I love John Hutchinson. I love his toughness, his commitment, his versatility. I love his uncanny ability to come out and score a cracking goal when you least expect it. But most of all I love the way he gets up people's noses with his feisty attitude.
In many ways, he typifies The Mariners' spirit and it was a fantastic birthday present for me to see him score in the dying moments of the F3 Derby. Thanks Hutcho - you made my day, especially when you ran halfway down the pitch just to share your joy with thousands of Jets supporters.
While it wasn't the greatest match I've seen this season, making Top Two - TOP TWO !!! - is something to get massively excited about. But it's not just results, I am totally in AWE of a team who can come back and win after playing so many tough matches in the past week.
Fitness coaches must be given so much credit for the work they do behind the scenes to ensure players can continue to entertain us and not risk injury. Hey, I went to four A-League games in eight days last week and I nearly collapsed from emotional exhaustion.
But for the first time in memory, The Jets fans were strangely subdued and despite the fantastic turn-out at the stadium there was a an air of resignation and sadness as Werhman limped off the pitch early in the game. The ghost of Ljubo seemed to loom over the stadium in the oppressive heat and it just wasn't such a spicy F3 Derby without him.
Don't get me wrong : it was a victory to celebrate with singing and shouting and dancing with Patrich (apparently Armand van Helden's written a song about him.) But every team needs its big characters like Ljubo and Hutcho to lift their team spirit and fan excitement on the big occasions.
Love them or hate them, players with larger than life personalities help their team and their club in ways that can never be underestimated. And in a world driven by media sensation, they ultimately raise our game into the public consciousness in a way that is playful and appealing.
Ljubo's departure is not just a great loss to The Jets but a great loss to the A-League. He's a genuinely loveable ratbag who enjoys the spotlight and wasn't afraid to speak his mind. In truth, his supposed outrageousness (being seen at gay discos and buying antiques) was fairly mild. The fact that he generated so many headlines is perhaps a sad reminder of how ultra-conservative the world of Australian football remains.
Similarly, the negative response from some male fans to this week's A-League pin-up boys in Cleo magazine is pathetic. The inherent and antiquated sexism of Australian football culture needs to radically change if the A-League is to attract a broader fan base.
There is not one football magazine or website that doesn't feature scantily clad women with the lame excuse that they're "celebrating South American fan culture". Great ! But the only scantily clad blokes we ever see in the football media have giant hairy guts adorned with West Ham tattoos. All part of an outdated laddish culture designed to make the average bloke feel good about himself.
But here's the BIG news fellers : not all football fans are straight males ! Many women love football and so do (shock !) gay men. Many more might be attracted to the game through the physical attributes of the players. Or are we football fans too 'pure' to accept bums on seats attracted by...well, bums ?
The NRL and AFL are not so fussy. They market their stars as beefcake and thousands of women and gay men vote with their wallets. Overseas football leagues also celebrate their glamorous stars. Why do you suppose Becks attracted so many women to LA Galaxy matches? It certainly wasn't for his ball skills.
This is not simply about sex, although as a marketing 'tool' it's second to none, it's about making Australian football part of mainstream 21st century Aussie culture. From Ljubo to Pedj, players with outrageous personalities and/or buff bodies provide the A-League with the opportunity to market itself as young, fun, fit and exciting. And that is certainly a step in the right direction.
Enough of the serious football lectures - you'll bore them to tears. Just tell them about the hot guys and the wild times and soon they'll all want to join our party.
