Not only that their still carrying debts from NSL.

Everyone should just take a deep breath and wait for some definitive information before decididng that it will/wont work. No doubt FFA and the state bodies will have considered costs, travel, gates etc.

No one knows what form it will take or what costs will be involved as nothing has been formally or fully announced. You are all just speculating.

Speculate away though...

Australian premier league is a stupid name sounds like its the main comp lol

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has set up a body aimed at improving the playing, coaching and administrative standards of the nation's state leagues but played down reports a second-tier competition is imminent.

The National Competition Review will look at the way State competitions are run and structured, to establish more all-round consistency so they can underpin the A-League more effectively and to support the player talent pathway established by FFA.

"In the past we have been criticised for ignoring the rich football history of this country," an FFA spokesman said.

"We have been told that we ignored all these clubs and leagues that for 50 years or more have been producing excellent talent.

"Now for the first time ever we are officially recognising them as part of the pathway.

"You could call it a shift but it's a fundamental first step from our part.

A representative from the governing body stressed that a mooted 'B-League', involving promotion and relegation, is still a pipe dream.

"We have not done this to set up another competition with the prospect of having promotion and relegation," the spokesman said.

"There are many things that need to happen before we get to that point.

"This is all about strengthening the second tier of Australian football, which means the top league in each state.

"There will be no nationwide competition and certainly no second A-League.

"The whole purpose of the exercise is to give guidance to the clubs as to what a higher level of youth development looks like and what sort of coaching qualifications should be in place.

"The second tier of football in this country has to have a focus on talent development and all this is about taking steps to speed that up."
FFA's claim was supported by Blacktown City chief Ken Schembri, whose team competes in the NSW Premier League.

"If it was going to happen you'd think we would know about it, wouldn’t you?" Schembri said.

"I don't think it will ever happen for a lot of reasons. For one thing, the travel costs would be too much.

"The reality is the clubs just can’t afford it. The A-League itself has enough issues let alone adding a second tier.

"FFA representatives are working with us looking at the structure of the NSW Premier League but nothing has been mentioned at all about a national competition comprised of state league clubs.

"Sure, there is National Competition Review going on and everybody is supposed to have an underpinning program to the A-League.

"But it's not called a 'B-League' or anything like that and there is no structure in place for teams from the various states to play each other.

"It's nothing more than the various Premier Leagues around the country being restructured.

"The idea sounds half-baked and is a bit of red herring."

theworldgame.com.au

EDIT: Not 'gonna happen.

Edited by nhub24: 4/5/2012 04:28:05 PM

FFA have already declined this speculation. They are just restructuring State leagues to improve the quality

Wow 442, you just kind of made up something from nothing. Geeze.

i'm not sure how this would work in practice.

1) will it be a national comp?
2) will this require significant travel for teams & can they afford it?
3) FFAs stance on promotion/relegation?
4) if it is not national, how will it differ from the current state based setup?

1/ No
2/ No, as it will be state based
3/ It wont have to worry about that, as there will not be any between the APLs' and HAL
4/ Good question. This still has me wondering what benefits it would bring.

The Australian premier in Queensland will be more to Qld in line with other states i.e The Teams who get the licences will take over the JPL so team will have 13 through to 1st team.The QSL will no longer exist as it is now.I would image the winning teams at the end of the season from each state would play off in a champions league type format.They won't have teams travelling interstate.It is more for a pathway for Younger players to get in the A league and also if we want to stay in asia we need to have 14 teams in the A league with junior academies under these teams.this is a way to start it off.

4/thery are going to end state finals to rip off the foxtel cup

Since it would finally come under the one FFA umbrella, it would be great to end the various State Leagues with a winners' playoff series. A state champions' league as it were.

a playoff series of all the states top clubs for each season would be great television. i would tune in for all the matches.

so based on this article and the statement from the FFA are we to assume the way this is going to run is that the top tier from each state will be run under the ffa banner then the state federations run the division under that.

with clubs being asked to submit consideration for these state premier leagues you would also assume that this would create a league that would include youth teams from the a-league sides as the article hinted at a focus on youth.

i know i have made a few assumptions however i have one more, you would also assume that due to the fact that clubs are asked to bid to become part of this top tier for each state that there will be no promotion/relegation within each states division from this league as the clubs will be required to fit certain criteria , effectively creating state based a-leagues.

i am going to be honest if that is the line they are taking i am a big fan of this idea. i have always felt that this is the best way forward, having the state league under the one banner. Id like to see it go further and the state league adapt the A-League name too, maybe something like A-League Queensland, A-League New South Wales etc.. just to show a clear definition.

I also think that the NYL should morph into a reserve grade in the future and after these state based leagues have run for a number of years then the best of these clubs around australia could join this reserve grade competition becoming an A2-League which would run at the same time as the a-league. however small steps.

Edited by jargernaut: 5/5/2012 08:16:02 AM

Edited by jargernaut: 5/5/2012 08:18:08 AM

Jargernaut - on the topic of P/R at state level, i think it is crucial that it happens, it is the lifeblood of any free enterprise market and will push all teams for betterment of standards... but it should be like they do in Scotland....

Team A comes last in the State Premier League. Team B comes top in the State 2nd division. As it stands today, A is relegated, B is promoted.

Under the new and stricter criteria, it could be determined that team B does not have a minimum of "x permanent seats" and has "no seating elevation" and "x parking lots for cars" or whatever it is... therefore Team B cannot be promoted to the Premier League. Team A avoids relegation.

But i do think you're right, if the APL is to be controlled by the FFA, then my bet is it will be another franchise based system with no P/R to the tiers below.

How much does the licence cost ?

Like the ideas of State-based premier leagues and an FFA cup. Hope it gets off the ground.

i am happy with that promotion/relagation model however the criteria should also include youth teams. if they are unable to field teams at all the levels stipulated then they cannot enter.

the only real new information there is that football queensland would like to see 4 or 5 brisbane sides competing in the Queensland League of the APL. There would easily be 5 clubs from brisbane that could compete in this league with the existing clubs outside of brisbane (gold coast, sunshine coast, bundaberg, capricorn, whitsunday, north qld and far north qld) would give us 12 clubs. I am not sure how the QAS fits into the format as the details of what the clubs must do to be accepted have not yet been released.

Edited by jargernaut: 10/5/2012 12:14:04 PM

I asked this question in the $60 million per annum the likely value for FFA's next TV deal thread.

Hopefully the new TV deal will provide enough cash to provide 'parachute' type payments down to the second tiers.