My youngest child is lucky enough to attend an excellent little Catholic School only three hundred and fifty metres from our house in the North West of Sydney.
On rare occasions, I get away a little early from work and have the privilege of picking her up and not feeling like a disappointment in shipping her off to after school care. No Catholic guilt there.
In the process of the pickup, I normally have around ten minutes to kill before the bell sounds. That time gives some of the mums and dads a chance to chat and chew the fat.
A few weeks back I heard a discussion between an English migrant who has been here for a couple of years and a second generation Italian-Australian woman. Both of whom I know reasonably well.
I wasn’t involved in the actual conversation and stood nearby as I heard their discussion turn to the topic of football. As pathetic and stalker-like as it sounds, I edged a little closer to try and gather what they were saying.
In short they were discussing football and the woman asked the man if he enjoyed watching the A-League, obviously realising that he was a huge football fan back in his homeland.
‘Oh no’, he said. ‘I watch all the English matches, but I don’t like the fans of the A-League.’
‘Yeah, they are disgusting, aren’t they?’, she replied.
To say I was hurt and angry is an understatement. However, to say I was shocked and surprised would be a lie.
I couldn’t help but think that it might be the same thing they would say about a halal snack pack before they had actually tried one.
But what else would I expect? Unlike some of the parents at the school who are Wanderers or Sydney FC members, the woman in question isn’t and takes more of an interest in the plight of the Parramatta Eels in the NRL competition.
I stood there thinking of the sources and roots of her comment. I pictured a busy mum, with three kids, doing all the things that hard working people do to organise their week around school, sport and their own employment.
My conclusion and I think it is a fair one, was that her understanding and impression of the A-League had most likely been nurtured via a series of short sighted and bias mainstream media grabs.
Perhaps she had seen Channel Nine’s summation of the most recent Sydney Derby as ‘a night of soccer violence’, or read some of the subtle jibes and pot shots taken at the local game from people like Eddie McGuire.
She may have even been a regular listener to Alan Jones, who has compared some A-League crowd behaviour to the Paris terrorist attacks.
Maybe she was a subscriber to The Australian and had read some of their articles about the ‘scourge’ that diving had become in the game. Whatever the source, her summation of the fans as being disgusting and her dislike for the Australian game sounded rather final.
The gentlemen involved in the discussion interested me even more, in that, as an Englishman, his rather poor view of the A-League and the behaviour of its fans reeked of irony and hypocrisy.
Honour on the terraces was not something for which English football became famous and revered and while great strides have been made in the modern EPL era, images of hooliganism from days gone by are still vivid in the football community.
How dare you call us disgusting? Have a look in your own backyard buddy.
The origins of the comments made by both parents were clear to me. The mainstream media took a combative approach to football in this country as soon as the game took a foothold and started to impact the broader landscape of sport.
Whether it be a journalistic conspiracy or just a by-product of culture and preference I am not sure, whatever the case may be, football has suffered at the hands of an inherent bias in media coverage.
I’m not sure if anyone would be proud of creating such false impressions in seemingly fair and reasonable people who, in turn, label an entire community of supporters in an unfair way.
Thus, to those who feel the need to tarnish the beautiful game with a brush applied with the most broad strokes. I give you the following advice.
Sometimes passions overflow at sporting contests. Just as they did at the showdown in Adelaide last week, where we saw a continuation of the ugliest side of Australian sport; racism and discrimination of the highest order.
The AFL acted swiftly and sternly and the advertising campaign that followed was moving and effective. While there has been a pattern of behaviour, no reasonably minded person would suggest that the behaviour is indicative of the average AFL fan, nor label the entire fan-base as disgusting.
However, the sweeping condemnation of the football community after the derby, comments by shock-jock radio parrots and commercial news networks rather summative and inaccurate reporting of events, held football to a different standard. A standard not demanded of other codes.
That standard appears to stem from an alarming fact that, yes, some football fans do look a little different to the ones with which you might be more comfortable. A lot of them have full dark beards, wear more sports-wear than beach-wear and like to bang traditional instruments as a tangible physical manifestation of their support.
They are what people of my mother’s generation used to call ‘ethnics’. That’s right, they are Italians, Greeks, Serbs, Lebanese and others whose heritage stems from Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Oh, and just to clarify for the narrow minded parents at my kids school, they are not disgusting as a collective. There are disgusting individuals among them of course, as in all communities, yet my children have bloodlines from the Middle East as well, after my marriage to a fiery Lebanese belly-dancer who I met on a wild night in Istanbul.
If anyone would like to label my three girls as disgusting, I might have to put on my teacher voice.
Mainstream media, institutionalised racism aside, might also like to consider the following.
Run across your front lawn as fast as you can and have another member of your family throw out a leg and knock you off balance so that you tumble to the ground. Hurt didn’t it?
Probably took you a minute or two to get your composure back hey? While you may have laid on the ground, moaning, looking for a bit of sympathy from your spouse, it actually didn’t tickle.
So the next time you read an article about simulation, or as the mainstream media like to call it, ‘diving’, have a think about the vast majority of moments in a game of football where the victim has been chopped down quite hard.
Stop questioning a footballers courage and start measuring the behaviour against comparative acts across all codes, where players stay down to ensure the video replays pick up minor contact in order to advantage their team or gain favour from umpires.
As Sydney FC attempt the unthinkable and strive to complete the almost perfect season, it is a shame that some people will continue to see football as an ethnic, violent and pathetic game played by cowards.
What it will take to change their mind is hard to gauge. Yet understanding, awareness and perspective is undoubtedly the key.
It’s a little bit like the invitation I extended to Pauline Hanson last year, requesting a meeting over a halal snack pack. I’m sure there is no inherent bias there on Ms Hanson’s behalf, just a case of her probably never having had the opportunity or motivation to give it a go and truly understand it.
bryan
Guest
"yet have no issue attending the AFL & all its bigotry towards the indigenous". What bigotry? Some nutters go to a game & display their bigotry--how does that translate to "the AFL's bigotry". If such a thing existed, it would surely manifest itself in such a way as to prevent indigenous players entering the game,thus keeping it just for the "whities". Many of the most celebrated players in Australian Rules football are indigenous. This has been the case for decades.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Punter Is SmithHatesMaxwell an AFL fan boy? Or is that just how you label everyone who is anything but in line with your position? You still miss the point of missing the point - typical flares related or behaviour related deflection. Trying to argue that others are worse or bad too. My earlier references to flares is not at all indicative of current activity but simply that it took the best part of 12 years to get to where the FFA are now - that was 12 years of mainstream media reminding the FFA that this (flares) was not acceptable in Australia. That wasn't bias, it wasn't anti soccer. It was simply anti flares in stadiums. It took too long to arrive where the FFA is now. Isn't that very much related to this article - that's 12 years of the A-League and FFA being seen as approving of flares via a (perceived) lack of real action to clamp down on the practice. That's 12 years of allowing attitudes to develop and evolve. I have also been consistent in my assertion of crowd behaviour being a horses for courses approach. Cricket authorities have - for test matches - got to deal with people in attendance for up to 6-8 hours. That's a vastly different proposition than the 2 hours of a soccer/rugby event or the 3 hours of a BBL or AFL event. Each has its challenges and I have consistently asserted that a straight comparison of evictions or arrests of event A vs event B is a very superficial way of looking at these things. I can suggest that I've never seen any issue at all at the BBL. And generally sit in quieter areas when at test matches and don't tend to attend ODI's. I can't speak for RL (no real attendance over last 15 yrs) and AFL have had no issues but I don't support a 'BIG' club and tend to go to games with lower expected attendance (easier to find a free car park and get in/out of venue).
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Yet you did.
AR
Guest
It's an interesting point Perry. But it feels beyond me for now. I scroll through this thread and I reel from some of the comments: "All AFL players/fans/whatever are racist thugs"..."the MSM are all jointly biased against football"..."only footballers are good role models". I mean, it'd be nauseating if it wasn't so wonderfully ridiculous in its own irony. Getting back to the role model bit - soccer players in Australia are largely unknown, so it limits the impact a good role model can have . If you're largely invisible to joe public, its hard to create a bad impression. Cahill sure, maybe Bes and Broich and some others, but for the most part ALeague players just don't have any profile outside the hardcore fans. That's not a dig, just my observation. Ange is probably the best role model in soccer, if not all Australia sport, right now. Huge profile, thoughtful leader, successful, a bold voice. Australian soccer desperately needs more like him.
Chris
Guest
It is for the dimwits on here like PB etc
Chris
Guest
lol...i knew that was going to be your next line. Think of the children!
Freddie
Guest
The irony of someone who laughs at the "mainstream media conspiracy" line, then urges everyone to search mainstream media for images & footage of flares & fights! You don't see the two as connected? The whole point is there's lots of stuff that goes on in the other codes too, but it just doesn't get reported in the same way, the same volume, or the same tone. See the quote from David Koch who queried the SA Police, who told him the fights in the AFL game were "normal" for a game at Adelaide Oval? Is it that hard to understand?
punter
Guest
OH & BTW Perry, you missed the whole point of the author. I like the author am old & a lover not a fighter. Prior to the A-League I attended quite a few ODI in cricket & Rugby League matches (very limited AFL games, just 1, didn't do it for me). In my 11 years of following A-League seen less behavioral issues at the Football matches then the cricket definitely & even less then the RL. But hey let's talk about flares.
punter
Guest
No point missed Perry, I don't remember too many flares set off this year. A-League fans boo those who set the flares off. The FFA bans those who set the flares off. Yet AFL fan boys like yourself keep bringing it up!!!! So Perry no point missed. Don't accept flares, but way too much attention on it.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#jamesb No one disagrees with you "every code, not just football, has issue when it comes to crowd violence." It's a constant vigilance for all codes. Security, police, policies. At the heart of it - there's too many dingbats out there who will ruin it for everyone else if given the chance. I think you need to acknowledge that what there has been in Australia is a fear that the overseas soccer examples of big fences separating fans from the field and from each other, different supporter groups exited stadiums at different times etc - that we don't want that in Australia so when elements of the style of support that seems to lead to this is seen - - then people get nervous and people are very keen to stamp it out. Ultras and flares are unwanted. Yes - they are extreme examples.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Neil And have you? Weighed up the lack of reporting of other codes? Is it 'under reporting' of reported incidents? Or non-reporting of unreported incidents? Donald Rumsfeld would be proud of you if you give it a real crack. I look forward to your findings.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#punter Way to miss the point. There's certainly an inherent risk attending a cricket match or any match with a ball in open play that said ball might exit the field of play into the audience. Cricket - yep - it's a small fast moving hard ball - I wonder how many broken fingers from failed attempts to catch - along with deflections off the bozo in front that sent the ball into someones nose. Anyway - that's very different to taking a risk simply by being in the crowd. Cricket has done much to clean that up - the 'you throw, you go' ejection warnings around the Mexican Wave in particular. The AFL has cleaned up it's match day experience too. For soccer - the flares have been for a long time a sticking point (and a sticking point that make great photos/video footage - that can't be argued!!). And your 'defence reflex' on this topic again is part of the issue. You could just agree and say "Yep - flares are crap, shouldn't be there. It's taken too long" but, no - instead you try to deflect. All this time and you still don't get it.
Perry Bridge
Guest
The notion of a 'better role model' is interesting. Is a total clean skin a better role model than someone who has been troubled and risen above it? I suggest most AFL, NRL, ARU, FFA top line players are pretty decent role models - especially the successful players. Very few get there on pure talent alone. And those players who ran amok a bit in their early 20s (as many young men will - it's hormonal and largely unavoidable) - but who grow in to fine young men - they are really good role models of not allowing yourself to be defined by 1 or 2 misadventures but to grow and learn as we all continue to do. Mostly the best role models are not seen on tv - but are seen at local community levels. It's up to parents to assist if required their kids to adopt the right role models!! I'm far less concerned about athletes as role models than I am about many movie or rock stars.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Chris I wonder why you posted that comment where you did? I don't feel I'm being presumptuous to take offence at being labelled a "dimwit". Let's get one thing straight - any media broadcast deal these days including the FFA one include a built in element of 'media bias' - i.e. the Contra component. It's like the Greenhouse effect and even the enhanced Greenhouse (Global warming) effect - no one denies it exists. It's the scale of it that is up for debate. In this case - media bias - the 'reasonableness' which is very much dependent upon perception which is very much dependent upon exposure. i.e. a lot of coverage will be missed (by virtue of looking elsewhere - silo goggles) but that doesn't mean it wasn't covered.
punter
Guest
Or the 'Big Show' hitting a big 6 that lands right on the face of a kid, also disfigured for life.
punter
Guest
But apparently football is still a violent game, on and off the field, despite what your favourite colour is.
SmithHatesMaxwell
Guest
Yeah real funny until your child is disfigured for life by a flare. They actually burn at 1,600 degrees. Still laughing?
punter
Guest
Guru, teacher, method & philosopher!!! Thanks Stuart, love your articles. Just remember, those blinded by the truth are always looking to shoot the messenger.
punter
Guest
Why is there so much hatred????
Nemesis
Guest
@Perry Bridge Stay off the sherry during the day. Or, is it tablets? You're sounding deranged.