JFK, Joe "Effing" Kinnear, 17th in line to the throne but thrust into the
role of Geordie saviour after the abdication of those in front, is the latest
punchline on the lips of football pundits this week after his spectacular rant
during his first press conference after his surprise appointment. If you
haven't heard it yet, do so here,
as it's the best piece of copy you are likely to see this year. Kinnear let
fly at journalists with both barrels with a rant which made me wonder how this
guy could have been out of the game for four years.
The build up to the NRL Grand Final last week was as much about the war of words emanating between Melbourne's Craig Bellamy and the NRL judiciary, and Bellamy and Ricki Stewart. Toys were thrown, accusations made and it looks like, despite an apology, Bellamy may be facing a lawsuit. For many of us news junkies stuck in credit crunch mad London with not much else to do apart from surf the internet waiting on every press conference, this is almost as good it gets. In fact, with the one sided nature of the grand final a suggestion made by another commentator that they play the matches mid-week and let the coaches have a go at each other on the weekend doesn't sound so far fetched.
It is one of the things that I notice when I look on from afar at the A-League, the competition is pretty, some nice football wrapped up in a professional package, but there is a distinct lack of controversy, barely a whiff of niggle and scarcely an interesting quote amongst what is an increasing amount of irritatingly banal media coverage (this is not a criticism of those doing the reporting either, they just don't have a lot to work with). The FFA run a tight ship, and of course, it has needed to keep firm control of the league in its embryonic phases. But it's maturing now, embedded in the public's consciousness and the sporting landscape. And it's time to let the players and staff off the leash.
The biggest controversy we've had this year was the Ryan Nelsen vs the Phoenix spat during the Olympics, and it took Ryan, based overseas to kick it off and state their mind - we don't do wars of words in the post NSL football world. There are some characters in the league, John Kosmina looks like he loves a yarn and his dust up with Kevin Muscat back in the day shows he doesn't mind playing dirty. Dave Mitchell has a beard and guys with beards are more often than not entertaining (or they work at the Department of Conservation, which is kind of the opposite), granted Ernie Merrick is a bit of a personality free zone but Frank Farina has had an outspoken past. Our Ricki isn't prone to particularly quotable sound bites but his celebrations after the win against Sydney showed he was feeling some pressure and he is human after all, it would be nice to see him hit back at his critics.
Which brings me onto Miron Bleiberg who has burst back onto the scene after a 2 year hiatus as coach of the new Gold Coast side. He's already stoking the Queensland rivalry by claiming that the Roar's players are overpaid. He's linked with every big name pro without a contract worldwide as well as half the A-League. And frankly he's not my cup of tea. But, despite every fibre of my being attempting to deny it, I've found myself liking him! He's good for the league. Not since Terry Butcher and Craig Foster traded blows through the Sydney Morning Herald has a player or a manager stepped away from the FFA line and cut loose like this. And it's refreshing to hear a man unencumbered by logic or reality and the simple fact that Steve Fitzsimmons was one of his first signings tell you that Gold Coast will win the league in their first season. Don't stop Miron, tell us what you really think!
So here's to unseemly spats being played out in the media, on field feuds having off field ramifications and outrageous pronunciations being made during the remainder of the season. Because it's all part of the game, we love it and wouldn't we all love this little exchange.
Ricki Herbert: Which one is John Matheson?
JM: Me
RH: You're a c**t
The build up to the NRL Grand Final last week was as much about the war of words emanating between Melbourne's Craig Bellamy and the NRL judiciary, and Bellamy and Ricki Stewart. Toys were thrown, accusations made and it looks like, despite an apology, Bellamy may be facing a lawsuit. For many of us news junkies stuck in credit crunch mad London with not much else to do apart from surf the internet waiting on every press conference, this is almost as good it gets. In fact, with the one sided nature of the grand final a suggestion made by another commentator that they play the matches mid-week and let the coaches have a go at each other on the weekend doesn't sound so far fetched.
It is one of the things that I notice when I look on from afar at the A-League, the competition is pretty, some nice football wrapped up in a professional package, but there is a distinct lack of controversy, barely a whiff of niggle and scarcely an interesting quote amongst what is an increasing amount of irritatingly banal media coverage (this is not a criticism of those doing the reporting either, they just don't have a lot to work with). The FFA run a tight ship, and of course, it has needed to keep firm control of the league in its embryonic phases. But it's maturing now, embedded in the public's consciousness and the sporting landscape. And it's time to let the players and staff off the leash.
The biggest controversy we've had this year was the Ryan Nelsen vs the Phoenix spat during the Olympics, and it took Ryan, based overseas to kick it off and state their mind - we don't do wars of words in the post NSL football world. There are some characters in the league, John Kosmina looks like he loves a yarn and his dust up with Kevin Muscat back in the day shows he doesn't mind playing dirty. Dave Mitchell has a beard and guys with beards are more often than not entertaining (or they work at the Department of Conservation, which is kind of the opposite), granted Ernie Merrick is a bit of a personality free zone but Frank Farina has had an outspoken past. Our Ricki isn't prone to particularly quotable sound bites but his celebrations after the win against Sydney showed he was feeling some pressure and he is human after all, it would be nice to see him hit back at his critics.
Which brings me onto Miron Bleiberg who has burst back onto the scene after a 2 year hiatus as coach of the new Gold Coast side. He's already stoking the Queensland rivalry by claiming that the Roar's players are overpaid. He's linked with every big name pro without a contract worldwide as well as half the A-League. And frankly he's not my cup of tea. But, despite every fibre of my being attempting to deny it, I've found myself liking him! He's good for the league. Not since Terry Butcher and Craig Foster traded blows through the Sydney Morning Herald has a player or a manager stepped away from the FFA line and cut loose like this. And it's refreshing to hear a man unencumbered by logic or reality and the simple fact that Steve Fitzsimmons was one of his first signings tell you that Gold Coast will win the league in their first season. Don't stop Miron, tell us what you really think!
So here's to unseemly spats being played out in the media, on field feuds having off field ramifications and outrageous pronunciations being made during the remainder of the season. Because it's all part of the game, we love it and wouldn't we all love this little exchange.
Ricki Herbert: Which one is John Matheson?
JM: Me
RH: You're a c**t
As an interesting follow up, the A-League are investigating
comments made by Kosmina and Farina after the weekend, both of which seem
pretty minor (and also pretty fair).
A-League coaches Frank Farina and John Kosmina have been
asked to explain their weekend outbursts but no disciplinary action has yet
been taken against the pair, an FFA spokesman said.
Sydney FC boss Kosmina was livid at what he said was time
wasting by Perth as the Glory hung on for a 2-1 win.
He was also angry about the late send-off of his defender
Ian Fyfe for what was little more than a tap on the head of Perth's Adrian
Trinidad.
"I know street-smarts but there's a difference between
street-smart and just being soft and cheap," Kosmina said.
"It's still a man's game.
Roar coach Farina launched a scathing attack on the
officials after a controversial 1-0 loss to Adelaide United last Friday.
The former Socceroos mentor was furious that Adelaide's sole
goal, finished by Robert Cornthwaite, was set up by Brazilian striker Cristiano
in an offside position.
"It was an atrocious decision which cost us the
game," Farina said at the time.
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