With the numerous reforms being implemented on and off the pitch, it is an appropriate time for us to consider ‘reforms’ in the stands. I have included video clips of the support provided by fans from an assortment of clubs from around the world. The clips literally take you to all corners, from Africa (El Ahly), up through central Europe (Fenerbahçe), across to Eastern Europe (Zenit Saint Petersburg), over the continent to Asian (Urawa Reds) before crossing the Pacific to South America (Boca Junior).
El Ahly
Fenerbahçe
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Urawa Reds
Boca Junior
It is well known that a number of clubs from around the world reserve the number 12 for their supporters, including Fenerbahçe and Zenit Saint Petersburg. Other clubs that have done this include Torino, Feyenoord, Lens and Portsmouth.
As you can see from the clips, the support provided by the fans from these various clubs is beyond impressive, it is absolutely frightening. In the Fenerbahçe clip, you actually see the whole stadium jumping up and down. We’re not talking about a section of die-hard fans like ‘The Cove’ for Sydney FC, we are talking about literally every person in the stadium joining to create a wall of noise and thunderous stomping that has never been seen in Australian sports. It is little wonder that the Fenerbahçe fans are so renowned.
The question is then: Can this ever occur in Australia? It certainly doesn’t occur in the other football codes, despite the AFL drawing enough fans to replicate such a spectacle. Melbourne Victory also draws crowds that would be the envy of many European clubs but like all A-League clubs, only a section of the crowd provides vociferous support. The game against Uruguay was definitely the most intense sporting event that I have ever attended and the best crowd atmosphere that I have ever been amongst. And yet, the crowd only really provided the occasional boos when they felt that the South Americans were diving or otherwise wasting time. There was the occasional chant but they didn’t last long either. There was clearly no organisation in relation to this. Unless you are in the Green and Gold Army section, you are always left to your own devices to try and support the team the best you can. However, the eruption when Aloisi slotted away that penalty was indescribable. Perhaps Jesse Fink put it best: ‘The noise inside the ground was so loud and unearthly it was as if I’d pressed my ear up against the jet engine of an airplane’. You get the feeling that the ‘noise’ is out there, it just needs to be organised.
The support in the games against Ghana and China was thoroughly disappointing. In the Ghana game, a small section of Ghanaian supporters at the far end provided immense noise and colour. And as for the China game, Simon Hill commented several times throughout that you could hear a pin drop (although the performance certainly didn’t help in getting the crowd involved).
If we in the stadiums are the 12th man for the Socceroos and our respective A-League clubs, are we letting the team down? How is such support organised overseas? Is it by the fans alone or does the club provide a helping hand? Does this kind of support necessarily carry the unwanted baggage of supporter violence off the pitch? Is the notion of going to a football game and exerting yourself both physically and vocally so out of line with the Australian sporting ethos that is it unrealistic to believe that we can one day rival the Turks and Russians?
Personally, I would love to be part of a crowd that creates an intense atmosphere. But I also feel that the Australian sporting public is a long way from achieving what can be considered world-class support. We all seem pretty content to go to games and simply enjoy the spectacle on the pitch rather than trying to create one off it too. We occasionally stand up and protest about decisions or the incompetency of our own players but that is usually as far as it goes.
In any case, I’m going to find out (try anyway) exactly how these 50,000 Turks and Russians have been able to co-ordinate themselves to literally shake the stadium. It may be that such support is now so traditional at these clubs that no co-ordination is needed, but it had to start somewhere. It might take awhile for me to discover how it is done (and I would love to hear comments from people who already know how it is achieved), but find out I shall.
1 Comment
July 9, 2008 at 11:05 pm
the recent moves by the FFA to allocate seats for fan group areas is a concern. the accidental australian blog has a good discussion of it.
there is a real risk that the powers that be don`t want us behaving like fans in the video you provided. its too ethnic/foreign/dangerous.
the old soccer / new soccer split isn`t over yet.
clayton