The Winter Festival of Football has so far proved hugely entertaining, even if the latest assortment of high-profile friendlies has raised the same legitimate questions we hear every time.
There’s no better illustration of the razor-thin margins that continue to bedevil Australian football than Brisbane Roar substitute Jez Lofthouse missing an open goal in the final minute of the defeat to Leeds United on Thursday night.
Score, and the game finishes locked at 2-2 – a result that would have made it so much easier to remind the usual cadre of online critics that the standard of the A-League Men’s competition is nowhere near as bad as they insist.
Miss, as the otherwise effective Lofthouse did, and Leeds United walk away with a 2-1 victory that was as heavily anticipated as it was quickly forgotten.
These are no-win fixtures for A-League sides, who trudge out as the supporting cast to a main act that rolls into town and lines its pockets, before the whole circus moves on to the next city.
These games aren’t about football, they’re about tourism – which is why our state governments are falling over themselves to help bankroll the increasingly frequent visits of English Premier League sides.
They couldn’t care less about the spectacle – Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday took place on a threadbare Suncorp Stadium pitch that had already hosted the Wallabies and State of Origin earlier in the week – so long as hotels are booked and the stands are somewhat full.
And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these games for the entertainment they provide.
Most of us grew up watching English football long before the A-Leagues even existed, so why shouldn’t we tune in or buy a ticket when one of these visiting sides pitches up on our sunny shores?
I got stuck into the red wines and had a wonderful time winding up all the EPL diehards on Twitter on Friday night, as Chris Ikonomidis opened the scoring for Melbourne Victory at the MCG, before Manchester United’s class shone through in a hugely predictable 4-1 win.
That’s arguably another taboo topic – the fact that for many supporters of these teams with global fan bases, aggressively defending their chosen team on social media is the only real connection they have to a side they may never realistically get a chance to see in the flesh.
And I can relate to their passion, because in a past life, I too was a dedicated Manchester United supporter.
I simply realised as soon as the A-League kicked off, that if I wanted to watch football on a regular basis at a reasonable hour, I had a perfectly adequate reason for doing so right here in my own backyard.
And while it’s always tempting to point the finger at state governments who stubbornly refuse to support the local game, or fire up the Twitter account to fling a few barbs at some startled folks who’ve never encountered a contrarian before, there’s a much more effective way to prove a point.
It’s by supporting the A-Leagues.
Club memberships are now on sale and with the fixture list scheduled for release any day now, it’s time to start pencilling in those interstate trips.
A-League sides need more fan support. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
And for those of us in the Sunshine State, it wouldn’t hurt to turn up to Suncorp Stadium in decent numbers when the Matildas and Socceroos pay a belated visit to Brisbane in September as well.
Because the only way to prove to the powers-that-be that our own football is worth backing is by visibly supporting it ourselves.
It’s all well and good to sit here raging against the machine on the internet, but the only thing broadcast executives and stadium operators care about are viewing figures and the number of seats filled.
I’ll be watching the rest of the Winter Festival of Football with interest.
The games have been fun, the coverage has been great and our A-League sides have once again proved they’re more than capable of matching it with England’s best.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I wont disagree with that. The NPL is a very important link in the chain, and it's importance will only go up a notch next march with the commencemen of the 2nd Div
anthony15
Roar Rookie
“Because we have a league that is unpredicatable, where upsets are staple diet and we are constantly unearthing home grown talent.” That home grown talent was manufactured and nurtured by the NPL clubs they played for growing up before they were scouted. The A-League just gave them a leg up, they didn’t unearth the talent. They just took the credit for it.
anthony15
Roar Rookie
You waited all those years for the A-League to start so you could finally watch football at a reasonable hour and regularly? You didn’t go to your local football club and watch them? You’re not a Eurosnob, you’re an Aussiesnob. Don’t claim to be a squeaky clean fan of our game if you didn’t support your local league prior to the A-Leagues existence.
AR
Guest
"GWS Giants made a grand final and you can still count more empty seats than fans." WSW literally won the entire AFC and you can still count more empty seats than fans. Is your point that WSW fans are fickle and plastic too?
RT
Roar Rookie
Wow, great comeback :laughing:
AJ73
Roar Rookie
Again another person who can't understand that they are different skills involved, therefore really hard to compare. And as I said, I must be really skilful playing soccer, no problem with using my wrong foot (or thought to use it). I can dribble, pass and shoot with relative ease and I only started playing after turning 40. You obviously can't appreciate the way Matt Burton kicks his bombs, Eddie Betts made the ball "talk" with his dribble goals, or Dan Carter on the Rugby Field because they don't play soccer. I love playing the game, I love watching my kids play the game. They are quite skilled at it. Though ask them to kick an oval ball and they struggle despite having beautiful kicking actions and learning to kick with both feet at Auskick. They can also kick with both feet without a thought about bringing the ball to their "stronger leg". Also why so defensive about participation figures? Why should we believe the figures for soccer in Australia then? If you believe soccer is the number 1 (and apparently only code of football) why the insecurity and bagging of another football code? So what if it is only played in one country, a couple, or everywhere, that doesn't make it less skilled (maybe it makes it more). Maybe soccer is played in most places because it is an easier game to play? Who really knows. It is hard to say one is more skilled than another out of at least 6 football codes - ASSOCIATION Football, RUGBY UNION Football, RUGBY LEAGUE Football, AUSTRALIAN RULES Football, GAELIC Football, AMERICAN Football, because they all have their unique skills. Popularity doesn't always mean a more skilled sport. One thing my kids appreciate is those that play any sport or football code. They don't bag another code or sport like many others. They will be watching the Commonwealth games, the T20 Cricket, the NBA, the AFL, and the Men's and Women's World Cup because they appreciate the skills involved in all sports.
Josh
Guest
Parra Stadium hasn't burst at the seams because WSW have been poor for 5 years. GWS Giants made a grand final and you can still count more empty seats than fans.
Randy
Roar Rookie
Lets be real, Real Madrid, Barca, Chelsea, Man City have the most skillful players out of perhaps hundreds of thousands of players all over the world. Collingwood and Richmond have the best AFL players from maybe a couple of thousand adult players at best, although we never know with their wacky participation figures.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
So as a person over 40, who only started kicking the round must struggle to play football then? Funny that I have picked the game up very quickly and I have an Australian Rules background. I am equally adept on both feet, a legacy of growing up playing Aussie Rules. Running and bouncing an oval-shaped ball involves less skill? Kicking an oval ball is easy? I'm not saying kicking a round ball is easy, but more skilled I would beg to differ. They both employ different skills - to rank one above the other says more about a lack of knowledge or understanding of what is required.
criag
Roar Rookie
It’s the same all over where those two are concerned. I once asked a guy who was older than me if he followed them when they were relegated in the 70s. “Oh, no! They’ve never been relegated!” Hmmmm…. Picking a team was easy for me – there was one that shared my surname in the old Division One. I have followed them for over 50 years and they’ve had highs and lows….they’re now in the EFL Championship, which I think is a much more interesting competition to watch, anyway. But I DO get to out see my A-League team, too (both are Sky Blue, so I save money on gear).
AR
Guest
It's pretty simple. Broadly speaking, if a state government chips in finance for an oval stadium, chances are that stadium will see regular healthy attendances for AFL games throughout winter, and some decent cricket and concert crowds in summer. It's basic return-on-investment stuff. And it's the public that makes it happen. (See: SCG, GABBA, Adelaide Oval, Metricon, Optus etc.) Whereas, if a government (esp in NSW and QLD) pumps billions into rectangular stadiums, chances are the crowds *won't* come...mainly because they never have. It slowly becomes a white elephant, people blame the government, the AFL, and soon the hands become stretched out again, demanding a shiny new stadium in 10 years time. (See: Olympic Stadium, SFS, Parra Stadium, Suncorp, the Sydney suburban grounds etc.)
AR
Guest
"the elephant in the room is that community / park / grass roots Football does not support Australian Professional Football…." OMG. This is literally Midfielder's 'come to Jesus' moment - when he finally sees the light and speaks the truth. Football is a fantastic game. It is the biggest game on the planet. And notwithstanding the participation myth here... it will never be the biggest game in Australia...because even those who love it here, don't support it here. Perhaps, finally, we can put to bed all these wasted years of 'world domination' / 'we're no.1' nonsense, and hope that the ALeague can survive and hold on to its niche in Australia.
pacman
Roar Rookie
Max capacity is 52,500. The top tiers were empty. Around 40,000 were in attendance. Pretty poor.
Mick
Roar Rookie
Luton, under their current owners, are great to show that you can do well while living within their means. All this talk about the 2nd division of the A League plus promotion/relegation and clubs not being able to survive is just rubbish. Clubs would have to improve their youth development and scouting. Live within their means. Luton managed to reach play offs last year with smallest wage budget, one of the lowest crowd averages and one of the lowest transfer fees paid in the whole division.
M20
Guest
These games aren't about football but tourism hence why 2/3 games in Qld are played in cities that don't have an a league presence (anymore)
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Excellent post Mick. As a Luton Town supporter, there's no risk about any of us referring to you as a new dawner.
Nat
Roar Guru
Yes, sure, righto! *eyeroll
chris
Guest
Hey you're the one that started rattling my cage. I have no idea who you are or what sport you follow or what your opinion on anything is. I was replying to Col's excellent comment above, and then you decided to reply to my post.
BrisbaneBhoy
Roar Rookie
Interested as to why would/should an EPL team (or any overseas club) play one of their league matches in Australia?? Playing an "Exhibition match(es)/competition(s)" is one thing. An official league match is another thing altogether.
Mick
Guest
One of the big issues I believe is that Australians only like to watch big names. This is regardless of what sport you watch. Sports here with a national team, probably Rugby League excepted, always struggle with their domestic leagues. Cricket, Union, Basketball, Netball etc. If you look at AFL, the 2nd tier, VFL where I am, hardly gets a mention. I grew up in England and now live in Melbourne. My team, Luton Town, have in the last 15 years gone from the championship to the conference and back again. When I tell people I support Luton all I ever hear back is 'Why dont I support an EPL team?' And how I should because EPL teams are much bigger and more known players. Getting the big names to the A League is never going to happen. But how do you change peoples mindsets on watching lesser known players? Personally I enjoy watching younger players come through the ranks and develop but unfortunately not many people do. If we can come up with a way to change mindsets then the game will benefit in many ways.