 16th 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
Great news Art, tho I’m a SFC, GCU, and Chelsea fan. Good to see some serious sponsors coming into Australian Football—but can they match the spending power of Jim’s Pluming in the ACL for AU FC?.. At the very least, let’s hope they can match Jim’s spending dollar for dollar for the Reds..
~~~~~~
AF
February 16th 2010 @ 4:13pm
MV Dave said | February 16th 2010 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
Absolutely brilliant for Football in Vic…hopefully MV will have to lift their game re community football work to a new level also. The good news keeps on comin
February 16th 2010 @ 4:28pm
Art Sapphire said | February 16th 2010 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Best thing that can happen to Victory – nothing better than competition. Victory’s el presidente Lord should embrace the challenge, rather than crying about not monopolising a market as big as Melbourne’s.
When Lord feels the atmosphere at the first derby he will finally understand what football is about.
February 16th 2010 @ 4:33pm
MV Dave said | February 16th 2010 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
Spot on Art.
February 17th 2010 @ 10:29am
mahony said | February 17th 2010 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Spot on – as a big MV fan I could not agree more.
February 16th 2010 @ 5:16pm
Moonface said | February 16th 2010 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
What’s their new slogan –
Westpac – We’ve got the Heart to charge you more for your Mortgage.
February 16th 2010 @ 8:35pm
Australian Football said | February 16th 2010 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
Moonface,
the lads from Melb Vic are almost ready to jump ship. When they meet the GCU FC in the prelim-final they will be looking for their new “heart throb”. you can “bank on it”.. There you are lads—where can I send my invoice
~~~~~~
AF
February 16th 2010 @ 5:36pm
Midfielder said | February 16th 2010 @ 5:36pm | Report comment
WOW WOW WOW
OMG….This is huge NEWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Westpac WOWWWWWWWwwwwwwwww
February 16th 2010 @ 7:40pm
Rellum said | February 16th 2010 @ 7:40pm | Report comment
Better believe it mate