The article below appeared in the Canberra Times and is the very last thing you would hope to see about the beautiful game in the ACT region.
A section of the CFC supporters, camped in a section of the wooden tiered seating stand at Deakin Stadium, behaved in appalling fashion at the Capital Football run Mens Premier League Grand Final. This group were resplendent in their CFC and Croatian colors, waving a number of Croatian flags and chanting. Some were well fueled with alcohol by the time the premier league grand final commenced. They let off a variety of pyrotechnics (smoke and high intensity signal flares), a dangerous and grossly irresponsible act in itself in and around a large group of people, very nearly starting a grass fire in the parland behind the wooden stand. I was struck by the number of CFC supporters who wore a black T shirt with "Croatian Passion" on the front. Veru nice T shirt but what was that about and why weren't they wearing CFC T shirts?
CFC supporters who are positively identified as being a part of this disgraceful episode and are registered players, seem certain to be given notice to appear before a Capital Football Discipline and Disputes Tribunal. I am informed by Capital Football that they will be pursued. If they are found guilty, and there is every reason to think that will happen, the sort of behavior some of these individuals appear to have engaged in, breaches the FFA spectator code of behavior, most definitely brings the game into disrepute, and attracts very severe punishments. If guilty they should plan on being away from football in every respect (playing / spectating / anything football run by the FFA) for a long time - in their case, Football will be for some years, nothing more than a memory. Its that serious. Who on earth encouraged these people to behave as they did?
Canberra FC has some serious questions to answer - it was their supporters, they didn't belong to anyone else that day - there is no escaping that fact. CFC certainly face severe penalties. What they might be seems to range from substantial fines to having their premier licence withdrawn for a period of time. Again, its that serious. The further consequence of their supporters appalling behavior may well be that they forfeit their desire to enter the Football NSW premier league competitions. Why would Capital Football support them and if they do not, why would Football NSW take a chance on CFC? Without Capital Football's support it is very difficult to see why Football NSW would give them serious consideration. And this is one matter that will go all the way to the top at the FFA, Capital Football would be foolish to do otherwise. Again, its that serious!
If the comments in the CT article below, attributed to the President of CFC are correct, then as they say "Houston we have a problem'!
The CFC President is good bloke in Football, but he appears to fail to comprehend that we are not playing this game in Croatia, nor in Greece for that matter, and this was not a game between Croatia and Greece, it was a game between two terrific ACT premier league teams. CFC plays in these competitions at the pleasure of Capital Football. We are no overseas! And even if they do behave like this elsewhere (and I accept they do), the bad behavior of others is no reason to excuse it here in the ACT region. The CFC President's reasoning, as quoted in the article below is about as convincing as "the dog ate my homework"!
As to people getting drunk at the ground, well, it would probably help if they were unable to buy more than a can at a time and opened at point of sale, as opposed to what appeared to be the purchase of plastic shopping bags full of unopened cans. As to no one being hurt, we are all grateful for that, but it was no thanks to those that moved beyond the bounds of what is acceptable at a public event. Put another way - just lucky! Public safety was compromised by the actions of a group of CFC supporters and whether anyone was hurt or not, does not decide the matter.
What would have happened if Canberra Olympic had won? I shudder to think, because this noisy mob had no hesitation invading the pitch at full time, firing off flares and smoke. I guess we can be grateful for small mercies, but it doesn't do CFC any good in this matter. And how does the President of CFC explain the "Croatia, Croatia..." chant in front of the dressing rooms after the game, or the "Croatia Passion" T shirts worn by CFC supporters? He can't possibly be happy with the situation some of the Club supporters have brought upon he and his hard working team. This is no time for misplaced loyalty!
There is no going back now for either Capital Football or CFC.
The line in the sand is now drawn by the CEO Capital Football.and I cannot imagine too many in the football community extending there commiserations to CFC in this matter. Honestly, have the massive changes in the game, demanded by the Federal Government and delivered by the FFA and member federations, completely bypassed some of the people in our football community? Seems like it.
Hell of a way to end a season. It masks the fact that the two teams (CFC and Canberra Olympic) are such fantastic teams, well coached and well matched, glittering as they do with a significant number of most talented young players. This was meant to be about Football, not the fools who attempted to insinuate ther way into the game and the event, by making inappropriate and potentially divisive appeals to the CFC's Croatian football heritage. Simply wrong on so many levels.
Just don't loose sight of one thing - a section of the CFC supporters caused a lot of trouble, very nasty stuff, the sort of thing the FFA has been at pains to remove from our game. Well, its been visited upon us in football and must be stamped out quickly. We owe a great debt to the cultural diversity and influences in the development of football in Australia, and CFC is a substantial part of that in the ACT, but what presented itself at Deakin Stadium at the grand final was not part of it.
None of this needed to have happened and nor should it be tolerated.
We'll see how this unfolds.
Capital Football to come down hard on FC fans
21 Sep, 2011 04:00 AM
Ugly crowd behaviour is set to cost Canberra FC plenty in the hip pocket, but also threatens the club's bid to be reinstated to the NSW premier league.
Capital Football has promised to ''come down very, very hard'' on the ACT men's premier league champions after off-field drama marred its 8-5 grand final victory against Canberra Olympic last Saturday night.Up to a dozen flares were lit at Deakin Stadium in scenes reminiscent of European soccer with between 30 and 40 Canberra FC supporters involved.
There have also been allegations of Canberra FC supporters directing verbal abuse towards Capital Football officials and security staff.
Capital Football chief executive Heather Reid said it was imperative that the undesired small element of the 2000-strong crowd be stamped out.
''It was idiotic, vulgar, abusive, inappropriate behaviour that belongs somewhere else, it does not belong at our football games,'' Reid said. ''The verbal abuse that was levelled at me and other staff and security will not be tolerated.
''Those people will be put on notice that we do not want them in our sport.
''We're going to come down very, very hard on those people.''
Reid said the trouble wasn't unexpected after a Canberra FC fan had ignited a flare during its preliminary final win against Belconnen United the week before.
She said she had warned Canberra FC officials that while singing and chanting was acceptable, the lighting of flares would cross the line.
Capital Football employed three security staff from a private firm.
Canberra FC president Marko Vrkic disputed the number of flares that were lit and didn't have a problem with the way his club's supporters celebrated.
''Overseas it's different, it's normal atmosphere,'' Vrkic said. ''You can't control what's happening with 2000-3000 people.
''It's not nice, but you can't stop someone from drinking too much.''
Canberra FC has been the dominant force in ACT men's soccer for the past decade, winning 10 of the 11 past league titles.
That's led the club to consider a return to the NSW premier league in search of a higher standard of competition. And while Capital Football has supported that request, Reid said this latest incident could make it reconsider its position.
''Canberra FC aspire to play in the NSW premier league and this won't do them any favours,'' she said.
''We have supported that approach, but now we'd have to question it. A club called Canberra FC can't be our ambassador with behaviour like that.''
Vrkic reacted angrily to those comments.
''If they don't support us, they don't support football in Canberra,'' he said. ''They are totally wrong.''
Vrkic stressed there were no injuries stemming from the behaviour.
Capital Football is expected to issue Canberra FC with breach notices by the end of the week once its investigations are complete.
There have also been allegations of Canberra FC supporters directing verbal abuse towards Capital Football officials and security staff.
Capital Football chief executive Heather Reid said it was imperative that the undesired small element of the 2000-strong crowd be stamped out.
''It was idiotic, vulgar, abusive, inappropriate behaviour that belongs somewhere else, it does not belong at our football games,'' Reid said. ''The verbal abuse that was levelled at me and other staff and security will not be tolerated.
''Those people will be put on notice that we do not want them in our sport.
''We're going to come down very, very hard on those people.''
Reid said the trouble wasn't unexpected after a Canberra FC fan had ignited a flare during its preliminary final win against Belconnen United the week before.
She said she had warned Canberra FC officials that while singing and chanting was acceptable, the lighting of flares would cross the line.
Capital Football employed three security staff from a private firm.
Canberra FC president Marko Vrkic disputed the number of flares that were lit and didn't have a problem with the way his club's supporters celebrated.
''Overseas it's different, it's normal atmosphere,'' Vrkic said. ''You can't control what's happening with 2000-3000 people.
''It's not nice, but you can't stop someone from drinking too much.''
Canberra FC has been the dominant force in ACT men's soccer for the past decade, winning 10 of the 11 past league titles.
That's led the club to consider a return to the NSW premier league in search of a higher standard of competition. And while Capital Football has supported that request, Reid said this latest incident could make it reconsider its position.
''Canberra FC aspire to play in the NSW premier league and this won't do them any favours,'' she said.
''We have supported that approach, but now we'd have to question it. A club called Canberra FC can't be our ambassador with behaviour like that.''
Vrkic reacted angrily to those comments.
''If they don't support us, they don't support football in Canberra,'' he said. ''They are totally wrong.''
Vrkic stressed there were no injuries stemming from the behaviour.
Capital Football is expected to issue Canberra FC with breach notices by the end of the week once its investigations are complete.
