FFA must do the right thing by Mariners
Roar Rookie By McGrime, 29 Mar 2012 McGrime is a Roar Rookie
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- A-League, Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners, FFA, football
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This plea may be premature but now is the time to start the FFA thinking. If the newly crowned A-League 2012 premiers the Central Coast Mariners can grind out two more good results against Brisbane Roar over the next two weeks they will win the right to host the 2012 grand final.
This may not be as impossible as a lot of punters think, as The Roar have to travel to Korea mid-week prior to playing the second leg against the Mariners at Bluetounge Stadium a week on Sunday.
We know that BlueTongue Stadium only holds 20,000 people. But the surrounding waterfront would easily hold another 30,000 fans.
Imagine the vibe watching with everyone on the Gosford Waterfront on giant screens as the game is being played within earshot.
The Mariners have played in three grand finals, unfortunately losing all of them in very close results. The grand final against the Jets was our home grand final, and we deserved to play it at home. The FFA decided that we had to play the game in Sydney.
So providing we get there, now is the time for the FFA to give us the grand final we deserve.
Think hard FFA. In an area the other major codes neglect, you have the chance to secure the New South Wales Central Coast as a football powerhouse for many years to come.
You can see that the Mariners have been a revelation as a regional side playing in a national competition. Their A-League record is one to be proud of.
Give them their chance for their moment of glory, they will not disappoint.
The FFA once again have been neglectful to the Mariners by not having the Premier’s Plate at Wellington last week to crown The Mariners as 2012 champions.
This is their chance to redeem themselves and just maybe create one of those sporting fairytales for our code that would put bums on seats for many a year to come.
Over to you, FFA.
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March 29th 2012 @ 7:22am
Lucan said | March 29th 2012 @ 7:22am | Report comment
This year it should certainly be at Gosford (should CCM win the major semi).
Down the track, when the league is well enough established I’d like to see the GF moved from city to city annually like the NFL’s Superbowl.
March 29th 2012 @ 8:23am
The Cattery said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:23am | Report comment
I don’t know about the merit of doing it exactly like the NFL, if different teams are winning hosting rights by merit, the grand final is moving around the country anyway.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:36am
Lucan said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Awarding on merit is a great ideal, but even that can be inequitable. Should Heart host a GF will they be permitted to host at Bubbledome, or will they lose their home ground so the final can be played at the larger capacity Docklands? Can Perth host a Grand Final on merit at Perth Oval, or would it be shifted to Subiaco?
Award the host well in advance, like the NFL or UEFA Champs League Final, would be a good result. Making the showpiece available to fans everywhere. Make it a week long carnival/festival of football. It would be good to spread the Gospel also, especially considering some cities get very little Socceroo love.
Like the NFL or CL, should the team from that stadium make the final good luck to them.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:46am
The Cattery said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:46am | Report comment
At least it’s in the same city – I don’t think anyone is going to complain about the Heart going 2km down the road to play before 50k (if they ever get to host a grand final).
March 29th 2012 @ 1:18pm
Clayts said | March 29th 2012 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
I would. The dome is a TERRIBLE ground to watch football at. Not even in the same league as AAMI. Pretty sure Heart supporters would 100% agree
March 29th 2012 @ 8:16am
Midfielder said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:16am | Report comment
The worst part is if we have to play at the home stadium of the other side … as they all hold more people…
March 29th 2012 @ 8:22am
The Cattery said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:22am | Report comment
That would just about be the worst case scenario – that a below average team that snuck into the finals on the last day of the season, ends up hosting it and winning the championship.
Hopefully the Nix can put the kybosh on that possibility first up.
March 29th 2012 @ 8:28am
Midfielder said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:28am | Report comment
Part 1 of a youtube being created by someone on our forum…
the Mariners season.. all our goals and saves ..
March 29th 2012 @ 8:29am
philipcoates said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
I also think that if CCM win the hosting rights the match should be in Gosford but given the leagues poor finances I cant see it happening.
As for this author (and Arnold’s) bleating that the FFA were “neglectful to the Mariners by not having the Premier’s Plate at Wellington last week to crown The Mariners as 2012 champions” I’d like them to explain the following. If the Mariners had lost the match, how would the FFA fly the plate back to the Gold Coast in the 90 minutes available to present it to Brisbane when they won? Or do they think it should have been presented to the Mariners but not presented to Brisbane if Bris won? The logistics made the plate presentation difficult. Of course they could have presented a fake replica plate (one at each ground just in case) and then I am sure we would have had complaints about that also.
March 29th 2012 @ 8:38am
The Cattery said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Re the finances of having the grand final at Gosford – I think a full Blue tongue would be quite lucrative.
March 29th 2012 @ 8:46am
lazelle said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:46am | Report comment
Mariners earned by going into the weekend on top.
Read that? Having a better record, being a better team, than the league’s darlings.
There is really only one place it should have been.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:10am
McGrime said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Yes Phil, the Replica would have done the trick. This is not a whinge about the FFA.
More about the little things that they get wrong that the other codes always get right we just need to lift our game.
Arnold was right sure it will be fine to present the plate next week at Bluetounge but the moment is gone.
The Mariners will be concentrating on the job of beating Brisbane
March 29th 2012 @ 1:04pm
PeterK said | March 29th 2012 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
And some people wanted the two games played simultaneously! How would the plate have been in both places at once then!
March 29th 2012 @ 1:20pm
Clayts said | March 29th 2012 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
@ PeterK. It’s called a replica. Pretty much every other sport where this kind of thing could happen would use one. No one would know and the ‘ceremony’ gets to be enjoyed by the fans and players. How would you in the stands possibly know if it was a replica or not?
March 30th 2012 @ 12:48pm
PeterK said | March 30th 2012 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
True enough I guess, Clayts, but if I ever found out!!!
March 29th 2012 @ 6:50pm
Melinda said | March 29th 2012 @ 6:50pm | Report comment
90 minutes? Work on your maths mate. Sydney vs Jets and Gold Coast vs Brisbane were between the end of our game and the end of Brisbane’s, that’s 240 minutes already, plus there was a half an hour break.
I think that given that the Mariners were first, the preference should have gone to them.
March 30th 2012 @ 12:51pm
PeterK said | March 30th 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
Ah, but what if the order of matches were reversed! If Roar played first and won, then they and all the world would still have to wait to see whether CCM would win, and if they did not, then the trophy goes to Roar — but that wouldn’t be known at the end of the Roar match.
Ah the permutations that might be!
March 29th 2012 @ 8:55am
apaway said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:55am | Report comment
If the Mariners win the major semi against Brisbane, the game should be played at Gosford. And if the ground is not absolutely packed on Grand Final day, with temporary seating organised for the end where the palm trees are, and a spill-over crowd watching big screens on the waterfront, then it should never go there again. But the Mariners deserve the chance after the season they’ve had.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:06am
Titus said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I was thinking temporary corporate boxes in front of the palm trees.
March 29th 2012 @ 8:56am
mds1970 said | March 29th 2012 @ 8:56am | Report comment
In season 3, the Mariners had their “home” grand final at the SFS; and that was justified with a crowd of over 34,000. But that season was the high point in terms of crowds, and it was a NSW derby against Newcastle and well over 10,000 of the fans in attendance were Jets fans. Plenty of neutrals as well (including me, the only non-Sydney FC A-League game I’ve attended unless you count the double header last season).
It’s extremely unlikely to be a NSW derby this time. To even make the prelim final, Sydney FC would have to win away trips to Wellington and Perth back to back; the travel factor alone would kill them. Crowds, although up this year, haven’t yet caught up to the levels of a few years ago.
If the Mariners qualify to host a grand final, Bluetongue should be adequate this time.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:08am
Titus said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:08am | Report comment
If Heart beat Perth, then Sydney just need to win in Wellington and then play a home final.
March 29th 2012 @ 2:57pm
apaway said | March 29th 2012 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
…and if that happens Titus, and the Mariners do win the major semi, the FFA is faced with a situation where a team that finished 5th, will be playing off to make the GF, with the real possibility that it would be played at their home ground against the team who won the right to host it (but was denied due to ground size)
Could get messy.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:06am
Futbanous said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Guess it all depends on how football in Australia wishes to be perceived.
If you come from a background where football is ingrained as a national sport,the sporting landscape in Australia is a marked contrast.
First observation is that football is not ingrained, second is that neither is any other team sport nationally, except cricket .Having lived in most states, its obvious that Australian Rules & Rugby League are part of the furniture as far as professional sports go & to a lesser degree Rugby Union in their respective states.
Not so in the states where they are not traditional.
This is still reflected in their inflexibility regarding Grand Final location.
So IMO tradition.history is against any sport in Australia apart from cricket,being truly national.
Herein lies the opportunity for football,because it has what no other sport has, a secondary sporting history born out of post war migration.
Its created a National “Second tier of sporting strength”.
I believe that if it is to transform that second tier into “First tier National Strength” it has to think nationally.
A long way to achieving this is for the team that earn’s the right,to host the Grand Final in their own city regardless of stadium size.
Sacrifice dollars for daring to try & be truly National in outlook.
Let me also add that means being truly National in an Australian sense.
If we took the English example the “Grand Final”would be in Canberra.
No need to elaborate on why London is the National focus of England,but Canberra is well full of politicians,say no more.
So Canberra can’t happen, but giving the game back to the people in the area that earned the right is.
A little imagination as described by McGrime would not go astray in achieving this aim.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:14am
Titus said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:14am | Report comment
I think CCM hosting a final in Gosford would be a great thing for the team and the community of the Central Coast, it would help to ingrain the team within the community and would just be a wonderful occassion.
If FFA go for the short term dollar outlook then they will be making a massive mistake and losing a great opportunnity to build the integrity and community focus for the long term future of the league.
March 29th 2012 @ 9:49am
Trent said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:49am | Report comment
This old chestnut. Nothing would scream ‘the A-League is a joke’ to the Australian sporting public (and the other codes) more than the league’s showpiece game being played in front of 20,000 people. I’m sorry Mariners fans, it isn’t fair, but that’s the way it is.
And anyway, crowds at Mariners games this season have been appalling. You’re sitting on top of the table most of the season, playing great football with some seriously talented players in the squad, and yet less than 9,000 turn up for the recent ‘derby’ against Sydney, and 7,000 for the last home game. And yet you demand a home grand final at your piddly little stadium.
Don’t get me wrong, I admire the Mariners and all they’ve achieved but there would need to be another 10,000 seats in that stadium before the GF is played there.
Titus – it’s not the short term dollar outlook, it’s the whole image of the A-League they need to think about. We don’t need to give the other codes yet another rod to beat the A-League with.
March 29th 2012 @ 10:16am
Titus said | March 29th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
Trent, you may be right, but is there a gaurantee that the game would sell out? because a half full stadium with no atmosphere would be a worse look than a sold out 22 000 stadium with a pumping atmosphere, and the team crossing the street with the dunny seat to celebrate with fans at the workers club after the game would be an unreal experience.
Matter of opinions I guess.
March 29th 2012 @ 10:57am
AndyRoo said | March 29th 2012 @ 10:57am | Report comment
So your bagging their crowds and your solution is to make them travel an extra hour or so to a neutral venue?
I can’t see that working out well.
March 29th 2012 @ 11:02am
Futbanous said | March 29th 2012 @ 11:02am | Report comment
Trent too many football fans in Australia worry about other sports impression of them.
The sooner they get over it the better.
Whats more important long term the Mariners claiming their deserved right to hold a home Grand Final or paranoia about “Hows it look to Barry next door”.
The games strength as explained above is that it is a Secondary national sport created by post war migration.
You play to that strength & build on it .
March 29th 2012 @ 11:14am
nordster said | March 29th 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
so true, if anything this constant ‘looking over the shoulder’ mentality in itself just gives a very lame impression to people who don’t follow football. Especially when viewed alongside the generally assertive image of football from the rest of the world. Thats what the whole new football thing meant to me … just embracing it rather than shirking away
March 29th 2012 @ 11:15am
Mick said | March 29th 2012 @ 11:15am | Report comment
If I was a member of CCM & CCM won the rights to host the final & the final was played at the SFS I would not renew a membership for the following season
March 29th 2012 @ 6:02pm
philipcoates said | March 29th 2012 @ 6:02pm | Report comment
That just shows that you are not much of a supporter. You would abandon your club entirely the following year because of a decision by the FFA that is out of the clubs hands.
March 29th 2012 @ 12:57pm
Ras said | March 29th 2012 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Crowds eh? Let’s have a look at the stats then, courtesy of Whingepool…
Crowd Averages
Victory 20,281
Brisbane 13,387
Newcastle 12,111
Sydney 11,861
CCM 9,607
Heart 9,082
Adelaide 8,797
Wellington 8,691
Perth 8,309
Gold Coast 3,546
Nope, not brilliant, but still nicely in the middle of the pack… To pull out the ole chestnut, considering the population of the Central Coast, I’d say we’re doing pretty well. As is pointed out by others, what do you think would look better? A sold out Blue Tongue or a half-empty SFS? If anything, a sold-out Blue Tongue would be a nice way of pointing out to the other codes that they’ve missed an opportunity on the coast…
March 29th 2012 @ 6:58pm
Football United said | March 29th 2012 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
who cares what the rest think? the mls has other big sports putting it down but it sticks with the boutique stadiums even for the final and no one whinges that it averages about 20-30k. For a country with similar issues and 180k less people, i dont see what’s the big deal about giving it to ccm
March 29th 2012 @ 7:43pm
Nathan of Perth said | March 29th 2012 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
“For a country with similar issues and 280m less people”
March 30th 2012 @ 12:54pm
PeterK said | March 30th 2012 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
280m FEWER!
March 29th 2012 @ 10:08pm
Dan said | March 29th 2012 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
Appalling crowds ur having a laugh mate. Look at the population of
Coast and divide by average crowd and do the same for every other club and I guarentee we are ahead of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney. Yes we don’t pull 20k crowds but we are a small area mate
March 29th 2012 @ 9:57am
Trust Me said | March 29th 2012 @ 9:57am | Report comment
Let the Mariners beat the Roar over two legs first before we know if this issue is an issue or not.
The finals series are not part of the A-League competition as such and are owned by the FFA.
They will choose the ground that will maximise the revenue and the viewing potential.
I believe that Allianz stadium is less than an hour away from most Central Coast supporters, which is what most people in big cities have to do to get to the city centre anyway.
Allianz Stadium will only be a home advantage for Sudney FC if they ever get there, it certainly won’t give Brisbane any advantage.
March 29th 2012 @ 11:00am
AndyRoo said | March 29th 2012 @ 11:00am | Report comment
Sort it out now so they have something to really play for.
We all know that “no comment” means either no or they are waiting until Sydney are officially gone.
The later isn’t a bad idea as they should know Friday night and can then announce it before the Mariners second leg.
If that game has a home grand final on offer I think that would generate even more buzz and help get a good crowd out for the second leg in Gosford.