Emerton signs on as ambassador for the Macarthur A-League bid.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/former-socceroo-brett-emerton-supports-macarthur-aleague-bid/news-story/06c6cc94ae88e142349768c57787a876

I can't divulge how I know, but the word on the street here in South East Melbourne is that Team 11 is being looked at VERY favourably.
It is actually a very good bid. Great location- Already 2 derby partners, in the heartland of football in Melbourne, easily accessible by all means of transport etc
Local government FULLY behind the bid and willing to help NOT hinder.
Private investment lined up and the stadium can be built within about 8-12 months due to it's design, but luckily if there are any unforeseen holdups they can play out of AAMI for a few months.
A demographic of locals that follow football and that will actually attend matches (if they are local, not in the city).

When the South West Sydney bid was first made public it included an agreement between Southern Districts and Macarthur Football but I have not seen anything further from Macarthur about it.  I guess they would fall into line with this new Council backed bid.

Looking at recent player numbers Macarthur has continued to grow but Southern Districts hasn't.  Macarthur has just under 10k while Southern Districts has dropped 800 to 8,100.

According to their site they aim to be a foundation Championship club.

http://www.southwestsydneyfootballclub.com.au/

Mixed messages aren't a good thing.

It's a moot point though. Both SW bids will be blown out of the water by Southern Expansion. 

According to facebook the SD Raiders rebadge is applying for A-League as well.

Strictly speaking they're not competing. the South West Sydney bid is a rebadged SD Raiders bidding for the new Championship from what I understand.

In that FNR interview the Macarthur bloke says the've had no discussion with the other SW Sydney franchise. They'll need to look in to that quick smart.

For clarification, their are two competing bids out the southwest Sydney region. One is the MacArthur bid playing out of Campbelltown Stadium, the other is the Southwest bid playing out of a proposed new stadium near the future Badgerys Creek airport.  

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/campbelltown-launched-united-for-macarthur-aleague-bid/news-story/eb04a1879a6f47a1c2075d7b510f01b7

http://www.footballnationradio.com/daily-news/a-club-for-the-community-by-the-community-united-for-macarthur-a-league-bid-spokesperson-fraser-neil

Southwest Sydney bid.

I suspect it will be the other way around...  FFA will retain control of the HAL, AAFC will get the Championship - then HAL 'franchises' will defect to the Championship rather than stick with the FFA and Lowy will be left holding nothing.

In previous years I would have said the intellectual property issue would have blocked this - but the FFA is on such wobbly legs at the moment that I don't think they could fight off the owners, the AAFC, the AFC and FIFA if they tried to hold onto those trademarks!  And that's why I suspect they want to control the 2nd division rather than have the AAFC's Championship (note - that's Championship, not 2nd division, the branding clearly leaves the door open to the nation's elite clubs to merge into one league rather than be a 2nd div - which would also explain the AAFC asking AFC about an ACL spot)

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.

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.

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

I've learnt something today

I reckon.

The fact that that needed a sarcasm tag is terrifying.

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

Surprised he didnt call it "the chase"

Loves his farken footy

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

Bloke just loves his finals.

Well meme'd

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).

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

RUOK ?

That Snottydramas, pretty nasty stuff

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. 

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

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

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

Brisbane City and Southern Expansion.

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.