I’ve been away for the past two weeks, on a relaxing holiday up the Great Ocean Road. I tell you what, trying to get the pub in Lorne to play the Melbourne - Osaka match was an ordeal.
“Socca? Are you serious? That’s not a real sport.”
Yahda yahda yahda. In the end, I managed to catch the first 60 minutes of the game before the pub closed up. By then, Melbourne were down 2-0 and looked hopeless. Gamba Osaka controlled the game and the Victory rarely looked threatening. It’s disappointing to see Melbourne crash out of the ACL with two rounds of the group stage left to go, but I have to admit that Gamba Osaka deserve their lead.
While I was gone, here’s some news I missed:
- 2nd Melbourne team may join A-League in 2009-2010 season
- Carlos Hernandez to be ready for Chunnam game?
- FourFourTwo also posted a great round-up of next season’s A-League squads, as they now stand.
ps. Thanks to Peter, who wrote the preview of last week’s game. Too bad his hopeful tip for the game didn’t eventuate!
6 responses so far ↓
1 Astri // May 1, 2008 at 12:46 pm
It looks like the second Melbourne team in inevitable…I must admit I am coming around to the idea. Of course I am worried about diluting our massive fan base but if we look at the big picture the league needs to expand to grow. I will not support the new team but I hope it is a NEW team and not Hellas dressed up as a new team. Not that I hate Hellas, I just don’t want to lose Hellas fans that are currently Victory fans. The new team, based in South Eastern suburbs, will not effect me because i’m WESTSIDE and quite happy to support Victory till I die. A local derby sounds inviting…it might just work if it is done properly. I’m sure there are a few fans who are sick of Victory and its persistence with Ernie but if they wanna jump ship then they are not real supporters anyway. As the game grows and more people follow Socca, then there will be plenty of fans in Melbourne to strongly support 2 teams. I just hate the idea of old Melbourne boys like Dukes returning to Melbourne…but possibly not playing for Victory. But I suppose competition is better than a monopoly and it should drive the standard of football in general up and increase our salary cap restrictions.
2 Philip // May 2, 2008 at 11:19 am
I agree with Astri - any expansion must be a NEW team. No recyling what hasnt worked before. If an existing club thinks they can be big in the A-league and delivery a supporter base then why arent they being supported now! We only need new clubs without baggage and with new energy.
That said, a second team in Melb would be a good thing. I will never stop supporting Victory but a second team might wake up the Victory management to find a real marquee player, treat all their members better, get some STRATEGIC football expertise on the board level and all-in-all “pull their finger out”.
Monopolies never bring out the best in people and Melb need someone in their own back yard to give them a wake up call. Geoff Lord must be joking saying Melb shoud have a 10 year exclusive period (so they can sit back and not be challenged)
Also, as a football lover, it would mean matches every week in Melboure, greater media exposure for the game all around, a local derby, and more overall matches for all A-league clubs which must be a good thing.
Financially its do-able as the clubs could all be given a greater share of the next TV rights (which could be huge) to keep them profitable and grow the salary cap for better overseas players to be brought in to raise the standard.
The success of the A-league needs to be built on and the momentum maintained and expansion is a necessary step.
3 new tactix // May 2, 2008 at 7:21 pm
“hear, hear!”
You have my vote.
Bring on a new team from Melbourne. It will create a great sense of Derby and competition, not to mention a-league games in melbourne town week in week out.
The key to this though is a new team and not a rehash or repackage of what is essentially an old team. This is important on two levels: i) to maintain the integrity and credibility that the FFA has built for the game in just 3 short years and ii) ensure the new team will have a value proposition that reaches the broader melbourne audience - not just football fans but the neutrals as that is how the sport will be able to grow.
The neutral public are are still wandering and curious about the game, whereas the anti-football public (no names or codes will be mentioned) are just waiting for an excuse to say “I told you so…. (insert common phrases here)” or “See it is really just a game for… (insert typical stereotype here)”. So to be sure that we convert the neutral base to regular viewers or even members to the new club (or preferably MVFC) and more importantly ensure that the a-league doesn’t just reaffirm the anti-football folk and media of their predjudices and perceptions that FFA ensures that this team is truly a new one especially when it comes to adminstration, financial backers, supporters and most importantly corporate sponsors. If we want the likes of nab, anz, citibank, ford, vodafone, etc to sponsor the new club or other existing clubs this new team has to be part of the new model not the past.
The formula for growth (G) is basically:
G = Corporate Sponsorship + Television rights + Marketability + crowds + Game quality + skill levels + CREDIBILITY
From this growth comes larger salary caps, then better profile and quality o/s players and as you can see each the game just keeps building itself.
So not only (to Philip’s point) does the a-league need to build on its current momentum it must build on its current credibility to continue growing.
Also, I will support victory till I die, I just hope that with an extra team we become the manchester united and the new team becomes the manchester city! Of course we would have to get rid of Merrick first!!!!
4 clayton // May 3, 2008 at 11:11 pm
don`t know if i get the whole “new soccer”, “old soccer” divide …
frank lowy is old soccer. and so are a lot of other top people in “new soccer”
if one of the old NSL teams is the best bid on merit, i figure let em in.
5 Astri // May 4, 2008 at 11:30 am
You are right in saying that Lowy is old Soccer. For that reason, Sydney FC which is obviously the old Sydney City Hakoah dressed up, has failed in regards to crowds. If Sydney had an all inclusive team to start with then I’m sure their crowds woild be much bigger but they have alienated the United, Olympic and Marconi fans from the team. Thats why I think I new stand alone fresh team in Western Sydney, as long as it does not allign itself with a particular NSL club, will crush Sydney FC. We do not want a repeat of the Sydney FC mess, the team must have NO baggage!
6 peter // May 5, 2008 at 2:56 pm
The new melbourne team sounds exciting as a mvfc fan. It will be good to see a local derby.
I also heard that the team will be based in south, south-east region of melbourne meaning that melbourne might eb divded into two.
As a west sider it dosent effect me but im just worried that there might be an enthenic divide as well….
ohh well thats just my opinoin
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