FIERCE rivalries in the A-League are hard to come by.
Central Coast and Newcastle don’t like each other. Melbourne and Adelaide games are always fiercely contested. And everyone hates Sydney (including, based on their crowd figures, most of Sydney as well).But that’s pretty much it. It’s not at all surprising, given the nature of the competition's creation. However I’m sure an increased number of matches fought in a passionate ‘derby’ atmosphere would serve both fans and marketing divisions around the country well.
Many argue that adding second teams to the Sydney and Melbourne markets would be an ideal way to generate such rivalries. No doubt it would be an intense atmosphere when the derby matches themselves are played, but I have my doubts about whether a clearly struggling Sydney franchise and a Melbourne club that is strong but still in its infancy could handle the added competition for fans, playing talent and sponsorship money.
Given the current landscape, it’s great to see GC United’s formation rocking plenty of boats around the league. With two state rivals, high-profile player poaching from three other clubs and a fight to be the club with the richest owner in the country, the new team seems to be making enemies faster than Leilei Gao in the Wellington change-rooms.
Who, though, will be United’s biggest rival? The obvious answer would be Queensland Roar. They’re just up the road and already our coach - who was once their coach - has been taking digs at them in the media.
But it may not be a straightforward as it seems. Many Gold Coast residents are currently Roar fans and while it’s entirely likely they will switch allegiances to their new local side, it won’t be so easy to go from loving a club to hating them passionately. Expect a lot of the new club’s fans to want to see Roar do well- so long as they’re not playing us!
The other state rival, and also the other new boys on the block, are already shaping up as a fiercer opponent.
Constant comparisons between the formative processes for the two clubs need to be settled on the pitch. And given the independent nature of both the far-north and south-east Queensland populations they will be keen to cement a position of seniority in the state.
Unfortunately the two teams are surprisingly far away from each other.
Gosford, Newcastle and Sydney are all closer away game destinations for United fans. This might make it hard for a true derby-day atmosphere to form when the two sides play each other.
Of the other seven sides, Sydney stands out as the team to want to beat. For four years they’ve been the ‘bling’ club, but Clive Palmer has shown a desire to take that mantle.
Ultimately, though, Sydney would probably be glad to shake the tag and with Lowy looking set to sell his share of the club, the rivalry between the owners may fizzle before it even begins.
Wellington fans are already showing a lot of distaste for the club that stole their star striker and looks to have also trumped their bid to replace him with Joel Porter. The first match between the two sides should be hotly contested, but a long-term rivalry is unlikely - especially if the Kiwi club is forced to fold in a few years.
Of the rest, true rivalry is unlikely to develop. Adelaide United and Central Coast share little in common other than parts of their names. Most Melbourne fans are too insular to reciprocate any ill-feeling we or anyone else might have towards them. Newcastle are just, well, kind of boring. And Perth probably deserves pity more than anything given their current administration.
Ultimately, rivalries aren’t borne of geography alone. A series of fiercely contested results, a couple of controversial player defections or some close championship battles are far more likely to fire the teams up when they meet.
Only in time will GC United’s true rivals reveal themselves. Hopefully they quickly do, because I already can’t wait to see us thump them!
