No disrespect to Adelaide United, but the best possible outcome for the A-League is for Perth Glory to win tonight and regenerate some interest in the competition.
A crowd of upwards of 60,000 descending on Optus Stadium for the A-League grand final next weekend sounds alright to me.
And Glory will go close to filling the new venue for a one-off decider, despite a few sceptics in the Western Australian media believing otherwise.
This is a success-starved, football-loving city that twice filled the old Subiaco Oval for National Soccer League grand finals.
And if you don’t like the thought of Perth Glory playing a showpiece event at a cricket ground, you can always buy a ticket to tonight’s showdown at HBF Park.
Or if you’re like a sizeable section of supporters online, you can simply continue to nitpick every single aspect of the A-League from behind the safety of your computer.
Hey, it works for me!
But at some point we surely have to realise that a growing league like ours is never going to be perfect and actually celebrate the competition for what it is.
That’s precisely what tens of thousands of Perth-based sports fans will do next weekend should Glory host the decider, whether they’re rusted-on football fans or not.
And Perth hosting the grand final would undoubtedly be a good news story in a league that is desperately crying out for one.
Perth’s Optus Stadium will host the A-League grand final should the Glory win tonight. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
It would also remind certain elements on the east coast that the A-League exists outside their own little bubble.
Football Federation Australia are an organisation based in Sydney and with deep links to Melbourne, who often organise national team games in Sydney and Melbourne and who recently named two new expansion clubs from Sydney and Melbourne.
Surprisingly, they always seem incredulous that fans in cities like Perth and Adelaide aren’t especially enthusiastic about whatever move they’ve just made to benefit football in Sydney and Melbourne.
If Glory fans don’t already have a chip on their shoulders about the way their club has been largely ignored during the A-League era, they probably should.
And if their ‘west versus the rest’ mentality helps get them over the line against the Reds tonight, so be it.
That’s not to suggest Adelaide United don’t also deserve to win through to the big dance.
Marco Kurz steering his side through to the grand final despite being informed his services will no longer be required next season would be one of the sport stories of the year.
But the Reds were crowned champions in 2016 – that was the grand final that attracted more than 50,000 fans to Adelaide Oval instead of the 15,000 or so that Coopers Stadium can hold – whereas Glory fans have been waiting for years to see their team win anything of note.
Perth Glory fans crave more silverware. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
They won the last ever NSL title at a rain-soaked Parramatta Stadium, but it was slim pickings until they finally lifted the premiers plate this season.
An A-League grand final in the west is one of the final frontiers for the competition and should hopefully generate some media buzz around the game.
And as we saw from the reaction in Australia to this week’s incredible UEFA Champions League semi-final second legs, plenty of Aussies are more than familiar with the sport itself.
Football at its best remains the world’s most exhilarating sport and that’s something a packed A-League grand final can showcase.
Whether that means Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory win through to the decider is largely immaterial, although Sydney hosting Adelaide at ANZ Stadium in Homebush next weekend would just about be the worst possible outcome for the league.
But that’s not really a concern for now. Tonight should be all about Perth Glory.
They’ve been the best team all season and they’re only one step away from the promised land. Here’s hoping they take it.
Nemesis
Guest
Agree that the FFA should have communicated to apologise to viewers for the inconvenience. I probably spend around $1,000 per year to support FFA. Others who also still register to play the game would spend much more. Yet, we feel ignored by FFA & their communication on any issue is hopelessly inadequate, or just not existent. But, in relation to this particular issue of broadcast failure, it's a problem I've had with Foxtel streaming when they first released their streaming platform. I was on the phone to them nearly every match to complain that the feed had dropped out, or was constantly buffering, even though pirate webstreams would be functioning on the same internet connection, with the same devices. OptusSport also had huge issues with their streaming platform during World Cup 2018. And, not just streaming. Twitter often lights up with Foxtel box customers complaining about various glitches and how poor Foxtel is with communicating an apology or a fix.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I feel your pain, Matsu, as I have been relying on the Youtube service as well. Very disappointing.
Matsu
Roar Rookie
“We’ve had 138 matches broadcast live to overseas markets on Youtube. Of these 138 matches, how many times have you encountered tech issues? ” This is exactly the point! Indeed, the service had some early problems, but for about the past two months it has been quite good. The live feed (URL) even shows up on your YouTube previews a few days early, so people like me (who dont have a printed schedule) can see when the matches are. So the Perth-Adelaide live stream showed up several days early and, based on the number of people who showed up even before kickoff, I was not the only one who had bookmarked the URL and was ready for the broadcast. For about 20 minutes people were chatting in thee comments section, and asking when the feed would start. Game time arrived . . . and passed . . . . and still nothing happened. After about 20 minutes (roughly the time of the disallowed goal), someone from MyFootball (the channel operator) posted “We are having difficulties. Please stand by.” That was it. No further announcement, even to say “we arent able to broadcast the game” or someting else to let people know that they shouldnt just sit there staring at their computer and wondering . . . By half time (I was following the ROAR thread as well), people were ranting in two dozen languages, posting all sorts of abuse, and getting REALLY disgusted. Yet nobody even bothered to drop in to post an update on the reasons why the game was not being broadcast. Im sorry, but when you advertise a match broadcast days in advance, and then dont even have the decency to tell the hundreds of people who are waiting for the stream to start that they should give up, and stop wasting their time, you cant brush it off as a “technology glitch”. And as you will see if you follow the link I posted, even NOW there is no explanation on that URL to explain what happened (or to let people know whethr the same thing might happen on Sunday). That is amateurish, to say the least. And FYI . . . I DO run my own business. When something happens that causes my customers even the slightest inconvenience, I not only bend over backwards to compensate them for the bother, but I make SURE that I contact them promptly, to let them know in precise detail what happened, so they dont have to just sit there staring at an empty screen and wondering what the __________ is going on.
Nemesis
Guest
Do we know whether the fault was with the FFA? Could it have been a problem with the technology platform? Recently there was a problem with online banking platforms being unable to process credit card transactions. Huge financial losses for retail outlets. People taking taxis to the airport were unable to pay their fares if they didn't have cash. The point is technology glitches happen. For sure customers are right to feel aggrieved. But, if you ever run a business, you'll appreciate sometimes no matter how hard you try things beyond your control cause problems for customers. We've had 138 matches broadcast live to overseas markets on Youtube. Of these 138 matches, how many times have you encountered tech issues? If it's the one match, and you react like this, then I suggest you've got a bigger issue than the FFA.
David V
Guest
It's a reminder to the FFA that football as a game sells itself. Australian football's short-termist fixation on sugar hits is wholly unnecessary when you just need to let football do the talking.
Matsu
Roar Rookie
It is nice to see the Finals produce some good football . . . . . . . or should I say, "it WOULD be nice to see the Finals produce some good football, if only the A-League could manage to actually broadcast the games that they promised to broadcast. For those of you who dont live outside of Oz, and might have watched the game on a FUNCTIONING network, the ALeague's much-ballyhooed YouTube platform spent two hours displaying nothing but a blank screen and logo, instead of the Perth-Adelaide game. In fact, even a day later, the match still is not viewable. At least they took down the live chat that was previously connected to the video, so you can no longer see people from all over the world shouting abuse at the people who were supposed to stream the match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSMyxC7IAUg Well done A.League! Youve managed to piss off thousands of people from every corner of the globe, who were STARTING to show an interest in your competition. Can't wait to see how badly you screw up the Sydney-Victory contest on Sunday!
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
But barely anyone has left And Fornaroli too!
Stevo
Roar Rookie
‘giggles :) ‘
Nemesis
Guest
What an unprofessional reaction to legitimate feedback about your failure to tip A-League results.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Probably about as meaningful as all your "inside info" on hundred million dollar TV broadcast deals, I'd say.
Nemesis
Guest
"I can’t see them losing, mate." Given your Tipping over 137 matches has resulted in 51 correct prognostications, is this all that meaningful?
Nick Symonds
Guest
Just remembered this: - Government Coach - New Season - Sammy J S1 (Ep5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq0ugguXk8I - Blood on the Field - Sammy J S1 (ep30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlM7xbtcpmc
Waz
Roar Rookie
Yup. I’d double up on Poppa being gone this time next year too.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
I can't see them losing, mate.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
"They'll get next week at Optus Stadium" So a certain PGFC win tonight????
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I forget to mention, for the first 14 years, the charge was that the FFA was too Sydney-centric, with some justification. The rise of the Victory and Melb City as politically powerful clubs, and perhaps even as the game's kingmakers, has certainly added the city of Melbourne to the equation in the last 18 months or so.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Breadcrumbs...
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Only if you ignore the 60,000 they'll get at Optus Stadium in Perth next week, the 50,000 they got at Adelaide Oval, the 50,000 the FFA would have got if they'd figured out how to get the Socceroos back to Brisbane for a World Cup qualifier etc. I do love a pithy line, though.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
would probably get decent odds for that pre-season
Melange
Guest
I'd bet your money on that too Waz. I'm was thinking Mariners would knock Phoenix out of it next year, but you think Perth?