+x+x+x+x+xIn the big picture looking at all this just really shows no matter the good points finally having a Pro comp and more, drew new crowds originally and money a closed comp has been a experiment that has failed the game down to grass roots where it all begins in the first place.
The lack of considering this only to focus on the top has come to bite the outset of the game overall to move ahead together and develop links top to bottom as normally occurs.
It no matter right and wrong before NSL this is the now and past 17yrs.
NST will have its hurdles a plenty and to look to build below even more, its a absolute mess trying to move ahead due to all the barriers and motives from one level of admin to another.
Mosh pit and a half.
A closed comp has been in play longer than the 17 years the A-league has been in place.
By and large the NSL was a closed comp as well.
The challenges the aleague faces is not due to it being a closed comp. That's just an argument for people with an agenda.
The expectations of the NST will practically rule out all NPL clubs. There'll be applicants I have no doubt.
But most of them will be dreamers like the west Adelaide and Freo A-league bids back in 2018.
An NST can be implemented, but the expectations need to be reduced because it is important to get it up and running.
But I don't think the powers that be are that keen to implement it. Regardless of the rhetoric coming from JJ
I knew that it was designed to fail.
How exactly was it 'designed to fail'?
Simple.
Build an inflexible model that is unattainable for most clubs. Or just about all clubs from the sounds of it.
Why wasn't the model modified to ensure it was within reach for 10-12 clubs?
Because where does the money come from?
It's all well and good for APL to potentially subsidise it (more) - that might even have been an option if they hadn't squandered all the money - but in the long run there has to be a balance between what the clubs put in, and what the league can put in - which would depend on sponsorship/media interest in the long run.
The criteria/model was worked on for a long time and is probably fairly realistic for a semi-pro nation-wide league.
Everything has also gotten much more expensive since this concept began life a few years ago - and the financial gap between NPL clubs and A League clubs continues to widen.
I'm only a little surprised it hasn't gotten up, but I was banking on it failing after a season or two when some clubs began to struggle.
Those who thought we could have P/R to the a league in 5 years time are in lala land - it would be a death sentence for any npl club getting promoted to the a league - especially this season (perhaps with the exception of one or two).