mal said:Give it time, football will grow in Australia, everyone seems to expect it to happen over night. Another world cup or two and even the hosting of one will go a long way to doing so.
When stars like Kewell, Cahill, Viduka and the likes were being shown on screen living the dream and portrayed as Australia's heroes, little kids who currently play look up to them. It's how most sports grow, everyone wants to be that guy. They stick with it at a young age, form a passion for the game.
The only thing stopping football in Australia atm IMO is the our party culture we have far outweighs our passion for the game, and I have seen this first hand. Playing football all my life I see guys who have all the promise in the wolrd, most notably a mate of mine who played for Glasgow reserves, and was doing extremely well... he just wanted to come home, see his mates and party. As an example, others who were just as talented found booze, or weed, or whatever.
The more passion for the game, the more people stick through it.. It will happen eventually, slowly but surely.
pennywisealfie said:mal said:Give it time, football will grow in Australia, everyone seems to expect it to happen over night. Another world cup or two and even the hosting of one will go a long way to doing so.
When stars like Kewell, Cahill, Viduka and the likes were being shown on screen living the dream and portrayed as Australia's heroes, little kids who currently play look up to them. It's how most sports grow, everyone wants to be that guy. They stick with it at a young age, form a passion for the game.
The only thing stopping football in Australia atm IMO is the our party culture we have far outweighs our passion for the game, and I have seen this first hand. Playing football all my life I see guys who have all the promise in the wolrd, most notably a mate of mine who played for Glasgow reserves, and was doing extremely well... he just wanted to come home, see his mates and party. As an example, others who were just as talented found booze, or weed, or whatever.
The more passion for the game, the more people stick through it.. It will happen eventually, slowly but surely.
word up man. I played on some great sides growing up and noone I played with ever made it far. Even myself, I played my first game of senior football when I was 15 and I was told i may play for Australia if I work at it, by 19 i'd given the game up completely, mainly because thursday training interfered with dollar drinks night and i was usually too hungover to play on saturday or I wanted to hang out with my girlfriend. I totally regret it now, but I did it, and many many others have. The best player I ever played with, may have made it (he had shit work ethic, but was so gifted it was crazy, he was so good on the ball that if we were winning by quite a bit, he'd beat all the defenders, then be one on one with the goalkeeper, but instead he run back a bit so he can try to beat the defenders again.) but he was in a car crash and is a quadraplegic.
However, the main thing thats stopping Australian Football progressing is participation. Just remember 10 or so years ago, "Soccer" was a nothing game in this country. The National League wasnt even broadcasted on TV and if u saw someone wearing a soccer jersey, you would be stoked. Now you see them everywhere and theres even a football channel. so give it another 10 years and we will be much bigger.
mal said:pennywisealfie said:mal said:Give it time, football will grow in Australia, everyone seems to expect it to happen over night. Another world cup or two and even the hosting of one will go a long way to doing so.
When stars like Kewell, Cahill, Viduka and the likes were being shown on screen living the dream and portrayed as Australia's heroes, little kids who currently play look up to them. It's how most sports grow, everyone wants to be that guy. They stick with it at a young age, form a passion for the game.
The only thing stopping football in Australia atm IMO is the our party culture we have far outweighs our passion for the game, and I have seen this first hand. Playing football all my life I see guys who have all the promise in the wolrd, most notably a mate of mine who played for Glasgow reserves, and was doing extremely well... he just wanted to come home, see his mates and party. As an example, others who were just as talented found booze, or weed, or whatever.
The more passion for the game, the more people stick through it.. It will happen eventually, slowly but surely.
word up man. I played on some great sides growing up and noone I played with ever made it far. Even myself, I played my first game of senior football when I was 15 and I was told i may play for Australia if I work at it, by 19 i'd given the game up completely, mainly because thursday training interfered with dollar drinks night and i was usually too hungover to play on saturday or I wanted to hang out with my girlfriend. I totally regret it now, but I did it, and many many others have. The best player I ever played with, may have made it (he had shit work ethic, but was so gifted it was crazy, he was so good on the ball that if we were winning by quite a bit, he'd beat all the defenders, then be one on one with the goalkeeper, but instead he run back a bit so he can try to beat the defenders again.) but he was in a car crash and is a quadraplegic.
However, the main thing thats stopping Australian Football progressing is participation. Just remember 10 or so years ago, "Soccer" was a nothing game in this country. The National League wasnt even broadcasted on TV and if u saw someone wearing a soccer jersey, you would be stoked. Now you see them everywhere and theres even a football channel. so give it another 10 years and we will be much bigger.
Yeah, my football was cut short by a dislocated hip haha. I still bash around in futsal.
I'm not sure its participation, isn't the junior base the most played in Australia? It's creating such an image that people become passionate. It's why Brazil produce such good players, even though their club football isn't the quality of Europe they are so passionate about the game that's what they do, day in day out, it's what they talk about, dream about yada yada.. As the game becomes more popular, more juniors will stick at it and dream of big things which in turn yields passion.
draggx said:yeah thats fair enough, But every spot needs the guy who breaks it out. the Aleague needs that star who says no the big time and wants to help grow the Aleague instead.
Im sure the Aleague would get more fans if every guy didnt run of to another comp first chance they get.
Again i dont follow this is just my views on sport in general. Its like in the 90's when Hulk Hogan left the big time and went WCW to make it big and guys like STING never touched WWE but still are known the world over. it relates to all sports imo.
Wouldnt it be awesome if guys overseas tuned into live streams of A league games because they heard about an awesome young bloke that could compete in the Euro Leagues but instead has chosen to help his home comp?