Passion sucked out of football
Roar star fears A- League about to fall off cliff
POPULAR Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young fears for the A- League’s future unless supporters can again make an “emotional attachment” with their clubs.
Young, the A- League fans’ player of the year for the 2019- 20 season, is concerned with the state of the competition ahead of December’s start to the new campaign.
He said COVID- 19 should not be used as an excuse for the A- League’s current state.
“It’s obvious that the league has been in decline for a number of years previous to COVID,” the veteran said.
“It’s not just about the football, it’s about the product.
“It’s about engaging people, it’s about engaging communities, it’s about corporate dollars, sponsorships, it’s about holding people’s attention, through making an emotional attachment and these are the things that can help raise the league’s standard.”
Young said women’s football and popularity of the Matildas was an example of the quality of football not being the key to off- field success.
“We’ve seen that in women’s football where they’re physically not as capable as men but the product can be said.
“It’s not necessarily about the standard of the game but the whole product itself, and that’s inclusive of the game experience.”
Brisbane- born Young, now 35, returned from a lengthy career in England to join the Roar in 2014.
“Everyone at that time was saying it was a league that was on the up and up with a great style of football being played, crowds were coming to games — there seemed to be a lot of interest in the game,” he said.
“We see a lot of marketing in the AFL and the NRL, and we want to see that in the ALeague as well.
“It’s all there to be down but the people who drive those avenues need to execute.”
Young comments came as players’ union Professional Footballers Australia released its A- League report on Tuesday.
Findings include that Australian players under the age of 21 enjoyed a 66 per cent increase in match minutes after the A- League’s restart in July following the competition’s COVID- enforced suspension.
Emerging players are set to again be showcased in the upcoming season due to a salary cap reduced by $ 1.5 million to $ 2.1 million. just as lucrative,” he