The Roar
The Roar

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Stability and expansion can co-exist for A-League

29th June, 2015
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David Gallop and FFA might now want South Melbourne in the comp. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Expert
29th June, 2015
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In a way, the A-League is the most stable it’s been since its inception. The league will begin its fourth consecutive year with the same 10 clubs in October, though it seems immature to celebrate another year without a club going bust – just.

But in so many other ways, the A-League has been incredibly volatile over the last six months.

At least four clubs are in the process of a revival in some respect and there have been plenty of calls for the FFA to focus on getting all clubs back to a state of financial stability first and foremost.

The signs are positive for most. Newcastle have appointed Scott Miller as head coach and are on the verge of being taken over by Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson.

Central Coast still have work to do to regain the trust of their fans, but have made strides with changes to the backroom staff and Tony Walmsley appointed as full-time coach.

Perth Glory have made an equally shrewd signing off the pitch, drafting in former South Melbourne chief executive Peter Filopoulos as CEO in order to reshape their identity and establish some long lost credibility.

Brisbane still remain in a spot of bother, with owners Bakrie Group yet to find a partner following a seven-month search, culminating in players and staff not being paid their wages for June. It’s believed the Indonesian company promised to put $3.5 million back into the club, but hasn’t delivered.

While it’s obvious that the Roar must be restored to a financially viable state, the need for growth in Australian football must not be forgotten.

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Concerns that the A-League can’t progress until the current setup has been steadied only serve to set the game back further.

A national second tier competition might not be feasible in the next five years, but the longer planning is prolonged and the longer the powers at be deny it’s an option in the ‘near future’, the longer we will be waiting for the game to take a crucial step forward.

The attitude towards promotion and relegation has shifted over the course of the A-League’s early days. In 2008, Ben Buckley appeared eager to begin contemplating expanding into the lower leagues, though he ultimately did little about it.

The then-FFA chief said: “The premier leagues in each of the states have a lot of players who are capable of playing at the A-League level but, because of the small number of teams, probably haven’t got their opportunity yet.”

The FFA Cup and National Premier Leagues have given a taster of the future and it seems futile to not exploit that as soon as possible.

The well publicised financial troubles that rippled through the A-League have been used as a convenient excuse to put plans for a lower division on hold.

In an interview with ABC Grandstand in May, FFA CEO David Gallop said of a promotion/relegation system: “It would just be tough in the market that we’ve got. It would be tough to imagine that one of the 10 clubs we’ve got, with all the investments we’ve made, would drop down into a second tier, then who would come up? At the moment we have to consolidate what we’ve got and we see that as a system we have to keep in place for the next 20 years.”

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Two decades is far too long to wait. Of course, no NPL side could have jumped straight into the A-League this season, just like no A-League team would be able to survive a drop down at this stage.

But a gradual process of integrating a second division will mean promotion and relegation is only introduced when both leagues are able to function independently of one another and clubs can manage the increased pressures of being elevated to the A-League.

There are certainly plenty of NPL clubs preparing for the next step and putting themselves in the shop window.

Before we get there, though, A-League expansion comes first. FFA chairman Frank Lowy set his sights on having an additional two teams by the time the new broadcast deal rolls around in 2017, which would mean the new franchises must be at least selected six months from now.

Ipswich is looming as a prime candidate after David Gallop announced plans for a dual NRL and A-League expansion bid into the Queensland city, which would eventually see both codes play at the 30,000-seater stadium set to be built in Ripley.

The move has its detractors already, but combining powers with rugby league offers a cost effective punt at expansion and would give the club a financial advantage if the NRL side were also a success.

It’s certainly a start and is encouraging to see action being taken to improve the A-League’s reach.

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What we don’t want is the MLS style of thinking that has turned the concept of a second tier competition into a myth.

Commissioner Don Garber has a preference to add more teams to the 24-club MLS rather than working towards promotion and relegation.

League expansion comes with great challenges, but it’s imperative we at least start working on how to overcome those rather than continuing to fear confrontation.

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