How can we kill off soccer?

[Let_it_long]

You have got to be joking ?

Most anyone who follows sport would watch the Irish team play and they would watch soccer matches on telly etc but not anywhere near the same amount would actively support a club.

Gaelic Football is by far the number 1 sport in Ireland, i think its probably a toss up between soccer and rugby then and unfortunately hurling follows.

btw how are we talking popular ? As in people playing or numbers of just spectators or both ?

(It makes no difference to the results i'm just wondering.)

Hurling is above soccer and Rugby in terms of attendance as well Clash.

There's idiots on here who post alot of crap claiming to know about Ireland and Irish sports when its obvious they haven't a clue. Gaelic football is the biggest sport in Ireland by a country mile. Record attendances year in year out. Biggest participation levels. Most air time on TV. Nothing comes close. Bigger attendances at finals than every other sport in Western Europe.

Dying my ass

 

[littleduck]

Hurling is above soccer and Rugby in terms of attendance as well Clash.

There's idiots on here who post alot of crap claiming to know about Ireland and Irish sports when its obvious they haven't a clue. Gaelic football is the biggest sport in Ireland by a country mile. Record attendances year in year out. Biggest participation levels. Most air time on TV. Nothing comes close. Bigger attendances at finals than every other sport in Western Europe.

Dying my ass

and Gaelic Football is truly national where Australian Rules football is not.

 

[ordered off]

You cannot 'kill off' soccer.

Yes you can. You can by not promoting it.

 

[ordered off]

1/2 the people on this board want soccer to succeed, because they like more than one code. The other half really seem to despise it.
I feel sorry for this latter half. The stress, frustration and angst they are starting to feel, and will contnue to feel will be unessessary, just if they opened up a bit. The frustration is set to escalate.

You can't 'kill off' the un-kill-able

Yes you can kill it off by not promoting the sport altogether.

 

[mjonc]

Bit hard to stop promoting a game played in 99.9% of countries world wide.

 

[FrangaRoo]

Wow, i cant believe how often this comes up (i guess most ppl get bored and have no life when it aint footy season)

AFL will always be number one, a fair share of afl fans will like soccer (like me), and this topic will continue to come up.

yawn.

 

[White Czar]

Yes you can. You can by not promoting it.

How much promotion was there during the NSL years?

Yet how many went down to watch the national league, played the game at grass roots level or/and loved watching soccer in England, Spain, Italy or of course the World Cup.

Soccer = the World Game

You cannot 'kill' it.

 

[copa]

and still is. I know a couple of kids who play soccer and are quite good at the level they are playing at, but when asked about their chances of being spotted by a English or European talent scout, just shrugged their shoulders with resignation, because unless you are a Harry Kewell or a Tim Cahill, the odds of making it to the elite level are very slim.

A list of Aussies playing pro-soccer overseas.. opportunities are everywhere..

Belgium

LAYBUTT, Stephen Defender KAA Gent
SANTALAB, Brendan Belgium Sint Truiden

Croatia

BOSNAR, Eddy Defender Dinamo Zagreb

Cyprus

FOTI, Adam Striker Aris Limassol
MOUSTAKAS, Perry Apollon Limassol FC
OKON, Paul Midfielder APOEL Nicosia

Denmark

CANSDELL-SHERRIFF, Shane Defender AGF Aarhus
FORMAN, ALISON Midfielder Fortuna Hjorring
MCMASTER, Jamie Midfielder AGF Aarhus

England

BOJIC, Predrag Defender Northampton Town
BRADY, Jon Midfielder Hereford
BURNS, Jacob Midfielder Barnsley
CAHILL, Tim Midfield Everton
CISAK, Alex Goalkeeper Leicester City
COYNE, Chris Defender Luton Town
DAVIES, Clint Goalkeeper Woking
DOWNES, Aaron Defender Chesterfield
DOYLE, Hayden Midfielder Stoke City
EDDS, Gareth Defender Milton Keynes
ELRICH, Ahmad Midfielder Fulham
EMERTON, Brett Right Midfielder Blackburn Rovers
FEDERICI, Adam Goalkeeper Reading
FILAN, John Goalkeeper Wigan Athletic
GARCIA, Richard Striker Colchester United
GRIFFITHS, Adam Defender Watford
GRIFFITHS, Rostyn Midfielder Blackburn Rovers
GUYETT, Scott Defender Yeovil Town
HENDERSON, Paul Goalkeeper Leicester City
HERD, Chris Aston Villa
HUGHES, Adam Midfielder Doncaster Rovers
HUGHES, Adam Midfielder Doncaster Rovers
HUKE, Shane Midfielder Peterborough
JAMIESON, Scott Midfielder Bolton Wanderers
JONES, Brad Goalkeeper Middlesbrough
KEWELL, Harry Midfielder/Striker Liverpool
KISNORBO, Patrick Defender Leicester City
LAZARIDIS, Stan Left Midfielder Birmingham City
LOWRY, Shane Aston Villa
MCCLENAHAN, Trent Defender Milton Keynes
MOORE, Craig Defender Newcastle United
MUSSON, Gareth Striker Wolverhampton Wanderers
NEILL, Lucas Defender Blackburn Rovers
O'HARE, Chris Halifax Town
POGLIACOMI, Les Goalkeeper Oldham Athletic
POPOVIC, Tony Defender Crystal Palace
PORTER, Joel Midfielder Hartlepool United
REID, Paul Midfielder Brighton & Hove Albion
RIZZO, Nick Midfielder Milton Keynes
SCARSELLA, David Goalkeeper Barnsley
SCHWARZER, Mark Goalkeeper Middlesbrough
SHEPHERD, Andrew Cheltenham
SKOKO, Josip Midfielder Wigan Athletic
STAVROULAKIS, Nick Midfielder Peterborough
TALIA, Frank Goalkeeper Wycombe Wanderers
TIATTO, Danny Left Midfielder Leicester City
TROISI, James Striker Newcastle United
VIDUKA, Mark Striker Middlesbrough
WESOLOWSKI, James Midfielder Leicester City
WILKSHIRE, Luke Midfielder Bristol City

Germany

AGOSTINO, Paul Striker 1860 Munich
BULJAN, Peter Striker FC Saarbrucken
GAITATZIS, Charilaos Midfield Arminia Bielefeld
JURIC, Frank Goalkeeper Hannover 96
KENNEDY, Joshua Striker Dynamo Dresden
TEINERT, Christophe Striker SpVgg Unterhaching
VASS, Morton Midfielder Holstein Kiel

Greece

PELLEGRINO, Adriano Midfielder Panachaiki
TOHOUROGLOU, Kyriakos Goalkeeper PAOK Salonika
WESTERVELT, Aaron Midfielder Panachaiki
ZORBAS, Peter Midfielder Panachaiki

Italy

BRESCIANO, Marco Midfielder Parma
GIRALDI, Dez Striker Cuoio Pelli Cappiano
GRELLA, Vince Midfielder Parma
KALAC, Zeljko Goalkeeper AC Milan
KARLOVIC, Mario Midfielder AS Cittadella
VALERI, Carl Midfielder Grosseto
VANSTRATTAN, Jess Goalkeeper Verona

Malaysia

HARDING, David Midfield Johor
LUKSIC, Richard Defender Johor
MENDEZ, Gabriel Midfielder Kedah FA

Malta

TAGLIAFERRO, Shane Striker Msida St. Joseph
XUEREB, Michael Goalkeeper Hibernians FC

Netherlands

COE, Nathan Goalkeeper PSV Eindhoven
CULINA, Jason Midfielder PSV Eindhoven
HOLMAN, Brett Striker Excelsior
SMITS, Tim Striker Helmond Sports
VIDMAR, Tony Defender NAC Breda
WILSON, Lindsay Defender PSV Eindhoven
ZOIS, Peter Goalkeeper Willem II

Norway

MACALLISTER, Dylan Striker SK Brann
RADULOVIC, Sasa Striker Lillestrom
STEFANUTTO, Shane Defender Lillestrom
WEHRMAN, Kasey Midfielder Lillestrom

Republic of Ireland

O'CONNOR, Chris Goalkeeper Bray Wanderers

Romania

CLITNOVICI, Daniel Universitatae Craiova
GRIFFITHS, Ryan Midfielder FC National Bucuresti
MCKAIN, Jon Defender FCU Politehnica Timisoara
MITCHELL, Josh Defender Universitatae Craiova
SHORE, Samuel Jordan Defender FC National Bucuresti
SRHOJ, Wayne Midfielder FC National Bucuresti
THWAITE, Michael Defender FC National Bucuresti

Scotland

INVINCIBILE, Danny Midfielder Kilmarnock
LOVELL, Stuart Midfielder Queen of the South
MADASCHI, Adrian Defender Dundee
MAISANO, John Midfielder Ayr United
MCBREEN, Daniel Striker Falkirk
MCDONALD, Scott Striker Motherwell
MCDONALD, Steve Defender Motherwell
SCOTT, Craig Striker Cowdenbeath
TUNBRIDGE, Scott Striker Hamilton Academical

Singapore

ANGELUCCI, Jon Striker Woodlands Wellington
CEVENINI, Christian Midfielder Geylang United
DURIC, Alex Striker Singapore Armed Forces

Spain

ALOISI, John Striker Alaves
BELLO-AMIGO, Jose Goalkeeper Poli Ejido

Sweden

COVIC, Ante Goalkeeper Hammarby IF
HEWS, Chay Midfielder Vastra Frolunda

Switzerland

CHIPPERFIELD, Scott Midfielder FC Basel
GRIFFITHS, Joel Striker Neuchatel Xamax
MILICEVIC, Ljubo Defender FC Thun
STERJOVSKI, Mile Midfielder/Striker FC Basel

Turkey

BASER, Tansel Defender MKE Kirikkalespor
PETKOVIC, Michael Goalkeeper Sivasspor

 

[Verbeek]

I bloody love football!

 

[David O'Leary]

Netherlands


VIDMAR, Tony Defender NAC Breda

Good on ya son! He's been the hero tonight.

 

[Pessimistic]

The world's your Oyster ! You haven't lived till you've been to these places !

England

BURNS, Jacob Midfielder Barnsley
CAHILL, Tim Midfield Everton
DAVIES, Clint Goalkeeper Woking
DOWNES, Aaron Defender Chesterfield
EDDS, Gareth Defender Milton Keynes
GUYETT, Scott Defender Yeovil Town
HUGHES, Adam Midfielder Doncaster Rovers
MCCLENAHAN, Trent Defender Milton Keynes
O'HARE, Chris Halifax Town
POGLIACOMI, Les Goalkeeper Oldham Athletic
PORTER, Joel Midfielder Hartlepool United
RIZZO, Nick Midfielder Milton Keynes
SCARSELLA, David Goalkeeper Barnsley
TALIA, Frank Goalkeeper Wycombe Wanderers

 

[pekay-norwest]

What,no Smiths, Browns or Taylors???Vidovich,passes to Sunavabich, long ball to substitute Smith.....i hope i pronounced that correctly!! Once again Littleduck, how can a sport played in EVERY STATE AND TERRITORY not be national?And forget your regional spiel......AFL n cricket(followed by the round ball)are Oz's national sports.ECRL?

 

[funkinA]

Why would you want to kill off the game.
Its like going for England against the Wallabies, or the Baggy Greens.

Terribly unAustralian and unpatriotic.
SHAME SHAME SHAME

I think some of you need to leave Australia if you're prepared to back another country, in all honesty you dont deserve to be here with this sort of attitude.


The reason why Football is the most Australian game in the country, is because it represents EVERYONE.
It doesnt matter if you're Asian, W.OG,, African, Yank or Convict Australian, when the team plays it represents all of us.

 

[Ray Nolan]

The reason why Football is the most Australian game in the country, is because it represents EVERYONE.
It doesnt matter if you're Asian, W.OG,, African, Yank or Convict Australian, when the team plays it represents all of us.

That concept is beyond the Dazza's & Shazza's here though mate.

 

[fabulousphil]

The world's your Oyster ! You haven't lived till you've been to these places !

England

BURNS, Jacob Midfielder Barnsley
CAHILL, Tim Midfield Everton
DAVIES, Clint Goalkeeper Woking
DOWNES, Aaron Defender Chesterfield
EDDS, Gareth Defender Milton Keynes
GUYETT, Scott Defender Yeovil Town
HUGHES, Adam Midfielder Doncaster Rovers
MCCLENAHAN, Trent Defender Milton Keynes
O'HARE, Chris Halifax Town
POGLIACOMI, Les Goalkeeper Oldham Athletic
PORTER, Joel Midfielder Hartlepool United
RIZZO, Nick Midfielder Milton Keynes
SCARSELLA, David Goalkeeper Barnsley
TALIA, Frank Goalkeeper Wycombe Wanderers

Do i sense a touch of sarcasm here.

 

[i0Nic]

The AFL has reached its maximum potential.

Don't agree with most of what you said, but that statement is spot on.

 

[Verbeek]

Let's stop degrading soccer shall we? Let's have a laugh with soccer, in Australia, at us!

 

[gwebber]

two pionts


FIFA has more countries listed than the United Nations does


and What happens when in 2022 when the FIFA World Cup in in Australia. Played in JUNE/JULY for 4 weeks. Will the AFL have a 4 week break or use the opurtunity to promote the sport. Just think FIFA may ride the Wave and give Australia the 2010 world cup.

2006 - Germany
2010 - more than likely Sth Africa (Maybe Australia)
2014 - a Sth American Country
2018 - back in Europe
2022 - definately Australia

 

[mantis]

That concept is beyond the Dazza's & Shazza's here though mate.

I'd prefer to be a bogan than a hooligan.

 

[harmesy 37]

You can't 'kill off' the un-kill-able

This sounds like a line from the Predator movie. You sure these are your own words?

By the way, Arnie ended up killing the predator.


I think comparing Australia to what is going on in the rest of the world is a bit unrealistic for the simple fact that soccer has to compete with the best game in the world over here - AFL.



In Brazil, most people wouldn't know this, but soccer's competition for players is with volleyball. Volleyball is a big sport over there...so it isn't difficult for soccer to take a huge slice of the market when volleyball is their competitor. Soccer has trouble in ireland because the competition is with sports that are faster and at least entertaining.


You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to work all this out. Where there is valid competition as spectator sports-eg Australia, USA, Japan (via baseball) Ireland - soccer will struggle. Where there are no alternatives - other than even crappier games like rugby and league - soccer prospers.


I am quite happy to watch soccer - i enjoy watching the acting. I sometimes prefer it for comedy value over watching a seinfeld episode or monty python.
They fall down faster than what John Cleese did in that fish slapping episode.

That guy for chelsea on the weekend - his leg wasn't even scratched, not touched one single bit -and yet he still managed a triple pike and 2 times roll. i love it. the opposing guy got a yellow card. That is what i call amusing footage.

 

[3kzisfootball]

I never understood all this fear about soccer. There seems to be this 'yellow peril' mentality that soccer will take over AFL, Rugby etc.

You don't like soccer? Fine! You don't like Australian Rules Football? Fine! It's a free country. (I absolutely love both...so I am lucky!) We don't need to berate and put down either sports at nauseaum!

I don't think we can label a sport boring just because we grew up with another type. I find cricket one of the most tedious activity imaginable (some football fans complain that nil-all draws are boring.....at least a game lasts only 90 minutes...in cricket you get draws after 5 days )

But I don't call cricket boring just because I don't happen to like it. Because heaps of people around the world do.

There was a great article in The Age about this issue which I will paste here because I think it places the issue in the right prespective:

Plenty for all in soccer v AFL

By Dan Oakes

November 22, 2005



IN HINDSIGHT, it was predictable, and regrettable, that Australia's qualification for the World Cup would be followed by a bout of navel-gazing over whether soccer and Australian football could live together.

On Thursday morning, when respectable members of society were basking in the afterglow of the Socceroos' achievement, journalists were awaiting the prospect of quizzing AFL chief Andrew Demetriou on what the qualification meant for the AFL.

Football Federation Australia chief John O'Neill's swipe at an unnamed "chairman of the leading football code in this country", who he claimed boasted of opening French champagne every time the Socceroos failed to qualify, added a sour note.

It was also ironic, given that O'Neill admitted when he took the job that he had no history in the game and therefore presumably was unacquainted with what people such as the late Johnny Warren went through as evangelists for soccer. It is unlikely that soccer's Mr Football would have wasted on retribution time better spent on celebration.

While Demetriou's response — "If you're an Australian, you've got to be thrilled" — was gracious and most likely heartfelt, there is still a troglodyte segment of the Australian football community that wilfully refuses to see the beauty in soccer.

All this sniping and hand-wringing might be mildly entertaining, but it is futile because there is no reason why, to paraphrase George W. Bush, "human beings and fish cannot coexist peacefully".

The fear that soccer may cannibalise AFL crowds is unjustified. Does anybody think that the 14,000 people watching Melbourne Victory play at Olympic Park last Friday have pledged themselves solely to soccer now that Australia is in the World Cup?

Australians, in particular Melburnians, always have been happy to follow multiple codes and teams. A look at some of the AFL online fan forums will show that when participants name the team they support, they will often write along the lines of "Richmond, Chelsea, San Francisco and the Yankees". Witness, also, the presence of AFL stars at A-League games and last week's qualifier.

The A-League barely overlaps the AFL season and when the Victory's clash with Adelaide at Olympic Park coincided with the international rules decider at Telstra Dome, both codes were happy with the attendances.

Next year's World Cup is in June, the middle of the AFL season, and there is no reason to think Melbourne sports fans will not consider getting up early to watch Australia play, then heading to the MCG or Telstra Dome in the evening to see their AFL side.

As to whether some children will decide on soccer rather than footy, of course some will. But the participation rates for soccer have been climbing for years, and so have the rates for Australian football. Also in the AFL's favour is that there is a realistic chance of making a real go of it in the sport. Almost everybody knows somebody they went to school with, or played kick-to-kick with, who went on to AFL. The path is rockier and less defined in soccer. Only the cream will reach the A-League or overseas.

It is obviously the job of Demetriou and company to maintain and extend Australian football's hold over the public, but there is no need for them to panic just yet.

 

[Treasurer]

South Africa has already been awarded he 2010 World Cup.

But if you believe the rumors Apparently Australia is a Good chance to host the 2014 World Cup as it was suspoed to go to South America but FIFA believe that a South American Country is not ready to host a FIFA world cup in the 21st century.

Its already been comfirmed that Australia will bid for the 2018 World cup and the 2009 Confederations Cup.

 

[fabulousphil]

This sounds like a line from the Predator movie. You sure these are your own words?

By the way, Arnie ended up killing the predator.


I think comparing Australia to what is going on in the rest of the world is a bit unrealistic for the simple fact that soccer has to compete with the best game in the world over here - AFL.



In Brazil, most people wouldn't know this, but soccer's competition for players is with volleyball. Volleyball is a big sport over there...so it isn't difficult for soccer to take a huge slice of the market when volleyball is their competitor. Soccer has trouble in ireland because the competition is with sports that are faster and at least entertaining.


You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to work all this out. Where there is valid competition as spectator sports-eg Australia, USA, Japan (via baseball) Ireland - soccer will struggle. Where there are no alternatives - other than even crappier games like rugby and league - soccer prospers.


I am quite happy to watch soccer - i enjoy watching the acting. I sometimes prefer it for comedy value over watching a seinfeld episode or monty python.
They fall down faster than what John Cleese did in that fish slapping episode.

That guy for chelsea on the weekend - his leg wasn't even scratched, not touched one single bit -and yet he still managed a triple pike and 2 times roll. i love it. the opposing guy got a yellow card. That is what i call amusing footage.

Good post ...while i dont really like soccer i will play it in the park with mates at a barbie (lots of poms in perth) i sometimes cannot help but put the boot into it because of the acting and the fact i find it boring to watch etc etc etc.

I agree with your point that in countries with other indigenous ball sports it is not number one especially exciting indigenous sports.......having said that i dont find footy as free flowing and exciting as it once was....seems to me to be to many stoppages these days.

 

[loki04]

AFL will be world wide in 25 yrs time there will be an AFL world cup it is spreading and spreading fast.
I can't believe all the hoopla and wagon jumping that has gone on over our qualification the fact is in oz soccer is second rate to footy but in saying that we as Australian's support Aussie teams so it's no wonder there was a big rating for that game we love underdog stories and this game was 1.
The reason alot of young kids play soccer as a jnr is because it's easier to get the ball. In footy at a young age it looks more like a flock of seagulls after 1 chip, also because the AFL is so worried about the thought's of precious mother's not wanting their kids to play a rough sport it has taken tackling and bumping out of the jnr ranks up to u/12's which is why my own brother stopped playing footy and went to soccer now that he is abit older he is thinking of playing footy again.
Soccer is no where near a spectator sport as footy its really only the last 5 mins of soccer that get's interesting.

AFL is and always will be #1 in AUS and is fast becoming more and more popular around the world.Go pies

 

[clashoftheash]

Hurling is above soccer and Rugby in terms of attendance as well Clash.

There's idiots on here who post alot of crap claiming to know about Ireland and Irish sports when its obvious they haven't a clue. Gaelic football is the biggest sport in Ireland by a country mile. Record attendances year in year out. Biggest participation levels. Most air time on TV. Nothing comes close. Bigger attendances at finals than every other sport in Western Europe.

Dying my ass

Above in terms of attendance and probably participation too but popularity, as in just supporters i'd have to admit soccer/rugby would be ahead.

Well whatever about which place soccer, rugby and hurling take. Its an absolute fact that Gaelic Football is by far the first sport in Ireland. Pity its not hurling but i'll settle for it being Football.