The Red and Black Bloc have embarrassed themselves and the Wanderers once again, but that shouldn’t overshadow a Sydney derby that has real meaning on and off the pitch tonight.
The RBB’s homophobic online slur – posted on Wednesday afternoon, deleted the next morning and not worth repeating here – forced the Western Sydney Wanderers to make an official apology on Thursday.
And we shouldn’t kid ourselves that the RBB’s deliberate choice of words wasn’t intended to offend.
It absolutely was, and the universal condemnation that followed was the only reaction the RBB could have expected.
The fan group’s subsequent non-apology suggests they simply don’t care, and in an ideal world the admins of the RBB account would be forced to hand over the log-in details to someone who isn’t prone to making incessant schoolyard slurs.
That won’t happen though, and instead a fan group with a long-standing persecution complex will complain about being persecuted for their own offensive behaviour.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
However – and it’s important to acknowledge this – it’s not all RBB members who behave this way. And judging by the number of Wanderers supporters who bemoaned the social media posts, those who feel comfortable making such divisive remarks are clearly in the minority.
And here’s the kicker: haven’t Sydney FC fans long been associated with an offensive chant of their own?
It may not be as prominent as it once was whenever the Sky Blues play Melbourne Victory, but there’s no denying it’s a sentiment widely shared by the Sydney FC support.
It’s easy to cast the first stone, but it’s not quite so convincing when your fan-base has their own skeletons in the closet.
At least tonight’s derby should be as explosive on the pitch as it will be off it, after the Wanderers stunned Sydney FC 1-0 when the two sides met at a packed Bankwest Stadium in Round 3.
The defending champions were aggrieved to have lost that match, and it remains Sydney FC’s only league defeat of the season so far.
Former Western Sydney midfielder Alexander Baumjohann has lit the touchpaper ahead of the return fixture, telling AAP journalist Ed Jackson he doesn’t care what Wanderers fans think of him.
“It is normal when you change from one side to the other in the city,” Baumjohann said of facing his former club.
“Not everyone is happy but I also said this before, I don’t care about them, the most important thing is that our fans love me and this is what I care about.”
The German is the ultimate luxury player, but unfortunately for Wanderers fans he’s proved more than capable of bamboozling a defence this season.
(AAP Image/Brendon Thorne)
However, Western Sydney’s 5-2 thrashing of Adelaide United last Friday night may well have unlocked the shackles for Jean-Paul de Marigny’s side, and there’s no doubt the visitors will be fired up for the first ever meeting of the two city rivals in Kogarah.
The build-up to the derby was already bubbling away before torrential rain forced its postponement three weeks ago, and it will be interesting to see how Jubilee Stadium handles such a high-profile fixture.
There’s been a bit of an online clamour for Sydney FC to move permanently to Kogarah, but as atmospheric as it is to play in such a compact stadium, I have a feeling the ground’s limitations might be on full display tonight.
With its grass hills and limited undercover seating, it’s not the easiest venue should the rain start to fall.
Perhaps that’s exactly what the derby needs after a typical build-up that threatens to boil over at the first sign of trouble.
Here’s hoping the two sides settle their differences where it counts and we can talk about the performance of the players on the pitch, instead of having to analyse idiotic banter off it.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Plenty of bs to post him How on earth did you come up with me not supporting the eels Look at my posts on parra games. So simple to do ... But so hard for simple people like you
Parasite
Roar Rookie
You like post cant and wont post the truth, why is it so hard?
Parasite
Roar Rookie
I have not posted one fake stat mr fake fan, tell me fako where I have.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Parasite, You’ve come on here and thrown insults around like a 10 year old . If you are 10 congrats on accessing the internet Unfortunately you have bern wrong in everything. People can debate and have a laugh , but you have offended people and offered wrong information As for myself I followed the eels since 1978, they had some good years but have been the most embarrassing team in the nrl for the most part along with Cronulla .. . Lucky me for choosing them, but I’ve stuck . God knows how much money I’ve spent driving to parra stadium. Anyhow mate you’ve gotta toughen up and admit when you get it wrong about the eels and Wanderers. I sincerely hope , when you come back on this site you don’t talk rubbish again , try to prove a point with facts and accept opinions of others with some gravitas .
Parasite
Roar Rookie
How the wsw are the only relevant thing in West Sydney. Yeah mate, they're the biggest and greatest thing since sliced bread. Meanwhile in the real world, they are just above the Giants in the west.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
Ill comment where I like, I dont need your permission. If you told the truth in the first place instead of trying to run down another sport I wouldnt have bothered.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
So why are you commenting on a Football Thread if you are not a fan? Rather absurd thing to do
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
What untruth did I tell? You made a claim now back it up.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
You're as much an eels fan as I'm a wanderers fan.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
And what do you mean by proper members, aren't the 26 plus thousand eels members actually members? Weren't the 25 plus thousand members they had last year after the wooden spoon real? Yeah western Sydney stadium really was built for the wanderers. LOL
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Um, what untruth did I tell? Big call you've made, what did I say that was untrue?
Parasite
Roar Rookie
Maybe if you told the truth I wouldnt have bothered in the first place.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Fair tackle? Wow you really do have blinkers on. Nothing fair about that tackle, btw not to let the truth get in the way of your excuses, but Georgevski, didn't actually kick him, he didn't touch him
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Almost 16,000 members from memory, like I mean proper members. Parasite, maybe you should stick to just paying on the NRL board, after all that's what you like watching.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
What are you on about K2 ? What apology - no apology, this was about a thug on the park kicking at the head of a young SFC rookie and then standing over him like a schoolyard bully. If you can's see that, I feel sorry for you. :thumbdown:
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Thanks Apology accepted kayo . Own your behaviour , own your mistakes.. it’s simple isn’t it .
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Man up - what are you some sort of spoilt child ? This has nothing to do with the loss - congratulations to WSW for their win. This has all to do with the disgusting behaviour on the field of play from a serial offender on a young rookie player.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Sydney fc just lost again to wsw .... some the poor sooks can’t take it Kayo Man up
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
So you also condone Georgievski's actions in the tunnel as well? After being sent off for kicking the young rookie SFC player in the head, then standing over him abusing the youngster after he made a fair tackle on him. Outrageous! Look in the mirror K2---are you Georgievski's father as well?
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
Hey mike Are we going to get a pro wsw article for a change tomorrow Your beloved sooky fc have failed in another big game .. how many is that now Corica has acted like a t o o l like his predecessor Arnold. Bosnich has stood up for Corica stupidity. The sniping on Friday from anonymous people on here trying to shame wsw was pathetic and those people are still not showing their faces yet How about some honest journalism that sooky fc have a culture problem, can beat up the easy sides but when in a battle and losing , they are undignified and embarrassing for Aussie football... sooky fc is now the Arnold Corica legacy. Ffs do these guys live in a bubble or what lol .. they no very little about resilience. A couple of other Nsw teams are on good unbeaten runs and will be desrving a positive write up too .