If only the FFA had a long term vision for the sport, too much spending time fighting the politics rather than getting everyone working together.

Muz, I can assure I’m one of those in the ‘let’s get this thing started’ people.
I’m just thinking of what could happen. Clearly in my opinion the only thing holding back this entire thing is money, otherwise it would have started years ago.
Everyone is in agreance this should happen.

Why don't you try and work out a way of how this could work instead of being so relentlessly negative?  Can you not see that the A-League is dying before your very eyes?

In every metric it's failing.  It can't continue like this.  Dribbling in a team here or there over the next few years is just a short term sugar hit that will only further alienate supporters of clubs that can never challenge for the top tier even if they had all the money in the world.

the problem with the mariners is that they are not producing players that are worth $1 million. when your rock bottom you cant ask for that kind of money.

they are doing everything backwards. you need to build a strong successful team on the park and then slowly bring youngsters through.

For the money the FFA and Fox funded for Cahill and have stashed away for other 'marquees' they could easily fund travel for an entire 14 team second division. 

There's the money part of it answered.  Now what?

It would've started years ago if someone down at the FFA had the balls to be ambitious.  FFS they got WSW off the ground in 6 months.  Look what they can achieve when push comes to shove. 

If people aren't happy, don't attend the A-league and instead support your local NPL club. The FFA can't stop us and when they see massive crowds at NPL games, they'll have to change their strategy. I've been done with the A-league and will continue to boycott it until we have an open pyramid.

@theFOOTBALLlover

It would be more effective to boycott the NPL until they get the second division up and running. That’s where the delay is surely?

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/red-faced-ffa-forced-into-damage-control-after-nikou-s-pro-rel-comment-20190325-p5176g.html

Red-faced FFA forced into damage control after Nikou's pro-rel comment

Football Federation Australia was forced into damage control spin on Sunday night and board members were at loggerheads on social media after the chairman, Chris Nikou, may have let the cat out of the bag over how long it might take to implement a promotion and relegation system between the A-League and any subsequent second division.Immediately after Nikou's comments were reported on Sunday afternoon, other board members Remo Nogarotto and Joseph Carrozzi took to social media to distance themselves from Nikou's remarks, with comments implying Nikou was freelancing without the subject having been decided upon by the board.

And within hours the game's governing body hastily rushed out a four-paragraph "clarification" notice after Nikou had told an audience of soccer writers, bloggers and committed fans that promotion and relegation could be 15 years away.FFA said in its statement that it wanted to "clarify comments" made by Nikou that, in his opinion, promotion and relegation might not happen until 2034.

Nikou had stressed that he was putting a personal perspective and answering the question – initially posed by Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill – from where he "was standing".He was technically correct, inasmuch as the current A-League clubs (with the exception of Wellington) had, under the Frank Lowy regime, been given a long-term deal to be in the A-League until 2034.He also said he supported the concept of a second division and the idea of promotion and relegation, but was cautious over the timing of its implementation to ensure that any clubs that did win the right to come up to the top tier were financially secure and strong enough to survive at that level.

His remarks sparked a wave of protest on social media from those advocating speedier reform of the domestic game, fans and officials of current NPL clubs who had anticipated a second division kicking off perhaps as soon as the 2020-21 season, with promotion and relegation to eventually follow that.Those who advocate for promotion and relegation believe it will reinvigorate a stagnant A-League and provide a catalyst for fresh sources of investment in the Australian game.The existing clubs are planning to break away (with the backing of FFA) and become a self-managed league from as early as next season.

Talks are currently taking place between the clubs, FFA, the players' union, the state federations and other stakeholders as to how this could best be managed, with a report due within seven days.It is unlikely that the existing clubs will see promotion and relegation in a positive light – at least not immediately, as they wish to shore up the value of their franchises, which can best be protected by exclusivity.In its statement, FFA said: "Under the terms of the existing Club Participation Agreement (CPA), existing and incoming Australian Hyundai A-League Clubs are entitled to participate in the Hyundai A-League until the year 2034.

"Whilst the CPA also provides for the introduction of promotion and relegation during that period at its discretion, FFA notes that the New Leagues Working Group and the Second Division Working Group are currently considering the future structure of the top two tiers of Australian club football, including what provisions for promotion and relegation should be established."These provisions are expected to include the specific timing of the establishment of a Second Division, targeted commencement of promotion and relegation to and from the Hyundai A-League, and the prioritisation of Second Division Clubs as part of expansion of the Hyundai A-League beyond 12 teams."

100%. When the game is rigged the only way to win is to not play. 

In my case, I went to the first ever A League match...and haven’t been back since!  Went to the odd NPL match last season...but am keen to support more.

This would be awesome to see...people...do this!

The irony he calls supporters bitters who are wanting changes for the better as a whole, anything, just anything positive for the league to improve and if not asking much something for the mid levels of development whilst the ship is sinking - more so he's bitterly twisted defending mediocrity in times that its move NOW or be left behind, and how fucken behind are we now in so many fronts.

Let's be real, these guys aren't serious about it.

It sort of does mean that if the top tier monopolises all broadcast, membership and sponsorship revenue

Agree. I think 2nd division is used for the "promotion" side of P&R only. The two best performing clubs over a 5 year period get promoted in 2025 and 2030. Relegation can come in at 2034.

So our Chairman is rogue or inconsistent with that the Board position is? 

I would suggest we have a promotion/relegation to stop teams doing this... 

Plus - no one is going to be selling a player for $1m in Australia if they are finishing bottom of the 2nd division.

He gave a personal opinion because he was asked a question.  Some took it as the FFA's position.  The FFA clarified this.  I think, at worst, Nicou showed himself to be out of step with the thinking of his board, and the game in general, but he didn't go rogue and try to infer a pre-determined board opinion.

I don't see the problem, a second division next season, clubs spend a few seasons bringing themselves up to standard and then gradually introduce promotion for clubs that are ready until pro/rel in about 10-15 years.

And by then the gap will be too large to bridge and/or the A-league will be dead.  It's already a massive gap now with teams like Sydney and MV spending $6m + each season.  In 15 years it's going to be huge.

The FFA need to get this moving or get out of the way.

All these denials and walk backs are about is appeasing plebs like us.  They know it's not coming either at all or it'll be in decades but "for Christ sakes Nikou don't actually say that".

They don't need to compete with SFC or Victory but with CCM's or Brisbane. They will definitely need a few years to professionalise but hopefully clubs like South Melbourne, Canberra, Marconi, Wollongong, Tassy, Strikers etc get there quickly. Exciting times, good to see the FFA finally moving towards it.

A point lost on a lot of people

The Australian rigged sports model gives fans the idea that the purpose for playing sport is to win it

For some teams the world cup is about qualifying, for others its about getting out of the group, for others it may be the quarters or semis

But Muz does make a good point. If the second tier was the youth league, having CCM relegated to the "youth league" and a youth league team given a chance to prove themselves would not be a tragedy. 10-15 years from now when the smallest club is worth $15m and the highest club in a second tier is the size of a youth league club then all doors will be closed

Sorry, Benjamin, he was there as the FFA Chair and as such was the boards representative. If he was not answering in his capacity as the chair of the FFA board then he should have put an "in my personal opinion" in his answer, he is, or should be, well enough versed in the constitution of the board to understand that when he is attending an event in his official capacity he is not a private individual but a representation of the board as a whole. When he speaks as the chair of the board he is speaking for the board. He is obliged to state explicitly when he isn't speaking as the chair of the board when he is acting in his official capacity as the chair.

THIS.

-PB

He DID frame it as his personal opinion.  The bloggers who reported it missed that out.

"Nikou had stressed that he was putting a personal perspective and answering the question – initially posed by Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill – from where he "was standing"."

He's a conflicted individual who's in the pocket of the A-League owners - but on this occasion all he's done is outed himself as a footballing idiot, rather than declaring a position of the FFA.

Yesterday the autocratic Lowy board was the problem, today the problem is individual board members giving opinions.

..

I'm done with this joke of a league.

Oh, that's all right then .... I fell much better about the future of our game now that you've clarified that.

I've stopped going to a-league games slowly each season, the product has gotten real stale anyway.

The NPL has been a breath of fresh air. 

lol but that wasn’t my point, if you want chance pressure the AAFC to deliver on this blasted Championship.