To say there is a buzz around Adelaide ahead of Thursday’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia is probably overstating things a touch. It’s more of a light hum.
The lack of any real fanfare around the significance of this match in the wider populace has me wondering – does Australia actually care about qualifying for the World Cup?
Of course football fans do, it’s what we live and breathe for, but does the general sports fan actually care? Or will they only care when we’re not there?
Looking at the numbers of travelling fans for the past three World Cups, where the Australian contingent has been one of the largest, you’d say the answer is yes. But does that say more about our love of an event or our love of football?
Last week Ange Postecoglou, sensing the same thing, implored fans to stop treating Socceroos matches as a ‘trendy event’ and understand the serious nature of the match at hand – to turn out in numbers and play their role in creating an atmosphere worthy of the occasion.
But I get the sense that message fell largely on deaf ears.
Of course nothing will replicate the night of 16 November 2005, but this match isn’t far behind in terms of its significance. If Australia wants to qualify for Russia 2018, only a win will suffice on Thursday, nothing less.
A match of this magnitude demands not just a full stadium but a heaving one. Imagine this fixture in reverse – imagine the Socceroos had to travel to Riyadh or Jeddah with the home team needing a win to keep their hopes alive.
As those that were there in September will attest, Jeddah is an intimidating place at the best of times. And those who were lucky enough to be in Riyadh for the 2014 AFC Champions League final still tell stories of the atmosphere inside the King Fahd Stadium in the hours leading up to kick-off. Yes, hours.
Those fans know the importance of the 12th man and they play their part. There is no doubt whatsoever that the crowd played a role in helping Saudi Arabia come from behind to get a 2-2 draw last time around.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
The same can rarely be said of Australian crowds. Only that fateful night in November 2005 can compare. Too often the atmosphere is muted and more resembling a night at the theatre than a sporting cauldron. So why can’t we replicate that atmosphere for these big matches that matter?
Is it because meaningful World Cup qualifiers back then were rare, occurring only every four years, whereas they now occur every few months? Is there a World Cup qualifier fatigue?
Do we take qualification for granted? Despite the scare in 2014, when it needed a late Josh Kennedy header to secure our passage to Brazil, it seems the malaise has returned. We now simply expect to qualify. Proclamations of impending failure, which have been said before in previous campaigns, are now like the boy who cried wolf.
Yes, we may be struggling, but we’ll find a way. We always find a way. It’s the old ‘she’ll be right’ attitude.
I was discussing this with fellow journalists Tuesday morning at a Socceroos press call, and the thinking was the same.
It seems Adelaide is more worried about whether Tom Hawkins should be suspended for his ‘jumper punch’ on Adelaide Crow Matt Crouch than whether Tomi Juric should lead the line for the Socceroos or who will fill the void left by the suspended Mark Milligan.
As one remarked when I asked if the casual fan understands the importance of the match, “They will the next day if we don’t win”.
And maybe that’s the case. Maybe rather than being emotionally invested in the journey the whole way through and knowing all the permutations at each different stage, it will take a smack in the face from reality for fans to truly sit up and take notice of the situation.
Perhaps only then will we find out the answer to the question. Does Australia care?
CrampsRowZ
Roar Rookie
I think the relatively poor support for the Socceroos could be a combination of the attitude problem aforementioned as well as the poor marketing from the FFA. Football continues to have teething problems and hopefully this identity crisis resolves to more people actually getting behind the Socceroos and an A-League club. Having said that I went to the Asian Cup game vs South Korea in Brisbane and the atmosphere for that was actually very good, Suncorp Stadium pretty much packed. When it comes to big events and summer events Australian fans can turn up. If marketing was better for these qualifiers as well as a bit more I don't think smaller stadiums are the answer either for a variety of reasons. Football has the ability to go forwards and get bigger, why go backwards. Surprisingly Thailand only got 30,000 to their game against us in Bangkok, this is a massive football notion that really gets behind its team yet the crowd wasn't that big. There would've been at least 2,000 Aussies there as well. One thing you have to give credit to Ange for is getting behind his team, although he has to make sure he doesn't overdo it because all Aussie fans do tall poppy syndrome.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis You talk about things not adding up. Tell me then - - why is not the HAL the biggest attended and watched league in the country? Perhaps a learning is that it's well and good to double count kids in schools, clubs and indoor comps and proclaim them as unique individuals - - however - - it's the engagement of people via viewing, memberships and attendance that is a 'participation' measure that the HAL is struggling for a pass mark in. btw - I somehow suspect that people like you would overstate their participation in a phone survey. Something about the psychology of those in the chasing group.
13th Man
Guest
Fair enough mate.. I'm sure the vast majority of Soccer fans such as yourself are like that just as myself an AFL and cricket fan love to see others getting interested and involved in our sports. Can fully understand and appreciate your issues regarding people that know nothing about the Sport trying to get there two Bob's worth in. It irks me when people that only watch the Big Bash start talking as if they know everything about cricket so I understand. Was more just replying to a very small minority that seem to think we can't enjoy other peoples sports. On a side note glad the Socceroos got a win but it was bloody close.
13th Man
Guest
Last year in Sunderland mate
13th Man
Guest
The match in Sunderland last year mate which I attended.. didn't say a world cup. But there were far more Aussies at the rugby at Twickenham or the Ashes at Lords
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Too little, too late from the Socceroos. Ange must get the boot after this insipid and failed qualification campaign. And no - no one really cares. Were they even a chance to win it even if they did qualify?? Of course not.
Eurosob
Guest
Tennis is a snob sport. Football is the sport of the REAL people.
Eurosob
Guest
Ange at the press conference sounds like a Rugby League coach. Too mellow, too slow, not sharp enough. The Socceroos need a new humble, Euro coach with a fast, fluoride-free brain. And Australia needs to stop poisoning the brains of its own people with fluoride. Then in 20 years from now, we can have a new generation of Aussie Footballers with healthy, FAST brains.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis has run away for now (like many of us - perhaps - gotta have some work to show for today). Anyways. Looking at a couple of weeks ago - a single round vs the year average and why Nemesis can't base his 'results' on the average. For 2017, the Metro averages are as follows: FTA [STV] Syd 30 [15] Melb 336 [88] Bris 31 [13] Adel 127 [21] Perth 115 [29] In theory a combined 639 [166] However - that's the average. It goes up and down - clearly - into each market based on what game is available. The example of 2 weeks ago Saturday night. In Melb - Rich v Ess dreamtime - rated at 372 - biggest show in town. But NOT beamed into Adelaide - there they had Adel v Freo - a home game - 42k in attendance and pretty well soaking wet. The Adelaide ratings 175 [35]. Tally 210k up from the average of 144k let alone 42k at the game. The biggest game in Perth that weekend was again a locally hosted match - the Sunday arvo West Coast hosting GWS (big drawing opponent - NOT!) - 140 [46]. Tally of 186k up on the average of 131k. And that's along side 37K in attendance. So - that example alone illustrates why Nemesis' hypothesis is let down by his method. Even in Sydney - that weekend the Fri night game, Syd host Hawks. Syd numbers 48 [43] for a tally of 91k up - double the 45k average. That along side 36K in attendance. But - in Melbourne town - how big a game was that? 325 [134] tally of 459k compared to avg of 424k. Limited interest - many thinking Hawks to be rubbish and Swans well down on previous years when it would instead have been a near top of the table game.
Sydneysider
Guest
For a $2.5 billion tv deal, those numbers in Sydney are rubbish.
Paul2
Guest
"Wow – such poor viewing numbers in Sydney! Are they really that low?" I'm pretty sure they approximate Sydney's A-league viewing numbers, but okay. ps Here's where you complain about MSM bias and insist that millions of Aleague fans stream games on Youtube ;)
northerner
Guest
I think the point might be that with sports like tennis and golf, you have to have some respect for the players about to hit that crucial shot. Team sports tend to be much more a cauldron of noise, which is great, but you don't really want your golfer being distracted by someone blowing a vuvuzela in his ear just as he tries to pot that putt.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis Hardly what I said nor even intimated. You're telling your story - - don't pretend to tell mine. What I said in a round a bout way is - what you need to do is drill into the numbers. The averages don't tell us anything. btw - what's your data source?
Cugel
Roar Rookie
When I go the footy most people are engrossed in the game and have no opportunity or desire for karaoke. As soon as the crowd - though it's rare - start amusing themselves, the on-field action has waned.
Sydneysider
Guest
"Wow – such poor viewing numbers in Sydney! Are they really that low?" Yes they are.
Chris
Guest
Peter has been upset for years when he tried to jump on to the Socceroo bandwagon in Germany in 2006. He was basically told to eff off and poor Pete has been licking his wounded pride ever since.
Chris
Guest
Wow - such poor viewing numbers in Sydney! Are they really that low?
Nemesis
Guest
@ Perry Bridge I'm glad you finally understand the numbers and you admit that the majority of the people watching AFL in Syd, Bri, Ade, Per on any day/night are the same people. What's happening in Melb is open to speculation but, unless the Victorian AFL fans are statistically different to the rest of the country, we can assume their behaviour is similar.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
@Nemesis, I really don't think you should be insulting others' understanding of statistics when your own understanding seems to be pretty superficial at best. It's not about adding up 1 & 1 to get 2. It's about understanding what 2 means and what we can learn from it. As Perry and Paul2 have tried to illustrate above, you don't have the same people watching every single game. On Friday nights, for example, I'd be willing to bet that very few members of this audience are between 18-25. I know from my own experience that I's not possible for me to watch the 6pm Friday NRL game and Saturday nights are usually spent with the wife, but I'll make time for my team and I'll usually watch the 4pm Sunday game. You can't say "I assume that people from other sporting communities don't watch NRL & AFL" and then quote cherry picked numbers with no context or analysis and claim that your hypothesis is supported by "facts and data."
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Nemesis We'll keep this simple. Why do you think there would be greater variation in Melbourne? Because.....you guessed it - there's 9 Melb and 10 if we count Geel - AFL clubs based there. Why are the other cities more comparable? Because, the other mainland states/capitals are all 2 team towns. Far less variation. You've proven that out nicely. Actually what you need to do is review for example the Friday night audience in Adelaide when either the Crows/Port are playing interstate....but perhaps Port fans just don't watch Crows and Crows don't watch Port.....on 2nd thoughts that mightn't prove anything. It's just fun seeing you construct hypotheses and attempt to prove them out to fit your narrative and ignoring other available data that might even extend your theory (but perhaps to the detriment of your narrative). I suspect even you would admit that the hard core fans who are desperate to watch every game they can will have foxtel. The FTA will be made up of the more club specific, more passive or the poorer fans who don't or can't take up Foxtel (I'm in that category).