Nick Bendel
Who’s been a naughty boy?
October 16th 2009 05:36
That opinion would not be shared by Farina. A prickly chap at the best of times, Cranky Frankie’s mood has only darkened since being dismissed for his second drink-driving offence. To say that he is bitter would be an understatement.
Yet when news of his transgression broke, he seemed willing to take whatever punishment was coming his way. “I accept I am in the wrong, but I want to go before the board and ask for a second chance,” he explained of his decision to plead for a third chance. “I can’t hide anywhere and I’m not trying to get out of it.”
However, all that now seems like nothing more than a tactical concession from a man who returned to his belligerent ways the moment he was sacked. To begin with, he lashed out at the game’s governing body, claiming that the Brisbane board had been “getting pressure from the FFA” to be tough on him. Next, he took aim at his former employers, revealing that there were “a lot of internal problems within the club” he had desperately tried to remain a part of. Then, for good measure, he adopted the role of victim. “I have been disappointed with what I see as a total lack of support since the event happened,” he moaned. “When I met the board I could tell pretty much five minutes into the meeting that a decision was going to be made which was not exactly in my favour. There is a duty of care for all employees, obviously on this occasion I feel like I have been made a scapegoat.”
These allegations are preposterous. For at least the second occasion, Farina drove to training well over the limit, begging several questions. Firstly, if he was still well over the limit the morning after, how much did he knock back the night before? Secondly, are we to believe that the only times he happened to have been caught are the only times he happened to have committed the offence? Thirdly, if his job meant so much to him, why did he act in such a foolish and reckless fashion? Fourthly, what sort of example did he think this was setting for his players?
That last point is especially relevant. If the whispers are correct, Farina presided over a drinking culture during his time as Roar coach. But even if they aren’t, what can’t be denied is the lamentable on-field discipline his players showed under his watch. Indeed, if there is a duty of care to anyone it would have to be to the poor referees, who have been forced to brandish so many yellow cards to the men in orange that they risk getting RSI. Most people would have you believe that the chief culprit is Danny Tiatto, the perpetually-frothing hardman who seems liable to snap at any moment. But in fact, the chief culprit was Farina, who was unwilling or unable to control his charges.
It is notable that Ange Postecoglou, the new boss, promised that “one of the first things” he intends to tackle is the issue of discipline. “My style is to instil a culture from the coach down.” Whether he succeeds or fails is irrelevant- what is relevant is his understanding that the buck stops with the coach. Postecoglou understands that. The Brisbane board understands that. The only person who doesn’t is Farina. When a leader acts irresponsibly, recklessly and foolishly- and not for the first time either- decisive action needs to be taken. Otherwise, the wrong message gets sent to the players, not to mention the dwindling number of fans and sponsors. Far from being a victim of the scandal, Farina was solely responsible for it. Therefore, he had to go.
As the A-League bids farewell to Frank Farina, it offers a hearty welkom to John van 't Schip, who is to lead the new Melbourne Heart franchise. At this rate, it can’t be long before Pauline Hanson warns that “we are in danger of being swamped by Dutchmen”, with the former Ajax star becoming the umpteenth man in oranje to call Australië home in the last five years. Consequently, there are those who would argue that his appointment was thoughtless and predictable. The opposite, however, is true.
The thoughtless and predictable option would have been to summon one of the usual suspects- a Postecoglou, or a Theodorakopoulos, or even everybody’s favourite comedy act, John Kosmina. One can even picture Kossie fronting the hordes of delighted journos, promising to bring “passion” to the job, and assuring everybody that he had “learned” from his mistakes. Instead, the people at the Heart considered the matter logically. Deciding that they wanted to play an attractive style of football (such as that used by the Dutch), and reasoning that this was most likely to be implemented by somebody with impressive qualifications and experience (such as a person who managed FC Twente, and acted as an assistant for Holland and Ajax), they plumped for van 't Schip.
Besides possessing a good CV, the ex-international comes with another important asset: his famous name. As Sport: The Australian Disease has argued before, coaching appointments should never be made on the basis of playing records. But if the best-credentialed candidate also happens to be well known, so much the better. Selling the new franchise to prospective imports will be significantly easier with van 't Schip at the helm.
In addition to doing themselves a favour, it appears as though the powerbrokers at the Heart are doing a service to the local game. This is because – as Sport: The Australian Disease has again argued – there is a need for Australian football to embrace a culture of possession. Success comes from keeping the ball, not from booting it away. The Dutch have long recognised this, so it is to be hoped that van 't Schip can impress this point on his players- and, while he’s at it, the rest of the competition. God forbid that we should continue to follow the philosophies of Lawrie McKinna and Ian Ferguson, whose tactics and recruitment suggest that they would prefer the Mariners and Fury to be participating in League One.
Credit, then, to the boards of Brisbane and Melbourne, who have made it clear that they appreciate the importance of good leadership. Without it, you get ill-disciplined players and route one rubbish. The Roar and Heart have taken a stand against both.
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