Former English Premier League boss Richard Scudamore believes the lure of marquee players is overrated, saying "alchemy" can be created in the A-League through a focus on homegrown talent, good football, small stadiums and high occupancy rates.
Scudamore has landed in Australia for his first round of face-to-face talks with clubs in his new role as an advisor to the A-League, first revealed by the Herald last month.
It will be a whistlestop trip for the 60-year-old, who will barely have a spare hour as he consults with owners and administrators, discusses strategy and the impending separation from Football Federation Australia, and attends fixtures on Saturday and Sunday before flying out on Monday.In an hour-long briefing with reporters on Friday morning, Scudamore made it clear there was no silver bullet for the A-League and was not willing to make any predictions as to where it could be after five or 10 years of independence.
But he said a recent move from the clubs to prioritise youth was the right one, saying big-name marquees were not essential and pointing to Leicester City's famous title-winning season as an example of how players like Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante - largely unknown at the time - can become overnight celebrities.
full article https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/marquee-players-are-overrated-says-new-a-league-advisor-scudamore-20191115-p53b1p.html