Public perception

Public perception

I've recently had a few people pass rather damning commets regarding the Phoenix games in general.

Public perception is important, but you really can't change it until the people who you talk to come to the game. I tend to let people know exactly what's going on. I personally dont sit in the YF Zone, know most of the chants, have afew beers and love the games! Its what everyone gets told when they say otherwise!

Which Starmart Toffeeman ?

If it's the one in Unisys house I know who to blame.

There are times where I am a little concerned about the behaviour of a select number of people who attend matches. I am someone who would not call people who call out offensive remarks or throw things at people or generally are a pain in the ass fans.

 

Generally these people are just there to cause trouble or have some other motive not related to football.

 

The thing is that it isn't exclusive to football and it is something I occasionally have trouble trying to get through to people.

 

I have watched a few live rugby and league matches and during the times I was awake I have to say some of the people in the crowd were behaving disgracefully - and lets not forget about cricket; the whole point of one day cricket seems to be to get drunk and run around naked on the pitch.

 

I will accept that a Nix crowd can get rowdy at times but you get that with all live sports and must be viewed in a wider forum. Football gets a really bad wrap around the world because of the behaviour of a select few and I have to say that a lot of those things people get concerned about, in top flight football has pretty much been dealt with and is no longer acceptable by fans, players or management. Games are pretty well marshalled but we cant sheild everything.

 

I would still not have a problem taking my 5 year old nephew to a nix game, but I would probably sit at the away end so he can still absorb the atmosphere without the risk of him asking what a w**ker means and me getting in trouble from my sister!

 

But there is nothing better than watching live football - and as a child it is something you never forget and cherish for a very long time.

mikecj2008-01-04 16:35:23

Well maybe one or two things better than live football

the first thing i would ask someone who passes comments like that is "Have you been to a game then?" they would answer "no" and you say "well maybe you should"

I've taken my 6 year old to a few games. He shat himself the first time in the zone but I was up high (Row O its rougher up there) and the height was his problem. He thought the chanting was silly but now when I sing der da der, der da der, der da der, der da der, der der, der da der, der da der, der da der, der der - he shouts Phoenix, and thats gold.

comments like Sam Worthington's about 'pissing in a bottle' don't help - but then niether does the bloke who pissed in the bottle

some of it's down to us - I reckon we've helped with a clear response re aerial bottles and can continue to help the 'young' un's learn that being legless ain't necessary at a football match - because there is actually something worth watching !!

some of it's 'nudgeable' by us engaging with the media

and some of it actually won't matter because outside the Zone it's all very civilized (well in my view  anyway) - and I'm sure the roman civilization would have thought the zone was a bit tame

getting back to Sam W and the Dom  -today's coverage was excellent  = positive and using the term "ring of Fire"

like theProf says, get them along, and correct any misperceptions

Are you talking about the Ring? Or Wellington Hospital?
I guess it could be either :D

It's unfortunate, isn't it, that the term 'hooligan' is largely synonymous with football, and always will be. It gives people who are suspicious or antagonistic towards football - and there are plenty of them both in NZ and here in Oz - a convenient label whenever there is a whiiff of trouble at a match. I think some of this comes from jealousy that the code they're following is being threatened by the growth of soccer, and the media often seem all too happy to encourage this attitude.

Dead right StopOut - the contrast between the reporting of the "rioting hooligans" at telstra dome re: the sydney game and the "fun police ejecting aussie larrikans" at the cricket was astounding.

I'm guessing the paper in question is the one that doesn't sponsor the Victory and appear on their homepage, :)

Football is a culture where the behaviour caused by passion can often get confused. Many people get rarked up at the football because they're emotionally involved with the game. Most people get rarked up at the cricket because there's nothing else to do

It's a real shame that many other sports have to resort to the hypocrisy of portraying football as a yobbos sport to survive. I'd feel much safer taking my kids to a football match than any other sport.

http://picasaweb.google.com/algeriamike/PhoenixFans/photo#51515645195125183

Here's someone whose family don't believe the hype. As long as you see faces like this at matches you know we're doing OK. This is taken tonight after the Sydney match...

I see the Aisle 23 persons at the top  of the stand even managed to draw the attention of the Police tonight. And they were blaming me!! The CCTV camera right in front of them me thinks but they obviously didn't see it hanging down in front of them. DOH.Lonegunmen2008-01-04 23:53:30

On a different subject, if anyone knows the lad who was flattened in Row AA of the zone in the scrum for the gear thrown in the crowd can they PM me.

Want to know if he's okay.

I tell you what too, tonight must have been our noisiest yet? It sounded brilliant. Not many players get a standing ovation for being sent off - that was classic. I hope HN that the lad is ok too. Lonegunmen2008-01-05 00:16:28

My brand new cellphone went missing in the aforementioned scrum, but after hearing someone else got flattened I guess I can feel grateful that's all that happened. Hope he's okay.

Perception is everything.  To the large group of Nix fans fighting amongst themselves on the Shell station forecourt after the game - shame on you.  That made a good impression on my wife and six year old attending their first game!

At a garage after the game a group of youths fighting sounds like the sort of thing that happens any friday night, I was up at Otaki forks for new year a fight broke out between youths not a football in sight.So why make out its football hooligans,it happens all the time football or no football.

On a positive note, drove down from palmy for the game and spent a couple of hours in town. Had my nix top on and would have had 5 or 6 different people ask me about who the nix were playing, what time ect. most were obviously not fans but were interested. I think the majority perception is positive(sorry bad england)

Exactly.
Anyone who saw it won't be at work on Monday saying "I saw a bunch of lads fighting...", it'll be "I saw loads of Phoenix supporters fighting with each other". Said it before, there's a load of people waiting for any excuse to stick the boot into the 'Nix and "Nix supporters. The less ammunition they've got, the better.

If people dont wanna come because ofperceptions its their loss,not ours.

Feverish is right, too many people pre-judge things without coming along to see for themselves.

I would rather have as many as possible, regardless of their passion.

People will gain passion through exposure to the game.
I bet a lot of those kids who came tonight will be asking their parents if they can stand in the fever zone next season.

Saw him and he didn't look too good, someone said that he was trying to catch one of the souvenir's being tossed into the crowd and did the "hokey tokey" with his head with the person next to him! I guess if OSH get hold of this then that will be the end of any more freebies!!! Shame cause I think the kids loved it. I didn't get a bloody thing!!

A bit like the Knights then? Oh, I forgot, they went tits up didn't they.

The club needs as many bodies coming through the gates as possible.

As have you by the sounds of things, hmmmm maybe there's a connection. Does lonegunmen head up the Wellington firm?  I'm sure I saw him at the airport with a baseball bat awaiting the Sydney flight.......

Nah, my nephew and people from his work like to get the tickets for th game aound the middle of 23. Personally, I'd prefer 20 or 21.

Some good looking people in that crowd

Passion has always been part of football. In NZ, the average person who isn't big on football is realising that, slowly. They'll get used to it. Of course it's the sort of stuff you don't see at a rugby game. It doesn't have that passion and fervour of football. That's why the world loves football. I know I'm preaching to the converted, with perhaps the odd cynic floating about waiting to read between the lines.

I agree, many people do see 'Nix crowds as quote: " a bunch of hooligans". Perception is important but tbh people who actualy spend time in ward 21 dont feel the same way and also. I don't give a sh*t what people think cos me and the rest of you have a great time.