Why the Heart? | Thebigtip

When I heard that Melbourne would be getting a new A-League team I thought that this was my chance to really get behind a team. I'd buy a membership, get to as many games as I could and become passionate about Football in Australia.  I have always been passionate about the National team, rode the emotional rollercoaster of the Iranian and Uruguay games, and like all Australians, will never forgive Grosso for his attempt to join the Olympic diving team.

Why hadn't I jumped aboard the Melbourne Victory train? Sure they ticked all the boxes: quality players, won championships and an intense rivalry with Sydney and Adelaide.  I just had a 'gut feel' about the Heart and what they could to Football, not only in Melbourne but around Victoria and through Australia.

Last year I went to my first Melbourne Victory game, I had lived in the UK for 18 months, and while over there going to as many matches as I could promised myself that when I get home I would give the A-League a chance.  The night I attended the Victory match; former Liverpool champion Robbie Fowler was in town with the North Queensland Fury.

The game wasn't a cracker by any means, Fowler looked injured, Thompson was in the stands injured (Full credit to Archie though, I think he spent the entire halftime break signing autographs for the younger fans) and even though the crowd was around 24,000 I found Etihad a very difficult stadium to create any sort of atmosphere when there is not a full house.  Carlos Hernandez was the standout scoring both goals but the only real thing I took out of my first A-League experience was wondering how good Carlos would be if he was fitter.

It's not that I hadn't supported Victory in the past, I will put my hand up as having 'jumped ship.' I barracked for them when Archie but five past Adelaide in the final and always looked to see how they went on the weekend, but for some reason the Heart was different for me.  It's not like I was just discovering Football, I had played on and off for years, with many sleepless nights watching EPL, World Cups, or just about any Football I could stay awake for.  The Victory just hadn't done it for me.

The only thing I could identify with the Victory was their colours, of blue and white.  My AFL and EPL team were these colours (Geelong & West Bromwich Albion), oh well my girlfriend wasn't complaining; my sporting wardrobe could probably use a bit of colour in it.

Last night I jumped onto the tram, made the short walk through Birrung Marr to AAMI Park. There was an air of anticipation buzzing around the sporting precinct.  There were people from all codes coming to look at either the new team, or new stadium; whether they were members, sporting tragics, families coming along for a look, or corporate who scored free tickets no one knew what to expect.  There was not your usual flood of colours, merchandise wasn't as readily available as our Footballing cousins of AFL, but as soon as your walked into the ground the merchandise store was packed.

The game itself wasn't that memorable, a soft goal in the first half through Wilkinson from Central Coast caused from sloppy defending was the only time either keeper looked threatened.  The goal won't make any end of season replays but will be a very tough trivia question in years to come.  Central Coast were well organised and defended for their lives, while Heart were playing very much an 'Arsenal' type game of passes and possession without any real threat to the penalty area.

The crowd were at times very quite but in the last few minutes of the match through the instruction of Colosimo and crowd favourite Brazilian Alex Terra rose to their feet for the final few corners, if the Clint Bolton (yes he's the Keeper) header had scored the equaliser in the dying minutes, the 11,050 crowd (probably around 7,000 remaining at the time) would have brought the house down.

I attended the aftermatch function and was amazed at the access of the players.  Players openly spoke to fans, answering questions, signing autographs and getting photos taken.  After the loss it would have been easy to bypass the function but the players, board members and supporters are all on the same page wanting to grow the Heart into a strong Australian sports club.

I don't know if it was the 'red and white', the playing style, players or just good timing; but I am now a foundation heart member, and would fully encourage anyone who is thinking about it to take out a membership.  This year is going to be a great year for the A-League and would encourage everyone no matter what your team or location to get along to a match or two this season.