International Clubs Down Under
Onlookers were baffled at the abnormal events unfolding at
Melbourne Airport but no amount of greasy looks or security talks would dampen
the crowd’s spirit.
To Europeans, similar scenes, although rare, are understandable
but here in Australia one would not be expected to understand the passion of
these people.
But why was this crowd cheering? For whom?
For Olympiacos of course!
Greece’s biggest and best club (sorry PAO fans but the red
side of Athens does have more fans and trophies) has landed in Melbourne and
for the first time in over 30 years no less!
It is needless to say it has it has been a long time between
drinks.
However considering Melbourne’s large Greek population and
the level of support for international teams like Olympiacos why has this been the
case?
Where haven’t Olympiacos come down under for the last 30
years?
To put it simply it wasn’t worth Olympiacos’ while.
Without delving into the complexities of Australia’s
football history it is sufficient to say that for a while the game here was in
a shambles.
Many have questioned the manner in which the A-League was
introduced and the intentions behind it however one thing is for sure, the
A-League has seen the level of professionalism in domestic Australian football
reach record heights and has provided (for the most part) a stable platform
football in Australia to grow and be exposed.
The arrival of clubs like Olympiacos should not be taken
lightly.
By playing games in Australia, major international teams
show that they have faith in the trip and that they are able to get something
from it.
Make no mistake, for European clubs based on the other side
of the world, travelling to Australia isn’t easy or cheap.
However despite this in recent years LA Galaxy, Boca
Juniors, Celtic, AEK Athens, Rangers, Blackburn and Everton have played down
under.
Celtic in particular travelled across the country, playing
in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne in a tour that doubled as a scouting trip.
The A-League has made the trip to Australia worth the while
of overseas teams who now come down to find competitive opposition and a
largely untapped talent pool.
However the trip to Australia doesn’t only benefit travelling
clubs, more importantly it benefits the fans.
Not only fans of the teams but fans of football are given
the opportunity to see their heroes live and a class of football rarely seen in
this country.
Interest from overseas clubs in Australia benefits all
parties.
Many people understand the benefits for the fans and even
for the clubs but few realise what these visits imply.
The faith shown by clubs like Olympiacos in Australian
football show how far the game has come in this country.
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