My neighbour has featured in a few articles of mine. He’s a terrific bloke; intelligent, witty and observant.
Liverpool is his team of choice and he loved the legends game at ANZ Stadium earlier in the year. He has dipped his toes in the waters of the Sydney derby and keeps up to date with local results, if only at arms-length. The A-League still remains something of a mystery to him.
When I listen to him speak, there appears to be no genuine respect for the quality produced on the pitch, nor for the decision to play through the summer months and he feels the game would run a poor third to rugby league and Australian rules in the dense winter market.
He may be right on both counts, or perhaps he is a narrow-minded Aussie with his thinking entrenched in those traditional winter codes, always sceptical of the beast that is football and its growth in Australia.
Whichever of these is true, the reality is that when football discussion shifts to increased crowds, memberships and ratings, he is the potential increase in those figures.
People who love football in this country are already embracing the A-League. The FFA doesn’t need to lure people who already love football to the game. Real growth lies in attracting new people to the game, like Dave at number 25.
Expansion looms on the horizon. Perhaps a team in the southern suburbs of Sydney with access to the excellent catchment of the Illawarra or a second Brisbane team will add to the league, as would a return of South Melbourne, yet the reality is that there doesn’t appear to be a market ready to immediately provide a crowd of 15,000 to every home fixture.
Expansion will provide new excitement and interest to the game in Australia, yet true growth lies in attracting and converting fringe fans who many possess nothing more than a passing interest or curiosity in the local competition.
The problem lies in the fact that the majority of those ‘fringe’ or ‘potential’ fans are susceptible to the stereotypes and common misconceptions that circle football and result in the aggressive attacks that often occur in the media.
Jade North’s simulation last weekend is the perfect example of the fickle dimension that surrounds the luring of potential new fans, members and supporters to our growing league.
In short, it was pathetic, cowardly and humorous. The game is better than the rather comical pantomime that North produced.
The natural justice of Nicolas Colazo’s goal brought some sense of honour to the situation, yet North’s prostrate frame lying in agony just outside the box was a bad look for the game.
A game, mind you, that is still trying to forge its way into the consciousness of curious fringe fans who are cautiously dipping their feet into the A-League.
Just as I sense the remote possibility of luring my neighbour into the passionate and tribal elements of football, someone like North comes along and gives him every reason to remain sceptical and suspicious.
These suspicions – that is, distaste for the unfair and unjust – are an innate part of Australian culture. Australians are offended by actions of cowardice that insult the legacy created by our brave soldiers who defended this country in times of war and our migrant communities who emigrated to this country and faced discrimination and prejudice in the process of forging their own identity.
We are a tough country whose origins lie in persistence, courage and determination. Seeing simulation in a football game contradicts those values.
But hang on, don’t those league, union and AFL-loving crowds have their own forms of simulation and cowardice that, unlike football, are glossed over by the sympathetic and soft media coverage they receive?
Bloody oath they do!
Anyone with any knowledge of AFL will be aware of the ability of forwards to duck their heads as soon as contact is made by a trailing defender in order to gain a free kick, or the tirade of abuse launched at Adam Goodes throughout his career for a perceived willingness to exaggerate the impact of contact and win ‘cheap frees’.
Season 2016 saw another heated debate on the issue of players taking dives to draw free kicks. The ducking saga around Lindsay Thomas and the pointed questioning of his integrity as a footballer are testament to the issues that exist around simulation in the AFL.
Tweaking of the rules in regard to tackles and high contact were somewhat ineffective and scope for players to use the rules to their advantage remains clearly evident.
League continues to grapple with the ‘staying down’ that occurs when players are hit high. Sometimes they have been collected across the moosh and are indeed incapacitated. However, milking penalties is so prevalent that referees use the term on the run. Seeing defenders attempting to drag tackles players to their feet knowing full well that they are not injured is an ugly part of the game.
Rugby union is farcical when it comes to simulation. Incredibly overweight forwards sit in an upright position on the turf with the sole intention of providing respite for their similarly slovenly forward allies. A trainer squirts a bottle of water into their mouth, or on their knee in some cases, in an attempt to rejuvenate them.
All the while, the forwards recover and the time spent attacking and attempting to break the line is diminished. The simulation is obvious and insulting.
Despite all of this, Australia’s history and connection to these games seems to make them impervious to the same criticisms levelled at football. In short, these games are supposedly part of the Australian psyche and reflect the values that the nation espouses.
Football is seen as the foreign game, where the cowardice and theatrics of the players wins free kicks and produces undeserved and ‘cheap’ victories that subsequently annoy the so-called Aussie blokes in sports bars around the country.
Seeing tennis players fake and simulate injuries when faced with challenging situations at Melbourne Park each January, only to recover after the momentum of the opponent has been stunted, also reeks of simulation.
North’s actions set football back and as the incident is replayed ad nauseam and the stereotypical and narrow-minded attitudes of the masses follow.
The most positive step that could be taken by the FFA would be to identify clear cases of simulation and act accordingly. An offence such as North’s should carry a $5,000-$10,000 fine.
This would put football well ahead of the major winter codes who, at the current time, review matches yet seemingly ignore the unsportsmanlike simulation of players, instead focussing on foul play.
In order for football to garner the same level of respect offered to the other codes, it must exist to a higher standard. It grapples with stereotypes that, quite frankly, exist due to ignorance and animosity.
With players like Jade North fined and punished for the nonsense he produced on the weekend and a media prepared to be consistent in its criticisms of simulation across all codes, football may just have a chance of eliminating the negative perception.
That perception has unfortunately developed, not because football is soft, cowardly and at odds with Australian values, but more so because of a tendency to apply stereotypical and narrow-minded views to the game.
A game that still fights to earn respect among a significant percentage of Australians and my mate Dave next door.
MarkfromCroydon
Guest
I watched the City v Sydney game last night and it was a top game. Great goal by Brandan. This morning, when I see the 'highlights' on ABC news, they don't even show the goal, but rather focus on the incident where Grant pushed Brandan in the head whilst Brandan was on the ground and Brandan made the most of the contact. The so called 'reporter' commented that it was horrendous to see this type of simulation. Well, this just goes to show that even on our national broadcaster there is still the fear other and we need to play the xenophobia card. Maybe Brandan tried to 'milk' the situation, but so what? I would have done the same. van't Schip made a great point in his press conference that football is the world game and Brandan plays with passion, and we can't expect hm or players from different cultures to ours to change their reactions just because they happen to be playing in Australia.
Bondy
Guest
Stuart I think Sydney FC appear to strong its a long season but I cant see anybody overtaking them , I hope my Mariners can run about 6th this season I'd be happy with that ...
northerner
Guest
Oh, I thought the American campaign was dreadful, and so where both the candidates - don't get me wrong. And I wasn't really thinking about the World Cup bids - I was actually more thinking about electoral processes, such as they are, in the two countries. At least Americans got an open and free choice of who to vote for - the outcome wasn't predetermined by the heavy weight of government interference. The point about the AFL is a good one - but that sort of goes back to the notion that, where there's a lot of money involved, good manners, courtesy and fair play go out the window. And ultimately, it wasn't the AFL that destroyed the FFA's chances of getting the World Cup - it was the football federations in Russia and Qatar and their bribery of key decision makers - so how much respect were they really showing their opponents?
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
"since you’ve never been able to provide any stats or figures" Just statements from NSW and VIC police, the men & woman who provide security to this country at a domestic level — most of whom are very well respected in the community. Of course your father probably told you something different, but this is the same man who grew up in a country where stoning woman to death is considered normal practice, so I'll cut you a little slack on the matter due to your lack of education.
Post_hoc
Guest
We need to be careful about the kids in o/s football kits. I love football, my kids play, I play i coach, I coach under 6's and I coach high division 11's and 12's. My job between those two teams is very different. My job for the 6's is not to coach them, my job is to make the game so much fun, that they can't wait to come back next year. I use games and weird concepts to disguise the skills acquisition, not rocket science I know, but you would be surprised at how many coaches 'fail' in this. My job with the older kids is very different, for the most part they love the game already they get it. It is similar with 'fans' there are the under 6 fans, who we need to convert to love the game and their are those that already love the game and we need to hohn their appreciation to a local level. My kids have A league kits they also have EPL and Bundesliga kits, why? well for a start Football is a world game, they can learn a lot by watching games form different parts, they also live in football gear, come the weekend or holidays they just live in it, its great they are tough easy to clean and no need to iron LOL. My kids watch and appreciate the A league because they can relate, they can shake hands with a player after a match, Aaron Mooy sent my kid a birthday message (after i asked him to, try getting the same from Messi) these kids see these players at clinics or can go watch them train, they are relatable. This is even more important for girls, every under 10 girls football team should be taken to a W League match and see a Elle Carpenter who is 6 or 7 years older than some of those players. That's how we get people to come
Kaks
Roar Guru
Nah I'm fine thanks, you can google thing's yourself. Then again I'm worried you are unable to do so, since you've never been able to provide any stats or figures, yet you're able to talk so much garbage!
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
I watched all three American Presidential debates and I don't think you will find a better example of dishonesty, arrogance, on show, for sheer lack of respect for their opponent. The world watched in amazement as Trump and Clinton dug as low as anyone could go, to dishonour their opponent to get the advantage over the other. Sure the 2018-22 World cup bids were outrageous, but they were bids, not a blatant disrespect for their opposite number. The AFL trying to sabotage Australia's world cup bid was far worse. Where the Australian government had to intervene to allow Australia's Bid book, to be presented as late as the final hour of the deadline.
punter
Guest
Peeko, I haven't followed RL closely for a few years now, the last live game was to watch the mighty dragons win the GF back in 2012. While the DT does give it to the NRL, they also have a lot of positive articles against the negative articles, whereas I feel we get a lot more negative articles in comparison to the number of articles in the paper (not just the DT). I don't read the DT, but I know Phil Rothfield is a Cronulla fan, I couldn't tell you what A-League he follows.
punter
Guest
Thanks Stuart, lots come on to bait us.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Lionheart, thanks for reading. No intention to vilify North. Just using a turn of phrase to emphasise how one incident can focus negative media attention more quickly on football than other codes. His apology and the footage look bad, he knows that, but it doesn't make him a bad person.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Yeah mate, a bit of a barney happening. Some good points made both ways. Interesting article today (friday) entitled "a league fans need to learn to cop criticism". Stunning admission by the writer that I have pointed out. You'll enjoy the read.
peeeko
Roar Guru
i see your point, funny how 50 comments got between my comment and your reply
peeeko
Roar Guru
the administration int he NRL is always copping it from the media. the last CEO was thrown out by a campaign by the Telegraphs Phil Rothfield. The game is always criticized and compared unfavorably with the AFL and its administration. THe bunker and referees and the style of play are also heaviliy criticized. Rothfield has featured in many articles about how he loves the A league and how the crowds are better. THe whole point of the story is to enrage RL fans.
BigAl
Guest
Well done Nemesis ! You make an arguement and then totally destroy it in the same single post ! First time I've seen this achieved in this forum - congratulations...
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Thanks to you punter, I really appreciate your interaction with them. Sometimes football fans seem to be whacking their heads against a league/afl wall. You seem to keep your cool and try to stay balanced, unlike some who lose a little perspective. A league champs at this stage?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Thanks bondy, appreciate the feedback. Who looks like a league champs.in your book at this stage.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
"mainstream media in Melbourne is different to Sydney," I live in Sydney. "In Sydney the media doesn’t pander to AFL, it cares little for AFL, so I’m not sure what you mean." At no stage did I say it panders to AFL. You're starting to sound like Kaks. "Even in the off season it’s 5 pages of RL, 2 pages of cricket, 1 page of tennis & 1 page of football." No it's not, and even if it was, this hardly constitutes what a vast majority of the public think about RL in Sydney: that being, they don't care for it. How do I know? Because even during the highest rating program for the year in Sydney (Origin), a majority of people still don't watch it; let alone the NRL in general. If you do live in Sydney, you'd realise there are far more things for people to engage in apart from a watching league. One of those just happens to be actually playing sport, perhaps football...you know, the most popular team sport in Australia! "The radio stations on triple M, 2UE, etc is all RL personalities doing the sports programs." Next you're going to tell me Kyle and Jackie O & Robbie Buck @#$% can football on the radio, because they both slay those idi@ts on The Grill Team when it comes to ratings. "it’s going to be your normal fearful paranoid comments about flares or more rubbish." That's a comment made by someone who deep-down knows they've made a pretty ordinary argument. Just look at Kaks above as an example of what happens when you drift off topic — he always shoots himself in the foot with silly comments like this.
punter
Guest
I agree Bondy, I too enjoy these though provoking articles.
Bondy
Well done Stuart I enjoy your reads they're very engaging ...
punter
Guest
BTW, I don't really care what you think is wrong with the A-League anymore, it's going to be your normal fearful paranoid comments about flares or more rubbish.