Sydney FC won the title, Melbourne won the true game
Roar Rookie By The Fun Cool Man, 22 Mar 2010 The Fun Cool Man is a Roar Rookie
101 Have your say
Many of you will read the above title and think “what is this author saying?” It’s OK guys, I’ll explain it to you.
Sitting inside Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, an amazing sensation came over me. Whilst it took 80 minutes to happen, the “sensation” bit me quicker than you could say “Archie Thompson ACL Joint”.
The sensation, as one may put it, was the absolute roar and thunder of the crowd inside the stadium willing (mainly) Melbourne on to a second goal during normal time.
Now I’ve been to a few football matches overseas in my time but, for sheer intensity and willpower, nothing matched that magical 10 minutes inside Etihad Stadium on Saturday night. The stadium heaved with noise and colour, it was a unique and special experience to be a part of.
The problem with Australian grand finals, of any code, is the large element of “bandwagon” support they receive. Whilst many in the stadium may not be Victory home-game devotees, let me tell you that, after the 80 minute mark when the home team scored, they found their voice and enthusiasm for the game.
Australian soccer is still in its early redevelopment stages. Whilst triumphs like Sydney’s Premiership/Championship double are good, the importance of developing a fan culture, and unique Australian “football game day atmosphere”, cannot be ignored.
In summary, whilst Sydney won the official trophy on offer on Saturday night, I can’t help but think that Melbourne may have won the long term “war” of being the key developer and innovator of football game day culture in Australia.
I’m sure the other 44,595 spectators in the crowd, besides yours truly, would find it hard to argue with that.
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March 22nd 2010 @ 2:20pm
Phil H said | March 22nd 2010 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
I’ve been a MV regular over the last 3-4 seasons but that 10 minute period after Melbourne’s goal was nothing like I’ve experienced across any code of football over my 50 years. The crowd was almost in a collective frenzy – I’ve never witnessed anything like it.
The author’s comments are spot on and have been endorsed by several in the media since the game, most notably Gerard Whateley (ABC), who will have tasted a number of frenzied games of AFL in his time, and even more remarkably Ron Reed, sports editor at the notoriously AFL-loving, soccer-hating Herald-Sun.
Compare and contrast then Mark Bosnich, who on Saturday night used the words “bad game and bad crowd”. I’m not sure what game he was at but his comments were infuriating.
March 22nd 2010 @ 2:23pm
ren said | March 22nd 2010 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
Agreed, Bosnich was a complete twat but he does like attention so maybe that was his ploy
March 22nd 2010 @ 2:32pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
maybe he was pointing out that the crowd lacked sportsmanship for not staying for the presentation—only the SFC supporters were left, staying on to see the toilet seat presented to the victors.. What a about a bit of respect for the team that won?
March 23rd 2010 @ 12:17am
FUN_FACTS said | March 23rd 2010 @ 12:17am | Report comment
as a Melbourne supporter, I stayed and watched the presentation. To show my support and respect for MY team, but I have no respect for Sydney and i never will.
but to be honest, why, as the supporter of the losing team, should stay for the presentation, especially a loss like that, to my most hated enemy.
I’m damn sure, if the game was in Sydney and Melbourne had have won, then the Sydney supporters would have left before the presentation too.
March 23rd 2010 @ 12:31pm
Axel V said | March 23rd 2010 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
I was so sad and the last thing i wanted to see was Sydney lift the trophy.
Imagine losing the war to Germany and staying for the inauguration of Hitler in your country?
It’s a little over the top of an example but you should get the picture!
That Melbourne fans ran to the exits as Craig Foster put it, shows how much they care about their team.
March 22nd 2010 @ 2:34pm
The Fun Cool Man said | March 22nd 2010 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
Wow, over 40 responses so far when I logged on here. Really proud of you, keep it up.
March 22nd 2010 @ 2:51pm
Towser said | March 22nd 2010 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
Jesse Fink mentioned earlier, giving the finger to Kevin Muscat in this article from TWG:-
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/jesse-fink/blog/980212/It’s-called-karma,-Kevin
Personally I think Fink is more of a reaction writer than a serious football one. Lines like these are meant to provoke:-
“I don’t know if there is an Australian football fan with any shred of decency in his or her body who didn’t revel in the schadenfreude at seeing you screw up so badly at the most critical moment of your club’s entire season.”
Scadenfreude maybe for some but without characters like Muscat football would be sterile
Need players to add a bit of colour to the game, divide opinion.
Players who wipe the snot from their sleeve rather than use an antibiotic handkerchief ,are just as valid as golden boys like Becks.
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:26pm
MV Dave said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Agreed Towser and the article from Fink is a disgrace…wonder if he would say any of it to Muscats face?
Musky polarises supporters but he is loved by most at MV and hated, no doubt, by many from other teams but…people talk about him! Characters…loved or loathed are what make sport what it is.
Good news on the ratings figures also: from the Knowfirst site
“PAYTV WEEK 12
Sydney Beats Melbourne In an A-League Thriller
The extra time period of the A-League Grand Final, in which Sydney FC beat Melbourne Victory 4-2 in penalty
kicks, topped the week for subscription TV with 272,000 viewers (listed as Live: Football: A-League Post Game
Show on FOX Sports overleaf)”
Highest figures l can remember for an ALeague match
The link to Ron Reed’s article from todays Hun…titled “Soccer’s Grand Final in a League of its own”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccers-grand-final-in-a-league-of-its-own/story-e6frf9if-1225843533957
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:42pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
C’mon Dave you have to have a laugh
at Jesse’s article.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:12pm
DiCanio said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
Please, there are plenty of characters around that let their football do the talking
Kevin Muscat isn’t a character, or a footballer. He’s just a thug who gains attention through his connections in the local game and his appeal to Rugby fans who think football should be more like union.
Any person with a shred of ethical decency would comprehend that ‘being sensationalist / talked about’ is not in itself a worthy acheivement.
Paris Hilton anyone?
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:32pm
MV Dave said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
Muscat has plied his trade in the NSL, England, Scotland and the HAL and has represented his country 50 times. He captained his team, Millwall, in an FA Cup Final vs Man Utd and was part of a Rangers team that won the treble. This puts him amongst the elite of footballers produced in Oz…whether you like it or not. The fact that you, and other opposition supporters, dont like him is like water off a ducks back.
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:34pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
Now that’s one of Jesse’s best—a writer who has balls to say it how he sees it. The Roar have lost a real entertainer in Jesse Fink.
One of Jesse’s best provocative pieces––thanks for the link Towser. The first time I have read it—great writing and thought provoking. I wrote an article on who will be the first HAL footballer to be bronzed outside an Australian Football Stadium. I still stand by my nominations Stevie (Bimbi) Corica and Kevin (Mongrel) Muscat. Two most loved footballers by their fans. But I know which one I respect the most..
——-
AF
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:41pm
Art Sapphire said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
I agree Towser – I don’t consider Fink to be a serious football writer.
He writes, as you said, for reaction and he shoots pretty wide of the mark most times.
This is 2nd comment made on the TWG website in regards to Fink latest diatribe
“If karma was real Finky your poor articles would have clearly lead you to unemployment by now” Touche
He once wrote a xenophobic piece stating that teams like Olympiakos should not come to Australia to play friendlies.
I have never taken him seriously after that insult to our collective footballing sensibilities.
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:44pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
Gawd not another one
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:03pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
Dave and Art have a close look at the vision of Muscat chasing the SFC ball carrier before he releases it to Brosque. Muscat clearly from behind gives the SFC player a rabbit killer on the back on the neck that brings him down after he releases the ball to Brosque. Now what do you say about that piece of disgraceful play from Muscat? Doesn’t Jesse have a point.?
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:38pm
MV Dave said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Have mentioned on another Blog about that last 10-15 minutes…it was truly amazing. Come from behind victories and those against the odds really get fans going. My only other live personal comparisons are Liverpool v ManU at Anfield, Socceroos v Iran in 1997, and at Fed Square in Nov 2005 when the Socceroos beat Uruguay on penalties.
Anyone watching on TV would have only felt a little of what was going on in the entire stadium…my group were in B row level 3 near the MV active support. People all around were literally screaming for MV to get the ball into the net and the groans when players missed was palpable. Still get chills up the spine when l think of it. It is these moments that make a club and a league…
March 22nd 2010 @ 3:48pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
MVDave, I have to ask–how many MV supporters stayed on for the Toilet Seat Presentation and were you one..?
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:03pm
MV Dave said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
AF
Watched until MV received the runners up medals…then had to leave was starving (game went well over time) and our group was going out to dinner
It is rare, in my knowledge, for home supporters in a football match to stay on and watch the ‘enemy’ receive their (Toilet Seat) trophy…good or bad thats the way it is. Same would have happened in Sydenee if MV had won.
BTW Finks article is humourless and written in a vinictive and vengeful tone…unpleasant (see my rant above).
BTW2 ManU back on top
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:22pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
only by a whisker Chelsea still have a game in hand—I think ?
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:04pm
Art Sapphire said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
Give it a rest AF your – No one sticks around to see their bitterest rival celebrate.
The Sydney players had their big love in with their supporters and we obliged by leaving the stadium to give them their private moment. That’s what you call being considerate hosts.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:12pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
C’mon Art you have to show some respect to the winners when you are at the game. It’s not like you to be a bad sport—It’s not in our D.N.A.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:42pm
Art Sapphire said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
AF – Seriously, do you expect to see PAO fans waiting to see Olympiakos get a trophy or vice versa. Give me a break.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:14pm
DiCanio said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:14pm | Report comment
What an angle
Melbourne Victory… the considerate hosts.
Im sure the computer hurler and his mates from earlier in the season would disagree.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:39pm
Art Sapphire said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
Ridiculous comment Di Canio – using one moronic incident from the past to make a generalisation.
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:23pm
punter said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
AF, great win for the boys from Sydney, wasn’y it great to Muscat miss the penalty.
I must admit a true football fan would not have stayed to watch the opposition get the trophy. Fozzie actually was full of praise about the MV fans leaving, saying they showed the true understanding of being a football fan.
March 22nd 2010 @ 5:05pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
Punter,
Fozzie said that…? Gawd then that’s saved the Tard’s bacon I guess.. Are you sure Fozzie said that? If that’s how the Melbourne fans show their respect—so be it.. But that would not happen in my Harbour City. Not the Harbour City I know..
March 22nd 2010 @ 4:27pm
DiCanio said | March 22nd 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
In regards to the article.
I am sure Sydney supporters will be happy for Melbourne to continue to win thís ephermeral ”true game” (along with coach of the year : cue rolling eyes ) if Sydney continue to win actual, measurable acheivements like, say for example, doing the double and fair play award.
Seems like Melbourne are quite capable of achieving subjective, unprovable results. I suppose when they get thrashed on Tuesday there will be an article about the ‘moral’ victory of MV actually making the journey 2 days after the grandfinal.
March 22nd 2010 @ 5:10pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 5:10pm | Report comment
Not to mention that Muskie might miss another unfortunate penalty..
March 23rd 2010 @ 1:32am
The Fun Cool Man said | March 23rd 2010 @ 1:32am | Report comment
Paolo, the important thing to remember is that we’re still trying to build a footballing culture as such.
Whilst it’s great that Sydney won the double, there is still an obligation (of sorts) from all to promote the game to the Australasian masses. The trophy’s are good, but a greater legacy can be achived by promoting the game’s better moments.
Late in normal time on Saturday night was just that, and a moment worth cherising.
That’s what I was trying to emphasise by the article, the ‘promotional’ aspect of the moment.
March 22nd 2010 @ 5:39pm
Joe FC said | March 22nd 2010 @ 5:39pm | Report comment
Sitting among the Sydney fans with my son & daughter it was a tremendous night. The noise from the Melbourne fans during the last ten minutes of normal time was unbelievable. As for Melbourne fans not hanging around after the match I certainly didn’t care and I don’t think any of the other Sydney crowd did either. We had the whole stadium to ourselves and where able to share the moment with the players, who spent some fifteen plus minutes interacting with boisterous and delirious fans. Not sure if it was reported but the police provided an escort to (I assume) “Cove” members & allowed them to process along the streets while chanting various celebratory songs. A marvellous night for Australian football.
March 22nd 2010 @ 5:56pm
Tifosi said | March 22nd 2010 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
As foz pointed out yesterday on the world game, he thought the fans leaving was great, as do i, as it means a heated rivalry is developing between the two !!
March 22nd 2010 @ 6:46pm
Australian Football said | March 22nd 2010 @ 6:46pm | Report comment
With all seriousness I can’t possible agree with that––not only is it bad sportsmanship, it is a slap in the face to the Sponsors who make it all possible, and those who have worked so hard behind the scenes to make it a special day and a big occasion for football. Has it really come to this––that the losing team and its supporters don’t have the decency and good manners to stay and witness the presentation ceremony––I must be getting old.
March 22nd 2010 @ 8:08pm
Left Right Out said | March 22nd 2010 @ 8:08pm | Report comment
Nothing has yet come close to the atmosphere to the Uruguay game.
I was in the away bay down there on Saturday night. The last 10 mins got the crowd going but by why would you expect anything less, they just equalised with ten to go in a final. I would expect any home crowd that just got back into contention of winning a GF with ten to go to be getting behind their team. That’s the great thing (and the hardest) about football, goals can be hard to come by but also conceded so easily. They went off when they scored but that’s usual for football.
Apart from a few coin donations and a couple of free bottles of coke courtesy of the upper level behind the away bay only the two ends were active in their support for the first 80 mins of the game.
March 22nd 2010 @ 9:09pm
Midfielder said | March 22nd 2010 @ 9:09pm | Report comment
Its official now Pims going … http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26883997-5014539,00.html
March 23rd 2010 @ 5:16pm
The Fun Cool Man said | March 23rd 2010 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
Not exactly related to the topic, but hey MF, you have enough credibility around here to let it pass.
Nice going!
March 23rd 2010 @ 5:54pm
Mister Football said | March 23rd 2010 @ 5:54pm | Report comment
I thought this was directed at me – and that made me think: what on Earth could I have written to elicit such an overwhelmingly positive response.
March 23rd 2010 @ 12:38am
FUN_FACTS said | March 23rd 2010 @ 12:38am | Report comment
@Australian Football
on the topic of sportsmanship and respect.
it was nice to see/hear the “sportsmanship” and “respect” shown by the scum supporters after Archie did his knee. If you consider the chant “F***K OFF ARCHIE” sportsman like behaviour, then I will happily return the favour when I return to that dank hell-hole which you seem to think is heaven next season.
March 23rd 2010 @ 11:30am
Derby County FC said | March 23rd 2010 @ 11:30am | Report comment
@FUN_FACTS
Yeah it was unsportsmanlike of The Cove to do that, just as unsportsmanlike as Kruse and Co celebrating in front of the Cove at the SFS in the major semi, deliberatly goading them.
You reep what you sew, Victory players didn’t respect us so we returned the favour.
March 23rd 2010 @ 11:35am
Derby County FC said | March 23rd 2010 @ 11:35am | Report comment
@FUN_FACTS
One other thing, i didn’t see the Victory supporters cheering Corica off when he did his hamstring, no i saw them jumping about loving it. Get over it, you’ve already said you hate us so why expect us to be nice, it’s called passion and rivalry.
And we do have a lot of respect for AT he’s awesome and a true pro but he’s a Victory boy, end of.
March 23rd 2010 @ 12:47pm
Axel V said | March 23rd 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Derby I think more to his point is, we’re both as bad as each other and stop pretending the bull that AF makes of thinking that Sydney are more chivalrous and civilized than Melbourne, Sydney is not one to preach on sportsmanship and we are both as bad as each other.
I never had anything against Sydney, until 2 years ago i saw them marching down the street, many of them viciously eyeballing at me, wanting to take a swing and making provoking chants. I’m just a harmless looking casual victory fan and was with other Melbournians. I’ve never seen such hatred in the Australian sporting landscape.
Credit to the convict cove for making me hate them so much!
March 23rd 2010 @ 1:09pm
delpy said | March 23rd 2010 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
Axel, I guess you weren’t at the Duke of Kent in December when Melbourne fans rocked up, threw computer parts to break the windows of the pub then threw flares through the broken windows before attacking Sydney fans who had merely been enjoying a pre-game drink at a Sydney fans only bar.
March 23rd 2010 @ 1:55pm
Axel V said | March 23rd 2010 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
Maybe you should ask some of the Melbourne supporters on what Sydney supporters have done to them?
On youtube this Scum supporter was bragging about how he brought up a massive golly and spat it on the shift of a passing victory fan, to the victory fan’s credit he didn’t fight him.
2 wrongs don’t make a right, Sydney are just as feral (or more so
), accept it.
March 23rd 2010 @ 2:48pm
Derby County FC said | March 23rd 2010 @ 2:48pm | Report comment
Axel V
Mate totally agree, both are as bad as each other,i fear to the long term detrament of Aussie football! I love rivalry, i love passion and i love beating the Victory but before and after the game you are more than welcome to come to the pub with me and my mates and enjoy a beer.
Personally i think this ‘Tard’ ‘Scum’ thing has gone too far and if people know of people being violent or anti-social (commiting crime) they should tell someone like the cops, it damages football and it damages the reputation of our clubs and only gives the NRL and the AFL ammo.