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The great debate: Is football now Australia’s national sport? (www.heraldsun.com.au)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/australia@aussie.zone
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[–] 1 point 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (1 child)

Not in a million years.

Noone aspires to play in the A-league. Until we get a league that gives the European leagues a run for the money this statement isn't really true.

We can't even beat the Chinese or Saudis in getting almost retired players over because we can't match them. And also without youth development academies it's just not going to work. Ask China and soon to be Saudi Arabia how splashing a wad of cash is going to work without spending money on grass roots development.

We just don't have the local talent to be able to create a competitive league, the majority of us can't play at a high standard and the very few that do understand that they need to ply their trade overseas to be successful.

Without a successful league the rest is moot, popularity is based on club games not an once every 4 years event.

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  • [–] 6 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    Noone aspires to play in the A-league.

    Noone aspired to play in the A-League. He succeeded, too!

    We can’t even beat the Chinese or Saudis in getting almost retired players over because we can’t match them.

    In terms of money, yes. Most nations around the world cannot match the spending of Saudi Arabia at the moment, which is why players like Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are playing there. Chinese domestic football has collapsed financially and is no longer relevant internationally.

    We just don’t have the local talent to be able to create a competitive league, the majority of us can’t play at a high standard and the very few that do understand that they need to ply their trade overseas to be successful.

    This is the case for most domestic leagues around the world. The best players move to the top European leagues and everyone else stays at home. It's not unique to Australia and it's certainly not evidence of whether or not Australians enjoy football more than any other sport, which is the point of the article.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (1 child)

    Funny you mention him, but it was probably the best he could do. He had only one year in the premier league in his entire career. Until we see players that have the middle of their careers in a league it's all moot.

    Domestic leagues are important due to accessibility. You're not going to have as much of a following if you can only watch it on tele at stupid o'clock.

    That's half the reason why the NRL and AFL are popular, you can go to a game after work. We are the best in Aussie rules because we're practically the only country that plays it and similar to rugby league with the super league at a lower level to the NRL. We are the best of the best in those games.

    Football? I would rate A league on the level of EFL league 2. Certainly not one of the top leagues in the world. People want to watch the best and their support is reduced by not being one of the best.

    I see more people with EPL/La Liga etc shirts than local teams around town. That alone says something.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    People want to watch the best

    Sure, if they're casual bandwagoners. Sport is filled with examples of people supporting teams and players who are objectively not the best. Football in particular, where supporting your local club is essentially a cultural tradition.

    and their support is reduced by not being one of the best.

    Apparently not, considering the entire reason we are talking about this is due to the insane level of support shown for the national women's football team, which is neither the best within the women's game nor the overall sport.

    I see more people with EPL/La Liga etc shirts than local teams around town. That alone says something.

    It says that the A-League is a young and struggling competition with a long way to go before it becomes relevant in mainstream Australian society. That is not an indication of a lack of interest in football, though. You've acknowledged there that Australians are big fans of European football and we know the participation rates are the highest of any ball sport.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    In women's rankings we actually do quite well, we're 10th ahead of nations with a rich footballing culture such as Portugal, Italy, Belgium and Argentina. That's why we're talking about it. Our women can make the semi finals as we've shown here, our men have no chance.

    Another thing is that this is the closest we're getting to a world cup in Australia. That's why the support is where it is now. Would the support be the same if it's held in Europe or South America? I think half the people won't wake up at whatever o'clock it is to watch the games.

    Yes we have interest in football, after all it's the most popular sport by far in the world. The Europeans and the South Americans can play well, so why can't we? I think the answer is as simple as the tyranny of distance.

    It's way harder for players based here with family here to be able to go to a good academy because it's half a world apart. The best coaches, the best facilities aren't in Australia. We can't get any of the European teams to come and play any consistent games here because it's just too far besides the token pre season friendly if we're lucky.

    Yes a struggling league isn't due to a lack of interest in football you're right. There is interest. I would call it untapped potential. Yes it's got the highest participation rate but somehow there's a missing link to turn the participation rate to form a quality league (I wouldn't say quality players because we do get them as I mentioned but they all just leave).

    The A league has a player retention problem. And here's the problem - two players get offers one from an A-league team and one from I would even say EFL championship team, where will the player go most of the time? It's brain drain.

    Like I said we need more than a world cup every 4 years, we need quality teams that people can go watch after work. That's why the AFL and NRL is so popular. These players are around, the clubs are down the road. The stadium is down the road.

    Back to the women's football, only courtnee vine and clare hunt play in Australia. This is similar for mens. Otherwise we'll have this conversation every 4 years where football falls off the radar for the general population.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago

    The A league has a player retention problem. And here’s the problem - two players get offers one from an A-league team and one from I would even say EFL championship team, where will the player go most of the time? It’s brain drain.

    I wouldn't necessarily say this is always true - look at players like Goodwin, for example, who starred at the 2022 World Cup whilst captaining Adelaide United. You're right that better players will generally look to move overseas, but I don't consider this a problem as long as there are exciting young players to replace them (which is what we've been seeing more of in the A-League recently). As I said earlier, it is the norm in most countries around the world for the best players to seek opportunities outside of their domestic league. Players in nations like England are an anomaly in that sense.

    Like I said we need more than a world cup every 4 years, we need quality teams that people can go watch after work. That’s why the AFL and NRL is so popular. These players are around, the clubs are down the road. The stadium is down the road.

    I don't understand your point here. You can watch the A-League after work too. The clubs are part of their respective communities and "down the road" as you say. If your argument is simply that they are not good enough, I disagree. The standard is constantly improving and more than good enough to enjoy as a spectator. There is a stigma that surrounds local football, which is why we refer to these people as eurosnobs, but it's completely unwarranted. Local football is entertaining and filled with talented players.

    Back to the women’s football, only courtnee vine and clare hunt play in Australia.

    Not entirely accurate. We are in the off-season for the A-League, so if you look back to the most recent season you'll see that several other Matildas were playing here.

    This is similar for mens.

    Again, not entirely accurate. Quite a few A-League players have represented the Socceroos recently.

    Both national teams are also full of players who began in the A-League, and for many of them it wasn't a sudden rapid increase in their ability that got them a move overseas. Tilio isn't suddenly a significantly better player because he was signed by Celtic, for example. He has been great in the A-League for several years and local fans have been treated to that. If Bayern Munich eventually sign Irankunda, as has been rumoured, he won't magically become too good for the A-League overnight. It's a steady progression, which those who give local football a chance enjoy year after year.

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