Stoic Gold Coast United captain Michael Thwaite says his team have done the right thing by Football Federation Australia by agreeing to finish the A-League season.
Now he wants the FFA to return the favour and decide their fate by this weekend – for better or worse.
The FFA have hinted that they may not determine United’s future for weeks after a new Gold Coast consortium presented a proposal to take over the licence from next season.
However, Thwaite could only see his impressive band of youngsters staying on the tourist strip if an FFA call was made by Sunday’s regular season finale against arch rivals Brisbane Roar at Skilled Park.
Thwaite said his Gold Coast teammates had ensured the A-League’s integrity by staying on and giving a fighting on-field display since the FFA stripped billionaire owner Clive Palmer of the United licence on February 29.
And with uncertainty swirling around the former A-League glamour club once again, Thwaite believed United’s anxious young brigade deserved some closure – one way or another.
“I would like to see it (a decision on the club’s future) done by the weekend,” Thwaite said on Thursday.
“We have done our part by signing with the FFA (after Palmer’s axing) and it is up to them to let us know before the league is finished.”
Interim coach Mike Mulvey backed Thwaite’s call.
“I think the players should know what their future is – whether it be good or bad,” he said.
“Because I know there are deals on the table for some players.
“They need to be sure of their future. Some have mortgages, kids, schools, deciding where they live.
“I think the powers that be should give them an answer as soon as possible.”
Mulvey had not tried to persuade youngsters one way or another as the offers piled up but kept his fingers crossed there was a future for all on the Gold Coast next season.
“The majority want to be involved here. They love what is happening on the field,” he said.
“They see a future here but they need some positive intent from FFA to let them know it is a possibility.”
Gold Coast have gone down swinging in the six games to date since Palmer’s high-profile departure, culminating in a stunning 3-0 win over finals-bound Perth Glory at Skilled Park last round.
And the stage is set for a memorable finale on Sunday in a game that may determine whether Brisbane grabs back-to-back minor premierships.
Meanwhile, the A-League were making no promises.
“A discussion paper has been put forward however any proposal must come with guarantees for the long term sustainability and viability for a club on the Gold Coast,” said A-League boss Lyall Gorman.
“We are talking to interested parties and will provide guidance on how they approach the issues but everyone should recognise that the timelines are relatively short and the hurdles relatively high.
“We will continue discussions and work with those interested parties on the Gold Coast to see if an effective model can be produced for next season and beyond.”
PeterK
Guest
Thanks Ben -- I'm a Fury Fan Forever! I think that the general feeling up here in NQ is that we want back in one day, but not without some changes to the top.
David Jones
Roar Rookie
Agree. The backers are there and they have put in a plan, but the FFA will need time and they are considering two other offers at the same time from Canberra and West Sydney.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Yes that's true, but the jersey represents the Roar not Mitch. I would rather see a full life size action shot of Mitch in action at Suncorp that would spell it out properly---he is a product of Palm Beach and of the Gold Coast and under different circumstances could have been wearing a GCU jersey.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Well on the same note Rob did you read my first post properly...? You Roar supporters seem to think you have a God given right to all of Queensland's fan base and all others should have their place behind them.
Rob Gremio
Guest
Did you read my post? I want gcu to exist. I also wanted Fury to survive. I think Queensland warrants more than one team.
Midfielder
Guest
I hope the new backers come along... but rushing into a decision is not the answer either... The great pity the person who decided to question FFA turned out to be an idiot [see CIA among other things] intent on getting out and causing damage...
Trueman
Guest
Qantas supports Australian Football: the Roar jersey in the club is fair enough as Mitch Nichols played at palm beach before turning pro at the roar. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
No Rob, I didn't mean the Roar should disappear from the HAL---only their current form to be brought back to the pack and a place for GCU in the HAL for them to flourish. Football form goes around in cycles and it's inevitable that the Roar FC will suffer the same fate as SFC and Melb Vic have---when that happens, then we will see a resurgence of support for GCU, providing we are still around... Let me ask you a question; do you think there should only be one Football team in the HAL for all of Queensland for the 60k grass roots football players to aspire to? I think not...
Rob Gremio
Guest
Qantas, I know you have your GCU eyepatch on when you say these things about Brisbane, but why do you think the roar will collapse? What evidence do you have for that? I am a Roar fan, and while I hate GCU with a passion, it's a hatred that requires the club to exist - if there were no GCU, I wouldn't have a local rival to hate. Therefore, i want GCU to survive, thrive (well, not TOO much - they don't need to be winning trophies, for example, especially not at the expense of the Roar), and maintain the rivalry, which is all good fun. As for the "Roar bandwagon", you could make an argument that many jumped ship to GCU when a team in their locality appeared, but reverted back when they realised that LNP Clive was a joke, and that he treated the Club, its supporters, and the game with contempt. Who could blame those fans for reverting to the Roar?
Axelv
Guest
The clubs were already circling and signing players while Clive was in charge. The 1 year contracts, cheap players, Clive's e-mail, avoiding contact with the FFA and then suddenly turning 360 to out right attack the FFA to deflect blame, it was all an act ;)
Axelv
Guest
Perhaps Skilled stadium will enjoy being bankrupt when their are no more sports teams left to play in their stadium ;) Biting the hand that feeds them!
Axelv
Guest
As they say striker, 3 years of damage to the football community in the region cannot be reversed in 1 game.
Axelv
Guest
Punishment did fit the crime, repeatedly disobeying the rules of the governing body and putting our nation at risk of getting kicked out of FIFA is a serious offense. Clive gave the FFA no other choice and if you've read his e-mail to the FFA, you'd know that Clive already wanted out of the A-League and decided to have some fun along the way. As for Gold Coast United, if the FFA had any brains they'd do their best in saving GCU and let it stay in the competition if it gets the required backing, I really don't have much faith in them though, this looks like dejavu of 12 months ago.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
I am a member of the Palm Beach Soccer club on the Gold Coast and we have far too many Roar Supporters at our club who should be GCU supporters. In the licenced social club hang three framed jerseys---PB FC, Roar FC, and GCU FC. I have been vocal in the club that we need to get rid of the Roar framed jersey, because this is GCU territory, however, that is falling on death ears for the moment. The problem is right now that the GC residents are on board with the Roar band wagon. The Roar had a jump start on GCU for 5yrs. However, this will not be the case forever, and we need to have a GCU ready when the Roar collapse at Suncorp, and it will eventually. Those who have jumped on the Roar bandwagon will see GCU as an alternative club to follow. But first we need to get rid of that Framed Roar jersey---to make a real statement that this region belongs to GCU FC.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I'm hoping it comes through. The competition is better with Gold Coast and I'm still annoyed that we lost Fury.
Griffo
Roar Guru
I think any new club will need at least a season, maybe more, before kicking-off in anger in the A-League. I haven't heard/read anything yet that makes me think a West Sydney club has gone past the 'mythical' stage yet compared to the Canberra bid which is supposedly $2m short of ticking an FFA 'funding' box. I just hope the FFA are not 'promised' a West Sydney team in the short term for A-League 8 at the expense of GCU, only to end up being 'still born' again.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I guess we can't blame the other clubs for circling like vultures, the whole list is available and out of 20+ players, at least a dozen of them are certainly worthwhile pick ups.
PeterK
Guest
If the new consortium is even half good enough, GCU should be retained -- possibly while further negotiations happen -- and if FFA are SO intent on having Western Sydney and one other (Canberra or Woolongong?) then put them in in the following season.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Michael Thwaite's point is an interesting one. The players were all on one-year contracts; so after Sunday's game, they're all out of contract. Other clubs are already circling to cherry-pick the talented players at the club. Even if the new consortium manages to convince the FFA to give them a license, they won't get the same players as this year's squad - they'll have moved on. Many players may want to stay, but if there's uncertainty whether there'll be a club next season but they have an offer elsewhere with a club that will definately be in next season, of course they'll take the offer and move.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
The Titans have a combination of problems of which one aspect is the stadium rental. GCU look to only have the rental as an issue because the break even figure must be much higher then the 2-5000 people they get through the gates. Something tells me Lowy is over the GC at this time (because of Plamer and his antics) and is focusing all his time at looking at alternatives i.e West Sydney, Canberra etc The Gold Coast would probably needed to have filled that stadium the past couple of weeks to prove to Lowy that they want a team up there, getting 2,000 after a call to arms was not a good effort unfortunately.