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Football schism an embarrassment to the game

Roar Guru
3rd March, 2012
19

If you thought the Gillard-Rudd stoush was childish, the war between Football Federation Australia and Clive Palmer’s FA is an exercise most kids grow out of in kindergarten. Both the FFA and the FA have embarrassed the game they are supposed to serve.

In case you missed the rumblings, Clive Palmer’s Gold Coast United have been kicked out of the A-League for flagrant breaches of the FFA rules.

In response, Clive Palmer has set up the Football Australia (FA) body with former A-League Chief Archie Fraser running the show.

Suddenly, two football bodies are up and running in this country leaving the football community punch drunk as to what is going on.

What we have are two billionaires, both with agendas, who struggle with not getting their own way.

If either body thinks they can claim the moral high ground they are greatly mistaken.

For starters Clive Palmer was welcomed into the game with open arms by Frank Lowy and the FFA executive.

The rushed nature of A-league expansion MK1 was fuelled by a desire to strike a blow towards the NRL and AFL.

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They saw him as a sign that the A-League was a credible business interest and ensured many of his needs were looked after.

Remember when Palmer capped Gold Coast crowds? This was only repealed when the FFA agreed to market Gold Coast United on the Gold Coast.

How the FFA could not have predicted this calamity is beyond me.

They let a well-known maverick into the game and failed to keep a check on him while he ran around spouting rubbish and earning disdain from the football community.

But seriously Clive, you are a fool.

Your embarrassing attempt to run football has been nothing short of laughable and idiotic.

For someone who can’t decide on whether they love or hate the game, it’s not surprising that you can’t even decide on whether your new organisation is a rebel competition, sporting think tank or a United Nations peace organisation.

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Since the appointment of a 17 year-old as captain, Palmer has shown himself to be incompetent and absurd in his public statement.

He has also shown to be a hypocrite as his Freedom of Speech demonstration masked the fact he sacked a coach for speaking his mind.

Palmer has shown us he is a buffoon without a patient or thoughtful bone in his body.

If he had bided his time he could have forced changes at the FFA which would benefit clubs.

Instead, Palmer’s neurotic football ambitions have set the owners of the clubs back five years in demanding reform.

In conclusion, I don’t really care which organisation is in charge of the game as long as they let the football do the talking.

The skills and tactics of the A-League have matured, it is a shame some of the game‘s custodians haven’t.

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