Somebody Pinch Me

Somebody pinch me,

It's late on a Wednesday night and I'm clicking furiously on my mouse trying to refresh the world game website live match commentary. It's the first night of foray into the AFC Asian Champions League by Australian teams - the much heralded and anticipated entry into Asian club football that would ice the cake that was baked by the Crawford Report just 4 short years ago.

Sydney FC lead 2 goals to 1 against a team of Chinese I had not heard of until a couple of months ago. The goals have been sensational.

I see the highlights on a commercial free to air sports show that night (I don't have Fox), preceding rugby league, afl and even the cricket. Names like Ufuk Talay and Stevie Corica roll off the presenters tongue, and 'do it again for Sydney.....'.

Wait a minute this is Australia - How the hell did we get to Asian Champions League highlights on Channel 10, home of Neighbours, AFL and The Simpsons???

When the Pratten Park 'riot' happened in the mid 80's, who was involved? - Sydney Olympic, obviously but who else? (Was it Sydney City?) Although I can honestly say I can't remember, I could Google it and find it in an instant.

But I do remember the important bit. I remember the sinking sinking feeling of shame and embarrassment as my sport was dragged through the mud by anyone who could put hooligan and soccer in the same sentence. Blown out of all proportion ala White Eagles bus windows.... but mum and dad Australia said soccer is for thugs, so lets go watch rugby league (!).

I admit it, as a kid growing up I would play in 2 comps of 'soccer' during the week with a passion - get to training early, get dressed 5 hrs before the game on Saturday (some things don't change even in o35's), kick the ball around the house incessantly....but my heroes were Slippery Steve Morris, Rocket Reddy, and Dougie Walters, not Gary Phillips, Peter Katholas or Marshall Soper....

Soccer as a mainstream entertainment sport was off the radar, except for those FA Cup nights or late Saturday nights EPL on ABC where we cheered for teams we sort of knew about, like Liverpool, Everton, Notts Forest - as an alternative most of us at best followed the premiership and that was that. The hard core read Australian Soccer Weekly and knew about Greek teams or Serie A. The Wold Cup disappointments would come and go, which would spark some interest. But at Aussie club level?

Not to say there was not some quality football on offer in the old NSL. But it was not in the mainstream psyche.

Of course, I know that there is an obvious reason to the focus on football these days - much has been written about the launch of the A League, Dwight Yorke, Foxtel deals, THAT night in November, the World Cup and THOSE mornings in June with the Socceroos, the 50k crowds at the Dome, Dutch football directors and Weetbix Kids.

And I know there is a damn long way to go.

But I have a feeling that at last the game is on the mainstream radar.

Now let me just Google Uruwa Red Diamonds.......