Really appreciate the news, mate. Let's hope they can sort it out this week, assuming they're having meetings.

NST might have to be top 4 most significant events in Australian football in the last 20 years. A-League launch, 2006 World Cup, 2023 World Cup at home, and this.

So did u say 3 clubs want a cl model? Thats annoying

Any rumour on whether the fa will be more flexible with entry requirements

Also the rumour on sponsorship, apparently 14mil a year according to smmike and 3xy radio

Some on twitter including death to the nsl claim the sponsor is someone shady and provided a link to some group id never hears of that had allegedlt been involved in football

Hahaha its like in a football match mate, the APL are 1-0 down and trying to score in time added on .... :)

I honestly dont think so... but like I said its all under a cloak of secrecy at the moment...  The clubs will ALWAYS be arguing amongst each other, that what happens in football the world over...  I understand it is very much a state v state thing at the moment with some hold outs... but the overriding push from the clubs is tog et something going... its what it looks like that they cant seem to agree with... The ones pushing for a delay seem to have been overly ambitious as to how much of a "war chest" they could put together and want to delay the start to get more time, NOBODY wants a 3 game CL in its place though... at least I dont think so... 

IF this is one of the stumbling blocks that the FA is trying to appease this bloody rotten cancer in our game I hope Lowy having started it and now the APL burn in hell.....

Mid, it solves the MAIN problem though... The ability/drive of as many clubs as possible to professionalise and therefore increase the amount of professionally trained players for our national teams playing pools.... NOTHING ELSE MATTERS before this. 

Yes the hurdles are complex, yes there are more than one ways to tackle the problem but dont you agree that the very very very very FIRST step to finding a "solution" is to establish what the outcome every one wants is? There are two possible end games at play here, each with a fairly different need to move forward

1) Football as a "for profit" exercise needs, by its nature, to make money for those willing to invest because if it doesn't quite simply there will be no investors.... (See Basketball in Australia, and AFL and NRL as examples of this, or NFL, MLB, NBA and MLS if your more inclined to the US of A)

2) Football as a pure sport, at ALL levels (even the franchise one we have now) needs CLUBS, CLUBS and more CLUBS.... to develop players and increase popularity so we as a nation can improve our selves in comparison to other nations around the world ... this side of things would almost immediately see a benefit from pro/rel... NOT financial, but in the building towards financial.... (See EVERY single other country on the planet)

Ohhhh... I'm sure I read on here that the clubs were going after each other. Never mind then haha. Totally right about recouping losses... unless there was something already in the contract about IF the NST goes ahead? It wouldn't surprise me.

Is there anything stopping them from going with an 8 team league just for one season? A-League did it for the first four seasons, it really was a drag in the end. But one year should be ok.

Hey matey, no the clubs arent threatening each other legally, its the FA they have a beef with... The clubs that are unhappy with the latest CL garbage have spent money and signed contracts based on an agreement and acceptance by the Football Federation of Australia to participate in a national home and away season next year.. IF that does NOT go ahead in some for or another they have the right to recoup some of the monies already spent AND protect themselves from their own independent contracts with sponsors and players.... 

3-10 extra matches next year is NOT going to appease a sponsor who has paid money to be "front of shirt" for example with the anticipation of reaching a national audience over a full season... Nor is it going to recover sign on bonuses for new staff and players already signed up that will now be "surplus to requirements" in the same old NPL state league. 

name a problem

thanks you are obviously right... its so simple... no  other issues... nothing else matters ... nothing else will work...

again thanks for stating the obvious solution that solves all problems... 

Yeah I mentioned that above, the idea is to "level up" clubs, not play a knockout. But if EACH club could play 3-10 extra matches at a better national level for one year, why not? It's better than nothing and better than just NPL.

I want a proper league, but if even the clubs can't agree with each other then we're a bit screwed. At least find a middle ground for a season. I'm not surprised they're threatening each other with legal after agreement, but hopefully there's a peaceful outcome instead. Unbelievably frustrating.

And reserves/youth teams should not be on planes, absolutely no need. APL should not be looking at that.

All the NST applicants have 'self sustained' for longer than 20 years, why can't they be thought about ?

1st Tier has been going 20 years, how long does it need to 'self sustain' ?

Have a self sustainable stable 1st Division before even thinking about a 2nd Division.

Doomed from the outset. 

Correct. However there is probably a bunch of difficult and complex solutions. The type of solutions that require long term planning and commitment. Sometimes the correct solution to a problem is the complex difficult one. This is especially the case when budgets are on the low side and you can't just through bags of money at the problem.

I'd try a simple solution first

Full Pyramid

Every Decision at Every Club can be then based on a solid Structure where Every Club can find their own level 

the very sad thing is Football in Australia cannot generate enough revenue or support to operate the way many want it to operate.

IMO the even sadder thing thing is so many people believe the answer is both simple and easy to do.... there is no simple solution never has been.... the belief that their is this magical solution out there IMO stops other thoughts and ideas.

Yeah I hear ya... Its VERY frustrating.... Australian soccer... its the hope that kills you I suppose :(

No problem. Just not sure what to believe. Except that now is the chance to get it up and everyone (of the first 8) knew what they were committing to. If they can't go forward what should the FA do?

Well, if the Aleague clubs are willing to stump up a 1/2 million dollar "bond" and commit to paying players 12 months a year on professional wages, have ALL age group teams for both women and men, with a TD and full time admin, AND a winter broadcast ready pitch with lights and dual purpose changerooms then that's a fair enough call I suppose? Or are we NOT going to compare apples to apples?

Sorry not having a go at you, I just dont see what the FA end game is here with this CL malarkey. If indeed it IS the FA's position and not just outside resistance.

Yes  - it would but my understanding is that (some) NST teams are the one's wanting to back out of a full home and away - not the FA. The rest of the NST teams don't want a Champions League model. So if there is no agreement from the NST teams then the what does the FA deliver to the broadcaster? 

20 years on, apart from the mighty NZ Knights, each original club is still "alive". 

But wouldn't a FULL h/a National Youth league cost the FA the same as a NST? 

ALMOST impossibly hard :)  I agree, with you, including a financial element to the club licensing framework makes perfect sense.... It would have been a good idea for the Aleague franchises too btw. 

What you mean by "impossibly hard"?

If they were to lessen the criteria, clubs would be going bust within months...

TBH the FA have supposedly negotiated a TV deal along with the Socceroos and Matildas including the NST. If at least the 8 original clubs can't commit then there will need to be a NST of some sort.

At the end of the day if it all falls apart I suspect the FA may end up running a National Youth League (under 23 plus comeback from injuries) of the ALM clubs as something will need to be delivered to the broadcaster.

Full Pyramid Now

Fucking around with Band Aids hoping to appease everyone and getting nowhere 

YearafterYearafterYearafterYear

I am hearing that 3 clubs have given their full support for a Champions league style tournament....   I am also hearing the reasons as to perhaps WHY they have now changed their minds.... It seems like lawyers at 10 paces is unavoidable now .... how sad :(

For the same reason the NPL "Championship" was scrapped... The drive behind a second division is NOT TV content or 8 more matches, its to structure a WHOLE second tier of clubs, players, administrators, tech depts, fans, referees, etc etc etc ... APL just wants to make sure their NPL sides get included in a make believe Champions league because they cant afford a Youth league and they don't want the second division to EVER be established... 

Thats a fair point however the bank guarantee was one of the criteria for selection... How "strong" each bid is/was is sort of besides the point... FA (in my opinion) has made the criteria and financials almost impossibly hard on clubs for a reason, the fact that 8 were able to stump up the guarantee (despite one, possibly two, now getting cold feet) is a testament to the seriousness of these clubs in wanting to drive change.... I believe this whole CL style bullshit being brought up now is a negotiating tactic because the clubs (at least the VIC ones) have made it quite clear they will be seeking financial damages if a true h/a comp as agreed to by all parties and signed off on last year doesn't go ahead. 

It also smells terribly like CFGs last "hurrah" in trying to keep control of Australian soccer... Its the hope that kills you but I still have faith the "good guys" will win in this.... lets wait and see.