Cast your mind back to just over 12 months ago and the euphoric scenes at the Adelaide Oval when Adelaide United broke their 11-year drought to be crowned champions of Australia.
Even as a die-hard fan of their fiercest rivals it was hard not to get swept up in the emotion of the day, as Adelaide was overrun by a sea of red, highlighting exactly why the A-League grand final should never be played at a set venue. Hosting a grand final is something unique to the A-League, something the other football codes can’t match.
It was a day Adelaide fans and people of Adelaide in general will remember for a long time.
But just over 12 months later the mood in Adelaide has significantly changed and the wheels appear close to coming off.
After their championship-winning squad was torn apart, their title defence was one of the worst on record and any momentum they had post-Championship has well and truly been halted. The club is now in reverse.
There is serious anger and frustration among the Reds’ fans, with many claiming they won’t buy memberships or attend matches until things change.
The handling of the departure of club legend Eugene Galekovic appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Having been through this once before when Travis Dodd was forced from the club, United fans had hoped things had changed. The club’s handling of Galekovic’s departure suggests they haven’t.
While Galekovic insists he harbours no ill-feeling towards the club, the same cannot be said of the fans.
The subject of the fans ire is outspoken club chairman Greg Griffin. Griffin is a polarising figure, and is developing a reputation for his frequent outbursts about…well, anything and everything.
His latest outburst has him refusing to release five Adelaide United players – Paul Izzo, Riley McGree, Jordan O’Doherty, Ben Warland and George Blackwood – for Olyroos duty after they were named by U23 coach Josep Gombau, a former Adelaide United coach, for the upcoming AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers to take place in Myanmar later this month.
Comically, Blackwood, who signed from Sydney FC just recently, hasn’t even been officially announced by the club yet.
“These players will be better suited remaining in Adelaide and training and learning with their new coach in July than going off to Myanmar,” Griffin told Fairfax yesterday.
His football manager, Ante Kovacevic, went one step further when talking to News Limited.
“We always try to get our young players to get pushed into the national team and then we get punished for, let’s be honest, a joke of a tournament. Why are we playing an Olympic (age) team when this isn’t even the Olympics? I don’t see the benefit to anybody,” he said.
It’s not the first time someone from Adelaide United has taken aim at an AFC tournament. Griffin questioned this year why his club bothered to participate in the AFC Champions League, while also rubbishing the Olyroos possible participation in the Lunar New Year Cup, describing it as a ‘Mickey Mouse competition’.
(AAP Image/David Mariuz)
As Australia endeavours to show it is serious about being a member of the AFC, such outbursts do little to help our reputation in the region.
And ask any player and they will tell you how much it means to them to represent their country at any level. How will the five Adelaide players feel about being denied the opportunity to gain important international experience and cement a place in the Olyroos squad with Tokyo 2020 on the horizon?
And what message does that send to players who may be thinking of joining Adelaide United? Would they want to play for a club who is going to obstruct and interfere with potential national team call ups?
There is a different game being played here though. As the face of the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association (APFCA), Griffin is locked in an ongoing and increasingly heated and hostile battle with FFA regarding the structure of the A-League and the FFA board.
And that’s ultimately what Griffin’s latest outburst is about; it’s a chance to take another dig at FFA. But while he is focused on winning points in his battle with FFA, Adelaide United is at risk of falling further behind the pack. Nero fiddled as Rome burned, as the saying goes. Just what damage is being done in the process remains to be seen.
What a difference 12 months can make.
Josh
Guest
My heart bleeds. Hope you get that spoon Adelaide.
bobbym
Guest
Blame the FFA
Jeff dustby
Guest
You believe that ?
Arto
Guest
Given how AU have gone from Champions to Chumps, your optimism is impressive - there's absolutely no indication at present that your 'happily ever after' version of events will actually occur. I get that it's often easier for folks to bang on about the negatives and wallow in them (and definetely see Your point given the amount of negative articles in the media & on here!), but AU really haven't come across as a club moving forwards - and that's my view as a neutral SFC supporter!
Rob
Guest
If that's what you're getting out of the article, you're not reading it right.
punter
Guest
So do I, but unfortunately to get to any good, I feel we have to go thru a lot of bad. Ohh the life of a football fan in this country.
Waz
Guest
"The (new FFA) model was flatly rejected by FIFA because it “does not reflect an appropriate representation of all stakeholders” in the game" ..... I think Gregs safe lol
At work
Roar Rookie
Dammit and I was hoping the massive news related to the FFA outlining their expansion guidelines
Midfielder
Guest
MASSIVE I REPEAT MASSIVE BREAKING NEWS NOVEMBER DEADLINE FOR FFA CONGRESS RESOLUTION https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/november-deadline-for-ffa-congress-resolution-467747
Arto
Guest
Nemesis, which team do you support? From memory, I thought it was MV, but I stand corrected if otherwise. How happy were you with their performance after the 2010-11 & 2011-12 seasons - in 2010-11 the Club bled 7,000 fans despite the introduction of the Melb Derby. This is what fans do, they show their approval (or lack thereof) of how the club is performing either on or off the field and usually problems off the field will translate into problems on it... Set aside the Galekovic issue, how would you rate AUs performance since winning the Championship? THAT is the core issue of this article and the main reason why AU members are threateneing/carrying out a boycott of sorts. AU have historically been a club with issues and Griffin is a major reason for the recent ones...
Realfootball
Guest
What a beat up this article is. Anger at a 36 year old keeper leaving the club? Spare me. Honestly, what nonsense.
Nemesis
Guest
This would be an excellent Case Study & be useful to fan groups in the ALeague on how to successfully drive change. What were the changes the Roar hierarchy implemented as a result of the fan boycott?
Waz
Guest
I'm not actually close enough to Adelaide's situation to know what is going on or why people are upset, it would pay people on here though to read and understand fans comments before making judgements though. An earlier comment drew comparison with Roars situation last year; again I can't say how similar the situation is but there does appear to be an issue between club administration and supporters expectations in both cases. In Roar's case the fact fans were protesting and boycotting membership forced change in the administration of the club and fans responded with decent membership sales and a 9% increase in average attendance over the previous season, and a 25% increase in attendance over the equivalent fixtures two seasons before. I also know that the new administration and the owners took notice of the fans protests and were fearful a membership boycott would turn in to a general boycott and so they changed for the better. So if you want to draw a comparison with Roars situation it is this - fans protests hurt and worried the club so they changed for the better, turn up and support like "good little fans" and they will ignore you and continue acting as they see fit.
At work
Roar Rookie
Exactly. I support my club, there's obvious some favourite players that I would be sad if they left, but players change but your support for the club shouldn't. Not renewing your membership over these issues just reminds me of all the Brisbane Roar drama last year. Just renew, turn up and support the team; easy!
Rob
Guest
The fans aren't upset Galekovic is leaving and that's not what this story is pointing out. His time was up, we all accept that. What this article is pointing out is that the fans are disappointed with the way Galekovic, among others, has been treated upon his departure. His departure, hardly feted with no proper farewell, was downright disrespectful to a club legend, premiership captain and a player I rate as our GOAT. This is just one of a number of aspects, as pointed out in the article, which has fans of the AUFC wondering what is happening at their club and what its future is.
Nemesis
Guest
"Please look at how Barcelona treats ... dani alves" Good advice. I just did. :-D Dani Alves: Barcelona directors 'have no idea how to treat their players' http://www.espnfc.com.au/spanish-primera-division/story/3064863/dani-alves-barcelona-directors-have-no-idea-how-to-treat-their-players
Fadida
Guest
The good people of Adelaide will do as they always do. Crowds of 8k at the start of the season, with the remaining 7k either a)going to games if they are winning b)stay away if they aren't. There is nothing to suggest that works won't do ok. They have a number of squad positions to be filled. For me this is an article that typifies the glass half empty approach to A-league coverage. It is possible that at the end of this AU have a better coach, squad (Gelakovis is on the downward slope) and stadium deal
Yue fei
Guest
Please look at how Barcelona treats Xavi, dani alves and others when the leave the club. These are legends of the club and they get treated with respect and dignity
Midfielder
Guest
FFA's meeting with FIFA was on 4 July we have heard nothing from it yet...... if FFA have done enough to have FIFA support the pressure he is applying could come back to bite him... The AFL oval thing last week etc ... whars it called crash or crash through is the sorta of person he seems to be.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
The champion's curse has existed since the start of the A-League (with a couple of exceptions).