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It’s not long now until 22 teams have qualified for this year’s inaugural FFA cup.
Some teams will return to the national stage and others will get their chance in the sun.
I am really backing NPL Palm Beach Sharks to destroy Caloundra in their next round clash, thus giving the Gold Coast team a birth and leaving most on the Sunshine Coast pondering as to what could have been.
Caloundra’s victory over NPL side Sunshine Coast Fire was, from the reports, deserved but unexpected.
Caloundra’s victory over the Fire proves that underdogs will cause upsets and the most ‘professional’ club on the Sunshine Coast has woken up and seen there’s no such thing as a free ride in cup competitions.
When I first saw the draw, like most I thought that the two NPL teams – Sharks and Fire – would face each other in the Gold Coast versus Sunshine Coast playoff for a position in the last 32 of the FFA Cup.
As it is, Sunshine Coast League team Caloundra still have a chance of advancement. But given the Sharks’ current form in the Queensland NPL – a whopping 28 from a possible 30 points after the first 10 games – the chance seems slim.
Can Palm Beach force its way into the Gold Coast sports fans’ hearts? I say, why not?
If the The football gods give the Sharks a nice couple of draws against less skilful teams, then somehow they could get a quarter final game against an A-League team.
I still feel they would need a mini-run in the cup before they gain some momentum on the publicity side. This would be a chance for Palm Beach to show Australia that they are the best team on the Gold Coast and competitive.
Does an A-League team from the Gold Coast have to be called “Gold Coast”? Marketing probably says yes, but the heart and soul says no.
So you read it here first. I am formally nominating the Palm Beach Sharks SC to one day enter the A-League competition with a non-hostile takeover by the FFA or a healthy investment, albeit from the Middle East or Asia.
They are a stone’s throw away from Robina’s Skilled Park. The local clubs would basically be told to accept it and the club would represent the Gold Coast.
Matt Smith, Mitch Nichols and Socceroo Tommy Oar should be a mild incentive. This club is doing something right. Let’s just amplify it.
Is this the key to the Gold Coast’s football heart?
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