Olympic a club with balls

[denpaokala]

Welcome to: The Real Game

I’d like to open up by saying welcome to www.therealgame.com.au. Many of you will remember me from the Australian and International Football soccer Weekly (formerly Australian & British Soccer Weekly) before the historic paper went on an indefinite recess.

So much has happened in the game down under the last three months from State League, Gay Leagueto a failed Would Cup bid, unfortunately they all carry a similar tone to them and that is of a fail which as football fans in Australia we have come to get used to, dare I say – unfortunately.

Firstly, Football NSW’s bid to move to a summer competition back fired when (who else) Football Federation Australia (FFA) knocked back the idea. That didn’t really surprise me, it was a bold move by FNSW which I hoped would happen but when you don’t let the FFA know what your moves are before hand, expect an unwelcome answer.

From what I have seen since the start of “new” soccer era in 2005 anything before that gets NO look in but what disappoints me more is lack of “balls” by many NSW football clubs to stand up and say “we want a summer competition”. Only one club stood up to Frank Lowy and his army of “yes” men and I say well done Sydney Olympic for doing so. Standing up for your club and fans seems to have being forgotten in Australian football but for some brave me/clubs.

At the same time, with a summer competition in Victoria looking to go “regional” many football fans in Australia who support historic and popular clubs like South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights, face some depression as they see their clubs being over looked as per usual in place for another franchise type competition to run under the A-League.

This brings me to the premier league down under – the Hyundai A-League.

The league has gone through an up and down season. On the field the football has arguably being the best we have seen while off the field the dramas continue with clubs like North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United facing some tough times added by declining crowds which I find rather interesting.

I for one am and never was sold on the whole new franchise approach; we have seen the long term effect once again. Crowds went to games in the league’s early seasons but the whole Gay Leaguebuzz has really come to a shattering holt in season 6. Reigning champions HAKOA saw some warning signs early on at the Football Festival with three other international clubs on hand crowds struggled to hit five figures, things have not improved in the league games with 8-5,000 proving the norm. Let’s not talk about Gold Coast’s crowds but the glamour club of crowds, Melbourne Victory have also hit the four digit world.

It will be very hard to pick these numbers up unless some “outside the FFA square” thinking comes into play. This can happen if what myself, Craig Foster and many other football lovers hope for happens. We get football people in control of the game.

Now to the World Cup bid. From favourites to out in round 1 with one vote. What happened? Australia cried murder. Off course we would, we were under the impression we would win the bid by several outlets proclaiming us as odds on favourites and some young players and their families were almost guaranteed their kids would be on the field for Australia in 2022.

Reality hit again as millions of Australians had their hearts shattered as they witnessed my Sepp Blatter pull out Qatar.

Now from the looks of it there were some behind the back hand shacks but Australia could not expect to win a World Cup with absolutely no football of any shape or form in their presentation. Instead we had an ad for Australia staring a cartoon Kangaroo, Paul Hogan and Kathy Freeman who didn’t even say anything. The least we could have done was use these people to talk about their connection with football and if they couldn’t they should not have been part of this.

It also proves that we need Football people in the FFA. It’s bad enough the division that exists in Australia between old soccer and new soccer, what’s a bigger problem is new soccer, be in the stands, corporate box or actually running the game don’t see the pain past football fans, players, coaches and managers feel. There is a hug market out there that can help the almost depressing state football in Australia finds itself in but we are run by an organisation that refuses to reach out to real football fans and likes to make the outer ring look bright and shiny while the inside work goes to their liking that pleases some fans along the way but not all fans and in a country where football can use all the help it can get football in Australia needs all football fans behind it not just the new.

TRG Editior
Greg Gavalas

By Editorial on 13/12/2010

www.therealgame.com.au/blogs/Editorial/3/welcome-to-the-real-game

[sweeper]

Greg, I just didn't like the way the Gay Leagueadministrators tried to run over the top of the traditional and the 1st ethnic soccer clubs. I'm mean all of them, not just Olympic. They treated the long time supporters of these clubs second rate and still do. They can't expect people to turn off their feelings. Especially the older generations, it's more than being a club supporter, it's also their heritage. Somewhere to go with people of your own kind. Now, my generation grew up with these oldies and I myself remember many Sundays at Wentworth Park and Pratton Park with my father and the relo's. Now my kids feel the same way. When I first saw the Syd FC strip, I thought, Sydney City ( Hakoah ). I couldn't stand them. There was no way I was going to follow them. I believe this is the opinion of many soccer fans in this city especially the ones with ethnic roots. I don't even like the name HAKOA. It has no appeal. They missed the mark with that as well. Ask any kid who they follow in league and they will say " Eels. Tigers, Rabbitos. What is FC. They would have had more luck if they called it Sydney Fish + Chips if you ask me. Also their marketing and advertising of games, days and time is very poor. In my opinion only, the atmosphere is also more comfortable in state league because their is no or minimal alcohol sold. The above is just my opinion and I'll probably get canned for it but I'm open to all ideas about improving soccer in this country. I call it soccer still because here in Australia the big media love to hijack the word football and confuse everyone.

[paoktzi]

sweepet we are all on your page here, we have our club and that is olympic.

we will never follow one of our fiercest rivals and the constant media brainwash of follow sydney city because its good for the game we will not tolerate anymore

[anothermp]

agreed HAKOA doesnt represent any of us its a hollow club that does nothing for the development of players in our sport, or for the betterment of the game generally.

why should i go follow them when it is the aim of the people that created them to kill clubs like ours off?

why shouldnt clubs like ours receive funding when teams like HAKOA are bleeding millions of players fees in funds?

why should I support an FFA that has neglected a century of football culture and history for the sake of short-term gain, AND EVEN THEN has failed to make money out of the exercise? they are probably writing it off tax purposes all the while being hailed as the saviours of Australian football

get farkedddddd

[sweeper]

anothermp, your last two words says it all and that's how most of the Sydney soccer family feels.

[paoktzi]

Olympic in the main stream again

au.fourfourtwo.com/news/191404,the-key-to-sydney-success.aspx

EXCLUSIVE: Second tier clubs like Sydney Olympic sense there is an opportunity to play a role in underpinning Sydney Gay Leagueclubs in the future, say club bosses.

With the vacuum created by the Sydney Rovers axing, there has been much speculation about who will bid for the second, now vacant, Sydney Gay Leaguelicense.

It’s unrealistic for NSW Premier League clubs such as Olympic and Marconi to find start-up investment and sponsorship required for an Gay Leaguefranchise bid (around $5m).

However, with vast junior development structures already in place and growing at clubs like Olympic, Marconi, Manly and Sydney United for example, they provide a ready-made solution for potential Gay Leaguebidders who don’t already have those networks in places.

Not only does such a partnership provide a link with the game’s past but those networks also provide potential new players and, perhaps most vital, a ready-made fan-base of junior talent.

Sydney Olympic director and secretary Peter Phillips told au.fourfourtwo.com the club have begun engaging with lower division clubs in their catchment area and have just launched a first-ever women’s super league side.

Olympic sees a market of around 3000 players they can potentially engage as they look to widen their support base through these latest measures.

“It’s not just an issue of putting $5m on the table – that maybe the easy part though still difficult. The hard part is to maintain a critical mass and going forward and building on it and ending up with a tribal fan situation in Sydney," he said.

In a city where the only Gay Leagueteam is pulling crowds of under 10,000 Olympic’s vision of playing an under-pinning role is food for thought. And with grassroots numbers booming, a community approach to Gay Leaguejunior club structures is one solution.

“We’re happy to be involved in a process that underpins the teams available – we are more than happy and we believe with what we have, are more than capable," he added.

“We take a long-term view and that’s to bring more and more crowds. Our ability to be around to this very day is because of our crowds.

“We don’t have TV or a club with poker machines, so we are focused to bring our fans in. So it’s about also getting fans from that lower division level.”

The NSW Premier League kicks off a week or so after the 2011 Gay Leaguefinals series following an about-turn by FNSW prompted by FFA.

While a number of clubs such as Olympic supported the move to summer, they are now readjusting for winter.

But with reform in the air at state level following the FNSW presidency campaign by former NSL player Kimon Taliadoros – himself a one-time Olympic striker – there is guarded optimism about the future of the second tier of football in NSW.

Phillips added: “In principle, we support reform that give clubs like ours opportunities to be involved in the future.”