Now that I’ve got your attention, all I ask is for a few hundred words to make my point before you launch a barrage of rotten tomatoes (and probably a few other things as well) my way.
Commentators like Rebecca Wilson and Peter Fitzsimons are often on the receiving end of criticism and abuse from football fans in this country.
Whilst having figures to unite against can galvanise fans together and bring out a passionate defence of football in Australia, in the long term, it can be argued that this won’t be in the interests of the game because it is the sceptical element of the community that needs to be convinced to keep the game growing.
Or to put it another way, football won’t continue to grow if we are only preaching to the converted.
This isn’t a call to listen to every single word critics say because some of it will be total nonsense.
But because football is still growing in this country and the A-League is still young, we need to listen to what is being said about our code, both positive and negative.
Not even the staunchest of supporters would say the game in this country can’t be improved either in the way it is run or from a technical skill perspective. The football community should listen to the critics both from within as well as outside the footballing community.
Once you get over the vitriol and sensationalist comments designed to sell newspapers and acknowledge the vested interests some parties have in protecting their own patch, essentially what these critics are saying is what aspects of the game don’t appeal to them.
If their starting point is that football is crap and will never be as good as the other codes, then there is very little that can be done as people unwilling to change their minds when the circumstances change will never be convinced.
Most people would place commentators like Wilson and Fitzsimons in this basket.
However, until the game reaches a much stronger place in terms of financial stability and broader appeal in the wider community we can’t say for sure they won’t put up their hands and say ‘well done’ when that day comes.
As my ancient history teacher used to say “all will be revealed in the fullness of time.”
But getting back to the main point, it is often the harshest of critics that ask the most important questions. And it’s these questions that need to be answered the most.
For example, in the aftermath of the failed World Cup bid, Rebecca Wilson wrote that the World Cup bid was the greatest sporting scandal in the history of this country. That’s the bit designed to sell newspapers.
She went on to criticise the bid and how it was conducted before concluding that the money spent on the bid should have been spent on the game at a grassroots level rather than chasing the World Cup.
Then just to make sure the ‘us and them’ mentality between her and the football community is entrenched just a little more, she takes a shot at how the A-League is being run, citing poor ratings and the lack of a free-to-air TV deal.
Some of these points are superficially made without acknowledging the intricacies of the landscape of football in Australia, but there would not be many football fans who don’t want to see bigger crowds and greater exposure for the game.
Just because Rebecca Wilson makes these points doesn’t make them less valid.
Peter Fitzsimons also wrote a piece in the aftermath of the failed bid and stated how Australia is better off without the World Cup. His first point was: “It’s only soccer.”
Once again that is the bit to satisfy the people who look after the newspaper circulation numbers, but he goes on to raise a very valid question which many football fans seems to have glossed over after the failed bid. Would we have been totally comfortable winning a bidding process which we now quite openly say was mired in controversy with allegations of bribery and corruption?
Once again the question is a worthy one to consider even if it isn’t asked by someone who doesn’t work at SBS.
What football fans and administrators need to do is continue to build up the fundamentals of the game.
This season has seen some of the best football played since the A-League began which suggests that the clubs are doing something right in terms of their recruitment, training and technical approach to the game. That might not have been able to be said a couple of seasons ago.
The football community needs to continue to build the game so the critics can no longer talk about the size of the crowds but are reduced to turning their attention to the size of the players’ shorts.
Henry Wordsworth Longfellow once wrote “the strength of criticism lies in the weakness of the thing criticised.”
Just because we don’t like the messenger doesn’t mean we should ignore the message.
******
Whilst we are on the topic of Rebecca Wilson, this last week saw the resignation of Edwin Lugt from his role at Sydney FC. Oddly enough, these two combined to create one of my favourite football related moments on TV.
So for a trip down memory lane to see one of the best dressing downs delivered on Australian TV, but done in a really nice and friendly way, here is a link to the video of Edwin Lugt and Rebecca Wilson on ABC’s Insiders.
Moonface
Roar Guru
I repeat - most soccer fans don't care what Ms Wilson writes.
Twatter
Guest
Silvio. Im not terribly interested in alleged or supposed sex scandals when people haven't been prosecuted. What i do have a concern with is the N.R.L. recieved $40 million of N.S.W taxpayers monies to remain at stadium Australia for the next ten years was the G.F. really going to go to Queensland or suncorp stadium seriously. Though you condemn the whole of the australian taxpayers for $45 million going towards a world cup bid, which equated financialy to be around two dollars per taxpayer. Which of those two financial outlays made more sense at the time, the one we could have won, or the one that was never going anywhere in the first place.
OzFootballSherrin
Roar Pro
JamesB - I concur with Redb, You did start it - - but to admit you're wrong is admirable. (that IS what you were doing isn't it???) ;-)
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Some interesting figures there. The socceroos' biggest crowds were actually quite modest. Collingwood managed to average 63+k last season, a very impressive number. The AFL's final 3 games of last season totalled nearly 290,000.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
I still recall Les Murray's criticism of the Rebecca Wilson article about the poor quality of the A-League (from about 3 years back). He said that there was nothing wrong with what she wrote, that simply, it was not here place to voice that opinion, i.e. a simple case of mysogyny. At least what Les said was quite civil, it's the reaction from various soccer forums that would have made a dock worker blush.
banaba
Guest
I got the 2010 figures from this site (I know wikipedia can be wrong, but on average they are pretty reliable- interesting that it said it included socceroo games and asian cup games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Australian_football_code_crowds i know craig is passionate about his sport, but so am I (and you and rebecca), so his ranting and raving is no different to mine, yours or rebecca's I am sick of this "code war" crap, but when craig, roy masters etc bring it up in the press it will not go away
Moonface
Roar Guru
Its still the same 300K. If they're not at a game they are watching it on TV - nothing else to watch in Melbourne on the weekend. :)
Moonface
Roar Guru
Soccer fans aren't the only one who don't pay any attention to Ms Wilson. Its not sexism, its called journalistic talent. She has very little talent and her anti-soccer comments are very, very predictable. That is the only reason she is still a journalist with News Limited.
Moonface
Roar Guru
Where did you get the attendance figures for soccer? List your sources please. Last weekends games attracted 26K and 16K at an average of 21K per game. The aggregate attendances this season for A-League is 1.4M - not 505K. This breaks last years record. The aveage attendances for Socceroos games in the last 5 years is 45,678 which is about 10K per game better than the best ever AFL season. Soccer isn't just the A-League - it has a lot more to offer than just a parochial domestic league and that is one of the great attractions of the game.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
The thing about pre-season games is that nobody takes it seriously. The clubs experiment and give younger players extra playing time, the AFL tests out new rules, people get an indication of how certain players are deating with injuries, but really nobody cares. One week after the NAB Cup ends, supporters of the winning team are focused on how their team will perform on the only stage that matters (the season proper). I don't think there is anybody on this site who could name every Michael Tuck Medallist, without googling. In fact, Michael Tuck himself once got the name of the award wrong. :D I say that because as soon as the regular season starts, everyone forgets about the NAB Cup. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to win the NAB Cup, especially if you haven't enjoyed much success (such as the Bulldogs recently), but we shouldn't overstate its importance. If you ask any Bulldogs supporter what they would rather have, another premiership or 100 NAB Cup wins, they would pick the former without any hesitation. I barrack for Melbourne. We last won a premiership in 1964, but since then we've won a couple of night premierships. I would trade away either of those night premierships for another 'real' premiership. One last comment. You describe it as the 'the 2nd biggest AFL competition.' That is really giving it a status it doesn't deserve. I mean, of course, it's the second biggest AFL competition; there are only two AFL competitions! Describing it as the second biggest competition gives it a status it doesn't deserve, and in fact I would argue that for many years the second biggest competition was State of Origin.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
nab cup matches are not really competitive matches at all. the entire football world knows this and couldnt give a crap bout it. Its been this way for years.
Twatter
Guest
In relation to Wilson she slams Football five times every three years, it's no big deal really. But wait for her gossip column this week and see what subject / sport gets a very heavy workout ,as she has mentioned in her gossip column she monitors websites like these for the uneducated remember that quote from her.
Twatter
Guest
Koops. You're back again for another round. Is it that you decide what sport's have validity on T.V. compared to ratings if a sport cant beat another at ratings do they get voted off the channel by consumers voting online or by sms,like a Big Brother style concept of T.V. A League this is big brother could you kindly leave the house please, this is sport this is drama with no scripts. What if you got a 2 million audience for an afl game what does that mean when you cant represent you're nation at aussie rules that for every sport has it's positives and negatives.
Koops
Roar Rookie
Very true, selective quoting there from fuzzy, but then we expect that, but when the a-league showpiece games get 36,000 Tv viewers for a final, and beaten by Tinkerbell, it's not selective quoting, it's the sad truth. I must also add that the Swans/Collingwood glorified practice game drew 425,000 game on free to air TV, and was also on foxtel live in NSW and QLD, then replayed at midnight on 6 hour delay.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
and thge 4.1 million who theoretically watch it on tv every week. :p
asanchez
Roar Guru
Banaba, Thanks for your comments. Soccer is my blood, i live and breathe it, have done for 29 years. Im also a fan of AFL, enjoy both codes, but hate the so called code wars that get far too much column space. Know plenty of people who follow and financially support both! One in winter, one in summer. About Craig Foster, As in my last post, I feel he shouldn't go down the war path on certain issues, but I can understand his frustrations! As a soccer pundit in the media, when he talks about our game, his knowledge and wealth of experience is undeniable and impressive. The man knows what he's talking about! Not sure where you got the figure of 505K who attended the A-league last season. My records show me that 1,321,838 went to A-league regular season games last season, and another 161,206 attended the finals, making it a total of 1,483,044 spectators through the turnstiles last season. This season's figures look on track to match last season's total. So all of a sudden, doesn't look so bad when compared to 3.6m for NRL or 7.1 for AFL. I don't think comparing figures between the sports does it any justice. Figures on paper don't take into account history, media coverage etc. As I have said before, after 6 seasons of the A-league with all the factors around it, some self inflicting, some not, I think soccer is in really good shape. The Fury have been cut today, had to be done. Cut our losses, and move on. If the league is advertised properly next season, and marketed, there's no reason not to have a cracking season! The best thing about the failed world cup bid, even though we would all have loved to have won it, was the fact the FFA now has to look after their bread and butter, the A-League, which has been ridiculously neglected for the last 2 years.
Twatter
Guest
Banana. I've only just got through half of my emails and had to stop and reply the only person who writes with so much anger and agression ironicaly writes for the Tele and is female.
Titus
Guest
Funny, coming from an AFL supporter, with their respect for women and all.
MyLeftFoot
Guest
The hatred soccer fans feel for Rebecca Wilson commonly manifests itself in bouts of misogyny.
banaba
Guest
hmmmm, sexist comment by you titus?