Julian Schiller goes on the attack after ABC 2 criticism

THE face of ABC 2’s coverage of the Liverpool-Sydney FC friendly, Julian Schiller, has hit out at the social media storm it created.

IT was called “the worst coverage ever” and presenter Julian Schiller was the face of it.

ABC 2’s broadcast of Liverpool’s glamour friendly with Sydney FC made headlines for all the wrong reasons, as the public broadcaster was slammed for the way it handled the match.

Schiller has received a mountain of personal attacks since Wednesday evening and penned a response, released by Fox Sports, fighting back at his critics.

Schiller admits he knew much of what was planned was “different” and doubted whether it would work, even warning ABC producers and his fellow presenters Steen Raskopoulos and Tegan Higginbotham ahead of time.

“In footballing terms it felt like the time I was playing for the Under 13s soccer team and I watched the opposition rock up,” Schiller wrote. “Unlike us, they had clearly gone through puberty, and we looked up in awe at their huge frames. But as we did then, you just stick to the game plan even if you know you’re going to get smashed.”

And smashed they got.

Horrendous! Make it stop! .@ABC2 pic.twitter.com/WBuh4IBPPA

— Dan Howe (@howedan) May 24, 2017

Yeah, this @ABC2 coverage of #RedsInSydney #SYDvLIV is just bad. Cringey, even.

— Luke Cooper (@luke__cooper) May 24, 2017

RIP ABC2's soccer coverage. 2017-2017

— Nick Sculley (@sculls_6) May 24, 2017

Schiller said that part of the problem was the fact the ABC was handed the rights to cover the match at the last minute, as other networks had passed on the opportunity. Limited preparation time and resources were put into the match as a result.

He says the network chose to place the match on ABC 2, the broadcasters “off broadway channel for emerging talent” and therefore they considered this post-season friendly an “off-broadway game”.

The technology usually integrated into sports broadcasts was nowhere to be seen and instead the hosts were equipped with two sturdy whiteboards with cut-out faces to depict each side’s line-up. Schiller clarified this approach, saying it was due to a rights issue, with the ABC not having permission to use vision of either A-League or English Premier League players.

ABC2’s sideline reporter, Aaron Chen, received backlash, too. Chen, clad in a Sydney FC jersey, asked a fan what his favourite “possession” was before sheepishly covering himself by saying, “I’ve been possessed with the spirit of football. I love it, I bet you love it at home, too.”

It was bad. But now Schiller is advising Football Federation Australia to use the controversial comedian in a future marketing campaign — in a way to bridge the gap between the sport’s junior participation numbers and the smaller number of football fans that engage with the game at the senior level.

“I knew this was going to be memorable.” Schiller wrote.

“The more the A-League and newspapers condemned him (Chen), the more a hero he became to teenagers who think the whole thing is subversive and hilarious.”

The most hated man in Australia right now. And that's hard considering the three people that crossed to him. #LIVSYD #ABC2 pic.twitter.com/iI4ao8JdkN

— Andrew Ellis (@andrewe001) May 24, 2017

It’s unlikely the FFA will take Schiller up on his suggestion, as the organisation condemned the ABC for their approach, firing off a sternly worded response.

“Like many fans, FFA is disappointed with some aspects of the ABC’s broadcast of the Sydney FC v Liverpool FC match last night,” A-League’s official twitter account tweeted.

“Pre-game, halftime & post-game coverage wasn’t to standard expected by FFA and football fans. We’ve made that point to ABC management.”

Fans exploded at the mess, slamming the network for “wasting their taxes” on the disappointing hosts. Some even went as far as labelling them the “worst football hosts in history”.

Schiller admits he is “dispirited” by the criticism levelled at him since Wednesday’s broadcast.

The funnyman has had a long association with the sport but is now questioning his ongoing involvement in covering the game.

“I’ve always loved football and tried to promote it through fun and comedy,” Schiller wrote.

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that anymore, but I hope those voices continue to come through to grow and broaden the game and are greeted with warmth, not baseball bats.”

Originally published as Julian Schiller goes on the attack after ABC 2 criticism