A dictionary definition of criticism = the practice of analysing, classifying, interpreting or evaluating.
No-one likes criticism. It's part of the human condition that we all want to be liked, loved even, and respected. Criticism hurts. No matter how thick your skin, when someone offers an opinion (particularly a negative one) that differs from your own, the natural reaction is to defend and fight back. Agreed? Good.
So, does that mean that all criticism should stop, in say – the football arena – for fear of hurting someone's feelings? Should we pretend everything is rosy in the garden so we can all have an easy ride? Of course not. Because deep down, we all know that down that road lays the place that mediocrity loves above all – the comfort zone.
We've all had criticism. Is there anyone who can honestly say in their place of work they have never had someone point out the error of their ways? Can anyone say with hand on heart that NO-ONE has ever suggested a better way of doing things...or at the very least, a different way?
Of course, you don't always have to listen to people's criticisms or advice – but I'll guarantee that at least once in your working lifetime, you've heard something from someone and thought 'Hmmm...actually, they've got a point'. I know I have.
So, given all of the above information, can I ask an honest question? Why is SBS being pilloried for daring to analyse, classify, interpret and evaluate the performances of the Australian national team?
After all, does anyone else care in this country? Do the commercial television networks who were so quick to respond to the alleged spat between Frank Farina and our reporter Andrew Orsatti REALLY want our game to succeed?
These networks that run lead news items entitled 'Soccer (football) Riots' to tell how five...yes, that's five...people got arrested at a suburban state league match?
Those self-same networks that can't even pronounce the name of Australia's most famous footballing son – Harry Kewell – correctly? (A certain network pronounced it 'Cool' only last week.)
Do the newspapers that – in the main - pour scorn on our game every day as a game played by 'poofs' and watched by 'hooligans' really care? (Wish they'd make their minds up whether we are effeminate or thuggish incidentally...they can't have it both ways.)
My point is, SBS, as an experienced football broadcaster of over twenty years, not only has a right to ask questions (provided they are genuine, are fair and balanced and are not abusive in nature), it has a duty to ask, for all those viewers who understand football, and are passionate about it.
I've heard it said that we lack the credibility to ask such questions or offer such opinions. Well, let's take a check on our credentials shall we?
Craig Foster - and Johnny Warren before him - were both Socceroos internationals of some repute. Francis Awaritefe was also an international and bagged over a hundred goals in the old NSL. Andrew Orsatti was a promising professional before injury ruined his career, and Les Murray has, by common consent, done more to help the game survive in this country than most.
As for me, well, it's true I've never played the game at any decent level – and of course, I'm a foreigner. But I've worked in football for nearly fifteen years, so hopefully I've been doing something right during that time - and if I'm denied the right to an opinion, then so too are the thousands of football fans across Australia who watch games, and who have no playing experience at the top level either.
If you work in the public arena, then the public scrutinise your work...it's as simple as that. Every time Craig Foster and I do a commentary, we receive emails, letters and phone calls. Some are complimentary, some are critical....some, a minority, are abusive.
The abusive ones you put in the recycle bin, but sometimes the critical ones contain valid points...so long as they are constructive, we try to take them on board.
The culture of criticism is much more deeply embedded in Europe than it is here – especially with regards to national teams and coaches.
Sven Goran Eriksson has been slated for everything from his tactical ability (or lack of, in the minds of some) to his sexual conduct. In Italy, he was known as 'he Successful Loser'– not a nice moniker for anyone to have but Eriksson deals with this sort of intrusion in the best way possible – he ignores it.
In my former life at the BBC, we didn't consider we'd had a good season unless we'd been banned by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United at least once. This wasn't because we were 'anti-Alex' – more that we refused to 'toe the line' in the way other journalists did. We reasoned we had to ask the questions the people who listened to our radio programmes, and watched our television shows, wanted asking.
Former England manager Graham Taylor used to have it even worse. Some daily tabloids took to calling him 'Turnip head' so disgusted were they with the England team's performances. Graham, the nicest man you could wish to meet, knew it was all part and parcel of holding such an important job. He didn’t like it, but even he raised a smile when a national paper ran as its headline 'Swedes 2, Turnips 1' after a defeat at the European Championships.
In Australia, there are no such catcalls and agendas (despite the claims of some to the contrary). SBS deals with football issues – and football issues only. If we discuss potential problems with the back four or the shape of the team, it's because we genuinely care about the national team, and its chances of making the World Cup.
Football barely exists on the radar elsewhere and those in power here have a relatively easy ride. Sorry fellas, but you do.
We at SBS have been accused of 'not being behind' the national team. Codswallop. By asking questions, we surely show that we want nothing left to chance in the quest to reach Germany in 2006.
Isn't holding people in public roles accountable part of what being a democracy is all about? Particularly when they have the right of reply (and that option is ALWAYS available on SBS.)
Bear in mind too, that we don't always only offer critical – or so-called negative – opinions.
In the recent series of games with Iraq and Indonesia, we waxed lyrical about the contributions of Ahmed Elrich, Ljubo Milicevic and Marco Bresciano. We praised the national team's strength in depth, and determination to grind out a result when not playing well.
We gave Frank Farina big wraps on his ability to change a system through substitutions when things weren't working.
The assumption that a campaign is in place to discredit certain people is simply untrue. How can we be accused of not being a supporter of the national team when the network has shelled out large sums of money to be the official broadcast partner of the FFA and the Socceroos on the road to Germany?
It's not just the Socceroos either – in recent years we have devoted money, airtime and resources to the Young Socceroos, the Joeys, the Olyroos, the Matildas and the Young Matildas.
Every week we publicise and promote the new A-League – a product that not only hasn't yet begun, but the rights for which, we don't even own!
We are passionate about football at SBS – we eat, sleep and breathe the game. Our office is a hive of conversation about everything from Jose Mourinho's outbursts to APIA Leichhardt's prospects in the New South Wales Premier League. 'The World Game' programme covers football on every continent and at every level.
SBS treats football with the gravitas it deserves. We don't just broadcast games and pay it lip service. We try to analyse, classify, interpret and evaluate.
We try to act as the link between what fans are saying and asking, and those who hold power in the football world. Sometimes we get it wrong – we accept that, and the criticism that follows. But then sometimes, so do others. As a public broadcaster with editorial independence, we have to be free to point that out.
www3.sbs.com.au/opinions/index.php3?id=56494BTW SBS is where I get most of my football dose every week.