Culina: AFL supporters who dont embrace football are "insecure in their code"

[Major Colvin]

Mate leave your little inbred small town mentality at the door. I love AFL, Futbol, RL and in no way do i find the promotion of this code to be offensive.

It doesn't suprise me that the only people who don't support the real world game are pesky little small minded Victorians who are so threatened by futbols increasing popularity.



Ahhh here we go - exhibit A. The bogan who thumps his chest and proclaims "We are the best in the world" to an empty audience. Shame the rest of the world doesn't share your view of Australia - moite.

Of course the AFL should be threatened by the soccer invasion. Its promoted especially for children cause its non contact and becuase its global. I'm saying, we have our own sports, they are great sports, we do not have to become a soccer nation because they play soccer worldwide.

 

[Herbs]

Hmmm bit silly of Branko bringing out the vastly overused 'Unaustralian' line. People can follow what they want, doesn't mean they're unaussie. I like soccer, but my interest has tapered off in recent times, seeing too many games like the FA Cup final can do that I 'spose.......

 

[Major Colvin]

Hmmm bit silly of Branko bringing out the vastly overused 'Unaustralian' line. People can follow what they want, doesn't mean they're unaussie. I like soccer, but my interest has tapered off in recent times, seeing too many games like the FA Cup final can do that I 'spose.......

Exactly, world cups decided by penalty shoot-out. the game is flawed. Often uneventful. Players overpaid. What kind of men dive and yell and carry on. What kind of man headbuts someone in the chest when someone insults their mother. They should try play rugby of AFL and see what real work ethic is.

 

[Hawkers]

ummm soccer the most participated sport in Australia. Maybe you should follow your own advice and leave eh?

There are a few ways to tackle this but I'm not interested in an argument.
Why is this Culina having a winge then?
Is it because no one is interested in them playing in some game in Asia?
Even people that like soccer here haven't even mentioned anything about it, they are talking about the CL and FA cup.

He should just be happy that soccer is achieving it's best ever results publicity wise here in Australia rather than having a go at us for not paying enough attention.

I think it just goes to prove that people are more interested in Aussie Rules and Rugby than soccer (and thats a fact)

 

[TheVideoMan]

Hmmm bit silly of Branko bringing out the vastly overused 'Unaustralian' line. People can follow what they want, doesn't mean they're unaussie. I like soccer, but my interest has tapered off in recent times, seeing too many games like the FA Cup final can do that I 'spose.......

i guess Branko is secretly having a go at all the bandwagoners who have suddenly jumped off since the world cup last year.

I mean for a very patriotic sporting country anything that doesn't resemble the surname Smith, thorpe or jones is frowned upon and ignored OR used as tokenism.

 

[warney7]

IF they beat them!

But who cares about Sydney anyway?

Not most AFL supporters I wouldn't have thought!

 

[TheVideoMan]

Exactly, world cups decided by penalty shoot-out. the game is flawed. Often uneventful. Players overpaid. What kind of men dive and yell and carry on. What kind of man headbuts someone in the chest when someone insults their mother. They should try play rugby of AFL and see what real work ethic is.

Are you trying to troll or be a bigfooty comedian? Cause you missed your mark badly. Have you seen what teh AFL dishes up these days? Uncontested footy, kicking sideway, hardly any contact or its deemed dangerous?

I would seriously concentrate on AFL atm b/c the game is going shit at a fast past.

 

[Major Colvin]

i guess Branko is secretly having a go at all the bandwagoners who have suddenly jumped off since the world cup last year.

I mean for a very patriotic sporting country anything that doesn't resemble the surname Smith, thorpe or jones is frowned upon and ignored OR used as tokenism.

AFL is the greatest sport in the world.

Soccer is un Australian.

 

[finn]

OT. Can anyone tell me why the Melbourne Victory arent playing ?

because the draw for the asian champions league was done approximately halfway through the 06/07 national season - as such the organisers decided to use the first and second sides from last year's season.
the asian champions league for next year has melbourne and adelaide in it as the teams from australia due to their positioning at the end of the 06/07 season.
unless the australian season changes times, this will be an ongoing problem for the organisers.
thie teams representing the australian league will not change even if adelaide and melbourne are sitting down the ladder.

 

[Scotland]

He's right.

If you aren't willing to accept soccer as a sport in this country then I don't know about 'un-Australian', but you are pretty small-minded and insecure. Acceptance doesn't imply that you will forget about Australian Rules football or rugby, or even follow soccer at all, it merely implies that you acknowledge the sport and the progress it has made, and that it holds a place in the Australian sporting landscape.

The notion that any progress made by soccer will kill and destroy the other codes and that footy fans should form some kind of lynch mob to bash it every time it pops its head up is complete and utter crap. The A-League is growing, the Socceroos made the final 16 of the WC, good on them, it's taken a lot of hard work.

When I started following the Eagles they were the only football team in town. Now there is another footy team, a soccer team and a rugby union team. Guess what? The Eagles are still going alright, despite the success and popularity of the 3 other sides. What makes Perth any different to any other place where Australian Rules football is popular?

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Ahhh here we go - exhibit A. The bogan who thumps his chest and proclaims "We are the best in the world" to an empty audience. Shame the rest of the world doesn't share your view of Australia - moite.

Who cares what the rest of the world think DH we're Australia and f### the rest

Also aare the rest of the world small minded because they don't follow Football?

 

[TheVideoMan]

When I started following the Eagles they were the only football team in town. Now there is another footy team, a soccer team and a rugby union team. Guess what? The Eagles are still going alright, despite the success and popularity of the 3 other sides. What makes Perth any different to any other place where Australian Rules football is popular?

I find that the only state that is unwilling to accept any other code is Victoria. Which is ironic given the numbers the victory had during the last season. BUT many of the victory fans are from ethnic origin - so its in their blood. You will be hard pressed to find many afl fanatics even acknowledge the victory let alone futbol - as observed many times over on BIGFOOTY.

 

[Dj Chriss]

Just because more people play soccer doesnt mean that its better than AFL, more people drive magnas than porsches but does that make magnas better?

 

[Rockford]

I understand what he's getting at though. Sydney FC (and Adelaide for that matter) are over there representing the A-League in Asia (and doing fairly well) for the first time but most of the media couldn't give a rats.

 

[Herbs]

i guess Branko is secretly having a go at all the bandwagoners who have suddenly jumped off since the world cup last year.

I mean for a very patriotic sporting country anything that doesn't resemble the surname Smith, thorpe or jones is frowned upon and ignored OR used as tokenism.

Fair enough, but bandwagonners will always exist, no matter what happens. Also, I hear ya about the names, the amount of people that write off the Socceroos because they hear the names like Bresciano, Skoko etc. is silly, so what about their names, they're as Aussie as the bloke who has the Anglo name.

 

[TheVideoMan]

Who cares what the rest of the world think DH we're Australia and f### the rest

Also aare the rest of the world small minded because they don't follow Football?

Great see the American psyche finally reach many Aussies. Thats awesome..thats why when you go overseas and mention you're from Australia it's not welcomed with friendly gestures of the place as it used to be.

And for the rest of the world Australia is that convict island down there.

 

[Hornet]

A similar thread at twg.forum...

http://www21.sbs.com.au/wgforum/viewtopic.php?t=86979&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

the stupid shit culina can go back to watching his heckin'g ethinic fights. smck up b1tch!

 

[Herbs]

I find that the only state that is unwilling to accept any other code is Victoria. Which is ironic given the numbers the victory had during the last season. BUT many of the victory fans are from ethnic origin - so its in their blood. You will be hard pressed to find many afl fanatics even acknowledge the victory let alone futbol - as observed many times over on BIGFOOTY.

Dunno, here in Qld a lot (not all I stress) of rugby league fans dismiss Aussie Rules and soccer, pretty much a 'We hate you, piss off' mindset, sad, but but true. My experience with Victorians is that they accept soccer a bit more.

 

[lookkg386]

All for any aussies to take to the world, but do you think a local japanese country boy would care if Japan made it to the final 8 of the cricket world cup, don't think so. Same here...

 

[TheVideoMan]

Regardless of the code - they are still representing Australia. Isn't that what we pride ourselves with in this sport loving country?

Or is this only relevant when we play a code that the rest of the world is really crap at and we excel at? It seems so!

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Great see the American psyche finally reach many Aussies. Thats awesome..thats why when you go overseas and mention you're from Australia it's not welcomed with friendly gestures of the place as it used to be.

And for the rest of the world Australia is that convict island down there.

Well sorry im not ashamed to be Australian and i went to America and 9 European countries 18months ago and the English are the only ones who have anything against us. Not a big loss if you ask me

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

wednesday night is State of Origin night in sydney, therefore this match will have about a 0.1% care factor in sydney

that is probably why the above article, plus this article have come out lately

http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...ight-says-rudan/2007/05/19/1179497334849.html

We'll be right on our big night, says Rudan
Email Print Normal font Large font David Sygall
May 20, 2007


Follow my lead ... skipper Mark Rudan says his Sydney side won't be intimidated in Japan when they tackle Urawa Reds on Wednesday night
Photo: Steve Christo

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AdvertisementSEASONED Sydney FC captain Mark Rudan will offer his teammates one-on-one meetings if they have concerns before playing the biggest match of their careers and possibly the most important game in Australian club history.

The team arrived in Japan yesterday to prepare for the Asian Champions League showdown with Urawa Reds on Wednesday night. It's a game they must win to qualify for the giant tournament's final eight.

They will play in front of a crowd of 60,000 and millions of television viewers. Rudan urged the Australian public to support his side and said he would do all he could to ensure his players were not overawed.

"I've played in a couple of local derbies in Germany in front of big crowds," the 31-year-old said. "But this will be a full house with a lot riding on it. For Sydney FC - a club I hold dear to my heart, being a Sydney boy - it is probably the biggest game I've been part of.

"It's massive, not just for me but for the team, the club, the fans and everyone associated with football in Australia."

Rudan said it was his duty as captain to make sure his players were calm and prepared for the match.

"Games like this are a bit of an unknown and that's why I have to step up a bit and have more of a leadership role," he said.

"I'll talk to some of the players who may not have experienced a game like this before. I'll work through it with them and let them know what's required without putting too much pressure on them.

"We've also got players who have played in big games, which will help. There's a lot of experience and you need that in games like this."

The game clashes with rugby league's showpiece - State of Origin - and although Rudan accepts that the league might be more appealing to most Sydneysiders, he believes people are aware of the magnitude of the Urawa match.

"It's still early days in terms of the A-League and football in Australia," he said.

"I'd love to be sitting here in five years and we're in a position where we're in line with rugby league, or topping them at some stage.

"But we know there's a lot more work to be done in this country. I also know that at the grassroots level it's a fantastic start and we have to work into that and keep building the A-League.

"If we didn't have the numbers in the juniors, you wouldn't think there's much of a future for the game, but it is the No.1 participation sport in the country and we really do have to work hard in the football fraternity to keep pushing ahead.

"The game on Wednesday is on at the same time as the State of Origin, which has been around for 20-odd years. It would be stupid of us to try to compete with that right now.

"But I hope people understand - and I think they do now - that our participating in the Asian club championship is big.

"It's not an easy championship. We're experiencing some good and bad points along the way. But what it gives, as opposed to rugby league and other codes, is a real international flavour at club level."

Source: The Sun-Herald

 

[Le KooK]

He's right.

If you aren't willing to accept soccer as a sport in this country then I don't know about 'un-Australian', but you are pretty small-minded and insecure. Acceptance doesn't imply that you will forget about Australian Rules football or rugby, or even follow soccer at all, it merely implies that you acknowledge the sport and the progress it has made, and that it holds a place in the Australian sporting landscape.

The notion that any progress made by soccer will kill and destroy the other codes and that footy fans should form some kind of lynch mob to bash it every time it pops its head up is complete and utter crap. The A-League is growing, the Socceroos made the final 16 of the WC, good on them, it's taken a lot of hard work.

When I started following the Eagles they were the only football team in town. Now there is another footy team, a soccer team and a rugby union team. Guess what? The Eagles are still going alright, despite the success and popularity of the 3 other sides. What makes Perth any different to any other place where Australian Rules football is popular?

I for one would argue that everyone on this board accepts and supports soccer at the large-scale 'event' level (i.e World Cup, Asian Cup). But it's another thing entirely for people to do what Culina has suggested - that being that as a result of the wonderful support for the Australia team in the World Cup, people are under some obligation to support soccer at the club level.

In essence Culina is arguing "Well, you supported 'soccer' during the World Cup - it's now 'unAustralian' to not do the same when my club side competes in some largely unknown overseas competition". He's attempting to imply that the support for the 'international' aspect of soccer should correlate with the 'club' aspect of soccer. A laughable proposition.

The support for Australian sports teams and the support for sports at the club level are mutually exclusive - just because everyone in Australia got World Cup 'hysteria' does not mean they should be lambasted (by a bloke with vested interests) for not caring about a third-rate club competition. It's only natural for people to want to watch sport at it's 'best', that's partly why Aussie Rules, Cricket, Rugby League and Rugby Union are so popular in Australia. That's also why an 'event' like the World Cup was so popular - and it's why the A-League will not gain similar traction in the marketplace IMO.

 

[Deledio2Conca]

Of course I'm insecure. Soccer is for homo's