Why new supporters are turned off by diving
Columnist By Mike Tuckerman, 30 Aug 2010 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- A-League, Central Coast Mariners, diving, football, Kurt Ams, Matthew Breeze, melbourne heart, Patricio Perez, Perth Glory
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“Trying to win a penalty is the new Route 1” wrote FourFourTwo’s online editor Kevin Airs on Twitter, and the always humourous Airs was right on the money. When two matches out of five are defined by dodgy spot-kicks, the anti-football elements among the mainstream media score a free-kick to boot.
The dive from Central Coast Mariners midfielder Patricio Perez looked to be the flop of the weekend until Perth Glory striker Michael Baird pulled off an outrageous piece of simulation to rob Melbourne Heart of their maiden A-League victory.
In the opening instance Matthew Breeze was officiating in his 100th A-League match, while rookie referee Kurt Ams was taking charge of just his first, and the fact that both men in black missed the acts of simulation is testament to just how hard it is to spot the fakers.
However, the Fox Sports cameras certainly spotted them, and if Football Federation Australia wanted to send a strong message that diving will not be tolerated, they’d throw the book at both Perez and Baird for acts of con artistry which changed the complexion of two matches.
That’s unlikely to happen though, which is a shame because it’s impossible not to talk about diving in the wider context of the Australian sporting landscape.
Forget about the capped crowd of 3,624 fans who turned out to watch the farcical Gold Coast United in action, how about the fact only 10,000-odd fans turned out to watch a local derby between defending champions Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners?
It’s all well and good to say the A-League doesn’t need to appeal to the wider sports community given the number of football fans in this country, but we’re struggling to attract even those fans through the gate.
And when potential new supporters are turned off by an element of the game they find particularly unpalatable – and there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence around to suggest that’s the case – then it’s incumbent upon the game itself to stamp that element out.
It’s such a shame so much focus from another pulsating round of action will be fixed squarely on the issue of diving, because there’s no doubt the standard of football we’re currently seeing in the A-League is the highest yet.
Argentine import Marcos Flores registered an early contender for goal of the season for Adelaide United, while Kosta Barbarouses, David Williams and Robbie Kruse all scored goals of real quality to thrill fans inside the grounds and watching on TV.
But the feel-good factor disappears seeing Michael Baird flop to the ground like a fish out of water, so it’s no wonder Kevin Airs likens it to the eyesore that is Route 1 football.
“Players are playing for (penalties) instead of trying to score” writes Airs, and video footage of Baird’s outrageous dive confirms that’s precisely what he’s done.
His act of cheating not only cost Melbourne Heart two points, it likewise provided ammunition to every Peter Fitzsimons and Rebecca Wilson out there just itching to stick the boot into a league they can otherwise barely bring themselves to acknowledge.
I’ve seen plenty of diving in other codes as well, but that’s not to say we should turn a blind eye to acts of simulation taking place in our own backyard.
Patricio Perez and Michael Baird might be new signings for their respective clubs, but they’ve done little to thrust the A-League into the spotlight for the right reasons.
They say winning isn’t everything, but a draw isn’t particularly enjoyable either when it’s achieved by means of play acting, and no doubt there were some folks who walked away from the latest round of action questioning their commitment to the A-League.
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August 30th 2010 @ 11:47am
beaver fever said | August 30th 2010 @ 11:47am | Report comment
Brisbane Roar VS Wellington Phoenix 7,339
North Queensland Fury VS Adelaide United 6,130
Sydney FC VS Central Coast Mariners 10,147
Gold Coast United VS Melbourne Victory 3,624
Melbourne Heart VS Perth Glory 5,878
I would be more worried about crowd numbers than diving, but i guess it’s possible that the 2 are linked ?.
I would have thought the Heart with a new stadium would get around 10k at least.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:02pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
Oh good Beavers here with his crowd figures.
We are well aware that more people go to the AFL Beaver.
I’m not worried about crowd figures because I am well aware that it will be a long hard road to get football accepted by the mainstream and the media, but I am prepared to stick it out because I believe that football will and has to be successfull in this country.
The crowd is young and it is multicultural, and they are there to see the game they love, it may not be mainstream but I would prefer to be in that crowd than any other.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:09pm
beaver fever said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
I actually was not comparing the A-league attendances with the AFLs…… you were, (quite frankly there is no comparison) i was pointing out that there maybe a correlation between low crowds and diving, it is possible.
Perth Glorys crowds will be way up this year, but Hearts must be very dissapointing.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:15pm
dasilva said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
If crowds decrease even further after the diving then you may have a point. Really this week was one of the few cases of diving controversy the A-league gets.
AS far as I can remember before this year there was only major case of diving to win a penalty in the A-league (Cristiano dived years ago).
Diving is relatively a minor problem in the A-league in comparison to the rest of the world but it is a major problem in terms of how the general public perceives it.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:19pm
beaver fever said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
The gist of this article claiims that crowds are/will be affected by diving.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:25pm
dasilva said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
It is a possibility that crowds will be affected if this becomes a common occurrance. So Mike Tuckerman is right that it needs to be stamp out as a precaution so that these controversy only occurs once in a while (it is simply impossible to eliminate it completely unfortunately).
Nevertheless I don’t think we can link the low crowds with diving yet,
The thing is, the overseas league where diving is probably more prevalent is more popular amongst football supporter in Australia then the A-league.
August 30th 2010 @ 2:46pm
oikee said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
They should introduce video refs for watching this, i know they dont have it worldwide.
No harm in setting trends. Not only would you stamp it out, the players would not be game to dive because you would lose a man.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:15pm
Mister Football said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
In fact Mike Tuckerman himself raises the prospect of new supporters not being attracted to the sport because of diving.
We have a new stat-of-the-art stadium, worth $300 million, in a sports mad city renowned for attending sport in large numbers, and the newest team in the city attracted 5,000 odd to a clash against the ladder leaders.
There might be something in what Mike Tuckerman is saying.
I can’t imagine the new Rebels team ever getting less than 6,000 to a game – ever.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:53pm
dasilva said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Before this week. There was no diving scandal in the A-league. I can’t imagine someone actually thinking, I’m predicting that someones going to dive to win a penalty tonight so I’m not going to attend the match.
I think the Hearts low crowd is mostly due to their poor start to the seasons. I’m quite sure the injury to Skoko wouldn’t help things either as he did attract people who followed the Socceroos but not necessarily the A-league (a cynic may say he was attracting ex-NSL supporters with croatian background. Didn’t you used to call the Hearts – Melbourne Croatia).
August 30th 2010 @ 12:56pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Well maybe you shouldn’t spend so much time and effort trying to ostracise football and football fans if you are so concerned about the crowds.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:16pm
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
I’m not so sure on the linkage between crowd figures and diving either, there is a much stronger correlation with community engagement and marketing strategies. Actually if anything the football on the park is at its best since the inception of the league, even with some of the theatrics.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:17pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
Oh sorry Beaver, I thought you were here to show us of the impending doom of the a-league.
The fact is no one but the die hard football fans who are happy to watch inferior quality football in support of a team that, at this stage, will be impossible to have any deep attachment to, is going to fork out the financial, emotional and investmest of time to support a team and game that they would probably not know was even playing.
You continually pointing out the crowd figures is pointless. I don’t want to follow League or AFL, I want to follow football and I am proud to sit with 10 000 people in a brilliant atmosphere and watch bad football.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:56pm
beaver fever said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Thanks for the apology, this is actually the first time i have pointed out crowd figures ( for the A-league), that i am aware of, please feel free to look up my other posts and correct me.
I do have a passing interest in stats (mainly football and cricket) , not up to MC’s standard though, maybe this where you are confused !!.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:57pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Mike, you’ve attracted the usual suspects on to this thread by introducing the crowd element to your article.
As Dasilva quite rightly pointed out, diving is pretty rare in the A-League.
The FFA has in set place a appropriate penalties and I expect Baird, especially, to be punished.
It important to note that both Perez and Baird, were playing their first minutes for in the A-League.
Once the example has been set, I doubt it will become much of an issue for the rest of the season.
The referee, Kevin Ams, admitted post-game that he made a mistake after he saw the replay.
He won’t be feeling too good. It’s hard enough reffing the game, but he’s also been made to look silly.
FFA should throw the book a Baird and set an example.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:06pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Sorry, I fed the Trolls. They looked so hungry.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:18pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Don’t worry Farqwar – someones got to feed them. It was your turn today
August 30th 2010 @ 1:56pm
beaver fever said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Dont be sorry !!, its possible that soccer offers way more food/fodder than any other code, with very low crowds and diving rife, its quite pertinent to offer comments, and explanations as Mike Tuckerman has.
August 30th 2010 @ 2:08pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Or maybe there isn’t enough to get passionate about in AFL, with the same mostly Melbourne teams playing each other over and over again year after year, the game dished up to them on commercial free to air television.
So you come to the football thread in search of passionate fans, fans you secretly wish you could be like, to have what they have.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:04pm
JamesP said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
You don’t need to feed the trolls. Your pathetic league run by an inept administration does it for you.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:07pm
Mister Football said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
The Roar is a general sports site to discuss a wide variety of issues across the Australian sporting landscape.
Mike Tuckerman has proffered a theory suggesting a linkage between diving and low interest in the A-League.
I’m not too sure about the theory, but at least he has put an interesting idea out there for discussion.
I agree with dasilva that until this season, diving has never really been an issue in the A-League, nevertheless, it is fair enough to say that many Australians do not like it, rightly or wrongly.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:18pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
Congrats JameP you have won the troll B.O.G with that effort
August 30th 2010 @ 3:22pm
JamesP said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
You beeeeeeauty!!
August 30th 2010 @ 3:38pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Oh Hi JamesP, how’s the conquest of China coming along?
August 30th 2010 @ 3:52pm
JamesP said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Thanks for asking Farqwar
Here is a link with the latest news:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/101121/default.aspx
May I just say how pleased I am to see you have an active interest in this. in fact, I will be pleased to keep you updated on all aspects of the AFL’s International program each and every time you mention anything about the AFL overseas
August 30th 2010 @ 4:37pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
Sorry JamesP but I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment, but I’m sure the AFL will survive without me.
August 30th 2010 @ 5:59pm
Norm said | August 30th 2010 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
Speaking of the conquest of China Jimmy boy did you realise that those TV rights are yielding zero dollars which as it turns out is about equal to the value the Chinese populace place on the Melb game. Mr Foney confirmed all that for me.
August 30th 2010 @ 9:46pm
JamesP said | August 30th 2010 @ 9:46pm | Report comment
Really Norm!? You dont say!
And here I was thinking the Chinese would be paying the big bucks for our game.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:13pm
Victer said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
Give Heart a bit of time, they started off with two terrible time slots of thursday night and sunday at 5:00pm (brilliant work by the FFA.) However the Gold Coast are now on death row, they will fold at the end of this season.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:28pm
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Gold Coast license to Canberra. You heard it here. From Phnom Penh….. where all the A-League goss is discussed ad naseum amongst the local Khmer population as they sip Vietnamese coffees and nibble on their trei promah. Honest, would I lie to you?
August 30th 2010 @ 8:21pm
Luc said | August 30th 2010 @ 8:21pm | Report comment
Is that going to be viable? Canberra Cosmos attendances in the NSL were around 3000 mark, and the union and league don’t get great attendances. There always seems to be talk about moving the Brumbies because they’re struggling.
GCs population is bigger and there are more businesses based there, and it’s closer to Brisbane. What do you think has changed in Canberra to make it a significantly better option than working with the GC to make them better?
August 30th 2010 @ 9:55pm
Mister Football said | August 30th 2010 @ 9:55pm | Report comment
The Raiders got a 20,000 attendance the round before last, and the Brumbies will get that when they are doing well.
August 30th 2010 @ 11:37pm
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 30th 2010 @ 11:37pm | Report comment
Wee bit of tongue in cheek there, Luc. I thought the Khmer banter reference would do for a slightly more lucid emoticom.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:18pm
Derby County FC said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Personally i get very bored with these same old conversations “the ref should be suspended” etc.
The ref is the only person on that pitch with any integrity. He doesn’t get on TV and say this coach should have played this formation, that player should have reacted quicker, of all the people involved in the match he is the most professional. For 90+ minutes every single one of those 22 players will attempt to get one over on the referee to some degree and at one time or another, and when one does get away with it the ref is targeted. The ref called both those decisions on the spur of the moment, right or wrong he called it as he saw it, are we saying he thought they were not pens but gave them anyway… of course not, to him, at that moment, at that angle it was a pen….simple, get over it. No matter how BS it might seem to everyone else with hindsight and camera angles, from where those refs were standing they saw an infringment. Everyone makes mistakes the difference is the refs are an easy target. Our priorities are wrong, we shouldn’t have a go at the ref we should commend them for only making one mistake or no mistakes because players will always try to cheat, to foul, to dive, to handball if they can. How many players admit to doing something? How many players have any integrity?
Do people know how hard it is to referee a match of professional football?
August 30th 2010 @ 12:34pm
BrisbaneBhoy said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
Sports is nothing more then a mirror image of society. In life (unfortunately) cheating, corruption, big baddies etc, usually win. Sports are just the same. It doesn’t matter if it is football, league, rugby, aussie rules, athletics, baseball, basketball, cricket, etc, etc, etc, people will always find a way to get an unfair advantage. In football it’s through diving and simulation, in league we see the likes of grapple tackles, infringing on the 10mts, head high tackles. In union, there is the likes of holding on to the ball in racks, entering racks from the side, collapsing scums, etc. In AFL (I can’t comment as I don’t watch the sport, but I’m sure there is something). In athletics (and a lot of other sports) there is issues with performance enhancing drugs.
No matter how much we all despise these actions, there is too much relying on the outcomes of every match, every race, every point. It could mean a nice pay check for some, others might have there job on the line. Long gone are the days where sports were just a recreational hobby. Hence we see the problems we have, just as in life’s other adventures.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:13pm
Derby County FC said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
BrisbaneBhoy
Oh i agree totally mate, i just get frustrated when people say dumb things like the ref was trying to make a name for himself or he should be suspended etc. What rot. The two players that dived were trying to make a name for themselves, they should be suspended not the ref for falling for their sneaky tricks.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:49pm
Rellum said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Terrible decision from Ams , I could see it clearly from the other side of the stadium, so could everyone else. My major criticism of Ams is that he seemed out to make a name for himself as shown when he had that red card out in a flash, before realizing it wasn’t needed.
But it must be said that Heart have no one else to blame but themselves. When Sibon came off we sat in our own half and invited the Glory to camp themselves around our box. I’ll keep saying it, if you are going to sell yourself based on your football philosophy, then you need to stick by it. If they had kept pressing the Glory high up the pitch then their would be an excellent chance that Baird would never have had the chance to show his true colours.
As for the Heart crowd, I think that will be about as low as it goes. That crowd looked like the hardcore Heart supporters. Now the club has to get all those people who were playing for their local clubs at the same to the game next week, now that the regular season is over for local club sides.
Off the topic, but I am watching Milan v Lecce and Ronaldinho is going off.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:13pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Relllum – Shroj, Kalmar and Thompson were struggling with fitness in the 2nd half.
To play 4-3-3 you need to be super fit and they were gone after 70 minutes.
Worm struggled again yesterday and did not offer enough.
I am not too worried about the crowd.
There was also game across the road at the MCG at the same time which might have put some casual supporters people off.
The Heart members turned up in force yesterday and by the end of the season the club will get the 12k average they aiming looking for. Two full houses against Victory will make certain of that.
August 30th 2010 @ 7:30pm
Rellum said | August 30th 2010 @ 7:30pm | Report comment
Van Schip seems to agree with you, but to me the whole team decided to sit back and that is what cost us the win. You can’t blame the ref for the loss, there is always something you could have done to avoid it. And that is the thing the team needs to learn for the next game. Blaming the ref for the loss is something poor managers do and I am glad Schippy didn’t take that route.
Alas, as usual a discussion on this site turns into a code war. The AFL acolytes have decided that this topic was to close to an outbreak of heresy. If I stay out in the open and comment for to long they might find where I live and either burn me at the stake or, make me watch the AFL finals series.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:17pm
Axel V said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
Perth never looked like scoring, Heart did well and deserved the win. It’s not their fault that Baird dived, not deserved one bit.
August 30th 2010 @ 2:50pm
oikee said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
I did not see this until they slowed it down on replay. You need video ref. simple.
August 30th 2010 @ 12:55pm
General Ashnak said | August 30th 2010 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Perez did not dive, watch the replays again – there is definate contact between Reddy’s hand and his foot. Baird on the other hand needs to have the book thrown at him, thankfully as he was awarded a penalty the match review panel gets to have a look at it.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:19pm
Derby County FC said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
General Ashnak
Mate there may have been minimal contact but he dived (if a grown man can fall in such a manner as that from a tiny touch he needs to harden up), he milked what contact there was i.e., dive and he got away with it, that is the dirty face of modern football, people make excuses for this behaviour, i call it cheating others call it getting away with what ever you can. But players and certain supporters think that just because there was a feather touch to an ankle they have carte blanche to get a penalty. I don’t mind supporters even saying oh well get what you can (to an extent) as long as they don’t dellude themselves but be honest mate, you know he milked it? Anyone can see he milked it.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:17pm
Nick the second said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
I agree with this, its hard for NEW supporters to get on-board Soccer. The World Cup was the time to shine and get some new converts to soccer in Australia, problem is that it was marred by divers and A-League is no different.
Australians are ‘generally’ (dont quote stats on how many follow soccer v league v AFL) but Australians generally follow AFL, RU or RL.
What ever appeals to the supporters for the above code there is a general under lying theme: Contact.
Soccer is a great game but if you are trying to convert Contact football supporters to a game marred by Divers it is going to be very difficult to attract new supporters to the Soccer code.
Heck thats why I’am put off it, I love all sports but taking a dive to get a set play or even a penalty shot? not for me and judging by the crowd figures, not for alot of Australians.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:34pm
Farqwar said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
With all due respect Nick II, the people who we need to attract to the a-league are people who already follow football. This would include the hundreds of thousands who play the game, those who follow an overseas league, those who feel they got left behind when the NSL was disbanded, those who follow the national team, as well as crosscoders and those who have never been attracted to league or AFL.
I am sure their are a lot of people in Australia who prefer sports that are a contest of strength. But I am sure there are just as many who don’t. Whether you like it or loathe it, diving is part of the game, and it would be impossible to irradicate short of making it a full contact sport, which I am not in favour of.
If you get the standard up to an exciting level and add the atmosphere of a good sized football crowd, the product will sell itself.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:30pm
Alphonse said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:30pm | Report comment
If the authorities are genuinely interested in eradicating this blight from the game they must introduce a system where all dives / fouls in the box are sent for post-match review by a panel of three independent judges.
If a player is judged to have deliberately dived they should:-
i) be rubbed out for a minimum number of weeks / matches;
ii) have their wages withheld for the period of the suspension; and
iii) have their side docked any points accrued from that game.
That should stop them.
August 30th 2010 @ 1:41pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Alphonse – a system is already in place.
Page 9 of the FFA’s A-League Disciplinary Regulations
Obvious Error – Simulation Citations 9.23
When meeting pursuant to clause 9.18, the Match Review Panel must also, pursuant to clause 9.1(c), review the A-League Match for Simulation. Where the Match Review Panel, after conducting its review, in its sole and absolute discretion, believes:
(a) a Participant is guilty of Simulation;
(b) the Referee has made an Obvious Error in failing to detect the Simulation; and
(c) the Simulation committed by the Participant resulted in:
(i) a penalty kick being awarded to the Participant’s team, such decision to award a penalty kick being one that no Referee in the possession of all the facts, including the Broadcast Footage, could reasonably have made; or
(ii) a Red Card being issued to a Player and such Red Card is one determined by the Match Review Panel, on application from the Player in accordance with clause 9.3, to be expunged in accordance with clause 9.6,
the Match Review Panel must impose a sanction on the Participant of a suspension of two (2) A-League Matches. This suspension is not subject to further review or appeal and must be served.
http://admin.footballaustralia.com.au/site/_content/document/00001823-source.pdf
August 30th 2010 @ 2:10pm
Alphonse said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:10pm | Report comment
Thanks for alerting me to that fact.
Nonetheless the penalty isn’t a big enough deterent.
If a player’s wages and a club’s points are put at risk then I think the incidents of diving would be eradicated rather than simply reduced.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:21pm
Derby County FC said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
Art Saphire
The problem with the match review panel is (i presume) they have to prove that there was no contact and i don’t think that is possible in this instance, we all know he went looking for the pen but proving it is a different matter.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:26pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Derby County, I and most of the football community will be very surprised if Baird does not go for 2 weeks.
The Perez one will be much more difficult to proves as Reddy’s hand was very close to Perez’s foot.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:35pm
Derby County FC said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Art
Agree, yeah i was talking more about the Perez one. Baird should be hung, drawn and quatered for that crime!
August 30th 2010 @ 3:32pm
Mister Football said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
I remember one year Tiatto gave Vargas (I think it was) an elbow to the throat. It was looked at by this same match review committee who concluded that Tiatto didn’t have a case to answer.
Ironically, in that very same game, Carlos got a 2nd yellow for simulation.
It’s a funny game at times.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:40pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
How about the ridiculous anomalies with the AFL MRP.
Makes the A-League MRP look professional.
August 30th 2010 @ 2:03pm
BrisbaneBhoy said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
@ ]Nick the second – I will just comment on the last sentence of your post – “Heck thats why I’am put off it, I love all sports but taking a dive to get a set play or even a penalty shot? not for me and judging by the crowd figures, not for alot of Australians.”
I think you are being a bit harsh on crowd figures. The A-League has only been up and running for the past 5 years. It takes time for people to feel/build a bond with their local team. The fact that all teams have been set-up as franchises rather then clubs will take time even more time. Now compare that with the NRL and AFL teams, which some have been around for 100yrs, and things aren’t all that bad. Club wise (on an average) the A-League isn’t all that far behind thee likes of the NRL, and they will improve. Then there are the international matches, football is real healthy on this front, and will likely to be so for the long time.
So for you to somehow read into the crowd figures that Australians don’t like diving, is a bit of a stretch IMO, especially when you consider that the A-League is a pretty clean league when it comes to diving.
—–
@ Farqwar – I agree. Now, I can’t really comment on the football scene in other areas (but I’d take a punt from speaking with others and say it is much the same as Brisbane), but for Brisbane there is a lot of the Brisbane football community that are yet to be convinced for one reason or another (from the way the roar was first set-up, to the Qld Loins connection (that is pretty much now gone), to the name and colours, to already following an overseas team, etc, etc). Now if the FFA, and the clubs themselves start to concentrate on the football community, rather then try too get the bandwagoner/everyday sports fan then the game will be in a lot healthier position, then it currently finds its self in. Once this is sorted, then yes, the FFA and the clubs can feel free to expand their wings.
August 30th 2010 @ 2:50pm
victoryblog said | August 30th 2010 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
I find it interesting you have failed to mention Alex Terra’s dive that resulted in the first penalty. There was hardly any contact and Terra just dropped to the ground. It was barely a foul and definitely not a penalty.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:02pm
Mister Football said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
This underscores why it’s very complicated: there was definite contact with Terra, there probably was with Perez as well, but there was zero contact with Baird.
Both the Terra and Perez cases are situations where the ref has to make an instantaneous call, and it’s a bit tough to be too harsh on the ref, and the cases are such that the FFA is not likely to take any action.
But with the Baird case, there are grounds for taking action by the FFA along the same lines as they did with Cristiano a couple of years back (following a game against the Victory – no doubt you remember it well).
August 30th 2010 @ 3:13pm
Mike Tuckerman said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
I thought the arm tug on Alex Terra warranted a penalty.
August 30th 2010 @ 3:04pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
Yeah it is strange, the commentators thought it was a pen.
Everyone else saw the arm tug and thought it was a pen, except you.
But then I look at your name and am I not surprised
August 30th 2010 @ 3:11pm
Axel V said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
Shouldn’t your name be Art Ruby?
Sapphire is blue afterall!
August 30th 2010 @ 3:15pm
Art Sapphire said | August 30th 2010 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
My name predates the A-League Axel V, but thanks for the suggestion