HOW appropriate that the only occasion football seems to have made headlines on Fox Sports news is when it is embroiled in 'controversy'.
The stage was certainly set: the Hyundai A-League coach of the year, a club who have helped put Australian football on the map (to some extent in Asia) and the subsequent meltdown that has ensued, jumped upon by a media whose intentions are thinly veiled.
Of course, it pales in comparison to some of the other reactions to the manufactured negative publicity that the game has suffered over the years (the two presenters I'm watching on Fox Sports at the moment seem to be about as comfortable talking about football as I would be trying to sit through a Harry Potter movie without a loaded pistol in close proximity) but still retained is the innate desire to see the sport derided at any chance.
Without getting too serious about this unprecedented carfuffle though (I have developed an addiction to that word over the past few days and really don't care if it doesn't apply here), I thought I'd draw up the potential reaction of fans and clubs to Aurelio's Shakespearean soliloquy:
Melbourne Victory - At least he's more interesting than Merrick. Surely most Telstra-Dome goers would gladly substitute another finals victory for a manager who actually manages to smile occasionally and doesn't have the facial disposition of an Amish librarian? The game's all about having fun, Ernie! Honestly old chap, you disappointingly fail to live up to your Sesame Street namesake...
Queensland Roar - It surely couldn't get any easier? A side that have encountered about as much resistance as the Galactic Empire in Episode V (Blasters against AT-ATs? Weak...) over the past few weeks must surely be booking a hotel in Melbourne as far away from local park as possible (If Tiatto sees a young lad dawdling on the ball in a friendly kickabout, one wonders whether he'll be able to help himself).
Sydney FC - To quote verbatim an absolute pearler I recently saw typed by a Sydney FC fan on these forums recently:
"Feels good to be a SFC fan atm
no-ones talkin shit about us anymore.
not for the moment anyway"
A season justified at Moore Park ever so eloquently...
Perth Glory - Glory fans must be wondering how short Viddie's fuse might have been had he been forced to try to teach Nikolai Topor-Stanley to play carpet football this season (I really do need to lay off the poor chap, don't I?) and with that in mind, mediocrity under Dave Mitchell might not be such a bad alternative. Then again, at least the rant shows that SOMEONE in a high place cares about Adelaide United, which - to my utter dismay - is not something I can say with confidence about the former NSL titans...
Wellington Phoenix - Ricki has been oh-so-nice about the whole Shane Smeltz issue. I don't see him leading a one-man rant against the people of Turkey - which probably isn't the wisest of ideas, given their back-lash might be slightly more...ermmm...passionate than that of the City Of Churches. Phoenix fans must be wondering how their docile manager might have reacted to a 4-0 hammering in Victoria. Possible reaction: "I think it was all over when Shane didn't feel like playing for us anymore." * Cue presentation of captain obvious award to Ricki Herbert *
Central Coast Mariners - To quote verbatim a high-ranking Central Coast Mariners official in the aftermath of Vidmar's words: "At least our manager has a Scottish accent. His rant would be way cooler..."*
*OK, OK, I made that up...
Newcastle - Con and Aurelio would be perfect together!
My question of the week: Who was your favourite Sesame Street character? Without a shadow of a doubt, Cookie Monster for me...
