Socceroos fans: please don’t embarrass us!
Columnist By Mike Tuckerman, 7 May 2010 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert
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- football, Football World Cup, Socceroos
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Football in Australia has come a long way in the past five years, so much so that we now have two supporter groups claiming to act in the interests of Socceroos fans. But the rise of ‘The Green and Gold Army’ and ‘The Fanatics’ raises questions about the types of supporters who will travel to South Africa.
Both the GGA and the Fanatics are selling expensive package tours to the World Cup, with the former offering the chance to spend some quality time with those high princes of hi-jinx Kevin Muscat and John Kosmina as part of their tour.
Meanwhile, the Fanatics were founded by tennis fan Warren Livingstone – who claims that football was really his true first love – and they have been a ubiquitous sight at sporting events featuring Australian teams since 1997, both at home and abroad.
The GGA are a more recent invention, but their modus operandi is much the same, with the obvious difference the fact that they operate as a self-styled “home end” for Socceroos games only.
The problem for Socceroos fans who don’t wish to subscribe to the group mentality of the GGA – or worse still the wig-wearing shenanigans of the Fanatics – is that both groups have snapped up a substantial amount of tickets for the South African sojourn.
And like a booze-fuelled Contiki stumble through Europe, they could make their presence felt in a spirit less in keeping with the fraternal nature of the World Cup, and one that has more to do with getting plastered on foreign soil.
I know what it’s like to travel around the World Cup as a fan; I did exactly that with my girlfriend (now wife) and best mate at the 2006 finals in Germany.
But unlike the kind of package tours that base themselves in just one city, our independent trip took in at least fifteen different European cities – including memorable visits to Bruges and Prague – and we met countless other football fans along the way.
Whether it was drinking with Brazil fans at the Paulaner Bräuhaus in Munich, participating in a live on air debate with Croatian supporters for the BBC World Service, or just being among the million-strong crowd on the Berlin fan mile for the final, the whole essence of the trip was to meet fellow football fans from across the globe.
I’m not sure how often you can do that when you’re housed in a high-security camping site in Durban with the Fanatics, where roaming guards and controlled access offer an uneasy throwback to a country still recovering from the depravity of Apartheid.
For every dyed-in-the-wool Socceroos fan in Germany, I counted at least a couple of Wallabies jersey-wearing drunks desperate to burst into strains of “Waltzing Matilda” at the drop of a hat, and generally prompting quizzical looks from some of the more seasoned Australian supporters.
It’s only natural that the World Cup stirs up feelings of patriotism, and of course it’s not for me to say how fans should or shouldn’t demonstrate their support for the national team.
But many long-term Socceroos supporters can’t help but wonder just where these new-found fans were prior to 2005, and whether most of those booked on package tours in South Africa aren’t just in it for the booze and bad music.
So be it if they are, I suppose – and given the obvious security concerns and lengthy travel times in South Africa, it makes more sense for fans to book package tours than it did in Germany.
I just hope that we don’t see too many headlines of Australian fans ruining it for everyone else – be they locals or fellow football fans.
Have a great time, by all means, and support the national team with gusto, but please don’t embarrass us on the world stage.
After all, that’s the last thing that our flagging bid to host the World Cup needs.
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May 7th 2010 @ 12:43pm
apaway said | May 7th 2010 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
Mike, there are parts of this article I wholeheartedly agree with, but I think it’s unfair and counter-productive to distinguish “dyed-in-the-wool” Socceroos fans from “Wallabies jersey-wearing drunks”. That just smacks of the kind of snobbery that is giving football fans a bad name. I was in Germany too and every single Australian supporter I met or saw was having the time of his/her life, and it made no difference to me what they were wearing. Even Peter Fitzsimons was there, and he loved the Australia-Croatia game so much he devoted an entire Saturday column to it.
One of the proudest moments of the entire trip was the post-match party in Kaiserslautern after the Japan game when thousands of Aussie fans dressed in whatever green and gold they could find drank and danced and sang and had an incredible night. A German man was watching from across the street and he nodded to me and said, “These are great people, these are great fans.” His reasoning was that they were enjoying themselves, were inclusive (fans from other countries were part of the festivities), but they weren’t out of control or trashing the place like the so-called English “fans” did in Stuttgart a week later.
I’m as dyed in the wool as they come when it comes to the Socceroos but the greatest satisfaction I get is when I take someone to a game who has never had the Socceroo experience, and they “Get It.”
May 7th 2010 @ 1:59pm
Mike Tuckerman said | May 7th 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
The “dyed in the wool” vs “Wallabies-jersey wearing drunks” quip was never intended to be a slight on either such fan – it was a throwaway line inspired by the fact that it was odd to see so many new faces supporting a team that was once so maligned.
If my opinion has come off as snobbery then I apologise, because like everyone else I think the support for the national team should always come from each end of the spectrum.
May 7th 2010 @ 12:50pm
Derby County FC said | May 7th 2010 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Mike
” I just hope that those who are only there to party don’t ruin things for those who are there to watch football.”
Get over yourself bro, the world cup is about both. Who goes to the world cup to not watch football be it in the stadium, on a screen in a Plaza or on a small TV in a bar? I’m not saying you are are a snob, i’m sure you’re not but you sure sound like one.
May 7th 2010 @ 1:42pm
Lu said | May 7th 2010 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Is this not the dumbest article on roar ever????
Has nothing to do about anything..
May 7th 2010 @ 3:05pm
True Tah said | May 7th 2010 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
Mike
if this is how you feel, then no doubt you would support a world cup to be held in Qatar – no drunken shenannigans to be had there!!
May 7th 2010 @ 3:17pm
Hoolifan said | May 7th 2010 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
If you have stumped up the money and made the effort to go to Africa, why would you be an embarrassment?
The people who are not going are the one’s who need to have a good hard look at themselves.
May 7th 2010 @ 3:44pm
Rhys said | May 7th 2010 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
The Fanatics are absolutely horrible, but the Betfair Green and Gold Army aren’t far behind. Cashing in on the Socceroos while putting very little back. I’m not sure where the sponsorship dollars, or profits from their tacky merchandise goes, but it sure hasn’t gone into any sort of visual support lately.
Maybe they are saving up for another Simon Hill banner?
May 7th 2010 @ 3:54pm
Chris K said | May 7th 2010 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
I’m pretty sure the poms will do a better job at embarassing themselves that anything the Aussie supporters do will pale in comparison
May 7th 2010 @ 4:19pm
Derby County FC said | May 7th 2010 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
Unfortunatly for me…. i have to agree. Well a small minority will
Hopefully most of the idiots won’t be able to afford to travel.
May 7th 2010 @ 5:03pm
sledgeross said | May 7th 2010 @ 5:03pm | Report comment
Hey Noel, if you are loudmouth and obnoxious and wearing fanatics clothing, Ill happily smack you in the mouth.
I did use the words “generally” quite alot though, so I may not be talking about you specifically!
May 7th 2010 @ 5:15pm
JK said | May 7th 2010 @ 5:15pm | Report comment
That should take care of any embarrassment for Mike over there, good plan…………
May 7th 2010 @ 6:04pm
Cpaaa said | May 7th 2010 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
I actually found this a very good article and one that could have only been written by a knowledgeable football writer. If anyone is travelling to SA, you will experience the difference between Australian supporter groups, and there is a massive difference.
The GGArmy is the original Football group of our national team. They have an understanding of the football text, what drives and inspires our players, alist of football anthems and chants and some for the opposition. They know every player who is playing and who to watch out for on the other side. these boys do their homework as supporters. They can be the difference in crucial matches.
The Fantatics on the other hand cheer the same ol lines they would on the Football pitch s as they would for libby tricket in the pool. There understanding of football is less so.Im not saying that these supporters arnt welcome, football is for everyone, but for the love of God please dont,oogie oogie oogie, oh my god oh my god ohhh my god, please dont.
very very very…uncool. Not even funny, now thats embarrassing.
If the Fanatics can avoid singing that and still wear their stupid wigs, you will have my blessing in South Africa.
May 8th 2010 @ 12:21pm
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 8th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
I intend on wearing the Cambodian national shirt to a couple of games we have tickets for where I’m a neutral; that should confuse some people nicely.
Cpaaa has a point in-so-far that a bit of homework from fans groups, regardless of who they are, should make the whole experience a better one for all concerned. Personally I think we need as much cheering as we can get, to have it coordinated and witty is the icing on the cake.