Nothing sums up a trainwreck of a season like sending out a media release that says the championship-winning goal shouldn’t have been allowed.
“Media Statement in relation to the A-League 2018 grand final,” read the subject line of a press release that landed in plenty of inboxes on Sunday morning.
“Football Federation Australia has conducted a review into the goal decision by the VAR during last night’s A-League 2018 grand final between the Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory,” it read.
“It has found that a technical failure in the VAR system meant that the Video Assistant Referee did not have access to the camera views which would have enabled him to make an offside ruling in the ninth minute goal scored for Melbourne Victory by Kosta Barbarouses.”
Plenty of fans reckon the finals series is a waste of time, but no one could have suspected it would be proved quite so literally.
And on the back of an A-League season in which everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, we’re left to unravel the latest cavalcade of excuses from a governing body that feels like it’s run by Mr Bean.
In fairness to the FFA, they said the blame for technical failure lay at the feet of “technology partner” Hawkeye – which apparently suffered a 30-second software blackout in the vital half-minute just before the goal.
“We are extremely disappointed at this failure of the VAR technology,” said O’Rourke. “And we understand the disappointment and frustration of the Newcastle Jets, their fans and indeed all football fans.”
He would say that. What else could he possibly say?
Never mind that the VAR created more problems than it solved this season.
Forget the fact that the overwhelming majority of fans don’t want it used at all.
The biggest problem this latest fiasco has caused is to eviscerate what little credibility the FFA had left suggesting they can adequately run the A-League.
This is an organisation that only recently implied the ten A-League clubs can’t be trusted to run the competition themselves.
Those ten clubs should always be scrutinised, of course, and any ulterior motives brought to light.
But if you had to sum up the current FFA regime with one word, you’d mark the file ‘incompetent’ and then toss it into the nearest dumpster fire.
I had lunch with someone well versed in A-League management recently – who would no doubt prefer to remain anonymous – but who neatly encapsulated the feeling around those in charge of the game.
“The problem with those at the top of the FFA,” my dining companion told me, “is that you can’t escape the feeling they’re just waiting for their next job”.
“They never defend the game or its fans, they never say anything controversial… because they’re all just waiting for their next big role in sports administration.”
In other words, some of these executives are squatting on jobs.
And it will be all that O’Rourke can do – and he’s been noticeably proactive in the media of late – to turn the tide of resentment now threatening to swamp the FFA.
As for the game itself, congratulations to Melbourne Victory. They were the better team on the night and in Lawrence Thomas, they possessed a worthy Joe Marston Medal winner.
And commiserations to the Newcastle Jets. Perhaps the occasion got the better of them, but they saved one of their worst performances until last.
Roy O’Donovan, meanwhile, deserves a lengthy suspension for his reckless lunge on Thomas, with the Irishman making a nasty habit of causing potentially serious injuries.
And the less said about the rest of the season the better.
It was a campaign in which the decent football on display on the pitch was overshadowed by some dire administration off it.
Bring on the off-season. It’s surely the one part of the game we can’t mess up.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Was the AFL also on free to air? I have no idea, but if it was, then you can assume higher numbers overall.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Well to be fair, if there was no VAR we would have got exactly the same result. The sideline official should have got it right. They were over a foot in front after all and there were three of them. But why the VAR official couldn't hold the game for just a bit and have a look at a replay from the TV coverage is beyond me.
rolly
Guest
The football this season has been very good .the standard has improved .the A league season is way too short .yes changes have to be made more clubs need to be added we need ultimately a 16 team comp but if we can start with 4 more teams added i know FFA only want to add two more but they are wrong as usual,FFA needs to to let go of the A league we need a new governing body where the clubs run the comp. The FFA have been the A leagues worst enemy lack of marketing lack of foresight lack of future vision . and yes we need big name marquee players like it or not Australia is spoilt for sport and there are too many competing sports to garner every ones interests marquee players will help that a lot . .all this will add excitement the football is good just not enough teams to keep and maintain the interest at the moment .the grand final the better team won on the day ,personally not a fan of finals football its an aussie thing i know or the VAR .Newcastle stop being sore losers its done and dusted get over it ..
mattq
Guest
is that so you can see what VAR is doing on TV? I'm confused...
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Although I just noticed that the A-League grand final actual beat the AFL game which was on at the same time: 3. LIVE: FOOTBALL: A-LEAGUE GF NEW V MELB V - FOX SPORTS 501: 210,000 4. LIVE: AFL SYDNEY V NORTH MELBOURNE - FOX FOOTY - 209,000 It goes to show that there is life yet in the A-League.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
The game is probably stronger in Sydney than Melbourne, and there may have been two AFL games on at the same time.
RandyM
Guest
why is Melbourne's ratings less than 1/3rd of Sydney? that seems odd...
Arto
Guest
Almost completely agree with you here, apart from absolving the FFA of blame in this incident. Check out Vince Rugari's post on Twitter (https://twitter.com/VinceRugari) with some extracts from the IFABs procedures for VAR. It's absolutely diabolical that from the very beginning FFA haven't had in place access for the VAR to Fox Sports coverage - I mean the two organisations are so wleded atogether at the hip that it seems logical to suggest that it would be cheaper to have Fox Sports pay for the VAR technology to be in Place rather than FFA having it's own set up.
bobbym
Guest
I will not buy a membership or go to live games while we have VAR! Period.
pacman
Guest
Hey Buddy, a reality check. Mainland USA and Australia share a similar land mass. The similarity ends there. USA has 13 times more people than Australia. Therein lies the rub. 13 times as many potential spectators/viewers. Yes, there are other sports competing for said spectators/viewers. But not three competing football codes! Due to the economies of scale available to the MLS, they are able to split their league into two conferences, thereby at least halving the travel and accommodation costs. Add to this the favourable distribution of large population centres in USA compared to our country, and we see a scenario we can only dream of. More savings! There are several other references you have made to the MLS scene that are not relevant here, like no skilled player base (Central or South American) from which to draw players. Or fireworks, klaxons, and Brisbane Roar flames shooting up every time a goal is scored. What works in USA is not feasible here in OZ. Sorry.
Sam
Guest
They're included in the foxtel numbers
c
Guest
you are correct the existence of the technology does alter the decision-making process of the official wherein lies the whole problem
c
Guest
agreed
BigRed
Guest
Please FFA, FIFA do us football fans a favour and get rid of the VAR once and for all. The game has survived for well over 150 year relying on the judgement of the referee and we should leave that way. Sure they make mistakes but the game has never been ridiculed so much since the VAR has been introduced.
chris
Guest
Apaway you'd think as a fall back they would be taking in the main broadcasters feed? I mean we knew they were amateur hour but this just confirms it.
chris
Guest
World Cup just around the corner and then A-League pre-season and then Asian Cup qualifiers etc etc....etc. It never ends.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Thanks for picking up that mistake, Grobbelaar - I've fixed it up now. I try not to make too many, but appreciate you guys pointing out when I do.
Fadida
Guest
Honestly, you need to shut up about your Nabbout conspiracy.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
He'd reach the far post with a two metre advantage.
Fadida
Guest
This is all that needs to be said re the VAR