Are Pre-Season Matches Damaging the Image of the A-League?

The visit to Australia of top flight football teams for pre-season matches has been hailed by many as great for the game.

It is hard not to argue, as sports fans will flock to the games to see the likes of Manchester United simply to say that they saw them play. Fans of clubs like Leeds United, Chelsea and Manchester United are ecstatic, as they are able to see their team in action in their own back yard. What could be better than that? Especially when as that statistic says 95% of Manchester United fans have never been to Old Trafford, their home ground; and many will never get the chance.

Not only are these games hailed as a success from a fan perspective but we will be told by the various State Government’s who have backed the games that they have been a huge filip for Tourism. Yet how often are the figures fed to the public accurate? (Chance For The Big Clubs to Help The Little Ones)

The Western Australian State Government invested Tax Payer dollars to host Manchester United in Perth. Yet the amount they invested has not been revealed the reason we are told is contract confidentiality. This is in itself strange, as these were public funds, so therefore should be available to the public. Yet maybe those who should be asking how much were given VIP tickets to not ask questions? It is rumoured to have cost in the region of $10million.

No doubt in time the expenditure will be justified with figures being announced in terms of the tourism dollars generated. Yet word has it the way these figures are calculated is by accessing the data as to where those who bought tickets to the games live, and estimating how long they would have stayed in Perth, and the average spend per day of the average tourist.

Which seems a very vague way of recording what is surely a very important report into the return on investment. Surely actually asking those who attended the game would give a far better insight into fan patterns in terms of average stay and spend, and attractions visited?

That aside, one has to ask now whether football in Australia truly benefits from having these sides come to Australia and play pre-season training games.

In 2018 Chelsea’s only defeated Perth Glory 1-0. What was not reported was how the team had done a full training session on the morning of the game.

Manchester United defeated the same side 2-0 a few weeks ago, in what was a very tame affair. Perth Glory failed to have a single shot at goal. They “parked the bus” to try and eliminate total embarrassment. Manchester United changed their whole team at half time. Perth Glory were missing two of their best players in Diego Castro and Andy Keogh, as well as Matthew Spiranovic, who were still on holiday. The Glory coach also opted to play his two teenage sons. Seventeen-year old Kristian Popovic had prior to this game played 15 minutes of professional football, having been given his debut against Sydney FC, the week after the club sealed the Premiers Plate. Brother Gabriel was 15 years old at the time of the game, having turned 16 at the weekend. The family connection had one wag tweet he was expecting Mrs Popovic to get a run for the last five minutes. Many felt this move totally undermined the value of the game. It is worth remembering that the last coach to sign his two sons was sacked!

Yes, this was a pre-season game for both clubs. However fans paid to watch the game. They came to be entertained. Was it an insult to those fans to have the coach’s two son’s given a run? Did they deserve to play in such a game ahead of the other young players in the Glory Youth set up? (Kristian is in the first team squad). Did the fans deserve to see the local team play a more attacking style?

Clearly coming to Australia and Asia for the top teams is a great opportunity to grow their fan base. To increase sales of merchandise, and also try and pull in supporters for life. All handle their obligations with the fans and media superbly, well aware of the value of such trips to the club in the long term.

The question is what do A-League clubs gain from playing against these teams? The players gain a great deal. They can say forever that they played against Manchester United and Chelsea. Few in years to come will remember that these teams changed their whole side at half time, barely exerted themselves, and treated it like a training run.

The fact that the club failed to hand over a pennant part of a tradition for such games showed that it meant little to them. The fact that there were no match day programs to record the event or tell new fans who the players were again showed that the game was not really being taken seriously by those running it. That it was more about making money than delivering a proper match day experience.

There are many who remember when it was the State teams that played against these touring teams, and frequently gave them a tough game. Sure, the football landscape has changed drastically since those days, the top teams have moved into another stratosphere. While sadly the State competition has slipped to what some claim is an all time low. There is no way a team from the current NPL, the top flight competition could take the field against a Premier League side today. Which is very sad, as it was following his performance against West Ham United for Western Australia that Stan Lazaridis was signed by the Hammers.

Some will argue that it is just a bit of fun, a spectacle, the chance to see a top flight side play. That may be the case for a section of those who paid to watch these games, but surely fans deserve, and want to see a contest?

One thing that is abundantly clear is the gulf between the A-League and the EPL. It was also abundantly clear that Manchester United viewed the game against arch rivals Leeds United as far more challenging, and far more important. The intensity of that game lifted several notches as you would expect.

Which raises the question, should Australian football be looking at more games such as these? Games played between two top sides from overseas?

One can’t help but wonder what many who watched the game v Perth Glory on Man United TV thought of the standard of the A-League. That sort of coverage, even in a pre-season game, cannot be good for the game as a whole in Australia. Certainly the way the game was played was unlikely to encourage people not already fans to rush out and buy tickets for the Glory’s coming season.

These games, as mentioned are great for fans that support the clubs on tour. Remember fans of many other clubs would have no interest in seeing their rivals play. There are other knowing football fans who will not go simply because they know they will witness matches as was played against Manchester United. Meaningless pre-season matches where the local players are in awe of the opposition. These games are however great for those who see it as a chance to see a top team play even though they never go to A-League matches. Based on what was on show there was very little to make them start supporting the A-League. The games of course are definitely great for young aspiring players, to see their heroes in their home city and inspire them.

What they are not good for is promoting the A-League. They show the players and the standard of the League in a detrimental light. If anything they turn people off attending games, as the gulf in ability and talent is so evident. Certainly playing to eliminate the number of goals you lose by is never going to be a good advertisement for the game, and is bound to turn away fans who have shelled out a fair sum of money to attend.

It was explored a number of years ago that Australia host a Premier League match during the EPL season, but that was knocked on the head. Maybe other divisions in England or other leagues in the world would consider such a move. Imagine on an allocated FIFA weekend a match being played here. Certainly such a move has a great deal of merit, as the game would have meaning and hopefully both teams would put on a show. Many attending would never get the chance in their lives to attend a La Ligaor Bundesliga match, so this would make that possibility a reality. We have seen baseball and ice hockey take such an approach, why not football?

If the Government wanted a return on their investment, if they brought the right game, the TV audience would be much greater than a Pre-season game, and depending on the game, and their positions on the league ladder at the time, we may well see a larger influx of tourists for a game that had meaning. Surely that has to be better for Australian football than these matches?