OT: Association Football

[hindy111]

That is the problem.
The A-League is not the EPL.
The standard is actually ok imo, but so many people expect EPL quality. Why would anyone ever expect that?

And, that's the problem. The money isn't in the game here so our best players head overseas.
It leaves us with the dregs but also gives great opportunities for junior players to shine, who also then head overseas when they succeed.

The A-League is really in a no-win situation.
It's sad really, because it actually is a really good comp.
Not only that, but there are also only three true national teams in this country that are popular nation wide.
The cricketers and the Socceroo's and Matilda's.

I think people like myself have limited amount of time to watch sports. So when I do well it's mainly rugby league. But if I was to watch soccer then I would watch the best of the best. I don't expect it to be as good. I just don't have time to watch EPL and A league anymore but when I did have time it was EPL.
A league is a victim of streaming any sport in the world.

 

[Suitman]

I think people like myself have limited amount of time to watch sports. So when I do well it's mainly rugby league. But if I was to watch soccer then I would watch the best of the best. I don't expect it to be as good. I just don't have time to watch EPL and A league anymore but when I did have time it was EPL.
A league is a victim of streaming any sport in the world.

I understand that and your reasons for watching EPL.
All I was saying is that the A-League isn't as bad as people make out.
It is mostly Euro football snobs who completely refuse to watch it.
Maybe that is why it struggles here, because it sure isn't the fact of a lack of interest in The World Game.

 

[JokerEel]

Wow we suck against Syria tonight...

 

[84 Baby]

Wow we suck against Syria tonight...

We were so flat footed and timid. No one wants to move off the ball. Metcalfe and O’Neill certainly aren’t the answer. I didn’t understand switching Boyle and Bos in first half

 

[bazza]

I understand that and your reasons for watching EPL.
All I was saying is that the A-League isn't as bad as people make out.
It is mostly Euro football snobs who completely refuse to watch it.
Maybe that is why it struggles here, because it sure isn't the fact of a lack of interest in The World Game.

having teams that have been around for less than 20 years doesn't help
supporting teams in the other football codes has been in ground for generations

 

[hindy111]

I understand that and your reasons for watching EPL.
All I was saying is that the A-League isn't as bad as people make out.
It is mostly Euro football snobs who completely refuse to watch it.
Maybe that is why it struggles here, because it sure isn't the fact of a lack of interest in The World Game.

It struggles also cause of the media. It gets no exposure anymore compared to when the A league first come onto the scene. There was big names coming here even tho old it generated noise.
I'd also add that NFL and NBA have become far bigger players then they where 10yrs ago in Australia. I flicked the EPL for NFL cause as I mentioned before I don't have time to watch both.

 

[hindy111]

Wow we suck against Syria tonight...

Again media. I never even heard it was on. Needs more exposure.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

having teams that have been around for less than 20 years doesn't help
supporting teams in the other football codes has been in ground for generations

That's a fair point. I have a Chelsea jersey from 1998, and even back then they were an old club.

 

[84 Baby]

It struggles also cause of the media. It gets no exposure anymore compared to when the A league first come onto the scene. There was big names coming here even tho old it generated noise.
I'd also add that NFL and NBA have become far bigger players then they where 10yrs ago in Australia. I flicked the EPL for NFL cause as I mentioned before I don't have time to watch both.

Definitely. Soccer in Australia is about on par with rugby union in terms of coverage. The only reason it is probably slightly ahead is because soccer in general is more popular.
Paramount gave them a boost but 10 have failed to capitalise, which flows onto Football Australia.

Again media. I never even heard it was on. Needs more exposure.

I only realised it was on because I got email from Football Australia about the team list for the Bahrain friendly. I only got that email because my son plays soccer.
However Fetch also recognised the Socceroos as a set team recording

 

[bazza]

That's a fair point. I have a Chelsea jersey from 1998, and even back then they were an old club.

I would guess most kids today with an interest in soccer will probably have a dad who is more interested in NRL/AFL or Liverpool in England

 

[Suitman]

I would guess most kids today with an interest in soccer will probably have a dad who is more interested in NRL/AFL or Liverpool in England

I'm probably a rarity.
My kids had a dad who was most interested in NRL/A-League. They both still however follow my EPL team as well.

 

[Suitman]

It struggles also cause of the media. It gets no exposure anymore compared to when the A league first come onto the scene. There was big names coming here even tho old it generated noise.

I agree. It was absolutely flying high when the Wanderers first came into the comp. Del Piero and Shinji Ono were back page headlines.
Since then, a succession of CEO's under the FFA banner have destroyed it. Ben Buckley (formerly AFL) and then David Gallop (formerly NRL) had absolutely no idea of the culture of the sport and combined to destroy active support which is/was the lifeblood of its success.
It is now run by the clubs themselves (the APL) and for some reason they have done an even worse job running the sport. I just don't get it.
How they thought that it was a good decision to move the Grand Final to Sydney every year just beggar's belief. They have since changed that decision. That was a perfect example of people running the game that don't understand what has been successful in the past. This is just two examples as how home city Grand Finals worked -


It is the people in charge of the A-League that has brought it to its knees currently, and I honestly don't know how they can change it back up to its former glory.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I would guess most kids today with an interest in soccer will probably have a dad who is more interested in NRL/AFL or Liverpool in England

My little bloke recently asked me why he only ever sees kids in Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal jerseys around the place. Why not Chelsea and Man City? I explained that these red jersey teams were big when these kids' dads were young, so it's the family team.

Actually the club he plays for is dominated by Italians, so a lot of kids have Serie A jerseys, which is pretty cool.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

For all the Tottenham-is-my-second-team merkins in here, there's some very interesting analysis on YT. I have no idea how accurate it is but it is at least entertaining. I wish we had more of this on the NRL:

 

[84 Baby]

My little bloke recently asked me why he only ever sees kids in Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal jerseys around the place. Why not Chelsea and Man City? I explained that these red jersey teams were big when these kids' dads were young, so it's the family team.

Actually the club he plays for is dominated by Italians, so a lot of kids have Serie A jerseys, which is pretty cool.

The young kids now only want to wear Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe.
I hope those kids with Serie A jerseys only have AC Milan George Weah or Fiorentina Gabriel Batistuta jerseys

 

[Twizzle]

It struggles also cause of the media. It gets no exposure anymore compared to when the A league first come onto the scene. There was big names coming here even tho old it generated noise.
I'd also add that NFL and NBA have become far bigger players then they where 10yrs ago in Australia. I flicked the EPL for NFL cause as I mentioned before I don't have time to watch both.

it gets tons of exposure on social media, not just results, but updates

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The young kids now only want to wear Messi or Ronaldo or Mbappe.

So many Inter Miami shirts!

 

[84 Baby]

So many Inter Miami shirts!

Drake Callendar or Robert Taylor?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The Argentine

 

[Suitman]

3rd placed Wanderers playing at home vs 11th placed Perth tonight.
Just watch the Wanderers f**k it up.