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Some tout the evenness of the A-League as a virtue, enforced by a tight and suffocating salary cap, in contrast to virtually all professional football leagues abroad, which have never been even in any meaningful sense.
The salary cap is there to preserve financial stability. And fair enough.
But surely the FFA must consider lessening restrictions, to enable our clubs to compete with the rest of the world on a better footing, to enable better recruitment and retention of a reasonable standard of player?
The traditionally “egalitarian” sporting culture of Australia (and the USA, to a degree) promotes the idea that an even competition is a good competition. But this is not always the case because evenness can easily become no more than a byword for stifling, boring mediocrity.
Something that, along with the standard of coaching in this country, the quality of the league thus far has proven.
Fears abound that a less even competition would make the league less attractive to spectators.
However, let’s revisit tradition and have a look back at some of the greatest dynasties to have graced football.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid dominated Spanish football from the 50s to 80s (and have been less than dominant since), winning 22 out of 37 titles between 1953 and 1990, with two five in a row and two three in a row sequences.
In addition, they won the first five European Cups and a sixth European Cup came in 1966. Sporadic challenges (at best) to their dominance came from Barcelona, Atleico Madrid and the Basque sides Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, prior to Barcelona’s four-in-a-row success under Cruyff in the early 90s.
Benfica
Benfica dominated Portuguese football from the 60s to 80s, which Sporting Lisbon and Porto did challenge- Benfica’s dominance ended in the 90s when an eleven-year title drought began. But it is the 1959-69 period- the side of Eusebio and Mario Coluna- where the club’s most revered side, winning all but two domestic championships, and two European Cups.
Ajax
The Ajax side defined “Total Football”, winning between 1965 and 1973, six Dutch championships and three European Cups in a row. The main challenge came from Feyenoord, who also won league titles and a European Cup.
Celtic
Celtic won nine Scottish championships in a row and the European Cup once.
Santos
The Santos side with Pele dominated the Paulista (Sao Paulo state) league and the Taça do Brasil, as well as two Libertadores cups.
Cruzeiro
The Cruzeiro sides of the 60s and 70s not only dominated the Mineiro (Minas Gerais state) league, but also won a Taça do Brasil (demolishing Santos in the process), and also won a Libertadores in 1976
How were these sorts of teams bad for football?
They nurtured the game, more than anything, and excited fans all over the world because they were never less than spectacular to watch, and raised the game to a level never seen before. Or since.
So a less than even football competition cannot be a bad thing for the game if the quality of football on offer is of a high standard and if the players and teams themselves are able to attain reverence in the wider football world.
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