Prev
Next

Australian soccer’s last stand

Anthony Sharwood

by Anthony Sharwood

02 Dec 05:59am

Must Reads

If sports movies have taught us anything, NSW will win - this is a caption

If sports movies have taught us anything, NSW will win

42

Schapelle has done her time - this is a caption

Schapelle has done her time

156

Do women need to know when to walk away? - this is a caption

Do women need to know when to walk away?

71

Filed under: Major Events, Soccer, Socceroos, World Cup, World Cup Bid

145 comments

In the increasingly likely scenario that Australia fails to secure the necessary votes to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup, soccer in this country will be booted back to sport’s second tier with the thundering force of a John Aloisi penalty.

Despite Frank Lowy's best efforts, these kangaroos may be playing AFL by Monday. Picture: AP

That’s no doomsday scenario. It’s reality as cold as the snow currently blanketing Zurich, where the bid announcement takes place at 2am eastern standard time tomorrow morning.

In many simple, reassuring ways, it’ll be business as usual for soccer if our bid fails. The half million registered soccer players will still rock up at training. The A-League will probably still exist. And Australians will still go mad for the FIFA World Cup every four years, and to a lesser extent the Asian Cup and other Socceroos matches of consequence. But soccer won’t come close to displacing the oval ball codes in terms of mass popularity for a generation or more. If ever.

I’ll never forget an interview I did with Juninho Paulista, the Brazilian player who won a World Cup in 1994. Juninho played a season with Sydney FC in 2007/08 and was duly chaperoned around town to various Sydney Swans and NRL games (he was impressed with both, by the way).

When I asked him what it would take for Australia to become as successful as Brazil in soccer, he didn’t pause for breath.

“First, you have to become a soccer country. That’s a big challenge because rugby and Australian football are massive sports here. Then comes cricket and then soccer. So it’s a long way to go.”

That sentiment is as true now as it was then. Despite the wide-eyed zeal of players-turned-commentators like Craig Foster, whose wishful and occasionally deluded rants would have us believe anyone who’s ever strapped on a boot for Marconi Stallions is an instant inclusion to any A-list party, the game has not cut through here.

That’s not to denigrate the wonderful work of Frank Lowy, the ongoing career of the revered Les Murray or the legacy of the late Johnny Warren. It’s just the way it is. I didn’t paint this picture. I’m only displaying it in the gallery. Soccer has a large, enthusiastic fanbase in Australia. But footy and cricket have bigger ones.

But as mentioned, this balance can change forever if, somehow or other, the votes fall our way tomorrow morning. Australians hardly raced to take up archery, water polo or taekwondo en masse after our athletes won gold in those events at the Sydney Olympics, but this would be different.

If we hosted a World Cup, we’d go collectively soccer mad for six weeks and some of that would inevitably stick. When Tiger Woods made his first hugely successful trip to the Australian Masters in 2009, my golf instructor said she’d never had more bookings on a Monday morning.

The same thing would unquestionably happen here. Junior soccer clubs would be rushed with new players for the 2023 season, while Australians would decide that the fortunes of their local A-League club are somehow more relevant than those of Wolverhampton Wanderers, or some other obscure English team.

Even a small core of diehard AFL and NRL fans may convert, a scenario we have to believe is likely given Andrew Demetriou’s fear mongering and thinly disguised bid-derailing tactics.

Whether all those new fans stick around for the long haul would then be the big question. It didn’t happen in America after their 1994 World Cup. But the Yanks are more insular than us.

In the unlikely event that any of the 23 voting delegates in Zurich (or 22, with the exclusion of the Oceania delegate) happen to read this piece in the next 18 hours or so, here’s what they should take from it.

Delegates, you don’t need to be reminded that Australia would put on one hell of a great party in a clean, safe environment, because that much is a given.

What you do need to know is that by awarding the Cup to Australia, you’d finally see your sport flourish in one of the world’s great sporting nations. Irrespective of whether FIFA makes a quid or not (and the latest news on the Australia bid is very bad on this front), that should be the driving principle behind your decision. Your organisation exists for the game, after all – not to make a profit.

And delegates, you should also know this. If you don’t give us the Cup, your sport will wither on the vine in Australia, swamped by local sports with more money, facilities and public interest.

Don’t take that as an endorsement of our fickleness as Australians. Take it as a sign that a nation’s culture doesn’t rub off like shoe polish, but that it can always find room in the cupboard for a shiny new pair of shoes – especially, in our case, football boots.

Most commented

418Australia, you have nothing to fear but fear itself
353"Gifting", "journey" and other words we hate
311Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking
261Who murdered the Arts degree?
246A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...
231Craig Thomson speaks. Meanwhile, in Australia...
230South Australia. It's the middle bottom bit.
224The most laughable, err, spoof since Einfeld

145 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • southernX says:

      05:59am | 02/12/10

      I’m glad that Australia probably wont get the gig. Football is a mendaciously corrupt game on and off the pitch and the supporters not much better.  I’d groan inside at the thought of the negative impacts of such an event here….

      Reply

    • Faz says:

      06:39am | 02/12/10

      Good point SX. I became familiar with the game because my son played it in his school years. This was the time when that guy cut the goal net in a world cup qualifier against Iran (Iraq?). The wheels really seemed to fall off of Aussie soccer after that for years.

      But I can’t imagine sports fans brought up on Aussie Rules or the Rugby codes could ever take seriously the way soccer players get ‘injured’ on the pitch. It’s excruciating to watch and players don’t seem to give a toss about how pathetic they look.

      To call it the ‘beautiful game’ is appropriate but it can also be so damn ugly.

      (As an aside, I can’t believe how the local league is going this year. The top team is bottom and the bottom team is top (or near to it). If they were horses they’d all be swabbed! Go the Reds just the same!)

    • FemaleSoccerLover says:

      07:09am | 02/12/10

      I think that is an unfair statement, not everybody who plays or is involved in soccer is corrupt.  we could look at other sports as well for example, do we need reminding what happened in the rugby league, cricket and all the other sports i could list.  lets be positive and makeup for those who are corrupt!  Go Australia! Go Australia!!

    • Alfred Deakin says:

      07:12am | 02/12/10

      Watching NFL from the USA makes you realise what Americans think of soccer. I have never seen an NFL player “feign” injury or play for a free kick. They must wonder what is going on when they watch soccer.

      The worst aspect of this for soccer is that it is much more prevalent at the highest level than in my kids’ games!

    • Macca says:

      08:46am | 02/12/10

      @Alfread Deakin, I’ve seen plenty examples in League and AFL this year where a player has gone soft or intentionally struggled to get up in a bid to sway a referee. The only difference is that the Italians are shameless and will do anything to get a win.

      Australia’s attitude to Fair-go goes out the window pretty quickly when we blindly support our local team, regardless of the sport.

    • Faz says:

      09:49am | 02/12/10

      It doesn’t compare Macca, it just doesn’t compare. Soccer is, if you’ll pardon the expression, in a league of it’s own.

      Other footballers or sportspeople push the envelope and try to get an advantage, but doing five 360s in mid-air because another player has brushed your ankle and then acting as if your leg has been chopped off and your village has been wiped out, etc, it’s just beyond the pale.

      There are no shortage of soccer fans who seem oblivious to this stuff and love the game for its undoubted skill and grace, but for those bought up on other codes it’s a great turnoff.

    • Warren says:

      10:59am | 02/12/10

      Yeah, if only it was more like NFL where players s**t in hotel corridors and girls get gang banged.

    • Rob says:

      11:36am | 02/12/10

      Warren,

      Did you mean the NRL or are they pretty much interchangeable?

      I do recall the odd sex scandal with soccer players???

    • Tim says:

      11:38am | 02/12/10

      Yeah Warren,
      those NFL? players that shit in hotels?
      Have a look at the off field behaviour of Soccer players in overseas leagues.
      Sexual Assaults, Drugs, Violence and other illegal activity are common place.

      Money is the linking factor and unfortunately for you the local soccer players don’t get enough to allow them to be behave like d*cks all the time.
      Don’t fool youself however, that they are somehow better behaved, you just don’t hear about it because it’s not news.

    • Dan says:

      12:31pm | 02/12/10

      I’m hoping we don’t get the Cup. There is no money to be made out of it, but what annoys me most is the fawning we have to go through to appease a group of old men, a significant proportion of whom have been found to be corrupt. It’s demeaning.

    • Alfred Deakin says:

      07:28am | 03/12/10

      Macca

      I specifically referred to NFL because their players neither feign injury or play for free kicks. Yes, in AFL and NRL players play for free kicks but there is less feigning injury.

    • Tom says:

      08:23am | 03/12/10

      Warren, imagine if NRL players were like a certain French soccer player who was indicted for soliciting an underage prostitute…No code has a monopoly on idiotic behaviour.

    • RT says:

      09:45am | 03/12/10

      I agree that it’s a good thing the WC isn’t coming to Australia, because taxpayers funds won’t be diverted to it now. Soccer is no more corrupt than other sport, though. That’s a rubbish argument.

    • Nick says:

      06:35am | 02/12/10

      Please, people in Zurich: don’t give it to Australia!

      Look what a basket case NSW has become after hosting the “best games ever”. Paying for the Olympics “before a race was run” (Michael Egan) has been done at the expense of expenditure on essential infrastructure: transport, schools, hospitals and because of the deficiencies here we are all still paying!

      On another level do we really want to be the battleground between English and German soccer thugs? Doesn’t the Barmy Army (a largely civilized group) do enough to discourage other fans from attending the cricket? Imagine having taken your wife and kids to the Brisbane test and being seated next to the continuous noise coming from them. Imagine then soccer crowds. No thanks.

      Australian soccer should accept the reality that as a minor sport it may continue to serve as a nursery for juniors who graduate to careers in overseas clubs., which to date it has done very well.

      Reply

    • K says:

      06:48am | 02/12/10

      Continuous noise, soccer crowds? Imagine the atmosphere! Nick, I think you’ve watched Green Street Hooligans to much if you think all that soccer crowds ever do is riot. FIFA loses out big time on TV rights because of the time difference, but if Australians have to get up a some ridiculous hour in the morning, I’m sure Europeans can handle it for a month. We have the infrastructure, economy, safety, and fans that are more than happy to jump on a bandwagon (2006 WC anyone?) Bring it here!

    • Rosie says:

      07:29am | 02/12/10

      I don’t think you need to worry! I watched the presentation last night and it was a big mistake to feature the two powerful Aussie women, the Governor General and Julia Gillard. It is a man’s world out there and if Mark Arbib, Minister for Sport wanted just Labor it should have been, Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd! Bob & Kevin would have been a better match for Bill Clinton & Morgan Freeman!

      All credit should go to Frank Lowy, the person all Australians should feel for and no fault on his part if Australia misses out this time round. His passion about the sport shone through but will not be enough to secure his dream. I am certain if there was one thing he would love to do for his country, it would be to secure those necessary votes!

      Wrong place and wrong timing despite everything we may say why the 2022 World Cup should be staged here!

    • TChong says:

      07:59am | 02/12/10

      Yes Rosie, ” it is a mans world out there” so dont you go worrying your female brain with big issues.
      Back to the kitchen for you , now ,Rosie, and boil the water for the copper ,then go darn those socks.

    • Rosie says:

      09:05am | 02/12/10

      TChongy - typical, jumping in to denigrate because you weren’t smart enough to comprehend the subtiety in what I had to say!

      Unlike the passionate Frank Lowy, Labor’s Mark Arbib, Julia Gillard & the Governor General showed no passion for soccer as a sport, it was all about the Labor Party securing a big sporting event while they were in Govt and remembered for it. Huge Jackman & Paul Hogan looked like actors and couldn’t understand why they were there. Elle was good, the only one that I could see felt what Frank Lowy was going through.

      Sadly for Frank Lowy and those of us that are passionate about any competitive sport that we have participated in and love watching any sport, would be extremely disappointed if we missed out on this great opportunity. Like Frank Lowy said; “It is OK for you guys but I won’t be around for another opportunity to have this great game played in my country!” Well something like that!

      Don’t worry Chongy I wouldn’t expect you to understand unless you have actually played in any sporting finals as a team member or as an individual like I have in netball, hockey,softball, golf & tennis.

    • richo says:

      02:06pm | 02/12/10

      Hey Rosie, I have to disagree on one point. Mark Arbib is a huge football fan, even coaches his son’s junior team if I remember correctly. But as for the rest of it, you’re right it’s just pollies wanting to get into the limelight.

    • Rosie says:

      02:59pm | 02/12/10

      richo thanks for the info but wish Mark Arbib had for once put aside the politics and show some real passion for the reason he was there. Mentioning his involvement with his son’s junior football team would have gone along way than ranting on about the country’s female PM in a man’s world. As a fan of any sport I felt we didn’t give it our best shot because of the way in which politics was used to promote the Gillard Labor Govt.

      ABC News, what Mark Arbib had to say!

      ” And he says the absence of Ms Gillard from the bidding process in Zurich has not harmed Australia’s chances.

      “The Prime Minister was involved in the video as you saw and the Prime Minister made a very, very important trip to FIFA about four to six weeks ago,” he said.

      “On her first overseas trip she went and visited Sep Blatter, the president, and spent a fair bit of time with him and I think that had a big effect in terms of the bid.”

    • iansand says:

      03:15pm | 02/12/10

      But Rosie, she’s not a real woman.  She is a barren spinster.

    • TChong says:

      06:40am | 02/12/10

      Just saw the animation part of the bid.
      Cringeworthingly, embarrasingly awful is the only way to it.
      I dont rckon “the world” recognises,or remember who Thorpe , or Cath Freeman are, and Hoges, after this promo,his face will be seen on countless kiddies as a Halloween mask.
      Soccer Australia dont deserve to win after this dog .

      Reply

    • Davida says:

      10:05am | 02/12/10

      @TChong,
      Unfortunately I agree.  I wish the animation had contained some of the passion and vision possessed by Frank Lowy and not trite, cliched and dated images/personalities.  Paul Hogan (relying on the hat to be remembered as Dundee now the face bears little resemblance), Elle MacPherson (Supermodel circa ‘80’s), Thorpe, Freeman (local as opposed to globally relevant), the beach, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Uluru (with patronising multicultural, gender- inclusive soccer game) screamed tired, worn, done to death…..like we were bidding for the 1988 World Cup.

    • Vaunted says:

      12:57pm | 02/12/10

      Crikey @TChong, I agree with you for once! It goes beyond bad for me; the delegates wouldn’t know who Julia is either for that matter, they’d be thinking who the cr*p is is that strange and luminous woman, what’s she got to do with it, and do all Australian women look look that? The whole cartoon is such an obvious and puerile suck up to the Labor side of politics, and our unfortunate national representative Mark Arbib comes across like some kind of shifty-eyed hoodlum. Poorly conceived big budget rubbish, hugely embarrassing and disappointing at the same time.

    • geo says:

      02:18am | 03/12/10

      I agree also. The promo lacked class. We are hopelessly shabby in this country. Some call it “laid back” but in reality, it is laziness to go the extra mile and do things with real quality.

    • biff says:

      06:45am | 02/12/10

      We should not play host to the soccer world cup. We would only embarrass ourselves after copping a hiding from teams like the Pitcairn Island Pirates and the Diego Garcia Island Devils. We are and always will be minnows when it comes to soccer. Let’s concentrate on finding some fresh bowling and batting talent for our cricket team.

      Reply

    • TChong says:

      06:54am | 02/12/10

      Damn straight, Biff. Though our batsmen have a lot of potential, the bowling line up is a work in progress.

    • Macca says:

      06:51am | 02/12/10

      Starting to become less confident that we will ge the 2022 World Cup, but like South Africa who bid for 2006, we may be in line for one of the next few.

      Starting to feel a bit sorry for Frank Lowy, who has been such a servant to Australian Football but will unlikely eveer see a World Cup in Australia.

      I am not overly worried about the Financial report. I can’t imagine South Korea and Japan in ‘02 or South Africa in ‘10 were given on the backing on financially solid bids.

      The trick will be surviving longer than Qatar, Japan and Korea. If it comes down to the last two, we’re a chance. But if we’re behind Qatar early in the bidding, we’re gone.

      Like so many international events, Australia would get behind it like no other nation, and then whistfully move on with only a few die-hards reminiscing for the following decades

      Reply

    • incervisiveritas says:

      07:34am | 02/12/10

      I’m all for “whistfully” moving on.

      Though the odd game of poker does not hurt either.

    • Tim says:

      11:43am | 02/12/10

      “I am not overly worried about the Financial report. I can’t imagine South Korea and Japan in ‘02 or South Africa in ‘10 were given on the backing on financially solid bids.”

      You’re not worried that hosting this event could cost us (the taxpayers) $100’s of millions of dollars?
      I’m all for hosting big events, but wasting this amount of money for what really amounts to a fringe sport in Australia is disgraceful.

    • Macca says:

      12:14pm | 02/12/10

      @Tim, the financial report is about how profitable the tournament is for FIFA, not the host nation. The host nation doesn’t get money from TV rights, not does it pay for teams to fly around the country and stay in hotels.
      You’ve completely missed the point

    • Tim says:

      01:41pm | 02/12/10

      Macca,
      that was my point.
      If FIFA aren’t even going to make money out of it, what chance that Australia as host nation is going to? Zip.

    • persephone says:

      07:15am | 02/12/10

      Gee, a few long bows here.

      Firstly, I don’t think anyone in the soccer community believes that soccer will ever overtake AFL for popularity.

      Secondly, the ‘A League will probably still exist’?

      Er, what?

      No, no one can say with confidence that it will - after all, there are those who believe the world will be destroyed in 2012, and who knows, we might all catch some deadly incurable virus within the next five minutes.

      But, in all likelihood, these things aren’t going to happen. And neither is the demise of the A League.

      There’s no doubt that getting the World Cup will be a boost, just as there’s no doubt that every time the World Cup involves the Socceroos the profile of the game - and the number of players - increases.

      But - already, without winning the World Cup - soccer has seen a steady rise in popularity, especially amongst the young.

      It is already the game with the highest number of participating players in Australia (I’m one myself, and - like many people in my age group - only started playing the game in the last five years. Previously, I wasn’t involved in any sport).

      Losing the World Cup bid would be disappointing but it’s not going to see the death of soccer in Australia.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      08:54am | 02/12/10

      @Persephone, “Firstly, I don’t think anyone in the soccer community believes that soccer will ever overtake AFL for popularity”. I do. it might take 50 years, likely longer, but to see how much the NSL has grown in the US, one of the most insular countries in the world, A World Cup would be huge for the game domestically. More money in the A-league (and a B-league) is a prerequisite for this.

      Also, as you somewhat touched on, 10 - 15 years ago, kids playing soccer didn’t have anyone to look up. If you were 12 years old and wanted to play a sport, you picked Cricket because of Steve Waugh, or League because of Andrew Johns. For the first time, Aussie kids playing Football can look up Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer and dream of what could be. The number of kids who move from soccer to league / Afl / union between the ages of 8 and 14 will only decrease as the popularity of soccer increases.

      Football will be bigger than all the other codes when the average wage / Salary Cap is larger. (i.e. the A-league salary cap is about a third of the league cap? someone can probably correct me on this). Once the A-league cap matches or is greater than AFL / League, it will be the biggest sport in Australia. But that will take many decades.

    • S. Morris says:

      12:12pm | 02/12/10

      I hope that soccer remains another sport choice in Australia. I have played and watched soccer in the UK for more years than I care. I have coached a son in soccer as well. What has soured the game for me is the corruption at the professional level and it’s total domination over all other sports in the UK. I live in Melbourne now and the diversity of sports enjoyed and participated in here should be celebrated and encouraged.

    • Randy McCain says:

      03:30pm | 02/12/10

      Macca, it’s actually called MLS in the US, Major League Soccer.

      Here are the participation rates rates for 2003 for the codes.

      Football (Soccer to the bogans) - 1,218,000
      AFL - 585,000
      League - 405,000
      Union - 240,000.

      Taken from here

      http://www.convictcreations.com/football/battlestats.html

      Anyone that calls Football a minor sport is a fool..

    • Tony T. Teacher says:

      07:25am | 02/12/10

      When the FIFA delegates saw that fillum, our chances took a dive.

      Boom. Tish. Thank you very little.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      08:55am | 02/12/10

      @Tony, I disagree, I think a whole bunch of corrupt old cynical European and South American men would have loved it. Only Australians and the Poms would cringe at it.

    • Jim says:

      07:46am | 02/12/10

      Two things; ‘Rugby World Cup’ and ‘bandwagon’

      Rugby Union was laughable in this country before the push for the World Cup…then it peaked as people jumped on the bandwagon. Then it sunk to a level only slightly higher than before - higher only due to lingering corporate sponsorship.

      Soccer in this country is primarily a kids game. Not too many people understand why we had to drop the name soccer and go with football, but meh…sure it’ll enjoy a brief rise in popularity on the back of the bid, and a surge if we win, but after that it’ll go back to being just…soccer.

      Reply

    • Wallaby says:

      11:50am | 02/12/10

      Soccer in Australia is primarily a kids game because the parents won’t let their little darlings play any sport where they might get hurt. Once the kids get a brain they move on to other sports.

    • remlap says:

      01:49pm | 02/12/10

      Conversely, once the parents realise the kid doesn’t have a brain, they sign them up for league.

    • ibast says:

      07:47am | 02/12/10

      Not a fan of the game myself.  I just find it boring.  Despite this, I think the code will continue to rise in Australia, regardless of whether we get the world cup.  There’s a few reasons for this.  Firstly we finally have a national competition and it’s the only football code that does.  As different teams win the A-league more fans from different parts of the county will follow.  The second reason is our population make up.  More than half Australian have a non-anglo background now.  So if soccer is available for viewing it will become more prominent.  The final reason is our kids.  I like Union, but I wouldn’t let either of my children play either rugby code.  The possibility of permanent physical and mental damage is just too high.

      Of course this doesn’t change the fact that Soccer is boring.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      08:57am | 02/12/10

      @ibast, you’ve just been watching too much A-league. Watch some Champions League or a United / Liverpool match and it’s increadible exciting.

      The ethnic make-up of Australia is interesting, as is your points regarding your kids. I think both will grow Football.

    • Capt Obvious says:

      09:30am | 02/12/10

      “Firstly we finally have a national competition and it’s the only football code that does.”

      I’m pretty sure the AFL has had that “National Comp” part covered for a while now…

    • The Badger says:

      09:41am | 02/12/10

      soccer is boring?
      ever watch a cricket match? - should be one of the definitions of boring in the dictionary.

    • Richard says:

      11:58am | 02/12/10

      ibast and Macca, haven’t you been watching the Brisbane Roar this year? They are playing rip-snorting, pulsating football which is a pleasure to watch, especially for Roar fans like myself. The standard of the quality in the A-League has stepped up a notch this year, as it will continue to do in future years, because ibast is quite right, the code will continue to rise in Australia.

    • ibast says:

      12:12pm | 02/12/10

      Captain obvious, when the gold coast and western Sydney teams start up I might concede that, but with no North Queensland, no Central Coast (NSW),no Newcastle, no Tasmanian and no NT teams it’s still very much a Victorian game with a couple of extensions.

      Soccer can’t claim all of these either,of course, but it seems to me it has a better coverage of the Australian (and NZ) population in its premier league than VFL does

    • SB says:

      07:51am | 02/12/10

      Why do the marketing ‘gurus’ continue to roll out Paul Hogan (who, mind you, looks like he should be advertising beef jerky rather than a sporting event) and another version of an animated kangaroo? Freeman and Thorpe…..how long ago was Sydney…..no wonder the rest of the world thinks we still live in caves.

      Reply

    • persephone says:

      08:20am | 02/12/10

      SB

      in light of the fact that Paul Hogan has had a heap of various charges dropped recently, could I suggest there might be an element of quid pro quo here?

      But I think I’d rather the taxes!

    • Claire says:

      08:28am | 02/12/10

      Give Hoges a break, he is doing alright for an old bloke. And he is ooooold.

      I agree with you on the Freeman/Thorpe front though. Surely the world are aware of our more recent, more relevant sports stars?

    • Horthy says:

      12:17pm | 02/12/10

      It was an awful presentation piece, and I don’t think we deserve to get the cup (for many reasons), but to answer your question: because the people who are casting votes are all ~50 years old.

    • AdamC says:

      08:35am | 02/12/10

      I am not a fan of soccer, but have no code-rivalry antipathy towards it.

      Having said that, I’m not so hot on the current trend just about everywhere to bid for these huge, one-off events. They are expensive and the benefits are fleeting. It is much more sensible to invest the funds in quality, annual sports and cultural events.

      Melbourne is so enlivened by things like the tennis, grand prix and spring racing: events that come around every year and provide an annuity-style return. Meanwhile, Sydney’s calendar is hardly boosted by their exemplary Olympics of a decade ago.

      Why not use the money to revitalise our moribund Australian golf tour?

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      08:59am | 02/12/10

      @AdamC, ‘Why not use the money to revitalise our moribund Australian golf tour?”

      I have no idea what the cost would be, but considering the Prize pool for each tournament would need to be close to A$10m it would be an expensive proposition. But I’d love to see it.

    • AdamC says:

      09:23am | 02/12/10

      Macca, I agree, but how much would all this World Cup stuff set us back? And all for a four-week payoff. It just makes no sense to me, except in a ‘bread and circuses’ way.

    • Dave-o says:

      01:27pm | 02/12/10

      The Grand Prix is far from a self-sustaining preposition and I highly doubt the tennis will still be here after 2020.

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      08:56am | 02/12/10

      If the attendances at two matches yesterday are any indication, where one match, between the Gold Coast & some other team, only attracted about 1100 spectators is anything to go by we don’t deserve the FIFA World Cup. Anyway does anyone really care?
      Why all the has-been so-called celebs & a PM who soon will be?
      Back to yesterday’s two matches! Why did ABC-TV on their News Breakfast Show play all that background cheeirng etc whe showing excerpt of these games. The background noises were obviously recorded crowd noises tacked on for, apparently, some effect and effect which, just like they do with cricket, was pointless for as when the cameras were allowed to pan across the stands there were almost no spectators present yet the crowd noises were every bit as loud as if it was the AFL Grand Final at the MCG. Now that IS football!

      Reply

    • GCUSCAM says:

      02:18pm | 02/12/10

      Unlike other codes of Eggball, we actually actively support our team when there playing acting as a 12th man, where all you other codes can do is yell “Ball” and clap when you score 5000 points. anti climax! 2000 people there and more noise than 20000 at any other sport.

    • Steve says:

      09:14am | 02/12/10

      Looking at last night’s NSL-level crowds in the so-called “A-League” - i.e. 4200 in Sydney and 1400 on the Gold Coast - i’d say that Australian soccer was booted back into the second tier of domestic sport a long time ago.

      Reply

    • Mr Pod says:

      09:14am | 02/12/10

      It was all going so well, until Elle ...... what a useless fluffed contribution.
      What was Frank thinking? saying having a kiss from Elle was better than getting the world cup in 2022 and then showing a kids film to a committee with an average age of 70?  But its a funny old game, it ain’t over till the final whistle, insert more sporting cliche here ......
      I would love it to come here just as I loved the Olympics being here, the world has a chance to see my beautiful country and see what the only genuine World Championship is like.

      Reply

    • Dave says:

      09:22am | 02/12/10

      It be good if we could get the Super Bowl. NFL is a great sport

      Reply

    • G says:

      08:02am | 03/12/10

      Totally agree with you there Dave.

      I know I’d be the first one buying tickets if we ever got the Pittsburgh Steelers in Brisbane *sigh*

    • Poseidon Burke says:

      09:29am | 02/12/10

      I dont want the World Cup here. The supposed economic benefits are overcooked and the expenditure budget will be rise four fold as did the Olympics gig. Spend the money on junior community sports.

      There is also something cringeworthy about our slavish courting of international approval through bids of this kind. I know the tourism industry loves the events calendar. But I doubt that the scrutiny given to other forms of industry assistance applies to this kind - the car industry excluded of course.

      Reply

    • Drew(Darlinghurst) says:

      09:32am | 02/12/10

      This code of Football is a total BORE.

      With boring scores like 0-0 or 1-0 Oh please, Save us !!!

      Reply

    • Kyle says:

      09:34am | 02/12/10

      A lot of people are knocking the final presentation film, I thought it was corny too…

      But we have to remember the films were there to please 22 elderly men who probably have grandchildren and would like the idea of travelling all-expenses-paid to Australia to see kangaroos and Elle Macpherson (she was a bit shit too).

      The middle film presenting Australia’s history from Aboriginal story-telling to the prospective hops of early migrants I thought was a powerful and emotive narrative. I like how we kind of used USA’s message of “a World Cup where every nation will have home fans” before their own presentation.

      In the end, Ben Buckley and Frank Lowy spoke well, highlighting the significant economic prospects of hosting the World Cup in the Asian region.
      The films did well to remind people of Australia as a tourist destination and a sports-loving country. I’m sure you can’t say the same about Qatar.

      Reply

    • Vaunted says:

      03:06pm | 02/12/10

      Gosh @Kyle, you sound just like one of the PS geniuses who signed off on this infantile ALP fawning extravaganza. If it wasn’t for the continuing waste of our limited resources for political self promotion I’d be a lot happier, but if we do win by some trick of the light I guess I might come along for an Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Oi oi o… (drops kit bag containing funny hat, ridiculous face paint and brightly painted vuvuzela) Oh stuff it, no I won’t.

    • Richard M says:

      10:04am | 02/12/10

      The main problem with Australia succeeding in its bid (which it almost certainly won’t, thank God) is the sheer waste of money that will be involved in staging it.  In several smaller places (eg Canberra, Townsville) it is proposed to build 40,000 seat rectangular stadiums.  These will be total white elephants.  The current 20,000 seat rectangular stadium in Canberra is very rarely filled - in fact, I can’t remember the last time.  The average crowds for Brumbies and Raiders games is about 12,000.  To build such stadiums just for a month-long event is the height of stupidity and wastfulness, especially when they will not be suitable for what is by far the most popular sport in the country attendance-wise - AFL.  Soccer fans should simply accept that their game is a minor sport in this country and always will be.  AFL and Rugby League are ingrained parts of Australian culture and it is the epitome of arrogance to tell us that we must embrace soccer at their expense just because it is the “world game”.  What other parts of our national culture should we abolish on this basis?

      Reply

    • geo says:

      02:27am | 03/12/10

      Yes, it would be a massive waste of money for a nation that needs to spend elsewhere.
      The metropolitan transport in our major cities is substandard at best, energy, water storage, IT infrastructure all need major improvement also.
      We aren’t organized enough or ready.

    • CateM says:

      10:09am | 02/12/10

      Anthony - there are 22 voting delegates, Oceania was the 23rd.

      I thought our presentation was clever. All the technical details have been covered in previous presentations and the bid book. What last night’s final pitch did was cement Australia as a welcoming, interesting, desirable place to visit for the World Cup. While the other bidding nations focussed on the nuts and bolts, nothing they said made me want to go to their countries for a World Cup. The destination is part of the bigger picture and Australia is a brilliant destination. 

      As a soccer fan, I don’t give a rats whether the sport I love ever takes over from AFL and rugby in Australia. I enjoy it and couldn’t give a toss whether anyone else does. Personally, I couldn’t care less about the AFL, but I don’t spend my days trawling the internet for articles to leave negative comments on. Most of these comments are based on stereotypes. Perhaps if those who carry on about hooligans and ethnic tensions and “soft” soccer players went to a game or two they would find they enjoy it.

      Thanks for your efforts Mr Lowy.

      Reply

    • Ant Sharwood says:

      12:34pm | 02/12/10

      You’re right Cate. Changed and changed.

    • Robert says:

      10:37am | 02/12/10

      The whole AFL versus football debate is so primary school it’s ridiculous. Grown men fighting over which sport is the best. I don’t like AFL but don’t begrudge those who do, however, I still don’t understand how people can hate each other over a game. If you don’t like football don’t watch, if you don’t like AFL don’t watch. Look at all these internet warriors jumping onto a forum to bag out a sport, the maturity levels of these guys must be enormous. 

      From an outsiders perspective it looks as though AFL fans and AFL executives are afraid of the world cup, although I don’t understand why. AFL crowds won’t go down, all that will happen is a few bandwagoners will jump over for a few weeks until the world cup is over, then it will all return to normal, just like it did after the USA ‘94 world cup.

      The AFL fans seem to be acting childish, they see the world watching the world cup and they see what a fantastic party it is, but rather then join in and have some fun, they’d rather sit in the corner crying whilst everyone else has fun. You don’t have to be a football fan to enjoy the world cup. Hell I went to Germany and South Africa and I can tell you 99% of the Australian fans I talked too couldn’t even tell me who Johnny Warren was, and most had to have the offside rule explained to them.

      The entire country will be abuzz with excitement, it truly does bring the world together. Relax a little and have some fun. After all AFL is getting all new stadiums out of this deal and compensation, plus the AFL is still being played, so AFL fans have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s just a pity they can’t see that.

      Reply

    • Tim says:

      12:23pm | 02/12/10

      Um AFL fans are the one’s acting like children?
      Obviously you’ve never called the sport “soccer” and had a “football” fan try to berate you about the “world” game.
      And what are these new stadiums the AFL will get? Last time I looked AFL was played on large, oval shaped grounds and not small rectangular ones.
      BTW I’m not an AFL fan.

    • Richard M says:

      12:26pm | 02/12/10

      “After all AFL is getting all the new stadiums out of this deal”.
      Er, Robert old chap - I realise you probably know little about AFL, but here’s a piece of starter info: AFL is played on a large oval field and cannot be played on rectangular pitches suitable for soccer.  That is why much of the stadium building for a World Soccer Cup would be virtually wasted.

    • Chester says:

      12:55pm | 02/12/10

      A reasoned opinion Robert - AFL supporters are small town minded Melbournians who childishly sulk when anyone mentions another code.  They will never change but thankfully it is just a Melbourne thing and has nothing to do with or any impact in the rest of Australia.

    • Robert says:

      01:03pm | 02/12/10

      Richard M. I think you had better go and look at the Australian world cup bid website. Most of the stadiums we are going to use are pre-existing AFL or Rugby League stadiums. The new AFL stadium on the Gold Coast won’t be rectangular. The refurbished stadium in Perth won’t be rectangular. Adelaide Oval, well hell that’s in the name for you isn’t it (oval in case you missed it). If t goes to Geelong, guess what, not rectangular either. So I’ve counted four AFL ovals that will be built or refurbished tell me now how are they not round? How are they not suitable for AFL? You’ve lost me mate.

    • Tim says:

      01:54pm | 02/12/10

      Robert,
      you said:
      ” After all AFL is getting all new stadiums out of this deal”

      Not one of the stadiums you mention are being built for the world cup, they’re already there. They aren’t all “new” stadiums.

    • Robert says:

      02:39pm | 02/12/10

      Tim, have you seen what’s being done to Adelaide oval and Perth’s stadium, not to mention the Gold Coast’s? They may not be brand new but they will virtually all be rebuilt to better then new condition. That wouldn’t happen without the world cup.

      Also I made a mistake and called them AFL stadiums, I have just remembered the AFL doesn’t own any stadiums, they are all owned by various governments (i.e. the taxpayer), my bad.

    • Barry Crocker says:

      10:42am | 02/12/10

      I feel it would be a wonderful opportunity for the broader population to enjoy what is the greatest sporting event on earth.  It is bigger than the Olympics which really says something about the game itself.

      I have attended a few world cups - France 98 & Germany 08. Both were fantastic experiences that enriched the host country on both occasions. Tourism was through the roof and lets be honest we need every bit of help in that department at the moment.

      We spend our time, resources and energies playing sports that don’t really have a true international presence (much like Americans). AFL and the NRL take ourgreatest athletes to play sports with little or no international competition. If we could host the globes most popular tournament surely there would be a trickle down effect for the sport locally.!

      Go Aussie, give it your best shot.

      Reply

    • Drewboy says:

      10:47am | 02/12/10

      Some of the comments here are completely Un-Australian. How shortsighted can you be not to want a massive event like the World Cup here.

      Regardless whether you are a fan of the game or not, we are a nation of sport lovers and should embrace and encourage any opportunity to showcase this global event in our amazing country.

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      12:55pm | 02/12/10

      Un-Australian? Who died and made you the custodian of “Australianism”.

      Damn i’m so board talking about this I’m goi…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    • Richard says:

      10:51am | 02/12/10

      Only macca has picked up on the trend, which as you guys have heard me say before is the important thing. All you other ppl are blind to the inevitable future of soccer in Australia. Like globalism, the March towards its entrenchment as the predominant sport in Australia can only be slowed, not stopped. Amongst my demographic, most people have grown sick of the constant rapes in afl and rugby league, bored of cricket, and genuinely interested in soccer, which is seen as a vibrant mix of European sophistication and south American exuberance. WC or not, it will rapidly overtake all other sports in popularity, and I can’t believe how short sighted everyone must be if they can’t see this.

      Reply

    • Brian B says:

      12:12pm | 02/12/10

      Yep Richard, I must need new glasses - I can’t see it.

      Oh, and if you feel soccer can’t attract the crowds, just bring out the old “bad boys of AFL/NRL” line - as if soccer doesn’t have its fair share of these lads.

    • Macca says:

      12:17pm | 02/12/10

      @Richard, I think Ibast touched on it before. The Asian and Middle-eastern influence on Australia’s population is only going to increase.

    • Dave-o says:

      02:56pm | 02/12/10

      Sounds like the Borg.

      Come to think of it probably an apt description of the average soccer fanatic.

      Just like Microsoft controlling the computer universe, people will eventually look elsewhere. Soccer is a relic of colonial Europe and as long as the all mighty $$$ is put before the game it will have its day and die an undignified death.

    • The Rampant Fairy says:

      11:23am | 02/12/10

      Hope we don’t get it as the sport is truly shite. In fact, it’s not really a sport at all, but theatre directed by a (usually) biased referee. Let’s face it, the game was designed to be played by women, but instead is played overwhelmingly by feminine males instead.

      Reply

    • George says:

      11:37am | 02/12/10

      As much as I would love to see the World Cup here unfortunatley I think we will find tomorrow just how money hungry and corrupt those FIFA delegates are by awarding the bid to the United States where the game will make a massive profit, this will be followed by a successful bid by China in 2026. The reality is that FIFA cares little for the development of the game in small pockets of the world like Australia.

      Reply

    • Peter says:

      11:41am | 02/12/10

      Couldn’t care less. The Soccer will interfere with the real stuff, AFL. So don’t care less really… I’ll keep a soft spot for the Melbourne Heart as the Victory supporters trashed my local, but other than that, don’t care really…

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      11:52am | 02/12/10

      Fact is that it would be unprofitable for them. End of story. Not only does 1% of the population here like soccer (though 99% jump on the bandwagon for the world cup and then complain that we don’t make it through the first round - like we are entitled to or something) the majority of the world who does live in a time zone 10 hours out from ours. So not only would they never get to see any games, advertising revenue would be jeopardised thanks to the late time slots the games would be on.

      We are used to that kind of thing living so far away from the rest of the world, but Europe and America isn’t.

      Our dollar is also doing pretty well at the moment so convincing people to come here would be a stretch.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      12:20pm | 02/12/10

      @Kika, there are more registered FFA players playing Football each weekend then there are AFL, Union and League combined. 2.2 million compared to 1.8million.

      Also, the biggest TV rights market in 2022 will be Asia, already 3 billion in China and India.

    • Razor says:

      11:56am | 02/12/10

      What do you mean “booted back to the second tier”.  It never left, thank goodness.

      Reply

    • ibast says:

      01:17pm | 02/12/10

      I actually took that expression as a promotion from the third tier

    • 0-0 draw says:

      06:12pm | 02/12/10

      make that the fifth tier.  Australian Football on the first tier followed by Rugby league, Cricket, Rugby Union.  maybe soccer comes after that.

    • richo says:

      12:12pm | 02/12/10

      “I’ll never forget an interview I did with Juninho Paulista, the Brazilian player who won a World Cup in 1994. Juninho played a season with Sydney FC in 2007/08 and was duly chaperoned around town to various Sydney Swans and NRL games (he was impressed with both, by the way).”

      Yep that’s right Sharwood, he said he loves NRL and AFL to a predominately AFL and NRL sports reporter, who would have thunk it. Juninho loves AFL so all you soccer fans should as well, nice sell Sharwood but I ain’t buying it. Maybe you have got to learn when someone is humouring you.

      I have seen countless celebrities pushed into AFL stadiums in Melbourne to watch AFL, but you know what I have never seen, one go back on there own, of their own free will. But they all looked to the reporters and said “yes I love this game.” Usually with a big smiling Cheshire cat-like Eddie McGuire beside them. Remember Katie Holmes absolute look of boredom, that is how celebrities really feel about your game.

      Get all the American celebrities you like to pose in AFL jumpers, you haven’t managed to convert one into a full time fan.

      By the way Sharwood, what were you thinking asking Juninho how to turn Australia into a football nation like Brazil. Clearly you haven’t been to Brazil, you should go there it is an absolute eye opener as to how they view football, it truly is a religion. We will never become a football nation like Brazil, hell the countries where football is loved aren’t football nations like Brazil. People in Brazil love football more than Melbourians love AFL, that is a fact, I have witnessed it and it is absolutely contagious.

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      12:19pm | 02/12/10

      I’m sorry - when did soccer reach the lofty heights of the second tier?

      Reply

    • marley says:

      12:24pm | 02/12/10

      The whole point of the World Cup, from FIFA’s perspective, is to “grow the game.”  How will giving it to Australia, a country with a small population, do this?  yes, it might get more Australians and Kiwis interested, but that’s still small potatoes, comparatively speaking.  And which of our neighbours is likely to develop a brand new thirst for football based on watching the World Cup?  Indonesia?  I don’t think so. 

      Plus, the distance from any major footballing countries, and the time zone issues, would make it problematic from both the attendance and broadcast perspective.  I honestly don’t see it happening.

      Reply

    • Brad Coward says:

      12:25pm | 02/12/10

      Your comment:A complete waste of taxpayers money.  Australia will not get the event….regardless of who gets and who pays the bribe !

      Reply

    • S.L says:

      12:35pm | 02/12/10

      After reading all your responses to Anths excelent article I am convinced more than ever that the AFL/NRL crowd are genuinely worried that Soccer will take over if we win the World Cup bid!
      AFLs Andrew Demitiou fights fire with fire by bagging the game at every opportunity as well as supplying highly suspect participation figures to a friendly media.
      NRLs David Gallop doesn’t stoop to such tactics but there are enough “sports commentators” in the league areas than can bite just as hard.
      On another note the bid is indeed cringeworthy and void of any originality. Frank Lowy should be commended for his efforts but the guy who made the video should be shot!

      Reply

    • richo says:

      12:46pm | 02/12/10

      “supplying highly suspect participation figures to a friendly media,” let’s not forget their claim that memberships have risen this year, although they did neglect to mention that most of the new memberships were 3 game memberships as well as memberships for your pets. The media didn’t point that out, why would they? One lies as good as the next. We need Wikileaks to investigate all the AFL’s fudged figures.

    • Richard M says:

      12:46pm | 02/12/10

      SL, the issue for me is not a worry that soccer will take over from AFL/NRL any time in the foreseeable future, World Cup or no World Cup, but 2 things really bug me:
      (1) the incredible waste of our hard-earned taxpayers’ money involved in hosting the thing in a non-soccer country - especially the building of numbers of stadiums which will be total white elephants (see my contribution above);
      (2) the sheer extraordinary arrogance of those many soccer supporters who argue constantly that the millions of us who support AFL or NRL should just get out of the road for soccer, a game most of us do not like, because it is the “world game”.  Why should we give up what is part of our Australian culture just to be like other countries?  No way.

    • CateM says:

      02:14pm | 02/12/10

      Richard: there are plenty of things the government spends money on that I either don’t like, disagree with or do not benefit from. Suck it up princess, it’s just tough luck that you don’t like soccer. It might be a “waste” of taxpayer dollars to you, but it’s money well spent in my opinion. Happy to chip in my $2 and yours if it makes you feel any better.

    • S.L says:

      02:21pm | 02/12/10

      Richard M you have no argument from me on the cost of holding this thing.
      The MCG is only as big as it is because of the ‘56 Olympics. Now look where it is compared to Melbournes CBD. Compare that to where Homebush stadium is…...... the Kalahari Desert!
      Which one gets more bums on seats? You don’t have to answer that!
      Build it and they will come but only if you build it in the right spot. Football (soccer) fans aren’t arrogant (apart from Craig Foster). Just watch both Footy Shows to see where the real arrogance lies.

    • Kate says:

      02:54pm | 02/12/10

      Didn’t Andy D just write a whole article in the Herald Sun about how he supports the World Cup bid?

      Demetriou has better things to do than head some anti-soccer conspiracy. He’s busy fixing the draw to reward Collingwood, and trying to orchestrate the demise of North Melbourne.

    • Guido says:

      12:53pm | 02/12/10

      I am a big football fan and I am am member of Melbourne Victory.  But I for one I am not interested in displacing other codes as number ones.  Just an entertaining sustainable competition will do me.

      Reply

    • richo says:

      01:10pm | 02/12/10

      Well said Guido, Most football people I know are just watching their own backyard trying to make the league sustainable for the long term. It doesn’t matter if it’s the biggest or the smallest ,as long as it’s here.

      It’s the people from the other codes that are worried, I mean look at them on here, never has a story about football had so many comments from AFL and NRL supporters.

    • Richard M says:

      02:49pm | 02/12/10

      True, Richo.  That’s because it’s our taxpayers’ money that would be used for this ridiculous, incredibly expensive and wasteful exercise in the hopefully unlikely event that it is “awarded” to us.

    • richo says:

      03:30pm | 02/12/10

      Richard M, the AFL gets more from taxpayers then most other sports combined. You hardly have the right to complain when another sport gets a little attention.
      If you’re not happy with tax dollars being spent on sport that’s fine, but you can’t be critical about one sport getting money, whilst hoping another does.
      It’s not the Governments job to make sure your sport, and your sport alone gets money. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

      The AFL is virtually the Australian taxpayer-Funded League.
      Your acting like a spoilt child, your happy when you have all the toys but as soon as mummy government gives some toys to the other kids you cry of jealousy.

    • Jasmine says:

      01:51pm | 02/12/10

      @“It’s the people from the other codes that are worried, I mean look at them on here, never has a story about football had so many comments from AFL and NRL supporters.”

      And proportionately fewer from soccer fans. grin

      NRL and AFL have nothing to be worried about. But they will do what it takes to protect their turf.

      Reply

    • Jon Ras says:

      02:01pm | 02/12/10

      We are a Hockey family, a game which is tactically similar to soccer. But watch a hockey player score a goal and the first thing they do is celebrate with their team mates and especially the person who set them up. I enjoy watching the athleticism of soccer but cringe when a goal scorer does a personal victory lap: idiot. This is all over and above the pathetic “injury” rolls as well. These are the 2 main reasons most Australians can’t stand watching soccer: selfishness and being a sook (or just plain cheating).

      Reply

    • Dave says:

      04:02pm | 02/12/10

      You’d see a lot more goals in Hockey as well .....and it only lasts 70 minutes

    • Robert says:

      02:34pm | 02/12/10

      The presentation video had one major flaw (actually it had a lot). Where was Viduka, Kewell, Cahill or Bresciano? Thorpe, Freeman, Elle and Paul Hogan, talk about living on past glories. The one weakness our bid has is passion for football, and the one opportunity they had to show that when the socceroos play big teams we get big crowds, what do they do, show a surfing Kangaroo.

      It seems to me Ben (I love AFL) Buckley hates football or maybe he doesn’t know any football players. It came across as though we loath our own game. Although those ignorant to it will argue it,  Australia does actually have a strong and proud football history, stretching way back to the 1800s and UK immigrants. Why not show some of that history? From that video you wouldn’t even know we play football, little own that it’s our strongest grass roots game.

      From the FFA deeming all NSL history irrelevant to now excluding our crop of current stars, it seems the biggest problem with football is football people themselves. Cahill appeared at the end, but wasn’t given a chance to speak, why not?

      We learnt all about Lowy’s life and Elle mentioned how much we love him, but what about the football? Football existed before Lowy and it will exist long after him. It was an opportunity to show Australia to the world, and instead we got a video of Lowy stroking his own ego.

      Livid, I’m bloody livid.

      Reply

    • zed says:

      03:08pm | 02/12/10

      Richard M it may be your celtic/anglo culture but it aint mine! We are all australians arent we or are you more important than even the Indigenous Australians? Perhaps we should embrace theirs..

      Reply

    • TEZZA says:

      03:19pm | 02/12/10

      Watching Soccer is like watching the grass grow. NOTHING HAPPENS!  Ninety minutes of “action”, and still most games end up nil/nil or 1/1 draws. WHO CARES.

      Reply

    • Steve Smith says:

      04:00pm | 02/12/10

      Wait until the advertisers get a hold of grass growing… if it’s anything like soccer then surely it can, with a little help, pull a few million people around the world watching it every week.

    • NS Welshmen says:

      03:19pm | 02/12/10

      Too many draws and too many bores, that’s soccer. But our Politicians will be lining up to kiss FIFA’s collective butts with our taxpayer dollars. Some estimates I have read put a maximum spend of $2.9 billion to host this circus and predict that the nation would receive in return $345 million in net benefits. No thanks, Mr FIFA find another sucker.

      Reply

    • Rosie says:

      03:45pm | 02/12/10

      Robert I know exactly how you feel but think you shouldn’t put the blame on Frank Lowy, he was only doing what was asked of him. I blame the Minister for Sport and the Gillard Labor Govt for interfering trying to promote the Labor Govt. It should have been left to the Football Federation and the experts to sell soccer and how it would make heaps of money for FIFA if the World Cup was held here in 2022 instead of trying to sell Australia as a tourist destination that is governed by the Labor Party led by a female with red hair. The Governor General shouldn’t have featured, not unless we were trying to convince the mother country. ( Poms )

      Reply

    • SM says:

      03:55pm | 02/12/10

      soccer fans are an odd breed

      I tend to have them in the same group as lycra covered push bike riders and texas holdem poker players

      Reply

    • Razor says:

      04:31pm | 02/12/10

      Jeezus SM I do both of the latter ut can’t abide soccer.  Love watching and used to play Union and AFL.

    • Brent says:

      03:58pm | 02/12/10

      It still won’t outrate the traditional sports. Who’d get the bigger crowd, Essendon vs Carlton at Etihad or Paraguay vs Sengal at Subi, what would most Australian neutrals watch? The answer is obvious because the world cup isn’t a sporting event, the games are usually more boring that usual and defence rules the games, its an entertainment event not a sporting event. But if you hold this correct view be warned,’ your actually uncultured and don’t understand the game well enough to enjoy the beautiful game.’

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      08:34am | 03/12/10

      But what event would get the most viewers worldwide? I would expect it not to be Essendon Vs Carlton

    • richo says:

      04:18pm | 02/12/10

      ‘your actually uncultured and don’t understand the game well enough to enjoy the beautiful game.’
      At least you know yourself well. FYI it’s Senegal not Sengal, but being the cultured fellow you are, you probably knew that. Don’t worry I don’t blame you, being an AFL fan you’re not used to spelling other countries names, only other suburbs.

      Reply

    • Jane Wallace says:

      04:25pm | 02/12/10

      No worries mate
      Australia will get the 2038 World Cup finals for sure

      Reply

    • Jane Wallace says:

      04:26pm | 02/12/10

      Australia will play in the World Finals 2018 and 2022.

      Reply

    • Mark says:

      04:50pm | 02/12/10

      We won’t get it for this reason: if the USA get 2022, then it opens it up for China to get 2026. Put yourself in the place of FIFA, would you rather the progress of tournaments looks like 2018: England (for argument sake), 2022: USA; 2026: China, or 2018 England, 2022 Australia, 2026 random country X no where near the potential as China. Get the picture?

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      05:22pm | 02/12/10

      I have always thought that the way TV covers the sports says a lot about their ethos.  Round ball football is almost always shown as a shot of at least a third, if not more, of the pitch.  It shows that the tactics and spatial play is what attracts fans.  The rugbies are very close - almost always man on man - which emphasises the gladiatorial nature of the sports.  AFL coverage is just a dog’s breakfast.  They are either kicking the bejesus out of the pill (apparently aimlessly), fumbling it or running around like headless chooks.

      Reply

    • Garry says:

      05:31pm | 02/12/10

      I am quite ashamed of some of the responses here. Australia is a beautiful country so why not promote it, Australia is a country of sports - we are known for it so why not take part in (and sorry to upset a few) the greatest participation sport in the world. Sure I come from a land that has Football as a national sport and will always call it a beautiful talented, well played, game of FOOTBALL. But think, think how well we would show the world we play at their level (and we do and can) and it is not our national game. Think what it would be like to sit watching sportstars and fans of world play in our country, sample our lives and go home envious of our sun, our sights, and I would hope the welcome of Australians. If we treated any visitors in anyway negatively it is not because of a game some see as a threat but it would speak of Australian’s in general. We are the best for sports lets show them that and our friendship combined with the desire to have a great time. Ridicule should not an Australian trait.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      05:52pm | 02/12/10

      Quite ; and Mr Frank Lowy surely deserves praise for promoting our sporting nation, even if we miss out on the World Cup.

      Reply

    • NS Welshmen says:

      06:17pm | 02/12/10

      The unhealthy infatuation with soccer is obvious, however I have read a Norwegian study that could explain it. Concussion may occur when someone’s head strikes an object (Heading the ball). A person with a concussion may lose consciousness or suffer memory loss and appear confused. In soccer, concussions make up 2-3% of all injuries. This is the same rate as for American football! This could explain why some soccer fans seem confused and lack an appreciation for the other codes of football.

      Reply

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      07:28pm | 02/12/10

      What? We’re bidding on the World Diving Championships? When did that happen?

      Reply

    • Eyes Open says:

      07:39pm | 02/12/10

      I am stunned by the overwhelmingly negative attitude towards hosting what is the single greatest sporting event on the planet.
      I’m sure these narrow minded views are only of those who have never ventured beyond Australia, and don’t actually have the mental capacity to watch a 90 minute game of football.

      Don’t worry, a WC is not going to destory AFL or NRL as many of these idiots seem to fear.
      I must save a copy of this page to reproduce when everyone is jumping on the bandwagon when the greatest show on earth arrives in 2022.

      Reply

    • A Dose of Reality says:

      11:58pm | 02/12/10

      You nearly got it right.  The soccer fans in this country need to identify with the A-league, instead of following SBS’s cheap imported telecasts. 

      Bums on seats, memberships.  With that comes REAL TV (of the local game, rather than overseas), with that comes money - perhaps keeping a few players here, getting more soccer people involved in the local competition - all of a sudden you have an expanding circle of growth.

      However - it’s the same old same old.  “when the world cup…..”  We were hearing that in the 70’s, when Australia first made it into the finals - but nothing happened.  Then we heard it again a few years ago - but nothing happened. 

      When will you learn - it has nothing to do with the Aussie Rules fans, it has nothing to do with the rugby fans.  They (mostly) do not hate soccer, nor do they wish the Aussie bid to fail.  They simply see the game as irrelevant. 

      The problem is that the MANY soccer fans in this country do not support the game - they simply watch overseas leagues.  And are silly enough to think that die-hard Footy fans will all of a sudden forget about football and start following soccer.

      Stupid.

      Reply

    • Mark says:

      12:41am | 03/12/10

      Love it how some people state football/soccer “is not an australian game” - so all of us who were born here and love it/play it/ coach it (and there are hundreds of thousands of us) are not Australian?! Who made these people the judge of what is Australian? Yet the quintessential English game Cricket is deemed to be dinky di - cracks me up. Methinks it is more like Football/Soccer does not have the powerful mates in the media constantly pumping it up that makes it “not an australian game” Yet this will change and this is what the other foody codes cant/wont realize - its called generational change. Look around u now the average age of a person that calls soccer “a girls game” or “unaustralian” is usually 35 or over. Younger people are generally more open to it and through Foxtel/Internet have had far more access to it than the older critics ever had- bottom line is that they are more savy about it - the older critic probably watched the FA cup final once a year to base their opinions on. By the time 2022 comes around most of these critics will be deep into middle age if not quite old age. An old grump in the corner of the pub saying “back in my day we didnt like this foreign game” Thats what these critics dont understand - it does not matter what happened “back in your day” - its gone- new players always arrive in sport and so do new generations of fans - and new sponsors. Sponsors cant make money looking backwards - if new generations of fans follow a sport then the sponsors will follow. Of course sports like AFL and NRL will continue to be big but for middle aged people now to say soccer is “not an australian game” or “will always be minor in australia” is arrogant and naieve to the extreme. You may as well say that music or fashion will never change again and that your era’s style will remain forever!

      Reply

    • A Dose of Reality says:

      08:26am | 03/12/10

      It is not a “soccer” country for one reason and one reason only, that you conveniently do not mention.

      The soccer fan in this country does not support the sport.

      The soccer fan in this country watches the English soccer league that SBS can buy for next to nothing. There is no support for the game here.

      A 15,000 strong crowd is counted as “large” - we know there are more soccer people that that - where are they?  They are watching overseas games and talking about “when we get/play in the World cup … everyone will follow soccer”.

      Football is strong because people GO TO THE GAMES.  NRL is strong because IT IS COVERED BY TV (because the supporters demand it).

      Soccer is weak because very few go to games AND no-one is demanding TV coverage (and the SBS can then simply play cheap o/s telecasts rather than pay the local game TV rights).

      Simple, obvious.

    • Troy Leven says:

      01:59am | 03/12/10

      Wonder why we lost…......A Kangaroo, STOLE the cup ...........and brought it here!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice statement to show the world!!!!!!! We are a convict county anyonee and Gillard should be ashamed in even being a part of it!!!!!
      BAD BAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      You made us look like criminals!!!!!!!!!! (the kangaroo looked good an innoccent but what he did isnt!!!!)

      Reply

    • Seano says:

      06:40am | 03/12/10

      Oh get a grip. Gillard did her bit showing that the government was behind the bid.

      The real question (for the sane) is how did we only receive one vote? And how does Qatar who’ve never been in a world cup, is incredibly hot and has no alcohol (who’s going to travel there) win? Yet again FIFA’s credibility is called into question.

    • John says:

      07:40am | 03/12/10

      Well the whole ethos of the world cup is to bring it to a country were soccer is on the verge of taking off and promoting it so that in that country soocer cn grow specially at the grass roots but in this case it seems to of gone to the country that could FIFA the biggest money windfall. I think FIFA has lost its way as if the competition was held in Australia for sure it would of increased the poplarity if soccer in Australia and get more talented young players joining.

      Funny enough as well that Qatar won it but in a country were soccer is already big I wonder if it is worth while. There will be no increase in the population watching it or playing it at all.

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      07:40am | 03/12/10

      OK, you lost, now go back to sleep until the next world cup when you can come back out and pretend you’re relevant again in this country wink

      Reply

    • Josh says:

      07:45am | 03/12/10

      Everyone keeps blaming Italy for Australia losing.

      Lucas Neil was the one that slide tackled in the 90th minute in the penalty box.  Get over it.

      As for Australia hosting the World Cup…it will never happen.  We are not a good enough nation in the football world to host it.  South Africa isn’t really that good either but there are African nations that are awesome.  This years event was meant to bring them all together which it did very very well.

      Australia needs to build a better team before we can even think about competing with the worlds best.  We lost to Egypt and can only barely manage to beat Qatar and Japan.  It is embarassing.

      Reply

    • Andrea says:

      04:23pm | 03/12/10

      Josh,

      Research before you rant please. Egypt have ranked between no. 9 and no.17 in 2010 so far; Egypt are currently at no.10 (October 2010).  Australia have ranked between no. 19 and no. 23 in 2010 so far; Australia are currently at no. 20 (October 2010).  You’d expect Egypt to beat Australia based on current rankings.

    • Bill says:

      08:33am | 03/12/10

      Soccer has been played in Australia for a long long time, there are some clubs close to 100 years old. So it is not as prominent in the media as AFL or ARL, neither is Hockey. But Australia has done very well and gets a lot of respect in Hockey and other similar “smaller” sports.
      The world cup should be a festival for the game, not a way to channel millions of dollars into the pockets of construction workers and companies. Put the money into the grass roots and win the cup, stop messing around making rich people richer, and pandering to spectators who are more likely to get drunk and shout abuse than play the game.
      If you love the game, join a club and start playing it.  If you love the game, put the money into the game, lure some coaches from Europe and South America to work in the playing clubs, with juniors and seniors. If you love the game don’t leave the country when you reach the top, and put something back for the next generation. If you love the game shun the corruption. Passion is a wonderful thing, and there is nothing wrong with it, but it is not an excuse to be obnoxious. If you have passion for the game, learn how to be passionate without being obnoxious. If you have passion for the game, be a player in a club that plays.
      Set up the A league so it is linked to the grassroots playing clubs, not rich well meaning individuals who need to turn a profit. Win the cup, not the stadium construction competition.

      Reply

    • george kar says:

      08:39am | 03/12/10

      even a prime minister of australia once said” we are the asshole of the world” thats why we use egg shaped balls much easier then round ones to squeeze in

      Reply

    • Seneca says:

      08:54am | 03/12/10

      Can we go back to calling it “soccer” now ?

      We bent over backward for FIFA and nothing works except money.

      I hoped Australia would win the World Cup but it’s about time we turned the game here into a true Australian sport - not a pale imitiation of Europe!

      So goodbye FFA hello ASF (Australian Soccer Federation).

      Reply

    • tommy says:

      09:40am | 03/12/10

      good to see all the no skill sports fans sticking the boot in to the NO 1 game in the world.  why are you all so insecure   surely all sports should be encouraged .you never hear the NO 1 GAME fans running down your sport.    grow up.

      Reply

    • Jasmine says:

      01:49pm | 03/12/10

      Possibly because it’s not the NO 1 GAME with the MAJORITY of Australians. The game itself is just not interesting enough - nil all draws anyone? - when compared with the high scoring contact codes. No skill? Now who’s sinking the boots in?

    • Tim says:

      05:52pm | 03/12/10

      Well put.
      I naively thought Australians were growing up a little bit, but the paranoia surrounding football on this page is absolutely staggering.
      Dont think I ever want to return….

    • Overjoyed says:

      11:43am | 03/12/10

      You play with fire you get burned….......to the tune of $45 million dollars in this case. I’ll vomit if I hear one more person or read one more letter stating that there needs to be an inquiry or investigation into the voting system. For God’s sake, its FIFA you’re talking about - the soccer mafia - in the same league as the IOC. All crooks and conmen. Spend the money on something worthwhile next time - preferably not sport-related. If you want to see the aftermath when one of these circuses comes to your town or country, come see NSW (other than Sydney). Even though we can’t get the coal out of the ground fast enough, the roads, hospitals, schools are all shite cos we’re still PAYING FOR THE OLYMPICS!

      Reply

    • Ur$ula says:

      07:08pm | 03/12/10

      Could the great mathematicians of the labour government itemise the Aus $43 billion account to Australian taxpayers puleeeze?

      Reply
 
Comment

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Lucy Kippist

lucyjk 24 May 12 08:08AM

@christoforpaine sorry! Actually thought I already was... Weird?

Lucy Kippist

lucyjk 24 May 12 08:08AM

@dreshubby you wont know until you try!

Malcolm Farr

farrm51 24 May 12 08:06AM

Carbon tax?RT @danielsutton10: Terrifying number: Hewlett-Packard cutting 27,000 jobs worldwide to save $3 billion. #tennews#tenbreakfast

Malcolm Farr

farrm51 24 May 12 07:58AM

@IanHanke That was indeed him.

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Animal experiments won’t cure me from cancer

by Helen Marston

24

Animal experiments won’t cure me from cancer

Lying on a cold table in an unfamiliar place and undergoing a core biopsy was probably one of the most…

If you want to get promoted, laugh at the boss’s jokes

by Kate Southam

20

If you want to get promoted, laugh at the boss’s jokes

Red alert, ladies. Making jokes about your ability at work is not funny particularly at board level.…

Need someone to do your dirty work? Try God.

by Tory Shepherd

16

Need someone to do your dirty work? Try God.

Punishing the baddies is only fun in the movies. In real life it’s messy, expensive, and fraught…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

Michael S says:

"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]

From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone

Change Up! says:

I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more

242 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter

Subscribe to The Punch RSS feed