Different class

I have been trying to write something in more detail on the situation with the Telegraph article and the banned fans but over three days I have struggled to find the right point.  I’ve mentioned the FFA lack of response, I’ve mentioned the FFAs complicity in the breach of privacy but the scope of the arrogance from the organisation is hard to put into words.

I’ll start with a comment.  There are some idiots in the fan bases of A-League clubs, any crowd of people will attract some morons and the A-League in certain regions attract more than their fair share.  There are a majority of people on that list that would be better exported to Christmas Island than let back into A-League grounds

However the key word there is ‘majority’.  There seems to be clear evidence that a number of those banned and now publically shamed have done nothing to earn these bans and when they have attempted to get this changed have been informed there is no right of appeal.  After the revelations about transparency within the FFA it should come as no shock that a due process doesn’t exist and while not ideal it was liveable when the names were kept secure.

Now however the list of identities is in the hands of a number of organisations with little transparency, standards or honesty and has been pushed into the public eye.  Now should have been the time for the FFA to stop hiding from the problems and actually own this one, a chance for a diplomatic and well put together response even, perhaps a policy that allows for review.  Instead David Gallup gives us this:

The actual crux of the matter Mr. Gallup is that if the police identify an individual who has engaged in serious anti-social behaviour they can’t just lock him up for 2-10 years.  There is a due process where that person can prove their innocence.  As per usual the god complex of the FFA Chairman and leadership puts them beyond being wrong and instead of a common sense approach to dealing with an issue for the A-League they have buried their heads in the sand and hoped to fix it with a sycophantic self-congratulatory paragraph at the end.

It’s not hard to do it right.  John Tsatsimas the CEO of West Sydney Wanderers managed to offer a comment with class, dignity and loyalty to the people that support his team and make our game.  Surely with the millions the FFA earn and the hundreds of thousands they spend on consultants they have one person who can advise them competently?

I also notice that the Telegraph have in fact removed the article and the names of those they have alleged to have been guilty from the website.  One can only assume that is related to legal issues.  It is interesting though that they have taken more action than the FFA have to recover the situation as Gallop continues the party line of guilt until proven... actually not even proven just guilt.

It seems that Messrs Gallop, de Bohun and Lowy don’t realise that vast majority of the fans of this league want the league to thrive and grow more than they do and it’s becoming pretty clear that the majority of them have a far better idea how to do this than those in charge at Oxford St.

This game and this league deserve better stewardship and the stark differences between these two comments underline the point that just maybe the league owners have a better idea how to make this league flourish and develop than the FFA board of Lowy Sycophants and the apologists they employ.