Post by cigan1996 on Sept 8, 2011 16:42:24 GMT 10
FORMER Bonnyrigg White Eagles star player Milorad Simonovic doesn't mince his words when it comes to the closed-gates situation.
"It's a disgusting atmosphere to play in," he said. "It's anti-football. As footballers we know that safety is important but we also need supporters at our games," the centre mid-fielder said. "We have no one to share the highs and lows with. It's taking the feeling out of a true footballing atmosphere."
The two clubs say they have learned from the experience and are ready to reopen the gates to their fans.
But it looks like Football NSW is not about to change its position, even though it has been reviewing the situation every year since 2009.
"We never say never but we will continue to review it," a spokesman said.
White Eagles president Jovan Prlic said he was "happy with the way things are and glad no problems have arisen in the last few years".
"I want supporters at the games and so do Sydney United but at the moment we aren't prepared to risk anything," Mr Prlic said.
Sydney United chairman David Rezzo said having no fans through the gate had also hurt the club financially.
"We lose about $35,000 per derby," he said. "We'd love to get 3000 to 4000 supporters at the game but Football NSW doesn't want to hear about it."
At the time of the incidents in 2005, the then-Liverpool police commander Superintendent Mick Plotecki told The Sydney Morning Herald "such flare-ups are as often excuses for bad behaviour as nationalist anger".
"The thing is when you get these kids individually there's no hatred," he said.
And fans of both Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Sydney United — many of whom live in the Liverpool and Fairfield regions — agree.
"I've played with Serbs, I've got Serb friends and we get along fine," said Ivan Kovacevic, a Sydney United fan.
"It's just a group of hooligans from each side creating problems."
* Nikola Pozder, who spent two weeks at the Champion as a journalism intern, is of Serbian background.
"It's a disgusting atmosphere to play in," he said. "It's anti-football. As footballers we know that safety is important but we also need supporters at our games," the centre mid-fielder said. "We have no one to share the highs and lows with. It's taking the feeling out of a true footballing atmosphere."
The two clubs say they have learned from the experience and are ready to reopen the gates to their fans.
But it looks like Football NSW is not about to change its position, even though it has been reviewing the situation every year since 2009.
"We never say never but we will continue to review it," a spokesman said.
White Eagles president Jovan Prlic said he was "happy with the way things are and glad no problems have arisen in the last few years".
"I want supporters at the games and so do Sydney United but at the moment we aren't prepared to risk anything," Mr Prlic said.
Sydney United chairman David Rezzo said having no fans through the gate had also hurt the club financially.
"We lose about $35,000 per derby," he said. "We'd love to get 3000 to 4000 supporters at the game but Football NSW doesn't want to hear about it."
At the time of the incidents in 2005, the then-Liverpool police commander Superintendent Mick Plotecki told The Sydney Morning Herald "such flare-ups are as often excuses for bad behaviour as nationalist anger".
"The thing is when you get these kids individually there's no hatred," he said.
And fans of both Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Sydney United — many of whom live in the Liverpool and Fairfield regions — agree.
"I've played with Serbs, I've got Serb friends and we get along fine," said Ivan Kovacevic, a Sydney United fan.
"It's just a group of hooligans from each side creating problems."
* Nikola Pozder, who spent two weeks at the Champion as a journalism intern, is of Serbian background.
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