It was Matthew Breeze's 100th game in the A-League last Saturday. Before the match, Lyall Gorman presented him with what looked like a gold-plated whistle in a glass case. Perhaps it was inscribed: "in case of irate Sydney fans - break glass".
Controversy follows Breeze like bees round a honey pot, so it was almost surprising to watch the first half unfold in such a uneventful fashion. It took the long-awaited debut of the man we're calling "el pequenito" in our house to really set the match on fire. And how. Can anyone remember a more sensational start to an A-League career ?
He's spent 35 minutes playing football in Australia and already scored a goal and caused an outrage. What more could you ask of any A-League import ?
And while Perez has apparently only a minimal comprehension of English, there's one word that is understood in football grounds all over the world : the sound of opposition fans booing. In anyone's language, it's a sure sign you've made an impact and will continue to draw attention in the weeks ahead.
Three little words: bring it on !
There have been some decidedly disappointing A-League imports in the past but Perez has already done enough to suggest he will not be among them. Apart from causing controversy he also demonstrated a quality touch that promises to bring some South American excitement to Bluetongue this season. ( Gosh ! How will all those long-ball fans cope ?)
But it's not simply The Mariners who will benefit from such a player. His debut has already helped create a persona and he is sure to draw crowds wherever he plays. Perhaps instead of booing, Sydney fans should be applauding a player who is certain to bring in a few more punters to A-League crowds. God knows, they could do with some extra support.
And to be honest, their boos were more sour grapes than rightful anger. Having watched the so-called 'dubious' penalty repeatedly there is clearly hand to boot contact. Even if it was "Reddy's pinky against Perez's shoelace" as Harps suggested (not that he's biased or anything).
(Incidentally, why was this penalty widely reported as 'dubious' rather than 'controversial' ? There's an inherent bias in the word 'dubious'. But of course they're not being anti-South American or anti-Mariners. Honest. )
Even discounting the penalty, Sydney fans have nothing to whinge about. Perez scored a second goal which was clearly onside and disallowed, so how exactly is 1-1 not a fair result ?
The truth is, it was a match the Mariners should have won by pressuring Sydney when they had the advantage of numbers. Perhaps the nightmare of losing Vanstrattan last week has unsettled the team - it certainly brought tears to my eyes. Losing Danny to Phoenix at the same time was nothing short of agony, though I'm very happy to see him with a contract.
But one player's misfortune is ironically another's opportunity and it was heartening to watch Matty Ryan get his chance to prove himself on the big stage. Apart from one unfortunate error, he gave a great account of himself and it's fantastic to see the promise he showed in the Youth League last season being allowed to develop.
Perhaps the experienced Sydney players who completely lost it after Perez's penalty, earning four yellows in as many minutes, could take a leaf out of young Ryan's book. To his great credit, he bounced back after conceding the goal and remained level-headed for the rest of the match.
You know, there's a lot of things I love about Sydney : I love its art, its music and its rich cultural history. I love its 27 names for coffee.
But to paraphrase a great man: "Harden up !" A team that was happy to reach the top last season via the 'hand of Payne' is hardly in a position to criticise the 'shoelace of God.'
