The biggest mistake the suits made imo

[LFC]

He was never going stare down his ol mates.
Worst decisions was Lowy assigning non football people as CEO’s but picked from the 3 codes that have played against our game.

 

[erogenouszone]

I'll never forgive those eggball scumbags Gallop & Buckley for fucking the game over.

 

[BA81]

I'll never forgive those eggball scumbags Gallop & Buckley for fucking the game over.

It makes me wonder in hindsight, why didn’t Lowy just hire ️ administrators from overseas instead? Money would’ve been no issue to him

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Biggest mistake to me was the assumption that people would continue to support their own club and get on board their nearest aleague club.

They did/do not understand the passion for club based on history, community, family and identity.

By marketing as racial free instead of a standalone/add-on product they simply reinforced the bonds at the community club level.

Oversimplified but basically what I see as the biggest mistake.

Could they have kept the NSL and had the aleague too? No. Can't have 2 premier top flight competitions especially with our sport's historic derogatory labels.

Agree, they couldn't have 2 premier top flight leagues BUT they could have had ONE league made up of both .... what a sliding doors moment for Aus football really.

 

[RIMB]

Agree, they couldn't have 2 premier top flight leagues BUT they could have had ONE league made up of both .... what a sliding doors moment for Aus football really.

It is possible one of the major things holding back football in Australia is still the ethnic 'stigma'.

The perception that buried the NSL for ethnic reasons may well have been a true reflection of the greater Australian public's perception, but where the suits thought it was tied to the ethnic based teams and that replacing them with geographic based teams would fix that, maybe it is the game itself that is still viewed as an ethnic sport.

I think most who love the game and recognise it as the true World Game see the ethnic roots and communities as one its greatest strengths rather than a weakness (could be wrong).

But for the true blue Aussies who love the other codes bestest, I think they may still just see the game as an ethnic sport even when they see it played by 'skips'.

Is it the sport's image that needed to be changed rather than the make up of the National system?

Personally I think the biggest factor holding back football is the diving still. Ask anyone opposed to football what they think is wrong with the game and I expect you to hear it is boring (low scoring) and involves players rolling around on the ground for no reason. That is all the game is to them.

We saw it in that sports bet ad where they flashed across all different sports but the snippet of football saw one player do something and every player around the area dropped and rolled in agony. The sport is a meme to many and we perpetuate it because that is how the game is played.

Women's football was largely immune to it for ages but that has been eroding over the last few years as the sport has become more professional in that arena. Money requires results. Results require professional unsporting behaviour (sportsmanshit).

To the sliding doors moment - as soon as they decided on a franchise system they were forced to allow concessions (like only one Brisbane club allowed), and a 'permanent' place in the competition. Mono - how do you think you would have felt back then if South Melbourne had been granted a permanent seat at the franchise table? And would your opinion be different today with the benefit of seeing the franchise system playing out here?

I am seriously interested because at the start I did not see the danger in the lack of a pyramid with p/r. The concept did not exist for me in Australian football as such. Over time I have come to understand the need for it to make the top level a true competitive and earned right for the health of the game despite the fact I love it as an invested supporter of the league.

 

[BA81]

It is possible one of the major things holding back football in Australia is still the ethnic 'stigma'.

The perception that buried the NSL for ethnic reasons may well have been a true reflection of the greater Australian public's perception, but where the suits thought it was tied to the ethnic based teams and that replacing them with geographic based teams would fix that, maybe it is the game itself that is still viewed as an ethnic sport.

I think most who love the game and recognise it as the true World Game see the ethnic roots and communities as one its greatest strengths rather than a weakness (could be wrong).

But for the true blue Aussies who love the other codes bestest, I think they may still just see the game as an ethnic sport even when they see it played by 'skips'

Never more true than in the AFL states, that last part

Bc NSW was always the cradle of the game in this country, seeing a skip playing ️(you need only use Johnny Warren himself as an eg.) was never *quite* as alien a sight there as it was in VIC/SA/WA etc. until the A-League era, if I’m being brutally honest.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Never more true than in the AFL states, that last part

Bc NSW was always the cradle of the game in this country, seeing a skip playing ️(you need only use Johnny Warren himself as an eg.) was never *quite* as alien a sight there as it was in VIC/SA/WA etc. until the A-League era, if I’m being brutally honest.

I dont know about that mate. Growing up, for every Trimboli, Boutsianis and Tsolakis, we had a Steve Blair, Paul Wade, Dougie Brown, Mike Peterson, Vaughn Coveney ... OK maybe not "skips" but you get the point?

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

It is possible one of the major things holding back football in Australia is still the ethnic 'stigma'.

The perception that buried the NSL for ethnic reasons may well have been a true reflection of the greater Australian public's perception, but where the suits thought it was tied to the ethnic based teams and that replacing them with geographic based teams would fix that, maybe it is the game itself that is still viewed as an ethnic sport.

I think most who love the game and recognise it as the true World Game see the ethnic roots and communities as one its greatest strengths rather than a weakness (could be wrong).

But for the true blue Aussies who love the other codes bestest, I think they may still just see the game as an ethnic sport even when they see it played by 'skips'.

Is it the sport's image that needed to be changed rather than the make up of the National system?

Personally I think the biggest factor holding back football is the diving still. Ask anyone opposed to football what they think is wrong with the game and I expect you to hear it is boring (low scoring) and involves players rolling around on the ground for no reason. That is all the game is to them.

We saw it in that sports bet ad where they flashed across all different sports but the snippet of football saw one player do something and every player around the area dropped and rolled in agony. The sport is a meme to many and we perpetuate it because that is how the game is played.

Women's football was largely immune to it for ages but that has been eroding over the last few years as the sport has become more professional in that arena. Money requires results. Results require professional unsporting behaviour (sportsmanshit).

To the sliding doors moment - as soon as they decided on a franchise system they were forced to allow concessions (like only one Brisbane club allowed), and a 'permanent' place in the competition. Mono - how do you think you would have felt back then if South Melbourne had been granted a permanent seat at the franchise table? And would your opinion be different today with the benefit of seeing the franchise system playing out here?

I am seriously interested because at the start I did not see the danger in the lack of a pyramid with p/r. The concept did not exist for me in Australian football as such. Over time I have come to understand the need for it to make the top level a true competitive and earned right for the health of the game despite the fact I love it as an invested supporter of the league.

Its basically what I have been saying forever and day now mate.... like it or not, you Aleague supporters are the "wogball" lovers now... my club and others of our ilk are so irrelevant we are almost looked on by the "mainstream" with a sort of pitying fondness....

Ill diverge a bit from you on the diving and low scoring .... sadly I cant get over the hypocrisy of deception and low scoring being acceptable in
other sports like cricket but NOT in the foreigner's game..... Football is football, warts and all, I personally adore the win at all costs, damn the torpedoes philosophy of the rest of the world --- admit this could be a cultural thing though.... never was and never will be considered a "proper English gentleman"

As to your question about South being in the Aleague .... Mate to be perfectly honest I dont know that I can answer that... In the NSL (apart from 1979 which is way beyond my remembrance I was just a baby) we may as well have been behind a closed off franchise league as our status in top flight was never in question ... All I can tell you with all honesty back then was that we ALL wanted pro/rel with 2 and 3 and 4 divisions below the NSL, we ALL followed English and continental football and wanted the same here... we WANTED Perth Glory and Adelaide United and even Sydney FC and shit Melbourne Victory, why not?

If South remained part of the Aleague (remember that the final 1 or 2 seasons - I forget now but somone can look it up - were called the Aleague) I may have enjoyed the early days of the Aleagues success with big crowds, mainstream popularity and TV coverage .. sure I'm not made of stone, I would have been swept away.... The animosity and grudges would not have exisited (at least not from hellas but perhaps some of the otehr clubs would still feel left out in the cold) but I reckon I would have started getting itchy feet after 2013-14 when it all started declining and stagnating....... I hope that honest enough?

 

[RIMB]

Its basically what I have been saying forever and day now mate.... like it or not, you Aleague supporters are the "wogball" lovers now... my club and others of our ilk are so irrelevant we are almost looked on by the "mainstream" with a sort of pitying fondness....

Ill diverge a bit from you on the diving and low scoring .... sadly I cant get over the hypocrisy of deception and low scoring being acceptable in
other sports like cricket but NOT in the foreigner's game..... Football is football, warts and all, I personally adore the win at all costs, damn the torpedoes philosophy of the rest of the world --- admit this could be a cultural thing though.... never was and never will be considered a "proper English gentleman"

As to your question about South being in the Aleague .... Mate to be perfectly honest I dont know that I can answer that... In the NSL (apart from 1979 which is way beyond my remembrance I was just a baby) we may as well have been behind a closed off franchise league as our status in top flight was never in question ... All I can tell you with all honesty back then was that we ALL wanted pro/rel with 2 and 3 and 4 divisions below the NSL, we ALL followed English and continental football and wanted the same here... we WANTED Perth Glory and Adelaide United and even Sydney FC and shit Melbourne Victory, why not?

If South remained part of the Aleague (remember that the final 1 or 2 seasons - I forget now but somone can look it up - were called the Aleague) I may have enjoyed the early days of the Aleagues success with big crowds, mainstream popularity and TV coverage .. sure I'm not made of stone, I would have been swept away.... The animosity and grudges would not have exisited (at least not from hellas but perhaps some of the otehr clubs would still feel left out in the cold) but I reckon I would have started getting itchy feet after 2013-14 when it all started declining and stagnating....... I hope that honest enough?

Thanks Mono.

I was not suggesting anything like 'you would be singing a different tune if South were in' - just to be sure it did not come across that way. Just interested in how the P/R element and permanency might sit with you - and you have answered all that.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Thanks Mono.

I was not suggesting anything like 'you would be singing a different tune if South were in' - just to be sure it did not come across that way. Just interested in how the P/R element and permanency might sit with you - and you have answered all that.

Yeah mate, all good... I sincerely do believe all that guff I spout about how pro/rel is the MAIN driver of aspirational football ..... It would be good to be "included" in the milieu but I reckon I would come to the same conclusions as you have sooner rather than later....

In saying that though, I reckon there are plenty in the South fanbase that would be more than happy to close the door behind us if South every get into the Aleague.... All opinions are those expressed solely by me yadda yadda yadda ... I know Hellas fans all get lumped into one group we really are as diverse as an Aleague fanbase .... just not by DNA. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAh

 

[HappyGuus]

If South remained part of the Aleague (remember that the final 1 or 2 seasons - I forget now but somone can look it up - were called the Aleague) I may have enjoyed the early days of the Aleagues success with big crowds, mainstream popularity and TV coverage .. sure I'm not made of stone, I would have been swept away.... The animosity and grudges would not have exisited (at least not from hellas but perhaps some of the otehr clubs would still feel left out in the cold) but I reckon I would have started getting itchy feet after 2013-14 when it all started declining and stagnating....... I hope that honest enough?

Yeah I nearly snorted out my coffee when I saw "A-League" mentioned in a 90s yearbook! It seems to have popped up around 1995 and lingered to 2003, although some had returned to calling it NSL by then.

I know what you mean about itchy feet. The A-League peaked from 2012-13 to 2016-17, it was ripe for creating a second tier. We got a national cup instead, which I do love. But by 2013-15 there should've been plans in place for the introduction of a second tier. It could've been up and running by 2017 and left to stabilise for a few years.

Having said that, COVID could well have killed the competition in 2020, not the clubs, but the comp. And it probably wouldn't have come back for at least three years until that hit had passed. Could've been rebirthed around about now anyway. I'm only really thinking about this now... I guess we've only lost two or three seasons of NST then? And probably dodged a bunch of trouble and heartache from a failed league, maybe a blessing in disguise. We should've been up and running next year though.

 

[Lupi]

I don't care who it was or what colour suit he or she was wearing. Calling both the men and women league the a league is beyond stupid. The only way to know the difference is ninja is women's Isuzu is men.

Gosh imagine them spending all week coming up with that

absolutely moronic move from a marketing perspective

 

[BA81]

I dont know about that mate. Growing up, for every Trimboli, Boutsianis and Tsolakis, we had a Steve Blair, Paul Wade, Dougie Brown, Mike Peterson, Vaughn Coveney ... OK maybe not "skips" but you get the point?

Paul Wade was a £10 Pom and ‘Horse’ Coveny is half if not full-Māori, as I recall.

The point is, the guys you mentioned were the exception to the ‘norm’ of Shane Crawford, Barry Hall, Jonathan Brown, James Hird, Nathan Buckley etc.

 

[vo2Max]

It makes me wonder in hindsight, why didn’t Lowy just hire ️ administrators from overseas instead? Money would’ve been no issue to him

Money was always an issue to him.

He didn't like to over spend.

In fact uncle Franky is the only (former) club investor who ever got his money back when he sold his share to the Russian oligarch.