So Brisbane is awash with Asian Champions league fever. Oh, wait, no that’s not quite right.
Following the questionable decision by the AFC to allow the minor premiers of the A-League to be the only team admitted to the group stages of the Asian Champions League (the rights and wrongs of the grand final winners or minor premiers being the champions of Australia is an argument for another time), many would be forgiven for disregarding the continental tournament that had no place for anyone other than the Central Coast Mariners.
Many would be thinking that everyone should knuckle down and get on with the messy business of fighting it out for the premiers plate to try and get to next year’s party.
Only a hardened fan would have realised that despite the revocation of our previous two automatic spots in the groups stages as of last year (a fact which also needs to be rectified on this fine website’s current A-League front page might I add), there was still a chance of doubling our presence in the league stages.
On the day of reckoning for Brisbane Roar (arguably their biggest game of the season following the travails of the past 20 weeks), I find myself wondering how much improved their chance would have been if there had been someone fighting in their corner at any step of the way along the journey that has led to this day.
Having been crowned grand final champions, Brisbane were not allowed direct entry to the group stage, but were dropped into the final qualifying round.
The draw was favourable for the Roar, with the victor taking the spoils, a home game against Thailand cup winner Buriram United.
Up to this point all seemed well. Brisbane were making the best of a poor deal following the AFC moving the goalposts.
However, even back in December, the wheels were starting to wobble on the cart.
The scheduled date for the game was due to be ninth February 2013. A Saturday in the middle of the A-League season. But even back then Brisbane Roar General Manager Sean Dobson said the club was confident a beneficial arrangement would be reached in the near future.
What he failed to say at that time was that they were apparently working on a beneficial solution for Buriram United. In the ensuing weeks, the game has gone from being played on a Saturday in Brisbane to a Wednesday in downtown Buriram.
My congratulations to the Thai outfits negotiators.
I appreciate that Brisbane have not made Suncorp a fortress this season, however, I would have thought that all parties connected with the club and country would have pulled out as many of the stops as possible to ensure another Australian team has as good a chance as possible of furthering the cause of Australian football on an international level.
The NRL All-Stars did mean that there was no chance of the game being played on the allocated day.
However, it would not be realistic to cut out a weekend in the middle of the season anyway so the likelihood of the game going ahead on that day was slim in the first place.
I have checked the events calendar at the Suncorp Stadium and there appears to be nothing preventing the game going ahead on the same day. The West Indies are in town for the T20 international on the same night, I believe, but is this really a significant factor?
There have been past precedents to suggest that two sporting events can co-exist on the same night in Brisbane.
And there is also the fact that out of the two sides, Brisbane are the only one currently playing league matches as the Thai league does not start until next month.
Is there any real excuse as to why there seems to have been a complete lack of a robust defence from any level of the game, be it from the Roar, the FFA or Suncorp Stadium itself to cooperate and try and play the match in Brisbane?
I appreciate that there may be some other valid reasons for the switch, but my limited time and potentially rudimentary ability at using search engines for finding such information has raised no articles giving satisfactory reasons.
The PR for the game has been next to non-existent in the Brisbane area also though you can’t fault the Roar’s consistency following the minimal coverage of their previous tilt at the ACL last year.
The FFA, A-League and the teams themselves need to show some backbone otherwise we will continue to be ridden roughshod over for the foreseeable future.
I wish Central Coast all the very best for their upcoming campaign and good luck to Brisbane Roar in their game today.
It should have been far less complicated.
Hansh
Guest
KOS, I appreciate what you are saying but disagree with the principle. If Foxtel pay $x for 3 years to monopolise the broadcast rights, then that is holding the population to ransom. Foxtel's gains are far above the money they are paying for the monopoly. Just look at their ridiculous pricing structure. Under the current system the general viewer is deprived of watching the matches live, and none of these commercial channels will advertise the matches either. Overall, the people who are missing out are the ones who would support the sport and who's children are the most likely to become football (soccer) players. There would be a great opportunity to engage millions more people if the A-League games were broadcast on commercial TV. Never forget that even today the game is still in its infancy in Australia and has to fight hard for recognition against NRL and AFL, both of which have a much wider viewing population than our game can achieve under a Foxtel monopoly! Have-a-good-one.
Judith
Guest
I agree that it was most unfortunate that Brisbane was not permitted their advantage of home ground. The traveling has been horrific during our season whereas Thai football hasn't started yet. It would have been fair for a better solution especially since the Thai crowd used some very invasive "noise" tactics, even through the Brisbane penalty takes. What are the rules in Asian football- I remember 2006 World cup where NO noisemaker was allowed with fans.
King Of Swing
Guest
Hansh, if Foxtel didn't pay for the A-League broadcast rights then there would be no A-League. I don't agree with some of these scheduling decisions either but it's a necessary evil for as long as Foxtel is paying the bills.
Dillan
Guest
Yet another thumbs down for the Bakrie Group...
Ian
Guest
are the stat lines for the penalty shootout or the game as a whole? i didn't see any stats. wtf knows? (who, in this case, not what) off the pace most of the night. no excuses. but gee the other team fell over a lot. theo knocking out franjic........ full credit to theo for a good performance.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
Bloody hell, Brissy... suddenly don't feel so bad about Glory's spot getting nabbed. Hope Buriram do really, really well in the ACL...
TK
Guest
Roarsome
Guest
That was terrible. I guess it saves the embarrassment of getting smashed in the ACL. Brisbane for the wooden spoon this year. Confidence has gone so lets rebuild and come back stronger next season. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
Looking at the stat lines in open-mouthed horror. Wtf was all that??
TK
Guest
call the crime commission !!
Ian
Guest
3 penalty shots saved. and we're out. unfreakinbelievable. i guess we got them when it counted, in the 2011 grand final.
Whites
Guest
Why did I stay up for this?
Ian
Guest
"Stretcher!" can we have the stretcher brought out again for a thai player with a leg cramp? Luke "physio" Brattan. how many times is he playing the good samaritan? Theo is playing well. The 2nd half was better, but that isnt saying much. Ivan 'iron man' Franjic. you're a champ. Cmon Roar how chopped up is that field?
Ian
Guest
There may have been special rules on which grounds these AFC games could be held out. Possibly Ballymore would not be allowed and Suncorp was the only 'allowed' venue. I think that there are a lot of 'ifs' 'buts' and 'maybe' that we just don't know on how the game was moved. All I heard was that because Brisbane asked for a change of date theThai team got to change the venue. That is a massive swap. Maybe the old ANZ, now QSAC stadium could have been used. Either way a poor outcome for Brisbane. And I agree - the travel factor surely would have taken it out of the players. As for crowds last year - the crowd for the Tokyo game was a healthy 12000 in the rain. The rest approx 7200 and 5617 for games with no marketing and promotion. By the way, the return leg last year against Ulsan only attracted 1673. so to talk about bad crowds, well look at South Korea. though against Beijing away 41000 attended according to the stats I have. So at half time in the game - can Buriam please stay on their feet for the second half. Please ref, can we have some more penalties?? Berisha needs to get involved more. barely seen him. we could barely get out of our half for the last 25 minutes.
Andyroo
Guest
If they have secretly sold the hosting rights then what else might they have sold ....
Ballymore
Guest
This is the 3rd biggest match in Brisbane's history. However, personally I don't care whether BNE is awash with ACL fever. I believe the reason the match is being is not being played at Suncorp tonight is that the Thai club would not approve the date switch if BNE remained the host. Regardless, this outcome is an unmitigated disgrace and if (God forbid) BNE lose tonight I hope Sean Dobson resigns. Alternatives for Sat 09/02 that would not have required approval from Thai club - Ballymore - an aged 20,000 stadium a few km from Suncorp. The Gabba - Oval ground used for cricket/AFL. Few kms from CBD. Skilled Stadium - GCU's home ground. A ground in SYD (bearing in mind the HAL match Sun 10/2). Are above grounds ideal? No. Better than the current situation? Of course. Is playing 2 matchs in 2 days ideal? No. But surely it is better than a 12 hr transit to rural Thailand. The above alternatives are without FFA even changing the SYD/BNE match. I have read (unsubstaniated) rumours that of money changed hands between the owners. If that is the case BNE fans & players have been stabbed in the back. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Dons83
Roar Rookie
Many thanks for the feedback. Seeing as it has been mentioned several times now. I whole heartedly apologise for my lack of comprehension and indiscreet use of the word "minor".
Hansh
Guest
The entire problem lays with the FFA for selling their soul to Foxtel. Foxtel dictates where and when these games are played. The FFA is a farce!
tk
Guest
Fair enough. He's been watching too much nrl.?
bart
Guest
the guy who wrote the article is claiming that the Mariners are minor premiers