National 2nd division.

[turbo]

Agree, I'd hardly call this a second division. Don't know how much traction this will get.

It's a risk to launch it like this. On one hand they want to show the idea isnt dead in the water but on the other hand launching it in the reduced capacity might kill any support to launch it in full later.

 

[Stuartmcateer]

The fact that the 8 NST teams have all agreed leads you to think that there is a genuine feeling that this will expand to cover further clubs from other states in the future. Otherwise why would they agree to it.

The fact that 6 out of 14 couldn't meet the mandatory financial requirements to establish a stand alone league is hardly a positive look to the ability to expand.

Tbh I would rather see a sustainable 16-18 team A-league rather than 2 competitions that has a constant revolving door of clubs coming in and going bust. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[pjennings]

The fact that 6 out of 14 couldn't meet the mandatory financial requirements to establish a stand alone league is hardly a positive look to the ability to expand.

Tbh I would rather see a sustainable 16-18 team A-league rather than 2 competitions that has a constant revolving door of clubs coming in and going bust. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I guess the difference is what is the long term vision. 18 professional clubs or 32 professional clubs over 2 divisions. From a FA point of view (with a Socceroos hat on) the more players playing professionally is advantageous to them.

Is there enough money in football for 28-32 professional teams?

Does expanding the ALM to 18 mean that a second tier professional league will never get off the ground? And what does that mean for the Socceroos going forward?

 

[Stuartmcateer]

I guess the difference is what is the long term vision. 18 professional clubs or 32 professional clubs over 2 divisions. From a FA point of view (with a Socceroos hat on) the more players playing professionally is advantageous to them.

Is there enough money in football for 28-32 professional teams?

Does expanding the ALM to 18 mean that a second tier professional league will never get off the ground? And what does that mean for the Socceroos going forward?

The vision has to be sustainability, regardless of the format or number of teams.

At the moment, one 13 team comp is barely sustainable.

Obviously more is better from a Socceroos standpoint (as long as it's Aussie players getting the opportunities to develop and not has been foreigners).

Given we are the 3rd/4th football code and the media own the 2 main codes (and have a vested interest in the major summer sport) sense would dictate a measured approach rather than a boom or bust scenario.

 

[pjennings]

The vision has to be sustainability, regardless of the format or number of teams.

At the moment, one 13 team comp is barely sustainable.

Obviously more is better from a Socceroos standpoint (as long as it's Aussie players getting the opportunities to develop and not has been foreigners).

Given we are the 3rd/4th football code and the media own the 2 main codes (and have a vested interest in the major summer sport) sense would dictate a measured approach rather than a boom or bust scenario.

The boom or bust approach of the launch worked (with the exception of the original Auckland). The measured approach has had much more mixed results (for varying reasons).

TBH I think the continual limping along in a measured way is what is killing football in Australia. It is a slow drip by drip death. That said - I don't think we are in a position to go with a boom or bust approach at the moment. While the FA and clubs can reach agreement on certain things the Federations wield too much power. As a result I suspect the unsaid part of the press release was that QLD would have had 2 representatives in a 10 team home and away season starting next year if Football Qld were more flexible. If that had happened we would be looking at 24 teams (including Canberra) from next season.

To my mind the Federations should just be operational arms of the Football Australia that are responsible for running the game on behalf of FA - not a separate tier unto themselves.

 

[Stuartmcateer]

To my mind the Federations should just be operational arms of the Football Australia that are responsible for running the game on behalf of FA - not a separate tier unto themselves.

They are supposed to be. But like local associations people get a sniff of power and run things for themselves rather than the benefit of football.

 

[FFC Mariner]

This is a start. Its part of a wider plan - dont forget, Australia has been voted by the AFC as having the best grassroots network (for the 2nd year in a row). Those players need pathways

2 proper divisions of 16 teams, pro/rel will take a long long time but we are getting there

 

[pjennings]

This is a start. Its part of a wider plan - dont forget, Australia has been voted by the AFC as having the best grassroots network (for the 2nd year in a row). Those players need pathways

2 proper divisions of 16 teams, pro/rel will take a long long time but we are getting there

The more I look at it the more I can see the ALM at 16 teams.

Team 14 will be Canberra. The ACT government has said they will look at matching the $3m they are putting towards the BBL to an ALM bid if they can show similar exposure to the BBL. The BBL will have 2 games in Canberra. A Canberra team would have 13 home games.

The 15th and 16th team will probably be another couple of years later. Tony Pignata is lobbying hard for Federal and State assistance as part of a Tasmanian bid. The 16th team will be the problem one. Most existing clubs that you would consider are tied to the NST. Will it be a second team from Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide, Gold Coast or maybe a south island NZ team out of Christchurch (probably not the most popular choice).