Facebook post i found from a fan that provides a bit more perspective:
I wanted to provide a bit of context to my last post as there have been a few casual fans or those that are based overseas that I've seen over the last couple of days who may not be across what is happening to Australian domestic football.
There are also those perhaps suggesting that the backlash to the
A-Leagues decision is an overreaction to moving a game of football. After all, it's what the AFL and NRL do quite successfully.
To clarify, the massive backlash to this is NOT due to the decision to move a football match (although that decision is awful for a number of reasons that I won't go into here). It goes well beyond football.
The backlash is due to an organisation that has decided to disrespect, mislead, gaslight and outright lie to every single one of it's key stakeholders.
Australian domestic football fans are not naïve and they are not stupid. We KNOW we don't support a league that is of the highest quality. We KNOW that there are not sponsors lining up to give us cash. We KNOW that sometimes in order to survive, you have to think outside the box. We get it.
If the league is cash-strapped and needs this quick financial hit, then so be it. Be honest. Tell us and we will find a way to accept it, and will find a way to make it work. We've dealt with worse.
This is NOT what is happening.
This is NOT simply the league saying we need the windfall from a big financial deal and the fans rejecting the idea.
Danny Townsend and the APL (the group responsible for running Australian domestic football) have openly admitted that the focus groups they "consulted" about this concept indicated that they DID NOT support this move.
They have openly admitted that they expected backlash. Yet they decided to proceed anyway. Fair enough, that is their prerogative. But they knew the fans didn't want this and still they marketed it as something that the fans wanted.
There was an immediate backlash to this and it was abundantly clear that this was not the case. They doubled down and INSISTED that the main motivation for this decision was the fans.
A glimpse at any social media post (Original Style Melbourne, Melbourne City Terrace, Red and Black Bloc or The Cove as some of the bigger active supporter groups, For Vuck's Sake, Talking City, A-League Banter or A-League Memes as some of the more prominent supporter run sites/podcasts, or even any post on the topic by Optus Sport, Fox Sports Football (or any media outlet except 10 Football who have their heads so far buried in the sand they haven't even noticed this has happened yet)) will make the fan view immediately apparent.
For the first time in history, social media is completely united!
The launch video for the idea featured footage of many Australian footballers taken out of context, to suggest they were in favour of this move. The likes of Socceroos and Adelaide United forward Craig Goodwin and CommBank Matildas and Sydney FC forward Remy Siemsen who featured in the video have both come out to say that they DO NOT support the move and have been misrepresented in the video.
On top of this, the initial post from the A-Leagues (released at 10:20pm on a Tuesday night!) doubling down on their insistence that this was both a unanimous decision AND in the interests of the game, had to be deleted and revised because it featured the names of several club representatives who had vehemently opposed the move.
These included Perth Glory owner Tony Sage and
Brisbane Roar FC chairman Chris Fong, who both indicated that they had not even been given an opportunity to vote on the proposal, which they claim was due to occur three days AFTER the APL announced the move.
In addition,
Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro resigned his position on the APL board because the backlash from fans was so strong he couldn't stand by the initial decision in good conscience (or keep both jobs, pick which you prefer depending on your level of cynicism). Smaller clubs such as
Western United FC and
Wellington Phoenix FC were never even asked.
Yet STILL Danny Townsend, Paul Lederer and the APL maintained their insistence that they are acting in the best interests of the game.
Finally, there's the timing of this. Even if you take the APL at face value and accept they are acting in the best interests of all parties and ignore ALL of what has been posted above. They've said that they expected backlash to the announcement... So why on Earth would you think that releasing a controversial announcement that was likely to divide the Australian footballing community was a good idea in the aftermath of the Socceroos performances at the World Cup?
Football in Australia had finally united in a way that has barely ever been seen.
We had momentum.
We had hope!
Why would any sane person possibly think that this was the time to risk dividing the fans? What possible benefit could that have? It is genuinely beyond comprehension.
When the APL took on the running of the A-Leagues, their promise was that the fans would take centre stage in their decision making.
They lied.
They continue to insist that this is a decision that the fans want.
They don't.
They continue to use images and video of fans, players and clubs who have clearly rejected this proposal as evidence that this is an idea that the Australian footballing community is behind.
They are not.
This is why Australian domestic football fans are apoplectic. This is why they are planning walkouts across the country. This is why they are willing to let the leagues that they have invested so much time, money and heart into, die.
This is Australian football's "European Super League" moment, but rather than backing down as clubs in Europe did, the APL are doubling down on their ignorance.
This is why fans who have been there since the beginning are leaving. I am one of them. It's unlikely we'll be back.
Soccer supporters try and claim some sort of superiority in passion. To me its a self-indulgent attitude, it's like they are the spectacle. And perhaps because of the nature of games, the lack of scoring, lack of action at times, the idea that fans need to "entertain" themsleves becuase the game itself doesn't, encourages the fan to entertain themselves. Flares, chants etc are much easier and perhaps needed when not much is happening on the pitch. I think this is more self-indulgence than passion.
Grog Squad says hello.
I love the fact opposition supporters can sit together, have some digs at each other and walk away without a fight erupting or security required.
WTF? lol.
When i go to a Richmond away game where supporters of both teams sit together, i see fights more often than not. Where the hell do you sit? I hate going to game with opposition fans nearby. Hate it. I have slowly been reducing my attendance at away games in recent years.
In fact i remember round 1 this season., Essendon v Geelong at the MCG. I was at the Cricketers Arms meeting up with Victory mates before a game. I left to meet my brother on Swan St and I see 20-25 police outside the cricketers twiddling their thumbs. At the same time my brother texts me to say there is a massive brawl outside the precinct hotel between Essendon and Geelong supporters.
Those complaining about the A League for sending the grand final to NSW should spare a thought about those supporters who had their club ripped out of the National League with no ability to return to the top flight.
I have zero sympathy for this league.
Interesting to note that “SMFC Mike” (a South Melbourne fan known for being a critic of the A-League) has been retweeting a lot of my tweets this week. Former NSL bitters are eating this up.
