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Addressing football's Australian cultural problem

ArchRival23 new author
Roar Rookie
1st April, 2019
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ArchRival23 new author
Roar Rookie
1st April, 2019
37
1046 Reads

As a proud round-ball game enthusiast, being at the MCG on Thursday night to see 70,000 fill the stands made me ponder many things about football.

Could we here in Australia get to this stage of passion and support for a domestic football game? Could we see a Melbourne derby here at the mighty MCG, where the floodlights are bright and the people themselves flood through the gates to see the beautiful game in all is dramatic glory?

Wishful thinking perhaps, but not outside the realm of possibility. You see, what brings people to games of AFL in Australia is the same thing that brings people to games of football in Europe.

To put it simply, it’s culture.

Many moons ago, the very people who stood in that 70,000 capacity crowd went to games with their mothers and fathers as kids They grew up with the sport and their team’s colours. And when they reach adulthood they took their own kids to games, and the cycle of sporting culture continues.

A-League attendances have on the decline, and people bemoan the lack of class and quality on the pitch. The administration of the game has been controversial and has alienated even the most die-hard fans from attending games. Football’s strength, the point of difference it has from other codes, is the atmosphere, and yet seats are empty. We had some incredibly passionate active area support groups, such as the Terrace, but they have been forced to disband, significantly dampening the atmosphere at games.

Simply, we are lacking culture.

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But football is a sleeping giant and the passion for the game burns deep throughout the communities. The Socceroos continually draw packed houses, and who can forget when Liverpool visited the MCG and 90,000 sung You’ll Never Walk Alone in unison. It was special, to say the least.

Perhaps most pertinently is that football is the most highly participated sport among children around the country. The round-ball game reeks of untapped potential in Australia, but to make the most of that potential we need to change the culture, and fast.

Melbourne City fans

Melbourne City fans (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

I was a fan of the FFA’s decision to add Western United and Macarthur to the A-League. Why? Melbourne and Sydney are the two largest cities in Australia and are almost the fastest growing cities too. Adding more teams in these catchment areas creates more tribalism and more derbies in football. In essence, these rivalries will create culture, and hopefully on the agenda is second teams in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, all of which will spark rivalry between communities and love between supporters.

And from there, well, we need to start getting our bums on seats. Its high time for the many football enthusiasts in Australia to start attending more games. Yes, the FFA is in a state of disarray; yes, the quality on the pitch has stagnated in the last few years; and, yes, the administrators of the game have made questionable decisions regarding active support, but football needs unity among its community now more than ever. Like all revolutions in history, the power of the people will triumph over the few ruling at the top.

There are myriad issues around football in Australia that need addressing if we are to see an improvement in our game. Let’s forget the administrative issues and focus on what we as fans can control, and that is supporting our domestic competition.

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The MLS was in serious peril at the turn of the millennium, but fast forward 20 years and the league has 26 teams and regularly has capacity crowds. Let’s strive for more of that Down Under, preferably with promotion and relegation, but that’s another issue altogether.

Maybe one day we will see that Melbourne Derby at the MCG. A guy can dream, can’t he?

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