A Kick of Soccer? - 27th March 2009

This week I’ve just read a press release from the Melbourne Grand Prix organisers about Fernando Alonso having a "kick of soccer" with Danny Allsopp prior to the Melbourne Grand Prix.
"A kick of soccer", what on earth is that? - it just isn't the right language, people don't go for "a biff of league" or a "leap of AFL" - at least not as far as I know. I doubt anyone who knows the round ball game has ever thought "hey, I'm off for a kick of soccer"?
It got me thinking for all the efforts of Football Federation Australia (FFA) and others in repositioning the round ball game in recent years, have they really got through to mainstream Australia to help them understand what 'The World Game' is about?
On terrestrial TV, the game is still restricted to SBS. FoxSports have the A-League and international games but who, other than Poms like me, watch that? - and I really only have Fox Sports for the English Premier League.
For mainstream Australia, channels 7, 9 and 10 focus on white Australia's traditional sports: AFL, tennis, cricket, league and a bit of rugby union. The only time football gets close to a look in is if the Socceroos are doing well or, a Channel 10 specialty this one, there's been a punch up in a Brazilian regional game that they can show to emphasise what a violent unpredictable lot the soccer family is.
And the newspapers are the just them same.
This week's announcement of an annual Australia v Turkey by FFA is a brave attempt to out 'Aussie' the other football codes. While AFL and league can have big ANZAC Day fixtures, football can go one further by actually taking on the old enemy.
Indeed, given the performances of many of the FFA's national teams in recent years, particularly the Graham Arnold coached Olyroos at the Beijing Olympics, this fixture may be more than a game, it could be a complete historical re enactment.
Australia's recent tactics have often resembled the dramas of the Gallipoli campaign; fit young men with hope in their hearts and stars in their eyes on a worldly adventure, but let down by inadequate training, poor leadership, outdated tactics and a technically deficient strike force. It often seems that our courageous and upright young Aussies have merely been instructed to run straight at the enemy defences with no prospect of success, all the time waiting for something (1915 - grenades and shells, 2009 - a ball) to be lobbed in from the back.
As little has changed in almost 100 years, it may take almost as long to change Australia's understanding of the game.
Come ANZAC Day, all Australia will be able to sit back and watch the games, well they can if they have FoxSports. Any flare ups will be on 10's Sports Tonight, which given the first fixtures are between a bunch of competitive and testosterone fuelled 16 year olds might well be a possibility!
Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management. 27th March 2009
http://www.ausleisure.com