18 ideas for A-League franchise expansion

With all the talk of National Premier Leagues and promotion/relegation as a way forward for Australian football, potential A-League expansion franchises seem to have been shelved for the time period.
Now as the FFA are busy dealing with all of those arrangements, I have saved them the time of costly market analyses and other feasibility studies.

Here is where they could swell the A-League and develop our game the old school way:

1. Melbourne Knights – Because just in case Mark Viduka is reincarnated, we need an A-League platform for the Duke.
2. Second Adelaide Side – So Adelaide fans can hate each other as much as they hate Melbourne Victory.

3. Gold Coast II – Face it, you all miss Clive Palmer and who doesn't like an away trip to a place better than where you live? Palmer loves sinking ships, perhaps a second version will succeed.

4. WSW B – Surely enough passion and atmosphere for two teams. "Who do you sing for, we sing for Wanderers. And Wanderers B also".

5. Dandenong Thunder – If 1500 can cause such a ruckus from week to week, it would be irresponsible to not let 15000 cause FFA Disciplinary proceedings.

6. South Melbourne FC – Time to put up or shut up. Oceania club of the century needs a chance to become World club of the century.

7. Tasmania FC – There's no competition. MARKET MONOPOLY. Who cares if no market exists in the first place.

8. Geelong – Doing ok in other areas of sport. Opening signing: Ruben Zadkovich to star as the new Gary Ablett.
9. Darwin United –Save our players money on flights to the Middle East for their next paycheck.

10. Kalgoorlie – Financially viable because after training the lads can jump down a shaft and make some money for the franchise in the mines.

11. Canberra – Tom Rogic probably has siblings and other family, lets base a whole side around them.

12. More Sydney's – Why not have South Sydney, North Sydney and East Sydney? Let's be fair.

13. Mt Isa – We've tried everywhere else in QLD, give them a crack.

14. Oakleigh Cannons – Because their souvlaki is delicious.

15. Airlie Beach FC or Byron Bay FC – Wherever those backpackers go because there is plenty of "foreign talent'' there. No shortage of blokes putting their hands up to be chief scout of all that foreign talent.

16. Culina FC – Because by the time we expand the A-League Jason and his Dad Branko will have fallen out with every club in the league and will have no-where else to go.

17. Bundaberg FC – Frank Farina needs somewhere to go next and we assume he likes rum, so send him to the source! First player signing: Liam Reddy.

18. Tahitian National Team – We should put them in so there is someone Wellington Phoenix can finish above.

With these sure successes we can soon have exactly what all of us Australian football fans want: six professional leagues and all the relegations one club can handle before they crumble as an entity and die a painful, painful death.

:-k

Did you disguise yourself?

Sat in active for the first time yesterday.
I enjoyed it, but don't tell anyone around here :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: [-x Nuh-uh!

Unlike people who jump from Sydney to Wanderers or Victory to Heart, when it's a geographical reason it's different. Never lived in Sydney before and not the reason why I supported them. As I said, the initial reason for supporting Sydney was due to the lack of a Wollongong side/waiting for one.

Trust me, if I was a fair weather fan it'd be so easy to stop supporting Sydney and jump on WSW.

Sat in active for the first time yesterday.
I enjoyed it, but don't tell anyone around here :lol: :lol: :lol:

Calm down you crazy Perth ultra from Sydney. ;)

'He's not a Wolves fan, he's a very naughty boy!'

:lol: I'm not a turncoat, but I've always said when Wollongong gets a team I'll support them. The reason I started supporting Sydney FC around season 3 was because there was no Wollongong team. If you want to get technical I'm originally a Wollongong Wolves fan ;)

If it happens, I'll still support Sydney FC (as a close 2nd), but not to the same extent you can by actually living where the team plays.

Another relative of HeyItsRobbie ;)

:lol: I'm not a turncoat, but I've always said when Wollongong gets a team I'll support them. The reason I started supporting Sydney FC around season 3 was because there was no Wollongong team. If you want to get technical I'm originally a Wollongong Wolves fan ;)

If it happens, I'll still support Sydney FC (as a close 2nd), but not to the same extent you can by actually living where the team plays.

Thinking of leaving SFC?
:-k

1700! Don't you dare contemplate being a turncoat A16Man! You can have them as a 2nd side but SFC TID!

Wollongong.

Fury renaissance a step closer

27 January 2014-SBS EXCLUSIVE: Philip Micallef

A group of benefactors headed by former North Queensland Fury chairman Rabieh Krayem has re-formed the club in the hope that it is allowed back in the A-League in 2018.

The new entity is expected to compete in the National Youth League and Women's League under the name of Northern Fury in 2015-2016.

It is hoped the club will be able to build a compelling case for inclusion when Football Federation looks to expand the competition in four years' time.

The Fury club was disbanded by Football Federation Australia (FFA) in 2011 due to financial instability two seasons after its acceptance in the A-League.

"We are very confident of being in a position to take the A-League licence when FFA decides to expand the competition after taking the basic steps of getting a youth and women's team in the competition," Krayem said.

"We have set time to get ourselves into the A-League and we have spoken to the FFA who have been very receptive to our concept.

"What we've learned from the past is that we've got to build from grassroots.

"At the moment we are competing in the National Premier League in Queensland."

The old Fury club came into the competition in 2009 in a blaze of publicity.

It signed former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler and drew healthy crowds but it all went wrong in its second season as crowds dipped and the team finished bottom of the league.

Krayem said he has no doubts that the second bite at the cherry would be successful because, contrary to the club's first acceptance, it has enough time on its hands to get things right.

"This time we've got all the clubs and associations on board," Krayem explained.

"We've got 12-year olds playing in the NPL and have provided them with a pathway to the senior level.

"Three years ago, on the other hand, we were given a licence and asked to get the local associations on board.

"Basically three years ago we were handed a licence whereas this time we want to earn it and deserve it.

"That's what I told (CEO) David Gallop in the talks with the FFA which have been very positive."

Krayem said that drawing big enough crowds to make the club sustainable in the A-League would not be as problematic as in the past.

"I'll give you an example. We had average crowds of 2400 per game in our matches in the NPL last season," he said.

"Now when you have a club with many members and 12-year-old teams right through to senior sides you get community backing and you are not just relying on corporate support.

"Football is still the number one junior sport in the region and four years should give us enough time to build support.

"If Fury are back in the league the rise in supporter numbers and media support would be significant."

It would be around November 2016 the next deal since its a 4 year deal and signed in Nov 2012

Cant see it happening before the new TV deal in 2017-2018

This is great stuff. I feel like they're really leading the way with how expansion should be done. Even if they weren't given an A-League license, they could really be an NPL/Youth League/W-League power. Maybe other big name NPL clubs could do the same and establish some youth academies, etc.

meeting with the ffa, seems to be the first sign of expansion of the a-league in the gallop era.