UPDATE: Sydney FC CEO Danny Townsend has contacted us on twitter following the original publication of the below, explaining the final round match was the only Sydney FC game open to crowds.
As the confetti rained at Leichhardt Oval, a melancholy Sky Blues team appeared to force smiles and weakly jump around in front of a small COVID restricted crowd of 1,863.
This Premiership celebration should have happened weeks ago, after Sydney FC actually secured the title (officially from the 25th of July).
The decision to delay the celebration to the final round not only created a disconnect between action and reward, but allowed a number of other circumstances to worsen, in aggregate killing the mood….
Poor Form
Sydney FC had just lost to Western United, and have gone winless in their last five games. It’s hard for a team to celebrate winning something when it appears they’ve forgotten what it takes to win at all!
The Fans
Aware of the poor form is enough to take the wind out of fans’ sails, but COVID restrictions meant less then 2,000 people where present to cheer on their Sky Blues. Police enforcement of COVID restrictions also meant fans had to sit down during the game. The team lifting the trophy would have seen a sparse crowd, lacking energy and possibly even showing a little concern in the lead up to finals.
The Format
The Premiership is something to celebrate, but the dual trophy nature of the A-League cast a shadow over Sydney’s ‘celebration’. Knowing the importance and nature of the finals, the poor form leading into the Championship dulls hopes of Sydney enjoying the status of true Australian ‘Champions’. A season of remarkable work can go down the toilet in many peoples’ eyes if the Sky Blues can’t survive the knockout finals format to bring (what many Australians perceive to be) the big prize home.
The meagre showing at Leichhardt is not how Premierships should be celebrated – simply put, Sydney FC should have been presented the Premiers Plate after their match against Melbourne City two weeks ago, and like the Premier League, should have walked out in their finals rounds to a guard of honour from their opponents.
The A-League constantly (and somewhat unfairly) has to justify it’s credibility as a meaningful competition, but there are levers that management can pull to connect effort and outcome.
Unfortunately a three week disconnect between winning a title and celebrating it is too much for fans, and noticeably players, to comprehend.
The Beautiful Game 