Rumours were circling the FFA was set to forbid the state’s two A-League clubs from entering the new competition, before Michael Lynch of The Age confirmed every knock-out football fan’s worst fears by revealing the FFA had turfed out the Heart and Victory to protect their own brand at the expense of Football Federation Victoria.
The news kicked off an almighty outpouring of criticism on Twitter and other social networking sites, with fans scrambling to deride the FFA and bemoaning a missed opportunity for the A-League to reconnect at a grassroots level.
But before I lay the boot into the FFA – easy enough to do since their decision-makers seem to hail from the planet Xenu – I should point out I’m not convinced that much of the fan outrage at the decision is entirely genuine.
Recently I’ve fielded emails from a couple of high-ranking media types expressing their disappointment at the relentlessly negative attitude of Australian football fans.
And I understand their sentiment – even if I personally have never shied away from highlighting the less impressive aspects of the A-League and the way football is run in this country.
But the announcement that Victory and Heart will be barred from entering the Mirabella Cup seemed to act as lightening rod for fan disaffection.
Football supporters in Australia are now desperate to criticise the FFA for every decision they make, regardless of what that decision is or which stakeholders are actually involved.
And the FFA is in danger of losing touch with the very people who pour money into their coffers, with the game’s governing body already putting fans offside before a ball has even been kicked in Season 7 of the A-League.
I would argue the FFA’s greatest concern going forward is not the next TV deal or how they plan to expand into western Sydney, but rather the simmering resentment towards Ben Buckley and his cohorts for the way they’ve handled day-to-day affairs.
And informing Football Federation Victoria that Heart and Victory have been pulled from the Mirabella Cup after the FFV had already planned for their inclusion is no way to win over fans.
For what it’s worth, I think the decision to pull the pair is another poor one from a governing body which seems to have no idea how to manage public relations.
It’s one thing for the federation to protect their brand if an FFA Cup is actually up and running, but another thing entirely for them to retroactively deny the Heart and Victory entry to a tournament fans at both A-League and state league levels were already looking forward to.
Already the backlash has started for the FFA, who can not only look forward to fans at state league level and below rubbishing them, but also A-League fans who would like nothing more than to see their teams test themselves against a lower-league opponent before the A-League season kicks off.
One of the best games of football I’ve ever seen took place in Japan’s Emperor’s Cup, when the students of Meiji University lost on penalties after an incredible 3-3 draw away at J. League giants Shimizu S-Pulse.
It was exactly the kind of thrill-a-minute Cup tie every football fan loves to see, but the FFA are denying Australian fans that very chance by barring Heart and Victory entry into the Mirabella Cup.
They’d better hope an FFA Cup is a viable alternative and they ought to announce a format as quickly as possible, because otherwise the simmering resentment on the terraces threatens to overshadow any action taking place on the pitch.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Speaking of fan anger, it looks like this fans forum is really hotting up. Some tweets direct from the action: Kevin Airs - Buckley genuinely doesn't get the insult or irony that the review of fan relations hasn't actually spoken to any fans. #fanforum Victoryblog - Buckley genuinely doesn't get the insult or irony that the review of fan relations hasn't actually spoken to any fans. #fanforum EddieVukovic - sounds like a man who knows his days are numbered, apathy a clear sign of a dead man walking #fanforum
con
Guest
excellent points, by the way i forgot to mention i liked your performance at the melbourne fan forum. you raised some interesting points
con
Guest
hear hear sack him please dear god sack him. you forgot to mention the appointment of a counter terrorist consultancy to ruin matchday experience
con
Guest
ahhhh yes another stroke of genius by our beloved ffa
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Generally Mike, I don't think this is fake outrage at all or people just using it as an opportunity to have another crack ala the type of fake outrage you see from joe Hockey (Opposition Treasurer) all the time Victory fans have not been able to watch pre season games at grassroots grounds during the WC bidding process. The FFA made them all behind closed doors in case the big bad Victory fans got into trouble. Much of which relates to the fact they hired consultants who can't properly assess a football crowd and give proper advice but that's another issue. In the early seasons, and especially after season 2, grounds like Richmond would have about 2k people there, I remember Oakleigh had about 4k or so and South Melbourne about 8k. This helped to foster a nice little "hard core" fan base who would be able to meet up at these games in a nice grassroots environment and so strengthen the fan base. People have not really been able to have this opportunity for a few years now, and it is contributing to a disconnect with the team and a creeping sense of apathy in the fan base (which can be seen through having a higher ratio of members not turning up for games). People were genuinely looking forward for some grassroots games again, and the fact they are part of a competitive tournament instead of meaningless pre-season games gave it all that little bit extra As fro Heart, well they seem to be wanting to pitch themselves as some kind of grassroots club etc so they would have been genuinely looking forward to the opportunity that the Mirabella Cup provided in that respect One suspects there are either Business related reasons in terms of sponsorship, or it is petty political power plays between the FFA and the FFV or Mirabella etc. Either way, if you throw in the fact that they just throw in some stupid cliched line from some faceless spokesperson, then the whole thing just smacks of fans/fraternity being seen as an afterthought where they just have to "put up and shut up". While I have read many comments that there is sense in the clubs not being allowed in the comp, this really only holds true if there is a tangible comp in the pipeline (eg name and format developed) rather than just as the abstract concept it currently is. To make this decision when the comp is already running plus the lack of explanation (and a sense of the importance in explaining decisions to the fan base) is really where much of the issue lies
steve ellis
Guest
not perfect..by why should it be...a concept the fans were actually excited about..! another mindlessly negative and reactive decision by the increasingly risk averse authoritariajn regime of the FFA.... ( well..when you have the GC and fury shipwrecks to show ...) and very telling their quote about the way they describe the upcoming FFA Cup ..."packaged product " says it all when the game is run by faceless corporate suits and a clueless ex-AFL accounts bloke.....
Lets be honest
Guest
Grrr FFA
Roger
Guest
Best comment so far RedOrDead :D
Midfielder
Guest
Mike I do take your point and have said so myself a number of times the constaant negative talk... But we lead leadership and we NEVER hear from BB ... or FFA ... its managenment by press releases... To put this as simply as I can... when a coach comes to a club there is a certain exceptetion of what they will do and how they will do it... When a coach fails to deliver often he losses the room... then he is dead.... the players loose confidence in him and its all down hill until a replacement can be found... BB has totally lost the room... media, and fans just want a lot more than what he is giving... leave him to do the media deal if he is so good at it ... but the time has come to part ways... we need a new leader...
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
11mins to Beer O'Clock...it's 3:49pm :-)
PaddyBoy
Guest
Becuse they will only want to increase the profitability of their teams.
Bondy
Guest
In reading the Mirabella Cup proceedings / standings so far on The Roar's Website it sounds like a smoothly run cup competition. But New South Wales cant stand it, the Vic's have the jump on us and the power brokers of football in this country are from N.S.W. pride and politics can be disheartening in sport. The way the tea leaves could potentially be read is that if the Heart and Victory partook in this tournament than the F.F.A. cup as we know it could potentially be asked to be called the Mirabella Cup in the new era of New Football.Thats the way im reading it and Sydney cant accept it. If memory serves me correct the author of this article watches and attends a lot of games of football in Victoria, id love to say get back in your box Mike but cant on this occasion. Im off for a jog in the bush, i have to feel like Bear Grylls occasionally.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
The issue here may be less about the decision (which may have reasonable rational) than in its handling.
mintox
Guest
You're not the first person to call for this but how do you know that they wouldn't make the same decision?
Realfootball
Guest
Well said. The problem in a nutshell. Ben Buckley's foot sure takes a lot of punishment.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Guys - I totally agree it's a PR disaster. I guess we've all lived through the nightmare years so I'm used to Football administrators in this country trying their best to stuff up various competitions. Thank heavens the actual sport is so sublime, it thrives in spite of the administrators. At least with the FFA ... there's never any "spin" ... it's all harsh reality - what you see is, unfortunately, what you get!
Realfootball
Guest
Good point - A-League centric comment! And I coach my son's U14s - how could I make such a gaffe?
Adam
Roar Guru
All this is so true. The FFA really had to ball in their court for growing the game here in Aus. Instead they've dropped the ball and the sport has not had the growth that it deserves.
Ian Syson
Guest
It might be the off season for you. As a South Melbourne member, I see it as being smack bang in the middle of my season. Fuss, This is going to do a lot of damage to the game at grass roots levels in Victoria because it is one more example of how 'soccer is run by idiots' -- or so the story will go.
Peter Wilson
Roar Guru
The FFA won't act on it - that's just the point. Why does this keep happening? We have just gone through the best period ever in Australian football and the FFA just keeps shooting itself in the foot and putting off and turning away football fans. We should be discussing the Young Socceroos U20 squad that was just selected and the exciting young players coming through. We should be talking about their upcoming match against the German youth team and if they can repeat the senior Socceroos success against Germany. No, we are yet again talking about an FFA stuff up and the incompetence and lack of football culture understanding of the FFA board, led by ex-AFL stooge Ben Buckley.