It makes me so angry that there are football 'fans' out there that feel so negatively towards our own national league and are so quick and willing to lay into it at the drop of a hat. So what if some of the players don't have full time jobs? The players do plenty of fantastic work in the community with kids in schools etc. My eldest son for one loves the fact that the players are so accessible - he gets his picture taken with the players, shakes their hands after the game etc. What that does for his enthusiasm for the game is immeasurable and something that he couldn't get from watching an EPL or A-League game on the TV - imagine getting to talk to Ivan Vicelich, the All White legend, week in, week out as a kid! Auckland City FC is the most welcoming, friendly club I have ever known - I don't think I've met any supporter or anyone involved in the club who is not welcoming. It's great to watch Ivan Vuksich helping put the goals away at Kiwitea Street one week then shaking hands with Sepp Blatter the next.
I don't give two hoots whether the quality is not up to that of the EPL. Quality doesn't come anywhere close to making up for the excitement of watching your local team play and watching players putting their heart and soul into it.
Come on City!!!
I think it's great that ACFC is such a community focused club. The local community is putting about $800k a season into Central Utd/ACFC after all, so it only seems fair.
Honestly Ali, I have no idea what your beef is. You talk about ACFC like nobody else in NZ feels exactly the same way about their own club, whether it's the Phoenix, Team Wellington or Seatoun. But you don't see anybody else here throwing their toys because you only support one of those flash ASB Prem franchises, and don't go and watch enough lower league footy.
You forgot to mention that ACFC has won some $3 million in prizemoney over the past three seasons from their above their weight performances in the O League and Club World Cup and this money has been shared around the ASBP clubs, and the NZF has grabbed a sizeable share. This money has kept alive the ASBP because the NZF don't invest in its own national league. ACFC uses a lot of its own money to put out a team that can win the O league and compete in the CWC. Its sponsors have been very generous, but a sizeable portion of ACFC's budget comes from its own efforts on the field.
ACFC is a successful little club that invests a lot back in NZ football.