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Even as an innocent bystander, football is implicated

Diego Castro of the Perth Glory. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
Expert
25th July, 2018
134

In a sporting week where Tiger Woods returned to major contention, rugby league referees continued to embarrass the game and another AFL brawl on the terraces drew much attention, football seemed happy to take something of a back seat.

Some loose commentary around Usain Bolt lingers and expectations around the FFA Cup continue to grow, but in the most part, the post-World Cup period has been something of a deep breath for football in Australia.

The Matildas will be the team of interest over the next fortnight with matches against Brazil, USA and Japan. Australia’s most impressive national football team will be looking to strategically prepare for the upcoming World Cup while pitted against quality opposition.

Otherwise, the local league remains in hibernation, the Socceroos themselves have headed off to far flung parts of the world to prepare for their upcoming domestic campaigns and the silly season tours of international powerhouses are with us again.

Monday night saw Chelsea’s moment in the headlights of the Australian eurosnob, when they visited Optus Stadium in Perth to do battle with the Glory.

The event pulled a whopping 55,000-plus crowd; a sell-out, with all and sundry hoping for some highlights from the millionaires in blue. In the end, Perth fought bravely, going down by a single goal.

While such events can be exciting and certainly profitable, their credibility will always be called into question. Sadly, such matches do little more than generate profit for invested interests.

Aside from its role as a cash cow the event serves only two other purposes of which I can think.

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Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas celebrates after the Emirates FA Cup Final.

Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas celebrates (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Firstly, committed Chelsea fans yet to venture to the old dart, are afforded the chance to see their team in the flesh. Secondly, professional event goers use their middle class money to add another notch on their belt; being seen at one of the hottest tickets in town.

People are entitled to spend their hard earned wherever they choose and ticket sellers are under no obligation to ensure seats are sold to the most loyal and committed fans, yet the plastic nature of such nights reflect badly on Australian football.

Once again, the fallout from the event has brought football into a public discourse it never sought or deserved and came on the back of being dragged into the media cesspool after the AFL crowd violence of last weekend.

The drunken thuggery that occurred in Geelong after the Cats and Demons had played out a thrilling match in front of a packed crowd, was reported with football used a reference point.

Much of the commentary that came from south of the border was prefaced by claims that such behaviour is usually seen at football matches; despite this being the umpteenth time it has occurred at AFL venues this season.

Respected Herald Sun journalist Mark Robinson couldn’t let the chance slip on AFL 360 during the week; muttering the word ‘soccer’ during his justified condemnation of the behaviour.

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In May, Demon legend and now commentator Gary Lyon commented on an earlier bout of violence, “If that was the soccer, we would be screaming from the top of the trees.”

While I see his point and agree, his words also perpetuate a deep seated stereotype requiring obliteration.

For as long as football is continually dragged into the gutter by such associations, while actually playing the role of nothing more than an innocent bystander, the net result will be perpetuation rather than obliteration.

As was the case on Monday, albeit less violently. The uninformed event goers at Optus Stadium complained about the singing, drumming and standing Perth Glory fans.

Prior to Monday night the Glory faithful had done the right thing. After contacting the stadium authorities and purchasing tickets in the supporters section, they felt assured their voice would be heard. Their inquiry in regards to their intention to stand and use drums in active support was heard and given the all clear.

Either fear and paranoia gripped the local authorities, or the supporters had been blatantly lied to. They saw their drums removed, received an order for bums to be planted firmly back on seats and in the end, a number of Perth fans left at half-time.

After a weekend where football had been unwillingly and undeservedly dragged into the endemic issues in Australian rules, now the eurosnobbish event goers had struck and splashed football across the front and back pages again.

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Diego Castro

Diego Castro of the Perth Glory (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)

A few years back I wrote a piece after a particularly ‘tense’ Sydney Derby at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. It was entitled, Australian football is eating itself from within.

Now, the game appears to have external feeders picking away at its flesh. The common denominator is ignorance.

I’m sure many people probably think the consistent fan violence occurring at AFL matches also plays out during the A-League season. Some of the brand name, sweater wearing snobs most likely saw the Perth active supporter group as ‘hooligans’; infringing on their personal space, line of vision and peace and quiet.

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The saddest part of the entire situation is the absence of a firm and aggressive commentary from FFA. Governing the game means respecting it and defending it when most required. Now is that time.

Two clear statements should have already been made by David Gallop.

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1) FFA would like the connection between the widespread and Neanderthal-like violence occurring at AFL matches and the game of football to cease. Football does not have such an issue and we encourage the entire AFL community to address the seriousness of it immediately and discourage references to other sports or codes.

2) The Perth Glory are a foundational A-League club with a proud history of loyal and passionate support. Prior to its match with Chelsea, Perth fans took every possible step to ensure their active support was acknowledged and therefore situated in the most appropriate area in the stands.

Complaints were made by people who obviously attend football matches infrequently and Stadium security personnel subsequently appeared to panic. Demands were made on the Glory fans that were inconsistent with the message they had received from the stadium authorities in the lead up to the match.

I have written to Mr Gallop and the letter (with editorial approval) will feature soon on The Roar.

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