This week might have been all about players misbehaving, on and off the pitch, but given that the A-League is generally struggling to hit the heights of a couple of seasons ago, is any publicity good publicity?
It’s a concept that fans of the AFL and NRL, or even the English Premier League, would be familiar with, but the A-League has largely managed to steer clear of too much player controversy in the past couple of years.
Of course there have been many player incidents over the 10 years of the league, especially in the early days. I think in particular of incidents such as the Joel Griffiths sack-whack, Danny Vukovic handling a referee in a grand final, and Kevin Muscat’s tackle on Adrian Zahra.
But in recent years the controversy has generally centered around club administrators and their financially problems, poor refereeing, administrators squeezing active fans, and controversial comments from coaches such as the Josep Gombau’s to a journalist about his son’s goalkeeping ability.
Generally, A-League players have done a good job of staying out of the headlines, especially for poor behaviour off the field.
Whether there were incidents that didn’t come to public light, and there’s likely to have been at least a couple, or whether they didn’t come to public light because the A-League wasn’t considered big and popular enough, Australian footballers have generally had a clean reputation.
I’ve often felt that footballers in general, small fish in a very big sea irrespective of who they are, stack up well against the local codes where players are often over-glorified and turned into big fish in a very small pond.
This week, though, has been a little different, with two Perth Glory players Andy Keogh and Josh Risdon getting themselves in a spot of of bother after taking on Adelaide United in Adelaide on Sunday.
As football in Australia continues to grow and with it the profile of Australian-based footballers, more and more eyes will be on how they conduct themselves off the field, and the expectation will be that standards remain high.
Even on the field, in the past few seasons, there appears to have been less weekly incidents to dissect as the standard of football appeared to be on the rise, at least up until the high point that was season eight.
There was once a time when three or four players would be cited by the match review panel (MRP) every week.
‘Overly fussy’ was often the cry from fans and clubs.
In the past couple of seasons some sense appears to have come over the MRP with less incidents being highlighted. The integrity of the panel came under serious attack last season by the Newcastle Jets after an incident involving Joel Griffiths against the Western Sydney Wanderers.
It prompted the FFA to issue a stern defence of the MRP, with Damien de Bohun moved to say: “The MRP system is designed to strike a fair, sensible and proportionate balance between the demands of running a professional competition and providing clubs and players with an opportunity to be heard”.
The FFA went on to cite the improvement and constant changes in the process since a major review in 2011, regular feedback from clubs, and reviews at the end of each season.
There’s little doubt that things have improved in terms of the citing process, and these days it’s the bigger incidents such as the famous Ali Abbas and Brendan Santalab racism incident out of a Sydney Derby last season that appear to be reserved for the Independent Disciplinary Committee.
So it was perhaps a little out of left field that the Sebastian Ryall incident with Gui Finkler in the Big Blue on Saturday night was referred from the MRP to the disciplinary committee for an “act of simulation”.
While there was no doubt it wasn’t a penalty and that Strebre Delovski had incorrectly seen Finkler’s arm contact Ryall, the suggestion that Ryall dived to win the penalty looked a little far-fetched, even live, and so it proved in the disciplinary hearing on Wednesday evening.
What Ryall should have been sanctioned for was the meal he made post the awarding of the penalty, tapping Finkler on the head as he got up smiling about the penalty win.
While there was little doubt that Ryall hadn’t dived, and it wasn’t a penalty, it was the unsporting conduct from Ryall that left a bitter taste for many. The recriminations might continue for while.
If anything, this must have been close to breaching the National Code of Conduct that Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha was cited under on the same day.
While there was no footage of that incident, a friend who is a Sydney FC member and was in the bay Berisha’s gesture was made to, with her 10 and eight-year-old kids, was irate, claiming she’d be contacting the FFA to complain.
When she did she was told there had been numerous complaints.
It wasn’t a good match for two players who’s disciplinary reputation over the years hasn’t been great. But for the A-League it’s created headlines and talking points at a time it probably needed a few.
It’s also managed to take the focus away from the dramas that continue to beset clubs like the Jets and Mariners.
With the standard of football across at least three of last week’s round at a poor level, the player talking points are certainly a diversion, and at least get people talking about the A-League.
But is it a case of any news being good news, or just a diversion from some of the problems festering in a league that arguably rested on its laurels after the success of season eight?
punter
Guest
Beats me, coming from Sydney, I have never tuned into 3AW, rarely read Herald sun, but unfortunately my wife does like the odd show on channel 7. I just hear this comment from the Melbourne football loving public (Axis of evil) referring to those media outlets.
Mr Football
Roar Rookie
Why is the the AFL so sensitive about Football.Especially in Melbourne.
punter
Guest
There are some who believes the code war was created by Sydney media. Yet the axis of evil is channel 7, Herald Sun & I think 3AW, all having a common theme with 1 city & 1 sport.
AL
Guest
No worries Bondy, just beware of Association Football fans wearing scarves.
AL
Guest
AR, it's not what i think but how the media report and portray these type of inclidents in footabll. As compared to how they report eggball incidents. Its frustration not paranoia. Try reading peoples blogs before you make a comment.
c
Guest
al i agree with ar this dive will be a small small blimp
Uncle Junior
Guest
The criminal acts keep on giving in other sports. Today, the media is reporting Karmichael Hunt was charged with supplying cocaine between June and December 2014, which coincides with his time playing for AFL club, Gold Coast Suns. Having played NRL and currently captain of a Super Rugby team, this is a controversy that touches all those 3 codes. I'd rather be a sport where those who don't watch allegedly think players dive for a foul, than a sport where a current player is accused of supplying (trafficking?) a Class A drug. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/20/karmichael-hunt-charged-with-supplying-cocaine
AR
Guest
"The Ryall divepen will set back soccer 5 years, people will stop watching and the a-league will fall into a heap." Wow...er...ok. Glad you're not letting that paranoia get to you.
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Couldn't tell you her name one of these morning hosts just happened to catch it flicking around the stations. To be fair her two co hosts didn't share her views and pointed out all the positives that the game would bring to the city. So all in all her insular and territorial ramblings didn't really have much effect. Anyway if you ask the football fans of Perth whether they care if a game between Australia and England or Germany took place at the opening of the stadium or two months after it opened i'd say they wouldn't. Would be massive regardless.
dasilva
Guest
I get your point about diving however I completely disagree with spitting. I also hear people saying that biting players isn't worst than leg breaking tackle when people were defending Suarez as well The difference is intent. Tackling is part of the game and it is expected that in the game of football that people will attempt to tackle the player, when someone makes a really bad tackle that cause injuries, majority of the time this is due to the player attempting a legal tackle but screw up due to mistake in judgement or mistake in technique from the defender. Essentially it's a case of gross negligence from the defender that causes severe consequence. To me the equivalent of a leg breaking tackle to cricket would be someone like Brett Lee accidentally bowling a beamer (which is illegal) and seriously injuring the batsman. You can accuse the player of negligence but it was definitely an accident of attempting a legal delivery and failing Stuff like spitting and biting etc, there is only one intent with that as there is nothing approximating those action that is legal in the game. The only intention of spitting on the player is malice and disrespect for the opponent. Really most football players know that injuries to the leg is part of the game and play football knowing that is a potential risk of playing professional football. Bad tackle is an attempted legal part of the game gone wrong, spitting is intentional disrespect for the opposition. Of course occasionally you get premeditated violence where a player deliberately tries to injure an opposition such as Roy Keane/Alf-Inge Haaland incident (which IMO that should have been a life time ban where a player essentially assaulted the opposition with intent to cause injury).- However that scenario is rare
Bondy
Guest
Interesting link that, cheers ...
AL
Guest
I get so frustrated by the eggball stooge media. Let examin why. The Ryall divepen will set back soccer 5 years, people will stop watching and the a-league will fall into a heap. Both NRL and AFL involved in drugs scandle that would make Lance Armstrong blush. Yet the eggball media roll their eyes and "let talk about the Footy", can you just imagine how this would have been handled by the media if it was only an a-league team involved in this drugs scandle??? Some of their players are involved in criminal acts and some convicted. Yet its nothing to see here move on. If it was A-league players I wounder what the eggball media would report it, they would report it as the end of soccer in this country. You only need also to look how the cricket WC is being portrayed by the media and how the Asian Cup was handled. See attached link, the bit on the scarves is pricless. http://fearofaroundball.com/when-youre-a-football-fan-in-australia-this-is-the-sort-of-crap-you-have-to-put-up-with/
Mr Football
Roar Rookie
LOL. Which Bogan was it this time.
c
Guest
http://m.perthnow.com.au/sport/football/why-america-is-laughing-at-australia/story-fnhq5z8s-1227224986124 international coverage from the us, it dose not get any better than this :)
ciudadmarron
Guest
Ben cousins was a hero. Those essendon players, everything they've been put through.... They're heroes.
langou
Roar Guru
and having a hot girlfriend
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Just another sensationalist trying to make a name for themselves. Like the guy who "uncovered" Ben Teos assault on a young woman...
Football_Wunderkind
Roar Pro
who was the radio presenter who mouthed such ignorant BS? How do these people form such moronic opinions? Sometimes it feels like they are just parroting what they think is popular and sometimes it feels like genuine directive passed down from the top.
c
Guest
thank you andy keogh
Horto Magiko
Guest
True! And let me take a punt and say the lady was a SFC fan? And I'm sure she also complained to the FFA about her kids being subjected to some of the expletive laden chants from the cove too. Gimme a break.