The FFA Cup final venue is fine, as is the marketing behind Yoshi’s choice of team, however Football Federation Australia would do well to remember it needs to look after more than just one club.
Tuesday night’s FFA Cup semi-final between crosstown rivals Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City was a throwback to the sort of full-blooded football we used to watch from England back in the day.
Forget the beautiful game, I grabbed the popcorn and put my feet up to watch the two sides kick seven shades out of each other in a contest that looked anything but manufactured.
The purists might complain about the lack of fluid football, but isn’t this what we wanted? A genuine rivalry?
I thought Melbourne City were the better side on the night, but Victory coach Kevin Muscat was right to be seething about Luke Brattan’s opener.
He told the Fox Sports panel after the game “it just seemed like there were two sets of rules,” and it’s hard to argue given that an offside Tim Cahill clearly ran across Victory goalkeeper Laurence Thomas’ line of sight for the opening goal.
Perhaps Victory’s frustration explained the game’s relentless niggle, although it’s not like the City players – and Cahill in particular – didn’t give as good as they got in return.
I can understand why Victory supporters might be upset at the manner of defeat, but from a neutral perspective I can also see why FFA want Melbourne City to succeed.
For that reason, I don’t see them naming AAMI Park as the venue for the FFA Cup final as being a problem.
Yes, it’s harsh on a Sydney FC side that has not played a single round at home.
But if the FFA wants to maximise commercial opportunities – and with the current broadcast negotiations still on-going, that’s not the worst idea in the world – then hosting the final in front of Melbourne City’s home fans makes sense.
What FFA needs to be wary of is the perception forming that they’re only looking out for the interests of one club.
Ten-year-old Yoshi was always going to pick Melbourne City – like Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill said in a reddit AMA yesterday, maybe it had something to do with City signing someone recognisable like Cahill? – and FFA’s Head of Marketing Rob Squillacioti and co should be congratulated for creating a campaign that got absolutely everyone talking.
No doubt those whinging on Twitter about a kid from Sydney choosing a team from Melbourne to support will be the same who declare their undying love for Liverpool or Arsenal on Saturday night.
Besides, the whole point of the “You Gotta Have A Team” campaign is to get non-committed fans into the A-League – and getting casual fans talking about the competition is the first step.
Melbourne City’s nascent rise should also have the effect of dragging their heavyweight big brother along for the ride.
Earlier in the week there was some instructive insight from Herald Sun journalist David Davutovic, who said on SEN radio that Melbourne City will spend a staggering $9.15 million on salaries this season.
“There’s nothing stopping any of the other clubs from spending this money, because there’s three marquee positions available to spend as much as you like,” Davutovic told The Run Home show.
While most clubs don’t exactly have the buying power of the City Football Group, there’s nothing preventing them from signing a World Cup winner like Miroslav Klose outside the salary cap.
Victory have taken a step in the right direction by snaring Maxi Beister on loan from Mainz, and hopefully he can put the sort of flamboyant skills he’s shown in the Bundesliga to good use here.
As for every other club, there’s plenty still to aspire to.
FFA are going OK so far this season – just as long as they remember there’s more to our football than just Melbourne City.
j binnie
Guest
Matsu - As is usual when discussing the "offside rule" the wording is extremely ambiguous and has to be "construed" by the viewer to differing situations on the field. Even your "amplification" can cause discussion. When citing "interfering with an opponent" what are we discussing,is it "tackling", "obstruction","fouling" etc etc etc. To me it appears "line of vision" has been added as an afterthought when the lawmaker suddenly realiised the goalkeeper had to be "protected" from this "interference". In all my time being interested in the game the "offside law" has continually caused debate and angst among spectators and is obviously still doing the same today. How and who decides that a keeper's "line of sight" is being "blocked"??? Maybe the referee, if he is lucky enough to be positioned directly behind the striker of the ball, but certainly not a coach who is positioned some distance away at a completely obtuse angle from which to assess 'line of sight", and most definitely not a linesman who is usually at right angles to that same "line of sight". Cheers jb.
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Yeah unlike the Heart days, there is a bit more distinction now, eg Victory is the national/Victorian team and City is the globalised team based in Melbourne and focused around supporting a brand as opposed to supporting an entity with its organis roots in a given community or demographic, Taps into the issues of the times, eg Populism vs Globalism
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Yeah I was surprised, given it was held in Melbourne last year I thought they would be promoting the comp around the Country by holding it in Sydney this year No doubt if MV was in the final it would have been held in Sydney, and I wouldn't have begrudged them that decision Seems they want a Cahill holding the Trophy aloft image for Marketing reasons, ala Dwight Yorke with the inaugural HAL Trophy in season 1 If it is Grand Final venue, there are clear rules etc which are transparent and apply "fairly" to each A-League team Though given this is the "FFA Cup", then in this case it's fine for the FFA to make whatever decision they want In time though, the HAL money has to be cycled within the A-League team fraternity, and the FFA Cup revenue can be used to cycle within the whole fraternity etc As for Yoshi, I was quite intrigued as I was up in Sydney a few weeks ago, on my way into Central station to catch the train to the Airport my eye couldn'y help but catch an A-League poster for two reasons Firstly, there is prominent A-League marketing Secondly, the poster in Sydney featured Tim Cahill wearing the shirt of a Melbourne based team encouraging people to pick a side It's rather curious how two prominent Sydney raised players have opted for Melbourne based teams when coming to play in the A-League
Justin Mahon
Guest
Can't disagree with any of this, even the parts about Heart being better on the.night. I was there and despite the result I too loved the game for all of its fore and brimstone. The Cup gets better each year and I think it was the making of the Melbourne derby. All this favouritism and cash at Heart is doing the derby and the soul of top flight football in this city wonders IMO. My team might be on the receiving end at the moment, but at least Heart are relevant. FFA have to back of now. The job is done.
Woodo
Guest
I don't think anyone is going to argue against that but for some of us it's more a matter of how a team like this was put together in a league that makes so much noise about how the financial paying field is supposed to be relatively level. There have been big name players before but unlike Cahill their salary has been funded solely by the club and not partially by FFA, also there is an ethical grey area when it comes to a number of their players that are at the club on loan from another club has the same owners. I'm sure there are rules that make this a viable thing to do within the salary cap but with FFA in charge of those rules and also being the organization under scrutiny for possibly favoring Melbourne City things become murky.
Matsu
Guest
FIFA Rule 11, amplified: “interfering with an opponent” means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or movement, or challenging an opponent for the ball.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Our very own Waz is commenting on it on another site, and he is now very hopeful that Optus will get the rights to the A-League.
punter
Guest
Haha, the secret agent is now where you getting your facts from!!!! haha.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
But I am saying 10k is a very good result for City. That's the Cahill effect right there - City is getting more publicity, more media attention and that is translating to their best ever attendances. That's $4 million per annum well spent. Unfortunately, it's not translating to a bumper TV deal: http://www.sportingnews.com/au/football/list/the-secret-agent-ffa-reject-fox-sports-tv-rights-offer-aleague/1vbb67xpwf2zt1vgwdi8y06670/slide/2 The FFA has knocked back an estimated $55 million per season offer from Fox Sports for the A-League TV rights. But in every other respect, the investment in Cahill has been a hit.
punter
Guest
What can I say, it's Melbourne, all this 'best sporting nation in the world' BS & you have the best club football side right there in your backyard & you struggle to just crack 10K. BTW if the headline act doesn't play, you question the the dip in attendances. ummmmm.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
And?
punter
Guest
Errrr, Cahill didn't play last night.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
The Cahill effect continues to gather pace with City's ongoing upward trajectory.
j binnie
Guest
aladdin - I am well aware of the fact that outside factors can affect crowds but in a discussion like this one has to start somewhere and last night's, attendance of 10,053 is certainly a step in the right direction for City, almost a 1400 increase on last years average. However that 1400 increase on last years average doesn't let us compare with Victory's home gates this year as they have only had one home game and that was a derby. Now this weekend ,Victory,play on a Monday !!!!!, against Wellington and last year that fixture drew just over 24,000,and oddly that too was played on a Monday !!!!.. You mention "success" as a factor and in view of Victory's rather ordinary start to the season, can we expect that figure to remain static or worse,diminish somewhat,and, if it does, do those "missing' account for some of that 1400 increase enjoyed on Friday night by City????. Get my point? Only time will tell if City are "attracting " new fans to their cause or are they getting a backwash from Victory's poorer start to the season You did notice I said "it is going to be interesting" and I thought that would have indicated I was looking into the future. Cheers jb.
Matthew H
Guest
The other thing on my mind is that surely this Melbourne City team is among the best few teams to ever play in the A League. I have them up there in the top two with the triple premiership Brisbane Roar. What teams have been better? Fornaroli is the equal (at least in performance) of any striker to play in the league. Brandan and Kamau out wide are both in the top echelon of wide players. Just behind the striker they have Cahill/Colazo. The engine room behind them has Brattan and Kilkenny. I think the only area where they aren't exceptional is the back four, but they do have a general in Jakobsen, and experience with Muscat, Rose and Malik. The two goalkeepers are pretty bloody good too. Remember that Ivan Franjic is in the squad as well. On the bench you have names like Caceres and Gamiero amongst others. They are a great team.
Waz
Guest
City's marketing is extensive and they're certainly helping themselves - if your in doubt sign up for their newsletter for a few months.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Strange strange article. I consider City as one of the two smallest clubs in the league. Wellington obviously being the smallest. CCM at least have plenty of success behind them and in my mind that almost automatically gives them greater footing. City need help. Badly. Unless we're going to be patient and wait 10-15yrs for them to grow organically. Not sure if the league will be that patient.
paul
Guest
Agree with you
AR
Guest
"I don’t thnk the FFA are giving Melbourne City a helping hand at all." I Agree. Save for the Gallop apology. And the Gallop hug. And the Cahill rule. And Yoshi.
Waz
Guest
It's a reasonable article followed by some (not all) unreasonable comments. The notion that the FFA has some how "got to the referees" to favour City belies the facts - any City player who should have/could have been sent off heads a long list of players who might have met the same fate. An FFA conspiracy? More likely the referees were told to go easy on red cards following a first round flurry. CFG will go to any lengths to get what they want, just ask Roar, but corrupt the entire competition? Get a life people lol