If it's January it must be that time again, the time when football pundits start making predictions and wish-lists for the year ahead.
As far as Australian football goes, 2011 is apparently going to be "The Year of the Fan". Simon Hill advocates the establishment of 'Ombudsfan' while Fozzie says the FFA must make 'giving the fans a voice' its New Year's Resolution.
Great idea. What a pity the dawning of this new era, the first "Ultimate Football Fan Forum" in Sydney next week is to be held on the same night as the Mariners crucial home game with Roar. Oops! It's on the HAL fixtures list but we just didn't notice because CCM and their fans are totally insignificant.
Anyway, nobody from "The Coast" would be bothered travelling all the way to Sydney (they might find the bright lights of Star City a little overwhelming) plus all the REALLY important people are going to be there : the Sydney CEO, the journalists who write about Sydney FC and the Sydney FC fans (if we can manage to dig up a few).
Detect the smallest whiff of paranoia, a hint of cynicism ? Hey, it comes free with every navy and yellow shirt or should I say it used to, because I've decided all that negative stuff is just sooo 2010. If we want to sustain our push for a top two spot this season we need to focus on the positives.
Okay, we've been on the receiving end of some punitive decisions from refs and the ludicrous Mariners Review Panel in the past few weeks and it makes me as angry as a fruit bat. Like everyone else my head sunk into my hands on New Year's Eve and I cursed Muskie, the ref and the whole crazy unfair world.
But as I dragged myself down to watch the post-match fireworks and listen to the appropriately named band "Cover Up" I felt a tall, comforting presence beside me. It was our great Dutch defender and I felt a sudden urge to ask him for assistance.
"Oh Patrich !" I blurted out. "You're always so calm, controlled and confident. You seem to take all the highs and lows of football in your stride. What is your secret ?"
Without a word he smiled and handed me "The Little Book of Football Calm" .
The cover read : "Football is full of upsetting moments but you can learn to handle the game's stresses with a clear, calm head. Whenever football is making you feel anxious, open at any page and find a path to inner peace."
I opened it at random and read :
"When you play in defence you are a king surveying your estate. Be king of your own calm kingdom." It all made perfect sense ! I tried another page :
"During the match, be on the look out for things that make you laugh. If you see nothing worth laughing at, pretend you see it, then laugh." If only Kwassie had read this ! He could have pretended he'd seen Muskie being given a yellow for once in his career - hilarious !
There was even one that may have helped poor Matty Ryan :
"When you're feeling under pressure, do something different. Roll up your sleeves or eat an orange !" What wise advice !
But the best advice was surely directed at Mariners fans who feel ongoing anger about the cost of poor refereeing to our team :
"There is seldom any rational reason for having regrets about past matches or ref's decisions. Because the past does not exist in any way other than in your memory." Clearly, the author hasn't heard of video replays.
So let's try and embrace the calm: the truth is we played brilliantly overall against Victory and there are so many positives we can take from what was a heartbreaking loss. Sainsbury looked fantastic in Pedj's absence and so did Rose and McGlinchey. The whole team of ten fought back valiantly until the final crushing blow; it made me believe in them more than ever.
We have a new striker to welcome to the team (looks likely to be Baird) and it will be exciting to face an in-form Phoenix on Sunday (thanks for beating Victory, by the way.) Can't wait to see DMac and Danny back at Bluetongue, not to mention the adorable Marco Rojas.
So let's bring some more big crowds back to Bluetongue for the rest of the season and create a calmer, more positive Coastie State of Mind : " There's nothing you can't do now you're in Gosford. These palms will make you feel brand new, Marvin will inspire you, let's hear it for Gosford, Gosford, Gosford."
