After the Wanderers’ inception in 2011, it’s hard to comprehend this blockbuster fixture has already been contested 18 times.
This Saturday will bear witness to the mega derby of all derbies in Australian Football. With such importance placed on the Sydney FFA Cup semi-final, moreso than any other previous derby fixture.
Regardless, if it’s Sydney 5-0 demolition job or the Wanderers ending the Sky Blues’ invincible run, the importance has clearly been placed on this Saturday’s game and the emphasis is causing such tension, the nervousness can be cut with a knife.
Apparently.
In previous years, we would have heard several sly remarks made by Graham Arnold and the mind games would have commenced but this derby already looks, sounds and feels different.
The build-up has been quiet and not much has been made of the fixture. In fact, one could be forgiven if they didn’t even know it was on. I guess the FFA governance issues, expansion and the Media Watch frenzy on Usain Bolt, has put this once in a lifetime derby fixture on the back burner.
The derby is now playing second or even third fiddle to other matters.
We may not see this fixture again for many years. In fact, we may never ever see a Wanderers vs Sydney FC, semi or final FFA Cup fixture ever again.
We can look to the future with the FIFA Congress and be all optimistic about the potential of our game, but what’s the point if we’re not focusing on the present?
I hate to sound all preachy and philosophical but, as the old saying goes, and I’m not sure who originally said it; ‘the past is history, the future is a mystery but today is the present and that’s why it’s a gift’. Despite how corny that may sound, its truth is self-evident.
Is the football community letting ideal opportunities fly by to settle old debts and revenge? With previous derbies, the media coverage would be in full swing, banter would be going back and forth, the fans would be buzzing, and certain media agencies would be on ‘Hooligan Alert’.
Where is that hype now?
As Simon Hill said last week, if the attention or centrepiece of Australian Football is to be the A-League, then surely this derby should be one FFA’s top agendas – or do the FFA consider the derby to be a joke? Could this Saturday be a missed opportunity to progress our beloved game?
Will internal governance rivalries overcome the rivalry on the pitch? We can only tune in to the spectacle that is the Sydney Derby and find out.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
14,000 for a pre-season game is very good. Also got 55k in ratings, which is also very good for a pre-season soccer game.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
This is my one and only profile, not sure what you mean? The Merseyside derby has also had its fair share of critics, giving it similar references.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Mate, if it was a Victorian Rules FFA Cup final they would have got over 100K, seriously.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
How many times are you going to disguise yourself and re-appear on the Roar? Bit bored during the Victorian Rules off season? There have been 231 Merseyside derbies - that makes them an even bigger joke, eh? Be patient, you'll gret your wish eventually.
rob charlton
Roar Rookie
Sydneu has been pretty wet since Thu and Saturday's weather was foul, so the 14K turnout was pretty reasonable. More marketing would have helped though. FFA has been underwhelming in its promotion of the FFA Cup.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
100% my point
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
Not going on to be exact., 14,000 at a 23000 capicity stadium isn't what i call a good turn out, considering we were cellebrating derby turn outs of 50,000 previously. If the FFA Cup is a seriouse competition more emphasis should of have been placed on this fixture than any other.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Not quite sure what I missed here, something going on (or not going on) in NSWs that the rest of the country is oblivious too? In the end a decent crowd of over 14,000 turned up to see what was a bit of a tame derby, but it was a normal derby in the sense SFC won against a stuttering WSW side. Next up. The season proper. About time :)
rob charlton
Roar Rookie
Events ALWAYS need marketing until the demand for tickets is so overwhelming that a stadium sells out in minutes.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
Can't agree with you more. However, I always look forward to when a lower league team comes up and may take it out. It's a cup at the end of the day and a cup should be important in its pre-kick-off campaign. It's a bit like the Sky Blues invincibles defeat, it was the talk of the town when it happened, but, now with hindsight, nobody seems to care how close they got.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
The Sydney derbyreally doesn’t need marketing any more. It is firmly established in the psyche of both clubs and both sets of supporters. There will be quite a good turnout partly due to lack of A League football for nearly 5 months and the location; Penrith being the choice of many fans rather than Homebush where the club set up camp 2 years ago when Parramatta egan redevelopment. This is a chance for fans to turn up and show the club made the right choice. WSW will need to be competitive even if they lose (which is expected) as the fans domnot like being seen as easy beats for their crosstown rivls, even if that has been the case for a while now. Last season’s Gombau inspired demolition at ANZ will take a fair bit to be erased as it relly summed up not only the gulf between the teams but the poor decision making that took place at WSW after the departure of Tony Popovich. Ultimately the FFA Cup is much like the League Cup in the UK. If you are in it, you want to win it. If you are out, you don’t really care - at least that appears to be the case with A League clubs and supporters. Two weekends to round 1, we might just get to see what the two protagonists look like as they are both entering a”brave new world”.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
I hope so too, believe me, I want it to be in full swing and banging. It should be the centrepiece to pre-season though.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
Marketing is a two-way street mate. IF the FFA want to control every aspect of the league including media deals, they can't expect clubs to spend their own money, on marketing those media deals which they didn't negotiate. I agree fan's and others may consider it a top priority, but, is it FFA's top priority? It is the FFA CUP after all not a regular league match.
Adam Owsinski
Roar Rookie
I'm with you, but, I'm simply asking, is it a joke to the FFA? Because I think it should be the centrepiece and most football fans would agree that it is. You shouldn't need to spend a fortune to advertise a derby, it should promote itself, but, I haven't seen the coverage it has got from years gone past. I really do hope it rates it's pants off.
Paul
Guest
Listening to Greg O'Rourke on the FTBL podcast, they don't consider as a joke. They deem these games as Tier 1 games especially for security. The FFA must rely on the clubs and Fox (Contra) for marketing. Word has it that there are 17,000 tickets sold. I bought a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) in reserved seating for $20 + $6.50 Ticketek charge. Cheap night in Penrith for, hopefully, a contest.
Fadida
Guest
Do they consider the game to be a "joke"? Just because they haven't spent a fortune on advertising doesn't mean FFA regard it as a "joke". A rather enormously long bow drawn there.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's going to be a solid crowd in attendance and I'm confident it will get decent ratings. I would say it's a good lead in to the start of the season proper.