You Reap What You Sow

In happier times, Bleiberg with Palmer

I'm going to be honest here, I'm finding it very difficult to feel any sympathy for the utter chaos that is engulfing Gold Coast United.

I've deliberately stayed away from the subject of our near neighbours for some time now, mainly because I'm not into kicking people while they are down.  But I'm sorry I just can't shy away from this post.

First a bit of background to the plight that Gold Coast has found itself in.  All up this season has been an utter disaster for the club with the following issues hampering the club.

• Loss of key players.
• Injuries to large amounts of the squad.
• Ongoing issues bringing fans to the club.
• Controversy over two young players being forced back onto youth team contracts to accommodate two Eritrean internationals who have thus far played a sum total of 59 minutes between them.
• Being found to have unjustly severed the contracts of Peter Perchtold and Robson.
• Being found to be not insuring players against injury.
• Closing off parts of the stands due to the misbehaviour of visiting Roar fans and punishing only his own small supporter base in process.
• Attempting to sue the FFA over a number of issues.

But things may have finally gone totally into the realms of the utterly ridiculous with the events of this week.  First we had the news that youth team player Mitch Cooper would not only make his A-League debut this weekend, but he would captain the side.  Coach Miron Bleiberg said at the press conference that it was an idea by Clive Palmer and would largely be a ceremonial appointment only.  That's where the shit really hit the fan.  It seems Palmer had different ideas and incensed by Bleiberg's comments he has suspended his coach.

While many are condemning what is going on, and justifiably so, I can't help but feel that the club and its fans have got just what they deserved.  When Palmer came calling a few years back everyone was so keen to get caught up in the bling bling hype accompanied by a billionaire that I think they took their eye off the ball and failed to look at what they were really getting.  Now the real Clive Palmer has well and truly come to the fore and the fans, and the FFA, are stuck with him or risk losing the club altogether.

I've said from the outset that Palmer was a mistake waiting to happen and its sadly come true.  Its sad because it leaves the A-League with yet another club that is a cluster fuck, but that's where my sympathy stops.  For Bleiberg and the fans themselves I can't help but feel its a case of reaping what they have sown.  Wind the clock back a couple of years and they were happy to gloat about how rich the club was.  How they were going to sign big name players in their prime.  How they were going to be flying in private jets and never have the money troubles that other teams were having.  How they were going to win everything under the sun.  At the time I tried to point out on a number of forums that Palmer was a loose cannon who would spit the dummy when he didn't get his own way.  I pointed out that the club was quickly attracting a taint that may turn off the general public.  But did any of you want to listen? No you didn't, and now don't expect any sympathy from me.

Bleiberg was more than happy to accommodate Palmer's eccentricities because it gave him a way to pursue his petty vendetta against the Roar.  Well his short-sightedness has burnt him now and Bleiberg finds himself as just another clown in the worst circus in town and his reward will be the wooden spoon this season.  The fans, the few hardy souls who have tacked their colours to the mast of this increasingly listing ship, well you all wanted to gloat a few years back about what you were going to be because you were so rich.  Perhaps you should have looked a little closer to see just who it was that you were dealing with.

I've got no idea where this club is going to go next, but chances are that given everything else we have seen it is going to be nowhere but down.  Certainly with the form on the board so far, it seems to be the only way with Palmer at the helm.

Sadly, caught up in the middle of this is a young kid about to make his debut in professional football.  There's already a lot of pressure in that situation.  Sadly thanks to Palmer, the kid now finds himself in the middle of this mess. I'm sure he is so happy about that!