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Alistair Nitz

Roar Rookie

Joined August 2012

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Live the dream with a sporting tour across Europe watching cycling and football

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Is this for real? I am not going to re-prosecute my point about futsal as we have a difference of opinion. I will make one last point as I am not a going to waste anymore oxygen on it. I wanted to make the point that why does not futsal have a voice on the governing body? Especially since the FFA can determine its funding. The Socceroos have a voice through the FFA. Women’s football need a voice too. I am glad you have a vested interested futsal. It is a fun game.

Feel free to google Brisbane Roar and financial troubles and you will find all the evidence you want. Even their own supporters group wanted the team owners removed.

You asked for evidence on Adelaide. I provided it. They were forced to pay player superannuation or they would have been sanctioned. So I am wrong or you just wear blinkers! Because financially strong clubs don’t make their player payments.

Are you telling me that Central Coast Mariners have a strong balance sheet? When was there last marquee player? Which big name players did they recruit last year?

The PA deal to China was totally different. That was aimed at tapping Chinese sponsors given crowded Aust market. PA had a $4million budget to put on the game. What did CCM have for the Canberra games? They did not even make it a long term relationship because they could not get convince the ACT Government to provide additional funds to play games in Canberra this season and beyond.

You should be careful when you are calling the kettle black.

What is happening to football in this country?

I am glad you are history buff, but I do not understand your first point about 1974. I was making a reference about Australia qualifing for the WC in 2005 for the first time since 1974. I was not complaining about the Socceroos performance in 1974.

What is happening to football in this country?

It is too early to suggest that the football academy run by the clubs will be a more successful model than the CoE. What we do know is the FFA shut down the centre of excellence to save money and put those costs on the clubs

What is happening to football in this country?

Nemesis we will have to agree to disagree on.

But I will make one last statement don’t you recall that Australia was number one in test cricket and also one-day cricket less than 12 months ago. Didn’t Australia come second in the World Cup of rugby league.

Oh and that smacking Bangladesh going to Australia. The test series was drawn one all. Come Nemesis, get your facts right 🙂

What is happening to football in this country?

Chris you were the one who said the article was written by someone whose favourite sport is AFL. It is like saying just because someone likes AFL they can’t have an opinion about football.

What is happening to football in this country?

Chris, The central premise of the article is the FFA is distracted from the key strategic issues because it is so focused on getting the governance model that it wants rather than the governance model that the game needs. As a result there are growing problems with in football in this country. If this continues then it will have trouble trying to grow the game.

The article is not about why the a league is in a threat to the NRL and the AFL. That is only why I only included one line. However if the governing body continues to be distracted then it will have trouble screwing the game and therefore it won’t be a threat to the NRL and the AFL.

What is happening to football in this country?

I can’t respond to your comments Nemesis so I will include my retort here.

1. That was an opinion and I refer to the women’s announcement in my article. It was not a strategic plan but announcement of collective bargaining agreement. Therefore your are wrong.

2. Professional football is where national sporting bodies secure their greatest resources to fund the game at the grassroots level. The AFL has $2.5 billion to spend. The FFA has $346 million over six years. AFL and NRL has better average crowds. I do not believe my opinion is wrong.

3. Australia did not automatically qualify. It now needs to play Syria and then fourth place Team from CONCACAF. I may not have step eloquently but I did not say anything factually incorrect. I did not say they did not qualify. I said they did not automatically qualify. That is a discreet difference.

4. I provided evidence. The FFA shut down the FFA Centre of Excellence this year. Head coach was Tony Vidmar and has been in operation since 1981. Again you are wrong as I provided evidence.

5. The FFA have had years to develop a blueprint for expanding the competition. That again is an opinion. Nothing wrong with that.

6. Because the game is bigger than just being played in the capital cities. I was factually correct with my statement. We hold a difference of opinion.

7. Again my statement was not factually incorrect. Read what I said. It is about jumping ship with an organisation with lots of problems.

8. You said my article was full of factual errors. You have said so what. You hold a different opinion. You have not provided any evidence to suggest my statement is factually incorrect.

The a league expansion clubs are not being propped up by the revenues about the clubs they are in fact being propped up by the broadcasting revenue is that the AFL receives from channel 7 and Fox sport. So therefore I think your view is incorrect.

9. You are correct in this is one of my weakest statements given that Western Sydney had won the competition in its first year of trying. However I believe over the last few years I’ve only clubs have struggled and that was my point. In the 2017 AFC champion league No strain teams got past the first round of Brisbane and western Sydney came last in their group and Adelaide come third in the group. In the 2016 addition of the AFC champions league both Sydney and Melbourne we knocked out in the round of 16. I so again I do not believe I am factually wrong because I thought use the qualifier recent.

10. Oh well has Australia performed on the world stage in football both in youth competitions and in senior men. I’m going to go out on the limb here and I’m going to say that Australia has performed poorly at the youth level in recent years.

Your statement that you made is again just an opinion but it is an opinion which has no voracity. Given that Australia does reasonably well in rugby league on the world stage, the same can be said for cricket. In cycling we punch well above our weight.

I’m afraid Nemesis you’ve done nothing to disprove any of my statements and certainly I believe all my facts are correct. You have mistaken fax from opinions. So your statement ‘why have you included so many errors of fact’ It is because I didn’t and unfortunately I have disproved most if not all of your 10 points.

What is happening to football in this country?

I agree with you there Touchbearer. Canberra can’t get an A-League side up and when it did have an NSL side, the Cosmos could barely get 2,000 people to stadium. Canberra United is one of the most successful teams in the W-League.

What is happening to football in this country?

I live in Canberra Nick. I desperately want an A-League side here. The people of Geelong want the same. I see no evidence that Canberra will get an A-League side before Brisbane City does. That will further convince me that FFA prefers city derbies. It is where they get there highest crowds.

What is happening to football in this country?

It is not possible to like different sports? I have to be pigeonholed into supporting one sport. Be real this Australia where most people like a range of sports. It was not a positive story because I don’t like how the FFA runs the game in this country.

Btw, I like motor racing too and I can’t wait for Bathurst weekend.

What is happening to football in this country?

Sorry Chris, I do not understand how that statement belittles the argument.

Football has the most participation of all sports in Australia. Particularly at the grassroots level. That does not convert to the top competition. Where does A-League average crowds sit compared to average AFL or NRL crowds. A disappointing third place.

Compared broadcasting ratings between the three sports. Again the A-League comes in third place. And broadcasting revenues. Over $2 billion for AFL and NRL over six years compared to FFA’s $346 million.

When is the A-League going to expand its competition. It needs to expand if it wants to increase fans across the country. It can’t be just in the capital cities.

Therefore, how is football a threat yo NRL and the AFL? Really. These are the sports that the FFA is fighting for the entertainment dollar. Isn’t it?

What is happening to football in this country?

Yes please. I can’t help if I have had a long interest in the sport.

It is an opinion piece. They are my views. If I am wrong I am happy to be corrected. That is the objective of Roar Sport.

What is happening to football in this country?

It is interesting how you say that Futsal does not representation on the FFA Congress because it is represented by the States bodies. Why have women representation as the state bodies look after women’s football too. The State bodies obviously not doing their job given the Futsalroos had to pull out of international tournaments this year because the FFA withdrew funds to save money. It may not have happened if Futsal had representation on the governing body. Were you aware of that?

Re financial condition of A-League clubs. I would not say Central Coast Mariners have a strongest balance sheet. Would you? Why do you think they were selling home games to Canberra last season. Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United have had their own recent troubles as well. Only April this year Adelaide United faced sanctions for non payment of players superannuation. There is your evidence you wanted.

You may not have an issue with FIFA/ AFC involvement. But do you want them running the game in Australia? Not exactly an ideal outcome. If you thought it was no big deal, why are there only two recent member countries that have had the normalisation committee running there domestic game?

There were plenty of articles at the time of the awarding of the broadcast deal to Fox Sports about how the money would be spent. How the FFA wanted more from broadcasters. Feel free to google it. Why do you think clubs want increased representation on the FFA Congress. To have a say on how football is run. May be how funding is distributed.

And where are the FFA blueprints for expanding the A-League competition? It suppose to be out February this year if I recall correctly.

What is happening to football in this country?

It is always easy to run out the line that an author is non football person. Not that I need to argue my football credentials with you, but I will. I participated in the Crawford Review into football 16 years ago including attending a discussion on summary of the report’s draft finding in the ACT chair by David Crawford and Johnny Warren. Been involved in grassroots football for many years, including participating in the development of the best training model for children. My son is a referee and plays NPL football. Been attending grassroots games at NPL for the last four years. I have watched EPL games, Serie A and Serie B, Coppa Italia, friendly games between Italian and Spanish clubs over last 25 years. And Europa Leagues games as well. I have been a member of Central Coast Mariners. I was in Sydney when Aloisi scored his penalty to take Australia to its first World Cup. I think it qualifies me to write about football in this country.

What is happening to football in this country?

I agree with you Hawkeye. However if the media played a more active role in covering women’s cycling than it may lead to an increase in commercial investment which will start to close the gap.

It will take time to close the gender pay gap in cycling

You raise very valid points Sam. I understand that individuals in cycling receive different salaries and the winner’s pay check differs between races. This occurs in most team sports. Bryce Gibbs earns more than Charlie Curnow.

However, unlike other sports, the gulf between men’s cycling and women’s cycling is huge. Some of that is reflected in the difference in the stages of the course between female and male cycling. For example let’s compare Marianne Vos’ winnings and salary compared to Froome or even Sagan. I suspect there is no comparison.

I understand the reason behind the difference. The media can, and should, play a more active role. Then suddenly we might see the gap change.

It will take time to close the gender pay gap in cycling

I had a crack at Orica because I think that they effectively pushed out Matthews for GC glory. That clearly has not worked. Sure, the white jersey is a good result. But Orica has done worse than last year. Adam Yates finished fourth in a field that still included Pinot, Valverde and Porte.

Should Orica-Scott have done more to keep Michael Matthews?

Thanks for the feedback. It was a very interesting article by Rupert Guiness suggesting that Matthews may be part of the Dumoulin team for a crack at Le Tour push next year. I certainly think is is very capable in that role. But I am sure he will want to defend his jersey. I can certainly see the french teams wanting Barguil in their team. Will he leave? Good question.

Should Orica-Scott have done more to keep Michael Matthews?

Fabio Aru claiming the yellow jersey was the best thing possible for Le Tour. It might suddenly boost the interest level, which could be best described as dull and boring until last night. Watching Team Skybots attacking to try to reclaim the jersey and Astana trying to defend the yellow jersey will be exciting to watch. That said, Froome’s tactics may be just wait to the next TT stage to reclaim the yellow jersey and the race will continue to be a yawn fest.

I have to admit, the Giro was 10 times more interesting than Le Tour at the halfway mark. And it only got more interesting as each stage went by.

2017 Tour de France: Stage 13 preview

I can’t say how long that it has been in place for, except for a long time. Richard Moore talks about it in his book about Slaying the Badger. if Simon Yates was wearing the yellow jersey at the time everyone would slow down for him if he stopped for a nature break. But being in seventh place and 2.02 down, you can forget about it. It is up to his team to bring him back to the peloton.

It is a competition, not a gentlemanly ride around France

In the past I agreed with the respect of the yellow jersey. My view has shifted significantly the other way. It is a competition after all.

It is a competition, not a gentlemanly ride around France

You could argue that Jan was only repaying the favour from either the year before or a couple of years before when Lance waited for Jan to recover from a crash if I recall correctly.

It is a competition, not a gentlemanly ride around France

I agree that one of the elements of a grand tour is to stay healthy over the three weeks.

There is nothing to suggest that Dumoulin expected the peloton to go slow while they were cruising in between mountain climbs. In fact he stayed with the peloton while he would have been experiencing stomach cramps before the emergency stop. My issue is why the three riders did not wait for him like they do under normal nature break conditions. Rather they just attacked him at that point.

Lets be honest, he would not have performed at his best while climbing the umbrail pass even after his emergency stop. They could have attacked him there. Making it a fairer competition.

Giro d’Italia: Poor sportsmanship or just changing times?

LOL. It was a magically experience watching him win. And I am even Dutch. I just did not want to Nibali or Quintana to win after their display of poor sportsmanship.

Giro d’Italia: Poor sportsmanship or just changing times?

Ajay

I agree with you statement about the lack of cycling culture in China. I feel that is all about to change with Wanda Group’s involvement. Just like Australia, it has taken from Phil Anderson to Cadel Evans to build a large cycling population and culture.

The rise and rise of Asia in the world of cycling

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