WARNING: IF YOU DON'T LIKE FOOTBALL (THE ROUND BALL GAME) READ NO FURTHER.
Now, the A-League has been struggling for a share of the sporting market ever since it started in 2004. However, the signing of Australian players Brett Emerton, Harry Kewell and Nick Carle from European sides Blackburn Rovers, Galatasaray and Chrystal Palace garnered more fans for the sport last season. Now, Sydney FC have signed International superstar and Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero for the upcoming season. Del Piero has played over 500 games for Italian heavyweights Juventus and is a world renowned player. The signing of Del Piero has drawn many more people into the game, mainly the European immigrants who supported football in Europe but have been drawn to Rugby League due to the poor quality of the A-League. Del Piero adds star factor to a struggling brand and brings fans through the gates. Whilst they are still a long way off the pace in terms of off-field administration, on the field they are beginning to become competitive. With this signing it will surely give the A-League a higher standing in the Footballing world and may even attract more big names. David Beckham has reportedly been approached by an A-League club and I'm sure we'll be hearing more names thrown around in the future. It really seems as if the A-League is finally getting the star power it needs to gain a foothold in Australia's sporting landscape.
Replies
Del Piero is a nothing player in Australia, with the heavy influence of the EPL here any player that isn't Australian/Big name from EPL will not cause much commotion and won't bring in much support
You'd be surprised. My area has plenty of European immigrants, mainly Italians, Greeks and Croatians and there's heaps of people buying Sydney FC merchandise and want to go to matches purely because Del Piero's going to play. I wasn't going to go to an A-League game this season but I'll go to see Del Piero play.
OHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Look at the ethnicity you're stating though, the majority of sporting fans don't know who he is until the A-League can buy a big name/ former big name from the EPL it won't be as popular as it can be
They bought Emerton and Kewell last season. Although Kewell's left due to family reasons he was popular in Melbourne and Emerton was one of Sydney FC's best. Really the only bigger names that the A-League could conceivably attract would be Cahill, Schwarzer and possibly Beckham.
Emerton and Kewell are both well known Australian footballers and have been stars for years in the Socceroos that is why they attracted a few hundred to each game and when the novelty of both wore off there was a drop in attendance. As Mark Bosnich said on the Dead Set Legends yesterday, the only way people will go and watch the A-League and in particular Sydney F.C now is if the team does well, it doesn't matter how well Del Piero goes individually if the team is playing horribly then there won't be the crowds, this was shown with Kewell when the Victory weren't performing well the crowds depleted and you only saw the "Melbourne faithful" and it wasn't until the end of the year that Kewell started playing some good football but Victory finished 8th and for a Melbourne team with or without Kewell that is disgraceful.
Anyway, Del Piero might bring in a few hundred/thousand for the first few games he plays for Sydney but unless the team performs well it will be for nothing. You won't see crowds flocking to see Sydney F.C unless Beckham, Messi, Christiano Ronaldo and whilst these names are near impossible to get down to Australia we won't see massive crowds at games
hamster, i thought Emerton and Kewell where suburbs in outback australia and im sure Del Piero is a small greek island, are you sure you have got those names right?
I go for CRYSTAL PALACE in the A league, they are the team to beat super.....
I go for Tingha Palace.
lol mule, they are my second team...
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