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!
[latest_videos_strip category=”football” name=”Football”]
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?
bryan
Guest
It remains to be seen how Bolt will do at Football. Other athletes have done similar shifts---- Michael Jordan was apparently quite a reasonable Baseball player, though not the superstar he was in Basketball. The only thing I can see is that all Bolt's training over many years has been directed to an explosive burst of power over a fairly short time. He never ran in the 1500m for instance. Endurance over a long period is necessary in Football, albeit combined with the ability to produce very short explosive bursts of energy from time to time, so its training requirements will be different.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
"Bolt's quest for a professional contract has already attracted the attention of over 300 million people, all while generating approximately $16 million in publicity for the Central Coast." "Month on month holiday bookings for the Central Coast region have gone up over 30% since Usain Bolt arrived." The A-League is a business franchise as well as a sport. And Bolt hasn't even received a cent in payment yet.
Martyn50
Guest
More than the Amateur League circus
Griffo
Roar Guru
Spot on. He's here. Get the benefits his profile brings while you can. If he plays, starts, scores...Mariners may get the wooden spoon again, but the coffers and profile will be a little healthier than what it otherwise would be.
Griffo
Roar Guru
It would be similar for when he was in athletics, coming back from injury...you just don't go all in and risk soft tissue injuries or stray stud to a metatarsal that can send you back weeks or months to start all over again. Bolt is a special case. He has 12 months.
Midfielder
Guest
Pun Thanks for your kind words and our AFL friend well I suggest no one read him. A new term we have been using on our forums is """ Footballs Moral Guardians""' SBS and Fozzie are the leaders I guess of this group.. An SBS podcast between Lucy and Fozzie about Bolts signing ... I through it bordered on unhinged .... the attacks and reasons almost as if we had signed a mass murder... At first I too was sceptical, but if look at the process it very sound.
punter
Guest
Mid, I with you there. I first heard of this in England after being over there for the world cup & you heard the name Central Coast Mariners being mentioned in Websites, newspapers & TV. I for one thing the publicity is priceless. I also read the article you posted above on Mike Phelan & like what he's doing & what Charlesworth is doing for the Central Coast. It does irk our resident AFL fan on the football threads (I know you don't read his post), but he doesn't have much love for CCM.
Midfielder
Guest
waz Spot on and I would add a part of the discussion from the Mariners forum. The Mariners actually have the eyes of the world watching us, sponsors lined up around the corner.... meaning we need to sign 2 or 3 quality players to take full advantage... tis no use for us without a quality [of sorts] team. I think people will be surprised at how competitive we will be the scouting and trailing has been huge... If we get a quality striker, and a decent 10, then not saying we will win but we will be hard to beat. If we can be competitive and have Bolt on trail it will create cash flow the like the club has never seen before.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Like it or not the Bolt exercise has been a stroke of marketing genius and I hope both the Central Coast and their football club benefit from it. Whether he can make the transition into professional football is another question. He is an elite athlete familiar with the demands of professional sport and he does possess the basic skills of an amateur footballer (it’s not like he has to learn the game or anything) so there’s things there to work with.
punter
Guest
People go to the circus!!!!
Nemesis
Guest
You are spot on, Waz. I get the distinct feeling Mr AFL/MQ/Grobbelaar has little, if any, knowledge relating to physical exercise. He actually thinks Usain Bolt got to be the world's fastest over 100m & 200m by doing a few sprints at training.
sam
Guest
Bolt + Football + Professional A League = Circus
Waz
Roar Rookie
yeah nah, every player has a planned training load, Bolt included. I can pretty much guarantee any player who hasn’t had a preseason would be sitting out that part of the training session - talk about making something out of nothing lol ...
Hubris
Guest
. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVNHcob3oJg
At work
Roar Rookie
This is a classic MQ post. Thanks for your contribution Pip
MQ
Guest
Managing Bolt's load? After those meandering tap and go drills, he must have needed a rest!
punter
Guest
"Seriously, you’re going out of your way to appear positive while at the same time dropping little barbed comments?" All the same traits as Mister Football, Grobelaar & dare I say it Pippinu. A guy who bags out Cenral Coast Marniers, yet follows Western Bulldogs (who's only premiership in living memory was when they finished 7th), calls out Bolt for being a circus but forgets the his favourite sport did a similar thing with Israel Folau, making him the best paid player in the game despite never ever kicking a ball in anger. Look how well it worked, publicity wise, he is still the only GWS player 95% of Sydneysiders would recognise.
Waz
Roar Rookie
MQ “How did Bolt go? Well, he sat out the 40 min session, literally sat out, on the grass” ... err, this would be quite normal for any footballer, anywhere in the world. Each players load is managed and controlled and as any coach will tell you the least controlled/managed aspect of training is simulated game play eg your 8v8. Bolt has just returned to training while his colleagues have been back a month so it would be reasonable he would sit it out. Game simulation normally gets introduced a few weeks in to to preseason, certainly not in week one. And my guess would be other players sat out that part of the training as well only the DT didn’t notice. Seriously, you’re going out of your way to appear positive while at the same time dropping little barbed comments?
Stevo
Roar Rookie
That's an excellent read. Hope he does well because raising the standards at one club will force other clubs to do like wise and that's a good thing.
punter
Guest
Hey Nem, remember when Israel Folau was the most famous AFL player in the world.