Is it judgement time or not? Are the FFA trying to call North Queensland’s bluff? And will some local investor magically turn up and rescue the beleaguered Fury before the FFA switch off life support? These are all important questions which we’re being told will be answered by the end of the month.
Hooray, finally a decision. But are the indicators suggesting it’ll be the demise of North Queensland Fury?
In my opinion, it’s looking that way.
Last week’s 2022 World Cup decision certainly removes a lot of the incentive for the FFA to keep a club in Townsville.
And then, of course, there’s the ever-present financial issues with the Fury who admit they are relying on the FFA to keep them afloat until the 2012-2013 season.
It’s quite the burden for the FFA, but they’ve had burdens before. Recall Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory all falling under FFA ownership.
The difference is as a regional centre with a population of approximately 180,000, Townsville is not a key market. Certainly not anymore Australia has lost the World Cup bid.
And the Fury’s average attendances of 4,666 this season hardly suggests otherwise. Nor does the lack of local investment in the club, culminating in only 85 per cent of the salary cap being spent this term on a squad which has struggled down the wrong end for the most part of its existence.
We shouldn’t forget in comparison to the other A-League clubs who fell under FFA control, the Fury did so within a year of their existence. That’s damning for the viability of a club based in Townsville.
The Fury has become a major burden on the FFA. And chairman Frank Lowy has been plugging away for some time with the same message to the Townsville public, about actually proving their support for the club by getting behind them financially.
In Tuesday’s FFA press conference, Lowy said: “If there is to be a club in Townsville it’s up to the Townsville people. They’ve got to want it, and they’ve got to pay for it. We will assist but will not take the load on.”
Realistically it’s about the locals proving the club is viable. That seems quite a reasonable request from the FFA.
On the other hand, some people will argue the FFA must save this club. Personally, I’d hate to see an A-League club fold, particularly as it begins to resemble the issues we faced in the National Soccer League with teams coming and going.
The A-League must maintain its image and professionalism, and no doubt a failed club would be a blow. But expansion was always a risk and the Townsville market still hasn’t proved itself to be viable.
There’s no point saving a club in the short-term if it’s not viable in the long-term.
Then again, the Fury is putting together a fully self-sufficient community-based ownership model which they want to have in place for the 2012-2013 season but there’s still no guarantees.
In theory the model sounds wonderful, but the FFA is right in taking its time to see the proposal capitalised to ensure it is viable and not just hot air.
But let’s hope the FFA take their time to hear the Fury out. What’s alarming is when you hear A-League boss Lyall Gorman or FFA CEO Ben Buckley speak about a shorter season next term.
How exactly would a shorter season be achieved? The league certainly can’t be trimmed to 20 matches (it’s against AFC criteria for entry into the Asian Champions League), so maybe they’re already thinking they might be down to 10 clubs next season. Let’s hope those decisions haven’t already been made.
Moving on, though, the reality is you can understand where both parties are coming from.
Personally I’m still not totally convinced about the viability of a Townsville-based club, but I’m desperate to be proven wrong.
Hopefully the FFA feel the same way and give the Fury every chance of proving their worth and surviving.
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