Fair play, A-League.
Even when everything is working against it off the field, it can’t help but entertain on it.
Another round, another thrilling set of games, from the outright thriller of Brisbane Roar’s ridiculous come-from-behind win over Melbourne City and Adelaide United’s scintillating performance against Central Coast Mariners through to the tense and tactical affair in Geelong between Western United and the unpredictable Newcastle Jets.
Even the Big Blue and a vastly undermanned Melbourne Victory delivered on drama and storyline where few – myself included – were willing to give Marco Kurz’s Victory a chance.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
The Australian’s coverage of the A-League over the weekend came in the form of what many in football would consider a hit-piece, using a record NBL crowd to take aim at the A-League.
It has been nice to see many within the football media space respond strongly to the ridiculous report.
But this is nothing new.
Football rarely gets its dues in mainstream media, and any chance there is to compare the world game in Australia unfavourably to another sport is seldom missed.
As I said last week, who cares? Football needs to stop pandering to each and every whim or the “mainstream” audience and cease living to be in the major media’s good books.
There have been plenty of seasons where one could have criticised the quality of football on display in the A-League, but this year is not that year. This season’s A-League football has been among the best of the decade.
I’ve rarely enjoyed the start of a new season as much as I have this one. Good for the NBL if they’re setting records, but I struggle to see the relation with the A-League. In fact the two share a lot in common if anything.
Two professional games played in the summer looking to break through a cricket-dominated time of year.
Two sports with very small facilities footprint of club-owned infrastructure.
Two professional leagues struggling for their fair share of quality media coverage.
Two professional leagues that pale in comparison to the best competitions in the world, no matter how many college kids come to play in the NBL, but nevertheless are producing a good product on the field.
Still, every football fan and his dog is talking about Will Swanston’s article, so mission accomplished for him, I guess.
Other than generating comment, I struggle to understand why the A-League even needed to be mentioned in a news report. But I guess if the A-League is in a “summer shootout” with the NBL, then at least we know which side of the firing line mainstream media is on.
Surprise, it’s not football (again).
So be it.
As long as the A-League can keep producing the on-field quality it has been, then it’s up to the new independent league to leverage the quality on the field and integrate with the rest of the football pyramid to ensure the majority of football fans engage with our professional competition.
Because that is what is going to define the success of football in this country.
When that happens football will go from strength to strength in this country and it’s going to take a lot more than hit pieces to stop it.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Great post Neil.
HR
Roar Rookie
Yeah, fair call.
Neil
Roar Rookie
I have been involved in football for over 56 years since I was six. Played rugby league and football and eventually I chose football over rugby league which I follow as well. Football has and will always be a targeted by cheap shot journalists like Allan Jones, the late Rebecca Wilson and others. I think the biggest problem the A League ever had was when Gallop and the FFA did not defend the fans and the onerous standards which they were expected to follow when other sports like AFL regularly have brawls among fans which barely get a mention in the press. It will take at least another five years and hard work to get that fan base back. I think police and stadium security are finally beginning to understand that singing and chanting support is not anti-social behaviour. I do not think I will live long enough to see a change where we do not have to continually defend our place under the Sun. On another note. just had an extended visit in Europe watched a lot of lower league football in the UK Championship to level level two, plus some smaller nations top tier and I am more than convinced the A League is more than OK, some Europeans who watched highlights and a match from the A League with me were surprised with the standard in a salary capped competition .
anon
Roar Pro
We should have signed up Usain Bolt when we had the chance. Bums on seats.
Punter
Roar Rookie
He's decided to play in Europe with lots of suitors playing in front of 60K every week seeking him.
anon
Roar Pro
What happened to the Swedish bloke that was going to play over here? That all went a bit silent? Over the in west they were talking about playing Glory games at Optus Stadium in front of 60k people.
zoran
Guest
Was obviously being sarcastic about the cricket comment. Keep on punching Nemesis.
Nemesis
Guest
"You do know cricket is really a winter sport" The sport that stops at the merest drop of moisture & also stops if sunlight drops ... is actually a winter sport. I laughed & I laughed. Have you ever been to the nation that created Cricket in the winter? Do you know how much sunlight they have in winter? The level of st upidity on this forum from the Aussie Rules mob continues to rise each day. And, AFL Women have the physical toughness to play in Summer, but the men are fragile? Aussie Rules men need to harden up.
Zoran
Guest
"AFL is played in winter to avoid competing against cricket." Comment of the year. It isn't because AFL is a winter sport with the amount of physical strain involved to play the game in summer would lead to heat exhaustion. Players really struggle when the temp is above 28 degrees. Or it could be that when the VFA kicked off around 150 years ago that the directors of the league could see that they wouldn't be able to maximise their upcoming TV rights deal by going up against cricket. You do know cricket is really a winter sport and they only moved to playing in summer due to the AFL? Keep on punching Nem, you are champagne comedy
Zoran
Guest
Playing at Geelong was a bonehead idea. I do remember some commenting last year that Geelong locals have a latent desire for Football, they don't. Neither do Ballarat Locals, just like those in Western Sydney have no desire for AFL. Using an AFL ground compounds the mistake. Not sure if Knights Stadium would be suitable in terms of parking, the look of the stadium, really harks back to some of the ugly old NSL days. Whitten Oval again has the issue of being an AFL ground, but it might be the next best option with moving some games to AAMI Park. WU just shouldn't have been brought into the league without a suitable venue.
Zoran
Guest
Could the slightly lower crowds this season be explained by Western United? I'd expect WSW crowds to increase this season with their new stadium, while Phoenix crowds may fall if they continue the way they are
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Really, and you don’t believe in the generational transition. Surely you have kids, nephews, nieces or have seen the squillion kids playing football every weekend in the winter. They say there’s 1.5 million amateurs in this country, and a larger proportion of them are 16 or under. So stab in the dark let’s say 10 percent of them who grew up with and fully love football become rusted on A-leagur fans. Generously that’s 100,000 supporters across the league. That’s possible say in the next 10 to 15 years. English football has been at it for over 100 years. Tene factor in the cultural communities that. come with the likes of Sth Melbourne and Marconi after implemrnting Second Division and eventually promotion and relegation. The possibilities are enormous. Tactical thinkers are needed but we must always think strategically if we are going to grow the game
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Still a dinosaur both metaphorically and physically
HR
Roar Rookie
Sorry to go off on a demographically-focused tangent, but Rupert Murdoch is 88 years old. He ain't a baby boomer. And Lachlan is a Gen Xer.
BennoFootball
Ha, ha!!! Amazon, Don’t sit on De Fence!!! Ha, ha!!! FORZA BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB!!!
BennoFootball
Well, Football may have started in smaller Stadiums ( Obviously ), but in The Late ‘70s and ‘80s .... due to Skin Heads and Hooligans + fall in interest in Football, All The English Football Clubs ( Yes, ALL ) Were saying that Stadiums will NEVER be Full again so English Football clubs had to Reduce their Size ie. so called Boutique Stadiums. Well We all know what happened .... First, the standard of Football was improved and the rest Followed. If We are going to Think small .... We ( Football ) will forever stay, SMALL!!! FORZA BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB!!!
Nick Symonds
Guest
Great stuff. But with the poor quality of the starers here in Australia you'd need to get some pretty big foreign marquees in to fill a stadium of that size. How Popstopolous survived that wasp I have no idea and the way that Spatsky destroyed his opponent in the final was just pure class. I just don't think we have starers of that standard. The Big Blue between Graham Arnold and Kevin Muscat might get a decent crowd.
BennoFootball
If Government is going to put my Taxes into upgrading stadiums that will be required to be used for Women’s Football World Cup ( If We Win it ) .... then, myTaxes must go into Stadiums that will be used afterwards ( after Women’s Football World Cup ) for the Use Of Our Sport, FOOTBALL!!! FORZA BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB!!!
BennoFootball
He must think We ( Football ) are a succer ( suckers ). We ARE Football. FORZA BRISBANE ROAR FOOTBALL CLUB!!!
Redondo
Roar Rookie
I'm a fan of Stare-Out myself...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkI85Kt10e4