It’s a RonaldiNhO From me Les
Where is Melb City FC on the Ronaldinho opportunity? My info is they're not even returning the agent's phone calls.
— Les Murray (@lesmurraySBS) December 20, 2015
@roy613 Because they need bums on seats. Even while winning they can't attract 6000 people. Disgrace.
— Les Murray (@lesmurraySBS) December 20, 2015
I have always been a huge Les Murray fan; to me he is the voice of football in Australia and has been for my entire football life. Whilst others such as Simon Hill and Mark Bosnich have probably overtaken Les over the last few years I will always respect the opinion of Murray and rate his opinions highly.
Sadly not on this occasion though. Melbourne City doesn’t need Ronaldinho and I would encourage those at my club not to entertain the prospect of topping up the superannuation of the former world player of the year. Melbourne City is attempting to build a successful football club and culture in Melbourne and a guest appearance from a footballer who is well past his best simply won’t help this equation. Whilst it might create a spike in the attendance figures for the club it could also have a far more unsettling effect for the club.
I cannot disagree the crowd numbers haven’t been great for the club this season but Les you must look at the bigger picture. This season the club tried to build a Friday night football culture and sadly it has appeared to have failed. I am fully supportive of the club trying to establish Friday night as a regular home game and I think it taps into the Friday night sporting culture Melbourne has built courtesy of the AFL over the last three decades. Having attended all three Friday night games this season I cannot fault the club in their efforts to engage with fans and create a Friday night culture amongst supporters. When we stand back and look at the numbers you would say the idea was a failure but I hope the club revisits that next season.
You must remember City competes directly with the most established and best run football club in the A-League; Melbourne Victory. Victory in their first few years of existence managed to flood the football market in Melbourne thru success and a great administration and have made it incredibly hard for City or any other club to exist on a level playing field. In essence City will always be playing catch up in the Melbourne market and establishing a proper football club is paramount to any success.
Melbourne City are playing some fantastic football at the moment, and more importantly winning football. The recent 2-1 derby win on the back of three four goal wins has shown supporters what the club is capable of achieving if the squad stays confident and injury free. The chemistry of the squad remains very important, especially in a league where the winner is decided by a finals format. You cannot underestimate what damage bringing in a big personality like Ronaldinho would have on John Van’t Schip and the City dressing room.
The goal scoring form of Bruno Fornoroli has been significant to our recent success and many supporters are looking for this to continue into the New Year. Any disruption to the Mooy/Novillo/Fornaroli triple attacking threat could bring about a huge momentum change to City.
Many fans are still feeling burnt by the marketing disaster that was David Villa last season and would be strongly against another loan gimmick pulling on a Melbourne City shirt. This season has the potential to be an important stepping stone in the building Melbourne City into a football club, l would take that over a few hundred people coming through the gates to see the 2005 Player of the Year.
One day I dream of the second tier being opened on a regular basis for City games at AAMI Park but there is a proper way of achieving this and loan players aren’t the solution.
Build it and they will come, City will become the football club I know it can be we might just have to wait a while.
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