- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Fans screamed and sung in the airport, lighting flares to celebrate the grand occasion. Onlookers were baffled at the abnormal events unfolding at Melbourne Airport, but no amount of greasy looks or security talks would dampen the crowd’s spirit.
To Europeans, similar scenes, although rare, are understandable. But here in Australia one would not be expected to understand the passion of these people.
But why was this crowd cheering? For whom? For Olympiacos of course!
Greece’s biggest and best club (sorry PAO fans but the red side of Athens does have more fans and trophies) has landed in Melbourne for the first time in over 30 years. Suffice to say it has it has been a long time between drinks.
However, considering Melbourne’s large Greek population and the level of support for international teams like Olympiacos, why has this been the case? Why haven’t Olympiacos come down under for the last 30 years? To put it simply, it wasn’t worth their while.
Without delving into the complexities of Australia’s football history it is enough to say that, for a while, the game here was a shambles.
Many have questioned the manner in which the A-League was introduced and the intentions behind it however one thing is for sure, the A-League has seen the level of professionalism in domestic Australian football reach record heights and has provided (for the most part) a stable platform for football in Australia to grow and be exposed.
The arrival of clubs like Olympiacos should not be taken lightly. By playing games in Australia, major international teams show they have faith in the trip and that they are able to get something from it.
Make no mistake, for European clubs based on the other side of the world, travelling to Australia isn’t easy or cheap.
Despite this in recent years LA Galaxy, Boca Juniors, Celtic, AEK Athens, Rangers, Blackburn and Everton have played down under. Celtic in particular travelled across the country, playing in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne on a tour that doubled as a scouting trip.
The A-League has made the trip to Australia worth the while of overseas teams who now come down to find competitive opposition and a largely untapped talent pool.
The trip to Australia doesn’t only benefit travelling clubs, it also benefits the fans. Not only fans of the teams but fans of football are given the opportunity to see their heroes live and a class of football rarely seen in this country.
Interest from overseas clubs in Australia benefits all parties. Many people understand the benefits for the fans and even for the clubs but few realise what these visits imply.
The faith shown by clubs like Olympiacos in Australian football show how far the game has come in this country.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.