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Anyone who hasn’t enjoyed the A-League over the past few nights is hardly a football fan. But should we be playing more games over the festive period?
Following an absorbing 1-1 draw between Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanderers just before Christmas, the Round 12 action started to really heat up on Boxing Day.
It was great to see off-season recruits Kosta Barbarouses and Gui Finkler get on the scoresheet for Wellington Phoenix in their 2-2 draw with the Newcastle Jets, even if the reliably forthright Mark Bosnich claimed the Phoenix are “offering the A-League nothing” after the game.
Sydney FC’s destruction of reigning champions Adelaide United was even more entertaining – except, of course, if you’re a Reds fan – as the Sky Blues systematically tore apart a shell-shocked Adelaide defence.
It’s strange enough that a Barcelona legend in Guillermo Amor coaches in the A-League, but even stranger still to think that after such a rocky time with the national team, Graham Arnold has undoubtedly developed into one of the best managers in Australia.
But as enjoyable as it was to watch Sydney’s admittedly one-sided demolition, it was nothing compared to the action at AAMI Park on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Melbourne City’s 3-3 draw with Perth Glory was, quite simply, one of the most entertaining games in A-League history.
It wasn’t just that there were six goals scored, or two penalties saved, or two red cards, or even the post-match spray from Neil Kilkenny that made the game so enjoyable.
It was the manner of the goals, and the players who scored them, and the on-going renaissance of Glory goalkeeper Liam Reddy – who twice saved penalties from Bruno Fornaroli, including one from virtually the last kick of the game – that made it one for the history books.
That Tim Cahill should score another vital goal is a given, but his input was outdone by Glory star Diego Castro’s double-scoring contribution.
Both should have been outshone by Fornaroli, who scored a brace himself, but missing two crucial penalties cost City dearly and should probably see the Uruguayan relinquish spot-kick duties – for now, at least.
The 11,000 fans in attendance and those watching at home on TV could hardly believe their eyes at some of the football on display, with the match another high point for a season fast turning out to be the best, quality-wise, yet.
And with Melbourne Victory equally impressive in their 4-1 win over Central Coast Mariners the following evening, the festive season has proved a happy hunting ground for those flicking around the dial looking for a fix of local football.
So should we be playing even more games over the holiday season?
Herald Sun reporter Matt Windley reckons we should, arguing that the ’10 games in 11 days’ currently being advertised on Fox Sports is actually less football than what we’d normally get over two rounds.
There’s also the fact that the Big Bash League is filling the void on TV screens across the country on nights when there’s no A-League.
There’s already been talk of playing a BBL game on Christmas Day – shot down, for now, although there were NFL games in the United States on the day and the world didn’t end – and unlike Windley, I think the A-League could also play a game on Christmas Eve.
But if we’re not going to play games closer to Christmas, then surely it’s not too much to ask for a bit more consideration to go into the fixture list?
How, for example, does having back-to-back games at AAMI Park help attract casual sports fans through the gates?
And why do so many of our A-League fixtures repeat themselves within such a short timeframe? Is it really that difficult to create a home-away-home schedule?
The festive season has been fantastic from a footballing point of view. The question now is: should we be enjoying more of it?