+x+x+x+xTwo things apparently: 1. It wasn’t as bad as it’s opponents feared it would be. 2. It wasn’t as good for the game as it’s supporters said it would be. They are two different issues P/R is designed to help clubs financially, develop players better, reward investment and improve the health of the game which any league depending on tens of millions of dollars of handouts requires It is not a tool to increase attendances, ratings and the overall popularity of the game How much money is in the Korean game now compared to before P/R? What is the financial size of the biggest clubs? How do Korea fair as a national team? How do their performance compare in the ACL? How many big international clubs are scouting their elite players? This is more important than how many AFL / NRL fans are now watching games Is it though? Because if we want to build a better national team for the future we need to engage our whole culture around the world game. Having such a low % of the population playing football compared to world makes it extremely difficult if we managed to be the dominant sort we would automatically have a hell of a lot more talent to pick from, imagine Cyril Rioli as a winger or even keeping the players that drift out of our ecosystem into other sports. The only reason we have Riley McGree is because his local aussie rules team was full up, imagine how many world class players we have missed out on simply because they were more engaged with AFL/NRL. Exactly. Imagine if most Aussies grew up playing football. You'd get guys like Cyril Rioli with phenomenal speed, agility, co-ordination and just feel for the game playing football instead of Aussie Rules or rugby league. There's are heaps of blokes who played AFL, as well as other sports, who (with a football culture and luck) would have the profile to be world-class attacking footballers. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Patrick Dangerfield, Patty Mills (NBA, grew up with Aussie Rules and basketball), etc. And then the less quick ones might do a great job in central midfield or central defence. Ages ago on this forum, somebody whose English but based in Melbourne suggested that if football had the popularity and influence in Australia of AFL, Australia might well be a powerhouse nation in football. I agree. Obviously the league set-up (P/R), academies, standard of coaching, etc. would be necessary, too, even with that kind of talent pool. Ive always thought the same regarding this. Not to say the skills are transferable or anything, but there are some amazing physical athletes involved in AFL who tend to control that egg shaped ball surprisingly well. Imagine if they grew up with a soccer ball at their feet and had an actual pathway to professionalism in thus country.....,
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