FootballNews

In contact with reality
Jason Akermanis

June 14, 2006

HOW could I not devote this week's column to the World Cup?



Everybody is talking about this sleeping giant. They say it is a sport that has never fully been tapped into and the Socceroos' entry into the World Cup is going to change all that.

Pretty soon, it is said, soccer is going to take over. Well, let's take a step back for a minute.

Now I am biased, but very open-minded. I just don't believe the sport has the appeal for the Australian sporting culture.

Sure, Aussies get involved in the World Cup every four years – it is the same with the Olympics and now that we have qualified, the interest in this year's tournament will be unprecedented.

But the Olympics don't really equate to a dramatic rise in people doing athletics for a living, and the reality is there may not be a dramatic increase in numbers for soccer either.

We see all these sports in prime time but the numbers participating don't change too much.

Soccer is the thing people are most worried about, but I don't think it will succeed here because there are simply more entertaining sports.

Don't get me wrong – I played soccer and enjoyed it and can definitely relate to the remarkable foot skills the players exhibit.

But Aussies expect more. They want physical contact. They like to see acts of courage on the sporting arena. And most of all, they want to see scoring.

That is why Aussie rules has the biggest crowds and the indefinable element of magic – players standing on opponents' shoulders to pull down specky marks or the freak goal that defies the laws of logic.

Union and league can also provide this. It is why the three football codes have pushed soccer and basketball, the two biggest sports in the world, to summer here in Australia.

Our culture promotes courage and some magic. The courage makes you marvel at the athletes, the magic brings you back week after week.

Now we know mums love soccer because their kids don't get hurt. And yes, soccer is growing rapidly as a junior sport and may even be our biggest.

But at some point, kids will beg their parents to switch to one of the other footy codes. They'll want to play with their mates and they'll see the opportunity to make a living out of their sport without leaving this country.

If the World Cup was held every year, maybe soccer would be a worry. But kids will continue to be inspired by the weekly feats of the AFL and NRL or Test match rugby.

And the corporate world will continue to see greater value in the three contact codes.

This World Cup will attract new fans and some will stick with the game for life. Maybe in the future there will be more depth and profile in the A-League. I hope it is the case.

But if you ask whether I am worried that soccer's crowds, revenue and player numbers will grow at the expense of AFL, the greatest game on earth, the answer is no.

People will get annoyed at going to the footy and seeing one goal scored.

Lions star player Jason Akermanis writes in The Courier-Mail every Wednesday.

the scary thing is he believes it

I'm sick and tired of Aussie Rules people bagging soccer and vice versa!! I mean who really cares about how much money one sport has over the other or whihc is most popular. I think it's stupid when Aussie Rule commentators get all defensive about the growth in soccer and further growth, as if they are scared and something is being taken away. Also I'm sick of hearing soccer people getting all excited as if we are going to finally destroy the evil axis of AFL and take its money and juniors. Its hypocrytical for starter...s

Seriosuly people get over yourselves, how about this, Australians can be good at all sports, including soccer and AFL and badmington and watever-the-shiraz-else we want to do.

I love both soccer and AFL, I grew up on both and was never made nor would I have chosen to pick one, as if anyone has to!! I support Carlton as much as I support Lazio and Liverpool... so seriously to all the football writers (all codes) writing about this pointless subject, shut-the-shiraz-up.

typical Calton supporter comment!!

Credit where it is due, he makes a good point regarding the ingrained culture and sporting psyche of the Australian public.

But this will change, not overnight, but in the long term. Things like the World Cup, increasing junior participation, and the A-league accellerate this transition.

i agree with your comment on this one LFTWNG11. Everytime i read an article such as this, where afl players or people involved in afl come out and say im not worried, soccer is never going to compete with the afl it gets me angry. Why can they just let it be. If soccer was not a threat then why write these articles, why do they have to prove that soccer is not a threat. They write these articles cause they are scared, and they have to make points of why afl is better then soccer.

I never hated the afl and have always said that people can support both, different types of sports. When people keep bagging soccer to promote the afl, then to those people i say "I HOPE THEY DIE, AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL"

y is akermanis, and sheedy and even cornes writing articles about this stuff if soccer will neva take ova??? r they worried it mite n jst have 2 reasure themselves and every1 else?

ppl dun jst play world cup games aka, they also have a club team who they play 4 in a season.... a season is a league made up of an even numba of teams that play eachotha twice, unlike the afl where there league is a mikey mouse league!

eg crows might play essondon once this yr, yet collingwood plays em twice?

Ummm... where does this guy get his stats from?

i'm sure soccer/football participation rates have been increasing rapidly in the last 5 years? does anyone have any stats sites for this info?

didn't do the most research before writing it, but at least he's not a prick about it ala cornes and co.

it's true, aussies for some reason seem to think if you don't score, or even miss by a fraction and get a point, then you're not entertaining.

but another thing is, whatever you're brought up on as a child, is pretty much gospel. how many of us decided a couple years ago, 'hrmm lets check out football, wow this is good, i love it, fruck off AFL'. a good majority of us lived and breathed it as a tin lid. same goes for AFL.

but for some reason, i find many more footballers who enjoy the AFL than AFL players enjoy football. i guess we're more open-minded and cultured, we can embrace more than one sport.

if we can qualify for the next 2 world cups, that'd be brilliant, and we'd be looking real good in terms of participation rates. who wants to be stuck in australia playing AFL when you can be living the good life overseas?

and if u miss u manage 2 get a point?

get rid of the point posts and then see wat happens.... better off get socca goals and lets see wat happens

with an infinite y-axis, it makes it pretty hard to not score everytime you shoot ._.

x-axis...

The y-axis is vertical!

i think thats what he means jono

the y axis in footy is actually infinite

thanks jono

there it is for everyone else playing at home

Piss off Aker>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

must b y its played in so many countries around the world ay aka



what an intellect

I reckon we should just banned the words AFL, aussie rules on this forum because it looks as if we are the ones that are scared. In fact - I would like to see those words filtered to something else!

Just keep it to real FOOTBALL (and tennis, and basketball - anything apart from that cabernet crap egg shaped ball game they call a world class sport. pfft)

He also needs to read up on his AFL/VFL history...

First ever VFL match...
Essendon 1-0-6
Geelong 0-0-0

Intercollegiate match between St Cheaters College and PAC (in 2003 I might add)
SPSC - 2-5-17
PAC - 1-7-13*

[Not entirely 100% certain of the scoreline in this match... But I know for a fact that neither side managed to notch 20 points!]

He will be proven right if the amateur league dont allow existing clubs with adult sides to start up junior teams. We have previously approached the powers that be about starting a boys set up at the club only to be told that it wouldnt be allowed as it would have an affect on the existing clubs in the area and the players they would attract.

Now is the time to open up the gates and allow more junior teams to be set up and join the league, to many kids are being left out of the game because the club nearest to them has high standards and only take on a certain amount of players each year and the only alternative is to travel to another part of Adelaide for a game.

Jason Akermanis is that queer who does the handstand right??

haha y-axis, nice 1 chabbi.
he has a point definately, and wasnt a tosser ie. slagging soccer.

it'll take 20 odd years for soccer to surpass afl, thugby imo

mmm Soccer and AFL are quality... but Rugby, damn i hate that cabernet!!

Why is Rugby even considered a code of football, just because the ball is shaped like an AFL ball?? For one they only kick the ball like 6 games in the whole game and secondly there is no skill, not unless you consider sticking your head up your team-mates ass a skill.

arkemanis has no idea. AFL has no idea of the potential of the A-league. In its first season, we have proven what we are capable of. We can attract players from overseas. eg dwight yorke, who is know world wide and who has greater appeal than any well know afl star. Everyone knows Yorke if you are a football fan or not.

We have the ability to compete in Asia, a little league like us. I don’t think supporters of the a-league realise what a huge plus this is. We can compete against the best that Asia has to offer. This will produce extra funds for individual clubs. Not only that we will attract investors from Asia, that see the potential of the A-league and this will generate huge amounts of extra revenue. AFL will never be able to do this, and it has been around for so long.

Another key point to remember is that AFL is not really a national sport, its really on the number 1 sport in VIC, SA. The other eastern states follow rugby more than AFL. This is where we will do well. And we have seen that with huge crowds in Sydney and central coast. Here we can exploit the AFL, and use these states to build our foothold.

In years to come we will see the growth, and it will not surprise me if channel 9 get involved. It’s lost rights to afl and doesn’t show many games, so they are sitting on extra funds that they need to invest. Like packer did with the 1 dayers for cricket, he made it huge. And I’m not surprised if channel 9 invest in the league when its small. Plus they will be able to crack into the Asian market, when all the Asian teams start competing in AUS during the Asian champion’s league.

pttfff akermanis is gay, doesnt know wat hes talking about

Akers can play some awesome aussie rules but when it comes to using his brain he is not such a good performer...

People like this ARE just trying to reassure themselves and other aussie rules fans/players that AFL will always be the no. 1 game. But we all the know the truth...

AFL has no skill involved. I can pick up a ball and punt it 50 yards. How can you miss a target that big!!

afl would be better if defences were not allowed to concede points but were made to scrap in the goal square to clear the ball. plus every team should play each other twice home and away. its the only fair way is it not. sorry but anything less than this is a rip off to me

AFL would be better if it didnt exist.

Gers i bet that you cant pick up a ball and drop-punt in through the goals 50 metres away... in fact I guarentee you cant! its not that easy, and if you think it is, go out and try it... i bet you dnt get one in ten shots

answer me these 2 questions!!!

who is the CEO of the Australian Football League???

and

where is he at this very moment???