Gregor Mactaggart

Football as we know it: 10 thoughts on the @AustraliaCup final 1️⃣ Above all, @smfc super impressive. From the socials to the stands, to where it matters most on the pitch and from the touchline - a simply incredible effort and fully deserving of the win. An incredible football story. Anything negative about Victory below takes nothing away from that. 2️⃣ Football was undeniable on the night. By that I mean anyone who genuinely loves the game and wants it to prosper in Australia, irrespective of club ties, historic grievances, or other affiliations, cannot have watched that game last night and not want more of that in our top-flight. As a spectacle, a contest, a rivalry, an atmosphere...it was football as we know it. 3️⃣ Cohadzic was the only coach on the night who looked capable of changing the outcome of the game. From that starting XI, to his half-time and second-half adjustments, he made the right moves at the right time. An incredible student of the game, what he has achieved at South is, frankly, ridiculous, and it's incredible that he is not at a top-tier club. Even more ridiculous that he will apparently not be South's coach beyond that game. 4️⃣ Victory were poor. If that's a top-half A-League squad, and that's what they dish up for a major cup final (and it is a major cup final; attempts to downplay it by anyone a huge embarrassment) on the back of a massive pre-season where they should be raring to go for Asia and AL competition alike, that's a huge indictment on the league. Even as a casual AL observer, I knew very few of their players, and I'm not inclined to learn much more about them. Will attend the handful of games I always do between the Melbourne sides this season when convenient and to take the kids, but I can't say I'm clamouring to give up more time and money to watch that week in, week out, even if I had an AL team I supported. I'd be particularly concerned about the coach, if I was a Victory fan. 5️⃣ APL 'business as usual' approach is no longer acceptable. Top tier needs more teams, and holding out for fanciful license fees no one in their right mind could possibly justify paying to grow the game is nonsense at this point. Off-season is way too long. You can't keep people interested in a sporting product that has nothing happening for literally half the year. Promote until you have a 16-team league. Get clubs in there on merit that can bring dormant fans back and provide the instant injection of attendance, intrigue, connection to grassroots and media interest into the game. That's the only way existing franchise owners have any hope of a positive ROI at this point. From 16 teams, look at pro/rel or expand to 20 from there. Play the game in winter, because A) there is no 'clear air' in the Australian sporting calendar and B) you're playing in what is actually the 'off-season' for the literal millions who spend the other six months of the year at football in a time of year where they're looking to spend less time at football, not more. All this requires deeper thought, sure. Ask the execs who get paid to solve these problems to put in the work. 6️⃣ Mikkola scoring the all-important goal was all-time. What a great embodiment of the NPL struggle for South, in many ways the NPL landscape itself and the manner in which, when given the chance and the platform, clubs and players can do great things at the top table. Iconic celes, instant stuff of legend. 7️⃣ An ongoing pet-peeve attending games at AAMI Park. Show the fucking VAR review replays on the screens, pretty please? I'm a paying customer, I'm giving you my time, my money and my presence. I should never be left out or be missing something that someone who stayed home is getting. Treat your paying customers with some respect. Plus, everyone goes on their phone to watch it instead, taking you out of the stadium and onto a mobile unnecessarily. 8️⃣ Booing of welcome to country tiresome. Will undoubtedly become a headline (even though it happens at other events/sports), achieves nothing, goes for all of 60 seconds. Shut up, move on. 9️⃣ James Lackey penalty was superb at such a critical point of the shootout. What cojones, what a strike. No notes. 🔟 Lopez is a deserving medallist, but I enjoyed watching Uchida the most. Probably not a Viduka medallist performance, but for mine, he generated or was central to most of the more exciting moments of the game. Big stage for him, and in a game that was pretty even overall, I thought he was one who looked most likely to make something happen.