May be that accounts for the debacle of a couple of obviously non football fans nearly destroying the Bay M2 standing area with their constant 'sit down' cries. Very aggro about it too! They should have sold the G&G Army area from the top down!
On reflection I think we at the cusp of this area made a mistake by trying to be good citizens and just stood up and said "F$%K you, go ask for your money back if you don't like it!" I'd like to have been somewhat larger and very much younger with that whacko who threw beer over me for daring to tell his female companion to shut up her bitching!
As for the night and game - I literally could hardly breath, which made it hard to sing, and was still tingling with nervous tension hours after!
I am home and waiting to get a chance to see the tape, as some of my impresions were:
Uruguay are one of the best defensive teams I think I've ever seen here! Certainly smart and played us for suckers most of the 1st half. I'm glad FF woke up to it and changed formation. All those wasted corners, when an early ball in or some runs into the box in the middle may have earned better. As for the need for a midfielder to push the team forward - I'm sure that very type of man of 1973 Ray Baartz enjoyed the win! Newcastle - we need another Baartz!
Craig Moore was my man of the match, with Harry 2nd. I was thinking all the 2nd half that the Scottish PL breeds them too hard and cynical for the South Americans.
So great to meet up with so many! Nice to have 9 Newcastle Rowdies (at least) there - with no NSL team this was their one big game for the next 4 years.
Andre you truly are a legend - I'd look across at frightening moments and he looked as white and stressed as me!
My greatest thrill at the OzFootball List do was to shake Ron Lord's hand and tell him I watched him when I was 8-10 when he played for Prague and at Gladesville Ryde United's ground (RIP) with Ken Hough at the other end - not too many goals scored but some fine keeping!
The flight on Virgin this morning was 80% football fans, and the smaller flight at the next gate going to Adelaide was much the same. Everyone sitting around reading the sports - make that football - pages of the papers! That was another pleasure - to spend a couple of days as an Australian football fan not as a threatened species but the dominant one! Roll on the revolution, and death to the Dinosaurs!
I'm glad I swore 4 years ago to be there this time - what a night! The Cricketers before, the walk to the ground, meeting up inside, the rising sound (except for the bloody sound system), the game and all the wonderous scenes around us, the walk to the city, even the nightclub!! Thank you Melbourne, thank you Socceroos!