World game or not?
Does the Gold Coast community have an appetite for the A-League?
DOES the Gold Coast have an appetite for the A-League?
No doubt. You cannot judge the mass of fans wanting to have access to the A-League on a single game that has been transplanted to the city.
Why should the Brisbane v Wellington game have drawn massive crowds?
The game was played between two of the worst performing sides in the A-League at time when storms – containing hail – were spreading across the Gold Coast.
Fans of the game were proven right with the 0-0 result and poor finishing.
Gold Coasters have no emotional connection to the Roar. They may do their best to fly the flag for the state but the fact is they aren’t Gold Coast’s team to own and help flourish. They play on the Gold Coast once in a blue moon and their sporadic appearances aren’t enough to get rusted on supporters. Brisbane have only attracted an average of 9449 so far this season, with their highest game of 11,485 coming in Round 5 against Central Coast. Gold Coasters were mistreated by the defunct Gold Coast United ALeague outfit and their disappearance did nothing to instil confidence. There are an abundance of football fans in the city who crave a strong, stable team that can be a beacon of professionalism and quality. Don’t give them temporary games from teams outside the city. Set up a side that values standards, is governed well and engages the fans and watch the game grow even more. Give fans something they can get behind. SOCCER hunger? Yes. A-League cravings? Not so much. Sure, more than 5000 people braved the weather and the dour 90minute contest masquerading as entertainment to attend Brisbane’s 0-0 draw with Wellington.
Yet what was missing, as far as I can sense, was the vibe.
Perhaps Dennis Denuto was onto something after all, with a distinct lack of what I call “water-cooler chat” surrounding the contest.
By that I mean there were no orange scarves waving from cars leading into the match.
There was no hovering over every newspaper clipping to find out who was in and who was out for both teams.
Few codes have a copyright on passion as much as the round ball game but it’s an element that can only be found at grassroots grounds on the Gold Coast.
Perhaps it’s the scars of the past and the horrors of that club led by that billionaire bloke, but the engagement appears missing at an elite level. Sure, why would the Gold Coast community feel engendered with a team who play up the road?
Well, if not Brisbane, then who? A-League games show up on our doorstep as often as Santa swears but the fact we could only get 5000 along suggests we’re not ready to return to the days of Gold Coast United. Is the passion there for soccer on the Coast? For sure. But, as local soccer boss Damien Bresic told the Bulletin on Saturday, until we can harness that desire in one direction, the ALeague will continue to be a mythical beast that reappears sporadically.