Collingwood open to Anzac Day clash in Turkey

[blueandblack]

Collingwood is considering a proposal to take the 2015 Anzac Day clash to Turkey to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing.

Magpies president Eddie McGuire says the Turkish government has suggested staging the annual match between Collingwood and Essendon at the Galatasaray Turkish soccer side's home stadium in Istanbul.

Good idea? Have your say here

"There has been an approach from an envoy from the Turkish government, who has a letter from the Turkish sports minister and they want to explore the situation," McGuire said on Triple M today.

"He's mentioned it to the AFL. I think he's coming to see me in a week or two's time. I think he's spoken to the Bombers already."

McGuire said he was undecided about the idea, admitting the best way to commemorate the centenary might be to continue to hold the match at the MCG, which has hosted the annual game between the Magpies and Bombers since 1995.

"I like things that are a bit left of centre and the rest of it. Let's be honest the centenary of the Gallipoli landing is going to be one of the great moments in Australian history, certainly in our lifetime," McGuire said.

"There will be a huge pilgrimage of Australians going over to Turkey at that stage. The Australian government and the Turkish government have worked very well in fixing up Gallipoli and Anzac Cove.

"Whether the game's in Turkey or at the MCG, it will be a massive Anzac Day that particular day."

The Age is seeking comment on Essendon on the matter.

There would be numerous logistical concerns, including ensuring both clubs had enough time between games to prepare and recover from a prospective overseas match.

"If you were to take it overseas, it's usually about round five or six, you'd need to have a split round either side to be able to get both teams over and back," McGuire said.

"Would you get Turkish families who have become such a big part of Australia going home for the celebration ... Aussies going over there.

"There's all these things that rattle around inside your head. At the same time you've got to realise, 'hang on, it is a game of football as well'.

"I'm totally open-minded to it but the main thing is you still have to look after supporters on the home front, and that is the supporters of both Essendon and Collingwood.

"And maybe it turns out that the best way to commemorate from an Australian perspective, is to have it at the MCG."

Typically, McGuire also took the chance to get enthused about the idea.

"It would be the biggest invasion since Gallipoli 100 years ago, but this one would be planned a little bit better than what Winston Churchill did in the first instance," he said.

"And we would actually be going over there with good reason."

Source: theage.com.au

[Darren]

Rugby would be more fitting ....

Ironically some of the earliest rugby games in Turkey were played by ANZACs and British troops in the Dardanelles Campaign, fighting against the Turks in World War I.[1] Several Wallabies were killed in the onslaught. In a letter to Harold Austin, the Manly rugby club secretary, Tom Richards said that rugby was "a splendid break in the irksome routine of military life, which dulls one's wits and brings on a state of general carelessness".[1]

The five "old" Rugby clubs in Turkey are the Istanbul Ottomans, Kadikoy, Girne Pumas, Saint Benoit and Koc School. [2] For many years, apart from playing the odd game against a Greek team, or from Northern Cyprus there was little outside contact.[2]

The game is undergoing development by the solo efforts of the two Rugby Union teams the country has, Kadıköy Rugby and Istanbul Ottomans. Both teams are from Istanbul, and are working hard to encourage the sport to be known, loved, and played nationwide. With the progress and the determination of the two clubs, a Turkish national rugby union team is expected to emerge in the near future. A new Rugby Club has also recently been established in the Aegean resort town of Kusadasi and are called the Kusadasi Eagles. The Eagles host a tournament each year in Kusadasi open to Turkish and overseas clubs. ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Turkey

[jargan83]

Will never happen

Collingwood do not even like travelling interstate

[blueandblack]

<EddieMcGuire> How much money are you going to pay us to play there? Do you have Australian Standard 5 or 6 star accommodation and facilities? Do you have enough limos for each of our players and support staff?

[brokendown gunfighter]

<EddieMcGuire> How much money are you going to pay us to play there? Do you have Australian Standard 5 or 6 star accommodation and facilities? Do you have enough limos for each of our players and support staff?

& by the way,I'm running the show(Eddie,that is)

[Burgs]

I don't think it would be a smart move to have Australia play England at Gallipoli, with a bit of a history brush up pre-match the Wallabies would likely just come out swinging and rip their heads off!

[The InnFORCEr]

Will never happen

Collingwood do not even like travelling interstate

I'm sure nobody "likes" to travel for interstate matches, but Collingwood like the other Vic teams do play in every state, every year, that's right, four away games this year, we only miss playing twice in the states that have two teams (WA & SA) so we could only ever play a maximum of 6 interstate games anyway, but the AFL agrees that the money Collingwood genrates by playing those two games (i like to call them BLOCKBUSTERS) at the MCG instead of interstate is money they need to keep the AFL heathy

& by the way,I'm running the show(Eddie,that is)

Somebody has to, and Eddie is the right man for the job

Anyway let's save the Collingwood talk until tomorrow

[Lonzy]

I don't know ... It might happen, and I doubt they would be too concerned about the facilities if it did happen ...

[jargan83]

I'm sure nobody "likes" to travel for interstate matches, but Collingwood like the other Vic teams do play in every state, every year, that's right, four away games this year, we only miss playing twice in the states that have two teams (WA & SA) so we could only ever play a maximum of 6 interstate games anyway, but the AFL agrees that the money Collingwood genrates by playing those two games (i like to call them BLOCKBUSTERS) at the MCG instead of interstate is money they need to keep the AFL heathy

Tongue in Cheek TiF (apart from the it will never part)

I was looking at the AFL fixtures by club and Melbourne Demons play at the MCG 15 times, 4 less then Collingwood obviously but when 4 clubs share the MCG as their "home" ground what else can be expected

[The InnFORCEr]

Anyway let's save the Collingwood talk until tomorrow

took a bit longer to sober up than I thought

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