Socceroo Craig Goodwin reveals question he REFUSED to answer when filming A-League promo video
>
Socceroos hero Craig Goodwin reveals the loaded question he REFUSED to answer while filming a promo video for the A-League, after calling the big final decision a sham.
- The Socceroos star has reiterated his disappointment at the grand final in Sydney
- A deal worth at least $10m with A-League and Destination NSW follows
- Goodwin feels the cash grab isn’t fair to fans, or to non-Sydney based players
He was a hero to the Socceroos in Qatar, and Craig Goodwin’s stock is poised to rise again among soccer fans after he reiterated his disappointment that Sydney would host the next three A-League Grand Finals. .
Goodwin, 30, spoke ahead of Adelaide’s away clash with Wellington on Saturday, revealing the question he refused to answer when filming a promotional video following Australia’s Professional Leagues boss Danny Townsend’s announcement on Monday .
“I was asked why I supported the APL and DNSW (Destination NSW) initiative,” he told Channel 10.
I refused to answer because I don’t support it.
“I expressed my opinion on social media, I don’t think it was in the best interests of the fans.”
Craig Goodwin’s stock is poised to rise again among football fans after he reiterated his disappointment that Sydney will host the next three A-League grand finals.
A grand A-League final between two interstate teams would struggle to draw a large crowd in Sydney (Pictured Western United’s Lachlan Wales and Melbourne City’s Marco Tilio)
Despite the wave of criticism from fans and players, Townsend called the decision to move the men’s and women’s A-League grand finals to Harbor City until 2025 “fit for the game”.
“We are a game that needs to be innovative, we need to make bold decisions, and our game has longed for a time when we have stakeholders across the country who want to invest in it,” he said.
‘In this case, the NSW government wanted to get behind our game and put our grand finals on the national sporting calendar.
“Change is hard, but we had to go and do what we felt was right for the game.”
Goodwin said the atmosphere would not be the same in Sydney if his Reds played Melbourne Victory in a grand final.
“Both clubs would have some fans who would travel, but you would also have neutrals (on the pitch) who wouldn’t create the same passion,” he said.
Earlier this week, broadcaster Lucy Zelic criticized the A-League, claiming they “sold their soul” by taking $10m from the NSW government.
A Sydney A-League grand final (both teams pictured) would be a promoter’s dream
“For me, the passion created in the previous grand finals is the only thing football has over other codes in Australia.
‘They (the fans) always make it a (quality) show with their intensity, it was also evident with the live sites during the World Cup.
“But the decision is made, time will tell how it will be.”
Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory supporters are furious over this week’s development and plan to walk out of this weekend’s derby at AAMI Park in protest.
Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro also resigned this week as APL director following the announcement of the Sydney grand final.
Sydney FC’s main fan group, The Cove, have announced they will not attend Saturday’s game against the Central Coast Mariners, while rival fans based in Gosford, on the central coast of New South Wales, plan to boycott the final series games over the next three seasons.
Brisbane fans have also pledged to stage a protest on December 23 when they host the Western Sydney Wanderers at Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe.