SYDNEY OLYMPIC – THE SEASON SO FAR

I was very tempted to write a mid-season review, given our pathetic run of results, but I thought better of it as one, it would be very emotion laden and two, I wanted to wait to see what would happen in the Cup.

Now that we’ve been knocked out of both Cup competitions, our results in the League have continued to be abysmal and that the season for us is essentially now over, I thought I would give a few thoughts on how the season has panned out and about a few other important issues.

Firstly, going from being Minor Premiers in 2022, to currently sitting in 11^th place and dropping further as every week passes in 2023 is a scandal. It is, a pitiful and wholly unnecessary fall from grace, for our Sydney Olympic. We all of the sudden can’t seem to win games anymore and for anyone still in denial, we are in a relegation dog fight.

We have won 3 of our last 15 matches in the League. That is unacceptable.

We let our coach from last season go, a club legend at that, who we finished 1^st with, with no explanation given as to why, we then allowed some of our best players to leave and have compounded that, with bringing in an inexperienced and unproven coach, some terrible signings and overpaid uncommitted veteran class hacks, who have failed everywhere they’ve been and now at Sydney Olympic.

This season on the field has been an absolute disaster and the way it is going, there is plenty of time left for it to get even worse still. This club can genuinely be in NSW NPL 2 in 2024.

Also, refusing to post the full time scores when we lose, in fear of having to see some negative comments and feedback is amateur hour at its finest. Then throw in the blocking and banning of supporters on social media, as well as deleting and closing comments from social media. How about we block some of those spam and scam betting link comments instead?

I am not really a big social media person either, but even I understand the importance of engagement and keeping a presence on these things. Even that is poor to non-existent. Whether anyone likes it or not, social media engagement is huge and we have close to none.

The last saving grace for the club for season 2023 was our Cup run, which is also now no more. We have not made a Waratah Cup Final now since 2008 and it is a mere 3 Australia Cup main Round of 32 draw appearances in 10 years, that’s not good enough. Especially when you consider, that since the re-inception of the National Cup, the club made it very clear how important of a priority it apparently was, for the club to be seen back on the National stage. That’s been a big fail.

Why are we also playing the majority of our home matches on Saturday Nights now? Where was the research done, that showed and said that the fans wanted to ditch Sunday Afternoons? Or is that decision purely at the behest of the Bulldogs?

This next matter is not the issue of the century, but points to the decline of and issues at the club and you would be surprised, with how many fans are fuming at the club getting rid of the long time gear steward. What advantage did that have, who did that help? Other than pissing a lot of people off, what did that move gain the club, what was the benefit from that?

Next is possibly the biggest and most important decision the club will have had to make in the last 20 years, and that is this National 2^nd division business.

There is no news out there other than dribs and drabs, about how it would all work, how much it is going to cost and what are the supposed parameters that need to be met to be part of it. It is all very secretive and I personally am wary of the whole thing. Especially as I keep reading, that this National 2^nd division will have no direct promotion and relegation with the a-league. What is the whole point of it then?

Additionally, I’d be forgetting about any so called fantasies about a National 2nd Division and start worrying about not dropping this club into NPL 2. Do people think that this is being melodramatic and that it’s not going to happen? Or we’re too big to be relegated? Ask Marconi about that attitude.

One issue that is flying under the radar a little bit, is this supposed “centre of excellence” that the Bulldogs have been given funding for and been given the green light to build at Belmore Sports Ground. Are we, as in Sydney Olympic, not still co-tenants? And what does this supposed “centre of excellence”, mean for Sydney Olympic? I have heard nothing about how the whole endeavour will impact the club.

The President, Damon has proven his commitment for years now and has earned and should have earned everyone’s respect by now, especially after everything he has done during his tenure, not to mention hauling the club out of severe trouble following the Papas fiasco and he is a busy man, but I would urge him to be more alert about some of the things that are going on at the club.

There are too many people at the club making decisions that know very little, that do not care about the club, who do nothing and think too highly of themselves. How many there, know anything about the club or its history, or even a general knowledge of the club?

Finally given all these issues and the calamitous decisions and the fall of the club in recent times, the club wisely or not, has decided to hold a Supporters Forum. This will not be an AGM and will be open to anyone and everyone to attend.

Any supporter and follower of the club, whether you attend regularly or haven’t been to a match in years are encouraged to attend. To ask the hard questions about any of the top issues I have already mentioned, or anything else that you feel is important.

This is a critical time in the clubs history, we need all supporters that care for this club, its past, present and future to show up and speak out, given where we are currently both on and off the field and the challenges that confront us.

The Supporters Forum will be on Tuesday June 27. The venue in typical club fashion, is unknown as yet. But when it is known, you will all know.