How can the APL convince casual fans the A-League Men is worth supporting?

Problem is we keep expecting free coverage from media platforms that are invested elsewhere. The APL and individual clubs need to starting paying for regular full page adds Generate content and pay to have it published on that page...every week. Fairfax and co will run content if the APL pay for it, Revenue is revenue for them. Plus, they go where the cash is. If people demanded more content from them, and they see money to be made from that content, I have no questions they would run football content. They do not care a jot for the sport of Rugby league ior AFL. They are motivated byt the "foot traffic" those codes generate. That is why they run only the bad news in football, because all other codes love a football hooligan story and will buy the paper to read it. It is the same "victim" mentality football suffers from when crying out for government funding for facilities, stadiums, homes for Socceroos, AIS......... At some point FA and the state federations need to realise that if they do not put up, no one else will. Perry Park is prime example. Everyone in Qld knows this is the best location for a proper boutique stadium. FQ need to be working with FA to raise the funds and do it themselves. If Strikers want to dig their heels in and not play ball, FQ need to pull a "Sunny Coast Fire" on their A$$ and pull rank dishing out sanctions on the club in order to stop them from hindering the development of the game for the whole state. When will we stop being a product of our circumstances, but rather our decisions.

SS now you're just being silly.

Gus: im not familiar with you as a (possibly because you've just popped up) but i'll give you a response i wont bore you with my history of the professional sport in australia, but lets talks womens football (ive told the story here many times) a little over 24 months ago i was asked to apply for a high performance position with the australian womens national team. my work with there male counterparts needs absolutely no introduction so it made sense given my track record that my name was suggested i never even applied for that position (and i was contacted on 2 separate occasions in the space of a month). The reason i never applied was because i felt i couldn't provide them with what they were looking for, because my care factor for the womens version is not the same as the mens. its as simple as some people like fords, some like holdens. but unfortunately in todays day and age, when you against the popular mainstream view you get labelled for it. eg. just because i dont support womens football im instantly labelled as sexist or misogynistic. you dont agree with taking the knee before sport starts or the traditional land owner greeting - you're labelled a racist. see where im going?

No he doesn't get under my skin, like I said I respect your opinion as someone with knowledge, eg your youth analysis is 2nd to none with inside knowledge, however, some of your other opinions I consider you just a punter like the rest of us with opinions. Eg Mauk, I counter you with Jackson Irvine, he's the incumbent Socceroos No 8, one of Arnie's fav, he captain of St Pauli's, on the verge of the Bunesliga, he shows everything you mentioned about Mauk but much more; *all facets of leadership *natural aggression in the centre of the pitch which australian sorely misses (if you want to be successful in international football you have to control the midfield) *offers a serious box to box threat with assists, goals and defending. Connor Metcalfe also has those attributes & is also ahead of Mauk IMO. I'd even have SFC's Luke Bratten, who also has those attributes, but a greater passing range ahead of Mauk. Josh Nisbet, another one ahead of Mauk. Calem Nieuwenhof, maybe lacking the leadership, but way ahead on the skill level is another I would have ahead of Mauk. So that is my point. I give you the respect on youth football, but topics, like women's football, east Coast Bias, your views on global football & Stefan Mauk, I think it's only opinions without the inside knowledge.

mauk really gets under your skin doesnt he? :stoked: ive known the player since he was 12, hes someone i consider a close friend - even taking that out of the equation, you cannot statistically dispute what i wrote. over the PAST 3 weeks (you misquoted me, i clearly said past 3 weeks - nothing more than that) there is not a better performing australian #8 playing professional football in the country. if there was an international game this weekend, i guarantee you no matter what country it is (brazil, spain, france, germany) they are picking him based on his form. (which should always be the deciding factor on selecting for the national team, but we all know arnie doesnt select like that) in terms of if he would be suitable (which i never actually said) we would find that out if he was brought into camp and how he trains with the squad and listens to the coaching. hes got 3 underlying qualities that the australian national team misses in the middle of the park. *all facets of leadership *natural aggression in the centre of the pitch which australian sorely misses (if you want to be successful in international football you have to control the midfield) *offers a serious box to box threat with assists, goals and defending. regardless of your personal opinion of the player, those 3 attributes australia does not have currently. and one again for about the 5th time, i have never said he was the answer - ive merely given reasons why he is an option that at the very least needs to be put into camp. (from there its up to him) but just like another of my former prodigys (stamatelopoulos) who is dominating the local competition - he has never even been give a courtesy call as to why he has never been called. arnie is not well liked in south australia (and most other parts of the country, except in NSW) its one of the main reason why he will never ever be an international coach - he cant even do the fundamentals

And this is where the media plays a big role and why we are so far down at the bottom of the pile with not much light coming through :football:

Cannot agree more.

Sydney FC only had 1 afternoon game this year and one 5pm match how many games would really be ruled out because of a clash with a 2;30pm club/social game, I think that is just an excuse, unless the side your friends team follow have a stack of daytime matches.

Best example I know is in uk when Wimbledon ground shared with crystal palace and then relocated to Milton Keynes and became MK Dons, original Wimbledon fans resurrected the old club from scratch and built it up and got into the league. The hatred of my dons remains strong!

Why A League? How about because it is something to talk about?! My son played NPL WA as a 16-17 year-old before a serious injury stopped him in his tracks. Football was all he was interested in though school teachers did try and tempt him to AFL. Even though he was as good if not better than his peers he only had a passing interest in AFL and cricket. I grew up playing a number of sports but AFL and cricket were always essentially ubiquitous. I love sports so I followed them. My interest in AFL faded when my kids came along, most of my interest shrinking to just Finals games. However, my son and I have both been sucked into the AFL universe in recent years because our friends talk about it and in my son’s case bet on it or engage with tipping competitions. Of course we need more and more people playing and making a living from the beautiful game but if you want to get its following to another level you have to tip the balance on the number of people talking about it against the numbers following the talking points courtesy of the AFL/NRL/CA politburos.

No argument there Grem - I only originally suggested that for regulars to keep turning up they need an attachment to one of the teams on the park - in many cases it probably does grow over time - my g f was only there under sufferance at first but she loves WSW now (and me I hope!) Cheers mate

Agree that too many individuals at club and football organisations ( state and national federations, APL) have a narrow, agenda driven focus. This is often detrimental to interests of the sport more generally. It is disappointing to read and hear from those that are clearly heavily invested in the game when their comments are detrimental to so many others involved in the game. Unite and grow the game.

Perhaps your previous comments on women's football, if they exist, might explain why you have this attitude. But without that knowledge, I would say that your comment has more to say about you than women's football. Apologies if my reading between the line is off the mark!

I feel that the attachment you talk about just grows over time. The start is often irrelevant.

Yes because of your knowledge & expertise on youth football I decided to watch Mauk much closer, because he doesn't grab me. He's a good no 8 at A-League level. Best no 8 in the country, not even close, but hey you like the rest of us are allowed your opinion, if he was the Socceroos no 8 we are in a whole lot of problems.

Yes, I remember both South Melb and Fitzroy fans doing that too. I would never have done what they did because it makes zero sense to me, once your club is relocated/rebranded that's it, it's all over imo. Can you imagine that happening in the Aleague e.g. the Jets or many years ago the Mariners (many were advocating their licence should be relocated elsewhere)? I reckon 99.9% would not support the relocated/rebranded club.

because it goes against the mainstream view of womens football Marcel. remember you cant say anything bad about womens football these days :laughing: :silly:

you mean that stefan mauk who has been the best #8 in the country over the past 3 weeks (2 man of the match performances as well) from a statistical point of view? if used correctly (which he has been) he is one of countries premier midfielders – especially when it not scared of voicing his opinion east coast bias in the a league is real, its always been there when it comes to decisions of the league as whole, officiating and salary cap (absolutely no different to any big in europe in a league) as for the serbian footballers comment – that was in relation to multiple players that australia missed out on because they were not contacted. i could’ve easily have used croatia, england, germany as any other example

just like your mate Christo the To@#er, the anger in your posts speaks volumes, are you incapable of accepting tangible evidence irrefutable criticism?

why do you choose to go on the offensive and not accept that AFL has more issues than a rehab clinic. It's in the media, Grem has given you plenty of tangible evidence, so why do you choose to take the offensive stance you are taking, if you can explain that to me, it might be a learning experience for both of us