“Soccer’s shame” was the headline adorning the Herald Sun the Monday after a fantastic derby spectacle in front of 41,200 fans at Etihad between Melbourne Victory and Heart the preceding Saturday.
The game at Etihad was slightly marred by the childish scene of away fans ripping up seats and throwing some onto the pitch, which accompanied a number of seats being damaged in the Melbourne Victory sections. Estimates are up to 170 seats were damaged.
This isn’t ideal but it hasn’t stopped the discourse by some media outlets reaching slightly hysterical proportions as factions in the media, not known for their endearment to football, find negative slants in the midst of football making positive progress after hitting some brick walls in recent years.
An example can be seen in a banner by Melbourne Victory fans not being to Ron Reed’s liking. This is probably more of a reflection of the culture of different sports not being to everyone’s taste.
Another example can be the ‘biff’ in some State of Origin clashes being great to league diehards, but abhorrent to others. To football fans the banner was standard fare and not in the realms of social deviancy.
In regards to the derby, the Herald Sun quotes Inspector Paul Ross of Melbourne West Police station as “generally, in relation to the game, the vast majority of the crowd behaved well,” which is what must be remembered most significantly if we are to put events soberly into context.
The media exuberance following Saturday’s Melbourne derby mirrors some of the negative headlines that followed the Sydney derby hosted at Allianz stadium earlier in the season.
What was a great spectacle was painted by some in the Sydney media in a deeply negative tone, citing the immature actions of a handful of fans in lighting some flares and then throwing them onto the pitch. The outraged Wanderers fans facilitated the ‘passion is not a crime’ initiative in response.
This pattern has been seen before, in the early days of the A-League, and lessons need to be learnt. Negative headlines unfortunately tend to often follow when domestic football achieves positive milestones. Interestingly they went away when the league was stagnating and ‘marquee matches’ lost some of their allure.
The best example that comes to mind was the excessively negative reports that followed the ground-breaking 50,000 attendance figure when Victory took on Sydney FC in the A-League’s second season.
This was followed by an ‘axis of evil’ protest by unhappy Melbourne fans the following week, similar to the Wanderers’ ‘passion is not a crime’ protest.
What is probably most crucial though is how the FFA chooses to react, and is able to reflect properly on the past in doing so.
The ‘ethnic tensions’ tag was something the old NSL was never able to fully shake off, so while it is understandable the FFA would be concerned about negative headlines in the old media, there is an argument they lend too much weight to the old media discourse. Consequently, the policy response from the FFA has ironically done more harm than good.
An example is the FFA often talking about taking a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour. This may come across as solid public relations strategy, but on the ground as an actual policy strategy the zero tolerance approach does not effectively work and can engender more violence than it prevents in some circumstances.
Not to mention the oppressive police profile can be more intimidating to families they are trying to protect than a few immature fans in a distant part of the stadium. On the ground a ‘friendly but firm’ approach focused around communication with fans is more effective, which is why it is increasingly becoming the modus operandi in major football tournaments.
This goes into a bigger issue as to what drives the growth of the A League. The FFA seem to believe it lies in headlines and publicity within the old media, whereas in the opinion of this author it truly lies in word of mouth – this weekend’s crowd virtually replicated the 42,000 from the opening fixture of the season, despite no publicity in the media.
If we look to Sydney, much of the media attention has been with Alessandro Del Piero and Sydney FC in the season build up, while Western Sydney were a side show. As the season has progressed however, Western Sydney have become the real success story and crowds have risen dramatically, despite many negative headlines.
As far as the earlier years of the league goes, despite the bad headlines some food for thought lies in that crowds generally did not start falling until after the FFA’s policy responses started to take effect. Something to consider in regards to how they handle the Wanderers fans in particular.
An interesting further quote from Inspector Ross is quite revealing: “There are some issues with the soccer that in some ways we don’t totally understand. I’m not sure why it happens… It is certainly different to an AFL game or a cricket game because we don’t get these issues there.”
The answer can be found in the fact that football crowds are collectively oriented, whereas AFL and cricket crowds are individually oriented. These require different skill sets in handling and positioning of forces and a different reading of behaviour.
What is understood as socially deviant in a football fan context and what is not is different. Some swearing, for example, is not considered socially deviant in an active fan area.
I found it rather curious that, to quote a Herald Sun headline, “Soccer fans are the most violent” citing the frustrations of a Victorian police commander, while the eviction and arrest statistics didn’t quite match this assertion. The assessment was in the commander’s reading – or perhaps misreading – of domestic football crowds.
It is rather curious that internationally Australian football fans are not known for an anti-social reputation like England fans traditionally or Russian fans more recently. Perhaps when they go overseas they behave but at home they are suddenly more anti-social?
An overseas police commander experienced in football crowds would have a completely different perspective of A League fans.
Back to the post-derby headlines, and while broken chairs are not ideal, there is a simple solution as the designers of AAMI Park and the crew of ‘build it bigger’ found out when they tried to break the seats as part of their show.
The fact they required a sledgehammer sums up why you don’t hear of seats being destroyed on any significant scale at derbies hosted at AAMI Park.
If no chairs can be broken in the first place, no one can be banned and driven from the game.
Far from being mired in “shame”, the football fraternity in Melbourne and Sydney have much to be proud of for this season.
bryan
Guest
This must get the award as the dumbest comment of the thread! AM & FM are simply different transmission methods. You can have an anti-Football comment on either,or on digital,if it comes to that.! What is this "people under 30"--------- stuff? Many of the supporters at Glory games will never see 30 again-------some won't see 60 (like me!) :) We still like Football!
bryan
Guest
I guess,as a Glory fan,a nil-nil draw would be better than what we've been coming up with recently! :)
Peter Wilson
Roar Guru
Victory fans regularly tear up or set fire to the seats when they come to Sydney. Its not a good look and not warranted, so if you don't want to bring bad publicity to the game and deter new fans, then don't carry on like vandals.
striker
Guest
Damiano lucky these dinosours are in the decline and more and more people dont buy into this crap anymore,we as a code are getting stronger no matter what Richard farmer migh say.
Damiano
Guest
I try not to feel paranoid but... reading an article from Richard Farmer, identified as "Policital Commentator" on Crikey. He writes the following: "Football without action. Just a little information for those who sat through this week's American football Super Bowl. In all those hours of television -- even without counting the blackout time-out -- there was very little actual football. The Wall Street Journal has done the sums and found that while a regulation NFL game consists of four quarters of 15 minutes each, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field is about 11 minutes. It tells us something about Americans that the telecast attracted one of the largest audiences in the country's television history. They prefer talk to action but I guess it's better than watching a nil all draw in soccer. Thank goodness real football is about to resume if they can find enough drug free players." I'm not sure exactly how any code of Football is the remit of a "Polical Commentator" (which I think must be a ephemism for poliictal journalism, without research perhaps...) but he manages to drop in a criticism of football (soccer) into a piece about American Football. I can't quite understand why, if they aren't fans of the sport, they can't refrain from criticism, especially when it's apparently irrelevant. It confounds non football fans, but it is possible to enjoy a nil-nil draw, and in some instances this may be a good result, as good as a win. If I have to explain this, then you probably won't ever get it.
matt h
Guest
Might also have something to do with the length of the cricket games - 6 hours drinking in the sun = idiots
matt h
Guest
I haven;t read the whoe thread yet but two points: 1. Don't feel bad. In sydney the bad behavior of a portion of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL crowds got plenty of negative publicity at the time. 2. Interesting that this thread has got more comments than any in regards to the max fixing allegations coming out. I have no comment and I'm not implying anything by this. I just thought it was interesting. I believe that middle Australia (for want of a better generalisation) is genearlly pretty conservative (and ageing), and these sorts of stories sell papers and bump up A Current Affair ratings. Especially if there is the implied "these people are not like us "rool Aussies"
Cameron
Roar Guru
Sorry it was a rhetorical question. But i'm sure you possibly could comment, don't hold back! I couldn't possibly formulate any opinion that meets your level of intelligence! So "quit while you're ahead"!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"Though I guess it’s my younger years that are affecting my intelligence?!" Well, what an opportune time for me to draw upon the wisdom of Francis Urquhart - one of the most brilliant characters I've seen on TV ... "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment." ;-)
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
A very worthwhile article from a guy, who is not a bitter old SOCKAH fan paranoid by media behaviour in the past, but a member of the younger Football fanbase. This young bloke seems to understand the real reason behind the bad headlines: "Wogball: Why anti-football media stems from racism." http://www.fromthestandsal.com/2013/02/05/wogball-why-anti-football-media-stems-from-racism/
Cameron
Roar Guru
My apologies Fuss, I didn't know how to fully spell blasé (blazay), hopefully you now understand. Also sorry you couldn't understand what I wrote again, as clearly most others could. Though I guess it's my younger years that are affecting my intelligence?!
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Its a blase comment pronounced by a Channel Nine announcer.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@Kellett_1992 What's a "blazay comment"?
Cameron
Roar Guru
I struggle to follow... :S
mahonjt
Guest
So it is OK to bring in miles of false flooring to protect the playing surface when they hold dance parties. It is OK to insist the modular seating NOT be moved in the winter to protect the surface and facilitate AFL competition. But it is not OK to suggest that some seats in some sections be replaced over time with seating more appropriate to active football support? Give me a break.
Australian Rules
Guest
That's exactly it kellett. No-one believes that the majority of soccer supporters are idiots - clearly it's only a few of the wannabe "ultras". But when people rush to the defence of these vandals ...or deflect blame to other sports... or suggests that the seats weren't strong enough (!)...or blame the media...THAT is when the sport itself is damaged, which is such a shame.
micka
Guest
milf, it's passion. You can't show your passion unless you one up the guy standing next to you. God help you if you don't show as much passion as the guys at the other end of the pitch or as much as the guys you see on the telly in Argentina. You aren't allowed to just "watch" the game.
Australian Rules
Guest
The NSW Govt has stated that the days of 100% state-funded stadiums have come to an end. Private investment is needed to make these facilities viable. Problem is, a private investor would look at Allianz Stadium (which almost never fills half of it's 45,000 capacity) and think: "why would I bother?". Without a World Cup (i.e. Federal funding) it's hard to see how or why a larger rectangular stadium would be built in Sydney.
micka
Guest
Amen, 5 or 6 hours of smashing booze at a less than edge of the seat game will tend to do that. The fans at the Vic-Hearts game managed to inflict more damage to public property in less than an hour and a half. Here is the more important point. You will never, ever see a cricket fan defend the actions of the morons as being ok as that is how you show "passion". And you will certainly not hear of any reasonable fan saying that they shouldn't be rolled immediately out of the ground. I have never heard a cricketing fan say that the MCG should just have the sense to take out the seats so that nothing gets damaged (from my memory nothing ever has but come with me on this one). By the way I agree with you on the alcohol culture problem, I do think fixing it would go a long way to ending a lot of sports problems.
Anon
Guest
Yes - there's a lot of attempted 'deflection' going on here - and most of it is looking pretty feeble with this particular story. Listening to SEN radio on Monday as this story was evolving and the 'apologists' or deniers calling in really, really sounded pathetic. The media will always report a story like this - the interesting thing is that this is the escalation of a problem that has been around through the season - the media has perhaps sat on it previously. With this escalation - it IS a story.