A-League season launch (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
The much-anticipated buildup to the seventh season of the A-League culminated this morning at the season launch, and the message was literally spelt out by fans, players and coaches: ‘We Are Football.’
The FFA’s ‘We Are Football’ campaign has steadily gained momentum over recent weeks and with the AFL and NRL seasons concluding over the weekend, the timing for the season launch couldn’t have been better.
With an obvious intention to reconnect with football’s grassroots community, the FFA invited fans to the Sydney Football Stadium this morning to interact with players and coaches, and spread the message prior to the competition’s kick-off on Saturday afternoon.
The signings of Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton have already boosted the prospects of a league crying out for a boost, and CEO Ben Buckley was bullish about the season ahead.
“It is fair to say that this is the most anticipated start to the season since the buzz of the inaugural season back in 2005,” he said.
“The homecoming of Socceroos stars Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton has proved what we’ve always said – that the A-League is fast emerging as one of Australia’s top competitions.”
Gold Coast boss Miron Bleiberg, the only surviving coach from the inaugural season, was also optimistic about what lay ahead, comparing the buzz to the hype that surrounded the A-League during its inception in 2005.
“The anticipation for this season is very similar to the first year, no one knows,” he said.
“Preparation and team recruitment is a bit of a mystery.
“If you add the effect of marketing, with Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell, it looks even better than the first year.”
Criticisms have been levelled at the FFA in recent years of failing to properly address the needs of the A-League while preparing Australia’s 2022 World Cup bid, and the fan focus at the launch was evident.
While the ‘We Are Football’ campaign has been reminiscent of the initial A-League marketing campaigns that worked successfully, it will be the quality of the on-field product that ultimately decides the fate of the competition.
For 22-year-old Sydney FC fan Tom Jensen, the ability of Sydney FC coach Vitezlav Lavicka to get his team playing attractive football was the biggest hope for the upcoming season.
“We need to get the swagger back to bring our fans back, and hopefully ‘Emmo’ will help us do that,” he said.
“If this season is to be successful, the A-League needs us to be doing well.”
The FFA has carefully laid the foundations for the reinvigoration of the A-League, and it is a test for the game to see how well it performs in terms of support and quality of football on offer.
It starts this weekend with the Newcastle Jets at 4:30pm (ADST) on Saturday, and the big clash between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at 6:30pm (ADST).
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October 4th 2011 @ 1:14pm
Tristan Rayner said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
Breaking news: Branko Culina (who was present at the launch today, but left early) has been sacked by the Jets, effectively immediately. Story soon…
October 4th 2011 @ 1:58pm
Kasey said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Re Boxhead being sacked: For Syria? – thats got to be close to a record for a major sports code in this country – admittedly I don’t follow NRL at all or the AFL very closely, so I’m sure I’ll be corrected very soon. I assume the 11/12 HAL season guide has already been sent to the printers, that ‘error’ will annoy some of course!
I just booked my flights and hotel in Perth to be there when the Adelaide United season gets underway in Perth! To say I’m jumping out of my skin in anticipation is to put it mildly!
October 4th 2011 @ 2:00pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
I’d say “unbelievable”, but I was expecting something negative to interrupt the beautiful build-up!
The Jets have had 6 months to do this, but wait until 4 days before kick-off! Better change my tipping for that match!
October 4th 2011 @ 2:17pm
Tristan Rayner said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
Here’s the story: http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/10/04/newcastle-jets-sack-branko-culina/
October 4th 2011 @ 2:20pm
Kasey said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
Once again footbal shows its propensity to take the focus off the game in the lead up to what should be a huge celebration of domestic football in Australia. I believe the technical term is to “shoot oneself in the foot”
October 4th 2011 @ 2:22pm
Nathan of Perth said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
They’re nuts, that’s absolutely nuts, so close to the start of season… what was Tinkler thinking?
October 4th 2011 @ 1:15pm
Will Sinclair said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
If nothing else, the change in timing for the start of the A-League has been perfect.
Instead of getting lost in the AFL & NRL Finals, the A-League starts with no domestic competition, and thousands of Aussie blokes suddenly facing the prospect of months on end with no footy action!
I predict more than a few converts. At least until the cricket starts!
October 4th 2011 @ 1:45pm
AGO74 said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Mate, I enjoy the cricket, but I couldn’t even tell you who is coming out here this summer!
October 4th 2011 @ 1:59pm
Will Sinclair said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
You’re right…
Is it India?
I think it’s India.
October 4th 2011 @ 3:33pm
Brad_O said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Hmmm you know what Im the same. I too could not tell you who was coming out this summer.
October 5th 2011 @ 3:47am
David Heidelberg said | October 5th 2011 @ 3:47am | Report comment
I don’t know either, but who cares, as long as they are playing cricket I will watch.
October 4th 2011 @ 1:16pm
Tristan Rayner said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
Just a note we’ve opened The Roar’s A-League tipping competition – my ambition is to top 10 this year, or beat Fussball ist unser leben if he’s up to the challenge!
October 4th 2011 @ 1:32pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Tristan you are giving me far too much credit – my tipping skills are absolutely TERRIBLE!
I seem to always tip with my heart and not my head .. of course, some unkind people may say that I do this when I post on The Roar
.
Challenge accepted … bring it on!
October 4th 2011 @ 1:51pm
Cricket said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:51pm | Report comment
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated…
October 4th 2011 @ 2:23pm
Kasey said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
You might be alive, but I think you’re on life support. And not the trendy ABC comedy show with Dr Rudi and Penny! A couple more bad seasons from the National team and yet more meaningless T20/ODI chaff and you’ll be flatlining completely. Honestly, I can remember when a ODI used to mean something. Now it seems like they’ve just kept mining the lode to feed the BCCI TV money, until now, overkill has just killed the interest amongst general fans.
October 4th 2011 @ 2:32pm
Johnno said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
Cricket is seriously struggling, soccer i think will become the no 1 summer sport in AUstralia now. i am a cricket fan but i would prefer to watch and A-League or a NBL basketball match now any day of the week over a meaningless ODI, T20 or a boring test match. only cricket i watch now are the ASHES and the finals stages of the ODI world cup. It’s funny as well administrators semen to think playing more matches will make them more money well there wrong. By not adopting the less is more approach you eventually kill of the interest levels of the sport. And each match attendances and tv ratings and interest levels drop. The rugby world cup has been the perfect balance for me. I hope they do no go to a 32 team rugby world cup tournament as 4 knockout stages a round of 16 as well as the Q/Finals will be overkill. The rugby world cup has the perfect balance currently either 20 teams or 16 team format for now, but 32 round of 16 does not work for cricket or rugby but seems to for soccer becoz the teams can play 4 days later in soccer as opposed to 6 or 7 in rugby.
October 4th 2011 @ 3:21pm
Rellum said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
Cricket has been a massive part of my life but I may be alive to see it disappear from the Australian sporting landscape the way it is going.
October 4th 2011 @ 1:54pm
Midfielder said | October 4th 2011 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
WOW and double WOW … Tinkler must have watched SBS last night and saw what chance his side had..
October 4th 2011 @ 2:03pm
Titus said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Tinkler seemed a bit upset at the way Branko had signed up his son to a multi-million dollar deal when he was seriously injured, perhaps that had something to do with it.
October 4th 2011 @ 2:15pm
Bondy said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
Sensational news with Branko .
Have a look at this typo by the Hun it says , A.F.L Cheif Mohamed Bin Hammam , http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccer/former-afl-chief-mohamed-bin-hammam-loses-bid-to-reclaim-post/story-e6frfg8x-1226157618810 .
October 4th 2011 @ 3:05pm
Kasey said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
By God, imagine the bogan cries of anguish if a Muslim bloke from a forrin country actually as the chief of the AFL? you’d hear thesqueals from Broady all the way to Perth!
I think that sub-editor is going to get a bit of a kicking when the bos realises:) are subbys considred journos? If so, then to quote Lock, Stock, ” a little bit of pain never hurt anybody!”
October 4th 2011 @ 3:11pm
BigAl said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
. . . frankly Kasey, I’d say there’s more chance of this happening in the AFL than any other major sporting comp. in this country !
October 4th 2011 @ 3:15pm
Kasey said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
Actualy BigAl my tip would be the NRL, once the IC takes over, they’ve already had a star muslim player(El Mazri) (sp?) and the Bulldogs have a sizeable following/presence in the area of Sydney with a high concentration of Islamic Aussies. If an Islamic Aussie became the head of the ‘dogs and did a good job, he’d be odds on to ascend to the top job one day.
October 4th 2011 @ 3:32pm
BigAl said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
Plenty of Muslim fans of the AFL, and a few Muslim players, going all the way back to John Ibrahim of North Melbourne in the
1960s – there’s even a Muslim womens team playing aussie rules in Sydney.
And, the guy currently running the show and doing a marvelous job, sounds a bit . . . ‘forrin’ !!!
October 4th 2011 @ 4:16pm
stabpass said | October 4th 2011 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
Big Al, you are correct, and BTW how about this for a initiative ……..
13 Israelis, and 13 Palistinians playing together in a team at the Australian football International cup.
http://www.peaceteam.com.au/
October 5th 2011 @ 12:21am
Peter Wilson said | October 5th 2011 @ 12:21am | Report comment
Here we go again – the all encompassing, compassionate, worldly AFL – the organisation who stringently opposed an international football competition being played in AFL Melbourne.
The hollowness and emptiness of the AFL’s claims to fairness ring very loudly forever more.
Hey BigAL,
AFL has even embraced the land of the felafel – just ask non-racist Eddie Maguire, the worldly wise president of the country’s biggest AFL organisation.
October 5th 2011 @ 6:57am
BigAl said | October 5th 2011 @ 6:57am | Report comment
Pete ! . . . was your guy Kasey wot started it !
October 4th 2011 @ 3:23pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | October 4th 2011 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
@ BigAl
How do you come up with such stuff?
You reckon all those Muslims currently involved in AFL – playing and administration – have opened the flood gates?!
Fair dinkum, you AFL guys live in some fantasy land. You have a special week to showcase diversity in your comp.
In the HAL, on the ground, in the stands, at club level and at HQ level, diversity – cultural, ethnic, and religious – is the norm!
October 4th 2011 @ 4:45pm
BigAl said | October 4th 2011 @ 4:45pm | Report comment
@Fussball
I understand that …’diversity – cultural, ethnic, and religious – is the norm! ‘ in soccer, and has been for 60 years or thereabouts.
However, I will have to rely on you to advise when ( or whereabouts when) you expect …
1.) HAL to become a major sporting comp. – and I mean mainstream, FTA major;
2.) HAL to appoint first Muslim CEO.
regards…
October 4th 2011 @ 6:02pm
Maynard James Keenan said | October 4th 2011 @ 6:02pm | Report comment
BA don’t be ridiculous, this statement of yours shows you’re really not all there. It’s delusional fools like you that turned me off Aussie Rules years ago.
October 5th 2011 @ 6:47am
BigAl said | October 5th 2011 @ 6:47am | Report comment
You’ve got me here Maynard ! – there can be no comeback to such a well argued and substantiated point.
October 4th 2011 @ 4:54pm
BigAl said | October 4th 2011 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
Bondy – just managed to connect to that HUN story! – had a real good chuckle !
October 4th 2011 @ 2:44pm
Midfielder said | October 4th 2011 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Great timing I must say … but lets get on with the season…
October 4th 2011 @ 5:45pm
M1tch said | October 4th 2011 @ 5:45pm | Report comment
Possible masterstroke by Tinkler? Broncos fired Ivan Cleary before round 1 and finished 3rd!
This is Sydney FC’s year!