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I am lucky enough to have a loyal group of readers within Australia, throughout parts of Asia and one that even extends into North America and Europe.
Much of my writing is disseminated through Facebook groups, Twitter and other social media platforms. As a writer, it is flattering to have engagement, both positive and negative, with people all around the globe.
Reflecting on the A-League grand final in preparation for this column, I realised it would be difficult to express to those people remotely connected to our league exactly what had happened. Surely the news of the fiasco involving the VAR in Australia’s biggest football match would not have extended across the globe?
It was impossible that the Melbourne Victory’s triumph in the most controversial of circumstances could have received anything near the attention of the ‘wondergoal’ from Riley McGree a week earlier.
Most likely, there will be people who never hear of the software glitch that took credibility and integrity away from the deciding match in Australia’s most significant football league.
Knowing that the news I would break might be, for some, the first they had heard of the event caused much consternation. Not being one to lambast the FFA needlessly or label the entire organisation as a joke; chock full of mindless fools, that was never going to be my line.
On the other hand, ignoring the realities of a sad day in Australian football would not be the path taken by any self-respecting journalist. The correct path to be trod would have to be somewhere in between and a measured, sensible and educative response would be the prudent move.
Put simply, the lesson and message that stems from the game is quite simple. You were warned football; had the chance to get your shop in order and by failing to do so, have hurt your brand.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
There might be some rather insular FIFA administrators and executives sharing coffees right now chuckling over how lucky they are that it happened in the footballing backwater of Australia.
We would be kidding ourselves if we ignored the reality that that attitude is indeed alive and well. One of my recent articles previewing the A-League grand final was met with a rather blunt and succinct response from a gentlemen via social media and it supports that claim.
I raised the question of the feverish passion in the upcoming grand final and who looked likely to raise the trophy, to which he replied “who cares? Tin pot f*#cking plastic league.”
I couldn’t quote him precisely as I needed to add punctuation and the scientific mystery as to how something is plastic and made of tin at the same time had me baffled, but I think you get the point.
Truth be told, the World Cup will begin in June without the adequate and grave concerns over the role of the VAR system and its application. The A-League grand final showed us clearly that perhaps it shouldn’t.
Apart from loyal Kosovo and Albanian fans, most of the world is oblivious to Besart Berisha, Roy O’Donovan isn’t a household name in Ireland (although that may change after his Bruce Lee impersonation) and Kosta Barbarouses will not be flocked with international offers after his stellar performance in the finals. And FIFA is lucky he won’t be. It should be very concerned.
The VAR system has tripped from one disaster to another across the globe with reversed, unclear and mind-boggling decisions that erode people’s faith in the game. To this point, the number of correct decisions has somewhat balanced out the nonsensical ones and placated much of the vitriol directed towards it.
The reason? The ramifications of the errors. With long domestic seasons, poor and incorrect VAR interventions are glossed over and not directly responsible for the trophy landing in one clubs cabinet as opposed to another.
That is the nature of league football, where throughout most of the world, errors in officiating probably do level out to some degree. So why was it magnified in Australia?
Bluntly, because we are different. Our psyche demands a climax, a pinnacle and a big dance around which to sell tickets, barbecue sausages and drink alcohol. Like it or lump it, it is the Australian way.
It isn’t particularly refined; quite crude at times, as indicated by the behaviour of a few buffoons at McDonald Jones Stadium last Saturday, yet the one scary potential outcome of this method of deciding the winner of the ‘whole kit and caboodle’ is exactly what transpired.
Newcastle were robbed of a chance to compete fairly for the title in extra-time or penalties and Melbourne Victory will forever be unfairly forced to respond to questions and criticism on the validity of their win.
(AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
With most leagues deciding their champions in the more traditional manner, thank goodness what happened in Australia will always be seen as an isolated incident in a weak league.
As I think on my feet it is lucky I can’t foresee an upcoming tournament where knock-out finals play a major role………uh oh!
Tell me no.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of the most popular game in the world. The round of sixteen, quarters, semis and ultimately the World Cup Final on July 15th will be decided in exactly the same manner as the A-League.
A shoot-out; one on one, with a stunning upset possible, based on ninety minutes of football. Unfortunately, there are also other factors at play.
The intervention of a flawed VAR; armed with software glitches, poor angles or just flat out incompetence might send world football into a spin.
Perhaps FIFA should be pro-active, act now and go a little old school before the world arrives in Russia to compete. At least limit things to goal-line decisions, arm human officials with confidence as a first line of defence and for goodness sakes, have a back-up.
Sadly, for the A-League grand final, there was no back-up. Just as there is no back up league to which people can turn.
It is the best league we have and it deserved to be treated a lot better than it was on Saturday night in Newcastle.