A message to the Western Sydney Wanderers: show some respect. I know these are crazy times we live in.
The Greek economy balances on a knife’s edge with austerity measures enforced to ensure the Acropolis isn’t sold off to McDonald’s. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have divorced, with little Suri Cruise relocating to the south island of New Zealand. She’s searching for a safe haven from mind controlling Scientologists to seek sole custody of herself.
Eleven time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal was bounced out of Wimbledon by little know Lukas Rosol, the biggest upset in tennis since Achilles retired hurt in the inaugural Troy Open.
But this is the craziest story of them all.
The Western Sydney Wanderers would like to cover the statue of Eels great Ray Price to ensure Parramatta Stadium, aka the Gates to Heaven, feels more homely for football fans.
Not on my watch, Wanderers.
Now I’m a Western Suburbs boy born and bred. And football (soccer) is my first sports passion. But you need to respect the turf you’re on, and at Parra Stadium, you’re on Eels territory.
We Eels fans haven’t had too much to celebrate in recent times. Jarryd Hayne was our most productive performer against Manly last weekend, and he was sitting on the bench enjoying a big bag of crisps!
A couple seasons ago Carl Webb and Chris Walker were our marquee recruits. Paul Gallen is an Eels junior playing for the wrong colours. We overpaid Chris Sandow, were strongly considering buying Quade Cooper, and have put our faith in a Morman winger taking time away from league.
It’s not fun being an Eel.
What we do have is a six year window of success between 1981 and 1986 that hasn’t been replicated to date. Five finals including four premierships together with the greatest backline in living memory – Taylor, Grothe, Hunt, Ella, Cronin, Kenny, Sterling and Price.
What a combination, what a time.
And the inspiration behind those glory years was Mr. Perpetual Motion Ray Price. Ray was the original Nathan Hindmarsh when Hindy was but a glint in his father’s eye. Ray hit the line hard, tackled his arse off, bleed for his team and then kept coming back for more. He was a war horse, a work horse a plough horse and just about any other type of horse that just keeps dragging it’s seemingly lame arse forward. Since retirement he’s come across as being a bit of a donkey once in a while, but I’m not going to hold that against him.
Ray is the Eels.
So to the Wanderers, show some respect.
Do you think they cover up the Alex Ferguson stand at Old Trafford when the Theatre of Dreams hosts rugby or league? No chance. Does the SCG rename the Bradman stand when the Swans are in town? No.
Did the United Centre put an afro wig on the Michael Jordan statue during Oprah’s farewell? I bloody well hope not.
Be thankful Wanderers you’re being offered the opportunity to grace the hallowed turf that is Parra Stadium, and hopefully, after years of battles lost and won, a legacy will be born and you can have your own statue at the venue.
But until that day, show some respect.
Pete
Guest
Good story Aleks! I am a football fan of WSW and a long suffering eels supporter to boot. In my younger days I was ocasionally coached by Ray Price and let me tell you, I certainly would not be covering up his statue. I would be embracing it. If any WSW player could ever match Ray Price's cunning, gut's and determination then they will surely win the A League soon. Embrace Ray Price and the sheer class of the Eels 80's backline and the WSW will surely move towards playing at a world class level.Sometimes you just have to look outside your own fish bowl!
Kasey
Guest
I'll make Stevens a deal. If he can tell me what a Power is, I'll spend 30 minutes of my time explaining the significance of the Wanderers name to the history of football in this country.
Kasey
Guest
Some Sockah haterz will have a dig regardless – I guess Stevens is just too lazy or stupid to do any research into why and how the name was chosen. , they just can’t help themselves, must be so tiring carrying around a hatred for the world’s most popular sport. The sad thing Mark Stevens, probably considers himself to be a fair and balanced sports writer, even while having regular digs at the world’s most popular game – half the supposed sports journalists in this country are as fair and balanced as Fox News in the USA.
tonysalerno
Roar Guru
You can't have a dig if the name was chosen by popular demand...
Timber Tim
Guest
What was more comical is that afl writer mark Stevens on that very backpage program had a dig at the wanderer name saying what the hellis a wanderer? He does realize the majority of fans polled pick the name. Basic journalism 101 completely missing here.
Kasey
Guest
I'm at a loss to understand how this complete BS story is still in the news. A week later and not one official from WSW or the FFA has gone on record and said, yep we are or we were planning to cover up the Price statue. Seems to me to now be a little story the RL types are going to hold on to so they can stick the boot into football for a while yet and hopefully damage the new threat to their cozy little suburban enclave of dominance. .
Australian Rules
Guest
Haha....the irony of this comment is just priceless
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Lucan "for someone who doesn’t watch or read about the AFL, you’re well up on your facts and figures when its time to snipe." In the age of click-of-the-button information access, only the laziest people are unable to source basic facts & figures on any topic.
Lucan
Fuss', you continue to miss the point like no other. Do you look at MVFC and see a private entity, a franchise, or something different. On paper, that's all MVFC are. But in real life, it is so much more. The people, the passion, the short but significant history. Look beyond the black & white in relation to Parra stadium contracts and consider what the place represents to the people out there. ** for someone who doesn't watch or read about the AFL, you're well up on your facts and figures when its time to snipe.
Kasey
Guest
Respect is a two way street and for too long it’s been expected that football fans will be deferential and almost genuflect to the other sports in this country. The antagonistic intentional lack of respect for football is something that cannot continue if fans of other sports expect football fans to keep quiet and not arc-up in defence of their sport. Especially so with obvious B/S stories such as this
micka
Guest
+1
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
I see that the The Back Page ran this story on their show last night,with Paul Kent leading the way and getting stuck into WSW already even though theres still no official statement saying the statue will be covered over and the fact WSW fans are against the idea anyway.It then turned quite comedic when the Afl expert said the WSW were no threat to the Giants and Paul Kent joined in and they all had a good laugh,even though a few months ago he was anti giants as well.The guy is pathetic and puts the boot in to football at any chance he can get yet he went to Sth Africa in 2010(you can picture him jumping up and down saying ME ME ME in his stupid lisp when the head honchos at the Daily Terror asked who wanted to report on the World Cup).It kind of somes up that paper really sending an anti football person to cover the tournament for them.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Lucan I honestly couldn't understand what you're trying to say there - apart from having a dig at HAL clubs. AFL clubs are also quasi-owned by the governing body - the AFL. The obvious examples of AFL clubs owned by the AFL are GCS & GWS. The AFL also owns all the rights to every AFL club's brand- e.g. the name, the signage, the logo, the trademarks, etc. I'm pretty sure I read that the AFL is the guarantor for all bank loans taken out by AFL clubs. So, basically, each AFL club is operating as a quasi-subsidiary company of the parent - which is the AFL.
Lucan
Fuss', I sincerely hope you also rip on HAL fans who consider the side they follow as theirs. Those franchises are privately or federation owned, and the "members" are actually "season ticket holders" only. It doesn't stop people identifying with the team they follow. Same with venues and long term tennants, there's an accepted affinity.
JerryS
Guest
Well said, Kasey.
Kasey
Guest
I think you touch on the very reason why code wars seem much more prevalent these days, besides the increase in access to mass-media meaning never have more people had access to bitch and moan about minor things to a mass market area. For years football has had to be happy feeding off the scraps, breeding a subservient mindset, one of: 'let's not upset the establishment, be happy with what we get'. Fans of other sports got used to this and now that football has started to grow a backbone, one of obvious signs of this was to choose to call itself by its official name rather than by its nickname for example it has caused some friction. There are some people out there only happy for football to exist if it stays in its little subservient box and this new found swagger for the world game is uncomfortable for them to get used to. Well I have news for y 'all, football is on the up and you'd best get used to it. As for the supposed beligerant attitude, we all know nothing is given away for free, it must be taken.
Australian Rules
Guest
I'm also certain that most football fans are respectful...but the ones that comment most on this site (Fuss, Kasey etc) are often deliberately, unapologetically, not so.
Titus
Guest
It sure is a yawn, dude.
Sports Candy
Roar Pro
You make the wrongful assumption that someone from WSW actually said they were going to cover up the Ray Price statue. There is no evidence that anyone from WSW actually made that comment. The source in the articles were an un-named "WSW official" and a "WSW fan". Anyone could have made that up. Football fans are very respectful of other codes and sports, not like some we know, but aren't allowed to mention without being moderated or comments deleted.
Australian Rules
Guest
Interesting reading the comments above. The writer suggests that, as a new tenant, WSW should be respectful of Parra. Not that controversial really. After all, it's been the Eels home since 1947. The response from Fuss, Kasey, Jim et al...? Something along the lines of "We're equal tenants! Respect ,must be earned!! They must show us respect!!!" yawn yawn yawn. Oh dear. Good luck with that.