The sooner the A-League grand final can break out among the hysteria following the latest example of disgraceful treatment of fans, the better.
I do not wish to make light of the despicable treatment suffered by Sydney FC fan Rory Carroll and his daughters at Sunday’s semi-final, nor the questionable media treatment of him that followed.
In the midst of all this, Sydney Morning Herald journalist Vince Rugari tweeted on Monday morning “Australian soccer is exhausting” – and he’s not wrong.
It’s a terrible shame because this is the time when we should find football most inspiring.
Over the last week, football has treated us to some of the best sporting suspense and drama of all time, and the A-League has more than upheld its end of the bargain.
From the roller-coaster of emotion that was Perth Glory’s penalty shoot-out win over Adelaide United to the masterclass put on by Sydney FC against their hapless rivals, Melbourne Victory, and the play-off matches that proceeded them – these finals have been the shot in the arm Australian football fans have been longing for.
These are the moments we look forward to the most.
Perth Glory’s penalty shootout win was a close-run thing. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
This Sunday, we will see the two best teams in the country face off in the ultimate decider – and all of a sudden Perth’s claim to the throne does not look so strong.
Like a scorned Targaryen, Sydney rained fire on Victory with the most complete performance of the season.
Steve Corica’s team married sublime skill with relentless workmanship in a display that will surely have Glory coach Tony Popovic rethinking his own game plans.
The week off seemed to do Popovic’s men more harm than good initially.
A nervy opening was quickly quelled by Diego Castro’s opener and any hope of an Adelaide comeback was surely banished when the Spaniard doubled his tally for the night.
United played their part in ensuring the drama didn’t end there and forced the most outrageous finish to a semi-final in recent memory, which was only compounded by a ludicrous penalty shoot-out.
The result? An exasperated but elated Perth, who must now find a second wind – even on home soil – to overcome the sizeable challenge of a Sydney team with pure confidence coursing through their veins.
Of all the teams in the competition, Sydney and coach Corica need the least amount of help when it comes to identifying the champions’ weaknesses – after all, the Sky Blues have beaten the Glory twice already this season, including in Perth.
Nevertheless, Adelaide delighted in the gaps left behind by Perth’s marauding full-backs and was duly rewarded for their bravery in committing numbers forward and overloading Glory’s 18-yard-box.
Few teams work harder than Popovic’s, but Corica’s team will match them stride for stride in that department and have a lethal forward line – including Adam le Fondre and Siem de Jong, not to mention the mercurial talents of Milos Ninkovic.
Bloody hell, I’m excited just thinking about it. We all should be.
With due respect to Mr Carroll and his daughters, I do hope that we can find the column inches and attention the game deserves.
We’ll certainly have a long enough off-season to continue the good fight for Rory and the rest of the football fraternity for the respect and decency it deserves at grounds across the country.
max power
Guest
yep, great story. there is no way that young Bryan would be exaggerating?
josh
Guest
Ease up on the Popovic praise, he had this thing at WSW where he would continually sign fringe players thinking he could make them good. Or he'd sign marquees who were spotted eating gelato in Leichhardt whilst the team was up in Brisbane playing. The fans would scream at him to stop doing it, I'm convinced Tony Sage told him no more of these games if you come to Perth, you sign talent and you'll win trophies.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Ooooohhhh yeah
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Exactly my point. What a manager we have in Popa. Glory have spiranovic, Davidson,Castro, Ikonomedes etc, Sydney have Left Fondre De Jong, O’Neill. Can someone please talk about football. Oh and I hope there is a big crowd. There are a lot of expat UK people in Perth that I have been told are Eurosnobs. Get over it and get out and enjoy the football.
max power
Guest
so predictable, must be great to be part of a great new movement. spread the truth
Nick Symonds
Guest
I didn't say it was a fair comparison.
Beach
Roar Rookie
And spend the rest of of time on inside sport and roar forums. Is this a post or some kind of misconceived claim to fame?
Beach
Roar Rookie
+1
Waz
Roar Rookie
“for comparison” you’d need to include a like for like. The ABL includes “all platforms” and international viewing. The 33,000 doesn’t.
Nick Symonds
Guest
135 matches at at an average of 33,000 viewers gives you a season total of 4,455,000 sets of eyeballs. For comparison, the Australian Baseball League had 19 million viewers on all platforms, both TV and streaming. - https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/abl-season-the-most-viewed-of-all-time/
Nick Symonds
Guest
FTBL ARTICLE ABOUT OPTUS: Their broadcasting rights of the UEFA Champions League and Premier League have been a resounding success, sending a shockwave through Foxtel subscriptions and Fox Sports' A-League ratings as a result. According to the always-thrilling Australian Financial Review, the organisation's sports streaming accounted for roughly 100,000 more Optus subscriptions in the quarter leading up to June last year than Telstra. For a young and occasionally error-riddled service, Optus Sport's ratings have been dramatic - last Sunday's EPL decider accounted for a 100% increase in viewership and 50% increase in subscriptions. This has ran directly parallel to plummeting television A-League ratings on the pay-tv network - from an average high of over 74,000 in 2012/13 to around 33,000 in 2018/19. - Also this: "With a reported 50,000 tickets already lapped up, it's promising to be a resounding success out West and another foundation laid for the stadium's upcoming marquee football fixtures: Leeds United and Manchester United will play there in July." - https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/is-this-the-real-grand-final-winner-525214
Nick Symonds
Guest
The Mini Football World Cup will be held in Perth in October. That's something for them to look forward to. It had a global audience of 800 million according to AMF vice president Bryan Raeburn: https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/stage-is-set-for-perth-to-get-its-very-own-mini-football-world-cup-20190403-p51ahg.html
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I'd agree with that chris. Football is dirt cheap compared to the billions being paid for some codes. But I do think the FFA or whoever is running the A League have to make the league more attractive.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Personally, I find it bizarre in the lead up to the biggest game of the season, the one which decides the champion of the league, that people are wanting to talk about everything except for that game.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
My local club are big rivals with Armadale SC
Buddy
Roar Rookie
No that’s good and you get some interesting experiences to share. I have often felt inclined to write a canteen guide to Western Sydney football clubs b someone s bound to take offence when I don’t give them 10/10 for serving up a luke warm sausage with sogg onions between two pieces of white bread with no butter!
chris
Guest
LH I think Foxtel's goose is cooked. Its not football that should be worried but Foxtel itself. They are bleeding money and ol' uncle Rupert is not going to be around forever handing out lifelines.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Absolutely righ Chris, if anyone out there is thinking that the Women's WC is not going to be cracking football, they're off with the pixies. i just want our girls to give it to the Poms and Yanks
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I hope FFA and their working committees don't go to sleep in the off-season. There's a lot to do, the relationship with Foxtel is too frail. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/foxtel-cost-cutting-puts-rugby-football-on-edge-20190513-p51mxf.html
chris
Guest
Spot on FIL. I couldnt believe they started that ABC story with that line. Main stream media is a decaying dinosaur with antiquated ideas and rusted on opinions. Very 1950's Australia.