A-League of their own

As is often the case on Friday night I drink too much, and too quickly. This Friday past this behaviour resulted in a long, vocal and ill-advised argument about the threat, or lack thereof, that soccer poses to the glorious game of AFL. This has got me thinking – now slightly more rationally than on Friday night.

Its important to disclose that have long been a fan of the round ball game, and will admit to standing* more than once in the outer at Bob Jane Stadium in the torrential summer rain or scorching heat watching the boys of the blue and white flog their guts out. Yes that right, I am South Melbourne Hellas Supporter. It is also important to note that the greatest years of my obsession were the most successful years in the club’s long history. We won two grand finals, took part in another and frequently found itself near or at the top of the table. South Melbourne Supporters expected results.

I feel that this gives me at least a little authority with which to say, The football SUCKED. It was bad, defensive, boring to watch and the structure of the competition was dissatisfying to both players and supporters. But what else can be expected of players who train twice a week and spent the rest of their time behind the counter at the local servo? The clubs frequently lost money and the only publicity the league ever got was when the mounted police were called in to stop a riot or there was particularly spectacular flare thrown against the night sky (news is all about the pictures after all). For god sake, patrons were not allowed to keep the cap of the soft drink bottle they bought just in case they then used it as a missile!

So, it is with a healthy amount of scepticism that I approach the A-league. I will concede that many of the worst problems encountered by the old competition have be solved. For instance the clubs and competition now have money. They have a healthy, wealthy backer with lots of rich friends who are now willing to clubs’ calls. The TV deal and the sponsorship packages the NSL only dreamt about are now a reality.

Their web pages are flashy and attendances** are way up. Undoubtedly the game is a much healthier package. But is the soccer any better?

A quick survey of the team list finds that many of the old NSL coodabeens are still running around, and now they are backed up by washed up old international players coming trying to eek another years salary out of the game. And then there is the ridiculous media exercise of the ‘trio from rio’. So how much has really changed on the park? Is the football good?

I am willing to reserve judgement on the skill level of the games until I have seen more, but I fail to see how this competition can come close to the heights of footballing skill that supporters came to expect over the course of the World Cup. Until it does that, how can it possibly challenge AFL as the ntional game?

*As there was no seating yet installed
**at the first round of the season attendances were:
NZ 7,000
VIC 15,000
SYD, 19,000
PERTH 20,000