Ian ConstantineMarquee search for Sydney FC
July 10th 2007 05:34
And why not? There is no doubting the positive effect ‘Dwight Yorke’ had in the inaugural season of the A-league. His presence generated huge interest and added something special to a league that needed to create a new image. After all; “this was soccer, but not as we knew it.”
In the end, the Yorke experience paid off, and the newly formed ‘glamour club’ won the premiership with their extravagant star setting up the only goal in the grand final. The A-league surpassed all expectations and soccer was once again on the national landscape.
The timing could not have been better, the Wold Cup rolled around with the dramatic penalty shoot-out and the immortal vision of Aloisi running bare-chested, slinging his shirt down the touchline to a sea of green and gold euphoria. In that single moment soccer was rediscovered and the Socceroos embraced proudly as a national identity.
The bandwagon was bulging; Australia had finally awoken to ‘the world game.’ When the Socceroos dramatically announced themselves to the world in spectacular style, the neutral supporters were captivated; hook, line and sinker. The 1st game against Japan will go down in folklore, who can ever forget it? “Aloisi, Cahill, CAHILL! Tim Cahil has done it again! Oh it’s a wonderful moment in Kaiserslautern!” –Simon Hill’s bellowing voice will echo in Australian sporting history.
Sceptics posed that it was a flash in the pan and we had seen it all before. However the doubters have been proven wrong, the second year of the A-league was just as successful with Melbourne Victory pulling crowds of over 50,000 on a weekly basis. Soccer, or football had truly been reborn in Australia.
The question is; do we still need “marquee players?” Are we gaining much from having old players finishing their dwindling careers, looking to relive their glory days? I’m not saying they are incidental, there are indeed benefits from having such players, however the pursuit of these stars should not come with blind ignorance.
Clubs should not spend all their money just for the sake of having a ‘marquee player’. The superstar they chase needs to contribute something not only to the club, but the game as a whole in Australia. Whilst some Anfield tragics will be foaming at the mouth with the mere mention of “God’s” name (as he is known in Liverpool), others will question the merit of novelty stars playing in our competition.
Perhaps the most significant example is David Beckham, the world’s media waits to see how the LA Galaxy’s 320 million dollar experiment effects and shapes USA soccer. The profile of LA Galaxy has been lifted profoundly without a ball being kicked in ager, but will Beck’s multi-million dollar deal ultimately improve soccer in America? Is he, or anyone for that matter worth all that money?
Beckham’s high profile move to the U.S is a reflection of our competition. The hysteria created from his transfer is exactly the kind of exposure Sydney FC are trying to create by bringing a big name player to these shores. However, the ‘Glamour Club’ has significantly less money to play with than their overseas counterparts.
Whilst Robbie Fowler would undoubtedly increase the profile of soccer in Australia for a fleeting second will it overly benefit the A-league and the progression of football in this country? Maybe we should concentrate on keeping our home ground talent, and curbing the exodus of our stars like Nick Carle before we spend all our money on foreign players who only have one or two years left in the game.
Blog on…
| 76 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Michael Shillito
Nozzin' Aroun'
But the A-League is still a relatively new competition and in a tough market like Sydney, having a gimmick like a marquee player helps get the crowds through the turnstiles.
As a Sydney FC supporter and a regular in The Cove, I'd like to see a marquee player, but only if they came here for the right reason - to play football and guide the rest of the team to the title, not a washed-up old has-been who's only here for a highly-paid football holiday.
Comment by sportsbar
Fret X
I would also argue that crowds are attracted to rivalries, or grudge matches more than individual players. It are these match-ups that we live for, and wait all season for. In your case; Melbourne vs Sydney.
I guess we'll have to wait and see if Sydney can secure a Robbie Fowler type before passing judgement on their merit.