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With the Wallabies pumped by the All Blacks for the umpteenth time and the top eight looking all but set in Australia’s two most popular winter football codes, there was scope for a potential lull in the sporting news cycle.
Football was more than happy to step in and fill the void in one of the most stunning, exciting, bizarre and unpredictable weeks I can recall.
‘Rampaging’ Roy Slaven and HG Nelson often use the phrase “it gets people talking”, and talking people were, with football at the centre of discussions.
First came the announcement that Steven Lowy would stand down from his position as chairman of the FFA, citing “politics in football” as the reason.
Personally, I found it a rather odd and ironic statement considering some of the strategic games played by the governing body over the past decade. Those on the inside will have a more thorough understanding of the machinations, agendas and manipulations so ingrained in the organisation and its relationship with its partners. However, from the outside, Lowy’s tenure seemed doomed once FIFA became involved.
This was a result of the FFA’s slow and reluctant progression to change thanks to a flawed power structure. Importantly, some of that change isn’t optional in the eyes of the world body.
Perhaps Lowy honestly tried to build bridges and heal wounds, all for the betterment of Australian football. Sadly, his legacy will not reflect that, and the concern for his backside not being injured as the door thumps into it on the way out of FFA headquarters reflects the general mood and opinion.
FFA Chairman Steven Lowy (Photo by Don Arnold/Getty Images)
There is much knowledge that could potentially have toned down some of that hostility and distrust of Lowy, yet his reluctance to openly engage in dialogue hampered him. His cause may have been helped by providing an alternative lens and outlining why an expanded congress with more say in the game across a broader range of stakeholders is a bad thing.
People didn’t buy the rhetoric and the best interests of the game always appeared in direct competition with the best interests of Steven Lowy.
As if Lowy’s bombshell wasn’t enough, almost concurrently, news broke of the proposed merger between two significant candidates in the A-League expansion race.
South West Sydney and United for Macarthur had been going it alone and both made the final cut of the selection process on their merits. Now together, they pose a potentially serious threat to Southern Expansion’s efforts to bring a new A-League team to St George, the Sutherland Shire and Wollongong.
As frightful as the new bid will be to Southern Expansion, they remain confident, after appearing favourites for much of the race.
With billionaire Lang Walker on board, Campbelltown Stadium ready and waiting, and extensive support and participation in the catchment areas, the merger is an impressive bid.
But wait, things were just getting started!
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A media scrum was present on Tuesday morning at Central Coast Stadium to capture the week’s biggest news in Australian football.
Usain Bolt’s first training session with the Mariners was far from the most important thing to happen during the week, yet it certainly drew the most attention.
Of course it is all a little cheap, crass and commercial, yet none of those are foreign to world football or sport in general. The journos got what they wanted; some shots of the great man looking good on the ball without opposition pressure, a charming interview full of humility and determination, and a reference to the Jamaican’s trademark ‘lightning bolt’ celebration.
You could hear the clicks and dollar signs as Bolt assured everyone that he would produce it should he find the back of the net at Central Coast Stadium.
It is all still unlikely, yet perhaps it is something worth wishing for – it would be astonishing to see.
As social media recovered from Bolt-mania and Fox Sports announced its live coverage of the Mariners’ trial match on August 31 (let’s not kid ourselves, we’ll all be watching), the FFA Cup took centre stage.
It promised to be a night of progress for Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, both looking to advance to the quarter-finals and continue their build towards the A-League season. Instead, things didn’t exactly go to plan for either.
As Bentleigh Greens continued their consistent and impressive run in recent FFA Cup competitions with a 4-0 win over Broadmeadow Magic and Avondale FC belted Devonport City 4-1, Sydney and Melbourne both trailed at the break.
Sydney were to eventually find the net in the 64th and 67th minutes to ease the tension against Cairns FC, however, Andrew Redmayne was called upon to save a penalty that threatened to send the match into extra time.
It was an escape, something the Victory couldn’t manage against APIA Leichhardt Tigers in Sydney.
Apia Leichhardt Tigers players celebrate after Tasuku Sekiya scores. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Bluntly, the Tigers were the better team in the first half and if not for an absence of legs in the second, could potentially have cruised to a comfortable victory.
As it was, NPL action over the weekend saw them spent and a two-goal lead was obliterated by Kenny Athiu’s brace. At that stage, Victory looked certain winners.
Astonishingly, Nathan Millgate found the top corner in the 80th minute and the Tigers held on for the upset of all upsets. The celebrations were epic, wild and undoubtedly long, on another night where the FFA Cup continued to provide special moments.
The game itself should always be the main source of interest yet the week just passed had so much more to discuss, debate and dissect than goals and players.
What’s that old saying about publicity?