Tuesday 17 November 2015

Anti-Social Media

Sorry I’ve been a bit slack in the last week.  For those unaware it’s been a busy week across the world and no less so for those of us in fake media. Rest assured though reader I’m still here and the FFA are still doing a horrible job.


First up the footballing community was genuinely/not remotely shocked by the announcement that yesterday afternoon Steven Lowy was appointed as the new chairman of the FFA. In an entirely predictable move the collection of Lowy sycophants tasked with running the game for the people who are actually part of it did what Frank told them.


In his opening statement on the game in this country he started with a defence of his own appointment which was hardly the unifying call to address the sport's issues many would have hoped for.  In fact his defensiveness does call even more into question the process of his appointment and how the games stakeholders have lost all input into the running of their game.


“There was a very diligent process that took place which is at the highest order of corporate governance"


Of course it was entirely a coincidence that his dad was the former Chairman, who hired the recruiters (who ‘selected’ the candidates) and handpicked the board members (who voted who should be chairman).


(I stole that last bit from Twitter in case you hadn’t guessed).


Once again the close links and comparisons between Zurich and Oxford St come to the forefront.


Lowy also dodged speaking in detail about the long-term future of Wellington Phoenix, only declaring that it is ‘an issue that needs to be dealt with and will be elaborated on in the new year’… because the livelihoods of 40 to 50 people just being put on hold is professional and the highest order of corporate governance.


The good news for him though is that David Gallop is more than happy to start running his mouth on the subject:  "they're a club in another country and that's not done very often, if at all, in world football"


Actually, it's done quite often in world football. What isn't done at all in world football is a financially stable, well run club being folded.


In fact it is done often enough that Wikipedia has a whole page dedicated to it here and that list isn’t even close to complete.  In addition to this are club sides from the Oceania region who compete in the French association run French Cup which not only has other clubs from other countries but clubs from countries in other confederations competing in a European domestic competition.

…but David Gallop has not let facts get in the way of his take on the Wellington Phoenix discussion at any point so why would he now? 


In A-League land it’s Central Coast that are making the headlines this week.  With Newcastle unsellable and the Bakries within days of a collapse in Brisbane it did seem only a matter of time before the next domino started falling.


For those of you not up with the play in an unprecedented move the Mariners have demanded staff and players hand over phone records to identify a supposed mole who has allegedly leaked confidential tactics to other A-League clubs.  Quite why ‘foul anyone with the ball in the middle of the pitch’ is considered confidential I’m not sure.


While the FFA pumped the Socceroos walk-over qualifiers and exorbitantly charged for 10 year celebrations in West Sydney their inability to maintain a level playing field of professional standards in club management has given the media more ammunition to fire at the game and at the A-League.


As if the PFA didn’t have enough on their plate with the FFA conducting negotiations in the media, players being unpaid in Brisbane, Newcastle’s uncertain future and turning stable clubs into issues they now have a mess in Gosford to solve where the club/management and players clearly have had a long running issue with each other.

Some weekend related content:

Credit to the comedians at the Wellington Phoenix for this work spotted on Twitter.


Phoenix vs Adelaide
13654
City vs Wanderers
7910
Jets vs Mariners
9422
Big Blue
15947
Roar vs Glory
11748



Most watched on SKY Sport 4
  1. Hyundai A-League: 19,790 (7:30pm – 9:30pm)

Finally an honorable mention to Nick Meredith.  A commentator so bad he would fit in with the commentary team we get here in Australia for Wellington games and somehow actually more biased in favour of the Brisbane side.

Nick.  Twitter isn't really your thing.  Picking a fight and then blocking the people who point out how wrong you are suggests you are not equipped for robust debate or people throwing facts at you.  Maybe just retire and swap the iPhone for something as current as your views on the A-League management perhaps a Blackberry?

This one is for you from a fellow Brisbanite:


4 comments:

  1. So part of what you're saying is that there is the potential for an OFC Club to play in the UEFA league? A huge longshot, but it's possible? That's cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep. Only one mental Russian Billionaire from buying your way there.

      Delete
  2. What rubbish, French poly teams play in "THERE OWN LEAGUE" that qualifies them for the French Cup. Wellington are squatting in the a- league and that's how is should be seen. nothing and nothing less.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is one example showing an Oceanic team playing in a UEFA competition. There are plenty of examples of teams from smaller countries playing in larger leagues, Canada in the MLS, but also FC Monaco, the Liechtenstein teams playing in the Swiss league, etc.

      Squatting is a click bait quote and you are a troll for repeating such nonsense.

      Delete