Matthew Hall
Advertisement
The Wizard of Oz
Is Frank Lowy leading Sydney FC down a yellow brick road?
There's no doubt that when it comes to the big picture, the FFA chairman is undeniably the Wizard of Oz.
Ten years, pretty much to the day, Australian "soccer" was on the cusp of a historic breakthrough into the national mainstream.
Under the chairmanship of David Hill, a former hard line (it was thought at the time) boss of the ABC and State Rail, plans were in place for the National Soccer League to be streamlined and revamped.
Also on the whiteboard, we had a foreign Socceroos coach who was also an international newsmaker with a credible pedigree.
Emerging stars like Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka were the leaders of a new generation and the national team was 180 sensible minutes away from qualifying for the 1998 World Cup.
Ah, history.
Of course, Hill's Lowy-like vision collapsed as he was let down by his own troops, succumbed to Machiavellian soccer politics, and misjudged a few crucial calls.
Hill did, however, provide advance party covering fire for Lowy's government-backed coup in 2003. Fatherly Frank knew what was required to raze and then raise soccer to its rightful level in Australia.
Two words: Total and control.
Lowy had to be coach, captain, star striker, and referee. Then the game would be won. And, with a few passes supplied by John O'Neill, Guus Hiddink, John Aloisi, as well as a hungry public, it was.
On the other hand, Perth Glory aside (and that's a whole other, not entirely unconnected, story) Sydney FC is the A-League's bona-fide basket case.
Currently, the club is everything Lowy would have hoped it wouldn't be. Erratic on the pitch, unstable off it. It's an illusion as large as Emerald City and we're all Munchkins.
I'm not sure if Terry Butcher can play the Scarecrow and you can decide for yourself who else fit the roles of Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Wicked Witch of the West, and Dorothy.
(FYI: for this exercise, I'm happy to be Toto).
Lowy, obviously, is no fool but one bright shining reason Sydney FC is in its current tornado state is that, perhaps fearful of highlighting a conflict of interest in being both FFA boss and effectively Sydney's owner, he has not run the club as he would have liked.
Three words: With and total and control.
Bad deals, bad recruitment, and bad personnel are not the Lowy way of doing business.
Last week's appointment of John Kosmina, and the non-negotiable manner in which it occurred, was a statement that Lowy is clearly back in charge.
Kossie, a Socceroo and Sydney City legend, is Lowy's pin-up boy and the footballing son he never had.
Andrew Kemeny, Lowy's trusted loyalist from the days of Sydney City and the Hakoah club, is the new confident, cocky, and publicity-shy chairman.
Kemeny was by Lowy's side when he pulled the plug on Sydney City in 1987 and was also chairman of a committee that looked at establishing the A-League.
A team that Lowy always wanted but was - in earlier days - too wary to unroll.
Yes, it's Sydney City reborn, revisited, reinvented.
But like any good captain, Lowy knows what he likes and knows who he implicitly trusts.
He allowed others time and money to try it their way. They failed. Enter his handpicked people to carry out the repairs and renovate the house.
As the Wizard of Oz told us, there's no place like home. Yet all houses, shiny and new or old and renovated, need a road otherwise they're just country shacks or mansions on a hill.
An illusion.
Lowy's next hands-on task is to pave the way for the club to fulfill its ambition to become the club and team that we all, Frank Lowy included, dream it can be.
Yellow brick road or bush track?
Right now, we're at an interesting junction.
COMMENTS
Sydney FC have no hope of inspiring anyone. They are too caught up in thinking that the are the Bling club and that in itself will bring success to the club. They do not engage the public and expect that people will just turn up because they are "Sydney FC".
Meanwhile up the road the Mariners are doing everything right. They regularly host community events and are actively engaged in spreading the word. Not only that they have also established a great relationship with local clubs, including ones in Sydney. What has Sydney FC done? Zip. Until they change their behavior and attitude (the administrators not the players) they will stay as they are now.
- by Arrogant on October 28, 2007 at 09:46 AM
I am born and bred in Sydney and I do think Sydney FC can be a great club! Only a few years ago I knew nothing about loyalty to club until Sydney. It is true I followed the Socceroos for many painful and triumph years, I was hungry for infrequent football so I turned to the premier league however I have no loyalty to any team there rather I had watched for the entertainment value. However, despite Sydney having its downs it has had its ups too, I was particularly proud against the Urawa Reds. Sydney don’t have the biggest supporter group in the A-league but it does have a good supporters group who are loyal to the club! I for one am very loyal and would follow them regardless!
I think the trick for Sydney now is to try and expand that and you won’t do that without clever marketing, I guess that is why the board always seems to be looking at quick fix as it’s intent is expansion; the more who see the more may become interested. However, I wouldn’t rule this club out! You must remember it is only a few years old and trying to find a place in one of the toughest sporting markets in the country.
Support can come quick but loyalty takes time!
- by Tom on October 28, 2007 at 09:55 AM
I don't believe Sydney FC think of themselves as the 'Bling club', its mostly the media that spins it that way with headlines and the like. It's a constant referral to the first season of the A League where they WERE the glamour club. Times have changed, Sydney FC knows that, alas the media (im looking at you, smh) does not.
P.S- Whoever thought of introducing that wanky afl-esque song at the beginning of the matches this season needs to be put out of their misery.
- by Attel on October 28, 2007 at 11:57 AM
Interesting point made earlier by "Arrogant".
I think each club needs to tailor their publicity to suit the peculiarities of their market, but SFC have a ready-made PR event in the Galaxy game to boost their brand, one with quite a bit of bling I might add. I expect SFC to win that game against the MLS also-rans, but it's what they do with this game off the pitch that will boost their profile.
In the lead up to it they should be feting Michael Bridges at every Westfield Shoppingtown in the Harbour City to encourage the "*Foxtel generations" to turn up to SFC games and watch what he's got. He talked the talk in one of Mike Cockerill's articles and I believe he will walk the walk, but SFC have to pump his profile even harder than what they did with Juninho, because after all it's strikers that tend to be the most marketable assets of a football club. Look at Victory; I've lost count how many times I've heard parents and teens say that it's Archie who brings them back to each Melbourne home game.
* By Foxtel generations I mean the teens and even younger kids attending Victory games in droves, partly through schoolyard word of mouth and partly because they have unfettered access to the world's most popular sport and talk about it Monday through Friday. I'm a teacher and the first question the boys ask me is: "Who do you follow in the (English) Premier League?". Their second question is invariably: "Do you support Victory?" Occasionally I get asked which AFL club I follow (but I hardly hear the word "barrack" used any more).
- by V is for Victory on October 28, 2007 at 12:48 PM
By mistake I switched on to the Queensland Perth game last evening. Apart from the atrocious mixture of colours of the Queensland team,the standard of the play was to say the least comically poor.
The players were a mixture of pensioners and youthful triers sprinkled with European monsters kicking the ball anywhere.
Sydney seem to have difficulty in winning games. If they are worse than the two teams on display last evening I would suggest that Mr Lowy should stick to building first class shopping centres.
- by chris peacock on October 28, 2007 at 12:56 PM
from the Sun-Herald article today, it looks like the Sydney board is getting ready for a mass-purge of the playing roster. here here i say! it was an absolute joke that so many players were signed on massive 3 year deals. Having 8 over 30 players in the side is a key reason why the team lacks mobility and intensity.
With a big recruitment campaign planned to plug the gaps and hopefully, some AIS players for the U/20s spots, Sydney surely needs to get its act together in getting connected with the community. They should be pushing for a West Sydney team too; why? if they have the same marketing budget the devote to the East/North East and South East of Sydney (roughly half of Sydney) that makes for twice as effective marketing concentration without spending an extra cent. People will feel connected to their club, especially kids who are visited by players at schools and shopping centres.
I'm from the South-West of Sydney, and if it weren't for keeping up to date with the club on the unofficial forums and on football websites, id feel completely isolated and disconnected with the club. The players have made 2 appearances to Rebel Sport Macarthur Square in 3 years. Not a bad effort. But SYdney is such a massive city geographically and population wise, its not logical to have 1 team cover a massive city. Its inefficient and its alienating most of the City, especially the West.
- by Matt on October 28, 2007 at 01:03 PM
Unfortunately the Lowie reinvigoration of the league took a on a binary wog-or-not mentality that has i) ostracized the traditional core Aussie soccer fans ii) failed to cultivate a new passionate following of more 'desirable' fans (presumably less ethnic looking, wealthier and living a little closer to Bondi Junction)
A lot like Sydney's nightclubs that focus on attracting the 'cool' people only to realise that cool people don't stick around for the long term (lack of affinity is what makes them cool in the first place).
To create a Sydney team with loyalty and depth you'd to incorporate the followers of the Marconi, Sydney United and Sydney Olympic clubs. These are clubs with roots, history, emotion, legacy, lore etc...
Perhaps a new Sydney team that appeals to the soccer / working class heartland is the way to go. At the very least a club for those of us that will never support Hakoah / Sydney City but have plenty of time and money to spend on soccer in Australia
- by Leon on October 28, 2007 at 01:31 PM
Sydney FC are arrogant.
Sydney can improve the playing standard and that will bring more to the games however, they do very little to attract the grass roots football people, unlike the efforts being made by the Mariners. The Mariners are stitching up deals with the Gladesville Horsby, Ku Ringai and the Manly Warringah associations where they will play games against those association's senior sides and assist with coaching clinics etc. Sydney FC on the other hand have failed to engage with the local associations and seem to want little to do with them. It's ironic that Sydney FC train at Macquarrie Uni and Gladesville Hornsby's headquarters is literally a stones throw away however, Gladesville have played against the Mariners 2 or 3 times pre-season and are an official feeder club. Manly and Ku-Ringai are about to do the same.
Maybe Frank Lowy can't see beyond the Eastern Suburbs community.
- by Ash on October 28, 2007 at 03:17 PM
well it`s 3-1 to sfc at half time so you might be the fool for writing sutch crap.
- by david reid on October 28, 2007 at 04:14 PM
I am a Mariners fan and go to all their home games even though I live in South West Sydney. The Mariners actually try to connect with the football community and it shows with 3000 members. Each of their players is rostered on to attend local football clubs training nights, presentation nights etc etc. Sydney FC does very little of that. If Sydney FC could get even 5% of the football playing young people along together with their families, they would fill SFS each week. Also regularly sacking coaches when they can barely get 11 players on the field, when their good players are away with the Olyroos, when they are carrying injuries - all outside the coach's control is just pure madness. Unless they change tack this club is headed for disaster - and that will be bad for football. In the meantime I will stick with the Mariners.
- by John Lewis on October 28, 2007 at 08:51 PM
3 ... 2 to lowy's sydney city meh the crowd loved it i loved it ge over the nsl days
- by stephen on October 28, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Leon,point well made. To many football fans who grew up watching the NSL Sydney FC is Sydney City / Hakoah reborn. Sydney City collapsed not for lack of results but for lack of support just as the Hakoah club. Mr Lowy must understand that successful football clubs don't need to rely on good results to survive but what they do need is loyal support. Mr Lowy must understand that so called 'marquee' players will not draw real football supporters. A club needs to grow organically. e.g. Sydney FC needs to do away with the NBA style half time entertainment. Real football fans should be able to watch replays of goals on TV without the replay being sold as the Snickers replay. Sporting clubs in Australia are too often seen as businesses needing to 'crack' sporting markets. Football fans don't want entertainment, we can watch movies for that - we need proper football clubs to support with our hearts not sporting organisations the businessmen would like us to finance with our hip pockets.
- by Nicholas on October 28, 2007 at 11:46 PM
The reason why I can't be bothered are
1. Foxtel(waste of money)
2. The location. They would get a better following if it was more central to the footballing heartland i.e. west.
- by John D on October 29, 2007 at 11:08 AM
After the disgusting manner in which Lowry and the stupid Sydney Board treated Cullina I will never support Sydney again. I hope that they are beaten every time.
- by David Jones on October 29, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Soccer remains an embarrassment to Australian sport.
Quality players all overseas. Petty minded administrators here. A supporter base more interested in results from competitions outside Australia.
- by Steve on October 29, 2007 at 01:30 PM
Mathew, that was a good day at the SFS yesterday, real good, and we hope it can keep on being good - Corica and Bridges definitely added something, but i feel it is a shame to see Culina go in the circumstances. PLEASE note that the Urawa Reds are in the AFC Champions League final, and we held them well twice, indeed, we should have won in Sydney...anyway...roll on next week...also in reference to your item on internet fan managersd in Israel, have u heard of the guys at www.myfootballclub.org in the UK - fan based internet run football league club - soon! Interesting
- by waz wallaby on October 29, 2007 at 02:52 PM
Sydney FC are a shamble, they sing overweight, over the hill players to long term deals and then allow the few players that are perfoming to leave for rival clubs or with former coaches... They concentrate all their time on a marquee signing instead of signing a 'team' .
And the A-League for the most part is poor to watch. Australian football focusses on meatheads who are big, strong and quick and for the most part have no idea how to play football. That is why we struggle to qualify for world cups, and that is why the A-League is terrible to watch. We encourage and support meatheads instead of ball players, and constantly promote and develop players with no skill... Our greatest exports all left here at young ages, thus the main part of their development was not in our league. I wonder why that is?
Change our attitude to the way we play football, take out the brutality and meathead syndrome and get some people that actually want to play not just break legs!!
I was a cove member and i wont go back.. Why because the football is crap and I've seen pub games that are more entertaining and of better quality!
- by Where are the real footballers? on October 29, 2007 at 03:08 PM
But why does Lowy have to be the prime shareholder still of Sydney FC? He claims that if he is not in control then "the club would collapse", but under his tenure and drastic changes of backroom staff the club is the most unstable in the A-League to date. However, I do not expect all the burden to lay solely on Lowy when there would have been others making things worse (particuarly in the first season by only thinking about the short term).
Other comments are right though. Sydney needs to engage more with the community to help bring in long term success. At the moment, as a Sydney FC supporter I can't help but feel a slight incling to the hold Sydney Hakoah (especially with Kemeny in now). It does seem to be very Eastern Suburbs orientated and it does not fit with the image of Sydney itself.
- by lowy gone mad on October 30, 2007 at 01:05 AM
POST A COMMENT
Comments Terms & Conditions
When posting comments on blogs you agree to abide by our terms and conditions.
Comments that are offensive, defamatory, unsuitable or that breach any aspects of the terms will be deleted.
Advertisement
RECENT ENTRIES
ARCHIVES
| member centre | network map | mobile | advertise with us | place a classified ad |
Sydney FC lack quality because they assume success. They, in their own minds see themselves as Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan all rolled into one or a better way of putting it money, popularity and tradition all rolled into one.
The problem with this they have never been and will always struggle to be the best in the A League as there is no real core to the Sydney footballing public. Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth have far greater commitment to football and I believe so does Newcastle.
Sydney will always be able to bankroll the marquee players which attract bums on seats but will do very little in long term success until they, just like the Sydney Swans in AFL, build their own tradition regardless of success and through generational change, build their own unique audience who actually have loyalty from growing up with them in focus.
The coaching merry go round keeps them in the paper and if you use the model of Sydney City, they too were a fairly garbage side who also had their fare share of dramas, hence why they shut up shop.....
Sydney FC will suffer and Frank Lowy's ego as in the past will be the reason.....
I see Central Coast & Newcastle becoming the two premier teams in NSW.