World Cup winner and Serie A’s Juventus’ all-time leading
goalscorer Alessandro Del Piero arrived in Sydney today to begin what he calls “the
start of my new career”, trying to put to rest thoughts of those who think he
is here to collect his 2-year retirement cheque reportedly worth $2 million a season.
Del Piero’s decision to play in Australia is being
compared with David Beckham's impact on the game in the United States when Beckham
signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Many expect Del Piero to revitalise the
struggling A-League, which has suffered from declining crowds and the folding
of two teams in the past two seasons. Mind you, Beckham joined the MLS when he
was 32 years old. Del Piero is now 37 years old.
Without a doubt though, Del Piero is the A-League’s
biggest marquee signing and has made an impact already off the field. Sydney FC’s
club memberships are on the rise and 15,000 jerseys with Del Piero’s no. 10 and
name on the back have been manufactured and are selling fast not just in
Australia, but around the world. There have even been accreditation requests
from Italian media eager to cover Del Piero's arrival into the A-League.
There are expectations that he will be a crowd
puller, not just in Sydney, but around Australia and this writer certainly
agrees with that. After all, I personally make an effort to attend matches
where marquee signings are playing as I have always wanted to see the
difference in skill levels. Having seen the likes of Benito Carbone, Dwight
Yorke, Robbie Fowler, Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell, all of whom have played
in the English Premier League and at the highest levels in Europe, there is
definitely a difference on a technical level. However, football is not a
one-player sport and even these marquee signings are heavily reliant on their
teammates around them.
Do not be surprised to even see majority of
Australia’s Italian population switch allegiances to Sydney FC now that they
have an Italian football legend on board.
Will he increase interest at a junior level?
Perhaps but that effect is probably miniscule given that football, the
round-ball code that is, already has the highest participation numbers in
Australia.
Thus the key question is how will the rest of the
world view the A-League? So he made 28 appearances last season in Italy and is
fitter than your average 37 year old but seriously, how credible will the
A-League look if he ends up dominating? The A-League will become a laughing
stock, if it isn’t already, in world football because other professional
players coming to an end of their careers will take it as an opportunity to
earn some good coin before retirement.
Don’t get me wrong, I am just as excited as any
other football lover about Del Piero gracing our shores. Unfortunately however,
Del Piero’s arrival will not herald the success of the A-League like Beckham’s
arrival in the MLS. In fact, I do not see the A-League lasting long as there is
simply no money in it for the clubs. Ask yourself, would you want to own a
business with little or no profits?
