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Deep inside all of us lives a little filthy rich industrialist, tyrant or entrepreneur which dreams of bullying and selling people. For over 80% of the population these will remain idle daydreams but the wealthy 20% face lifestyle changes that will seperate them from their communities. Differences in lifestyles can often bred resentment and impotent anger rather than understanding but wealthy individuals are setting out on a PR offensive to change this pattern. The richest member of the Billionaire's Club of Duckburg, "Uncle" Scrooge McDuck, has been central to the campaign as figurehead and leader.
Public perception was targeted early as one area where wealthy individuals felt they were being unfairly treated: "There is only one minority whose entire population, that's 100%, everyone, needs legal protection: Fortune 500 CEOs. CEOs and businessmen live like parolees where every move is dictated by laws and regulations and every moment shadowed by teams of lawyers; wouldn't that make you feel like a criminal? Free association allows them to huddle together and share woes; no-one understands how lonely it can get up there. When it all goes wrong for them they might get parachutes but they fall as individuals."
"If we have cash do we not bleed? You vultures tear us apart because we are few. The People end up getting pulled to and fro by salacious headlines and unfair criticism and then turn on us! Fancy that! I pay your wage but you hate me?! You can't have trust in a relationship like that."
Scrooge McDuck is unique among his peers for never having created a foundation or supporting charities "Peer pressure is painful at the top; charity donations and foundations are a competitive area for the wealthy to dabble in. They all want to donate more, donate most and petty squabbles lead to broken friendships...all because of charity."
"Charity can't run like a business. Charitable organisations are fixated on transformation rather than production; they want to change their lumps of coal in to diamonds but it really is quicker to buy coal, sell it then buy a diamond. Doing it my way produces wealth for many. Charity donations would earn better returns if placed in to scientific research then we could develop a cure or warning system for "no hoper-ness". If we start scientific testing on the homeless they will feel useful; there is no higher good than sacrificing so future generations get every chance at being full-hopers."
"Finding ways to recognise potential and hope was the prime concern of primitive societies and their failures are self-evident. This should serve as a warning; potential can be infinite and hope is always seasonal but they're just words really. In the real world someone needs to pack boxes and clean vomit so finding a way to measure potential is crucial to civilisational success. Once you find a way to put a dollar value on yourself you have hope, potential is when someone is prepared to pay you to do it. The man cleaning a windshield is not a no hoper and with every dollar he earns increases his potential; he buys better equipment and so forth. Active begging always produces a reward because you are now a worker. The days of the village idiot are over; the modern world is not a community of friends, nowadays you have to bring something to the table if you want to survive. Shine shoes, wipe windscreens do anything to develop potential. Once you show potential you/it can be moulded in to anything."
"There are two great unequal distributions in Australian society; wealth and power. The one person, one vote rule is prejudicial against the wealthy. The wealthy will never have power if they remain an ostracised minority. The People outnumber us and they can skew polling data to get what they want all of the time. Maybe health and education are the most important things for average voters but if they cared so much they'd be willing to pay for it."
"My nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie face a disadvantaged upbringing, they do not know their father and their mother dumps them with, my nephew, Donald regularly. I shudder to think what would happen to them without me."
If anyone cared to make Australian stereotypes the Aussie battler would be in the top five. The Aussie battler fights all odds; social, financial, romantic, cricketing but challenges are bested rather than overcome. Woe bedevils the battler but they give in. The Aussie battler is seen in much of Australian culture from politics, tabloid tv and sport and unfortunately the Australian flag. The Australian flag hasn't enjoyed easy days since it was unveiled in 1901.
The Bulletin was fierce labeling it a "bastard flag" after the Commonwealth unveiled the winning design. The official competition had 7 criteria: loyalty to the empire, Federation, history, heraldry, distinctiveness, utility and cost of manufacture. Most believed that a design without the union flag and the southern cross would not be successful. The Australian flag was overlooked or not considered by early leaders, PM Barton was known to prefer the Australian Federation Flag and was the first of many prime ministers to be unconvinced by the design. Seven judges whittled the 32,000 options down to the five entries that evoked the Anti-Transportation League flag from 1849 and the Victorian flag first used in 1854.
Australian Federation Flag
"Too Victorian" shrieked NSW politicians. The slight distinctions between the Australian and Victorian flags brought heavy criticism. Removing the crown and adding the Commonwealth star was not enough for the . The six-pointed star was amended in 1908 to reflect PNG and any future territories but the prejudice against the flag meant it was seldom used. Despite proudly flying from Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building in 1901 the Australian flag was often ignored in favour of the Union Jack. The Union Flag maintained prominence in most matters flying from forts until 1908 and in 1911 the Union Flag greeted Australia's new warship in Fremantle.
Being uncool seems to be the Australian flag's main crime with many fans of the Australian Federation Flag preferring to fly the Union Flag. In 1903 Richard Crouch from Geelong passed a motion in the House of Representatives demanding the Australian flag fly from post offices and Commonwealth buildings on national occasions. The flag was only to fly if the Union Flag was there.
The First World War would appear like an event that could inspire the use of national flags but the Australian government maintained a strong stance concerning the Australian flag. Flying an Australian flag without the Union Flag was disloyal. The Australian flag was again held to ransom by circumstance as WWI converged with events like the Easter Uprising in 1916 to challenge Australians with recent connections to Germany and Ireland. In 1911 over 33,000 German-born Australians were identified in the census and they were expected to identify themselves at the local police station during the war. The War Precautions act allowed the government to compulsorily acquire wheat and wool harvests to send to England as part of the war effort. Around the war there was much pulling at Australian society and two conscription referendums were narrowly rejected. Persisting with the Union Flag feels like a "line in the sand" call around this issue proving loyalty. Against these issues the Aussie flag had no chance.
It would be short-sighted to conclude the preference for the Union Flag was purely a reflection of deep-seated English loyalties; the Australian flag was used at the 1904 Olympics in St Louis, Missouri in one the early examples of political sacrifice in the name of sport. PMs Barton, Watson and Fisher all objected to the flag's design and the Union Flag was a display of defiance against domestic rumbles as much as a sign of loyalty. The biggest problem was the old fracture in the east-coast politics between Qld/NSW and Vic. This meant most action to promote the Australian flag continued to emerge from Victoria.
Victorian rumblings were deepened as the growing voice of the public called for prominent display of the flag, particularly in schools. The Union Flag's dominance of flagpoles across the nation was creating confusion; who could use the Australian flag, in which colour? Red or Blue? In 1924 is was agreed that the blue Australian flag would be for official Commonwealth use only; after further negotiations it was decided that state governments could use the Australian flag if a state flag was unavailable. Any privately displayed Australian flag had to be red and fly alongside the Union Flag.
The Union Flag remained the national flag and dual flying rights kept people happy but there is something about a blue Australian flag that is just better than red. In 1940 the Victorian government, having received no response from the Federal government, legislated to allow Aussie blue in to schools. Whether successive governments seized on patriotism or a good idea the Australian flag was startin' to win a few with Federal announcements in 1941 and 47 that there was no restriction on Aussie blue.
There were still questions as to whether it was appropriate to fly blue; it might not be restricted but does Jonesy do it? The pressure of an impending Golden Jubilee in 1951 demanded a leader step up and make a decision. Sir Robert Menzies opted for blue and the Australian blue flag was distributed to schools around the country. Menzies was a noted patriot and his promotion of the blue Australian flag was crucial to legislative success.
The Flag Act 1953 is awesome. It comes complete with corrections on the document amending it from no 97 of 1953 to no 1 of 1954. This was because the GG decided to wait for the Queen's arrival in 1954 to allow her to sign. You can imagine them standing around it: "You know...f*ck it. Liz'll be here next year. Let her sign it, she'll get a real kick out of it." "Yep...Nice touch." Flags Act 1953 was made official Sunday February 14th 1954. So 53 years after the national flag was selected it finally became the national flag.
Most tales would end there but true to stereotype the Australian flag still battles on. In 1998 the Flags Act 1953 was amended as a long running quest to entrench the Australian flag ended under the Howard government. Amendments meant the Australian flag could only be changed if a new flag was selected by the voters. This means you can't vote for change and then choose the flag. Appropriate designs must be offered to eligible voters so everyone under voting age has no say. Good idea...Crazy kids.
There is always the fear that if the flag is changed a majority will want a boxing kangaroo on there somewhere. The niggle around the issue of the Australian flag is sure to continue; Paul Keating said "I do not believe that the symbols and the expression of the full sovereignty of Australian nationhood can ever be complete while we have a flag with the flag of another country on the corner of it" and PM John Howard oversaw the aforementioned amendment to the Flags Act. With political power dominated by Australia republic-ans the Australian flag is sure to fight its toughest battle yet.
World Cup qualifying always brings trouble for someone. Changing manager mid campaign has exciting precedent Hiddink got Australia in to 2006 and Scolari won 2002 World Cup after taking over in 2001. Argentina are very strong and after losing to lowly Chile manager Alfio Basile knew it was time go. Somehow this has made Argentina look more dangerous; the resignation of Alfio Basile was greeted with unrestrained joy by Lionel Messi "When things do not work, it is better to make changes. It's been a long time since Argentina have been playing bad and maybe the team needed a change. The idea of Batista taking over seems very good to me." Batista is the gold winning coach from Beijing 2008. Carlos Bianchi four time championship winning coach with Boca Juniors has also been mentioned. Then there is the other candidate...Diego Armando Maradona.
Maradona with World Youth Cup in 1979
Like most religious icons Maradona comforts the people with his credentials but the Argentina Football Association (AFA) needs direct evidence of managerial miracles before they'll take the leap. In limited administrative roles, Maradona was vice-president of Boca Juniors for two years, he was successful but his managerial stints have been brief and no one really wants to talk about them. President of the AFA selection commission Noray Nakis said "I'd like Maradona to be the next coach" you feel the "But" trickling its way free. It would take a significant leap of faith from the AFA to award the job to Maradona; tantamount to converting Thor to Christianity.
There is little doubt Maradona will miss out, his popular support will not overcome the potential and experience of his competitors. Argentina's squad looks good enough to win a couple of World Cups, with the best players still under 25 the AFA would not be willing to leave it to chance. The 2014 World Cup is being held in Brazil making it almost impossible for any non-Brazilian nation to win, especially South American one. A neutral South Africa in 2010 might be a very tempting target for the AFA.
International football is arguably more difficult than club management. The time with players is far shorter making relationships more difficult while limiting options for tactics, formations and systems. Argentina's team would not require too much tweaking with Messi (21), di Maria (20), Augero (20), Mascherano (24), Tevez (24) able to play most viable systems. Italian great Marcello Lippi said that the manager must "find a balance between talent and organisation of the game." Managing egos is one thing but communicating complex organisation and manoeuvres effectively to all players are things two and three respectively.
Any fan of Dr Phil will tell you: communication in team sports is a pre-requisite for success. Noted Rugby League, player, coach and pundit, Phil Gould argued that Ricky Stuart, great rugby union/league player and league coach, had trouble appreciating players couldn't meet or understand his expectations. Great players rarely work well as managers. It is the average players that go on to gaffer greatness; Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink, Helenia Herrara (coach of the Great Inter sides of the 60s). Average players understand limitations, know which players to push where as Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit, Bryan Robson have natural talent and expect discipline and hard work to bring it out in others.
Trophies have been won by these big name bosses but consistency is the measure of greatness. Starting at the top means a manager must deliver consistent success; if he can't deliver it then he will soon be consenting mutually to seek new challenges and so on. Glen Hoddle looked good bringing Swindon Town up, albeit as Player Manager. Gullit won the F.A. Cup but started out with an emerging Chelsea and then a demanding Newcastle so more was expected. Gullit moved in to management at 34 with Chelsea, again player manager, in 99 and wasn't ready. An astronomical managerial career; bright lights burnt out despite galactic hopes.
Mark "Sparky" Hughes, Roy Keane, Paul Ince and Steve Bruce were all good, hard working, players and the best of the emerging Ferguson acolytes. Roy Keane has been receiving a lot of recognition for his ability to attract and work with players. Paul Ince had year long stints with Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before landing in Blackburn for the 2008/09 season. Mark Hughes' management of Wales between 1999-2004 provides him with invaluable experience and ideas before consistent work with Blackburn Rovers. Steve Bruce has been off the radar but is earning respect and at 47 he is in the age range to start flying.
The forties are the destiny decade where managers set out to "Greatness" (if they have it in them). Arsene Wenger was 47 when he started at Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson was 45 at Manchester United. Bill Shankly (46) and Herbert Champman (47) were also in this bracket. Frank Rijkaard was 42 before Barcelona won the European Cup. He got Holland to the semi-finals of the 2000 Euro in his thirties but his success with Barcelona is his "mark". Gullit was 34 as Player-Manager and 36 as Manager at Chelsea so mathematically, he was bound to fail.
Failure might be something like karma that has to be balanced out across the football universe. Great players seem only to succeed when their managerial career overlaps with their playing career. Perhaps karma gets confused but over time this is corrected. Managerial success is the universe rewarding the hard-workers and journeymen for their devotion to the game over so many decades. It might be unfair to say great coach; bad player, maybe great coach; adequate player, is better. Either way great player; bad coach, remains solid.
The Australian government is putting the nation's best spinning efforts in to nation building and everyone has an obligation to help. Funnel webs inspire fear, koalas compassion and fuzziness but the cane toad is reviled by all. Everyone acknowledges some big mistakes have been in Australia but a collective effort against the cane toad could be the start of a wider healing process.
In a study by the New Zealand based Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) the cane toad was voted one the '100 Worlds Worst Invasive Species'with rabbits and domestic cats. Heady company considering the toads have only been in Australia since August 1935. Cane beetles were attacking cane fields in northern Queensland. The locals brought in some toads. 101 toads were transported from Hawaii to North Queensland, breeding almost immediately while in captivity. In six months authorities released 60,000 toads. And the war began
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In the Barclay's Premier League match between Aston Villa and Portsmouth at the weekend a Villa supporter threw a coin at a match official once again raising questions of "Good Support" vs "Bad Support".
After the game Harry Redknapp, manager of Portsmouth, seemed genuinely concerned about the way fans choose to support football "You come out of football grounds now and you see grandparents with kids and they are sticking fingers up at you and they are making filthy gestures to the team coach. You look at them and these people and it scares me. I think it is horrific, I really do.'' This could be the fans attempting to create a hostile work environment for visitors; in the Australian State of Origin rugby league series the trip to Lang Park for visiting NSW rugby league teams is famously hostile. Perhaps the kids are told that it is all an act
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With a national team full of local players it could be argued that Japan represents the ideal footballing nation, with the domestic league providing the bulk of national team members. Japanese football has been blessed with famous managers like Pim Verbeek, Arsène Wenger, Carlos Queiroz and Luiz Felipe Scolari cutting their teeth in the J-League before enjoying global glory. Japan and Australia have developed a fierce rivalry and with an Australian/Japanese champions league final looking beyond the names of Japanese football seems appropriate.
It is all about the players right? Few players have made a successful transition to European football, so far, but Shunsuke Nakamura has succeeded at Celtic. Japanese players are easily unsettled in a physical contest and before every game against Australia there is a media frenzy against physical football. Nakamura recently downplayed the importance of the physical approach against Australia but against Uzbekistan they looked unsettled. Nakamura is slight, 68kg, but has adapted to Scottish football with Celtic. In this the national team suffers as a majority of players are not used to playing against physically big teams. It is a shame Australia doesn't have dual sport professionals like American Deoin Sanders. Imagine Eric Grothe Jr, Willie Mason or Mark O'Meley challenging for the high ball against Japan in February
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Australian sports scientists are developing a reputation as world’s best with Harry Kewell inspiring confidence that has brought Tim Cahill and Mark Viduka back for medical help. Based on the Socceroos win last night Australian stadium managers, curators and ground-staff will be the next world leaders.
The Brisbane downpour spread upwards of 50mm in the hour before kick-off and the fixture's survival was hanging in the balance. As the rain fell flood warnings were issued and Qatar probably felt comfortable that the night was over; the Ford Ranger Cup clash between Queensland and Tasmania was called off as the Gabba pitch was soaked. So the real heroes of the Qatar victory were the ground-staff at Suncorp Stadium who were able to drain the pitch well enough to play football. Qatar struggled against the physical and dominating Australian team and their frail confidence drowned in the downpour; the psychological effect on Qatar can not be measured attempting to win against a team they fear in uncomfortable conditions
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The decision to play all Asian World Cup Qualifiers the final day of the international break should help Australia against Qatar but could be damaging politically; players will not return to their clubs until Friday and with a majority of games scheduled for Sunday the quick turn around is fraught with peril.
With the biggest European based squad Australia’s players are placed in a vulnerable position as they travel all around the world to play two games in five days. Most players arrived from Europe last Wednesday and had a week to settle in to camp, while this quality time will help build the squad’s relationships it means rushed trips back to Europe. The responsibility for fixtures is the responsibility of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and member associations with qualifying matches 'fixed by the associations concerned in compliance with the coordinated international match calendar and subject to the approval of the FIFA Organising Committee.' art. 17 par. 10 FIFA’s international match dates for October fall between the 11th – 15th and the matches can be played on any of these days. Playing on the last day of the international break is arrogant or foolish; David Moyes is a frightening man and if Cahill is injured again I’m worried Moyes will go on a “Death Wish” type revenge mission
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Mohamed Bin Hammam (Foto-Net)
Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam seems likely to take the 39th Step announcing “We are willing to be supportive” of the Premier League’s proposal to stage competitive games throughout Asia.
Asian football continues to improve and with 2/3 of the world’s population Asia represents a profitable venue for European clubs. Bin Hammam has recognised this but wants more for Asia out of any proposed deal “We should be partners and know what is the benefit for us.” The concern is that Premier League clubs would build support for themselves and run away with the money and players leaving Asian leagues to flounder
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Comment by Jim Spears
on Losing Players
Political Pundit
The short answer is no we don't have free agency like American sports. Although the Australian Football League (AFL) has a draft similar to American sports like football and basketball.
Australia supports four football codes: soccer, rugby union, Australian football and rugby league which means player payments are heavily regulated. Soccer, rugby league and AFL operate with a salary cap. ($1.8m AUD for soccer, $4.1m AUD for rugby league and $8.5m AUD for AFL.) This was designed to stop the situation you describe.
I understand what you are saying tho, my favourite baseball players for example were Kirby Puckett (one club man) and Ozzie Smith (two clubs but mostly the 'Cards) these guys played not that long ago but it seems like an age has passed since those days...