Melbourne had their big game last week. And in front of over 30,000 they just were not there. Kruse lasted 30 minutes and didn't do much. Towards the end Melbourne gave them a barrage, particularly Thompson. But Simon Colossimo showed he has earned Craig Moore's Socceroos spot. If he had it this would have been a different match (3-3?).
And that other centre back? Perhaps Brisbane should have picked on Muscat? They would have got hurt but he probably would have lost it. He did tonight and was lucky to stay on the field. Will the match review panel play fair and review the 'afters' (kicks to the legs while Bridge was on the ground) Muscat gave out of the sight of the ref? Probably not. He is protected. But Bridge showed how to play him.
2 comments:
30,000+!!
Melbourne are showing the country once again how to mobilise for a football game, and playing out the best case scenario for the transfer of support from the AFL to the soccer.
In general though, it seems my impressions of the popularity of the A-League were partly wrong. Crowds around he country remain strong. Gold Coast and Fury, for anything else we might say, are the new kids without previous expectations to be compared by. It's really just Brisbane where support seems to have dived.
I say this conscious that the test is on Sunday afternoon when the Roar face GC at home. There's no excuses of other codes, it's a favourite opponent and it's an important match to get points from. If the Roar doesn't get 14,000 anyway, it's in real trouble and looks rather shoddy compared to the rest of the League, especially as it started out with some of the best promise.
Meanwhile, go Melbourne. If AFL can transfer some of its wonderful traditions of tribal sporting loyalty to our emerging soccer culture, then AFL will always have a reverential place in the history of soccer in Australia. These AFL tribes have histories that rival the old English soccer clubs, and are all part of the rich tapestry of football history.
Thanks Hamish
Interesting that in the NRL the Storm has not been able to convert onfield success into fans - their average crowd is around 12,000. Yet they have been at 4 grand finals and won 2.
Brisbane have not been able to find a catalyst. I think they have lost fans to Gold Coast. If so then I agree we should see a bigger crowd. But they just don't seem to be getting cut through.
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