Only one thing disappointed me about last Friday’s return to Bluetongue, and it wasn’t the lack of goals.
OK, so it was a pretty big comedown from our blistering away matches, but with Sydney and GCU both losing, a point at this stage of the competition is nothing to be sniffed at. Maybe the pressure to turn it on for the home crowd was all too much, who knows? Perth were tough opposition and the result was less than the homecoming party we’d hoped for.
Still, what disappointed me much more intensely than the score-line was the size of the crowd. Fifteen minutes before kick-off, the stadium looked emptier than Paris Hilton’s bookcase.
What on earth was happening on the coast that night that was more attractive than seeing the long-awaited return of the A-League’s conquering heroes? (Not to mention another chance to watch our amazing women’s team crush Newcastle.)
Was there free beer at the Kendall Bar? Or possibly opening night of the coast’s first Lindt Chocolate Café, complete with chocolate balls personally served by a topless Cristiano Ronaldo? (Oops…drifted off there…)
If a team can’t attract a large crowd after 13 goals and 3 wins, something must be wrong. It can’t be the quality of the football and there’s certainly nothing wrong with the marketing, so what’s the problem?
When the A-League draw was released earlier this year, I predicted that crowd numbers would fall during the team’s long absence from Bluetongue, even if they were performing well. Sadly, my prediction came true and we can only hope the club thinks twice before allowing the team a similarly long absence from home next season.
For the casual football fan, it seems absence doesn’t increase their longing to see the team, but instead induces a massive case of apathy. As for the Bluetongue pitch, well, absence does not appear to have done it much good either.
The one highlight of the evening was the pitch-side antics of Marvin, who seems to have spent the past six weeks taking hip-hop dance classes. Either that or he’s been drinking Lawrie’s “special” coffee, as he was hyped-up and ready to rumble. After terrorising a few kids, he then threw himself upon an unsuspecting man in a koala suit before making a beeline for Mel McLaughlin.
Who needs goals when there’s that kind of quality entertainment on offer?
In fact, Marvin is proving such a hit with the crowd, I’m beginning to suspect it’s Gumps under that blue furry exterior. But whoever he is, we can’t expect one man in a giant viking helmet shaking his booty to generate excitement on his own.
++++
OK, so Sydney are in a slump, and GCU are depleted but these things will pass. The next few weeks will be crucial in deciding who clings on and who slides down. With supporters fanning the flames, there is no doubt in my mind we can beat Victory at home just as we did away (twice).
This weekend we face Gold Coast away and I find myself hoping for the same line-up of youngsters that were unfortunately crushed by Melbourne. Hey, I felt kind of sorry for them (especially as they also had to put up with Miron’s seriously disturbing 70s sleazy cop look) but the stakes are getting higher by the week. We’ll take a win anyway we can get one, although, unlike Melbourne, you can bet we won’t get the credit for it.
As a fan it annoys me, but there are bigger things on my mind. Such as Saturday’s W-League match between the Mariners and Sydney. Just like their male counterparts, The Mariner’s women’s team were vastly underrated at the start of the season. As one of only two teams in the comp without a Matildas player, they were not seen as serious title contenders.
Week by week they have also proved their critics wrong and played some wonderfully entertaining football. Now they need only a draw against Sydney to win the Premiership on Saturday. I have no doubt they will do this, as they have shown time and again the team spirit and quality across the squad to deal with the toughest opponents.
Their victory will mean the Mariners become the first club to win both W-League and A-League Premierships. (And the NYL title is looking pretty close as well.)
So be part of Mariners’ history: get down to Bluetongue and fan those flames on Saturday. Furry animal suits optional.
OK, so it was a pretty big comedown from our blistering away matches, but with Sydney and GCU both losing, a point at this stage of the competition is nothing to be sniffed at. Maybe the pressure to turn it on for the home crowd was all too much, who knows? Perth were tough opposition and the result was less than the homecoming party we’d hoped for.
Still, what disappointed me much more intensely than the score-line was the size of the crowd. Fifteen minutes before kick-off, the stadium looked emptier than Paris Hilton’s bookcase.
What on earth was happening on the coast that night that was more attractive than seeing the long-awaited return of the A-League’s conquering heroes? (Not to mention another chance to watch our amazing women’s team crush Newcastle.)
Was there free beer at the Kendall Bar? Or possibly opening night of the coast’s first Lindt Chocolate Café, complete with chocolate balls personally served by a topless Cristiano Ronaldo? (Oops…drifted off there…)
If a team can’t attract a large crowd after 13 goals and 3 wins, something must be wrong. It can’t be the quality of the football and there’s certainly nothing wrong with the marketing, so what’s the problem?
When the A-League draw was released earlier this year, I predicted that crowd numbers would fall during the team’s long absence from Bluetongue, even if they were performing well. Sadly, my prediction came true and we can only hope the club thinks twice before allowing the team a similarly long absence from home next season.
For the casual football fan, it seems absence doesn’t increase their longing to see the team, but instead induces a massive case of apathy. As for the Bluetongue pitch, well, absence does not appear to have done it much good either.
The one highlight of the evening was the pitch-side antics of Marvin, who seems to have spent the past six weeks taking hip-hop dance classes. Either that or he’s been drinking Lawrie’s “special” coffee, as he was hyped-up and ready to rumble. After terrorising a few kids, he then threw himself upon an unsuspecting man in a koala suit before making a beeline for Mel McLaughlin.
Who needs goals when there’s that kind of quality entertainment on offer?
In fact, Marvin is proving such a hit with the crowd, I’m beginning to suspect it’s Gumps under that blue furry exterior. But whoever he is, we can’t expect one man in a giant viking helmet shaking his booty to generate excitement on his own.
++++
OK, so Sydney are in a slump, and GCU are depleted but these things will pass. The next few weeks will be crucial in deciding who clings on and who slides down. With supporters fanning the flames, there is no doubt in my mind we can beat Victory at home just as we did away (twice).
This weekend we face Gold Coast away and I find myself hoping for the same line-up of youngsters that were unfortunately crushed by Melbourne. Hey, I felt kind of sorry for them (especially as they also had to put up with Miron’s seriously disturbing 70s sleazy cop look) but the stakes are getting higher by the week. We’ll take a win anyway we can get one, although, unlike Melbourne, you can bet we won’t get the credit for it.
As a fan it annoys me, but there are bigger things on my mind. Such as Saturday’s W-League match between the Mariners and Sydney. Just like their male counterparts, The Mariner’s women’s team were vastly underrated at the start of the season. As one of only two teams in the comp without a Matildas player, they were not seen as serious title contenders.
Week by week they have also proved their critics wrong and played some wonderfully entertaining football. Now they need only a draw against Sydney to win the Premiership on Saturday. I have no doubt they will do this, as they have shown time and again the team spirit and quality across the squad to deal with the toughest opponents.
Their victory will mean the Mariners become the first club to win both W-League and A-League Premierships. (And the NYL title is looking pretty close as well.)
So be part of Mariners’ history: get down to Bluetongue and fan those flames on Saturday. Furry animal suits optional.
