Football Federation Australia. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
There’s been some well-written prose in the last few months on why Football Federation Australia not just should, but MUST adopt a national cup competition.
As this discussion has been going on for some time now, I’m not going to re-list those arguments here, but I think there is hope that FFA will start looking at this idea again.
I say that because the main reason FFA have continued to turn a deaf ear to the public’s calls for cup football is that they’ve been otherwise occupied with their 2018/22 World Cup bid and I think that may be coming to an end.
Ben Buckley has been forced into turning his attention back onto the A-League again following the collapse of Queensland’s two expansion clubs.
With the most logistically demanding part of the World Cup bid now wrapping up, once the bid book is submitted, it all comes down to political wrangling, FFA employees should have time on their hands to work on matters closer to home.
Lord knows we need them to.
So with there being every chance that FFA will look at the idea of a national cup competition again over the coming months, I say to them: Beware!
Right now I’m in Washington D.C. to interview Danny Allsopp and Lisa De Vanna. On Wednesday evening, I had the pleasure of attending RFK Stadium where Allsopp’s DC United defeated FC Dallas 4-2 in the US Open Cup.
All I can say is, what a disaster. There were a pitiful 2,000 fans in attendance, almost no media presence, and not even those 6 goals could save this game.
It had me thinking that FFA must ensure that the creation of any similar competition in Australia doesn’t turn out the same way.
From looking closely at the main factors that led to the poor crowd and general disinterest in Wednesday night’s game, we can learn a lot.
First of all, the scheduling was all wrong.
While FFA insist on not allowing the A-League to clash with the other football codes, mid-week football will be inevitable. That’s not what led to a drop of around 15,000 on DC United’s average attendance last night, however.
The reason for the empty stadium was the Washington Capitols were playing game seven in the playoffs at the same time.
Considering that there was Cup football on the night before, the question is, why didn’t US Soccer change the fixture to Tuesday?
Furthermore, both teams put out weakened sides. There just isn’t the prestige in competing in the early stages of a knockout cup competition when you’re also battling in your league. A similar problem is leading to the corrosion of interest in England’s apparently “magical” FA Cup.
FFA must ensure that clubs who are in the tournament want to win it.
Even more alarming for the state of the US Open Cup is the lack of a national TV deal. Even more so than back home, in the US if your sport isn’t on TV, then it might as well not exist.
Without any television presence you can’t reach out to the mainstream.
As many on this site have already discussed, a lack of Free to Air TV exposure is one of the main problems facing the A-League. Not only must a cup competition avoid that trap, it can help to rectify the A-League’s lack of presence on FTA.
Now, despite these warnings, I’m a big supporter of an FFA Cup. I believe it’s imperative for the growth of the game. Furthermore, any significant point of difference to the NRL and AFL should be exploited to its fullest and this is one of those opportunities.
However, Ben Buckley, if you’re going to do this, do it properly.
I’d hate to see FFA muck up a perfectly good idea like they have done with A-League expansion.
Dan
Guest
although, as the dominance of the EPL grows, and the clubs participating change so infrequently, more and more people have "their local team" and "their premier league team" this is also tied to the fact that people cant afford to go to see the EPL sides more than once a year anymore...
Dan
Guest
i have already said that i like the coupe de france model where the lower ranked team gets the home advantage always (except for the final), but you're on the right track... also, even in europe, i think that CL/EL sides HAVE to be in the top flight, hence no portsmouth in the EL next year, despite chelsea already being in the CL... worked out well for LFC though in the FFA cup, you'd just have the ACL spot go to the runner up in the league if the FFA cup winner is a Non-AL club... also, are we going to have NZ clubs that aren't the nix in there?
Dan
Guest
Just look at the way the Coup de France works... random draw and one-off matches and it forces higher-ranked clubs to always play as the away team when drawn against lower-league opposition. never underestimate the determination of the underdog coupled with the difficulty of playing at a community ground... one of the big boys always ends up winning in the end, but the amatures always cause a number of upsets (as opposed to just one a year in the FA cup), because the system is set up to help them. yeah they're not fully pro (or even semi pro in some cases as the coupe de france is open to all clubs in all of france) but the thought of bordeax or lyon showing up at the local ground is enough... and to get a good draw helps bankroll the clubs for years... i think it would be a good thing, now that the a-league is established and the old NSL clubs' dreams of making it in the A-league are pretty much dead, it would be a good way for the FFA reach out to the communities and the grass roots. yeah they might be only getting 1500 to games, but those 1500 people are the ones who coach our juniors, or are the parents of future socceroos. They probably all go to their local a-league games... we should start looking at how the a-league can start helping out the clubs from the grassroots to top of the state league bracket
Dan
Guest
aren't they the QANTAS socceroos? sponsorship people... the ffa don't actually PAY for this stuff... qantas plaster their name all over everything and the clubs get flown around as PIK.
Dan
Guest
This is true about sydney last year, and was fantastic for the community... where this falls down is who they are playing this year... Blackburn, Rangers and AEK Athens last year was more out of neccessity... Vit wanted to see his new players play a large number of games before the season, the opposition was really not the point
mahony
Guest
well may we say...
mahony
Guest
+1
mahony
Guest
Does anyone know 'off hand' if they integrate the MLS Cup into the league and 'play off' for a continental place in the same way? I like the idea - an in particular the way it pays respect to the real champions.
mahony
Guest
I hate em and I'm an Aussie! - by jingo's by crikey!
Harry
Guest
Won't work in Oz, we don't have enough quality teams. It will be over in 3 weeks. It is basically the NAB Cup.
Rocco Siffredi
Guest
So you risk full time pros against guys with chips on their shoulders or wanting to get a scalp under their belt? They would be beltings, the state leaguers would run out of puff after 20 odd minutes. They won't have the endurance to match the pros.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Melbourne and Wellington
rovingto2011
Guest
every country has multiple sports... football has to start doing its own thing even if on a smaller scale to the rugby codes or aussie rules. Cup competitions matter to us in the football world.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I would like too see a model that works without replacing finals. I don't think it has to be at the end of the season, a pre season version or one designed to keep the ACL competing teams fresh would be good. The later would be interesting as clubs tend to shed players overseas at that time (and not pick up imports replacements until later) so more of the NYL players would be involved. Something that finished on Boxing day or New Years eve would also be a winner for mine. No need to get rid of finals which sell themselves and 5 years in already have some tradition. a pre season one where the final was played one week before the A league season (in October) could be a good kick off for the start of the A league season and signal the end of most state leage comps. The other codes are in grand final mode which hogs the media but also means their are is lack of live footy available.
Victer
Guest
There are too many rounds already with too few quality players. You wannna add more? People have to stop thinking we live in Germany or something. We have multiple sports and the a-league has to find its niche. There is simply not enough support for all these initiatives and people don't even attend week night a-league well as is unless its summer. The a-league needs to simplify not become big and more complex.
Sam
Guest
A-league at the moment is popular with who?
Sam
Guest
Great point Football. These are examples of what community football is all about. Hopefully Sydney FC also targets the juniors of these areas and entices them with deals to attend a-league games. FFA and the clubs should be going to the communites. Not waiting for the community to come to them. Be proactive, not reactive. Problem is we need people running the game who are good at these grassroots type things. The other sports just need the communities to come to them as they have the tradition and history. Slogans and TV ads will work for them. It won't work for us. We need to go to the communities and ask for support. Our advantage is player numbers. We need the FFA and clubs to get their hands dirty.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
It's not about replacing something that's popular. It's about connecting with more football fans who currently have no real affiliation with the A-League. Such a connection could lead higher A-League attendances in the future.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
Not totally correct. Most people that support lower league clubs tend to have an EPL side that they also follow. In the event that the lower league side came up against the EPL side in a cup game, they would support their local lower league side. I don't see how this would be any different here. I know I would support Taringa Rovers if they were playing the Brisbane Roar. However, I still attend most of the Roar's home games. In fact, it's easier to do here because the seasons for local football and national football are different.
Eamonn Flanagan
Guest
FFA Cup? Only if it has a prize of ACL, other wise forget it. Play the final, every year....in the capital Canberra. Big clubs, the 12 of them, enter at round of 16. End of story, no if's no buts!