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  • Will Wanderers Put FFA Cup Ahead Of All-Stars?

    mack

    By mack

    OPINION: The Western Sydney Wanderers should withdraw any players selected for the novelty A-League All Stars match.

     

    Earlier today the first 6 players were announced for the FFA's money spinning novelty concept the A-League All Stars. The Western Sydney Wanderers were represented by striker Tomi Juric, who won the club golden boot after scoring 9 goals from 25 appearances in his first season at the club, and Australian national team defender Matthew Spiranovic, who guided the club to the Grand Final and ACL Qualification as well as playing all 3 matches for Australia at the World Cup.

     

    The All Stars match this season takes place on Sunday the 10th of August. The Western Sydney Wanderers start their Football Federation Cup campaign only 2 days later, in Adelaide, on the 12th. The All Stars novelty is just that. A novelty. It is a concept designed to do nothing more than fill the coffers of the FFA. It cannot grow A-League clubs, because no A-League club is playing.

     

    The FFA feel that the A-League clubs are a threat to this circus show, and as such have introduced a "fee" to be paid to the FFA in the amount of a quarter of a million dollars in the event one of the A-League clubs can bring a big European team to Australia on tour, such as the extremely successful match between Melbourne Victory & Liverpool FC of England. This is a pathetic attempt to crowd out A-League clubs from carving their own place in the sporting marketplace.

     

    Instead of the Red Devils vs the Blue Randoms last season, I'd have much preferred to be chanting in the RBB for the Wanderers vs Manchester United, instead of sitting 5 rows from the top of ANZ stadium surrounded by people who wanted to know when Ronaldo was coming on.

     

    The idea that the Wanderers could lose their top scorer and a current Australian international player for a real, competitive fixture so that they can play in what is effectively a testimonial match for a marquee player from our city rivals Sydney FC, is a disgrace.

     

    The point of the FFA Cup, at least according to the FFA, is to 'reconnect the grassroots'. Will Adelaide City feel 'reconnected' or respected when the Wanderers show up without key players because they played in a match that means nothing, for a team that isn't the one they face on the 12th of August?

     

    I call upon the Western Sydney Wanderers to immediately withdraw any selected player from the All Stars squad to completely avoid any chance of injury during the Del Piero Tribute match.

     

    I have contacted the club and asked if the Wanderers are considering withdrawing players, and I hope they are.

     

    Update: The Western Sydney Wanderers have responded to my enquiry. Their official statement follows:

     

    The Club won't be making any statements on player withdrawals at this stage.

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    leslie

     

    Just got an email from ANZ stadium offering purchase of category 1 tix for $70 off.

     

    Code for...

    1. No one is willing to pony up the dosh for such a plastic event
    2. Even ESFC fans from Leichhardt have a distaste for the match
    3. Wanderers fans aren't going

     

    Agree

     

    Outside of the football community not many people would be attracted to a Juve game like they would a Man U game for example. Given that it looks like the wider football community is not really behind the concept (maybe the Italians have some interest this time), this may die off pretty quickly. Personally id rather go to the Adelaide FFA cup game. 

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    SBW

    I hope this thing ***** fails in a year or 2.

     

    FTFFA are robbing clubs the advantages of playing pre-season friendlies against teams from Europe.

     

    THis concept will not and not even allow Australian football to grow. This all star concept was a David Gallop idea in the nrl and since he left the nrl, dave smith abandoned it in favour of the nrl 9s because he saw this failing year after year and clubs complaining about players getting injured for a meaningless game.

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    Nnnnnathan12

    I hope this thing ***** fails in a year or 2.

    FTFFA are robbing clubs the advantages of playing pre-season friendlies against teams from Europe.

    THis concept will not and not even allow Australian football to grow. This all star concept was a David Gallop idea in the nrl and since he left the nrl, dave smith abandoned it in favour of the nrl 9s because he saw this failing year after year and clubs complaining about players getting injured for a meaningless game.

    The NRL indigenous-all star game has nothing to do with the all stars, it's all about the indigenous aboriginal people in rugby league and is promotional game to bring awareness to the inequality in life expectancy and quality of life between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians Edited by Nnnnnathan12
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    westofcentre

    So in essence our hands are tied? 

    If the suits at the FTFFA want our players they will get them. Unless a loop hole exists.

     

    Money in the coffers - all helps for their golden hand shake after they leave in a few years and never look back.

     

    Who's left supporting the game? Oh yes - the fans! The fans will always be there, we will just have another suit to deal with who has little/no understanding of the game, and its culture. 

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    Prydzopolis

    What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

    The FFA should stand up for themselves (look the all star concept is farked, but that aside) and for football in Australia. Let them put the all star game on the back channels of FTA and then never accept money from them again! Much better if it went to a network who actually gives a toss about football (Fox or SBS) rather than a network who we assume is doing it for ratings.... Oh wait....

     

    The FFA find plenty of ways to make money off the game, only have to look at the way they'll charge each team hosting international domestic teams 250k each that the FFA always make sure they make their cut!

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    Hughesy

    Perhaps it's a good thing if it's shown on 7mate. While good for us as it will question the future of the concept, anything under 50,000 is an embarrassment and makes a mockery of it all.

     

    The FFA are like that one kid at school who tried so desperately to fit in. The media say jump, they ask how high...

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    Wanderer74

    I can assure you last year, the Liverpool MVFC game was on MATE. I can tell you how I remember this. The stupid weak or no signal on the digital TV, meaning we can't watch it. Whereas last years all stars game was on the main channel(Saturday night not a Wednesday like the victory game)

     

    Just for context we had Foxtel Digital, meaning you can only watch the first channels and selected second channels.

     

    I think a lot of people would have this problem as well

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    Prydzopolis

    Just for context we had Foxtel Digital, meaning you can only watch the first channels and selected second channels.

    I think a lot of people would have this problem as well

    Or you can get the HD box, and then fox can charge you an extra $10 a month!! Grrrinds my gears!! Though don't they allow you to watch the secondary channels for free?

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    GunnerWanderer

    Update: The Western Sydney Wanderers have responded to my enquiry. Their official statement follows:

     

     

    The Club won't be making any statements on player withdrawals at this stage.

    Mack do you ever feel guilty known the wanderers probably employ 3 people just to deal with your requests :-)

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    MarcelFC

    **** this stupid All Stars concept.

    FFA should know better than to schedule the FFA Cup (a concept that the footballing public are *actually* excited for) two days before this ADP wankfest.

    FFA's heads are so far up their own arses they need glass stomachs to see.

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    Davo

    I always thought the reason the ratings were significantly lower on the secondary channels was because they put the 'better' shows on the primary channel. The channel they put it on doesn't matter, it's the amount they promote it.

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    Burztur

    The FFA could have rescheduled the FFA Cup games if they were tied down to the All-Stars game with Juve and 7. 

     

    But they didn't - what's even more awkward is Gombau having to coach the team and prepare for his own Cup games.

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    Tranquilo

    i think popa would of told spira get some surgery that way u don't have to play in this mario all stars game and risk chance of more injury which could affect our season.

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    Prydzopolis

    The news says juric is fit to play

    Maybe popa tried to get Tomi out of the training camp and game by saying he is injured but after been assessed by FFA people they didn't buy it so maybe he'll play. What's the bet that he is still recovering from an injury so is unable to play the match so just ends up just missing some decent training sessions with WSW and has to be content with the joke that is the all stars concept!

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    DinoPresinger
    This is all true, and for the same reason, I still don't understand why A-League games are on SBS 2 instead of SBS 1. The ratings would be higher I'm sure. I also don't really understand why our home derbies aren't live SBS games, they would sell out regardless (I understand why they don't have the ones played at Allianz live on SBS, as people might just be lazy and stay home, which might mean the game won't sell out). Allowing people without Fox to see the Wanderland in full swing on a derby night would be great exposure for the league.

    Who wouldn't go to a derby regardless? I don't care if the games on tv, nothing beats outsinging and outplaying the smurfs. In answer to your question, Fox Sports only make friday night games available, and no derbies are ever on fridays. That's why. A-League games are on SBS HD, because it's an HD channel and people like to be able to see which team's got the ball

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    nmh94

     

    This is all true, and for the same reason, I still don't understand why A-League games are on SBS 2 instead of SBS 1. The ratings would be higher I'm sure. I also don't really understand why our home derbies aren't live SBS games, they would sell out regardless (I understand why they don't have the ones played at Allianz live on SBS, as people might just be lazy and stay home, which might mean the game won't sell out). Allowing people without Fox to see the Wanderland in full swing on a derby night would be great exposure for the league.

    Who wouldn't go to a derby regardless? I don't care if the games on tv, nothing beats outsinging and outplaying the smurfs. In answer to your question, Fox Sports only make friday night games available, and no derbies are ever on fridays. That's why. A-League games are on SBS HD, because it's an HD channel and people like to be able to see which team's got the ball

     

    I'm not talking about the converted, I will be at every derby, but what I meant is in terms of trying to win new supporters, putting it on free to air makes it more likely for us to attract new fans, and we should always be looking to grow our club. Denying derbies to 60% of the population will not do this, particularly when it is becoming one of the premier events in Australian sport. It makes zero sense for the game to be Fox only. Of course being there is better, I would never argue otherwise, and I think you misconstrued the point of the post.

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    Prydzopolis

    Will be interesting to see how many people watch the game on the secondary channel. Let's just wait and see how bad this fails tonight!

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