Atmosphere at the soccer better?

[Ted Ed Fred]

Soccer in England has a great atmosphere, with all the singing. Then again there's singing at all sports over there, rugby, rugby league and cricket. The singing at Welsh rugby games is the best I've heard, because they sing proper songs and not those unfunny, naughty-school-boy nursery rhymes that groups such as the Balmy Army sing.

Soccer in Australia on the other hand, is just terribly lame and the atmosphere at Footy matches is far superior.

The whole A-league and their crowds just stink of lameness. They try to ape European sports in everything they do, but it just comes across as a cheap, try hard rip off. I mean, half of the coaches and commentators in the A-league are just reject Poms FFS. It reminds me of all the reject yanks in the NBL, and we all know what happened to Basketball in this country after it was once massive.

All A-league fans come across as very 'cultural cringe'. The A-league has no history, and is just a cheap, plastic league with plastic teams. Soccer in Europe and Footy in Australia has a rich and long history, which contributes to the quality of the product you see today. The quality of soccer here is cr@p and will never improve to an acceptable level, because the difference in money between it and the big overseas leagues will always be massive. Many people who actually like soccer will never like the A-league because it's full of Aussie hacks with no skills and 40 year old washed up has-beens from other countries.

 

[peternorth]

I mean, half of the coaches and commentators in the A-league are just reject Poms FFS. It reminds me of all the reject yanks in the NBL, and we all know what happened to Basketball in this country after it was once massive.

nba and nbl was taken off FTA which essentially killed it.

All A-league fans come across as very 'cultural cringe'. The A-league has no history, and is just a cheap, plastic league with plastic teams. Soccer in Europe and Footy in Australia has a rich and long history, which contributes to the quality of the product you see today.

No history? Yes true. But don't you have to start somewhere? what was the AFL like in marn grook days? standard wasnt great then either.


anyway. mods, could this perhaps be moved to bay 13

 

[Bloben]

Soccer in England has a great atmosphere, with all the singing. Then again there's singing at all sports over there, rugby, rugby league and cricket. The singing at Welsh rugby games is the best I've heard, because they sing proper songs and not those unfunny, naughty-school-boy nursery rhymes that groups such as the Balmy Army sing.

Soccer in Australia on the other hand, is just terribly lame and the atmosphere at Footy matches is far superior.

The whole A-league and their crowds just stink of lameness. They try to ape European sports in everything they do, but it just comes across as a cheap, try hard rip off. I mean, half of the coaches and commentators in the A-league are just reject Poms FFS. It reminds me of all the reject yanks in the NBL, and we all know what happened to Basketball in this country after it was once massive.

All A-league fans come across as very 'cultural cringe'. The A-league has no history, and is just a cheap, plastic league with plastic teams. Soccer in Europe and Footy in Australia has a rich and long history, which contributes to the quality of the product you see today. The quality of soccer here is cr@p and will never improve to an acceptable level, because the difference in money between it and the big overseas leagues will always be massive. Many people who actually like soccer will never like the A-league because it's full of Aussie hacks with no skills and 40 year old washed up has-beens from other countries.

That is your opinion which is your right.

There are many people that disagree with you though. I have lived in the UK where I first got into Soccer. Living here now I think the A-league is fantastic. Plus there are many people like me who love the fact that we have football and soccer on virtually 12 months of the year... There is no off season!!

Is the reason you are so cynical is that you are a Perth Glory fan?

 

[Lowie01]

I mean, half of the coaches and commentators in the A-league are just reject Poms FFS.

Where? I hope you're not counting Ernie Merrick and Lawrie McKinna just because they both speak with a Scottish accent - both have been in Australia for ages now. And where are the reject Pom players? The A-League is now going heavily South American, with varying degrees of success.

I must say, the last two pages of this thread is quality discussion.

 

[drew_j]

From what I've heard of the English league it would seem true that the atmosphere is better at the bigger soccer games. A mate of mine who lived in the UK for a few years turned to Soccer (he was never really into AFL when he left). And when he came back we had a very short argument about which is the better sport that I won with a single argument. He spoke at length about how it's an international game that is participated in and watched at a level AFL will never reach and that the atmosphere was so great and that we where all missing out. My reply was 'so what? I don't go to the football for the atmosphere; I go to football for the spectacle of the game. The atmosphere is a bonus.'

Big Brother has more viewers then Arrested Development that doesn't make it a better t.v. program. Soccer can have all the atmosphere it want's. That will never overshadow the fact that it is a slow, mind numbingly boring game that's played by a bunch of soft drama queens.

 

[peternorth]

Big Brother has more viewers then Arrested Development that doesn't make it a better t.v. program. Soccer can have all the atmosphere it want's. That will never overshadow the fact that it is a slow, mind numbingly boring game that's played by a bunch of soft drama queens.

not sure what your comparison of tv shows has to do with soccer as such. has anyone said its a better game because more people watch/play it? participation has nothing to do with whether its a good game....do not forget this. whether something is boring is in the eye of the beholder. i reckon golf is boring to watch, but love playing it.

people who do not like soccer naturally find it boring. i have a mate who hates AFL - an opinion which is totally to me. same goes for cricket. it totally depends where you grow up. if you have lived in england im sure you'd appreciate the game for what its worth.

i respect your opinion. your email covered all arguments against the sport, except the ethnics argument.

in the end the soccer vs afl vs nrl argument is up there with public vs private (go private ), manual vs automatic, uni vs tafe, clerical vs trade etc

 

[vinnie]

Soccer in England has a great atmosphere, with all the singing. Then again there's singing at all sports over there, rugby, rugby league and cricket. The singing at Welsh rugby games is the best I've heard, because they sing proper songs and not those unfunny, naughty-school-boy nursery rhymes that groups such as the Balmy Army sing.

Soccer in Australia on the other hand, is just terribly lame and the atmosphere at Footy matches is far superior.

The whole A-league and their crowds just stink of lameness. They try to ape European sports in everything they do, but it just comes across as a cheap, try hard rip off. I mean, half of the coaches and commentators in the A-league are just reject Poms FFS. It reminds me of all the reject yanks in the NBL, and we all know what happened to Basketball in this country after it was once massive.

All A-league fans come across as very 'cultural cringe'. The A-league has no history, and is just a cheap, plastic league with plastic teams. Soccer in Europe and Footy in Australia has a rich and long history, which contributes to the quality of the product you see today. The quality of soccer here is cr@p and will never improve to an acceptable level, because the difference in money between it and the big overseas leagues will always be massive. Many people who actually like soccer will never like the A-league because it's full of Aussie hacks with no skills and 40 year old washed up has-beens from other countries.

And which A-league game have you actually been to in order to make your comparison?

Name the club, team and date.

Name which A-league player is over 40.

Name what year the first Australian played soccer in this country compared to Australian rules.

How many coaches are poms

 

[Bloben]

My first love was AFL. If I had to choose which sport is my favourite then I would choose AFL. I think Soccer is just about there though.

The best thing though is that there need not be an argument over which sport is best for one simple reason.

Winter = AFL
Summer = A-League
Winter + Summer = Very happy Bloben

 

[ams4crows]

My first love was AFL. If I had to choose which sport is my favourite then I would choose AFL. I think Soccer is just about there though.

The best thing though is that there need not be an argument over which sport is best for one simple reason.

Winter = AFL
Summer = A-League
Winter + Summer = Very happy Bloben

You sum it up perfectly!

 

[Convict]

Ive only glanced at the last couple of pages. Just think its funny that the people shooting down soccer are afl fans that wont give it the time of day. While the soccer fans actually like both codes.

I dont think anyone is saying footy is rubbish, we just like soccer aswell?

Bloben summed it up.

 

[Hornet]

My first love was AFL. If I had to choose which sport is my favourite then I would choose AFL. I think Soccer is just about there though.

The best thing though is that there need not be an argument over which sport is best for one simple reason.

Winter = AFL
Summer = A-League
Winter + Summer = Very happy Bloben

It's as simple as that folks...

I get my sporting fix for ALL 12 months of the year.

 

[DonMania#5]

European Soccer atmosphere kills the AFL. The chants are great
It would be great if we start some chants in the AFL.

 

[peternorth]

European Soccer atmosphere kills the AFL. The chants are great
It would be great if we start some chants in the AFL.

nah, afl doesnt need chants.

 

[DonMania#5]

nah, afl doesnt need chants.

Because of the way AFL is played, it probably doesn't suit.

 

[rowey]

The atmosphere at an AFL game is better then soccer or victory only because the crowd is always invlolved whether it be crying ballllllllllllllll or getting into the umps or cheering for a goal or great mark or just a awsome piece of play, theres always something going on even when your getting thumped.....

as for a victory game, theres no doubt at times it can be the best to be part of but its just to few and far between, i went to atleast 8 games last season incl the granny v adel U and i cant complain what i saw there, its just that the majority of games are dull and boring and therefor no atmosphere unless ur in the blue and white brigage ( AFL's version of the cheersquad)....take the perth game on sat night for example..gave me nuthin

 

[kidstyler]

afl is way better than diveball ....

its just so much more exciting imo!

 

[peternorth]

afl is way better than diveball ....

its just so much more exciting imo!

careful, its creeping into afl now.

 

[kidstyler]

careful, its creeping into afl now.

this is my favourite one:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W00d3yJKl4[/YOUTUBE]

 

[GhostofJimJess]

've been to 3 A-league games and enjoyed the spectacle but it is not within a bulls roar of an AFL game. I also noticed that most of the idiots in the crowd letting off flares and leading the chants don't even watch the game!

With all due respect to its ongoing development as a competition, going to A-League matches is to VFL games what Premier League or Serie A is to AFL. The atmosphere at European big league matches is intense - like nothing we can replicate in Australian soccer.

Those seeking to compare AFL to Premier League are merely on a mission to belittle or demean one or the other. I love going to both equally, and both codes have their unmatchable attributes.

 

[BigD_Calhoon]

I went to Saturday nights game and found the atmosphere to be disappointing. I had previously once been to Olympic Park for a Victory game and much preferred it there standing up. I guess it doesn't help that the game was a snorefest, but I won't be going back to an A league match for a while.

 

[retroparty]

Can people stop bumping this thread up. We should at least get this moved to a different forum. Or mods otherwise we should lock the thread. Been going for too long

 

[drew_j]

Ive only glanced at the last couple of pages. Just think its funny that the people shooting down soccer are afl fans that wont give it the time of day. While the soccer fans actually like both codes.

I dont think anyone is saying footy is rubbish, we just like soccer aswell?

Bloben summed it up.

But I've really tried to like it. I used to watch SBS's premier league review on mondays when I was at uni and loved it. I'd picked a side, I'd watch a lot of games, I'd even started to get into the typical stories Caroline Wilson writes about AFL but for soccer. But when I'd get up to watch the live games I was always disapointed. The game reviews were always good because there was always action, but the game it's self is worse then NFL for action, I can at least watch that. Bottom line is soccer is a shit spectator sport unless you are with other people. Failing grade for mine.

 

[robaba]

WTF The atmosphere last night (I went as well) was FARR better than the AFL. Sure the game itself didn't live up to the hype, but the chanting, singing left the afl for dead.

I think this thread should be linked to a melbourne victory forum where it will be duely shreaded to bits.

As for me I prefer AFL as a sport and specatacle, but please don't ever think that AFL supporters generate as much passion as witnessed last night. I also like the world game it has a great deal to offer.

The atmosphere better at the soccer? absolutely!

If I want singing, I would go to the opera.
If I wanted acting (people playing dead as if shot) I'd watch a movie.

 

[peternorth]

this is my favourite one:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W00d3yJKl4[/youtube]

mate, its just blank space. but anyway, as a goalkeeper theres nothing i hate more in soccer than diving. it can be the difference between winning and losing.

unfortunately diving is happening in afl now. all for the name of a free kick.

 

[HighettBomber]

A lot goes on in the crowds at soccer games because the game itself is so bloody boring!