After years of controversy the FFA is scrapping its existing national club identity policy (NCIP) in favour of the more flexible inclusivity principles for club identity (ICPI).
The ICPI is currently in draft mode, so it will be interesting to see what it actually looks like when finalised.
The effect of this change is that existing football clubs will be able to celebrate and acknowledge their ethnic heritage in their names and colours once again, something many custodians of the world game Down Under felt had been compromised after the NCIP came into effect during 2014.
Whilst the new move has generally been met with positive responses, there have been some concerns raised about the potential consequences. There have been a handful of unfortunate incidents – thankfully rare – which have stemmed from nationalism that has sadly seeped its way into football.
(Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Australia is and always will be a multicultural society. It is everyone’s right to acknowledge and celebrate where they are from, which forms an important part of who they currently are. Football is one of the wonderful vehicles that Australians to celebrate our diverse and unique society.
From cevapi rolls to singing to colourful banners, the vibrancy you get at NPL and state league games is one of the most beautiful things about our game. The community feel and the generations of families and friends that come together to bond over the round ball game is fantastic.
However, there is no doubt the scrapping of the NCIP could have some unfortunate consequences. There are a minority of people who sometimes cross that fine line between pride and parochialism.
Unfortunately certain ethnic symbols and chants carry aggressive, provocative and combative undertones, which can cause trouble. This is totally unnecessary and unwelcome in Australia and is certainly not needed at football games.
Football always should be inclusive. People should be able to go to a game and have fun and not be provoked about their heritage nor experience any hate or violence.
Although most clubs work hard at ensuring fans who attend games have a safe and enjoyable experience, there is always a minority who want to spoil it for others. Things like alcohol and an unfavourable result can sometimes push people over that narrow line. NPL and state league clubs can find it challenging to police crowds at these games considering they aren’t major events, and thus the high-level security measures you get at professional sporting events are not there.
(Paul Kane/Getty Images)
The reaction to the policy change on social media has been positive overall, with many fans excited about their clubs potentially reverting back to their traditional names.
For example, some Sydney United fans are calling for their club to go back to being called Croatia Sydney, hardcore Preston Lions fans want to be Preston Makedonia and more than a handful of South Melbourne fans want to include Hellas in their official name.
While one can’t blame hardcore fans wanting this, the question has to be asked: would this be a backwards move?
Some clubs have built new brand identities without their traditional ethnic names. This has helped them attract players and fans from all walks of life. Would these clubs be more marketable to the wider community if they reverted back to their old names?
The reality is younger generations have married into different families from a variety of backgrounds. Many kids growing up these days don’t have a single ethnic identity.
The traditional ethnic clubs have also now embraced their local communities, with many of their juniors being from their non-traditional backgrounds. This means families that are now part of these clubs don’t have links to their ethnic ties.
Sydney Olympic, for example, have a proud Greek heritage; however, if you go to a game at Belmore Sports Ground, you will find a number of fans from non-Greek backgrounds. How many would relate to the club if they were called Pan-Hellenic?
St George FC have a rich Hungarian history, but you will find a large number of their members are not from the European country. Would these fans be put off if they went back to St George Budapest?
It is a fantastic thing that clubs are now free to celebrate their heritage, but committees need to put some thought as to how they will move forward with this. Football is now the most popular code in Australia. Let’s celebrate it the right way.
oldpsyco
Guest
The Policy was RACIST and always going to lose in a court challenge! The fact it was even proposed, let alone implemented, is to Australian Footballs eternal SHAME!
oldpsyco
Guest
No admission they got it WRONG! Again. No mention of an apology for screwing it up in the first place. And if that minority do step over the line? Punish them, not the whole club and the community that supports them! In Australia, thats called "A Fair Go".
Mister Football
Roar Guru
These things can work out in an unpredictable ways. Sometimes the 3rd generation has little to no interest in the birthplace of their grandparents, other times, the 3rd generation feels more attached to the old country than the 2nd generation.
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
I dont think too many would feel threatened by ethnic club names. I think the tradition has been to name egg ball, cricket clubs and the likes traditionally after the local district in which they are formed that sticks in peoples minds. Maybe some might fear ethnic references could hold the sport back. Most people however are more likely these days to understand how attached migrants are to their ethnic heritage. I must admit though i have sometimes wondered who a second or third generation Australian of, say Croation heritage for e.g., barrack for if the Croatia national team played the Socceroos
Jim
Guest
It's not really 'monoculture' any more is it though. Not since the Europeans migrated here post WWII and started to play Aussie Rules as well as our Football. I think the AFL has done a good job of incorporating multiculturalism into it's game along with the exisiting Native Australian and Anglo-Saxon or Celtic populations of the time. The violence problem with AFL is alcohol and drug fuelled, which unfortunately is another matter entirely. That said I'm all for the old teams going back to their original names if they want.
Brendan
Roar Pro
A very enjoyable article, thank you. There’s quite a bit to think about.
chris
Guest
The big question for me is, are Jankan and William (who wrote that thoroughly thoughtful piece on how footballers should make use of their hands) are the same person?
RKing
Guest
An interesting topic and open to many points of view. Personally I don't care if a club is called Hellas, Olympic, Juventus or Croatia. I'm of English and Scottish heritage so those clubs won't appeal to me or my family. As i was brought up in the northern suburbs of Adelaide where, in the 1950s &60s they dumped the pommy migrants. Hence all of the clubs NPL & amateur have local suburbs names, to me it makes sense to do so.
At work
Roar Rookie
I mean conservatism in what they believe will bring the most money into the game, which in their eyes (rightly or wrongly) are those which are more inclusive clubs which are not seen as representing only a single ethnicity.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
By conservatism, are you suggesting they should make decisions based on racial/ethnic considerations?
At work
Roar Rookie
It’s fine, but I would assume the club leaders would be equally interested in the commercial realities of such changes, along with any emotional ties. Those commercial realities may be attracting a wider group of sponsors for example, which gets more money and allows them to fund a team in the 2nd division. Plus while the NCIP is gone and it’s now going to be optional, the FFA would still have a say in which teams are allowed so you have to assume a bunch of suits (the board) will have some conservatism in their choices.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
At Work Even if it's true thiat many people are from mixed ethinic backgrounds, why does that matter. If you have just one Croatian grandparent, why can't you still follow proudly a club called Croatia? Shouldn't clubs be allowed into the B-League on merit?
At work
Roar Rookie
I have no problem if clubs who have traditional ties to a certain European nation wish to revert back to their old names. But the authors paints a very valid case that these days so many people have very mixed ethnic backgrounds. At the end of the day it’s the club’s decision, but I think most would recognise that doing so may harm their chances of being included into a national 2nd division (for example).
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Yes - imagine what would flare up....... The Ethnicity element and Australian soccer is interesting. The competition as a whole should be allowed to return to it's pre WWII branding of "British Association Football". If too much focus is placed on the post WWII Continental European take over of the game - then the true heritage of the sport will be white washed. That's just not white.....I'm mean....right.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
I know. Imagine if AFL wasn't monoculture. It'd be an incredibly dangerous sport to attend as a spectator ...
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Why shouldn't South Melbourne return to its original Hellas name? That's the name they carry as the Oceania club of the century. They should be allowed to wear that name with pride. Similarly, if the various Croatian clubs in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra want to return to carrying the name Croatia in their name, they should be allowed to. Some of these clubs have grand histories and have been powerhouses in their respective cities. Croatia Deakin Soccer Club, to this day, still owns a fantastic clubhouse and its own boutique stadium in the central suburb of Deakin, and have been great incubators of soccer talent, including such names as Ned Zelic, Ante Juric, Ante Milicic, NIkolai Topor-Stanley and Josip Šimunić. The time has come for Australian soccer fans to stop feeling threatened by ethnic club names.
Nemesis
Guest
AC Milan was founded as "Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club" by English ex-pats and the club still uses the English version of "Milan" in its name. Doesn't seem to have stopped it becoming one of the most popular teams in Italy. All across the football world, the most famous clubs have an identity whose foundation was: ethnic, or religious, or political; within a given geographical areal. In relation to violence at sport. Every week we have reports of crowd violence at AFL matches, which cannot be blamed on ethnic tensions between the clubs.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Same VoR. I'm a Spurs fan, not Jewish, but happy to be called a yid.
Voice of Reason
Roar Rookie
I am a Spurs and Union Berlin fan and member but I am neither Jewish nor of the Far Left (or Far Right). Education is the key. I am all for diversity and inclusion and enjoyed the atmosphere at (say) Melbourne Croatia when I took my girls a few years ago. At Sorrento (WA) now, there is quite a British feel to the crowds. All part of the fun if done in the right humour.
Onside
Guest
This is a conundrum, in that the article provides an answer to possible , minor , ethnic altercations, and readers are asked , to guess the question.