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By Matthew Richardson:
April 25, 2004
Standing in the shadows of Paris's famous Notre Dame cathedral is not exactly where you'd expect to have any great revelations about football. But it happened in 1997 when I was in Paris during an off-season holiday with my girlfriend.
It's the one time of year when football is the last thing on your mind, but I was standing there marvelling at one of the world's great landmarks when I heard that familiar call of "Ricchho!"
Naturally I turned around to see where the call had come from - hearing an Aussie voice was actually a welcome sound after a few weeks travelling around struggling to get by on a few words of French - and I discovered it had come from a Melbourne backpacker, who had been overseas for a year and was keen to chat about footy and catch up on what had happened that season.
It was a bit surreal standing on ground where the likes of Napoleon, European kings and Popes had walked, and talking about the intricacies of the AFL, but it was also pretty enjoyable.
It's true that footballers are used to having strangers wander up and say hello at all sorts of places in Melbourne, it just feels a bit strange when you're walking down the street in Europe.
But on that same trip I experienced the other side of the coin: I happened to walk past a Paris hotel where a group of people was milling around, and asked what was going on. They said that the Chicago Bulls were staying at the hotel, and I lurked around hoping to get a glimpse of the great Michael Jordan. Having played a lot of basketball, I idolised him, and if he'd walked past, I no doubt would have said "Hello Michael" and probably tried to get his autograph.
The thing is, when you see someone on TV and know their name, you kind of feel as though you know them. So it kind of makes sense that you'd want to say hello, have a conversation or ask for an autograph, even though you've never met them.
I think players should always oblige where possible. I always try to do it, as do all my teammates. One reason I feel so strongly about it, is because I can remember as a kid being at the Devonport Oval for a limited-overs cricket match between England and the West Indies.
Before the match I watched the Poms training and Bill Athey had finished a net and was wandering off. A few of us asked for his autograph and he brushed us off. I was pretty keen for him to get a duck that day, and cheered as loud as anyone when Malcolm Marshall knocked him over for three. On the other hand, one of my favourites, Richie Richardson (for obvious reasons) signed an autograph and it just cemented his legend status in my mind.
I've never forgotten that, and footballers should remember that when a kid asks them for an autograph. A player might not reckon it's much of a big deal, but it might be for the young boy or girl.
About the only time fans might go too far is when they think they have the right to approach a player and personally abuse them. Sure, yell out during a match. Sometimes it's even pretty humorous.
I've had the odd chuckle at some of the stuff the Collingwood cheersquad comes up with, and the byplay with Jeff Farmer last weekend was good fun.
Everybody's got the right to an opinion about how players or teams should go about their football. I reckon I've had dozens of letters and advice over the years from people telling me how I should go about kicking for goal. Some of them even had reasonable points to make, although I reckon one bloke was going too far when he suggested that place-kicking might be the answer!
I also reckon fans are going too far when they hang over the players' race and give the coach and the team a spray, pointing their fingers and screaming abuse after a loss, as has happened in the past two weeks.
I understand their frustration and disappointment, but believe me the players feel terrible enough as it is when they're trudging off the field, without copping that. It's not going to improve the situation; if anything, it will just make matters worse.
For the most part, though, the interaction with footy fans is one of the aspects of the sport that I really enjoy.
Here's just one example, from last summer. For the past few years, my girlfriend's cousin has mentioned that I should get along for a game of club cricket for his team, Glen Waverley. This season I fronted up, and promptly settled in for a stint at first slip. About the only time I moved was when one of their batsmen asked to have his bat signed before he took guard, which was good for a few laughs and sledges.
When we had a hit, I was sent in at second drop. Surprisingly, they were coming off the middle of the bat from the first ball (OK, so it was a pretty ordinary attack, but I'll claim it anyway).
The Glen Waverley boys were pretty happy with one straight six, which drew a few comments from the sidelines about how I can hit them straighter than I kick. It was only then that I noticed the goal posts were still up, and the six had sailed straight through the middle.
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/04/24/1082719672077.html
April 25, 2004
Standing in the shadows of Paris's famous Notre Dame cathedral is not exactly where you'd expect to have any great revelations about football. But it happened in 1997 when I was in Paris during an off-season holiday with my girlfriend.
It's the one time of year when football is the last thing on your mind, but I was standing there marvelling at one of the world's great landmarks when I heard that familiar call of "Ricchho!"
Naturally I turned around to see where the call had come from - hearing an Aussie voice was actually a welcome sound after a few weeks travelling around struggling to get by on a few words of French - and I discovered it had come from a Melbourne backpacker, who had been overseas for a year and was keen to chat about footy and catch up on what had happened that season.
It was a bit surreal standing on ground where the likes of Napoleon, European kings and Popes had walked, and talking about the intricacies of the AFL, but it was also pretty enjoyable.
It's true that footballers are used to having strangers wander up and say hello at all sorts of places in Melbourne, it just feels a bit strange when you're walking down the street in Europe.
But on that same trip I experienced the other side of the coin: I happened to walk past a Paris hotel where a group of people was milling around, and asked what was going on. They said that the Chicago Bulls were staying at the hotel, and I lurked around hoping to get a glimpse of the great Michael Jordan. Having played a lot of basketball, I idolised him, and if he'd walked past, I no doubt would have said "Hello Michael" and probably tried to get his autograph.
The thing is, when you see someone on TV and know their name, you kind of feel as though you know them. So it kind of makes sense that you'd want to say hello, have a conversation or ask for an autograph, even though you've never met them.
I think players should always oblige where possible. I always try to do it, as do all my teammates. One reason I feel so strongly about it, is because I can remember as a kid being at the Devonport Oval for a limited-overs cricket match between England and the West Indies.
Before the match I watched the Poms training and Bill Athey had finished a net and was wandering off. A few of us asked for his autograph and he brushed us off. I was pretty keen for him to get a duck that day, and cheered as loud as anyone when Malcolm Marshall knocked him over for three. On the other hand, one of my favourites, Richie Richardson (for obvious reasons) signed an autograph and it just cemented his legend status in my mind.
I've never forgotten that, and footballers should remember that when a kid asks them for an autograph. A player might not reckon it's much of a big deal, but it might be for the young boy or girl.
About the only time fans might go too far is when they think they have the right to approach a player and personally abuse them. Sure, yell out during a match. Sometimes it's even pretty humorous.
I've had the odd chuckle at some of the stuff the Collingwood cheersquad comes up with, and the byplay with Jeff Farmer last weekend was good fun.
Everybody's got the right to an opinion about how players or teams should go about their football. I reckon I've had dozens of letters and advice over the years from people telling me how I should go about kicking for goal. Some of them even had reasonable points to make, although I reckon one bloke was going too far when he suggested that place-kicking might be the answer!
I also reckon fans are going too far when they hang over the players' race and give the coach and the team a spray, pointing their fingers and screaming abuse after a loss, as has happened in the past two weeks.
I understand their frustration and disappointment, but believe me the players feel terrible enough as it is when they're trudging off the field, without copping that. It's not going to improve the situation; if anything, it will just make matters worse.
For the most part, though, the interaction with footy fans is one of the aspects of the sport that I really enjoy.
Here's just one example, from last summer. For the past few years, my girlfriend's cousin has mentioned that I should get along for a game of club cricket for his team, Glen Waverley. This season I fronted up, and promptly settled in for a stint at first slip. About the only time I moved was when one of their batsmen asked to have his bat signed before he took guard, which was good for a few laughs and sledges.
When we had a hit, I was sent in at second drop. Surprisingly, they were coming off the middle of the bat from the first ball (OK, so it was a pretty ordinary attack, but I'll claim it anyway).
The Glen Waverley boys were pretty happy with one straight six, which drew a few comments from the sidelines about how I can hit them straighter than I kick. It was only then that I noticed the goal posts were still up, and the six had sailed straight through the middle.
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/04/24/1082719672077.html

