It’s been 1,394 days since the Socceroos last played in Brisbane, so the best response fans can give the FFA is to pack Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
That Football Federation Australia would prioritise money over ensuring the national team actually plays in various cities across the nation will be amply demonstrated when twice as many fans turn out in Brisbane than will show up for Tim Cahill’s farewell in Sydney on Tuesday.
But having signed a multi-million dollar deal with Destination NSW in March 2016 to stage five Socceroos games and six Matildas fixtures over five years in New South Wales, FFA suddenly finds itself trying to sell tickets to a midweek game against Lebanon no one is interested in attending.
Australia has played eleven home internationals since signing that deal, five of which were in Sydney – including both of last year’s World Cup playoffs. Three took place in Melbourne, two were in Adelaide and one in Perth.
The Socceroos last played a World Cup qualifier in Brisbane in June 2012 – when more than 40,000 fans turned out on a cold Tuesday night to watch a 1-1 draw with Japan – so The Courier-Mail’s resident football journo Marco Monteverde is certainly right when he says,“(i)t’s an insult to the Queensland football fraternity that a World Cup qualifier hasn’t been played in Brisbane since”.
But this is the FFA, and it was obviously easier to sign a set-and-forget deal that locked Australia’s third-most populous city out of watching the national team.
It’s not like fans in Brisbane haven’t supported the Socceroos in big numbers before. Australia’s two 2015 Asian Cup games attracted crowds of 48,513 against South Korea, and 46,067 in pouring rain for a Thursday night quarter-final with China.
Even a friendly against Paraguay in 2006 attracted a massive crowd of 47,609.
But despite boasting the best rectangular stadium in Australia, it hasn’t been enough to get the national team back to the state for almost four years.
Queensland fans love their football (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
And it’s not like Queensland has been blessed with an abundance of Matildas fixtures either.
You know the stadium that sits empty on the Gold Coast for at least 30 weeks a year? It might be a decent place to play a high-profile women’s international.
To that end, Tourism and Events Queensland need to get with the program and understand what it actually takes to host a FIFA-accredited international as well.
They were reported to have withdrawn from bidding to host last year’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Thailand over ground signage – presumably because FIFA controls it.
They’re happy to throw money at Jeff Horn fights and even visits from overseas English Premier League clubs, but when it comes to the national team, they can’t pull off something every other city in Australia somehow manages to do.
At least tomorrow night’s friendly with an understrength South Korea is a step in the right direction – and it’s nice to see both TEQ and Brisbane Marketing have been heavily involved in the build-up to the game.
And in the interests of conciliation, I should point out that I recognise hosting an international sporting event is much more difficult than simply writing about it.
It’s a pity South Korea didn’t send down their tough-as-teak midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, since the Newcastle United enforcer spent five years as a student in Brisbane at local high school John Paul College.
I once asked Ki why he’d almost come to blows with Tim Cahill during an Asian Cup game in Doha in 2011, and his answer made me chuckle.
“Because I don’t like him”, was his deadpan response.
Asian football could do with a few more of those sorts of narratives, but for now we’ll have to settle for a high-profile rematch of the 2015 Asian Cup final.
It’s about time Brisbane got another Socceroos game. Now all that’s left is for the city to make the most of it.
Bfc
Guest
The crowd was decent ( the storms were threatening all arvo but we dodged the worst of it...) and the fans of Korea (a Korean colleague informs me the regular "DAE HAn MIN GOOK" chant translates to "Republic of Korea") were fantastic. 33k is not bad, and the pitch looked fine (it has a reputation for cutting up easily...especially during a rugby game!). Wonder how many will show up for Timmy's farewell appearance in Sydney?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
You're a genius! :)
SR1
Roar Pro
Good article; I do think Suncorp will get at least 30,000.
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
I find the term Brisbanian offensive. Please refer to us as Brisbanites, Brisvegans or Brisneylanders
Waz
Roar Rookie
So 33,000 people turned up in thunderstorms and pouring rain .... how do you like them apples Sydney/Melbourne ????
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Yes well at NIB Stadium sitting in the Eastern gransstand is one of the best views of a sports stadium i have seen. If you are to ever go to NIB, i suggest you sit in either the upper eastern stand of the upper southern stand. The rest of the ground doesn't have a very good view. But in saying that, i actually sit in the northern terrace because i am an active Glory supporter.
More they change.....
Guest
And yet people claim that Melbourne is the Sporting capital of the world, when in reality they only care about the VFL. So you don't have to worry about the low bars down there, just the high noses in the air of the people constantly enjoying smell the effulient they're regurgatating, which makes them truley bind to them rest of the world ;)
Churchman72
Roar Rookie
Remember Queensland had a recession in 2014 and it’s taken time for the economy and the government’s budget to recover from the mess that the Newman government left behind. For a few years there wasn’t money to splash around on other events when there was a commonwealth game to put on. Maybe going forward there’s a bit more to go around on getting big fakes to Brisbane as things seem to be picking up now.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Strange thing about NIB is that it is built back to front! That beautiful grandstand on the eastern side fills up with patrons covered in various oils and ready to become oven roasted in the space of 90 minutes. Meanwhile on the other side, youhave a hotch potch of developments that show a lack of funds and probably reflect the history of the ground and the way it has evolved over time. Pitch is excellent but 0-10 for having to face west with so many kick offs being late afternoon. Night games are the real answer I suppose, or play in winter!
Jordan
Guest
Aren't those things related some of the excuses Sydney people use for not going to Allianz or ANZ?
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
if Brisbane is complaining about getting a Socceroos game, then we are all crying in Perth. In saying that though, places like Hobart have never had one. Imagine them
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Well the atmosphere at Coopers we all know is great. The atmosphere is great at NIB Stadium come see for yourself but NIB has the best pitch. So i am kind of redefining it yes. Best Rectangular Stadium in Australia was probably Parramatta Stadium to be throw a surprise. Not sure now though
Mark
Guest
For someone who regularly complains that the FFA are not doing enough of this and that, it’s a bit rich to then complain about them pursuing revenue sources.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I also agree. But it’s the FFA that has to move on - they are charged with growing the game nationally and just growing it where the highest bidder might be.
Waz
Roar Rookie
So are you redefining “best rectangular stadium” to instead be the best to watch A League games at?
Paul D
Roar Guru
Oh please, you're embarassing yourself. Suncorp is the best rectangular stadium in Australia.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
The best ground to watch A-league at are clearly NIB and Coopers.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Kangas, you just couldn't make this stuff up it's so dumb.
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
I completely agree but until we move on from this dodgy system, Qld has to play the bidding game to be taken seriously.
AR
Guest
It’s cute when Brisbanians (is that a thing?) admit the ground is like a sand pit, but then proclaim their stadium to be the best on account of: - you can see the pitch from the seats - you can catch the train there - there’s a pub near by Woah! Space age! ...it really is a low bar up there isn’t it? :)