These are interesting times at the A-League’s powerhouse club Melbourne Victory. The club has been seen an example to other clubs in its stability and outlook.
The club retains the last surviving inaugural coach in Ernie Merrick, and while some commentators are criticising the playing culture in the wake of Kevin Muscat’s tackle on Adrian Zahra, it cannot be denied that Merrick in conjunction with Gary Cole have run a very progressive football department.
Not only has it brought in the likes of Fred and Carlos Hernandez amongst others but also has been the first to look meaningfully towards South East Asia in the acquisition of Surat Sukha.
Off the pitch, Melbourne Victory along with the Central Coast Mariners have been excellently run and have managed to maintain both profitability and a high membership base. To show for this good quality stability, Melbourne Victory have two championships, two premierships, a pre-season cup and an extra grand final appearance to boot.
But the first era is now drawing to a close. Former CEO Geoff Miles, who joined the club in the A-League’s second season, left his post on December 31, 2010 after a successful four-year stint. He was always going to be a tough act to follow given the way he had earned respect from Victory fans, despite some controversial times.
Melbourne’s inaugural chairman Geoff Lord has effectively announced he is stepping down from day-to-day affairs, having been given the respectful yet purely ceremonial post of “honorary chairman”.
Mention also needs to be made of the movement out of the club of Tony Ising, the man who effectively made way for Trent Jacobs following structural reform at Victory following the failed title defence of season three.
The new guard will comprise of Richard Wilson as CEO and Anthony Di Petrio as chairman.
Wilson will have just two months to oversee a squad overhaul and guide the transition from the Muscat phase into a new era. During his initial months, he must also contend with various problems engulfing the club, on and off the park.
Off the park, there is a question as to why the fan base at large has become much more apathetic. It is true to say that the new Heart franchise has cannibalised and trimmed a few thousand fans, but Victory still managed to secure over 18,000 members for the 2010/2011 season.
Despite this, crowds have progressively dipped below not only the 18,000 mark throughout the season, but now at the point where some attendances are well below the figures the club was attaining in its inaugural season. Victory averaged 14,000 in that season – with the lowest crowd being 11,000 on a Monday night against the old New Zealand Knights – despite having in the region of 6000 members.
Contrary to the absurd suggestion on the Fox Sports broadcast at the end of the match against Gold Coast at AAMI Park, and what some uneducated Sydney based commentators would like to contend as part of their own agenda, this has nothing to do with the so-called ‘Muscat culture’.
Putting aside the argument that the ‘culture’ existed during the boom years and obviously wasn’t a turn off, the real reason relates more to the issues that come with a lack of general admission areas in the club’s seating plan and a general sense of apathy in the A-League fan base as a whole given the “novelty” has worn off.
The crowds had been stagnating long before the tackle on Zahra and the poor crowd for the match against Gold Coast.
Then there is the matter that relations with the last organised group to remain in the somewhat relatively famous North Terrace area – the Blue and White brigade – seem to have finally collapsed after years of sustained tension with active fans. The North Terrace for Victory’s last home game of the season was completely empty, the atmosphere eerily silent given the irregular chanting of the south end fans.
Wilson’s predecessor Geoff Miles had to contend with a standoff with North Terrace active fans basing themselves on level three of Docklands stadium during the A League’s third season.
Miles managed to reach an agreement (that was controversially overturned by the FFA on the basis of a security review that was conducted on their behalf) but Wilson is in a more precarious situation.
The debate amongst the football media in recent years has not given much focus to the detrimental impact that both the FFA’s security strategy via the Hatamoto consultancy firm and the policing profile adopted at A-League matches, has had on the fan experience for A-League attendees (active and otherwise).
What sets the latest situation apart from season three is that aside from the predictable partisan responses coming from mostly Sydney, and a smattering of Heart fans known to exist, and despite the simplistic reputation lumped on them as the apparent source of all the league’s crowd problems, there is some solidarity with the North Terrace from some active fans of other clubs such as Brisbane, North Queensland and even from fierce rivals Adelaide United.
There was even the astounding phenomenon of the Adelaide United ‘capo’ calling out for the “FFA to leave the Victory fans alone” on his megaphone in the 55th minute of the Adelaide versus Wellington match.
In an article on FourFourTwo.com, the new Victory administration through Trent Jacobs released a statement declaring, “We are aware of issues with our supporter groups, but will be working through those direct with them.”
The new guard will have their work cut out to be effective in these talks, and the task will be made more difficult given Wilson has already gotten himself offside with many fans given what was perceived as the ill considered patronising demeanour and tone of an email the club sent out to all members.
The omens of a quick and truly effective solution are not looking particularly good. This is not good for Melbourne Victory, for the A-League, or for football in Australia.
There is the question of how Di Petrio will engage the FFA. Geoff Lord was known to have his clashes with the FFA over a range of issues, but will Di Petrio have the will and capacity to take on the FFA on behalf of the clubs interest and that of its fans?
Melbourne Victory may be a powerhouse club going as it approaches the end of the 2010/2011 season. Whether that will still be the case from the 2011/2012 season onwards remains to be seen.
Terrace
Guest
Doesn't challenge consistently? Try 2 grand finals in a row mate.
Johnson
Guest
Comparative to some Australian clubs maybe. But MV doesn't challenge consistently, and can't even get out of the group stages of the ACL. 'Powerhouse' is too generous a description by far.
Ole
Guest
Two doubles. 18,000 members. Highest Attendances. Club makes a profit and is not lynching off of FFA. Enough for you?
Johnson
Guest
Can someone explain to me how Victory are a 'powerhouse' club?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Hey Midfielder Great call ... the kid scored on debut after 15' got to be happy with that! And, Amini gets the 2nd. The youth policy looking good?
David V.
Guest
Fussball ist unser leben you've said it beautifully. Our younger generation has long been need of a nasty wakeup call, because years of libertarian individualism and liberal do-goodness has wrecked our society and order.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Agreed. It is at the heart of the problem, because the MV management will be viewing things along similar lines. If certain types of behaviour are coming from one end, why would anyone think that it's beholden on MV management to talk to the supporters representing that end as equals?
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
It's this line of thinking that is at the heart of the problems, people see silly enough think Australian fans are like what you are describing here, hysterical rubbish, yet I see articles in Soccer magazines with imagery from both Australia is a very different society to that of Itly or any other European country for that matter
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Sweeper If I were constantly getting speeding tickets, I wouldn't be trying to change the speed laws or complain about the police, or stop driving ... I'd actually realise my behaviour is not acceptable by society's standards and I'd have to change my behaviour. That's how civilised society operates. We have standards, laws, rules and regulations. We may all not agree with all these constraints ...but, that's life. If you choose to be a member of society you have to live by society's rules. If you choose to be an outlaw ... well, if you're constantly getting hassled by the police, perhaps, you're not a very good outlaw? ;-) So, to answer you question directly: if i were getting hassled by security & police whenever I went to games I'd try to identify why this was occurring and make appropriate changes to my attitude and behaviour. I have quite a few mate in Vic Pol - they're mainly in the squads now, rather than uniform - but, believe me, they don't simply hassle people for no reason. They simply won't waste their time, unless they have a reasonable hunch that something is amiss.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Yes, this is a fair, balanced and rational post. No mention of ultras or la curva or dark anarchic sub-plots. North End are simply a group of adolescents trying to push the boundaries ... and, these adolescents are realising that those in charge of monitoring these boundaries don't pander to their whims and wants like their inept parents.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
I note that there are some intelligent posts on 442 that pretty much support what I have been saying today. From southend: "As amember in the south end for 4 years all i can say is what a bunch of wankersthe nt are, 15-16 year olds led by that tosser with the megaphone (pide piper). We have no problems in the south end with security or police we dont rip flares and we dont do political comment on banners we support our club loud and proud through good and bad. We dont black mail our club and threaten them with withdrawing our memberships like the nt. My advice is grow up and behave do the right thing and support your club otherwise pissoff we dont need you. To the mvfc next time we have a final here in melb dont kick the south end out of there end and put us in the corner, support your loyal south end supporters and move these muppets in the nt. " Form philarp: "AGreed with SouthEnd. The NT kiddies seem to think they are more important than the club, and seem to think football fans are not proper fans unless there is a bit of 'hooliganism' involved. Sure securty are a bit overzealous, but why are they only pursing one small group of supporters? The south end are just as big and just as loud - never see any problems down there. Support your club boys, not yourselves. " This is precisely what I am saying - the NT are in it for themselves, not for the club - the club must not pander to such groups making demands of it.
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
100th post! :-) Sorry, couldn't help it! lol
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Fussball of course there all juveniles - you and I have been saying that all along! We all remember when we were young, so all the Italian ultra stuff is exciting to young blokes - you get, I get it, so far so good. But there are two problems: 1. much of that activity is not acceptable to mainstream Australian sports fans; and 2. youngsters are susceptible to so-called "leaders" who end up lining their own pockets at the expense of the club. That's not fear mongering - that's what happens in other ultra groups all over the world, and all I am saying, and I have said it from the very start of this debate - the MV management is correct in not pandering to such groups. I don't believe that is fear mongering.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Here's is my last post on the issue. To the Roar Mods - this is a debate about the A-League and it has been hijacked by MLF. This is a place for debate not a place fear mongering. Why would readers bother commenting on these pages. Look what they have to deal with. This very same man, has operated under multiple names in the past , ran a massive campaign against the WC Bid on this website which forced him to leave temporarily in disgrace and now he is back up to his old tricks. P.S - Thanks Axelv for the advice :) Ciao.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Nope never ventured onto any Victory forum. If people are discussing anarchy on the world wide web, you get the feeling they're still in high school ... and, most likely, the earlier years of high school. I reckon, even Inspector Clouseau would realise it's a good idea to monitor such forums so any budding anarchists planning acts of civil unrest would be pretty easily identified and the e-trail would provide fairly damning evidence.
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
Okay look, it's simple - what needs to happen is for the few Northern Terrace idiots who bring in flares and cause fights to STOP!!! The police and security guards are NOT your enemy, nor are they there to purposely taint your match-day experience! Stop those few idiots, gain the respect back, make MV management feel like you will behave and everything will go away! You will have your banners, drums and chants allowed, just do it peacefully! On the same token - VicPol and security also need to give them benefit of the doubt! Just because they thought something would "incite" violence, it does it will or that the whole BWB will start a riot! Let's find a happy medium...can't we all just get along?
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
I haven't engineered this stand off have I? It's there, it exists, it's happening right now. Where do you reckon NUetc learned the word "capo"? It's all ultra talk modelled on Italian ultras. Are you telling me you've never spent time on the Victory forum and seen the ultra discusions?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
MLF Seriously, you're having a laugh if you think the predominately teenage element enjoying themselves at the North End are in any way comparable to the ultras or hard-core football supporters from Europe & Sth America. Either you've never been to an overseas football match, or you're trying to intentionally post misleading and inflammatory comments to scare people away from the HAL. It's a really disappointing attitude you are adopting. If I make any type of negative AFL comment, I'm immediately moderated ... I'm not sure how MLF's rubbish that "the North End is trying to mimic the ultras" is allowed to stand.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Also, what I find most amazing is that those who fought to try and get the game mainstream post NSL, sit back and think there's no issue here. You've got to be kidding. It doesn't matter whether you like colour, noise and flares - what matters is what the Australian public at large likes - that's the key.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
I said it's the best, I didn't say only (I have a list of Italian references as long as my arm). The point is that the FFA does not want this sort of thing getting a firm toehold because, as I said previously, it will set the game back 30 years if it did.