With the FFA Cup set to kick off tonight, fans will flock to support their local teams at suburban grounds, while thousands more will set up camp in their living rooms to watch live on Fox Sports.
There will be many pessimists who claim the cup is a waste of time and that the best 10 sides will be the 10 A-League clubs all vying to win the inaugural competition.
If the Football United Tour that just finished in New Zealand is not enough to convince you that there can be upsets in the FFA Cup, then I don’t know what will.
With Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix taking on Premier League sides West Ham United and Newcastle United, many expected the score lines to be extremely one sided, especially when taking into account the fact that the Premier League season is only three weeks away from starting, with the A-League several months away.
The score lines in New Zealand were anything but lop sided, with both A-League clubs beating the Hammers – which no doubt will grab a few headlines in the English press.
Why can’t clubs such as the Brisbane Strikers, Manly United and the Bentleigh Greens go all the way in the FFA Cup? Many of these sides have just finished their regular season, meaning their fitness and team harmony may surpass that of their more fancied opponents.
Plus many A-League sides are still looking to sign players for the upcoming season, so players from the lesser-known clubs will fancy their chances of impressing coaches and scouts.
As proven at the recent World Cup, a few good games can propel an individual to new heights in the football world. There is a significant difference between the FFA Cup and the FIFA World Cup, but a few good performances from an individual may lead to a trial at an A-League club and pave the way for a successful career.
Take for example Evan Kostopoulos. The former Adelaide United player will line up tonight for Sydney Olympic at Cromer Park and if he can put in a strong performance, the 24-year-old may find himself returning to the A-League after an already impressive first season at Olympic.
The FFA Cup has been a tournament longed for in Australia after so many years of watching the FA Cup and the David versus Goliath encounters it provides. In a national league where the standard of play and popularity is constantly growing, it seems only logical that a tournament such as this be introduced.
With four matches on the same night, there promises to be some honest football played around the country with semi-professional sides all battling it out to try and take on some of the nation’s biggest football outfits in the hope of causing monumental upsets.
Can the clubs outside of the A-League ultimately take home the silverware, or will we find ourselves with the usual suspects cruising towards the final?
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