That’s my boy. Angelo Fevola may have closed eyes over his son Brendan, but his mind is open on football matters. Picture: Donna Oates
By Peter Sweeney
ANGELO Fevola might like to – but doesn’t – drink at the football.
After all, when you’re the dad of footy’s most colourful character who attracts comments left, right and centre, it’s hard enough to keep the gob shut without lip lubricant adding to the challenge.
Just as Angelo Fevola’s talking at Casey Fields on Sunday, two Sandringham supporters spill a little from their cans; while delivering a bigger spray on Brendan Fevola.
“That’s why I don’t drink at the footy. If I was drinking, it would be too hard to ignore some of the garbage that comes out of the mouths of people,” Angelo said.
“There could be all in blues.”
In saying such, Angelo Fevola isn’t saying he agrees with everything his son says, or does.
“I don’t … but he’s my boy. of course I’m going to stick up for him,” Fevola said.
“I can see a lot of me in him. I was a fiery little bloke when I was young. Yeah, I suppose I try to give him advice like my dad tried to give me. But even if I was saying something to Brendan, he’d be the one doing the talking.
“We’ve probably got more of a great mate relationship than a father and son one.
“Brendan’s just a normal bloke. Actually, he can be a very funny man when you get to know him.”
Brendan Fevola, 30, was only five, the same age his Belgium-born dad was when he came to Australia, when his parents went their separate ways. Angelo Fevola then shared a house in Narre Warren with another single mate, Steve Hamilton.
They had their children every second weekend. And it’s how Brendan Fevola and Glenn Hamilton, a recently retired legend at Narre Warren, became great mates, doing everything – and probably a bit more – that young blokes do.
“Brendan was just an average, normal kid,” Angelo said.
“He certainly didn’t get his football ability from me. I was a benchwarmer at Narre, played in the twos for two years.
“We barracked for St Kilda and Brendan wanted to be the next Stewie Loewe or Tony Lockett. He was playing in the Narre under-nines when he was only four. You could do that in those days, you can’t now.
“He played with Narre up until the under-13s, then went to Berwick in the 14s, 15s, and 16s because Narre didn’t have 14s.
“He played one senior game for Beaconsfield and was then drafted, making his debut for Carlton when he was 17.
“I’ve been following his senior footy for 13 years and don’t miss many games.
“He’s actually looking fitter, fresher. He’s lost 15kg since he has been here (Casey Scorpions).
“He’s on a diet Steve Baker (who, coincidentally is just metres away from Brendan Fevola and sporting a Sandringham jumper) is on. (Shane) Warnie’s on it too. It’s a drink which fills you and stops you eating. I should get on it too.”
However, what’s more important to Angelo Fevola is that his son is kicking goals away from the field.
“He has got his s..t together. I would be proud of him no matter what, but he needed to mend himself, to get things together – and he has,” Angelo said.
“I was proud of what Brisbane (Lions) did for him. They tried to help him as much as they could. It was worrying when he put himself into a clinic. We spoke four times a week then.”
The main reason Beaconsfield-based Brendan Fevola is back up and about is, according to his dad, due to his three girls, aged from just over a year to 11.
“He’s near his daughters. He’s close to them geographically and physically. He sees them two or three times a week and it has made him happy,” Angelo, a resident of Pakenham Lakeside and the project manager of a civil construction company, said.
“Brendan and Alex (ex-wife) have a good relationship.
“My boy’s also loving his job on the radio … he’s happy, he’s feeling good again.”
Asked of the future, Fevola senior replied: “who knows? The best thing is that he has got his life back.”
“But I think if Melbourne changed their culture a bit, and left politics at the door and drafted Brendan, they could be in for a pleasant surprise.
“After all, Ben Cousins was given another try?” As he finishes speaking, and as if on cue, the younger Fevola combines beautifully with Demon indigenous stars Liam Jurrah and Neville Jetta for another Casey major.
