Inside Sport

VPL to be disbanded awaiting FFA approval


https://forum.insidesport.com.au/Topic950028.aspx

By Arthur - 20 Nov 2010 10:27 PM

The FFV plans to disband the VPL as the top tier competition await the FFA's review of State competitions due in March 2011. The FFV has put their plan forward to the FFA and it awaits their response.

Quote:


[size=8]COMMENT: Victorian Premier League future in crisis18.11.10 | Andrew Slevison[/size]

The future of the Victorian top flight competition is in doubt after existing clubs found out about plans by Football Federation Victoria to dismantle the Victorian Premier League in the format that has operated for over 20 years.

These plans could spell the end of great clubs such as Melbourne Knights, South Melbourne, Green Gully and Oakleigh Cannons to name but a few.

The plans involve dropping all existing clubs back into the lower State League competition and then replace the VPL with a new elite competition and a whole set of new clubs.

These new clubs will start with a clean slate and no history. They will be sought out by a new tender process and it is believed the current VPL clubs are holding crisis meetings to counter FFV plans.

If this occurs, it will put a dampener on the plans to hold a nation-wide ‘FA Cup’, which tribalfootball.com commented on earlier this week.

We wanted to know what would be the best name to give the competition but this news indicates the Cup may now not even go ahead if these touted plans come through, or if it does, established outfits as mentioned above may not be a part of it.

The major support of clubs such as the Knights, South Melbourne, Oakleigh and Sunshine threatens to be derailed which will affect the mooted national cup competition and deny fans of these VPL clubs any A-League interaction.

Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne didn’t make the cut when the A-League was formed in 2005 and may now be completely disregarded if this sensation comes to fruition.

Will Victorian clubs rich in history accept this? I doubt it.
Clubs who have nurtured the development of players who are now running around on Australian pitches week in-week out in the A-League and who have gone on to represent the national team will feel aggrieved if they are to be so easily disposed of.

What FFV should do is try and copy the model of football (soccer) in the United States and Canada. It starts with MLS (Major League Soccer) at the top end with USL (United Soccer Leagues) sitting below. Clubs have to apply to get in, rather than promotion and relegation, representing regions rather than communities.

To completely erase a current competition would be an absolute farce and FFV must reconsider what they are about to do.

It will be a sad day for football in this country if the VPL is shut down and Football Federation Australia must step in to disallow this potentially damaging event.


So when the FFA Cup starts Melbourne Victory will be playing Northern Allstars and Melbourne Heart will playing North East Diamonds in the battle for the worst American 'nick name'.

Its enough to make you want to follow AFL.

Edited by Arthur: 20/11/2010 10:28:58 PM
By AndyRoo - 10 Dec 2010 10:26 AM

Arthur wrote:


Please refer to first post, objective is to remove the VPL as the first tier in Victoria. All Clubs to be made amatuer and to play in their repective zones.

Questions around funding these Clubs, where they would play, volunteer support.

Already funding is being diverted to the VCL from the FFV, therefore the Clubs and players.

The Senior Standing Committee has already put a recommendation to the FFV Board that the VPL be played in Summer.
While the Proposal for the VCL to be played in Summer has no support from the "grassroots" or FFV members. It is a top down proposal.


Cheers Arthur. I thought Victoria would be set up like QLD (Brisbane) and NSW where the leagues below the top are regular promotion and relegation comps (for teams based in the big smoke) rather than zonal amateur leagues you are saying what happens in Victoria.

Why do they have to touch the old clubs at all. Levying junior clubs to pay for ambitious and poorly supported senior competitions is the bane of football in Australia (and NZ too!).

I think the idea of a summer regional based representative comp has some merit.... but the cost and the unnessesary ****ing over of the existing system just feel incompetent.


Edited by Andyroo: 10/12/2010 11:18:10 AM