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Don’t stop here, keep going and never give up! Definitely the approach I believe the whole A-League and Australian football should take, the approach that I believe hasn’t stopped all season, even before it started.
The positives that continue to eventuate for Australian football are too much to keep up with: Returning Socceroos, Australian coaches at the forefront of football development, the re-signing of Alessandro Del Piero and the home of football, SBS, revamping SBS2 to suit the needs of Australian football fans.
Not to mention record television ratings with a settling point which signifies more room to grow as well as an average attendance rate of 12,625 on track to break another record with the first time 1.5 million fans will have attended matches during regular season.
I’m constantly dreaming of stadiums like AAMI Park filled to the brim on a regular basis, but as said it’s a dream, one that with time could become reality.
I almost forgot about the new National Premier League and plans for promotion and relegation.
Each season has had its positives and negatives, but each season has provided something unique, even if it was edge of your seat stuff.
The negatives need no mention currently, for every now and then a moment to bask in the glory is preferable to being bombarded by news journalists or articles that try to knock you back. We all know what is ahead and more testing times are to come.
But it wouldn’t be football without all these aspects combining to produce the what has been deemed, without argument, The World Game.
I live by the wise words of Jim Valvano: “Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first steps to succeeding.”
The constant trails, tribulations, failures and rejections have been a thorn in Australian football’s side. Struggles to move forward, define what football really means and enjoy it was always an easy message, but not one conveyed in the brightest of light for all to hear and see.
Australian football has never given up, and in fact the times suggest to other rival sporting codes that the battle for the hearts and minds of Australian sports lovers is about to step up another gear.
No longer are we the sport segregated by antagonist media sources. No! There are enough well informed, educated and like-minded football supporters who will not sit idly by as our sport is belittled.
Bill Shankly, Liverpool legend said it beautifully: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
Oh too how I agree — maybe not the death part though — but understanding the meaning is what counts.
A man of few words, but words that struck a chord with fans and players. Even fans like myself who support Liverpool but never been to a match, yet here I am sitting on the other side of the world expressing my love for a game he so dearly cherished.
He is no longer with the world, but influential figures such as Bill Shankly add to the appeal football offers.
The Hyundai A-League has given hope, a sense of belonging and a sense of pride in that football in Australia has still a long way to go before reaching it’s peak, but with such vast strides and previous failures and rejections learnt from, the days of being a football supporter look brighter than ever.
There are still some rounds to go, but for a moment just be thankful for the beautiful game that has been created, for you only live once. So live it like Bill Shankly and Jim Valvano.
We Are Football!
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