It’s as inevitable as the sun rising in the morning; the mainstream media jumping on fan indiscretions at A-League matches and running the now customary soccer fan thuggery stories.
Those headlines appeared in the usual media outlets – Herald Sun, 3AW, etc – following the Melbourne derby in which 170 seats were wrecked by Melbourne Heart and Victory fans in addition to the throwing of banned flares.
The Herald Sun headline screamed: “Police slam fans after soccer derby leaves trail of destruction” – one of countless articles to appear after similar incidents over the years.
Whether the negative headlines were justified is up for debate. While on the one hand the idiotic behaviour of a small few continues to cast a shadow over a whole supporter base, the proportion of negative coverage the A-League gets over other codes seems to be higher (drunken behaviour at cricket, for example, is rarely reported as intently).
It’s an easy target given the established stereotypes of ‘soccer hooligans’ and perhaps there is an element of knocking the other football code by media outlets with vested interest in its winter alternative.
Take, for example, 3AW presenter Tom Elliot, who justified the violence like this: “The fact is, soccer is a dull, boring game. It is the only thing that explains why such bad behaviour doesn’t happen at AFL or NRL matches.”
But this victimisation should in no way excuse nor encourage the behaviour of some A-League active supporters. It’s their actions that inspire and provide an excuse for the aforementioned media outlets to run the same old headlines.
Without the flares and bottle and chair throwing, there would be no story.
So sure, the media may overplay what’s going on in the stands. But deprive them of the excuse and the headlines would inevitably disappear or the media become more desperate to seek a negative A-League story.
Changing perceptions can only start with the A-League supporters who seem to be inspired by European ‘ultra’ tactics.
The Melbourne and Sydney derbies are now the A-League’s non-finals showpiece events, producing atmosphere the like of which is rare in Australia and is the equivalent of Europe’s best leagues.
But because of the chair and flare throwing antics, the game wastes the opportunity for those events to help the A-League penetrate into the Australian mainstream consciousness.
So while on the one hand huge advances are being made – few leagues around the world can boast 40,000-plus crowds – the fans involved in poor behaviour simply assist the media to kick the game hard.
So, to the active supporters out there, behave. Sing, dance, chant, cheer, make banners, boo the opposition and so forth. This sort of atmosphere is what differentiates football from other codes and will help attract new fans and keep them coming, therefore helping the A-League to grow in stature.
But don’t resort to the flares, violence, chair throwing, racist chants and so forth. They don’t add anything to the fan experience and only fuel the negative headlines.
Maybe then the media will back off and stop sending journalists and photographers to cover any crowd troubles, which they do, and stadium security will ease off.
The choice is yours. If you’re really sick of the media victimization, then leave the chairs where they belong.
bryan
Guest
There is a way to stop these people,but it won't ever be done,as it is way too radical. As soon as any trouble is detected,stop the game. If it continues for any length of time,declare the game a draw,with each side sharing the points. After that happened a few times,the real supporters from both sides would come down on these morons like a ton of bricks!
bryan
Guest
Diream on,my friend,Football (big "F") is a great game,& destined to to get bigger in Australia,,but it will not replace other football (note; small "f") codes in this country. Australia is Australia,& has a place for all types of games. We don't want to be told that everything we do is inferior to what is done in some other countries. What a boring world it would be,if every country played the same games,drove the same cars on the same side of the road,chucked the same flares--------------
Sydneyr
Guest
Fuss, you are 100 % right, you know it and true fans amongst us know it.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Are you a paranoid schizophrenic? Everyone is just out to get SOCKAH, the world is coming to an end!
Anon
Guest
AVictory - I've attended football at Docklands stadium since if first started hosting AFL matches and I don't observe people standing on seats other than momentarily to climb into another row if need be to get in or out. What is it you're talking about - "There is standing room, people stand on the seats to see over others, a goal is scored and they get excited." Do these same people stand on the couch at home? stand on seats on the trains? 'wear and tear' is one thing - but, what you describe is outside of 'wear and tear'. If people want to stand then don't put the seats down. They aren't design for been stood on or bounced upon.
Lucan
CCTV works great, but action needs to be swift and visible to deter future incidents. An incident is spotted on screen, securtiy step in and remove the offender immediately. The innocent active supporters then need to allow the security to do their job. Currently these innocents go out of their way to obstruct security and protect these tools.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Sorry, I thought what I wrote clearly reeked of sarcasm :D. I don't care about the "wear and tear" of seats, just in my experience of attending matches at Suncorp Stadium, who I deem fairly strict, I tend to see no damage caused at all during a match of including Broncos, Reds and Roar, but in saying that I don't wander aimlessly searching for how many seats are broken on all levels.
AVictory
Guest
It's the wear and tear of hosting matches. There is standing room, people stand on the seats to see over others, a goal is scored and they get excited. The club cops a small bill to fix the damage and life goes on. What happened last Saturday from a minority of the Heart fans was deliberate destruction of property. I don't understand your massive concern over the welfare of seats, there are much more important things to worry about in the world mate.
Cameron
Roar Guru
By the way that statistic didn't include pre season or neutral Venue ;) So if you know the 'real' number then please let me know!
Cameron
Roar Guru
Spring damage? If I follow correctly, you are referring to how they are designed to be seated on and spring back up when hopping off? If Victory fans are breaking 25 seats per game due to 'spring damage' and as you say "Victory fans have been breaking seats since the A-League begun and average about ~25 per game." This would equate to 2,550 seats! Well with what is thought to be within the 120 to 170 broken in the derby which has resulted in tens of thousands of dollars worth of what will be required for restoration. This average you have presented, over the course of 102 Victory games is more cause for concern as this surely mustn't be good for spectator safety! Really AVictory, I think you need to think about what you wrote... Same 'spring seating' is used in most sporting venues I know, so why is it so many are broken at victory games? Be a good football citizen and take this up with the FFA, or channel 7 or the stadiums. This is worse than vandalism!
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
What a piece of crap that guy is.Totally backtracks on his original statement that Hillsborough was caused by fan violence by trying to say that segregation caused it,because of course if Liverpool and Forest fans were all put in the stand together the crush magically would have not occured.
Roger
Guest
Dmak, as one of the 41,000 at the game I can say that the collective "we" did not stop it because we were unaware it was happening. The only ones who would have had any idea are those who were next to them in the active support section. So yea, not condoned by the vast majority of those in attendance.
Roger
Guest
Ha!
Dingo
Guest
The one area that soccer exceeds all other sports in Australia, is with the victim mentality. The perennial champion.
jamesb
Guest
Just reading all of the comments and what has transpired today, i can't believe some of the rubbish that's been dished out especially by a couple of media identities. (if you call them that) What has happened at the Melbourne Derby where chairs were damaged by a few fools, along with flares and chair throwing is just criminal and unacceptable. Yes, Football allows fans to be active supporters, but a few don't know how! These are isolated incidents caused by a few. Unfortunately that small number has given the code a black mark. I think it's important that the FFA educate and promote to fans what "active support" is all about. Once that message is loud and clear, than hopefully fans in general are well behaved in a family type atmosphere. While idiots that do the wrong thing, should be weeded out of the game. Now then, it looks like we have the new Rebecca Wilson. Meet Rita Panahi Her article, whilst theres an element of truth attached to it, there's also a load of bull dust to go with it. Such as " And let's set the record straight: it is called soccer in this country. Football is played with an oval ball on an oval ground." What a load of garbage. While 3AW presenter Tom Elliott said that fan violence caused the Hillsborough disaster. Elliott wins a Gold Medal for stupidity Whilst Football has a few issues to deal with, and they will be dealt with in time, other media identities that don't follow Football, always like to put there foot it in an aggressive way. But as Tom Elliott is about to find out, it's one thing to present your facts to your audience, and it's another to portray a level of hatered to another sport. That hatered has now got Tom Elliott into a spot of bother. And rightly so.
Punter
Guest
Totally agree, it's not the reporting, it's who is doing the reporting & how it's reported.
Realfootbal
Guest
Argh, stop the pain, stop the pain... Someone get me Talking Heads as an antidote please.
asanchez
Roar Guru
Nobody is disputing this Matt, this isn't the issue. Why all football followers have got their back up is that it's the AFL journos/reporterss/pundits and AFL loving TV/radio stations(channel 7 & 3AW) giving everybody the negative news and really sticking the knife in. Fair enough they are there to report the news but we only hear about football from all these sources when it's bad/negative news, every other A-league game barely gets a mention. We've had a cracking season this year, and not once have any of these outlets praised the competition. Big games like the other Melbourne derbies, which had no incidents got lip service. Surely you can see what we're talking about? Negativity is ok, as long as its correctly reported and as long as the good/positive moments of the code are highlighted with the same vigour. This is definetely not the case! I don't think this has anything to do with selling papers, it's a clear agenda and kicking the man while he's down! The actual game or the score itself was hardly mentioned on any of these reports that I read from the various media outlets. There was only 41k there, what were we thinking?? But when tanking (match fixing), supplement use (some sort of drugs) happen in another code, big words come out at press conferences and the big broom comes out straight after and sweeps everything away...
c
Guest
we do not need the media word of mouth is just fine
Reynoldsinski
Guest
I doubt they hate soccer, Fussball. Who are these journos anyway. I know Greg Baum and Patrick Smith, and I can't really remember reading anything too derogatory.