After the Socceroos latest string of average performances in the East Asian Cup, the knives are well and truly being sharpened for Socceroos coach Holger Osieck.
Meanwhile, in Victoria, the proposed National Premier League’s agenda is facing serious hurdles, as several high profile clubs withdraw their applications for Football Federation Victoria’s new state competition.
Such is the state of Australian football that Osieck and the Socceroos dominate the headlines. While our performances at the East Asian Cup were less than impressive, they hardly matter in the grand scheme of things. A few players were handed their debuts, Osieck’s tactics bored us all to tears, and we realised that we’re not much better than our Asian opponents. Nothing new to see here.
By contrast, the roll out of the National Premier Leagues is one of the biggest reforms in Australian football in the past decade, and if the Victorian example is anything to go by, the FFA’s proposed ‘B-League’ has as many opponents as it has supporters. Put simply, it’s all going tits up.
Of course, structural reforms like these are usually a tricky sell. They require a shift in attitudes and a willingness from all parties to remove themselves from their comfort zones. They also require patience, dialogue and trust. Like Rome, a new development model and nationwide ‘second-tier’ competition won’t be built in a day.
Yesterday morning, the disgruntled clubs in Victoria put out a media release to clarify their position on the National Premier Leagues (NPLV). Of the twelve clubs that currently play in the Victorian Premier League, all except Richmond have signed the declaration to withdraw their applications to the FFV.
In other words, this means that former NSL powerhouse Melbourne Knights have rejected the new FFV model, while the current Victoria Premier League leaders Northcote City aren’t interested in participating under the proposed terms. Even A-League aspirants and Oceania club of the century, South Melbourne, are willing to take their business elsewhere.
The clubs say that the new proposals are financially unviable, fail to properly implement the recommendations of the National Competitions Review, and lack consistency at a national level.
On the last point at least, the clubs are certainly correct. The National Premier Leagues might have been established across New South Wales, ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, however each state federation has tweaked the competition format, massaging the entry criteria to ensure that the participating clubs buy into the concept.
In Victoria, things have blown up largely due to the fact that the FFV has tried to take a more hard line stance on these criteria.
Anybody who has spoken to club administrators in Victoria will understand their immense frustration at the FFV. The governing body promises us all that they have consulted the clubs, but over the past two months several administrators have voiced their frustration with a lack of true dialogue.
The president of Northcote City likened the system to Stalinist Russia, while the Green Gully president complained that the FFV had simply given the clubs directives rather than a democratic consultation process. Whichever way you want to characterise the FFV’s handling of the situation, the point is that it has left nobody happy.
Worse still, the FFV have been granted an extra year to work through these problems. Good governance, particularly in football, is about more than just grand plans.
The NPL model asks state league clubs to obey stricter rules as to the selection of players and coaches, while relieving none of the increased costs. And rather than provide a pathway for State League clubs to gain promotion to the A-League, the National Premier Leagues scheme entrenches their role as just a cog in the player development system.
For all this talk of promotion and relegation, the reality is that there is more chance of this humble blogger being appointed the editor-in-chief of the New York Times than there is of Perth Glory being relegated for Oakleigh Cannons. The A-League is not, and never will be a democracy. It is a cartel of strategically placed franchises, levelled out by a salary cap.
It’s become fashionable to say that football in Australia is in finer shape than ever. But while the success of the national team and the A-League has allowed the sport to make inroads into the national imagination, we would do well to remember that football is a pyramid, with the Socceroos and the national league at the pointy end.
Lower your gaze and murkier problems are easily found. In the quest to build Rome, there is a danger that we’re leaving the peasants behind.
mahonjt
Guest
I thought is was just with South Melbourne. ABSOLUTELY happy to be corrected! If it was, my suspicion is that the meetig was more about how to navigate the FFV/VPL dispute while maintaining a good relationsip with the FFA as South's maintain an ambition to purchase a certain A-League licence. Lets not kid ourselves - the interests of South's in the NPL-V are very different to those of the rest of the VPL clubs or the league more broadly.
Jukes
Guest
Anybody have an idea how this meeting went. Glad the FFA stepped in here actually. Hopefully they made some progress.
Kasey
Guest
Dillan, it appears that the FFV have taken a task that the other state federations managed thus far and completely screwed it up. I don't deal with them, but if as MC says it is because they are too pig-headed and arrogant to consult with their member clubs, then perhaps FFA needs to remove FFV from the process?
Gordo
Guest
We're too big a country to not have state federations, but they need much more 'top down' funding from FFA so they can hire competent administrators. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
Gordo
Guest
What FFV are trying to implement is not what the other states have implemented. They have put a bunch of other stuff in. But every state has had a bit of a barney about it simply because it's a culture change. They've just worked through it.
Gordo
Guest
Good summary, I'm getting a good picture of why the clubs are upset. None of these points were recommended by the National Competition Review (from which the NPL was born), and none of them are implemented in the ACT where I am.
Gordo
Guest
I've been involved in the implementation in the ACT, and from this it seems like FFV are implementing many things that weren't called for by the original national competitions review. So now I understand some of the rhetoric coming from clubs. In fact I don't even know what half the points are talking about, and I've read the NCR in fine detail.
Jukes
Guest
That was a terrific post Midfielder, interesting reading from Parks & Leisure Vic/Tas. They spell it out nice and clear their concerns. Lets see if the FFV actually respond and acknowledge the concerns and what they will do about it. There is no way I can see this working, not in its current form. The thing is FFV will have no choice but to deal with those clubs who are already meeting the criteria of the NPL. In particular dealing directly with those clubs who own their own facilities and grounds. So many unanswered issues. Very poorly handled by the FFV in my opinion. Major issues: 1. Where do junior players go who dont make it into a NPL club. Playing fields are already stretched to capacity. 2. Who is going to pay, especially for those grounds that dont meet FFV standards 3. Cost of maintaining grounds 4. Additional costs to registrations ie coaches (technical directors), medical staff 5. The elite nature of the NPL goes against the ethos of council grounds ie community based, access for all. 6. Short lead time to make this happen. This has Buckleys (how apt) of happening in Victoria.
MelbCro
Guest
Kasey, the FFA actually had a meeting with Victorian clubs today. The FFV was not invited to this meeting.
Midfielder
Guest
Councils in Victoria are questioning the state association ... copied in part only ... but well worth reading and supports much of what MC has said... http://www.parksleisure.com.au/documents/item/2016 Parks and Leisure Australia (Vic/Tas Region) Submission to Football Federation Victoria The key points of this submission are: • There is a general view that the consultation process carried out by FFV staff was not a true consultation process, rather it was perceived to be in the form more of information-giving. • Concern for the impact that the NPLV framework may have on local football competitions and clubs. • Concern for the impact that the NPLV framework will have on the maintenance and management of football grounds and facilities. • Concern for the high ongoing costs that need to be borne by licensed clubs to be involved in the NPLV. • Concern for the top heavy nature of the NPLV framework. • Strong view that local government inclusion and approvals are required during all stages of the expression of interest process and license approval phase. • Concern for the short timeframe proposed by the FFV for the expression of interest process and receipt of submissions. Details of each point are:
Midfielder
Guest
Kasey If you read the MV forum ... not a friend to the Knights or South Melbourne they by and large support the clubs... sometimes as I mentioned local knowledge is important and MC has already stated if what was done in NSW was copied there are no issues... As I have posted those in state and often district associations are sometimes full of bias, politics and internal conflicts ... Check out the MV forum ... http://www.melbournevictory.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?35-Australian-Football-Discussion
Kasey
Guest
I feel that in general, most football fans just want to see the game continue to grow and we see a strong and viable 2nd tier as an important step forward. Its not about effniks v anglos as many tried to make out the creation of the A-League to be, its about making the game as good as it can be and if as MelbCro says, FFV have screwed the pooch in implementing their segment of the NPL, then somebody from FFAHQ is going to want to have a word in short order because plainly you cant have a proper 'National' Premier League without Victoria's biggest and most historic clubs involved.
MelbCro
Guest
Kasey you say that like Knights and South are the only clubs that have said no. Majority of clubs in Victoria across all leagues have said no. This isn't a former NSL club issue.
mahonjt
Guest
TO EVERYONE ABOVE - can I say that on this complex and important issue, that I am delighted with the lack of rancour in the conversation. Well done!
mahonjt
Guest
Comparing NSW and VIC (whatever your view of the FFV model) is a fool’s errand. No question our approach in Victoria does have to be quite different to NSW for a range of historical reasons. That’s not to say the model from FFV is ideal - but the ways in which it differentiates from NSW are broadly, in my opinion, in the right direction.
mahonjt
Guest
Oh - I hear ya brother. I have no doubt about that at all.
mahonjt
Guest
You forget how the FFA intervened in NSW by taking the 'nuclear option'. They have done a terrific job in that respect - but it is no way to run a federation on a ongoing basis.
mahonjt
Guest
Yea - and the State Associateions would then become the problem - make no mistake - the FA cannot solve this problem. It had NO real choice but to leve it to State Federations to impliment within local cnstraints.
mahonjt
Guest
Actually - if they change their criteria now they will end up in court. This process, regardless of the outcome, must be exhausted to limit the legal liability to FFV. As to the threat of legal action from clubs - 'snowball in hell' would be my response. If the FFV change the rules of the game now - they certainly will have a case. The FFV won’t let them, and this alone can explain the FFV’s response to date.
Kasey
Guest
It would be disappointing but not insurmountable to have an NPLV without SMH &MelbKnights. As more and more money comes into the game, the ability of the FFA to 'sweeten the pot' for clubs to accept its reforms increases. South and Knights would want to be very sure they are not going to end up on the wrong side of history here. If club x 'wins' the NPL and were to gain entry to a Friendly game between the previous seasons HAL champion and the NPL winner as a curtain raiser to the HAL season as is almost the case with the FA Community Shield, then they couldn't very well complain in the future about being ignored/disenfranchised by 'new football' could they? FWIW I believe it has been determined that the winner of the FFSA Premier League League Finals Series will be SA's representative in the NPL playoffs. Last weekend Metro Stars won the 'Premiers Plate' after their main Rivals Adelaide City were defeated by Para Hills 1-0. Giving Metro 53 points over City on 42. The top 4 Semi Finals start tonight.