Give up

National Premier League Capital Football coaches support Canberra A-League team

 

• Eamonn Tiernan

   
  • CONTACT VIA EMAIL
   
  • FOLLOW ON TWITTER

• FACEBOOK SHARE
 
• TWITTER TWEET
 
• EMAIL
 
 
 
• MORE

If a population of 400k with the highest dispensable income average in Australia can't support a professional club, the problem is the business model, not the market.

Something that I often read is about how expanding too quickly will dilute the player quality which will in turn damage the overall quality of the league. 

Excluding the Phoenix, there are currently 45 foreign spots open and 162 dedicated Australian professional spots across the 9 clubs.

If we accept that the player base of Australians is already thin at the edges in each squad, and that it is difficult to hold back/bring back Australians playing overseas, surely the short term answer is to increase the number of foreign spots. If we quickly expanded to include 4 new clubs over the next few years, whilst increasing the number of foreigners to 6 for each team, we would end up with 78 foreigners and 221 Australians. 

So 60 extra Australian players would need to be sourced, which in itself would surely mean a lot of very average players are getting gigs in the a-league. BUT, theoretically you're only looking at needing 5 + a few quality australians per team with the foreign contigent included to make up starting XIs and benches. I would argue that the quality of the league won't be so greatly affected like this, especially when you consider that foreign recruitment has improved greatly across the board and that new teams will have space in salary caps to bring home Australian talent that don't fit under the cap of the existing clubs. 

For me though, I agree with a lot of people that a second division, and to a higher degree promotion/relegation, will have a natural positive effect on playing quality. A 2nd div would bring together the best of the rest, and I'm pretty convinced that in any sport playing with/against higher quality opposition will usually improve individual quality. While prom/relegation will create an urgency and pressure environment that will put individual performances under more criticism.

Also, with promotion/relegation, you can almost afford to trade off a hypothetical drop in quality, because games which mean something will automatically be more interesting than games of higher quality which are meaningless. Take for example world cup games between relative minnows vs a dead rubber champions league tie.

The whole point is to give more players an opportunity. If they were that concern they could increase the visa player number to 6 for a few seasons as an alternative. Would need to get it past PFA :)

162 contracts for Australian players isn't really that many

Expansion is definitely NOT happening. 

Snottydramas has spoken.

Voice of Reason*

What makes you think they will now expand. Do you believe in the Easter Bunny.

Unfortunately it most likely will

Current FFA staff need to pretend they are doing something

They'll keep taking their pay cheques for as long as possible til it all falls in a heap

I think it will too but not under the current model.  My only hope is that the model chosen doesn't give the clubs management of the league but that it is managed by an independent body.  Whatever happens it will remain subordinate to the FFA as is required of every body and league that is affiliated with the FFA.

And the worst thing is they will choose two very bad options.

Brisbane City and Southern Expansion.

Well they're already talking about expansion and haven't mentioned any progress on a new operating model. Not a good start

Expansion will happen when they've said, unless this FIFA thing actually has some real bite

But by the time the dumb shits who've been hypnotised by the expansion propoganda finally realise it's all puff, the current FFA staff will be long gone

Be careful now.

Gyfox will call you names, you negative Nancy. Dont you know by now the FFA are in this for the good of the game and hath no agenda. 

For shame. 

RUOK ?

That Snottydramas, pretty nasty stuff

Hurts my feels. Play me Taylor Swift as I cry.

So I was listening to Greg O'Rourke on FNR. Expansion process is set up in two phases:

First phase is expressions of interest. They will accept expressions of interest from all areas and want as many potential bids as possible. In 60 days they will announce publicly the bids to go into the final phase for selection. (They want to create as much hype as possible).

Final phase bids will be the in-depth proposals: 2 new clubs will be selected and announced in October. (I think we all expect these winning bids will be from Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney). 

FFA and A-league clubs want sixteen teams (straight from Greg's mouth). So the first phase sounds like they want to gauge all the interest and set up the best non winning bids for future expansion to sixteen teams (speculation).

Well meme'd

He described the clubs that get past the EOI stage as "being in the finals".

Bloke just loves his finals.

Loves his farken footy

Surprised he didnt call it "the chase"

They need a reality TV show with one bid being voted out each week. /s

The fact that that needed a sarcasm tag is terrifying.

I reckon.

I've learnt something today

Good job Pala, you've just created a beast which the FFA may latch on to...

FFA know they have to placate FIFA, also don't want the AAFC running the Championship - wouldn't be shocked if they used this 'pre-bid' phase to test out how many bidders would be interested in playing in the 'A2-League'...  Then announce 2-tier expansion and try to retain control of the whole thing.

It's an interesting point actually. So many factors could see FFA swinging each way regarding the second division. If FFA somehow retain control of the HAL then they'll want the Championship controlled by the AAFC to the extent that they pay for it themselves. But if suddenly AAFC get a media deal together, FFA will want the second division straight back under the FFA umbrella.

Of all the plausible scenarios I've thought of, the most delicious (albeit not most likely) is one where the HAL becomes independent and the FFA takes control of the Championship ala the English model. Imagine that one. New football left to its own devices and FFA forced into an alliance of sorts with old soccer clubs.