What stood out for me during Melbourne Victory’s clash against Liverpool on Wednesday night, was that Melbourne will never be the ‘sporting capital of the world’.
That’s not easy coming from a proud Melburnian who likes to think his city is far and beyond any other in Australia, especially when it comes to the sporting sphere.
While the Melbourne Cricket Ground may have been a sight to behold, as more than 95,000 braved the chilly conditions to watch what was, in all truth, a pre-season friendly, the lopsided support on the evening certainly left a bitter taste in the mouth.
As one turned their head to look around the magnificent stadium that is the MCG, all that could be seen was a sea of red.
Picking out a Victory fan in the crowd sometimes felt a bit like browsing through a ‘Where’s Wally?’.
All this, not at Anfield, but at the stadium that is the pride and joy of this city.
Compounding this paradox are the reports that Melbourne’s players were jeered – yes, that’s right, jeered – by a sizeable section of the crowd as they entered the pitch for their warm-ups.
Granted, some interstate visitors may have been the main protagonists, but the audible levels of the jeering suggests many locals jumped on the bandwagon, too.
What a shame, if true, especially considering Victory’s massive underdog status heading into the game.
Australians are known for their love of getting behind an underdog, so why did so few Melburnians choose to do so for the side representing their own city at the MCG?
If England’s national football team came to town to take on the Socceroos, any Aussie who chose to chuck their support behind the Poms would be lambasted. That is despite the fact many locals actually throw their support behind England at World Cups if our side has been eliminated.
The scenario should not be any different for when it comes to club football.
Until Melbourne decides to throw its allegiances behind its own football team over one from 17,000-kilometres away, this city can forget about ever being labelled the ‘sporting capital of the world’.
Jack
Guest
Melbourne has a smaller population that London, so the chance of it beating it is very low.
Jordy
Guest
The only reason there was a lack of support for victory was because a lot of victory fans are Liverpool fans.Also, a lot of victory fans were in Sydney to watch the Man U game a few days before
Marko
Guest
It was only befitting for Liverpool to play in front of the biggest crowd ever in the sporting capital of AUSTRALIA!
Andrew
Guest
The Authors logic is totally flawed. He just wrote this for a stir.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah there is this argument, eg the irony and one of the more iconic renditions of ynwa occurring on the other side of the planet which probably sets it apart slightly from the Man Utd match in Sydney which was also a sea of a different red (plus amVFac made a enter go of it) + that is ironically the biggest crowd Liverpool have ever played in front of despite all their trophy finals and this being an exhibition matches Based on the 20k MVFC membership I'd say 10-20k were MVFC fans but outside of the active area they would have been heavily diluted and isolated. Thought the jeering was odd until I heard about a figure of 35k interstate visitors and all the booked out hotel rooms and $10 million for the Victorian economy which might go some way to explaining al of that. Would be disappointed to hear of booing of the All Stars though as that is an attack of sorts on the A League Really what these matches exemplify is the global pulling power of the bit clubs in the bit leagues and the power of their brands globally. For my part as someone who is dual English and whose perspective is to support NUFC and MVFC as a fan of the community institution (eg the people wearing the Newton Heath scarves at Man Utd games) these fans of the brand types are second rate wannabes and the fans who actually came out from England are used to these off season tours and wouldn't have a mind too actively boo the local team given their fairly neutral feelings and no traditional rivalry, have never heard of NUFC fans doing it when travelling throughout Asia or the US in seasons past for example
Australian Rules
Guest
"The MCG doesn’t have the history of Lords yet, but it’s a 10 times better experience." Yes, Lords (1814) is the home of cricket and is forty years older than the MCG (1854) but I'd actually argue there's been more historical events at the MCG: - first ever game between Eng and Aus (1861) - first ever Test Match (1877) - first ever Ashes Test Match (1882) - first ever ODI match (1971) - Centenary Test (1977) - World Cup Final (1992)
mahonjt
Guest
STOP THE PRESS!
Ian
Guest
Mark - MWHAHA!! thanks for the advice. if i had wanted the advice of a prat i would have asked you directly.
dwayno75
Guest
+1
Glenn Innis
Guest
The author has perhaps by accident stumbled on footballs major problem in this country.Football is popular in Australia, but a great deal of football supporters in Australia follow the EPL but are not greatly interested in domestic club football. Australians are elitist by nature when it comes to sport, when they watch Rugby league or AFL they know they are watching more or less the best players in the world at these respective sports - tiny worlds that they are.When they watch A League they now they are watching a product that is well below any of the major European Leagues, so they will watch their kid's play and watch EPL on foxtel or at the pub, but largely ignore the A League. This is the great challenge for Australian football.
AZ_RBB
Guest
sorry they've changed the name of the Finals. It's now the World Tour Finals. London has hosted it since 2009 and will continue to do so for a few years.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
Im actually a little perplexed on how White Heart lane can be considered a joke,i mean it doesn't have flashing lights on the outside but you'd be hard pressed to find any club in this country who plays on rectangular pitch who would knock back the Lane as their home.
Australian Rules
Guest
AZ, I didn't think London hosted a Masters event..? At any rate, Wimbledon is certainly more prestigious, and only recently, now has more prize money. But the attendances are still well below the Aust Open. What that means is up to the individual. Both are major events in their own right. And both cities have fantastic pre- tournaments with the Queens Club and Kooyong events.
AZ_RBB
Guest
before we get too excited about Melbourne's tennis reputation. although i do agree that Aus Open is the best of the 4 Grand Slams. London also hosts the Masters Series Final which is widely considered to be "5th Grand Slam" and is the most lucrative tournament of the year. Wimbledon + Masters > Aus Open imo.
Marko ivakovic
Guest
In the end I reckon, in some weird fashion it may actually prove that Melbourne is the sporting capital: record crowd of people to watch Liverpool and record crowd for a football game in Australia. And on top of everything, all of it for a game that has no competitive meaning what so ever. Melbourne has definitely proven to be sporting capital by getting hold of two records related to football. Good on us Melbourne and Liverpool supporters. MCG as Anfield Down Under sounds great!!!
Australian Rules
Guest
Never claimed rugby was bigger anywhere in Melb than at Twickenham...I acknowledge this below in another comment. That said, despite rugby being entirely rooted in Sydney, every Wallabies game in Melb seems to be sold out...be it at the MCG or Etihad. You can discount Bells or Ph.Is...but you show your ignorance again with the Ascot comment. It's not in London for starters. Second, the total purse across 5 days is about AUD$5M in Eng. the Meb Cup alone is 6M. And there's more people at Flemington across 4 days than what there is at Ascot across 5. Again, you're just guessing with your comments.
bryan
Guest
I realise you find it difficult to comprehend something with more than one sentence,so it is probably a lost cause trying to get you to read it over again. There are two sections,one regarding the "Australia sucks " sentiment so common among the more rabid Football true believers. We suck at Football in a World sense,but over the years we have been at or near the top in most Olympic sports,as well as Cricket,cycling,surfing,motorcycle racing,etc. OK,we didn't get many Gold medals at the Olympics last time---but don't Silver & Bronze count as being among the worlds best? The second section is just a gentle gibe at Melbourne.. I'm sorry if it was all too sophisticated for you.
Realfootbal
Guest
Better still, send them back to Afghanistan, where they came from. Bloody queue jumpers.
Mark
Guest
Ian, you seem to have anger issues, you may need to get over them.
Ian
Guest
Get over what? No apologies for bringing in AFL, it's all part of the same spin. Or for disagreeing with you.