Central League

Yes, you are right, I have to admit. My apologies to you , sir. 

Apparently homophobia directed at a 17 year old is now "atmosphere". I think there needs to be a genuine discussion if late games underlights, to help the cashflow of a club (bar spend), is worth it, if spectator behaviour is beyond the norm of tolerable?

I would like to see some leadership of capital football around fan behaviour and kickoff times to suit club bar sales.

Apparently, 'is your fanny all right ?' in the Western Suburbs vs Wellington Olympic game (the 1st game of the season, in April) directed at a 19 yr old Olympic player , down injured , by the Western Suburbs supporters at Endeavour park,  is not sexist/homophobic at all, or maybe that kind of judgement is reserved for the Olympic supporters only. Before you say that, yes - I have heard it, should have reported it to  Capital Football, not reporting it in the light of this 'anti-Olympic' hysteria, makes me look like a complete idiot,  but at the time I just took it 'in my stride' - one of many things the immigrants in Nz have to do.  Did I mention double-standards in one of my previous posts ?

I'm not quite sure what you consider the double standard? 

My post was purposefully neutral. I don't think late kickoffs should be scheduled to suit any club bar sales aspirations, if the club supporters exhibit behaviour which crosses the line. Iirrc the central league regulations have something around alcohol influenced spectator behaviour.

This isn't about immigrants, it's about arseholes.

I think blaming kick-off times rather than bigots is a mistake.

Well, if I were to use the same approach as one of the people on this thread before, I could say things like "Are you talking to me ?, Have you and I been involved in a discussion ? etc. I agreed that person was technically correct and that I was wrong and I apologised for it.

So, I could do the same thing as him..I have never quoted you, I could be the same hair splitting a*sehole, but let's not be childish here, we know what we are talking about here.  Please,sir , please do yourself and all of us a favour and do not talk about your post being neutral. Please do not insult everyone's intelligence. And please do not call the Olympic supporters drunk because of the late game starts. When was the last time you were on that hill with them, to be able to judge if they are drunk/crazy or whatever ?

I am convinced later kickoffs are about bar sales. I may be wrong. One leads to another, imho.

Bar sales is a flow on from that, but it's more about club spirit and giving people the chance to watch more than just about $$$.

Of course it's not alright for them to have said that, nobody has said it was alright. 

Abuse has been called out on many instances that don't involve Olympic - I even called out some ref abuse by NW supporters on the weekend at Chatham cup game. But it depends largely on who hears it and whether they are the type to do anything about it. I seriously doubt the thought process is "they're not Greek, so it's ok" as you suggest (especially when, as I said earlier, other clubs have been called out for it in the recent past too)

I agree that is also  a factor, but the clubs have a financial incentive (selling alcohol) which is in conflict with their responsibilities around spectator conduct. I am not sayign this is a just a Olympic problem - far from it.

The Wests incident mentioned recently by the Hun would have been middle of the afternoon so unlikely that grog would have been a contributing factor.

The vast majority of people who go, watch a game and have a beer do not act like dickheads. Sure it may embolden some to act like dickheads but it probably has more to do with "safety in numbers, pack mentality" than grog.

Are the supporters at Wakefield Park actually drinking during the game? And if so is this alcohol being supplied by the clubrooms or are they providing their own? I found the below on Capital Football but can't actually find the relevant legislation relating to this.

"We know that having a drink after your game is something many players enjoy but please remember that alcohol cannot be consumed at sports grounds except in licensed clubrooms. So, if you’re celebrating a win or commiserating a loss, support the local club and stay on the right side of the law. As always, drink responsibly and ensure you have a designated driver."

I've attended quite a number of late games at Wakey (why wouldn't you the clubbies are superb) and have not noticed anyone who I would call tipsy let alone drunk.  I don't think drink is the issue here.

I'm going to step in for The Hun here. He didn't say what you said he did in the first sentence.

Also I question what the age of the player in question has to do with anything?

I think we have to take The Hun's "anglo-saxonist" assessment at face value. I do think people like to demonise Olympic but forget how fun it is to go and watch a game there. You can't have both. That's not an argument in favour of yelling out homophobic slurs though, and to characterise it as such is at best obtuse.

Yesterday at the Stop Out/NW game some NW fan gave it to the linseman right in front of him. Full on stuff. That's not getting a lot of airtime here. I saw a fan yell out from the balcony to a Wests sub: "who the fudge do you think you are? Fudgeing wanker." while that sub was warming down on his own. Not very nice, and also not getting any coverage. It's important to maintain some perspective.

Smithy's 2 cents: Olympic hierarchy need to have a word with their hill of fans and tell them that "homo" and related insults are not acceptable in today's world, but otherwise carry on and loudly. Everyone else needs to take a breath.

That is a good point. Both incidents were posted on twitter by someone at the ground, but only the Olympic one made its way to this forum (until now). That could be because:

* homophobic abuse probably cause more outrage than regular abuse (though the relentlessness of the NW abuse made it just as bad)

* people love to hate Olympic, so anything they do wrong is jumped on

* I<3nix has more twitter followers than me! 

The NW supporter abuse had a great outcome in the end though, his wife gave him a smack and told him to pull his head in and stop hassling the linesman. 

Central league playing regs say that match officials can stop a game, and abandon if spectator alcohol consumption is impacting match control. $500 fine for the home club.

Of course, refs can abandon the game under the laws in any case, but is spelled out plainly in the league regs

what's with the Southern Irish lad Molloy transferring to Mar?

So Dave Farrington is the "greener pasture" the Irish Independent was talking about?

Closer to home?

Earn some $$$ in the cup before heading further north for National League

Highlights: Western Suburbs v Petone (Chatham Cup)

Highlights

So if Palmy and Lower Hutt win this weekend Olympic go last. When was the last time Olympic were bottom of Central League?

In fact, when was the last time a defending champion was relegated?

So, what has changed for Olympic this year vs last year? Gone backwards or others moved forward?

Anyone shed any light on Adam Cowan's transfer to Lower Hutt?

a defending champion has never been relegated

should make Saturdays Olympic v Lower Hutt late game at wakefield an interesting one

It's Sunday 3pm now. Presumably because of the rugby. 

probably others moved forward, Olympic haven't been playing badly just not getting luck. They have drawn 4 (including with Wests) and of the 6 they have lost apart from a 4-1 defeat to Napier all the rest have been by 1 goal

All that you already said...

Plus, 'the epiphany' (another Greek word by the way :-))  that the CF referees are having in abundance when it comes to knowing the rules and refereeing the Olympic games - unfortunately , almost exclusively against Olympic.

Olympic will be missing 7 of their starting 11 this week (injuries + referee's epiphanies) in what looks like a crucial game in their already 'F'-ed season.

But, they will survive. They are simply too good to go down. Well, that is my wishful thinking anyway...

Quite a big refereeing conspiracy you've uncovered there....

Disappointing...

Just when I thought I could have a discussion with you. 

It is not a conspiracy : the conspiracies are  'flat earth', 'man not landing on the Moon, '9/11 was an inside job etc..'...

This about the referees and Olympic  is very tangible, close to home and verifiable...

the idea that referees are biased against one club in particular is as crazy as flat earth, no moonwalk and Bush did 9/11, so yes, it's a conspiracy theory.

Wish I could spend more time replying to this...But, this is not about 'one club'....There is a lengthy discussion about it.

so it's not "about the referees and Olympic"?

Me too...

Been looking around the club rooms, some dudes (naturally) look more suspicious than the others, but no clear suspects....