If he'd been a born again Christian and the comment had begun, "God forbid", no one would have batted an eyelid.  It was the correct use of the term - move on.

Still childish and IF Lowy etc manage to keep power (but in some slightly altered form) do you think this has helped their cause?

aha just realised how little i care yet am responding coz i am so utterly bored and in my head the work week has finished 

Based on reports of the conversation earlier in the week - if the FFA manage to keep power nothing could have helped the cause.  Their position was quite clear (until they lost the vote) - we do things our way.  With everything else that is happening, a little oy vey would make zero difference.

Meanwhile, everyone getting over PC worrying about the way they chose to exclaim their surprise, rather than noting that on Monday the FFA were telling clubs that they had no interest in a 2nd division, couldn't see any way for it to work, etc., but on Thursday, having lost, they are suddenly supportive of the idea.  Add that to their string-everyone-along-but-avoid-expansion-at-all-costs position for the last 4 years, then suddenly blame the lack of expansion on the last 12 months. 

Sure, but I doubt anyone who said that was in poor form or unprofessional meant that they sided with Lowy and that they didn't have a point. People have forgotten there are subtleties in life and communication. It's all you are either with me or against me now. Oh well.

I guess it's just the way people communicate in the cesspool that is Twitter I am probably just out of touch. Nice dig at PC btw, should score you a few points around here.

"I'd like to think AAFC are acting in the best interests of the sport".
No. They're not.Sorry to break it to you, but AAFC are acting completely in their own self interest.

"best interests of the sport"  - the most pointless phrase ever

Everyone acts in their own interest

P&R lets them go for it,

Some go up, some go down, Footballs the winner 

This. No one walks around with a soccer ball on the shirt saying I like both teams I hope soccer wins. 

Anyone who talks like that are wankers and will be the first to jump ship if there team is losing. 

Not even that. Its Yiddish isnt it?

I put it more in the context of them writing Mamma Mia if Lowy was Italian. 

Its one of those things that people wont agree on. I call people out in Sweden when they mock/make fun of Australian, English or American accents. Why is that ok but if I do an eg Indian voice and head bobble it could be considered racist? (messing with them of course but still true).

The best way to solve this impasse would be to create a new independent body to run the A-League, perhaps giving the FFA a golden share, one that allows them to have a key say in the determination of policy in certain specified circumstances. The governing body could also be given an allocated revenue stream by way of a dividend from the monies generated by the league.

This new body should break the Sydney nexus between the league, the FFA and the league's broadcast partner, and should be based in another capital city: Melbourne would be the most obvious location.

From this, expansion would need to follow. It's probably too late to get two new clubs in next season, but that should be the aim for 2019-20. 

The league should then be expanded by one or two more teams a season until it contains 16 clubs.

The fairest sporting way to do that would be to establish a national second division, sooner rather than later, based on geographical needs and sound financial principals, made up of new franchises or existing clubs who meet the criteria in sporting, social and business terms.

The winner of that second division could be promoted to the top tier, thus increasing the numbers in the A-League over a further four-year period.

Then would come the time to look at relegation as part of the sporting package.

www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/blueprint-for-reform-of-game-must-start-with-independent-aleague-with-hq-anywhere-but-sydney-20171201-gzx0dy.html

I would also like AAFC to be there. Because they should hopefully eventually either become the same group or have very very close ties. 

AAFC Comment on FFA Congress 7/12/2017   The Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC) welcomes the advice from FIFA to FFA that FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will again visit Australia next month to facilitate and lead the development of a new-look FFA Congress.   The AAFC also welcomes FIFA’s direction that AAFC be included in the discussions that will determine the terms of reference for the Congress including the objectives, composition, mandate and timeline for a working group to finalise these matters once-and-for-all.   “The AAFC is an important stakeholder in Australian football representing more than 130 semi-professional clubs and more than 30,000 players, contributing significantly to the football economy throughout Australia’s metropolitan and regional centres,” said AAFC Chairman, Rabieh Krayem.    “We look forward to working with FIFA, the AFC, the state federations, the A-League clubs, the PFA and other stakeholders to advocate for a Congress that reflects all the stakeholders in football, consistent with the FIFA Statutes.   “We also look forward to meeting with senior executives of FFA next week to further discuss our preferred model for a national second division competition.   “With the support of FIFA and the AFC, we embrace 2018 with confidence for a more inclusive, representative and accountable FFA Congress and, ultimately, FFA Board,” Krayem said. ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CLUBS - News

Over 130 clubs working together to form a league that will have 16 teams at most, not all of which will come from those 130+ members...  Not sure how that fits with self-interest when 90% of the members won't even be a part of the competition they are promoting.

SELF INTEREST

Effnikz

If all the stakeholders of football in Australia are represented in congress promoting their own self interests, isn't that a democracy?

Can't expect certain groups to act on behalf of all. In that case, make sure all groups have a say...

All this self interest talk is nonsense. Of course everyone will act in their best interest...

It literally makes no sense. Imagine Victory having a meeting saying 'aww I hope City get a thousand more fans even if it is to our own detriment. That'd be better for soccer.'

I think it's a complete & utter embarassment that we require a bunch of idiots such as FIFA to sort out our own football like we're some tinpot federation.  

Apparently the game is as healthy as its ever been.

Only when compared to a semi pro comp living on life support for the majority of it's existence 

The only one not embarrassed is one S Lowy, says it all, really.

https://omny.fm/shows/box2box-radio-nts/071217-b2b?utm_content=bufferb0e7a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer


Interesting listen if you have the time from @box2boxNTS with Simon Hill, @rabiehkraeym of @aafclubs re FFA, #FFACongressWars + #PerthGlory and Joseph Mills via @dHennessey4, @robgilbert1966 & @Pat_panetta.

Not sure if this is the thread for it but FNQ Heat have rebranded themselves as Cairns FC...possibly in preparation for a push to join a second division?
See here: https://twitter.com/Cairns_FC

That looks crap. Imp they should have gone with a turtle and been dark green and aqua.

They got the name right though.

makes sense to me.

“Nervous” Paul Okon urges pro national second tier over expansion


A “nervous” Paul Okon has stressed a professional second division should be prioritised over A-League expansion when it comes to opportunity for youngsters.

Youth development has been a hot topic this week following the release of a survey of the 10 A-League coaches conducted by the Herald Sun.

In that survey, the managers including Okon said expansion was required to increase chances for young footballers.

The Central Coast Mariners boss said that as well as expansion, a national professional second tier was crucial for readying young players for the big league.

The survey was released a day after the close of Round 10, in which a number of young players caught the eye.

Adelaide United striker George Blackwood, 20, broke his A-League duck for the Reds, netting the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory.

Sixteen-year-old Jacob Italiano continued on in Perth Glory’s starting XI, while Melbourne City’s 18-year-old Tasmanian Nathaniel Atkinson held his own against Central Coast Mariners.

But as well as expansion, a national second tier, currently being pushed and modelled by the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC), was also highlighted as a remedy.

Speaking on Friday’s Daily Football Show, Okon said a second division would offer more to young players than expansion.

“There’s been this discussion over what needs to happen in the game,” said Okon, who is the former manager of the Young Socceroos.

“Obviously expansion is extremely important, but in terms of youth development, I think it’s more important that a professional second tier comes in to offer that opportunity to players who probably aren’t ready to offer that step up from youth football.

“if we can offer that to as many talented players (as possible), you’re going to have a higher success rate of players who eventually might get to a higher level.

“With the current model now, it’s making it extremely difficult for young players to bridge that gap.”

But Okon warned any motivation to bring in a second tier competition must be for the potential rewards for youth, rather than the prospect of promotion and relegation.

“My question is, do people want a second tier competition because they’re pushing promotion and relegation or do they want a second tier competition to give more opportunity for young players to be in a professional environment?” he queried.

“I still think we’re years off promotion and relegation.

“That might not be what a lot of people want to hear, but I think that’s just the harsh reality of where we are at the moment.

“The second tier competition, if it’s going to take off, it needs to be, initially, from the start, about giving opportunities for those younger players.

“Then further down the track when you expand the A-League to 12, 14 teams and you’ve established a real good second tier competition, professional, only then can we start thinking about promotion and relegation.

“If people think we’re going to bring in a second tier purely because of promotion and relegation, I think you’re mad.”

Representing NPL and grassroots clubs, the AAFC has stated it wants to bring in promotion and relegation to and from the A-League from 2024.

They are just one major stakeholder currently embroiled in the game’s congressional dispute, which has reared its head for the best part of two years, on and off.

The saga reached a head at the end of last month when FFA failed to push through proposed reforms for its voting structure by the FIFA-imposed deadline of 30 November.

The 10 A-League clubs have driven opposition to FFA and are pushing for a 9-5-1-1 voting model, rather than the proposed 9-4-1-1, which would tip power in their favour and away from the federations.

FIFA have since stepped in but have sought to establish a congress review working group (CRWG) rather than install a normalisation committee.

But the situation could still be deadlocked after The Australian reported the clubs could boycott that group if FFA chairman Steven Lowy interfered with that process.

Okon expressed concern as the drama continues to drag on well into the A-League season, which has taken a hit by way of attendance figures and TV ratings.

He is hopeful the warring factions will unify for the better of the game.

“My concern is, how are we all going to agree on how are we going to take the game forward?” Okon said.

“I think we’re at a real delicate point … something needs to be done now

“I’m a bit nervous as to how quickly we can be unified … to take the game forward.

“I’d like all of this to be resolved as soon as possible.”

Okon’s Mariners feature in the prime time slot this weekend, up against the struggling Western Sydney Wanderers.

http://dailyfootballshow.com/nervous-paul-okon-urges-pro-national-second-tier-over-expansion/

I agree with Okon that the motivations of a second division needs to on youth but I think that's stating the bleeding obvious and they go hand in hand with or without youth quotas like the AAFC have proposed.

I believe a second division with no pro/rel up but pro/rel down wouldnt be far off challenging the A-League, maybe not in metrics(unless they keep the current trend) but in terms of support.

There's obvious plenty of football fans in this country with no attachment to the A-League that just want to feel connected to top tier football and with that a football Eco system that emulates the rest of the world.

What FFA, either don't understand or continue to ignore is, that the sooner they lay out transparent criteria and a system for promotion to be achieved by NPL clubs the more eyes drawn towards the A-League.

New franchises won't have the desired result on metrics, especially in the long term.

Alll a second division needs to do at the moment is not have VAR and it will succeed. 

So a lot of confirmation talk around this league. So it's a certain happening. When is the next announcement scheduled?

> South Melbourne
> Heidelberg United
> Melbourne Knights
> Hume City
> South West Sydney Lions
> Inner-West Tigers
> Blacktown City
> Manly United
> Wollongong Wolves
> Sunshine Coast Fire
> Cairns FC
> Northern Fury
> Adelaide City
> West Adelaide
> Brisbane Strikers
> Western Pride

16 teams that have indicated their desire to join the second division or are directly eligible based on the criteria released by the AAFC. Just an idea of what it would look like based on what we know so far.