Home  »  Blogs  »  Half Time Orange - Jesse Fink  »  Article

Long live the blogocracy

By Half Time Orange - Jesse Fink | 9 May 2008 | 11:45

Well, at least Graham Arnold now knows what a "blog" is. The bloke has had a torrid few months in the Olyroos job, that's for sure, but really in the kind of position he's in he has to expect close scrutiny of his performance. Times have changed, Arnie.

Comments (21)  |  Your thoughts?

 

Compared to their counterparts in the Italian, Spanish or English leagues, coaches in this country have it easy. I've been called everything from "SBS's resident hatchet man" to a "fagg" (yes, with two Gs), but really, at the end of the day, the views I'm expressing here on TWG are not that different to what the people on the street are thinking or talking about.

I consult widely for views and opinions, from top coaches and high-flying agents to Serie A-obsessed baristas and mortgage-addled soccer mums and dads. Everyone has a viewpoint, and usually a very interesting one, so I'm always fascinated to hear what's occupying the minds of Australia's disparate football tribes.

Recently I met Pim Verbeek at Latteria in Darlinghurst, a café so frequented by football personalities that some jokingly call it "The FFA". Verbeek was shocked by the general tameness of the local media, by the fact no one turned up to grill him when he arrived in the country, that he had to plough through pages and pages of dross in the rags to find any stories about Australian football, which were usually of just a few lines and carried little if not any critical analysis of the local game and its personalities.

Compared to the Korean media, Verbeek said, Australia's was decidedly soft. And the Korean media is not exactly hard.

Certainly it has nothing on the British tabloid press, which has gone to town on Harry Kewell in recent days. The Evening Standard wrote cuttingly: "Kewell costs more than Channel 5 pay for an episode of Neighbours – and only lasts half as long."

Ouch.

So that is the great thing about blogs. They've democratised Australia's football media, made it uncontrollable. Given it an edge.

And on TWG they're starting to prove as popular as "straight" football news.

During the week I received an email from my editor at SBS giving a round-up of traffic to TWG blogs. The numbers of page impressions for some recent efforts – Sydney need reality check on Aloisi deal, It's Kewell's time to leave England – were off the scale. Philip Micallef's English golden era beckons provoked some vociferous debate and clocked (at time of writing) close to 100 mostly considered, intelligent comments.

The reality is that in Australia in 2008 having a retinue of compliant journo mates is no longer a guarantee of tenure for a Socceroos or Olyroos coach because there are guys like me and the rest of the team at TWG, Tony Tannous, Mike Salter, James Brown, Das Libero and others (you know who you are) trying to keep the bastards honest.

And the comments you, the readers, provide have as much legitimacy and potential influence as anything I write. So keep fighting the power, bloggers.

Together, we can change the game.

top

Join the Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: All submitted comments become the property of SBS. We reserve the right to edit and/or amend submitted comments. HTML tags other than paragraph, line break, bold or italics will be removed from your comment.


Your Comments

13 May 2008 15:23 AEST

Eric Tyson

From: Adelaide

Agree with everything here Jess. I cant help but think that Buckley and the powers that be actually read and take notice of yours and all the other thoughtful blogs on this site. I dont think its a coincidence that a lot of what you guys push for and are passionate about on these blogs actually comes to be.

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

13 May 2008 13:54 AEST

Jesse Fink

From: Upper Volta

Slippery Jim, thanks for the compliment, old bean. Indeed, divorce has been kind to me. Lost a few pounds, got some sun. But, alas, still waiting for Sophie Marceau to walk through the door. As for Nicky, yes, he's wowing them Bristol way, as you and I always knew he would. Check out http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=98638

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

13 May 2008 11:35 AEST

Fuggs

From: Parramatta

Hey, does anyone know how to get tickets to the away games against Iraq in Dubai and Qatar in Doha, I've booked flights but haven't got tickets, the FFA don't know either...

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

12 May 2008 16:39 AEST

Slippery Jim

From: Queenscliff, NSW

Sure am, Pippu, I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before...hence the ferry across the harbour to work etc. "South Eastern Australia" eh, sounds very exotic way of saying Canberra!!! Jesse, I must say your latest publicity photo is far better than your previous mug shots - surely can't be a bad thing in the hunt for a feminina...by the way talking of unrequited love, I'm sure you're chuffed with Nicky Carle's recent game for Bristol City.

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

12 May 2008 12:25 AEST

Pablo

From: Sydney

Thank goodness for "bloggers" (and their respondents) with guts to challenge the 'business as usual' she'll be right mentality and cultural cringe that has dominated football debate in Australia for so long. Good blogs stimulate us to challenge each other, ourselves and most importantly help advance football in Oz by putting things on the agenda that draws out some of the best creative thought, ideas and discussion from a range of viewpoints beyond just the narrow comfort zone vested interests.

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

12 May 2008 10:05 AEST

pippinu

From: South-Eastern Australia

Hey SJ - are you really from Queenscliff? Commisserations about the fantasy league. I love blogs - I'm not sure if there is a real difference between a good or bad blog - there are plenty of different ones, and that will do me just fine. Hey Dustin - get up on the wrong side of bed?

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

10 May 2008 22:17 AEST

Ben Horvath

From: Sydney

Long live your blogs Half time orange. How about another one on why the hell Nicky Carle can't get a regular run with the soceroos. I'm writing this at half time in the Bristol v Palace play off semi final and Nicky is more than fitting in to the thuggery.His work rate has gone through the roof in the championship. He is the only player on the pitch to put his foot on the ball, look up and distribute.Now that big Dukes is injured we need someone to hold the ball up Nicky surely must start.

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

10 May 2008 13:53 AEST

Anthony Siokos

From: Sydney

Jesse, your blogs set the benchmark for online football media in this country. The fact that you try to be more than just a reporter of news and actually take the time to think critically is uplifting. You inspired me to write a blog and I thank you for that. There are many types of fans, and SBS targets the loyal, the knowledgeable and the passionate best. For this reason what you write embodies SBS and I'm glad you made the switch from the capitalist, media-monopolising enemy. Love your work!

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

10 May 2008 13:32 AEST

Dustin

From: Sydney

you like others opinions, well heres mine your blogs are crap cant belive sbs hired you, this is some of the most medicorematerila ive ever read they should just stick to micaleff

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)

10 May 2008 9:49 AEST

Ben

From: Phnom Penh

Find a new wife? You should be extremely thankful then that the FFA has found itself in Asia. The Australian media has a long way to go in regards to analysis and as such blogs, and forums, find themselves as the primary sources of analytical football discourse. What will be interesting is to see if this prevalence is maintained as the print media slowly becomes more thorough in their football reporting. My guess is that interactive media has been given a head start and it will remain thus.

I agree (0 agree) I disagree (0 disagree)