After Sydney FC’s dismal 3-0 home loss to Adelaide last Saturday, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that their 5-0 victory in the Big Blue was but a wonderful dream.
As it turns out, it was merely a false dawn.
Once again, the Sky Blue faithful forced themselves through 90 minutes of lifeless, tempo-less football, like parents at their daughter’s first violin concert. It was an all too familiar feeling for us fans, culminating in an eighth loss in nine matches and our tenth loss of the season – a league ‘best’.
Once again, we witnessed Sydney finding new and innovative ways to shank shots over the bar from six yards, new ways to generously give 20 yard balls straight to the feet of the opposition and new ways to outdo ourselves in terms of defensive clumsiness.
Conversely, something that hadn’t been seen previously at Allianz Stadium was The Cove, for the first time, using their stance and influence to heap pressure onto the club’s top brass – CEO, Chairman and Manager alike.
Think what you will of how the various parties involved were or were not at fault – whether or not The Cove were being disloyal to their club, or whether security was too harsh with their ejection of fans and dismantling of banners, or the delightful fellow who chose to throw his refreshments at the manager.
It’s a can of worms that may be put to bed should such forthright actions have an influence on the team’s performance.
Which begs the question, could this be a blessing in disguise?
Now, I’m no fan of Frank Farina – you’d be hard pressed to find many at present – but the banner, while representing a sentiment that was understandable, may have crossed the line of supporting your team and trying to manage it.
We’ve all had a go at him one way or another but the fact of the matter is that it looks at though he’ll be there at the end of the season.
Before you start sharpening the pitchforks, hear me out. This is where the potential blessing comes in.
Who says that these actions force the hands of the club’s top brass? Perhaps Tony Pignata and Scott Barlow will say to Farina: “Look, we love your work, but you really have to do something about this not winning thing.”
Who says David Traktovenko won’t be incensed by the banner in his honour, written in Cyrillic for that personal touch. What if it makes him realise that his investments could be spent properly elsewhere, or more efficiently by a new set of board members?
And what of the players? Perhaps they had no idea that people were so frustrated by the results, thus forcing them to perform for their supporters.
This is all dreamy-eyed hearsay, of course, yet it plays a role in showing that it may not be as ‘doom and gloom’ as it seems.
Moreover, it does not reflect a cultural difference between various ‘forms’ of supporter.
Namely, what many people see as an act of superiority or entitlement by The Cove was simply a symbol of discontent and anger towards the poor administration of the club that we all love.
Perhaps the more reserved, conservative Sky Blue supporter might have expressed such emotions in a different manner. That same supporter, however, has little right to tell those people how to react, similar to the minimal entitlement they have to lecture them on other issues in their lives.
Ultimately, this article has not been written to instil a divide between fans, nor does it act as a deterrent for people to voice their opinions, or even to sit completely still and enjoy the ambiance of a weekend night out in Sydney.
The other night was a bleak night in our history but it might just be the catalyst we need.
We all possess a common denominator in the famous Sydney FC; those frustrating, mind-boggling yet lovable boys in blue from Moore Park Rd.
The time is now to create something that the top brass have attempted and failed – a united identity that will allow us to push forward as a club into whatever lies ahead.
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