Where should A-League expansion end?

i was at the game: all whites v honduras aucklanders only support 'good' football, for example: if nz had lost all their games at the world cup, they might have only sold 8,000 tickets in Auckland. thats why the knights had an average of 3000 per game. (Plus the crowd at the game came not only from Auckland, but from all over NZ.) I am not blind or stupid, there is a larger maket for an a-league team in Christchurch. I live in Auckland, and I'd prefer not to be selfish and ask for a team here, because I'd rather pay for the odd flight down there to watch the team with 20,000 fans than sit in a stadium every second week with only 5,000 other fans. and please think before making stupid remarks about Christchurch. Their geological activity will soon die down, and their stadium seems to be quite unharmed from the quakes.

Well if Queensland can support 3 teams I don't see why NZ can't support at least 2. If it ever happens I wish them luck, the more teams the merrier, because it'll mean a longer Football season ;)

Ha Christchurch's stadium would split in half from all the geological activity Oh btw did you see NZ vs Honduras not a bad crowd And who says Aucklanders don't support football! Either your blind or stupid Anyway point is NZ needs 2 A League clubs at the very minimum! c'mon theres gotta b some rich mugs out there. And lastly no NZ knights replica's please!!!!!!

I dont know what is happening with expansion in Oz, but I think NZ should have two teams. But I dont think Auckland, as there is no interest for a football team there. However, a Christchurch team would be good. There would be a good crowd for each home game as seen from an A-League game played there last year bringing 25,000 people in. It would also bring more competitiveness to the nz a-league teams, and would be good for nz football as we only have an 8 team semi-pro league meaning little chance of being noticed by bigger clubs.

I agree with 2 NZ teams but not in Auckland, look at how successful the NZ knights were haha, Wellington would waste Auckland anyway, i reckon a christchuch based club. I reckon a 16 team comp with these teams... Adelaide Gold Coast Brisbane Sydney x2 Melbourne x2 Perth Newcastle CCM NQL Wellington Christchurch Canberra Tasmania NT

In favour of two minimum NZ teams to increase our interest in football the best sport in my opinion. There should be an Auckland team lots of football fans here plus young talent. As for the AFC, things will sort themselves out over time. Lets not be too hasty Wellington got to build up NZ clubs 1st and foremost. Auckland FC! We'll blow Wellington out the water!

Come on, we can't name all the teams (Location) United!!

The a league should put another side in the league and that should be from Melbourne - the side should be played in the Northern suburbs to cater for the Northen Melbourne people who neither have the ability or the finances to travel into the city to watch a gme. The side should be none other than the mighty HEIDELBERG UNITED! HEIDELBERG UNITED - AMONGST THE TOP 10 SOCCER CLUBS IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY HEIDELBERG UNITED - 2ND MOST SUCESSFULL AUSTRALIAN SOCCER CLUB SINCE THE NATIONAL LEAGUES CREATION YELLOW AND BLACK FOREVER!

Wollongong should be included in the next wave of expansion. They've created Chipperfield, Wilkshire, Sterjovski and Johnny Warren. They will create more of these types of players. Definitely, Western Sydney has to be included. It's our heartland, it's where a lot of our Socceroos came from.

We seem too obsessed with the where and not enough with the who. If 3 different football fans each with a couple of hundred million in the bank want to run clubs in Sydney, Melbourne or Coffs Harbour then let them. If we expand to anywhere because it is the right location but the bid is underfunded then it will fail.

Captain Random: "...just like how the Welsh clubs can’t qualify for Europe through the English system." The rules state they can't, but if the FA wants to make an exemption it can and would have had Cardiff won the FA Cup last year: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/7350681.stm Double standards are the norm in football these days.

One interesting thing about the Wellington issue is that it would be unfair for FIFA to allow them to be kicked out of the A-League while continuing to allow Cardiff City, Swansea City and Wrexham to play in the English system. Fair enough though that Wellington would not be allowed to play in the ACL, just like how the Welsh clubs can't qualify for Europe through the English system.

I agree about Wellignton being more Popular then Tassie, South Coast or Canberra just for the fact The Phoenix have New Zealand behind them instead of the Individual support the other teams would gain but like Tah said moneys going to be an issue especially right now with the Economic Crisis. With Adrian though I agree a pro League in NZ would be great (though maybe not realistic at the moment.) and maybe State Comps for Australia like the Rugby League have with the QRL (Queensland Rugby League) and the NSW JB Cup. The only way we're going to look more appealing to Asia as well is to stop losing players to Europe. While great for the players $$$$ wise it hurts our Domestic and International teams, just look at the problems the Socceroos face with our Euro-based players. It seems the only way of this happening would be for the salary cap to be raised, which I don't like the idea of, or Europe to bring one in (Not gunna happen). Either way we must find a way to keep our young up and comers home if we stand any chance of competeing with Asia.

I still believe we NZ must be removed and replaced by an aussie team, and instead include 2 free oceania players as part of te import quota for all aus teams

Adrian rugby is NZ 's national game, and they are really struggling to maintain a pro 14-team comp, not from the quality perspective as they have a conveyor belt of young guys coming through but the fact that there just isnt $$$ there, therefore I struggle to understand how they could maintain a fully pro comp in futbol as well.

Adrian would there be much opposition within AFC for Oceania to become a part of it? A fully pro-league in Oceania will never happen though - there is just no infrastructure nor the Pay TV subscribers to make it viable. They would be best served by having as many of their players play in pro leagues overseas just like their rugby playing brothers. In terms of Wellington versus Australian cities missing out - I suspect in terms of Pay TV $$$, Wellington would win out above the likes of Tasmania/Canberra/South Coast - in other words, the Phoenix would bring a lot more to the table than a Tasmania franchise.

I don't see the harm in a few more teams. I am happy Queenslanders are finally getting more than the Tolken Brisbane team for once (Not that I'll stop supporting the Roar. I mean look at the quality of Suncorp every game; the pitch is beautiful and would be so great to play on). I think the best thing to do is wait and see what happens with the new teams and some of the older ones then assess the teams and if a team underpreforms get's the boot it's as simple as that. Brian also mentioned the NSL during the 70's - 90's but may I mention that, that was the NSL soccer not the Hyundai A-League Football competition. Australians have embraced the game of late due to the FIFA World Cup squad and right now the A-league rivials the K-League and some European Leagues and if we want to expand now is the time to do it. Like many I think 12 maybe 13 teams should do it, if Wellington stays, which in my opinion should they did finish well this year. Lastly I see a lot of suggestions of a second Melbourne team which I don't agree with. They did that in the AFL with Freo and West Coast and it seems the richer of the two would get the best players leaving the other club useless. Melbournes a great outfit and I'd hate to see it ruined by quality players being stolen by the other club and vice versa. Also before a second Melbourne team comes into the comp perhaps Melbourne Fans, which I know are great in number, should rally around the introduction of a Football stadium just for the Melbourne Football team so we don't see the disgraceful pitch that Queensland had to play them on ever again. It was a health risk for both teams and took some of the venom out of the game that both the teams seem to show toward each other that all us fans love.

How the wellington scenario turns out will be interesting. Sepp Blatter has the power to overule Bin Hammen because like he said, teams that play in different countries league is the responsibility of the FIFA executive board as shown in the FIFA statute. However Bin Hammen is adamant that he doesn't want Wellington Phoenix So should Frank Lowy and could fight for Wellington and may win the fight by getting Sepp Blatter to overule AFC but doing so will upset MBH in the process and may damage our political alliance in the AFC. May also damage our World cup bid. I guess Lowy has to ask himself is Wellington really that worth it. In any case - Sepp Blatter may adamantly want NZ to participate in the A-league as FIFA has a broad directive to develop the game internationally. So you may get into the situations where whatever going to happen we're going to upset someone powerful.