Sydney Rovers, Melbourne Hearts FC. It got me thinking about club names. What is the perfect name? What is the worst name? And would you support a club with a bad choice of name?
So while the Sydney Rovers are a hot topic at the moment, and with more clubs to come,
I thought it would be appropriate to do a little research into club names across the globe, to see how we stack up.
And perhaps even get some ideas.
Here they are. We start in South America!
Club Destroyers and The Strongest. Straight to the point, and two of the touughest outfits of the Bolivian first division. Also a possible name for the Canberra bid: Canberra the Destroyer
Moving up the coast to Peru we have Deportivo Wanka, named after the Wanka people of the Inca Empire. Just don’t be too quick to laugh if you drive a Pajero. In Spanish, it is the exact translation.
So let’s be cultured for a moment.
The Wankas of the Inka Empire are one of the first known settlements of the human race, just like Sydney was the first settlement of Australia. “West Sydney Wankas,” anyone?
Still in Peru we have 2008 copa libertadores representatives Coronel Bolognesi, and they are not a Colonel Sanders Spaghetti franchise. You may be thinking of Belgium’s KFC Winterslag, which is now referred to as Racing Genk. But the real name is KRC Genk after it merged with Waterschei Thor.
Confused? Me too.
Next.
In Africa we have Blessing FC and Ethiopian Coffee FC, Switzerland gives us Old Boys and Young Boys; in Korea, Hallelujah FC, and Holland gives us the Go Ahead Eagles.
But nothing could be more serious than Norwegian outfit Football Club Fart.
What a ripper! Fotballaget Fart plays out of Fartbana stadion. Lucky for Norwegian Football ,“Fart” is currently lingering in the lower divisions.
No pun intended!
Somehow I don’t think the Norwegian names will make it to our A-League.
Our systems are going Dutch, so I think Go Ahead Sydney has some value. Looking back at some of these names, it finally seems okay to have a club called the Fury, but at the same time still horribly wrong going with these Americanized gimmicks.
But if Ethiopian Football clubs can brand its name after African Coffee beans, then so to can Brisbane Roar be named after a popular internet site. Well, kind of.
I’m still Wanderering.
Amband
Guest
i can't follow Oz football with the stupid names. We have a Chelsea in Melbourne. Let's have Chelsea. Let's get rid of stupid names and franchises them it might be worth supporting
Tifosi
Guest
MelbVictory 87, you need a history lesson. From wikipedia: The club was founded on 7 September 1893 as Genoa Cricket & Athletic Club. In its earliest years, it only competed in athletics and cricket. Since the club was set up to represent England abroad, the original shirts worn by the organisation were white, the same colour as the England national team shirt. Coming from an Italian background I think its great that Genoa have kept a link to their founding, even though cricket did not take hold in Italy.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I've always enjoyed Traktor Tashkent though my favourite is the baseball side in Japan, Yakult Swallows (Yakult being a yogurt company doesn't help the mental image)
cab711
Guest
Ohhhh, thats dirty.
Brett McKay
Guest
Cpaaa, if we can cross sports again, I mentioned in my column on Tuesday the Sri Lankan team playing in the Champions League Twenty20 in India currently, the obviously-named Wayamba Elevens!! And then for more duds, you only have to go to the sibling IPL to find the Kolkata Knight Riders (not the Hasselhoff kind) and the well-thought Mumbai Indians....
Redb
Roar Guru
Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids - Aussie Rules club in the US. Falmouth Dockers. - Aussie Rules club in the UK. Redb
Redb
Roar Guru
Really? old news. Essendon fans dine out in 2009 on beating Carlton twice when you rated yourselves so highly. Carlton slogan : '"They know we're coming." Essendon slogan: " We we're waiting." I have copy of those two adverts framed together sitting on my bar. :-) Redb
ozxile
Roar Pro
This is fun: Dead Goat - rugby club in Salt Lake City Haggis - rugby club in Utah somewhere Missoula Maggots - rugby club in Missoula Montana Isolation spurs creativity and psychosis.
melbvictory87
Guest
you may as well call it the football and lawnbowls club of genoa, the name just doesnt sound right
melbvictory87
Guest
the problem is cricket, why on earth would you ruin a football teams name
Fly on the Wall
Guest
come to think of it, that may have been on the menu :) woof
Fly on the Wall
Guest
All good stuff... but the best one I have heard... they used to play in the African Champions League in the early 90s... from Swaziland... Eleven Men in Flight. And there was a Korean baseball team that had 'Hot Dogs' in their name.
Fly on the Wall
Guest
What about the Essendon Koalas (as in protected species, Ron Evans rorts the salary cap while an AFL Commissioner but no action taken)? I still dine out on the 99 PF.
midfield general
Guest
Yes the Swiss come up with some weird ones like the Young Boys and Grasshoppers. But the Aussie teams like Victory, Glory, Roar, Fury and now Heart (or is it Hearts?) make me cringe more.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Young Boys of Berne should be good hosts and invite Smiling boys from Botswana for a pre-season friendly :)
Simmo
Guest
Quiz question: Which Swiss club plays at the Wankdorf Stadium?
Art Sapphire
Guest
Here are a few more this time from Botswana - Tip Toe Boys Smiling Boys Killer Giants They new A-League teams should take note :)
Michael C
Roar Guru
and the problem is???
Pete
Guest
A quick question mv87, have you managed to find anybody who likes cricket yet? i suggest you try the MCG on Boxing Day, should be about 100,000 of them
cab711
Guest
Nice. Theres some classics here. Some more for you. Joe Public FC S.V. Robinhood Walking Bout Company Peace Brothers Fagatogo...hehehe Universal Peace Fundation Habib Bank Limited, not in anyway affiliated with Habibs Chicken from Bankstown.