Constantly we hear of how A league club owners are being bleed dry buy the cost of having a team in the Hyundai A league, but so often they only have themselves to blame. Simply because they or the teams they work for simply do not get what it means to be a football fan, and they show those fans a lack of respect.
These clubs need their members more than ever and these supporters need to be looked after, yet around the country the members are being given less and less for their membership dollar, and once they feel that the club is no longer taking their patronage seriously they will sadly walk away.
Most fans understand that these are tough economic times and they will accept cut backs but when they buy a membership, they expect added value to just watching the game, even if that is simply being able to have a beer after the game and talk to the players. Sadly some clubs have witnessed players sneaking away straight after a game rather than facing the fans, and that should simply not be allowed. This is after all the players’ place of work, and they have a duty to the club and the fans to attend such events.
One of the highlights for many fans is the end of season gala dinner where the club’s player of the year is unveiled. Yet something so simple appears to have again been bungled.
Melbourne Victory held their event last week, and by all accounts it left fans who were far from pleased with the season that unfolded even more upset.
For a start, the new coach, who is being touted as their saviour was not there to lift the mood of the club. Neither was their marquee player the much-hyped Harry Kewell, who by all accounts was away on holiday. Quiet why he should be on holiday before such an event does raise a number of issues, which will no doubt come to a head when the new coach arrives. Could it be Harry is after all going to head to Western Sydney?
In addition to these two absentees the fans were unable to farewell to players who have been released by the club, yet have been great servants to Victory, Rodrigo Vargas and Tom Pondeljak. By all accounts fans were far from happy and one wonders in Ange Postecoglou doesn’t have one hell of a job ahead of him as the Victory, for so long the best run club in the A League look to have tumbled a long way in a short space of time on and off the pitch.
Finally, with the Perth Glory players and staff heading off on holiday this week, and the players released leaving the club for good, it again is very sad that the club’s administrators could not oragnise their “Most Glorious Player’s Awards” night before the proposed June 13th. Many of the players who have contributed to this great season will not be here to enjoy the night, and as with Melbourne Victory it will be the fans who are short-changed, although on this occasion so too will the players.
