More than 600 people watched the Socceroos' World Cup game against Turkey at Melbourne's Imperial Hotel, and manager Christopher McInnes expects even more on Friday. 'We're expecting a really, really big crowd,' he said. 'I'll be very surprised if I don't see a few people in suits with their laptops out trying to pretend they're getting their work done for the afternoon.'
Historic daytime kick-off sparks 'Great Socceroos Sickie'
Friday's match marks the first time a Socceroos World Cup game is being played entirely in Australia's traditional working hours, with a noon AEST kick-off. The Socceroos fan group Active Support, in a viral social media post featuring a picture of former prime minister Bob Hawke, dubbed it the 'Great Australian Socceroos Sickie'. Hawke's 1983 quote, 'Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum,' has resurfaced as fans plan to watch the game during work.
High stakes and workplace accommodations
A win or draw will send Australia through the group stage for the second consecutive time; even a defeat may be enough depending on other results. Socceroos assistant coach Paul Okon has called for the prime minister to give everyone a day off. Some workplaces, including Coles and Allianz, are playing the game for staff to prevent an exodus. CommBank, the Socceroos' naming rights partner, would not confirm if it would show the match but its executive Monique Macleod said: 'I'm sure our people will be following the match with great interest.'
Fans and businesses embrace the occasion
Liam Parslow, an organiser for Socceroos Active Support, expects an 'early Friday knockoff' and hopes employees will 'bring the green and gold' to the workplace. 'The thing about football is that it extends beyond many cultures and backgrounds,' he said. 'If they know the nation's taking the afternoon off or the day off with a sickie, it just spurs them on.' Socceroos defender Jason Geria told reporters the kick-off time 'doesn't get much better' than noon on a Friday, suggesting teachers could just 'chuck it on the iPad'. Patrick Clancy, chair of the Football Supporters Association Australia, called it an 'extremely unusual and historic moment'. 'Everyone I've been talking to this week in all walks of life has said they're finding ways to watch the game,' he said.
Pubs and planning for the big match
Adam Wallis, director of Artdeshine Pty Ltd in inner Melbourne, plans to have the game on an 85-inch TV in the office on full volume. 'So all the adjacent businesses in our little commercial zone will hear,' he said. Bazz Wilders, a landscape gardener, has taken four weeks off during every World Cup since 2006. He'll watch at home with his wife in Perth, as 'none of our locals are open at 10am'. 'The 12am and 1am kick-offs are a bit of a struggle,' he said. 'I'm usually in bed by 6.30pm to get a bit of shut-eye before first kick-off.'
