Mike, given the largest NPL clubs are historically ethnically based, South Melbourne will be a viable force with active supporters (after all Melbourne is supposed to be the 3rd largest Greek city in the world). However, aside from the Croatian based clubs who else can bring anywhere near a regular crowd of 4,000. I come from an Italian background. Soccer provided a meeting point and focus for recent immigrants.
I attended Many Juventus games with 4.000 people but those days are long gone. The largest ethnic groups coming to Australia now are Chinese, Indian and Filipinos and they are not soccer lovers. Even AFL would struggle with a second division of Dandenong, Liverpool and west Adelaide. Look, I’m not saying stop this, but let’s be realistic, the A League first div. is all we have to rely on for a full time , professional Australian football league. We need to keep focused on that.

As you said Stuart, the World Cup will be a huge success with big attendances. I’ve got dozens of people ready to attend, even having missed Matilda’s tickets. Unfortunately, channel 7 as a broadcaster is a disaster. It’s the AFL channel and it will sink the WC coverage. In regards legacies, FA should be demanding millions $ in infrastructure improvements and support for women’s soccer. anything less will be a lost opportunity and a shambles .

My proposal is to have Canberra and Wollongong or Auckland prepare to enter the A League for 2024/5 and that MacArthur and Western United are given twelve months to arrange a suitable transition and cost transfer. Yes, both MacArthur and Western are competitive but they lied in their applications about growing the game, building suitable venues, establishing strong football cultures and helping the A Leagues viability. Get rid of them so we can reset.

Harry, 100% correct. Canberra will have 7-8000 members and have regular crowds of 6000+. It should have been Canberra instead of MacArthur or WU but Gallop wanted another Sydney/Melbourne team. Now, given the GF fiasco/ Victory supporters implosion/ drop in viewership it all becomes a mute point unless we get some incredible circuit breaker (Ronaldo playing in the A League for example).
Anyway, your points are all valid.

In regards Victories finances, As I responded on Mikes post, if a club with 22 thousand members is in trouble, then forget professional soccer in Australia.

In regards our team, I think Miranda is a fine defender. I regret we rely on Broxham but we have no choice. I think Marchan, Brillanti, Nani and Fornaroli are duds that are past their best years. That’s Popovics fault. Getting out of this mess will need some better January recruiting, sticking with some talented youngsters (where’s Lleyton Brooks for gods sake) and getting fans back and cheering.
Unbelievably, We are in big trouble at the club. Those 100 morons that invaded the pitch might just be the final nail in our coffin. It may lead to us missing the finals, losing big money and having the club sold to private equity. Man, this is such a sad predicament for the formerly best club in the A League.

I love summer soccer. I love the A League. Yes, games shouldn’t be held before 5 pm in January and yes, camera’s should preferably face the bulk of the crowds and yes, the GF decision was a disaster. However, for all that, This rounds games were all watchable, attacking affairs. Is the A League stuffed, who knows? My Victory team is falling apart I fear. An article in the AGE suggested we are near broke! How can a club with 22 thousand members be broke?
So I’ll enjoy it while I can and hope that enough people care about professional soccer in Australia to keep it going for a few more years.

Dear Mike and fellow football supporters, I am a 16 year Victory member. I love the game and my team. To say I was destroyed by what happened on Saturday would be an understatement. After sleepless nights worrying about the result of this mess I’d just like to make the following points. 1. I and the thousands of Victory members who are not part of the fanatics should not be barred from attending games. 2. The assailants and trespassers (150 or so) seemed intent on causing trouble. Photos show hardly any of them wearing Victory tops etc. they are thugs and should be charged as criminal trespass and assault. 3. Honestly, I don’t care anymore about where the GF is played. If it helps save the League then so be it. JUST CONSULT US NEXT TIME! 4. No fanatics at Melbourne games back of goal. Set them back and make sure they don’t have flares. 5. We’ll justify a fine. Lose some points and move on.
I know that thugs DO NOT represent my club and the vast majority of us supporters. I would gladly take my grandchildren to a Victory game. I love the A League. Let’s try and learn from this and rebuild.

I’m a Victory member and have been to all our GFs in Melbourne. Yes it’s a scramble to get GF tickets at short notice but this decision won’t change that. I think compulsory Sydney based GFs is a mistake but I may attend if Victory is involved. While The extra funds are useful the local excitement will be decidedly diminished if it’s two non NSW teams. Look, I’m not going crazy upset about this but it does isolate and feel like a slap in the face for the non NSW supporters.

Delighted is a perfect word to describe our World Cup effort. My apologies to Arnold for bagging him. He got most things right in this World Cup. The Socceroos scored in open play in each game. Amazing. We won two games with clean sheets. We got within an inch of going extra time with Argentina. I’ve really enjoyed the ride. I remember watching Australia in 74 when we didn’t score one goal and ended with one point but still thinking it was fantastic just being there (only 16 competed) but I also thought that this would be the start of the amazing growth in Australian football. Never happened. So now I just appreciate our national A League for its competitiveness and skills and i enjoy these great Socceroos achievements every four years. Aussie Football drains, excites, frustrates and exasperates you but I still get drawn to it and love our Socceroos for World cups like this one.

I’ve written many comments on the Roar football page over the last year about how Arnie is a terrible coach and that we won’t make the World Cup under his management. This is my public apology Graham. You are a genius and you have made the Socceroos a fighting and passionate football outfit. Win or lose against Argentina I am so proud of the boys and you. Well done ????????.

Mark is 100% correct. Ten years ago Australia was an equal soccer power in Asia with Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea. Now look at us. One reason for the decline is the lack of junior development and senior game time. Why? Because it costs a fortune. As Mark said, I couldn’t imagine my parents forking up the money that’s expected today to play in a soccer team. Solution is a mixed model. The FA puts in a few million of the WC qualifying money to subsidise junior (12-16) development and State/Fed government subsidise kids sporting activities (including soccer) to stop them getting lazy and fat. In the lead up to the womens WC, Start with junior female soccer participation and broaden the scheme from there. We need more of these millions of young kids progressing from tiny tot/ junior soccer to become our next Matilda’s/Socceroos.

Fair ratings Stuart.
I thought Behich was our best but an 8 may be a bit high. On Cummings, I was a supporter initially of his inclusion but after watching his awful last CCM game I was very concerned. My concerns were unfortunately correct. He was just terrible when he came on. Here’s hoping for a better effort by the boys against Tunisia.

Nice piece Texi. Well done to all the supporters over there. Let’s cheer on our boys and make this World Cup a joyful and exciting occasion.

I though Kyra Cooney-Cross was BOG. Raso and Polkinghorn also excellent. We can’t win without Gorry and Kerr. It was an excellent game bar the abysmal shooting. We can’t afford continually missing easy goals. Well done anyway.

Positive article Stuart on a positive weekend of A League action. I watched three A League games on paramount and the Matilda’s on Ten. Does my paramount viewing get counted anywhere in the stats?

Fantastic effort Kevin. Congratulations ????????

Roberto, well detailed.
What has happened to the lost tens of thousands? Well, I know of about five or six Victory regulars from around 2011/12 who no longer attend games. They don’t watch A League at all. Just moved on and lost interest. They have NO knowledge of paramount+ and Ten Sunday games. I haven’t replaced them.

How do I get those people back? Don’t know other than tell them of Paramount + and encouragement.

Also, We have huge junior participation, tell every single u/10, u/12/u/14, u/16 team manager to get their kids to take out a cheap paramount + subscription and tell them of channel ten. Watch it.

Also, Get Ten/ Paramount to buy other soccer/cricket or basketball competitions. Viewers need a broader offer. And damn, I couldn’t believe TEN Losing the Womens World Cup to 7! WTF! This was insanity by ten. 7 are barbarians with soccer. The WC is being played during the AFL season for Gods sake, they will relegate it to 7 Mate and suppress the whole comp!

Finally, I agree that soccer will survive here but I want that amazing and sometimes breathless surge of supporters and interaction and discussion that we had going back ten years ago. It was unbelievable, and sadly, maybe we never get it back.

As always, I support you Mike and add my regular call to scrape the VAR. in regards the crowds, I have no magic solution, however I make a few observations. The commentators here on Roar are tifosi. We love and support the game but the occasional supporters need to see what is happening and in that regard the mainstream media, who previously gave the games some big support (Guardian, Age, ABC, SBS ) have just abandoned soccer. No mention anywhere. Yes, channel ten is giving us support but they are not viewed enough, so how do irregular sports lovers know about the A League. Even some of my Victory member family don’t know when games are on or who’s playing. I’ve become incredibly disillusioned with the ABC and Guardian etc for their deliberate ignorance. Maybe the WC may get them to start telling others about this great local game, but I’m not holding my breath.

Thank you Mike. Thank you. I’ve been arguing the same point for years. During the 20/21 pandemic we had no VAR for the tail end of the season. No issue except Referees seemed more eager to do their job. Please Mr Townsend, GET RID OF VAR.

Tremendous effort by Sam to be considered third best in the world. I honestly think that top spot will elude Sam until she leads a Champions league winner or (hopefully) World Cup finalist.

I thought Arzani was outstanding today. Didn’t see Cummings but happy for him and Kuol to be in the Socceroos, in place of Mclaren. Mclaren (and Taggart) cannot score for Australia. Only other A League players with any chance are Leckie and Goodwin. Unfortunately Tilio, Brimmer and Nabbout have missed their opportunities.

Great result. I agree with others about Vine and Grant developing into solid back ups for Raso and Carpenter. Funny how we win well without Sam. I again agree, we are too Kerrcentric, others have to be given the opportunity to attack. Finally, thank God for Gorry and Katrina’s decision to get back to football straight after having her Bub. Gorry is a marvel.

I watched three games (city v WU, Bris v Mac and WSW v Glory).
I was out Saturday so missed my team, Victory, but watched the replay.
I saw the tail end of the Well v Adelaide game.
My analysis is:
City v WU was a good game. I agree Mike about VAR. shove the VAR into the garbage bin. Leckie was outstanding and worked his arse off. Tilio disappointing.
Bris v Mac was ok. Bris seem to have the same problem as last year, goal scoring, Austin seemed to be trying too hard to get teammates into goal scoring opportunities. Armiento and Hingert were very good. O’Shea is good but his set piece balls were terrible!
MacArthur had post cup blues. No go. However, Arzani is still a great player.
I thought the WSW v Glory game was aweful. WSW are totally disjointed. Glory are a non entity. I so wish both luck. However, given Glories early away games and no home ground they will struggle. WSW need I don’t know what, they have some great players but just don’t seem interested. I think Rudan may be another dud!
Can’t comment on Phoenix’s or Adelaide but the Victory v Sydney game was great and I’ll definitely be at the Victory game this Saturday. Go Victory.
Overall a great start to the A League season. A few more goals and less rain and we’ll be well on the way to a fantastic year.

I think Johnson is doing a great job. The A League has more resources and sponsors than for the last 12 years. We have more A League men and women free to air than ever. Yes, we are a few high profile imports short but the returns like Arzani are fantastic. What we need are the supporters to join a club and attend. Go Go A League.

Just because they have rude, obnoxious, racist, threatening thugs overseas doesn’t mean we want that behaviour here. It wasn’t “ a few” bad eggs. That sound of boos, nazi chants was from hundreds ( if not thousands) and from younger Croatian fans ( who have clearly learnt this behaviour from their ancestors). Terrible behaviour and the club should be banned from the cup next year.