CQFC made it over Frenchville Sports Club? :lol:

Any idea what swung it ?

A bit of both I think. I can understand why FFA would see Queensland as the easiest place to start as they already had the regionally focused QSL alongside the Brisbane Premier League.

I have heard accusations on here of a conflict of interest.

EDIT: Oh, it's you, Gaz. I get it now.

Edited by paladisious: 3/10/2012 02:20:57 PM

Don't know much about Queensland - but it appears to be a decent split of teams and they appear to have been selected as the best of the applicants. Particularly happy to see the Strikers, Northern Fury and Sunshine Coast Fire in the mix.

Edited by Benjamin: 3/10/2012 02:22:05 PM

How soon before that will be changed (forced)?

No idea, perhaps FGC thought they were almost guaranteed and didnt impress as much as Palmy, just not a good decision IMO.

FQ always said there would only be a maximum of four teams from Bundaberg above. Bundaberg, rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Mareeba/Cairns. In having the QAS in the competition left only 3 spots for 5 teams.

Mackay bid wasn't supported by all in the area.

FQ have had someone in Rockhampton working on their entry for awhile.

Townsville and FNQ were always going to be involved.

Yes other clubs missed out on the bids but its not like the APL (QLD) will be locked to 12 teams forever, especially if they're talking about promotion by 2022 (in which case the APL conferences will be up around 16-18 teams each at least).

-PB

You can't fit everyone in. It does look like a variety of clubs.

And why is it called Premier? Aleague is the top tier. Reminds me of england where the third division is called league One lol

May as well stay as state leagues if they are going to be state conferences anyway.

Doesn't setting up an APL just mean they are further separating the a-league from the rest? They may as well stay as state leagues until an aleague division 2 is ready to go.

Or is APL just a roundabout way of sidelining the duplication in the state feds?

The word from South Australia is they are going to twelve teams next season as the top two are being promoted from the state's second tier and the bottom two from our top state league weren't relegated. Sounds like most of the main Australian Premier league divisions are going to be 12 teams or eventually get to 12 teams.

do not know what will happen to the other 18 teams that formed the originally three tiers under FFSA. Some may be a lower division while others may go back to amatuer status.

This new name to a new comp is another new dawn, or a least be seen by mainstream that way.

More beneficial to the Southern states where the entrenched old foreign mono ethnic culture with some clubs persist.

The more we leave the old baggage behind, the better. It doesn't mean we forget the achievements of the old clubs but a continuation of fresh beggining is in order.

There will be no Hellas Cup or Italian Cup in this comp because it is New Football.

FSC - Own Leagues Club, reasonable size Grandstand for a regional SC, plenty of people frequent there.

CQFC... More or less a "rep team" that will rely on sponsorship, etc.

Unless I am missing something. Though the Cougars did have a good year.

Looks like a good spread of teams. Pretty happy with that. Hope it works out.

It's called Premier because that's what FFA chose. If I knew nothing about football I'd assume the Championship is a higher division then the EPL, but it's not is it?

People need to realise that this unification is more then just a re-badged state competition. This is a competition that brings all of the state leagues IN LINE within the FFA control and modelling.

Not only that it aims to achieve things (both in the short and long term) such as:

-All corresponding area teams fall under the APL teams which provides the much wanted direct link from local semi-pro clubs all the way up to A-League teams.

-Provide a streamlined distribution of money in both directions to/from grassroots and the FFA.

-Television deal with coverage of games (most likely and hopefully FTA) which will provide sponsorship money and other financial aid to help these APL teams (travel, wages, coaching courses/degrees) and their connections with grassroots.

-Gear all teams up for the FFA Cup (more TV rights, more money, more sponsorship, more football).

These are just a few if not some of the major points. This is bigger then what people think it is. The amount of good this unified division will bring too Football, its supporters and its players is unparalleled.

The APL = A2 League = B-League etc.

-PB

Why with the APL has the only news come out of the Queensland division and from no other states. Will all other states be apart of the APL and when will we hear some news from this front?

I can't wait

Edited by Benny Buckly: 3/10/2012 02:49:36 PM

I'm fairly sure the FFSA is going back to 2 leagues next year. Just the Premier League and State league. Not sure if there is going to be a big change though like what was done in Queensland, I could see the big clubs (the ones that pushed for the three tier system) being against giving up a lot of power.

so if the top SA state league has twelve teams as advised by someone I know within Western Strikers will we see an 18 team second division? Don't know if several clubs will be cut out.

I definitely can't wait (being serious).

The APL is something that Fuckly won't be able to fudge.

Gallop will do wonders for the FFA and how can he not? (when you're at the bottom, the only way is up etc).

Be happy for the future BB :)

-PB

In all honesty, it is my opinion that it is a combination of QLD ahead of the pack/FFA testing the waters.

EDIT: That and the fact that the NSWPL/VPL are a bigger and more complex kettle of fish. They could take a bit more working out then the QSL did (as it was a shamble to be honest and needed fixing asap).

-PB

Edited by paulbagzFC: 3/10/2012 03:03:46 PM

Go the Gaffers.............

I would be happy............if there was promotion on the end of it, kinda makes a point to it all. If i just want a beer and a game, I can walk down to Tweed.

perhaps they think that a National Tier 2 competition would be unsustainable and that our 2nd tier will be a bunch of state leagues who play off against each other at the end sort of like Conference North/South in England(but keep in mind we're a much bigger country)



Edited by aussie4ever4: 3/10/2012 03:18:08 PM

Pretty much agree with everything paulbagz is saying. This is an exciting time for Football in Queensland, of course there are a number of clubs that missed out and will cry foul as a result, but for promotion and relegation intended to be introduced, the league will need to grow further and then more regions will get an opportunity.

Theres no point in accepting a bid that is financially unviable just so that region can be represented, because it will only fail in the long run anyway!

I dont really understand how it improves pathways to the HAL.

It will be good to have a standardized state leagues it will make any sort of champions league setup much easier.

I really hope that the APL works out. Still think a joined VIC NSW conference is the best way forward. For the short term anyways.

Promotion/relegation will come, hints are around 2022.

Another good thing about a strong APL is that it can be expanded relatively easily compared to the HAL and during the next TV deal (5+ years time) you can simply promote from within for HAL expansion.

-PB

I agree with Paulbgz the teams who missed out will be heartbroken but that doesnt mean they are not ruled out in the future, people need to keep this in mind this is a new league.

I dont think FFA should put a timeline on Promotion/Relegation, im not even sure if promotion/relegation would work in Australia..

Edited by aussie4ever4: 3/10/2012 03:20:58 PM

I hope they dont expand the APL and just use 12 teams plus pro/rel

@PB thanks for that, i had figured it would be about FFA wanting to do more of the centralised modelling. It is preferable them doing it than the state feds which really need to be collapsed into the national body as regional offices.

So as a transitional model APL seems like an improvement. But it doesn't get to the issue of building a top to bottom pathway for clubs that want to have a true chance to play for promotion to the top flight. So in that sense it is a separate structure ...i am guessing it is not a long term thing? It just seems they are avoiding for now the real issue of bringing the top and state tiers closer together. And giving regional aspirants a path to the top, on the field i might add not in the boardroom as is the strayan tradition.

As far as whether it is wise or not to be as centrally controlling as they seem to want to be. They are extending the ideas nationally like salary caps or point systems and more regulation, and trying to transplant it through the system. Another example of the overly prescriptive regulatory approach they seem to take.