Sometimes I wonder if Australian football has been slightly protected from some of the worst attitudes of humanity precisely because it isn't a world game.

It is already confirmed, again, that a solid block of the 'supporters' who invaded the pitch and attacked players are known to be part of ultra-nationalist groups. It has for a long time been a crippling problem for soccer in Australia where this type of 'supporter' creates boundaries rather than bridges; locking out new support because they lack authenticity rather than welcome newcomers. Not to mention, the grand old Chelsea tradition of getting hammered at the game then going out bashing Pakis for the night. Hashtag patriot.

Then, of course, there's that global worst-of-masculinity that is the soccer hooligan feeling entitled to go on idiotic rampage to 'defend the honour of their nation' after... what, an unclear but probably valid free kick? So you go trash an f'ing patisserie? Set fire to a gozleme stand? Wreak a terrible vengeance upon bus stops?

Actually, that made me think of a focusing of some people's comments about low scoring being a pressure cooker; that low scoring and the very high impact of free kicks in certain positions creates a critical moment of contention. If you're a thin-skinned insufferable entitled agro [censored] then those moments will completely send you tilted.

38 minutes ago, DEE fence said:

I lived in Fulham Broadway, and the first time I left my flat during a Chelsea home game I thought someone had invaded England, never seen so many riot police and and divvy vans with riot shields down, right outside my front door, was like the poll tax riots in Trafalgar square.

Yeah, it's an incredible sight if you're not used to that sort of thing. I've taken a couple of good friends back to Scotland on different occasions and we scored tickets at the away end of Easter Road for a game against Hibs. After the game (we won 4-3) we all had to wait until the ground emptied before we were all herded by a large contingent of police down a thin residential street with terrace houses lining either side for well over a mile to where all of the supporters buses were. It didn't help us because we were staying in Edinburgh and I'd parked the car back in Leith way past where the home end of the ground was. My mate, who used to think getting out of Windy Hill was hair raising was completely agog at it all. The look on his face throughout was priceless. There was no riot police though from what I remember. 

It's a fact that none of Rangers and Celtic, Hibernian and Hearts or Dundee / Dundee United can play at home on the same weekend in their respective cities as it would suck up all of their police resources. 

Aussie rules is a great game

and so is soccer

im not sure of the historical reasons but soccer the world over attracts thugs and hooligans. It’s unfortunate but won’t change.

best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced was the bombanero in Buenos Aires to see a Boca juniors league game. Maradona was there. The stadium was shaking and the chanting was nonstop all game.  The most uncomfortable I felt at a game was in the San Siro to watch United in the champions league. I was sitting too close to the Milan ultras. I was glad when the game was over and I got away unscathed.

It's an interesting thread.

I've never really enjoyed the game. Offside in soccer and NRL use to drive me crazy when playing it as a kid.

Get rid of offside and Widen the goals and it would be a great game but still couldn't beat AFL. But that's just my opinion.

Anyways, that's not the point of this thread. All sport can be enjoyed if it's skillful and two teams are giving it their all.

There's a cultural problem with soccer at the moment but I wonder if part of the fuel for the problem is money.

Money just compromises sports in so many ways. 

Selling off grand finals.

Umpires and players betting.

One long series of blaring ads at AFL games.

Sport being sold off to pay tv rather than free to air.

It's not an excuse for the behaviour on the weekend but the corporatisation of sport does nothing for growing the sport at grass roots level and looking after it's passionate supporters. If it feels like most major sporting organisations are just out to been their fans dry.

The problem has to be that the APL (Australian Professional Leagues, A-league) sold the grandfinal to Sydney. There was not enough consultation and being gently led down that path.

Fans are disturbed and disappointed. 

The active supporters lost control and surged.

Why did the City goalie pick up a flare and throw it back into the Victory's fans seating area. He should have just left the field and let the security deal with it. 

I am not condoning the actions, but it is best to placate and not incite.

Hoping they don't play games without crowds, though unless they change the decision of where the grand is played, more trouble may be brewing.

It is the peoples game and not the administrators (especially when decision are not supported by the majority and based on dollars). 

The APL could do much better popularising the game with more free to air games and as popularity increases so do crowds and money from the broadcasters. They have plenty of juniors playing, it just doesn't to translate into A-league support. Even internationals playing friendly games here get bigger crowds. I don’t think it is the quality of the A-league but how it it sold and presented by the APL. Selling out to Sydney is just another of their poor decision making.

Edited December 18, 20222 yr by kev martin

I have only scanned this thread ...... but my tuppence worth is ....

       I'll stick to real footy ( Aussie Rules)  and cricket ...... the rest can GAGF !!!!

 

Sokkah needs a draft 

As a lover of both games I was deeply saddened and angry with last night events. Football is the only sport that can make the AFL administration look like fools but when presented opportunities to develop the sport they simply fail to do so.

 

28 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

I have only scanned this thread ...... but my tuppence worth is ....

       I'll stick to real footy ( Aussie Rules)  and cricket ...... the rest can GAGF !!!!

 

Very multicultural of you!

5 hours ago, tilly18 said:

I regularly attended games at Stamford Bridge in the 80’s.

I have been a visiting fan at Green Bay and Arlington. I use these 2 because they are the only stadiums I have visited as a Niners fan.

There is absolutely no comparison between the atmosphere at the NFL and English football games.

Big cities in the US get to see their team 8 times a year. It is a major event.

The pre-game is an event in itself. Game day crowd participation is like no other sport in the world.

I’ve sat in the stands at Candlestick Park and just recently Levis Stadium and being at Stamford Bridge against another London club just doesn’t compare to what I’ve experienced.

Would be keen to know where you have been to to watch the NFL.

Weren't a Chelsea HeadHunter were you. 

9 hours ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

I think that perhaps people that may have grown up watching and / or playing football before being introduced to Aussie Rules at a later age have a slightly different take on what makes a great atmosphere. For me it will never be one team chanting Melbourne when they score a goal followed by the other team chanting the name of their team when they do likewise for two hours, backwards and forwards. Even with 80,000 in the ground it has always felt a bit lame. A bit like attending an NFL game perhaps. Lots of woohoo's and high fives which is all very civilised but nothing compared to the feeling of taking up one entire end of a stadium with your own tribe singing non stop for 90 minutes. Trust me, the two aren't even close. 

One problem with crowd segregation however is that it creates a lot of false bravado, particularly with the minority of people that want to emulate some the stuff they see in Latin America and Europe that has no place in our country. What happened last night was a disgrace and has set the game here back years I think. It was only a few weeks ago that the 'supporters' of an ethnic backed state league side in Sydney were giving nazi salutes. There's no question that The City Football Group (PLC) should be awarded the 3 points and Victory should have to play their next 2-3 games behind closed doors and pay a large fine. Security also need to be taking games like these seriously as there is no way either set of fans should have been able to take flares inside the ground. What possessed the city keeper to throw one back into the crowd I have no idea. 

Funny though how these morons think it's OK to throw flares into the crowd at fed square,resulting in young kids facial burns, but one gets turfed back at them and they riot. Week as possible.

1 hour ago, demonzz said:

Funny though how these morons think it's OK to throw flares into the crowd at fed square,resulting in young kids facial burns, but one gets turfed back at them and they riot. Week as possible.

You are dead right. I wouldn't possible on them if they were on fire!!

Yeah, “the beautiful game”…..

Remember the energy and excitement of the 2018 Elimination Final against Geelong?

It’s not a patch on the emotion attached to the world’s best football rivalries.

Went to the North London Derby at Arsenal a few years back, and there was just an immense wall of sound for 90 minutes.

My Spurs got rolled 4-2 but it was one of the best sporting experiences of my life.

Have travelled to Europe twice just to watch Tottenham play, and while I’d love to see the Old Firm in action, my next soccer sojourn will be to Argentina to witness the bedlam below 🕺🏽

 

Soccer Victoria are not putting any money in soccer. NSW are putting in massive amounts of money. Victoria are not competing that's why NSW has everything in soccer the Grand Final and more teams in the competition. Money talks in soccer especially. When you have that you will always get disgruntled supporters who just want to fight. 

16 hours ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

Ummmm, no ‘gotcha’ moment I’m afraid. I suspect this thread was set up to feed the ‘I can’t stand soccer’ brigade among us which is fine. Knock yourselves out. My game is better than your game. Whatever. 
 

I saw the topic of discussion being specifically related to the fans that follow football and my comment related to that. I’d love to be able to create the sort of atmosphere you see up and down the UK every weekend at the G but how can it be done without the sort of scenes we witnessed last night. Solve that one and the Nobel peace prize is in the mail. 

Rab that's like saying if you don't have events like the disgrace on Capitol Hill you don't get President's like Donald  Trump.

You surely can't claim Sat nights response to an A League decision is just a result of the oozing passion of a football ( soccer) mad crowd and should be tolerated as it's in bred in the sport and part of its culture.

And furthermore if you can't or don't like the AFL crowds level of passion please take yourself back to the mother country (or Europe ) and relive  the next red blooded football created war which ends up being a blot on society to fans and especially children who genuinely love the sport.

Your dose of "Demon Spirit" seems vastly opaque and in need of a recharge. 

Fantastic World Cup final

The AFL has changed it's rules/interpretations more than any other game, in order to make it more appealing, and yet people still bring up the argument that it's the most exciting game in the world.

My thoughts on watching a Soccer game is the same as watching an AFL game. You get some good ones and bad ones. But the atmosphere at a great soccer game is unrivalled.

The issue at hand has got nothing to do with the game itself. It's seems like it's a combination of some poor administration decisions, and a bunch of morons. 

Deducting points from clubs is a start, and banning flares is a must.

9 hours ago, Grapeviney said:

Remember the energy and excitement of the 2018 Elimination Final against Geelong?

It’s not a patch on the emotion attached to the world’s best football rivalries.

Went to the North London Derby at Arsenal a few years back, and there was just an immense wall of sound for 90 minutes.

My Spurs got rolled 4-2 but it was one of the best sporting experiences of my life.

Have travelled to Europe twice just to watch Tottenham play, and while I’d love to see the Old Firm in action, my next soccer sojourn will be to Argentina to witness the bedlam below 🕺🏽

 

you go to a soccer game just to witness the crowd?

wouldn't it be better to go to a demonstration, a riot, a bull fight,  or a music festival, to let your hair down?

Man I'm tired..

21 hours ago, DubDee said:

Cmon. If it wasn’t entertaining or exciting people would lose interest over time. Its a beautiful game full of skill and technique and can be played by people of any size. I’m biased as I love the game and played it for 20 years so I understand if others don’t get it

Billions of people like McDonalds too. Just yesterday I saw a huge queue at a McDonalds' drive through.

I find soccer to be an abysmal spectator sport. It's slow, mostly one way, lacks intensity, and generally lacks excitement. You see lots of matches end in a 0-0 scoreline, so it's no surprise when a bunch of losers with a half chub resort to madness. In my experience attending matches, and some have been EPL years ago, the crowd is more exciting to watch than the game itself. Says a lot about how boring the sport is to watch that I had more fun watching some loony chavs getting [censored] up! You could make a case that the Mexican waves, flares, fights etc are partly due to how slow and dull most soccer matches are. People get drunk and without something to focus on or enjoy, they start causing trouble.

What happened the other night and at a lot of soccer matches is way beyond that though and is more of a social problem than the sport being a poor one. For generations we've seen young males cause serious trouble and start riots at these sorts of events. A friend of mine attended an EPL match about a decade back. He was completely impartial, no supporter colours, general seats, sober. For whatever reason some fights broke out near him and sitting in his seat he wound up as collateral, got king hit in the back of the head and suffered a fracture in his skull from his head hitting on the way down. When that's even a possibility, let alone an outcome that regularly happens at these events, then you know society is stuffed. The world is too kind to trouble makers these days and without harsher punishments, these life-spuds will keep taking the [censored] knowing they'll get away with their ****ty behaviour without consequence. 

The World Cup decided by a penalty shoot out. There is no more damning criticism of the game than that.

5 hours ago, BDA said:

Fantastic World Cup final

When was that? 😋

23 hours ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

Ummmm, no ‘gotcha’ moment I’m afraid. I suspect this thread was set up to feed the ‘I can’t stand soccer’ brigade among us which is fine. Knock yourselves out. My game is better than your game. Whatever. 
 

I saw the topic of discussion being specifically related to the fans that follow football and my comment related to that. I’d love to be able to create the sort of atmosphere you see up and down the UK every weekend at the G but how can it be done without the sort of scenes we witnessed last night. Solve that one and the Nobel peace prize is in the mail. 

There's no way aussie rule fan would sing for the entire game.
Far too much relentless action for that and the game moves on quickly.

Soccer fans may as well sing "Boring .... Boring" for an hr and a half.
Cause that's what they're actually doing when they sing their songs.
Same with the flares.
No entertainment on the ground.
May as well bring their own.

Edited December 19, 20222 yr by Fork 'em