The Football Federation of Australia: - 'the only song the flute could play ...'

[Rowdy]

When I was young
& had no sense
I bought a flute for 50 cents
The only song - that it could play
Was fcuk the Jets & the FFA !

A thread for ALL & EVERYTHING encompassing the governing body of our great game in Australia.

Probably filled with mostly disadain & the surprised, occasional pat on the back.

Salary cap rort's, failed CBA negotiations, gagged Socceroo Coaches, un-paid players, New Licences - Failed/Rescinded Licences or waiting to be Sold Licences.

Bakrie's, Tinkler's & Palmer's or Charles Worthian charmers. Lowy's & Gallop's and ALL of the mishaps can be posted or read about HERE.

 

[Rowdy]

Start off with a positive ?
.....it's the eF'n - FFA.

Matildas' fury at Gallop pay talks snub:



Striking Matildas spoke of their anger at FFA chief David Gallop snubbing them at the deadlocked pay talks today, and admitted they felt "disappointed and disrespected".

The Matildas - who reached the furthest stage of any Australian national team when they got to the quarter finals at the Women's World Cup in June - were supposed to be going into training to prepare for a trip to play the USA next week.

But after joining Professional Footballers Australia in a show of unity at today's Collective Bargaining Agreement pay talks and seeing them end in further stalemate, they vowed to boycott the camp and put the USA tour in doubt.

And they were infuriated at the snub by Chief Executive Gallop, who left A-League boss Damien De Bohun to lead negotiations.

Matildas defender Alanna Kennedy, who played every game at the Women’s World Cup added: "We weren’t even acknowledged, I’m sure David Gallop was in the building, but to be not be acknowledged, it make us feel pretty disrespected.

“We’ve shown what we can do on the field, we’ve shown our dedication playing for Australia. In return we would like to be rewarded with the standards that should be met as a professional footballer. So to walk away today and for the negotiations to still be up in the air, we are disappointed.”

“After today people we will be aware of the severity of what we are going through, and the struggles that we are facing, and now is the best time, for us not to leave it any later.

"It’s digging into the time that we could have been preparing for the Olympics.

"We are just hoping we have the support of the public and our fans, we’ve got the support of the Socceroos and the A-League behind us and the help of the PFA, and we are just looking to get a deal done so we can represent our country.”

As well as negotiating the Matildas pay deal for the next four years, the PFA claims the team hasn't even been paid for the last two months. The PFA believe the Matildas' decision to boycott their training camp is a "seminal moment" in the history of the game in Australia.



“This is massive,” said PFA CEO Adam Vivian. “I don’t want to shy away from this. The Matildas are actually taking a stand, these girls are uncontacted elite female athletes, who are at the peak of their game, who are highly successful and are not getting remunerated now.

“They are two pay cycles behind. In terms of taking a stand there is no greater sacrifice than what these girls are doing because the reward it isn’t there. They may get backpaid eventually but that doesn’t help put food on the table now and that doesn’t resolve the issue that’s on hand at the moment.”

Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams said that the team were representing all female sport in Australia, not just women's football.

“A lot of us have friends in the Southern Stars the Diamonds, the Opals, we have grown up together at the state institutes with them,” she said.

“When they succeed, we succeed in women’s sport. When we succeed, they succeed. So right now to have the support of women’s sport in Australia is really important for us, Not only that but all the football associations as well.

"We feel really strongly in this so to have that support in that sense is really important.”

Vivian said the recent achievements of the Matildas had not been reflected in talks with the FFA.

“Their performances speak for themselves, affordability is not a discussion because they don’t control the affordability of the FFA, they don’t control the cost they don’t control the revenue stream, so it’s about fair and equitable remuneration for the work that they do," he added.

“At issue here, is their work value. I don’t think the Matildas are valued to the degree with which they deliver both on and off the pitch. And how important they are in the growth of the game at the grass roots level, particularly with our young aspiring female and male athletes.

“The Matildas are a fantastic brand to be aligned with and the onus in terms of whose responsibly that is sits at the feet of the FFA. The players should be appropriately remunerated for the value of the work they do, not based on the commercial revenues or anything like that.”

Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/matildas-fury-gallop-pay-talks-snub#UQKZSTeywFugVsBp.99

 

[Rowdy]

Had a gut feeling this might all boil over with the FFA .....

Matildas boycott pre-tour camp as pay row escalates:



The Matildas have The Matildas have withdrawn from a camp ahead of their upcoming USA tour as the players' pay dispute continues to escalate.

The Matildas prepared for the camp, then left, after further talks with Football Federation Australia on Tuesday failed to secure a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Last week the Socceroos withdrew from all commercial and FFA-related activities causing the cancellation of a planned sponsorship events.

The FFA condemned the players' union, for disrupting the Matildas preparation and said the tour against the World Cup champions was now in doubt.

Neither coach Alen Stajcic nor the team management were informed of the action, the FFA added, accusing Professional Footballers Australia of blindsiding them with a raft of fresh demands.

Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams said the FFA failed to "understand and respect what we have given to the game. We are simply asking FFA to do their bit so we can grow the game together."

The players were scheduled to attend a final training camp in Sydney ahead of Friday’s scheduled departure for two matches in the USA on September 17 and 20.

The PFA said the expiry of the Matildas CBA means the players are under no contractual obligation to undertake any national team-related activities.

"This decision has not been taken lightly, however the players feel they have been left with little option as the current proposal is simply unacceptable," PFA Chief Executive Adam Vivian said.

“FFA has failed to recognise the significant sacrifices the Matildas players are forced to make in playing for their country."

FFA chief David Gallop said the governing body entered talks in "good faith with the intention of finalising the CBA, based on assurances from the PFA’s leadership that the parties were not far apart.

“Instead, we were presented with a fresh set of demands that amount to millions of dollars of unfunded commitments.

“It’s sad that the Matildas have been dragged into a dispute that’s primarily about the A-League. The offer to the Matildas would basically double their pay over the next four years.

“Since talks began seven months ago, FFA and A-League club representatives have opened the books to show the PFA exactly what the game can afford and what is possible with an improved TV deal in 2017.

“The new demands are simply not affordable and the PFA knows it. The deal put on the table by FFA represents the best pay and conditions ever presented to Australian footballers, with a guarantee of 30% of uplift in new TV revenue going straight to the salary cap.

“FFA will continue to pursue an agreement that’s sensible and protects the interests of the game, it’s time to reach agreement and stop the game-playing.”

Vivian said the FFA proposal would see the Matildas continue to be:

Unfairly remunerated for the work they undertake;Denied access to a high performance environment, which dramatically reduces their ability to compete with the world’s best; andRestricted in their ability to grow the women’s game.

“The players have sought to have their contribution to the game respected. The current proposal from FFA highlights their unwillingness to meaningfully address the core issues,” Vivian said.

The Matildas' record-breaking feat at the Women’s World Cup in Canada, where they reached the quarter-finals, raised the profile of the women’s game in Australia and the gulf in wages between the men and women's national teams.

The FFA The FFA said the new demands included:

• An immediate $1 million increase across 10 clubs in the Hyundai A-League salary cap for this season and further $2 million for the following season in 2016-17. This $3 million increase in payments would come directly from club finances ($300,000 per club).

• An immediate pay rise of $1,000 per match for Socceroos, increasing the match fee from $6,500 to $7,500 per match. This represents an immediate 13% increase. FFA and PFA had previously agreed that increases in line with the CPI would be applied across the term.

• Significant increases in spending on air travel, accommodation and benefits for Matildas players. FFA and PFA had previously agreed the priority for new funding for the Matildas would be devoted to an immediate 10% pay increase, with annual increases rising to 15% across the term of the CBA.



Williams said the players stood united in the action.

“This was an extremely difficult decision to make,” Williams said. “However it’s simply unfair to continue to expect us to make enormous sacrifices to play for Australia.

“For the past two months the players have been unpaid and have made every attempt to reach an agreement that gives the women’s game a platform for growth.

“This is about the future of Australian football. We want to establish football as the sport of choice for Australian women and we want to be one of the best nations in the world."

Williams added: “The players would like to thank the public for their longstanding support and encourage the Australian football community to back us in our fight to ensure the rights of female athletes are protected.”

 

[Rowdy]

Then read this today ....

Matildas pull out of USA tour:

The Matildas have pulled out of their tour of the USA next week after the pay row with Football Federation Australia escalated to another level tonight.

The Matildas yesterday boycotted the training camp to prepare for the trip and today they held a mass meeting where they chose to pull out of the tour entirely.

Professional Footballers Australia Chief Executive Adam Vivian told FFA of the players’ decision immediately after the meeting.

“The players are currently uncontracted and are under no obligation to participate in any Matildas related activities,” said Vivian.

“The players feel they have been left with no option other than to take this course of action. They were hopeful that FFA’s position would alter following yesterday’s breakdown in negotiations. However, the interim letter agreement offered to the players this afternoon, with a 6pm deadline, proved this had not been the case.

“As a result, the players rejected FFA’s proposal for the tour, which would have:

not provided the requisite a high performance environment;failed to fairly remunerate them for the work they were being asked to undertake; and provided them with no contractual certainty following the conclusion of the tour.

“The offer from FFA was simply unacceptable. The players stance will not change until a new agreement is reached.

“The A-League and Socceroos players have also expressed their full support for the Matildas in their pursuit of a deal that respects their contribution to the game.”

 

[Rowdy]

Now this ....

Pay dispute threatens to disrupt A-League start
threatens-disrupt-league-start:



Australia’s World Cup qualifying campaign and the start of the A-League season are in jeopardy with players prepared to take strike action.

Professional Footballers Australia today warned that anxiety among players “could boil over” if terms for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) were not agreed to quickly.

PFA CEO Adam Vivian made the stark admission following Tuesday’s boycott of a pre-tour training camp by the Matildas.

He said upcoming friendlies and World Cup qualifiers could be disrupted, while warning player support for the A-League salary cap will “wane” in the absence of a CBA.

Gallop: "Pay disputes casting doubt on A-League start"
Read more at
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/pay-dispute-threatens-disrupt-league-start#hQ1Yw0XoWwxT6yad.99

Last week the Socceroos boycotted all commercial and FFA-related events in a bid to drive their message home.

With the start of the 2015/16 A-League season just a month away, stoppages could potentially engulf the October 8 kick-off.


PFA CEO Adam Vivian: Support for the salary cap will wane

Vivian denied the players were "militant" and revealed the Socceroos had identified areas where they could make savings to help fund the Matildas and address the gulf in pay rates.

But A-League club chiefs slammed the PFA salary cap demands on Wednesday, branding the proposals as "economic vandalism" which will send clubs to the wall.

The players' union shows every sign of sticking to its guns.

■ We would hate to see it get to that point - Vivian

“I would never take that off the table,” Vivian said about strike action.

“It is already in a difficult stage because (Football Federation Australia) has already terminated the Memorandum of Understanding,” Vivian said.

“I’ll be clear on that – it’s been terminated it never expired. From that perspective there is already a level of anxiety that exists.

“And unless something is done about this more immediately, then that anxiety could potentially boil over and affect the A-League. That is by no means a threat, we would hate to see it get to that point.

Vivian added: “We have to remember that the salary cap is agreed to by the players, it’s not unilaterally imposed upon them.

“So you’ll find that in this process, absent an agreement, then support for the salary cap will wane for the players and I think that will be, probably, a strong position that they will start from.

“I think the reality is if it gets to that level, you know the relationship is in dire straits between the FFA and the players.”

■ This is not militant behaviour by the players - Vivian

Vivian said the Socceroos, who notched up their third straight win in the World Cup qualification campaign overnight, had not ruled out further action.

“The Socceroos would absolutely be open (to it) if things got to that level,” he said.

“I think the Socceroos would be willing to make additional sacrifices, however I don’t believe we are at that level yet.

“However I think it would be remiss of us to not think the Socceroos are willing to take a stand – they are very tight knit, and an important stakeholder group.

“They are very strong, and they want to see the game of football grow. The Socceroos are a highly successful team and they want to see success come to other groups.

“No-one wants this to get out of hand, we want to do what is right for football, and protect football in this process.

“This is not a militant behaviour by the players. We’ve actually tabled a growth model. We’ve got to remember that the players’ proposition is ‘let’s all be in this together.’

■ No one wants this to get out of hand - Vivian

Funds being funnelled from the Socceroos to the Matildas was one of the points that came out of Tuesday’s failed negotiations involving the PFA and the FFA.

Vivian called that action by the male footballers, “a great personal sacrifice.”

“The important thing in this is that gender equity is not defined by pulling down the male stakeholder group,” he said.

“We’ve got to bring everybody up to an appropriate level. Now in the negotiating process the Socceroos have actually identified areas where they could trim.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll go backwards in what they’ve been afforded but it means that they are seeing opportunities for them to say, ‘listen we can share some of that money with other stakeholder groups, to try and bridge the gap that exists currently’.

■ It just shows how united we are - Kennedy, Matildas defender

Matilda’s World Cup defender Alana Kennedy saw this action by the Socceroos as a further example of the unity that exists in the pay dispute engulfing senior levels of Australian football.

“It just shows how united we are and we all want the same thing,” the 20-year-old said.

“It’s unfortunate someone else has to lose for us to get what we deserve and we appreciate that so much and we support them 100% as well.

“It’s just bringing the football community closer and we are really happy to have the support of the Socceroos and the A-League boys.”

 

[Rowdy]

Club chiefs slam PFA salary cap demands:



A-League club bosses have slammed pay demands by Professional Footballers Australia that stalled negotiations over a Collective Bargaining Agreement and sparked a training boycott by the Matildas.

The PFA want the salary cap to increase by $100,000 next season followed by a further additional $200,000 but Football Federation Australia have baulked at the $3 million total cost.

The FFA last night claimed the PFA had made "fresh demands" on the salary cap but the PFA say these are the same figures they have been pursuing since talks began seven months ago.

Today Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow backed the FFA while Adelaide United boss Greg Griffin branded the move "economic vandalism".

He added: “The PFA has shown its reckless regard for the clubs who collectively employ over 200 professional players.

“The demand for another $3 million in payments is a dangerous folly, especially in such a young league. Do they want to send clubs broke before they comprehend the damage?

“We keep hearing from the PFA about respect for players. What about respect for clubs, their staff, members and sponsors? Respect is a two way street.

“In any negotiation all parties must treat each other with respect. Whilst I completely disagree with what happened yesterday I respect the right of the players to negotiate as hard as they deem required.

"However, to seek to introduce at this late stage game changing demands that the PFA knows the game cannot afford and the clubs will not agree to, is to disrespect the process that has been ongoing for seven months.

"I urge the PFA to return to the table and conclude these difficult negotiations in good faith without stating demands which they know will be rejected and which only purpose appears to be to antagonise the FFA and the clubs.”

Sydney Chairman Scott Barlow added: “The PFA has lost all sense of perspective with this latest round of demands. Their new claims are unaffordable and plainly irresponsible.

“The PFA needs to realise we must have financially viable clubs if the A-League is going to grow and achieve its potential.

“Today the majority of A-League clubs are still losing money and the PFA’s latest demands would simply push clubs further into debt. We cannot afford to see clubs go broke.

“Financial security for players will only be achieved when clubs are financially stable.”

The stalemate yesterday sparked a traning camp boycott by the Matildas ahead of their tour of the USA next week, which is now in doubt while the pay dispute continues.



But the Matildas' action has won backing from sportswomen across the globe on Twitter including basketballer Lauren Jackson and USA WNT star Alex Morgan, while A-League, Socceroos and fellow W-League stars pledged their support..

The next round of talks are planned to take place on September 21, just days before the A-League kicks off on October 8. If a deal is not in place by then, players could choose to go on strike until an agreement is reached.

 

[Rowdy]

I think the additional $300k being asked by the PFA to be burdened by each of the 10 A-League clubs is a dentriment to the stability/growth of the league.

The Salary Cap 'has been increasing' at a rate that the clubs can keep up with, but as they are complaining, this is just a jump too far.

Are the PFA being, .... dare I say it greedy?
I don't think so, just out of touch with where our game sits at the moment -financially.

Get the Matildas, who are underpaid (not been paid) sorted out ASAP. As well as increasing their access to better resources when playing travelling. The W-League could do with some much needed funding, which could come from the Federations dipping into their pockets a bit more perhaps.

The Socceroo's for the moment are on a positive trajectory. Pay wise they seem to be looked after OK, players refusing to play? never in a million years! The Green & Gold jersey is just 'too highly prized!'.

The setbacks (if they ever did) to the National Team would be devastating after what they've achieved at the last 3 WC's.

But this sure as hell ain't over yet.

21st Sept ...... waiting to see who comes out on top?

 

[sydmariner]

I think the additional $300k being asked by the PFA to be burdened by each of the 10 A-League clubs is a dentriment to the stability/growth of the league.

The Salary Cap 'has been increasing' at a rate that the clubs can keep up with, but as they are complaining, this is just a jump too far.

Are the PFA being, .... dare I say it greedy?
I don't think so, just out of touch with where our game sits at the moment -financially.

Get the Matildas, who are underpaid (not been paid) sorted out ASAP. As well as increasing their access to better resources when playing travelling. The W-League could do with some much needed funding, which could come from the Federations dipping into their pockets a bit more perhaps.

The Socceroo's for the moment are on a positive trajectory. Pay wise they seem to be looked after OK, players refusing to play? never in a million years! The Green & Gold jersey is just 'too highly prized!'.

The setbacks (if they ever did) to the National Team would be devastating after what they've achieved at the last 3 WC's.

But this sure as hell ain't over yet.

21st Sept ...... waiting to see who comes out on top?

US (CCM)

 

[Rowdy]

Matildas used as a bargaining chip - Gallop:



Football Federation Australia (FFA) has confirmed the Matildas USA tour will be scrapped following a decision by the bulk of the squad to boycott matches as part of an ongoing pay dispute.

The games against the newly-crowned World Champions were scheduled for September 17 and 20.

The FFA made the announcement on Thursday following discussions with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

It is understood six players wanted to go ahead with the tour, including World Cup co-captain Lisa De Vanna.

The Matildas have received widespread support for their stance as the pay dispute threatens to engulf the Socceroos' World Cup qualifiers and the A-League.




In a statement the FFA said the players’ union rejected an offer that would have seen the Matildas on tour with an immediate payment under an interim agreement that included increased pay rates.

According to the statement Professional Footballers Australia said the Matildas would not go to the USA unless a $30 million four-year CBA covering the Socceroos and A-League was also agreed.

FFA CEO David Gallop said that the Matildas interests have been taken hostage by the PFA.

The Matildas have not been paid for two months since the end of their collective bargaining agreement.

“Sadly, the Matildas will not be playing the USA because FFA and the A-League clubs can’t meet the PFA’s unaffordable demands in relation to the level of the salary cap for A-League players,” Gallop said.

“This is a competition in which the clubs lost a collective $17 million last season.

“What we have today is an extraordinary situation in which the two male playing groups in the Socceroos and A-League continue to be paid by FFA and A-League clubs, but the female players aren't being paid.

"This could have been fixed today if the PFA had accepted the interim deal.

“The Matildas alone are the ones being directly affected as a result of the whole of game CBA talks not being resolved.”


Earlier in the day Canberra United’s Ashleigh Sykes told tthe ABC that players were being forced to choose between their international career and getting a job.

“It gets pretty tight, in my position at the moment it's been hard to get a job, but for me it's coming down to almost a choice now - do I make myself available for Matildas duties, or do I work?,” Sykes told the ABC.

 

[Rowdy]

De Vanna breaks ranks on Matildas' tour boycott:



Matildas World Cup co-captain Lisa De Vanna and at least five other teammates have broken ranks on the USA tour boycott.

Professional Footballers Australia announced late Wednesday the women’s national team had pulled out of next week’s tour against the United States as the pay dispute with Football Federation Australia escalated.

But according to the Herald Sun at least six players including World Cup hero De Vanna, want to play and have the backing of the FFA.


About 60,000 tickets have been sold to football fans keen to see the Australians take on the recently crowned World Champions.

De Vanna, 30, was reported in the Herald Sun as saying: “I just want to play for my country - it’s all I want to do.

“If my coach calls me and asks me to play I will always make myself available.

“At my age I am not sure if the opportunity to play the world champions will come up again.”

De Vanna came in for some tough treatment on Twitter - many dismayed with her stance - while a few urged the mercurial striker to stay the course.

Meanwhile, Canberra United’s Ashleigh Sykes told ABC that players were being placed in a tough choice between their international future and getting a job.

“It gets pretty tight, in my position at the moment it's been hard to get a job, but for me it's coming down to almost a choice now - do I make myself available for Matildas duties, or do I work?,” Sykes told the ABC.

"That's a tough decision some other players are probably facing as well.”

The Matildas are due to fly out on Friday for the games in Detroit and Birmingham.

 

[Rowdy]

PFA calls for Crawford Report implementation



Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) called for the immediate introduction of transparent governance measures after the continued failure of Brisbane Roar to meet its obligations to players.

PFA Chief Executive Adam Vivian said the time has come to implement the key findings of the Crawford Report.

“Football Federation Australia has ignored some the key findings of the Crawford Report, which recommended giving all stakeholders a voice in the running of the game,” Vivian said.

“Without proper governance, transparency and professionalism players don’t get paid, fans don’t get the best football and the game’s growth is restricted.

“Fans and players are paying the price for poor management. Fans and players both want better football.

“The PFA has consistently called for better security for players. Fans have consistently sought a say in the running of clubs.

“Fans and players have fundamental roles to play in improving the governance of Australian football by increasing its transparency.

“If we want a professional game of football in Australia, we need to treat players professionally and manage clubs in a transparent and accountable fashion.

“The Roar has continually failed to meet its obligation to players. Players are now owed in excess of five quarters of superannuation and have regularly been paid late.

“That’s not acceptable. These people are professionals. Only well governed sports can grow.

“The players believe that fans have a key role to play in ensuring the good governance and accountability of club management. They support the club and their relationship should be more than a transaction.

“The players are determined to grow the games’ fan base. Providing fans with a meaningful role in the governance of the sport will enable us to create a stronger future for Australian football.”

 

[Rowdy]

Players NOT being paid has been a blight on the A-League for far too long.

Our own Mariners have been tarred with the brush one to many times and how this still occurs again & again beggars my belief.

The FFA are quite simply the ones to blame.

Why? Well in the early years of the A-League owners were either entering their p.i.n codes at the ATM''s or if you were a Tinkler'type owner you borrowed from the banks or generous mates like Gerry Harvey's or last resort the gratuitous bail-out from the FFA themselve's.!

But NOW the club's recieve the entire 'salary cap' directly from the FFA to cover the cost of players wages. So when the money given to A-League clubs doesn't end up in the player's bank accounts at the end of every month AND the FFA & Gallop cries foul and say's 'that it's not good enough!' ........ well excuse me & pardon the pun but I think "that's a bit RICH!"

I HAVE an extremely simple SOLUTION.

FFA PAY's THE PLAYERS DIRECT !

Done. Super Annuation as well, as this is an adjunct of the problem. Throw in Player's Insurances, we cant have health & safety go by the wayside. Basically don't entrust the clubs to pay for anything that the 'salary-cap' IS SUPPOSED to cover.

The Club's only pay-roll responsibility will be to their Marquees, both Foreign and Australian, as their wage bill is 'outside of the cap'.

If this simple change in tact was adopted by the FFA Marquee Player's , I anticipate (knowing the history of non-payment to players in Aus) , would want considerable money up-front (sign on $$) or at a minimum the full amount of their contract held in a 'third-party escrow' account, so if the club failed to pay them they could seek arbitration to gain access to the held wages.

The FFA could regulate this Marquee mine-field or leave it to the clubs/players lawyers, which would eventually only leave a bad indictment on the league and de-motivate future quality Marquee's in the future once the first non-paid Marquee saw red

SLARY CAP RORTING, well that's the second bird to be killed with this one stone. Player contracts already have to be lodged with the FFA so they already (supposedly ) know 'who's getting paid what' so as far as breaching 'financial confidentiality', which they do already adhere to, I can't see that being an issue.

That just means the FFA now dont have to waste time/$$'s checking on clubs putting more $$$'s into the player's wages bank accounts than they should & gives them more time and resources for investigating where the real rorting takes place ...... in 'third party agreements &/or sponsorship'.

Like if Andy Keogh's wife is getting paid to do 'tuck-shop' duty BUT isn't actually showing up

The FFA have refused to allow the A-League to become a stand-alone entity to be run by the conglomerate of clubs BECAUSE the FFA still want the reins to be firmly in 'their hands' when it comes to the running of the top-tier of club competition in this country.

So those same 'hands' , in giving the Salary Cap to the Club’s, is by default the "Pay-roll Master" and should take that responsibility back onto themselves as the 'sole governance' organisation and STOP laying blame on inept owners (foreign & domestic) & stop laying blame on a system THEY CREATED.


But that'd be toooo way of a simple thing to do, finger pointing is way more FUN!

 

[Rowdy]

FFA strikes gold for sexist pay gap:


Football Federation Australia has picked up an award it won’t want to display among the silverware – the 2015 Gold Ernie for sexism.

Football’s governing body kicked an own goal for the yawning chasm between male and female players.

The Matildas earn well below the minimum wage on just $21,000 a year.

The pay crisis resulted in the women's national team pulling out of a US tour this month, with many players saying they were being forced to reconsider their international careers.

In the Womens World Cup in Canada, each Matildas player received $500 per game leading up to the Round of 16. The Socceroos pulled $7,500 per match in the World Cup last year.

FFA has yet to resolve an ongoing pay dispute with Professional Footballers Australia that is engulfing the national teams and A-League.

The Ernies, in their 23rd year, are annual awards for the most sexist behaviour by public figures in the previous 12 months.

The FFA win is somewhat of a departure from previous years in that it highlights the gender pay gap rather than sexist remarks.

Heres the 2015 Ernie's full list of nominees:
http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/ernie-awards-2015/

You can nominate for next years here:
http://ernies.com.au/

 

[Rowdy]

De Bohun: No one doubts A-League now.


A-League chief Damien de Bohun says the continual growth of Australian football means the goal of the competition being the biggest in the country is no longer a pipe dream.

With the start of the 2015/16 campaign just over a week away, De Bohun has opened up about his vision for the game heading into Season 11 of the competition.

De Bohun says it’s vital that the A-League continues to build on their achievements of the first 10 years if the sport and competition are to reach their lofty goals.

“We’ve got a really clear ambition for football to be Australia’s largest and most popular sport and the role of the Hyundai A-League in that context is to become the biggest competition in this country,” De Bohun said.

“A lot of people probably thought five or six years ago that was laughable but all of a sudden it’s not so laughable.

“People are starting to take that threat seriously and the other sports are.”

De Bohun added: “People underestimate how significant the Hyundai A-League is in terms of attendances on the global scale.

“With our numbers last year around 13,000 or a bit more as our average crowds, that makes the Hyundai A-League I think the 14th most attended competition on earth.

“It’s bigger than places like Portugal, even bigger than the Brazilian league…people overestimate at times how big the crowds are in different places.

“That’s not to say there’s not a lot of room for growth but we’re already up there in that echelon, so it’s significant in that context.”

The sport has always led the way in Australia when it comes to participation rates, with huge numbers across all levels of the game.

But converting those figures into genuine supporters of the game has always been the challenge and something the code is working harder on all the time.

“For a long time we’ve probably just said that (big participation rates) will take care of itself. Well it won’t. We’re getting much more professional, much more active in converting those participants into fans,” De Bohun added.

“That for us is the single biggest issue. When it’s all said and done the game is just a fabulous game that’s why so many people play it….four billion people around the world are participating in it.

“Australia and the United States are unique markets where it’s fiercely competitive with other sports so we’re not the dominant sport of this market yet, but that will come.

“The one thing we know for certain is that football is continuing to grow across the world and the world is getting smaller.

"Whether it be through the internet or how kids consume the game, it’s getting smaller so people are seeing football more every day.

“As Australia becomes even more multicultural there’s no doubt football will become more prominent.”

 

[Rowdy]

The sport has always led the way in Australia when it comes to participation rates, with huge numbers across all levels of the game.

But converting those figures into genuine supporters of the game has always been the challenge and something the code is working harder on all the time.

“For a long time we’ve probably just said that (big participation rates) will take care of itself. Well it won’t. We’re getting much more professional, much more active in converting those participants into fans,” De Bohun added.

“That for us is the single biggest issue."

Well the easiest way to fix this problem is change the kick-off times on SAT & SUN games, the Mariners draw for this season is an absolute 'nightmare' for locals &/or their kids who play sport.

Pushing the season back has helped, with the local football comps ending in the last few weeks BUT the beginning of the 'summer sports' of Cricket, Surf Lifesaving etc. are now another factor the FFA has to consider if they wish to attract more people to games.

When the A-League season nears the finals in the next winter, local Football leagues will start up once again and the same problem re-appears.

Once finished playing games & factoring in the distances travelled of a competition spread from Umina on the Southern Peninsula to Gwandalan on Lake Macquarie in the north, most football players & their families will struggle to get to a 5pm kick-off at the Stadium in Gosford.

 

[dibo]

We're clear in the early part of the season. In the later part of the season, we've only got rounds 26 and 27 overlapping with the winter competitions proper, with a Friday night away game at Parramatta in R26 and the season-ending F3 derby in the early Saturday timeslot. No Sundays, but the F3 derby might clash with some games.

Earlier than that we have a Sunday game on the 6th March and an early Saturday fixture on the 19th, but most of our earlier Sunday games are in summer proper.

I think the combination of games isn't too bad. 2 Thursdays (one in December which suits me enormously because I'm getting hitched that weekend; one on NYE), 5 Saturdays and 6 Sundays.

That's more Sundays than we've had since 2010-11, but I think that's a combination of the club wanting Sunday games to do the Sunday funday thing, Fox/ABC wanting Sunday afternoon W-League double headers with A-League and Foxtel generally needing Sunday 5pm games.

I think the club's doing their best to turn a weakness into a strength, and good on them for doing so. I think the opportunity to have half a dozen kickarounds on the field will make a difference to parents with kids. It's a properly family focused thing, and really suits our demographic.

 

[dibo]

So the PFA and FFA agreed to a new deal, basically along the lines of every FFA press release we've seen this year.

The big fight was clearly worth having... *whistles*

 

[Rowdy]

Like a lot on life,
"He who pays - gets the final say"