In my early years I was part of Strikes and Union activity, and later in life joined a political party all with the fire in the belly stuff regarded as Left or Socialists, or even Communist depending on your ideology.
It never worried me then nor today on external opinions and as I rode through the ranks of management those views were not as forthcoming granted but never left me nor surrendered, and when owning my own business I hope my principals spoke.
Now well in the second half of the life cycle I find I am not as tolerant to fools yet accept opposing opinions provided they are accept mine, and a intelligent debate is forthcoming.
Now, this is where it gets murky.
People of my age are much more street wise than later generations on life. Not so much technology or social interactions then and same as they could never live in the 60’s and 70’s in our hey days.
Totally understandable, but we knew how to pick a fraud, a Shysters, a mug Lare. a wife beater, a thief, and the underground network was extremely active. Not gossip, it was on the wire solid and if untrue it would be sorted as you would be told to your face in the appropriate place.
Such is fair dinkum chats, tidy up your game or ….
Today no one has the guts to be straight, and use the Gossip Tree or Nice to your face and back stab, which shows how The Australian character has changed. In the day it was what Pommy’s did along with their Class designations of your breeding or family wealth, or where you former address in England was.
It was foreign to me at the time as we were all in the same boat, we thought, but apparently not in other cultures, and football educated me in this area.
So having this grounding I sat back and watched, some thought with ignorance, or avoidance even, but with great appreciation of how the human race can be it’s own worst enemy.
Enter today’s society and it more than clear people have been dumbed down, either by it’s just to hard mummy, or I’m all right Jack Fuck you, or I’ll ignore it and maybe it’ll happen to someone else and then I might, yes might act if it effects me.
Yes the divide and rule, add debt combined with visions of grandeur of “I want TODAY” to keep up your social standing, your wedged into the capitalism mode where money is your owner, your kids owner and your life now your own bubble based on survival. Got ya, but you got you new SUV, House,Furniture, and all the tech, but your now working for the man for life, at the mercy of the money lenders.
Yep, my lot slept on the mattress on the floor, bare boards, 3rd hand furniture, no curtains, but we owned everything except the house, if not we just saved till we did.
Oh this boomer crap, where we all stuck together, passed down, helped do each others painting, renovations, gardens, concreting on weekends or week nights and was no trouble at all. It was the Aussie way, similar to the Greeks, Italians, and Asians who also used the Family culture to another level entirely and still today.
Yeah, today we all try to reinvent the wheel and celebrate when we discover it turns.
Language and Concept Warning… Born without Filter installed.
It was in the mid 50’s and if, yes IF you were selected you got to carry the flag (Made In Australia ONLY) to the pole, put the small package on the rope and when nodded pulled the correct rope on parade and the flag unfolded on parade every morning. After we ,2 of, lowered it and NEVER let it touch the ground, or you will be replaced if that infraction occurred.
It was a monthly stint then it rotated through the Bell ringers, monitors, and other State School responsibilities hierarchy.
Respect and Dignity of the flag was premium, only Military or Representative Sports or officialdom were permitted to either wear a sanctioned part of our national emblem.
My standards and ethical values were imbedded then, and maybe one can see how our values have fallen to meet the marketing, political agendas of the profiteers and capitalists who have devalued not only our national emblem but our culture and we like sheep have gone along to the slaughter sometimes unknowingly but more likely willingly to keep up with cultures from mainly America who willingly export their indoctrinated brainwash into everything you allow.
We are not and never have been a flag in the face culture but we are heading that way fast. Our flag has been weaponised by the advertisers, the extreme groups, the social media manipulators to not bring the country together but divide it. Men and women who fought and died under it would be sickened to see it worn as throw away clothing, pushed in the face to prove you are the most sickening word to me a “Patriot” which is not a Australian description but used often by the people who resemble action toys you played with in the sand pit.
Our national IQ must not drop or be dumbed down, we know how many states we have, sadly in America over 50% don’t know and 60% can’t name them. Our entire population in America believe the world is flat, over 50 % cannot place America on a world map, but every time there is a chance to show their flag it’s in you face saying look at me I’m the standard and so we follow by draping the fag over our shoulders, dragging it on the ground pissed as mutes, hats,back to front loud and often violent and abusive to anyone who sees it as degrading.
We are better than that, we can celebrate as a nation loud and proud without divisive rhetoric, we can walk and chew gum, we can be filled with pride and respect other views but not use the flag as a show of force.
We are a evolving Nation with ties to England which in time maybe not in my time be sorted, but let’s set our own agendas, let’s not follow failing states, and each and every ones of us think Laterally and not just “stay in your lane” as that exactly how the powerbrokers want you live.
As for Australia Day I will be looking up and seeing our trees, sky, nature, animals, listening to Australians Country music ( Not Tammy Wynette impersonators) Paul Kelly, SlimDusty. Ac/Dc, and I’ll throw in John Cash just to show I’m inclusive.
It may come across as I am Anti America, I’m not, I genuinely agonise over the level headed informed population who have the ability to analyse and compare cultures and government structures but if we tried to manipulate their media and culture to make their Government work for the people IE. free Medicare, Women’s Rights, Gun control, Broader education of their citizenship outside America, separation of church and state, non compulsory military call ups, and full rehab for past serving soldiers injuries ,Common Laws that apply Nationally without State control , I would be regarded as some sort of a traitor, a communist, a socialist or all of the above, and my maybe my public safety would be compromised.
Not my Model of Democracy Or Freedom we should even contemplate and we should resist ever aspect to assimilate and keep on being the Quiet Achievers who get on with the job without the garish edge of Boganism / Bozoness / Numptyism.
So the Wallabies got their arse kicked by Eddie Jones the Socceroos are in the 16 but to be honest we need a miracle to progress yet no one is asking if not only the international codes but all 4 majors are in good hands for the codes future NOT the medias
If you stop and look at all our football codes the first thing you will find we are following the yank franchise system with the media conglomerates taking the cream and the codes getting the crumbs.
That’s not rocket science because on every single board the media has its representation at the highest level. It has its employees mainly ex legends in their own mind commentary positions all on the payroll looking after their interests and when a Coach or Board member endangers their access the attacks begin.
To be quite honest The AFL and NRL are dead in the water as they are just a travelling circus of coach rotation, official rotation and a massive click bait income advertising stream for Murdock and it won’t change as management base is kept narrow and under control. The NRL handed over the peoples game years ago to the corporates and the AFL is a lone entity with a good fan base but no international standing so easily controlled.. The circuses and the tents are all in place and the people are just accessories to the TV rights.
Now moving to the international codes and this is where the game gets dirty.
Outside international organisations like FIFA and World Rugby are a thereat to the power brokers and any interference is like challenging the mafia. CEOs , coaches managers all will be incur the wrath of the Old Boy network and the following names are some who dared to change the structures or shift access away from the nepotistic inbred culture.
People, professionals with vision railroaded out of the sport because they dared to restrict insider access to international dressing sheds, selection processes IE RaeLine Castle Rugby CEO, (Pictured) railroaded by media, Robbie Deans designated as a traitor, Ange Postacoglis far to smart for the board , media harassment, Ewan McKenzie dared to discipline the medias super stars, railroaded, Eddie Jones branded traitor, Holger Osijek just give up on the unprofessional attitude towards international protocols. And Pim Verbeek (Deceased) because we don’t play like the Dutch., each and every one went on to exceed in their professional lives in far higher levels after leaving but not good enough for our media or Board Rooms who preside and presided over falling world standard positions.
They hold their jobs, and anyone who threatens, the dogs are realised.
So, no good just bitching about it, what’s the solution???
My vision is based on the fans being the major shareholders in the businesses. Board appointees under National Oversight with grass root involvement. Coaching positions called internationally, appointed by internationally qualified panels not necessarily involved with domestic contacts. The system of Franchise ownerships must be dismantled and promotion and relegation structures installed with a ownership ratio of 60/40 Australian to start with with minimal of 55% after bedding in.
This cannot happen within a World Cup window so we have to be prepared to bypass a Cup give it a 8 year span to totally restructure.
The Media will be on invitation only with NO representation in any form on management roles and other platforms ,ie Streaming , invited to bid for rights nationally and internationally opening us up to real time dimensions.
Our Aleague must have regulations in regard local talent and cease it from being a exit lounge for aged players, same with Rugby Pacifica taking on the NZ county model.
Let’s call it, we might not be going backwards much but the rest of the world is booming forward and we are well off the wave.
Bite the bullet now, and start the 8 year cycle, explain it to the masses, get them in as shareholders, educate the importance of International competition and benchmarks and our kids worlds will be widened, our knowledge base expanded and don’t allow self interest dominate our passions.
I wish to share my experience in Telstra in regard to the rollout of the fibre network across my area of responsibility.
The timelines were we in South West Qld was to get fibre into every hospital in our areas asap as it was envisaged with this technology operations and services could be overseen externally online, saving time ,travel, and other tyrannies of distance delivering to our country populations.
While this was in progress I had the opportunity to talk to a specialist on site who was excited about this new technology.
This was about the time when transmission equipment was progressing to tripling the traffic on a single fibre by transmitting both ways on one tube. New stuff then but granted now.
The conversation moved to the difference it would make when a hub was established in a town and people who were house bound or even bed bound could have what he referred to as “Health Packs” installed into their homes with communications that monitored patients online and monitored by hospitals and having field staff in hubs that could attend quickly if things went bad.
At the time this was in planning by the medical professionals but the capacity we were delivering would be more than capable but the upgrade of the subs premises tech was imperative hence fibre to the kerb.
The offshoot to mobile phones and computers was a bi product.
This was in the 90’s and as history reveals Murdock’s Foxtel was in its infancy rolling out and any capacity to create competition to that was killed off leaving him a monopolistic network protected by government.
I make the point no NBN was even thought of, it was a network we were rolling out for all Australians as part of Telecom Australia’s/ Telstra’s charter and communication was a “Essential Service” .
The LNP decided communication was NOT a Essential Service and enter privatisation where providing service had to show a profit or it was not a priority. They lied to the public by promising mobile communication but the capacity of the fibre network was more profitable on the seaboards so the bush was lower expensive installation therefore abandoned.
Health aspirations on initial rollouts was squashed under the coalition but they sucked in the locals and we as the front line had to play the game bullshitting to genuine people .
After Howard was ejected government listened to the technical people within the industry and realised expanding the national network was a nation building asset enter the NBN, but when they regained government they sabotaged it immediately returning to copper we installed in the 70’s .
That says it all about how this government protects multi nationals donors at the expense of everyday Australians, keeping competition away from Murdock for his continuing support in the media.
I absolutely loved my time with My life with all the growing facets of our communication industry, but when I was directed to shut down depots, which we’re community assets , culturally and historically without compassion it was time for me to go, and seeing how small town communities now so abandoned now makes us old lines staff just so sad, but that’s “can do capitalism” I’m told, but just imagine if that model that specialist had was allowed to bear fruit would our aged care industry be in its present state of total disrepair and would we have so many unneeded death
Well the question all of us old players and coaches and supporters is “How Many Times do we Have TO FAIL before we clean out the cupboard of the Nepotistic INBred Culture of Australian Football” ???
Every World Cup campaign we get the lets try and make the last 16, and now we were back to Shit we may not even get to the next round..
Oh sorry, Im not the greatest credentialed voice but I have a some experience of coaching with Internationals both men and women and make no claims of contributing to their success.
So, lets look at our present squad and we’ll find that their applications for redundancy have been deferred with a age profile of 27.9 years relying on 17 players who play overseas and the rest from our A League which is a rest home for players who cannot get a contract overseas but keep the youth out from that level and out of the national light.
NO PROBLEM HERE they say we’re lifting the standard and the all important old boys cartel taking the pay cheques even when they are strolling their stuff in 3rd gear there in a no promotion or relegation league and their jobs safe until they retire on their terms. The youth can wait their turn fully supported as if it was their superannuation right.
Our youngest national player ONE OFF is 20 in 2022 campaign so add 4 years till the next cup and our present team the majority will be up for filling more spots in the nursing home of A league …
Sorry again I’m being over critical here NO IM NOT. IT has to be questioned, as our game could be much better and we owe it to our youth.
So our coaching culture was well and truly on show against Oman with our national coach turning our looking like he’d been on the piss and slept in his clothes, making a mistake and putting his pumps on instead of the 6 plugger thongs.
What a total disgrace and dissrespect to our National Emblem but NONE of the Cartel thought enough about it to comment.
That Just Demonstrates the Culture of Cover My Arse and I’ll Cover Yours” that exists across the code and the media apologists so they can gain the keys to the inner sanctum.
No Problem Here, and if their is any rumours of bringing in a coaching team totally independent from a successful country that has performed on the world stage into the country a media campaign will be launched to discredit the appointed…
SOUND FAMILIAR?????
Yes I believe we have a corrupted institution that needs a root and branch clean out for the sake of every single kid in our nation with dreams of putting on the gold strip.
WE owe them that and the Women’s game too should not be left out of a health check.
And by the way our assistant coach from The Netherlands appeared and who knows how his appointment was advertised or confirmed? I’ll stand corrected but its the first I’ve seen him on the payroll. ?????
Look their is no easy answer from this situation we have found our self in,but to gain we have to have pain,and we must start and look at a 8 year plan to qualify and make us a solid respected world contender and to do that it must start at genuine path roads with a culture at the top that after every World Cup every position is declared vacant, no reputations or backdoor deals applying, with a national approach looking at least 4 to 6 year in advance. Strong emphasis on the 16 to 19 year old international competitions PRIORITISED and funded comprehensively and until that pathway is cemented into an entry point including those who have secured contracts overseas within the Under 22 limit.
Yes until they build and have continual feeder opportunities we will get belted but if we embrace overseas experience our road not as rough.
I have one other issue that some will find uncomfortable but for too long our game has been based modelled on the English version of success and we must embrace the full European Football phycology inclusion fan wise and not ownership via the money launderers that destroy grass root say in management otherwise all efforts of bottom up growth will never eventuate and will be stymied by the Football Mafia of billionaires.
From experience, sometimes hard experience, you can’t test a water mitigation project until it goes under pressure in severe conditions.
In May and November this year we’re the testing times for The Great Thagoona Wall and as expected it failed in every aspect.
After over 500 mm of rain in two events it never managed to shift or run more than a conservative foot of water in the trench ,not enough to bend the grass.
This amazing exercise is something out of a Monty Python script where a project starts at the lowest point of the land, moves towards the source O’Sheas Gully of previous flooding , but runs out of funds and stops short of Thagoona Haigslea Road connecting to nothing and at a cost of 22 million dollars of public money granted and managed fully by the former council.
Yes great public PR was had by the elected officials but absolutely nothing achieved in preventing water going through the homes on the Thagoona Haigslea residents except a small drain clean out.
Bridges were built, thousands of meters of soil brought in to make the wall while the existing spoil was used to make some sort of a Helecopter pad to walk on in Caledonian Park.
Just imagine with that 22million would if some mitigation was done in the local spills, now breeding grounds for scotch grey 747 mosquitoes.
How about starting at the source and moving downstream and taking away the flow serviced by a ordinary spill as on the other side of the road.?
No way, my prediction is the logic is wait for the developer’s to start and make it their responsibility and hope the 50 year event does not happen until then.
Either way is public money used to what it has been granted to the people who need it in normal times , especially in times of changing and more severe weather conditions?.
I say NO. And to be brutally honest , my association with engineers has never been cordial as such but I’m sure no engineer would put his name to this “fuck up” willingly and some political influence had to be factored in.
Either way I have written to the current Mayor and spoke to our Two Councillors along with some Hi Vis clipboards on site who tried to fabricate the inexplainable.
The end game is quite simple, some one should be held accountable for the jobs failure, engineeringly or politically, either way the misuse of public moneys is reprehensible.
Photos Below reveal the stark truth of the infrastructure failure.
Existing Flows on Girral Road Upstream View Spill DrainUpstream The 22million Dollar Great Wall same time as AboveDownstream of the Wall
While biding time pre the Matilda v USA Women match we decided to watch a documentary called L.F.G. On the claim for equal pay for American World Champions.
Let’s be totally upfront here, I’m not a America fan, probably instilled by my forefathers view on their involvement in both world wars and their performances since, BUT after seeing this film my opinion of their culture has sunk to a all time low.
The Matilda’s had to fight hard to achieve parity in and as a former trade unionist I wholly appreciate any battle for equality and in sure the majority of Australian people agree, however I never thought women could be regarded as inferior in not only skills but in their physical and mental makeup and that argument used in American court of law.
For that to happen and tolerated their has to be some flaw in not the female anatomy but the entire system of which these people live by and accepted as “normal and acceptable”.
No doubt it’s a total misogynistic system which only exists is for monetary gain which is the Great American Dream of individual capitalism till you reach a level of corporate capitalism and everything else, ethics and compassion, is collateral damage.
This example of the simple rights of a group of women who have outperformed their male counterparts at every single level of the sport yet get about a third reimbursement if their lucky, while the men are flat out finding their way out of the dressing sheds come the big gig ,World Cup time.
It sickens me and my wife that the men all men who are involved in sport can think this is “normal” in America and not have the guts to stand up.
What a pathetic race! “Big toys and little balls,thats the yanks”, was the saying and nothing has changed since 40’s apparently.
I understand the Law system is peculiar to America, yep I understand that. Where child marriage is still tolerated and practiced and accepted as normal says a lot for that system where you can justify anything as long as you have money to buy the outcome you desire without any boundaries or decency or human rights.
Where a political and human rights system has not evolved since settlement so as not to upset the wealthy and corporate moguls and none on either side of the isle having the guts to change even though their society is burning down around them.
So what chance has these strong women got for what is regarded as normal in any civilised society? My guess little without international pressure.
International pressure that would see their federations sanctioned by FIFA nations, cutting their subsidies, releasing their female players from international restraints on who they represent and USA citizenship no longer a currency in a players right to earn a living and right of recall.
We cannot as a football family allow inequality and when it’s exposed it must be acted on. We cannot allow the current thousands of young girls who are as passionate as us be treated as inferior in that environment and we all can play a part by boycotting the companies that support the managements that fail in their duty and support equality in the Women’s Game all over the world, not only America.
The game is bigger that the men with the small balls,and the fathers who accept their youngster is inferior in any way and do absolutely nothing.
Waking this morning to hear the news of people on the streets allegedly protesting against government trying to keep them and fellow citizens alive by lockdown would be understandable in America where the IQ level is not not a premium and demonstrated daily, but it seems that dumb down intellect has spread to Australia.
The habits of a failed nation where ethics, laws, elected officials, culture, religion is governed by the capitalist dollar where you crawl over your anybody or anything to gain money and be regarded as “A Businessman” and that justifies the code of the End always justifies the Means.
That type of culture is infiltrating Australians, and I fully agree with ones right to protest, I am not stupid enough to realise this gullible group is being infiltrated by the Right wing crackpots with sinister agendas.
And Yes I’ve been on the streets, marched and protested in my youth but were wise enough to know when the Nazis or Facists tried to infiltrate our ranks. Todays mature adults in “age”are totally street dumb, politically naive, easily led after all to them if you can’t get a haircut or a latte your deprived of freedom. Self centred, all about me, culture of image is exposed with little thought of the broader picture of how our nation has grown. Unlike America we have cultures of our fellow man, our health system is a classic example, which again the Americans do not have the intellect to consume, or our once welcoming attitudes of migrants, tainted by the present government granted, but that culture still is alive in our majority.
I witnessed first hand kids with polio, in my class and we cared. We got vaccinated, I saw kids and mothers grief with results of German measles and my mother had dypyheria so yes don’t crap me with your “Freedom Shit” lingo because if we did not get vaccinated those protesters would never have evolved. Fact.
It was the “responsible thing to do” yes responsible, a feeling that is normal in our culture now we have a sector that feel does not apply to them. Their special, maybe elite even who knows so just imagine having one in the trenches and could you rely on their support?
You’d be foolish or have grave doubts at least.
We have a Prime Minister who is gutless, a liar, a imposter on our democratic history who sees political advantage in courting the nut jobs, and I’m sure will be supported by the politically naive, the dumb down lot who just take passing interest , a condition the savvy politicians love as they only have to perform around elections. Der, then we have the other so called “Independent” people like Palmer and my local village idiot, the “political harlot” Hanson who will say anything do anything for self survival, who could be President in America with her ethical base, no problems there.
Oh yes how could I forget about the Conspiracy theorists who thrive on the illiterate, the uneducated the one who will seize on anything or anybody, looking fr the big Boogy man if you support us well keep you safe, here buy this hat, and don’t leave your state or you’ll fall off the edge of the earth.
Once a script for Monty Python now are actually living the role of the ridiculous with their silly hats, Spanish Inquisitions, or taking on movie star roles bringing the days of the rebellions, or cow boy characters waving flags and in costumes with scripted lines out of some spaghetti movie set.
How easy is it to lead a people to do senseless things? No problem , wave a flag in their face, tell them god is on their side, then invent a straw boogie man, give them guns or weapons of scripted word power and let the go out and populated it..
You now have a classic Propaganda Machine like cattle to the crush..
I’m not stupid enough not to know all sides of politics don’t use this strategy, but depending on your democracy type their has to be separation of powers to alleviate dictatorships and active intellectual Oppositions who’s ability to kick government hard without use of violence along with the use of the Forth Estate keeps civil society civil.
We are supposed to have a obligation to each other in Civil Society and the ones who see that are so special they divorce themselves from that obligation should be held out to identification, it’s their choice and it’s our choice to choose if they are fit enough to join our social fabric.
With the Women’s Game of Football in Queensland reaching its Centenary I/We my wife Margaret Nee Crook and myself have reflected our little bit of experience while the game was developing /evolving from about 1964 through to 1979.
From the beginning I started my interest at under 11 at that time was the youngest team in the Annerley club in 1960, playing in grey tee shirts and card board numbers safety pinned on our backs. Later my Dad and his mate Tom Blackall started a under 9 competition where my brother Gary played.
Gary was a natural, I struggled but really never excelled until I found my notch in goal after giving my coaches Alf and Stan Shields years of lament yet a couple of sessions with out first team keeper Fred Moss I got the gist.
I progressed till I was stymied by a club politics of the elite or clicks of which me or my parents were not invited.
Fair enough I thought so I was approached by Niel Wall a Brisbane Junior Referee official and me and a few mates became the first and youngest referees appointed to junior games across Brisbane.
The junior game was growing and the club had decided to start a Under 7 side and I was asked to coach, and that I continued til they were Under 15, winning just about everything in our way.
This Under 7 side started my relationship as I approached this young girl I had been watching playing in the women’s team to be my manager, about 1964-65 I recall., and she is still my manager today in 2021.
Margaret was a real pioneer of the ladies football as my fellow players had girlfriends that played firstly as just fun but soon developed into a serious exercise by those who really wanted to play and play well.
They sorted out the kick and giggle and set to playing with women who in todays time not as skilful but certainly ruthless at times, particularly when their boyfriends were egging them on, whose skills were limited to say the least.
Coaches were scarce and the women’s game was not accepted as “REAL” in those times by officials at all levels.
Margarets coach Bob Geogahan was a ex rugby league player who’s daughter Helen wanted to play and got the job because he was there.
He went on to be an outstanding representative of the Women’s Game in Queensland.
Margarets weekend were full time with me coaching the kids then me playing and Sundays her playing. Football was our winter life and summer was Tennis/ Squash/ Ten Pin Bowles with the Ladies team, I’d play cricket and she’d was club scorer.
Margarets game slowly developed with the game and as it expanded she and her teammates were selected in Brisbane rep squads, not before doing promotions on Don Secombs “Ive Got A Secret |” TV show on Channel 9 where they were trying to raise funds to go to Singapore to play a women’s team there. Far in advance of any mens football club ambitions or vision and even though it the trip never er eventuated they went to Sydney to play a representative shire side.
Brisbane sides we the majority until along came Kieth Barclay from that town they call Ipswich and then shook the cages of the evolving hierarchy and with the support of Elaine Watson evolved from the Annerley parents like Bob and was The Warhorse of Women’s Football in Queensland and Australia later on.
History records the fierce rivalry of Brisbane and Ipswich in not just sport by oxygen in reality and Football men and women’s was inflammable at any time since the 1890’s but Brisbane had its own power games being played out by mainly people struggling for self importance using their clubs as wedges and those power games spilled over to the players and animosity often affected players relationships with each other.
That culture is toxic and held back the game both men and women and probably still exists in places and was my first hurdle when I was appointed as State Coach in 1976 for the 1977 Perth Tour.
Firstly it would be totally unfair not to recognise the former Brisbane and Queensland Representatives in the era before I became involved officially with Women’s Football. Those players including my wife funded their own kit, trips, accomodation and did it for love of the sport, not ego, not fame just a passion for their selected code and Elaine and Bob were the powerhouses for that many a fundraiser, horn and prawn, bingo night, raffle circulated our clubs home grounds to support our representatives.
History in that era has been captured but the commitment of some players endangered their jobs and family relationships for some when a women’s status was looked on as being subservient to males. Another issue I was alerted to when coaching women. A Issue I was probably guilty of without really thinking it as being abnormal in earlier times.
Sadly in my opinion this time in the hazier years before blooming times in the 80’s but should not be forgotten.
My involvement started as stated 1976 when i was approached by Bob and Elaine to take over from Bob coaching the State Squad.
At that time I had left Annerley, a short stint at Salsbury, and was appointed as Colts coach for Saint George Souths, a club that was solely owned privately owned.
My departure from Annerley was less that accidental after over 20 years but I had to get out of the bubble of nepotism that existed and test my own ability and after a very successful stints as reserve grade, junior coaching was too local to get the top gig, so when I left and started working with the Greek club, the 1st division premiers for years previous as their second team and talent coach, made my first game against Annerley very interesting but not surprising reactions from supporters and what I thought friends. Family relationships were strained to say the least but they were paying, and my family come first, especially when I left my trade and started with Telecom as a baggy arsed Lineman at the bottom of the ladder.
After putting my case to the AGM at the Women’s Association I was appointed as State Coach and entered the fray of Women’s Football this time though on the other side of the desk. YEP this made my relationship with my wife a little strange to say the least as she was still a state player.
That situation and my decision not to select her in the state squad is still a subject of contention as we speak but my reasoning was after some time learning the existing culture and what had to change would have put her exposed as a lightning rod of comparison if any disciplinary issues arose.
I could not be seen as bias and even though I left Annerley the pundits still saw me as slanted. In fact I was probably guilty of scrutinising Annerley above the normal not to generate criticism.
So away we went and what a ride, all of us on a learning curve, and all eager to raise the Queensland flag in victory, but we come up short just short beaten by a referee who played 7 minutes overtime, but I was so proud of that squad as they all left their club baggage for the major part the campaign but as human nature some reverted after the event and that was a part of my learning curve of second agendas and politics.
It cannot go unmentioned after the comp and before presentations I was visited by a official and as to coach the Australian team as well as asking me who would I pick out of my squad to be maned in a team that was mainly just token as they were not going anywhere or playing anybody.
I informed him that I was not what they regarded as a qualified coach as I never had their piece of paper but I was assured they would look after that if I took the job and handed me a contract with Rothmans.
I declined as I had just started with Telecom in February and uprooting my family and moving to the Sports Academy down south was too much to consume as they wanted a decision before e announcement of the Australian Squad even without consultation with Margaret.
I feel that was part of the plan, as the bloke who handed me the contract went on to coach the national squad. I still stand by my decision and went on to a great career with Telstra.
In regards to that Piece of Paper Coaching certificate went back to when a group of Poms in Brisbane decided they would set up their own coaching federation and gave each other qualifications than set out to make existing coaches mainly non pommy unqualified.
Bitter no, but when a good mate of mine who happened to be a pom was invited to attend a coaching course which I was observing at the time came away with qualifications after about a 1 hour while others had several nights of course I told a quite prominent coach at the time to shove it up his Arse in Australian Terms and the following year I was appointed State Coach and the first State Director Of Coaching caused a uproar amongst the Pommy Coaching Self Appointed Royalty and probably proved detrimental to the code while my appointment was current.
I am for ever grateful and respectful of the quality of character Elaine Watson had as she and her board stood by me in those turbulent times.
Off the record HA HA HA NOW i worked the shipyard and worked a.long with heaps of migrants who loved football lived at Yungabar hostel and I got heaps of books ,literature from all over Europe in the coaching field and introduced the 4/3/3 system into my under 8 side well before the seniors caught on. Don Revie Leeds United brought it to England and I had paper explaining the system hot off the Yungabar network.
The best bit was I had all the people from Europe with their football experiences around a fire drinking tea and arguing football ,so good for a 15-18 year old and each telling you about their country post war and pre war, far better than any body telling you how to trap a ball and get a tram ticket certificate.. A topic of hilarity to the Shipyard Football Fraternity around the fire, as the English game’s opinion on itself was less that respected.
Yes time has moved on but being disrespected in ones own country by people you know you have out coached was not easy to swallow and I always did my own research and attended coaching demonstrations from visiting coaches and demonstrations..
You can teach the basics to anyone , but not everyone can read a game. That’s the skill, and you have it or you don’t, and to this day I see coaches that fail because they cannot influence via strategic changes and think playing personnel are the answer. The game is simple, only people complicate it, and make a lot of money doing so.
Enough of ideology, the Newcastle trip was another step as the Brisbane influence was less as newer players from outside were introduced, and some found it a strange culture / enviourement
In those times same sex relationships was basically not discussed openly but it was the elephant in the room to a smaller extent on that tour.
Categorically it did not effect the football result but it did raise the issue and I was totally out of my depth in handling such an issue at the time, and hoped it could be handled by my female counterparts in the management side of the squad.
After Perth and viewing how the other states were structured I was very concerned how the injuries were treated on and off the park.
Fortunately in the past I had coached Peter Monteith and having his sister Sue in the squad I approached the parents Jan and David who was a Physiotherapist and Doctor to attend the girls.
Yes we were the first state to have the services of a qualified physio on the line, and Jan Monteith was it. The days of just having a strapper or bucket boy was over and it too was totally voluntary and cost the Monteith family extensively in lost income.
We were progressing off the park as well as on in those years building brick by brick, often overlooked.
A middle order result on that tour was disappointing for me but our standard of playing was improving, and one of my gauges was when I started I arranged practice games with boys teams, good teams and we started with Under12 -13 level and each year we grew more competitive in those trials and more importantly more respected by the pundits of the women’s game. My Colts team were impressed.
The Darwin tour saw me out. After breaking my foot in the first training session it was a painful time in more ways than one. We just couldn’t get any breaks, the rub of the green you name it it went wrong and the poor performance was my accountability fully and I might say celebrated in some circles as a opportune time to push ones own agendas, and some totally unprofessional actions disappointed me outside the playing staff.
All a learning curve and in the past, and yes this is a branch and root recollection from a 70 year old but with a memory of still seeing the ball go in the corner bouncing over a sliding right foot a defender after chipping the goalkeeper to loose a state title. That still sticks, but the girls in my squads were the best they could be, earned their shirts which they had to give back without prejudice and I was proud to be associated with each and every one off them and its their history I want reinstated as it was them who set the ground too for a ever evolving women’s game which had finally been recognised nationally in the name of A league Women
The Lateral Hazard 