Well, Monday night was another dissapointing night in my history of watching Australian matches. Not that the match was terrible, which, from all accounts it kind of was, but more the fact that I could not access this game on free to air television. Ihad reached my internet cap, so couldn't stream the game (not that I would, anyway, or anything) and wasn't able to leave the house to watch the game at a pub, if there was a pub in my area that actually played the game, that is. I had to make do with a radio broadcast on local radio ABC 612am in Brisbane, which actually was quite a good broadcast featuring Steve Austin and Ernie Merrick on the call. Ernie even fielded some questions at the end of the boradcast which was a nice touch.
As much as I enjoyed the broadcast of the game, the thing that's been niggling at me for the last four odd years is why can't I watch the national team on free to air television? It's not just me asking the question either, one look at Twitter last night would have seen many posts from people bewildered as to why the game wasn't shown on free to air television.
Now, I know there are many positives with the deal that FFA have with Foxtel, and I know that this is truly a dead horse, but the anti-syphoning list is coming up for review, and I'm hoping beyond hope that this means that, at the very least, we get the national team games back, hopefully on SBS, but I would also be fine with it on OneHD. What would be fantastic would to get, say, an A-League game per round, or even a highlights package show, similar to what the ABC & then SBS ran for the English Premier League during the '90s. What wouldn't be so fantastic would be for the game to be solely on free to air, as I don't think there's enough airspace to accomodate it just yet, plus, you really don't want to see the likes of Channel Seven's treatment of the NSL to happen again.
If you aren't aware of the debacle that was Channel Seven's treatment of football in Australia is covered quite well by Les Murray in his 2006 memoir, By The Balls. In the chapter titled Iran, Murray discusses the move of the NSL from SBS to Seven, "Football - then, as now - had a desperate need for prioritized free to air television exposure. Only that would deliver the kind of market penetration an underdog like football needed. If Seven was going to do that, as SBS had done for so long, well and good: so be it. But Seven had no such intentions, for all it's expenditure of $23 million. The tradegy was that David Hill (then chairman of Soccer Australia) did not demand any commitment from the network in addition to the dollars. Asked about programming commitment at the press conference where he announced the deal, Hill answered: 'Seven is a reputable television station and I won't tell them how to suck eggs when it comes to their programming strategies', or words to that effect. Seven paid the money but proceeded to bury football. It broadcast some games on it's Pay TV arm, C7, but virtually nothing on its free to air network. The National League, then called the Ericsson Cup, dissapeared from free to air screens. On SBS, this competition had enjoyed a one-hour package at 8.30 on Sunday evenings - the prince of timeslots - simply called the Ericsson Cup. But once Seven took over the rights, Ericsson got no exposure. Within a year, the company walked away from its sponsorship of the National League. Football was once again buried: a second-class sport in a country where it was a second-class citizen. Soon, the football community woke up to the deception - to having been sold down the river - and a movement was spawned with the catchcry: 'Nobody Screws Soccer Like Seven'. Its stickers are still visible on telegraph poles around Australia's mainland capitals. Australian football, for all intents and purposes, dissapeared from TV screens and its television hibernation was to last seven years."
That was in 1998. It's now 2010 and we still don't have the national league on free to air television. Hats off to Fox for their coverage and support of football in Australia, because they truly have been doing a great job, as has the ABC with their coverage of the women's natIonal league games, and of course SBS and their continued commitment to the world game. The new player, OneHD have been doing a fair job withe their World Football News show, but their coverage of both the Bundesliga and Serie A left a little to be desired.
With Australia's current anti-siphoning list ending in December this year, here's hoping for, at the very least, a return to free to air screens for the national team, and at least one game a week from the A-League. There are already promising signs, with Senator Conroy easing the current list to allow SBS to show all of the games of the 2010 World Cup live and free to air. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this is only the beginning.
There is something you can do, check out online petitions like http://www.keepsportfree.com.au/ and let the government know that the current situation just isn't good enough by writing to your local member.
25 May 2010
21 May 2010
Not So Friendly
Coming up on Monday night is a friendly game against two teams that used to be in the same confederation, scrapping against each other for qualification to the World Cup. There's also the "Trans Tasman" rivalry that has been going on between the two countries for as long as I can remember. Yes, it's Australia vs New Zealand, but it's going to be more than a meaningless friendly.
Battle lines have already been drawn, with NZ striker, Rory Fallon, saying that, "When it comes to playing Australia, all bets are off. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few injuries. I don't think anyone is going to hold back against them. I'm certainly not going to hold back."
Comments like this are probably to be expected any time Australia play New Zealand, especially when the two countries major sports include two forms of Rugby, so it's not really surprising to hear these sort of comments, almost like playing to a majority Rugby audience to sell them on the game being played "hard" with a level of "intensity" they would come to expect from games between the two countries in the Rugby codes.
The comments, as unsurprising to me as they are, are a little dissapointing considering both teams are heading to the World Cup. Not that you expect any favours, and you also want the game to be played as it normally would, but for an injury to occur to either side in this game would really put a dent in the lead up to the cup.
One Australian who was less than impressed with Fallon's comments was Vincenzo Grella, a stand out player for mine at the last World Cup. Vince replied to Fallon's comments with the following, "I am disappointed, it's a man's game and it should be played in a man's way, but I would never wish it upon any of the New Zealand players to get injured. That would be something shocking. For him even to be thinking about things like that is very unprofessional. Maybe he is trying to ruffle the wrong feathers."
Grella followed these comments up with a similiar response to them that I had, "There are things that some players get caught up into maybe not having a lot of experience with the media or with this type of football. I know there's a rivalry there and both teams want to win and play well before going off to the World Cup, but the last thing I would want is for players to be getting injured. Maybe what he said was twisted around. I hope he didn't mean it that way."
The interesting thing about all this is that it's got other people talking about the game, people that probably wouldn't have been too worried about "some pointless soccer game" are putting their two cents in, and not just because of the comments from the two players, but just the dimple fact that it's Australia vs New Zealand, it does get people interested. Sure, there's the World Cup bandwagon element, but I think a regular game between the countries would be healthy got football in this region, something that could be built upon in years to come.
At the end of the day, no matter how impressed I was watching the All Whites qualify for the cup, here's hoping we crush those Jandal wearing, LnP from the chilly bin drinking, Perky Nana eating, sheep shagging Kiwis!
Battle lines have already been drawn, with NZ striker, Rory Fallon, saying that, "When it comes to playing Australia, all bets are off. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few injuries. I don't think anyone is going to hold back against them. I'm certainly not going to hold back."
Comments like this are probably to be expected any time Australia play New Zealand, especially when the two countries major sports include two forms of Rugby, so it's not really surprising to hear these sort of comments, almost like playing to a majority Rugby audience to sell them on the game being played "hard" with a level of "intensity" they would come to expect from games between the two countries in the Rugby codes.
The comments, as unsurprising to me as they are, are a little dissapointing considering both teams are heading to the World Cup. Not that you expect any favours, and you also want the game to be played as it normally would, but for an injury to occur to either side in this game would really put a dent in the lead up to the cup.
One Australian who was less than impressed with Fallon's comments was Vincenzo Grella, a stand out player for mine at the last World Cup. Vince replied to Fallon's comments with the following, "I am disappointed, it's a man's game and it should be played in a man's way, but I would never wish it upon any of the New Zealand players to get injured. That would be something shocking. For him even to be thinking about things like that is very unprofessional. Maybe he is trying to ruffle the wrong feathers."
Grella followed these comments up with a similiar response to them that I had, "There are things that some players get caught up into maybe not having a lot of experience with the media or with this type of football. I know there's a rivalry there and both teams want to win and play well before going off to the World Cup, but the last thing I would want is for players to be getting injured. Maybe what he said was twisted around. I hope he didn't mean it that way."
The interesting thing about all this is that it's got other people talking about the game, people that probably wouldn't have been too worried about "some pointless soccer game" are putting their two cents in, and not just because of the comments from the two players, but just the dimple fact that it's Australia vs New Zealand, it does get people interested. Sure, there's the World Cup bandwagon element, but I think a regular game between the countries would be healthy got football in this region, something that could be built upon in years to come.
At the end of the day, no matter how impressed I was watching the All Whites qualify for the cup, here's hoping we crush those Jandal wearing, LnP from the chilly bin drinking, Perky Nana eating, sheep shagging Kiwis!
20 May 2010
My Football History
Considering most people who will be reading this have no idea who I am, I thought I'd give you a bit of an idea about how I came to follow the beautiful game that is football. I was born and raised in the lovely city of Ipswich, which is in the state of Queensland in Australia. Ipswich has a rich football tradition, but for me it revolved around two specific teams, St Helens and Coalstars.
My Godmother's son played football for St Helens, and I had friends at school who played for Coalstars, and in grade one I was really trying to get my mum to take me to a sign on day. It never happened, and I've never played football, outside of a park kick about. At the time I thought it was to do with the coaches swearing, as I'd overheard a conversation with my mother and one of her friends. It wasn't until years later that i found out it was the amount of travel that was involved with playing football in Queensland in the early 80's that ruled it out for us, and instead I had many years playing hockey (field hockey, for those of you more familiar to the ice variety) as my dad played, and was able to take me to games, which never really travelled further than an outer suburb of Ipswich.
Another teams I remember from those days was the Dinmore Bushrats, mostly because of the comical rendition of a Bushrat kicking a football that appeared on a t-shirt that many kids at my school wore, so I've got fond memories of that team as well, even though I never saw them play.
Living in Queensland, I was also quite interested in the sport of Rugby League, and followed the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the then NSWRL (the mostly national competition) and Ipswich Jets in the QRL (the Queensland competition). Over the years, and with the removal of South Sydney from the national Rugby League competition, my interest in the sport waned, and I focused more of my attention on to following football. I had decided at this stage that Arsenal would be my team in the English Premier League. I don't really have an answer as to why this would be the case, I remember seeing the logo on a jumper in primary school, and thought it looked cool, I remember playing Sensible Soccer and playing with a team featuring Denis Bergkamp who wore red shirts with white sleeves (which was probably Ajax) but then found him playing for Arsenal in the EPL, so for whatever reason, the red and white team from North London became my team.
My first World Cup exprience was staying up late to watch the games in 1994 at the US. For some reason I'd taken an interest in the Republic of Ireland, so was following them during the cup, and hoped good things were to come for them. They were eventually knocked out by the Nederlands, a team who I have also had a fascination with for many years, and one that I associate football with deeply, thanks to my uncle being of Dutch origin.
I'd taken an interest in the domestic game here through the Brisbane Strikers, but only attended one game, which was the NSL Grand Final for the 1996/1997 season against Sydney United which Brisbane duly won 2-0. I remember this was the first time I'd been to a proper football game and it didn't take me long to suss out where the fun was to be had. There was a caged area that housed the very vocal Brisbane supporters who were standing, dancing and chanting for the whole game, and I quickly made my way on the then terraced section of Lang Park towards this crazy mob. What ensued was my first real taste of active support, and I followed this up at the Australian friendly later that year when Sweden came out to play. Again, the small but vocal Australian mob were situated behind the Sweden fans, and a lot of singing and banter was had, which turned into a great night out. I can't remember the result, but I do remember being excited by seeing "Spider" Kalac on the field, i think I thought he was pretty good at the time, I also think I had some kind of ambition as a Goalkeeper, or maybe I've just got a soft spot for the position.
I tried to keep up with the NSL on the various television channels that it appeared on after that season, but it became increasingly difficult, and not knowing anyone going to games I eventually lost touch with the domestic game and focussed back on the EPL which was easily accesible on SBS at the time. I'd been following the domestic game whenever I could through any form of media, and in 2003, after the Crawford Report had ended Soccer Australia and the National Soccer League, from the ashes rose Football Federation Australia (FFA) and in 2005, the brand new Hyundai A-League kicked off, and I've been following the ridiculously named Brisbane (previously Queensland) Roar ever since.
I haven't missed an Australian national team (aka Socceroos) match in Brisbane since this time either, and ran a brief radio show on community radio.
This was a really long post, but hopefully it gives you a bit of an idea as to where I'm coming from, and why I'm doing this blog.
Thanks for reading, and you can follow me on Twitter @leaveforthecup
My Godmother's son played football for St Helens, and I had friends at school who played for Coalstars, and in grade one I was really trying to get my mum to take me to a sign on day. It never happened, and I've never played football, outside of a park kick about. At the time I thought it was to do with the coaches swearing, as I'd overheard a conversation with my mother and one of her friends. It wasn't until years later that i found out it was the amount of travel that was involved with playing football in Queensland in the early 80's that ruled it out for us, and instead I had many years playing hockey (field hockey, for those of you more familiar to the ice variety) as my dad played, and was able to take me to games, which never really travelled further than an outer suburb of Ipswich.
Another teams I remember from those days was the Dinmore Bushrats, mostly because of the comical rendition of a Bushrat kicking a football that appeared on a t-shirt that many kids at my school wore, so I've got fond memories of that team as well, even though I never saw them play.
Living in Queensland, I was also quite interested in the sport of Rugby League, and followed the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the then NSWRL (the mostly national competition) and Ipswich Jets in the QRL (the Queensland competition). Over the years, and with the removal of South Sydney from the national Rugby League competition, my interest in the sport waned, and I focused more of my attention on to following football. I had decided at this stage that Arsenal would be my team in the English Premier League. I don't really have an answer as to why this would be the case, I remember seeing the logo on a jumper in primary school, and thought it looked cool, I remember playing Sensible Soccer and playing with a team featuring Denis Bergkamp who wore red shirts with white sleeves (which was probably Ajax) but then found him playing for Arsenal in the EPL, so for whatever reason, the red and white team from North London became my team.
My first World Cup exprience was staying up late to watch the games in 1994 at the US. For some reason I'd taken an interest in the Republic of Ireland, so was following them during the cup, and hoped good things were to come for them. They were eventually knocked out by the Nederlands, a team who I have also had a fascination with for many years, and one that I associate football with deeply, thanks to my uncle being of Dutch origin.
I'd taken an interest in the domestic game here through the Brisbane Strikers, but only attended one game, which was the NSL Grand Final for the 1996/1997 season against Sydney United which Brisbane duly won 2-0. I remember this was the first time I'd been to a proper football game and it didn't take me long to suss out where the fun was to be had. There was a caged area that housed the very vocal Brisbane supporters who were standing, dancing and chanting for the whole game, and I quickly made my way on the then terraced section of Lang Park towards this crazy mob. What ensued was my first real taste of active support, and I followed this up at the Australian friendly later that year when Sweden came out to play. Again, the small but vocal Australian mob were situated behind the Sweden fans, and a lot of singing and banter was had, which turned into a great night out. I can't remember the result, but I do remember being excited by seeing "Spider" Kalac on the field, i think I thought he was pretty good at the time, I also think I had some kind of ambition as a Goalkeeper, or maybe I've just got a soft spot for the position.
I tried to keep up with the NSL on the various television channels that it appeared on after that season, but it became increasingly difficult, and not knowing anyone going to games I eventually lost touch with the domestic game and focussed back on the EPL which was easily accesible on SBS at the time. I'd been following the domestic game whenever I could through any form of media, and in 2003, after the Crawford Report had ended Soccer Australia and the National Soccer League, from the ashes rose Football Federation Australia (FFA) and in 2005, the brand new Hyundai A-League kicked off, and I've been following the ridiculously named Brisbane (previously Queensland) Roar ever since.
I haven't missed an Australian national team (aka Socceroos) match in Brisbane since this time either, and ran a brief radio show on community radio.
This was a really long post, but hopefully it gives you a bit of an idea as to where I'm coming from, and why I'm doing this blog.
Thanks for reading, and you can follow me on Twitter @leaveforthecup
19 May 2010
The Sweep
So, a bunch of my mates and I like to talk about organising things. I know I had a grand idea to have a curry night after the last A-League season which everyone seemed keen on, but didn't happen for a long time. One of our mob did make it happen, and from all accounts it went well, but it gives you a bit of background about the following.
Anyway, there was an idea to do a World Cup sweep, and everyone seemed keen for it, but after a few months of no-one paying, it looked like it was going to be another idea lost in the ether. Long story short, someone organised a bank account and the money is quickly coming in, so it looks like the draw for these sweeps won't be far away. My partner is in for it too, so it will give a bit more interest for her for this World Cup than just the Australian team.
I'll post back about the sweeps draw, and let you know the teams we have ended up with, and any other shenanigans that happen during the draw.
Anyway, there was an idea to do a World Cup sweep, and everyone seemed keen for it, but after a few months of no-one paying, it looked like it was going to be another idea lost in the ether. Long story short, someone organised a bank account and the money is quickly coming in, so it looks like the draw for these sweeps won't be far away. My partner is in for it too, so it will give a bit more interest for her for this World Cup than just the Australian team.
I'll post back about the sweeps draw, and let you know the teams we have ended up with, and any other shenanigans that happen during the draw.
18 May 2010
Leave For The Cup?
Yeah, so you might all be wondering, what exactly do I mean by "Leave For The Cup?" Well, as luck may have it, I had a bundle of Annual Leave stored up and work was keen for me to use it, so I applied to take the whole of the World Cup off, and they approved it.
So, am I mad, will I go mad, will my partner go mad? That's the point of this blog I guess, and the accomponying Twitter account which you can follow me on @leaveforthecup as well.
So, it will be the first time I've actually tried to watch a whole World Cup, and I'm pretty sure there will be more than a few obstacles in my way. I've got my magazines, wall charts, official Panini sticker album (thanks Four Four Two Australia) and SBS television guide ready to go. Can I do it, will my partner bring the chips and dips coming? (I highly doubt it, being the modern woman that she is!)
Oh, I guess another important thing to let you know is that I'm an Australian, so I'll be focussing heavily on those three initial games, but will also attempt to blog and Tweet about all the lead up and other games and experiences that I have during this time.
Well, off to bed now, I'll be back though, so stay tuned!
So, am I mad, will I go mad, will my partner go mad? That's the point of this blog I guess, and the accomponying Twitter account which you can follow me on @leaveforthecup as well.
So, it will be the first time I've actually tried to watch a whole World Cup, and I'm pretty sure there will be more than a few obstacles in my way. I've got my magazines, wall charts, official Panini sticker album (thanks Four Four Two Australia) and SBS television guide ready to go. Can I do it, will my partner bring the chips and dips coming? (I highly doubt it, being the modern woman that she is!)
Oh, I guess another important thing to let you know is that I'm an Australian, so I'll be focussing heavily on those three initial games, but will also attempt to blog and Tweet about all the lead up and other games and experiences that I have during this time.
Well, off to bed now, I'll be back though, so stay tuned!
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