I read Gary Kleiban from 3four3 blog quite a lot and find his points of view confronting but accurate.

Read a comment that goes like this; 4 million make youth players in the USA and not one World Class player!

More than 650,000 people played indoor and outdoor soccer in 2013-14, http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/soccer-more-popular-than-aussie-rules-but-sport-participation-down-report-finds/news-story/598fee7c6d726ae2a9f45726665cadda

And not one World Class Player.

So the question is "Are we able to develop a World Class Player in our Environment?

From my point of view and research the problems are as follows in particular order;

1. Restricted on no promotion and relegation from Community to NPL to A-League.
2. Cost of coaching Licences in Australia
3. Restricted places in expensive coaching courses.
4. Questionable learning methodology of coaches.
5. Restriction of VISA player entrants at NPL level- as a further explanation the key issue of NC and player development is the best against the best. When players from the Welsh Premier League come to second tier NPL comps and dominates I think that indicates a problem. When the A-League is dominated by VISA players of low rank, that are better than anything we have domestically there are issues.
6 LAck of investment and belief that Futsal is an important development tool,
7 Entry point costs at $2,200 for NPL players is crazy and turning our sport into a middle class past time.
Pay to play is an identified problem because it filters out talent from reaching the higher levels of the game.
8 Transfer system and Compensation Fees, this is how the rest of the world pays for player development, this is not available in Australia and economically realistic levels.

I've said before and say it again if your a talented player 14-16 years of age with a European Passport then go to Europe now.