I propose to amalgamate State League teams that are strong and financially viable, and in a close proximity together, and rebrand them. So for example, in Sydney you could amalgamate Marconi, Sydney United and Bankstown City Lions.
They would then be rebranded “South West United,” with new colours obviously, and there would be a large pool of quality players to build a team from (alongside a few key signings).
Combining the support from the three clubs would also enable a solid supporter base to build, as well as sponsorship deals and funding already in place in each club. So you get all the resources from the three clubs put into this one kind of “super club.”
There would always be players ready and available and the team would have three Academies for youth players (or amalgamated into one giant academy).
This is the best way to bring “Old Soccer” and “New Football” together, as well as fast-tracking the second division.
I know the rebranding is not automatically going to shed the “ethnic” vibe, but because the clubs have been amalgamated, it brings the different groups of fans together. And with some positive promotional campaigns involving the community, they really can become teams based on demography and not ethnicity.
You could get two teams each from Victoria and NSW, one from South Australia, and one from Queensland. Then the final two spots could be made up from teams who were unsuccessful in bidding for an A-league licence.
This could be implemented within five to seven years.
Timmo
Guest
As long as a 2nd A-League division contains teams from (assuming they are not in first division) Geelong, Tasmania, Sunshine coast, South Coast, Regional WA (Peel Coast Region, don't think a 2nd Perth team would work), Canberra & very importantly Darwin then I am all for it. With regard to the Phoenix situation depeding on what the FFA do with them I would look at a second team based in Christchurch (Auckland forget it they had two go's) but only when they resolve once an for all this issue on the Phoenix. I know people want them to go but I don't and they have made good progress, more than 10 times the effort and determination than the New Zealand Knights ever showed in making the A-League work in New Zealand. It would be a real shame to lose them.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Paolo De-ethnicised - thats sounds serious!! Did you complete some treatment where you were been stripped of you heritage and were made to forget the language of your ancsestors. At least you weren't euthanised :) I know what you are trying to say but you could have put it better.
DiCanio
Guest
Whilst the article is a bit naive, I can say that my nonni are founding members of one of the clubs mentioned and I am completely deethnisced. Although I am probably not in the majority I certainly think there is hope of the old NSL teams shaking off their stigmas without losing their cultural roots. After all many of the negative issues that scarred the NSL 'ethnic' clubs were based on old world tensions or worse, frustations boiling over from being a minority in an anglo country.
Towser
Guest
Agree milhouse1. The days of ethnic clubs as a power in football are gone but their heritage neednt be. By heritage I dont mean the mostly crap mainstream media concentrated on ,but their football heritage,the ability to produce many Socceroos & the like. This it appears to me is still not sorted & needs to be for the benefit of football as a whole. To me its like cutting off the usefullness of the lower divisions in England to the overall benefit of football . The EPL is the apex but the rest contribute enormously to the games overall strength. A cup comp is talked about maybe this could help.
milhouse1
Roar Rookie
Im a 2nd generation croatian who was a massive sydney croatia (united) fan. Im also now a sydney fc fan and i luv the a league. Bringing back the old nsl clubs would be a big mistake. The fans are dropping year by year in the state leagues for the old nsl teams. the italian, greek and croatians communities just aren't what they used to be. expecting these clubs to go back to the hayday of the 70's and 80's is just a joke. expecting them to merge is an even bigger 1. I know from experience that the suggestion of such a thing would have the sydney croatia fans boycotting matches. they would much rather stay in there state leagues and keep there identity. What the FFA should do is help these old clubs financially and allow them to do what they did best and nurture young talent. when the ethnics clubs were kicked out most of the great coaches and true football people went with them. we need to find a way to get those people involved in the game we all love.
Millster
Guest
A few points before I get back to my work: 1. It is about 15 years too early to be talking of a 2nd division at all within the league structure. We should not prostitute the careful growth of the A-League to a couple of extra ACL spots. 2. We have the Cup structure side of things to explore as a much better alternative for linking up the A-League and the state-level football community.
Robbo
Guest
Ticket prices may well be the same - but the AFL/NRL sell a hell of a lot more of them.
md
Guest
http://godssecret.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/piercings.jpg
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Muskie has been an ornament to the game.
md
Guest
Isn't that why you employ Muscat?
Pippinu
Roar Guru
I don't want it - but I didn't invite the 2nd team in either!!
Killer_Tomatoes
Guest
Undoubtedly, but do 'you' really want that? Do the FFA really want that? I don't think so, I also think that they don't have to actually 'support' another club to instigate trouble between themselves and Victory fans under the guise of a new franchise.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
I think you're right (that they're anit A-League) - but I wonder if a few wouldn't be attracted by the proposition of a bit of mayhem at a Victory match??
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Well spotted Art! And besides - if there's one club that should be flying a Scottish flag - it's us!!!
Killer_Tomatoes
Guest
If that is what you want to call it (cutting off their nose to spite their face) then yes. A section of Hellas fans still seem genreally convinced they can get back in to a top-tier competition in this country, and so still hold out hope. But if they ever were to acheive this, you can gaurantee there would be a minority who would come along to ruin the party (and a minority of Victory fans who would oblige them openly). As for clubs like Knights, Olympic, United, Preston; their fans have long since given up any realsitic ambition of playing in the A-League or similar and seem happy to make the most of their current situation while continuing to despise Victory, the FFA and the A-LEague for everything they stand for.
Killer_Tomatoes
Guest
Sorry Pippinu, but that won't happen. What a lot of people fail to see is that Knights, Hellas, and ex-NSL fans in general are not anti-Victory or SFC but anti-A-League, because the advent of the A-League disregarded them and their contibutuon to australian football. No significant amount of die hard Knights or South supporters is going to jump on board with any new 'franchise' (that being the key word here) just out of disliek for Victory, if they were going to do that they would've abondoned their clubs long ago. And anyways, if they were coming on board just out of a genuine hatred of Victory, we would see a return to NSL violence, and that would mean that if the dissafected old-football minority is Hearts target audience then they, and the FFA by proxy, are promoting a return to the 'dark days'.
Art Sapphire
Guest
I noticed an English flag and a Scottish flag behind the goals in Townsville with F Troop last Saturday. Does the FFA need to tell our Northern friends that they are "verboten"??
Davos
Guest
So basically they would cut off their nose to spite their face, given that these 'old clubs' would receive huge financial incentives and international exposure for their club, they (generalization) would not be able offer the A-L/2 a diverse and sophisticated fan/supporter base!
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Thanks das - I just have a suspicion that some flags are considered more nationalistic/inappropriate than others
Pippinu
Roar Guru
There's an element of truth in that. It remains to be seen what support Hearts garners. I suspect they will try and attract the anti-Victory support (of which there's a fair bit) and interestingly - that might mean Hellas and Knights supporters!! There's a view that in terms of who would have attracted the most support, that Hellas would have from the outset - but it's probably true that in the long run, Hearts would be able to match whatever Hellas could have managed.