ACL 2009/10

[Bex]

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/reds-plight-prompts-ffa-rethink-151161/

Reds' plight prompts FFA rethink
13 November 2008 | 17:21 - AAP

Football Federation Australia is considering allowing extra players for A-League clubs competing in the Asian Champions League from next year.

FFA chief executive Ben Buckley admitted Adelaide United's plight of having just 15 players available for the most important match in Australian club football history on Wednesday night could prompt a re-think of the A-League's strict squad numbers and salary cap policy.

Any changes are likely to only apply to those teams competing in the ACL, starting with Newcastle and Central Coast who will be Australia's representatives in the 2009 tournament.

Adelaide have been forced to combine A-League matches and Asian commitments, doubly handcuffed by Asian regulations restricting the number of imports allowed and the A-League's 23-man squad policy.

The ACL rules meant visa players Jonas Salley and Alemao were immediately ineligible, while injuries, suspensions and unavailability eventually cut the Reds' remaining 21 players down to bare bones by the tournament's business end.

Adelaide lost the two-legged ACL final 5-0 on aggregate to Japanese club Gamba Osaka - effectively having played their final by reaching it.

Buckley admitted relaxing the A-League's strict squad numbers policy for teams involved in Asia would be considered.

"That's something we have to look at because the combination of extensive travel schedules, the A-League competition being on at the same time, clearly it puts a strain on the depth of squads,'' Buckley said.

"As we look at the regulations for next year, that's something we'll certainly consider.''

After Adelaide were comprehensively outplayed by Gamba over both matches, coach Aurelio Vidmar and captain Travis Dodd admitted there was a huge gulf in football quality and resources between his side and the J-League outfit.

Vidmar agreed some easing of the A-League regulations could help future Australian ACL campaigns.

Gamba Osaka had targeted ACL victory 12 months ago, and operated on a multi-million dollar budget believed to be around 20 times what United's shoestring campaign ran on.

"It goes back to resources and all sort of things, player rosters - obviously their roster was a lot bigger than ours," Vidmar said.

"There's a mini-gulf absolutely - technically, physically, tactically, everything.

"But for Australia playing their second season in Asia, it's a massive feat.''

Gamba's win was their first success in Asia's club championship, and gives Japanese clubs back-to-back ACL wins following Urawa Red Diamonds' 2007 triumph.

Despite Adelaide's defeat, they still qualified for the Club World Cup in Japan next month and play New Zealand side Waitekere United in the opening round.

If they win that, they will meet Gamba Osaka again in the next round in a tournament which also features European powerhouse Manchester United.

Cool, extra players    So who we gonna get?

 

[Redline]

Wow thats a huge thing, but it comes down to how much money we have to throw around. ALso, does that mean we can only sign them on shhort term contratcs..ie, one season at a time?

 

[Bex]

Yeh, good point about the length of contract. I guess thats going to be the subject of Buckley's discussions.

 

[BAD BULLZ]

I think to a certain extent our pockets will be about as deep as we are allowed by ffa.
This definitly gunna be a interesting times ahead..
So whos already contracted till end of acl??