The 20-year plan dropped today and Football Federation Australia have outlined some bold initiatives in their ‘whole of football’ approach to ensure the ongoing growth and success of the code over the next two decades.
One of the main talking points to come out of the plan was essentially a side-issue in relation to the bigger picture but one that has tongues wagging and various people beating themselves up about just how ‘un-football’ our own national competition is.
FFA have essentially ruled out promotion and relegation from the A-League for the next 20 years, mainly to prevent financial instability among A-League clubs, but also as an acknowledgement that as a football nation, the notion of promotion and relegation is unsustainable due to our demographic, geographic and financial realities.
On top of this came the inevitable talk in the last week on how the A-League crowns its champions as the playoffs began. There are supporters of the game who feel that play-offs are artificial and the real champions are the ones who sit atop the pile at the conclusion of the home-and-away rounds of the completion. Why? Well, because that’s the way it happens in Europe.
Europe also has promotion and relegation. Europe has a lot of things that are magnificent for football, such as a two century history of the game and a population about 35 times the number of Australia, yet playing in a geographical area where almost all of the major playing nations fit comfortably within the geographical area of our one great brown land.
For example, England is two-thirds the size of New South Wales, which goes some of the way to explaining why they can have four fully professional tiers with promotion and relegation and why fairytale romance stories like AFC Bournemouth are entirely possible. It’s a safe bet that in their inaugural Premier League season, the Cherries won’t once board a plane to get to an away game.
The National Soccer League had promotion and relegation in some form at some points in time during its existence. It was largely a sure-fire pathway to oblivion for clubs that were promoted with no chance of assembling the right kind of management and financial structure.
Europe also has – gasp – playoffs. Now I know they don’t crown their top tier champions based on a grand final but coming up in England in four week’s time will be the game dubbed as ‘the richest game of the season’. The Championship promotion playoff at Wembley has an estimated worth to the winner greater than the total TV rights deal recently negotiated for the A-League.
I understand the traditional mindset of a champion club being the one that emergences on top of the table after the home-and-away rounds are finished. But as a player, fan and coach, my mindset has always been that if you’re good enough to finish first, you’re good enough to win two more games and become champion.
The A-League needs to be able to quarantine a date and time when their ultimate champions will be crowned – it needs the eyeballs and the live crowd to make it the event it has undoubtedly become over the last decade. Imagine an A-League history that was written without that incredible 2011 grand final between Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners? Try taking away the worldwide publicity garnered by Archie Thompson scoring five goals in a championship playoff.
It’s a funny thing about European football. How many sports can you name around the world – individual or team – where the date in which the champion is to be crowned is totally unknown? In Europe, it could realistically happen in a four-week window towards the end of a long season. The English premiers were crowned on Sunday night but it might have happened the following weekend. Or it could have happened without the champions even taking the field (had Chelsea drawn with Crystal Palace and Arsenal not beaten Hull on Tuesday morning).
The A-League needs stability. Promotion and relegation at this stage of the game would have seriously shaken the foundations that have been built over the last decade. The A-League also needs its marquee events. The grand final is the biggest day on our domestic football calendar and is the date all fans know that a champion will be crowned.
Bondy
Guest
Punter He AR only comes here to make trouble and stirs people up then proclaims they taunt him ..
SVB
Guest
It was European Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup. I remember as a young kid watching Mark Hughes score a classic goal against Barcelona in the Cup Winner Cup final. It was sublime and I still picture it in my head. Manchester Utd qualified for the Cup Winners Cup by winning the FA Cup (you had to win your local Cup competition to qualify). It was pretty much the beginning of their great dynasty. UEFA Cup was similar to what Europa Cup is today. European Cup was only Champions of each country.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
AR, so far I have only read one person who says 'real football fans don't agree with finals football' & that is his opinion. I believe 1st past the post is your best team of the year, Ange, publicly says the GF winner is the best, I respect his opinion, I hope he respect mine. However, where did Midfilder say Ange was a not a real football fan?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
AR You are far too kind. Nevertheless, I would really welcome some analysis of new media from an expert, especially as it pertains to the Australian sporting landscape. I would like to see something on it on the Roar one day.
Horto Magiko
Guest
But AR you're not a true football fan. It's no secret. Who are you kidding? You're peripheral at best. 2nd question: isn't there an Eddie McGuire appreciation meeting to attend? Or perhaps he needs his boots shined..
AR
Guest
"AP, Simon Hill, Craig Foster, Jimmy Jenko & Fuss are allowed their own opinions, this is a forum." And that's precisely the point I'm making. There's is an inane attitude from *some* fans, who say that if you support finals... or use the word "soccer"... or don't advocate for P/R...or don't want the salary cap scrapped... or whatever your view may be... then you're not a "real football fan". It's this narrow ("my view is the only valid view") sort of thinking that I'm highlighting.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Wherever humans gather, you will find culture, even in this land. In fact, some of the very oldest culture in the world is to be found amongst us. In the field of sporting culture, we may well be a world leader. I can recall Fozz writing an article about how our indigenous people may have invented soccer, with an ancient game called: Woggaballiri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woggabaliri
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I agree with you. I just don't understand why people keep talking up the MLS. It's salary cap is small time, the value of the TV rights are small time and it's a rubbish league all round.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
You are correct. There actually used to be three separate cups (that I can recall): I used to folllow it in the Italian paper, so I know their names in Italian. Coppa dei Campioni (literally the Cup of the Champions) Coppa delle Coppe (literally the Cup of cups, i.e. played amongst the cup-winners of each country) Coppa UEFA, pretty much the same as it is now, played by clubs finishing below the champion in each country.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
Nope that doesn't clarifies where Midfielder said Ange Postecoglou is not a “real” football fan. You are summarizing that because Ange Postecoglou says something all football fans needs to fall in line. AP, Simon Hill, Craig Foster, Jimmy Jenko & Fuss are allowed their own opinions, this is a forum.
AR
Guest
The 'google hits' argument has been promoted by a few people on this site in the past. Lets just say...the conclusions that seem to be drawn from it...need a little work.
AR
Guest
Midfielder, Ange was asked the other day what the pinnacle is for ALeague clubs. Unequivocally, he said winning the Grand Final. Fuss and others have mocked this attitude, often describing them as not real football fans, which is exactly what you inferred with: "I just posted to Fuss that we as Football fans know who the real winner is … ie the team that wins over 27 or 33 rounds …" It's a simplistic attitude of "those who don't agree with my opinion are not real football fans". Hope that clarifies.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
Mid, he comes from the school that AP speaks for all football fans like Eddie McQuire speaks for all AFL fans.
AZ_RBB
Guest
What on earth are you talking about? My question was whether MVFC who have two active support groups would be able to use their usual set up and have home ends behind each goal because this is a home game for them. But now I think about it most Derbies City get an active end as well. The segregation of fans is what helps football create its brilliant and unique atmosphere. Fans aren't segregated because we don't get along. 90% of the stadium will be open to all fans.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Given we're in Australia and follow the grain of other Australian sports, I don't see how interest in a finals series would be hard to beef up.
Cameron
Roar Guru
What a shame some fans can't come together because of the way they handle themselves. I think active supporters lose sight a fair amount of what it means to be a supporter.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Yet to some it's the end of the world and the content is disregarded with attention only coming for the use of "minor premiers."
Cameron
Roar Guru
That only reaffirms the point Fuss makes.
RIP_Enke
Guest
Hahaha, right, sorry bout that.
Midfielder
Guest
AR Where and how did I say AP is not a real Football fan... please please show me..